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FEATURE-Sri Lanka's Tiger rebels have own rules, no bribes
30 Jan 2006 01:00:13 GMT
Source: Reuters
KILINOCHCHI, Sri Lanka, Jan 30 (Reuters) - There's very little of Sri Lanka in Kilinochchi.
At first glance, the dusty town of about 150,000 looks like most others on the Indian Ocean island, with shops, small houses and government buildings lining the main street.
But buses and trucks maintain a steady, slow pace through Kilinochchi, instead of tearing down the highway and changing lanes at will. Young policewomen who stand by the road are notorious for handing out heavy fines on the spot.
And there's no arguing or a quick bribe.
This is the headquarters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels, one of the most disciplined and ruthless guerrilla armies in the world, and the capital of their de facto state covering a large swathe of northern Sri Lanka.
The heavily armed guerrillas and their police don't like talking to outsiders. One woman constable, offered water on a sweltering hot day, briefly smiled but then said in English: "No, thank you. Move on."
Coming in from Colombo in the south, visitors to the area need to pass customs and get an entry pass, in effect a visa. Kilinochchi has the LTTE's own bank, court, hospital and taxi service and is in a separate time zone -- half an hour off Sri Lanka time.
The town is linked to Sri Lanka's electricity grid, which the Tigers pay for, and to its landline telephones. There is no mobile coverage.
Computers are becoming a craze, although the Tigers ban homes from having Internet connections. Only offices and Internet cafes are permitted.
"There are more than 1,000 computers in the area," said Nishanthan Aloysius, who has been running a computer shop and an adjacent Internet cafe in the town for more than two years.
"Everybody has electricity now, so there is good demand."
His display counter has USB hubs, DVD disc drives, motherboards and other hardware. Sales, he says, are brisk, amounting to 300,000 rupees (about $3,000) a month.
Asked why the Tigers banned private Internet use, Aloysius said: "The LTTE wants to protect moral standards, so they do not allow homes to have connections. We can monitor traffic here through our server."
TIGER WRIT
Indeed, the Tigers and their writ seem all pervasive in the town.
Not too many people smoke here, although cigarettes are sold freely, probably because Tiger cadres are forbidden to smoke or drink. One or two bars selling mostly beer and the local arrack are popular with outsiders, but few locals frequent them.
There are some small hotels around town with pretty basic facilities, but the Tigers reserve the top-notch Tankview Hotel, facing the Akkaraian irrigation dam, for important guests.
Despite all the trappings of normality, the prospect of a resumption of war with the government is never far from the surface.
Kilinochchi was badly shelled during the two-decade civil war, especially in the 1990s when the military pushed toward the nearby Wanni jungles where the Tigers have their main base.
The town didn't fall, but many buildings by the main street are soot-stained and abandoned. One wing of the Kilinochchi College is ruined, and several thatched-roof huts serve as classrooms.
On the playground, teenagers perform military-style PT drills in the midday sun as others jog around the perimeter.
Down in the main bazaar, all the talk is of war as the four-year ceasefire lies in tatters.
Housewife Theivannai Mahendran said the years of fighting had been very difficult for families.
"But we didn't fear war then," she said. "Things are much better now, but we still have no fear of war. God will look after us."
Rajakumar, a 25-year-old vegetable seller, said there was great fear in the town that the government would launch an attack again.
"We are not coming to a solution," he said, although the Tigrs and the government agreed last week to hold fresh peace talks in Switzerland in February.
"The ceasefire was going well, but there have been all these murders and killings recently. Things have really worsened."
Asked what he would do, he seemed surprised. "I will fight," he said. "I've been with the Tigers for four years. I fought in the last war."
Asked how many soldiers he had killed, he laughed and said: "That I cannot say."
Air Force Chief to visit Sri Lanka
NDTV Correspondent
Monday, January 30, 2006 (New Delhi):
Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi will be on a five-day visit to Sri Lanka.
The Indian Air Force Chief will meet President Mahinda Rajapakse, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake and several other political leaders and military commanders.
The visit comes in the midst of concern over the nation's ethnic conflict.
The Indian Air Force is refusing to divulge details of Tyagi's agenda and the visit is being described as a "goodwill trip" aimed at strengthening bilateral and defence ties.
Tigers warn Muslims before monitors
Monday, January 30,2006
ISLAND, LK |
COLOMBO: The LTTE has warned the Muslims over the presence of an armed Muslim group in the Muttur, The Island learns. This comes in the backdrop of two killings in the government controlled Muttur on January 24 night and the following morning. The LTTE has accused the armed Muslim group of carrying out the killings and intimidating the Tamil civilian population.
The LTTE summoned a Muslim delegation to their main camp at Sampur in Muttur (east) to discuss the issue, political and security sources said. Trincomalee based Nordic truce monitors, too, had been present. The Nordic mission is believed to have arranged the meeting. Trincomalee based sources said that the meeting helped to improve relations between the two parties.
A 20-member Muslim delegation represented the Muttur, Thoppur, Jinna Nagar and Azath Nagar villages. 'Colonel' Sornam, in charge of cadres deployed in the Trincomalee district and the district political head S.Elilan demanded an immediate end to the armed group's activity.
The Muslims have been advised not to engage in activity detrimental to the interest of the Tamil speaking people.
Go ahead for Norochcholai
BY E. WEERAPPERUMA
SIGNS emerged that the Norochcholai coal power project, the subject of much controversy and debate over the years, finally getting off the ground without objection when Members of Parliament, Provincial Councillors and local authorities across the political divide in the Puttalam District pledged their support for the mega project.
Power and Energy Minister John Seneviratne told participants at a seminar in Chilaw yesterday organised by the Ministry to educate Members of Local Governments and MPs of the area that the Government would sign the final agreement with China in March and February. Arrangements will be made to construct 80 houses for families to be re-settled at Daluwa.
"We have to evict about 74 families residing at the site of the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant Project. We have decided to give them fully equipped houses and they would also be provided with other facilities needed to live a comfortable life. Each household will be provided with a two acre plot of land in addition to the houses," he said.
The Minister promised to grant employment to 3,000 unemployed youth in the district once the project is implemented.
He assured that no outsider will be given employment generated through the project. Fishermen will be given boats and nets to continue fishing although they have to move away from their usual abode close to the sea.
A Ministry spokesman said no religious issue was raised at the seminar and members representing the Government and the Opposition agreed to shun differences for the sake of the country's well being and work for its development.
Steps will also be taken to deal with issues pertaining to environment and advise sought from experts.
As part of the project, new roads leading to Norochcholai will be constructed. There will be a 18 kilometre stretch leading to Norochcholai from Kalpitiya, sources said.
Power and Engery Deputy Minister, Mahindananda Aluthgamage along with Ministers, Milroy Fernando, D. M. Dassanayake, Dayasritha Tissera and SLMC MP, K. A. Baiz were present at the seminar.
30 Jan 2006 01:00:13 GMT
Source: Reuters
KILINOCHCHI, Sri Lanka, Jan 30 (Reuters) - There's very little of Sri Lanka in Kilinochchi.
At first glance, the dusty town of about 150,000 looks like most others on the Indian Ocean island, with shops, small houses and government buildings lining the main street.
But buses and trucks maintain a steady, slow pace through Kilinochchi, instead of tearing down the highway and changing lanes at will. Young policewomen who stand by the road are notorious for handing out heavy fines on the spot.
And there's no arguing or a quick bribe.
This is the headquarters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels, one of the most disciplined and ruthless guerrilla armies in the world, and the capital of their de facto state covering a large swathe of northern Sri Lanka.
The heavily armed guerrillas and their police don't like talking to outsiders. One woman constable, offered water on a sweltering hot day, briefly smiled but then said in English: "No, thank you. Move on."
Coming in from Colombo in the south, visitors to the area need to pass customs and get an entry pass, in effect a visa. Kilinochchi has the LTTE's own bank, court, hospital and taxi service and is in a separate time zone -- half an hour off Sri Lanka time.
The town is linked to Sri Lanka's electricity grid, which the Tigers pay for, and to its landline telephones. There is no mobile coverage.
Computers are becoming a craze, although the Tigers ban homes from having Internet connections. Only offices and Internet cafes are permitted.
"There are more than 1,000 computers in the area," said Nishanthan Aloysius, who has been running a computer shop and an adjacent Internet cafe in the town for more than two years.
"Everybody has electricity now, so there is good demand."
His display counter has USB hubs, DVD disc drives, motherboards and other hardware. Sales, he says, are brisk, amounting to 300,000 rupees (about $3,000) a month.
Asked why the Tigers banned private Internet use, Aloysius said: "The LTTE wants to protect moral standards, so they do not allow homes to have connections. We can monitor traffic here through our server."
TIGER WRIT
Indeed, the Tigers and their writ seem all pervasive in the town.
Not too many people smoke here, although cigarettes are sold freely, probably because Tiger cadres are forbidden to smoke or drink. One or two bars selling mostly beer and the local arrack are popular with outsiders, but few locals frequent them.
There are some small hotels around town with pretty basic facilities, but the Tigers reserve the top-notch Tankview Hotel, facing the Akkaraian irrigation dam, for important guests.
Despite all the trappings of normality, the prospect of a resumption of war with the government is never far from the surface.
Kilinochchi was badly shelled during the two-decade civil war, especially in the 1990s when the military pushed toward the nearby Wanni jungles where the Tigers have their main base.
The town didn't fall, but many buildings by the main street are soot-stained and abandoned. One wing of the Kilinochchi College is ruined, and several thatched-roof huts serve as classrooms.
On the playground, teenagers perform military-style PT drills in the midday sun as others jog around the perimeter.
Down in the main bazaar, all the talk is of war as the four-year ceasefire lies in tatters.
Housewife Theivannai Mahendran said the years of fighting had been very difficult for families.
"But we didn't fear war then," she said. "Things are much better now, but we still have no fear of war. God will look after us."
Rajakumar, a 25-year-old vegetable seller, said there was great fear in the town that the government would launch an attack again.
"We are not coming to a solution," he said, although the Tigrs and the government agreed last week to hold fresh peace talks in Switzerland in February.
"The ceasefire was going well, but there have been all these murders and killings recently. Things have really worsened."
Asked what he would do, he seemed surprised. "I will fight," he said. "I've been with the Tigers for four years. I fought in the last war."
Asked how many soldiers he had killed, he laughed and said: "That I cannot say."
Air Force Chief to visit Sri Lanka
NDTV Correspondent
Monday, January 30, 2006 (New Delhi):
Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi will be on a five-day visit to Sri Lanka.
The Indian Air Force Chief will meet President Mahinda Rajapakse, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake and several other political leaders and military commanders.
The visit comes in the midst of concern over the nation's ethnic conflict.
The Indian Air Force is refusing to divulge details of Tyagi's agenda and the visit is being described as a "goodwill trip" aimed at strengthening bilateral and defence ties.
Tigers warn Muslims before monitors
Monday, January 30,2006
ISLAND, LK |
COLOMBO: The LTTE has warned the Muslims over the presence of an armed Muslim group in the Muttur, The Island learns. This comes in the backdrop of two killings in the government controlled Muttur on January 24 night and the following morning. The LTTE has accused the armed Muslim group of carrying out the killings and intimidating the Tamil civilian population.
The LTTE summoned a Muslim delegation to their main camp at Sampur in Muttur (east) to discuss the issue, political and security sources said. Trincomalee based Nordic truce monitors, too, had been present. The Nordic mission is believed to have arranged the meeting. Trincomalee based sources said that the meeting helped to improve relations between the two parties.
A 20-member Muslim delegation represented the Muttur, Thoppur, Jinna Nagar and Azath Nagar villages. 'Colonel' Sornam, in charge of cadres deployed in the Trincomalee district and the district political head S.Elilan demanded an immediate end to the armed group's activity.
The Muslims have been advised not to engage in activity detrimental to the interest of the Tamil speaking people.
Go ahead for Norochcholai
BY E. WEERAPPERUMA
SIGNS emerged that the Norochcholai coal power project, the subject of much controversy and debate over the years, finally getting off the ground without objection when Members of Parliament, Provincial Councillors and local authorities across the political divide in the Puttalam District pledged their support for the mega project.
Power and Energy Minister John Seneviratne told participants at a seminar in Chilaw yesterday organised by the Ministry to educate Members of Local Governments and MPs of the area that the Government would sign the final agreement with China in March and February. Arrangements will be made to construct 80 houses for families to be re-settled at Daluwa.
"We have to evict about 74 families residing at the site of the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant Project. We have decided to give them fully equipped houses and they would also be provided with other facilities needed to live a comfortable life. Each household will be provided with a two acre plot of land in addition to the houses," he said.
The Minister promised to grant employment to 3,000 unemployed youth in the district once the project is implemented.
He assured that no outsider will be given employment generated through the project. Fishermen will be given boats and nets to continue fishing although they have to move away from their usual abode close to the sea.
A Ministry spokesman said no religious issue was raised at the seminar and members representing the Government and the Opposition agreed to shun differences for the sake of the country's well being and work for its development.
Steps will also be taken to deal with issues pertaining to environment and advise sought from experts.
As part of the project, new roads leading to Norochcholai will be constructed. There will be a 18 kilometre stretch leading to Norochcholai from Kalpitiya, sources said.
Power and Engery Deputy Minister, Mahindananda Aluthgamage along with Ministers, Milroy Fernando, D. M. Dassanayake, Dayasritha Tissera and SLMC MP, K. A. Baiz were present at the seminar.