India and SriLanka Rejects U.S. `Guidance' on Visit by Iran's President.

India rejected U.S. ``guidance'' on what to tell Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad when he visits the South Asian nation this month.

India should tell Ahmadinejad to suspend Iran's uranium enrichment program, end its interference in Iraq and stop supporting terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah, State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey said . Ahmadinejad visited colombo and New Delhi on April 27-29.

``India and Iran are ancient civilizations whose relations span centuries,'' India's External Affairs Ministry said in a statement yesterday. ``Both nations are perfectly capable of managing all aspects of their relationship.''

The U.S. is leading efforts to tighten international sanctions against Iran over its nuclear activities, which the Bush administration says may be a cover for building weapons, a claim the Islamic Republic denies.

Heavy fighting in ‘Mhamalai’ , More than 140 died.

Fighting has started at 2.30 a:m and continued till 12:30 Noon. LTTE cadres have firstly launched the attack.
Sri Lanka ARMY successfully battled against the LTTE and has been able to eject and kill many tigers. And SL ARMY



also has been able to take the possession of significant area of the LTTE’s Forward Defense Line. Sri Lanka Air

force’s 2 MI24 helicopters have also battled in assistance for ARMY.
SL ARMY sources revealed that face to face fighting are now over and ARMY continues in clearing the area with the

assistance of SL Air force. ARMY Intelligence says that more than 100 of LTTE cadres died in operation and many has

wounded.
SL ‘media center for security’ says, 40 Security personals died and 12 wounded in the operation.
Moreover it has been said that this was the severe fighting occurred after LTTE and SL government remove from the

MoU.

Tamil-Nadu becoming back as a heaven to LTTE smugglers ?

Tamil nadu in india is not far away from Jaffna peninsula in srilanka. For a long time LTTE using tamil nadu as a their main operational center for their smuggles. The LTTE maintains a wide network of committed sympathizers and mercenary supporters to ensure regular supplies of fuel, medicines and war-related materials to carry on their armed campaign.

As many as 108 people have been arrested for suspected smuggling activities since May 2006. Of these, 31 were Sri Lankan Tamils and the rest Indians. There are 49 Sri Lankan Tamils in a special camp for suspected militants and their sympathizers in Chengalpattu. Of these, nine are hard-core LTTE men.

The Sri Lankan Navy feels its recent successes against the LTTE's fleet of arms-running vessels - it has sunk seven in the last two years - has forced the rebel group to source much of its supplies from India.

The war in Sri Lanka is now closer to India's coast than ever before. The main theater is now Mannar, the North-western district in which a small enclave is in LTTE control. Talaimannar, Sri Lanka's westernmost point is just an hour's speedboat journey away from Rameswaram.

FBI - The most dangerous

The United States' top intelligence agency, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) says that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is the most dangerous and deadly extremist organization in the world.

Following is the what FBI says......

TAMING THE TAMIL TIGERS
From Here in the U.S.

As terrorist groups go, it has quite a résumé:

• Perfected the use of suicide bombers;
• Invented the suicide belt;
• Pioneered the use of women in suicide attacks;
• Murdered some 4,000 people in the past two years alone; and
• Assassinated two world leaders—the only terrorist organization to do so.

No, it’s not al Qaeda or Hezbollah or even HAMAS. The group is called the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) or the Tamil Tigers for short.

Needless to say, the Tamil Tigers are among the most dangerous and deadly extremists in the world. For more than three decades, the group has launched a campaign of violence and bloodshed in Sri Lanka, the island republic off the southern coast of India.

Its ultimate goal: to seize control of the country from the Sinhalese ethnic majority and create an independent Tamil state. Along the way, it has launched suicide attacks, assassinated politicians (including a government minister this week and even the Sri Lankan President), taken hostages, and committed all of kinds of crimes to finance its operations. The resulting civil war has taken the lives of nearly 70,000 Sri Lankans on both sides of the conflict since 1983 alone.

Why should you care? Certainly because of the suffering and bloodshed that the Tamil Tigers have caused. And because its ruthless tactics have inspired terrorist networks worldwide, including al Qaeda in Iraq. But also because the group has placed operatives right here in our own backyard, discreetly raising money to fund its bloody terrorist campaign overseas, including purchases of weapons and explosives.

The U.S. government has designated the Tigers a foreign terrorist organization, so their activities here are illegal. And we’re determined to stop them, using the full range of our investigative and intelligence capabilities.

In April, for example, we struck an important blow when our Joint Terrorism Task Force in New York arrested the alleged U.S. director of the Tigers. The man supposedly held several fundraising events at a church and various public schools in Queens and in northern New Jersey in 2004. He is also accused of arranging high-level meetings between the group’s leaders and U.S. supporters.

We’ve also arrested another 11 Tamil Tiger-related suspects in the New York City region. And in Baltimore, following a multi-agency investigation, a pair of Indonesian men pled guilty and were sentenced recently for working with others to export surface to air missiles, state-of-the-art firearms, machine guns, and night vision goggles to the Tigers in Sri Lanka.

You can help by being careful with your donations. Like other terrorists, the Tigers have raised funds under a variety of cover organizations, often by posing as charities. A great deal of money, for example, was raised for the Tigers following the 2004 tsunami that devastated Sri Lanka and many other countries.

And please report any suspicious activities to your local field office or anonymously through this website.

No one can dictate the freedom to live

No one can dictate the freedom to live....
The choice begins from childhood

Thousands of precious lives have been lost in the Three-decade old ethnic conflict that has plunged the country into misery.

Despite intense efforts being made to bring lasting peace to our beloved motherland, the war still continues' displacing tens of thousands of innocent people including women and children'

Why did this war erupt and to whom does it cater to? Can't all communities live in harmony and can't peace prevail in this beautiful isle? The movie 'Prabhakaran' comes as a tribute to all loving people of mother Lanka.

Prabhakaran is probably the first film made on the ongoing war in this country that devoured thousands of lives.

Who is to be blamed for this tragic situation? The Sinhala or Tamil people are not those to be blamed for the war. They are only caught in the midst of the conflict and are subjected to misery. The film sees the conflict from a humanistic angle. It discusses the story of a suicide bomber who escapes from LTTE clutches and how she is being pushed to that point.

The idea of this movie is to give new meaning to this three-decade old conflict and look at it from an unbiased angle - from the side of human beings.

Human lives should be valued above all. Is this happening in war, be it in Sri Lanka or any other part of the world?

SYNOPSIS

Kamalani is a member of the LTTE's black Tiger unit. She also gets her brother enrolled into the fold. Kamalani is compelled to marry a Sinhala youth, in keeping with an order that comes from the terrorist group's leadership. She marries Piyasoma. She is asked to reside in a border village. It must be remembered she joined the LTTE suicide squad after she lost her parents in the war. But when she lives in the border village she realizes how many innocent people including children are being killed in the war. She beings to comprehend the reality that it is the innocent who are the ultimate victims of this war.

Meanwhile, the LTTE assigns her a deadly suicide mission, but other humane factor like Piyasoma's love and the baby, which she was expecting give her new hope about life. She tries to escape from the grips of the LTTE. In the meantime she also tries to get her brother 'Prabhakaran' to leave the terrorist outfit.

Will Kamalani succeed in her mission to flee the Tigers? Will she be able to rescue her brother from the LTTE? Will Piyasoma lose his wife and Child? The rest of the gripping story will unfold answers to these crucial questions ...

"The internal rift within the LTTE organization creates the base for the story in the movie 'Prabhakaran' . The film woven around characters like Prabhakaran, Kamalani, Piyasoma, Abe, was picturised in real areas where the conflict exists. The lives of the people living in these areas are largely controlled by the war that has been in existence in many facets for more than three decades"

Sinhala and Tamil new year

In April (the month of Bak), when the sun moves from the Meena Rashiya (House of Pisces) to the Mesha Rashiya (House of Aries) in the celestial sphere; Sri Lankans begin celebrating their New Year or Aluth Avurudhu (in Sinhala) . It marks the end of the harvest season . On the day of celebrations, the sun is directly above Koggala (where a sun devale can be found).

However, unlike the Western celebration of the new year at midnight on December 31st, the Sri Lankan New Year begins at a time determined by astrological signs. Also unlike western traditions; the ending of the old year, and the beginning of the new year occur several hours apart from one another (this span is determined by astrology as well) - this period is, aptly enough, referred to as the nona gathe (neutral period). During this time Sri Lankans are, according to custom, encouraged to refrain from material pursuits, and engage solely in religious activities (buddhists)and traditional games.

Cultural rituals begin shortly after the beginning of the new year with the cleaning of the house and lighting of an oil lamp.

Families indulge in a variety of rituals which are carefully determined by astrological calculations - from lighting the fire to making the kiri bath, (milk rice) to entering into the first business transaction and eating the first morsels.

Once these are done, the partying really begins as families mingle in the streets, homes are thrown open and children are let out to play. The ubiquitous plantain is dished out alongside celebratory feasts of kaung (small oil cake) and kokis (crisp and light sweetmeat, originally from the Netherlands).

Aurudu has become an important national holiday for both the cultures of the Sinhalese Buddhists and the Tamil Sri Lankans, and is unique as such, as it is not celebrated in the same manner elsewhere in the world (some countries do celebrate a similar festival on the same date or a near date) .

(wiki)

The future of the Mahalo

'Mahalo' is a human-powered search engine that creates organized, comprehensive, and spam free search results for the most popular search terms
as a human intervened search engine it takes the time to find and organize the best links for search terms.

Mahalo search results are not contains spamy or dead links, you frequently encounter with traditional search engines like 'yahoo' and 'google'.
but it contains great links for your searches.
Their results contain everything you need to know about a topic and are organized into sections to help you quickly find what you need. For example, our travel pages for cities contain sections on basics (weather, current events, maps, history), flights, vacation packages, transportation, activities, attractions, events, tours, hotels, restaurants, shopping, nightlife, and local blogs.

Now you may think that it is not fast because of human intervention.
NO ! . it is fast as google and yahoo.

If you want to know how is it,
go to their home page and try some searches and compare them with google searches.

Earn money with Mahalo
You can also earn with Mahalo by providing high-quality links to any search term.
if it is approved by the mahalo then you will be credit for it
first of all you have to register with Mahalo green house.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The future of the mahalo will be a bright one.
I says it as for several reasons.
when searching on the internet, most of people are very concern about their time and
careful in not going to harmed web sites. using google their are plenty of such links may encounter.
but mahalo analyzes every web site and only shows if it is relevant for you searches.
It not means that you are not getting prearranged web sites. there is a option open to you if you can not find the web site and knows the appropriate link, then submit it to mahalo.

MEA servers hacked, China hand suspected

The computer network within the Ministry of External Affairs has been broken into, allegedly by Chinese hackers, government sources told Hindustan Times on Thursday.

India’s relations with China are delicately poised with the Tibet issue gaining centre-stage internationally, but the alleged hacking predates the current crisis, the sources added. Officially, the MEA refused to either deny or confirm the reports.

The hackers broke into MEA’s internal communications network, possibly accessing e-mails through which officials communicate policy and decisions across the ministry’s offices in India and in our foreign missions.

United States Welcomes Release of Children by TMVP

TMVP the separatist group of the LTTE, now joined hands with the SriLanka government, has released 11 child soldiers recently.

The Embassy of United States in Colombo has welcomed the release of 11 children by the TMVP. In a press release (Apr 10) the Embassy commends the effort of Sri Lankan government , UNICEF and other parties to bring about this release and their commitment to providing counselling, rehabilitation, and training that will enable former child soldiers to become productive members of society.

Further US gov. requests from all parties who recruiting child soldiers to release them immediately.

EARN FOR SEARCH THE INTERNET

I have found a company registered in England and wales.
Vine On Line Limited
Company number 5955358
Registered Office:
Unit 1A, Wrexham Enterprise Park,
Ash Road North,
Wrexham Industrial Estate,
Wrexham, LL13 9JT

who pays for their members for search the internet.
Have you ever used the google to search any thing.
this also same as it.
Instead they use ask.com search engine and pays for every searches.
It's completely free and earn as much as you can.

You don't need any special softwares to install or sign in with them every time to make searches. Instead use their search bar.
My recommendation is to get the firefox browser (it's free and fastest and only 5MB in size) and start search.

Is it possible to earn money on the internet

Most of my friends asks me about this matter.
So I decided to write something on making money on the internet.
Being a US resident you have plenty of opportunities to earn cash, but if you are a srilankan, Indian or any other except an European, you will find hard to make some cash.

But my views is different from you.
If you clever enough to find good earning programs, tools and tricks, it will easy to make some cash.

First of all we begin with pay to read (PTR) or pay to click (PTC) programs.
PTC, PTSU, or PTR are same in operating.
they pays for their members for viewing ads, sign up with their partner sites or holding contests.

But you may confused in their reliability. there are more than thousand s of such programs on the net.
Below is some web sites who has earned a good name throughout past years by paying their members.

http://cash-hi.com/
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http://buxjunction.com/
GET $5 just for sign up, $1 pay out, good service for members

http://www.swatcash.com/
5$ pay out more offers, If you are outside the USA use a proxy to complete restricted offers.

http://www.theclickers.net/
more offers low payout.

Web directory.
Directory

Prabhakaran Regular Visitor to LTTE Training Camps: ex-Tigers

LTTE SUPREMO PRABHAKARAN was quite regular in attending the training camps of the Tamil Tigers and used to personally supervise their programmes, a surrendered activists of the banned organisation has said. Arumugam (named changed) told a team of visiting journalists at a fortified building in Jaffna that houses the former LTTE cadres that the LTTE chief was quite regular in attending training camps and used to personally supervise their programmes.

"I worked for the LTTE for almost six years and was classified as a Black Sea Tiger," Arumugam told the journalists. The former rebel said he is still petrified by prospects of an attack on him by the LTTE for having deserted the organisation.

"I have already lost a portion of my leg," Arumugam said, displaying the injury he suffered during a confrontation with the Sri Lankan security forces. The camp, to which the visiting journalists were taken around earlier this week, had 54 surrendered men, many of them former supporters and sympathisers of the outfit.

A top military official said the camp was well protected and there were layers of cordon that one had to go through to enter the area.

When asked whether he had seen Prabhakaran, Arumugam hesitatingly said he had watched him from close distance though never got an opportunity to talk to the LTTE leader. "He (Prabhkaran) generally does not discuss with individual LTTE fighters and prefers to address the activists jointly," the former LTTE cadre said.
The Island

Transport of Essential Items to Un-Cleared Areas Continues

EIGHTY NINE (89) lorry loads of food and other essential items had been dispatched to un-cleared areas in the Northern Province during the period between 28 March to 10 April 2008.

Those consignments had reached areas in KILINOCHCHI and MULLAITIVU districts via OMANTHAI and UYILANKULAM Entry/Exit points.

The stocks contained rice, dhal, dried fish, clothes, fuel, spices, building materials, vehicle spare parts, medicine and the such like which are needed for the use of civilians in un-cleared areas.
A total of 3734 civilians had crossed over to the un-cleared areas through those checkpoints while an estimated 3494 civilians had arrived in VAVUNIYA from un-cleared areas during the said period.

(uncleared areas are in red color)

JVP is in crisis

the 3rd main political party in sri lanka is now in crisis.
this happened after the emotional speech of JVP parliament group leader and party's vocal propaganda secretary MP Wimal Weerawansa, at the parliament in Tue, 2008-04-08.
in his speech he has revealed that the party has decided to cancel his membership.
He admitted that he has been suspended by the party.


He in his emotional speech added that the JVP had decided to officially announce his suspension after the conclusion of the Eastern Polls.
further he added that there are internal and external forces who are conspirators attempt to be sidelined him.

meanwhile another group of JVP parliamentarians, held a media discussion on the same day
and announced that 11 members including Wimal Weerawansa have decided to function as an independent group in the Parliament.

after the real crisis has begun.
today (10 april) 03 members of separatist group has said that an unidentified group
attempts to blackmail them.

------------------------------------------------------------------
Wimal Weerawansa who worked so hard for so long and he is the man, who lifted the JVP to their current position.

Sinhala and tamil new year

will sri lankans be able to celebrate their main festival event ?
sinhala and tamil new year came once in a year. in all the time it is the season of happiness. the most glorious persons are children. sinhalese are mostly concerns about this festival. it is the time which people forget their angry and be happy with every one.
But in recent years the importance of the festival event has been reduced dramatically .
the reason might be the sky scraping cost of living and the security conditions in the north and east.

Who wants and who is keen to kill Tamils

Who wants and who is keen to kill Tamils

By : Mahesh Gajasinghe

Tamil blood has been the most favorite succor of delight of the Terror tiger; obviously, it has been the most productive lifeline for the brute. It is with Tamil blood the tiger grew so fast and so strong. And when it is becoming weaker, it is natural for the brute to crave for more Tamil Blood. The brute is now getting weaker, and desperately looking for more Tamil blood. Dear brothers, sisters and children of Tamil community, beware of the hungry tiger!

The recent escalation of violence against Tamil civilians in North and Eastern provinces implies that the terror leadership has switched his mode of operation to psychological warfare by taking the advantage of Tamil blood. Initially, killing of Tamil civilians by LTTE were limited only to the political opponents and liberal ideologists. Now, it turned to be a "low intensity holocaust" for Tamil, something that LTTE leadership would love to propagate. It seems that Mr. Prbhakaran has realized the best way to create such "holocaust" is to kill own supporters of lesser importance. Mr. Prbhakaran never hesitated to follow his "Big brain's" instructions. It was Pottu Amman's advice he always respected whenever troubled with insecurity. Mr. Prbhakaran even executed his best friend; former deputy leader of LTTE, Gopalaswamy Mahendrarajah alias Mahatiya on the instructions of Pottu Amman. The following paragraph is an extract from an article published on an Indian magazine describing the assassination of Mr. Gopalaswamy:

The former LTTE deputy leader, Gopalaswamy Mahendrarajah alias Mahatiya, was arrested along with around 250 of his suspected supporters on charges of treason on July 31, 1993. He was detained, tortured and interrogated by the Tiger intelligence wing, led by Pottu Amman, at an undisclosed location. A confession of guilt was forcibly extracted, filmed and shown on video to Tiger cadre. Thereafter Mahatiya was executed. So too were many of his one-time bodyguards and supporters. Several hundreds of suspected Mahatiya confidants were detained for prolonged periods and released. The LTTE was purged of all alleged pro-Mahatiya elements. (Frontline, 27th March, 2004).

The above paragraph elaborates the unbridled ambition of the LTTE leadership. Colonel Karuna's lucky escape was the only occasion where Pottu Ammans treason failed. Now, the LTTE leadership wants the government solve his problems, just because of it's inability to accept the reality of its own intelligence wing.

It is not the aim of this article is to find out who is more ambitious; Mr. Prbhakaran or Mr. PottuAmman, or to analyze the internal problems of LTTE, but to reveal the most brutal treachery against the Tamil community; selling of Tamil blood for getting international sympathy. Yet, comprehending the LTTE's latest strategy needs the reader to understand three key points that: Mr. Prbhakaran never hesitated to launch such strategy; Mr. Pottu Amman is equally qualified to plan such strategy, and above anything else the LTTE is getting weaker, day by day.

Having failed to "frighten" the government of President Mahinda Rajapakse by way of military operations, LTTE leadership is now encountering his worst troubles in the history of Eelam war. International community is gradually marginalizing and isolating LTTE whilst the much needed support of Tamil Diaspora is depleting. The presence of much haunted Karuna factor endangers the LTTE at a full scale war. Further, the grooving world opinion against terrorism does not provide much room to carry out indiscriminate attacks on Sinhalese and Muslims to scare off the public. And above all, the ever traumatized Tamil community in North and East is fast recovering from the blindness of racism, realizing the stark reality of LTTE terrorism. The loss of support from the local Tamil community is what scares Mr. Prbhakaran most.

The initial response of LTTE for depleting Tamil support came up as a series of assassination of Tamil civilians that held different view form LTTE ideology. Then, it turned to be a staging of protest campaigns, in which the schoolchildren and innocent civilians were forcibly lead to commit violence against the security forces. Having failed to get sufficient support from civilians for the fake protest campaigns, LTTE started a spree of abduction of children for forceful conscription. All possible attempts were made to brain wash the civilians with the illusions of racial hatred. The success of the LTTE in this aspect is not yet known. However, the LTTE's next move; to kindle racial violence by its genocidal attempts on Sinhalese and Muslims, met with absolute failure. Meanwhile the security forces maintained the ever stretching limits of tolerance over the continuous killings of their own members on a day to day basis.

The suicide bomb attack in Army headquarters suddenly jolted the government of a possible full scale war. Consequently, the security forces were compelled to eliminate the most imminent danger; the LTTE strongholds in Sampoor. Attempts to regain its lost public image of being a strong militia were totally crushed by the government forces. Thus, the only option left with LTTE is to engage in psychological warfare to fulfill its desperate need for international support. In other word selling Tamil blood for international sympathy.

Since, the attempts to get Tamil Blood out of a racial clash failed; the LTTE is left with two more options. The first is to blame the government for "extra judicial killings" and the other is to fabricate a subtle connection between security forces and the so called paramilitary.

The LTTE went full out with its new strategy highlighting incidents of "missing" Tamil youth. But most of these "missing" youth suddenly turned up at security forces camps as surrendered child soldiers escaping from LTTE. Then a drama was enacted for the consumption of international community by showing off blood stained cloths and various other signs that eight youth had been killed by the security forces. But the attempt failed as the SLMM and other Human Rights activists refuted the LTTE's claims.

Now, the LTTE is going for a more effective drama. Killing of an own supporter of lesser importance in the most brutal way, might have the potential to draw the international sympathy towards LTTE, provided it is carefully handled and the blame be put on the security forces. The killings in Kayts were obviously, a part of the LTTE's overall strategy that was explained so far. The effectiveness of the operation is yet to be known.

It is indeed an inhuman act to kill two innocent children in Kayts. It has been a practice of the LTTE leadership to slaughter innocent infants whilst in their sleep in Sinhalese and Muslim villages. It has been a great delight for the LTTE leadership to see innocent Tamil children dying in the battle field. The Tamil children are the brigade of "one way fighters" (not expecting to return after the battle) in the eyes of Mr. Prbhakaran. Of course, he has nothing to worry; his children are safely studying in a western country.

Beware of the mad tiger!

US condemns LTTE cowardly attack in gampaha

Colombo, April 7, 2008 – The United States strongly condemns the terrorist attack on April 6 in Weliweriya, Gampaha District that claimed the life of Minister of Highways and Road Development and Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandupulle. Also killed in this heinous attack were National Athletic Coach Lakshman de Alwis, well- known marathon runner K.A. Karunaratne, and several other persons, while scores more were injured. Minister Fernandopulle was a friend and valued colleague for many Americans. We offer our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the victims and to all Sri Lankans for this tragic loss.

The United States denounces this vicious and reprehensible terrorist attack on civilians in the strongest possible terms. "Its perpetrators have achieved nothing other than to cause further suffering among the people of Sri Lanka. Only a political solution, not continued violence, offers the way forward to end the country’s conflict."

The international commiunity always says, try to proceed with a political solution on the present crisis in Sri Lanka. But the fact is LTTE doesn't know what is the politics and democracy. It's only a smuggling business network operates in countries like U.K USA, India, AU, and specially in Norway and Canada.

Air Force Destroys Black Tiger Base & LTTE Bunker Line

After the LTTE suicide bomber attack in colombo, SriLankan security forces increased their attacks on LTTE. TWO AIR STRIKES were successfully conducted by the Sri Lanka Air Force in support of the ground troops operating in the north this morning (7/April/2008). The first sortie by the Air Force Kfir jets destroyed an LTTE Black Tiger training centre, northwest of MANKULAM, MULLAITHIVU around 6.15 a.m.. After about a couple of minutes, MI 24 attack helicopters shelled an LTTE bunker line south of MUHAMALE. The two missions were accurately accomplished,
the SL army says.

links of LTTE will exist in future ?

As a main smuggler in south asia, LTTE has so many cnnections with other terrorist groups such as AL QAEDA, judai and countries like north corea, thailand, norway and india.
many of war reviewers are saying that there is no such connections in LTTE with AL QUAEDA. They argued that LTTE is not in a preference to making links with AL QUAEDA who is supporting to a emerging MUSLIM TERRORIST GROUP (JIHAD) in SriLanka.
So what will happen in near future between LTTE , AL-QUAEDA and JIHAD.
though JIHAD is still in its infant stage, they are getting great support from sri lankan muslim leaders. especially from peoples in east area of sri lanka.

The LTTE in Crisis

By G. H. Peiris
Professor Emeritus of the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

Paper was first published in South Asia Intelligence Review [SAIR] Volume 6, No. 35, March 10, 2008

In the past few weeks there have been many media reports that point to the prevalence of confusion and disarray among the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE/Tigers) in the face of heavy losses inflicted by the armed forces of the Government of Sri Lanka. Apart from many references to injury sustained by the LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in the course of an aerial bombardment in November 2007, there was some speculation that he may even have died. [Claims of Prabhakaran’s death may be set to rest after Prabhakaran’s ‘public appearance’ at the funeral of the pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance Member of Parliament, P. Sivanesan, in the rebel-held Wanni area, of which the LTTE released photographs on March 9, 2008]. The specificities that embellish these reports, though ignored by spokesmen for the LTTE, have been refuted with disdain by several pro-LTTE writers. Given the questionable credibility of ‘news’ originating from either side of the great divide, it has seldom been possible to sort out the truth from fiction in the stories on the confrontational aspects of the Sri Lankan conflict. What can, consequently, be attempted is, first, to contextualise the recent surge of media attention on turbulences in the shrinking Tiger habitat of the ‘Vanni’ in northern Sri Lanka, without speculating on whether its leader is dead or dying or hibernating prior to a deadly leap at the jugular, and then, to synthesise the information on what prevails at present, extractable from sources less contaminated by propaganda objectives.

In the chequered history of the LTTE spanning the past three decades during which Prabhakaran has held sway as its supreme leader, there have been several spells over which its insurrectionary capacity suffered serious setbacks. Prominent among such recessions were: the brief eclipse of the LTTE in the aftermath of the Indian peace-keeping intervention in 1987; the worldwide anti-Tiger revulsion evoked by the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991; the strategic losses consequent upon its expulsion by the Sri Lankan armed forces from the Jaffna peninsula in 1995; the constraining effects on its international operations generated by the global tide of hostility towards terrorism following the al-Qaeda attack on the United States in 2001; and, more far-reaching in impact than any other, the internal revolt led by ‘Colonel Karuna’ in March 2004. The impression conveyed by the experiences in each of these episodes, however, is that the LTTE possessed the inner resilience and the external support required for recovery, if not entirely unscathed, at least with sufficient strength to persist with its campaign of warfare and terror. By contrast, the losses suffered in the more recent past appear to constitute an irreversible and aggravating trend featured by indications that could well portend a final collapse.

Despite the weakening of its grip on the eastern lowlands that resulted from the calamitous breakaway of the Karuna group, the LTTE leadership persisted with unswerving commitment to its goal of establishing a sovereign Tamil nation-state – ‘Eelam’ – encompassing the entire ‘northeast’ of Sri Lanka, the pledges of the ceasefire agreement of February 2000 notwithstanding. As in earlier times, its efforts were directed mainly at enhancement of military strength, expanding the territory under its control in the Northern and Eastern provinces and eliminating its rivals in that part of the country, mobilising international support for its cause, and destabilising the Government of Sri Lanka through carefully regulated intimidation and terror. That instigating a Sinhalese backlash of violence against the Tamils living outside the northeast – a re-enactment of 1983 – also remained a prime objective was underscored by the assassination of Sri Lanka’s charismatic Foreign Minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar, a provocative outrage committed in the final days of Chandrika Kumaratunga’s presidential tenure.

Colombo-based politics of the country during this period remained in a state of flux, featured by both frequent changes of the power configuration as well as intense electoral rivalry. Given the fact that the release of the foreign aid pledged by the donors remained conditional on progress being made towards a negotiated settlement of the conflict, Government policy had to accommodate two mutually conflicting needs – that of strengthening security and defence in the face of the mounting Tiger threat, on the one hand, and persistence with credible peace overtures to the LTTE, on the other. The latter encountered the almost insurmountable problem of fierce inter-party dissension on what could be offered to the Tigers without endangering the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.

On the eve of the presidential election of November 2005 Prabhakaran enforced a boycott of the polls in the north and parts of the eastern lowlands where Ranil Wickremasinghe, former Prime Minister and a frontrunner of the presidential stakes, would have attracted substantially more support than his rival Mahinda Rajapakse. This decision appears, in retrospect, to have been a monumental blunder that marks the onset of a drastic change in the fortunes of Prabhakaran’s Eelam campaign. The boycott decision was evidently based upon the premise that Wickremasinghe, hailed internationally as the ‘peace candidate’, if elected, would, with his commitment to power-sharing under a federal system of Government, place in serious jeopardy the case for a secessionist campaign. Prabhakaran’s expectation was that Rajapakse, if successful in his presidential bid, backed as he was by electoral allies vehemently opposed to a political compromise involving devolution of power to the northeast, would actually attempt to implement his campaign pledges to jettison the ceasefire agreement, to evict the "White Tigers" (Norwegians) from their role as facilitators of peace negotiations, and to discard the notion of LTTE being the sole representative of the Tamils. Such a hawkish approach, the LTTE leadership believed, would pave the way for a resumption of military confrontations in earnest, backed by vastly enhanced international sympathy and support for the rebels’ cause.

Having contributed to Rajapakse’s victory at the election, the LTTE leaders began to test the resolve of the new President. Thus, while articulating with greater vehemence than ever before their earlier demands for Government intervention in disarming the Karuna group, and for constitutional power over the northeast pending a final resolution of the conflict, they launched a series of guerrilla attacks and acts of terrorism which, in April 2006, reached the heart of Colombo’s defence establishment in the near-successful attempt to assassinate the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka.

The sharply escalating level of violence did not evoke a retaliatory response from the Government, at least for some time. Rajapakse persisted with his pursuit of peace, risking, in the process, the support of some of his parliamentary allies. He established an ‘All-Party Representative Committee’ tasked with formulating constitutional reforms based on the axiom of devolution. He backed the Norwegian efforts at facilitating fresh peace negotiations, expressing a solemn hope that the brief meeting between delegates of the Government and the LTTE staged at Geneva in February 2006 would mark the resumption of a continuing dialogue with the Tiger leadership. Rajapakse was also reported to have made a ‘secret’ attempt to establish direct contact with the LTTE high-command, knowing fully well that the attempt would not be kept concealed from Sri Lanka’s friends abroad. The intensifying LTTE violence, however, could not be ignored indefinitely. From the commencement of Rajapakse’s presidency up to the bomb attack on the Army Commander (approximately 150 days), 150 armed services personnel, in addition to about 150 civilians, had been killed by the LTTE. The animosity between the LTTE and the security forces had reached such fever pitch, and the nationalists’ pressure for some retaliation had become so intense that the President was eventually compelled to initiate a series of air strikes on identified LTTE bases. Nevertheless, as the President had surmised, the continuing belligerence of the LTTE, on the one hand, and the show of restraint by the Government, on the other, did resonate in the policy stances, vis-à-vis Sri Lanka, of several western Governments, both in a substantially enhanced flow of aid as well as in the imposition of sanctions on the LTTE in member-states of the EU and in Canada in May-June 2006.

The repercussions of Prabhakaran’s capricious gamble at the presidential polls soon instilled into his strategy a sense of desperation. This found expression in a series of ‘Sea Tiger’ attacks (including an act of piracy) that evoked strictures from several quarters including the Secretary General of the UN and the Head of the Scandinavian ‘Ceasefire Monitoring Mission’ stationed in Sri Lanka. Prabhakaran retaliated by demanding the removal of all non-Norwegian members of the Monitoring Mission from the northeast. The tempo of violence was increased further with a spate of attacks on military and civilian targets in all parts of the country. Then came the major military showdown in the eastern lowlands that began on July 20, 2006, in the form of a ‘riparian’ confrontation in the irrigation channel system of Mavil Aru (south of Trincomalee) which compelled the Government to retaliate in earnest, with a nod of approval from the US. Thereafter, following a series of bloody battles that lasted up until mid-2007 in the course of which the LTTE incurred heavy losses, the rebels were finally evicted from the entire Eastern Province.

Throughout this period of intense military activity in the ‘East’, confrontations between the security forces and the LTTE elsewhere in the country took various forms. The Forward Defence Lines (FDL) of the Government-controlled areas in the Jaffna peninsula and in the hinterland of Mannar continued to be venues of low intensity clashes, with occasional flare-ups of short duration. In localities adjacent to the FDL in Vavuniya District, Army killings of suspected insurgents and LTTE claymore-mine attacks and ambushes of Army patrols occurred in routine fashion. The severe ‘maritime’ losses suffered by the LTTE during these months included the sinking of eleven of its vessels off the east coast. More significant, as an ingredient of the LTTE military debacle than any other, was the destruction caused by the constant barrage of aerial bombardments in one of which (November 3, 2007) Thamilchelvan, Head of the LTTE’s political wing, perished, and in another (November 27, 2007), Prabhakaran suffered injury.

These military defeats constitute only one (albeit the key) component of the current LTTE crisis. The mutually interacting ‘external’ misfortunes of the Tigers in the recent past include the death in December 2006 of Anton Balasingham, who had served for well over two decades as, by far, the most effective international spokesman and propagandist for the secessionist campaign. The impact of the loss of its carefully nurtured image of invincibility has been even more profound, especially on the support from the expatriate Sri Lankan Tamil communities whose responses to fluctuating fortunes of the LTTE have never been devoid of elements typical of ‘cheer-squad’ reactions. Recent reports also indicate that the increasingly stringent enforcement of anti-terrorism regulations in some of the western countries has curtailed both diaspora funding as well as other operations of LTTE agents and ‘front’ outfits abroad. The crescendo of their desperate campaign for UN ‘humanitarian intervention’ against the alleged proliferation of human rights violations in Sri Lanka has achieved a measure of success in generating external pressures against the country’s war effort, but has had no mitigating effect on the pariah status of the Tigers.

Foremost among the ‘internal’ causes for the present LTTE crisis is the prevailing trend towards factional disintegration of its leadership which, as the related evidence suggests, could well represent the emergence at the surface of subterranean rivalries that had been in existence all along. It may be recalled that the departure of Karuna itself caused a mini-purge in the Tiger leadership. Thereafter, when Thamilchelvan was killed in November 2007, certain critics (among them, S.R. Balasubramaniam, Congress Party leader in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu), cast doubt on the ‘official’ explanation of the death, and pointed to the possibility of Thamilchelvan having been killed by Prabhakaran in the same way he had liquidated other potential rivals in the past. In addition, throughout the recent years, there has been the barely concealed animosity between two of the highest ranking Tiger leaders – ‘Pottu Amman’ (alias Shanmuganathan Sivasankaran, the feared Head of the Tiger intelligence network whose spectacular ‘hits’ include the masterminding of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination) and ‘Soosai’(alias, Thillaiyampalan Sivanesan), the charismatic ‘Sea Tiger’ ‘admiral’. According to an analysis of this rivalry by the journalist D.B.S. Jeyaraj, when Soosai [who had been accused by Pottu Amman of connivance with the renegade Karuna and the Indian external intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW)] suffered serious injury in 2004 while engaged in a speed-boat manoeuvre (though the injury was officially attributed to an accident) the widespread and lingering belief within the LTTE that it was the consequence of an attempt by Pottu to murder Soosai had given rise to clashes among its rank and file, which took a long time to subside. Factional rivalries of this type in the Vanni and their repercussions outside the country are likely to intensify if, indeed, the reported weakening of Prabhakaran’s grip over the LTTE contains substance.

Yet another ‘internal’ dimension of the crisis is seen in the recent resurgence of several anti-LTTE political organisations among the Tamil community of Sri Lanka, most of which were reconciled to a shadowy existence in the heyday of the Tigers in the past. Tamil critics of the LTTE have become bolder in expressing their views than ever before. Some among them repeatedly announced that the ‘Eelam’ campaign is doomed. A distinction between the LTTE interests and those of the Tamils of Sri Lanka is being drawn with clarity and vehemence. There is also a publicly expressed suspicion that the recent spate of murders of several pro-LTTE activists operating outside the northeast represents the work of such organisations, the members of which rank among the innumerable victims of LTTE terror.

As a barrier to progress towards statutory recognition of the entire northeast as a ethnically distinctive entity (which, of course, constitutes the conceptual basis of the secessionist campaign), the Supreme Court verdict announced on October 16, 2006, according to which the then existing amalgamation of the Northern and Eastern provinces to constitute a single unit of Provincial Government (a sequel to the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987) had all along (since the expiry of 12 months after the related constitutional amendment) been constitutionally ultra vires, is even more insurmountable than the military eviction of the LTTE from the east.

The cumulative impact of these complex military and political reverses on the LTTE has been devastating, producing the most acute crisis of the group’s existence. Sustained Government operations in the North now have the capacity to inflict progressive damage on the rebel infrastructure and support base, increasingly undermining any residual potential for recovery and consolidation.

quote : http://www.ict.org.il/apage/1534.php

Prabakaran

A scene from film Prabhakaran

Sri Lankan journalists demand the robbed film Prabakaran while some Chennai politicians think otherwise
Many professional journalist associations in Sri Lanka told the Indian High Commissioner (ambassador) in Colombo that since both India and Sri Lanka hold the freedom to express opinions as a fundamental right in their supreme law the envoy should make his good offices to get the robbed copies of the film “Prabhakaran” released from the studio immediately.

In a joint statement the journalists associations told Colombo’s Indian High Commissioner Alok Prasad, “We believe that right to hold and express opinions are fundamental rights accepted by both our countries (India and Sri Lanka) and enshrined in our respective constitutions".

In the joint memorandum addressed to the envoy the Sri Lankan journalists said, that creating films or any other cultural production connected to a social, economic or political theme is to exercise "this inviolable right".

The journalists further asserted, "It is in this context that we believe the recent attack against Thushara Peiris is a violation of that right...We wish to register our disquiet about this incident."

In an earlier report the victim Thushara Peiris told newsmen , "They punched me on the eye, on the nose and hit me on my head. I fell on the ground," describing the attack on him by allegedly pro-LTTE elements in Chennai.

In their joint statement the Sri Lankan journalists thanked the security personnel who had come to rescue film director of the film Prabhakaran from the marauding politically motivated mob who prevented further physical harm to him and said, “Our organisations have been informed that the master tape of the film is still at the Studios and we urgently request the intervention of your good offices to return these master tapes.”

While the journalists were protesting in Colombo pro-LTTE groups in the DMK coalition government
and who were allegedly involved in the assault of the film director were bringing pressure on the Tamil Nadu government not to release the illegally seized film. A group comprising Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) president Thol Thirumavalavan, his sidekick Vanniyarasu, pro-LTTE director Seeman, Dravidar Iyakka Tamilar Peravai president Suba Veerapandian reportedly met the Chief Minister
Muthuvel Karunanidhi in this regard.

Indicating the film “Pabhakaran” has already become a hot political issue in Tamil Nadu , a Tamil Nadu Congress leader Ilayankudi S Shabir Ali lodged a complaint with the Chennai Commissioner of Police Nanchil Kumaran to take action against director Seeman, Dravidar Iyakka Tamilar Peravai president Suba Veerapandian and VCK functionary Vanniyarasu for opposing the film as it would amount to supporting the terrorist outfit. They reportedly threatened a fast in front of the police station if no action is taken against the obvious illegal act.
Thushara Peiris , whose company spent 35 million Rupees in making the film told a Sri Lankan Sunday newspaper that after the attack at Chenniai Gemini Colour Laboratories where he was processing the Tamil version of the film " I was kept in a room in the laboratory and was not allowed to talk to the media." Thushara said , after the assault a meeting was summoned with the film technicians, police and officials of the Indian Censor Board and had demanded to watch the film to which Thushara had agreed. However Thushara was made to sign a letter stating that if it contained any scene against Tamils or terrorists it would not be allowed to be screened in India, the newspaper said. During the attack the mobsters were shouting to burn the film, he said.
Many analysts in Colombo said the pro-LTTE elements in Tamil Nadu certainly did not want the Tamil population to know how Tamil children are being treated by the Tamil Tigers and hence this seizing of the film occurred taking law into their own hands.

"My Daughter, the Terrorist"

What makes anyone want to blow themselves up for a cause? In this intimate and personal portrait we join two young female elite soldiers trained for the ultimate mission. We share their childhood experiences, their dreams and their families’ loss. Left behind are the mothers.

Dharsika and Puhalchudar belong to the last batch of the Black Tigers, and are now equipped for the last mission: strapping an American-made Claymore mine to their bodies, able to blow themselves and everything within 100 feet to pieces. We first meet them at an optimistic time: The peace talks are making progress, and the Black Tigers are officially decommissioned. The girls are serving as ordinary soldiers.

The girls have a close friendship. For seven years they have been eating, sleeping, training and fighting side by side. They can survive for weeks in the jungle without supplies. They don’t know exactly how many enemies they’ve killed in ordinary battle.

Their only source of information is what the guerilla allows them to know, and sincerely believe that their great leader would never order them to bomb civilians. The grisly images of the bombing of Columbos very own World Trade Center is a somber counterpoint to this.

Dharsika’s family is typical: the father died in the war. We meet her mother, who has been struggling to bring up her family in a war-torn society. She tells us that Dharsika stayed with the family just long enough to bury her father, then disappeared into the guerilla’s hands. She is proud of her daughter’s fight for their homeland.

This film ends with us and the mother hoping to meet Dharsika and Puhalchudar on Hero’s Day, the yearly pompous and grand celebration of every single tiger martyr. But we – and her mother – are unsuccessful. In the pessimistic mood of faltering peace talks the guerillas have decided to put them into active service again.

Alongside the wailing and grieving mothers clutching the graves of their loved and lost ones, she places her flowers on the grave of the unknown soldier and walks away.

"My Daughter, the Terrorist" justifies suicide bombers

The Sri Lanka embassy in Washington has urged the authorities of the State Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to take appropriate measures in preventing screening of "My daughter the terrorist," a movie on LTTE suicide bombers scheduled to be shown at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, Durham, North Carolina, on April 4, 2008, an official of the Foreign Ministry said.

The film is said to be a distortion of exploitation of the freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment. The film, 'My daughter a terrorists' has audaciously portrayed a 12-year old Tamil girl's path towards becoming a suicide bomber, trained and brained washed by the LTTE terrorist movement.

"The LTTE website has unashamedly admitted how she was forcibly kidnapped as an infant for the ignominious role of being a suicide bomber. The movie has no qualms about glorifying suicide bombing in all its gory details. The Full Frame Film festival in Durham is now using this film as an attraction for viewers to enjoy the Film Festival at Durham, North Carolina, Asiantribune website reported.

Sources from Foreign Ministry told news.lk that the Norwegian producer Beate Arnestad had arrived in Sri Lanka during the Cease Fire Agreement period and entered Wanni without the permission of the Foreign Ministry or any responsible state body for the filming of the movie.

Meanwhile foreign news sources reported on Thursday (04) that the Eelam Revolutionary Organization (EROS) has also urged the United States Government to ban the "Black Tiger" documentary in the United States of America, as it was a blatant propaganda film glorifying suicide bombers and terrorism in Sri Lanka and would entice would-be suicide bombers to join terrorist organizations that are a threat to the interests of the United States.

Also Sri Lankan expatriates from all over the U.S. have risen in indignation and fury at the gross insensitivity of the organizers of the film festival. The organizers have been reportedly plagued by hundreds of e-mails and faxes from the public, pouring in from many States of the U.S. expressing outrage and trying to appeal to the better judgment of the organizers, who should have anyway known better than to schedule a movie promoting terrorism, foreign news sources added.

Courtesy : SL Government Information Department

A Political Solution, but not to cater only to Tigers

Secretary General
Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process

The All Party Representative Committee (APRC) recently presented interim proposals to provide a solution to the problems in the North and East of the country. The government has accepted these proposals, which were signed by thirteen political parties, making clear that a majority of the democratically elected representatives of the people of this country agree with these proposals. The special characteristic of these proposals is the ability to implement them without looking for any amendment of the constitution.

Finding a political solution to the problem.

“ The idea of fully activating the 13th amendment was brought up by one such group, but it was the APRC as a whole that found it acceptable. This does not prevent the APRC from discussing further options, and it continues to do so, but agrees, especially in the context of the people of the North and East not having had elected representatives running their affairs for so long, that implementing the 13th amendment fully in those areas would at least be a start.”

“The All Party Representative Committee (APRC) recently presented interim proposals to provide a solution to the problems in the North and East of the country. The government has accepted these proposals, which were signed by thirteen political parties, making clear that a majority of the democratically elected representatives of the people of this country agree with these proposals. The special characteristic of these proposals is the ability to implement them without looking for any amendment of the constitution. “

Clearly a political solution is essential for the prevailing national problem, which began with political questions. A solution should be achieved not through the division of the country but through the devolution of power. By devolution is meant a system that will empower the public to make decisions about matters that affect it closely. But, in facilitating this, we need to pay attention to a prevalent fear, that devolution could lead to a division of the country. The 13th amendment, which was passed twenty years ago, will not rouse such a fear, but earlier it was difficult to assert how effective it was since the LTTE had been against it from the start. However the need to give the LTTE a decisive voice passed with the abrogation of the Ceasefire Agreement that was signed with the LTTE, so now we now have an opportunity to implement the 13th amendment. In that sense the country obtained much greater freedom with regard to moving towards a solution with the abrogation of this Agreement.

In 1987 the 13th amendment to the constitution was passed in accordance with the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement. It was accepted by all minority parties, including initially the LTTE, though they soon rejected it and fell out with India. Because at that stage the Sri Lankan government got close to the LTTE, even though subsequently the LTTE returned to war against the Sri Lankan government too, the view point was created that a problem which in reality involves a multitude of stakeholders was essentially between the government and the LTTE. So, for a solution to work, it was thought that it had to be acceptable to both the government and the LTTE. This approach was reinforced by the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement, which in effect sidelined the other Tamil political parties, for whom there was no place in the peace process.

This does not mean we should blame the Ceasefire Agreement in itself. The government of that day was of the view that, through that Agreement, it would be able to bring the LTTE into the democratic process, and thus get rid of terrorism. However within a short time that hope proved false. The LTTE violated the Ceasfire Agreement repeatedly, continued recruitment including of children, brought in weapons, and withdrew from talks. The present government, when it came into office, nevertheless tried to resume talks, and it seemed briefly to succeed. However, though three opportunities for talks were arranged, only one set of negotiations actually took place, the LTTE walking out on the other occasions, once before the talks even started. After that, though the government kept the door open, and though even informal talks were suggested, the Norwegians reported that the LTTE remained unwilling to talk. So the abrogation of the CFA simply confirmed what had already happened.

And through this there was greater freedom and increased possibilities to hold constructive discussions with the parties who believe in democracy. We do not have to look far to find out the LTTE view of this matter. From the very beginning, the LTTE has consistently stood out, not for any settlement, not for elections, but for an unelected absolute control of an interim administration, even while continuing to destroy all opposition to it amongst Tamils. This government was unwilling and unable to offer such powers, so it was a blessing that, because of LTTE intransigence, it was able to abandon the CFA and consider more seriously what other Tamil groupings had to say.

The 13th amendment

The idea of fully activating the 13th amendment was brought up by one such group, but it was the APRC as a whole that found it acceptable. This does not prevent the APRC from discussing further options, and it continues to do so, but agrees, especially in the context of the people of the North and East not having had elected representatives running their affairs for so long, that implementing the 13th amendment fully in those areas would at least be a start.

A close look at the 13th amendment shows the opportunities for the general public to fulfil their needs through the decentralization of power. The powers available in this regard can extend to most things, though of course there will be particular things under the central government, as is the common situation in any country whatever its system of government. Thus security issues, involving not only defence but also for instance foreign policy, or financial security through monetary policy, or legal security, will not be centralized.

The 13th amendment however had not two sets of powers, but three. Two of these, obviously, were the authority of the central government and the authority of the provinces. The different provinces should have been able to use these latter powers, but in some cases some confusion was introduced. For instance, with regard to education, that is supposed to be a matter for the provinces. But there is an exception in the form of National Schools. This should have been a minor exception, because at the time the 13th Amendment was introduced there were few National Schools. But because there were no clear guidelines on what exactly a National School was, several central government Education Ministers in turn created National Schools, in their own electoral areas for instance, so that they could interfere with regard to appointments and admissions and so on. So if the government agrees to fully implement the 13th amendment, it should make sure that this sort of mechanism, to increase central interference in what are recognized as areas of provincial authority, is stopped.

Another area where some clarification would help the full implementation of the 13th amendment is that of the concurrent list, subjects where authority belongs both to the central government and to the province. In theory both can exercise powers but, since the central government will be superior to the province, most provinces have done nothing in these areas, for fear that they would be countermanded. So here too the government can make clear, by regulation, that in most if not all these areas, it will leave decisions and necessary regulations to the provinces.

It will be easier for the central government to give up power with regard to most areas, because one important reason to fear devolution is no longer relevant. We should remember that a huge problem was created when the 13th amendment was introduced because of the merger of the Northern and the Eastern Provinces. This was done in a very underhand manner. Though the official position was that the President could proclaim such a merger when arms had been surrendered, that was changed, simply through a Gazette notification, to the power to do that when he was satisfied that the process of laying down arms had begun. As you know, J R Jayewardene could proclaim himself satisfied with anything, so he went ahead with the merger even though violence was increasing.

In addition, the merger was supposed to be subject to a referendum, to be held within a year, but that referendum was postponed for nearly twenty years. Because of all this maneuvering, the positive benefits to people of devolution were forgotten, and the impression developed that the 13th amendment was all about encouraging the idea of a distinct homeland within Sri Lanka, in two provinces that were given special treatment.

Last year however these two provinces were separated following a court case, and this means that there is much less fear about what devolution means. That also, like the abrogation of the Ceasefire Agreement, has meant that we could look with fresh eyes at the Provincial Council system, which had otherwise been allowed to degenerate.

Investigations Commence on LTTE Suicide Attack on Hon Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle

GAMPAHA: POLICE AND ARMY commenced special investigations on the LTTE suicide attack that killed Hon. Minister of Highways and Road Development Mr. JEYARAJ FERNANDOPULLE in the WELIWERIAYA town along with twelve others this morning (6).





Hon. Minister was the Chief Guest at a sports event organized to mark the oncoming Sinhala and Hindu New Year festival, the main cultural function annually celebrated by Sinhalese and Tamils.



The LTTE suicide bomber has triggered his suicide jacket at the very time that Hon Minister was to flag down to start the marathon on the road in front of the KANTHI playground in WELIWERIAYA.

The blast killed the Hon Mister on the spot.

Lieutenant Colonel P.S.S.R. UDAYADHEERA, National and South Asian marathon gold medalist Mr. K.A KARUNARATHNE, National Coach Mr. LUXMAN DE ALWIS and Chief Inspector KANNAGARA were also among the dead. Over eighty had been injured while four were transferred to National Hospital COLOMBO in critical condition.

Hon Minister Mr. JEYARAJ FERNANDOPULLE, was a senior politician who represented his people in GAMPAHA District more that twenty five years. A pious Catholic by birth, the slain Minister always attacked the LTTE, specially their activities in Holy MADHU area, in his eloquent speeches delivered in Sinhalese, Tamil and English languages.

Terrorists Fire Mortars on Madhu Shrine Complex

MANNAR THREE LTTE-fired mortar bombs fell into the holy MADHU shrine premises on Tuesday (01) twice. Those three mortar strikes have fallen into residential quarters of the clergy in the shrine. But reports so far received do not speak of any damages or any casualties, military sources said.

This terrorist act is a blatant violation of the understanding that has been made with regard to No Firing Zone around the holy premises.

Heavy fighting in the Welioya Area

WELIOYA: Three LTTE terrorists were killed and six were injured when the Army launched a fierce attack on a line of terrorist bunkers around 11.10 in the morning on Saturday (05) in WELIOYA.

A soldier was also reported injured in the attack.

85 Anti - personnel mines were recovered in a search operation conducted by Troops in the JANAKAPURA AREA, WELIOYA on Saturday(05) in the late afternoon around 3.45. Two soldiers were also injured in the JANAKAPURA AREA. One was injured in a confrontation around 9.45 in the morning and the other was injured at 3.20 in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, seven LTTE terrorists were reported killed and four injured in three incidents in the North KIRIBBANWEWA AREA, WELIOYA on Saturday (05). Six of the terrorists were killed in a two confrontations , three each around 3.10 and 3.20 in the afternoon while the other terrorist was killed and four injured around 4.30 in the evening on the same day (05) . A LTTE type pack , a uniform and a can of "wax " was also recovered from the area .

Nine LTTE terrorists were also reported injured during three confrontations also in the NORTH of KIRIBBANWEWA AREA WELIOYA on Saturday (05) . Two of the terrorists were injured around 4.50 in the evening five other terrorists at 5.10 in the evening while two more terrorists were injured around 11

2008/04/05 LTTE KILLED TOP MINISTER OF SRI LANKAN GOVERNMENT.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka
Highways Minister 'Jeyaraj Fernandopulle' killed by a LTTE suicide bomber 06/04/2008 at gampaha a suburb of colombo.
and at least nine other people, including police and government officials, were killed when a suicide bomb exploded at the start of a marathon race in Gampaha.
At least 50 people were wounded.

Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, who was the highway minister and the chief government whip in Parliament, died when the suicide bomber stepped forward and detonated his explosives.

Fernandopulle was waving the starting flag for the race which was part of the Sinhala and Hindu New Year celebration in Weliveriya town.

Latest reports indicate that the death toll has increased to eleven (11) civilians while the number injured has increased to over fifty (50) in the explosion at WELIVERIYA this morning (06)around 7.40. Those killed include Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, National Athletics coach Lakshman Alwis and the former Olympics marathon runner KA Karunaratne .