The Lanka Academic
 
JANUARY 19, 2004 EST, USA
 
A NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED BY LACNET
 
VOL. 4, NO. 288
TLA FEATURE CORNER
Headline Summary
F R E E      C L A S S I F I E D S
T  O  P      H  E  A  D  L  I  N  E
Netherlands to act as EU President in Sri Lanka
Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo, SLT 8.55 A.M Tuesday 20 January. The Netherlands will be acting as the President of the European Union in Sri Lanka and the Maldives for 18 months with effect from January. In the first half of the year, the Royal Netherlands embassy in Colombo, will be performing duties on behalf of the Republic of Ireland and from 1 July this year it will hold the Presidency for another six months, by taking a regular turn on behalf of the Dutch government and from July 2005 the Netherlands embassy would act on behalf of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

A release from the Netherlands embassy in Colombo said the country assuming the EU presidency in Sri Lanka is responsible for the external representation of the EU for the implementation of the common foreign and security policy, justice and home affairs, while the Delegation of the European Union Commission in Sri Lanka represents the European Union on trade, transport, health care, social policy and the environment.
Published: Mon Jan 19 21:57:57 EST 2004

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SLFP/JVP Alliance- Diverse stand of two parties would not result in anything- Batty
Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo, SLT 6.00 A.M Tuesday 20 January. LSSP leader, Batty Weerakoon says that the SLFP stood for devolution of power while the JVP does not want to devolve power and because of this major difference concerning the national question, nothing useful would come out of the alliance between the SLFP and the JVP which would be signed today. Weerakoon pointed out that this diverse stands of the two parties would not result in anything-positive happening and that was the view of his party the LSSP.

Leader of the TULF, V. Anandasangaree says in politics caution had to be exercised . He said "In politics, today's enemy could be tomorrow's friend. He had no comment on the alliance between the JVP and the S:FP. However, deputy leader of the party, Joseph Pararajasingham says the alliance was detrimental to the peace process while The Ceylon Workers Congress MP and Deputy Minister, Muthusivalingam, said his party is not for or against the proposed alliance. He also noted that it wasn't the right time to form a coalition of this sort. The signing ceremony of the alliance between the SLFP and the JVP will take place today at 10.00 a.m at committee room A at the BMICH
Published: Mon Jan 19 19:11:55 EST 2004 Back to the top

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Court orders detention of Sri Lankan cricket chief on fraud and forgery charges
Associated Press, Mon January 19, 2004 05:15 EST . - - COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP) A Sri Lankan court on Monday ordered the detention of the country's cricket chief on allegations of fraud and passport forgery, despite his claim that he is preparing for major surgery. Sumathipala, who also heads state-run Sri Lanka - Telecom, is accused of altering a passport to enable alleged gangster Dhammika Amarasinghe to travel to England and watch the 1999 cricket World Cup.

He is also accused of fraudulently releasing 1,500 British pounds (US$2,688) from the cricket board's accounts for Amarasinghe's traveling expenses.

Sumathipala denies both charges.

Amarasinghe, who was accused of dozens of killings and the attempted assassination of a newspaper editor in 1998, was shot dead earlier this month as he arrived at court to face murder charges.

Sumathipala was sacked as cricket board chief in March 2001 amid allegations of irregularities in the awarding of building contracts for a cricket stadium. However the allegations were not proven and Sumathipala was re-elected to the presidency for a third term in June last year.

Sumathipala missed his original hearing, scheduled for Jan. 8, after his lawyers submitted a medical certificate saying he needed surgery to remove a kidney stone.

The court later refused a request for an arrest warrant to be issued. Prosecutors claimed Sumathipala was trying to mislead the court and to evade court procedure.
Published: Mon Jan 19 12:46:17 EST 2004 Back to the top

Related News Stories
·
 Sumathipala remanded in judicial custody  - Cricinfo
·
 Sri Lanka cricket chief remanded to custody  - com
·
 Cricket-Sri Lanka cricket chief remanded over immigration charge  - cricmania.com
·
 SriLanka: Sri Lanka Cricket, Telecom chief remanded over ...  - channelnewsasia.com
LTTE continues to raise their flag despite strict warning by SLMM
 Alladin Hussein in Colombo, January 19, 2004, 11.35 pm. The LTTE is continuing to violate the provisions of the Ceasefire Agreement by hoisting their Eelam flag at numerous ceremonies during the last few days, army said... Back to the top
Public and private sector awaits alliance amidst uncertainty
 Alladin Hussein in Colombo, January 19, 2004, 11.14 pm. While the country awaited the outcome of the much-hyped alliance between the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) showed visible signs of apprehension... Back to the top
Indo-Lanka defence pact by end of February
 deepikaglobal.com, January 19, 2004. Colombo, Jan 19 (UNI) Secretary to Sri Lanka's Ministry of Defence Cyril Herath, who led a top-level defence delegation to India last week, has expressed optimism that the much-talked Indo-Lanka defence pact aimed at broader military co-operation between the two countries would be finalised by the end of February... Back to the top
Foreign envoys to attend LTTE meet
 ndtv.com, January 19, 2004. More than 50 representatives, including those from Norway, Japan, UK, USA, Germany, Canada and other European Union countries are expected to attend a crucial meeting organised by the LTTE in Kilinochchi in Sri Lanka today... Back to the top
EPDP Says Serious Human Rights Violations In LTTE Areas
 Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo, SLT 10.00 P.M Monday 19 January. The Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) has written to the diplomatic community summarizing the Human Rights violations by the LTTE during the two-year ceasefire agreement between the government and the LTTE... Back to the top
Underworld Thrives On Political Patronage
 Ranmali Wijesuriya in Colombo, SLT 6.30 A.M Monday 19 January. A report says that as long as politicians in Sri Lanka depend on the underworld the crime and the brutal killings in Sri Lanka would continue... Back to the top
Drought-led economic crisis looms in politically crippled Lanka
 dailymirror.lk, January 19, 2004. The present drought has sent warning signals across the Government and the private sector of a possible electricity, water and economic crisis prompting stakeholders to prepare with contingency measures... Back to the top
Chandrika-JVP alliance sends tremors through Sri Lanka
 hindustantimes.com, 19 January 2004. The alliance between the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), led by President Chandrika Kumaratunga, and the radical Sinhala-Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), is sending tremors through Sri Lanka's ruling classes, the minorities and the peace lobby both in the island and abroad... Back to the top
Opposition alliance seen delaying Sri Lanka peace
 reuters.com, January 19, 2004. COLOMBO (Reuters) - An alliance between the party of Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga and a Marxist party could spur an early election and delay efforts to strike a peace deal with Tamil Tigers, political analysts said on Monday Back to the top
Sri Lanka most likely to postpone local elections in Tamil-dominated northeast, official says
 Associated Press, Mon January 19, 2004 07:17 EST . - - COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP) Local elections in Sri Lanka - 's Tamil-dominated north and east look set to be postponed for a third time, a senior election official said Monday... Back to the top
US Says, Cong Rep did not meet with the LTTE
 Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo, SLT 1.30 P.M Sunday 18 January. The United States Embassy in Colombo denied todays news reports that the US Congressional Representatives had a meeting with the representatives of the LTTE at the German embassy in Colombo... Back to the top
India and Sri Lanka to sign defence agreement
 Alladin Hussein in Colombo, January 19, 2004, 12.43 am. India and Sri Lanka are scheduled to sign a ‘defence corporation agreement’ within the next two months... Back to the top
UNF bid to thwart Chandrika's move
 Gulf News, January 19, 2004. The ruling United National Front (UNF) Government is planning counter measures against a move by President Chandrika Kumaratunga to continue to remain in office until 2006 as against the popular belief that her term was ending in 2005 Back to the top
Akashi back in Colombo to review peace process
 Alladin Hussein in Colombo, January 18, 2004, 11.36 pm. Japanese Special Envoy Yasushi Akashi will arrive tomorrow on a seven-day visit... Back to the top
Central Bank Governor and senior Minister calls for unity in crisis ridden political sector
 Alladin Hussein in Colombo, January 18, 2004, 11.13 pm . Central Bank Governor A.S. Jayawardena had stressed that political stability is essential for a sound economy in the country... Back to the top
Sri Lankan president welcomes appointment of new chief truce monitor
 Associated Press, Sun January 18, 2004 07:28 EST . COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP) President Chandrika Kumaratunga has welcomed Norway's appointment of a retired army officer to lead the mission monitoring the cease-fire between Sri Lanka - 's government and Tamil Tiger rebels, a spokesman said Sunday... Back to the top
Chandrika consults leading Indian lawyer on LTTE proposals
 deepikaglobal.com, Jan 18. Colombo, (UNI) President Chandrika Kumaratunga held a four-hour consultation with Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court K K Venugopal yesterday with regard to the LTTE's proposal for an Interim Self-Government Authority (ISGA) for the war-ravaged North-East... Back to the top
LTTE to meet Colombo-based diplomats in Kilinochchi tomorrow
 deepikaglobal.com, Jan 18. Colombo, (UNI) Several representatives of foreign missions here are scheduled to attend a meeting organised by the LTTE in Kilinochchi tomorrow to discuss future plans on the rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in the war-torn North and East Sri Lanka... Back to the top
International donors meet Tamil Tiger rebels on Sri Lankan aid
 Associated Press, Mon January 19, 2004 08:05 EST . JOE ARYARATNAM - Associated Press Writer - KILINOCHCHI, Sri Lanka - (AP) Sri Lanka - 's Tamil Tiger rebels on Monday pleaded with international donors to assist efforts in rebuilding the war-ravaged northeast at a meeting in this northern guerrilla-held town... Back to the top
LTTE expresses strong opposition to India-Lanka Defence Pact
 hindustantimes.com, January 17, 2004. The Sri Lankan Tamils in general, and the LTTE in particular, are strongly opposed to the proposed India-Sri Lanka Defence Cooperation Agreement (ILDCA)... Back to the top
Aid on agenda despite Sri Lanka political woes
 Yahoo India, Sunday January 18, 3:03 PM. By Scott McDonald COLOMBO (Reuters) - Diplomats will try to boost humanitarian aid for Sri Lanka this week despite a political fight between the president and prime minister that has sidelined the island's peace process... Back to the top
Lehmann eyes Sri Lankan deadline
 cricket365.com, January 19, 2004. South Australian captain Darren Lehmann has pin-pointed Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka for his return to the national team Back to the top
World News Sri Lanka denies spread of SARS-like flu
 newkerala.com, January 17, 2004. The Sri Lankan Health Ministry has denied reports that a flu similar to SARS is spreading in the country and assured that a strict surveillance mechanism was in place to counter any outbreak of SARS... Back to the top
Sri Lanka headed for a rift over president's extended term
 brunei-online.com, January 17, 2004. COLOMBO (AFP) - Sri Lanka was headed for a constitutional crisis after the president admitted an undisclosed investiture giving herself an extra year in office, political and legal sources said Wednesday... Back to the top
India News: Sri Lanka, India discuss defence pact
 keralanext.com, January 17, 2004. New Delhi, Indian and Sri Lankan officials Friday completed two days of high-level discussions on a pact that would expand bilateral defence cooperation to key areas like military sales and enhanced training... Back to the top
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