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Protesting Taliban
Leo de Lile in Colombo,
Tuesday, 6 March 2001 20:41:17.
A policeman
stands guard as Buddhist monks walk towards the Sri Lanka's holiest
Buddhist shrine in the central town of Kandy, 110 kilometers north east
of Colombo, Sri Lanka on Tuesday, March.6, 2001. Hundreds of
Buddhists monks staged a protest denouncing the decision by the
Taliban in Afghanistan to destroy all statues, including two giant
Buddha
statues dating back to the 2nd century AD.
Published: Tue Mar 6 15:09:04 EST 2001
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Prasanna Ranatunge Evades Police
Saroj Pathirana in London,
Tuesday 06/03/01 1730 GMT.
Western Provincial Councillor Prasanna Ranatunge is evading police arrest
for his alleged involvement of Friday’s brutal assault on schoolboys of
Maradana Asoka Vidyalaya, a police chief said. Senior Superintendent
(SSP)of Colombo Central Police Division D.A. de Fonseka told BBC’s
Sandeshaya that four people were arrested and those arrested do not
include Prasanna, a member of Sri Lanka’s Cricket Board (BCCSL), or his
brother Arjuna. Two accused are sons of Chief Government Whip and Food
minister Reggie Ranatunge. As arrival details of Arjuna Ranatunge, who is
away from the island are not available, no arrangement can be made to
arrest the former Sri Lankan cricket captain, Mr. Fonseka further added.
Meanwhile, neighbours of Asoka Vidyalaya say powerful government figures are
making direct and indirect death threats to silence the evidence. They also
expressed dissatisfaction for police arresting people whom they called
"small fry".
Published: Tue Mar 6 11:58:51 EST 2001
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Fresh Sri Lanka fighting kills 10
123India.com,
Mar 06 2001 19:40 IST.
Government forces ambushed a group of Tamil Tiger guerrillas in north-eastern Sri Lanka Tuesday, killing at least eight of them, the defence ministry here said. Troops shot dead eight members of the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) at Peraru in the north-eastern jungles during an ambush Tuesday, ministry spokesman Sanath Karunaratne said.
More...
Published: Tue Mar 6 10:16:15 EST 2001
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Police seize explosives intended to bomb Colombo
Times of India,
7 March 2001 .
Police in the government-held
northern town of Vavuniya seized 10
kilograms (22 pounds) of high explosives from
a Tamil Tiger rebel hide-out, police said on
Tuesday.The explosives were intended for use in
Colombo where rebels from the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam have mounted attacks
in the past to either dramatize their separatist
campaign, kill opponents or cause economic
hardship to the government.
More...
Published: Tue Mar 6 17:32:48 EST 2001
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Canada won't outlaw terror groups - Liberals stop short of ban for fear of alienating ethnic communities
ottawacitizen,
March 6.
Despite the fact millions of dollars are being funnelled to overseas
terrorists, Canada is reluctant to outlaw specific groups engaged in
fundraising out of concern for "legitimate expressions of diversity and
culture," internal federal memos show.The newly obtained records strongly indicate the government will not follow
the lead of the United States and Britain and effectively ban organizations
involved in terrorism.While some fundraising by Canadian Tamils supports legitimate social agencies
in Sri Lanka, "a sizable amount is thought to be illegitimate, including the
channelling of millions to the LTTE," says the memo, one of several federal
documents on terrorist financing obtained by the Citizen under the Access to
Information Act.
More...
Published: Tue Mar 6 09:38:37 EST 2001
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Court Rejects Support Ban Challenge
Las Vegas SUN,
march 6.
The Supreme Court turned aside a free-speech challenge to a
ban on giving money, weapons or other tangible support to foreign groups
designated by the government as terrorist organizations.The court, without comment Monday, rejected arguments that the law creates
"guilt by association" and bans aid even for lawful activities by such
organizations.The justices also rejected the government's bid to reinstate two provisions of
the law that a lower court barred from being enforced.
More...
Published: Tue Mar 6 10:15:11 EST 2001
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US gifts equipment to Sri Lanka hospital
123India.com,
Mar 06 2001 18:12 IST.
The United States Tuesday gifted half a million dollars worth of medical equipment to the main hospital in Sri Lanka's embattled northern town of Jaffna, the US embassy here said. US Ambassador Ashley Wills presented the equipment in Jaffna, 400 kilometres (250 miles) north of here, as part of a humanitarian assistance programme that allows the US Department of Defence to help civlian institutions.
More...
Published: Tue Mar 6 09:20:57 EST 2001
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Sri Lanka peace talks closer
BBC South Asia,
Tuesday, 6 March, 2001, 13:34 GMT .
The Sri Lankan Government and Tamil Tiger rebels are "seriously thinking" about meeting for talks, the Norwegian peace
envoy said. Envoy Erik Solheim's comments came after a meeting in Colombo with President Chandrika Kumuratunga.The government and the separatist Tiger rebels have not met for five years, but Mr Solheim has been trying to broker an
end to almost two decades of war for more than 18 months.
More...
Published: Tue Mar 6 09:27:25 EST 2001
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Swiss couple chargesheeted in Pornography case
Yahoo India,
March 6.
Three months after a Swiss couple was arrested on the charge of using minor children
to pose for pornographic pictures, police filed a chargesheet against them in a local court Monday.The couple have put up a defence that in Switzerland they stripped off when they went to take bath on the
beach. They also claimed to have visited India as tourists and said that they were falsely implicated in the
crime. Police have alleged that the couple visited India and neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
to indulge in such offences since last ten years.
More...
Published: Tue Mar 6 10:17:25 EST 2001
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Sri Lanka army deserters win second chance
Yahoo,
March 5.
Sri Lanka's
government has offered a nine-day
general amnesty to woo back an estimated
25,000 army deserters.Sri Lanka's
government has offered a nine-day
general amnesty to woo back an estimated
25,000 army deserters.
The latest move, beginning Tuesday, is the
first official confirmation that the government will not slow down its
military campaign against Tamil Tiger rebels, despite efforts by Norway
to facilitate direct talks.Sri Lanka's president, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, told
CNN that talks would begin in two months. But she dismissed a self
imposed rebel ceasefire, extended for its third month, as a ploy to
re-arm and re-group.
More...
Published: Tue Mar 6 09:23:43 EST 2001
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Sri Lanka Budget To Lift Revenue, But May Not Be Enough
Yahoo India,
March 6.
As Sri Lanka enters the home stretch ahead of its budget announcement for this
year, the signals are pointing to tough revenue-enhancing measures to help bridge the war-torn island's
widening budget deficit. The budget for the year beginning Jan. 1, 2001 will be announced Thursday. President Chandrika
Kumaratunga is expected to present the budget which was delayed due to parliamentary elections in October
last year.
More...
Published: Tue Mar 6 09:24:23 EST 2001
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Buddhists protest Christian conversions in Lanka
India Abroad,
Tuesday, 6 March.
BUDDHISTS in Sri Lanka are up in arms over foreign and local Christian evangelical organizations converting villagers in remote areas using "unethical, coercive and sometimes barbaric methods." The Centre for Buddhism International (CBI) in Kandy, the central province hill town where the Temple of the Buddha's Tooth is the focal point, has accused Christian missionaries of invading rural villages and tea and rubber plantations to proselytize their faith. "Such missionary activity has upset the quiet and peaceful life of the rural community by the unethical, coercive and sometimes barbaric methods of conversion adopted by these evangelical groups thus creating a conflict situation which often leads to a breach of peace," the organization said in a statement. The statement said the work of at least 73 foreign and local evangelical groups, with names like Campus Crusade for Christ and Christian Literary Crusade, had been studied by the South Asian think tank, the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies.
More...
Published: Tue Mar 6 07:17:13 EST 2001
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England has more to worry as Muralitharan set dazzle home crowd
Yahoo India,
Tuesday, 6 march.
Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan will be hoping to pile on the misery for England in front of his home fans in the second cricket Test which begins here Wednesday. Muralitharan helped bowl Sri Lanka to an innings victory over the tourists at Galle in the first Test last month, even though he was not fully fit.While Sri Lanka will be looking to extend their success from Galle to Kandy, historically the venue is not their favourite hunting ground.They have won only twice in 10 Tests played at the Asgiriya Stadium, near the town of Kandy, since 1983, lost five and drawn three. The wins have been against Zimbabwe in 1998 (by eight wickets) and against Australia in 1999 (by six wickets).Both victories were fashioned out by Kandy's famous cricketing son Muralitharan. He had a match bag of 12 wickets against Zimbabwe and eight against Australia.Skipper Sanath Jayasuriya has warned against a re-run last year's Test against South Africa in Kandy where the tourists won by seven runs."We have reminded the players at team meetings of tha
More...
Published: Tue Mar 6 07:22:34 EST 2001
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Television umpire to be busy during Lanka-England second Test
Yahoo India,
March 5.
The two umpires on the ground must refer all doubtful appeals to the third, or television umpire, for a final ruling in the second Sri Lanka-England cricket Test, international match referee Hanumant Singh said on Monday.
Singh's decision came after English players and commentators strongly questioned some of the umpiring decisions in the first Test, which England lost by an innings and 28 runs to host Sri Lanka.
More...
Published: Mon Mar 5 21:08:42 EST 2001
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2 Tamils held with brown sugar
Yahoo India,
March 6.
In one of the biggest drug hauls in this coastal state, the Narcotics Control
Bureau here seized 4.07 kg of brown sugar today.
More...
Published: Tue Mar 6 09:26:05 EST 2001
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Indian diplomat under fire from Lanka press
India Abroad,
March 05, 2001 17:30 Hrs (IST) .
A
Sri Lankan minister and trade union leader of more than 100,000 Tamils of
Indian origin has come to the defense of an Indian diplomat who is under fire
for having attended a tea workers' "satyagraha" (non-violent protest). Achal Malhotra, assistant high commissioner at the Indian embassy's office in the hill
town of Kandy, is said to be under investigation by the foreign ministry for allegedly
participating in a strike led by Estate Infrastructure Minister Arumugam Thondaman.
More...
Published: Mon Mar 5 15:03:37 EST 2001
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Coast Guard arrests 11 Lankan fishermen
Times of India (Breaking News),
Tuesday .
6 March 2001
Coast Guard personnel arrested
11 Sri Lankan fishermen for crossing into
Indian waters in the sea off Tuticorin coast on
Tuesday, police said.The fishermen, whose boat was fitted with
very advanced communication equipment,
were taken into custody near Tuticorin coast
immediately after the Coast Guard radar
indicated that a foreign boat had crossed into
Indian waters, they said.
More...
Published: Tue Mar 6 09:22:47 EST 2001
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Lankan Olympic champ Susanthika pledges to donate eyes
Yahoo India,
march 5.
Sri Lanka's Olympic bronze medallist Susanthika Jayasinghe on Monday agreed to
donate her eyes to the country's eye bank in a gesture to mark International Women's Day. I consider it to be an act that can invoke merit in my next life," said Jayasinghe, a Buddhist like most Sri
Lankans, who won her country's first Olympic medal in half a century when she finished third in the women's
400 metres in Sydney last year.
More...
Published: Mon Mar 5 13:22:29 EST 2001
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President to take decision today on CWC Satyagraha campaign
Frederica Jansz in Colombo,
11.15 a.m. SLT Monday March 5.
A special committee appointed by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge
to probe the demands of strikers in the plantations calling for a Rs. 400/-
salary increase will take a decision today on the possibility of granting
their
request.
The two week old Satayagraha campaign initiated by Livestock and
Infrastructure
Development Minister, Arumugam Thondaman, has now received the backing and
support of some 5000 estate workers including almost all plantation sector
trade unions and the United National Party. N'Eliya UNP MP Navin Dissanayake
yesterday confirmed that the party's trade union, Lanka Jathika Estate Workers
also joined the campaign.
The Planter's Association meanwhile has said that it is impossible for private
estate owners to pay an increased wage hike of Rs. 400/- per worker and that
the ongoing campaign may in the long run seriously affect production costs
making it impossible for the companies to maintain profits.
Published: Mon Mar 5 00:45:40 EST 2001
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Murder of Nimalarajan: Neither Army nor LTTE involved- Justice Minister
Saroj Pathirana in London,
Monday 05/03/01 1730 GMT.
There is no evidence that the Sri Lankan army or the LTTE is involved with
the killing of journalist Mylvaganam Nimalarajan, a prominent government
minister said. Speaking with BBC’s Sandeshaya, Justice minister Batty
Weerakoon said that he could not find any evidence in police reports to link
Tamil Tigers or SL army to the incident and insisted it was a planned attack
by an armed gang.
While accepting that investigators have not yet questioned Northern Affairs
minister and the leader of the EPDP Douglas Devananda, who earlier publicly
accused LTTE , minister Weerakoon said the police is conducting an open
investigation. EPDP is accused as the group behind the brutal assault on
slain journalists residence, which also injured his parents and eleven year
old nephew.
Published: Mon Mar 5 12:35:01 EST 2001
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LTTE attack civilians at Weli Oya
Frederica Jansz in Colombo,
10.45 a.m. SLT Monday March 5.
A statement from the Special Media Information Center yesterday said that the
LTTE had attacked a group of farmers along the border of Weli Oya, killing
three. The military pointed out that the dastardly attack took place during
the Tigers self imposed ceasefire and the rebels are reported to have also
abducted some of the farmers.
Published: Mon Mar 5 00:45:39 EST 2001
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Doctor stripped off her rights to practice
Frederica Jansz in Colombo,
11a.m. SLT Monday March 5.
For the first time in the history of the medical council a doctors name
will be
erased from the medical register. Dr. Mrs. J. H. M. Kularatne, a general
practitioner from Kottawa was on Saturday found guilty of professional
misconduct and the Sri Lanka Medical Council will strike her name off the
register.
Dr. Kularatne in September 1997 administered a lethal injection to an
infant by
the name of Kavinda Madushan Jayawardena. Taken by his parents for a measles
vaccination the baby had collapsed when Dr. Kularatne gave the injection
and by
the time the child was rushed to the Lady Ridgeway Hospital it was too late.
An autopsy on the dead body performed by the Assistant Government Analyst
revealed that the blood contained a chemical by the name of "Suxmethonium
chloride," which was identified as the cause of the baby's death.
At the time baby Kavinda was taken to Dr. Kularatne on September 20, 1997, the
lady doctor was the District Medical Officer for Homagama. Government
doctors
are allowed to practice after working hours and Dr. Kularatne ran a dispensary
in the evenings at Kottawa.
The measles vaccine comes in two vials. One is the powder and the other the
liquid solvent. Dr. Kularatne that day had administered an injection to the
baby using the liquid solvent. The result was fatal.
This case was placed before the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) and the
Professional Conduct Committee probed the details. The case commenced on
November 5, 1999 and concluded on Saturday March 3, 2001. At this final
hearing the SLMC was represented by counsel instructed by Julias & Creasy
while
Dr. Mrs. Kularatne was represented by Anura Premaratne and Dr. R. A. D. Kumara
Wickrema.
A senior doctor commenting on the case said that this should "serve as a
deterrent for doctors in future and that all doctors should take due care and
diligence in the conduct of their professional duties. After all, doctors are
dealing with human-beings and not animals," he added.
Published: Mon Mar 5 00:45:40 EST 2001
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Viagra for wounded Sri Lankans
BBC South Asia,
Monday, 5 March, 2001, 15:16 GMT .
The authorities in Sri Lanka are to prescribe the impotence drug Viagra to some injured soldiers, in an attempt to raise their morale. The drug is being tested in the army's rehabilitation unit, initially on the victims of landmines.
More...
Published: Tue Mar 6 07:38:44 EST 2001
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Solheim in Sri Lanka again
Frederica Jansz in Colombo,
11.05 a.m SLT Monday March 5.
Norwegian special envoy Eric Solheim arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday to help
keep on track a fragile peace process with the Government and the LTTE.
Arriving soon after the UK announced the Tigers are banned in Britain, Solheim
is expected this time to meet with President Chandrika Bandaranaike
Kumaratunge
and other political leaders.
The Tigers though threatening to pull out of peace talks if the UK law is
strictly implemented against the organization, have however said so far that
they will not scuttle the peace process.
The government meanwhile have appealed to the rebels not to destabilize the
peace process because of the UK ban.
Published: Mon Mar 5 00:45:40 EST 2001
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Kadirgamar tells Tamils don’t ‘lose heart’..., says ban 'end of one chapter, beginning of another'
Island,
Monday, 5 March.
Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar on Friday reaffirmed that the government would not declare a reciprocal cease-fire, but maintained that the peace process would be on track as far as the government was concerned. He declared that the British ban on the LTTE was the "end of one chapter - a violent one, and the beginning of the next chapter of peace and prosperity." This was said by the Minister at a press conference at the Foreign Affairs Ministry. He said that Norwegian mediatory efforts to bring understanding between the government and the LTTE would continue, but was unable to give a date for the commencement of talks. He asserted that all matters relevant to the process — de-escalation of the war, displaced persons, etc. would only be under discussion once substantive talks commenced. "The government is much more realistic, pragmatic and hard-headed. We will not consider the possibility of sequential talks. The discussions would have to commence without a cease-fire, and we would negotiate from that point," he said.
More...
Published: Mon Mar 5 03:57:02 EST 2001
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LTTE gangs assault Sri Lankan music fans in London
Island,
Monday, 5 January.
Agitated by the British listing of the LTTE as a foreign terrorist organisation (FTO), pro LTTE gangs have attacked Sri Lankan music fans outside Acton Town Hall in North London. The attack took place late Saturday night as Sri Lankan music fans were leaving a concert. A Sri Lankan music group called the "Marians" had performed at the venue on Saturday night and as the event ended and the fans left the hall a gang of pro-LTTE Eelamists attacked them on the streets with swords and baseball bats. Several Sri Lankans have been admitted to hospital with sword wounds to their head, arms etc. All are reported to be in a non life threatening and stable condition.
More...
Published: Mon Mar 5 08:12:34 EST 2001
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Indian high commissioner tours Jaffna
Frederica Jansz in Colombo,
10.40 a.m. SLT Monday March 5.
Indian High Commissioner Gopalan Krishna Gandhi visited Jaffna over the
weekend
and met with Hindu, Catholic and Anglican religious dignitaries including the
Bishop for Jaffna Rt. Rev. Dr. Thomas Saundaranayagam.
The high commissioners visit is the first by an Indian VIP after a period of
ten years. Met by the mayor of Jaffna, Gandhi was conducted on a
familiarization tour of all military controlled areas.
Published: Mon Mar 5 00:45:38 EST 2001
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Kandy umpires given new guidelines
BBC South Asia,
Monday, 5 March, 2001, 10:30 GMT .
It follows criticism of the performance of umpires Peter Manuel and AV Jayaprakash, who stood in the first Test which Sri Lanka won by an innings and 28 runs. BC Cooray and South African Rudi Koertzen will be out in the middle in Kandy, with Manuel acting as third umpire.
More...
Published: Mon Mar 5 08:16:52 EST 2001
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Fate of ancient statues in balance as talks with Taliban continue
Independent,
Monday, 5 March.
The fate of Afghanistan's two towering Buddha statues was unclear last night as last-minute negotiations began to reverse a Taliban decree ordering their destruction.
One Taliban source said the statues had not yet been damaged but the work could start at any time. The regime's information minister, Qudratullah Jamal, said the statues and scores of other artefacts across the country were gradually being dismantled.Residents of central Bamiyan, where the two ancient statues of Buddha hewn from a cliff face in the third and fifth centuries are located, said they had seen soldiers firing anti-aircraft weapons at the two statues three days ago.The statues stand as evidence of the Greek and Buddhist cultures that flourished in Afghanistan centuries before the arrival of Islam. But a week ago the Taliban's leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, declared that they were the "shrines of infidels" and should be torn down.Analysts said the edict might be an attempt to bargain with the west. The Taliban have come under strong pressure from UN sanctions, which were tightened in January to punish the regime for not handing over the Saudi-born terrorist Osama bin Laden.
More...
[Listen]
Published: Mon Mar 5 04:13:41 EST 2001
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Lankan minister threatens death fast amid tea crisis
Times of India,
5 March 2001 .
A Sri Lankan minister who heads a union of Indian Tamil tea workers is threatening a death fast if President Chandrika Kumaratunga does not agree to a pay hike. As the tea industry fears the crisis would affect the international market, Arumugam Thondaman, the minister of estate infrastructure and leader of the Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC), said on Sunday he would
give the president a few more days more to tell plantation companies to comply with the wage demand.
More...
Published: Mon Mar 5 08:19:02 EST 2001
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