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LTTE occasionally disrupts the flow of persons exiting the Vanni- US State Dept Report
Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo,
SLT 10.15 a.m Monday April 1.
Country Report on Human Rights Practice released by the US State Department
yesterday states that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
occasionally disrupts the flow of persons exiting the Vanni region through
the two established and legal checkpoints and taxes civilians traveling
through areas it controls. The report states that in the past the LTTE
disrupted the movement of IDPs (Internally Displaced People) from
Trincomalle to Jaffna by hijacking or attacking civilian shipping, although
there were no such reports this year. The report adds that the LTTE
expropriate food, fuel and other items meant for IDP's, thus exacerbating
the plight of such persons in LTTE controlled areas. The report also states
that Humanitarian Groups estimate that more than 200,000 IDP live in areas
under the control of the LTTE. It says that the LTTE continued to commit
serious human rights abuses and the LTTE reportedly committed several
unlawful killings, and was responsible for disappearances, torture,
arbitrary arrest, detentions, and extortion and through a campaign of
intimidation, the LTTE continued to undermine the work of elected local
government bodies in Jaffna. According to the report the LTTE prevented
political and governmental activities from occurring in the north and east
and denied those under its control the right to change their government, did
not provide for fair trials, infringed on privacy rights, somewhat
restricted the freedom of movement, used child soldiers, and discriminated
against ethnic and religious minorities. The report also states that there
were unconfirmed reports that the LTTE continued to commit unlawful killings
and due to the inaccessibility of LTTE controlled areas and the LTTEs
prevention of investigation by outside agencies, the exact number and type
of killings in LTTE controlled areas are not known. It adds that according
to some observers the amount of killings was reduced drastically last year.
Published: Mon Mar 31 23:21:32 EST 2003
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ASK LAKSHMAN!
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A Q&A with Sri Lanka's Former Minister of Foreign Affairs
ANSWERS 1-9 NOW AVAILABLE.
We are pleased to introduce Mr. Lakshman Kadiragamar, former Foreign
Minister of Sri Lanka, as the 11th guest in our series of Q&A
sessions. Presidents Counsel and Member of Parliament, Mr. Kadiragamar
is currently the special adviser on Foreign Affairs to the President
of Sri Lanka. Send in your questions to Mr. Kadiragamar and receive
his answers here.
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IT'S NOT CRICKET, STUPID, IT'S COMPUTERS, LOVELY COMPUTERS
Fulbright Scholar Brings Computers to Urban Disadvantaged Children in
Colombo, Sri Lanka.
By Chulie de Silva, Colombo.
You would think on a warm Saturday morning, children in Sri Lanka
would be watching a cricket match and cheering on their heroes. No,
not in Kew Road, Slave Island, a multi-ethnic enclave just five
minutes away from the exclusive Trans Asia Hotel in Colombo's central
down town area. The cricket match played on at the Malay Cricket Club,
on Saturday 25, January but thirty children were flocked round five
computers in a little rectangular room of the Vocational Training
Center (VTC) run by the Sri Lanka Malay Association's (SLMA) Rupee
Fund. [More...]
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20,000 to be re-settled in the north today
Frederica Jansz in Colombo,
10.10 a.m. SLT Tuesday April 1.
Twenty thousand refugees are to be re-settled in the North today as the
government launches an ambitious plan to return to their homes over 600,000
displaced persons.
The government today announced that the Ministry for Rehabilitation,
Resettlement and Refugees would assist in the re-settlement plan. 36 areas
in the North have been earmarked and cleared of landmines and other
explosives.
The first phase initiated today will settle 20,000 in the Wanni area. The
rehabilitation ministry will allocate Rs. 65,000/- to each family plus some
building materials to put up house.
Published: Mon Mar 31 23:13:28 EST 2003
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Lanka Muditha carrying troops shot at off Trinco
Frederica Jansz in Colombo,
10.15 p.m. SLT Monday March 15.
The Lanka Muditha believed to be carrying over 1000 army soldiers who were
returning to Jaffna after holiday leave, was shot at around 9 p.m. this
evening approximately 20 nautical miles East of Trincomalee.
Major General Sarath Fonseka, Security Forces Commander for Jaffna said the
ship was transporting the soldiers back to Jaffna when a fishing boat had
approached the ship and opened fire.
Three soldiers have been wounded. Maj. Gen. Fonseka said the army platoon
on board had returned fire and sunk the fishing boat with the assailants.
Two out of the 3 soldiers have been evacuated from the vessel for treatment
while the third had suffered only minor injuries from gun fire, Fonseka
said.
He said the fishing boat did not resemble the usual LTTE gun boat. Other
army sources said however that this does not rule out the possibility the
attack was carried out by the Tigers.
The vessel 'Lanka Muditha' is hired by the security forces from the Ceylon
Shipping Corporation to assist in transporting troops in the north and east.
M.J . M. Muzammil, Chairman, Ceylon Shipping Corporation said there has
been no damage to the vessel and that the armed platoon which accompanies
troop movement had destroyed the fishing boat together with its occupants.
Muzammil said the Lanka Muditha carries between 500 to a 1000 troops during
such voyages.
Published: Mon Mar 31 11:24:35 EST 2003
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