.

SLMC makes angry noises

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Leader M.H.M. Ashraff has demanded an emergency meeting of the executive committee of the ruling People’s Alliance to decide whether his party "should remain a constituent of the PA and longer."

Ashraff faxed PA General Secretary D.M. Jayaratne yesterday calling for this meeting after a row in parliament on Friday with SLMC MP, Dr. I.M. Iliyas, performing satyagraha on the floor of the chamber.

Speaker K.B. Ratnayake was forced to first suspend and later adjourn sittings as Iliyas sat on the floor in the well of the House displaying a placard saying, "Douglas Devananada, hand over the decentralised funds due to me."

Iliyas’ satyagraha provoked a row during which Chief Government Whip Richard Pathirana is alleged to have said that the SLMC had not assisted the setting up of the PA government.

A note issued by Ashraff’s Ports, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Ministry to the press yesterday made this charge. It also said that Mr. Ashraff has summoned an emergency meeting the executive of the SLMC politbureau to consider whether they should continue any longer in the PA government. No firm date has been set for this meeting which is due to be held "in the next few days."

"Minister Pathirana’s statement has caused immense pain of mind to members of the SLMC and the party has no intention of remaining in the PA any longer when its integrity and self-respect is assailed," Ashraff had said.

While Ashraff himself was not available for comment yesterday, other SLMC MPs downplayed these developments and expressed confidence that the problems can be resolved.

Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister Alavi Moulana said that the SLMC was an important constituent of the PA and this would continue to be so. A solution for the SLMC’s grievances will be found.

But Dr. Iliyas, whose main grievance is that EPDP leader Douglas Devananda is not making available decentralised budget funds he is entitled to as a Jaffna district MP representing displaced people from Jaffna and Mannar now living in Puttalam, said that the SLMC’s nine MPs will have to decide whether they will vote with the government at the next Emergency debate.

Ashraff told journalists after Friday’s row that he was capable of leaving the government at any time but continued to support it only out of respect for President Kumaratunga. He said that the president had a lot of problems and they won’t leave her. "As for the PA, we’ll see later."

He urged that if the Speaker had given Iliyas three minutes to state his grievance on the basis of a breach of privilege, the problem would not have blown up. There were two problems, one which occurred inside the House which was resolved and the other that happened outside which ``is also a problem.’’

That was a reference to the exchange with Pathirana who was not available for comment. Jayaratne too was out of Colombo and could not be reached. (FRS)

Asian rights group seeks UN involvement to find Sri Lanka peace

COLOMBO, Sept 25 (Reuters) - The Asian Human Rights Commission has urged the United Nations to become involved in finding a solution to end Sri Lanka’s 16-year-old ethnic war that it said was turning hi-tech and becoming more dangerous.

The Hong Kong-based group said in a statement received late on Friday by Reuters that all efforts to bring the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tiger rebels to a negotiating table were "unrealistic" and that without U.N. involvement there was little chance of finding peace.

"Without a U.N. involvement the peace in Sri Lanka will be plain talk, while the brutal war goes on," the statement said, adding that both the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) must be regarded as perpetrators of gross human rights abuses.

The government has ruled out third-party mediation, but says that a facilitator will be needed to initiate talks between the two warring sides since mistrust was high.

But it has also said that the LTTE must first lay down arms and agree to a specific timeframe for talks.

The statement said in the middle of death and destruction in the Indian Ocean island the defence ministry had invited foreign companies to register for the supply of military hardware that included laser-guided bombs and electronic warfare systems.

The ministry advertised in state-owned newspapers earlier calling on interested parties to register.

"Sri Lanka’s defence budget touched an all-time high of $760 million last year, accounting for roughly one-third of the country’s budget. The world naturally has reasons to be alarmed about these developments in Sri Lanka," the commission’s statement said.

It said the proposed hi-tech war will only aggravate the situation, increase casualties and tensions in the region where two countries — India and Pakistan — are nuclear capable.

"In short, the focus of any genuine peace strategy must be the U.N. involvement. Needless to say the rest is mere bluff," the statement said.

Ranil meets some British leaders

From Sujeeva Nivunhella in London
UNP and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe who left London for Colombo on Friday described his 10-day British visit as essentially private.

"But I met some British government and opposition members and discussed the current political situation in Sri Lanka," he said.

Among the political leaders he met were Foreign Minister Peter Hain who succeeded Dereck Fatchett, former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Opposition Leader William Haig who leads the Conservatives.

Wickremasinghe described some news reports in Sri Lanka that his visit to England was to meet representatives of the giant advertising firm Sachi & Sachi to get advice on campaign propaganda matters as not correct.

Both Wickremasinghe and President Chandika Kumaratrunga were in London at the same time but did not meet each other. Wickremasinghe stayed at the Hotel Intercontinental at Hyde Park Corner while the President was at the Carlton Towers nearby.

The SLFP’s UK branch chaired by Parakrama Ranasinghe held a meeting to commemorate the 40th death anniversary of Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike at the Wembley Town Hall on Friday. An alms giving at the London Buddhist Vihara will follow today (Sunday).

High Commissioner Lal Jayawardena was the guest speaker at the commemoration meeting which was addressed by Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka Thero and human rights activist Sivapalan.

President Kumaratunga who attended the UN General Assembly Session last year too attended the last Bandaranaike commemoration meeting in London. This year she left for New York a few hours before the meeting began on Friday and could not be present for the occasion.

No mass graves at Chemmani says Dr. Melissa Connor

By Saman Indrajith
"The alleged burial sites at Chemmani cannot be actually called mass graves, but single burials containing one or two individuals," said Dr. Melissa Connor, Forensic Anthropologist from the Physicians for Human Rights (PHR).

Addressing a press conference held yesterday at the Asia Foundation (AF), Dr. Connor said that international observers who participated in the second phase of the exhumation of human remains in alleged Chemmani burial sites, have noted that the skeletal remains of 13 individuals were unearthed in graves containing one or two individuals. "Graves of this size are difficult to locate and very exact information on locations can be critical for finding the grave site. The discrepancy between the numbers of remains recovered and the number of individuals alleged to be in the graves could result from witnesses being unsure about the exact location of a grave when returning to the site after several years. The observers saw no evidence of grave tampering at the locations indicated by witnesses and excavated by investigators," she said.

She said, " the Sri Lankan forensic team made a sincere effort to exhume the remains in accordance with international standards, responding positively to the recommendations of the foreign observers."

"They were always open for suggestions made by the international observers," she added.

The 13 skeletal remains will be transported to the University of Ruhuna in Galle, where a Sri Lankan forensic team will examine the remains to determine the cause of death and gather information that might help identify the individuals. PHR will send an observer to this phase of the investigation, she said.

Mr. Mark Reade Mckenna, a representative of the AF said that arrangements for the presence of forensic experts have been made by the AF in response to an invitation from the Attorney General’s Department.

"We are pleased to see that the Government is proceeding with these investigations. Especially for a government which is still in the middle of a war, it is rather exceptional that the authorities are taking a bold step to actually exhume bodies of victims of human right violations committed by its own forces during its tenure," he added.

Phase II was only another phase of the investigation. The investigations are still not over, Dr. Connor said.

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Balasingham leaves UK?

From Sujeeva Nivunhella in London
The LTTE’s Anton Balasingham who has been in London for the past several weeks has left the UK and is believed to be on his way back to Sri Lanka, Tamil sources here said.

One source said that the was now in Singapore but there was no confirmation. These sources expected Karikalan to succeed Balasingham as head of the LTTE’s International Secretariat at Eelam House in London.

Britain’s official position is that there is no record of Balasingham’s comings and goings to and from the UK as he is a British passport holder. But well informed sources said that given Balasingham’s connections, it is very likely that the authorities would keep track of his movements although they may not go public on what they know.

The British authorities confirmed that he was in the UK and was under medical treatment. They indicated that they would see him if he sought a meeting but there was no word on whether there had a meeting.

40th death anniversary of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike

A series of religious ceremonies have been organised throughout the country to mark the 40th death anniversary of former Prime Minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike.

The main ceremony will be held at Horagolla Banda-ranaike Samadhi this morning under the patronage of Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike.

In addition to these ceremonies, a number of seminars, oratorical contests, essay and poster competitions depicting the Bandaranaike philosophy and his vision towards devolution of power and ethnic harmony will take place today at provincial level. Blood donation campaigns, shramadanas and several other social service activities have also been organised.

Police said that there will be traffic restrictions on Colombo-Kandy road from Kalagedihena junction to Nittambuwa junction today in view of the commemorative ceremony at the Bandar-anaike Samadhi.

Several new faces in UNP election list

by Shamindra Ferdinando
The UNP has decided to field several new faces for the coming parliamentary elections and also give another chance to some of those who failed at earlier general elections as the party prepares to launch its propaganda campaign aimed at either the parliamentary or presidential elections with a meeting at Kurunegala later this week, party sources said yesterday.

With the decision to field several new faces, the party Nomination Board headed by leader Ranil Wickramesinghe is most likely to drop several of the old guard, these sources said while indicating that the former General Secretary B. Sirisena Cooray would not return ahead of the coming elections.

Navin Dissanayake and Sajith Premadasa, sons of two slain party leaders — 1994 presidential election candidate Gamini Dissanayake and Ranasinghe Premadasa — would be among the new faces, the sources said. Dissanayake and Premadasa would contest Nuwara Eliya and Hambantota district respectively the sources said.

UNP Chairman Karu Jayasuriya, who polled the highest number of preferential votes at the last PC election, Keheliya Rambukkwella who came second in terms of preference votes, and Milinda Moragoda, Rohitha Bogollagama, Hemakumara Nanayakkara and Sagala Ratnayake would be among the others already selected to contest, the sources said.

Opposition and party leader Ranil Wickramesinghe who returned from London late last week after a series of meetings with Conservative Party officials and the former British Prime Minister Margret Thatcher, would preside over the Kurunegala meeting scheduled for next Friday, the sources said.

"The meeting would be the launching pad of our campaign," a party official said adding that the party intends to be ready by the end of December to face any election.

The Kurunegala meeting would be preceded the previous day by the opening of the Nikaweratiya party office by General Secretary Gamini Atukorale on the invitation of former BOI Chairman Rohitha Bogollagama. Party Chairman Karu Jayasuriya will be present on this occasion.

Contrary to speculation, reports and claims, the government has not so far taken a firm decision on advancing the date of either the parliamentary or presidential elections, PA sources said.

UNP sources said that except for K. N. Choksy, all other National List MPs are expected to contest the coming parliamentary poll if they are given nominations. These sources also did not rule out the possibility of some of those who vacated their parliamentary seats to contest the last Provincial Council elections, seeking nominations to return to the House.

Both the PA and the UNP leaderships will receive requests from recently elected Provincial Councillors to contest the parliamentary elections, political sources said.

Six youth shot dead at Nugegoda

by Saman Indrajith
Mirihana police yesterday found bodies of six unidentified persons inside a car parked near Delkanda junction on the High Level Road at 8 pm, police said. All six persons had been shot with automatic weapons, police said adding that they were trying to establish the identities of all the victims and the motive behind the killings. Two of the victims had been identified as Suda and Subash.

Police had recovered three pistols and two revolvers within the car.

A senior police officer said that killings were most likely connected with ongoing clashes involving several powerful underworld gangs. "They are all under 30 and well built men," police said. Bullet riddled bodies were later removed to the Kalubowila hospital. People said that killers followed the victims in a car and fired at them near the junction.

Moratuwa university to re-open tomorrow

The Moratuwa University which was closed following a clash among two student groups, will reopen tomorrow and the academic activities are scheduled to start next Wednesday, the newly appointed Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dayantha Wijeyesekera said.

In a statement regarding the steps taken to resolve the current crisis at the university, the VC says that the University Council had advised that an interim board be set up for the NDT course and subsequently to set up an institute to conduct this course.

This interim board presided over by the VC, would prepare the necessary legislation for the proposed institute and plan for the future NDT course, the statement said.

This institute which would be under the administration of the university will be provided with the necessary resources within a 2-3, year period to be established in a separate location.

The current NDT course will be continued under the Faculty of Engineering till such time the institute is legally established, the statement added.

Army bid to neutralise LTTE mortar units

The army has been compelled to seek ways and means of neutralising LTTE mortar units that caused heavy losses among troops during the recent abortive assault on enemy stronghold at Periyamadu in the Wanni west, a senior army headquarters spokesman said yesterday. "We’ll have to adjust our plans," he said pointing out that the headquarters is actively engaged in seeking ways of overcoming the threat posed by LTTE mortar units.

At least 80 soldiers died and well over 300 wounded, at least 100 of them seriously during the Periyamadu attack. At least 90 percent of the dead and injuries had been due to intense mortar strikes on the 53 and 55 divisions involved in the operation.

Army headquarters recently sent a senior field commander to meet with the officer overall in charge of the abortive attack to find out what went wrong and also advice, The Sunday Island learns.

Court refuses leave to appeal

by V. Varathasuntharam
Court of Appeal on Friday refused leave to appeal in the application made to stay the interim injunction that had restrained President Thilanga Sumathipala and 12 other members of the Board of Control for Cricket from holding office or functioning in such capacity.

The Bench comprised Justice Edussuriya and Justice Udalagama.

The Order stated:

When this application for leave to appeal from the order of the learned District Judge of Colombo came up for support in respect of the interim relief sought by the Petitioners. Learned President’s Counsel for the Plaintiff Respondent Romesh de Silva raised the objection that the "purported affidavit of Franklin Saliya Ahangama filed along with the petition is not an affidavit in law. Although the deponent opens by stating that he is a Christian and makes oath, the jurat clause entered by the Justice of the Peace at the end of the affidavit states that the deponent had affirmed and therefore it cannot be construed that it was an oath and as such this application cannot be maintained in view of section 057 (1) of the Civil procedure code which requires the petition for leave to appeal to be supported by an afidavit."

Learned President’s Counsel for the Petitioners conceded that the affidavit in question is defective and that the jurat clause appears to have been typed in the lawyer’s office but contended firstly that if there be non-compliance then it can be corrected under section 759 (2) of the Civil Procedure Code, and secondly that it is a defect as to formality and it has not materially prejudiced the Respondent. Learned President’s Counsel for the petitioners also drew the attention of court to section 9 of the oaths and Affirmations ordinance.

It is my view that section 9 of the oaths and Affirmations ordinance has no relevance in view of the fact that the deponent affirmed and it is not a case where there has been an omission to make any oath, or make any affirmation or the substitution of anyone for any other of them has taken place. Nor is there a question of any irregularity in the form in which the oath or affirmation was administered.

It is my view that subsequent explanations cannot be used to correct in any way what is obvious on the face of the "affidavit" in question and therefore it is not and affidavit which has any legal validity and/or sanctity and therefore there was no affidavit as required by law filed with the petition within the fourteen day preiod envisaged by section 757 (1) of the Civil Procedure Code. Hence it is not a mistake as to formality that can be cured under section 759 (2) of the Civil Procedure Code. In any event, an affidavit filed subsequently, which is outside the fourteen day period contemplated by section 757 (1) of the Civil Procedure Code cannot therefore be accepted now, the order concluded.

SAARC consultations with EU, ASEAN

Consultations aimed at strengthening co-operation between the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the European Union (EU) and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) were concluded in New York last Friday. Both meetings have been held on the sidelines of the 54th Sessions of the UN General Assembly currently on in New York. The SAARC dialogues with EU and ASEAN respectively, were mandated by the 10th SAARC Summit held in Colombo in July 1998. This is the second such interaction, the Foreign Ministry said in a news release.

At the SAARC-EU interaction, leading the SAARC delegation which included Pakistan Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz, the SAARC Secretary General Nihal Rodrigo and Permanent Representatives and senior officials from the member states, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar said SAARC member states were pleased with the nature of co-operation that has been established with the EU which, although modest, are on some practical useful projects.

The two organisations are expected to sign agreements relating to these projects by the end of the year. It was noted that the specific projects include a workshop on the European Regional Integration Process, a Study Mission to identify areas where EC experience could be used in the establishment of SAFTA, a study programme on standards, and a workshop on the EU GSP Scheme. Approximately one million Euros is expected to be committed by the EU for these projects.

Different opinions on marriage ordinance erupts at inauguration of new peace organisation

by Saman Indrajith
A division of opinion erupted among the office bearers of the peace-oriented organisation called ‘We Sri Lankans’ (WSL) at its inauguration last week.

At a news conference at Thihariya in Gampaha to announce the birth of this new outfit, a Director of the WSL, J. A. Kularatne said that the present Marriage Ordinance should be amended to solve the current ethnic crisis in the country.

Kularatne explained that according to Section 18 of this Ordinance a second marriage, without dissolving the first marriage, is invalid. This clause, he maintained, should be changed to the effect that the fourth marriage of a person, without dissolving the previous three marriages, is invalid.

This means that a person should be allowed to get married three times but with three partners from three other different races. This system will help foster and preserve ethnic harmony as there will be no particular race nor religion then, he said.

However, the Muslim members of the organisation vehemently opposed this proposal pointing out that this would lead to a change in their religious principles and also cause immense confusion in society. They refused to accept this proposal of their fellow office bearer.

Secretary of the WSL, S. I. M. Haleel said that the victors in this dreadful war were neither Tamils nor the Sinhalese, but international arms dealers. "At this moment, various forces attempt to fan the flames of war further. There is nobody in sight to douse them," he lamented.

‘While there is a separatist war in the north of the country, some groups attempt to create a rift among the Sinhalese and Muslims in the South,’ he said.

Explaining the aims of the organisation he said that the WSL was formed with the aim of eradicating the ‘war mentality’ from all the people living in Sri Lanka and build national unity by treating everyone as Sri Lankans.

The executive members of the WSL said that they would urge the government to take action to introduce the nationality of our citizens as Sri Lankans in the birth certificates, as it is in the case of passports.

Haleel said that Sri Lanka is a multi-religious and multi-racial country. So every person should respect other races also as it was in the pre-colonial era.

Tracing the roots of the ethnic problem in our country, Dr. J. M. K. D. B. Siriwardena, a director of the WSL said, "Our national movement for freedom which achieved inter-ethnic harmony among the races could not preserve it after the country won independence in 1948. All the opportunistic political leaders were concerned only about their political victories and this led to the present war situation, he said.

JVP suggests alternative to executive presidency

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) proposed a common candidate system as an alternative to the executive presidency. But it’s vital that a common candidate be named from an independent party and not from capitalist parties such as the UNP and the PA, the JVP’s official organ ‘Seenuwa’ said in a report in its September 15 edition.

The PA is determined to protect the executive presidential system in the face of pressure from capitalist forces, it charged.

The people of this country have bitter experiences under the executive presidency both under the previous UNP regime and the ruling PA. Now there is covert planning by the government to veto the common candidate proposal of the JVP, the report claimed.

It said the spurious leftists affiliated to the PA administration are all out to safeguard their votes.

Editors Guild hails call to govts’ to abolish criminal defamation laws

The Editors Guild of Sri Lanka, in a statement, hailed the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Defamation in general, and the call to Governments to abolish Criminal Defamation laws, in particular, following last week’s International Colloquium jointly organised by the Commonwealth Press Union and Article XIX, held in Colombo.

The guild reiterates its total support for the principles enumerated following the colloquium wherein, inter-alia, it was unanimously agreed that there should be a series of changes in media laws throughout the world, including the abolition of criminal defamation laws, and that governments should ensure an impartial judiciary that safeguards freedom of expression.

It was agreed that criminal defamation laws, including those criminal laws that provide special protection to the President and other public figures, are unnecessary to protect reputations and should be abolished.

It also recognised the role of self-regulatory mechanisms in the media, the importance of open access to information, the promotion of accurate reporting, the need for accountability and transparency and the media’s obligations to carry on their publishing activities with a view to furthering the public’s right to know.

The guild has long campaigned for these basic rights and responsibilities in Sri Lanka, and welcomes, unreservedly, the salutory campaign by the Commonwealth Press Union and Article XIX for these basic rights and responsibilities both pan commonwealth and internationally.

Despite promises to introduce Media Law Reforms a long time ago, the guild nevertheless takes note of the Media Minister’s pronouncement at the opening ceremony of this International Colloquium to usher in progressive laws that govern the Media in Sri Lanka by January next year and earnestly requests him and the All Party Parliamentary Select Committee currently studying media law reforms to take into cognizance the International Principles on Freedom of Expression and Defamation enunciated in Colombo last week, the statement signed by Bandula Padma Kumara, Secretary of the Guild, stated.

CV lauds Tri Star for good employer — employee relations

For any industry to do well healthy employer-employee relations are very important. It is to the extend how an employer looks after an employee’s welfare that he can earn the commitment and dedication of the workers. In this respect Tri Star was a shining example, said Minister of Industrial Development C. V. Gooneratne after opening the newly constructed hostel for workers by Tri Star Apparel Exports at Ratmalana recently.

The three storied hostel situated at Maligawa Road, in the midst of several Tri Star Factories in Ratmalana - was set up for the convenience of Tri Star employees who have had to travel long distances to work. Accommodation is provided free of charge thus saving for workers large sums paid by them to private lodges.

He said at the Katunayake Free Trade Zone there are 10,000 odd vacancies mainly due to lack of accommodation facilities. In this light one could see that Tri Star has given an example. The ministry has launched an extensive programme to provide hostel facilities to the workers.

Minister Gooneratne said that the Chairman of Tri Star in speech had mentioned that the company faced certain serious problems in the recent past. It is so in business when one had to face the ups and downs. The East Asian crises came suddenly. They had to face the adverse conditions as challenges and overcome them by adopting various strategic measures. He was glad to hear from Mr. Dewapura that his company has turned a new chapter in recording a profit of Rs. 21 Million during the last two months as a result of getting a big non-quota order. This shows that a good man or a good cause cannot be kept down and would come up overcoming the adversaries.

The Minister said a time was when that plums of the economy and employment opportunities were centered round Colombo which brought out the Sinhala saying by youths "Kolombata Kiri Gamata Kekiri". However, it was Mr. Dewapura who took the plums of Colombo to the villages by pioneering the location of factories in the rural areas. As a nation they felt proud of this achievement, he said.

Referring to issue of quotas Gooneratne said that since the P. A. Government took office they formed the Textile Quota Board and streamlined the issue of quotas bringing in transparency to avoid irregularities which had occurred earlier. They had also increased the country quota allocations after discussion with US authorities. He as minister never interfered in issue of quotas and would intervene only if some injustice had been done.

Referring to the recent attempts made by unscrupulous section to forge the visas in the utilisation of quotas the minister said they had referred the matter to the CID and would not hesitate to take action against the culprits however highly placed they may be. To prevent such irregularities the ministry has utilised the computer technology in the issue of such visas.

Chairman of the Tri Star Group Deshabandu Kumar Dewapura said that they are glad to be of some service to the nation by pioneering in taking garment factories from town to villages. Although he had to make a great deal of sacrifice financially he derived some spiritual satisfaction in being able to give a start to making the poverty ridden lives of many thousands of families happy.

Mr. Dewapura said that he hoped that the authorities would assist in getting over some of the problems Tri Star faces at present. However recently they had a good period when they obtained a large order from an Israeli buyer. Together with other buyers they were able to make a profit of Rs. 21 Million. They hoped that this trend would continue if nothing untoward happens.

Mr. Dewapura also thanked the Parish Priest of St. Anthony’s Church, Wahakotte who was present at the function for the blessings he had given towards Tri Star’s progress.

The Deputy Chairman of Tri Star Mr. Upali Gajayanayke also spoke.

2.5 million palmyrah trees cut in N-E to build bunkers

By Suresh Perera
Voicing concern over the wanton destruction of palmyrah groves, the Chairman of the Palmyrah Development Board (PDB), M. Packiyanathan lamented that a staggering 2.5 million trees have been wiped out in the North-East, mainly to build bunkers.

‘Environmentalists opt to remain silent while the mass scale felling of these valuable trees continue unabated’, he said.

A palmyrah tree has a life span of over 150 years and in financial terms billions of rupees have been lost as a result of this devastation, Packiyanathan explained.

Akin to teak or jak, the felling of palmyrah trees is also illegal, he said, quoting a 1993 amendment to the Felling of Trees (Control) Act. ‘But it goes on infinitely and nobody in authority has stepped in so far to halt the destruction’.

The Chairman noted that he personally raised this issue at several fora but nothing meaningful has been done to spare the palmyrah, widely known as the ‘tree of life’.

‘In Jaffna alone 1.5 million trees have been axed over the years’, he lamented.

Where other equally valuable trees are concerned, environmentalists by the dozen readily voice concern over any form of destruction, but when it comes to palmyrah, there is nobody left to lift a finger, Packiyanathan asserted.

‘Despite the inadequacy of funds, we have done more research on palmyrah (Borrassus flabellifer) than neighbouring India’, he maintained.

After four years of intense research, a PDB scientist in Chemistry and Bio Chemistry, Janaka K. Nikawala has been able to establish that the palmyrah fruit pulp contains anti-bacterial properties. Under the International Chemical Science Programme, Nikawala was invited to the Uppsala University, Sweden, where his research work in this direction was officially recognised following elaborate scientific analysis.

This was a great honour for Sri Lanka and it also meant assistance from the Uppsala University for further palmyrah-related research, the Chairman said.

Nikawala said that these experiments were done at the Jayewardenepura University under the supervision of Prof. E. R. Jansz, Prof. A. M. Abeyasekera and Dr. (Mrs.) S. C. Wijeyaratne and at the Uppsala University.

He said the discovery of anti-bacterial properties was during the attempt to de-bitter the palmyrah fruit pulp.

Chairman Packiyanathan was optimistic of embarking on embryo culture research to reduce the height of the palmyrah tree and its age of bearing fruits. At present, a tree takes 15-20 years to bear fruits.

After a spell of two decades, the PDB is now marketing Jaffna-distilled palmyrah arrack in south. ‘At first, we wanted to remove the degree of bitterness in palmyrah arrack, but after the anti-bacterial theory was scientifically established, we gave up the idea’, he said.

NARESA has also come forward to help out with funding. A lot more can be achieved if adequate resources were available, he added.

He said the response from the south to the brands of palmyrah arrack shipped from Jaffna is tremendous and the demand is growing.

Upali Newspapers help sought
Gen. Ratwatte pledges to illuminate Situlpauwa Chaitya

By Dharmaratne Wijesundara
Power and Irrigation Minister and Deputy Defence Minister Gen. Anuruddha Ratwatte pledged to illuminate the historic Situlpauwa Chaitya with a modern lighting system akin to the Anuradhapura Ruwanweliseya illumination, with the help of Upali Newspapers.

"If everything goes well, the new illuminations will be in place during the Poson festival in June next year", Minister Ratwatte told last Sunday’s ceremony to mark the switching on of electricity from the national grid to the Situlpauwa temple.

He said that he has already had a discussion with Upali Group director Dhammika Attygalle and Kelaniya Basnayake Nilame Shalitha Wijesundara, who were special invitees on the occasion.

The Minister first offered flowers at the jungle shrine. Buddhist monks chanted ‘seth pirith’ to bless the invitees. Later, Gen. Ratwatte together with Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and Deputy Minister Chamal Rajapakse switched on the lights amidst the chanting of ‘seth pirith’ and to the echoes of ‘sadhu’ at the foot of the chaitya.

Shortly after switching on the lights, the Minister instructed the CEB engineers to prepare plans and estimates to provide a modern illumination system to the chaitya. He said he would solicit the co-operation of Upali Newspapers to fund it.

Gen. Ratwatte observed that this was the first time the CEB spent its own funds to provide power and he was happy that the board could fulfil an ambition of Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike who requested that permanent electricity be provided to this historic and holy shrine. "She made this request one and a half years ago and relentlessly moved us until we completed it", he said.

Ven. Dr. Kollupitiya Mahinda Sangarakkitha Thera delivering an ‘anusasana’ thanked the government for helping Buddhist causes.

Minister Mahinda Rajapakse said that the government will provide all necessary facilities to Buddhist religious places like Situlpauwa.

Ven. Attudawe Rahula Thera, Mahanayake of the Rohana sector of the Siam Chapter who presided over the meeting thanked the President, Prime Minister and her government for coming forward to help and nurture places of Buddhist worship.

In a special message, the Prime Minister thanked the government and Minister Ratwatte for acceding to her request.

Ven. Unawatune Rathanajothi Thera, Viharawasi of Situlpauwa, proposed the vote of thanks.

Deputy Minister Chamal Rajapakse was among the invitees present.

Anne Ranasinghe wins two awards

Sri Lankan Poetess Anne Ranasinghe has won two first prizes in the recent "Dancing Poetry Contest 1999" of the Artist’s Embassy International (AEI) of California, the organisation announced.

The competition attracted 526 entries from 32 US states and 9 from outside the USA.

Mrs. Ranasinghe won two first prizes for her poems "Autumn" and "Well, I’m sorry."

Writing to her, Natica Angilly, President of AEI has said that it could perhaps be of "immense interest" to Sri Lanka that AEI was founded after a tour of India and Sri Lanka in 1951 by a remarkable visionary woman - concert singer, film maker and cultural leader Althya Youngman. Her name is on a marble plaque of honoured guests at the Galle Face Hotel which she visited again before her death in 1985 with poetess Mary Rudge.

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