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Illegal attempt to sail to Australia
Sixty Sri Lankans rescued from sinking fishing trawlerBy Dharmaratne Wijesundera in Galle
The sixty Sri Lankans who were rescued from a sinking trawler in the seas off Kirinda during an abortive attempt to sail illegally to Australia, have told investigators that they each paid amounts ranging from Rs. 7 lakhs to Rs. 8 lakhs to job agencies for the perilous journey.The group which included a solitary woman, was saved by the navy and brought to the Galle naval jetty around 9.30 pm on Saturday. The majority of them were Sinhalese while the others were Tamils and a Muslim, naval sources said.
According to statements made by them, the group had boarded a multi-day fishing trawler by the name of ‘Fathima’ at Negombo and sailed 1800 nautical miles for 18 days. The trawler had run into turbulent weather in deep sea and as the going was becoming more and more difficult and the dream of reaching Australia withered, it was decided to return to Sri Lanka. On the way back, the water tank of the trawler had broken and fallen into the choppy seas. This had led to an imbalance virtually crippling the vessel. After some time an explosion had taken place causing a leak which the crew found difficult to plug. As the trawler with its illegal human cargo was gradually sinking, the crew, as a last resort transmitted an SOS which was picked up by another trawler in the locality and conveyed by radio to the Fisheries Ministry transmission unit at Galle port, according to reports.
Sunil Sarath Perera, Director, Surveillance Operations, Fisheries Ministry, responding to the SOS had directed that three multi-day trawlers ‘Bethleham’, ‘Prasanna 11’ and ‘Gayam’ which were in the vicinity be alerted and sent to the rescue of the sinking trawler. Orders were also given to bring the survivors to the Galle port. The navy was also informed and the naval vessel ‘Jaya Sagara’ despatched to co-ordinate the rescue mission. The 60 persons who were on board were brought to the Galle navy jetty. After giving them meals, the group was transported to the Boossa naval camp where they are being held as investigations into their abortive mission continue.
President to give Ranil one last chance to help end war
by Walter Nanayakkara reporting from GallePresident Chandrika Kumaratunga yesterday said she will give the UNP leader Ranil Wickeremesinghe one last chance to decide whether he would support the government’s devolution package. Addressing the Galle District’s SLFP Convention at the Galle esplanade, the President said that she has decided to give one last chance to the UNP leader.
"He must understand that it is his party’s duty to help us to resolve a crisis that was precipitated by his own party", she said.
The President said that though her Ministers approached the Leader of Opposition and the United National Party, to seek his views about the devolution proposals his response had always been negative.
She said that the UNP should understand that the party was largely responsible for the war in the North. It is therefore necessary for the present leadership of the party to support the government in its effort to resolve a problem for which the present government is not responsible.
If, she said, the Black July of 1983 never occurred there wouldn’t have been a war today.
If the UNP fails to take this last chance, it will be the government’s turn to explore an alternative course of action to get through the devolution proposals, she added.
"It is the UNP that made a hero of Prabhakaran, a man who did not know how to use a firearm. The UNP leader of the time gave Prabhakaran arms and money. A man who had never used a galkatas became a hero overnight.
The atrocities committed to Tamils during the Black July of 1983, forced nearly 300,000 Tamils to flee to India. They went to India and told Prime Minister Indira Gandhi that they are being massacred and their property is being plundered. Prime Minister Gandhi not only gave them refuge, but also gave them arms, training facilities to fight their tormentors" she added.
This is how the war began. "Today we are fighting a war which was the creation of the United National Party" she added.
She said that the Tamils of the North will be the first people to take up arms against Prabhakaran if we could give them an assurance that there will be no more violation of their rights, that their lives and property are safe. This is what we are trying to do and the people who voted us into power hoped that we would resolve the problem once for all, she added.
President said that the present debacle is the product of the J. R. Jayewardene Constitution of 1978 which has brought about an anomalous situation in the composition of the parliamentary seats. The People’s Alliance which won 180 seats according to the Constitution of 1972, is in fact having only 113 seats in the Parliament under the system of Proportional Representation system introduced by the J. R. Jayewardene Constitution. Nowhere in the world a constitution introduced such a system of elections, she said.
She said that constitutions are not for all times and that they should change according to the needs of the times. Had her party had the actual number of seats she won she would not have any problem to change it, she said.
She called the Constitution "Hora Vyawasthava of JR and Premadasa."
Army commander assures court
By Chitra WeerarathneMr. Uditha Igalahewa, State Counsel, who appeared for Lt. General R. D. S. Daluwatte Commander of the Sri Lanka Army gave the undertaking to the Court of Appeal on October 29, that no court marshal proceeding will be held against Major Nambukarage Chandrasena, in relation to the incident, that took place between 25.12.94 and 14.1.95, at "Temple Trees".
Counsel for the petitioner, V. Premasinghe, wished to consider this proposal and to intimate to Court on 16.11.98, whether he is agreeable.
On 16.11.98, this Writ application filed by Major Chandrasena was once again called before Justice H. S. Yapa.
Mr. Kalinga Indatissa, with Mr. V. Premasinghe appeared for the petitioner, Major Chandrasena.
Mr. Indatissa told Court that the proposal put forward by the State Counsel, Mr. Igalahewa was agreeable to the petitioner. Since court martial proceedings against the petitioner are cancelled the petitioner wished to withdraw the writ application. The withdrawal was accordingly allowed.
The writ application filed by Major Chandrasena said that, on 13.1.95, when he was the security co-ordinator at "Temple Trees", he had received information that a soldier on duty had an explosive consignment of gun powder there. The petitioner had immediately reported the matter to the DIG Presidential Security and had the perpetrator arrested when this incident occurred the petitioner was serving under, Lt. Col. Chandrawanse, Brigadier Hettiarachchi and the overall supervisor, Brigadier K. J. C. Perera.
The petitioner and Brig. K. T. C. Perera were subjected to the said disciplinary inquiry but not Lt. Col. Chandrawansa and Brigadier Hettiarachchi. The petition said that the petitioner was, appointed Security Co-ordinator to President Kumaratunga at her request and that may be due to the fact that she was satisfied with the security provided by the petitioner when she was the Chief Minister.
Two LTTE spies arrested
From Wimal KeerthiTwo youths described by police as a Sea Tiger leader and a LTTE technician engaged in spying on activities of the security forces in Negombo area, were arrested by the security co-ordination unit of Negombo police last Saturday.
Police investigations had revealed that the Sea Tiger leader was from Santhikulam, Vavuniya, while the other activist was hailed from Jayanthipuram, Kilinochchi.
The leader was attached to ‘Kanda Ruban’ Sea Tiger base at Thondamannaru, according to police.
These two Tigers had been living in Negombo for over two months, police sources said.
They are being held on detention orders for further questioning.
Two men entering security zone in boat arrested
by Norman PalihawadanaA suspicious boat which sailed into the high security zone sea front at Kollupitiya was taken into custody by the navy yesterday morning. Warning shots were fired into the air by naval personnel who seized the boat, security sources said.
Two men who were in the boat at that time had jumped into the sea on hearing the gun fire and swam ashore.
Police who were alerted arrested the duo.
Investigations had revealed that when the navy signalled the boat to stop the two occupants had disregarded the order and continued to row the boat.
This led the navy to fire warning shots into the air, the sources said.
Police believe that the two Sinhalese youths had entered the high security zone through ignorance.
Kollupitiya police are conducting further investigations..
The need to minimise conflict between man and elephant emphasised
by Shakuntala PereraThe Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) process must be made mandatory for all development projects being carried out in areas vital for elephant management, Global Environment Facility (GEF) Consultant on Elephant Management in Sri Lanka Ajai Desai said.
At a seminar to present his recommendations to the Department of Wild Life at the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administrator (SLIDA), last week Desai stressed on the need to introduce a mandatory process of EIA in all development projects.
"Such a study could help suggest alternate areas for projects and avoid long term destruction to the elephant population. This will greatly bring down the cost of management of an human-elephant conflict on the long term both to the project promoters and the department of wild life,"he added.
He recommended a mandatory EIA process to minimise the human-elephant conflict as they presently exist in many parts of the country, by the early analysis of the problems and the understanding of the ground situations in the areas for development.
"This way, development projects could avoid conflict instead of contributing to it," he pointed out.
Proper defining of the conflict areas could while decreasing the occurrence of conflict also discourage development in these areas, he said.
Approximately 160 elephants have reportedly being killed so far as a result of the human-elephant conflict in the Handapanagala area. The construction of a sugar cane plantation by the Pelwatte Sugar Company during the UNP regime in close proximity of the Hanapanagala tank, where an elephant corridor between the Yala national park and the tank exists, resulted in the creation of this conflict, Desai noted.
Several attempts to drive the elephants to the Yala Blocks 4 and 5 also proved unsuccessful with the continued return of the elephants back to the tank through the corridor.
"Elephant drives are a mere treatment to the symptom but not the cure,"he explained.
The relevant authorities had also failed in achieving much progress in the prevention of continued elephant killings in the country. Approximately 130 elephants have been killed in Sri Lanka during the ten month period January to November this year alone, he lamented.
"While the average killing of elephants was a 100, this year has seen an increase," he said.
Desai identified the loss of habitat as the key problem in elephant management. "It is difficult to stop development in a developing country but sustainable development is necessary for the preservation and management of the animals. Seven thousand to 8000 square miles is a small area for elephant conservation," he observed.
Desai stressed on the need for upgraded policy in the Wild Life sector on elephant management.
He cited the lack of staff within the Department of Wild Life Conservation as a major contributor in elephant management.
"The Department needs a substantial increase in staff for its functions. Their staff should ideally be large enough to operate even outside their areas,"he said.
Govt. rejects UNP call to appoint Task Force to probe Wanni food situation
By Our Parliamentary CorrespondentsGovernment on Friday turned down an Opposition call to appoint a Task Force to go to the Vanni District and to ascertain the actual number of displaced persons who need food relief.
Moving an adjournment motion in Parliament Friday evening. UNP’s Colombo District MP Tyronne Fernando called upon the Government to appoint a Task Force comprising Members of Parliament, both Government and Opposition and officials including the Commissioner General of Essential Services to go to the Vanni District and report back the actual number of displaced persons who need food ,clothing and shelter.
He said that the figure supplied by the Government Agents and Asst. Government Agent to the Defence Ministry in July 1998 was 457,397.
But the Commissioner of Essential Services has disputed this figure and the number of persons who should receive has been reduced to about 300,000.
He said there was starvation due to lack of food and disease such as malaria, diarrhoea and even cholera due to lack of drugs and sanitation facilities in the uncleaned areas of Vanni.
He asked the government to appoint the Task Force to go to Vanni and sort out the issue and report back the true figures within one week.
Mahinda Samarasinghe (UNP-Kalutara District seconded the motion.
R. Sampanthan (TULF, Batticaloa District) asked the government to restore the status-quo-ante with regard to relief to the Vanni District pending an independent clarification of the figures.
He said his party had talks with the President on November 13 and the impression his team got was that the President would restore supplies on the basis of the figures supplied by the Government officials, he said.
He also told the UNP that national integration cannot be achieved through giving food to a starving people and asked the party to support measures to resolve the crisis adding the crisis could be solved only by recognising the ethnic composition of the country and by talks, a political arrangements and a constitutional change.
Minister of Health and Indigeneous Medicine Nimal Siripala de Silva charged the UNP of politicising the sufferings of the Vanni people while blocking efforts to get through the political solution.
He said drugs over the usual quota have been supplied to the North. He said drugs to the tune of Rs. 135 million was intended to be supplied but the actual supplies have exceeded Rs. 143 milllion.
Minister of Plan Implementation and Parliamentary Affairs Jeyaraj Fernandopulle said that the figures supplied by the Government officials serving in the uncleared areas of Vanni District are suspected to be figures supplied to them by the LTTE.
It is also suspected that the excess food sought are to feed LTTE cadres and to be shipped to South India according to Security Forces information.
He said that a Task Force will not have free access to uncleared areas in Vanni and that even if they gained access the figures will still be those given by the LTTE as independent verification is not possible.
He said that people were constantly moving out of the uncleared areas in the South and therefore the figures cannot remain high.
S. Sivathasan (EPDP) Jaffna District A. H. M. Azwer (UNP) D. Sidarthan (DPLF) Vanni also spoke.
Exhibition to fulfil objectives of information distribution
by Harini Dias Bandaranayake.To fulfil the main objectives of developing strategies for information distribution and access in the context of science and technology, an exhibition has been organised by the National Science Foundation (NSF) on December 1-2.
Prof. K. Dahanayake, Chairman, NSF, told a press conference last Tuesday, that even though large amounts of science information is available in the science libraries of Sri Lanka, those in need of this information are unable to make use of it. He said that this is because most people have misconceptions regarding accessibility of information from the respective institutions and also because many are ignorant of the institutions by which they may obtain the required information.
This exhibition to be held in December at NSF, hopes to publicize the information available at these libraries and institutions and the means of accessing it. The exhibition on Resources and Services at Science and Technology Libraries in Sri Lanka mainly organized by the Sri Lanka Scientific and Technical Information Network (SLSTINET) of the NSF, also hopes to promote co-operation among libraries, a press release by NSF informed ‘The Island’.
The exhibition will comprise 10 stalls handled by the different science institutions working in collaboration with NSF and will cater not only to the information needs of science researchers, educational institutions, medical officials and the general public but also of industrialists.
Mrs. Dilmani Warnasuriya, Manager of the Information Services Centre of the Industrial Technology Institute(ITI), formerly known as the Ceylon Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research (CISIR), at a presentation at the press conference said that a project was underway to collect available information on selected industrially important medicinal plants found in Sri Lanka, and to make this information accessible to any interested person. She said that ten plants possessing specific medicinal value were chosen and classified under three main aspects of botany and agriculture, chemistry and biology and industrial applications from both printed and electronic information sources.
These include popular plants such as Gotukola, Tippili, Wel Penela, Karapincha, Polpala, Citranella and Karawila. With the objective of easy access to this information, all research done will also be published in booklets and be made available to the public. A newsletter containing updated science and technological information is currently being published by the NSF.
The presentation of the research grant "Database on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants" involved a demonstration of how to access needed information through the specified databases. Mrs. Warnasuriya said that information could initially be processed only through the computer network of specific science libraries but that they hope to make information accessible to anyone who required it without geographical limitations in the near future.
Mrs. Deepali Talagala, Director of Information at NSF, said that, at present information could be accessed in nearly a 100 science centres in Sri Lanka including universities. She said that this information would not be available, though, in public libraries. Based on the response received from this exhibition, the NSF would try to organize such exhibitions regionally as well, she said.
Prof. Dahanayake told the media that in 1998 about Rs. 35 million had been granted from the NSF treasury to fund Sri Lankan scientists who were requested to make presentations at international conferences.
A forum to demonstrate and explain how to utilize technology in information management and the introduction of new information technology will also be some important goals that NSF hopes to achieve through this exhibition. While science organizations will be given an opportunity to exhibit their information resources, seminars for both information managers as well as the public will also be held during this exhibition which is to be inaugurated by the Minister of Science and Technology, Batty Weerakoon.
Libraries and networks in the fields of health, environment, education and science and technology research will participate in the exhibition.
Island Capers
Puddles re-cycles his piddleRepetition of editorials is unheard of even in absolutely subservient newspapers of banana republics. But the Kept Press of Sri Lanka is breaking new ground. Of the two editorials attacking The Island — in the paper of the hack who claims to be the Government’s chief white washer, alias the Mutt in the Geoff and Mutt duo on the banks of the Beire— one was repeated on Sunday too probably to impress upon the bosses of his dogged loyalty. We repeat The Island caper published last Saturday in case his bosses missed reading it.
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The Chief White Washer of the Kept Press ( Samara Gaana Nayake) has devoted two editorials this week in his rag to The Island because we said that although we disagree with the objectives of NGOs who were present at the inaugural meeting of the National Alliance we do not agree with the disruption of the meeting by some demonstrators. This lickspittle who has not criticised his paymasters, the PA government, even once, since his appointment and instead sings his daily Bhakthi Gee dares call our journalism ‘ odious journalism’. Sorry Puddles, you can piddle at us. We have more important issues to discuss than your lapdog journalism in our editorials. Keep yapping at us and piddling too, for that is what you are paid to do.
Police Transport Div. celebrates 50 years
By Sanjeevi JayasuriyaThe Police Transport Division which was set up in 1948, celebrated its 50th anniversary recently. Chief Guest on this occation was Inspector General of Police Lucky Kodituwakku.
Records reveal that on 10.11.1948, a new transport division was created for the Police Department. This was administered from Police Headquarters. The garage was located at Gregory’s Road at that time.
The Police Transport Division continued to expand. The operation required to have both the adminstration and the garage itself under one roof. The result was the birth of the present garage and it’s administration wing at Narahenpita where it stands today.
With the development of transport in the country and the expansion of the Police service, covering all corners of the land, the Police transport continue to progress. Since the establishment of the Police Transport Division on November 10, 1948, fourteen senior officers have been in- charge of this division. At present the division is under the command of SSP T.B. Kehelgamuwa.
To mark the 50 years of golden jubilee, in operation, twelve police personnel attached to the transport division were presented with awards for long period of service.
The Associated Ceat (Pvt) Limited gifted a three wheeler to the newly set up unit which handles child abuse cases. The Managing Director, Abhik Mitra and the General Manager Ashwin Padukone made the presentation.
Islamic missionary due tomorrow
An Islamic missionary both in U.K. and Port Louis Mauritius, Maulana Muhammad Ibrahim Khushtar arrives in Sri Lanka on 24.11.98 to visit his followers in Sri Lanka and meet Muslims general.
Maulana Khushtar, who was the Imam of the Hanafi Masjid in the Pettah in 1964 is well recognised missionary and is the Founder Patron of the Sunni Razvi International with its headquarters in Port Louis, Mauritius and branches in 17 countries of the world including its Sri Lanka Chapter..
He studied in Bareilly in India and Lyallpur in Pakistan, holds the Fazle Darsi Nizami degree and is a linguist, Urdu poet, preacher, writer and a roving ambassador of Islam. He is a at present the Head of Islamic Affairs for the United Kingdom and Mauritius and Imam of the Nelson Mosque in Manchester, the United Kingdom.
In addition to meeting his followers, he is billed to deliver lectures at the Islamic Secretariat in Maligawatte and the Centre of Islamic Studies, Wellawatte.
He would be staying during his sojourn at the residence of the President of the Sunni Razvi International, Sri Lanka Branch, No. 94, Ananda Rajakaruna Mawatha, Colombo 10.
The newest service of the Sri Lanka Cancer Society is a polyclinic to cover all aspects of cancer (free of charge), Screening Tests Clinical Examinations — and Advice & Clarifications (concerning management) by a team of specialists comprising Physician oncologist dental surgeon pathologist — general surgeon and gynaecologist on the second Sunday of every month from 8.30 to 11 a.m. at The Sri Lanka Cancer Society, 37/25, Bullers Lane, Colombo 7. Telephone: 581700.
The next clinic will be held on December 13, 1998.
Sai Samithi Colombo will be celebrating Sai Baba’s 73rd birthday today (23) at the Sai Mandir, Barnes Place and also at the Sivananda Nilayam Wellawatte in the morning and at the Ramakrishna Mission Hall, Wellawatte in the evening at 4.00 p.m.
In the morning there will be Nagara Sankirtan (Devotional Singing in a procession) at 5.30 a.m. from the Mandir along Barnes Place, C. W. W. Kannangara Mawatha, Rosmead Place. Wijerama Mawatha and back to the Mandir followed by Bhajan from 7.00 a.m. to 8.30.
There will be Nagara Sankirtan at the Sivananda Nilayam also at 5.30 a.m.
The evening programme at the Ramakrishna Mission Hall commences at 4.00 p.m. preceded by a procession from the Hindu Ladies College, Rudra Mawatha. The programme includes Paada Pooja, Bhajan an ochestra, dances, ‘In search of Peace’ a programme by the Youth Young. The Chief Guest will be Mr. A. K. Nesaratnam, Chairman of the Sathya Sai Seva Trust.
