• Stay in Jaffna and do your job
• Temporary ban on Antonovs
• Mahanayakes will lead protest rally on Thursday
• MPs get lakhs for Avurudu

President gives order to military chiefs

Stay in Jaffna and do your job

President Chandrika Kumaratunga has ordered the Commanders of the Army, Navy and Air Force to remain in the north until the fierce fighting in the Elephant Pass sector is halted and the situation brought under control.

The order was issued to Army Commander Srilal Weerasooriya, Navy Commander Cecil Tissera and Air Force Commander Jayalath Weerakoddy when they met her for an emergency meeting at Temple Trees on Wednesday. After the meeting, the three commanders flew to Jaffna and began operating from the Security Forces Headquarters there. Also on hand was the Army's Chief of staff Lionel Balagalle.

Last Sunday, Tiger guerrillas launched a pre-dawn attack on the eastern coastal defences at Elephant Pass, blasting artillery gun positions, (censored) and seizing more territory (censored).

Troops fought back on Friday and regained part of the main supply route but heavy fighting continued yesterday. On Friday, Air Force chief Air Marshal Weerakoddy, had a narrow escape when his helicopter landed at a security forces position in Kodikamam. Immediately thereafter, mortars began to rain in the area.

During six days of confrontation, seven officers and 114 soldiers have been killed. More than 620 have been wounded, the majority of them sustaining minor injuries. Further two officers and 59 soldiers have been declared missing in action. The LTTE placed the death toll of its cadres at more than 60 but Army officials claimed the figure was much higher. Media visits to battle areas are banned and there was no independent means of verifying military or LTTE claims.

On Friday afternoon, radio traffic and telephone communications to the Jaffna peninsula were blacked out temporarily. During this period President Kumaratunga made a telephone call to Lt. Gen. Weerasooriya to ascertain details of new developments. The Sunday Times learns that she expressed concern over some developments and urged the security forces to step up their efforts to curb further Tiger guerrilla incursions and to evict them from the area.

The Sunday Times Consultant Editor and Defence Correspondent, Iqbal Athas, was in Trincomalee this week monitoring the developments in Elephant Pass.

See Situation Report for details

Temporary ban on Antonovs

By Leon Berenger

Civil Aviation authorities have ordered the grounding of all Ukraine-built Antonov planes, until investigations on recent crashes are completed, Civil Aviation Deputy Chairman Maurice Fernando said yesterday.

He said more investigations were needed to ascertain the cause of the Kadirana crash which killed some 10 people after the plane fell on to a residential area in wet weather on March 24.

At present two private companies are known to use these planes mainly to ferry cargo for the local garment trade.

Investigations could take several more weeks if not months since the flight recorder of the ill-fated aircraft would have to be taken to the manufacturers to understand the communication which was done in Russian between the crew and ground control at the BIA.

Initial investigations have indicated that the plane had run out of fuel, but this alone was not enough to establish the real cause of the crash, Mr. Fernando said.

Meanwhile the Air Force has also decided to ground all Antonov aircraft used to ferry civilians to and from Jaffna till a thorough safety check is done on them.

The decision followed Thursday's crash at Talawa in Anuradhapura where an AN 26 went down and exploded in a ball of fire killing 36 security force personnel on board along with the Ukrainian crew of four.

Initial investigations suggest that the aircraft had developed an engine defect shortly after take-off from the Palaly.

Russian experts who were brought down to probe the Kadirana crash have offered their assistance in the Talawa tragedy. Meanwhile, the Russian embassy yesterday denied reports that the Antonovs involved in both incidents were of Russian manufacture. The embassy said the aircraft were of a Ukrainian original.

Mahanayakes will lead protest rally on Thursday

By Shelani de Silva

More than 2,000 monks led by Mahanayaka Theras are expected to take part in a demonstration in Colombo on Thursday to protest against proposed constitutional reforms, talks with the LTTE and Norwegian involvement. The prelates and Buddhist leaders are expected to pass a resolution, laying down seven non-negotiable conditions in the drafting of the new constitution, a spokesman said.

He said the conditions would include issues such as the unitary state, non-merger of the north and the east and that no part of the country should be regarded as anybody's homeland. The conditions will be put to President Kumaratunga and UNP opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who have so far held several rounds of talks in a bid to reach a consensus on constitutional reforms.

The Mahanayakas of the Malwatte, Asgirya, Amarapura and Ramanna Nikayas are expected to lead Thursday's rally, including a procession and a meeting at the Borella YMBA premises. The Jathika Sangha Saba, the National Joint Committee and the National Movement Against Terrorism will be among the groups taking part.

MPs get lakhs for Avurudu

By Dilrukshi Handunnetti

It is going to be Avurudu bonanza for parliamentarians — with a thumping salary arrears for 26 months in addition to other benefits.

The payment of the arrears will cost the country a colossal sum while ministers, deputy ministers and MPs will get lakhs of rupees each as arrears.

The pay hike with arrears for MPs was approved in parliament during the budget debate though there was no debate on the hike itself. Rebel MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara alleged that the hike was secretly passed.

In terms of the increase, a minister now draws Rs. 29,815 a month and a deputy minister Rs. 28,750. The MPs' salaries have also swelled to Rs. 22,100 excluding allowances amounting to Rs. 13,000.

With 73 MPs holding portfolios, the monthly drain on the government coffers would be about Rs. 2,132,830 for paying the basic salaries, excluding the allowances.

Besides this, 20 bullet proof vehicles at a cost of Rs. 12. 5 million each are being imported for ministers and the opposition leader. This comes in the aftermath of the abortive terrorist attack at Rajagiriya on March 10 — with many analysts saying the main target was probably some VIPs returning from parliament that day.

The sources said initially twenty bullet proof luxury vehicles would be imported and released to ministers who were known to be facing a grave security threat and to the opposition leader.

Meanwhile, some MPs who have completed their five year term in Parliament have been informed to send in their applications for duty free Pajeros and motor bikes. As the previous duty free vehicle permits have already lapsed for most parliamentarians, they are eligible to apply for permits afresh.

Heeding a call from rural-based government legislators on both sides, the government is expected to initiate a land distribution scheme for MPs who do not have houses in Colombo.

Accordingly, ten perches of land are to be given to each MP but they will have to build their own houses. The sources said the Madiwela Housing Complex for MPs was in a precarious security situation, exposed from all sides and close to the road.

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