News vom 15.01.2006

[srilanka1998]

'LTTE, Army both violating CFA'
[ The Sunday Leader ] [ 02:44 GMT, Jan. 15, 2006 ]

Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) spokesperson Helen Olafsdottir is deeply concerned about the recent spate of incidents in the north and east. She feels if this is not addressed by both factions - the LTTE and the government-a war is inevitable. Though she says the relationship the SLMM has with both the government and the LTTE is 'good,' the monitors are not satisfied with the response received to the call of peace from both parties. She says though the LTTE has consistently been violating the CFA, the army too has been responsible for violating the CFA. Asked whether the failure to disarm paramilitary groups by the government was a violation of the CFA, she said yes. "When we inquired from the government about the Karuna faction, the government said it was unaware of Karuna's existence. But when we visited the spot and asked the army, they showed us where he was," she said.

 

[srilanka1998]

Sri Lanka plans new security force for capital
[ AFP ] [ 13:44 GMT, Jan. 15, 2006 ]

Sri Lanka plans a new security force in the capital to deal with possible attacks as concern grows for a fragile ceasefire with separatist Tamil Tiger rebels, police said. Heavily-armed troops and police have been visible in the city of 650,000 in recent weeks, in line with tighter security following clashes between troops and rebels in the country's northeast, police Deputy Inspector General Pujith Jayasundara said.However, he rejected reports that Tamil rebels planned a suicide truck bomb attack in the capital."There is always a general threat, but nothing specific against any landmark building or anything like that," Jayasundara said. He rejected as "rumours" a report in the privately-run Sunday Leader newspaper that Tiger rebels had planned a truck bomb attack against key economic targets in the capital.


More Sri Lanka Tamils flee to India fearing war
[ Reuters ] [ 13:46 GMT, Jan. 15, 2006 ]

A new group of Sri Lankan Tamils has landed on the Indian coast claiming they are fleeing war in the island nation, police said on Sunday. The group of 10 arrived by boat near the famous pilgrim town of Rameswaram, about 550 kms south of Chennai, capital of southern Tamil Nadu state, late on Saturday evening. They said they were fleeing escalated violence between the government forces and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in northeast Lanka, police said. Another boat carrying five people came early on Saturday after the first wave in which 33 Tamils came in two batches on Thursday and Friday.


An open letter to American Ambassador in Sri Lanka
[ TamilCanadian ] [ 19:38 GMT, Jan. 15, 2006 ]

I read what you addressed on the 9th of January 2006 titled, "Peace and Prosperity: US Policy Goals in Sri Lanka 2006". ... As you are well aware that the peace process is built on the premise that both the parties, namely the SLG and the LTTE, have entered into a Cease-fire Agreement as equal partners. Therefore, anyone dealing with/trying to influence, these two parties in relation to the CFA and the peace process should treat both the parties equally. In this aspect, the very few comments you made during your address about the CFA and the escalation of violence were unwarranted and could only undermine further the peace process and not going to help the parties to refrain from violence ... Tamils are yearning for peace than anyone else. But they want to live with peace and dignity like the Americans wanted when they were fighting for their freedom. Tamils expect the American administration to be impartial in dealing with the parties to the conflict and make statements like what Mrs Ferrero-Wladner has made that helps to build peace, and not threatening statements like what you have made that jeopardise peace by pushing the Tamils to a corner, never to return to the table you lay out.


Pirapaharan opens new Senchcholai campus in Kilinochchi
[ TamilNet ] [ 22:55 GMT, Jan. 15, 2006 ]

Leader of Liberation Tigers, V Pirapaharan, opened the new Sencholai campus, a children's home established to care for children who had lost both parents in the war, at a location in Kilinochchi in a ceremony held Sunday, media sources in Kilinochchi said. The facility, built at a cost of nearly US $500K, contains several residential blocks for girls. An adjoining facility for Kantharoopan Arivuchcholai, a home for boys, is expected to be completed soon, according to Senchcholai officials. The new campus contains eleven residential blocks for different age groups for the 245 girls of age 3 and older cared for by Senchcholai staff. It also contains a special block for infants, dining, study halls and two kitchens.