News vom 23.09.2005

srilanka1998

Member
Registriert
26. Juli 2005
Beiträge
511
Rising Challenge
[ TamilGuardian ] [ 10:33 GMT, Sep. 23, 2005 ]

The major international players in Sri Lanka the United States, European Union, Japan and Norway this week issued a stark assessment of prospects for peace in the island. Describing the Norwegian peace process as facing its 'most serious challenge' since the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) came into force in February 2002, the Co-Chairs of Sri Lanka's donors also expressed their displeasure over the prevailing situation. Both the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan government were criticised for their respective roles in the ongoing cycle of violence. Whilst their extraordinary meeting on Monday was prompted by the violence, especially the assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, the Co-Chairs also expressed justifiable concern over the wider political developments in Sri Lanka.


No polling in Sri Lanka's rebel-held areas, election commissioner says
[ AP ] [ 10:39 GMT, Sep. 23, 2005 ]

Voters living in Sri Lanka's rebel-held northeast will be driven by bus to government-controlled areas to cast their ballots in the upcoming presidential election to ensure the vote is free and fair, the country's election commissioner said Friday. Dayananda Dissanayake said he couldn't provide security at polling stations in areas held by the Tamil Tiger rebels because under a cease-fire agreement, armed government forces are not allowed to enter their territory. But he said special provisions would be provided, including transport facilities, so that everyone could cast their ballot. "Since security in these areas is a question for me ... I have decided to extend the facility of transport for voters in those (rebel-controlled) areas to assure their fundamental rights of expression," Dissanayake told reporters, at the first briefing since the Nov. 17 poll was announced.


Sri Lanka Presidential Polls To Cost Over LKR930 Million
[ Dow Jones ] [ 10:42 GMT, Sep. 23, 2005 ]

Sri Lanka's presidential polls will cost the government more than LKR930 million, the total cost of the previous presidential election in 1999, although analysts don't expect this amount to have much of an impact on 2005 budget estimates. "We expect this election's cost to be well over LKR930 million," Election Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake told a news conference Friday. He said the biggest cost in the November election would be the hiring of foreign monitors. Last month, the Supreme Court ruled the election must be held this year - ending months of controversy over when President Chandrika Kumaratunga's second term ends. The constitution limits her to two six-year terms, but she had argued that she should be able to serve until next year as the previous elections were called early.


Revisiting Nagarkovil, a traumatized sleepy hamlet in the North coast
[ LTTE Peace Secretariat ] [ 10:44 GMT, Sep. 23, 2005 ]

Ten years that rolled away had not helped to erase the tragic memory in this sleepy hamlet. It was on the 22nd September in the year 1995, a dark period in the Tamil nation's history when the government was prosecuting a 'war for peace', that the Sri Lanka fighter jets were flying ominously over this hamlet, terrorizing the innocent peasantry. The usually terrorizing Sri Lankan Air force jet fighters loomed large over the school building and frightened children started running hither and thither in that sandy plain. Not a minute passed and there the bombs were landed on the heads of these kids. Twenty of them perished, most of them mutilated beyond recognition.A village cut off from the main town Point-Pedro, 15 miles away, did not have any motor vehicles to take the scores of injured. Many of these children were found limbless.


SLFP: No support from Tamil parties
[ BBC ] [ 10:55 GMT, Sep. 23, 2005 ]

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) says that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse is yet to win the support from any Tamil party in his attempt to become Sri Lanka's next president. Post and Telecommunication minister DM Jayaratne said although the PM has already won the support of over 14 political parties, the minorities are yet to decide their stand in the November 17 elections. Among the minorities, he said, three Muslim political parties have already pledged their support to PM Rajapakse. The minister however admitted the SLFP presidential candidate has failed to win the support from the major minority, the Tamils, whose support is considered to be crucial to win the elections. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), a party that supports Tamil Tigers, said the party has already ruled out fielding their own candidate.


Sri Lankan School Holds Memorial for Tamil Children Killed in Air Force Bombing
[ AP ] [ 10:58 GMT, Sep. 23, 2005 ]

A school for ethnic minority Tamil children in northern Sri Lanka held a memorial Thursday for 20 students killed in an aerial bombing by the country's air force during operations against Tamil Tiger rebels 10 years ago. Teachers joined past and current students of the school in Nagarkovil village, Jaffna, at the ceremony that started 12:45 p.m. (0645 GMT) _ the time that the bombs struck the school premises on Sept. 22, 1995. They garlanded portraits and lit lamps honoring the victims. Recalling the tragic event, school principal Sinniah Mahendran said the children were playing when they saw the aircraft approaching and tried to hide. But before they could flee the bombs landed killing 20 children, he said. "There should be no military attacks on schools anywhere in this world," Mahendran said. "We will continue to hold this memorial to tell the world that all children must be protected." Survivor Sivagnanasundaram Kalaichelvi is now a final year student at the University of Jaffna.


Many Happy Returns to Sivanayagam Ayyah, the media genius!
[ IFT ] [ 14:29 GMT, Sep. 23, 2005 ]

Siva ayyah deserves honour for his invaluable services as an English language journalist. Panning the rays of Tamil nationalism, he remains a beacon light, illuminating the vast expanse of the world media, with his advocacy for Tamil national sruggle. We celebrate Sivanayagam ayyah's 75th birthday this month. As a journalist, he works with dedication to obtain recognition to the Tamil national struggle. He clamours for human equality and human justice to Tamils at international lvel. If the English language journals such as Saturday Review, Tamil Nation and Hot Spring could be considered pivotal in disseminating Tamil nationalism, then, Siva ayyah could take pride in associating himself with the founder-members at the conceptual stage and for being the first editor-in-chief of all three journals.


Lanka concerned over sea life impact of Indian canal project
[ The Hindu ] [ 14:39 GMT, Sep. 23, 2005 ]

Sri Lanka set up a panel today to assess neighbouring India's plan to deepen the waterway separating the two countries, saying the project could harm marine life. India has begun dredging the Palk Strait, where a reef known as Adam's Bridge makes the waterway too shallow for ships traveling between east and west India, forcing them to take a longer, costlier route around Sri Lanka. But critics in Sri Lanka, an island off India's southern tip, say that dredging the seabed may affect water currents and temperature, as well as marine life and the livelihoods of fishermen. "Sri Lanka is indeed concerned," government spokesman Nimal Siripala de Silva, told reporters after the Cabinet set up a panel of experts to study the project's impact on marine life near Sri Lanka's coasts.


TNA urge the international community to endorse the Tamil’s struggle
[ LTTE Peace Secretariat ] [ 14:54 GMT, Sep. 23, 2005 ]

"The GOSL and LTTE recognize the importance of bringing an end to the hostilities and improving the living conditions for all inhabitants affected by the conflict." Under Article 2 of the agreement captioned "Measures to restore normalcy," the GOSL agreed to several important conditions. Namely, to vacate all school buildings and return them for the intended use; the return of all other public buildings to their intended use; to review the security measures and set-up of checkpoints, particularly in densely populated cities and towns, in order to introduce systems that will prevent harassment of the civilian population; to lift all restrictions on day and night fishing except in certain designated areas. To date, the GOSL is yet to comply with these provisions despite three and a half years having lapsed since the signing of the CFA. As a result, hundreds of thousands of civilians are unable to resettle and continue to languish as refugees in camps under miserable condition, and are unable to freely pursue their livelihood.


Tsunami dead to get voter cards
[ BBC ] [ 16:25 GMT, Sep. 23, 2005 ]

Sri Lanka is to send out voting cards for those people believed to have died in December's tsunami because it cannot be sure who survived. The country is holding its presidential election on 17 November. The election commission fears electoral fraud by people impersonating the dead, so the cards will be specially marked to show the voter is believed dead. Those that have survived will have to prove their identity. More than 30,000 died in the tsunami in Sri Lanka. The electoral register was finished before the tsunami struck on 26 December. Local authorities have been trying to identify those who died but the large numbers have made it a difficult task. The Election Commission fears it might disenfranchise voters by failing to send them cards. Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake said: "Even if any other voter gets a polling card indicating that the person is deceased, that person can go to the polling station, establish his or her identity and vote.


Statement by Norway at United Nations' 60th General Assembly
[ Norwegian Foreign Ministry ] [ 19:13 GMT, Sep. 23, 2005 ]

Greater consensus on collective action and early diplo­matic response are needed to prevent violent conflicts. Addressing the needs of countries under stress is a demanding challenge for the UN. So is assisting countries suffering from conflict and in transition from war to peace. The peace process between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which Norway is facilitating, has benefited from UN support. The UN's role in providing humanitarian and development assistance to all areas of Sri Lanka has been indispensable. I therefore welcome the initiative to establish a Peace­building Commission to marshal resources, give advice and propose comprehensive strategies for peacebuilding and post-conflict recovery.


Red Cross movement to get new emblem
[ Reuters ] [ 19:16 GMT, Sep. 23, 2005 ]

For years, military medics and humanitarian aid workers have relied on the protective power of the red cross and red crescent as they braved battle zones to help the wounded. Soon they'll have a third emblem at their disposal to tout their neutrality: the red crystal. Planned changes to Geneva Conventions governing the rules of war will allow use of the crystal - a diamond-shaped red frame on a white background - as a new protective emblem stripped of any religious or political significance. The crystal could be a boon for aid workers and medics operating in a war-torn country like Eritrea, equally divided between Christians and Muslims.
 
Oben