Sri Lanka, Norway Will Discuss Mediation Role in Peace Process
[ Bloomberg ] [ 01:19 GMT, Dec. 15, 2005 ]
Sri Lanka and Norway will today discuss Norwegian mediation in the peace process with Tamil Tiger rebels after Norwegian government ministers said clarifications were needed over its participation. Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera and his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store are scheduled to meet during the World Trade Organization's ministerial meeting in Hong Kong, the TamilNet Web site reported. ``We will be happy to take on the role,'' the TamilNet report cited Store as telling Norway's NTB news agency yesterday. ``There are certain terms that need to be clarified.'' He didn't say what the terms were.
Heightened military activities raise tensions in Sri Lanka
[ TCNR ] [ 11:46 GMT, Dec. 15, 2005 ]
Heightened Military activities have raised tension in the volatile north and east of the Island nation of Sri Lanka, according to reports from there. Tensions prevailed in Tamil heartland Jaffna as the Sri Lanka armed forces cordoned off and searched several villages in the district including Kachchai area in Thenmaradchy, Ariyalai in Jaffna, Myilankadu in Valikamam North, and Mandan in Vadamaradchy area. Troops continued their cordon and search operations for a second day on Wednesday, according to civil sources in Jaffna. One report said seven youths have been detained for further questioning by the SLA in Mandan area. However, the Sri Lankan Army has not officially released any information on the detention.
Suspected rebel fronts threaten Sri Lankan army
[ Reuters ] [ 11:49 GMT, Dec. 15, 2005 ]
Anonymous posters have been pasted near military high security zones warning soldiers they will be shot unless they leave. "If you don't want war, go from here. If you want to die, stay back," read one poster. "If you stay back, you will be destroyed, so go immediately." Two suspected rebel fronts have also emerged, demanding the army stop checking homes in Jaffna district to root out cadres and claiming responsibility for the claymore attacks. A group calling itself the Tamil Peoples' Resurgence Force said on Thursday it had 250 trained men ready to mount attacks on the military unless search and cordon operations were halted. Another calling itself the High Security Zone Residents' Liberation Force -- claiming to represent Tamils displaced from swathes of the north occupied by the army and now off limits -- has vowed to mount sporadic offensives against the army. "Faced with severe shortages, we have also planned to capture weapons and ammunition during our future offensives," it said in a statement, threatening to use "sticks, knives and other sharp objects as weapons to expel the occupying soldiers". Both previously-unknown groups deny any links to the LTTE, but analysts said they bore the hallmarks of Tiger fronts.
Debate over India's role in Peace Process
[ Aki/DAWN ] [ 11:53 GMT, Dec. 15, 2005 ]
With the hardline Buddhist monks of the National Heritage party (or JHU) calling for India to play a stronger role in Sri Lanka's deteriorating peace process, opinions vary on the part that India could play to usher in a stable peace between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The Scandinavian monitors however have noted that violence has increased this year with a large number of political killings and tensions have risen since the election of president Mahinda Rajapakse who has advocated taking a tough line with the Tamil rebels. Meanwhile the JHU have also been applying pressure on the government to minimize the role of Norway in the peace process. The nationalist People's Liberation Front (JVP) has also strongly pushed for Indian intervention, JVP party sources said. John Gunaratne, head of Sri Lanka's government's peace secretariat in Colombo, admitted that India "for a variety of reasons" has preferred not to take on an "increased profile" in Sri Lanka's peace quest.
Lankan President to visit India on December 27
[ UNI ] [ 11:57 GMT, Dec. 15, 2005 ]
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse will pay on official visit to India for four days from December 27 during which he will hold discussions with the President, the Prime Minister and other leaders. Rajapakse's visit to India, the first foreign visit by him after becoming President last month, is being considered an important milestone in India-Sri Lanka relations. During the state visit, he will meet President APJ Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and several other leaders. The Sri Lankan President is expected to apprise the Indian leadership of the progress in the peace talks with the LTTE.
SLA conducts aggressive search operation throughout Jaffna
[ LTTE Peace Secretariat ] [ 12:03 GMT, Dec. 15, 2005 ]
The Sri Lankan Army (SLA) began aggressive searches in civilian homes throughout Jaffna beginning on 13 December. The arbitrary searches continued through 14 December, causing fear among residents. This is the first time heavy searches to this degree have been conducted since the ceasefire agreement was signed in 2002. On 14 December, around 30 people were arrested when the SLA rounded up people after conducting search operations in several areas of Jaffna. It is reported that 27 people were arrested when the search operations were conducted yesterday in Vadamardchchi-Mandur area. When searches were being conducted in Kupplilan, the SLA took family members from two houses to Chunnakam police station and Oorelu army camp. The family members who were taken to the Chunnakam police station have been released after investigations.
SLA soldiers search Jaffna press, threaten workers
[ TamilNet ] [ 12:05 GMT, Dec. 15, 2005 ]
Sri Lanka Army cordoned off the offices of the popular Tamil daily Namathu Eelanaadu located in Navalar road Jaffna Thursday 6.30 a.m. and searched the editorial, administrative and press sections of the paper's offices thoroughly for nearly half an hour, workers at the premises said. SLA soldiers questioned several workers at the daily and demanded to see workers' national identity cards. Civil groups expressed alarm at this ominous development to suppress press freedom in Jaffna district. Soldiers also blocked the roads leading to the Namathu Eelanaadu office and searched civilians attempting to pass the offices. Many without national identity cards were detained for several hours, sources said.
Asylum betrayed
[ New Statesman ] [ 16:54 GMT, Dec. 15, 2005 ]
Britain's asylum system is out of control and ministers preside over a regime of corrupt-ion and inhumanity. I know. Working with asylum applicants, I see the reality of an amoral, bungling policy at first hand. In the past few years, I have helped more than 100 would-be refugees, their cases a snapshot of a national disgrace. In my experience, most assumptions about "failed" asylum-seekers are nonsense. Some cases may be bogus, but many fail because of poor or non-existent legal representation. None of the asylum applicants I have dealt with was fraudulent. All were eventually able to corroborate their harrowing accounts of imprisonment, torture, rape and the murder of their loved ones."Failed" asylum-seekers scheduled for deportation can be shackled, bound and forcibly injected with sedating medication, according to eyewitness accounts I have received. To stop them screaming en route to the plane, some escorts apply thumb pressure to the throat and twist handcuffs so tight that they pinch the wrist nerves and cut the flesh, leaving some victims with long-lasting nerve damage.
Norway says it will remain Sri Lankan peacemaker but on its own terms
[ AFP ] [ 17:06 GMT, Dec. 15, 2005 ]
Norway's foreign minister told his Sri Lankan counterpart that Oslo would continue trying to broker peace in the island's long-running ethnic conflict, but only under strict conditions.Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store met Sri Lanka's Mangala Samaraweera late Thursday on the sidelines of the World Trade Organisation conference in Hong Kong to reassure Colombo that Norway remained committed to staying on as mediator."I have reiterated that this is a commitment of the Norwegian government because I think they wanted to hear that the new Norwegian government stands behind this," he told AFP after the meeting."I have also underlined...the framework and the ground rules that have to apply if we are going to be able to play this kind of role."
'Media freedom under serious threat' -Northern Media Association on military intrusions in Jaffna
[ LTTE Peace Secretariat ] [ 17:12 GMT, Dec. 15, 2005 ]
'The harassment and intrusive actions of the SL military in Jaffna towards the media and its personnel are a serious threat to media freedom' said the Northern Media Association in a report condemning the so-called search operation carried out by the SL forces in the premises of the Tamil Daily 'Namathu Eelanadu' in Jaffna today 15 December 2005. Public thoroughfares leading to the printing press and office of this newspaper were cordoned off and the military conducted a search for more than thirty minutes. It was not known what they were looking for, but the newspaper office was ransacked and the staff subject to harassment, severe questioning and checking of identity papers.
Muslim platoon in the army?
[ BBC ] [ 17:29 GMT, Dec. 15, 2005 ]
A Muslim party is calling to establish a Muslim platoon in the Sri Lankan Army. Muslim United Liberation Front (MULF) leader Mujiber Rahuman told the BBC Sinhala service on Thursday that the violence against Muslims in the East of Sri Lanka can be contained only if the Muslims can ''look after their own security''. "State security forces have proved its ineffectiveness to assure the security of Muslims in the East," said Rahuman pointing out that several Muslims have been killed in the past few weeks. He said, "It is futile trying to find out who is behind these killings, as it won't save Muslim lives".
Joint statement Norway and Sri Lanka
[ MoF Norway ] [ 19:08 GMT, Dec. 15, 2005 ]
The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera met with the Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, this evening in Hong Kong. The Ministers held wide ranging discussions on bilateral relations between the two countries including matters related to the Norwegian facilitation in the Sri Lankan peace process. Minister Samaraweera, reiterated the new President's commitment to the peace process and the role of Norway as the facilitator. The Sri Lankan minister also discussed operational modalities for the resumption of talks. The ministers look forward to an early visit by Norwegian Minister of Development Mr Erik Solheim, to Sri Lanka to initiate the resumption of talks with the GOSL and the LTTE. The composition of the Norwegian team, including a Special Envoy, will be announced shortly.
