Suicide Jacket with C-4 Explosives Found from Abandoned Shopping Complex
Army troops swooped on an abandoned commercial complex at Bangalawatte, Wattala today (13) morning and found a Tiger suicide jacket, filled with 1 kg of C-4 explosives, kept hidden under the staircase of the building complex.
The complex with twenty-six shopping stalls has been left abandoned and neglected for some time and had a staircase that leads to upper stories of the building.
Troops during the search found this suspicious parcel containing the suicide jacket in the space, right below the first banister of the staircase.
Troops summoned the Police and conducted a further search after cordoning the area.
Sri Lankan artists’ demonstration tomorrow
Sri Lankan artists are scheduled to stage a slogan free, peaceful demonstration tomorrow (13) in response to the south Indian Counterparts who protest against the Government humanitarian offensives in Sri Lanka, on a misunderstood conception.
The main objective of the demo is to show the real situation in the country.
An open letter will also be sent to the Indian Government and the South Indian artists clarifying the actual situation prevailing in the country to wave off their fears.
“Adhistana Pooja” will be staged at the Independence Square tomorrow with a simple lamp ceremony pleading sincere dedication to a national cause to enlighten the brother artists of India of the very humane, tolerant and fraternal treatment of the Tamil people of our population.
The artists will cordially invite the Indian counterparts to visit Sri Lanka and see for them selves the manner in which the Tamil community enjoy the free life in the cities of Sri Lanka major towns like Wellawatta which are Multi- Communal town ships and bear testimony to Sri Lankan way of life.
These views were conveyed to Lankapuvath by Ms. T.M Sangadasa (Consultant National Film Cooperation)and Tele -Drama Director and Producer Ms. Ranjan de Silva .
All artists are invited to be present on this occasion which has no political bias or favour.
Courtesy: Lankapuvath
‘Of that striped trial balloon’ - The Island Editorial
“The LTTE’s latest truce ploy was aimed at preventing the fall of Pooneryn to the army and saving Kilinochchi. The LTTE may offer to consider ceasefires and talk peace but Prabhakaran has unequivocally told the world the solution he has in mind. He won’t settle for anything less than Eelam as he declared at a press conference in Kilinochchi in 2002″, says the Island in a reflective editorial today (Nov 12).
“However, the government has no alternative but to turn down such offers without falling into ceasefire traps. Every government that fell for the tigrine wiles emerged from peace traps with a bloody nose. The disastrous outcome of peace deals that President Premadasa and President Kumaratunga tried to strike with the LTTE is a case in point” the editorial further stated.
Following is the full text of The Island Editorial:
The Tigers have the habit of sending trial balloons. A few days ago, LTTE indicated its willingness to consider a ceasefire. The government promptly rejected the offer reiterating its position that no truce was possible unless the LTTE gave up arms.
The LTTE does not lose anything due to its ceasefire offers. Instead it gains a lot from them. If the government reciprocates, then it can have some respite, regroup and rearm for the next phase of war. Else, its propagandists can project the government as a hawkish regime not amenable to a truce and blame it for the humanitarian problems resulting from the continuation of war.
However, the government has no alternative but to turn down such offers without falling into ceasefire traps. Every government that fell for the tigrine wiles emerged from peace traps with a bloody nose. The disastrous outcome of peace deals that President Premadasa and President Kumaratunga tried to strike with the LTTE is a case in point.
The LTTE’s latest truce ploy was aimed at preventing the fall of Pooneryn to the army and saving Kilinochchi. In a recent interview with an Indian magazine Prabhakaran bragged that Kilinochchi would never fall. But, he himself is aware that he cannot hold out for a long time. The new front the army is going to open in the Wanni is a frightening proposition for the LTTE already overstretched and affected by a severe shortage of manpower.
Immediately after the government’s rejection of the truce offer, the LTTE, perhaps to save its face and prevent demoralisation of its cadres, got one of its proxies to say in Parliament that it would not lay down arms. Talking with a forked tongue is the LTTE’s forte. It has a remarkable ability to send two different messages to its support base and the international community simultaneously.
War is hell and it must end. The sooner, the better! But, experience shows us that no amount of ceasefires will lead to peace so long as the LTTE remains strong and intransigent. The last truce lasted for five years from 2002 to 2007 but nothing came of it. There was an absence of war but the LTTE did not desist from violence or work towards finding a solution. It used the fragile truce to replenish its supplies, recruit more combatants and gain legitimacy. In 2003, it walked away from peace talks with the UNF government, which to its credit, bent over backwards to keep the peace process on track. It is being claimed that an LTTE-instigated polls boycott brought about UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s defeat at the last presidential election. But, it was actually in 2003 that the LTTE destroyed the UNP leader’s political future by scuttling the peace process, upon which he was banking to win the presidency.
The LTTE may offer to consider ceasefires and talk peace but Prabhakaran has unequivocally told the world the solution he has in mind. He won’t settle for anything less than Eelam as he declared at a press conference in Kilinochchi in 2002. Asked if his order to his cadres to kill him if he accepted anything less than Eelam was still valid, he had no hesitation whatsoever in answering in the affirmative. In fact, he renewed that order! He has never ever given the slightest indication that he would settle for anything else.
One may argue that the LTTE made the setting up of an interim self-governing administration (ISGA) conditional to returning to the negotiating table in 2003. Yes, it did but the UNF government had the wisdom to avoid that trap. For, granting an ISGA would have been as good as giving Eelam. Among the critics of the ISGA was none other than the US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, who said the ISGA went beyond all known forms of federalism and it was therefore without a precedent.
The LTTE demand read: “The ISGA shall have plenary powers for the governance of the Northeast including powers in relation to resettlement, rehabilitation, and development, including improvement and upgrading of existing services and facilities, raising revenue including imposition of taxes, revenue, levies and duties, law and order and land.” Besides, the LTTE asked for powers in respect of maritime resources and direct foreign aid.
What more would the LTTE have needed if it had got the ISGA?
Armitage urged the LTTE to adhere to the Oslo declaration, which envisaged a federal solution. The European Parliament, it may be recalled, in its resolution on Sri Lanka on Sep.08, 2006 said: “[The EU] condemns the intransigence of the LTTE leadership over the years, which has successively rejected so many possible ways forward including devolution at the provincial level or Provincial Councils; devolution at the regional level or Regional Councils; as well as the concept of federalism with devolution at the national level.”
Thus, if any government agrees to a ceasefire with a view to talking peace with the LTTE, it must be prepared either to be taken for a ride like its predecessors or to grant the ISGA, which is nothing but a halfway house between federalism and Eelam.
There have been calls for the government to do as the EU says to retain the GSP Plus concession. Similarly, the government should be asked to heed what the aforesaid EU Parliament resolution says about the LTTE, in trying to evolve a political solution. In other words, it is futile to talk to the LTTE so long as it remains intransigent demanding something that goes beyond federalism.
So, if a political solution acceptable to all stakeholders is to be evolved through negotiations, then the international community and the peace lobby must wean the LTTE from violence, the ISGA and Eelam.
Or, they must stop protesting against the on-going efforts to neutralise the LTTE and pave the way for a political solution.
Courtesy: The Island
Hunger strike in London against LTTE front activities
(By: Janaka Alahapperuma from London )
Patriotic Sri Lankans in the UK are organising a ‘Hunger Strike’ urging British authorities to stop events organised by LTTE front running forums taking place in London.
They further request not to let bogus forums celebrate the barbaric terrorist leader’s birthday on 26th November in London. According to the LTTE supporter groups they are organising a community and cultural event.
The Hunger Strike organized by Sri Lankans Against Terrorism (SLAT)-UK will be held on 14th November (Friday) from 10.00am till 10.00 pm in front of the British Parliament, Parliament Square, London.
Members of the SLAT-UK said there are number of front organisations of the LTTE which are operating freely within the UK even though it is a banned terrorist outfit. These groups pretend to be civilian welfare forums but actually work to a terrorist agenda, with the aim of violently the separating Sri Lanka along ethnic lines. Such forums act with total disregard to British law and organise events to hoodwink the international community into supporting the Tiger terrorists.
They further said that it is their duty as patriotic Sri Lankans to highlight the activities of the LTTE fronts, demanding the British government and authorities to investigate and take necessary actions against these terror supporter forums and also turn in LTTE ban a meaningful one. The truth is these bogus forums always mislead the British authorities as usual. However their hidden agenda is to celebrate LTTE leader’s birthday which falls on that day.
The “Hunger Strike will last for 12 hours along with a candle light vigil.
Courtesy: Ministry of Defence
United Nations Headquarters Goes Smoke free
The United Nations General Assembly agreed unanimously to make the United Nations Headquarters in New York City completely smoke free.
“The UN’s leadership sends an important message to all its member countries that smoke free air is now the norm worldwide,” said Shoba John, Co-chair of the Global Smoke free Partnership, which supported the resolution.
More than 180 nongovernmental organizations from around the world signed onto a statement of support for a smoke free UN created by the Global Smoke free Partnership.
This decision brings United Nations General Assembly rules into line with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the global tobacco control treaty that 160 countries have ratified. The FCTC requires member countries to enact effective smoke free air laws in all indoor workplaces and public places. The decision also brings United Nations rules into line with the strong smoke free air laws in force throughout New York City and New York State.
“Uruguay played a leadership role in building support for this resolution and the World Health Organization played a vital role in educating the UN about the need for smoke free air.
Specialized agencies within the United Nations System establish their own smoking policies independently of the General Assembly. Several agencies, such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have had complete smoking bans in place for many years. The General Assembly resolution presents a unique opportunity and political mandate for all UN agencies to bring their policies in line with Headquarters.
The United Nations is following the lead of a growing list of countries that require smoke free air in public places and workplaces, including restaurants, bars and pubs. The list includes Ireland, Italy, Bermuda, Uruguay, Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, Norway, Sweden, France, South Africa and Thailand.
The Global Smoke free Partnership is an alliance of public health groups committed to advancing effective smoke free air policies worldwide. The Partnership is coordinated by the American Cancer Society and the Framework Convention Alliance
Courtesy: Lankapuvath
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