• A push for relief and rehabilitation
• Shipping firm's petition scuttled
• Tamil MP briefs Canadian envoys
• Charges against nearly 2,000 servicemen
• German surgeons to go North-East
• Buses and bicycles - Right of reply
• Stanley retires
• Closing date extended
• World MPs seeking protection for Jayalath
• Court stops teacher transfer
• The beach is not for leasing
• Moves to take back UNP dissidents
• JVP warns of coup
• Workers to bus off?
• In brief
• Lanka gets wiser on visa
• Freedom Day show under tight wraps
• SEVEN IN ONE
• They don't stop at red
• Countering Tiger in cyber war
• Is drug shortage spreading?
• Beware of robbers on trains
• Army hopeful of roping in 15,000 men
• Trojan attackers? - Artistes under threat
• 'Blatant violation of women's rights'
• A bull or beefing up security?
• New ACTC leader says no compromise on Tamil issue
• CWE booming, but some workers languish in Jaffna
• Battwred town now shattered
• Fooling the people with unwanted devolution
• Probe: From scene to suspect - Police Problems
• Children of war: beyond UN protocol - Focus on Rights

A push for relief and rehabilitation

By Hiranthi Fernando

In a concerted effort to develop a framework for rehabilitation and reconciliation the World Bank, UN Agencies, donor governments and NGOs are coming together under a Government initiative . 

Local and foreign experts have been engaged to assist in the formulation of this framework. Through community based workshops, sectoral workshops and consultations with diverse social groups, the framework seeks to address the bottlenecks and constraints in the delivery of relief and rehabilitation assistance in the conflict affected areas. While focusing particularly on the conflict affected communities of the North and East, the scope of the framework will however encompass the entire country.

The objectives of the framework are to strengthen the country's capacity to ensure the basic needs of the people affected by conflict, rebuild productive lives where feasible and also to facilitate reconciliation across ethnic lines. The Government has appointed a broad based Steering Committee comprising various sectors of government agencies, donors and members of civil society, to oversee the process. A final document is expected to be completed by May this year, before the meeting of the Paris Aid Group meeting.

Shipping firm's petition scuttled

By Ayesha R. Rafiq

The Supreme Court has dismissed an application filed by a shipping company which alleged a violation of its fundamental rights on the basis that a vessel it wanted to operate to the North was not granted security clearance.

Liverpool Navigation had filed an FR application in courts on the failure, refusal or delay by the Defence Ministry to grant security clearance to operate MV Liverpool as a cargo ship to the North between Colombo and Jaffna.

According to a letter addressed to the company by the Defence Ministry, security clearance had been refused in view of serious allegations against its former Chairman. 

After the appeal made to the Defence Ministry for clearance the company's Chairman, S. Vincendrarajan had been questioned by the CID regarding serious allegations and had then tendered his resignation along with two other directors. 

Deputy Solicitor General R. Arsecularatne and State Counsel G. Kulatunga told court that in view of some matters being concealed in the application to the Defence Ministry, security clearance could not be granted to the company in the interest of national security.

Tamil MP briefs Canadian envoys

By Leon Berenger

A TULF member said yesterday his party would play no peace role if the proposed constitutional reforms fell below the aspirations of the Tamil speaking people, a senior politician said.

TULF Batticoloa district MP Joesph Pararajasingham told The Sunday Times that the party conveyed its position to Canadian diplomats including South Asian expert Robert Burley and Political Desk Chief Glen Hoddings who visited the east recently.

During their two-and-a half hour discussion with Mr. Parajasingham on Thursday the Canadian diplomats were briefed on the political developments in the east and the proposed changes to the constituion.

He also suggested that the LTTE should be brought in from the beginning of the discussions so that there would be time to clear any mistrust between all the parties involved.

Charges against nearly 2,000 servicemen

Disciplinary inquiries are being held against 1,953 police and armed forces personnel accused of murder, robbery, wrongful use of state property or corruption, an official said.

About 700 from among those accused are of the officer rank and are charged with wrongful use of state property, corruption and robbery, a senior official of the Ministry of Defence said. 

Meanwhile, another 6,500 cases against various public officers are pending due to the non functioning of the commission probing bribery and corruption. 

Although the Government appointed a Chairman and two commissioners, work cannot get off the ground till a Director General is appointed. 

German surgeons to go North-East

The 17th team of Plastic Surgeons from Interplast Germany concluded a project in free plastic surgery at the Vijaya Kumaratunga Memorial Hospital, Seeduwa. 

The eight member team was headed by Dr. Matthias Thummelar, Maxillo-Facial surgeon. 

Francis Vethanayagam the Secretary of the German Help Foundation told The Sunday Times these missions were organised by the German Help Foundation in Sri Lanka. Some 154 operations had been performed on 117 patients, out of which 68 operations were for cleft lips and palates. Four patients requiring after-care treatment have been referred to the Kurunegala Hospital. 

The mission was carried out in close liaison with the Health Ministry and the Sri Lanka Medical Council. The Lion's Club International District 306 B was the Co-ordinator of this mission.

More teams are expected to visit Sri Lanka during this year. Mr. Vethanayagam said this project was originally scheduled to be conducted in Jaffna, but due to the security situation the venue was changed. The Foundation is very keen to conduct such mercy missions in the North and East, no sooner the prevailing conditions improve. 

It was also revealed that the German Help Foundation plans to conduct Eye Surgery. This idea had to be stalled due to the non-availability of a microscope. However the Rotary Club of Wittmund-Esens Germany plans to donate this equipment through an Indian Sales Company for Ocular Surgery costing about US$ 5000.

Right of reply

Buses and bicycles

I write with reference the news item titled "Jaffna the tear behind the cheer" appearing in The Sunday Times of January 23 as reported by your on-the-spot reporter Nilika de Silva.

Paragraph 21 of the article states: "The transport situation has been tackled deftly by the people of Jaffna. Bicycles, the ultimate solution to traffic congestion problem, are the dominant mode of transport and roads in Jaffna where only a few private buses operate."

The last line of this para gives a distorted and misleading picture to the reading public, as if no state transport is available in the Jaffna region and only private buses are plying. Surely your esteemed reporter and others on their stay for two days in Jaffna would have observed NRTB buses plying on the roads in Jaffna. But what puzzles me is her reporting as if she has seen only private buses on the road. In fact, 105 buses are plying in the peninsula and are being effectively used on the 59 routes serviced by NRTB at scheduled times, barring the curfew hours. To elucidate further on the subject, I give below a table giving the number of buses operated by NRTB in the Peninsula.

(1) Number of Buses 105 
(2) Scheduled (Km) operated (Average month) 366,685 
(3) Number of Passengers carried (Average month) 977,410
(4) Routes served 59

Editor's note:

Our reporter Nilika de Silva concedes that she did see NRTB buses plying within the Jaffna peninsula. Her reference was really to Jaffna town, where there were buses, but the bicycle remained the dominant mode of transport in the town.

Stanley retires

Central Province Governor Stanley Tillekeratne, a former Speaker and veteran politician, is retiring with the end of his term. A successor is due to be named shortly.

Closing date extended

In view of requests by members of The Editors Guild of Sri Lanka, the closing date for entries for the Journalism Awards of Excellence - 1999 programme organised by the Guild has been postponed by a fortnight.

The closing date for these entries will now be Monday, February 14, 2000. All journalists in the print media, including freelancers, may send their entries either directly, or through their editor or through any member of the Guild to the Convenor of the Panel of judges, Amal Jayasinghe at No. 100, Barnes Place, Colombo 7.The entries must be for the period January 1-December 31, 1999. Further details are available in the advertisements being regularly published in the national press.

World MPs seeking protection for Jayalath

The Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Union has written to President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga asking her to make a public statement that UNP MP Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena is under the protection of the State.

Expressing its concern at reports of a serious assassination risk to the MP and citing widely publicised reports that Dr. Jayawardena was alleged to have facilitated contact between the UNP and the LTTE, President of the Committee, Francois Autin has said it was tantamount to singling him out as a target.

Mr. Autin also called upon the Sri Lankan Parliament to take all necessary measures to protect a colleague.

Court stops teacher transfer

A Southern Provincial High Court Judge has told the Director of Education in the Southern Province to cancel the order issued by him transferring an English teacher from Galle to Hambantota.

The petitioner P. L. Mahindadasa said he had been appointed Assistant English Teacher in the Southern Province Public Servicein 1992 . He told court that according to his appointment he was not due for a transfer.

Citing the Director of Education of the Southern Province and the Director of Education, Galle District S.D.R. Fernando, he told court he believed there was no reason to transfer him other than for political reasons.

The beach is not for leasing

By Laila Nasry and Tania Fernando

A large swathe of beach, in the popular "bay'' area of the beach opposite Mt. Lavinia Hotel was cordoned off and illegally appropriated by the organizers of a "beach carnival.''

Though the Coast Conservation Department (CCD) states that it is the only body authorized to lease the beach for any legitimate purpose, the CCD and the organizers agree that no application was made for the use of the beach for the carnival. However, an application was made to the Mt. Lavinia Municipal Council, even though the mayor himself acknowledges that "no part of the beach can be leased by us.''

The CCD is the official body in charge of the coastal area - both the foreshore and the sea bed. The Director General of the CCD, H.N.R. Perera stated that according to the law, the beach area is defined as crown land. "There is nothing called a private beach. It is public property, and should be accessible to the public at all times."

The beach parties and carnivals held during the recent past saw organisers cordoning off a specific area of the beach, exclusively for these carnivals. The public has been denied access to these popular beaches as a result, especially on weekends and holidays at which they are very popular among families who use it for rest and recreation. 

"Even though we know that events such as beach carnivals do take place, we do not have the manpower to patrol the beach. The public have a right to seek legal redress if denied the opportunity to use the beach", said Manager, Coastal Resources Development, R.A.D.B.Samaranayake.

At the "E beach carnival'' on January 9, the beach area around De Saram Road and College Avenue was barricaded with zinc sheets extending from the railway line to the edge of the water. According to Mr. Mahen Perera, Executive Director at E FM, "prior permission was obtained from the Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council (DMMC), Mt. Lavinia Hoteliers Association and the Police. "We rented it out for around six to eight hours from the Municipal Council, after paying the necessary sum", he said which sum he was not willing to disclose. However, according to the Coast Conservation Authority, none of the organizations cited by Mr. Perera are permitted to lease or rent the beach for any purpose for any length of time.

According to Mayor Jayaratne Perera the Municipality does not collect any money for renting out the beach. However according to the accountant of DMMC, money is collected in accordance to the square area being rented and the profit the organization hopes to make.

The question now is who is making the money from renting beach space which they are not entitled to rent? When a permit from the CCD costs only Rs. 50 why is the DMMC charging exorbitant amounts "depending on profit?''

Mr. Mahen Perera of E fm claimed that the public could have made use of the beach, through an alternative shortcut to get there. Visitors to the beach who were not interested in the carnival and did not want to pay the gate fee, however, said that access was denied to them, and that the whole area was closed, extending from the railway line right up to the shore, contrary to what Mr. Perera said. "Obviously, the organisers were not going to charge a gate fee, and allow access from some other shortcut", they said. Bouncers (security men) were placed at all strategic points of entry, including the area close to the shore.

The Coast Conservation Act No. 57 of 1981 Part IV permits the occupation of the foreshore or sea bed. Section 24(1) states: "The director or any officer authorized by him in writing, may issue permits subject to such conditions as he may impose having regard to the Plan, to the occupation for any period not exceeding three years, any part of the foreshore or the bed of the sea lying within the Coastal Zone". The questions are numerous, but there seem to be no answers . It seems a government department and an elected municipal council are trying to claim ownership of the beach, which actually belongs to all citizens of Sri Lanka.

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