Orphans of war asking for their fathers' return. These children were among the "end the war" groups taking part in the picketing campaign at the Lipton Circus on Thursday.

Landmark building a security threat?

By M. Ismeth

A century old building in Fort, which was once a showpiece has now been earmarked by a Ministry which is seeking its early sale from the Urban Development Authority, citing security reasons.

The Ministry of Ports and Shipping has sought Cabinet approval to purchase the building on the grounds that it is a possible security threat to the Ports Authority.

The Cabinet Memo states that the building was needed for "conservation and rehabilitation".

"Although there are provisions in the SLPA to acquire this building and as well as to purchase it, the President was of the view that direct negotiations would affect the transparency policy of the government and has decided, for that reason, to acquire the property under the Urban Development Authority Act/Law", the memo states.

It says: "Although several months have lapsed since the decision was taken, it is unfortunate that the UDA could not expedite the process of acquisition.

"The Ministry is of the firm view that this property should not be purchased on a direct negotiation basis. However, if that were to be done, the SLPA could also have done the same."

It involves two purchases — the UDA to purchase from the owner and the SLPA to purchase from the UDA.

The memo also claims that "if the UDA was incapable of getting this building on a fast-track basis, it was the Minister's duty to bring it to the Cabinet's notice that the UDA should accept full responsibility as the Port's security is in anyway affected by virtue of this building."

Reputed firms in the area when contacted by The Sunday Times said that if a century old building was a security threat to the Port after many decades, will it mean that buildings that house the Grand Oriental Hotel, and other buildings in proximity to the Port could also be considered by the Ministry as a security threat.

Fragile loan unrecoverable?

A state bank which had granted a loan of Rs 700 million to a US based company for the production of ceramic items has now found that those who took the loan had vanished.

According to sources, the loan was given two years ago with no collateral. The US firm, which had a local agent, had obtained another Rs 172 million from three other banks as well.

The electricity bills amounting to Rs 2.6 million and insurance premia Rs 940,000 have also not been paid. It is learnt that a factory had been built at Horana but the machinery brought cannot manufacture porcelain.

Sources also said that the reason given by the US company to close down was that they did not have enough funds to carry on the venture.

With no alternative, the bank has now decided to sell the property and recover the money, but some in the bank were of the opinion that the full amount could not be recovered.

Once the news leaked out, two Deputy General Managers responsible for this mess have retired.

Rupa to bow out of politics

By Dilrukshi Handunnetti

Setting a rare example where the old gracefully bow out for the young, senior UNPer Rupa Karunatilleke with a career spanning some three decades will retire when the term of parliament ends.

The former Cabinet minister has already resigned as the Bentara-Elpitiya UNP organizer, a post he has held for more than three decades.

"Time is ripe for me to go into retirement. Having served my constituency for about 32 long years, I shall leave with a deep sense of fulfillment," said the 67-year-old Galle district MP.

Mr. Karunatilleke informed party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe of his decision on Wednesday but assured continuous support for the party.

"People should not continue for too long thereby depriving others. I have had my fill, ups and downs included. I am ready to move out of the political milieu and hand over to a young person," he said.

The former Mahindian was the first district minister for Galle, became a deputy minister in 1988 and a minister in 1990.

Pledging the UNP his continuous support though away from the hub of activity, he said retirement should be a time for peaceful reflection and a period for relinquishing holds over various things.

"My life has been a dedication to politics and I have never fully experienced the joys of fatherhood. Those were busy and difficult times," he reminisced.

At 67, he is prepared to remedy this by devoting time to his grand children and spending more time at his ancestral home in Galle.

Students in the lurch?

UNP spokesman Karunasena Kodituwakku has called upon the Minister of Education to address the problems faced by medical and engineering students and their position after passing out from local and foreign universities.

Mr. Kodituwakku requested Education Minister Richard Pathirana to address the problems arising in absorbing them to the state sector as there is a fear that they will find themselves unemployed after passing out from the universities.

After the present batch of post intern medical officers found themselves jobless, many have developed a fear of being unemployed on passing out. In his letter, Mr. Kodituwakku stated that this problem is aggravated by the establishment of the proposed medical faculties approved by the BOI.

He also said the cadre restrictions in the state sector was a significant issue in this problem. Mr. Kodituwakku requested Minister Pathirana to invite relevant officials to the Education Consultative Committee meeting to be held on August 19.

Mr. Kodituwakku suggested that the Vice Chancellors and Deans of Universities, heads of science and technology services, Director General of BOI, heads of relevant presidential Task Forces, with a representative from the GMOA and chairmen of respective standing committees should be invited for the meeting.

Rights movement pays tribute to Dr. Tiruchelvam

Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam's service for the protection of human rights has been praised by the Civil Rights Movement (CRM) of Sri Lanka.

The CRM in a statement said 'It would take a whole book to attempt to do justice to Neelan's contribution to the cause of human rights. This was exceptional as regards its quality, its quantity and its range.

'To mention just some examples — he was involved in constitution-making not merely in Sri Lanka but elsewhere (eg. in Kazakhstan). He had a special interest in election monitoring in which he participated in several countries of the world. He created and nurtured human rights institutions and had a great gift of involving others in their work, young people in particular. He moved a resolution in Parliament in support of Aung San Suu Kyi and the restoration of democracy in Myanmar, for which he secured backing from both sides of the House', the statement said.

Neelan was an active member of the Civil Rights Movement. As early as 1982 he was one of five speakers at CRM's public meeting on Fair and Free Elections at the YMCA Forum which was full to overflowing. Neelan's last visit to CRM was for a meeting of persons committed to the unconditional abolition of capital punishment. Just three days later, on 15 June 1999, he wound up a speech in Parliament with an earnest plea against the proposed reimposition of the death penalty. "Sir, I would like to express my strong moral opposition to this measure", he said, and proceeded to briefly and lucidly enumerate arguments against it.

Throughout the years Neelan's contribution to CRM, and to the Nedesan Centre for Human Rights Through Law of which he was a founder member, was vital and consistent.

Urgent steps to absorb new doctors

By Faraza Farook

Health Ministry and Treasury officials will meet tomorrow to discuss the recruitment of 600 post-intern medical officers who are now working in public hospitals on a temporary basis, a top official said.

Health services Director General Dr. V. Jeganathan told The Sunday Times that the Cabinet had requested the Ministry to discuss the issue with the Salaries and Cadre Commission of the Treasury.

In the wake of protests by the interns and the GMOA, the government decided to absorb these post-intern medical officers to the preliminary grade of the state sector.

GMOA spokesman Dr. Ananda Wije-wickrema said they were welcoming the move to absorb the present batch into the permanent cadre but were alarmed over reports that the ministry is planning to revise the present policy for the next batch of graduates.

Health Ministry Secretary C. Abeygune-wardena said the ministry was facing a problem of finding jobs for the increasing numbers of medical graduates who are passing out from local and foreign universities and was thus forced to review the present recruitment policy and introduce a viable plan from next year.

Alleged fraud bound by the book

By Lalith Walisundara

The binding of a book belonging to the University of Peradeniya has cost a record Rs. 42,000, an internal investigation has revealed.

The Sunday Times learns that the book had been given for binding to a retired clerk of the university who had been given the contract although the university had the facility to bind books within the campus.

It is alleged that the retired clerk, had sought Rs. 42,000 for binding several books but in reality only one book was bound.

Fishermen back to their sarongs

The Army's ban on fishermen wearing sarongs while engaging in fishing in the Jaffna lagoon has been lifted from Friday.

Palaly Army headquarters has informed fishermen in Paasaiyoor and Ariyalai, which border the lagoon, that fishermen could wear their sarongs.

In early July security forces ordered fishermen in the Jaffna lagoon not to fish wearing sarong, but to wear only shorts, underwear or loin cloth. The ban had been imposed mainly because fishermen were seen to be using their sarongs as makeshift sails to go beyond the restricted areas which posed a security problem. The fishermen had complained to the Human Rights Commission that the order for them to strip was an insult to their basic rights.

Other unions to have say on GMOA issue

A committee studying grievances of doctors is meeting other health sector trade union leaders before it drafts its recommendations.

The six-member committee met representatives of the Nurses Union and the Health Clerical Services Union when it last met.

In view of a request made by several health sector trade unions, the Government Medical Officers' Association has agreed to relax its position that the committee submit its report within a month.

The Committee appointed on July 7 started its functions from July 15 to study the possibilities of implementing doctors' demands that fall within the constitutional framework.

School opens after 13 years

Security forces have allowed the reopening of a leading school in Jaffna's Valikamam North area where a ban on civilian resettlement is still in force, residents said.

Security authorities have told the principal of the Mahajana College that the school which was dislocated some 13 years following a military operation could now begin classes in its old building in Tellipalai.

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