srilanka1998
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Sailors killed in Sri Lanka blast
[ BBC ] [ 10:28 GMT, Apr. 11, 2006 ]
At least 12 sailors have been killed and another eight wounded after their bus hit a mine in north-eastern Sri Lanka, police say. The bus was carrying soldiers from Trincomalee. Officials said at least two foreigners were also hurt in the blast which they blame on Tamil rebels. The blast comes a day after five soldiers and two civilians died in a mine attack in Jaffna peninsula. The rebels denied any involvement in Monday's attack. The latest violence comes as a top truce monitor, Ulf Henricsson, is meeting rebel leaders - including SP Thamilselvan, the leader of the Tigers' political wing - to discuss Monday's mine attack. "Two attacks within days - it is very worrying," a spokesperson for the monitors, Helen Olafsdottir, said.
SLMM insists allegations against Haukland baseless
[ Daily Mirror ] [ 10:39 GMT, Apr. 11, 2006 ]
The Daily Mirror learns that the SLMM was also angered that at that meeting Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had told the former SLMM head Hagrup Haukland the LTTE could be easily defeated if the army joined forces with the Karuna faction while denying claims the armed group was operating in government-controlled areas.When contacted by the Daily Mirror SLMM spokesperson Helen Olafstdottir refused to comment over the Defence Secretary’s statement on the Karuna issue but deniedclaims that the former SLMM head had termed the LTTE as freedom fighters. Several political parties and organisations have hit out at the SLMM after a media report two weeks ago quoting the Defence Secretary as saying that Mr. Haukland, called the LTTE freedom fighters.
Canadian Tamils Disappointed by LTTE Listing
[ CTC ] [ 10:59 GMT, Apr. 11, 2006 ]
The Canadian Tamil Congress, the representative organization of Canadian Tamils, considers this decision to be harmful as both the LTTE and the government of Sri Lanka are currently engaged in an internationally brokered peace process as equal partners. This decision, at such a sensitive time, will tip the delicate balance which has brought both parties to the negotiating table and hinder the prospects for long term peace and stability in the region. As part of the Conservative Party platform in the most recent elections, the current government stated its support of the peace process in Sri Lanka, by way of a written statement. The government stated that it’s committed to increasing Canada’s role in the peace process. Canadian Tamils are quite disappointed at such a sharp contrast in policy within weeks of taking office.
“Not a single article appeared in the Canadian media about the swindling of the Tsunami money.”
[ Tamil Mirror ] [ 11:05 GMT, Apr. 11, 2006 ]
Ninety percent of the Sri Lankan Tamils living in Canada entered the country as Refugees in fear of the atrocities of the state machinery. A good number crossed over to Tamil Nadu and still live in a pathetic environment as slaves. No media or Organization talks about these refugees because for them they are not human beings. If the media wants scintillating stories they should visit and interview refugees at such Refugee camps in Sri Lanka and South India, interview and write about their experiences. That will reflect the human rights violations. I know that you contributed $500.00 to the fundraising for hospitals in Scarborough through an annual walk a Thon. There are many Tamil businessmen doing this. Raising fund for a good cause is nothing wrong, but no one should force people to give money.
Separatist Tamil Tigers outlawed
[ Toronto Star ] [ 11:30 GMT, Apr. 11, 2006 ]
"It's very unfortunate window dressing," says Queen's Faculty of Law professor Sharryn Aiken, who argues the negative impact of the listing outweighs any positive outcome. "As a matter of law, there is very little added benefit."Aiken worries that Canada has lost its neutral position to help in the peace process when the two sides come together next week in Geneva for a Norwegian-brokered meeting. The government says the listing is long overdue and will not negatively affect Canadian Tamils, nor affect talks on the Sri Lankan peace process that are about to resume in Geneva.
Bus blast kills 12 Sri Lankan sailors
[ AFP ] [ 11:37 GMT, Apr. 11, 2006 ]
The attack Tuesday was seen by officials involved in the Norwegian-backed peace bid as a blow to diplomatic efforts to get the parties to the negotiating table in Switzerland to discuss ways to save an increasingly faltering ceasefire. The bus was travelling from the port city of Trincomalee to Kantale, the next main town in the region, when it was caught in the blast, a police official in the area told AFP. "Victims have been sent to three hospitals," the official said, adding that the bus had hit an oncoming van just after the blast and four passengers, including three Britons, were also hurt.
Updated:2006-04-11 04:45:12
Bus carrying Sri Lankan soldiers on New Year holiday attacked, 12 killed, eight wounded
By KRISHAN FRANCIS
AP
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) - A bus carrying Sri Lankan soldiers on New Year holidays hit by a mine planted by suspected Tamil Tiger rebels in the northeast Tuesday, killing 12 navy sailors and wounding eight others, the military said.
The Claymore mine, which can be detonated by remote control, exploded as the bus was traveling from the port town of Trincomalee to the capital, Colombo, said military spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe.
Samarasinghe blamed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for the blast.
"Surely it is their work, who else," Samarasinghe said.
It was the second attack on Sri Lankan troops in as many days. On Monday, a mine blast killed five soldiers and two relief workers in the northern town of Jaffna.
The blast Tuesday occurred as top cease-fire monitor Ulf Henricsson was meeting Tamil Tiger leaders - including its political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan - in northern Sri Lanka to discuss the anti-personnel mine blast Monday.
"The talks had already been scheduled about preparations for Geneva talks, but this issue will now be brought up as well," Helen Olafsdottir, spokeswoman for European cease-fire monitors, said about Monday's blast.
The government and Tiger rebels are scheduled to meet for peace talks in Switzerland from April 19-21.
Sri Lanka's military also blamed the rebels for Monday's Claymore blast, but the LTTE denied responsibility.
There was no immediate rebel comment available on Tuesday's attack.
The Tigers are known for using Claymore mines, which fire hundreds of steel balls propelled by plastic explosives. The mines can be detonated by remote control.
Representatives from the government and the rebels met in Geneva in February and agreed to scale down violence. A sudden escalation of attacks since December has so far killed 187 people, threatening to collapse a four-year-old, Norway-brokered cease-fire.
The rebels have fought since 1983 demanding a separate homeland for the country's minority Tamils, alleging discrimination by Sinhalese majority. More than 65,000 people have been killed.
Anti-conversion bill to become law soon
[ AsiaNews ] [ 13:47 GMT, Apr. 11, 2006 ]
Despite pledges by the new government to uphold religious freedom in Sri Lanka, the Bill on Prohibition of Forcible Conversion, better known as the anti-conversion bill, continues its journey through parliament.Catholics and other religious minorities are concerned by that and have called on President Mahinda Rajapakse, who was elected last November, to respect the promises he made to the nation.Breaking the law would result in a prison term of up to five years or a fine that could reach US$ 1,500. The sentence can be extended to seven years and US$ 5,000 if converts belong to the so-called “Schedule 1” category, i.e. people most at risk: women, children, prison inmates, the mentally or physically challenged, refugees, military or police.
[ BBC ] [ 10:28 GMT, Apr. 11, 2006 ]
At least 12 sailors have been killed and another eight wounded after their bus hit a mine in north-eastern Sri Lanka, police say. The bus was carrying soldiers from Trincomalee. Officials said at least two foreigners were also hurt in the blast which they blame on Tamil rebels. The blast comes a day after five soldiers and two civilians died in a mine attack in Jaffna peninsula. The rebels denied any involvement in Monday's attack. The latest violence comes as a top truce monitor, Ulf Henricsson, is meeting rebel leaders - including SP Thamilselvan, the leader of the Tigers' political wing - to discuss Monday's mine attack. "Two attacks within days - it is very worrying," a spokesperson for the monitors, Helen Olafsdottir, said.
SLMM insists allegations against Haukland baseless
[ Daily Mirror ] [ 10:39 GMT, Apr. 11, 2006 ]
The Daily Mirror learns that the SLMM was also angered that at that meeting Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had told the former SLMM head Hagrup Haukland the LTTE could be easily defeated if the army joined forces with the Karuna faction while denying claims the armed group was operating in government-controlled areas.When contacted by the Daily Mirror SLMM spokesperson Helen Olafstdottir refused to comment over the Defence Secretary’s statement on the Karuna issue but deniedclaims that the former SLMM head had termed the LTTE as freedom fighters. Several political parties and organisations have hit out at the SLMM after a media report two weeks ago quoting the Defence Secretary as saying that Mr. Haukland, called the LTTE freedom fighters.
Canadian Tamils Disappointed by LTTE Listing
[ CTC ] [ 10:59 GMT, Apr. 11, 2006 ]
The Canadian Tamil Congress, the representative organization of Canadian Tamils, considers this decision to be harmful as both the LTTE and the government of Sri Lanka are currently engaged in an internationally brokered peace process as equal partners. This decision, at such a sensitive time, will tip the delicate balance which has brought both parties to the negotiating table and hinder the prospects for long term peace and stability in the region. As part of the Conservative Party platform in the most recent elections, the current government stated its support of the peace process in Sri Lanka, by way of a written statement. The government stated that it’s committed to increasing Canada’s role in the peace process. Canadian Tamils are quite disappointed at such a sharp contrast in policy within weeks of taking office.
“Not a single article appeared in the Canadian media about the swindling of the Tsunami money.”
[ Tamil Mirror ] [ 11:05 GMT, Apr. 11, 2006 ]
Ninety percent of the Sri Lankan Tamils living in Canada entered the country as Refugees in fear of the atrocities of the state machinery. A good number crossed over to Tamil Nadu and still live in a pathetic environment as slaves. No media or Organization talks about these refugees because for them they are not human beings. If the media wants scintillating stories they should visit and interview refugees at such Refugee camps in Sri Lanka and South India, interview and write about their experiences. That will reflect the human rights violations. I know that you contributed $500.00 to the fundraising for hospitals in Scarborough through an annual walk a Thon. There are many Tamil businessmen doing this. Raising fund for a good cause is nothing wrong, but no one should force people to give money.
Separatist Tamil Tigers outlawed
[ Toronto Star ] [ 11:30 GMT, Apr. 11, 2006 ]
"It's very unfortunate window dressing," says Queen's Faculty of Law professor Sharryn Aiken, who argues the negative impact of the listing outweighs any positive outcome. "As a matter of law, there is very little added benefit."Aiken worries that Canada has lost its neutral position to help in the peace process when the two sides come together next week in Geneva for a Norwegian-brokered meeting. The government says the listing is long overdue and will not negatively affect Canadian Tamils, nor affect talks on the Sri Lankan peace process that are about to resume in Geneva.
Bus blast kills 12 Sri Lankan sailors
[ AFP ] [ 11:37 GMT, Apr. 11, 2006 ]
The attack Tuesday was seen by officials involved in the Norwegian-backed peace bid as a blow to diplomatic efforts to get the parties to the negotiating table in Switzerland to discuss ways to save an increasingly faltering ceasefire. The bus was travelling from the port city of Trincomalee to Kantale, the next main town in the region, when it was caught in the blast, a police official in the area told AFP. "Victims have been sent to three hospitals," the official said, adding that the bus had hit an oncoming van just after the blast and four passengers, including three Britons, were also hurt.
Updated:2006-04-11 04:45:12
Bus carrying Sri Lankan soldiers on New Year holiday attacked, 12 killed, eight wounded
By KRISHAN FRANCIS
AP
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) - A bus carrying Sri Lankan soldiers on New Year holidays hit by a mine planted by suspected Tamil Tiger rebels in the northeast Tuesday, killing 12 navy sailors and wounding eight others, the military said.
The Claymore mine, which can be detonated by remote control, exploded as the bus was traveling from the port town of Trincomalee to the capital, Colombo, said military spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe.
Samarasinghe blamed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for the blast.
"Surely it is their work, who else," Samarasinghe said.
It was the second attack on Sri Lankan troops in as many days. On Monday, a mine blast killed five soldiers and two relief workers in the northern town of Jaffna.
The blast Tuesday occurred as top cease-fire monitor Ulf Henricsson was meeting Tamil Tiger leaders - including its political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan - in northern Sri Lanka to discuss the anti-personnel mine blast Monday.
"The talks had already been scheduled about preparations for Geneva talks, but this issue will now be brought up as well," Helen Olafsdottir, spokeswoman for European cease-fire monitors, said about Monday's blast.
The government and Tiger rebels are scheduled to meet for peace talks in Switzerland from April 19-21.
Sri Lanka's military also blamed the rebels for Monday's Claymore blast, but the LTTE denied responsibility.
There was no immediate rebel comment available on Tuesday's attack.
The Tigers are known for using Claymore mines, which fire hundreds of steel balls propelled by plastic explosives. The mines can be detonated by remote control.
Representatives from the government and the rebels met in Geneva in February and agreed to scale down violence. A sudden escalation of attacks since December has so far killed 187 people, threatening to collapse a four-year-old, Norway-brokered cease-fire.
The rebels have fought since 1983 demanding a separate homeland for the country's minority Tamils, alleging discrimination by Sinhalese majority. More than 65,000 people have been killed.
Anti-conversion bill to become law soon
[ AsiaNews ] [ 13:47 GMT, Apr. 11, 2006 ]
Despite pledges by the new government to uphold religious freedom in Sri Lanka, the Bill on Prohibition of Forcible Conversion, better known as the anti-conversion bill, continues its journey through parliament.Catholics and other religious minorities are concerned by that and have called on President Mahinda Rajapakse, who was elected last November, to respect the promises he made to the nation.Breaking the law would result in a prison term of up to five years or a fine that could reach US$ 1,500. The sentence can be extended to seven years and US$ 5,000 if converts belong to the so-called “Schedule 1” category, i.e. people most at risk: women, children, prison inmates, the mentally or physically challenged, refugees, military or police.