Editorial
Establish Real Democracy In The Eastern Province
Defeat of terrorism, restoration of democracy and establishment of law and order are claims that can roll easily off the glib tongues of political demagogues and their supporters but the actual establishment of these ideals are long and arduous, needing painful application.
Constant repetition of a claim, true or false, leads to its acceptance by the people is an axiom of the Goebbelsian principles of propaganda and the people of this country being subject to the continuing parroting of the ‘defeat and eradication of terrorism in the Eastern Province, followed by establishment of democracy and the rule of law’ has led to some sections of the populace, particularly in the Sinhalese areas, accepting it as being true. The opinion of the inhabitants of the Eastern Province in this regard is not known because of the skimpy coverage of the daily life of the easterners by the local media and even the foreign media, coverage of the region being limited to those of visiting ‘firemen’ and ‘firewomen.’
The reported killing of 17 TMVP cadres in recent weeks is an indication of the shaky security situation in the province and needs to be elaborated by the government which claims the restoration of democracy. Were these youth victims of internecine quarrels within the TMVP or with the Karuna faction led by Karuna who once was lord and master but was thrown out by the TMVP of Pillayan? Or is it that the LTTE which is said to have been decimated from the Eastern Province is now infiltrating the region and taking pot shots at the TMVP?
These queries are relevant because of the Eastern Province Chief Minister and the leader of the TMVP Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan ruling out the killing of his private secretary and confidant Nandagopan alias Ragu by unidentified persons in the Colombo suburb of Athurugiriya not to be the work of the LTTE. To most political observers Pillayan was indirectly accusing Karuna of being behind the killing because if it was not the work of the LTTE, who else could have done it?
In this kind of terrorism where the killers are not identified, it is possible to blame a rival faction noted for carrying out such murders. This places citizens of all kinds in peril. For example there is much doubt about the assassins behind the killing of General Janaka Perera who had the potential of changing the face of politics in this country. The suspicion is that either Pillayan cadres or LTTE cadres were behind the unidentified suicide bomber and that it would have been the work of interested parties.
The basic flaw about the re-establishment of democracy in the Eastern Province is that after seeking the assistance of ex-LTTE terrorist cadres to defeat the LTTE, these terrorists were permitted to legitimise themselves as those joining the democratic political stream while still carrying their arms. The TMVP and Karuna cadres have not surrendered their arms and they are still gun toting ‘politicians.’ This is democracy in a crude and raw form.
The absurdity is carried further with the TMVP insisting that their cadres be recruited into the Eastern Province police force while not having surrendered their arms. President Mahinda Rajapakse appears to believe that war is a continuation of politics and that politics is a continuation of war — depending on the circumstances.
The toleration of armed political thugs cannot go on for long in a democratic set-up. The Government Medical Officers Association decided Monday to pull out their membership from the Eastern Province following the killing of a doctor. Unless this issue is settled immediately the people in the Eastern Province will be deprived of even the poor medical service they have to put up with.
President Mahinda Rajapakse has been successful in defeating the terrorism of Velupillai Pirapaharan in the east. By doing that he is not automatically restoring democracy by replacing one group of terrorists with another group. He should by now know that terrorism spreads out like a cancer in all directions.
In 1977 when the J.R. Jayewardene government took over there were less than a 100 terrorists in the north. We need not elaborate on the spread of terrorism thereafter and what it is today. If terrorism is tolerated in the east and terrorists under the patronage of the government can operate freely, terrorism will spread into new regions. It has already happened.
With the emergence of the Karuna Group and later the Pillayan Group, killings, kidnappings, and disappearances spread to Colombo and other regions. Under the facade of democracy in the east it could engulf the rest of the country.
If the present political status quo crystallises in the east it could lead to another fascist form of ‘democracy’ taking root and spreading out. We have heard of ‘guided democracies,’ ‘military democracies’ and many other varieties. Sri Lankans have experienced 60 years and more of democracy even though with blemishes. The people cannot be fooled with this gun toting democracy that is taking root in the east. If Rajapakse cannot establish real democracy in the east he will be nurturing another Pirapaharan.
NEWS FROM SR LANKA:
MCNS declines to give casualty figures
Heavy casualties in Muhamalai and Mankulam battles
Heavy fighting has continued in the Mankulam area south of Kilinochchi and the Muhamalai front line in the last three days with hundreds of casualties reported as Tigers put up stiff resistance against troops advancing into the Wanni. Fighting was continuing yesterday afternoon as well.
According to the Tigers, at least 46 soldiers were killed and over 100 wounded in the fighting in the last three days. Thirty eight soldiers were reported killed on November 15 and 16 and an additional eight were reported killed on November 17.
Other reports said there were very heavy casualties from Mankulam and Muhamalai yesterday.
The Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) while denying high casualties declined to give figures.
Director General, Media Centre for National Security (MCNS), Lakshman Hulugalle contacted by The Morning Leader and asked about reports of hundreds of casualties from the Wanni yesterday denied the figures, but said he cannot give any official figures in keeping with Defence Ministry policy.
Hospitals yesterday reported high casualties with a source at Sri Jayawardenepura claiming an 'unusually high' number of casualties had been admitted yesterday.
Defence Watch meanwhile said that at least 200 soldiers had been killed and over 300 injured in the fighting in the last three days and hundreds had been admitted to hospitals in and near the capital.
"Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched another offensive push for the third consecutive day from Jaffna Monday morning. Eight SLA soldiers were killed and 29 wounded when the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) put up stiff resistance from 5:00 a.m. till 11:00 a.m., thwarting a three frontal attack by the SLA on LTTE Forward Defence Line (FDL) in Mukamaalai, Ka'ndal and Ki'laai," TamilNet said quoting Tiger officials.
The Defence Ministry said that troops advancing south of Muhamalai met with resistance but were able to continue advancing. "Troops met with intermittent LTTE resistance fire, yet continued domination as terrorists were unable to sustain the multi-pronged military assault. The military forward push was also assisted with low altitude bombing raids made deep into LTTE defences by SLAF fighter jets," it said of fighting in Mankulam.
On Monday, November 17, the Ministry said that troops had been able to gain control of Mankulam, located on the A9 about 30 km south of Kilinochchi.
"Troops of Task Force-III flanked west of the A-9 main road at Vannivilankulama have entered the Mankulama area in Mulaithivu, following hours of heavy fighting with LTTE today (Nov. 17) at around 2 p.m."
It did not give any details of fighting in the Mankulam area that took place yesterday. The Ministry also said that two boats from a cluster of seven Tiger boats that were detected off the seas off Nayaru, south east of Jaffna were destroyed yesterday morning.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Says there is a security risk
Karuna wants Sinhala doctors out of rural east
Sinhala doctors should only be appointed to hospitals in the urban areas in the east as a precautionary measure, the TMVP leadership said yesterday.
TMVP Leader, Parliamentarian Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan told The Morning Leader that the Sinhala doctors were likely to face security issues if they were to be posted to hospitals in the rural areas in the east.
A Sinhalese Doctor, Palitha Pathmakumara who was working at the Naavatkadu Hospital was killed by unidentified gunmen last Sunday. Muralitharan however charged that the LTTE had carried out the attack and said that the killing of the doctor had created tension in the area.
"Sinhala doctors should not be posted to hospitals in the rural areas. Their security will be in question if they are appointed. These doctors should be appointed in hospitals in the town areas. Tamil or Muslim doctors can be appointed to hospitals in the rural areas as a temporary measure."
"The east is a sensitive area. All three communities live in the area. The killing of a Sinhalese doctor will definitely affect the livelihoods of all the people. This is one of the cowardly attacks of the LTTE. There is no doubt about that," Muralitharan said. He further stated that there had been no attacks on TMVP offices and cadres this week.
Meanwhile, Muralitharan also commended the efforts of President Mahinda Rajapakse to destroy terrorism in the country and also for the efforts he had taken to develop the east. "I wish to commend him on his efforts to defeat terrorism and to develop the east. The President celebrates his birthday today (November 18). He will also complete three years in office. I thank him for all his efforts for the Tamil people and also wish him all the best."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
India asked to stop war in Lanka
Protest in Tamil Nadu on Nov. 25
A decision was taken at an All Party Conference convened by the Communist Party of India (CPI) in Tamil Nadu on Monday to stage a one day harthal on November 25 in the Southern Indian State to press the Indian government to end the war in Sri Lanka.
However it was later decided to cancel the harthal and instead conduct a protest.
The CPI made this call during the all party meeting which was attended by several parties including the PMK and MDMK.
CPI State Secretary D. Pandian had called upon educational institutions, transport and railway employees and others to participate in the protest.
"We request the people to rearrange their travel plans. We will observe the protest with absolute discipline. Our volunteers would see to it that no damage is done to public property on the day of the protest," he said after the meeting.
"We will not force anyone to support the harthal. But the workers in the transport sector, including the railways and others should voluntarily abstain from working," he told reporters.
When questioned on the ban on harthals by the Supreme Court, Pandian said "For the cause of Tamils, we are ready to face any consequence." He had also denied reports that there were differences of opinion among the parties with regard to the Sri Lanka Tamil issue.
"First we need a ceasefire. All other issues could be discussed later," he said.
Pandian had warned that the all party grouping would meet again to decide on future actions if the central government failed to give an unambiguous reply on pressing Sri Lanka for a ceasefire even after the harthal. Major parties such as DMK, AIADMK, Congress, CPI Marxists, DMDK and Dalit Panthers refrained from taking part at the meeting.
Pandian had told the media that the parties who did not take part had conveyed their inability to attend the meeting as they were preoccupied with other commitments. "All of them agree with our demand for India's intervention to stop the war," he had said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
President cannot visit Chennai charges Kiriella
By Dilrukshi Handunnetti
The UPFA administration was compelled to restrict its bilateral relations with India to New Delhi as the President and his cabinet cannot visit Chennai without causing street protests there, alleged UNP frontliner Lakshman Kiriella in parliament yesterday.
Opening the debate for the opposition on the votes on Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare and Labour Relations and Welfare, Kiriella proposed a traditional cut of Rs. 10.
He said that government politicians were visiting South India only for one reason and that was to meet famous astrologers, seriously faulting the government for an ill-conceived foreign policy.
Taking on the government, the MP recalled that former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's policy was to put India first and to have closer ties with South India which was a huge political priority.
"He used to advice that Chennai mattered more than Delhi. But your government cannot adopt this policy. You keep running to New Delhi because if you try to land in Chennai, there will be a commotion," quipped Kiriella.
The UNP legislator claimed that the government's dilemma was that the Mahinda Chinthana did not speak of a military solution but a political solution which creates difficulties for the government to defend their actions when overseas, particularly in South India. "You have failed to initiate a dialogue process and you have no leg to stand on if you were to visit Chennai," he charged.
"Priyanka Gandhi visited her father's killers in jail, and what we must not forget is the political message contained in that visit. That meant, the Gandhis were ready to move on. They have the maturity not to get stuck in their own past," said he.
He said if any party should rightfully hate the LTTE, the UNP should, having lost the cream of its leaders to LTTE violence and having got defeated during the 2005 presidential election due to the LTTE compelling the people not to vote for the UNP.
He further charged that the Foreign Ministry had spent its entire budgetary allocation within the first six months in a stunning display of extravagance, but in a ministry that is synonymous with nepotism and political appointments, this was to be expected.
"We realise the Foreign Ministry is expected to spend and we don't oppose justifiable spending. What we hear is that some of the allocations meant for diplomatic missions overseas have also been spent on the Ministry. The real question is whether the Ministry's spending spree has brought any dividends to the country."
He also noted that it was a serious concern for a country to have its foreign service devalued and its stature seriously eroded due to politicisation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corruption Watch launched
Legal action on Mihin and oil hedging
By Nirmala Kannangara
In order to initiate legal action against bribery and corruption taking place within government institutions, Corruption Watch was formed by a group of professionals yesterday.
Convener, Corruption Watch, Shiral Lakthilake said at a media briefing yesterday that legal action will be taken against the institutions that had liquidised public money amounting to several billions of rupees.
"The main aim of Corruption Watch was to mobilise the general public against the Mahinda Rajapakse regime that is plagued with bribery and corruption and also to emphasise as to how they protect those who rob public money," Lakthilake claimed.
According to Lakthilake, although Mahinda Chinthanaya has clearly stated that there is no room to loot public funds under a Rajapakse government, the same administration has so far misused public funds amounting to billions of rupees.
"Sri Lanka has become the only country with a high inflation rate in the region and the reason for it was said to be high war expenditure according to the government, which is untrue. Out of all budgetary allocations for year 2009 a vast amount of money has been allocated for defence and as Corruption Watch we would like to say that a similar amount of public money is being misused due to the present regime's failure to put a halt on bribery and corruption," charged Lakthilake.
Addressing the media, Attorney-at-law Ravi Jayawardena said that plans are underway to take legal action against the oil hedging process that has deprived the masses of obtaining fuel at a low price.
"Due to the oil hedging agreement the country has had to pay billions of rupees to foreign banks although the world oil prices have come down considerably. Mihin Air too has played out public money but is still obtaining BOI facilities although it has failed to bring any foreign investment to the country.
"Initially, Mihin Lanka came to an agreement with the BOI that it would bring investors up to Rs. 9 billion, but although the high officials are reaping tax free facilities they have so far failed to bring a single investor to the country," claimed Jayawardena.
Corruption Watch also spoke about irregularities at the CPC and the government's failure to appoint independent commissions, 'which is the main cause for the present disastrous situation in the country.'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Relations with India sound says FM
By Dilrukshi Handunnetti
Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told parliament yesterday that the government enjoyed 'extremely cordial' bilateral relations with neighbouring India and the government dealt with India as an entirety and not as the south and north.
Speaking during the votes on the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare and Labour Relations and Welfare yesterday, the Foreign Minister told parliament that Sri Lanka did not wish to deal with India by bisecting the great nation.
He challenged UNP Parliamentarian Lakshman Kiriella to accompany him (Bogollagama) to Chennai the next day to get a first hand account on the cordiality of relations maintained by the UPFA government with South India.
He alleged that the government had to undo the immense damage caused by the Ranil Wickremesinghe administration through a truce that equated a terrorist organisation to a legitimately elected government, and added that the then administration had granted parity of status to a terrorist organisation undermining territorial integrity and sovereignty which the incumbent government had made its business to undo through many efforts.
Bogollagama told parliament that the government positioned itself in such a way that it placed countering terrorism significantly important in order to pave the way for democracy to prevail and to lead towards a political solution.
"In Mahinda Chinthanaya, counter terror is not referred to as a political solution. This government believes in a political solution but the strong defence that we are putting forward is to pave the way for a dialogue process," he said. He noted that terrorism had to be wiped out and claimed the government had the courage to call terrorists as such. This was the reason, when not perceived in the same light, the government has to battle it out at different fora, he said.
Speaking on bilateral relations with India, he said the government considered it most important and said the present developments have not soured the government's relationship with India.
"We are an open country. There should be a rule of law. When that is breached, we react strongly, for it is our duty to maintain law, order and democracy. The best example is the number of state visits to Colombo since 2005 - 10 in all which is the highest. This means, dealing with India as an entirety."
At this point, UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella intervened to question whether that was the reason for a worried President Rajapakse to invite Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi to visit Colombo.
Bogollagama then responded that the government had invited not just Karunanidhi but also Narendra Modi among other dignitaries. "That's your answer to your own question. If we had any worry, why invite Karunanidhi?" he demanded.
He said that the Foreign Ministry monitored the situation in South India closely at which point Kiriella intervened to comment that the Sri Lankan mission in Chennai was recently stoned owing to Colombo's crooked foreign policy.
"It is easy to stone the mission. After all there are elements sympathetic to the LTTE. What's stoning a place when compared to the LTTE's ability to strike at will and even kill an Indian prime minister," he said.
Rejecting opposition claims that the Foreign Ministry was a lavish spender that had exhausted the annual allocation in a matter of months, he said that over Rs.1 billion allocated for the Ministry last year was still available which proved the financial discipline.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
400 doctors opt to stay out of N-E
Doctors working in the north and the east have opted to withdraw their services from the war-ravaged areas, the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) said yesterday.
Following the killing of Dr. Palitha Kumara attached to the Mahilawatta Central Dispensary in Batticaloa on Monday by unidentified gunmen, the Sinhala doctors working in the north and east totalling nearly 400 have preferred to stay back without reporting to their places of work according to Assistant Secretary, GMOA, Dr. Upul Gunasekera.
"As the GMOA we do not want to hamper the hospital work in the north and the east but we do not want to urge these doctors to report back to work. Although the Defence Ministry has assured to provide maximum security for the hospitals and the doctors we are still reluctant to take their word due to the Health Minister's negative approach in solving issues in the hospitals," Dr. Gunasekera told The Morning Leader.
According to Dr. Gunasekera, the Defence Ministry on Monday has assured to provide adequate security for the hospitals and doctors to which the GMOA is grateful, but said that it was too late as several doctors have had to perish due to the lack of security.
"Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva does not want to solve problems in the health sector and he was not even bothered enough to urge the Defence Ministry to provide maximum protection to the doctors serving in the war-ravaged areas. However, when he gave the transfer letters to the doctors to the north and the east he promised to give them first preference in foreign training, but sadly the Ministry failed to even foot the air fare for the doctors working in the north. Even the doctors in Vavuniya and Mannar had to launch a trade union action to get their transportation sorted out. In the past few months he has failed to submit the compensation papers to the cabinet in order to pay compensation to the female doctor killed by a soldier," added Dr. Gunasekera.
According to Dr. Gunasekera, all 58 Sinhala doctors serving in Batticaloa have withdrawn their services from the east following the latest killing. The GMOA has instructed all Sinhala doctors serving in the peripheries to return to the major hospitals immediately to ensure their safety. (NK)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mahinda says no way
Karunanidhi insists on ceasefire
"As the GMOA we do not want to hamper the hospital work in the north and the east but we do not want to urge these doctors to report back to work. Although the Defence Ministry has assured to provide maximum security for the hospitals and the doctors we are still reluctant to take their word due to the Health Minister's negative approach in solving issues in the hospitals," Dr. Gunasekera told The Morning Leader.
According to Dr. Gunasekera, the Defence Ministry on Monday has assured to provide adequate security for the hospitals and doctors to which the GMOA is grateful, but said that it was too late as several doctors have had to perish due to the lack of security.
"Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva does not want to solve problems in the health sector and he was not even bothered enough to urge the Defence Ministry to provide maximum protection to the doctors serving in the war-ravaged areas. However, when he gave the transfer letters to the doctors to the north and the east he promised to give them first preference in foreign training, but sadly the Ministry failed to even foot the air fare for the doctors working in the north. Even the doctors in Vavuniya and Mannar had to launch a trade union action to get their transportation sorted out. In the past few months he has failed to submit the compensation papers to the cabinet in order to pay compensation to the female doctor killed by a soldier," added Dr. Gunasekera.
According to Dr. Gunasekera, all 58 Sinhala doctors serving in Batticaloa have withdrawn their services from the east following the latest killing. The GMOA has instructed all Sinhala doctors serving in the peripheries to return to the major hospitals immediately to ensure their safety. (NK)
"Exchange of views was also being done almost every day through Union Ministers T.R. Baalu and A. Raja," The Hindu reported.
According to The Hindu, when asked on the possibilities of more talks with Gandhi and Singh, Karunanidhi had responded, "As a (State) government, we will talk to the Prime Minister. As a party, we will talk to Congress President Sonia Gandhi."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parents and teachers frown on Ministry directive
By Nirmala Kannangara
The Western Province Education Ministry's directive to school principals to collect essentials for the armed forces personnel in the forward defence lines from school children has irked parents and teachers, the Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) said.
Despite billions of rupees being allocated for war expenditure and the government's failure to grant a salary increase to the working masses from the 2009 budget, Chief Minister Western Province Reginald Cooray had last week instructed all school principals in the province to collect essentials from school children to distribute among the armed forces personnel in the battle field, CTU President, Joseph Stalin said.
"This cannot be taken lightly as if the government claims they have allocated enough funds to look after the heroic soldiers, then what is the reason for the Chief Minister (CM) to instruct the school principals to collect water, and other essential food items to be sent to the battle field? The parents reported this to the teachers as they have found it difficult to foot the bills for extra expenses due to the high cost of living (CoL)," Stalin told The Morning Leader.
According to Stalin, although this has been brought to the CM's notice he has so far failed to cancel the directive.
"In some schools the principals have asked the children to bring bottles of Marmite and in some others tins of Nestomalt or Horlicks. At a time when parents cannot afford to give these food items to their own children due to the high prices, they are now compelled to buy these for the soldiers with the greatest difficulty. With these attempts we now wonder how the government is going to spend the record budgetary allocation for the forces," claimed Stalin.
Chief Minister, Western Provincial Council Reginald Cooray was not available for comment.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No speakers: Parliament adjourned
Parliament was compelled to adjourn sittings yesterday one and a half hours ahead of schedule due to the absence of speakers.
Yesterday's committee stage debate was on three important ministries - Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare and Labour Relations.
At the time of adjournment, JHU's Udawatte Nanda Thero was in the Chair.
The monk politician called out the names of TNA's S. Kishore, Chief Opposition Whip Joseph Michael Perera, UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake and non Cabinet Minister for Labour, Mervyn Silva.
Next, the adjournment was called which was listed under the name of UNP Parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekera. As the MP was also not present, the adjournment motion was not taken up for debate.
The House resumes today to continue with the third day of the committee stage budget debate when the votes on the Ministries of Sports and Public Recreation and Tourism will be taken up. (DH)
Higher cess necessary -Minister
The increase of cess in the 2009 Appropriation Bill was done to strengthen local industrialists and encourage local production according to Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena.
The Minister added that the new budget has all the features that are essential for an agriculture based economy.
Speaking on the ethnic conflict, Minister Abeywardena said that the LTTE is the main obstacle in bringing freedom to the Tamil community.
"Terrorism has been wiped out from the Eastern Province and democracy has been restored; it is the due responsibility of the present government to bring freedom to the northern masses as well," Abeywardena said.
Government accused of using war victories for political gain
The government's attempts to use war victories for political gain has come under severe criticism by the SLFP (M) Wing.
Convener, SLFP (M) Wing, Parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera in a press release has criticised President Mahinda Rajapakse and his government for trying to reap the benefits of the war victories, as the present regime has nothing to boast of in the 2009 budget.
"It is our heroic soldiers who lay down their lives to protect the territorial integrity of the country, but it is sad to note that it is this present regime that is trying to gain benefits. Although the government does not want to reveal the number of casualties in the latest incidents in the war front the exact statistics of casualties and deaths could be obtained from Defence Watch and according to statistics, eight officers and 48 soldiers have sacrificed their lives during the latest battles and over 312 have been injured," Samaraweera said.
He said that according to sources, the army top brass has identified the latest security operations as '2009 Budget Operation.'
"Since the government has so far failed to develop the country and has been unable to provide relief to the masses they are now trying to make political gains from these battle field victories. Although the government is now boasting of capturing Pooneryn, they have forgotten that in 1993 under President D.B. Wijetunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Pooneryn was liberated. What has happened to the east today? Although they claimed that the east was liberated, the Batticaloa situation has worsened now," Samaraweera said.
RWB calls for Loshan's release
Reporters Without Borders (RWB) has urged the government to release the manager of a Tamil radio station, A. R. V. Loshan, who was arrested at his home on Saturday (15).
The senior radio presenter and current manager of FM Vettri was picked up by Terrorist Investigation Department (TID) agents.
The worldwide press freedom organisation said that TID allegations against him of having "links with terrorists" and "aiding terrorist activities" should be based on evidence and not on simple conjecture.
"The growing number of arrests by the authorities of Tamil journalists under the anti-terror law gives currency to the common rumour that many of them are Tamil Tiger agents, but also undermines the anti-terror law itself," the organisation added.
A colleague of the journalist had told Reporters Without Borders that his mother had been allowed to visit him.
Police questioned another journalist of Vettri FM before arresting the director. The 32-year-old with more than 10 years radio experience has worked for five years for the station, which is owned by the ABC group.
Reporters Without Borders pointed out that two other Tamil journalists - J. S. Tissainayagam and Vettivel Jasikaran - are already being held under the anti-terror law. The fianc‚e of Jasikaran, Valarmathi Jasikaran has also been imprisoned in Colombo in very harsh conditions.
ICRC resumes operations
The ICRC resumed its operations at the Omanthai entry-exit point after a two-day break last Friday under new operational hours.
The entry-exit point was opened last Friday for four hours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ICRC Media Coordinator, Sarasi Wijeratne said that the government and the LTTE had agreed upon the new operational hours.
Speaking to The Morning Leader, Wijeratne said that the entry exit point was opened last Friday for the movement of civilians and for the transportation of essential items.
The point was closed for civilians from November 12, as the ICRC had withdrawn its operations from the Omanthai entry-exit point. The ICRC said that withdrawal was due to security related incidents near the crossover point on November 11.
However, ambulances were allowed to move to and from the Wanni through the Omanthai entry-exit point.
Soldier attempts suicide
A soldier belonging to the Gurunagar army camp in Jaffna had attempted to commit suicide by exploding a hand grenade while on duty. The soldier was admitted to hospital with serious injuries on his hand.
Head-on collision
Two private buses had collided head on in Katuwana. The accident had taken place near the Maharuppa Bridge on the Middeniya-Walasmulla Road. Around 34 passengers, including the drivers of the buses were injured due to the accident.
The injured have been admitted to Katuwana, Embilipitiya and Matara Hospitals.
The police said no one had sustained serious injuries.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Teen rapist nabbed
The Ruwanwella Police arrested a 16 year-old boy for sexually abusing and raping a girl of his age. The crime had been committed on a number of occasions during this year at Thondukanda, Kurupette. Police investigations are in progress.
Cattle thief caught
Seventeen heads of cattle stolen from Wewapitiya, Rajanganaya were recovered when the police arrested a suspect, a 33 year old man. The value of the cattle was said to be Rs. 200,000. Police investigations are in progress.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment