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Opposition parties criticise the free float of the rupee against foreign currencies.
Waruna Karunatilake in Colombo,
1907 SLT 24.01.01.
Opposition parties have criticised the government;s decision announced
yesterday to free float the Rupee. The Main opposition UNP said free
floating the rupee at a time when the economy was in crisis would further
worsen the economic situation. " This will lead to further increase in the
cost of living" the media spokesman for the UNP Karunasena Koddithuwaku
said in statement issued today. The JVP accused the government of bowing
down to "capitalist bosses' The Party said the government was forced to do
this the please the world bank and the IMF. The Siahala Urumaya also
criticised the move saying it was not forced by war expenditure but was due
to weak economic policies of the government.
Published: Wed Jan 24 08:19:13 EST 2001
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Mad Cow Crisis Has Asia Within Its Reach-scientists
Inside China,
January 25.
Indonesia, Thailand,
Taiwan and Sri Lanka may become the next victims of mad
cow disease after buying potentially tainted animal feed from
Britain at the height of the UK epidemic, scientists said on
Wednesday. Britain, which banned the feeding of crushed animal
carcasses to cattle in 1986, exported much of its stocks of feed
to Europe and beyond until a decade later, when the trade
was ended.
More...
Published: Wed Jan 24 23:41:23 EST 2001
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CID Probe on Divaina journalist
Saroj Pathirana in London,
Wednesday 24 January 1700 GMT.
The Criminal Investigation Bureau of Sri Lanka has been informed by the
government authorities that a defence correspondence of a Sinhala weekly has
got information regarding LTTE spies in Colombo. The Lanka Academic was
informed by military sources that an article written by prominent defence
analyst Keerthi Warnakulasuriya has prompted the defence authorities to
initiate an inquiry on LTTE spies who reportedly flew to Jaffna recently
under military escort. Keerthi Warnakulasuriya who is the defence analyst of
the "Irida Divaina" weekly revealed last week that three LTTE spies
travelled with the journalists who went to Jaffna when the government media
authorities took them on a conducted tour to the peninsular.
The Director of information has informed the Criminal Investigation Bureau
of Sri Lanka about the information appearing in "Irida Divaina" regarding
LTTE spies, informed sources say. The Lanka Academic learns that the CID
will initiate an inquiry by requesting Mr. Warnakulasuriya to provide the
relevant information. Concealing information regarding the LTTE is a
punishable criminal offence under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
Published: Wed Jan 24 12:11:21 EST 2001
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Muslim Congress leader and the President reported to have reach agreement on reforms.
Waruna Karunatilake in Colombo,
1915 SLT 24.01.01.
Muslim Congress leader Rauf Hakim and President Kumaratunga are reported to
have reached agreement on democratic reforms. Neither party were willing to
disclose the agreement. However the government is expected to issue new
release later in the week. Mr.Hakim announced soon after the General
Elections that he would quit the government unless democratic reforms to
ensure free and fair elections were carried out by the Government whin 100
days.
end
Published: Wed Jan 24 08:19:13 EST 2001
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LTTE lobbies British MPs at Westminster
The Island,
January 25.
With the possibility of the proscription of the LTTE in
Britain hanging in the air, key LTTE leaders and lobbyists
in London organised on Monday a meeting at Westminster
to lobby British parliamentarians. The meeting which was titled 'Peace in Sri Lanka' and the
invitees included, British and Euro MPs: Robert Evens
(European Union Foreign Affairs Committee), Dr. Jenny
Tong MP (Foreign affairs Spokesman, Liberal Democratic
Party) Andy Love MP (secretary Parliamentary Sri Lanka
Committee) Andrew Dismore MP, Jeremy Corbyn MP,
Linda Perham MP, P.S. Khabra MP, Bridget Printice MP. It
was chaired by Barry Gardiner MP.
More...
Published: Wed Jan 24 20:58:34 EST 2001
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Russia-Lanka talks focus on political, military cooperation
Tass,
January 24.
Ways to intensify mutually- beneficial cooperation between Russia and Sri Lanka in the political, trade,
economic, cultural and military-technical fields are in the focus of the talks which Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov is holding with his
Sri Lankan colleague Lakshman Kadirgamar, who is paying a working visit to Moscow, spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry
Alexander Yakovenko told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.
More...
Published: Wed Jan 24 21:20:36 EST 2001
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Nationalist Buddhist monks pose obstacle to Sri Lanka
peace
Star-Telegram,
January 23.
Opposition to the latest international efforts
to end Sri Lanka's 18 years of crippling civil war is coming from what
would seem like an unlikely source -- the island nation's Buddhist
monks. "Normally Buddhism is a very peaceful religion, but here some
monks have a very different interpretation," said Indika Perera, a
program officer with the nongovernmental National Peace Council of
Sri Lanka. "Aside from the Buddhist leaders, other religious leaders
are almost all in favor of the peace process."
More...
Published: Wed Jan 24 21:04:20 EST 2001
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Landmine kills 11 Lankan armymen
The Hindustan Times,
Colombo, January 24.
ELEVEN SRI Lankan army personnel on a reconnaissance mission near Muhamalai, off the Jaffna-Kandy highway, were killed and five wounded in a booby-trapped landmine explosion on January 22, an official report said on Wednesday. A situation report said the dead included three officers. The blast came even as the Tiger guerrillas extended their unilateral truce by one month till February and fighting raged in the region.
More...
Published: Wed Jan 24 16:38:58 EST 2001
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25 LTTE rebels killed in Jaffna
The Hindu NUS,
18.00 hrs (IST) on January 23, 2001.
Colombo, Jan. 23. (UNI): At least 27 combatants were killed in heavy fighting that erupted in northern Jaffna even as the Sri Lankan Army recaptured about 10-sq. kms of area near Muhamalai on the Jaffna-Elephant Pass during the overnight battle. Army spokesman Brigadier Sanath Karuraratne said security forces mounted a offensive late in the night which took the Tigers by surprise. There was no resistance from the rebels as troops moved towards Pallai and Muhamali.
More...
Published: Tue Jan 23 08:58:09 EST 2001
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Norway welcomes LTTE’s peace initiative
The Hindustan Times,
Colombo, January 24.
BY EXTENDING its unilateral ceasefire by another month on Tuesday even in the face of continuous operations by the Sri Lankan army, the LTTE seems to have created a favourable impression on the international community, which through Norway, is well into a peace process. Public memory is short, and in the mind of the international community, what the LTTE is doing now tends to override what it did in the past, diplomats here feel. "The LTTE's peace offensives, which could be codenamed unilateral declaration of ceasefire (UDCF) phase I and phase II, have to some extent widened the space for it in the international mind," a diplomat said.
More...
Published: Wed Jan 24 16:38:15 EST 2001
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Sri Lanka rupee slips to new low, market choppy
Yahoo India,
January 24.
The Sri Lankan rupee was trading at record lows on Wednesday, a day after the central bank announced a
de facto floating of the local currency, dealers said.
More...
Published: Wed Jan 24 08:57:40 EST 2001
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Lanka calls for talks with Tamil rebels
Times of India (Breaking News),
24 January.
The Sri Lankan government urged the Tamil Tiger rebels on Wednesday to return to negotiations but rejected the guerrillas' call for a ceasefire, saying talks must come first. The rebels had earlier said that their unilateral one-month ceasefire, which had been scheduled to expire on Wednesday, would be extended by another month. The announcement came as government troops made considerable gains in the northern most tip of this island nation off the south eastern coast of India.The rebels must "come to the negotiating table along with a durable, concrete political solution," the government said in a statement.
More...
Published: Wed Jan 24 16:41:01 EST 2001
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Sri Lankan rebels extend cease-fire, military claims most of Jaffna
MSNBC,
january 23.
Separatist
Tamil guerrillas extended a unilateral cease-fire
for a second month on Tuesday as the military
said it had captured nearly all of Jaffna
Peninsula, a former rebel stronghold. ''Now we are in effective control of about 90 percent of the
land mass and we are continuing our offensive to clear the
remainder,'' Military spokesman Brig. Sanath Karunaratne
said.
More...
Published: Tue Jan 23 10:59:53 EST 2001
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Colombo police arrest LTTE Sea Tigers leader
NDTV/MSNBC,
January 23 .
A day before the LTTE's unilateral ceasefire ends, police in Colombo have arrested a leader of the
LTTE's Sea Tigers. According to the police, the group was planning attacks on strategic points, including
several ports in the country. Police say that they have leads on where other LTTE militants may be hiding
in Colombo and have launched a search operation to nab them. Naval security along the coastline has
also been stepped up.
More...
Published: Tue Jan 23 09:44:17 EST 2001
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INTERVIEW-Sri Lanka sees main port's volumes up in 2 yrs
Yahoo India,
January 24.
Sri Lanka's main port of Colombo hopes to see volumes recover within two years, boosted by development
projects, a tariff restructuring and a marketing campaign, the country's ports minister said on Wednesday."It will be two years before we see a turnaround. We are looking at a faster increase than the natural growth we are seeing now," Ronnie de
Mel told Reuters in an interview.
More...
Published: Wed Jan 24 08:55:32 EST 2001
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Tamils in Australia lobby Australian Government to intervene in Lankan crisis
Frederica Jansz in Colombo,
10.20 a.m. SLT Tuesday January 23.
The Australia Tamil Society Guild in a media statement issued yesterday has
asked Australia as well as the international community to pressurize the
Sri Lankan government into beginning negotiations with the LTTE. Talks
that are widely perceived, will help end the 18 year old separatist war.
The statement follows soon after reports claimed that Tamil political party
representatives in Sri Lanka are seeking a meeting with Indian Premier Atal
Behari Vajpayee. They hope that Vajpayee will intervene in the present
impasse that has occurred since peace initiates were begun by Norway in
November last year.
International support is being sought by various factions as a rebel
deadline which will end a one month long truce draws to a close tomorrow,
Wednesday 24. Serious concerns are being expressed, since the government
refused to observe the month long truce but has continued a fierce military
offensive against the LTTE. An offensive which will prove how successful
it has been after tomorrow. The LTTE have vowed to push back the forward
defence lines of state troops to previously held positions.
Published: Tue Jan 23 01:07:03 EST 2001
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SL Indian Tamils to receive PIO status
Frederica Jansz in Colombo,
8.10 a.m. SLT Tuesday January 23.
Indian Tamils in Sri Lanka will receive the people of Indian origin cards'
which will help them travel to India without securing visas or resident
permits in cases of extended stay. The decision has been approved by the
Central Government of India, and some 200,000 Indian Tamils living in the
island nation will receive the card. The Tamils are resident mostly in the
tea plantation areas of Sri Lanka in the upcountry.
India's foreign minister Jaswant Singh and Home Affairs minister L. K.
Advani, in principle approved the policy. The people of Indian Origin
Committee Council based in Chennai was responsible for pushing the central
government to implement the necessary reforms. Tamils in Sri Lanka of
Indian origin, the organization maintains have continuously been at the
receiving end of various acts of discrimination in one form or another.
Published: Tue Jan 23 01:07:02 EST 2001
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Sri Lankan military captures strategic peninsula
Army presses on in fight against Tamil Tiger rebels
Independent, UK,
Wednesday, 24 January.
The Sri Lankan military said today it has captured all of Jaffna Peninsula except a strategic rebel–held land corridor and some villages, as Sri Lankan troops beat Tamil separatist rebels back into the jungles."Now we are in effective control of about 90 percent of the land mass and we are continuing our offensive to clear the remainder," said military spokesman Brig Sanath Karunaratne. Government troops attacked five Tamil Tiger camps Tuesday along the road to the Elephant Pass, the corridor that connects northern Jaffna Peninsula with the mainland. Karunaratne said 20 rebels and two soldiers were killed in the fighting and six soldiers wounded. There was no immediate reaction from the rebels. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have been fighting since 1983 to establish an independent homeland for the Tamil minority in the north and east of the country. More than 63,000 people have been killed in the fighting.
More...
Published: Wed Jan 24 04:14:10 EST 2001
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Kadirgamar in Russia
Frederica Jansz in Colombo,
9.10 a.m. SLT Tuesday January 23.
Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar will begin an official visit to Russia
today, the first in 18 years since a Lankan foreign minister visited the
Russian state. He will discuss bilateral issues including bilateral
defence cooperation to combat terrorism both at a regional and
international level. Kadirgamar may also meet with the Russian trade
minister. The last time a Lankan foreign minister visited the Russian
state was in 1982.
Published: Tue Jan 23 01:07:02 EST 2001
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Chandrika honours Olympian Susy
Island,
Tuesday, 23 January.
President Chandrika Kumaratunga admires the ‘bronze medal’ won by Susanthika Jayasinghe at the Sydney Olympics 2000 on Thursday (11) after presenting Susy with a prize of Rs. 5 million in appreciation of her
More...
Published: Tue Jan 23 04:14:41 EST 2001
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WRAP:Sri Lanka Boldly Free Floats Rupee, Surprise Mkts
Yahoo India,
January 23,.
In what analysts called a bold move that surprised markets, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka free floated the
local currency Tuesday, despite dwindling reserves and balance of payments problems caused by a rapid surge in imports. With four de facto devaluations of the local currency since June last year, talk of a free float has dominated the market in recent months.
But that didn't stop the local currency from taking a nose dive, declining by 3.3% to 88.00 rupees (LKR) against the dollar Tuesday.
More...
Published: Tue Jan 23 09:41:24 EST 2001
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ACB owes it to cricket to get Mark Waugh to speak
Yahoo India,
January 24.
What has Mark Waugh got to hide? What is wrong with speaking to International Cricket Council's investigators, even if
he has talked about it before? Or does he have a very good reason for not meeting Sir Paul Condon and others in the ICC
ACU team? Could it be possible that he does not want to relive the trauma all over again?
More...
Published: Wed Jan 24 09:06:00 EST 2001
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Sri Lanka recall for
Tillekeratne
The Guardian,
January 25.
Sri Lanka have recalled the batsman Hashan
Tillekeratne for next month's series against England.
The squad announced yesterday also includes Aravinda
de Silva, who was rushed to South Africa to shore up the
batting in the middle of Sri Lanka's disastrous tour
which ended yesterday with an innings defeat in the
third Test.
More...
Published: Wed Jan 24 21:13:11 EST 2001
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