ITN Sinhala NEWS 2008 - 11- 19

Courtesy : Independent Television Network Ltd

40,000 houses to be constructed by RADA

The “Reconstruction And Development Agency” (RADA) has undertaken a project to construct 40,000 houses, said Chief Government Whip, Minister Dinesh Gunewardena in Parliament yesterday (18).

The Government had allocated Rs. 3200 million in the 2006 Budget and Rs.1900 million in the 2007 Budget for the development activities carried out by the RADA and other affiliated bodies of the Government, the Minister disclosed.

Meanwhile funds have been issued for separate other development projects, reserving Rs. 50 million for RADA, another Rs.1000 for “Jayalanka” projects.

Apart from these allocations Rs. 850 will be spent on infrastructure development activities, the minister added.

The funds are granted through President’s fund established for’Disaster Relief Services’.

Central Bank forfeits Rs. 71 million from TRO accounts

The Central Bank has taken steps to seize the funds held by the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), widely known as a fund-raising arm of the LTTE and banned for this reason in several countries.

The Bank said a sum of 71 million rupees of TRO money has been thus forfeited by the state.

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka has commenced special inquiries on another twenty illegal financial institutes currently running in the country.

The Sri Lankan froze the assets of TRO in August 2006 under the Financial Transactions Reporting Act and the Convention on the Suppression of Terrorist Financing Act.

The government charged that the money received by TRO from various donors for “humanitarian projects” were, according to intelligence reports, mainly used to finance terrorist activities.

The Central Bank warns the general public not to get involved in any kind of financial donations or transactions with this organization.

Investigations are in progress to trace and forfeit any further funds and assets belonging to the TRO.

Any involvement including any financial connection with a proscribed organization is a criminal offence, the Central Bank announced.

The United States Department of the Treasury designated the TRO as a terror supporting network in November 2007 and froze all assets held by the TRO and its designees in U.S. territories, and formally prohibited U.S. citizens from transacting with the TRO or its members.

In 2005 the British Charity Commission revoked the TRO’s “charitable status” saying that it wasn’t able to satisfactorily account for the application of its funds.

Meanwhile the Central Bank attending to the regular complaints lodged by the public regarding bogus financial institutions has commenced special inquiries on another twenty illegal financial outfits currently operating in the country.

A special team has been appointed by the Bank to investigate the complaints.

Meanwhile the Central Bank had suspended activities of another fraudulent financial company few days ago, the 28th such outfit banned within the last two months following the Sakwithi Ranasinghe scam, reports said.

French travel agents on a treasure hunt in Sri Lanka

A group of French travel agents visited  Sri Lanka recently to participate in the Treasure Hunt (Chasse aux Trésors), a familiarisation tour organised by Sri Lanka Tourism to position Sri Lanka as a sought after destination in South Asia.

As part of the Treasure Hunt competition, the 50 travel agents with clues found treasures in various parts in the country. The treasures were identified on the basis of their importance for promoting tourism. Lesser known sites were included in order to promote yet unexposed sites.

Each team was given a mode of transport with a set of clues. The participants had to ask directions from the local people in the area, hence creating opportunities for interaction and thus experiencing truly unique Sri Lankan hospitality. While general explanations was provided by experienced tour guides on the vehicles transporting each team, emphasis was given to alternative modes of transport and self-discovery.

They toured Polonnaruwa, Sigirya, Kandy, Pinnawela, and the botanical garden.

Sri Lanka Tourism offered its support in obtaining entrance tickets to the sites and ground facilities and hosting a gala dinner reception at Club Bentota.

Isabelle Vayron of Paris, an animator with the group said, that the tour brought moments of intense happiness and there are no words to express how when the tour came to an end. This side of the world is ‘blessed by the gods’ and was thankful to have been selected to participate to the “Chasse aux Tresors” (Treasure Hunt)”.

“From the top of Sigiriya, one could understand the concept of Sri Lanka being an EarthLung and the grandeur of the nature around Sigiriya is unexplainable,” was her

The travel agents left Sri Lanka stating that the island is “blessed by gods” with an abundance of beauty and smiling people.

Courtesy: Lankapuvath

French travel agents on a treasure hunt in Sri Lanka

On his 63rd birthday, President Mahinda Rajapaksa accompanied by the first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa visited the temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa).

An all night pirith pinkama followed by a sangika dana was held at President’s House, Kandy to mark the dual occasions of the President’s birthday and his completion of three years as Executive President

Members of the Hindu, Christian and Muslim clergy also called on the President at the President’s House, Kandy yesterday morning and invoked blessings on him.

The sanga while invoking the blessings of the Triple gem on the President commended for his efforts on wiping out terrorism from the motherland.

Courtesy: Lankapuvath

Prabakaran is in good health - Nadesan

LTTE political chief B. Nadesan says Tiger chief Vellupillai Prabakaran is in good health and leading the current war. In an interview with The Week magazine published in India the top LTTE official also insists that the Tigers are far from being defeated.

Courtesy: Dailymirror

Millions worth of moonshine detected

A large consignment of illicit liquor (Goda) worth over Rs.3.5million was detected by the Excise Department Bureau of Special Operations in Colombo along with the Gampaha Branch in a marsh in Oththakele in Ekala, Ja-Ela today, Excise Media Spokesman said.

Courtesy: Dailymirror

The Murder of Sinhalese MO in Vavunathivu and the blatant hypocrisy of HR activists in Sri Lanka

The LTTE terrorists killed Dr. Palitha Pathmakumara, the one and only medical officer of the Rural Hospital Vavunathivu in a cold-blooded murder on Sunday (Nov 16) night.

The poor Tamil villagers of Vavunathivu, Eechanthivu, Kanankuda and Navakkadu lost their friend who saved their lives, treated their illnesses and guided them on health issues. Doctor Kumara, as they called them was not just a medical consultant to the people in the area; he was a teacher to the uneducated, counsellor to the depressed, and a kind father to their tiny tots. Simply, he was a saint to the people who had suffered from decades of terrorism and have just gained hope for a life without its horrors.

The return given to him for the service rendered to the poor people in the area, including the poor Tamil villagers too, was a violent death by a group of maniacs who call them to be the sole representatives of Tamils. The young man who was healing the minds poisoned with racism, transcended his kindness beyond barriers of communalism, and chose service to poor instead of making private profit out of his profession had his life so brutally ended. Sadly, the terrorists murdered this great man for no reason other than his race. A true humanitarian worker in deeds than by mere words was too much for the terrorists to keep alive and serving the people.

While the country is shocked and grieved about this atrocity, the so-called Human Rights activists in Sri Lanka lie stunningly silent about it. None of those organizations that usually take great pleasure in tarnishing the human rights record of Sri Lanka has swung into action to either condemn the killing or pressure the LTTE to desist from killing civilians. Indeed, it is time for those who are affected by usual “concerns” raised by such Human Rights organizations to question their silence over the murder of Dr. Palitha Pathmakumara.

In that fateful night, a group of armed men had come to the Dr. Pathmakumara’s quarters and killed him while his wife watching. The terrorists had shot at the doctor’s head and chest. Before leaving, they did not forget to introduce themselves to the stunned and grieving Mrs. Pathmakumara, as the members of a mainstream Tamil political party that refuses LTTE tribalism. However, it has been now revealed during the investigations that they were the same group of LTTE terrorists behind the assassination of several political activists in the area during last few weeks.

While fleeing from the scene the terrorists had killed another Tamil civilian, Thambirasa Yokendiran, a 38 year old father living in a near by house. It is believed that the terrorists had carried out this killing as the civilians had identified them. However, another individual who witnessed the second murder had positively identified the killers to be LTTE cadres.

The above facts clearly indicate the real perpetrators behind the killing of Dr. Pathmakumara. Also, the reason why they had to kill a Tamil civilian who had identified them shows that the ordinary Tamil civilians did not support their deed.

Above all, Dr. Pathmakumara was a true humanitarian worker though he is Sinhalese he chose to work for the poor Tamils in rural areas while many others in his profession prefer to make money in the towns. Raised from Kotmale in the central province, the victim had spent his whole medical career serving people in the rural areas. Therefore, it is clear that none of those so called Human Rights activist, enjoying rich perks from foreign countries, can come anywhere near the service rendered by Dr. Pathmakumara to the people. More than fighting for rights of the HR activists, he fought to secure the right to life of the people that eventually cost him his life.

It should be noted that there is no way of justifying killing of doctors or other medical workers during an armed conflict. Dr. Pathamakura’s killing reconfirms nothing but the barbaric nature of the LTTE terrorists. Hence, the stubborn refusal to see, hear or speak against terrorists attacks at civilians would not help improvement in human rights in any country. The hypocrisy of some HR organizations in this part of the world has put countries such as ours to the same predicament as rape victims. Instead of lending a helping hand to overcome our agony, these organizations seem to get obtain a sadistic delight in stigmatizing us incessantly. Therefore, any organization really desirous of helping citizens of Sri Lanka must understand that they too have to play an important role in saving the lives of true humanitarian workers like Dr. Pathmakumara.

We pay tribute to Dr. Palitha Pathmakumara, who was assassinated by the LTTE terrorist while performing his duties at Vavunathivu Rural Hospital on 16 Nov 2008.

Courtesy: Ministry of Defence

Army hands over 18 LTTE bodies to ICRC

Eighteen bodies of LTTE terrorists killed during recent battle in the Mannar and Vavuniya area were handed over to the ICRC officials in Vavuniya this afternoon, 19 November.

The ICRC officials have taken those bodies to unelaborated area to be handed over to the LTTE crossing Omanthai entry/exit point in Vavuniya, army sources said.

Courtesy: Ministry of Defence

LTTE receive heavy casualties in confrontations - Kilinochchi

Troops of 57 Division operating in Kilinochchi battle front had heavy confrontations with LTTE terrorists yesterday, 18 November.

According to the defence sources, troops stepped up further into LTTE terrain despite the LTTE resistance in general area northeast of Akkarayankulam and north of Therumurukanddi.

It is observed that LTTE terrorists have constructed another earth bund across the Pooneryn - Paranthan (B-69) road to resist the security forces movement into LTTE heartland Kilinochchi built-up. However, the troops are now on their way to dominate the earth bund which runs southwards of Paranthan covering Kilinochchi built-up area.

Intercepting LTTE communication channels, it is revealed that LTTE suffered heavy casualties in the confrontations.

Courtesy: Ministry of Defence