NJC says 'hirelings'

The National Joint Committee has denied allegations that Buddhist priests were involved in burning the Norwegian flag and assaulting BBC's Sandeshaya Correspondent Elmo Fernando during a recent demonstration in Colombo.

The NJC, which took part in the protest, claimed in a statement that both incidents might have been engineered by some unruly elements or hirelings at the behest of some forces with deliberate intentions of discrediting the organisers.

"The whole world has witnessed the barbaric terror of the LTTE both here and abroad. Neither the NJC, nor any of its constituent organisations sponsors or condones violence since these are the very organisations that seek to eliminate terror and the violence that try to destroy this country," it said.

Prabha triggered Geneva demo

By M. Ismeth in Geneva

The recent demonstration here to protest against alleged harassment of Tamils in Europe was organised at the request of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, a spokesman for a Tamil organisation said.

The demonstration was held outside the UN headquarters here on April 3.

A spokesman for the International Federation of Tamils in Geneva said the protest was held in response to the call by Mr. Prabhakaran to observe the beginning of the third millennium as the era of liberation for all Tamils.

Representatives of Tamil groups from Britain, Italy, France, Austria, Holland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Germany and Switzerland are reported to have gathered here for the protest..

A statement issued by the organisation said the LTTE leader had called on November 26, 1999, to end the war and initiate civilised means of settling the conflict by creating normalcy for the life of the Tamil civilians and engaging in talks mediated by a third party.

New Year present to legless commando

Avurudu celebrations for those at Serpentine flats in Wanathamulla where five LTTE terrorists were killed in a cammando operation, were on a very low key — but they have decided to make the Avurudu a meaningful one.

With the agonising events fresh in their memories, the residents have come forward in a gesture of goodwill to make a donation to one of the commandos who lost his leg while carrying out the round up operations at the flat where the five suicide bombers were holed up.

The flat dwellers were organising a mega Avurudu festival and a musical show but it came to an abrupt halt after the terrorist attack. The Avurudu festival was to be organised by the United Sports Club.

Following the incident, many occupants evacuated the flats which resulted in the cancellation of the Avurudu celebrations.

The flat dwellers have decided to donate the money collected for the Avurudu show to the brave soldier who is warded at the Army Hospital with his right leg amputated.

"This is just a small gesture we will be doing for the great service and brave act he did. We owe our lives to him," said the secretary of the sports club, Lalith Dias.

More pressure ahead of Paris aid meeting

By Dilrukshi Handunnetti

Several donor countries are to separately air their views to the government on good governance issues and formally request the government to democratise its administration thereby improving on its image before the international community.

The areas have been described as 'vital components' of any administration upon which a government's 'moral performance' is assessed forming a mandatory requisite before the Paris Aid Group is made a pledging conference for Sri Lanka, authoritative sources said.

The new development has arisen in the wake of the European Union critiquing the government on key issues such as human rights, freedom of expression with specific reference to the media, the North-East war situation particularly regarding all types of violations including gross abuse of human rights, flawed elections and general threats to democracy that have been prevalent in the recent past.

Authoritative sources confirmed that the Aid Group meeting which is scheduled for May 29, will become a pledging conference only in the event that the government makes a serious undertaking to improve on the areas mentioned.

Just a fortnight ago the European Union presented a memorandum to the PA administration and the main Opposition UNP urging them to come together to resolve the ethnic conflict and has urged to obtain assistance from a third party without further delay.

Sources explained that the memorandum presented also contained their observations about the socio-economic and political situation of Sri Lanka and the EU's stance on the same.

The powerful 15-member Union has also asserted the position that it would like to send its own independent election observers to ascertain the country's political scenario at the forthcoming general polls and to assess the ground situation here. The countries which delayed the Aid Group meeting several times and sought many government undertakings to improve on its performance in good governance issues before converting the conference to a pledging one, has also expressed concern over media freedom here.

According to sources, the donor countries have also strived to impress upon both the government and opposition on the necessity for third party mediation or facilitation to usher in peace for the island. Further, the Union has reportedly expressed dismay over the evident political divisions and the nose dive the country's economy has taken in several significant areas.

It is also believed that the Paris Aid Group which also consists of some strong European Union countries were dissatisfied with the initial report on the Sri Lankan home situation prepared by some senior Aid officials which caused the conference delay.

The European Union representatives have also expressed the necessity to not just have third party mediation but have stressed that the LTTE should also be brought to the discussion table immediately.

Hoax hits headlines

Sri Lanka, India and Britain have all been dragged into an international muddle over an April Fools' day joke with a hoax hitting the headlines.

It started when a local English newspaper on April first ran a front page story claiming that Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and British Premier Tony Blair would be getting involved in facilitating peace talks here.

The story was sourced to a British newspaper.

Though it was not taken too seriously here an Indian newspaper swallowed the dead rope and ran a front page story, sourcing it to the Sri Lankan newspaper which in turn had quoted a British newspaper.

On Monday, April 3 the Sri Lankan English newspaper ran another story saying the April 1 report was only a joke. But the muddle did not end there. Unaware of the joke , a new Sinhala language newspaper ran a banner headline front page lead story on April 5 saying Mr. Vajpayee and Mr. Blair would be intervening to settle Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict. It quoted the unnamed and non-existent British newspaper which had been quoted by the Indian newspaper which in turn had swallowed the dead rope of the Sri Lankan English newspaper.

How many fools there were in this crazy story behind the story and who the greater joker was will probably end up in a funny caption. But a media wag commented that jokes apart, the whole hoax was a poor reflection regarding professional standards on checking and double checking sources of information.

Sirima to return home today for birthday

By Roshan Peiris

Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike who was admitted to the Sri Jayewardenepura hospital for a 'routine check up' is expected to go back home today in time for her 84th birthday tomorrow, hospital director Lakshman de Lanerolle said.

Denying reports that the Premier was seriously ill, Dr. Lanerolle said there was no cause for anxiety and Ms. Bandaranaike was quite content and lively in the Presidential suite of the hospital.

Indian sleuths seek Lankan connection in boat tragedy

By S. S. Selvanayagam

Indian investigators probing a Malta boat tragedy which claimed the lives of 289 people including more than 70 Sri Lankans four years ago yesterday urged Colombo to extend its fullest cooperation for the probe and to take action against the travel agents who were responsible for sending the Sri Lankans.

Two detectives, Balwant Singh Khera and Mehar Singh Hira, are now in Colombo to collect evidence to file action against those responsible for the tragedy in the Malta-Sicily straits on the Christmas night in 1996.

The detectives who met Minister Alavi Moulana in the absence of the Foreign Minister and the deputy sought government assistance to unravel the Sri Lankan connection in this tragedy.

The detectives said if any of the Sri Lankan culprits were abroad they should be brought back to facilitate investigations.

Mr. Moulana said he would take up the matter with President Kumaratunga.

The Sri Lankans were first sent to Doha, then to Cairo and then to Alexandria by bus before they boarded the ill-fated boat.

Detective Khera told The Sunday Times they had visited Greece, Malta, Italy, Switzerland and other European countries for investigations.

He said they had been successful in creating an international public opinion and consciousness in European and Asian countries on such ghastly tragedies.

Mr. Khera quoted Sri Lankan survivor Theophilius Marianayagam who got political asylum in Greece as saying that during their journey they had gone through much hardship with two or three sharing one bed and no proper food.

"For drinking, if it was raining, we went with a plastic cup on deck to collect water overnight. Otherwise we got one cup a day, sometimes two," Mr. Mariyanayagam was quoted as saying.

He said that later they were loaded on to a small ship which could carry only 40 but was now taking upto 300.

When the small ship started sinking, they all used tins to throw out water and even took off their clothes to plug the holes.

According to Mr. Marianayagam, about 15 persons survived by making their way to the big ship.

Mr. Khera said what had happened was a new form of slave trade and they wanted to mobilise international public opinion against it.

Mob attacks provincial minister

Western Provincial Council Fisheries Minister Wirantha Fernando, a former club cricketer was severely injured when a mob attacked him close to a relative's house in Kurana, Negombo on Friday night., police said.

Mr. Fernando had returned after visiting a patient at the Chilaw hospital and was trying to park his vehicle when one of the minister's employees was knocked down by a push cyclist. This led to an argument, police said.

Ten minutes later a mob of 20 persons including neighbours had stormed the house, attacked the minister with a sword and caused severe damage. Mr. Fernando's brother-in -law was also injured.

Mr. Fernando was admitted to the Colombo National Hospital . Seeduwa Police Inspector K.A.N. Jayaratne said several persons from the neighbourhood had been brought in for questioning.

Pro-govt. trade unions endorse peace moves

By Shelani de Silva

Pro-Government trade unions have launched a counter attack on the Sinhala organisations which are currently protesting against the Government's constitutional reforms and Norwegian mediation in peace talks.

The trade unions have decided to carry out campaigns in Colombo and the outstations supporting the Government's peace moves and calling on the PA and the UNP to reach a settlement. The Sunday Times learns that the series of agitations follows last week's mass protest by the Sangha Sabha in Colombo.

The trade unions will carry out public rallies and picketing in and around Colombo.

Minister Alavi Moulana told The Sunday Times that the trade unions are interested in bringing peace to the country and the message will be conveyed through the protest campaigns.

'We are not trying to create any problem or counter any anti-peace groups but we feel that the time has come to bring peace and with the two major political parties taking the initiative we have to do something. This is the voice of the working class' he said.

Minister Moulana added that the anti-peace groups protesting against the Government's peace plan are working with a political motive under the control of certain extreme elements.

'We wont let anyone hinder the Government's peace moves. The trade unions strongly feel that Norway is the country which will play the role of facilitator.

The campaign will commence this week' he said.

Meanwhile the Sinhala groups have reiterated their stand on the Government's peace move and is planning to take their campaign to the villages.

The Sinhala groups have decided to form committees in the villages with the participation of the clergy.

Protest campaigns and public meetings will be held in the outstations.

Watch on public servants continues

The Government will continue to monitor the work of public servants as part of a programme to keep state officials who are suspected to be working against government under scrutiny, sources said.

Earlier a list of names of officials who worked against the PA during the Presidential elections was prepared by PA trade unions and submitted to President Kumaratunga for action. The President is to recommend action against these officials in the coming weeks., the sources said.

The list which is believed to include more than 500 public servants caused much controversy with many claiming that it was politically motivated.

Many public servants were transferred after the December elections on grounds that they were involved in anti-government activities. Patron of the Joint Trade Union, Minister Alavi Moulana told The Sunday Times the President had already studied the list and appropriate action will be taken.

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