The Lanka Academic
 
JANUARY 8, 2005 EST, USA
 
A NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED BY LACNET
 
VOL. 5, NO. 277
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Headline Summary
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LACNET TSUNAMI RELIEF EFFORT lists how you can make donations, how your donations are being spent, ways to find your missing loved ones, and all other matters related to the tsunami. LAcNet has raised:
LAcNet Blog: You can post your thoughts, wishes and anything you want to say about the tsunami here. Thanks to Rasika for creating.
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
Sri Lanka Man Rescued 13 Days After Tsunami -Report
reuters.com, jan 8. COLOMBO (Reuters) - An elderly Sri Lankan man was found alive under the debris of a southern town nearly two weeks after it was decimated by giant tsunami waves, a newspaper reported on Sunday. The man, identified only as Sirisena, was found semi-conscious on Saturday under the remains of a shop in the historic seaside town of Galle, said the Sunday Times, which splashed the man's picture on its front page. It said the man was suffering from malnutrition, dehydration and had early symptoms of pneumonia. He was too bewildered to explain how he had survived, the newspaper said. More...
Published: Sat Jan 8 23:53:10 EST 2005
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All-round praise for Sri Lanka
sundayobserver.lk, Sunday, 9 January 2005. Top international figures including US Secretary of State Colin Powell and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan who visited Sri Lanka this week to get an eye witness account of the massive damage caused by tsunami were highly impressed stating that of all countries hit by the sea tragedy, the Sri Lankan government was the only administration that had moved in quickly to speed up the rehabilitation and reconstruction process.

These world leaders including South Korean Prime Minister Lee Hae Chan, World Bank President James Wolfensohn and Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Lee Jong-Wook were on a fact finding mission in the affected areas. US Secretary of State Colin Powell even during his brief visit on Friday toured the most affected Southern town of Galle after which he said that Sri Lanka had prepared the most impressive piece of assessment on the damage and had identified priorities in the correct perspective for a rebuilding process. More...
Published: Sat Jan 8 18:18:49 EST 2005 Back to the top

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LTTE chief washed away by tsunami?
TOI, SATURDAY, JANUARY 08, 2005 10:31:13 PM . COLOMBO: Elusive Tamil Tiger chief Velupillai Prabhakaran and his intelligence chief Pottu Amman are among the dead or missing after last week's tsunami disaster, state radio said Saturday, sparking fresh tension between government and rebels who immediately denied the report.

The Island newspaper, meanwhile, reported Saturday that an expensive coffin "for a top LTTE leader" had been smuggled into a northern Tiger area inside a container carrying relief for tsunami survivors. The LTTE, in a statement posted on its official Peace Secretariat website, slammed the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation for carrying the reports, saying now was "not the time for gossip mongering and malicious propaganda". More...
Published: Sat Jan 8 20:30:55 EST 2005 Back to the top

Related News Stories
·
 Is LTTE chief Prabhakaran a tsunami casualty?  - rediff.com
·
 LTTE denies reports of Prabhakaran s death  - ndtv.com
·
 Tamil Tiger leader dead or missing after tsunami: Sri Lanka radio  - khaleejtimes.com
·
 Tamil Tigers criticize state radio station for reporting that rebel leader was killed in tsunami  - Associated Press
·
 Sri Lanka media speculates Tamil Tiger rebel leader s fate  - xinhuanet.com
Health officials issues (unofficial) epidemic warning on Batticaloa and other Eastern refugee camps
 Alladin Hussein in Colombo, January 8, 2004, 8.24 p.m.. Several cases of chickenpox, mumps and measles have been reported from a few tsunami refugee camps in the Eastern province... Back to the top
Tsunami survivors in Sri Lanka leaving camps; death toll rises by 38
 Associated Press, Sat January 8, 2005 08:22 EST . COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP) Sri Lanka has closed scores of refugee camps as people begin drifting back to their damaged homes... Back to the top
Rescind order given to military to take over relief operations in welfare centers – TNA
 Alladin Hussein in Colombo, January 8, 2004, 8.22 p.m.. The LTTE represented Tamil National Alliance today severely objected to the Government’s decision in giving the Military the task to carry out relief operations in tsunami welfare centers... Back to the top
Used clothing clog Lanka aid pipeline
 Yahoo, 1/9/2005 3:32:20. SAMMANTHURAI, Sri Lanka: Sitting cross-legged on the cramped, bucking floor of a Black Hawk helicopter as it roars above central Sri Lanka’s pristine jungle and muddy rivers, aid has never seemed as complicated... Back to the top
Sri Lanka Tells Annan Not to Visit Rebels
 Associated Press, Sat January 8, 2005 05:56 EST . SHIMALI SENANAYAKE - Associated Press Writer - HAMBANTOTA, Sri Lanka (AP) Sri Lanka on Saturday asked U... Back to the top
TSUNAMI: 'Utter destruction'
 Associated Press, Sat January 8, 2005 02:28 EST . Secretary of State Colin Powell continued his tour of the region Friday, flying to Sri Lanka, the second hardest-hit nation, with an estimated 30,000 people killed... Back to the top
World Bank president to visit Sri Lanka
 xinhuanet.com, 2005-01-08 13:37:45. COLOMBO, Jan. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- World Bank (WB) President James D. Wolfensohn will be here on Saturday to have a first-hand view of the destruction to lives, livelihoods and property caused by the tsunami, said WB official sources here... Back to the top
Tsunami survivor found in Sri Lanka
 Yahoo, Saturday, January 8, 2005 . GALLE, Sri Lanka (CNN) -- After 13 days trapped under the rubble of a seaside shop, a man believed to be in his 60s Saturday was rushed to a hospital in the southern Sri Lankan city of Galle, able only to mumble his name... Back to the top
Left an orphan by tsunami, Sri Lankan girl becomes embroiled in custody dispute
 Associated Press, Sat January 8, 2005 05:54 EST . CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA - Associated Press Writer - GALLE, Sri Lanka (AP) Scrapes and punctures on the face of Fatima Rijani are healing two weeks after the tsunami nearly killed her, but the 11-year-old orphan could face a different anguish in the months and years ahead... Back to the top
U.S. Marines begin reconstruction efforts in southern Sri Lanka
 Associated Press, Sat January 8, 2005 07:39 EST . CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA - Associated Press Writer - HIKKADUWA, Sri Lanka (AP) Lt... Back to the top
Asia Tsunami Death Toll Passes 150,000
 Associated Press, Sat January 8, 2005 04:01 EST . LELY T. DJUHARI - Associated Press Writer - ``It is normal after a catastrophe like this nature to have some disease, but they are under control,'' WHO Director-General Dr... Back to the top
Private firms developed teams that help move supplies through Sri Lanka
 Yahoo, Saturday, January 8, 2005. COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — As U.S. military forces plug ahead with a relief plan in tsunami-wracked Sri Lanka, a collaboration of private companies set up after another devastating natural disaster is helping ensure tons of aid relief is moving in and out of the main airport smoothly... Back to the top
First DART jet arrives in Sri Lanka with supplies
 ctv.ca, Sat. Jan. 8 2005 2:41 PM ET . The first cargo jet carrying equipment and members from Canada's Disaster Assistance Response Team, or DART, landed in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Saturday... Back to the top
Indian warship returns after completing relief work in Sri Lanka ...
 newkerala.com, Sat 8th Jan 2005 20:22GMT. [India News]: Mumbai, Jan 8 : An Indian naval warship returned to Mumbai after undertaking rescue and relief mission in Sri Lanka and Maldives... Back to the top
US suspends deportations to Sri Lanka
 nwsource.com, January 08, 2005, 07:40 EDT. WASHINGTON -- The U.S. government has temporarily stopped deporting people to Sri Lanka and Maldives, two of the countries devastated by the tsunami disaster... Back to the top
Direct Relief International Medical Supplies Arrive in Sri Lanka ...
 prnewswire.com, January 08, 2005, 07:40 EDT. COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- A plane loaded with 26 Pallets of Direct Relief International medical supplies that were specifically requested, weighing over 7 tons, arrives in Colombo Airport Saturday afternoon, local time (16:00 hours or 4:00 pm) via a donated FedEx cargo plane. The medicines, medical and surgical supplies provided are in response to specific requests from local Sri Lankan health organizations... Back to the top
820 more tonnes of supplies flood to Sri Lanka
 di-ve.com, Saturday 8 Jan, 2005 : 13.22 GMTT. 820 more tonnes of supplies will be shipped to Sri Lanka on Monday as on Saturday morning 46 20-foot containers were sent from Hal Far to the Freeport ready to leave Malta... Back to the top
Kofi Annan visits tsunami devastated southern Sri Lanka
 Associated Press, Fri January 7, 2005 23:33 EST . SHIMALI SENENAYAKE - Associated Press Writer - HAMBANTOTA, Sri Lanka (AP) Stunned by the devastation wrought by the Asian tsunami, U... Back to the top
Sri Lankan Caucus taking on new importance in Congress
 Associated Press, Sat January 8, 2005 09:59 EST . Seven legislators from the Garden State serve on the Sri Lankan Caucus... Back to the top
S. Korean PM wraps up visit to Sri Lanka
 xinhuanet.com, 2005-01-08 21:30:36. COLOMBO, Jan. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- South Korean Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan ended his tour of Tsunami devastated Sri Lanka after a two-day visit, Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry said on Saturday. Lee Hae-chan called on President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse for talks on the tidal wave disaster and bilateral relations during his stay here... Back to the top
Boxing great Holyfield discovers Sri Lanka
 smh.com.au, January 9, 2005. Sri Lanka was not on the map of four-time world heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield until the tsunamis devastated the island, a report said yesterday... Back to the top
Sri Lankan Teenager Raped by Rescuer
 Associated Press, January 7. SHIMALI SENANAYAKE Associated Press Writer GALLE, Sri Lanka (AP) She survived the tsunami, only to suffer the brutality of her rescuer... Back to the top
WHO says no major disease outbreaks in refugee camps; toll rises above 150,000
 Associated Press, Sat January 8, 2005 03:52 EST . LELY T. DJUHARI - Associated Press Writer - ``It is normal after a catastrophe like this nature to have some disease, but they are under control,'' WHO Director-General Dr... Back to the top
Leaders view tsunami devastation
 CNN, January 7, 2004. (CNN) -- High-ranking international officials are touring regions hardest hit by the Indian Ocean tsunamis to see firsthand the devastation that has prompted one of the world's biggest relief efforts... Back to the top
Kofi Annan arrives in tsunami-stricken Sri Lanka
 Associated Press, Fri January 7, 2005 08:51 EST . SHIMALI SENANAYAKE - Associated Press Writer - COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP) U... Back to the top
Distributing relief in Sri Lanka
 alertnet.org, 07 Jan 2005 18:14:00 GMT. Jamie Richardson, a British Red Cross logistics expert from mid-Wales, has been in Sri Lanka for a week, helping the relief effort... Back to the top
Canada halts deportations to six countries slammed by killer wave
 Associated Press, Fri January 7, 2005 17:48 EST . Brian Daly - - The nations listed by the agency are Sri Lanka - , Maldives and Seychelles, along with certain coastal regions of India, Indonesia and Thailand... Back to the top
ASU researcher returns to native Sri Lanka
 ASU Press Release, Fri Jan 7 20:38:09 EST 2005. H.J. Fernando is going home to Sri Lanka, but it won’t be a heart-warming trip spent only with family... Back to the top
Relief groups join forces to form Operation Restoration Sri Lanka
 channelnewsasia.com, 08 January 2005 0152 hrs . SINGAPORE : 21 organisations and schools have come together as one big team for Operation Restoration Sri Lanka... Back to the top
Canadian Prime Minister declares January 8th a national day of mourning
 Canadian Government, Friday 7th Jan 2005, 21:04GMT.
NEWS RELEASE January 7, 2005 Ottawa, Ontario
Prime Minister Paul Martin today announced that Saturday, January 8th, 2005 has been declared a national day of mourning, in honour of those lost or missing following the earthquakes and tsunamis that struck countries in South and South-East Asia, as well as the east coast of Africa, on December 26, 2004... Back to the top
Powell pledges $25 mn for Sri Lanka
 hindustantimes.com, January 7. The US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, on Friday pledged $25 million for relief and reconstruction in tsunami-hit Sri Lanka... Back to the top
US committed to rebuild Sri Lanka
 dailynews.lk, Saturday, 08 January 2005. The visiting US Secretary of State Colin Powell said yesterday joint efforts on the relief front could be elevated to a political effort to achieve lasting peace... Back to the top
US aircraft carrier heads to Sri Lanka
 dailynews.lk, Saturday, 08 January 2005. US aircraft carrier USS Bonhomme Richard will arrive at the southern coast of Sri Lanka in the next three to five days to carry out relief work in the tsunami-hit island, a US official said yesterday... Back to the top
Tsunami tragedy fails to bring Lankan Govt., LTTE together
 sunnetwork.org, Saturday, 8 Jan 2005 . Colombo, Jan 07 - As the world unites to help Asia's tsunami survivors, Sri Lanka's government and Tamil Tiger rebels are busy trading charges of discrimination in aid distribution, harassment and playing miser... Back to the top
Powell Visits Red Cross Relief Centre in Galle
 Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo, SLT 5.30 P.M Friday 7 January 2005. US Secretary of State Collin Powell visited a Red Cross Relief Centre in Galle this afternoon and inspected the distribution operations of the Sri Lanka Red Cross in Galle... Back to the top
Lanka’s tsunami sensor not repaired since 2003
 Hindustan Times, Januayr 7. The tsunami-warning equipment gifted to Sri Lankan by Japan had been out of order since August 2003, and the authorities had not bothered to repair it, says disaster management expert Dr Ranijth Premalal De Silva... Back to the top
World leaders due in Sri Lanka to asses tsunami damage
 turkishpress.com, 07-01-2005, 06h29. COLOMBO (AFP) - World leaders including US Secretary of State Colin Powell and UN chief Kofi Annan were due in Sri Lanka to view firsthand damage from tsunamis that killed 30,600 people here last month, officials said... Back to the top
We want more aid, says hurt Sri Lanka
 theaustralian.news.com.au, January 7, 2004. SRI Lanka's high commissioner to Australia was "hurt" the Australian Government had failed to provide more aid to his country and urged the Howard Government to give more generously... Back to the top
Lanka’s tsunami sensor not repaired since 2003
 hindustantimes.com, January 7, 2004. The tsunami-warning equipment gifted to Sri Lankan by Japan had been out of order since August 2003, and the authorities had not bothered to repair it, says disaster management expert Dr Ranijth Premalal De Silva... Back to the top
US military presence in Sri Lanka no hindrance to peace
 xinhuanet.com, January 7, 2004. COLOMBO, Jan. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Friday the presence of the US marines in Sri Lanka was no hindrance to Sri Lanka's peace process with the Tamil Tiger rebels. "It is a humanitarian effort" Powell told reporters here Fridayat the end of his very short visit to the island to assess the Tsunami tidal wave devastation... Back to the top
ANALYSIS-Sri Lanka s economy does not take tsunami lying down
 alertnet.org, 07 Jan 2005 11:24:42 GMT. COLOMBO, Jan 7 (Reuters) - More than 30,000 Sri Lankans lost their lives when the tsunami hit their island the day after Christmas, but perversely the economy looks like it will gain from the destruction, analysts said on Friday... Back to the top
Irish FM to visit Sri Lanka
 dailynews.lk, Saturday, 08 January 2005. Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern said Friday he would visit Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka to assess humanitarian aid needs and priorities following the tsunami disaster... Back to the top
Relief assistance from Indian companies based in Lanka
 dailynews.lk, Saturday, 08 January 2005. Several Indian companies based in Sri Lanka have extended a helping hand to the relief operations in the wake of the tsunami tragedy, the High Commission of India said yesterday... Back to the top
CWS Tsunami Aid Arrives in Sri Lanka -- CWS Raises Tsunami Appeal ...
 alertnet.org, 07 Jan 2005 17:13:00 GMT. NEW YORK – International humanitarian agency Church World Service (CWS) announced this morning a $5 million public fundraising campaign for victims of the Southern Asia tsunami disaster... Back to the top
Greece to send floating hospital, more aid to tsunami victims
 Associated Press, Fri January 7, 2005 10:03 EST . - - The Foreign Ministry has also announced it will send a cruise ship to Sri Lanka - , to carry some 800 tons of humanitarian aid and serve as a floating hospital... Back to the top
Plane full of medical supplies headed for Sri Lanka
 newsday.com, January 7, 2005. NEW YORK -- A cargo plane loaded with more than 40 tons of medicine and medical supplies departed for tsunami-devastated Sri Lanka on Friday as part of an effort spearheaded by a nonprofit organization from Kansas... Back to the top
Sri Lanka 's tsunami death toll rises to 30,680
 Associated Press, Fri January 7, 2005 00:54 EST . - - COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP) Sri Lankan officials recorded 65 more tsunami deaths Friday, raising the nation's official death toll to 30,680... Back to the top
Southern Sri Lanka Digs Out, Looks to Rebuild
 wired.com, Friday, January 07, 2005 2:35 a.m. ET. GALLE, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - Sri Lankans have made huge progress in clearing the rubble left in the wake of the deadly Indian Ocean tsunami and thousands of displaced people have left camps for the homeless, officials and aid groups say... Back to the top
UK charity maps Sri Lanka aid effort
 bbc.co.uk, Friday, 7 January, 2005, 18:13 GMT . The authorities and relief agencies in Sri Lanka have been delivering aid on the tsunami-ravaged island using maps produced 24 hours a day by a team of British volunteers... Back to the top
Norway lifts travel advisory for Thailand, Sri Lanka ; Sweden and Denmark keep warnings in place
 Associated Press, Fri January 7, 2005 06:02 EST . - - OSLO, Norway (AP) Norway's foreign ministry on Friday lifted an advisory against travel to Thailand and Sri Lanka - , but warned of widespread damage from the devastating tsunami that swept southern Asia... Back to the top
Sri Lanka shows signs of rehabilitation despite great loss
 xinhuanet.com, 2005-01-07 14:05:35. HIKKADUWA, Sri Lanka, Jan. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- High-toned working songs and efforts on clearing up the remnant strewn along beaches are registering for a new town blueprint. Sri Lanka starts to recuperate after the worst-ever tsunami disaster... Back to the top
South Korean PM to arrive in Sri Lanka
 xinhuanet.com, 2005-01-07 13:15:44. COLOMBO, Jan. 7 (Xinhuanet) --South Korean Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan will arrive here Friday on an official visit to Sri Lanka to bring two tons of relief supplies for the affected people in Tsunami-hit areas in the country, official sources said. Lee Hae-chan will meet President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse for talks on the tidal wave disaster and bilateral relations... Back to the top
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