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Nominations for NWPC polls amidst
sporadic violence Nominations for the forthcoming North Western Provincial Council election closed at noon yesterday amidst reports of sporadic incidents of violence in the Puttalam district. Seven political parties and three independent groups filed their nominations to contest the poll in the Puttalam district while six political parties and an independent group handed in their nominations in the Kurunegala district,Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake said. He said nominations submitted by Eelavar Democratic Front (EDF) to Kurunegala and Puttalam districts were rejected. 'With nominations closed we are gearing up for the poll,the date of which will be announced shortly',Mr. Dissanayake told 'The Island'. The political parties in the fray in Kurunegala district are UNP,PA,JVP,New Left Front,MULF,Liberal Party and an independent group led by H. D. P. Hemanthanie while in the Puttalam district,UNP,PA,JVP,New Left Front,MULF,Liberal party,Sri Lanka Progressive Front and three independent groups led by Nalin Kumara Amarasena,M.I.M. Halith and Heethaka Ratnapala respectively,have joined the hustings. Secretary General of Parliament,Betram Tittawla told 'The Island' that UNP MPs Gamini Jayawickrema Perera,Asoka Wadigamangawa and PA Parliamentarian S. B. Nawinna had submitted their resignations to contest the forthcoming poll. Elections department sources said that a total of 19 nomination papers had been filed in the Puttalam and Kurunegala districts secretariats during the seven and a half day 'nomination period'.However,the bulk of them were submitted within the final three hour countdown which ended at noon yesterday. There are 446 contenders in the fray to elect 52 members, including the 2 bonus seats,to the council. PA Chief Ministerial candidate S. B. Nawinna yesterday expressed confidence of winning the poll and capturing power in the PC. The SLMC had submitted the names of 4 candidates,M. Ghouse,A. M. Faizer,K. A. Faiz and A. M. Kamardeen for the two districts. Senior deputy SLMC leader Maruthoor Ghani said that his party has sacrificed its right to contest on its own and in accordance with the decision taken SLMC is in the fray under the PA ticket. Meanwhile, reports spoke of sporadic incidents of violence in Puttalam district.A UNP political office and a lorry were set on fire in two separate incidents at Anamaduwa and Madalakkuliya on Monday night,according to these reports.More information was not available as police said investigations into some violent incidents were continuing. A senior police official in Puttalam said 15 persons were arrested in connection with a shooting incident at Madampe.Some UNPers travelling in the bus at 'Silva town' were injured in the firing,he said. The NWP has been placed under overall supervision of Central province DIG Sirisena Herath in the absence of DIG Camillus Abeygunawardena, who is overseas. Distilleries company jacks up prices of liquor The Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka has jacked up prices of most of its products by as much as 15 per cent with effect from Monday, December 7 due to what Operations Manager Maxie Peiris described as a 'revision of customs duty on rectified spirits'. Prices of all brands of liquor, except coconut spirit based products manufactured by the Distilleries Company are up by 10 to 15 per cent, Mr. Peiris told 'The Island' yesterday. Asked why this price revision was not announced by the company to prevent confusion, he replied that advance notice is not generally given in such instances. When asked how tipplers were expected to know whether prices had been increased by 10,15 or 20 per cent and that this could lead to exploitation by taverns and liquor outlets, Mr. Peiris said people can ask for the new price lists from the respective point of purchase. Responding to a question, he said he cannot give the new price list 'off hand'. Earlier attempts by 'The Island' to elicit information on the price hike were unsuccessful as officials down the line refused to comment on the sudden price revision. Mr. Peiris, who was on leave, had to be contacted at his residence for confirmation and more details on the price hike. Meanwhile, another leading liquor manufacturer, W. M. Mendis and Co. Ltd., said there is no decision to increase prices of their products. 'We are not contemplating a price revision now and even if we do so it will be minimal', Sales Manager T. M. R. Hassan said. 'The revision of duty on rectified spirits doesn't warrant an increase of that magnitude. Even if we decide to jack up prices, it will be marginal and in keeping with our concept of 'affordability', Mr. Hassan said. He explained that the duty revision on rectified spirits doesn't warrant a 'two-fold incredible price hike on liquor'. The government increased the price of liquor by 10 per cent in last month's budget. (Suresh) CID on the trail of currency
counterfeiters The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is probing 8 cases of printing counterfeit currency in various parts of the country ASP (CID) J. R. Jayewardena told a press conference at the Police Headquarters yesterday. These forged notes which had been printed by Computerized Colour Inject Printers were detected by Police, days after they were pumped into circulation. ASP Jayewardena said that no person has the authority to possess or transact these notes with his or her knowledge and if done so, it is a violation of the Monetary Law Act. The CID took into custody a few vendors recently who were selling counterfeit notes for school children on the pavements under the pretext that it was mainly to educate the students. He said that no colour photocopiers are allowed to be used because of such illegal acts and the notes churned out by a printing press could easily be identified within days of circulation. In June last year counterfeit notes which were printed by scanners were discovered in Nuwara-Eliya, ASP Jayewardena said. "This year we discovered 12 Rs. 1000 notes, 283 Rs. 500 notes and 118 Rs. 100 notes", he said. Mr. K. Gunathilaka, Senior Assistant Superintendent of the Currency Department of the Central Bank said that these notes are not dependable for long term circulation as the type of paper used for printing these fake notes is cheap. He said " The difficulty is not in the printing but in its circulation". Mr. Gunathilaka gave some hints on how to identify fake notes from genuine ones. Referring to three security features, he said the type of paper used for the genuine notes are of a special kind. The pulp used for printing is 100% cotton and when printing the note, the water mark and security thread are incorporated simultaneously. A special printing system called the "Intaglio System" is adapted which points special features on the notes and they could be felt by the hand, he said. The water mark which portrays a lion with a sword which was first printed in 1995, has shaded areas and gives a life like effect and the sword is highlighted which is an additional security feature. The notes printed from 1951 to 1995 which portrayed a lion from the provincial flag of Ratnapura holding a whip as the water mark is still accepted, he said. Whereas on the fake note the lion is only a crude outline, and this could be identified immediately he noted. The third feature is the security thread which is interwoven into the genuine note and as for the fake one either silver dust has been pasted on the note or it has been drawn, Mr. Gunathilaka explained. He said the best way to finally see the difference is to compare the fake note with a genuine one. The difference could be seen instantly as the paper of the genuine note is of a higher quality. SSP Rienzie Perera and J. M. T. B Jayasundara, Superintendent of the Currency Department of the Central Bank were also present at the press conference. Biggest haul of explosives found at Jaffna Tiger safehouse The army made the biggest explosive recovery in the Jaffna peninsula since it came under government control in early 1996, when last Sunday[6] troops found approximately 400 kgs of high explosives from an LTTE safe house at Alaveddy, the military said. "The recovery was made on information provided by civilians," a senior officer in the north told 'The Island' yesterday.Fifty detonators, 25 meters of detonator cord and five meters of fuse wire were also recovered. Asked whether any arrests have been made in connection with the recovery, the officer replied in the negative [SF] Pilots found guilty of unauthorised
flights The SLAF headquarters recently found a pilot guilty of landing his transport helicopter twice at an unauthorised location within the Chilaw police division in August this year.The headquaters, after conducting a high level inquiry has decided to take disciplinary action against both the pilot and the co-pilot of the Russian built MI-17 transport helicopter. The pilot was described as an experienced officer who had served in both operational and non-operational areas. Air Marshal Jayalath Weerakkody last Sunday [6] confirmed that disciplinary action had been taken against two personnel.Talking to The Island at Nedunkerni, Air Marshal Weerakkody said that action was initiated after a full investigation.He did not go into details. "Unauthorised landings had taken place at Madampe in the third week of August," military sources said.As punishment, the pilot of the Mi-17, at that time based at the Katunayake airbase, had suffered two years loss of seniority.And the two flights had been converted into commercial flight rates and the pilot and the co-pilot had been directed to pay. They had been directed to pay Rs. 216,000, of which, the co-pilot had been directed to pay Rs. 61,000. The pilot had landed there to visit some of his close relatives. Although there had been previous claims and reports of some pilots going on unauthorised flights, the SLAF headquarters never managed to obtain evidence to prove anything. Madampe landings came to light when people of the area reported the incident to police. At first they had thought the Mi-17 had landed as a result of a technical defect. However, the second landing a few days later had given the game away, sources said. The SLAF operates an undisclosed number of Mi-17s which can carry almost 40 passengers including the crew. Meanwhile, another experienced pilot who was found responsible for the December 7, 1996 incident where a helicopter carrying the deputy defence minister Anuruddha Ratwatte, Army Commander Lt.General Rohan Daluwatte and a few other senior officers made a forced landing in an LTTE held area remained grounded.There was no evidence so far to suggest that the headquarters intends to lift restrictions imposed on this particular officer. Multi-party SA Parliamentary team arrives A seven-member multi-party South African parliamentary delegation arrived here yesterday on a week-long visit. A Foreign Ministry spokesman said the purpose of the visit is to strengthen bilateral relations between South Africa and Sri Lanka. The visiting delegation comprises of Ebrahim Ebrahim MP and Chairman of the Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs (African National Congress - ANC), Dr. E. Jesset MP (ANC), Y. Carrim MP (ANC), S. Mgidi MP (ANC), D. Dalling MP (ANC), Dr. K. Rajoo MP (Inkhata Freedom Party - IFP), Desmond Padiachey MP (National Party-NP). Yesterday afternoon the South African Parliamentarians called on Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wilhelm Woutersz, Sri Lanka's High Commissioner in South Africa Gamini Munasinghe and senior officials of the ministry were associated in the discussions. They are also scheduled to call on President Kumaratunga, the Speaker, Senior Ministers, the Opposition Leader and leaders of minority parties. They will also visit Jaffna and Kandy. With reference to the news story on November 26 titled 'Colombo University acting registrar opts for voluntary leave', acting registrar K. G. Jinasena, has sent the following clarification: "I wish to state that it is incorrect to say that I was given the option of either taking my leave or being sent on compulsory leave. I have applied leave for 6 days. However, the Vice-Chancellor approved leave only for 5 working days as I had to perform certain statutory duties during the weekend. I have obtained leave for a further period of one week as I am not well to report for duties". Reporter's note: The information in the article was disclosed to the writer by authoritative and highly-placed sources in the university who are involved closely in the investigation into allegations against the acting registrar. Catering Services workers to review new proposals Airport Corr: The employees of Air Lanka Catering Services Ltd. are to review the new proposals for collective agreement forwarded by the management before they decide on whether to continue or call off their week long work to rule campaign of protest over their annual bonus. The employees are to arrive at a decision once they receive a copy of the said new collective agreement between the management and the trade unions. Protest against alleged assault of municipal employee Galle:A protest was launched near the Galle Municipal Council yesterday afternoon against the alleged assault on a Municipal employee. The protest campaign was spearheaded by MEP member Chandana Nanayakkara, K. M. David (JVP) and two UNP councillors. It's alleged that a Municipal Council employee Bandula Perera had been caught by the neck and pushed by the Mayor and then beaten by one of his security officers. The protesters demanded that the person who had assaulted the employee be taken into custody within 24 hours. Yala, environs safe for public says
Brig. Perera Security forces have secured the Yala Wildlife Sanctuary and its surrounding villages from LTTE attacks and many other illicit activities after they took over the security of Yala, Competent Authority of Yala, Brigadier H. A. N. T. Perera said. The army has achieved this by carefully planning their strategies and making maximum use of their resources, he said. "Yala is completely safe and open to the public," he stressed. "There is no danger to anyone wishing to visit the park". He added that tourism has picked up again in the area and visitors to the park include a large number of foreigners. The Brigadier said, it is certain that the burning of bungalows in the Yala block 1 area was done by LTTE terrorists. He dismissed the claim that it may have been the work of other groups such as poachers and cannabis cultivators. "We found several clues to support the assumption that the destruction of bungalows was by terrorists," he said. "We also located the routes they had taken from uncleared areas of Ampara, Pottuvil, Kanchikudichchiaru, etc, when they entered block 1 to execute their missions," he noted. Among the evidence picked up by the army was a large claymore mine and anti-personnel mines which they say is typical of those used by the LTTE. "No civilian could have made it," the Brigadier said. The army also obtained information about LTTE activities in the Yala area from "Wellawaya Siri" who was a double agent. Siri committed suicide recently. Security sources in Yala said the LTTE secured the support of villagers, poachers and cannabis cultivators in the Yala jungles by bribing them. "They then helped the terrorists infiltrate into Yala and cause destruction," they said. The sources said the army has reduced poaching significantly by apprehending poachers and offering them alternate employment in some instances. The Competent Authority said more than 50 soldiers recruited to the Yala-Kataragama security unit were poachers at one time. The army moved into Yala in October last year after reports of increasing LTTE attacks in the area. Incidents included the burning of the Talgasmankanda, Patalangala, Butuwa and Mahasilawa bungalows by groups of suspected terrorists. The army established themselves in Yala on the orders of the Ministry of Defence. President Chandrika Kumaratunga appointed Brigadier G. S. M. Ranatunga as the first Competent Authority of Yala National Park under special Emergency Regulations. The regulations gave powers relating to administration and control of the Park to the CA. The CA is headquartered at Palatupana of Yala Block 1. Brig. Perera was appointed to the post of CA in March this year. The last incident in Yala was a firefight on May 13 this year between the LTTE and army at Warahana on the border of Yala Block 1 and II. Since 1995 Tigers have launched more than a dozen attacks in the Yala and its neighbouring villages. They have torched five circuit bunglows of the Department of Wildlife Conservation and fishing villages at Patanangala and Pottana. The most significant attack being the buring of buses at the Kataragama depot. Brig. Perera reiterated there is no threat of LTTE attacks now on the the Yala Block 1 which is the most popular Safari park in Sri Lanka. "We hope to secure the block one and with additional troops we will establish control in Block II in the future," he said. "The LTTE hoped to hit at the economy by conducting operations in the park and the neighbouring areas. Yala Park is a national assest making a daily income of at least Rs. 100,000. At the peak seasons there is a daily income of almost Rs. 700,000," he said. There is another motive for their attacks, a security officer said. He said that the natural harbour at Pottana was regarded by the LTTE as a strategic point for arms trafficking and other smuggling operations. "Kumbukkan Ara is a perfect inland waterway which the LTTE uses to transport their goods into the Yala jungle. They take the goods to a point at Old Ford and from there transport it along the road to Okanda where an LTTE camp is situated". He said that certain hoteliers and many senior government officials have also played a major role in causing disrepute to Yala by spreading false rumours that it is not safe from LTTE attacks. He blamed these officials for blocking revenues. Yala Safari Hotel which is situated at the boundary of the park was said to have an increase of arrivals to Yala since the army took over the security. Our hotel will be fully booked from December 26, said Manager of the hotel, Upali Weerasinghe. He added that it is an indication that tourism is again picking up in the area. Lalith Front Secretary clarifies The Secretary of the United Lalith Front (ULF) J. M. S. Nanayakkara said yesterday that no decision has been taken by the NDUNLF to reverse the decision of the party's working committee taken in May 1998 to field candidates under the UNP symbol. Midweek
Politics Political stalwarts from the North Western Province, S. B. Navinna (People's Alliance) and Gamini Jayawickreme Perera (UNP) resigned their parliamentary seats on Monday and took the field in their political stronghold to contest for the next chief ministership in the province. Political analysts say that it would be a close contest for the two contenders this time though Wayamba had been a UNP stronghold since the provincial councils were established a decade ago. Mr. Perera once resigned from parliament and successfully contested and was chief minister till he returned to parliament for a short stint during the last days of the Wijetunga administration. President D. B. Wijetunga accommodated him in his cabinet, the day Mr. Perera was sworn in as MP but dissolved parliament the next day and fixed the date for the August 1994 general election. The Peoples Alliance government is fully bent on winning the NWP election to show its strength before taking the field in the other five provincial elections that were postponed under emergency regulations. The NWP consists of two districts, namely Puttalam and Kurunegala. The UNP stalwart in the Puttalam District, Parliamentarian Asoka Wadigamangawa too resigned from parliament to lead his party in his district on Monday. Though there was speculation that PA parliamentarian, the controversial figure in that district D. M. Dassanayake too would resign his parliamentary seat to battle with Wadigamangawa, it did not materialise. Wadigamangawa had represented parliament since 1977 and was a state minister in the Premadasa government. Among the others with Wadigamangawa in the Puttalam district from the UNP are Mary Larryne Perera, former provincial minister and wife of parliamentarian Festus Perera and Gwen Herath, wife of parliamentarian Harold Herath. The People's Alliance team in the NWP, a fortnight ago told President Chandrika Kumaratunga that they feared political thuggery from their opponents during the campaign. This complaint was treated by the UNP with humour with Gamini Jayawickreme Perera saying that 'the fence was trying to jump before the rogue'. Mr. Perera told this columnist that it was PA which would perpetrate political thuggery with state patronage and the UNP has no reason to resort to thuggery as it was confident of winning the PC election. President Kumaratunga has already instructed the top brass in the police in NWP to maintain law and order during and after the election due there. Despite the differences between President Kumaratunga and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Minister M. H. M. Ashraff, the SLMC has pledged its support to the PA at the NWPC elections. Mr. Ashraff communicated this message to the President from Malawi in West Africa where he is attending an Islamic conference. President Kumaratunga last week told her Muslim cabinet ministers that she was compelled to get the support of the SLMC as her Muslim members were not capable of winning Muslim votes in various parts of the country. This statement of the President hurt Ministers A. H. M. Fowzie, an opponent of Mr. Ashraff and Mr. Alavi Moulana. Later it was reported that both ministers had a heated exchange of words over the issue after meeting the President. The United National Party is taking the field with two candidates from the United Lalith Front nominated by the ULF General Secretary V. M. S. Nanayakkara. They are Mangala Ranaraja and Tissa Munasinghe. These two candidates will contest under the UNP symbol as approved by the ULF Working Committee stated Mr. Nanayakkara. The ULF has also fielded many candidates under the UNP in the other five Councils where elections were postponed. ULF General Secretary Mr. Nanayakkara explained that the decision to field candidates in the other five councils under the UNP was taken under the chairmanship of party leader Srimani Athulathmudali and the party Working Committee spearheaded by him as required by the party, its Treasurer Sharmala Perera, National Organiser and Kotte Organiser Ravi Karunanayake, Southern Provincial Minister of the Front Siri Andrahennedhi and other members of the committee met and decided on the two candidates for the NWPC which had been accepted by UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. On the contrary ULF leader Mrs. Athulathmudali issued a statement on Monday to the media stating that her Working Committee has not taken a decision to contest under the UNP in the NWPC election. She however does not deny that her party has already fielded candidates under the UNP in the other five councils where elections were postponed. The rift between Mrs. Athulathnmudali's faction and the Ravi Karunanayake faction in the ULF heightened yesterday morning after Mrs. Athulathmudali issued her statement on Monday regarding the party stand on the NWPC poll. Party General Secretary Mr. Nanayakkara said that Mrs. Athulathmudali should tell the people whether she is supporting the government, if she is opposing the UNP. He added that if Mrs. Athulathmudali wants to maintain her identity with the government which she described was giving step motherly treatment to her party then she cannot speak of neutrality as a party. He also wanted to know whether Mrs. Athulathmudali would field her supporters in favour of the PA at the NWPC poll and to announce whether the government which was bitter with her had accommodated any of her candidates. ULF sources said that Mrs. Athulathmudali now had no alternative but to stay on with the government that was ill treating her as the UNP has closed the doors for her. Meanwhile Industrial Minister C. V. Gooneratne who represents Ratmalana electorate for the past two decades dismissed a rumour that was floating in the Dehiwala, Mt. Lavinia and Ratmalana areas that he would contest Dehiwala at future elections. Mr. Gooneratne born in Dehiwala, a Municipal Councillor and Opposition Leader in the Dehiwala -Mt. Lavinia Municipal Council for a long time is a man who spread his political wings from Dehiwala to Ratmalana even before Ratmalana was demarcated as a political constituency to bring in Lalith Athulathmudali by the UNP to contest Mr. Gooneratne. When asked about this rumour, Minister Gooneratne in his own inimitable style quipped, 'I can only tell you there is no truth in it and it is being spread by a 'shoe shine boy' of Lalith who resides in Mt. Lavinia and studied in Mt. Lavinia'. When asked to name the man, Mr. Gooneratne laughed saying, 'If you go through your roll call in school when you were schooling in Mount then you know the man as this man is now in the highest House in politics. |
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