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Sri Lanka: a voice cries freedom from beyond the grave

Telegraph, 01-12-2009. BACK from Beijing (where I spent last week, apologies for lack of posts) to report, with the heaviest heart, the murder of one of Sri Lanka's bravest and most controversial journalists.

Lasantha Wickrematunge, 50, was stabbed and shot to death in broad daylight last Friday as he drove to work at The Sunday Leader, the liberal Colombo-based newspaper he edited.

His death - conveniently obscured in the news agenda abroad by events in Gaza and at home by Sri Lankan army's gains against the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) in the Elephant Pass - sounds the death knell for civil society in Sri Lanka.

Just like all the other state-sanctioned killings in Sri Lanka, the promised investigation will be an unholy sham. His killers won't be caught and 'we'll never know', who did it. More... Discuss this story

Published: Sun Jan 11 20:40:23 EST 2009

Sri Lanka military launches air strikes against retreating rebels

google.com, 11 january. COLOMBO (AFP) — Sri Lanka's military have launched air attacks against the last remaining jungle hideouts of Tamil Tiger rebels after driving them out of their main strongholds, according to officials.

Helicopter gunships supported ground troops advancing deeper into the Mullaittivu region, where the retreating Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) forces are holed up, a military official said.

More...Discuss this story

Published: Sun Jan 11 06:27:37 EST 2009

Foreign secretary to visit Lanka soon

IE, 01-12-2009. COLOMBO: An Indian delegation headed by Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon and including Defence Secretary Vijay Singh would be here this week to discuss a host of issues with the Sri Lankan leadership, including the military operations against the LTTE and the fate of the 300,000 or more trapped Tamil civilians.

“Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa called on the Indian government recently. Now, we are having an Indian delegation on the same lines,” senior Presidential advisor Basil Rajapaksa told Sunday Island. Diplomatic sources said the Indian delegation would be here around January 15 or 16. More...Discuss this story

Published: Sun Jan 11 21:24:03 EST 2009

Sri Lankan Tamils and LTTE cannot be equated: Brinda
PTI, 01-11-2009. Coimbatore (PTI): CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat on Sunday said her party's concern about the plight of the Sri Lankan Tamils should not be misused by any force to support the outlawed LTTE...

Sri Lankan Navy on alert to prevent rebel leader from fleeing
xinhuanet.com, 11 january. COLOMBO. Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Navy is on alert to prevent the leader of Tamil Tiger rebels from fleeing the island, the state television quoted Naval officials as saying on Sunday. Commander D...

Sri Lanka 's military: Soldiers seize rebel camps
Associated Press, Sun January 11, 2009 09:13 EST . BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI - Associated Press Writer - COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP) Sri Lankan soldiers captured two Tamil Tiger rebel camps amid heavy fighting while the air force launched attacks on retreating rebels as government troops pressed ahead with their offensive against the guerrillas in the north, the military said Sunday...

Killings in Lankan Eastern province worries UNHCR
IANS, 1-11-2009. COLOMBO: The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has expressed concern over the “significant” increase” in the number of killings, abductions and assaults in the Sri Lankan Eastern Province, where Tamil war refugees have been resettled...

Sri Lanka army fights to finish off Tamil Tigers
reuters.com, 11 january. COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lankan troops fought toward the shrinking strongholds of the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels on Sunday, the military said, seeking a crushing battlefield victory to end one of Asia's longest insurgent ground wars...

Sri Lanka planning decisive blow
aljazeera.net, 10 January. Sri Lanka's military is ready to deal a "decisive blow" to the Tamil Tigers as its troops move into two of the remaining territories held by the separatists, the defence ministry has said...

Sri Lanka's death squads rise again
UPIAsia, 01-11-2009. Hong Kong, China — Lasantha Wickramatunga, chief editor of Sri Lankan English weekly The Sunday Leader, was fatally attacked by four persons Thursday as he was on his way to work...

Sri Lanka Army accuses rebels of shooting fleeing civilians+
Associated Press, Sat January 10, 2009 06:24 EST . - - COLOMBO, Jan. 10 (Kyodo) The Sri Lanka - Army accused Tamil Tiger rebels Saturday of shooting civilians fleeing from the war zone. They said seven people, including a child, were killed when a group of 56 men, women and children attempted to leave rebel-held territory...

India should stop military assistance to Sri Lanka: LTTE
hindu.com, 10 december. Colombo (PTI): Under pressure following serious losses, the LTTE has asked India to "stop providing military assistance" to the Sri Lankan Government and vowed to take back it de facto political headquarters Killinochchi...

Sri Lanka army ready for decisive blow on Tigers after capturing ...
google.com, 10 January. COLOMBO (AFP) — Sri Lankan security forces were ready to deal a "decisive blow" to the remaining Tamil Tiger rebels following the capture of the highly strategic Elephant Pass, the defence ministry said on Saturday...

Sri Lanka pushes further into rebel territory
Associated Press, Sat January 10, 2009 04:15 EST . - - COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP) Sri Lankan government troops on Saturday pushed into two of the last slices of territory held by Tamil Tiger rebels, a day after capturing a key stronghold in the north, the military said...