The Lanka Academic
 
JANUARY 16, 2008 EST, USA
 
QUAERE VERUM
 
VOL. 8, NO. 285
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T  O  P      H  E  A  D  L  I  N  E
Most Sri Lankan bus ambush victims were shot
reuters, jan 17. COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's military said on Thursday most of the 27 people killed in a bus ambush were shot by rebels as the passengers tried to flee rather than in the blast that struck the vehicle.

Wednesday's attack came as a 6-year truce between the state and rebels formally ended, paving the way for what analysts forecast will be a military push for the Tigers' northern stronghold and a bloody escalation in a 25-year civil war.

The Tigers were not immediately available for comment on the ambush, but routinely deny involvement.

"There are now 27 people killed," said military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara. "There are now 49 people in hospital as others have been released after treatment.

The death toll was 26 late on Wednesday. More... Discuss this story
Published: Wed Jan 16 23:48:19 EST 2008

SLMM, Japan for political means
hindu, jan 17. COLOMBO: Winding up the nearly six-year mission, Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Head Maj. Gen. Lars J Solvberg said here on Wednesday his mission was “absolutely convinced that the ‘complex conflict’ cannot be solved by military means.”

At a press conference here, Maj. Gen. Solvberg said he drew this conclusion as the operation was about to be terminated. “It is not a task for the SLMM, however, to advise the parties to the CFA, nor other actors, how to find viable solutions. This has to be left to the people of Sri Lanka themselves – supported by facilitating actors of their choice,” he said.

To a question, Maj. Gen. Solvberg said the level of hostilities in the last few months had gone up to such an extent that it was impossible for the SLMM to keep a count. More... Discuss this story
Published: Wed Jan 16 21:07:04 EST 2008 Back to the top

Lankan govt faces world criticism
Dawn, jan 17. With the tattered six year old ceasefire between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tiger rebels officially ending on Wednesday, the Mahinda Rajapakse led UPFA regime is facing a hailstorm of international criticism for formally abrogating the peace agreement signed in February 2002. However government officials assert that keeping in line with a recent pledge by President Rajapakse, the All Party Representative Committee is to present a political package on Jan 23 aimed at placating the Tamil minority community. But analysts point out that the plan to finalise a political solution will, once again, run into difficulty when faced with obtaining a consensus. More... Discuss this story
Published: Wed Jan 16 23:15:37 EST 2008 Back to the top
'Orissa Maoists linked to LTTE'
 newindpress, jan 17. KORAPUT/JEYPORE: Earlier, there was the Nepal Maoist link. Now, investigation has unearthed the LTTE link of Koraput Maoists! The link was unravelled after arrest of five top-ranking Maoists by Koraput police from Tamil Nadu... Back to the top
Return to Conflict Sri Lanka shows every sign of slipping into savagery
 TimesOnline, jan 17. What little most Britons know about Sri Lanka is coloured by the image of balmy hotels, a benevolent outlook on life and a fun-loving national cricket team... Back to the top
Bus attack, aftermath kill 31 as Sri Lankan cease-fire officially ends
 Associated Press, Wed January 16, 2008 10:47 EST . RAVI NESSMAN - Associated Press Writer - COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP) Sri Lanka - 's 6-year-old cease-fire deal ended Wednesday in a spasm of violence, as suspected Tamil Tiger rebels bombed a civilian bus, gunned down the fleeing passengers and attacked farmers as they retreated into the bush, killing 31 people... Back to the top
Death by flowers: giant, suicidal palm has botanists stumped
 world-science, jan 17. A bi­zarre dis­cov­ery has bot­a­nists puz­zled: a new spe­cies of enor­mous palm tree that flow­ers it­self to death... Back to the top
Sri Lanka Air Force bombs rebel targets
 Xinhua, jan 16. COLOMBO, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lanka Air Force launched aerial attacks against Tamil tiger rebels in the northern island on Wednesday, the military said. The Army said the fighter craft took attacks on LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) rebels' complex where the rebels' munitions were stored at Uddasar, Kattukular and Putukudirippu in the Mullaithivu district about 2:30 p... Back to the top
CHRONOLOGY: Attacks blamed on Sri Lanka s Tamil Tigers
 reuters.com, Wed Jan 16, 2008. (Reuters) - Suspected Tamil Tigers bombed a bus in central Sri Lanka on Wednesday killing 24 people, the military said, as a 6-year ceasefire between the state and rebels formally ended... Back to the top
Sri Lanka Ends Truce With Rebels, Pans UN Human Rights Comment
 bloomberg, jan 16. an. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Sri Lanka formally ended its 2002 cease-fire with the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, rejecting as inaccurate a United Nations statement that the conflict may intensify and threaten human rights. President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government said the truce, brokered by Norway, will formally end today because the LTTE used it to boost its forces and prepare attacks... Back to the top
Rajapaksa says India-Sri Lanka accord can solve ethnic issue
 hindustantimes.com, 16 jan. Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa has said the India-Sri Lanka accord of 1987 offers the best solution for the ethnic problem in his country... Back to the top
Japan might reconsider Sri Lanka aid if gov't fails to address civil war concerns
 Associated Press, Tue January 15, 2008 12:39 EST . RAVI NESSMAN - Associated Press Writer - COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP) Japan might reconsider its massive annual aid package to Sri Lanka - if the South Asian nation's government does not address concerns over its escalating civil war, a diplomat said Tuesday... Back to the top
3 suspected Tigers held in Delhi
 toi, jan 16. NEW DELHI: Three Sri Lankan nationals suspected to have links with the LTTE have been arrested by the crime branch of Delhi Police... Back to the top
UN s Arbour warns over end of Sri Lanka truce
 reuters.com, Jan 15, 2008 . GENEVA (Reuters) - The Sri Lankan government's move to scrap a six-year ceasefire with rebels could trigger renewed fighting that could have a devastating effect on rights of civilians, the U... Back to the top
Sri Lanka kills rebels, hits back at foreign critics
 google.com, 15 jan. COLOMBO (AFP) — Sri Lanka's government claimed its forces had killed 22 more Tamil Tiger rebels and brushed off international concerns over the island's slide back into all-out war... Back to the top
Japanese envoy guarded at conclusion of Sri Lanka visit+
 Associated Press, Tue January 15, 2008 05:22 EST . - - COLOMBO, Jan. 15 (Kyodo) Japan's special peace envoy Yasushi Akashi ended a hurriedly arranged three-day visit to Sri Lanka - on Tuesday, side-stepping discussion of whether Japan will use the aid stick to try to rein in the widely expected military push by government forces to rebel-held northern districts. Akashi, who was making his 15th visit to Sri Lanka - in his present capacity as peace envoy, met with President Mahinda Rajapakse, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and other senior ministers and politicians... Back to the top
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