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Doctors to continue strike

By Chittaranjan de Silva
The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) yesterday reiterated that it will continue the strike despite the health services being declared essential services by the government.

In terms of the essential services provision under emergency regulations, doctors who fail to report for duty within 24 hours will be deemed to have vacated their posts.

This deadline has now lapsed, but the Health Ministry is still contemplating on what action it should take, Secretary to the Ministry, C. Abeygunawardena said. ‘The government’s official declaration of health services as essential services did not have its desired effect because the tactics are all too familiar to us. The GMOA will continue the strike until the demand is met’, the association’s Vice President Dr. G. A. Harischandra said yesterday.

Only emergency services are provided in state hospitals while the Out Patients Departments (OPDs) and clinics are not providing any services severely inconveniencing patients, hospital sources said.

‘We are aware of the strong public protests against the strike. Thugs and government henchmen could make use of this situation to assault doctors, but if that happens, then even the emergency services will be stopped, GMOA Assistant Secretary Dr. A. L. Fernando warned.

"We have started this strike to solve a problem created by the government, and it is the politicians who should be blamed for the hardships suffered by people due to the strike ‘, he claimed. "We are providing treatment in case of emergencies in hospitals and are also providing treatment to service personnel and even to their families", he said.

Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, blamed the doctors for the crisis but the GMOA alleged that the government by its policies has caused the suffering of the sick .

The GMOA is seeking a written assurance from the Minister that the government will stick to the National Health Policy. The GMOA says that the authority to appoint provincial directors should be with the Central Public Services Commission rather than with the Provincial Council Ministers.

Meanwhile our Polonnaruwa correspondent Gamini Wijeyarathne reported that the situation in the Polonnaruwa hospital would have worsened if an attempt by the authorities to stop the transfer of two Assistant Medical Practitioners (AMP) to dispensaries at Nuwaragala and Ellewewa, close to Dimbulagala area, succeeded.

The GMOA’s local branch threatened to withdraw the emergency services they provided, but the Provincial Director of Health transferred the two AMPs normalising the situation.

Official Secrets muzzle won’t be used on cabinet news

By Franklin. R. Satyapalan
Government is not proceeding with plans to use the Official Secrets Act of 1956 to prevent the publication of cabinet proceedings, well informed sources said yesterday.

Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister G.L. Pieris dismissed speculation of possible interference with press freedom as "baseless."

A 3-member official committee comprising K.C. Logeswaran, Secretary to the Ministery of Posts, Telecommunications and Media, Justice Ministry Secretary M.S. Jayasinghe and Deputy Solicitor-General Palitha Fernando have not reported in favour of using this legislation to bar press reporting of cabinet proceedings.

Attorney-General Sarath N. Silva said yesterday that his representative too had sat on the official committee. The parameters set out by the cabinet clearly stated that there should be no bar against reporting malpractices and wrong doing.

"What was examined only covered matters of national security," he said.

Fears were expressed by by the media and civil rights organisations about attmpts to use the Official Secrets Act to stifle media freedom. This followed the appointment of the officials committee that has now reported to cabinet.

Sections of the cabinet too were opposed to this proposal that was contrary to to the PA’s promise to liberalise the media law.

Infiltration likely from CWC protest, says NMAT

The National Movement Against Terrorism (NMAT) yesterday said that the planned June 18 protest in Colombo by the CWC could have led to dangerous infiltration of a city that had suffered many terrorist attacks causing grievous loss of life and property. This protest was since abandoned.

In a hard hitting statement, NMAT said that both the Sinhala Veeravidhana (SVV) and itself were non-violent democratic organsiations and that "no Tamil racist organisation, in the guise of democracy and freedom of speech, had the right to demand that they should be banned."

NMAT was reacting to the CWC’s plans for a hartal in Colombo on June 18 protesting against the Nuwara Eliya events on April 30 and the storming of CWC headquarters in Colombo. According to NMAT, theirs was an "anti-terrorist meeting inside an auditorium in Nuwara Eliya." They waived off their entry into the CWC’s Kollupitiya headquarters and raising the lion flag there, as being done within a premises "consisting of many business establishments, shops, offices and a union."

Sinhala Veeravidhana sought to publicise a book launch by poster and cutout displays that the CWC said clashed with its May Day plans in Nuwara Eliya. The end result was a build-up of tension leading to the transfer of Nuwara Eliya’s SSP Pujitha Jayasundera out of Nuwara Eliya and CWC demands for action against more policemen.

NMAT said that the CWC’s Colombo protest would have been dangerous in that it would have resulted in bringing in hundreds of Tamil protesters "from certain defined parts of the island" to the city and that could have resulted in terrorist infiltration.

"We of the NMAT as a body recognise and uphold the people’s right of expression. But this right is subject to the security of the state not being undermined," the statement said.

It pointed out that there had been a series of Tiger terrorist incidents in Colombo within the last decade and 612 Sinhala people have been killed and over 4,000 injured in them. The planned march was from Kollupitiya to Gas Works Street, covered an area "which is notorious for transformer blasts."

The statement which said that Colombo and its suburbs had suffered 21 terrorist bomb attacks, also claimed that of the Tamil civil community, the only political leaders who have escaped elimination by the Tigers are those who were to march in protest on June 18. It made pointed reference to a suggestion some years ago by CWC leaders that the north and east be handed over to Prabhakaran.

Following is the full text of the NMAT statement:

Tamil racist organisations were attempting to stage an unlawful march in the city of Colombo from Kollupitiya to Gasworks Street, an area which, by the way, is notorious for LTTE transformer blasts. They have by leaflet and other means called upon all Tamil and Muslim traders to put up shutters and show solidarity with their so called protest. The main aim of this parade, they maintain, was to pressurise the government to ban the National Movement Against Terrorism and Sinhala Veeravidhana.

"The NMAT and the SVV are non-violent democratic organisations and no Tamil racist organisation, in the guise of democracy and freedom of speech has the right to demand that these two organisations should be banned.

"Since Colombo and the south of Sri Lanka collectively, do not consist of a backbonelesss society which act through fear of armed terrorists, Minister Thondaman and such persons can voice their opposition and get organised and indulge in protest marches. Yet, such democracy cannot be practiced in breach of the security of the state and the freedom and the peace of the city of Colombo.

"The security of the state is of paramount importance. Colombo and its suburbs have been through the throes of 21 bomb attacks by Tamil terrorists resulting in mass scale massacre of civilians, serious personal injury and widespread destruction of public and private property. Political leaders of this country have been systematically eliminated by separatist terrorists. Even the Prime Minister of India has been brutally assassinated by the LTTE and its supporters. Of the Tamil civil community the only political leaders who have escaped elimination by the Tigers are those who were to "march in protest" on the 18th".

We state that the infiltration that would have resulted in bringing in hundreds of organised Tamil protesters from certain defined part of the island would have been detrimental to the future security of the city and its occupants.

We of the NMAT as a body recognise and uphold the people’s right of expression. But this right is subject to the security of the state not being undermined. We call upon the state and the law enforcement officers and racist Tamil orgnaisations to bear in mind the following:

1. Within the last decade and a half 612 Sinhala people have been murdered and over 4,000 people have been seriously injured in the city of Colombo by the Tiger terrorists. Even though there is within the Sinhala people a simmering anger there has never been any anti-Tamil reprisals. Within the last decade and a half there have been 128 mass murders of the Sinhalese and they have never been provoked into acts of violence. We state that the protest march of the June 18 would have been the 129th attempt by the terrorists to incite the people of this country into public retaliation and thereby scream to the world that Tamils were being persecuted in Sri Lanka.

2. In the course of the last few years over 400,000 Tamils have descended upon and created settlements in Modera, Mattakkuliya, Kotahena, Pitakotuwa,, Bambalapitiya, Wellawatte and even in Nugegoda and Kotte. In the cover of, and from within such surreptitious settlements, acts of terror such as bomb explosions, blasting of transformers and train carriages and other public amenities by the Tamil terrorists are prevalent. The people now realise that the real agenda behind the June 18 "protest" was the creation of a LTTE Eelamist agitational front in the city in furtherance of their plan to bring the entirety of the city of Colombo and its suburbs under the sway of the LTTE.

3. There was also the grave risk and doubt as to whether through this "Hartal" the Tiger terrorists had a design of creating violence and thuggery against the Sinhala people and thereby totally destabilising the state of Sri Lanka. Simultaneously, there was also a treacherous plan of implicating the NMAT and the Sinhala Veeravidhana in any such acts of violence. We state that Minister Thondaman and the leader of the TULF and other racist Tamil political parties, unions and organisations should bear the total responsibility for all such acts of violence, if any resulted.

4. There was also a fundamentalist group that was trying to incite the Muslims into joining this racist parade. It is indeed a mystery as to whether there is a plan by the Tigers of chasing away the Muslims too from the city in the near future, that these fundamentalist groups, who were silent when hundreds of Muslims at prayer were massacred at Kattankudi by the Tigers and thousands of Muslims were driven out of the Jaffna peninsular, have now suddenly become anti-Sinhalese.

5. It is a known fact that the CWC, are at least, active and strong sympathisers of the LTTE. Public utterances have been made by its leaders that the Sri Lanka armed forces should quit the North and the East and its administration handed over to Prabhakaran for 10 years. The CWC leader has proclaimed that Prabhakaran is the saviour of the Tamils, and that since Prabhakaran "has had the ability of carrying on without a break the struggle for Eelam for the Tamils for twelve years in the face of stiff resistance by the armed forces, he must surely have divine power and protection of the gods." (Vide - The Lankadeepa interview of July 2, 1998).

Finally, we call upon the democratic and peace loving Tamil citizens of Colombo not to allow these rabid racist political groups to turn Colombo into another Jaffna. The situation that resulted by such protest campaigns held in Jaffna a decade ago is only too apparent and has plunged the lives of the Tamil people into deep misery. We appeal to you not to allow the same situation to arise in Colombo and other parts of Sri Lanka.

We appeal to the Muslims not to fall prey to fundamentalist theories reflecting an anti-Sinhalese stance which will only result in the final sacrifice of the Muslim community.

We appeal to the Sinhalese population and especially the Sinhalese residents of Colombo not to be incited or provoked by the treachery of the Tamil racists. It is our plea that you completely move away from politicians who aid and abet separatist Tamil politics.

On June 17, the day before the planned protest of Eelamists, a bomb went off on the Colombo-Badulla bus injuring several people. On the same day another explosion had occurred during the collection of the garbage of one of the main hotels in the city. We are of the view that the President of this country and the Deputy Minister of Defence would be spending their efforts far more profitability for themselves and the entire country if they, instead of putting the NIB and the CID to investigate the NMAT - the Sinhale Veeravidhana and the Sinhala people in general, investigate the obvious link between the now fizzled out Eelamists march planned for June 18 and the above mentioned explosions.

It is hideous that today in the eyes of the rulers of this state the NMAT conducting an anti-terrorist meeting inside an auditorium in N’Eliya or the NMAT, the SVV and the Sinhala people of this land allegedly raising the National Lion banner within a premises consisting of many business establishments, shops, offices and a union, are committing a deplorable crime while bomb explosions and pistol gangs of the Eelamists go on unhindered and uninvestigated.

The government and the opposition, the SLFP and the UNP, who are falling over themselves to grab the minority vote should realise that it is the Sinhala people who will one day deal the death blow.

The primary object of the NMAT is the conclusive defeat of separatism and the liberation of this country from racist minority terrorism. We call upon the people of this country to rally round the Anti Terrorist National Banner of the National Movement Against Terrorism and to get organised to rise a country’s cry thousand times greater than that of the treacherous Eelamist lobby.

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NICs compulsory at future elections?

By Shamindra Ferdinando
Elections Commissioner Dayanada Dissanayake has revealed government plans to enact legislation to make the production of the National Identification Card (NIC) by voters compulsory at future elections.

In a public notification on the revision of the Electoral Registers which commenced on June 1, the Commissioner said: ``Since the government is engaged in preparing legislation to make the production of the National Identification card compulsory at future elections, please enter the names precisely as they appear in the National Identity Card.’’

There have been demands from many political parties and public interests groups that election malpractices that have been increasing in recent years be countered by making the production of the NIC compulsory on voters casting their ballots.

The Elections Commissioner himself made public reference to the need for this measure after the Wayamba elections which he assessed as the worst that had ever taken place in the country with widespread violations.

The arguments against making the production of the NIC compulsory for voting purposes include the fact that there are many people without these cards and also that the NICs too could be ``captured’’ in the same way as polling cards have been taken away. The JVP took away a large number of NICs during the 1988/89 insurgency.

However, a spokesman for the Department for the Registration of Persons which is responsible for issuing NICs said that the present law does not make it compulsory that all adults must obtain an NIC.

Zurich makes an offer for remaining CTC Eagle shares

The Zurich NDB Finance Lanka (Private) Limited (ZNFL) has made a formal offer in terms of the Takeovers and Mergers Code of 1995 for all remaining shares of the CTC Eagle Insurance Company now not within its control.

ZNFL has offered a price of Rs.44.25 per share for slightly over 3.9 million CTC Eagle shares it does not own.

"This offer is unconditional and ZNFL will acquire any share on which valid acceptance is received irrespective of the final shareholding of the ZNFL in CTC Eagle,’’ the offer document said.

The maximum payable if all the remaining shares are acquired under the terms of the offer made by ZNFL is Rs.173.9 million and has to be entirely funded by ZNFL.

The Zurich Insurance Company which together with the NDB are the major stake holders in ZNFL had entered into an agreement under which the NDB group will fund the cost of this acquisition.

Under the Takeovers and Mergers Code, ZNFL purchased a 63.82% stake in CTC Eagle held by the Ceylon Tobacco Company Limited, a subsidiary of British American Tobacco Industries plc.

According to the rules of the Takeovers and Mergers Code, ZNFL is required to offer the same price of Rs.44.25 per share which it paid Ceylon Tobacco to the other shareholders of CTC Eagle.

Within the last 12 months, CTC Eagle’s ten-rupee share had commanded a high of Rs.47 on June 12, 1998 and a low of Rs.32 on September 30, 1998. After the acquisition by ZFNL the share traded at Rs.42.75 even though it was known that the mandatory offer of Rs.44.25 must be made.

A small parcel of 200 CTC Eagles was sold on the Colombo Stock Exchange on Friday at Rs.41.75.

Exhumed objects sent for investigations

By Saman Indrajith
The human skeletons and personal effects exhumed from the alleged mass grave at Chemmani were despatched to the University of Ruhuna for further investigations by forensic expert, Prof. Chandrasiri Niriella, a Human Rights activist said yesterday.

Former Corporal Somaratne Rajapakse, convicted for the rape and the murder of Krishanthi Kumaraswami, who pointed out the places where the missing Tamils were alleged to have been buried in 1996, was flown back to Colombo amidst tight security and then to the Bogambara Prison on Friday for detention, a prison source said.

In his statement at the Jaffna Magistrate Court last Wednesday, Rajapakse said that two co-accused in the Kumaraswami case could also show several places at Chemmani where Tamils had been buried.

However, a prison source said yesterday that these co-accused would not follow his example.

The personal effects found along with the skeletons were identified by relatives of the missing Tamils, at Jaffna Police Headquarters last Friday.

Some of them were identified as the clothes of two mechanics who had worked at Ravi Garage on the Colombo-Kandy Road in Ariyali and had gone missing from August 19, 1996.

One item of clothing was identified by Sinnathuray Mahendran as the grease sodden trouser worn by his son Mahendran Babu (26) on the day he disappeared. Mrs. Shanthi Sateeshkumar identified the clothes of her husband Rasiah Satheeshkumar (22), a father of three children from Meesalai in Chavakachcheri. The widow identified her husband’s clothes by a tear in the shirt that she had stitched with nylon thread before his disappearance.

Additional Magistrate, Jaffna, M. Elancheliyan directed that the exhumed skeletal remains be sealed before they were dispatched to the University of Ruhuna for further investigations.

Prof. Niriella had told a group of local and foreign journalists on Friday that a survey at Chemmani had revealed that the soil had been disturbed at three places where Rajapakse had pointed out the graves.

Situlpauwa Poson Pinkama begins on June 26

The Annual Poson Pinkama of the historic Situlpauwa Raja Maha Viharaya will be held on June 26, 27 and 28 as usual.

The series of these poson pinkamas are held under the guidance and patronage of Ven. Keerthi Sri Gunaratana Wattahene Ratanasara Nayake Thero and Unawatuna Ratanajothi Thero. The Incumbent at these pinkamas pride of place will be given to Seela, Bhavana, Bana Sermons, Dhamma discussion, Buddha Poojas, Bodhi Poojas and other religious rituals.

On the Poson Full Moon Day there will be an all night pirith chanting.

The sacred historic Situlpauwa premises situated inside Yala National Park will be illuminated.

As in the past the illumination of Situlpauwa will be done by Upali Group of Companies on 26, 27, and 28 June 1999. On 28 the lights will be switched on by Mahinda Rajapakse, Minister of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Development. Mr. Priyankara Jayaratne, Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Fisheries NWP and Mr. Hemasiri Fernando, Secretary to the Prime Minister and the Directors of Upali Group will also grace the occasion.

It is expected that as usual over 10,000 devotees will observe Sil and an equal number will visit the Viharaya for the observance of religious rites.

Necessary steps have been taken to provide basic facilities to devotees who will participate at these Pinkamas.

The Peoplised Bus Service has taken action to provide special bus services from Tissa town to Situlpauwa Raja Maha Viharaya for the duration of the Poson Pinkamas.

Necessary steps have been taken to provide health, water and sanitary facilities to the pilgrims. Various NGOs and voluntary organisations have organised Dan Selas and will provide alms to the devotees who will observe Sil.

Organisers also hope to provide food day and night.

Cooray launches poster campaign for Premadasa commemoration

by Shamindra Ferdinando
Remember that famous poster "who is he? What is he doing?" [Me kawda-mokada karanne] that commanded attention countrywide during the Premadasa presidential election campaign in 1989?

The trilingual poster campaign played its part in that presidential elections campaign.

The former UNP General Secretary and the Chairman of the Premadasa Center Bulathsinhalage Sirisena Cooray has launched a poster campaign similar to his late leader’s to announce next Wednesday’s 75 birth anniversary commemoration of Premadasa.

"Yes, the poster is on the same lines," Cooray told the Sunday Island, yesterday saying that without any doubt the "Me Kawda-Mokada Karanne" poster campaign was the most effective campaign ever.

However, Cooray insists that his poster has no political meaning. There was no truth in speculation, reports and claims that he intends to form a new political party.

Cooray’s poster, "who is he ? What is he saying? [Me kawda-monawada kiyanne] [Cooray is reputed to have handled the original poster display in 1989] appeared overnight in Colombo and suburbs announcing the commemoration scheduled to take place next Wednes-day at the Sugathadasa Indoor Sta-dium.

A key member of Premadasa’s election apparatus, Cooray believes that the new poster will bring memories of the late leader who did a lot for the ordinary people.

The 1989 trilingual poster campaign was mooted by Victor Hettigoda [Siddhalepa Muda-lali] a close associate of Premadasa. According to a UNPer, who took part in the meeting at Sucharitha where the JVP-style poster campaign was mooted, Hettigoda got the late G. W. Surendra to design the poster which attracted national attention.

The Premadasa Center has already booked the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium for the event expected to attract hundreds if not thousands of people.

The indoor stadium does not come cheap. Next Wednesday’s three hour meeting will cost Rs. 85,000, according to informed sources. Apart from that, a 100,000 rupee deposit has to be made against possible damages, these sources said.

The Premadasa Center has invited some 15,000 people for the event. Contrary to media re-ports, Cooray will not use the event to reveal his plans for the country during the Wednesday’s meeting.

"I don’t want to do that," he said. He hopes to give some indications about future plans on Wednesday.

He said that the Premadasa Center intends to hold a press conference on July 7, probably at Sucharitha, to reveal what Cooray described as a plan of development for the country.

He said that both the ruling People’s Alliance and the UNP had failed to solve Sri Lanka’s problems.

Asked whether the UNP leader Ranil Wickremasinghe has been invited, Cooray said "no".

As the patron of the Center he could attend the event and there is no need to send a special invitation, he said.

However, all other UNP MPs, members of provincial councils, local authorities and members of the decision making working committee had been invited, he said.

Informed sources said that UNP politicians are in a dilemma over invitations sent by the Center. The majority, these sources claimed, wanted to attend the event but does not want to upset the present leadership. However, the former first lady Hema Premadasa, son Sajith and daughter Dulanjali are scheduled to attend.

Party sources said that the UNP, during the Southern Provincial Council election campaign, sought to play the Premadasa card to win votes.

PC election defeats will not mean changes in UNP

Despite the demand for changes, no major shake-up in the UNP is expected following the party’s failure to win even one of the seven provincial councils for which elections have now been concluded, party sources revealed.

A section of the UNP believes that the party should be revamped to fight the parliemntary and presidential elections due next year or even earlier if the PA sees an advantage in advancing the dates. But the leadership don’t see any benefit from such changes.

"The leadership feels that the party’s fortunes will not change just by making new appointments," these sources said. They expect the present team to remain despite some noises that have been made in the aftermath of the PC elections.

Some southern UNPers who blame Mr. Ronnie de Mel for the defeat at Matara fault him for permitting platform speakers to identify him as the next prime minister. De Mel who left for London on Friday is expected to be away for some weeks.

The SPC election campaign was led by Mr. Ranil Wickre-mesinghe and the party’s general secretary, Mr. Gamini Atukorale. Several other party MPs played a crucial role in the campaign. The UNP won three of the 21 electorates in the south in the SPC election. (SF)

Aussie-SA tie cause problems for city bookie

Police moved in last Friday to prevent a breach of the peace as scores of people who had placed bets with a reputed bookmaker assembled outside its Kollupitiya office demanding their money back.

It all started after this bookmaker had accepted bets on the winner in the second semi final of the World Cup. As the unexpected happened and Australia emerged victorious on the run rate, irate punters who had bet on South Africa had made a bee-line to the bookmaker demanding their money back as there was, according to them, no clear winner, as the match ended in a tie, police said.

Kollupitiya OIC IP C. E. Wedisinghe said policemen intervened as the punters continued their noisy protests, but there was a peaceful ending as the matter was amicably sorted out. — (KKAW)

Legislation for auto gas conversion

The government has decided to introduce legislation to spell out safety standards for the use of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) for automative purposes, authoritative sources said.

This follows active lobbying by the Auto Gas Association backed by Shell Gas.

After the safety standards are in place, the possibility of levying a tax on automobiles converted to gas, will also be examined, these sources disclosed.

At present owners of diesel vehicles, except those engaged in passenger transport, have to pay an annual tax of Rs. 5,000 whereas the levy is much higher on luxury vehicles.

Shell Gas has repeatedly warned against what they term the ‘hazardous automobile conversions using domestic LPG cylinders which is continuing unabated’.

‘We are calling for internationally recognised safety standards to stem the precarious practice of misusing LPG cylinders in this manner’, says Soshana Wijeratne, Manager, External Affairs and Brand Communications, shell Gas.

Currently there are more than 3000 auto gas users in Sri Lanka and the market is rapidly growing as it’s a safe, environmentally friendly and an efficient fuel.

British-Dutch Shell Gas which operates in over 100 countries, has invested billions of rupees in Sri Lanka since its re-emergence under a privatisation agreement in December, 1995. - (Suresh)

Clashes at Janakapura
Welioya region under fresh LTTE threat, says army

by Shamindra Ferdinando
Amidst more confrontations between troops and terrorists in Welioya last week, senior military and police officials said that the LTTE appeared to have launched a fresh bid to target settlements in the region. In two separate incidents, troops in ambush killed at least four terrorists and recovered some arms and ammunition, military officials said.

Of them two were shot dead by troops in the general area of Welioya last Thursday morning. They were able to recover one T-56 weapon, four T-56 magazines, night vision equipment, one communication set and a small quantity of ammunition.

Others were killed northeast of Janakapura, a settlement attacked repeatedly over the years. It was not clear whether the infiltrators were coming in after landing on the east coast or overland through areas captured during operation Jayasikurui.

Some military officers believe that stepped up terrorist activity in the Welioya region was their response to troops bringing in more territory under their control. Ranagosa troops in the first four phases of the operation had regained 1320 square kms in the western part of the Wanni. The LTTE, they said will seek to undermine government’s strategy of capturing territory by mounting widespread attacks in both newly regained territory and in the Welioya region, the scene of many battles between the armed forces and the LTTE.

Last week’s confrontations follows several other incidents in the region in the last month.

Hundreds fled Kokilai recently after terrorists attacked the village.

In a separate incident, terrorists mounted an attack on a group of people who went into Omarankanda jungle to collect firewood. Eight persons had managed to escape. The body of one of the missing persons were found later.

Before Omarankanda incident, hundreds of fishermen and their families fled after terrorists seized four Sinhala fishermen along with two boats and seven OBMs earlier in the day. Soon after the seizure, mortars and a few rounds of artillery hit the village forcing hundreds to flee.

Attacks on Kokilai came soon after terrorists killed 11 persons and wounded 5 others at Kiriibbanwewa in the Welioya region. They died when terrorists exploded a claymore mine and then fired small arms at the Delica van carrying 20 people including two off duty soldiers to Parakkramapura army detachment. The ill-fated vehicle belonged to a lance corporal. It had been used extensively for travel in the area.

Senior officers expressed serious concern over last week’s incidents particularly the claymore mine blast at Kiriibbanwewa, a village situated well within the Welioya region. In fact the attack was the serious most incident since armed forces brought a large area under control in the Wanni thus making it difficult for terrorists to send in infiltrators.

Death sentence set aside for 15 years jail

By V. Varthasuntheram
The Court of Appeal last week set aside the death sentence passed on Premasiri Perera convicted of patricide and sentenced him to fifteen years imprisonment upholding the plea of defence counsel Nimal Muthukumarana that an expert opinion in a trial was relevant but not conclusive.

The bench comprising Justice F. N. D. Jayasuriya and Justice Kulatilake held that the accused had committed the offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, (Section 297) on the basis that the injuries inflicted by him were not sufficient to cause death, but were only likely to cause death.

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