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Sri Lankan president wins back parliamentary majority
Associated Press,
Mon February 28, 2005 12:17 EST .
- - COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP) Sri Lanka - 's ruling alliance won back its parliamentary majority Monday after persuading a minority Tamil party that withdrew its support last week to rejoin. The move left the ruling alliance with 111 seats two short of a majority and put the country in a state of political uncertainty amid efforts to recover from the Asian tsunami, which killed more than 31,000 people in Sri Lanka - . On Monday, the Ceylon Workers' Congress said it rejoined the coalition after Kumaratunga agreed to most of its demands, including rectifying delays in wage payments to tea and rubber estate workers and promising to implement a three-year plan to develop plantation areas in central Sri Lanka - . The Ceylon Workers Congress party is backed by Sri Lanka - 's minority ethnic Tamils the descendants of workers brought from South India by British colonialists in the 19th century.
Published: Mon Feb 28 20:09:01 EST 2005
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Time is Right for India to Speak its Mind- Kadirgamar
Domnique De Melo in Colombo,
SLT 5.45 A.M Tuesday 1 March 2005.
Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar says that time is right for India to
speak its mind regarding the type of solution for Sri Lanka. In an
interview given to the Indian government owned Doordarshan and responding to
a question if India should take a pro-active role in Sri Lanka, Kadirgamar
said “Yes. People in India have a legitimate interest in the solution to the
Sri Lankan problem. Whatever happens in Sri Lanka would have an impact in
India and in that context India cannot be disinterested in that total out
come. We would like to see India taking more than an academic interest, to
begin to indicate what kind of solution India would like to see in Sri
Lanka. No body or no outside power can say anything. India is the only power
who could say it and only India has the legitimate right to say so”
Kadirgamar also pointed out that as long as India does not say there will be
room for discord. Foreign Minister Kadirgamar said “I know Indian leaders
are definitely concerned of what is happening in Sri Lanka. Time is Right
for the Indian government to speak its mind regarding the type of solution
for Sri Lanka.” The Sri Lankan Foreign minister said that if India suggested
a federalism type of solution, all parties in Sri Lanka would agree on it.
He reminded of the agreement entered in Oslo on 2002 December where even
the LTTE appended its signature. He assumed that the LTTE too was committed
to it.
Kadiragamar also said that Sri Lanka was looking forward to the visit of
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in March. He described the intended
visit of the Indian premier as very significant and that the visit would
strengthen the strong relations between the two countries even further.
Speaking of the Indo-Lanka Defence co-operation Pact, Kadirgamar said that
the pact was ready for signature now. Foreign Minister Kadirgamar was on a
two day visit to India as President Kumaratunga’s Special Envoy to thank the
government and the people of India for helping Sri Lanka soon after Tsunami
struck. India was the first country to come to Sri Lanka on the 26 of
December and Indian assistance continues to this day.
Published: Mon Feb 28 19:02:06 EST 2005
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Sri Lanka Tamil Tiger woman leader hurt in ambush
xinhuanet.com,
February 28, 2005.
COLOMBO, Feb. 28 (Xinhuanet) -- A top Tamil Tiger woman leader and two other women rebels were seriously injured by gun fire in eastern Sri Lanka, police said Monday.
The police at Thirukkovil, 420 km east of Colombo, said two gunmen who arrived on a motor cycle had blocked the three wheeler taxi in which the women were traveling and fired at them.
Although no one had claimed responsibility for the attack, it is believed to have been mastermind by the renegade faction of theLiberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The renegades led by Karuna who was a former LTTE's eastern commander was blamed for the murder on Feb.7 of the LTTE's easternpolitical leader E Kousalyan.
The Tigers accused a paramilitary group working alongside government troops of carrying out the attack. Enditem
More...
Published: Mon Feb 28 12:36:05 EST 2005
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