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To counter mounting
violence Police have decided to send more reinforcements in the North-Western Province in the face of mounting election violence in the area. This follows more than 450 incidents of violence, including one murder reported from the area since the election campaign commenced. A senior police officer said that the IGP, Lucky Kodituwakku, has directed the police to conduct impartial inquiries into these acts of violence. The prospective candidates too have been requested by the police to take relevant steps to maintain law and order in the area. The police are at present engaged in questioning eye witnesses to the shooting incident that took place in Kuliyapitiya last Friday. The CID has also been deployed to look out for those creating violence in the NWP province. The incidents reported to the police include the killing of a UNP supporter, injuries caused to four people, 32 shootings mainly in the air, 14 incidents of arson, among others. President’s
Ramazan Message President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, in a message on the occasion Eid-ul-fitr said the highest priority of the government is to restore peace and requested all Muslims living in the country to support efforts. The president also said: "We should be proud that Sri Lanka is the home to multi-religious groups with different ethnicity, who could practice religions of their choice while preserving their own identity. Sri Lankan Muslims have shown by example that they live amicably with fellow citizens. It is a praiseworthy feature. As far as I know the core principles of Islam are peace, fraternity, unity and tolerance. This is in consonant with the teaching of Holy Prophet of Islam who has declared ‘Love of thy Country is part of Belief’. It is the avowed aim of our Government to instill everyone’s mind that Sri Lanka belongs to all and to see unity and diversity is respected. The highest priority of our Government is to bring back much needed peace to the crisis-ridden beautiful island of ours. It is not too late to give up our petty differences and sancour for the sake of the nation. Then only we will be able to march into the new millennium as a united and dignified nation. I trust that all Muslims living in Sri Lanka would whole-heartedly lend their support to our sincere efforts. ‘May Almighty’s Blessings be bestowed on all of you! May Ramazan bring you happiness and prosperity! ID Mubarak! President, Ranil meeting not possible
before polls There was no possibility of a meeting between President Chandrika Kumaratunga and the UNP and opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe before next Monday’s crucial poll for the North Western Provincial Council, political sources told ‘The Island’ this week. Earlier there was speculation that the National Committee for Peace and Economic Development was seeking to arrange a meeting between the two ahead of next week’s election. Senior PA leaders have indicated that nothing will come out of a meeting at this moment. In the past two weeks both the President and the UNP leader levelled a series of allegations against each other. "There is no climate for a meeting," a ministerial source said. The UNP has accused the PA of unleashing a wave of politically motivated attacks on party activists. Last week’s violence led to the death of a UNP youth organiser at Kuliyapitiya. The PA has blamed the UNP for bringing in ex-policemen Premadasa Udugampola, Muni Gomes and several others into the polls campaign. The UNP delegation during last week’s meeting with business leaders has suggested that the two leaders should meet to iron out differences over crucial issues affecting the country. However, the PA believes that there was no point in having a meeting without they agreeing on key issues affecting the ethnic and economic issues, government sources said. Political sources said that ongoing violence in the NWP involving PA and UNP supporters has further widened the differences. The UNP insists that it nominated MPs A. C. S. Hameed, Ronnie de Mel, K. N. Choksy and D. M. Swaminathan to cooperate with the Sri Lanka’s business leaders in securing the implementation of the Liam Fox Agreement. Mr. Wickremesinghe was on record as saying that his nominees will cooperate with the business leaders with a view to securing the implementation of the Liam Fox Agreement as stated at a meeting between the UNP and the business leaders in October last year. The UNP said that they expect the business leaders to persuade the government to implement the April 1997 Liam Fox initiative. Ministerial sources told The Island that the government has absolutely no difficulty with regard to the implementation of the Liam Fox initiative. Responding to the UNP’s call to implement the April 1997 agreement worked out by the former Minister of State in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Dr. Liam Fox, ministerial sources said the government has repeatedly indicated that the constitutional process [devolution package] cannot be excluded from the scope of the Liam Fox initiative. The UNP insists that the devolution package could not be considered a part of the Fox initiative. Political sources said that ongoing efforts to bring the PA and the UNP would not succeed without they agreeing on the need to have a common approach to the ethnic problem. The sources said that PA’s demand that devolution package should be a part of the Liam Fox initiative has created serious problems for the business community with UNP insisting the implementation of the Fox initiative, sources said. Meanwhile SLFP’s All Island organiser and Kandy district MP Anuruddha Ratwatte has joined the NWP polls campaign. Contrary to claims, Minister Ratwatte addressed political rallies at Udugama and Maduragoda in support of the party candidates contesting in the Kurunegala district. A minister campaigning in the Puttalam district last Sunday told ‘The Island’ that Minister Ratwatte was involved in the campaign. "He has sent his people here," he said adding that there was no truth in claims that the minister has kept away from the campaign. Two transformers in city blasted Colombo police yesterday said that two small electricity transformers located on Fourth Cross Street and New Moor Street at Pettah were blasted in the early hours of yesterday. There were no injuries to people. A senior police investigator and a CEB official last night blamed the LTTE for the simultaneous attacks. Two improvised explosive devices made of powerful C-4 explosives had been used, police said. Several vehicles parked close to the scene of the blasts were damaged, police said. "There was no possibility in providing security to all transformers located within the city," the police officer said adding that the LTTE will have no difficulty in selecting isolated targets. Police has mounted cordon and search operations soon after the blasts. "We have made several arrests," a senior policeman in the Colombo Central area said last night. Yesterday’s attacks were the first against CEB or Telecom targets for some time. LTTE’s undercover operatives mounted a series of attacks against CEB and Telecom targets last year resulting in multi million rupee losses. However successful counter operations conducted by army and police put an end to attacks. Two terrorist suspects arrested by Kadawatha police on July 27 admitted that they blasted CEB and Telecommunications facilities at Nittambuwa, Ratnapura, Kuliyapitiya, Weligampitiya, Kadawatha and a privately owned fuel depot at Negombo. Police last year claimed that suspects arrested in connection with the bombing campaign have been working in the south as goldsmiths. [SF] Rights plea filed by CEB trade unionist The Supreme Court yesterday directed the Registrar to request the Attorney General to assist Court, in respect of a Fundamental Rights violation plea, filed by a Trade Union leader of the Ceylon Electricity Board. The petitioner C. R. K. Senaratne has alleged in his petition that he has been given an arbitrary transfer in order to hinder his engagements in trade union activity. The petitioner had taken an active part in the CEB general strike of May 1996. The petition alleged the violation of the right to equality and the right to engage in trade union activity. The petition has cited as the first two respondents, the General Manager and the Deputy General Manager of the CEB. Mr. Kalyananda Thiranagama appeared for the petitioner yesterday. The petition will be supported on February 24. The bench of yesterday comprised the Chief Justice G. P. S. de Silva, Justice L. H. G. Weerasekera and Justice (Dr.) Shirani Bandaranayake. UNP candidate attacked and robbed Anura Gopallawa, a UNP candidate of the North Western Provincial Council was attacked with iron rods by an unidentified armed gang around 4.30 pm last Saturday at Maduwawala in Wellawa, according to a complaint. The gang had also robbed Rs. 10,200 in cash from the victim. The attackers had come in two vehicles sans number plates, the victim had told police. Police said the gang had pulled out the victim from his van and assaulted him with iron rods and taken the money which had been in his possession. In the clash a supporter of the candidate also sustained injuries and was admitted to hospital, police said. No suspects have been arrested so far in this connection. Police investigations are in progress. Amendment to tax structure in new budget KOSGAMA: Seethawakapura Urban Council last week adopted its budget for 1999 at a special meeting held at the Avissawella Town Hall chambers. Chairman UC, K. D. P. Arsekularatne (UNP) presided. According to the budget estimates presented to the council the gross revenue of the council for the year is Rs. 213,46,576 and the anticipated expenditure being Rs. 213,40,720. In his budget speech the Chairman announced an amendment to the tax structure which envisaged an increase of 1 percent from residential houses and 20 percent from business establishments, in the current year. However, all properties, with an assessed annual value of Rs. 750 are exempted from tax, thus providing relief to the families of the low income group. Vice Chairman Subah Sundrabos (UNP), D. P. Podisingho (UNP), M. M. Nimalasena (UNP) Douglas Vancuylenberg (UNP) Premalal Pinto (UNP) and K. P. Chandrasekera (UNP) spoke in favour of the budget. Opposition members, Ajith Wijayamuni Mahinda Soysa (PA), Chandrapala Kumarage (PA) Rohan Mendis (PA) and U. A. H. Ubesinghe (MEP) also participated in the debate. Return plundered lands before asking
people's vote, says President Will the UNP pay compensation to the innocent victims of its bloody crackdown and return the lands plundered by its front liners before asking the people to vote them back to power, asked President Chandrika Kumaratunga in Mawathagama, Sunday evening. She was addressing an election rally held in the Samodaya grounds in the Mawathagama town in support of the People's Alliance candidates contesting the NWPC elections in the Kurunegala district. President Kumaratunga said: "Ranil who is doing his rounds in the North-Western Province is asking the people's vote to return his party to power. I want to ask him a few questions. Will his party pay compensation to the innocent victims of the bloody crack-down carried out by the UNP regime in the alternative can it bring back to life the thousands of youths who were killed in this bloody campaign. Will the UNP return the thousands of acres of LRC land unethically acquired by ministers of the UNP regime and their kith and kin including the 15,000 acres of land so acquired by the Kurunegala Plantations, a company owned by Ranil's family? "The UNP leader must know that his party has no right to ask the peoples to vote it back to power without rectifying the errors committed by it during its 17 year rule. "Ranil is asking the people to vote his party to power to restore free and fair elections. What a joke is this. "In 1982 they held a referendum to ask the people whether they wanted an election. There was neither the need nor any property in posing such a question to the people. It is the duty of the government to hold elections when they fall due. But J. R. thought otherwise and perhaps for the first time in the world the convention of holding elections on the due dates was violated. "They held the Referrendum to ask the people whether they wanted the elections scheduled for 1983. But they applied pressure on the people and committed election offences, to ensure a negative verdict. During the referendum UNPers killed a supporter of the SLFP. The UNP is the party which violated rights of the people to cast their vote. Now they are coming before the people and are asking for their vote to ensure free and fair elections. This is mockery" she said. She said that she did not want to take lessons from Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremasinghe on how to hold free and fair elections. Her party has always stood for free elections and has always come forward when there was a threat to this right of the people. She said a shooting incident took place in Kuliyapitiya in which a person was killed. She ordered the CID to investigate into it immediately, and take into custody any suspects, despite party affiliation. "I will not tolerate violence. I have given strict instructions to the PA candidates and organisers to ensure that no violence takes place", she further said. She also warned that the UNP might create panic among the people by carrying out firing as they are desperate. "They cannot win the NWPC elections. They know that. Don't get panicked," she said. She said she had given strict instructions to police to conduct immediate and impartial investigations into all complaints of election related offences and to bring to book the offenders whatever party they belonged to. She said that many people have forgotten the period of terror during which mothers were wailing for their dear ones. No one was sure in those days a youth venturing onto the road would ever come back home. "We closed this chapter within 24 hours after our government came into power" she said. She asked the people to vote the People's Alliance to power in the NWPC so that the combined strength of a PA government in the centre and a PA administration at the Provincial level could ensure a speedier development of the province. Alavi Moulana Minister if Provincial Councils and Local Government said the UNP was shedding crocodile tears. There was a time he too was a victim of UNP harassment. "One rarely escapes from the jaws of a crocodile. I am one such rare person" he added. He said the UNP is asking the votes of the people to come back to power and unleash violence against its opponents. The UNP was controlling the North Western Provincial Council but it had failed to carry out any development work despite large amounts of money pumped in by the Government. Roads are in utter disrepair he said. "What is then the UNP is asking for power for another term", he asked. Tourism and Aviation Minister and General Secretary of the SLFP Dharmasiri Senanayake said that the Government was holding elections in the NWPC to show that it is not affraid of elections. "Ranil has told an election rally of his party that he was not there to ask the people to vote the UNP to power in the NWPC. Then what the hell is he doing here. He says he is here to protect the peoples right to free and fair elections. What a comedy is this. A party which denied people free and fair election for 17 long years, is now coming before the people and telling them that they are saviours of the people." Minister Senanayake said. "Ranil says he has reformed the party. But look, who are the people now occupying second line places in this so-called reformed party. "They are the ex-police officers, who were in the centre of UNP crackdown. So has the party actually been reformed?" he asked. "Ranil is coming here to provoke the people and create chaos. Mr. Ranil, I tell you that you must take the full responsibility for any untoward situation as a result of your provocative utterances" he said. He said the present constitution of the country is full of contradictions and therefore should be remedied. But Ranil Wickremasinghe would not give his party's support to implement the new proposals to introduce a new constitution, he said. Chief Ministerial candidate, S. B. Navinna and several others also spoke. People’s Bank staff officers agree to sign 1993-1996 collective agreement The Officers’ Association of the People’s Bank has agreed to the signing of the Collective Agreement of 1993-1996 by State Banks which President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga directed in 1995 following demands by the Federation of Bank Officers of Sri Lanka. The Collective Agreement, a news release from the Federation explained, contained the payment of an 8% non-pensionable allowance to all staff officers of State Banks effective January 1, 1994. In accordance with the President’s directive, payment was made to all staff officers in the Bank of Ceylon, National Savings Bank and the State Mortgage and Investment Bank with effect from January 1, 1994. The Collective Agreement of these banks was accordingly signed with the exception of the People’s Bank, which deferred this payment taking into account the strong protest of the People’s Bank branch of the Ceylon Bank Employees Union. The news release said that the Federation together with the Officers’ Association of the People’s Bank had through repeated presentations explained to the Finance Ministry and the Chairman and Management of the People’s Bank of the need to solve this problem and to maintain industrial peace. It is said that even though the payment had been approved by the Board of Directors of the People’s Bank on June 11, 1996, the implementation of the decision had been delayed. But on the Federation’s constant representations, the Chairman and the General Manager of the People’s Bank resolved the problems related to the Collective Agreement by making the payment in the first week of January, 1999. The news release said that as a result, the Officers’ Association of the People’s Bank has now consented to sign the hitherto delayed 1993-1996 Collective Agreement, with immediate effect. Message from Colombo Grand Mosque Muslims celebrate Eid-Ul-Fitr Ramazan festival today. The Muslims observed the fast in one month from dawn to dusk everyday from December 20, 1998 to yesterday. The Colombo Grand Mosque in a message said that as in the past this year too it helped the faithful to observe all acts of Amal in the sacred month of Ramadhan. "We owe our less fortunate bretheren an obligation. So we must distribute grain or cereal to them before we perform Eid prayers," the message said. The Colombo Grand Mosque wishes all Muslims a happy and joyous Eid-Ul-Fitr, it added. Sri Lanka looks to
Australia for more investments Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar yesterday said that Sri Lanka was targeting greater Australian investment and would launch a promotion drive in collaboration with several government agencies. The main thrust of the project from February 1 to 7, which will target Sydney and Melbourne will be an investment promotion seminar and trade exhibition which will be complemented by a food festival and cultural promotion. The budget for the project according to informed sources is US $ 10,000. The collaborants in this project are the Export Development Board (EDB), the Tea Board (TB) the Tourist Board, the Board of Investment (BOI), Air Lanka, selected private sector companies, the Hilton Hotels Limited and the Department of Commerce. The Minister said that this project was being launched on a recommendation made by him to the President and was also on account of the 50 years of independence. He added that it was relevant that Australia was a significant investor in Sri Lanka. The object of the exercise he said was to promote Australian ventures in Sri Lanka and promote joint ventures between Australian and Sri Lankan companies. Australia was being targetted for increased investment in Sri Lanka on account of the fact that it was currently the second biggest investor in the country. Director of the Tea Board, Hasitha de Alwis said that Australia which had been a traditional market for Sri Lankan tea had been lost during the last 20 to 25 years. "We are currently the third biggest bulk tea supplier to Australia," he said. He added that Sri Lankan tea exporters were looking to introduce more value added tea, a segment in which Sri Lanka has the highest market share. Six major Sri Lankan exporters are expected to introduce ten new brands of tea to the Australian market. They, he said, would be part of the trade exhibition which is one feature of the promotion drive. Deputy Director of the EDB Lalitha Colombage said that such a major event had not been organised since 1984, and that it was a good opportunity to expand exports and give exposure to companies which were not major exporters. He said that BOI was seeking to attract investors in such areas as light engineering and metal industries, information technology and electronics, agriculture, minerals, infrastructure and tourism and recreation. He added that the ten companies, three of which were major ones had expressed interest and that the BOI was hopeful that the deals would in fact be clinched. He explained that brochures concerning the seminar would be sent to specific companies, which would attend the seminar followed by one on one discussions with interested parties. The Hilton will be flying four of its chefs to Australia for the food festival. Ten selected companies will be closely associated with the promotion drive and include Associated Motorways, McLarens Shipping, Muller and Phipps, Informatics and Westman Engineering Company. At the end of the year long observance of the 50th anniversary of martyrdom of Mahatma Gandhi, father of the Indian nation, a Register will be kept at the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) premises at 133, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo from 30th January, 1999. This enables Members of the General public can record their respect for the Mahatma, the Indian High Commission said. The Register at ICC will be available from 9.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. from January 30 to February 5. The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) called off their strike scheduled for yesterday following talks with the Minister of Health on Sunday. A GMOA official told "The Island" that the Association would however go ahead with their strike on Thursday( 21st) if their demands have not been met by that time. He said they had discussions with the Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine, Nimal Siripala De Silva on Sunday on the sixteen demands they had put forward. The official said that the Minister had accepted all their demands in principle and would consider implementing them. The GMOA had earlier given time till January 15 for the authorities to look into their demands. At a press conference held last week, GMOA President Dr. Ananda Samarasekera, announced their decision to launch a one-day token strike which was to be held yesterday. The strike, if launched, would be islandwide excluding the North and East and all routine checkups would be cancelled with only emergency operations being performed, GMOA officials said. Mannar police seek permission to visit Lionair crash site The magisterial order sought by Mannar police to visit the suspected scene of the Lion Air crash, accompanied by the ICRC or any such humanitarian organisation, was yesterday referred to the Attorney General for necessary instructions. Mannar Magistrate Illan Cheliyan ruled that the order sought by the police be placed before the Attorney General and the case be taken up for consideration again on February 18,1999. The magistrate allowed a request by the police to forward productions comprising four pieces suspected to be parts of the wreckage of the missing aircraft, to the Government Analyst for examination and report. A body wearing a life jacket, found earlier along the Mannar coast, was sent to Colombo for an autopsy, but identification has still not been possible as it was in a highly decomposed state. A talisman with some Tamil lettering was also found on the body. Police and civil aviation authorities have so far not been able to make any headway into the mysterious disappearance of this aircraft carrying 48 passengers and a six-member crew on September 29, 1998. It’s believed to have crashed into Iranativu island, off the coast of Mannar. Police sought a magisterial order to visit the suspected scene of the crash, accompanied by ICRC or any such organisation, as Iranativu island is within ‘uncleared territory’ and hence under LTTE domination. The plane went missing while on a run from Palaly to Ratmalana. A top level police probe into crash is continuing under the direction of SP Lalith Lekamge. (Suresh) Former Chief Minister of North East Province Mr. Varadaraja Perumal arrived in Sri Lanka from India on Saturday on a ‘’fact finding’’ visit EPRLF sources said. Mr. Suresh Premachandran Secretary General of Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) said Perumal would be in Sri Lanka until the end of this month and that he had no intention for the present to return to active politics. Mr. Perumal who was the leader of the EPRLF went into exile in India in 1990 with his family.(FRS) Even if ghosts of JR or
Premadasa appear masses will never bring back UNP to
power — President I don’t think the people will ever bring the UNP into power again even if the ghosts of JR or Premadasa appear again, said President Chandrika Kumaratunga Friday (15) evening addressing an election rally in Kuliyapitiya, in support of the People’s Alliance candidates contesting the North-Western Provincial Council elections from the Kuliyapitiya electorate in the Kurunegala district. The rally was held in the Kuliyapitiya Technical College grounds. The President said: "I would not tell you who was responsible for the merciless killings and torture in the Batalanda estate. The Presidential Commission on the Batalanda torture chambers would release its report shortly and every man and woman will be able to read it. Then you will know who were responsible for the crimes. The torture chamber, that was existing in the Batalanda estate in Sapugaskanda, was just two doors away from the house of Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe. After assuming duties as President I sent a group of people, who included Jeyaraj Fernandopulle to examine this torture chamber. They have seen blood stains on the walls, she said. "Ranil, who is doing his rounds in the North-Western Province is reported to have questioned about the performance of my government during the four years of its rule. He had also told the people, that it was his turn now to take the reins of power to lead the country on the right path, and to re-establish the culture of free and fair elections. The UNP leaders are speaking with tongue in cheek. They have forgotten why they were kicked out by the people in 1994. They have forgotten how they tampered with the right of the people to cast their vote freely. They have also forgotten how they used armed thugs to disrupt opposition election work and how they got the police to arrest polling agents and stuffed ballot boxes with faked ballot paper. "What mockery is this, are these people just re-born to have forgotten their notorious past" she queried. She said that more people have lost their lives during the J.R. and Premadasa periods than in the on-going war of Prabhakaran. The UNPers robbed in millions, and squandered also in millions on image building exercises as the Gam Udawa, celebrations to mark the birth anniversary of Premadasa, which had no discernible impact in the life of the people. President said that there were about one hundred businessmen who prospered during the UNP era. They were the darlings of the ruling clique and they reaped all the benefits from their closeness to the ruling clique, she said. She promised new legislation to acquire land which she said UNP leaders plundered. "But this will not be an easy task. On one hand Prabhakaran is gunning for me. There is also a band of disgruntled businessmen who cheated the state banks of millions of rupees. In the North Western Province itself there are the UNP leaders, who plundered state land from the poor occupants. They are all a threat to my life according to reports. But what may come we will do our job she added. She said her government raised the salaries of government servants by about 50 percent and that of the teachers by twice as much. "Public servants do not have to go down on their knees anymore before politicians. They are adequately remunerated and safe", she said. She said that the UNP was 100 percent responsible for the Northern war but it was not co-operating with her government to end the war and bring peace to the country. She said that Prabhakaran unilaterally broke an understanding to talk peace, as soon as her government came into power. "We decided to reply war with war and we have recaptured 85 percent of the land in Jaffna from LTTE control and reduced the terrorist group to a weak three thousand member band of stragglers", she said. She asked the voters of Kuliyapitiya to join hands with their counter-parts in the other electorates of the NWPC and to help elect a People’s Alliance Provincial Council in the NWP and thus to remove the obstacles in the way of development. Richard Pathirana, Minister of Education and Higher Education said UNP government dropped plans to set up a university in Kuliyapitiya, for the North-Western Province. For a short time during President D. B. Wijetunga’s rule when Anura Bandaranaike held the post of Minister of Higher Education out of 58 acres of land acquired from Kuliyapitiya for the university 48 acres were given back to its owners. We have now taken back the land and arrangements are underway to construct the proposed university. If UNP comes into power there will be no university in Kuliyapitiya", he said. Minister of Tourism and Aviation Dharmasiri Senanayake, Chief Ministerial candidate of the PA, S. B. Navinna and several others spoke. Floods ruin over 1800
hectares of land The recent floods in Vavuniya had ruined 1819 hectares of agricultural land including paddy, ulundu, cow pea , chillie, kurakkan , cotton, and banana, Additional Government Agent , Miss T. Thuraisamy said. The Department of Social Services has allotted ten thousand rupees for each farmer family as relief. She added that ‘The World Vision’ and the Lions organization of Colombo had promised to help the flood victims till such time the Department of Social Services along with other Non-governmental Organizations ( NGOs) will carry out their aid in the form of food and clothing for about a month. At the moment 143 families have been found shelter in schools and temples. The total number of families affected 6,2081 which accounts for 29,913 individuals. At Polonnaruwa 50 hectares of paddy cultivation had been under water by recent floods. Assistant Divisional Secretary Sarath Premachandra said. Since the flood water had subsided the farmers at Polonnaruwa were hopeful that the partially wilted paddy plants will sprout up once again. Referring to the continuous menace of wild elephants haunting in villages as Kadjugama, Maguldamana, Manampitiya, and Palatiyawa bordering National Parks, he said villagers were being constantly threatened by wild elephants as the electric fence put up as a protective measure was out of order. He further added that attacks by elephants had occurred from the year 1993, but so far no compensation had been given by any government up to date. UNPer’s body
taken to Hettipola The body of a UNP’er who died in last Friday’s polls -related violence at Kadurugashena was taken to his home town Hettipola yesterday afternoon, UNP MP P. Dayaratne told ‘The Island’ yesterday. The body of T. Sivam, treasurer of the Kuliyapitiya youth league was moved after the party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and other party seniors talked with the victim’s parents, Mr. Dayaratne in charge of the campaign in the Kuliyapitiya area said. "Sivam’s parents wanted to conduct last rites for their son at Hettipola," Dayaratne said. Former cabinet minister Dayaratne has been placed in charge of Katugampola, Kuliyapitiya, Dambadeniya, Panduwasnuwara and Bingiriya electorates. A section of the party wanted to conduct Sivam’s last rites at Kuliyapitiya, Dayaratne revealed. However, after discussions, the party has agreed to move the body to Hettipola. Dayaratne said that soon after the body was moved from UNP candidate Gamini Dissanayake’s, Kadurugashena residence, a group of armed persons had extered in, cut all white banners, removed flags and threatened people with death. "They had come in by at least six vehicles," he said. The police had turned a blind eye to all those happenings, he claimed. Dayaratne said that Sivam was killed at Gamini Dissanayake’s Kadurugashena residence around 11.45 p.m. last Friday. A group of armed persons who arrived in three double cabs and a jeep had fired at Dissanayake’s residence. Dissanayake’s wife, a mother of two children was seriously wounded. She had been admitted to the National Hospital in a critical condition. "We believe at least one politician representing the NWP was with the gang which attacked Dissanayake’s residence," Dayaratne claimed. He said that people have identified some of the people who carried out the attack. "No action has been taken so far against this particular gang," he said claiming that level of violence faced by the UNP in some parts of the Kurunegala district is much worse than at Anamaduwa. Those operating at Anamaduwa do not have the resources at their command to that of the polls campaigners in the Kurunegala district, Dayaratne pointed out. Dayaratne insisted that there was no point in directing the Criminal Investigations Department [CID] to inquire into the Kadurugashena killing. He said that four policemen who manned a check point approximately half a km away from Friday’s scene of killing had been interdicted. The vehicles used in the Kadurugashena killing had passed this particular check point. However, the police had not stopped the vehicle. Dayaratne said that police never stop double cabs, pajeros or any vehicle especially with tinted glass fearing ruling party politicians. "I have passed and this particular check point more than a dozen times," he said. "I have not been stopped so far," he said. North Western Province has been divided into six zones. Ampara district MP Dayaratne has been placed in charge of Katugampola, Kuliyapitiya, Dambadeniya, Panduwasnuwara and Bingiriya. Matara district MP Ronnie de Mel has been placed in charge of Dodangaslanda, Kurunegala, Wariyapola, Polgahawela, Mawathagama and Hiriyala. Monaragala district MP Dharmadasa Banda has been given the top slot at Nikaweratiya, Galgamuwa and Yapahuwa. Nuwara Eliya district MP Renuka Herath has been placed in charge of the Wennappuwa and Nattandiya electorates. Gampaha district MPs John Amaratunga has been given Chilaw and Puttalam while Joseph Michael Perera placed in charge of campaigning at Anamaduwa. Dayaratne further said that over 50 MPs have also been involved in the campaign. The ruling party has placed PA General Secretary D. M. Jayaratne incharge of the Puttalam district. Kurunegala district has been divided into two sectors. Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and SLFP General Secretary Dharmasiri Senanayake have been placed in charge in the Kurunegala district. The three ministers were being supported by more than a dozen ministers and deputy ministers. Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna [JVP] said that the UNP which was responsible for hundreds if not thousands of serious poll violations has been forced to complain now. "They did the same," JVP spokesman said reminding that the level of violence political parties had to face during UNP time was worse than this. The JVP believes that the people must not expect peaceful elections under the UNP or the PA. ‘Police,
underworld collusion only the tip of the iceberg’ Senior DIG H. M. G. B. Kotakadeniya yesterday said that the police, judiciary and the prisons will have to join hands to fight rising crime wave. "One of our main concerns is the swiftness criminals get bailed out," Kotakadeniya told ‘The Island’ . He said that members of the underworld and other suspects with connections continued to get bailed out despite bail Act No 30 of 1997 which permits extended detention. On an application made by the Attorney General, a High Court or a High Court established under Article 154P of the Constitution may, for good and sufficient reasons that shall be recorded , order that a person who has not been convicted and sentenced by a court, be detained in custody for a period in excess of twelve months, according to the Bail Act. "The police," Kotakadeniya insisted will have to press for the remanding of the suspects. But that does not happen. Police will have to take the blame he said adding that law enforcement authorities will not be able to do much without the cooperation of the others involved in the fight against the crime. Kotakadeniya in an interview with ‘The Island’ published on September 24 last year, revealed the involvement of some police personnel in underworld activity. "The underworld thrived not so much on the patronage of politicians as that of the police. There is collusion at all levels within the police force. The police will also be cleaning as part of its campaign to contain the rise in criminal activity," he was quoted as saying. He said that some underworld activists described as god fathers of crime continued to beat the law in view of collusion at all levels within the crime fighting system. Kotakadeniya insisted that there was a need to keep these elements in prisons until police probe their involvement in various incidents. They have to be given the maximum punishment, he further said. He pointed out that it was easy to put the blame on police. However, people have to admit that the connection between the police and the underworld was only a part of the entire problem now threatening the society. |
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