srilanka1998
Member
- Registriert
- 26. Juli 2005
- Beiträge
- 511
An Open Letter To President Rajapakse -Revd B J Alexander, Batticaloa
[ Illangai Thamizh Sangam ] [ 03:03 GMT, Mar. 30, 2006 ]
It is with a deep sigh of pain that I put pen to paper. I am neither a politician nor am I a person of any clout, or even importance that you should take account of this letter. However I write to you, Sir, as a fellow human person who has faith in dharma and karuna (compassion) like your good self. The express purpose of this letter is not to give details of this inhumane act. No doubt you are furnished with pertinent information of such sensitive matters. I plead that you would intervene on behalf of the following persons, who were abducted in January 2006. Many reports in the Media seem to suggest that they “involuntarily disappeared” into the arms of paramilitary groups that are operating alongside State Forces in the Tamil areas.
Sri Lanka votes in local poll, eyes on Marxist vote
[ Reuters ] [ 03:07 GMT, Mar. 30, 2006 ]
Sri Lankans began voting on Thursday in local government elections widely seen as a litmus test of the popularity of President Mahinda Rajapakse's hardline Marxist allies that could impact on a fragile peace process. Polls in and near Tamil Tiger areas across most of the island's north and east have been postponed for six months on security worries and, with only a handful of frontline areas voting, attention is concentrated on the majority Sinhalese south. The Marxist JVP backed Rajapakse in last November's presidential election, votes with him in parliament but is contesting local polls separately, and analysts say it wants to increase its control beyond the one council it currently holds.
The Norwegian Foreign Service – a knowledge organisation
[ Norwegian Foreign Affairs ] [ 03:11 GMT, Mar. 30, 2006 ]
At a general meeting of Foreign Ministry employees on 22 March 2006, Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and International Development Minister Erik Solheim presented their thoughts, ideas and proposals for the organisational structure of the ministry, leadership and working procedures and methods. These were based on the Government’s policy platform, which states: “The Government will give priority to modernising the foreign service to be a more open, dynamic and future-oriented knowledge organisation.” The priority areas for the ministry as a knowledge organisation will be: the High North; an active European policy; peace, reconciliation and development; just global governance; fighting poverty; safeguarding Norway’s security: further developing and strengthening the UN and international law; human rights; promoting Norwegian trade and industry abroad; women and gender equality; and service to the general public.
Sri Lanka votes in local polls
[ BBC ] [ 11:28 GMT, Mar. 30, 2006 ]
Polling has begun in local government elections in Sri Lanka which observers say will test public opinion on the direction of the fragile peace process. The Tamil Tiger rebels and the government met in Geneva last month and agreed to abide by the 2002 ceasefire. Voting has been postponed in most of Tamil-dominated north and east of the country because of security concerns. The election campaign was married by sporadic violence, which continues to threaten the peace process. More than 10 million people are eligible to vote in 226 local councils in the election, according to reports.
Tigers seek security guarantees to attend Swiss talks
[ AFP ] [ 11:31 GMT, Mar. 30, 2006 ]
Tamil Tiger rebels demanded guarantees of safe passage through Sri Lanka's only international airport to attend Swiss talks next month on saving their troubled ceasefire. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said they will attend talks in Switzerland, tentatively set for April 19 to 21, only if peace broker Norway and the Colombo government assure their safety. The LTTE's London-based chief peace negotiator Anton Balasingham made the demand during talks in London Wednesday with Norway's International Development Minister Erik Solheim, the pro-rebel Tamilnet website said on Thursday. Solheim at the meeting urged the government and Tamil rebels to keep pledges made when they met last month in the Swiss village of Celigny to scale down attacks against each other.
Sri Lanka president likely to seek defense help in Pakistan
[ Kyodo ] [ 11:33 GMT, Mar. 30, 2006 ]
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse's three-day state visit to Pakistan beginning Friday is intended to beef up defense relations between the two countries, diplomats and analysts believe. "Understandably, the defense aspect of the visit is downplayed to the extent that it is not publicly mentioned," an Asian diplomat said on ground of anonymity. "But that is the principal intent of this visit." Rajapakse, elected in November for a six-year term, made his first overseas visit to India in December. The visit to Pakistan is widely considered "balancing diplomacy" and defense cooperation is seen as a focus.
Norway envoys to make S.Lanka visit before talks
[ Reuters ] [ 11:33 GMT, Mar. 30, 2006 ]
Norwegian peace envoys will visit Sri Lanka next week ahead of a talks between the government and the Tamil Tigers, Norway said on Thursday as the rebels warned they might refuse to set a date for more talks. Norwegian development minister Erik Solheim, who brokered the island's fragile 2002 truce and is stepping aside as Norway's special envoy for the island's peace process, will visit for one day on April 6 while new envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer will arrive on Monday for a four-day visit. "For Mr Hanssen-Bauer, it's important because he's new to the peace process and needs to get to know the two parties ahead of the next meeting in Geneva," said Norwegian embassy spokesman Tom Knappskog. "For Mr Solheim, it is to prepare the ground for the Geneva meeting."
[ Illangai Thamizh Sangam ] [ 03:03 GMT, Mar. 30, 2006 ]
It is with a deep sigh of pain that I put pen to paper. I am neither a politician nor am I a person of any clout, or even importance that you should take account of this letter. However I write to you, Sir, as a fellow human person who has faith in dharma and karuna (compassion) like your good self. The express purpose of this letter is not to give details of this inhumane act. No doubt you are furnished with pertinent information of such sensitive matters. I plead that you would intervene on behalf of the following persons, who were abducted in January 2006. Many reports in the Media seem to suggest that they “involuntarily disappeared” into the arms of paramilitary groups that are operating alongside State Forces in the Tamil areas.
Sri Lanka votes in local poll, eyes on Marxist vote
[ Reuters ] [ 03:07 GMT, Mar. 30, 2006 ]
Sri Lankans began voting on Thursday in local government elections widely seen as a litmus test of the popularity of President Mahinda Rajapakse's hardline Marxist allies that could impact on a fragile peace process. Polls in and near Tamil Tiger areas across most of the island's north and east have been postponed for six months on security worries and, with only a handful of frontline areas voting, attention is concentrated on the majority Sinhalese south. The Marxist JVP backed Rajapakse in last November's presidential election, votes with him in parliament but is contesting local polls separately, and analysts say it wants to increase its control beyond the one council it currently holds.
The Norwegian Foreign Service – a knowledge organisation
[ Norwegian Foreign Affairs ] [ 03:11 GMT, Mar. 30, 2006 ]
At a general meeting of Foreign Ministry employees on 22 March 2006, Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and International Development Minister Erik Solheim presented their thoughts, ideas and proposals for the organisational structure of the ministry, leadership and working procedures and methods. These were based on the Government’s policy platform, which states: “The Government will give priority to modernising the foreign service to be a more open, dynamic and future-oriented knowledge organisation.” The priority areas for the ministry as a knowledge organisation will be: the High North; an active European policy; peace, reconciliation and development; just global governance; fighting poverty; safeguarding Norway’s security: further developing and strengthening the UN and international law; human rights; promoting Norwegian trade and industry abroad; women and gender equality; and service to the general public.
Sri Lanka votes in local polls
[ BBC ] [ 11:28 GMT, Mar. 30, 2006 ]
Polling has begun in local government elections in Sri Lanka which observers say will test public opinion on the direction of the fragile peace process. The Tamil Tiger rebels and the government met in Geneva last month and agreed to abide by the 2002 ceasefire. Voting has been postponed in most of Tamil-dominated north and east of the country because of security concerns. The election campaign was married by sporadic violence, which continues to threaten the peace process. More than 10 million people are eligible to vote in 226 local councils in the election, according to reports.
Tigers seek security guarantees to attend Swiss talks
[ AFP ] [ 11:31 GMT, Mar. 30, 2006 ]
Tamil Tiger rebels demanded guarantees of safe passage through Sri Lanka's only international airport to attend Swiss talks next month on saving their troubled ceasefire. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said they will attend talks in Switzerland, tentatively set for April 19 to 21, only if peace broker Norway and the Colombo government assure their safety. The LTTE's London-based chief peace negotiator Anton Balasingham made the demand during talks in London Wednesday with Norway's International Development Minister Erik Solheim, the pro-rebel Tamilnet website said on Thursday. Solheim at the meeting urged the government and Tamil rebels to keep pledges made when they met last month in the Swiss village of Celigny to scale down attacks against each other.
Sri Lanka president likely to seek defense help in Pakistan
[ Kyodo ] [ 11:33 GMT, Mar. 30, 2006 ]
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse's three-day state visit to Pakistan beginning Friday is intended to beef up defense relations between the two countries, diplomats and analysts believe. "Understandably, the defense aspect of the visit is downplayed to the extent that it is not publicly mentioned," an Asian diplomat said on ground of anonymity. "But that is the principal intent of this visit." Rajapakse, elected in November for a six-year term, made his first overseas visit to India in December. The visit to Pakistan is widely considered "balancing diplomacy" and defense cooperation is seen as a focus.
Norway envoys to make S.Lanka visit before talks
[ Reuters ] [ 11:33 GMT, Mar. 30, 2006 ]
Norwegian peace envoys will visit Sri Lanka next week ahead of a talks between the government and the Tamil Tigers, Norway said on Thursday as the rebels warned they might refuse to set a date for more talks. Norwegian development minister Erik Solheim, who brokered the island's fragile 2002 truce and is stepping aside as Norway's special envoy for the island's peace process, will visit for one day on April 6 while new envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer will arrive on Monday for a four-day visit. "For Mr Hanssen-Bauer, it's important because he's new to the peace process and needs to get to know the two parties ahead of the next meeting in Geneva," said Norwegian embassy spokesman Tom Knappskog. "For Mr Solheim, it is to prepare the ground for the Geneva meeting."