Sri Lankans in Sweden demonstrate against LTTE & TRO
A multi-ethnic demonstration urging the Sweden Government to take stern action proscribing the internationally banned terror outfit LTTE and its front organisations was held Sunday (August 24) in Sweden opposite the Stockholm Cultural House, from 12.00PM to 3.00PM.
The demonstration attracted large numbers of peace loving people and Sri Lankan expatriates who requested the concerned authorities to condemn the spree of violence unleashed by the LTTE in the island nation and to immediately ban the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), which is also found to be the financial arm of the LTTE.
The protestors also displayed placards and photographs of LTTE atrocities including political assassinations, suicide bombings, and genocides against innocent civilians which was followed by the collection of signatures to a petition against LTTE, to be handed over to the Hon. Prime Minister of Sweden, Mr. Fredrik Reinfeldt.
“The LTTE terrorists had planted the opinion in Sweden that Sri Lanka Security forces are slaughtering the Tamil people in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankans through this protest have dislodged that false misinformation campaign propagated by Tiger activists” organisers were quoted as saying.
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Courtesy: Ministry of Defence
A suicide belt found - Vavuniya
Army personnel uncovered a suicide belt and few other warlike items while conducting a search operation in general area Chekkadipilaw in Vavuniya last afternoon, 25 August.
Two detonators, two OG (Olive Green) uniforms and few other food items were also among the recoveries, sources said. A bag containing these items had been concealed in a jungle patch in the Chekkadipilaw area, sources added.
Courtesy: Ministry of Defence
UPFA wins Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provincial Councils comprehensively
The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) swept saturday’s elections to North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces winning all 27 electorates in the Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Ratnapura and Kegalle districts.The government won 20 slots (including two bonus seats) in the NCP council against 12 secured by the UNP while the JVP had one.
The Sabaragamuwa Province elected 25 UPFA members (including two bonus seats) against seven UNP and two JVP. The UPFA polled 260,218 and 212,571 votes in Ratnapura and Kegalle districts respectively while the UNP managed 191,996 and 154,325 votes in Ratnapura and Kegalle districts. The JVP polled a mere 19,068 votes in the entire province.
landslide victory an overwhelming endorsement of the ongoing military campaign to defeat the LTTE, UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayantha said.
“It was a referendum on the war against terror. The vast majority of people also appreciated the development work undertaken by the government despite spiralling defence costs. The increase in the price of paddy, tea and rubber, too, contributed to the victory.”
The CWC which contested the two provinces on its own despite being part of the Rajapaksa administration had failed to secure a single seat while the Up country People’s Front which contested Ratnapura District, too, ended up without a single seat.
Courtesy: Government Information Department
Sri Lankan expacts to protest against LTTE front organization- Switzerland
A mass protest rally calling upon the Swiss Government to take stern action against the internationally proscribed terrorist outfit LTTE and its front organizations will be held on 6th September, 2008 at Waisenhausplatz, nearby the Swiss parliament in Bern- Switzerland.
According to the organizing committee the protest rally is scheduled between 1 p.m., and 5 p.m., Swiss local time. The rally is organized by the Swiss - Sri Lankan community and is expected to draw large numbers which comes in the wake of a series of anti-LTTE rallies in France, Italy, England and Germany.
The communique’‚ released by the Sri Lankan Diaspora in Switzerland;
Courtesy: Ministry of Defence
People in East receive new health facilities from UNICEF
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has built a new maternity and paediatric ward complex and established Regional Medical Supplies Division (RMSD) for the benefit of the people living in the Eastern Province. According to a press release issued by the UNICEF office Sri Lanka, the two new facilities will be added to the public health network from today (Aug 25) onwards.
The press release in full:
Today two new health facilities will be added to the health network of the Eastern Province. The new Maternity & Children’s Ward of the Pottuvil District Hospital will be declared open in the morning, while the Regional Medical Supplies Division (RMSD) Kalmunai will be inaugurated later the same day. Both projects are part of the UNICEF-supported Tsunami Infrastructure Reconstruction Programme in Sri Lanka.
The new maternity and paediatric ward complex, costing Rs 103.5 million, will serve more than 45,000 people in the area and include: a paediatric ward, maternity ward, emergency treatment unit and an administrative block. Each ward has a capacity of 30 beds.
“We are really happy that the population of this area will benefit from modern facilities, complete with adequate water and electricity supplies,” said Dr. A. Ameenudeen, District Medical Officer in Pottuvil.
It is now anticipated that the maternity facilities will provide a 24 hour service, enable the posting of a visiting obstetrician & gynaecologist in Pottuvil and thus reduce the number of home deliveries, while increasing the hospital’s current 20-30 deliveries per month to 100.
“This is expected to be an excellent addition to an area and a population which suffered greatly because of the Tsunami, and it will make a sizeable difference to the pregnant women and newborns of Pottuvil,” said the head of UNICEF’s Ampara office Mr Damascus Macheri.
Monday afternoon’s opening of the Regional Medical Supplies Division will serve the Kalmunai Regional Director of Health Service areas and its population of 422,000. It will be the regional hub for 13 medical officers of health areas and 32 regional health facilities which include: three Base Hospitals, eight District Hospitals, four Divisional hospitals, and 13 Central dispensaries. Other facilities that will use the RMSD are the STD Unit, Tuberculosis Control unit, and anti-malaria control unit.
The Rs 50 million facility will store all medical supplies required for the Kalmunai RDHS area - vaccines, drugs and medical supplies.
“Prior to the tsunami, we did not have a separate dedicated store for the region and now thanks to the generosity of our donors, we have a store closer to us, with all modern facilities to maintain a regular supply of drugs and basic medical equipment,” said Dr. A.L. M. Nazeel, who has been serving as Regional Director Health Services, Kalmunai for the past seven years.
The UNICEF supported Tsunami Infrastructure Reconstruction Programme in the East has included the construction of eight schools and five Gramodaya Health Centres in various locations. Earlier this year the maternity wards and labour room in Thirukkovil, together with staff quarters, were handed over as a part of the tsunami recovery programme. Work on the extension of the maternity and labour room in the Akkaraipattu District Hospital is ongoing.
Courtesy: Ministry of Defence
