.

Bar Association to follow-up allegations against judges

The executive committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka will meet this week to consider what action it should take on some matters relating to allegations against two judicial officers - Magistrate Lenin Ratnayake and a District Judge Upali Abeyratne, the Bar Association’s president, Mr. Upali. A. Gooneratne, said yesterday.

This followed representations made by an attorney, Percy Wickramasekera, calling attention to the Ravaya expose on this subject. The weekly carried an editorial comment as the lead item in the front page of its August issue dealing with the allegation made against the two judges.

The newspaper had said that the two judges have been found guilty of all charges preferred against them by two committees appointed by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) comprising Appeal Court judges.

"The editorial complains that these judicial officers have been dealt with leniently because of their alleged connection with the Hon. Attorney General, Mr. Sarath. N. Silva, P.C. regarding whom this paper has made very serious allegations of abuse of power," Wickramasekera has said in his letter.

The charges against Ratnayake relate to two alleged instances of rape committed by him, one of which is alleged to have taken place in his official chambers. There was also a charge of an alleged fraud committed by this magistrate when he was an official of the Insurance Corporation.

The charges against Abeyratne are based on allegations that he had acted illegally and improperly in a divorce case where Sarath N. Silva was co-respondent. Wickremasekera, a former Lake House director, said that the Ravaya has been carrying out "a lone but fearless campaign for almost two years on this matter and no action has been attempted against the paper on the basis that its campaign is false or malicious."

Wickramasekera has called on the Bar Association to ‘’pursue this matter on the basis of the decisions arrived at the meeting of the Past Presidents of the Bar Association and see that the culprits are dealt with according to law like any other citizen of this country."

The Bar Association President said that he had acknowledged Wickramasekera’s letter and said that the Exco will be taking up this matter ‘’next week." He said that following a Bar Council meeting, he had written to President Kumaratunga calling upon her to reinstate High Court Judge Mahanama Tillakaratne who has been cleared of wrongdoing and fill two long standing vacancies in the Judicial Service Commission and the High Court.

UNP still undecided whether or not to support package — Ranil

by Sumadhu Weerawarne
Opposition Leader Ranil Wickramesinghe commenting on the government’s move to submit its constitutional proposals to parliament said that the UNP had not decided whether or not to support the paczkage.

Asked if the UNP would vote it down or submit its own amendments Mr. Wickramesinghe said that the party had not decided on its strategy. "We must consider our strategy," he said.

He added that the government had failed to gather support for it even among the Tamil parties, unlike the resolution on media reforms which was supported by all sections in Parliament.

Mr. Wickramesinghe said that this was an area where the government and opposition could easily reach a consensus. "We need some point on which we can get together. We cannot resolve bigger issues if we cannot come together on this," he said.

He added that the resolution on media reforms that was being put forward was a joint one supported even by those members within government ranks. It is quite clear that this document is acceptable to all sections," he added.

Meanwhile PA sources confirmed that it would be unlikely that the proposed Constitution Amendment incorporating the devolution proposals would be presented in Parliament on August 17. They added that the proposed amendment was still pending approval of the SLFP executive committee and ratification by the PA executive committee.

LTTE delays land route opening

by Shamindra Ferdinando
The opening of a land route to and from the LTTE controlled region would be delayed by at least 24 hours. ICRC’s Information Officer Harha Gunewardene last night said that the exit and the entry point to the uncleared region would be available hopefully by Monday. Vavuniya Government Agent K. Ganesh is making arrangements to send 500 people and 10 lorry loads of supplies to the uncleared region, Gunawardene said.

The LTTE appeared to have sought more time to prepare for the opening. The road was previously scheduled to become operational today.

Earlier in the day Army Chief of Staff and Wanni Security Forces Commander Major General Lionel Balagalle yesterday said that his troops had de-mined their part of the proposed Civilian Safety Zone [CSZ] ahead of Sunday’s scheduled opening of the exit and entry point to the LTTE held region. Work began on Friday and was completed yesterday afternoon.

"My troops have cleared an area approximately 50 meters north of their Mankulam defences and about 20 meters on either side of the Vavuniya-Mankulam road," Balagalle said soon after troops completed the task.

Speaking to the Sunday Island from his headquarters at Vavuniya, he said that mines and other obstacles laid by forces north of Mankulam were removed and craters filled to pave the way for restoration of a supply route to the uncleared region.

De-mining had been done on Friday. Soon after that Ms Cherine Pollini, ICRC’s top delegate based at Vavuniya had crossed the army lines to enter No Man’s Land to meet with a Mallavi based ICRC official who came there.

"We have done our part," Balagalle said.

Frontline troops deployed north of Mankulam had observed LTTE units clearing their area yesterday morning. Under the deal brokered by the ICRC, the LTTE too would have to de-mine and clear an area similar in size cleared by the army ahead of scheduled opening of the road on Sunday.

The distance between Balagalle’s troops north of Mankulam and LTTE units further up would be approximately 100 meters. "We are eyeball to eyeball," Balagalle said adding that defences had not been compromised.

Initially the army wanted a five kms distance between the troops and LTTE on the Vavuniya-Mankulam road. However, the LTTE rejected the army’s proposal.

Both the Wanni Security Forces Headquarters and the LTTE had given security guarantees that they would not engage in any hostile activity within the CSZ.

The ICRC delegates from the government and the LTTE held parts of the Wanni will move into the CSZ during movements of supplies to the uncleared area and also transfer of people to and from the government controlled sector.

With the opening of the land route, ICRC run boat services between Mannar and LTTE held Wanni will be halted. ICRC launched boat services last Sunday to transfer seriously ill patients from the LTTE held region.

Since June 25 there had been no food convoys to the uncleared region. Controversy surrounds the number of people living in the region with some government officials placing the figure around 370,000 and others around 300,000 or perhaps a few thousand less.

Present system of selecting candidates by PA
Disadvantageous to Muslims says Fowzie

By Walter Nanayakkara
Minister of Transport and Highways A. H. M. Fowzie who sees disadvantages to Muslim candidates, in the present system of selecting candidates by the People’s Alliance, wants the system changed.

Minister Fowzie told the 2nd annual Convention of the SLFP Muslim Federation that Muslims who are district organisers of the People’s Alliance, presently, stood a chance of being nominated for elections, both General and Provincial. For them the chance of winning a seat is slim because other candidates who are organisers of an electorate rather than a whole district, are much stronger. He said this should change.

The 2nd Convention of SLFP Muslim Federation held in the Stanley Jansz Play Ground, Colombo, 2, was chaired by Minister Fowzie.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga was Chief Guest.

Fowzie said that if a Muslim candidate nominated fails to win a seat he should be compensated by being giving one of the two bonus seats in the case of a provincial council election and by some other devise in the case of general elections.

Fowzie said the Muslim Federation would always back the President. The Bandaranaike family had always been conscious of the welfare of the Muslim community and Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s appointment of Badi-Ud din Mahmud as Minister of Education during her tenure as prime minister helped many Muslims to acquire higher positions in the educational field.

He added that Muslims were not racists. All they wanted is to live in peace with all communities.

There is no point in condemning LTTE for Neelan’s killing - Vijayasingham

by Shamindra Ferdinando
Lawmaker Neelan Tiruchelvam’s assassination underlines the importance in initiating a fresh dialogue with the LTTE, Colombo based Tamil action group AGOTIC’s president N. Vijayasingham said yesterday.

"There is no point in condemning the LTTE for Neelan’s assassination," he said pointing out that dozens of soldiers, police, LTTE cadres and ordinary civilians had been killed in violence since last month’s suicide bombing of Tiruchelvam’s car. Vijayasingham, a former advisor to the New Delhi based EU Ambassador in late 80s said that Tiruchelvam had been just another victim in the ongoing conflict.

Special Task Force [STF] and Special Forces convoys were caught up in claymore mine blasts, innocent civilians died in cross fire and there were many other incidents in the North East. "Who cries for them," he asked saying that some people are shedding crocodile tears for Neelan.

Some 60,000 people had been killed since 1983, he said adding that killings would not stop until the governemnt resumes talks with the LTTE and take steps to solve the North-East crisis.

Neelan’s killing, Vijayasingham said was an indicator that there would not be any solution without the LTTE being part of it. The LTTE had been fighting for many years. They [LTTE] would not wait and see the government’s ongoing attempts to end the crisis leaving the LTTE out.

Asked whether the AGOTIC which condemns harassment of Tamils by police and the armed forces and other extra-judicial activities intends to keep quiet about the latest political killing, Vijayasingham pointed out that nothing could be achieved by condemning the LTTE. All people and organisations must put pressure on the government to enter into negotiations with the LTTE. Talks are necessary, he insisted.

Vijayasingham in June this year met several British officials including Stephen Evans, the head of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s South Asia Desk, his deputy Peter West and Sri Lanka Desk Officer Michael Holme to explain the situation. On his return, Vijayasingham told this reporter that he believes the British favours direct talks between the two parties to the conflict.

The LTTE, he said had showed again that there should not be attempts to leave it out of proposed moves to bring an end to the North East conflict.

Extortioners shot dead

By Kalinga K. A. Weerakkody
Two persons who allegedly attempted to flee with Rs. 250,000 extorted from a businessman were shot dead by the police at Kahawatte around 9.30 pm last Friday, police sources said.

Policemen had opened fire when the duo tried to hurl a hand grenade and escape, the sources said.

Ratnapura ASP G. B. Peramune said that the suspects had last week sent a note to a businessman demanding Rs. 250,000 if he wanted to stay alive. They had demanded that the cash be brought to a particular location indicated by them. He had been warned against informing the police.

The businessman in turn had appealed for a little more time to raise the cash as that kind of money was not readily available with him at home. After ‘buying time’, he had tipped off the police. However, he had rejected police protection, but agreed to keep in touch with the police using a cellular phone, ASP Peramune said.

After the date time Sannasgama were named as the venue by the duo, the businessman had proceeded to hand over the cash as instructed. Police who were informed had deployed two special teams to capture the men, he said.

Around 9.30 pm the businessman had seen two persons approaching on a motor cycle. They had stopped near a petrol shed close by and demanded the cash. The businessman had handed over the bag containing the money and returned to his vehicle. At this juncture, policemen hiding under the cover of darkness had challenged the duo to surrender. One of the men had then attempted to throw a grenade, forcing the police to open fire killing both of them, police said.

Police said the two youths have been identified as residents of Eheliyagoda.

Police investigations are continuing.

Water rates up

by Lishanthi Siriwardena
Water rates have been increased with effect from August 1, 1999, according to a gazette notification by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board.

The average household consisting of 5 members who consume around 20 units (20,000 litres/4,500 gallons) of water per month will be levied an additional Rs. 7.50 following the revision of tariffs, the head of the Financial Division of the NWSDB, M. P. Fernando said.

For the first ten units, the rates have been upped from Rs. 30 to Rs. 35. For consumption in excess of 21 units and up to 25 units, the rates have been increase from Rs. 2.50 to Rs. 2.75. per unit (1000 litres). In excess of 26 units and up to 30 units, from Rs. 15 to Rs. 18 per unit, 31 units to 40 units from Rs. 18 to Rs. 20 per unit, 41 units to 50 units from Rs. 20 to Rs. 25 per unit, 51 units to 75 units from Rs. 35 to Rs. 38 per unit.

A new slab has been introduced for consumption in excess of 75 units (75000 litres) at Rs. 40 per unit.

The water tariffs were revised in the face of cost escalation, Fernando said.

The Water Board will have to bear an additional cost of Rs. 159 million for this year to meet rising cost of inputs. Water tariffs are subsidised and there is a monthly subsidy of Rs. 300 for 20 units incurred by the Water Board, he said.

The cost of production is Rs. 366 for 20 units at a unit costs rate of Rs. 18.30 he explained.

This year the Water Board will aim at reducing 4% of the water loss which would result in a saving of Rs. 71 million. At present 39% of the water goes waste and the aim is to bring it down to 35%, he said.

Sorry, can’t do, says Rudra

The Secretary of the UNP has been officially informed by the Bribery and Corruption Commission that his complaint regarding Presidential Press Advisor Sanath Gunathilake and Channel 9 cannot be investigated.

In a letter to UNP Secretary Gamini Atukorale, MP, Mr. Rudra Rajasingham, one of the remaining commissioners said: "I regret that this commission is unable to accede to your request to have your complaint investigated as all police/investigating officers attached to this commission were moved out in 1997 and have not resumed duties or been replaced.’’

Atukorale visited the commission’s office on July 29 and handed a letter together with a copy of an affidavit of Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, MP.

In his letter to Atukorale, Rajasingham also said that: "your reference to an earlier complaint made by you on May 1998 regarding the privatisation of Air Lanka is also noted.’’

Sri Lanka lesbians plan coming out with women on women parley

by Amal Jayasinghe
COLOMBO, Aug. 4 (AFP) — In a smoke-filled room, Sri Lanka lesbians are virtually groping in the dark on how to stage their "coming out" party with a parley on women by women. But at hand is a gay man offering his expertise.

They want to hold their first national convention here in December for many to come out of the closet in a conservative society where girls have even been driven to suicide because of social rejection of their lesbian behaviour.

"We are new to voluntary work and we are still learning how to have this convention," said one of the organisers who identifies herself only as Gail because she is still not ready to come out openly.

Gail, 43, is meeting with other chain-smoking lesbians at the main Gay organisation here, the companions on a journey, to organise the meeting where they expect up to 150 women from across the country to participate.

Executive director of companions on a journey, Sherman de Rose, a Roman Catholic brother-turned-gay-activist is providing logistics to the women till they can find their own feet.

"What we are doing is giving them the space," de Rose said. "We find that the problems and issues for gay mean and women are different and somehow it is difficult to work with women."

The gay men leave the bamboo-slat curtained two - storey building in Colombo’s fashionable Park Road area when women meet once a week to discuss their problems and these days work on the national convention.

The women too agree with de Rose and says men don’t understand them, even heterosexual women don’t understand them and that they feel really comfortable only with fellow lesbians.

Gail says she tried to take her life twice because of her inability to confront her parents with her sexual orientation when she was in her early twenties.

"I took sleeping pills, but probably not enough to kill myself, perhaps I only wanted some attention," Gail said adding that her parents, however, accepted her sexuality.

But, two women from a less affluent social background in southern Sri Lanka were not so lucky. One was married and the other was a factory worker and both committed suicide together recently unable to express their love for each other openly.

It is just such people that Sri Lanka’s first lesbian support group is trying to reach out to.

"Lesbians are generally accepted by society if they are financially independent and come from upper middle class background," said fellow lesbian Tami who also does not want to be identified yet.

"It is when they are less independent that they suffer all sorts off problems from their homes and at work. It is such people we want to help. Maybe help them to get better jobs and also feel that they are not alone."

Samanthi, 31, who was the housewife in relationship with a professional women feels she must find a job now to be totally independent and maintain her lifestyle.

"With us lesbians it is more of an emotional relationships unlike men who want to do bed hopping," Samanthi said adding that she contemplates changing her family name because her father is militantly opposed to her lifestyle.

Her 26-year-old Tennis pro sister is also a lesbian and both of them have moved out on their own. The younger girl was punched in the face at a Karaoke lounge by a male friend over another girl.

However, in Colombo’s upper middle classes the lesbians are believed to be accepted and have no major problems unlike in rural areas where women have sex with other women but the practice is not socially accepted.

"We want the society we live in to understand and accept us as we are and respect our personal dignity," says a document put out by the lesbian support group. "It is a fact that many intellectuals and creative women in Sri Lanka come from the lesbian community."

Tami and Gail are also opposed to the stereotyping of lesbians as women waiting to pounce on every other woman who crosses their path. "In our society there are a lot of long-standing stable relationships," Gail said.

But another woman in the group, Chandy, speaks of her "girls" as conquests and is proud to display a scar on her left arm while grappling with a knife-wielding man in a fight over a teenager.

Alleged ‘ruthless attack’ on UNP demo
IPU to seek report from Speaker

by Shamindra Ferdinando
The International Parliamentary Union [IPU] has decided to seek a detailed report from Speaker K. B. Ratnayake with regard to UNP’s allegations that their July 15 protest march against President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s government was ruthlessly attacked.

The IPU had informed the UNP of its decision after several MPs sought Geneva headquartered parliamentary organisation’s intervention to end what they describe as government sponsored politically motivated violence, political and diplomatic sources said on Friday.

On the instructions of the UNP Parliamentary Group, MPs Gamini Lokuge, Tyronne Fernando, Renuka Herath, Harindra Corea, A. H. M. Azwer and Rajitha Seneratne had written to IPU, party sources said. The group, following a meeting on July 19 directed all MPs targeted during indiscriminate assault involving police including members of the Presidential Security Division [PSD] to inform both the IPU and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Union [CPU].

Kalutara District UNP MP and IPU’s Asia - Pacific Representative of the Human Rights Committee Mahinda Samarasinghe told The Sunday Island that those who sought the IPU’s intervention had been asked to submit police reports and other documents relating to their complaints.

Samarasinghe in April last year was appointed to his IPU position after he secured 131 votes against PA’s Deputy Media Minister Anura Priyadhashana Yapa. Yapa polled only 11.

Samarasinghe said that the IPU would also write to Speaker K. B. Ratnayake in this connection.

The IPU’s five member Human Rights Committee will take up UNP’s complaints at its October sessions in Berlin. "The sessions are scheduled for a week beginning October 10," Samarasinghe said revealing that he would not be involved in the committee’s discussions on Sri Lanka. Some of the MPs are expected to visit Berlin during the sessions.

"When they discuss Sri Lanka I’ll have to walk out of the room," Samarasinghe said.

The committee comprises France, Switzerland, Chile, Sri Lanka and an African country.

Samarasinghe said that everything would depend on the complaints and other evidence and whether these are admissible. The IPU, he said could go public or initiate a dialogue with the Sri Lanka government to ensure that July 15 type incidents do not take place again.

However, government officials maintain that July 15 incidents were provoked by the UNP. Colombo police had already questioned and recorded statements of several UNP MPs and the Party Chairman Karu Jayasuriya, they said. Some UNPers made an attempt to provoke more incidents in a second demonstration a week later but party General Secretary Gamini Atukorale was seen controlling these unruly elements, the PA said.

Call for decisive changes in VIP security

by Shamindra Ferdinando
A section of the security forces and police believe that there should be decisive changes in government’s Very Important Person [VIP] security programmes to face the threat posed by the LTTE.

Commenting on increased security provided to some MPs after a still unidentified male suicide bomber blew up TULF Parliamentarian Neelan Tiruchelvam, officials said that a lot will have to be done to deny the LTTE opportunities to strike in Colombo.

Last month’s assassination underlined the need to revamp country’s VIP security programmes, a senior police officer said pointing out that the LTTE had been able to eliminate key politicians over the years in view of shortcomings in their security units.

Increase in number of bodyguards, providing additional vehicles, arms, communications and other facilities to VIP security units would not prevent a determined enemy like the LTTE from waiting months, perhaps years to launch an attack, he said. In view of this, an effort should be made to expand and improve VIP security programmes while adopting new strategies to fight the LTTE.

Admiral Clancy Fernando, responsible for an aggressive campaign against LTTE boat operations in the Jaffna lagoon was the first to die in a suicide attack in Colombo. Since then the LTTE had employed different tactics to eliminate President Ranasinghe Premadasa, undoubtedly the most guarded VIP of the time and several other VIPs.

Messrs. Ranjan Wijeratne, Lalith Athulathmudali and Gamini Dissanayake were killed by LTTE employing different tactics.

But there was no evidence to suggest that the security services have adapted to their adversaries’ changes in approach.

The Presidential Security Division [PSD], the Ministerial Security Division [MSD], the elite Special Task Force [STF], Army Commandos, Artillery Regiment and specialised units of the three armed forces are engaged in VIP security.

The MSD had been bolstered with the deployment of some STF personnel. A source with the MSD said that days before the assassination of Tiruchelvam, the MP’s security was enhanced.

Some admit that bodyguards travelling in pilot and tail cars had become eyewitness to killings. The personnel riding Tiruchelvam’s back up vehicle could not do a thing when the suicide bomber launched the attack.

"They were there to see but not to act and prevent the tragedy," another officer said reminding that today’s VIP security had become a show.

These sources said that in some cases those known to VIPs are included in security units.

Contrary to reports, police investigators remain unaware of the identity of Tiruchelvam’s assassin. "We don’t know a thing about him," a senior investigator said adding that they are inquiring into various possibilities.

In earlier killings, authorities were able to establish the identity of the assassin quickly and in some cases made major breakthroughs into LTTE covert operations in the city.

Senathirajah - new TULF MP

Mr. Mavai Senathirajah has been named to fill the Parliamentary vacancy created by the assassination of TULF Member of Parliament, Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam, the party’s Vice President Ananda Sangari said yesterday.

Senathiraja earlier served as a TULF MP in the former Parliament.

Dr. Tiruchelvam, a National List member of the party, was killed by an LTTE suicide bomber in Colombo last month.

Senaratne bashes Mangala on delayed media motion

In a statement issued on the postponement of the parliamentary debate on media reforms, UNP National List MP Rajitha Senaratne has said that Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera "has once again shown his political nakedness.’’

Senaratne said that the excuse given for not debating this motion now is that the Select Committee on Media Reforms has not yet concluded its business. But the constitutional amendments are being presented to parliament without that Select Committee’s proceedings being ended.

The MP said that it is well known that the Select Committee on Media Reforms had not been convened for months since its last meeting "almost one and a half years ago’’ and Minister Samaraweera who’s chairman of the committee "has failed to attend meetings on several occasions.’’

"It is regrettable to note that it is nothing but due to the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of the Media Minister that this committee was unable to engage in any productive work for such a long time,’’ he said.

Senaratne said that it was at this point that Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe decided to present his motion on media reforms in parliament. This is a motion and not a Bill and has no legal ramifications. It is basically meant to provide MPs an opportunity to engage in a discussion on the subject from the widest perspective.

"So it is difficult to comprehend why the minister is making such a big noise and opposing this move,’’ he said.

The MP said that both President Kumaratunga and Minister Samaraweera are where they are today because of the support they got from the media. Samaraweera’s antagonism to the media mainly stems from the exposure of the credit card issue and the licensing of Channel 9.

"Agonized by the media exposures, Minister Samaraweera has gone so to the extent of designating Sri Lanka’s media community as a fearful Mafia,’’ he said.

Point system to suspend licences of errant motorists

by Suresh Perera
The government has decided to introduce a ‘point system’ to suspend driving licences of motorists who continue to transgress road rules, Transport and Highways Minister A. H. M. Fowzie said.

Fines imposed on offenders will also be enhanced in a bid to arrest the growing threat of road accidents caused by negligent and dangerous driving, he said.

‘What happens now is that motorists pay whatever fine that’s imposed on them and continue to drive’, the Minister pointed out.

There will be points added by the police for each traffic offence and when it climbs to one hundred, the driving licence of the motorist will be suspended for five years, he said.

Under the current context, even those who had killed many innocent people through negligent driving continue to sit behind the wheel as legal proceedings drag on.

The move to suspend licences is expected to act as a deterrent against dangerous driving, particularly after consumption of liquor.

‘Fines will be increased to Rs. 1000’, Minister Fowzie said.

In the first six months of this year alone 48 persons were killed and 123 others seriously injured in road accidents in Colombo, SSP (City Traffic) Alfred Wijewardena said.

Mounting road accidents have raised widespread concern as more and more people fall victim to dangerous and drunken driving on the country’s highways. Last week’s accident at Mahawaskaduwa, Kalutara North left five persons dead and 48 injured in a head-on collision between an Elpitiya-bound inter-city bus and another passenger bus.

Lionair crash victims’ next-of-kin given insurance claim forms

Lionair has issued insurance claim forms to the next-of-kin of the victims who were aboard flight LNS602 which disappeared close to Iranativu off Mannar while on a run to Ratmalana from Palaly in September last year, official sources indicated.

Each passenger had been insured for US $5000 (approximately SLR 360,000), but according to the law insurance claims can be submitted only after one year from the date the plane went missing, the sources said.

The wreckage of the aircraft, an Antonov-24 with 48 passengers and a six-member crew on board, has still not been located. It’s suspected to have plunged into the ocean off the LTTE-dominated Iranativu island.

Processing of the claims will begin after September 29, exactly a year after the Russian-built aircraft disappeared, a Lionair spokesman said.

The circumstances under which this civilian plane went missing are still shrouded in mystery. Among the theories afloat is an explosion inside the cargo compartment led to its crash.

Some personal effects believed to have belonged to passengers were salvaged from the sea and exhibited in Colombo by the Mannar police in June this year. A few national identity cards and letters on display were identified by relatives. However, some family members who viewed the exhibits dismissed the theory that the aircraft had crashed. They had, in statements to the police, said that, in their view, the plane had not gone down killing all aboard, as widely suspected.

Norwegian Professor says ‘go ahead’ with devolution package

Norwegian Professor Asbjorn Eide, a senior long-standing member of the United Nations Sub Committee on the ‘prevention of discrimination and protection of the minorities’ has strongly urged the Sri Lankan government to go ahead with the devolution package, Foreign Affairs Ministry communique said.

Prof. Eide while addressing the sub committee in Geneva had said last Thursday that the devolution package would be a milestone in constructive ethnic relations and will be a good model for similar situations in other countries.

The professor during his address, had described the LTTE as an "intransigent hard-line terrorist group which cannot contemplate peace at any time and completely inaccessible to reasoning".

n
Adventure yacht on 170-day ‘Voyage of Discovery’

The 170-day ‘Voyage of Discovery’ which set sail from Tower Bridge in England is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka in October.

The yacht will sail into its penultimate destination, the Galle Port on October 28, the organisers told a news conference at Galadari Hotel last week.

Captained by Joe Outred, the 80ft Maxi Racing yacht used for the voyage is on a mission of maritime adventure to discover challenge and team siprit. During its course, it will be travelling to 17 countries, they said.

Totally rebuilt and manned by a crew of seven, the yacht features the very latest in navigational and safety sailing equipment, according to the organisers. "It is equipped with the most modern facilities available today", they said.

Joe Outred, the skipper and the owner of the yacht is full time captain who had his own sailing boat at the age of 14. He has been involved with almost 30 transatlantic crossings and has a impressive sea faring record and is a very capable of guiding the ‘Voyage of Discovery’ through its destinations, they said.

The sleek little craft has sailed through the North Sea, around the North Foreland en route to France. Setting out from Portugal on July 1, on to Spain, Italy, Malta, Greece, Cyprus and Egypt. It will sail via Saudi Arabian Port of Jeddah to Djibouti, Oman and the port city of Karachi in Pakistan. Then the voyage will continue through the United Arab Emirates and return to Goa in India. The next destination will be the Galle port in Sri Lanka and the voyage is due to end in Bangladesh, the organisers told the media.

Article 19 comments on Neelan Tiruchelvam’s killing

Article 19 said in a statement that Dr. Tiruchelvam’s murder by a suicide bomber has been attributed to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who are fighting for an independent Tamil state in north eastern Sri Lanka. The LTTE have long waged a campaign of intimidation and killing to silence the moderate Tamil voices of those who seek to address longstanding minority grievances through peaceful, democratic means. Dr. Tiruchelvam’s killing is but the most recent in a long line of killings of Tamil politicians whom the LTTE appear to have perceived as being opposed to their cause as Article 19 has documented in its reports on Sri Lanka.

Dr. Tiruchelvam was a widely respected lawyer, academic and civil society activist both locally and internationally. He had worked for many years, under successive governments to try to find a peaceful, political solution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. He aspired to the creation of new constitutional form for the state that would provide redress for serious minority grievances while also accommodating the aspirations and protecting the rights of all ethnic groups in the country. Dr. Tiruchelvam was also a staunch defender of the right to freedom of expression and as a member of both the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Legislative and Regulatory Framework relating to Media, he advocated strengthening constitutional protection for free expression and other human rights.

Dr. Tiruchelvam’s violent and sudden death represents a most grave assault on basic values of free expression, human rights and democratic participation.

British specialists help Sri Lankan children with Cleft Lip and Palate

A team of seven British doctors specialising in Cleft Lip and Palate treatment recently completed two weeks work at the new Dental Hospital in Peradeniya. Funded by the British High Commission and the Cleft Lip and Palate Association (UK) the team visited Sri Lanka as part of a collaborative scheme that will run over the next five to six years, a British High Commission press release states.

The British team leader, Professor Michael Mars, is no stranger to Sri Lanka and this was his twelfth visit since 1985. The Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children Cleft Lip and Palate team accompanied Professor Mars together with consultants from Cambridge and Chelmsford.

The aim of their two-week visit was to promote a multi-disciplinary team approach to Cleft Palate treatment and they have been working with the Sri Lanka Association of Oral & Maxilofacial Surgeons to achieve this. The training mission included a seminar about Management of Cleft Lip and Palate patients on Sunday 4 July at the University of Peradeniya, arranged by Professor N. A. de S. Amaratunga, President of the Sri Lanka Association of Oral & Maxilofacial Surgeons.

Professor Mars and his five-strong team were the main speakers at the seminar and each speaker specialised in a different area of Cleft Palate treatment: plastic surgery, dentistry, speech therapy, anaesthetics and paediatrics, thus providing care for the whole child. Mr. Amaratunga hoped that this seminar would push forward action to create a system to provide comprehensive treatment and care to Cleft Palate sufferers from birth to adulthood.

During the visit the team performed 55 operations at the Peradeniya Dental Hospital.

Tight security for Tamil party leaders against Tiger suicide bombers

by Amal Jayasinghe
COLOMBO, — Sri Lanka has tightened security for its moderate Tamil leaders amid reports 10 suicide bombers were left in the capital after the assassination of a leading legislator, officials said Sunday.

Elite commandos ringed another Tamil parliamentarian, R. Sampanthan, one of the few remaining leaders of the moderate Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) as he attended the funeral last week of his slain vice president.

Neelan Tiruchelvam, 55, a deputy of the TULF, was blown up in a suicide bomb attack here Thursday and Sampanthan drove to the funeral with close protection from the same unit that guards President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

Sampanthan has also been given a bullet-proof car and armed escort vehicles over and above the usual security provided to members of parliament, officials said.

"Mr. Sampanthan’s security was earlier handled by the Ministers’ Security Division but now it is by the (elite) President’s Security Division," a police official said.

"This decision was taken after Thursday’s attack."

Meanwhile, the defence ministry reported its troops had captured new areas from Tamil Tiger guerrillas in the north of the country following an offensive that was completed Saturday with the killing of seven guerrillas.

Both opposition and ruling party MPs from the island’s eastern district of Batticaloa have arrived here since last month following threats from hard-line Tamil Tiger guerrillas accused of Thursday’s suicide bombing.

"The LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) have recently stepped up their intimidation of MPs and public officials," the London-based human rights group, Amnesty International (AI), said in its latest statement on Sri Lanka.

Amnesty noted the LTTE was held responsible for the murders of two mayors of the northern town of Jaffna last year.

Officials here said Tiruchelvam was the 36th Tamil leader to be killed by the LTTE since their first high profile assassination of the then Jaffna mayor Alfred Duraiappa in 1975.

Another Tamil legislator, Douglas Devananda, who once narrowly escaped death said the Tigers had killed Tiruchelvam to wipe out the moderate Tamil leadership.

President Kumaratunga, who is believed to top the LTTE’s hit list, said in a condolence message the Tigers killed Tiruchelvam in a bid to force themselves as the sole leaders of the Tamil minority.

Tigers have also been accused of wiping out hundreds of combatants from rival Tamil groups in an internecine war to lead the country’s drawn-out Tamil separatist conflict which has claimed more than 55,000 lives since 1972.

Officials said intelligence reports suggested the LTTE had deployed a 10-member suicide squad in the capital Colombo to assassinate Kumaratunga, three of her ministers, military chiefs and top politicians.

The slaying of Tiruchelvam was the second in a planned wave of attacks by the hit-squad in Colombo, police officials here confirmed.

A woman suicide bomber exploded herself in front of the car of a chief inspector heading an anti-terrorism unit in March but the officer survived injuries suffered in the blast.

The attack against Tiruchelvam, who contributed to a radical devolution plan which the Tigers opposed, came despite a police alert for a suicide bomber issued two weeks earlier.

However, this time the warnings are taken more seriously by politicians who have increased the strength of their security staff, officials said. (AFP)

Ranil listens to problems at grassroots

Today, the National Landscape is ridden with burning problems - as well as opportunities for devising solutions for them. This seemed the undertone of a lively exchange of views between the Leader of the United National Party, Ranil Wickremesinghe and a cross section of farmers, peasants and unemployed youth at Galgamuwa last Sunday.

Continuing, his ‘listening to the people’ campaign, Wickremesinghe sat in the shade of a giant dry-zone tree, along with hundreds of men and women - young and old, which he described as ‘getting to the root of the problems in the village’ .

"The United National Party’s Listening to the People Campaign, spreading to even the remotest areas in the country - with the exception of the North - the first of its kind to be undertaken by any political party in Sri Lanka ‘has stimulated lively debate among the masses, on national issues", said spokesman for the campaign Irvin Weerackody.

"At Galgamuwa last Sunday, what unfolded was the much talked of two-way communication process at its liveliest", added Weerackody.

Agriculture, education, technology are inherent problems in the village where the issues that surfaced during the 3-hour long, ‘under-the-tree village seminar’. From among the crowd popped up a final year university student, in agriculture, Upali Piyaratna, who drew the attention of the United National Party leader to a problem the banana cultivators are faced with. In Kurunegala, Wariyapola and Ganewatta a worm is boring each banana fruit, and is disappearing. People have made representatives, to no avail.

"If this menace continues, banana cultivators will be doomed", lamented Piyaratna. "That is exactly what the government is doing to the country’s economy", United National Party Leader responded amidst laughter.

"They’re boring the core of national well being - but they will be soon disappearing from the political scene of the country".

"I won’t say I will give bread at Rs. 3.50. But, I will tell you now, I will introduce the latest technology to agriculture, for you to reap rich harvests, and reap rich rewards in the export market", he said.

After an exhausting day, touring Galgamuwa, Wickremesinghe camped out to spend the night on the banks of Siyabalangamuwa tank, and continued his pow-wow with the people the next day.

Buddhist women celebrate 50th anniversary of ACWBC

By Sumana Saparamadu
It was heart warming to see a founder member of the Association, Lady Chrisobel Rajapakse on the platform at the 50th anniversary celebrations of the All Ceylon Women’s Buddhist Congress on 10th July at the SLFI auditorium. The President Mrs. Maya Senanayake paid a tribute to those dedicated women who with the dawn of Independence, realized the necessity to revitalize our people and formed this association on 12th July, 1949. Foremost among them was the late Mrs. Juliet Jayawardena (Mrs. B. S. Jayawardena), a very philanthropic and caring person. It was no easy task said the President, in those early days to obtain land, to raise funds, to legally establish the Association and lay the foundation on which to build an organization dedicated to serve the cause of Buddhism and Buddhist women.

The chief guest at this Golden Jubilee meeting was Prof. Emeritus M. B. Ariyapala. An unexpected but very welcome guest was Mr. Lakshman Jayakody, Minister for Cultural and Religious Affairs, who had previously declined the invitation because of another engagement, but finding that cancelled made his way to the SLFI.

The Golden Jubilee Souvenir edited by Mrs. Gladys Abeysekera was presented to the Chief Guest and the Minister by the Editor herself and she, in turn, was presented a gift in recognition of her 20 year service to the Association.

The Guest of Honour, Prof. J. B. Dissanayake, always an entertaining speaker, dwelt upon the ideal wife in Jambudweepa of the Buddha’s day. How many in the audience, I wondered, would have found this picture of the ideal wife acceptable. Who today would want to be the first to rise and the last to go to bed! But the women who conformed to this norm, waited upon husbands, and did the chores were also very sensitive women who had the ability to express their thoughts and feelings very poetically, said Prof. Dissanayake referring to the Theri Gatha - the joyful utterances of the bhikkhunis freed from the bondage of household life. Taking off from there Dr. Lorna Dewaraja said that the Theri Gatha was a prescribed text in certain universities in the US and she spoke of the pioneering work of bhikkhunis in ancient Sri Lanka.

The speaker who touched the heart strings of the audience, shocked some and jolted others from their accustomed complacence was Dr. Anula Wijesundera who revealed the unethical conversions now going on apace in this country. There were 73 organizations engaged in these activities and one publication. That had come into Dr. Wijesundera’s hands, stated that it was the aim of these groups to convert 23,000 persons per year. It was opportune that the Minister for Cultural & Religious Affairs was present to hear Dr. Wijesundera speak of their methods of conversion and their rites of passage.

In Rathugoda, a village in the Moneragala district, represented in Parliament by the Deputy Minister for Religious Affairs (now Minister for Social Services) children were given Fanta to drink and told that it was the blood of the Buddha and the muscat given was the flesh of the Buddha. Dr. Wijesundera was quoting from a letter sent by the villagers.

The modus operandi of these evangelists was first to befriend the poorest families in the village, help them financially or with medication if there were ailing members. The next step was to set up a pre-school and begin the conversions - first the children and then their parents.

Minister Lakshman Jayakody listened intently to Dr. Wijesundera. What action will the Minister take to stem this tide? That was the question on many lips at the tea that followed. The President Mrs. Maya Senanayake rightly pointed out in her address, that "the future of Buddhism in our island is a matter of concern for us all. Are we by the very reason of our Buddhist principles of non-aggression, tolerance and compassion, permitting the erosion of our fundamental rights as Buddhist men and women living in this Dhamma Dvipa? Will our problems be solved by taking this course? or are we to join to together to form a united platform from which to ensure that the Dhamma is protected at least in this small, beloved island of ours,.

Unity is the key word. Unity must be preserved if we are to survive, said Mrs. Senanayake.

First Sri Lankan to serve on UK ‘Hospital Medicine’ editorial board

Dr. Buddhadasa Bodhinayake, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist and Director of Postgraduate Education. On the Barking, Havering and Brentwood Community Health NHS Trust, UK, has earned the honour being the first Sri Lankan to be invited to serve on the Editorial Board of the International Review Journal of Medical Sciences — HOSPITAL MEDICINE published in London.

Dr. Bodhinayake published Sri Lanka’s first book on Space with Dr. Arthur C. Clarke while still being an Anandian. He edited Sri Lanka’s first Scientific and Medical Monthly VIDYA for over 25 years. He also authored the first book on Child Psychology in Sri Lanka amongst the dozen popular works he pioneered.

Dr. Bodhinayake has been congratulated by the Royal College of Psychiatrists for his contribution to Postgraduate Education in the UK. He holds a distinction award for meritorious work in the Health Service as well.

In Sri Lanka he chaired a State Advisory Board on Scientific Literature and was one of the best known broadcasters in Science and Medicine.

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