News vom 07.12.2005

[srilanka1998]

Annan Calls on Sri Lankan Government, Rebels to Maintain Truce
[ Bloomberg ] [ 00:45 GMT, Dec. 7, 2005 ]

Sri Lanka's government and Tamil Tiger rebels must prevent an upsurge in violence in recent days from undermining their commitment to a cease-fire accord reached in 2002, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan said. `The secretary-general is very concerned about the increasing tensions in the country,'' Annan said in a statement released by the UN. The government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam must continue to support the peace process. Two landmine explosions near the northern city of Jaffna yesterday and Dec. 4 killed 13 soldiers. The government blamed the Tamil Tigers for both incidents and accused the group of carrying out a war of stealth against the army.


Aussie released in Sri Lanka
[ AAP ] [ 02:51 GMT, Dec. 7, 2005 ]

The family of an Australian held for 55 days in Sri Lanka over a ministerial assassination says his release without charge is a "clear vindication of his innocence". Melbourne-based businessman Charles Gnanakone was detained on October 10 on suspicion of involvement in the fatal shooting of Sri Lankan foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. But the Colombo-based court of appeal ruled this week that the 60-year-old - who is of Sri Lankan origin and holds an Australian passport - should be released. His family issued a statement on Wednesday, saying they were very relieved and Mr Gnanakone would fly home after receiving medical treatment. "Charles is currently receiving medical treatment in Sri Lanka," the statement said.


Sudan's Interim Power-sharing and Peace in Sri Lanka
[ TamilCanadian ] [ 03:34 GMT, Dec. 7, 2005 ]

The government of Sudan in the North and the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) headed by its military leader General John Garang in the South signed a permanent peace accord on 9 January 2005, ending Sudan's 21-year civil war. It is the culmination of a more than two years of intensive negotiations. The peace talks were mediated by the regional Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), led by retired Kenyan General Lazaro Sumbeiywo. A united diplomatic front to achieve peace was also led by the United Kingdom, Norway, Kenya, and the United States, with significant involvement from U.S. Special Envoy Ambassador John Danforth, during the past two years. Importantly, it provides for a federal system, with a two chamber central government and a regional government for Southern Sudan which will have substantial powers. This structure will stay in effect for six years, after which South Sudan may choose to become independent through a referendum.

 

[srilanka1998]

Rs.29 million for CBK

Chief justice Sarath N Silva has expressed his disappointment in open courts as to how a large sum of money has been allocated from next year's budget for former President Chandrika Kumaratunge.
Rs.29 million has been allocated for President Kumaratunge front the budget for 2006.

Chief Justice aired his views when he took up a petition filed by President Mahinda Rajapakse asking to verify the legality of the supplementary budget with relevance to the budget for 2006.

Chief Justice Sarath N.Silva said he was surprised to see Rs.29 million is set a part to former president alone where as only Rs.29 million is allocated for the ten judges of the Supreme Court

Chief Justice said he could not approve such a huge amount of money going out from the budget to a single person.

Only six million rupees have been allocated for the former president D.B.Wijetunge, the chief justice added.

"This is an unequal treatment", he said.

The secret decision of the Supreme Court on the legality of the supplementary budget will be conveyed to the President Mahinda Rajapakse and the speaker of parliament.

 

[srilanka1998]

Sri Lanka in U-turn asks Norway to keep up peace bid
[ AFP ] [ 12:04 GMT, Dec. 7, 2005 ]

Sri Lanka's new President Mahinda Rajapakse has asked Norway to keep trying to broker peace with Tamil Tiger rebels despite an election vow to review Oslo's role, the government said. The president told Norway's ambassador Hans Brattskar to keep up the effort even though two key allies of the government had earlier insisted that Norway should be expelled from the peace process. "President Rajapakse invited the Royal Norwegian government to continue its role as facilitator to the peace process in Sri Lanka," a government statement said. Rajapakse also met envoys of the "co-chairs" -- the United States, the European Union, Japan and Norway -- who are leading efforts to raise money in support of peace.


Sri Lanka top army general camps in Jaffna, Japanese peace envoy arriving
[ AP ] [ 12:09 GMT, Dec. 7, 2005 ]

Japanese peace envoy Yasushi Akashi, who is scheduled to arrive late Wednesday to meet with President Mahinda Rajapakse and other top officials, a Japanese Embassy statement said. Japan is Sri Lanka's top aid giver. Akashi, a frequent visitor to Sri Lanka, will likely call for reduced tensions and a return to peace talks, which have been stalled since 2003 when the Tamil Tigers walked out over demands for greater autonomy in the north and east of the country. It was not immediately known if Akashi will travel to the rebel capital of Kilinochchi to meet with Tamil Tiger leaders. Meanwhile, the military erected new defense positions and barricaded entry points in Jaffna city to prevent rebel attacks, residents said when reached by the telephone Wednesday. Maj. Gen. Sarath Fonseka, the military's top commander, was meeting Wednesday with local military leaders to draw up plans to prevent further attacks by the rebels on military personnel.

 

[srilanka1998]

Sri Lanka in U-turn asks Norway to keep up peace bid
[ AFP ] [ 12:04 GMT, Dec. 7, 2005 ]

Sri Lanka's new President Mahinda Rajapakse has asked Norway to keep trying to broker peace with Tamil Tiger rebels despite an election vow to review Oslo's role, the government said. The president told Norway's ambassador Hans Brattskar to keep up the effort even though two key allies of the government had earlier insisted that Norway should be expelled from the peace process. "President Rajapakse invited the Royal Norwegian government to continue its role as facilitator to the peace process in Sri Lanka," a government statement said. Rajapakse also met envoys of the "co-chairs" -- the United States, the European Union, Japan and Norway -- who are leading efforts to raise money in support of peace.


Sri Lanka top army general camps in Jaffna, Japanese peace envoy arriving
[ AP ] [ 12:09 GMT, Dec. 7, 2005 ]

Japanese peace envoy Yasushi Akashi, who is scheduled to arrive late Wednesday to meet with President Mahinda Rajapakse and other top officials, a Japanese Embassy statement said. Japan is Sri Lanka's top aid giver. Akashi, a frequent visitor to Sri Lanka, will likely call for reduced tensions and a return to peace talks, which have been stalled since 2003 when the Tamil Tigers walked out over demands for greater autonomy in the north and east of the country. It was not immediately known if Akashi will travel to the rebel capital of Kilinochchi to meet with Tamil Tiger leaders. Meanwhile, the military erected new defense positions and barricaded entry points in Jaffna city to prevent rebel attacks, residents said when reached by the telephone Wednesday. Maj. Gen. Sarath Fonseka, the military's top commander, was meeting Wednesday with local military leaders to draw up plans to prevent further attacks by the rebels on military personnel.


Sri Lanka tightens defences amid fears for truce
[ AFP ] [ 13:17 GMT, Dec. 7, 2005 ]

Sri Lanka's top military brass has held emergency talks with field commanders amid fears that a truce with Tamil Tiger rebels was in danger of collapse after a fresh wave of violence killed 27. The army, navy and air force chiefs stayed overnight in the northern peninsula of Jaffna where 16 soldiers have died since Saturday, officials said. Another 11 people have been killed in the island's east. "The service commanders are taking a closer look at the defences in the area and want to change some of the tactics," a top military official in the north said when contacted by telephone. While senior commanders visited Jaffna, suspected Tiger rebels lobbed a grenade at a police vehicle on Tuesday night, officials said, adding that the passengers escaped without injury.


Cease-fire monitors say Sri Lanka violence endangering cease-fire, peace process
[ AP ] [ 13:18 GMT, Dec. 7, 2005 ]

Sri Lanka's president met with Norway's ambassador Wednesday as Norwegian-led peace monitors warned that escalating violence could plunge the tropical island back into civil war. The meeting between Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar followed two land mine attacks earlier this week by suspected Tamil Tiger rebels that killed 15 soldiers in the northern Jaffna Peninsula. The guerrillas deny involvement. Presidential spokesman Bandula Jayasekara declined to comment on the meeting between Rajapakse and Brattskar, but Hagrup Haukland, who heads the international cease-fire monitors, warned that further attacks could derail Sri Lanka's efforts to permanently end the two-decade civil war.


Fears rise in north S.Lanka after lethal attacks
[ Reuters ] [ 13:21 GMT, Dec. 7, 2005 ]

Standing amid the war-ravaged buildings of Sri Lanka's government-held Jaffna enclave, soldiers like 26-year-old Saman say a string of attacks blamed on Tamil rebels is straining their patience -- and a 2002 ceasefire. Violence this month has been the worst since the truce halted two decades of civil war, sparking widespread fear of a resumption of hostilities. Nordic truce monitors say violence is not yet out of control, but restraint is vital. "The last two to three years were so peaceful," said Saman, gripping his assault rifle as he patrolled past a school in downtown Jaffna, a northern town where many buildings still lie crumbled in ruins from war-time shelling.


Sri Lanka u-turn on Norway role
[ BBC ] [ 13:24 GMT, Dec. 7, 2005 ]

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse has asked Norway to continue mediating in peace efforts with Tamil rebels. Mr Rajapakse made his request in talks with the Norwegian ambassador in Colombo, a government statement said. The move came despite a recent election vow to review Norway's role and follows calls from key coalition allies for Oslo to be relieved of its duties. Tensions have risen since Mr Rajapakse was elected last month, with the rebels blamed for two mine attacks on troops. The army says 17 soldiers have died in attacks in the north since last Friday, 14 of them in separate mine blasts near Jaffna.


Norway accepts president's invitation
[ BBC ] [ 20:30 GMT, Dec. 7, 2005 ]

Norway has agreed to a request by Sri Lanka to relaunch peace talks between the government and Tamil Tiger rebels, but only if certain conditions are met. Norway's Minister for International Development Erik Solheim reacted positively to the request but didn't elaborate on the conditions. "We are glad and honoured that the President is putting such a trust on Norway," he said. The minister, who has mediated between the two parties for the last five years, in an interview with BBC Sandeshaya said that he would discuss the conditions with the two parties and that Norway will be get involved as soon as the parties are ready. He said, "the parties are in the driving seat, and Norway will assist if parties want to move towards peace".