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15 FEBRUARY 2001
“I do not agree with a word of what you say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it,”
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ISSN 0266 - 44 88 V0l. XX N0, 2 15 FEBRUARY 2001
Published by: TAMILTIMES LTD PO Box 121, Sutton, Surrey SM13TD United Kingdom Phone: 020 - 8644 0972 Fax: 020 - 8241 4557 Email: prajan(2gn.apc.org editor(a)tamiltimes.org admin(atamilitimes.org
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Terrorism Act & Peace O3 LTTE EXtends Ceasefire 05 LTTE, No Longer for Eelam O6 Norway to Promote Peace 09 Sinhala to English 10 Exhibition of Terror 11 Tea Workers Strike 12 Protest Against LTTE Ban 13 Bomb Explosion Case 13 News Digest 14 Cost of Living, War & Peace 17 The Floating Rupee 21 The Return of Terror 22 Tamil Times at 20 23 Letter from Jaffna 27 Dr Manorani Saravanamuttu 29 Classified 30
Never before much acute att has been the Ca on 19 February Tamil Eelam (L don, would be d list of proscribes visions of the A The Sri Lank paign to Secure before the enac ASSent on 21 J terrorist organis For many w activity within a rise, the British scription of the || The LTTE ar hard and wide, pect of a UK ba man and advis process advoca facilitation for th be irretrievably that such action British governm feared the prob he said, "The m legitimate repre "terrorist' leader cluding the free emancipation o law as a Consp ment.”
Within Sri L repeated repres based in Colom the north and ea petitions urging On the opp Kumaratunga aI the British gove tions to fight inte to refute the LT inevitably leadt
Jumping on ist groups in th strations and Cc ing for a ban on During the W dertook an Orga which had stoc Tamil Tiger bat bilia indicating t real apprehensi
 
 
 

TAMILTIMES 3
Terrorism Act d the Peace Process
} has a law enacted in a foreign country generated so ention and widespread interest within Sri Lanka as Se with the Terrorism Act 2000 which came into force 2001. The issue was whether the Liberation Tigers of TTE), which has its international secretariat in Lonesignated a terrorist organisation and included in the d organisations in the United Kingdom under the proCt. an government has been Conducting a Sustained camthe LTTE designated as a terrorist organisation even tment of the Terrorism Act, which received its Royal uly 2000. The LTTE had already been outlawed as a ation in India and the United States. eeks before 19 February, there has been frenzied nd outside Sri Lanka to persuade, and even pressugovernment by both sides, for and against the proLTTE in the United Kingdom. hd its supporters within and outside Sri Lanka lobbied nvolving church and peace groups, against the prosin of the organisation. Its main international spokesor, Mr Anton Balasingham, asserted that the peace ited by the international community with Norwegian le resolution of the ethnic Conflict in Sri Lanka would Scuttled if the LTTE were to be outlawed. He added would also bring into question the neutrality of the ent in the ongoing conflict in the island. That the LTTE ability of facing a ban in the UK was underlined when oment the LTTE is proscribed, I will no longer be a sentative of my people, rather will be labelled as a with severe restrictions on my political freedoms, indom of speech and opinion. Whatever I say on the f my people will be construed under the logic of this iracy against a constitutionally constituted Govern
anka, a Coalition of Tamil parties and groups made sentations to the UK and other western diplom- ats bo not to ban the LTTE. Tamil university students in stof the island carried out demonstrationsandsigned the non-proscription of the LTTE. site side, in a high level intervention by President ld Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar called upon rnment to ban the LTTE in accordance with its obligaarnational terrorism. They also contested and sought TE's claim that a ban on the LTTE in the UK would o the scuttling of the peace process. the pro-ban bandwagon, extremist Sinhala national2 South of the island also engaged in street demonollecting signatures from members of the public call
the LTTE. eekend before 19 February, the LTTE in London unnised operation emptying shops and other premises cs of video tapes showing films of famous victorious tles against government forces and other memorahat the LTTE was approaching the Crucial date with on. On the other hand there was jubilant anticipation

Page 4
4TAMILTIMES
in official government circles both within the island and outside that the LTTE would certainly on the banned list.
The date arrived and passed without the British Minister of Home Affairs not producing a list of proscribed organisations to the great disappointment to the government and the pro-ban campaigners and profound relief to the LTTE and its anti-ban supportΘΓS.
The reality that has to be noted is that the Terrorism Act is now in place and in force in the UK. When and if the Minister of Home Affairs will produce a list of proscribed organisations is entirely a matter for the British government, the decision being taken on the basis of its own national interests not ignoring its international obligations. But in the meantime, any organisation or individual may become liable to be prosecuted for actions that are deemed offences under the Act. For instance, any person who provides, or invites another person to provide, or receives or uses or possesses money or other property, and intends or knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that the money or other property may be used for the purposes of terrorism commits an offence under the Act.
Terrorism itself is given a very wide definition. The use or threat of any action that (a) involves serious violence against a person; (b) involves serious damage to property; (c) endangers a person's life; (d) creates a serious risk to the health or safety of the public, or (e) is designed seriously to interfere with or seriously to disrupt an electronic system would Constitute terrorism if
o the use or threat is designed to influence the government or to intimidate the public or a section of the public, and
o the use or threat is made for the purpose of advancing a political, religious Or ideological cause. Any action, which involves the use of firearms or explosives, is deemed to be terrorism even if it is not designed to influence the government or to intimidate the public or a section of it. The Act covers terrorist acts Committed within and Outside Britain and against government of the UK as well as a government of a foreign country.
Now that enough energy has been dissipated by both sides delving into the action that the British government might or might not have taken on 19 February, it is time that the parties to the conflict in Sri Lanka Concentrate their minds and efforts in an attempt to taking the peace process forward.
The omens look promising. Both the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE see the need for and have agreed to enter into negotiations. Both have agreed to Norwegian facilitation. The international community, including the countries comprised in the European Union, United States, Britain and India have fully supported this endeavour to bring about a resolution Of the Conflict Within the frame WOrk Of the territorial integrity of Sri Lankataking account of the as

15 FEBRUARY 2001
pirations of the Tamil people.
The LTTE itself has declared a unilateral ceasefire for the third month in succession. Although the government has not reciprocated positively with its own ceasefire, many have observed a substantial reduction in the level of military operations leading to relative lull in the fighting in the north-east front. The message brought back by the multi-faith peace team that visited the Vanni recently and met LTTE representatives is quite significant in that the LTTE is now prepared to drop its demand for a separate state in return for a just negotiated settlement on the ethnic issue.
President Kumaratunga has herself confirmed that talks between the government and LTTE are to begin 'soon'. Reports indicate that one of her reasons for her Current visit to New Delhi is to brief and keep the Indian Prime Minister informed about the parameters and prospects of potential talks with the LTTE. Following her discussions with the Indian Prime Minister, an official press release stated that India had “reiterated its consistent support for the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and for a negotiated political settlement of the conflict as the Only Way to restore lasting peace which would meet the aspirations of all elements of Sri Lankan society."
The Norwegian facilitator, Eric Solheim, has also been quite busy shuttling between Oslo, Colombo, the Vanni in northern Sri Lanka and London having discussions with government and opposition leaders, the LTTE leader himself, and the LTTE's Chief negotiator Mr Anton Blasingham. A draft Memorandum of Understanding between the governmentand the LTTE is under discussion and yet to be finalised. The other important sections of Sri Lankan society have to actively engage themselves in assisting the gathering momentum for a peaceful negotiated settlement to go forward. The main opposition United National Party and its leader Mr Ranil Wickremasinghe have a special responsibility in the process, particularly in the context of the fact that the governing Peoples Alliance led by President Kumaratunga does not possess sufficient strength in Parliament to deliver a constitutional settlement that will bring a satisfactory peaceful end to the ethnic conflict.
It is true that past efforts at peace making in Sri Lanka have been thwarted, but there is no purpose served in apportioning blame as to whom was responsible. The unilateral ceasefire declared by the LTTE for three months in Succession, and the message brought back by the multi-faith team from the Vanni are certain positive factors that the government should not just dismiss as mere 'stunts'.What is also new in the present situation is that there is a fund of international interest, goodwill and support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Sri Lanka. When the parties decide to talk and talks begin leading to a Credible supervised ceasefire, they mustaVOW never to return to violence until a settlement is reached. O

Page 5
15 FEBRUARY 2001
UK Ban on Tigers W Not Affect Peace PrC
- EU mission
February 24 - European parliamentarians expressed support for Norway's attempt at ending Sri Lanka's separatist war and said a British ban against Tamil rebels will not jeopardise the peace procCSS.
Gerard Collins, the head of the fivemember MEP delegation visiting Sri Lanka, said the European Union had made its position clear to Britain that "all those who engage in terrorism' must be banned.
Sri Lanka has been pressing Britain, its former colonial master, to proscribe the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who maintain their “international secretariat' in London. Antiterrorism laws went into effect in Britain from 19 February, but London is yet to announce the list of organisations that will qualify under the new legislation.
Collins said he did not believe that any banning of the LTTE in Britain would cause a hurdle for the Norwegian attempt to bring the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government to the peace negotiating table. “Terrorism must be condemned for what it is ... The LTTE has been banned in several countries, including the US. So we do not see any problems (for the peace process) if they are banned in Britain,” said Collins who is from Ireland.
Collins made an impassioned appeal for support for Norway's peace envoy Erik Solheim who has been shuttling between Colombo and London, where the Tamil Tiger chief negotiator, Anton Balasingham is based. Balasingham has warned that a British ban against them would derail the peace bid of Norway.
Collins said he did not expect quick results from Norway's attempts to bring the antagonists to the negotiating table and warned that the process could take years and there would be many obstacles along the way.
He said it was up to peace envoy Solheim to decide on the right time to get both parties to agree to a truce and sit at the negotiating table. "It would be a big challenge to just get them to talk about talks,' he said.
More than 60,000 people have been killed in Sri Lanka's drawn out Tamil
separatist war led by seeking an independ island's northeast.
Collins and his t the embattled north Jaffna said their first i people there were res "relaxed and calm at ple interacted with s However, he said of shortages of medic of transport and sup of Jaffna, a region t wrested from rebel ber 1995.
"A doctor told u: age of family planni and they feared there
The Tamil Tige statement issued fro in Vanni, Northern S 22 February that they unilateral ceasefire b and called on the inte nity, particularly the ain, the European U persuade the Sri Lan reciprocate favourab gesture.
The LTTE's unila due to expire 24 Febr the text of the LTTE
“The LTTE haSb ing a self-imposed tri months in spite of pr operations by the S forces. The Tamil month long cease-fir cember 2000 as a ge goodwill for the fe called upon the Gc Lanka to reciprocate government of Chanc rejected the LTTE's p litical stunt” and laur sive operations in th to regain territories a casualties on both
 

Ould
}C9SS
the LTTE which is nt homeland in the
eam which visited hern peninsula of mpression was that ilient and he saw a mosphere" aspeo'curity forces.
they were also told cines and problems plies for residents he security forces control in Decem
s they had a shortng drugs in Jaffna could be a popula
TAMILTIMES 5
tion explosion at some time," Collins told reporters in Colombo. "There was also one man who felt he was like in an open prison camp.”
Collins said the EU delegation which met with senior Sri Lankan leaders had raised the question of improving the country's human rights record and ensuring democracy.
The EU was pressing for the government to implement recommendations of a EU committee that monitored Sri Lanka's October parliamentary elections.
"We cannot forget the large number of people who were killed during those elections... We are very concerned about human rights and democracy and have raised specific issues with the Sri Lankan government,” Collins said.
The massacre of 26 Tamil detainees at an open prison camp at Bindunuwewa in October last year was raised with the authorities, the EU delegation said adding that they have promised early action against the perpetrators. (AFP)
SExtend Ceasefire
Govt to Respond
rs, in an official m its headquarters Sri Lanka, said on would extend their by another month, rnational commuJnited States, Britnion and India to ka government to ly to its goodwill
teral ceasefire was uary. Following is s press release:
:en strictly observice for the last two ovocative military ri Lankan armed Tigers declared a e on the 24th Desture of peace and stive season and vernment of Sri positively. But the rika Kumaratunga eace offeras a "poched major offenJaffna peninsula the cost of heavy sides. The LTTE
strictly observed peace and engaged only in defensive war during the period. To demonstrate its genuine desire for peace the Tamil Tigers extended the unilateral cessation of hostilities for another month from the 24th January 2001 to 24th February 2001.
"We have decided to extend the truce for another month as a gesture of goodwill and to provide further space and time to help to promote the facilitatory peace effort undertaken by the Norwegian Government. In Spite of serious military disadvantages in a defensive war, our decision to observe peace for a further period amply demonstrates our serious and sincere commitment to peace and peaceful means of resolving the political conflict. We are determined to offer maximum opportunity to peace efforts because the entire Tamil nation yearns for peace and normalcy. It is the collective aspiration of the Tamil community that the war which has been ravaging our historical homeland for decades should be brought to an end and peace talks commence. There is a growing mass upsurgence in Tamil areas demanding peace and self-determination, in defiance of Sinhala military occupa

Page 6
6 TAMILTIMES
; tion and repression. It is in compliance with the collective will of our people we are pursuing the path of peace.
"We are sad and disappointed to note that the Sri Lanka government has not, as yet, responded positively to our peace gesture. Instead, it had dismissed our self-imposed cessation of hostilities as a political 'gimmick’ to cover up our "military weakness'. Having discredited and rejected our genuine gesture of peace and goodwill, Kumaratunga government has embarked on a massive project to modernise its armed forces with high-tech lethal weapon systems
pouring billions of the country to the bri aster. By rejecting offer and by refusi Norwegian project f Sinhala regime has world that it is deel military option of w lously disregarding it could cause to the the Tamil civilian m
'We wish to re; eration organisation into peace negotiat Lanka government r
Religious leaders, who held talks with the LTTE in northern Sri Lanka on their return, said the group was ready to give up its demand for a separate state in return for a negotiated and just peace.
Bishop Malcolm Ranjith, head of the Roman Catholic Church in the Ratnapura district of southern Sri Lanka, who was in the delegation of the InterReligious Alliance for National Unity (IRANU) which travelled to Madhu in Mannar district for the meeting said the LTTE appeared genuine in its desire to talk peace with the Government. “The only message we are carrying from the LTTE is that they would be very willing to talk to the Government and seek a settlement to (the ethnic) question at the table,” Bishop Ranjith told journalists Colombo on 20 February."It was very clear they were no longer pursuing the line of separation. We got the feeling that they are now ready to give up their armed struggle in return for a just peace which assures the dignity andlegitimate aspirations of the Tamil people.”The IRANU delegation gained this impression after closely questioning the LTTE about its position on a separate state, he said. When asked whether the LTTE had dropped its demand for separate Tamil Eelam, Rev Malcolm said that the LTTE representatives had said that “Eelam” was only the Tamil name for the entire Sri Lanka, and “Tamil Eelam” only a reference to the Tamil areas of the country's north and east. "Their idea of a Tamil homeland is not to build a wall between the
north and the south, from the south to en north and vice versa egation included 18 three Bishops, a ma of the National Peace lasted for three hou! to the head of the Tamilchlevam, the wing and the leader identified as Mr. Su and Mr. George resi
Bishop Ranjith fident that these cad views of the top lead appointment with Mı through as the deleg Now, IRANU ha ment with the Presic Kumaratunga, to bri sions with the LTTE He said the relig LTTE cadres with w that their leader Prabhakaran, should people directly and the LTTE had no in the country.
He said the thr who participated in explicitly commit th tension of the unilat is due to end on Fe “signs of hope” tha But they wanted t make some gesture turn to indicate that talking to the LTTE food supplies into a
 

15 FEBRUARY 200
upees and pushing nk of economic disthe LTTE's peace ng to endorse the )r de-escalation, the lemonstrated to the »ly committed to a ar and violence calhe colossal damage life and property of aSSCS.
terate that our libis prepared to enter ions when the Sri eciprocates favour
ably to our unilateral declaration of cease-fire and agrees to implement the Norwegian 'Memorandum of Understanding aimed at the de-escalation of war and the normalisation of civilian life. At this critical stage we wish to make a fervent appeal to the international community, particularly the Untied States, Great Britain, European nations and India, to use their diplomatic good offices to persuade Sri Lanka to abandon its destructive militaristic approach and adopt the rational path of peace, reconciliation and constructive dialogue."
but to allow people joy all rights in the ” he said. The delBuddhist monks, ulavi and members Council. The talks is with an assistant political wing, Mr. leader of the youth of Mannar district, dha, Mr. Pulithevan )ectively. said they were conres represented the ership. A scheduled '. Tamilchelwam fell ation arrived late. s sought an appointent, Ms. Chandrika efher of its discus
ous leaders told the hom they held talks Mr. Velupillai address the Sinhala xplain to them that tention of dividing
ee LTTE members the meeting did not emselves to the exral ceasefire, which bruary 24, but gave this might happen. ne Government to of goodwill in reit was sincere about like allowing more reas controlled by it
in order to alleviate the sufferings of civilians. The LTTE also agreed to release two Sinhalese fishermen among about 20 captives after an appeal by the delegation. "The release was agreed to as goodwill gesture,' Siyamabalgaswewa Wimalasara said from the northern town of Vavuniya, adding the Tigers had also promised to consider freeing five other civilian captives. He said the two fisherman, Ajith Kumarasiri and U.B. Chandrapala, were captured by the rebels two months ago while fishing in a lake near Vavuniya, 250 km (155 miles) north of the capital Colombo. Wimalasara led a delegation of 18 Buddhist monks as part of the multi-faith delegation. Statement
A statement issued by the IRANU and signed on its behalf by Ven. Kumburugamuwe Vajira Nayaka Thero, Ven. Talalle Dhammaloka Nayaka Thero, Ven Vatinapaha Somananda Thero, Rt. Rev. Dr.Malcolm Ranjith and Fr. Anthony Cyril stated:
"We, as representatives of the Inter Religious Alliance for National Unity, went on a pilgrimage to Madhu Church (a famous shrine in Sri Lanka dedicated to Our Blessed Virgin Mary situated in the North, in the diocese of Mannar) on 18th February 2001.
The group consisted of 18 Buddhist Priests, One Catholic Bishop, 3 Catholic Priests, 1 Muslim Maulawi, some representatives of National Peace Group and some media personnel. The necessary permission was obtained from the Ministry of Defense and the Sri Lanka Army Authorities. This pilgrimage provided us with the opportunity of observing the evils and the many horrible consequences of the war on human beings. Meeting those displaced due to the war and experience the terrible hardships they are going through. Meditating and

Page 7
15 FEBRUARY 2001
praying together - bringing together the values of the religions we follow in the Cause of National Peace.
During this tour, we were also able to meet four representatives of the LTTE, with whom we were able to hold a very fruitful and hopeful discussion.
From what we saw, heard and experienced during this tour, we are convinced that a meaningful praiseworthy and lasting solution to our ethnic conflict depends in open discussions/negotiations between the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE organization. The LTTE representatives we met made it very clear to us that they are for a peaceful solution to the ethnic conflict through discussion. The last act of goodwill on their part to show their willingness to discuss, was the unilateral declaration of a cease-fire by the LTTE. They expressed their willingness to continue such acts of good will. Their ability to continue the war has not been diminished or
weakened at all. Th ical leaders of the them on the path c able to share som fears of the Sinhala LTTE.
We expressed we cannot accept a on the part of anyol them to continue th shown by declarin fire.Basing oursel experience, we ea sponsible people o up the path of wara ful process throug gotiation. We mak Sri Lankan Gove: leaders of the pres those of other par LTTE, other socia and the Citizens of Let us get toge ful and united cou.
UK Decision Must Obstruct Peace Pro
The National Peace Council of Sri Lanka in a press release issued on 21 February states, "For the past two months, the issue of the impending British decision whether or not to ban the LTTE has taken centre stage of public interest. Both the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE seemed to be deciding on their actions with the British ban in mind, and not with making a success of the Norwegian-facilitated peace process in their minds. The indefinite postponement of that decision by the British government is an opportunity for the two parties to get away from an overemphasis on the British ban and to take positive steps regarding the peace procCSS.
The National Peace Council believes that an undue amount of importance has become attached to the issue of the British ban. It must be borne in mind that the British legislation to ban organisations deemed to be terrorist was
developed to protect their interests, not
with our interests in mind. Whatever decision the British take will not change in the slightest the issue of justice and the need for power-sharing between the ethnic communities in Sri Lanka.
We appreciate the LTTE's unilateral ceasefire entered into on December 24 and which continues to this day. The lull
in the fighting th made possible is o war weary people ( pecially of the nortl LTTE to renew its ary 24 and the gov cate this ceasefirew We also call on t LTTE to immediat talks with a mutua and we ask that th and regardless of, on whether or not der their law. The delay naming the wish to ban was t
Sri Lankan Pres maratunga says she with Tamil Tiger ri an interview with C the two sides could months because the time to implement
Her comments tic yet on the possi negotiations with t been waging an 18

ey hope that the politSouth will not push if war. We were also e of the doubts and people regarding the
our firm decision that ny terrorist activities ne. We also requested e good will they have g a unilateral ceaseves on this valuable nestly request all refour country to give nd enter into a peaceh discussion and nece this appeal to the: inment, all political ent Government and ties, members of the land political forces
Sri Lanka:
ther to build a peacentry that respects the
Not
DCSS
at this ceasefire has futmost relief to the of Sri Lanka, and esh-east. We call on the
ceasefire on Februvernment to reciprofith immediate effect. he government and ely commence peace lly agreed ceasefire, ese happen prior to, the British decision to ban the LTTE un
British decision to 'organisations they aken no doubt with
TAM TIMES 7
Identity of each group of people living in our country. Let us create the atmosphere that enables each one to participate in the national life of the country without being discriminated against due to race or religion.
We condemn the present bloodshed and the terrible destruction of human lives. War and terrorism are not paths that lead to peace and justice. War and destruction of life cannot be justified by any of our religious convictions.
We bless the willingness of the Sri Lanka Government and the LTTE to come to the negotiating table to search for peace. We hope and pray that they will not have recourse to any action that take them away from the negotiating table. We dedicate ourselves to usher in an era of peace in Sri Lanka based on equality and justice. We earnestly hope for the support of all our country to this cause of peace.” O
their own interests in mind, not ours. That decision must not lead to a break in the prospects of a permanent end to the fighting in our country.
In this context, the message brought back by the delegation of inter-religious leaders who visited the Wanni with the National Peace Council and met with the LTTE earlier this week is a most hopeful one. The LTTE representatives had said that the LTTE was prepared to drop the demand for a separate state if a peaceful and just solution was negotiated with them by the government. We urge that the government takes this opportunity to start the negotiation process without finding various reasons to delay making a positive response. The prolongation of the conflict, and the fail
ure to resolve it, will continue to bleed
the country physically, economically and morally.
SOSaSOO
ident Chandrika Ku: expects peace talks bels to start soon. In NN in Delhi, she said probably meet in two Tigers had asked for certain conditions.
ure her most optimisbility of face-to-face he Tigers, who have -year-old war for an
independent homeland.
Although Mrs Kumaratunga has said her government will not respond to "fake” ceasefires, her comments on the Norwegian-brokered peace process have become increasingly upbeat. Speaking at Independence Day celebrations earlier this month, she said the Tigers were sending out positive signals in response to her offer of peace talks.
Norwegian envoy Erik Solheim has

Page 8
8 TAMILTMES
been shuttling between the government and the Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in an attempt to get negotiations under way. But on 23 February, Mrs Kumaratunga said both sides would now have to decide the date for the start of talks.
Despite her optimism, however, the president expressed her lack faith in the LTTE's commitment to the peace process saying that the Tigers were an organisation "born, bred, fed and living on violence”, adding that she did not know how they would survive in a democracy.
Meanwhile, the Norwegian facilitator in the Sri Lankan peace process, Mr.Erik Solheim met the LTTE’s chief negotiator Dr.Anton Balasingham in London on 20 February and discussed a wide range of issues in a "cordial atmosphere", the TamiNet website saidon 21 February quoting sources in the LTTE.
The three-hour meeting over lunch assumes significance in the light of the British decision on 19 FEbruary not to ban any foreign terrorist organisation just now under its new anti-terrorism law. While this decision has removed a possible stumbling block in the peace process for the time being, there is still a danger of the LTTE's getting banned at any time because the provisions of the law are "draconian'. Dr.Balasingham and Mr.Solheim are reported to have discussed this possibility. They also discussed the possibility of the LTTE's extending its unilateral ceasefire for the second time on February 24.
A spokesman from India's External Affairs Ministry on 20 February denied reports that India had objected to the UK and Japan being included on a monitoring committee which will watch and evaluate an ongoing peace process between the Government and the LTTE. Some eight countries have been identified by Norway to sit on this committee. Norway has encountered a stumbling block however as both the Government and the LTTE have objected to certain countries being on the committee.
Some nations, the Government is not keen to have as the countries are perceived to be sympathetic to the LTTE. The Tigers have also voiced concern over some countries which the Tigers say are supplying arms to the Lankan Government. O
Cha
21 February:T dent, Mrs Chandrik begin a three-day vị 23 February, amid sion in Colombo o on the Norwegian aimed at resolving land.
During her last cember 1998, Mrs. the Free Trade A Prime Minister, M payee. Since then, ected as President voted back to powe Sri Lanka’s mi waxed and waneds moment, the secur taining the stalema restore in Jaffna pe sive by the LTTE ir Lanka is at the thr the LTTE, and an stage is seen crucia "The President be seen as a prelud. cording to a Forei Mrs. Kumaratunga meet Mr. Vajpaye Affairs Minister, M February 23, woulc the Norwegian-faci among other matte est”, he said.
While New Del port for the Oslo i: two sides to the n not yet clear how i be a fellow passer The Indian positio solution that meets Tamil minority co framework of Sri I tegrity. However, S to know how comf LTTE as the mai Tamil people.
"It is hard to be want the LTTE, Prime Minister an its soldiers, to wi power, even if it i the Sri Lankan Go possibility if the t successful,” said M National Peace CC A recent stat Minister, Mr. L. K
 

ne Sri Lankan PresiKumaratunga, will sit to New Delhi on considerable confuver India’s position -backed initiative he conflict in the is
visit to India in DeKumaratunga signed greement with the r. Atal Behari Vajshe has been re-el, and her coalition
. litary fortunes have ince then, till, at the ity forces are mainte they managed to ninsula after offenApril last. Now Sri eshold of talks with Indian input at this l.
's visit to India can e to peace talks,” acgn Ministry official. , who is scheduled to ce and the External (r. Jaswant Singh, on l"compare notes' on litated peace process rs of "mutual inter
hi has expressed supnitiative to bring the gotiating table, it is ar India is willing to ger in this exercise. n is for a negotiated the aspirations of the mmunity within the anka’s territorial inSri Lanka would want ortable India is with n negotiator for the
lieve that India would hat killed a former i more than 1,000 of eld any sort of state s in partnership with vernment, which is a alks are held and are r. Jehan Perera of the uncil.
ment by the Home Advani, in the Rajya
drika's Visit to India
15 FEBRUARY 2001
Sabha, that the Government of India had revived the demand for the extradition of the LTTE leader, Mr. Velupillai Prabhakaran, has served to reinforce the persistent and widespread belief in Sri Lanka that India would somehow scuttle the Norwegian initiative.
Besides India's open hostility to th LTTE, its purported reluctance to countenance "outsiders' dabbling in the af. fairs of its neighbour beyond a point is also cited as a reason for this. That is one reason why a report in a Sri Lankan weekly newspaper that India had opposed the inclusion of Japan and the U.K. in an international committee proposed by Oslo to monitor goodwill gestures by both sides prior to talks, since denied by the External Affairs Ministry, has found ready believers.
Peace activists attribute Sri Lanka's tough posturing on the peace talks and its refusal to reciprocate a unilateral cease-fire by the LTTE to the Government’s confidence that India would support this.
Against this background, Mrs. Kumaratunga's visit is being viewed as a mission to “test the waters” and perhaps even to discuss the parameters for talks with the LTTE.
Besides the peace initiative, Mrs. Kumaratunga is also likely to raise the issue of reviving the SAARC process, paralysed since India vetoed the 1999 Kathmandu summit after Gen. Pervez Musharraf assumed power in Pakistan. Understandably, Sri Lanka is reluctant to preside over a lame-duck regional grouping and is keen to hand over the chair, which it has held since 1998, as quickly as possible to Nepal. The issue figured during the visit of Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, Mr. Lakshman Kadirgamar, to Islamabad recently, where he held meetings with the Pakistani Chief Executive, and the Pakistani Foreign Minister, Mr. Abdus Sattar.
India will also be briefed about Pakistan's offer to Sri Lanka of a USS 20 million loan to buy military hardware from it. Although Indian officials deny that that India is not perturbed by this, the Indians may want to be taken into confidence in this matter because the loan offer adds a new dimension to the existing Pakistan-Sri Lanka military cooperation. O

Page 9
15 FEBRUARY 2001
A Norwegian delegation that visited Sri Lanka recently said that Norway was "impatient till Sri Lanka finds a permanent solution to the North and East conflict and we will extend maximum possible assistance to Sri Lanka in order to find a solution.'
Norway, which is trying to broker peace between the government and Tamil Tigers, on 15 February pledged 160 million rupees ($1.8 million) toward research in Sri Lanka's rural economy and for improving industrial production methods.
The head of the visiting Norwegian delegation, the Secretary of State and the Head of the Development Co-operation Delegation of the Norwegian Government Sigrun Mogedal, signed the grant agreements with industrial development minister Gamini Peiris after they began the annual political consultations on bilateral co-operation. Norway pledged 130 million rupees ($1.5 million) for the establishment of a National Cleaner Production Centre to promote efficient and environment-friendly industrial production, a statement from the Norwegian embassy said.
A further 30 million rupees ($348, 229) in assistance will go toward rural development research, with focus on private sector development, employment generation and sustainable institution building.
Norway has been a donor to Sri Lanka for more than 20 years, mainly funding projects in rural development, rehabilitation and reconstruction, social development and vocational training.
Ms. Mogedal had reiterated Norway's readiness to assist the peace process in Sri Lanka. She said Norway would assist Sri Lanka in its struggle to find a solution to the North and East conflict and help the people who are in the middle of the struggle as a gesture of the longstanding relations between the two countries, he said. Norwegian peace envoy Erik Solheim has been trying for the past two years to get the two sides talking.
"We are impatient till Sri Lanka finds a permanent solution to the North and East conflict and we will extend
maximum possibl Lanka in order to fi is not a contract, it tween the parties' She said that when lution to a vexed p ups and downs but measures should no said "we are highly ka's high human r economic achievel ing an expensive w She said that t concerned about th Public Administrati tion of corruption i good governance. A egation Minister of fairs and Industrial Deputy Minister of thanked Norway fol solution to Lanka's He said the Gov to end the North and earliest possible op
greater heights in e
Defen As
Sri Lanka’s budg diture for 2001 is F per cent from the F ago, according to the tabled recently in P. ter of Constitutiona Development and I Finance Prof. G.L.
The Defence e. year is estimated at over Rs.52,434,271, allocation for the Sr 29.203,990,000 այ 598,000,000 while t Sri Lanka Navy is R from the Rs. 7,823, for the Sri Lanka 700,000,000, up fro! The Police
Department has
 

assistance to Sri nd a solution. Peace s a relationship beMs. Mogedal said. inding a lasting sooblem there can be onfidence building be abandoned. She mpressed with Langhts standards and nents despite fightar,” Mogedal said. he Norway is very depoliticisation of on and the eliminan order to maintain Addressing the DelConstitutional AfDevelopment and Finance G.L. Peiris its efforts to find a ethnic problem. 2rnment is very keen East conflict at the portunity to achieve conomic and social
TAM TIMES 9
development. Despite fighting war, Sri Lanka achieved a 4.3 per cent growth rate and 17 per cent export growth rate last year mainly due to the Government's strict fiscal discipline, he added. The Minister said that Sri Lanka experienced a difficult period last year after the fall of the Elephant Pass Military base which resulted in a rise of the defence expenditure to Rs. 84 billion. We plan to bring down the defence expenditure to 5.5 percent of the GDP this year.
Prof. Peiris said: "the Government's new Constitution addresses vital issues which concern minority communities. In addition, four vital commissions which would help minimise corruption and improve public administration in the country has also been encompassed in the proposed Constitution as the Government is ready to take all measures to eradicate corruption in the Public Service. The Judicial Service Commission and the Public Service Commission also function independently in order to maintain a high standard of public service.” Minister Peiris also noted that the Government established the Child Protection Authority, reactivated the Human Rights Commission and set up the Anti Harassment Committee to assure the human rights of citizens. He said the Government would also appoint a Deputy Ombudsman. O
ce Budget Rockets War Continues
eted defence expens.63 billion, up 21 s.52 billion a year : Appropriation Bill rliament by MinisAffairs, Industrial Deputy Minister of 'eiris. penditure for this Rs..63,389,023,000 000 a year ago. The Lanka Army is Rs. from the Rs.23, le allocation for the .8,257,000,000, up )00 and the budget ir Force is Rs.10, n the Rs.8,290,938.
been allocated Rs.
12,371,800,000, up from the Rs.8,290, 938,000 in 2000.
The Ministry of Finance and Planning has been allocated the second highest expenditure of Rs.46.30 billion, up from the Rs. 34.11 billion a year ago.
The third major item of expenditure is the Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government whose allocation is Rs.38.34 billion. Of this sum, Rs.27.02 billion has been allocated for civil administration.
The fourth highest expenditure is for the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs and Administrative Reforms whose allocation is Rs.20.10 billion. Of this allocation Rs. 19.31 billion will be for the Pensions Department.
Despite the increased defence and administrative expenditure, the Govern

Page 10
10 TAMILTIMES
ment has allocated substantial funds for both welfare and development, according to the Appropriation Bill.
Of the cabinet portfolios relating to welfare, the allocation for health is Rs.19.64 billion. Of this, Rs 14.54 billion will be for the Department of Health Services.
The allocation for education is Rs.15.4 billion. Of this, Rs. 14.77 billion has been allocated for human resources development and Rs. 601 million to the Department of Examinations. The allocation for the Ministry of Samurdhi, Parliamentary Affairs and Upcountry Development is Rs. 15.29 billion of which Rs. 10.91 billion has been allocated for the Department of Poor Relief and Rs.2.72 billion forsocial security and welfare.
The Ministry of Transport has been allocated Rs. 12.92 billion. The allocation for Highways is Rs. 14.36 billion of which Rs. 14.33 billion has been allocated for infrastructure development.
The allocation for the Ministry of Social Services and Housing Development for Fishing Community is Rs. 4.73 million of which Rs.4.2 million been allocated for social security and welfare through the Department of Social Services.
Of the development expenditure, the Ministry of Power and Energy gets the highest allocation of Rs. 16.78 billion of which Rs. 16.76 billion is for infrastructure development. The Agriculture Ministry has been allocated Rs.5.69 billion. The allocation for the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources Management is Rs.2.4 billion. Of this Rs. 1.60 billion will be for infrastructural development.
The allocation for the Ministry of Plantation Industries is Rs.3.89 billion of which Rs. 3.68 billion has been allocated for economic services in the plantation industry. The Ministry of Food and Marketing Development gets Rs.222 million. The Ministry of Forestry and Environment has been allocated
Rs. 1.79 billion. The Ministry of Estate Infrastructure and Livestock Development has been allocated Rs. 921.6 million.
The allocation for the Ministry of Constitutional Affairs is Rs.4.7 billion. The Ministry of Port Development and Southern Development has been allocated Rs.2.52 billion. The Ministry of Aviation and Airport Development has been allocated Rs. 1.12 billion of which Rs. 1.06 billion has been allocated for
economic services.
The Ministry of has been allocated allocation for the M and Aquatic Resou Rs.2.63 billion. The Affairs will get R Ministry of Vocat been allocated Rs.1 The Ministry o and Information Te ment has been alloc The allocation forth Telecommunication while the allocation Urban Developmen Public Utilities is R Ministry of Land D. nor Export Agricul cated Rs.2.44 billio the Ministry of Mah is Rs.5 billion.
Ofthe service se for the Ministry (
Sin Μ
In 1956, Sri L. Sinhala Only langua erations later, Sri La feel the short sigh Only.
In a report dat Nirupama Subrama Colombo for the "l how the English pride of place in thi as follows:
It is after scho make-shift classroc of a Buddhist templ from the busy traffi outside, a group of away. They are lea guage officially neg policy-makers in sta 40 years, but one dren realise they anymore.
“Knowing Eng leading a good lif Mohammed Irshac come a computer o month, Irshad's pal “tutory' so that he ing knowledge of I Like Irshad, th and adults, across t ing to teaching sh

Tourism and Sports Rs.906 million. The inistry of Fisheries ce Development is : Ministry of Youth .626 million. The onal Training has 79 billion. f Higher Education chnology Developated Rs.7.73 billion. e Ministry Posts and s is Rs.9.46 billion for the Ministry of t, Construction and S.12.32 billion. The 2velopment and Miture has been alloh. The allocation for aweli Development
:ctors, the allocation of Foreign Affairs
15 FEBRUARY 2001
Rs.3.35 billion. The Ministry of Information and Media has been located Rs. 1.51 billion. The Justice Ministry has been allocated Rs.3.03 billion. The allocation for the Ministry of Cultural Affairs is Rs.718 million. The Ministry of Science and Technology's Allocation is Rs. 1.31 billion. The Ministry of Ethnic Affairs, National Integration and Mineral Resources Development has been allocated Rs.452 million.
The allocations for the other Ministries are: Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs - Rs. 149 billion; Ministry of Indigenous Medicine - Rs.554 million; Ministry of Rural Industrial Development Rs.230.57 million; Ministry of Development, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of the North and Tamil Affairs for the North and the East - Rs.2.18 billion; and Ministry of Women's Affairs - Rs. 147.62 million. The Ministry without portfolio has been allocated Rs.22.45 million. O
hala Only Gives Way to English
anka promoted the ge policy. Two genanka is beginning to tedness of Sinhala
clined 18 February, nian reporting from Hindu" filed a story anguage assuming island which reads
bol hours, but in a m in a quiet corner e in Colombo, away c on the arterial road teenagers are toiling ning English, a lanlected by Sri Lankan te education for over that now even chilcannot do without
ish is important for ,” said 15-year-old , who wants to beperator. For Rs. 70 a ents send him to this ains at least a workEnglish.
ousands of children, he island are crowdps, sometimes pay
ing fees they can ill afford in order to learn a language that will open the doors to the world of higher education and well-paying jobs.
English is taught in schools (most schools in Sri Lanka are state-run), but neither sufficiently nor competently enough to give students even a passable ability in it, a legacy of the community and discriminate against the Tamils in education and jobs, the Act made Sinhala the official language of the country. English as a medium of instruction was banned and all schools had to teach either in Sinhala or Tamil. As a second language, it was progressively neglected, as it became harder to find English teachCS.
Two generations later, Sri Lanka is beginning to feel the short-sightedness of Sinhala Only. Like it or not, English is the key to information in a world of growing opportunities.
But a majority of young Sri Lankans are discovering the hard way that this world is closed to them. As a result, while the 1956 Act was a conscious attempt to accentuate the ethnic divide, it has turned inwards on the majority community itself, creating a huge mass of educated unemployed, reducing mobility, heightening the class divide and rais

Page 11
15 FEBRUARY 2001
ing social tensions.
It has led to resentment against the Sri Lankan elite, for whom English was always "first language". Even if they did not learn it at school, they spoke it at home, and that became their passport to higher education and jobs, effectively cutting the rest out. English came to be known as kaduwa, or sword, with which the elites cut down the lower classes who did not know the language and had no access to it.
There is now a belated realisation in Government that the knowledge of English is a must, and it forms the vital centre-piece of educational reforms being implemented by the Kumaratunga Government. From the year 2002, it will be re-introduced as a medium of instruction for A level (class 12) students in the science stream. It is believed that science students would have less problems adjusting to the new system than in other StrealS.
There is also a proposal to begin teaching it as a compulsory second language from class 2, instead of class 3 as it is done now. From 1999, schools have begun using activity-based oral English from class I.
“We believe that equity can be brought about only by teaching English to all, not denying it. It is a big factor in enabling social mobility,” said an official in the education department who did not want to be named.
The reforms were pushed in part by the private sector, which was facing difficulties finding 'employable' people to fill its posts.There is also the view that English could become the link language that will heal the ethnic wounds of Sri Lanka.
Opinion is still divided on whether English should be brought back as a medium of instruction or the Government should concentrate on strengthening it as a second language, but no one
Reminiscence during the late 19 again as the parent who were killed b memorated on 16 dala not far away
"Commemoral killed by the JVP" of pictures and m to the region of t commenced 16 Fe Co-operative Hall “Ours is a na forgives quickly. show the blunders “generations to av such mistakes ag Minister Rathnas opening the exhib Minister Alav people must learr the history and nev such violence fo “People must resis litical party attemp violence. This ex example for the ci partisan and paroc by the JVP which
disputes its impor
But now, Sri problem, and that ent in English anc As Mir. Yohan C of St. Thomas Pre school, put it, ther ervoiro to draw fro ers are being trair level experiment. make a wider cor many more will b
Tari
TIMES
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TALMES 11
s of the era of terror 80's were enlivened s and relatives of those y the JVP were comFebruary at Piliyanfrom Colombo. ion of those who were a two-day exhibition emorabilia connected error during 1987-90 bruary at Piliyandala
tion that forgets and But there's a need to of the past to today's void the repetition of ain,” said the Prime iri Wickramanayake ition to the public. i Moulana said that from the lessons of ver should recommend the sake of power. st anybody or any pobting to grab powerby hibition gives us an onsequences of petty, hial politics practised I think will never fol
tance anymore.
Lanka faces another is to find people flul qualified to teach it. asie-Chetty, principal p, a leading Colombo e is only a 'small respm. About 500 teachned for next year's A But if English is to meback in Sri Lanka,
e required. O
JS$25.00 ian Bank chequesoniy)
S$35,00
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es Ltd is to the total vale
KCAPITALSPLEASE)
No.................................
low the footsteps of its former leaders. They should have regretted and must have asked for the forgiveness from the entire nation before they enter into mainstream politics in a society to which once they were cruel," he said.
Indicating the weeping and crying relatives of victims of the unidentified gunmen in late 80's, the Minister said, "I also can understand how these people feel the loss of their kith and kin.
My brother and in-laws were killed in
1989 and 1990. I could not even see the body of my brother-in-law. I received the body of my brother nine days after he was killed,” he lamented. Learning from these mistakes although it is bitter is worthy rather than forgetting them, he added. W
Pictures of victims including students, political party members, bhikkus, professionals - all who could not follow the orders that came in the form of small chits carrying the signature of Keerthi Vijayabahu of the Deshapremi Janatha Viyaparaya (DJV), were shown in the exhibition. Photocopies of letters
issued by the DJV, the active wing of the JVP after it was proscribed by then government, also were displayed unfolding the ugly facets of the alleged attempt of the JVP to grab power at the gunpoint. Parents and relatives were seen sighing and grieving for their children, brothers and spouses allegedly killed by the JVP.
Mrs. M. D. Medagedara, holding a picture of her son Gamini Medagedara who was allegedly killed by the JVP on 12 February 988 at Polonnaruwa, was one of the relatives who had gathered at the exhibition. Recalling the loss of her eldest son, she said that she was at Raddoluwa and could not even see the dead body of her son as the JVP had ordered a curfew.
Her second son, Anura Medagedara said: "How can we be sure that this mistake would not happen again? After 1971, we thought that it would never come again. But the same mistake was repeated in 1987-90 and we lost a large number of innocent lives. We have doubts that this would rise again and will lead to another destruction. Now the time has come to ask ourselves whether we should allow a repetition of this?"
(Courtesy - The Island)

Page 12
12 TAMILTIMES
February 22 - Sri Lanka's tea estate workers are agitating for a wage hike to meet the rise in the cost of living following the sharp increase in the price of many essential goods and services and the depreciation of the currency since last June.
MPs of the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) began a 'satyagraha' at Hatton in the tea growing Nuwara Eliya district on Monday demanding a Rs. 400 cost of living allowance per month for the workers from the plantation companies.
The Government has appointed a five-member committee to look into the demand, but Mr. R. Yogarajah, one of the MPs, today said that the agitation would continue till the demand is met.
A breakaway group of the CWC now banded together as the Ceylon Workers' Alliance, said last week that though it
had not been satyagraha, it wou mand.
There are an workers in the tea them are Indian TI thers came to Sri L tury to work on th The CWC wan extend to the plant 2000 Presidential all private sector er of Rs. 400.
But under the employees who wi under a collective January and July 3 ble for the allowar Mr. Yogarajal clause was includ discriminate agains ers, whose union
SriLankan
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:onsulted on the d not oppose the de
estimated 500,000 plantations. Most of amils whose forefaanka in the 19th cen; eStates.
Is the Government to ation workers a July notification granting mployees a wage hike
notification, those 're given a wage rise
agreement between 1, 2000, are not eligiLC€.
said the exclusion led "deliberately to it the plantation works had entered into a
collective agreement in June 2000. The
agreement gave the workers an increase of Rs. 6 per day, and was signed on the day the Government widened the trading band of the rupee, which effectively neutralised the gain. Under the agreement, the trade unions forfeited their right to strike for more wages for two years, which is why the CWC has resorted to a satyagraha.
The agreement, signed between a employers' federation and three trade unions including the CWC, has come in for strong criticism by other trade unions as anti-labour.
The plantation companies have said they would be unable to bear another wage increase, but the CWC position is that with a record tea production and high exports, the employers can more than afford to give the workers a little
Ore.
"The increase of Rs. 400 cannot cost the companies more than Rs. 2 billion for the whole year. This is just 10 per cent of the total revenue increase (for the tea industry) from 1999. This is something they can share with the workers,” Mr. Yogarajah said.
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Page 13
15 FEBRUARY 2001
Protest Agai
20 February -Thousands of Tamil students, both in northern and eastern Sri Lanka demonstrated urging the United Kingdom government not to ban the LTTE. Students have collected signatures for a petition opposing the ban and political prisoners have written a letter to British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The protest demonstrations and petitions are being organised amidst fears that the LTTE, which has its International Secretariat in London, could find itself without a home if Britain imposed a ban under a new terrorism law which came into force on 19 February. More than 4,000 university students and school children took part in the latest protest in the eastern town of Batticaloa in eastern Sri Lanka. Protests took place at the teacher
training college a pus where demon figy of the Sri La Lakshman Kadirg himself a Tamil bl a sustained camp have the LTTE organisation.The the international more pressure on S talks with the Tan northern town of J: than 1,000 univers ers lit candles as a Many Tamil groups also have n the British High lombo not to ban t British Home Offi
Centra Bank Bomb Expos
Mr. Andrew Somawansa High Court Judge of Colombo 12 February ordered to issue warrants on former OIC Pettah for failing to attend court without being excused, when the Central Bank bomb explosion trial resumed. The former Pettah OIC Chief Inspector Indu Karunaratne, is presently the HQI at Badulla police and a witness in the case.
In this case, 89 civilians were killed and charges had been framed on behalf of 79 identified victims, 1,313 persons were injured. 324 vehicles and 40 motorcycles were also damaged and the Central Bank building was destroyed exceeding Rs. 1,050 million as cost of damages. The accused are indicted with conspiring to commit mischief to the Sri Lanka Central Bank building Colombo Fort, an offence punishable under Section 3 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act. According to the indictment the accused are charged under the PTA regulations on 13 counts including destroying the Central Bank building by using explosives and committing the murders of 78 people at the same time during the same incident and committing 88 other criminal aets between July 1, 1995 and January 31, 1996.
The accused were further charged with planning, conspiring and directing the said terrorist and violent activities
along with Arulan Selliah Raja Moh Vavuniya, Chavak and Colombo duri
The ten accus ney General are V alias Thambi alia Karikalan alias Ve pha (first accuse Pottu Amman (2 Jeewa Mohan alia Master (3* accuse
The United Na put forward propo an independent juc sion, an independ sion, an independe mission and an inc mission. The UNF liamentary Select this purpose by Kumaratunge, an Rauf Hakeem is a. will not be referrir PSC.
The UNP Subin als to the various February. Both the
 

ld the university camstrators burned an efnkan Foreign Minister amar. The minister is It has been carrying on ign internationally to banned as a terrorist students also called on community to exert ri Lanka to enter peace nil Tigers. And in the affna, reports say, more ity students and teach
gesture of support. political parties and nade representations to Commissioner in Cohe LTTE in the UK.A ce spokesman said the
TAMITMES 13
ban was still "under active consideration" by Home Secretary Jack Straw, A BBC report said. But a decision on the Tigers had yet to be made, he added, without saying when it might be due.
A report datelined 17 February said that the Sri Lankaarmy exhorted the people of Jaffna over loud hailers not to put their signatures on the memorandum by students of the Jaffna University urging the British government not to ban the LTTE and stymie the peace process in Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, the SLA arrested two Jaffna University students who were collecting signatures for the memorandum at Navindil, near Vathiri junction, 23 kilometres northeast of Jaffna. The two students had been taken to the Udupiddy SLA camp for interrogation, a University official said.
An army truck with the loud hailers was at the Prameswara College junction near the Jaffna University campus. The army announcer urged passers by and students in Tamil not to sign the memorandum. O
athan alias Suresh and an (now deceased) in achcheri, Kilinochchi ng the said period.
ed listed by the Attor'elupillai Prabhakaran is Kirubakaram alias lusamy Putra alias Ali), Siva Sanka alias accused), Kandiah Charles alias Charles d), Wigneswaran Par
inipan, alias “Siwa Samy”, alias Gunaseelan (4" accused), Kadirgama Thambi Siva Kumar alias Ragu alias Ramesh Subramaniam Wigneswaran (5 accused), Seelaiaha Nawaratnam (6" accused), Rajadurai Sathurukulasingham (7" accused), Kandiah Sri Ganesh (8th accised), Ramiah Poopathy (9th accused) and Karupiah Kamalanathan (10" accused).
Most of the accused are being tried in absentia. Senior state counsel Sajeewa Samaranayake appeared for prosecution. Gamini Balasuriya and Joyce Mahadevan appeared for the defence. O
tional Party will soon sals in Parliament for licial service commis*nt elections commisit public services comependent police commaintains that a ParCommittee set up for President Chandrika chaired by Minister oke and that the UNP g the proposals to this
itted the draft propospolitical parties on 20 Tamil United Libera
independent Commissions
tion Front (TULF) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) have accepted the proposals in principle subject to any amendments the two parties would wish to make after a study of the document is concluded.
The UNP has set aside March 5, to discuss any amendments to the document. The JVP will make their suggestions, if any, on this day having consulted with the party's politbureau.
Sources within the UNP said the independence of these commissions would be ensured without any doubt by the implementation of a constitutional council (continued on next page)

Page 14
14TAMILTIMES
O US AMBASSADOR VISITS R
EASTERN SRI LANKA The US Ambassador for Sri Lanka, Ashley Wills, visited Batticaloa 14 February with the mission's Defence Attaché and its Regional Security Officer. The US embassy delegation held a two-hour discussion with SLA officers at the headquarters of the 23-3 brigade in Batticaloa town about the security situation in the district.
The delegation also met Air Force and Police officers of the region thereafter. The Ambassador later called on Mr. Joseph Pararajasingham, Tamil United Liberation Front MP for Batticaloa. Security was tightened in places the US delegation was expected to visit in the town.
The US Ambassador had discussions with Government Agent for the district, Mr. Mounagurusamy and representatives of the Non-governmental organisations working in Batticaloa to elicit their views on the human rights situation, rehabilitation and development work and the problems faced by the people in the region.
He met the local NGO's at Lake View Inn, a small hotel by the lagoon that has survived the ravages of the war in this underdeveloped east coast district. The mission's second secretary (political) and it political assistant arrived in Batticaloa on the previous day. They met governmentand NGO officials and had discussions with two senior local journalists as well. The embassy's Defence and Army Attaché, Lt. Colonel Frank L. Rindone was on a familiarisation visit to the district last year.
(Continued from page 13) which will in itself be an independent body. The main schedule of this document will cover 85 percent of the appointments to these commissions. The appointing authority for this schedule will be on the recommendation of the constitutional council.
The Chairman of the Constitutional Council will be Speaker, Anura Bandaranaikewhile Premier Rathnasiri Wickr-emanayake and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe will be members. Five other members representing people of eminence and stature from civil society will also be chosen. Two of this five will represent the minority community. O
O COURT ORD)
OF TAMIL The Trincomales February instructed plaints and issue sum language in cases fi speaking people. M Magistrate and Ac Judge made the ord ney-at-Law pointed Tamil client had rec Sinhala language, cc tion 44 (2) of the C Act of 1979.
Defense Attorne palan told court acci Act, the defendants in a language he co the particular case "Thaen Thamil Veet Trincomalee had reci from the Police in the Attorney Sivap: court that his client or understand as the on him was in the Sil said that he was als to advise his client the language barrier. ted to court that the guage of courts in was Tamil.
Accepting the Magistrate gave tin to the police to imp tions. Legal circles pect that the Magist this regard could n tions in Trincomal necessary arrange business in Tamill
O INSCRIPTIO
SRI LANKA
TIRUCHII: Rec ried out in some al district have reveale links between the Cholas and Sri Lan century A.D, acc Nadu archaelogy d
Inscriptions sho were found in Dev stone excavated re patti village near M

15 FEBRUARY 2001
ERS USE
Magistrate on 14 the Police to file mons in the Tamil ed against Tamil r.S.Thiagendran, ditional District »r when an Attorout to him that his eived summons in intrary to the Seciminal Procedure
y Kasinathar Sivabrding to the CPC hould be informed uld understand. In : P. Wijekanth of hi' of Orrs' Hill in 2ived his summons Sinhala language. alan submitted to was unable to read 2 summons served hhala language. He o not in a position in this case due to He further submitadministrative lannortheast province
submissions, the le till February 28 lement his instrucn Trincomalee exate's instruction in ake all police stae district to make ments to transact nguage also.
NS REVEAL,
INKS nt excavations carcient towns of the existence of trade 2gion ruled by the (a as early as eight rding to a Tamil partment official. ving the trade links Nagari script on a :ently at Kaliyamsiri, an ancient port
town, Director of Archaelogy A. Abdul Majid told a seminar on “Facets of Hisotry” at a local colle-ge on 12 February in Tiruchi, South India. The explorations were carried out by the department in Poompuhar, another famous port town in Cholas,
along the coast of the State and certain
pockets in and around Karur.
The inscriptions also showed that well-laid highways had existed in the region and revealed existence of trade ties with places like Maharasthra in the 10 century.
Majid said pucca road connections also existed between Palakkad in Kerala and Poompuhar. He said the explorations were continuing in the coastal areas around Poompulhar and interesting information was expected. He said his department had sent proposals to augment infrastructure facilities at the two recently installed museums at Karur and Gangai Konda Chozhapuram.
O VIJAYA ASSASSINATION: ASP REMANDED
An Assistant Superintendent of Police was remanded on 20 February by the Colombo Fort Magistrate and Additional District Judge, Priyantha Fernando, in connection with the disappearance of Tarzan Weerasinghe alias Herath one of the two main suspects in the Vijaya Kumaratunga assassination case. The ASP was remanded till March 2.
Inquiries revealed that Tarzan Weerasinghe and Lionel alias Gamini, arrested earlier by the CID in connection with the assassination, had disappeared from custody. Recently the CID took into custody a leading motor spares dealer and an employee of a private firm in connection with the Kumaratunga assassination. One of the suspects has been described as a former JVP member.
The two were arrested on a directive by Attorney General, K. C. Kamalasabeyson, PC. The two men are from Kirulapone, according to the police and at the time of being arrested, one had in his possession the bag which carried the weapon used in the Kumaratunga assassination.
These arrests are linked to the concealment of vital information on the assassination as well as aiding and abetting the main suspects in the killing.

Page 15
15 FEBRUARY 2001
O DIPLOMATS VISIT JAFFNA
Fourteen diplomats working in Sri Lankan missions abroad visited Jaffna on 16 February to assess the situation in the northern peninsula. They had discussions with the Government Agent for the district, local officials and the public. Meanwhile, the deputy chief of mission of the US embassy in Colombo was also in Jaffna along with two officials.
The US embassy officials met the GA at the Kachcheri and spoke to him about conditions in Jaffna. Kachcheri sources said that the US officials had inquired about the political situation in the peninsula and that the GA had told them that he was not in a position to discuss it because he is a 'government servant'.
However, he advised them to speak to the general public in Jaffna to ascertain themselves the real condition, according to the sources.
Meanwhile, Jaffna Kachcheri officials said that the visit of the 14 Sri Lankan diplomats arranged by the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry in Colombo appeared to be aimed briefing them first hand in the peninsula to deal with issues regarding the ethnic conflict in the island raised by governments of the countries where they are posted now.
O GOVT LAUNCHES OP.
HUMAN RIGHTS In the backdrop of a lull in the battlefields, the Government has launched a new operation in the Jaffna peninsula - to solicit public complaints of human rights violations including disappearaCCS.
In an unprecedented move, appeals are being made through the Jaffnabased Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation's Tamil beam, calling upon the public to register complaints with a CID team now stationed in the northern capital. During the first day of its operations, the special unit received 35 complaints from civilians in Point Pedro area. During its second day, in the Jaffna town, it received 43 complaints. The new move is prompted by allegations of human rights violations, particularly against security forces and po-lice in the north. Western Govern
ments have place ernment to exped take action.
O STRUGGL TO MANTI Representativ cal parties in the stepped up a can port for a peace issues in the nort it hard to maintai The fragile a Tamil parties stru on the ethnic issu sension and dispu that the EPDP, P. extorting money, north, has resulte ing out of the une "Under this s all get together" \ the TULF lament fact that the EPD are not only collec Defence Ministry troops fight the L are burdening the North by extorti
CaSOS.
The parties, were at each othe unite on this issue the government t to the unilateral the LTTE and to UK to brand the organization.
O DISPUTEC MONTOR 18 February . tempts in Sri Lan trouble over the ( ternational panel ween governme: rebels, a press r said.
Oslo assemble toring team drawi including Britain cording to the re government, the neighbouring In some of them. Jap ka's largest sing was expected to

TAMILTIMES 15
pressure on the Govite investigations and
E AIN FRONT es from Tamil politiSouth who recently npaign to lobby supprocess are split over heast and are finding n a common front. illiance between the ggling to unite at least e are fraught with diste. Recentrevelations LOTE and TELO are from the people in the 'd in the TULF pullasy partnership. ituation how can we /. Anandasangaree of ed. He referred to the P, PLOTE and TELO ting a salary from the t for helping Lankan TTE, but in addition : Tamil people of the ng funds for various
which until recently rs throat, decided to to bring pressure on o positively respond easefire declared by stop calling for the Tigers as a terrorist
VER
ING TEAM
Norway's peace at(a have run into fresh omposition of an ino monitor a truce betht troops and Tiger port from Colombo
d the ceasefire monifrom nine countries,
and Japan, but, acport, the Sri Lankan : Tigers as well as dia had objected to lan, which is Sri Lane foreign aid donor, head the truce moni
toring panel and finance its activities.
New Delhi has already denied the report that Britain and Japan being included in the team.
The report stated the Sri Lankan government too was against having a high representation of Western nations in the panel, fearing a backlash from nationalistic elements among the majority Sinhalese community. Equally, the LTTE had objections against to any country which was funding or arming the Sri Lankan government's military campaign.
O MOB ATTACK ON CHURCH The government sent police to protect a Protestant church attacked by a mob during a service, and President Chandrika Kumaratunga ordered an inquiry into the disturbance.
Carrying clubs and swords, the mob attacked the Christian Center church on Sunday, 18 February, wounding 30 worshippers and damaging the building, said Godfrey Yogarajah, generalsecretary of the National Christian Evangelical Alliance. Three victims were hospitalised.
Several dozen people were attending the service in the church in Nuwarawatte village, about 125 miles northeast of Colombo, the capital.
Police have taken three people into custody, said Kusumsiri Balapatabendi, secretary to the president. He said a special police team has been sent to the church to investigate and make sure there are no new attacks.
Christians make up about 7.6 percent of Sri Lanka's 18.6 million people. Buddhists are 69.3 percent, followed by Hindus at 15.4 percent. Muslims represent 7.6 percent. Christians belong to both the major ethnic groups - Sinhalese and Tamils. Despite 17 years of ethnic conflict, serious attacks on churches are fairly unusual.
However, Yogarajah said that Buddhist political groups have been showing displeasure with churches in the countryside, where Sinhalese Buddhists far outnumber Christians.
O CHEAP WEAPONS
February 24 - The civil war in Sri Lanka has led to a situation where the

Page 16
16 TAM TIMES
cost of everything except firearms is skyrocketing, a retired police official in Sri Lanka said in Colombo. Speaking at a seminar on the proliferation of small arms, a retired high level security official Tassie Seneviratne said the price of weapons had dropped drastically in Sri Lanka because corrupt police and security forces officers were selling pilfered arms and ammunition. He said that as a result of nearly two decades of war against separatist LTTE and earlier JVP uprising, weapons are easily and inexpensively available on the black market. AT56 rifle now costs fifteen thousand rupees while a hand grenade can be bought for a mere five hundred rupees. Some twenty thousand weapons have been issued to parliamentarians and their bodyguards over the years but only a fifth have ever been returned, Mr. Seneviratne further added.
O CABINET TOLD
TO TIGHTEN BELTS President Chandrika Kumaratunga has told her record 44-member cabinet to tighten their belts, allowing them the use of only eight vehicles and pruning their personal staff to 20 each. She said that ministers and junior ministers had to trim fuel and telephone expenses as well as take drastic cuts in unlimited transport and aides.
“It is the hope of the president that the ministers prove themselves illustrious leaders by strengthening the steps taken at this juncture when war expenditure is escalating,” a report said. Politicians are reportedly already grumbling about the severe hardship the new regulations impose on them. The inordinate number of ministers and deputies appointed by Kumaratunga and the resulting burden on the exchequer caused much caustic comment after October's general election.
O DEPORTED SRI LANKANS
TAKEN INTO CUSTODY 20 February - Twenty-three Sri Lankan Tamils, who had been duped by an emigration agent and abandoned in Kazakhstan, have been taken into custody by the police soon after they arrived at the airport in Colombo. Ac
cording to police would investigate from Jaffna and inc for suspected links
An agent who h. them to Germany to Kazakhstan. Thi custody as illegal Later, they were se tion orders and sent
O BUILD-UP UI
OF CEASEF February 22-T tary has claimed tha so-called extended ( was smuggling amn large quantities, pri sumption of hostilit It said that a gu1 hours of on 21 Febr. Northern waters ha Tiger arms build u The battle began w intercepted a enemy blew up two Tiger Jaffna’s Point Pedro The naval enga that the Tigers wer munition and fuel ti in the Mullaitivujur rying fuel went to ti of fire. The other lo tion, exploded. Na that the items wer from a foreign cour The Navy also e Sea Tiger craft esc boats. The escort cI sive damage in the to the Mullaitivu a ing fire with the Na flicted heavy casual gers, Navy sources
O PAKISTAN C
SRI LANKA Pakistan has ag million loan to Sri of military hardwar said ON 13 Februar credit line was off here earlier this mo army chief of staff Khan and head of n Ehsan Ul-Haq, offi

sources, the CID he group, hailing uding one Muslim with the LTTE.
ld promised to take ad left them close y were taken into immigrants there. rved with deportaback.
NDER GUISE RE ne Sri Lankan militunder cover of its easefire, the LTTE hunition and fuel in 2sumably for a reies.
battle in the early uary in Sri Lanka's d revealed that the p was continuing. hen a Navy patrol cargo convoy and logistics boats off ) Harbour. gement indicated e transporting am) LTTE-held areas gles. The boat carhe bottom in a ball aded with ammunivy sources believe e being smuggled try. ngaged two armed orting the logistics aft suffered extenattack but escaped "ea, after exchangIvy. The attack inities among the Tisaid.
:IVES
20 eed to give a $20anka for purchase , defence officials y in Colombo. The :red during a visit nth by Pakistan's Muhammad Yusaf ilitary intelligence ials said. Defence
15 FEBRUARY 2001
ministry spokesman Sanath Karunaratne said the terms of the loan were being worked out. Pakistan was one of the first countries Sri Lanka approached and responded in May last year to buy armaments when Tamil Tigers launched a major offensive aimed at taking the northern town of Jaffna.
O ATTAACK ON
BALASINGHAM DENED , Britain's New Scotland Yard on 13 February denied earlier reports that there had been an attack on the residence directed against the LTTE's theo
retician and political advisor Anton
Balasingham.
Conceding that there had been an incident, New Scotland Yard dismissed it as an incident of common vandalism and stated that several vehicles on the street near Balasingham's London residence had been damaged and that it was like any other incident of vandalism that occurs in London everyday. An earlier reportin one of Sri Lanka's Sunday newspaper on 11 February, which was later picked up by some Indian news agencies, had said that "unidentified persons had invaded the premises of the Balasingham residence in the Greater London area and attempted to forcibly enter the house by trying to breakdown the front door on the night of Saturday February 3, at about 2.00 al,
O 600 POLICE, SERVICE
PERSONNEL INDICTED Attorney General K. C. Kamalasabayason has sent out indictments to the High Courts and instituted Criminal proceedings including non-summary cases against more than 600 police of ficers and armed forces personnel, senior departmental sources said recently. These indictments were followed the recommendations made by a committee appointed to look into disappearances up to 1994.
A special unit was set up in the Attorney General's Department to expedite investigations and institute criminal proceedings including non-summary cases against the personnel concerned. O

Page 17
5 FEBRUARY 2001
Agitation Over Cost of Amidst Talk AbOut War 8
Our Colombo Correspondent
UNP Agitation
Jubilant United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe gave on February 9 ultimatum to President Chandrika Kumaratunga and her Government to resign in March or face prolonged people's protest while the Government on the same morning unveiled a war budget that allocates a fifth of national expenditure and a fourth of the country's total income.
In London, on the same day, LTTE advisor Anton Balasingham told Norwegian peace negotiator his organization's disappointment about President Kumaratunga's rejection of their unilateral ceasefire and her determination to use Government's draft constitutional proposals as the basis for the discussion for a political settlement.
Enthused by the massive response his party’s six-day trek, pada yatra, from Kandy to Colombo to protest against the escalation of the cost of living and bad governance Wickremesinghe declared: We will launch a massive protest campaign in March if the Government did not resign.” The UNP is planning, it is learnt, a nationwide strike. It is also talking about asking the people not to pay the announced 25% fuel adjustment cost and the new water charge as part of its non-cooperation movement.
Pointing to the police personnel standing in a ring around the meeting ground at Town Hall he said: The President is really worried that we might march to the President's House. That is why she has posted all these policemen with water cannons around us. I tell her to rest for today. When I march to the President's House all these policemen with their water cannons and armed personnel with their deadly weapons will accompany me.”
UNP, induced by the Philippine people's protest that toppled the president had named the Colombo March
Jana Bala Meheyur Power Protest. UN ing about a Philip to topple President power.
UNP is keen ir soaring cost of livi 15%-20% since t tral Bank action t Lankan rupee in th market, which caus around 12% again bined with higher cost went up. So w essential commoc cended 15%; rice, flour, bread, milk pl vegetables mounte kilo. Electricity, charges too soared "The President her wrong policies ment of the econo) this entire burden c the people suffer h ing in luxury,” charged.
The 6-day trek Getambe, Kandy a rough reception on an armed gang fire supporters killing appeared along the ridiculing Wickren and the march as t That did dampenth ers and many des momentum gathel fourth day and a entered Colombo c UNP gave th months to enact le ting up of four cor the country to con elections and to h. police, judicial anc Government that h ciple the need for 1 judiciary, elections

Living
Peace
na meaning People's NP leaders are talkpine type of protest Kumaratunga from
capitalizing on the ng that had climbed he January 23 Ceno free float the Sri he foreign exchange ed the rupee to slide st US dollar. Comoil prices transport 'ere the prices of all lities. Bus fare assugar, dhal, wheat owder, fish and even d by Rs. 3 to Rs. 5a water, telephone by around 15%. has to resign. It is and faulty managemy that had heaped In the people. While er ministers are livWickremesinghe
that commenced at ound 10 am ran into the third day when dat a group of UNP one person. Posters : route of the march hesinghe as a clown ne March to Eelam. 2 spirit of the marcherted in fear. The 'ed again from the massive procession in the sixth day. e Government 3islation for the sethmissions to enable duct clean and fair ave an independent state services. The ad accepted in prinhe independence of and public services
TAM TIMES 47
is opposed to accord independence to the police service. Police should be under its control and direction, the Government maintains and had appointed a Parliamentary Committee under the chairmanship of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader and Shipping Minister Rauf Hakeem to consider the establishment of the independent commissions
UNP, JVP and the Tamil parties in the opposition had refused to participate in the deliberations of the Hakeem Committee charging it as a farce to delay the matter. UNP had announced its determination to place its own draft for the four independent commissions before parliament soon. Its constitutional experts have drafted the necessary bill and circulated it among the opposition parties to obtain their concurrence and table it as a joint opposition legislation. The draft bill has made provision for the appointment of the heads and members of these commissions by the President on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council, a li l-member body headed by Speaker of Parliament. Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, two parliamentarians representing other political parties, a retired Supreme Court Judge and five reputed persons from different walks of life would be the other members of the Constitutional Council.
The draft bill that would be tabled in Parliament as the 17" amendment to the present 1978 Constitution provides for the appointment of Supreme and Appeal Court judges, Attorney General, Auditor General, Ombudsman, Secretary General of Parliament, Heads of the three Services, Inspector General of Police, Governor of the Central Bank and the head of the Bribery and Corruption Commission by the President on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council.
The UNP which is trying to carry the JVP and Tamil parties in the opposition along with it had emulated the JVP in presenting a People's Petition to the President demanding an all round monthly pay rise of Rs. 3000 and the establishment of independent commissions. It is collecting one million signatureS.

Page 18
18 TAMILTIMES
JVP Campaign
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVPPeople's Liberation Front), the third largest political party, that staged a massive demonstration on January 8 handed a People's Petition signed by 1.2 million persons to the Presidential Secretariat on February 6.
JVP's January 8 protest and the petition contrasted the sufferings of the common man with Government's extravagance: world's largest 44-member cabinet, building of the Presidential Palace, President Kumaratunga’s month-long holidaying in Europe. JVP demanded that the Government raise the wages of the workers by Rs. 7000 a month and pay Rs, 5 as an allowance per init in the cost of living index. Its meeting was disrupted by the police who used water cannons to disperse the crowd. JVP's 10-member strong parliamentary demonstrated inside the Parliament next day and declared that it cannot be suppressed any more. JVP trade union, Inter-Company Workers' Union, is currently busy educating the workers about a protest action to force the Government to grant the wage rise. They are planning a one-hour walk out. JVP politbureau that met last week and decided to build up its agitation around three issues- cost of living, government extravagance and Norwegian peace efforts.
Cost of living had become unbearable since the second half of last year. According to the Department of Census and Statistics which compiles the Colombo Consumer's Price Index consumer prices rose by 6.2% in 2000.compared to the increase of 4.7% in 1999. This rise was mainly during the closing months of the year. The prices rose in December by 4.1% over November. This sharp increase in prices resulted in the prices in December being 10% higher than the prices the previous December. Situation worsened in January with the price hike of petroleum products and the free float of the Sri Lankan
rupee.
The free float which liberalized the exchange rate in relation to the UD dollar permitted the market forces to determine the value of the rupee against the dollar. Earlier, since November
1977 the rupee was which economists ( der that system the aged the exchange the rupee to float w termined by it. Fir free float of the ru due to the soaring demand, dwindlin and higher interest I investor confiden raised the exchange lar to Rs. 89-90 fro
The Central Bal age exports and cut thus reduce the adv ments position. The etary Bank (IMF) v tral Bank action as form agenda and ca chambers too chor point saying free flo the balance of pay. aid conserve the dw serves. Dr. Howard dress to Sri Lanka ciation painted a dis hardships for the ec ple. He forecast wo ance of payments p of real inflation to rising to 11% of t of the interest rat down of the GDP or less.
Central Bank ( with Dr. Nicholas. growth rate and 9% exports will rise shrink, balance of improve leaving a lion US dollars, tained at 8.5% oft rates decline gene fidence.
Independent
these estimations dict 3.5% growth 10% — 11%. budge rate of around 20 current price inc and the proposed r istered prices thr charge on electric creases would aga

15 FEBRUARY 2001
on managed float ll dirty float, UnCentral Bank manate by permitting thin the limits deincial circles said ee was inevitable foreign exchange
foreign reserves tes that has eroded e. The free float rate of the US doln Rs.82.
khopes to encourdown imports and rse balance of payInternational Monvelcomed the Cenkeeping to the reled it timely. Trade sed the IMF viewat will help correct ments position and indling foreign reNicholas, in an adEconomists Assomal picture, greater onomy and the peoorsening of the balosition, shooting up 30%, budget deficit ne GDP, escalation es and the slowing growth rate to 2.5%
conomists disagree They forecast 4.5% inflation. They say by 10%, imports payments position surplus of 100 miludget deficit conhe GDP and interest ating investor con
economists reject is unreal. They preand 15% inflation deficit and interest %. They argue that eases will continue moval of the adminugh 25% fuel sury and water rate innpush the prices up.
War and Peace
Ronny de Mel, in a statement, said the only way to contain the cost of living rise is to end the war for which Rs. 83 billion was spent last year. Last year's budgetary allocation of Rs. 52 billion was enhanced by several supplementary estimates. This year the allocation has been raised to Rs.63 billion and if the war continued military spending will escalate.
Local and international peace lobbies are strongly pressurising the Government and the LTTE to end the war so that Sri Lanka would register rapid development. Current focus is on Sri Lanka's lost opportunities because of the 18 years of civil conflict Sri Lanka had been overtaken by all the new economic tigers due to the ethnic war. In 1960 Sri Lanka was economically better than Malaya, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and even South Korea. Now, Sri Lanka is sending investment promotion delegations to those countries seeking their investment.
"If the war continued, there is no hope for this country,” said Jehan Perera, a top peace activist. His organization had commissioned a study about the costs of the war, direct and indirect, which revealed that Sri Lanka would have been among the economic tigers if peace and tranquility had prevailed in this Indian ocean island.
Sri Lankan business community led by the Joint Forum of Chambers was in the forefront last year on promoting negotiations between the warring Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Currently, it is backing the Norwegian sponsored peace initiative.
The peace process actively pursued by Norwegian special envoy Erik Solheim is moving forward, perhaps slowly. Solheim had a round of talks with LTTE advisor Anton Balasingham in London and with President Kumaratunga, Ministers Lakshman Kadirgamar and Prof. G. L. Peiris and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe in Colombo. Following the two sessions oftalks Foreign Ministry issued the following brief press release:
"President Kumaratunga together with Foreign Minister Lakshman Ka

Page 19
15 FEBRUARY 2001
dirgamar received Mr. Erik Solheim, Special envoy of the Royal Norwegian Government and Ambassador Jon Westborg of Norway on 31 January. Further progress was made with regard to taking forward the ongoing Process of negotiation with the LTTE. In the meantime there will be no ceasefire as far as the Government is concerned.'
The progress the news release mentions was with regard to the signing of the Memorandum that Norway wants the Government and the LTTE to sign as the first step towards the resolution of the ethnic tangle. Norway had urged the Government to remove the economic blockade it had clamped on the areas under LTTE control. The LTTE was asked to refrain from attacks on persons and property outside the north and eastern provinces. LTTE had accepted that precondition and had refrained from any such violent acts since it declared unilateral ceasefire on December 25.The fact that the Government had acknowledged the cessation of LTTE violence was proved by the relaxation of the extreme security measures it usually implements during independence day celebrations. No search was conducted, no new checkpoints put up or no additional troops or policemen were moved to Colombo during the 53 anniversary of freedom on February 4. 3alasingham had assured Solheim that their undertaking was solemn.
The delay in reaching the negotiation table is mainly due to the difficulties Government encounters. President Kumaratunga had vowed to the service chiefs that she would never agree to a ceasefire before some progress is achieved on a political formula for a solution to the Tamil problem. She had also unleashed the Sinhala chauvinistic forces led by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake who had made the Sinhala people believe that with superior, devastating weapons in their hand the army is on a winning way. She has also to satisfy the Buddhist clergy that is still living in the past talking of Sri Lanka as a Buddhist country.
President Kumaratunga is aware that she cannot continue the war. She told the nation in her Independence Day address that peace is essential for the people of Sri Lanka to enjoy the benefits of national independence. She is also conscious that the international
community that r May when LTTE Jaffna will not bac persists in contin She is also mindfil ture on the econo building in the c unbearable rise in She is now in to satisfy Sinhala security forces on international com] donor nations in prospect of the grc the cost of living the only distract President/But will with a stirring stri cially the recaptu which it lost last
The heavy los when it venturedo territory on Janu army hope recapt with its superior January 23 adva dduwal to Muham sion into areas not the Tigers. Since ti limited to air and gers have told No. resist any attemp vance towards Ele lead to the escala of the war,” Ba Solheim. “It will political leader TI Mannar Bishop R President Kur difficult to shift fr that talks should litical solution bef proposed the Gov proposals as the cussion. How far ward from that po for a solution. Th munity has taker the aspirations ( should be substan had been talking ples, the four p militant groups a lated in 1986 at t People of Jaf by the Jaffna U1 and Independen Batticoloa had cl aspirations as: O Right to Self C

TAMILTIMES 19
Ished to her aid last hreatened to capture kher any more if she ing military action. of the war expendiny and the agitation luntry owing to the the cost of living. a quandary. She has chauvinism and the the one hand and the munity headed by the the other. With the wing agitation about var victory would be on available to the the army provide her ng of victories, espere of Elephant Pass April? ses the army suffered ut into the LTTE held ary 16 had checked uring Elephant Pass air and firepower. nce from Eluthumaalai was a night intrudirectly defended by hen fighting had been artillery attacks. Tirway that they would t by the army to adphant Pass. "It would tion of the intensity lasingham had told be total war,' LTTE amilselvan had told ayappu Joseph. naratunga will find it om her declared stand move towards a poore ceasefire. She has ernment's devolution starting point for disshe could move forsition will be crucial e international comup the position that f the Tamil people tially satisfied. LTTE about Thimpu princiinciples four Tamil nd the TULF formuhe Bhutan capital. na and Batticoloa led tiversity Community Students Union of early enunciated their
overnment in their
O Traditional Homeland composed of the northern and eastern provinces enjoying O Separate identity and O Right of Self Determination
Balasingham has rejected the Government Devolution proposals as totally inadequate and as an attempt to impose the Sinhala Will on the Tamil people. Every Tamil party including coalition partner Eelam Progressive People's Party (EPDP) has rejected the Government proposals. They have suggested amendments to make the Government proposals acceptable to the Tamil people. -
No peace talks unless ...
Extending its unilateral ceasefire for the third month, the Tamil Tigers announced on 22 February that they would enter peace talks only if the government reciprocated favourably.
They want the government to agree to a pre-talks cease-fire and to implement an Oslo-proposed memorandum ofunderstanding (MoU) which, though not finally agreed between the parties, calls for establishing conditions of normalcy and ending an economic embargo in LTTE-held areas of northeast Sri Lanka.
In a statement issued from its London secretariat, the LTTE said they "were prepared to enter into peace negotiations when the Sri Lanka government reciprocates favourably to our unilateral declaration of cease-fire and agree to implement the Norwegian MoU aimed at the de-escalation of war and normalisation of civilian life.”
The announcement indicated the Norwegian effort is still bedevilled by the government's and the separatists' stand on the truce.
Colombo has firmly refused to observe a cease-fire before talks begin and has said negotiations can proceed "with the full force of the war'going on. The LTTE have, however, insisted that the guns fall silent as a pre-condition to thrashing out a solution to their demand for a separate state.
The truce extension came two days before their second month-long ceasefire ended. The LTTE say they have strictly observed the truce in that time despite "provocative military operations by the Sri Lankan armed forces.” The LTTE's statement said it was "sad

Page 20
20 AMES
and disappointed that Sri Lanka has not yet responded positively to our peace gesture” and accused President Chandrika Kumaratunga of "modernising the armed forces with high-tech lethal weapons systems' which they alleged showed that she was "deeply committed to a military option.”
The Tigers called on India, the U.S., Britain and other European nations to use their diplomatic good offices to urge Colombo to "abandon its destructive, militaristic approach.”
The move came three days after the Tigers escaped being outlawed by new anti-terrorist legislation in Britain. Both the government and Tigers watched to see if London would announce a list of banned organisations on February 19, the day the law came into force. But the list is reportedly still under preparation.
The recent weeks have seen a lull in the fighting between government forces and the LTTE. The anticipated forward thrust by the military to capture Elephant Pass which fell to the Tigers in April last year has so not taken
place.
Request Not to B A coalition of so parties in Sri Lanka. not to proscribe the Tigers in the intere deadline for Londor of outlawed rebel o
ca.
British high cor Colombo said the le erate Tamil parties party had met them the LTTE be not incl list.
The renewed pre Sri Lankan governm ing the LTTE pros« ain’s new Terrorism that would be a di Colombo and effecti tioning of the LTTE retariat in London.
The first part of outlawed groups W. released on or arou date which was w
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Carlton seisure wishes all 9Merry Christmas and and thanks them for their
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an LTTE
me Tamil political have asked Britain a separatist Tamil sts of peace as a l's release of a list rganisations drew
mmission officials aders of nine mod
and one Muslim on and urged that uded in the banned
SSure comes as the ent pushed for havribed under Brit
Act 2000, a move plomatic coup for vely stop the funcsinternational sec
a list naming the as expected to be nd February 19, a atched eagerly in
15FEBRUARY 200
Colombo. The LTTE had warned that proscription in Britain would hamper Norway's ongoing efforts to open peace negotiations between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government.
The Tamil parties asked the embassy to see that a letter from them appealing to the British prime minister to "resist all requests for a ban on the LTTE' was delivered to London.
It was the second time in recent weeks that the group, which included the Tamil United Liberation Front, the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation and the Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front, was meeting with the British officials.
They have also lobbying Colombobased diplomats of countries like India, Japan, Australia, the US and member nations of the European Union.
A Tamil opposition member of parliament, P. Chandrasekharan of the Upcountry People's Front, has also appealed to the British envoy Colombo to desist from naming the LTTE as a banned group. O
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Page 21
15 FEBRUARY 2001
The War and FO
the Rupee
Dr. S. Narapalasingam
ri Lanka's balance of payments (the difference between the country's total payments and total receipts in the external account) came under increased pressure in the second half of 2000 and Sri Lanka's foreign reserves fell very low. The latter dropped to critically low levels of US$950 million by end 2000 compared to a comfortable US$2.5 billion, about two years ago. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka announced on January 23, hereafter it would not announce the buying and selling exchange rates of foreign currencies in advance as these would be determined solely by market forces. The commercial banks (foreign exchange dealers) would indicate the current market rates for the US Dollar (the intervention currency) and other foreign currencies. The Central bank would announce the weighted average exchange rates for the currencies as set by the market.
Earlier, the daily buying and selling rates of the US Dollar were determined by the Bank on the basis of the changes in the value of the dollar and the major currencies in the international markets and the local market conditions. It also participated in market operations to prevent sharp fluctuations in the daily exchange rates. Since June 2000, this band between the buying and selling rates was progressively widened to allow the market a greater role in determining the rate.
The increase in foreign capital inflows that followed the devaluation of the rupee in November 1977 and the subsequent managed float of the currency helped to continue the import liberalisation programme. This in turn promoted domestic investment, economic growth and exports. Tourist arrivals also increased considerably under the relative peaceful conditionsthat prevailed in Colombo and other popular tourist resorts. Migrant workers' remittances also increased signifi
cantly, as Sri Lank rupee value of the for employment. women from pool as housemaids in t The official ex US dollar after st Rs.40 during 1985 creasing all throu ing Rs.50 in 1993 1998. After reachir days that followe change rate for the down now to arol level. The value of declining continu several years. Rs. 1987, is now wort The rupee depreci. lar by 6.0 per cent cent in 2000. But in the rupee deprecia Cent.
The IMF has float of the rupees change rate arrang with the broader ri Lanka to develop a based economy" 1977, the continue rupee has also beel same agenda. Wh devaluation over 1 ades failed to resto in the balance of pa comitant stability i
Imports have more than the ex despite the curren excessive demand the high interest r money market has the high private a tion. Although the the households ha years, the increase sumption has been cantly by the few rupees acquired Some are legitima
 

anslured by the high dollar went abroad The majority was families employed he Middle East. change rate for one abilising at around - 1991, has been ingh the 1990s reach- 1994 and Rs.68 in g Rs.100 in the early the free float, exUS dollar has come und the 86-89 rupee the Rupee has been ously over the past 100 worth S3.25 in h only about $1.15. ated against the dolin 1999 and 12.8 per January 2001 alone, ted by almost 18 per
welcomed the free stating, "the new exement is in keeping eform agenda of Sri more open, market, Since November d devaluation of the consistent with the y then the ensuing more than two decre some equilibrium yments and the conof the rupee? been increasing by pansion of exports, cy devaluation. The for imports, despite ates in the domestic been largely due to ld public consumpaverage income of increased over the in imports for con| influenced signifiwho have plenty of by various means. te as in the case of
AMIL TIMES 21
those earning or receiving foreign currencies or high income from profitable trade and investment. There are others who have been benefitting financially through various corrupt practices that have got entrenched in the public sectOr.
Even the President has said at a recent meeting with senior members of the public service that over 40 per cent of public funds allocated for development was consumed in wastage, inefficiency and corruption in the public service. Income from these illegitimate sources also has pushed up imports. It is well known that apart from tax evasion, there is considerable under reporting of incomes, which has deprived the government of the due tax revenue.
The enhanced official entitlements of ministers, deputy ministers, other legislators and their staff together with various facilities provided to them by the state increased the consumption expenditure, a sizeable portion requiring payments in foreign exchange. The entitlements of provincial council members have also placed additional demand for imports. The high oil import bill due to the sharp rise in the worldmarket price for crude petroleum meant that more dollars have to be spent to import the much needed crude. The same applies to other essential imported commodities whose dollar prices increased recently. Then there is the high annual government expenditure on defence, which has a very high import content. Foreign aid is not available for financing these imports.
Between 1977 and 1986 defence spending increased by 800 percent from Rs. 750 million to Rs. 6 billion. In 1983 when the ethnic conflict erupted into a bloody war, the defence spending was just Rs. 1.3 billion. This increased to Rs. 34 billion in 1995 (the originalestimate was Rs. 24 billion - S 444 million), which was more than forty times the amount spent in 1977. It increased to Rs. 46 billion in 1996 (original estimate was Rs. 38 billion - S 707.7 million), a 35 percent increase on 1995. In 1997 as compared with the original allocation of Rs. 44 billion, the actual military expenditure was Rs. 46.6 billion. In 1998, the original allocation of Rs. 44 billion was later increased to Rs.

Page 22
22 TAMILTIMES
56.2 billion. The original estimates of military expenditure for 1999 and 2000 were Rs. 47 billion and Rs. 52.4 billion respectively. The budgeted defence expenditure for the current year is Rs. 63 billion, an increase of 21 percent from last year's allocation. The amount allocated for the Army is Rs. 29.2 billion; the Navy is Rs. 8.3 billion; the Air Force is Rs. 10.7 billion; and the Police Department is Rs. 12.4 billion.
IMF's reliance on devaluation as a solution to Sri Lanka's balance of payments problem has been criticised by other Sri Lankan economists. As long as imports grow by amounts that are beyond the capacity of the country to pay for them, the past trend of continued devaluation will remain until the point is reached when the high cost of living becomes unbearable for the vast majority, compelling them to challenge the political system. The threat to peace will come from the very people who are now anxious to see normalcy and peace restored early in the country.
The only way to prevent such a calamity is to reduce drastically government military and wasteful expenditures which have been responsible for the high imports and the balance of payments problem. According to the Appropriation Bill presented in Sri Lanka Parliament, nearly one-fifth of the total government expenditure in 2000 was for defence. Defence spending has now exceeded the combined outlays on education and health.
A study on the Cost of the War undertaken by Marga Institute found the total war cost for 1996 to be more than three times the direct budgetary expenditure on defence. If an early political settlement of the ethnic conflict is reached, it is possible to change the present import pattern drastically with the help of foreign aid and also expand exports. Imports needed for reconstruction and development will be financed largely through foreign aid that is withheld now. It will also help to focus on other pressing problems afflicting the people. These have intensified through neglect by the authorities for various reasons not all connected to the situation created by the protracted war. O
Te
The old-stagers ( squads must be unha dary terroris being kid is in town and adasa himself would a critical eye from couldn't be "above' bheeshanaya(terror) bahu.
Mr. Ranabahu, *Commanding Offic. the statement faxed new “National Fron (NFAT) claiming res recent bombattack ag offices in Colombo British charity is ye two grenades flung a Colombo at about 2 a The Government to very quickly conde action which did not one since it was done but nevertheless serv organisation as well agencies which hav sponding to the imm caused by the war. Th been equally correc action by the NFAT ( rorist' action, althou care taken by the N) moment when the ol of people, it does see terrorism.
There we have t cal dilemma : just as being 'soft' does not nographic compare porn' (if one goes a definitions of "porn' "soft-terror' is never to use the late Pres Premadasa's evocativ anaya”.
Whether Ranasir the actions of del against non-combata nade-throwing or 'd death squad massacre terror among the p
 

15 FEBRUARY 2001
er o error
Laksman Gunasekara
f the UNP terrorppy. Their legenup-staged. A new anasinghe Prembe watching with below (he surely ) the new style of by Vijaya Rana
is the self-styled ar' who has signed by the mysterious t Against Tigers' ponsibility for the gainst the OXFAM . That venerable reeling from the ut its compound in .m. on January 31. has been correct imn this very nasty kill or injure anyin the early hours, ed to terrorise that as numerous other fe operations reense social crisis e Government has t to describe this non-fat?) as a “tergh, judging by the FAT to strike at a fices were empty m a kind of 'soft'
ne perennial ethimuch as soft-porn make it non-porwith “hard-core long with current , I prefer erotica), heless "terror', or ident Ranasingha ejargon, bheesh
gha or Ranabahu, berate violence nts - whether greisappearances' or 'S - Serve to arOuSe ppulace. Ranasi
ngha's masterful innuendo was such that Sri Lankans were excruciatingly uncertain at all times whether his *bheeshanaya' rhetoric was referring to the Deshapremi Janatha Viyaaparaya's (DJV) murder of its civilian opponents or to the much larger scale slaughter by the mysteriously unidentifiable progovernment death squads (like the Green Tigers, Yellow Cats, Scorpions, PRRA et al). Ranabahu's prose has yet to take effect.
His actions, even if a laudable 'soft terror, do have their effect.
Although the Police are dismissive of speculation over this appearance of a new “terrorist' group, the actions and the rhetoric do hint at the emergence of something long anticipated: an armedgroup using violence to promote the cause of Sinhala ultra-nationalism. This is something these columns warned against over a year ago (see my column headlined "Are the Sinhala ultra-nationalists arming?', Sunday Observer of January 16, 2000).
This is the third time the NFAT label has been stamped on an armed action.
The first time, in connection with the assassination of ACTC leader Kumar Ponambalam, the use of the NFAT label was not convincing amid the more credible speculation that Mr. Ponnambalam's killing was an LTTE action to remove a political irritant. But the second time, in connection with the grenade attack against the Norwegian Save the Children charity offices in Colombo, the NFAT label was taken more seriously.
The OXFAM grenade attack also seems to fit a pattern. Most significant is the 'soft aspect of these two armed actions. The Vijaya Ranabahu's NFAT, in striking at times when people are not in the targetted area, seems to demonstrate a humane concern to only intimidate and not actually take people's lives or physically injure people. This is in stark contrast to Ranasingha Prem

Page 23
15 FEBRUARY 2001
adasa’s horrific bheeshanaya and Keerthi Vijebahu's DJV insurgency. Ranabahu seems intent on non-lethal armed propaganda in support of the Sinhala ultra-nationalist cause.
Rather than pun on this 'Rana - runner' (running from whom?) aspect of these various and nefarious Sinhala warriors, I wish to emphasise the seriousness of such armed actions that, even if non-lethal, can only serve to harm the Sinhala ultra-nationalist as well as the Sinhala nationalist political movements. This kind of violence that deliberately targets civilians can only serve to discredit the cause of those perpetrating it.
Any anti-Tiger Front that resorts to armed actions, should target the Tigers. After all, the Tigers themselves began their armed struggle, as a genuine “handful' (to use the term the late J.R. Jayewardene employed to scoff at them) ofbarefoot guerillas (most of the Tigers are still barefoot even today) but yet targetted the Sri Lankan police and armed forces.
While even in the early stages of its insurgency the TNT-LTTE did target some Tamil civilian political figures, the majority of its targets were military or para-military (police) ones. For years, while the various Tamil militant separatist groups had only the infantry weapons stolen from the Sri Lankan forces and a few assault rifles smuggled in, they continued to take on the Sri Lankan armed forces.
In the case of the NFAT, the strategy seems to be in line with the civilian Sinhala ultra-nationalist movement's politics of opposing those who want to make peace with the Tamil armed separatist movement and reform the Sri Lankan state to bring equality to all ethnic communities. The emphasis of
the Sinhala Ultras has always been on opposing the peace and, in doing so, they will end up having to oppose many Sinhalas - the vast majority of Sinhalas, in fact - who want a civilised and dignified resolution to the conflict. Will the Ultra's campaign end with violence by Sinhalas against Sinhalas in a holocaust of a scale that even Premadasa failed to engineer?
(Courtesy: Sunday Observer, 11.2.2001)
A Cred
In these time; birth and demise ( print media is far 1 vival of a periodic a matter for pri achievement. It is a periodical conce lent, intensely viol flict in Lanka to ha interruption for tv tional question in troversies surroun passions, deep hatt alties. The Tamil all these with disti The unpreced has taken place in 1 formed a once stab deeply rooted in 1 particularly in the ple on the run. Th now a reality con half-a-million spre tries.
The Tamil Tir as acredible and pc ing the fears and Tamil people, tho that of the Tamils reader in the earl quently a consist 1983 one wishes ta tions to those who idea of the Tamil" reality.
Much of the c goes to editor Raja his place among th courageous and ou committed to pe Lanka. He occup among those who stood for democrat With sturdy indepe the unenviable tas holding values tha universal in the co flict in which unq the ethnic group to is demanded, and

AMIL TIMES 23
lible and Powerful Voice
Silan Kadirgamar, Colombo
and age when the fpublications in the oo frequent, the sural for twenty years is de and a sense of loubly significant for rned with the turbuentand complex conlve survived without vo decades. The naLanka and the conding it evoke intense eds and partisan loyTimes has survived nction.
ented violence that hese years has transle Tamil community he island of Lanka, northeast, into a peoe Tamil Diaspora is stituting more than ad over twenty coun
mes has come to stay werful voice reflectaspirations of the ugh not exclusively alone. As a regular y years and subseent subscriber from ) extend congratula) came out with the Times and made it a
redit without doubt nayagam who takes e few distinguished, tstanding journalists ce with justice in ies a special place have unwaveringly ic and human rights. indence his has been k of steadfastly upt are permanent and ntext ofethnic conuestioned loyalty to which one belongs the failure to oblige
is deemed trecherous.
His efforts would not have borne fruit without the support and hard work put in by journal's founder Manger Mr C. J Thamotharam, and Mr. N.S. Kandiah who succeeded him in 1988 and made the Tamil Times viable financially without depending on funding and patronage from extraneous sources. His own commitment and personal integrity has made it possible for the editor of Tamil Times to adopt an editorial policy that has won for it the admiration and support of its readers.
It would not be out of place at this point to draw attention to the fact that both editor and manager were nurtured in the ideals and traditions espoused by the distinguished educationist, Principal Subramaniam (affectionately and popularly known as Orator) of that remarkable institution Skandavarodaya College in Chunnakam, Jaffna, in the mid-decades of this century. Orator was, it may be recalled a founding member of the anti-imperialist Jaffna Youth Congress of the 1920s and 30s. The conditions to which the Tamils of Lanka have been reduced, call for continuing advocacy of our human and democratic rights and exposure without fear, of the plight into which the Tamil people have been driven into. The infrastructure constituting roads, bridges, transportation, electric powersupply and telephone communications have been reduced to a primitive state in the Northeast. Several schools, hospitals, temples, churches, shops and markets have been totally or partially destroyed. Thousands of houses have been demolished or rendered uninhabitable.
Building a house for the family has been a cherished dream of every family in Lanka. In Lankan society, be it in the south or the north, we rarely buy and sell houses - we virtually build them purchasing and transporting every single stone, tile and piece of timber.

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24 TAM TIMES
The structure that is the house is transformed into a permanent home that becomes very much a part of our lives in which are enshrined the dreams and aspirations of parents, children and their children passed on from generation to generation. In addition houses constitute the socio-economic wealth of a people into which goes practically the totality of the family's savings. Pictures and video-clippings of the near total destruction of that vibrant town Chavakachcheri and its toll in deaths, displacement and human suffering has brought tears to many a present and former citizen of Jaffna, more so to those of us who were born and bred in the salubrious environment of that wonderfully homely place. And Chavakachcheri is only the latest victim of such havoc that began in 1977.
For twenty years Tamil Times has placed on record this tragic history of the Tamils. It remains a valuable periodical of record, unrivalled by any other single publication of contemporary times. Tamil Times has evolved into a periodical that not only gives us the news, it is also one that provides readers with learned articles by reputed scholars. This mix of news, credible record of events, and scholarly articles gives Tamil Times a respected and permanent place among publications focusing on the crisis in Lanka. It is free of overstatement and shallow propaganda. Nor does it lend it's space to "spin doctors', to use an expression that has become commonplace in the context of today's politics of western countries. These standards in journalism need to be cherished, given the utmost importance and nurtured in the contemporary world.
Tamil Times in some ways may be compared to the 'Lanka Guardian' edited by Lanka's distinguishedjournalist the late Mervyn de Silva. It was a fortnightly that provided us with a range of commentaries on the news, and news analysis from men and women from abroad spectrum of Lankan society. Mervyn de Silva relished keeping the columns of the Lanka Guardian open for conflicting opinions and debate within clearly defined parameters, without sacrificing the high standards of journalism that he maintained to the end. Like Tamil Times it provided space for scholarly articles as well. Founded in 1977 Lanka Guardian cea
sed publication tw Times together Guardian constit tinue, in the years essary reading for derstand contempt sad history.
At this time it ourselves of the gr journalism that the have inherited. It is in Asia for such a community as the began in 1841 v weekly the Mor Tharakai in Tamil American Ceylon founding in 1947 c of the Church of Sc ing Star came unc Other publications ations followed in tury. These weret ian (Pathukavalai and the Hindu Or Sadamam). Thougl gious bodies these bilingual, providec on political, cultu) The first full-fled appear outside Ceylon Freeman in Jaffna in 1862. and was succeede triot (also in Engl: tinued right into t Catholic Guard Organ ceased pub the 1980s.
Proclaiming a eousness Exalteth Reproach to any exhortation part times, the Morni only publication i continuously pub Colombo based ( 1834 was the old cation recently Morning Star ha no doubt appear times of total disr flict but has dem to survive. This resilience of the and a few dedica Taking their est publications weeklies are valu mation, commer broad spectrum

years ago. Tamil with the Lanka tes and will cono come, to be necnose seekingto unary Lanka and its
sworth reminding at tradition in print Tamils of Sri Lanka a rare achievement numerically small eylon Tamils. This ith the Christian ing Star (Udaya established by the Mission. With the f the Jaffna Diocese uth India the Morner its management. with religious affilithe nineteenth cenle Catholic Guard1) founded in 1876 gan in 1889 (Hindu controlled by reli; three weeklies, all news and comment ral and other issues. ged secular paper to Colombo was the (in English) founded It did not last long i by the Ceylon Pash) in 1863 and conhe early 1930s. The iam and the Hindu lication sometime in
s its maxim "Righta Nation but Sin is a People", a Biblical cularly apt for our ng Star remains the Lanka to have been shed to this day. The bserver founded in est but ceased publiThe Jaffna based survived the war. It in fits and starts at ption by violent connstrated a sturdy will no doubt due to the institutional Church ed persons. lace among the oldin Asia, the above ble sources of inforand discussion on a f issues in the nine
15 FEBRUARY 2001
teenth century and in the first half of the twentieth century. Their usefulness as newspapers ceased with the rapid growth of the Colombo press. As the circulation of the daily newspapers from Colombo increased island wide the Jaffna weeklies ceased to have importance as sources of news and gradually became sectarian catering to a diminishing and narrower readership. The publication of the Eelakesari (Tamil weekly from the late 1920s to 1958) and the subsequent founding of the Eelanadu (Tamil, 1959 to late 1980s) as the first daily newspaper to be published outside Colombo further reduced the circulation of the traditional weeklies. Nevertheless from a historical perspective they remain extremely important as sources ofinformation, and remain valuable cultural treasures of the country, especially of the Tamil people in particular.
We have seen the birth and demise of numerous other publications mostly in Tamil and some in English from the late nineteenth century to contemporary times. Several were organs of political parties and movements. It is time that urgent steps are taken to record and preserve all these before they are lost forever. The initiative for this task must come from the Tamils abroad with the support of concerned international organisations. Records should be made available in microfilm or other format in Jaffna, Colombo and abroad. This is a vital task that has got to be addressed and worth focusing on even as we observe this important anniversary.
The conflict and its consequent excessively brutal violence we have witnessed in our own country bring out the worst and best in human beings. The war with the introduction of heavy artillery and weapons has degenerated into a "War Without Mercy” (to quote the title of a highly acclaimed book written about the war between Japan and the United States). To have faithfully recorded these events without fear or favour, without rancour or bias and with a sense of responsibility is the hallmark of a civilized and cultured fraternity. Tamil Times belongs to that which is best in people be they Tamils or of any other ethnic identity. We take pride in your having reached twenty with honour and wish you well in the years to come in your relentless search for peace with justice. O

Page 25
15 FEBRUARY 2001
as a Mediato
Dr Jehan Perera
The winding up of the Lanka Guardian fortnightly magazine in Sri Lanka two years ago after more than 25 years of publication is a pointer to the continuing relevance of the Tamil Times. There must be the need and there must be the human resources. Tamil Times survives because there is the need for a journal that will publish a spectrum of analytical and critical views on the ethnic conflict, while excluding the viciously partisan. Tamil Times survives because it has the much needed human resources, albeit very very limited in both personnel and material terms, in the form of its editor P Rajanayagam, and manager Mr NS Kandiah. By way of contrast, the Lanka Guardian ended its days because the need for it was taken away by changed circumstances. But still it survived until the man was no more, shortly after its editor and publisher, Mervyn de Silva passed away.
The Lanka Guardian began its life during the height of media repression under the United Front government of 1970-77 which nationalised the larger part of the privately owned press. The Lanka Guardian was published on a small scale. It was a small business venture and Mervyn de Silva did not have any other commercial interests that the government could have taken its revenge against. The Lanka Guardian focussed on national political issues, including the ethnic conflict. But its main area of concentration was mainstream politics. When the laws governing media reporting and ownership were relaxed, and newspapers such as Ravaya and the Sunday Leader began their investigative reporting, the need for a mainstream news magazine became numbered.
But there continues to be another type of need, that of representing the spectrum of moderate and well informedviews regarding the ethnic conflict, and that is the one that Tamil Times continues to fill and its editor
Rajanayagam exc Although not gen in this manner, j. conflict specialists their time describ behaviors of indiv conflict. Journalis to mediators in the both begin by an They have to rept the facts accuratel into a context. B mediators should 1 tion to take sides. vide a forum for c of views and give flict a chance to a bothcan educate t flict by challengin framing issues. Times has been do ture of the impass advocates of natio been a mediator : sides of a divided triate population.
A part of the r constructive medi Lankan ethnic col ment’s media polic al years now, pr from going over ir and reporting thes At present the situ that all roads and 1 the conflict zones the armed forces persons through ur ance. It is difficult nalists to obtain tha if they do, they fa the other side of th also does not enc journalism that m hand by which th lation and recruit fighting brigades. visited the battle-z and Wanni called ness.'
Generally, jou
 

TAM TIMES 25
els in, as a mediator. erally thought about ournalists are really , who spend much of ing and interpreting iduals and groups in ts can be compared following way. They alysing the conflict. ort the facts and get y, while putting them oth journalists and estrain their inclinaThey both can prolebate and exchange o the parties in conir their views. They he partiesto the congstereotypes and reThis is what Tamil bing to the discomfiioned and one-track nalist causes. It has speaking to the two country and its expa
eason for the lack of a reporting on the Sri nflict is the governy that has, for severevented journalists to the conflict zones ituation at first hand. ation in Sri Lanka is means of transport to
are blocked off by who will not permit less they have clearfor independent jourit clearance. But even te another hurdle on le divide. The LTTE ourage independent ight reveal the iron y control the popuyoungsters to their One journalist who ones of the north-east it the "heart of dark
nalists are only per
mitted to go into the conflict zones by the government in a group. They are sent on whistle-stop visits for a few hours, where they do not have the time to really get to know what people are thinking and what the situation really is. This restriction on access to the north-east is coupled with a censorship that prohibits the media from reporting military action independently, in addition to prohibiting revelations of military procurements and plans. Therefore, what the media prints or broadcasts as news from the front are generally handouts of the Sri Lankan defence ministry. These will necessarily give a one sided picture of the prevailing situation. It is ironic therefore that the average Sri Lankan television viewer is able to see live coverage of wars in other countries but not his or her own.
The problem of governmental and LTTE control over the flow of information regarding the war is aggravated by the fact that the Sri Lankan media both within and outside the country is ethnically biased. One-sided and monoethnic reporting tends to be the norm. The news coverage in the Sinhala and Tamil languages invariably look at the same story from totally different angles and frequently not covering at all what is carried in the other language media. Unfortunately, even the English language news media, which is read or listened to by members of both the Sinhalese and Tamil communities, engage largely in mono-ethnic reporting which depends on the ethnic composition of the ownership of the media organisation. This is the pitfall that Tamil Times has avoided.
Finally, as a personal tribute to Raja, I have enjoyed his company and his conversation, both in London and in Colombo. He is an earnest and passionate man, willing to make his lonely way through life, in a foreign land, where it is so important to be a part of a larger community. But he has been prepared to give up that sense of comfort to belong to the minority who are willing to stand up and be counted - for democracy, balance, self criticism and accommodation even in a time of war. Best of luck for another 20 years, when hopefully he will be writing on economic development, and noton conflict resolution. O

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26 TAMILTIMES
TOCS
Rajan Philips, Canada
January is the month of optimism with hopes for the best in the new year. For the Tamils, it is also the month of the traditional harvest celebration, the Thai Pongal. An auspicious time indeed to congratulate the Tamil Times, its indefatigable editor from inception, Mr. P. Rajanayagam, and its publisher-supporters over the years, for completing twenty years of continuous publication.
When Tamil Times first appeared in 1981, Jaffna was still tottering in the af. termath of the brutal emergency rule imposed by J.R. Jayewardene. "Eliminate the menace of terrorism in all its forms from the island and more specially from the Jaffna District" was Jayewardene's pompous decree, in 1979, to his cousin and commander, Brigadier Weeratunga, To squeeze twenty years of ensuing trauma into a single sentence, the Jayewardene/Weeratunga intervention in Jaffna was a disastrous failure and a har
binger of even more manent damages to 1 island, by Jayeward and their self-detern
Tamil Times be nal, without any dire tion to Tamil politi individuals, to pres among Sri Lankans part of the world tha Lankan affairs. For the confused cacoph that appear and disi able regularity, Ta mained the only jou senting the Tamil ( ence, credibility a most remarkable ac in presenting the Ta jority chauvinism V minority chauvinisr marcissism. More po world-view ofits edi
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15 FEBRUARY 2001
disastrous and perhe peninsula and the ene, his successors, linistic adversaries. gan as the first jourctor indirect affiliacal organisations or ent the Tamil case nd to that very small It is interested in Sri Iwenty years, amidst ony ofother drivels ppear with predict"mil Times has renal consistently pre:ase with independld impartiality. Its hievement has been mil case against mawithout lapsing into n and the politics of sitively, thanks to the tor, Tamil Times has
always grounded its case for the Tamils on the universal premises of democracy, tolerance, self-criticism, and, most of all, genuine humanism.
Surviving as an independent political journal with a Voltairian motto has its own challenges in any situation, but infinitely more so when most of the Tamil expatriates are hostile to the Sri Lankan government and the mainstream Sri Lankan media mischievously presents criticisms of the Tamil groups by the Tamil Times or any other Tamil, as the latter's support of the government's unilateral terms of a political solution. To its credit, Tamil Times has weathered the storms from within and without, and the need for this journal to continue and grow is as strong today as was its reason to appear twenty years ago. Politics aside, and besides being the journal of record of individual achievements and life-cycle events of the Tamils, it should also play the role of a critical social mirror of the Tamil diaspora. The role and the usefulness of the Tamil Times will be doubly enhanced if it can be published in English and Tanmil simultaneously. O
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Page 27
15 FEBRUARY 2001
Dear Periya Anna
Now we are again in
trouble. We have to decide
soon whether to return to
our Pasaiyur house or to continue to live at Nallur. Mother wants to return but sister is adamant that we should stay on in Nallur. Both are correct in their own way. Mother is scared that if we don't return soon people will remove even the cement blocks in the wall. Sister is reluctant to leave this comfortable house with tiled toilet and piped water.
I am torn asunder by these two. I sleep at Pasaiyur and cycle to Nallur for meals. Last Wednesday night, February 7, a funny thing happened. I heard a noise on the roof. I slowly crept out of the back door and flashed the torchlight. What did I see? A man was removing our tiles. I picked a stone and threw at him. He replied by throwing a tile at me. Fortunately I ducked. Otherwise it would have hit my head. From uncle John's house these people have removed the entire roof and are now busy removing doors and windows.
You may wonder why these things are happening now? The army announced two weeks ago that Gurunagar, Pasaiyur, Eechamoddai and parts of Colombothurai are safe for resettlement and all displaced to Kopay should return. They have threatened to cut the dry rations if they fail to do so. So, many people are returning with the cadjan sheds built for them by NonGovernmental Organizations (NGOs). They are using those materials to put up sheds in their compounds.
Some are busy repairing their houses. In most of the houses roofing tiles or asbestos sheets are broken. They are stealing them from vacant houses. The army is encouraging them to so. It wants the people to return to their houses. Pasaiyur market has begun to function from Saturday. The army had vacated the building. The army has also vacated St. Anthony's Vidyalaya
premises and the s February 5. Atten Mass is being hel Church from Febru With the retul Jaffna's new cottag distillation has sp belt. Our people, w invention and impro oped new brands tha low intake.
Some NGOs r; displaced children Kopay. With the ret those pre-schools hi the generous mana, the tables and chair safekeeping!
I forgotto menti ing experience we February 8. Around explosions along t ear-bursting blasts day. There was pan fell on the ground refuge behind wal Mary mami bravely dren to get ready to was army practice. pelling Tigers if the beach. That was a building activity.
You might be Raviraj had taken mayor of Jaffna. H. ing Mayor since Siv TULF's senior vice dasangari was also p ing ceremony. They worried. Not becau anything like that b new found friends,
These armed gr cently formed Grou Parties. Anandasang join that group. He
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TANIML, TIMES 27
chool reopened on lance is still poor. at St; Anthony's ary 4,
n of the displaced e industry, kassipu ead to the coastal ith their knack for vement, had develit give the kick with
un pre-schools for n different parts of urn of the displaced lve been closed and gers have removed s to their homes for
on earlier the thrillhad on Thursday,
11 am there were he sea beach. The continued till midic all round. Some and others sought Ils and buildings. shouted to her chilreturn to Kopay. It They practiced rey try to land on the rmy's confidence
aware that lawyer oaths as the new had been the act'apalan was killed. president V. Ananresent at the Swear
are now very very se of the LTTE or ut because of their 'LOTE and TELO. oups are in the rep of Eleven Tamil ari was reluctant to greed to join it for
the sake of Tamil unity. And that had helped the Tamil cause. Now, he is worried about TULF's image. “Our name will be tainted,'he moans. PLOTE and TELO are now accused of collecting taxes and demanding funds from traders. Traders, as usual, had passed that burden on to the consumers. TULF had requested both groups to refrain form doing so.
PLOTE fund collectors have told traders that they need money to run their outfit. "It's not extortion but contribution,” PLOTE is saying but traders state that the tone of the request was more demanding than appeal. Abductions have not begun in Jaffna but there is a general fear that that is not far away. TELO says that it receives no support from the government and has to rely on the people for its sustenance. A statement issued by its leadership avers that they never compel anyone but call for aid when circumstances force.
Army has come to know about these activities and has warned traders not to give money to anyone. They have also told traders to inform them if anyone approaches them for funds. This has naturally annoyed both groups. A TELO fundraiser has told some traders that that was none of army's business. Traders are helpless. Some of then have already handed their contributions to fund collectors.
Let me conclude this letter by pinpointing some of the disturbing trends now surfacing in Jaffna peninsula. First, the leaflet culture. A number of anonymous leaflets are now in circulation. The one signed, Tamil Eela Reformists, attacked EPDP and its leader personally, in an undignified manner. Language used was vile. The second leaflet was signed, Jaffna peninsula people. It contrasts EPDP’s earlier policies with the current and the past life of its leader with the present. The third leaflet, We Praise and Bless You, is a sa
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Page 28
28 AMILTIMES
tirical piece, highly entertaining to the reader.
Second, the Statement War. Currently, it is on between the EPDP and TELO. In a statement, EPDP accused the media for its failure to identify the two groups engaged in extortion. By using phrases like "armed groups.” “forces that help the army' media is doing disservice to the other armed groups. The statement identified TELO as one of the groups but was silent about the other. It was commented adversely by the media. EPDP did not want to mention PLOTE because of the close relationship that exists between the leaders of both groups.
TELO replying in a statement commented critically about the activities of the EPDP. Local EPDP leadership then joined the fray by issuing their statements. Jaffna papers decided at that stage to discontinue publication of these state
ThentS.
Then, the statement war spilled into parliament. On February 8, when the government motion to extend the state of emergency was debated Anandasangari said the issue of passenger tickets who travel to Trincomalee by ship is a mess after the EPDP took it over. EPDP's T. Thavarajah retorted that Anandasangari was readinga TELO statement.
Third, misbehaviour ofarmed cadres. Recently, armed cadres reportedly from EPDP camp in Karaveddy went to the house of a married women. They told her husband that she was wanted for questioning in the camp. They prevented the
husband from accompanying her. She
took her children along with her. The three men, one of them was married recently, raped the woman in the presence of her children. Two of them had been arrested. The third was absconding.
Armed men are also intimidating pressmen and the public. The latest was the intrusion of two armed men into the house of a journalist, the correspondent to the weekly, Valampuri. They fled when the family members of the journalist raised alarum.
Fourth is the welcome trend in human rights protection. There are two as
Tam
February 17 - TI ernment’s ambitiol Tamil language anc the Internet achie with the Chief Mini anidhi, inauguratin, University (TVU).
"The State in th been in the forefrc information techno In the recent past, t the Ennore Port we the foundation stor sive Nanguneri spe Now, I am happyth nology is being us globally to benef diaspora," Mr. Ka expressed the hope be an instrument fo millions Tamils liv.
He recalled the ment had taken to f to implement the made in TamilNet ment’s intention to The establishment years, he said, was for the government tion.
"The DMK gov lived by the guidin if we were to fall, TI
pects to it. The first ofinquiry by the Hu sion into the comp Jaffna residents. Th of the Jaffna Univ. set up a Human Rig the people of huma people to make com authorities about rights violation an secure available re
Now, tell me Should we go back
Loving younge Anthony

15 FEBRUARY 2001
e Tamil Nadu Govs project to spread its culture through ed fruition today, ter, Mr. M. Karunthe Tamil Virtual
last four years has nt of industry and ogy sector growth. le TIDEL Park and re inaugurated and e laid for the mascial industrial zone. at information teched to spread Tamil t the large Tamil runanidhi said. He that the TVU would r integrating the 75 ing in 40 countries.
! steps the governorm experts groups announcement he 1999 of the governestablish the TVU. of the TVU in two a symbol of victory efforts in this direc
ernment has always g principle that even amil should live on.
s the commencement man Rights Commislaints made to it by other is the decision :rsity Community to hts Centre to educate n rights, to assist the plaints to the relevant incidents of human i help the people to nedies.
what we should do? to our house or not?
brother
Virtual Varsity
The TVU is a symbol of our commitment to Tamil.”
Mr. Murasoli Maran, Union Minister for Industry and Commerce, who presided wanted the TVU to concentrate on promoting modern, scientific Tamil. "Please leave the ancient texts and hard grammar to scholars and concentrate on aspects such as short term courses for tourists and visitors.' He lamented that Tamils living outside the State were giving more importance for growth of Tamil computing. He lauded Dr. V. C. Kulandaiswamy, Chairman, TVU, Dr. M. Ponnavaikko, its Director, and Dr. M. Anandakrishnan, a member of the governing Board and the Chief Minister's I.T. Advisor.
The Education Minister, Mr. K. Anbazhagan, and the Minister for Tamil Development and Culture, Dr. M. Tamizhkudimagan, said the TVU would address the concerns of Tamils living abroad about the fall in cultural traditions among the younger generation. The Internet-based learning centre would definitely help the Tamils revive their symbols of culture.
Mr. I. Gunawardane, Sri Lanka’s Minister for Higher Education and I.T., Mr. S. Sivathasan, Chairman, Official Languages Commission of Sri Lanka, spoke on the ties between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka over the ages and the steps now being taken there for Tamil development. Mr. Arun Magizhnan of Singapore and Mr. Muthu Nedumaran of Malaysia, who are involved in TamilNet and computing development, offered felicitations.
Earlier, the Chief Minister and others witnessed a presentation on the virtual university's proposedactivities. The presentation detailed the courses, course contents, and the TVU's digital library which contained books on Tamil literature, a lexicon and a glossary of Tamil technical terms.

Page 29
15 FEBRUARY 2001
CHENNAI: With the film-makers of "Kaatrukkenna Veali' accusing the Censor Board of acting against the Tamil's cause, the controversy surrounding the denial of Censor Board certificate to the movie is snowballing into a major showdown between the board and the Tamil film industry.
With the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) recently upholding the Board's decision not to issue the certificate, the "Kaatrukkenna Veali' Joint Action Committee (JAC) headed by film director Bharatiraja has decided to hold a protest demonstration in front of the Regional Censor Board office at Nungambakkam on 23 February.
Interestingly, "Kaatrukkenna Veali" is the first Tamil film on the ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka and it is presently caught in a tussle with the Central Board for Film Certification due to its "indirect” reference to the banned LTTE and the Sri Lankan army.
The film's director Pugazhenthi Thangaraj claims that the movie deals with humanitarianism, but the Censor Board members see the reference to Sri Lanka, its Army and the "justification of militancy” objectionable.
The three-member FCAT chairman Justice Jaspal Singh, in his order dated February 16, says that the mention of a friendly-neighbour (Sri Lanka) and depicting its army in bad colours will not be to the liking of that government. However, he disagrees with the charge that the film glorifies the LTTE and the traits exhibited by their cadres.
The order came two days before the proposed public screening of the film on the sands of Marina on February 18, which was promptly banned by the city police. The screening was abandoned by the JAC and it organised a protest meeting of film personalities and writers.
Surprisingly, Justice Jaspal Singh's is the only dissenting voice in FCAT, with other members - Shiela Ghatate and Amitabh Sinha - favouring an outright rejection of the certificate. Singh says that the film can be certified with a few amendments and deletions in the script, including the scenes in which army men rape a Tamil girl and the extensive use
99
of the term "tigers”.
“Kaatrukkenna V injured Tamil ladyLanka reaching the shc She is treated by a doc Nagapattinam district doctor Subash Chandi hatma Gandhi Hospita to lady-militant Mani agam and her associa fact that it was against in her escape to Sri Lal of Film Certification Officer S Ramu says th Board members, whi movie for certificatio year, were unanimou
S
"Any violence et These are the words of Saravanamuttu, a crusa pearances and a staunch en's rights who passed longed illness 13 Febru into the news following of her journalist son i known Richard de Zo ness to the chilling abc from their home by so nel in the wee hours of
After a long conspir case has now been broug ing a long-felt need for of justice in a case whi brutality of the regime that time in this countr
Dr. Saravanamuttu ered from the trauma abducted, fought hard alive. She played a sig process ofbringing sus to courts. Deeply sadde by this tragic loss, D played a lead role in te of the women who suff seeing their near and de ing during the politicoof the early Nineties.
 

ali' is about an militant from Sri res of Tamil Nadu. or at a hospital in As per the script, a Bose of the Maprovides asylum negalai Selvanayes, inspite of the law. He also helps ka. Central Board Chennai Regional at the five Censor ) scrutinised the on June 13, last s in rejecting it.
TAMILTIMES 29
Similarly, the revising committee comprising 10 members too were against certifying the movie.
Meanwhile, the film makers allege that political interferences influenced the decision of the Censor Board. Another charge is that the members are against Tamil's interest. They also say that the board took nearly eight months to give its decision on the film. But these were stoutly denied by the board members.
Some of the members, who saw the film for certification, did not want them to be quoted in the story as the Film Certification Board national chairperson Asha Parekh had instructed them not to talk on the controversy surrounding the film. Meanwhile, one of the members of the Censor Board, journalist Sudangan, resigned in protest against the rejection of certificate to the film.
. Mrs. Manorani iaravanamuttu
lds with death'. Dr. Mrs. Manorani der against disapdefender of womaway after a proary. She first came the brutal murder n 1990, the well 'sa. She was wituction of her son ne police person'ebruary 18, 1990. acy of silence, this htto courts, meethe administration ch epitomised the which existed at
who never recovif seeing her son to keep the case ificant role in the ects in the killing ed but undefeated
Saravanamuttu ing up the cause red the trauma of r ones disappearycial convulsions Chus she helped
found the Mothers Front, a well known catalyst in the process of bringing justice to the women who saw their husbands and , children disappear in those tragic times. "Today there are thousands of women who cry for their beloved. That sordid history should not be repeated," Dr. Saravanamuttu was quoted telling a Richard de Zoysa Commemoration meeting a few years ago.
She followed up this pioneering work in disappearances with the setting up of Centres for Family Services in many parts of the country. A crucial task undertaken by these bodies was to help women get on their feet through sustainable and paying livelihoods. In other words, they aimed at empowering women.
The personal misfortune suffered by her and her sense of injustice are certain to have played a crucial role in prompting Dr. Saravanamuttu into launching these projects for the well being of women.
Dr. Saravanamuttu was honoured with the Zonta Women of Achievement Award - 1998, for Leadership in Community Services. May she be granted eternal rest from the traumas of political repression she so stoically endured.
Lynn Ockersz

Page 30
30 TAM TIMES
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Mother seeks for daughter, 22, 5'5", B.Sc.(Hons) London, sociable, accomplished, living in London, an educated groom, Christian from a Catholic background. M 1226 C/o Tamil Times.
Tamil Catholic parents seek handsome groom for fair, pretty daughter, 29, part qualified accountant in employment in London. Religion no bar. M 1227 C/o Tamil Times.
Hindu parents seek bride for son, 37, in good employment in USA. M 1228 C/o Tamil Times.
Jaffna Hindu mother seeks groom for professional daughter, mid-thirties, in her own well established business in UK. Doctor or Accountant pre
ferred. Send horoscope details. IM 1229 C/o Tamil TineS.
Jaffna Hindu seeks groom for sister, 38, 5' 3", Secretary of prestigious Company in Colombo. Please sendi horoscope details. M 1230 C/o Tamil Times.
WEDDING BELS
We congratulate the following couple on their recent Wedding. Sivamainthan, son of late Prof. & Mrs Withiananthan and Shyamala, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. V.S. Gananathan, 1C Raag Durbar, 52A Sterling Road, Chennai 600034, India on 29th January 2001 at The GRT Grand Days Hotel, T. Nagar, Chennai 17, India.
Wanted
A retired gentleman to assist in a small Office in North West London. Please ring 020 73723576
OBITUARY
Dr. T. Varunalingam, Retired Veterinary Surgeon, Department Of Animal PrOduction and Health, beloved husband of Kamaladevi; Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Thiyagaraja, son-inlaw of the late Mr. Ponniah and of Mrs. Kanakammah; loving brother of Mrs. M. Kanagalingam, Mrs. Kugathasen, Mr. Sundaralingam, Mrs. P. Balasundaram, Mr. Vinayagalingam (London), Mr. Kanagalingam, Mrs. D. Swaminathan and Mr. Panchalingam, Sithappa of Piramila and Kohila Vinayagalingam died under tragic circumstances in Mitcham, Surrey, UK and was Cremated at the Rowan Road Crematorium on Saturday, 10th February 2001.
Dr. Varunalingam was a senior prefect and captain for athletics at St. Johns College, Jaffna and played cricket for college and the Peradeniya University.
The members of the family wish to express their sincere thanks and gratitude to all friends and relatives Who attended the funeral, sent messages of sympathy and floral tributes and assisted in several ways during the period of grief. They regret their inability to thank individually - 7. Vinayagalingam, 23 Adlington Close, Edmonton, London N18 XJ. Tel: O2O 88077.487
 
 

15 FEBRUARY 2001
Mr. Vimalraj Linganayagam (Raj), beloved husband of Bianca, loving son of Mr. &
Mrs. Linganayagam and beloved brother of Eric Nimalraj and Victor Sri Raj passed away peacefully in his sleep after a brief illness on 5th January 2001 at his home in Rushden. Northants. Funeral service and cremation took place on Tuesday, 16th January 2001 at Bedford.
Members of the family thank all relatives and friends who attended the funeral, sent messages of sympathy, floral tributes and assisted in various ways during this period of bereavennent and Sorrow. - Address: V.T. Linganayagam, 90 Orchard Street, Kempston, Bedford MK42 7JJ, UK. Tel: 01234 8550817
Born: 07:07. 1938
Died 02.02.2001 Sriskantha, Son of late Mr. S. Sinnathamby and of Mrs. Sinnathamby, son-in-law of late Mr. S. Sivaguru and of Mrs. S. Sivaguru; former husband of Vimalathevy, devoted father of Thirumurugan and Muhunthan, loving brother of Radhakrishnan, Vivekanandan, Jeyaraman, Vasantha, Sakunthala, Arunthathy and Manoranjitham passed away
suddenly on 2nd February 2001. Funeral rites were performed at the family residence and cremation took place on 8th February
The members of the family Wish to thank all friends and relatives who attended the funeral, sent messages of sympathy and floral tributes and assisted them in several ways during the period of bereavement. - Information from Mrs. Vimalathevy Thyagarajah, 72 Windborough Road, Carshalton Beeches, Surrey SM54QJ.
IN MEMORAMS
ln loving memory of Canagaratnam Balendra on the first anniversary of his passing away on 18th February 2000.
Sadly missed and fondly remembered by his beloved wife Parameswari; lovíng daughters Balini, Anushia, and Damayanthi; sons-in-law Chelvayogan Balendran and Sivamohan, grandchildren Gormathie, Meena, Atha van and Anjali; brothers Ramanathan, Subramaniam and Jeyaratnam, brother-inlaw Vythingam and sister-inlaw Puvaneswary.
In loving memory of Mrs Nagammah Kulanayagam, beloved wife of the late Mr. V
continued on page 31

Page 31
15 FEBRUARY 2001
continued from page 30 Kulanayagam (Deputy Government Analyst, Colombo) and loving daughter of the late Mr. Kandiah (Upper Balangoda) and late Nallamma on the first anniversary of her passing away on 4th March 2000 at the age of 86 On Mahasivarathiri Day.
She served as a de Voted mother to Pathma (Australia), Dr. Ganeshanayagam (Sri Lanka), Logi (Canada), Siva (UK); mother-in-law of Ratnasabaрathy (Julius & Creasу, Sri Lanka), Pama (Australia),
late Dr. Parameswaran, late V. Mariathasan (Rubber Metal Technique, Malaysia), llamurugan MBE (Customs and Excise, UK), grandmother of Manjula, Pradeepan, Niranjala, Shanthana, Prathayini, Vageesan, Sanjeev, Rajeev, Gajeev, Niranjan, and great grandmother of Radeesh, Thushara, Sahana and Arwin.
She will be fondly remembered and sadly missed by all who have known her. - 60 Portland Avenue, New Malden, Surrey KT36BA.
Second Death Anniversary 18.02.2001.
Regina Rajanayagam
Sadly missed and fondly remembered by her beloved husband Rajanayagam, brothers Ratnam, Jesuthasan, Anton James and Prince, sister Cecilia Lawrence, brothers-inlaw Dr. Arasaratam and Nadarajah, sisters-in-law Mrs. Anula Arasaratnam, Mrs. Parames Selvaratnam and Mrs. Mahes Sivayoganathan, niece Shamini and nephew Anton. - 13 Arbuthnot Lane, Bexley, Kent DA5 1 EH.
Third Death Anniversary
In loving memory of Mrs Pakiaratnam Kandiah on the third anniversary of her passing away on 3rd February 1998. Fondly remembered and sadly missed by her only sister Mrs Parimalaratnam Thirunavukarasu of Yogaswamy's Abode, Colombuthurai, Sri Lanka; children Sivayogaratnam, Sivayoganathan, Sivayogeswary, Sivayogaiswaran and Sivayogan, sons-in-law Varatharajah and Sivathasan, daughters-in-law Umasakthy, Sivayogi and Amirthavalli several grandchildren and great grandchildren. - 3 New Leasow, Walmley, Sutton Coldfield, Birrningham B76 IYL.
 
 
 
 
 

AMILIMES31
Fourth Death Anniversary Mohanadas. K. Samuel
(18.1.35 - 4.2.97)
Nothing loved is ever lost Memories last for ever Sadly missed and lovingly remembered by wife Utaiwan, children Monti, Manee and Mike, son-in-law Allan, grandson Nicolas, mother Rasamanie, sister Chandra, brothers Indran and Peter and their families.
In loving memory of Thayapary Rasaendiran on the third anniversary of her passing away on 3rd February 1998.
Sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her husband Rasaendiran and daughter Ranjini. - 34 Grangeway Gardens, Redbridge, llford, Essex fG4 5HN.
The second anniversary of the passing away of Mrs Sakthiamma Kanaganayagam Wife
Of the late Senator S.R. Kanaganayagam falls on 27th February 2001.
She is remembered with deep love and affection by her children, their families, nephews, nieces and a large Circle of friends - 12 FitzWilliam Road, Vaucluse, NSW 2030, Australia.
Third Death Anniversary
In loving memory of Mrs S i v ag a m a s o u n d a ra m
Pararajasingham MVhO passed away on 5th February
1998.
A devoted wife and a loving mother.
Deeply missed and affectionately remembered by your ever loving husband, children, families, nephews and nieces. - 27 Mayford, Howard Road, Surbiton Road, Surrey KT5 8SB.

Page 32
32TAMILTES
IN MEMORIAMS (ctd)
Mr. Vallipuram Sellathamby (Attorney-at-law, J.P., U.M., Point Pedro) Years may pass, but your memory Shall remain fresh in our hearts
Remembered with love and affection, on the fifth anniversary of your passing away on 21 February 1996 by your loving wife, children, son-in-law, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. - 50 Wiltshire Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey CR7 7ΟΝ
In loving memory of Mr. Chelliah Sivasampu on the ninth anniversary of his passing away on 9th March 1992.
Sadly missed and fondly remembered by his two sons.
In loving memory of Mrs. Annamuththu Kuddippillai
on the second anniversary of her passing away on 17th February 1999.
Fondly remembered by her children and their families, her grandchildren and families, her great grandchildren and families and also by the great great grandchildren and other reltives. - 3/100 Stapleton Stret, Pendle Hill, NSW 2145 Australia.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS Mar 1 Karthigai; Feast of St. David, Patron of Wales. Mar 3 South London anni Welfare Group (SLTWG) Drop |lrn. Tel: 020 8542 3285. Mar 4 Feast of St. Casinir. Mar 6 ECkathaSi. Mar 7 PirathOSar Mar 8 Masi Maham, Feast of St. John. Mar 9 Full Moon; Feast of Sf. Francis. Mar 12 S a n k a da kara Sathuirthi. Mar 17 Feast of St. Patrick, Patron of Ireland; SLTWG Drop ln. Tel: 020 8542 3285.
Mar 18 Feast of St. Cyril. Mar 19 Feast of St. Joseph. Mar 20 Eekathasi. Mar 22 PirathoSarn. Mar 24 Amavasai; SLTWG Women's Front meets. Tel: O2O 85.42 3285.
Mar 25 FeaSt Of the Annunciation of the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Mar 28 Sathurthi; Karthilgai. Mar 30 Shashti. Prior Notice
Apr. 3 11 a.m. Colombuthurai Yoga Swamigal Abhisekham and Guru Poojah followed by Prasatham at Shree Ganapathy Temple, 123 Effra Road, London SW19. All WellCOrne. At Bhavan Centre, 4A Castletown Road, London W14 9HG. Te: O2O 7381 3056/4608. Mar 3 6.30 p.m. Hindustani Flute by Pandit Hariprasad Chaulasia. Mar 17 6.30 p.m. Tala Chakra by Shiva Shankar Ray (Tabla), M. Balachander (Mridangam) & Balu Raghuram (Violin). Mar 18 6 p.m. Karnatic Violin by Sivaganesan & Bharata Natyam Srekala Bharat. Mar 31 6.30 p.m. Kathak by Sushmita Ghosh & her senior disciples.
 
 
 
 

15 FEBRUARY 2001
Mr. K.V. Nadarajah, Former M.P. Bandarawela -
An Appreciation The passing away at the age of 96, of Mr. K. V. Nadarajah, the Badulla Attorney-at-law and former Member of Parliament for Bandarawela, brings to a close another chapter in the chequered history of Uva.
I was a schoolboy at Uva College, Badulla when KVN had a thriving practice at the Badulla bar. I recall the fair and handsome lawyer, a chain Smoker, neatly dressed in a white satin drill suit. A popular figure at the Badulla Sports Club, he enjoyed a game of poker.
When I reached majority at 21, 1 had some legal dealings with him, Since he represented the buyer of my late father's Bandarawela tea estate. KVN was a kind and Compassionate man who was genuinely concerned at the misfortune that befell me on the loss of my inheritanCe.
Laterasan office-bearer of the Uva Young Men's Buddhist Association, I would often meet KVN. Although, a non Sinhalese and a devout Hindu, he was one of the Chief benefactors of the YMBA. We never returned with a refusal on our many visits to his hospitable home, seeking his assistance for various activities of the Association.
He was an ardent supporter of the pioneering efforts of the YMBA in building the Visakha Vidyalaya which today, is the leading Buddhist girls' School in Uva.
in the first post-independence parliamentary election in 1947, KVN won the Bandarawela seat as an independent candidate, and served as Member of Parliament till 1952. Although there was a sizeable vote among the tea plantation workers who too enjoyed the franchise, KVN was supported by the vast majority of Sinhalese as well. In fact, his election campaign was led by D.J. Horadugoda, another Badulla lawyer, it was an era when Uva was reputed for its communal harmony. We in Badulla took pride that Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Malays, Burghers and Eurasians lived like one family. There was a considerable degree of inter-socialisation among the various ethnic groups, and no one in those proverbial good old days spoke in terms of race or religion.
K. V. Nadarajah was yery much part of that fraternity, it therefore came as a rude shock to me in Canada, when in those dark days of July 1983, Badulla too was not spared the racial hatred that swept across the land. KWN's beautiful residence at Pingarawa was burnt to the ground. He had to flee for safety, escorted by his good friend and erstwhile parliamentary colleague, J.C.T. (Jack) Kotalawela, the former M.P. for Badulla, who took the Nadarajah family to the safety of his Barnes Place residence in Colombo.
"I had no where to go' KVN would say later. Jaffna was never my home. It was Badulla that was home to me'. Later the Nadarajahs moved to Washington. In 1990, KVN lost his wife of 56 years, Gnanamany, after a long illness. She was a gracious lady who had stood by her husband's side, and was also very much a part of Badulla life. I wrote to KVN. 'Your condolence gave me much comfort and relief" he wrote back, "Thank you for writing and sharing my grief and emphasising the common denominator philosophy of all religions that death is not all that bad and terrible, and parting with loved ones must be taken in its stride. . . ."
In 1990, he had read my memoirs, Among my Souvenirs' in which there is a reference to the Nadarajah family of Badulla. He wrote to me from Washington. "Reading the book, my memory went back to the days, when I had the pleasure of meeting and knowing you as a promising young man. Congratulations and wish you greater success. I am proud of you. You have not belied my hopes.'
During my 1996 sojourn from Canada in the Homeland, KVN was living in Jaela. He wanted me to see him as much as I wished to meet him. I did not get the chance - something I deeply regret thereafter. KVN bore no bitterness about the events of 1983, when he lost his Badulla. He always wanted to return to Sri Lanka. That is where I belong' he would say.
K. V. Nadarajah leaves his only son Bala also a lawyer, Bala's German wife Kristina and their children, Stefan and Nadine. He also leaves indelible memories of the Badulla that Will not be the same again.
Kirthie Abeyesekera.

Page 33
15 FebruARY 2001
Queen Honours llamurugan
Mr. Chelvadurai llamurugan was awardedan MBE in the 2001 New Year Honours of Her Majesty, the Queen for the extremely effective work that he had carried out and the excellent results he had achieved, serving with great distinction in the various grades and work areas of HM Customs and Excise, his positive, helpful and cheerful attitude, which helped maintain a working relationship with many multinational companies'.
Mr. lamurugan earlier served the Inland Revenue Department and has completed 25 years of service. He left Sri Lanka in 1967 to pursue his studies in the UK and joined the Civil Service in 1972.
He is married with one son and resides at Portland Avenue, New Malden. He is the son of the late Mr. & Mrs. Chelvadurai of Inuvil, Jaffna and son-in-law of the late Mr. & Mrs. Kulanayagam of Colombo, Sri Lanka.
American NeWSetter
Ontario Thamil lsai
Kalamanram Celebrates
"Music is one of the lamps of human culture that has continued to glow with undiminished lustre throughout history, it is one of the few important factors that can promote world peace and solidarity' observed Abirami Vivekanandarajah who has this year pased the teachers grade in violin With distinction in the examinations Conducted by the Thamil Isai Kalamanram of Ontario, Canada.
Paying her tribute to her gurus, V.R. Krishnan, Vijayaluxmy Sreenivasagam and Thanathevi Mitradeva, all of them of SriLankan origin, she said that in this traditional guru muka moola system, a guru inspires in the Sishya a joyous yearning for knowledge within the bounds of our Culture and helping to create an enthusiasm in the subjects taught and enabling hidden talents and abilities in the young mind to
bloom in glory.
The end Of the fir which nearly 500 st November last year, s or three subjects, mea tivities. The Kalaman, event with a musical f larity has been such became a four-day ev ends, January 27th, 3rd, 4th at the Astonb tennial College in Sca.
Founded nearly ten manram has popular expatriate Tamil con counting a membersh lies and individuals. Its Trinity College of Mu institution that conduc tions in Carnatic Music ular concerts conduC year at different ven Kalamanran Conduct tions in Montreal, Que that other regions su Manitoba and Vancou bia will benefit from its near future.
The Kalamanran h, politics of all kinds a impressed on the ey that its objective is to f of Carnatic music and in multicultural Cana quite a challenge fort the vision and determ, has ensured that its st has been greatly appr community.
The encouragement manrann since its inC Thanpiah Sripathy po to train a number C experts of great merit of Carnatic Music. 'S can today take their pl on South Indian stage and instrumentalists O he Observed With a t achievement. "We Will our young people, en them in the pursuit of looms and that is the that we can offer to Mr. Sripathy,
Among the artistes year's musical festiva ber of students were l Rajaratnam (vocal), V (violin), Krishna Rajar Sangeetha Vidwan P (vocal), Sivananthini (violin), Vasudevan gam), Kalaimamani (veena), Sangeetha P tharallingam (vocal), 7 va (violin), Karaikudi dangam), Abhirami Vi lin), Aiyathurai Velauth namurthi Udayakuma various concerts the S Seshtram under trair
 
 

TAMILTIMES33
all examinations at Idents appeared in one of then in two ins it is time for fesran Celebrates this 2stival and its poputhat, this year it ent Over fWO Week28th and February ее Сатриs of Cenborough, Toronto.
years ago, the Kalasupport amidst the munity in Ontario ip of over 300 fami| status is akin to the sic and is the only ts regular examina, apart from the reg'ted throughout the ues. This year the 2d its first examinabec and it is possible Ich as Winnipeg in Ver in British Columservices in the very
as steered clear of ind has strenuously patriate community Oster the rich Culture help to build bridges da. This has been he Kalamanran, but ination of its leaders and and commitment eciated by the Tamil
given by the Kalaeption, its president inted out has helped )f artistes Who are in various disciplines Orne Of Our artistes aces with pride even salong with vocalists fgreat repute there,' emendous sense of provide facilities for Courage and inspire Our rich Cultural heirtype of leadership our community' said
who took part in this , apart from a numSaimamani Poomani idwan S. Ravindran atnam (nridangam), ema Sriskandarajah
Kathirgamanathan Rajalingam (mridanlanani Prabhakaran ooshanan Pon Sunhanathevi MithradeKrishnamurthi (mrivekanandarajah (vioapillai (vocal), Krish(mridangam). In the itudents of Mridanga ing from their guru
Vasudevan Rajalingam provided percussionist accompaniment of gatam, kanchira and morsing.
Asis the practice of the Kalamanram during the festival concerts, various artistes were honoured for their dedication to Carnatic music and services to the community.
New York Audience in
Raptures
A Concert of Carnatic Music was held recently in the beautiful village of Van Hornesville in New York State, USA at which the Chief Guest was Geetha Ramanathan Bennet, a veena virtuOSO and vocalist of great merit. Geetha's performance both as a veena player and a vocalist was exultation in ecstatic enjoyment.
in her audience that evening most people were unfamiliar with Southern India's Carnatic music traditions and yet she captured their hearts and feelings and wrapped them into blissful raptures. She was accompanied by her husband Frank Bennet on the mrdangam and Rusty Gillette on the ghatam. Geetha who has made USA her home with her family, hails from Chennai in India and belongs to a family deeply immersed in classic music traditions.
Geetha's concert followed by one night the premiere of her husband's concert for veena and orchestra entitled Asian Colours by the Utica Symphony Orchestra led by the Maestro, Charles Schneider. Referring to Geetha's concert as a rousing experience, Donna Veederof Jordanville, New York wrote: "This was the most exciting concert we have ever had in this facility which is an old Unitarian Universalist Church. It has great acoustics since it is a wooden structure with no rugs or curtains and has large stained glass windows.
This music which I have heard OCCasionally as background music for movies made in India, but did not know what to call it. We hope they will come back sometime and play for us again. This trio has been together for a longtime and they work very well with one another. They told us this is Tamil music and that the instruments try to imitate the human Voice.'
Victor Karunairajan, Canada.
Heart-Felt Appeal
The Putney Church launched an appeal to raise funds for war-torn hospitals in North and East Sri Lanka at their Carol Services. Putney Church's Hammersmith and Harrow Congregations were able to raise well over a Thousand pounds. The Church Council President, Mr. Rajan confirms that these funds will be faithfully channelled shortly
Revd. B.J. Alexander, Minister, Putney commented "The church will Continue to play a vital role in this practical manner. It's our divine call that calls for response to human suffering and struggle".

Page 34
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