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FEBRUARY 2005
“I do not agree with a word of what you say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it”
- Voltaire
ISSN 0266 - 44 88 Vol. XXV N0. 2 FEBRUARY 2005
Published by: TAMIL TIMES LTD PO Box 121, Sutton, Surrey SM 1 3TD United Kingdom Phone: 020 - 8644 0972 Fax: 020 - 8241 4557
Email: admin(atamiltimes.org editor(a)tamiltimes.org p.rajanayagam(a)btconnect.com Website: http://www.tamiltimes.org
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Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the editor or publishers. The publishers assume no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork.
CONTENTS
Politics of Confrontation 03. News Review O4 Senior LTTE leader killed 12 Peace prospects 15 Kausalyan killed in ambush 19 Politics of disaster 23 Children & Armed Conflict 27 Why Sri Lanka is special 28 Appeal to Canadian PM 29 News Track 30 Classified 36
COVER:
At last Abilash better known as "Baby 81' reunited with her parents Mr. M. Jeyarajah and Mrs Jenita Jeyarajah. Courtesy of AP
P
Sri Lanka see national Calamity ter that struck Sri thousands of pe change in the cor positive response Criticism from the incompetent state in the face of a na tation and violenc There is nothi partisan or secta or otherwise, whic party and the opp ers motives and g divisions and qua the island, after a has returned with Many blame F tational politics th piece ceremonial the right noises When she seeks herself becoming rivalry and hurling ers and parties.
For example, tion politicians ar. those who died ir who promised CC pressure on othe ing to the countr Rani Wickremasi including Norway, only will not proc now and then se politics.
The oppositio any better. Their national calamity ist. For example ment’s decision o prohibiting recon However when i this proposal fror political mileage. from the sea wa: who had lost th property belong addressing a rec South of the islar metre ban, callin
Even within JVP, a significar are quite contrar On major issues
 

TAMIL TIMES 3
litics of Confrontation
and Violence
ms to have returned to the bad old days and ways. A lemanded a national response. But the tsunami disasLanka destroying the lives and livelihoods hundreds of ple displaced does not seem to have produced any duct of its political classes. In spite of the massive and from the international community, there is mounting affected communities about bungled relief operations by institutions. Amidst the vacuous rhetoric of national unity ional calamity, the bad old days of the politics of confrone seem to have returned. ng that happens in Sri Lanka which is not injected with ian considerations. There is no issue, whether political h does not turn out to be confrontational. The governing osition parties are virtually at war questioning each othood faith. Even within the ranks of the government itself, rrels have broken out into the open. In the Northeast of brief lull, the ugly spectre of politically motivated killings a vengeance. resident Kumaratunga for the level and tone of confronat characterise the political landscape today. On setor official occasions, she does extremely well making Ooking truly presidential. However, on other occasions O advance her governing party's interests, she reduces a mere parish-pump politician peddling naked partisan gunsubstantiated accusations against Opposition lead
at a recent public meeting she said that "certain opposie trying to take advantage and are playing politics with the tsunami" and charged that an opposition politician operation to the government was instead trying to put countries and diplomatic missions to prevent aid comy. The obvious reference was to the Opposition leader nghe who recently went on a visit to European Countries, She cannot be said to be unaware that such attacks not luce the national consensus and cooperation that she eks, but also will inevitably exacerbate confrontational
h UNP and its leadership for their part have not behaved offer of cooperation to the Government in the context of a has proved to be temporary, questionable and opportunthe UNP initially remained unopposed to the Governo impose a buffer zone of 100 meters along the coast struction of damaged or destroyed homes or buildings. S leadership saw that there was popular opposition to the affected people, the UNP did an about turn to gain It now says that the ban on rebuilding within 100 metres unacceptable and the UNP would stand for the people ir dwellings but wanted to rebuild their homes on the ng to them. Opposition Leader Rani Wickremesinghe 2nt gathering of displaced persons in Hambantota in the durged coastal residents to defy the Government's 100
it illegal and told them not to budge from their land. he Government's own ranks, conflicts abound with the Component of the ruling coalition, taking positions that to those of the President and the rest of the Government. such as the Government's post-tsunami relief and re

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4 TAMIL TIMES
construction policy and programme, or the resumption of peace talks with the LTTE or on the issue of constituting a joint mechanism with the LTTE to carry out posttsunami operations in the Northeast, the JVP articulates its differences in public while some of its leaders occupy ministerial portfolios with little regard to collective cabinet collective responsibility. Then we witnessed the recent unedifying spectacle of the President speaking at a public meeting calling upon "any party" that disagreed with her Government's policies to get out leaving no one in doubt as to which party she was referring.
The recent assassination of the LTTE's eastern political leader Mr E Kausalyan and five others in his team presumably by the loyalists of Karuna, the former eastern commander of the LTTE, re-emphasised the fact that the power of the gun predominates the political landscape of the Northeast of the island notwithstanding the Ceasefire Agreement which came into effect in February 2002.
The Ceasefire Agreement prohibited all offensive operations including "firing of direct and indirect weapons, armed raids, ambushes, assassinations, abductions, destruction of civilian or military property, sabotage, Suicide missions and activities by deep penetration units". As far as Northeast is concerned, this provi
OWB welcomes launch
of the NEHRP
Feb 16 - World Bank announced today that it wellcomed the launch of the
North East Housing Reconstruction Program (NEHRP) which will build around 46,000 houses for Sri Lanka's poor, conflict-affected families. Under the loan agreement signed yesterday, cash grants provided for each family was increased from Rs. 150,000 (US$ 1512) to Rs.250,000 (US$2520) in the light of post tsunami increased building costs. Grants for partially damaged houses (damage of up to 40% of property) was also increased from Rs.70,000 (US$706) to Rs.100,000 (US$ 1008).
“The conflict and tsunami affected people are both very vulnerable groups who have undergone terrible hardships and their needs must be met equitably, "said Peter Harrold, World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka. “The launching of the NEHRP simultaneously with the World Bank's first allocation for Tsunami Emergency Recovery Program provided us an opportunity to review grant allocations for conflict affected families and bring it to be on par with allocations for tsunami affected families,” he said.
The World Bank and the Ministry of Finance signed yesterday the legal agreements for the US$75 million NEHRP. This loan is from the International Development Association, the concessionary arm of the World Bank, and has a 10-year grace period, a maturity of 40 years, zero interest, and a 0.75% service charge on the outstanding amount.
The Bank will shortly announce the full allocation of resources in support of Sri Lanka's tsunami reconstruction and recovery program.
O Joint Govt-LTTE mechanism
Feb 10 - Following an intensive round of closed-door meetings between the LTTE and top-level government officials, reports are emerfging that the two parties are "very much close to an agreement' on working out a post-tsunami reconstruction mechanism.

FEBRUARY 2005
sion has been observed more in its breach. Apart from the absence of fighting between the belligerent parties - the government and its military forces and the LTTE - in practical terms the Ceasefire Agreement did not prevent the continuation of the practice of politically motivated killings within the Tamil community.
Human rights organisations have documented over two hundred and fifty such killings after the Ceasefire Came into effect. While the victims in this latest incident of political assassination happen to belong to the LTTE, the Tamil Tigers themselves have also been blamed for carrying out politically motivated killings of their Tamil opponents and critics with impunity, And with the defection of Karuna in April last year from the LTTE and its decision to militarily suppress his revolt, the killings have never stopped. What is more disturbing is that the recent killing of such a senior figure of the LTTE, Kausalyan, may lead to a new round of retaliatory killings and counter-killings.
It would seem that in Sri Lanka even the death and destruction wrought by the tsunami disaster has not moved the hearts and minds of those who indulge in the lamentable luxury of confrontational politics at national level and the practitioners of the politics of violence at the regional level in the Northeast. O
Initially the LTTE and government officials were said to be against the number of representatives for the apex body which stood at six Tamils, three Muslims and
two Sinhalese, as requsted by the LTTE. But later after discussions the figure was changed to five Tamils, three Muslims and two Sinhalese representatives over which both parties are reported have agreed, according to Peace Secretariat Chief S. Pulidevan.
The problem now is not so much about the numbers. It is more or less sorted out. The Norwegians seem to be certain that the two parties will be able to arrive at a consensus on working out a common mechanism, according to knowledgeable sources.
Following the Conference of Donor countries and international aid agencies in Oslo on November 25, 2003, the World Bank announced the setting up the North-East Reconstruction Fund (NERF) and the WB called upon all donor countries and agencies to channel their funds through the NERF. In January 2003 the World Bank was invited to be the custodian of this Fund. The fund was declared open on March 31, 2003 with an initial contribution of $ 2.7 million from Norway. However, there was disagreement between the then Government and the LTTE on signing a formal agreement. After some time, the LTTE expressed willingness to sign the agreement but the government had concerns about the draft grant agreement. But the government signed the Grant Agreement on May 10, 2003 but the LTTE, by then, had withdrawn from the peace talks.
It is now being said that had the NERF been set up and remained functional with a formal agreement in place, it would have come in handy at a time like this when the government and the LTTE are trying their best to work out a mechanism to channel funding for post-tsunami rehabilitation and reconstruction.

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FEBRUARY 2005
O Baby 81 reunited with parents
Feb 16 - Baby Abilash, popularly known as Baby 81, was handed over to his mother Mrs. Jenita Jeyarajah and father Mr. Jeyarajah in a joyful reunion on 16 February at Kalmunai District Court. Mr. M. S. M. Nazeer, Registrar of the Court, received the barely 4 months old baby from Kalmunai Base Hospital Doctor Gopal Muhunthan. The District Court Magistrate, Mr. M. P. Mohideen read out a 22-page long report containing the results of the DNA test which conclusively proved that the baby 81's parents were none other than Mr and Mrs Jeyarajah.
The family, after praying at the temple close to the hospital and thanking the doctors and the staff at the hospital, visited their native place at Kalmunai-l, Beach Road. The village was completely destroyed by the giant waves of the December 26 Tsunami.
Parents were present at the open court room as relatives were waiting outside the court. Around 50 local and foreign media were covering the event at the court.
Kalmunai Police escorted the Unicef vehicle with the family as people flocked to see the baby outside the court.
The reunited family, after paying a vist to the Tsunami devastated home village, visited their relatives in Pandiruppu, where the parents were residing after Tsunami waves wiped out their home on Boxing Day.
"Our top priority is to provide a good education to our child, to all our children," the parents said. "We want to give Abilash a bright, happy and adventurous future,” they said adding that they were heading to the Pillayar temple at Kaluthawalai to attend a special pooja ceremony and break 100 coconuts promising to carry out their vow.
Two minutes silence was observed at the temple to remember those killed and left homeless by the tsunami disaster, following a request by Mr. Jeyarajah, the father of the baby, who broke 100 coconuts at the temple.
O Opposition decries State of Emergency
Feb 11 - President Chandrika Kumaratunga declared a State of Emergency in Tsunami affected Districts of Sri Lanka again. The island's Parliament was informed that Ms Kumaratunge had by Gazette notification published on 3 February re-declared the State of Emergency for a period of 1 month.
The President initially declared a State of Emergency to cover the 12 affected Districts on 4th January. Since she failed to submit it to Parliament within 10 days the State of Emergency lapsed on 18th January.
The promulgation of the state of emergency following a heated debate was passed by a majority of 86 votes in parliament. A total of 106 members voted for the emergency and 20 against it. While the parties comprising the ruling coalition voted in support, the main opposition UNP and SLMC abstained from the vote with the TNA voting against the emergency regulations. The JHU voted with the government in favour of the regulations, which covers 14 administrative districts affected by the tsunami. However, UNP Colombo district MP, T. Maheswaran voted alongside the TNA opposing the emergency, while the vote of Up-country People's Front MP, P. Radakrishnan opposing the proclamation was nullified, as he did not make it from the assigned seat in the house.
The main opposition UNP at its parliamentary group meeting on the previous day decided to vote against the motion for the extension of the state-of-emergency as some regulations could be used to suppress personal freedom and trade union rights. "At the national committee represented by all political parties, matters relating to the enforcement of the emergency law were not taken up for discussion and views were not sought. Regulations to curb personal freedom and trade union rights have been included without the knowledge of even some of the government party leaders,

TAMIL TIMES 5
the UNP said in a statement after the group meeting.
The party said these regulations would apply to areas not affected by the tsunami and certain national security regulations which had no relevance to the tsunami had also been included.
"Trade union rights of public and corporation sector employees have been curbed by section 18 of the emergency regulations and under section 8 provision has been made for the government to acquire any land, building, property or vehicle. A number of regulations to ban protest campaigns and the distribution of handbills have also been included", the UNP said.
"The UNP is deeply concerned about the emergency regulations to be enforced to prevent protests against the government and if those regulations are not withdrawn the UNP will launch people's protest campaigns and will vote against the the emergency laws,” the party said.
During the debate, UNP MP Dr. Rajitha Senaratne accused the government of using the emergency to shield itself against its own inefficiency in tsunami relief programmes. "People are protesting because they haven't received tsunami relief. The regulations give the government the right to suppress demonstrations. So ultimately the regulations will be used against the tsunami victims themselves," said the MP
The TNA said the emergency regulations strikes at the very heart of autonomy and blocks any chance for power sharing. TNA parliamentary group leader R. Sambanthan questioned the necessity of the emergency saying that tsunami relief could be carried out under normal law. He also expressed concern that people in the North and East would be subject to undue harassment by the armed forces. Meanwhile the SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem calling the state of emergency "totally unwarranted' questioned why the government allowed the first declaration of emergency to lapse automatically. "We unequivocally state our opposition to the emergency regulations which grant excessive and unwarranted powers to the government," he said.
The JHU voted for the emergency saying that the current disaster situation in the country called for such measures. However, Ven, Atureliye Ratana Thera criticized the government for not seeking an all-party consensus when making the declaration. "We will vote against the emergency the next time if we feel that it is being used to suppress democracy,” he said.
JVP MP R. Chandrasekeran said that they would ensure that the emergency is not used to suppress the workers or the Tamil people. "The JVP will not allow the government to use the emergency to stifle democracy,” he said, making his speech in Tamil amid constant interruptions from TNA members. JVP MP Jayantha Wijesekera said that the people were afraid of emergency regulations due to the actions of the UNP who used it to suppress the people in the past.
Minister of Public Security, Law and Order and Deputy Minister of Defence, Ratnasiri Wickramanayake said that the state of emergency was needed to provide essential services and ensure public security amid reports of looting, rape and child trafficking. “The government assures that the emergency regulations will be used only for the benefit of the people and not against them. We will never suppress the people, he said.
O Bishop writes to LTTE over shooting at sea Y
Feb 18- A group of more than 100 angry fishermen attacked a LTTE political office in Mannar in northern Sri Lanka on Friday (18) and ransacked the place before protesting in the town against the LTTE's alleged shooting of some fishing boats. The fishermen said to be from the coastal village of Pallimunai had then moved to the Mannar town carrying the boat destroyed in the shooting and staged a demonstration shouting anti-LTTE slogans and demanding the release of three fishermen allegedly abducted by the Tigers, according to police sources.

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6 TAMIL TIMES
Mannar police said several fishing boats off the shores of Vidathal theevu were damaged due to the shooting. The LTTE had earlier warned the fishermen in the area to refrain from fishing in the seas off the coast of Vedettelthievu since sea tiger activities were taking place there.
A spokeswoman for European cease-fire monitors, Helen Olafsdottir, confirmed the fishermen's attack, and said she was awaiting more details. A report in the TamilNet website said, “The political office of the Liberation Tigers in Mannar was attacked by group of persons Friday around 11 a.m. A unit of riot Police that was training in the vicinity arrested some of the attackers but released them soon after, according to neighbours. The group had come from Pallimunai, a coastal suburb of Mannar. The office was severely damaged, Police said." A further report on 19 February in the TamilNet website sated, “Mannar Bishop, Rt. Rev. Rayappu Joseph, wrote to the Liberation Tigers Saturday (19) regarding the incident at sea near Vidathalitheevu in which armed persons believed to be Sea Tigers fired on the boats of fishermen from Pallimunai, a coastal suburb of Mannar town, damaging the boats. Angered by the incident, a group fishermen from Pallimunai attacked and damaged the LTTE's political office in Mannar town Friday (18). “Federation of Mannar Fisheries Societies and Tamil National Alliance MP for Vanni, Mr. Selvam Adaikalanathan discussed the issue with Pallimunai fishermen and reached a consensus that steps should be taken forthwith to resolve the dispute through a dialogue with the LTTE.
“Pallimunai fishermen said that they strongly objected to the sea Tigers firing on their boats and damaging their engines.
The sea Tigers had fired on Pallimunai boats in a bid to stop the fishermen from dynamiting fish in the seas off Vidathal theevu, according to sources close to the LTTE in Mannar. A decision was taken at a meeting held Pallimunai St. Lucias Cathedral Friday on the instruction of the Bishop of Mannar to take up the matter with the LTTE. Mannar Bishop vrote to Mr. S.PThamilchelvan Saturday seeking an early appointment to discuss and resolve the problem.
"Mannar Bishop called an urgent meeting following the attack on the LTTE office Friday with representatives of Vidathaltheivu and Pallimunai fisheries societies. It was decided at the meeting that representatives of Pallimunai and Vidathal theivu fisheries societies should visit Killinochchi and meet the Sea Tigers and political leaders of the LTTE to find an amicable settlement to the dispute."
O Lanka Donors express support in wake of Tsunami
Jan 25 - The Co-Chairs of Tokyo Conference of Sri Lanka Donors after their meeting at Brussels in Belgium on 25 January, in a joint press statement issued by them, "welcomed the ongoing effective response by the GoSL and the LTTE in distributing humanitarian aid" and urged the donors to "ensure (that) the implementation of Tsunami assistance is sensitive to and strengthens the Peace Process.'
The full text of the joint statement is as follows: l. The Sri Lanka donor Co-chairs came together today to express their support to Sri Lanka in the wake of the tsunami disaster and to evaluate how best to build confidence and strengthen the Peace Process.
2. The Co-chairs of the Tokyo Conference on Reconstruction and Development of Sri Lanka (the United States, the European Union, Japan and Norway) met in Brussels 25 January 2005 to further discuss their support for the Peace Process following the tsunami disaster that hit the North, the East and South coasts of Sri Lanka 26 December.
3. The Co-chairs joined the international community in expressing deep felt sympathy and their support to the reconstruction of the devastated areas in all parts of Sri Lanka. They further

FEBRUARY 2005
expressed their gratitude to the people of Sri Lanka who unself. ishly and regardless of their own suffering caused by the disaster helped rescue many foreign tourists hit by the tidal wave.
4. They welcomed - as a sign of reconciliation - the statements by the government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the wake of the tsunami addressing all victims of the disaster regardless of ethnic and religious origin. They welcomed the overall well functioning practical collaboration on the ground between the two parties in the North and the East.
5. Co-chairs welcomed the ongoing effective response by the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE in distributing humanitarian aid to people of all ethnic and religious communities and political affiliations. They also welcomed the very effective and impressive local and private response of the Sri Lankan people to assist the victims of the tsunami disaster.
6. The Co-chairs support the Government and the LTTE ef. forts too strengthen cooperation on assistance for relief, rehabilitation and development in the tsunami affected areas of the North and East.
7. Co-chairs emphasised that in the midst of this tremendous natural disaster, renewed opportunities exist to build confidence and to strengthen the Peace Process.
8. The Co-chairs support donors in their efforts to ensure that the implementation of the tsunami assistance is sensitive to and strengthens the Peace Process.
9. The Co-chairs called on donors and all parties to ensure that tsunami assistance adheres to basic principles of equity, transparency and accountability. It should be focused on objective local needs and priorities. The participation of local and international civil society and all political parties will be crucial.
10. Co-chairs called on international donors and aid organizations to cooperate and coordinate their tsunami assistance with each other and with all relevant parties in Sri Lanka.
11. They called on the government and the LTTE to do their utmost to continue to respect and observe the Ceasefire Agreement as the basis for the Peace Process and were pleased to note that, by and large, the ceasefire has been upheld for almost three years with the very able assistance of the Nordic Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission. The ceasefire allows donors to continue to address the needs of the poor and conflict affected people in the whole of the country.
12. The Co-chairs also reassured their continued full confidence in and support to Norway's challenging task as facilitator.
13. The Co-chairs noted again that a peace settlement can only be sustained if it respects the legitimate rights and involvement of all ethnic groups, preserves the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and is based on the principles of democracy and respect of human rights.
14. The Co-chairs agreed to meet again in the coming months to further discuss the advancement of the Peace Process.
O Muslim dimension neglected by Co-Chairs
Feb. 9 - The Coordination Centre for Relief and Rehabilitation (CCRR), an umbrella group of over 50 Muslim organisations, has expressed regret that the Co-Chairs of the Tokyo Conference on Reconstruction and Development, did not deal with the Muslim dimension of Sri Lanka's post tsunami situation.
While acknowledging the immediate assistance rendered in the aftermath of the tsunami to all communities including Muslims by the international community, state agencies and civil society, the CCRR in a communication to the Co-Chairs of the Tokyo Conference, has requested them to be adequately mindful of the needs of the Muslims who have been hardest hit, without in anyway depriving Sinhalese and Tamil victims of their just due.
In a press release the CCRR said, “The Muslim community has

Page 7
FEBRUARY 2005
suffered considerable losses with over 50 percent of the total deaths and a similar proportion of properties and livelihood lost. But the co-chairs have failed to reflect, the need to include Muslims too in the relief, rehabilitation and development process.
We urge them to do so in the spirit of the Tokyo declaration which recognized the right of Muslims to be included in the peace process."
The CCRR said it finds disturbing that in responding to the destruction caused by the tsunami, intentionally or otherwise, the authorities have not been equitable. The action taken by state agencies, it said, had not been commensurate to the damage inflicted in the eastern province and more particularly in the Ampara district, which suffered the highest death toll and property loss in the country.
“Debris is still scattered around, while there are many complaints of even relief supplies not reaching transitional camps. The lethargy shown by responsible officials in not visiting affected areas, even weeks after the tragedy, has added to the sense of helplessness among the people,' the CCCR said.
OLTTE wants aid thro NGOs
Jan 29 - The LTTE's supremo, Velupillai Prabhakaran, has asked international donors to disburse their tsunami-related assistance to the Tamil-speaking North East Sri Lanka through their own NGOs, circumventing the Sri Lankan government.
This was revealed by the outfit's political advisor, Anton Balasingham, on 28 February in a speech at a refugee camp in Mullaitivu, an area controlled by the LTTE in North East Sri Lanka.
Balasingham's speech was posted in the website of the LTTE's Peace Secretariat.
According to Balasingham, Prabhakaran told the visiting Norwegian Foreign Minister, Jan Petersen, that he was not insisting that the international donors give the aid directly to the LTTE. They could use their own NGOs to disburse the aid in the North East, he said. What they should not do, was to channel it through the Sri Lankan government, which had a tendency to discriminate against the Tamils, Prabhakaran had said.
Reflecting the Supremo's stand, Balasingham said that the LTTE would not join any national level body on tsunami relief and reconstruction set up by the Sri Lankan government.
"The government is trying to bring disaster management, including the disbursement of international aid, under one national umbrella. Our experience of such structures is that discrimination of the Tamil region would again creep into this humanitarian equation, resulting in Tamil habitats being left out of the national programme,” Balasingham said.
"Our leader has reiterated this point to the facilitators (peace brokers) when he met the Norwegian Foreign Minister and suggested that the international community need not deliver aid directly to the LTTE, but utilise its own NGO mechanism to disburse and monitor aid towards rebuilding the North East,” he said.
The LTTE leader's stand, as enunciated by Balasingham, means that the LTTE did not agree with the government's plan to have a national-level multi-ethnic body to receive and disburse aid, a body, which will include the LTTE's representatives.
Clearly, the LTTE does not want to be part of any national body. From the stand taken so far, it is also clear that the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), which is the LTTE's proxy in the Sri Lankan parliament, will not join the national body. The TNA has so far boycotted all meetings convened at national committees on tsunami related matters.
O Expats pour in Rs.625m
for tsunami relief
Feb 2 - Sri Lankan expatriates and well wishers all over the
world have contributed a total of Rs. 625 million for tsunami relief

TAMIL TIMES 7
and rehabilitation efforts. These contributions were channelled through the Sri Lanka Missions which mobilised expatriate Sri Lankans and well wishers, business communities and organisations in their host countries towards the national rebuilding effort following the disaster.
A large number of expatriates and well-wishers also contributed directly to Sri Lanka government agencies, NGOs and other institutions, a Foreign Ministry release said on 2 February.
The appeal for contributions launched by Sri Lanka Diplomatic Missions has received an overwhelming response throughout the world. In some countries locals have started fund raising campaigns. The staff of Sri Lanka Missions abroad and Foreign Ministry in Colombo, have also voluntarily initiated a collection, which stands at Rs. 6 million.
Financial contributions have been complemented with an outpouring of large consignments of relief items and material, including processed food, water purification tablets, blankets, tarpaulin sheets, tents, medicines, kitchen equipment, dry rations etc.
Transport of these items has been facilitated mainly by Sri Lankan Airlines and also through Emirates, Qatar Airways and shipping agents in those countries.
All funds received through Sri Lanka Missions will be utilised for the construction of new housing units for some of the 80,000 families who have lost their dwellings decided by President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar.
The relief items and material sent by the Sri Lanka Missions have been consigned to the Ministries of Healthcare, Nutrition & Uva - Wellassa Development and Women's Empowerment & Social Welfare for distribution to the needy areas.
The Foreign Ministry Seva Vanitha Unit has opened a special account titled Foreign Ministry Seva Vanitha - Tsunami Orphans Fund for contributions towards an SOS village in Komari, in the East, where children who have been orphaned following the tsunami disaster will be provided shelter and care.
O Govt, LTTE asked to focus on relief, not peace process
Feb 6 - The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) has blamed the Government and the LTTE for not placing priority in focussing on providing relief to the tsunami affected people. It has objected to mixing the tsunami relief efforts and the peace process. SLMC General Secretary, Hasan Ali specifically says the government must strictly focus on the distribution of aid relief and then the reconstruction and resettlement work in the north and east.
He says at present the government was trying to confuse the public by mixing the relief efforts and the peace process. He charged that the LTTE's proposal to evolve a mechanism comprising an apex body of three persons by including one Sinhalese, one Tamil and one Muslim while also proposing an 11 member regional committee comprising six Tamils, three Muslims and two Sinhalese were all aimed at finding a solution to the ethnic crisis and not to solve the immediate needs of the tsunami victims.
"I feel the government and the LTTE are trying to mix up their priorities. This is not the time to play politics but to seriously think of those people who are hard hit by the tsunami,” he told a Colombo Sunday newspaper, Sunday Leader.
He said within the northeast the most affected community was the Muslim community and added so far the government has not involved the Muslims in any of the discussions held in Colombo or elsewhere. "It is the affected people who should be invited to discuss and not officials who know nothing about the suffering of the people at the grassroots," he charged. He says if the people's views are not taken into consideration in rebuilding the nation, it will not be a successful endeavour.
According to him, in Ampara alone 20,980 Muslim families are affected while 5,991 have been killed by the tsunami. Approximately 1,468 have gone missing while 1 1,980 have been injured.

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8 TAMIL TIMES
He says 11,376 houses are completely damaged while 5,970 houses are partly damaged. Twenty three mosques, 20 schools and four hospitals have been damaged in Ampara he said.
In Batticaloa some 4,723 Muslim families have been affected while 105 have been killed. Ninety four have gone missing and 455 have been injured. 2,305 houses are completely damaged while 3,259 houses are partly damaged. Eleven mosques are damaged while six schools and two hospitals have also been damaged.
He says in Trincomalee an estimated 1 1,096 Muslim families have been affected while 715 have been killed. A total of 142 have gone missing while 905 have been injured. An estimated 2,674 houses are completely damaged while 1,572 houses are partly damaged. Meanwhile 15 mosques, 10 schools and two hospitals are also damaged, he said.
“While the Muslim community has faced enormous damage and injury the government seems to be showing little concern about this community,” Ali further said.
OLTTE and Muslims holds talks
Feb 14 - Batticaloa and Ampara based Muslim civilian rganisations held lengthy discussions with top LTTE leaders in Kathankudy. The discussion was centred on restoring the “ancestral Tamil-Muslim affinity and solidarity.
"Tamils and Muslims, principally by virtue of their mother tongue and historical habitation of the East with togetherness, have a commonality when it comes to sharing power and enjoying freedom with equality in this island and therefore we must make use of this opportunity of restored ancestral Tamil-Muslim affinity and solidarity that has been achieved now to strengthen the ties between the two communities' said Mr.Abdul Jawath, Vice President, Federation of Mosques and Muslim Institutions, said during the meeting.
S.P..Tamilselvan, Head of the LTTE Political Division in response emphasised unity that prevailed between the two communities and regretted that political forces that were interested in power and not peoples' interests, created dissension which resulted in suspicion and fear over each other. "We understand and recognise that the Muslim people do have problems over land and their identity and we trust that the right environment has now been created for both the communities to work in unison respecting each others rights' said Tamilselvan said.
Muslim religious heads and representatives from Muslim Civilian Based Organisations from Oddamavadi, Valaichenai, Eravur, Batticaloa, Kattankudy, Nintavur, Sammanthurai, Kalmunai and Amparai participated in this meeting at the LTTE District Political Office in Kokkatticholai.
The various Mosque federations and Jamiat Ulamas reiterated that the day-to-day problems faced by the Muslim peasantry relates to their lands and that the new LTTE leadership in BatticaloaAmparai namely Marshall had convinced them that sincere and genuine attempts are being made to settle all disputes through frequent interaction. They also expressed their sense of satisfaction in the manner in which senior LTTE leadership has comprehended the problems and the right approach with which they have moved forward in bringing about amity.
ONo bias in tsunami relief distribution
Feb 8 - Colombo: Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister has strongly rejected Tamil Tigers' charges that distribution of tsunami relief in his country was coloured by "ethnicity, race or region".
“We have to recognise the tsunami led to utter devastation in the entire country, in the north, east and the south of Sri Lanka. The tsunami has been no respecter of ethnicity, race or region. There is no question, therefore, of taking any stand except an equitable one in terms of allocation of resources to all the devastated areas," said Lakshman Kadirgamar.
In making out a case that the Tamil people were being discriminated against in relief distribution, the Liberation Tigers of

FEBRUARY 2005
Tamil Eelam (LTTE), he said, was engaging in the "usual political propaganda to elicit sympathy'. Aid has been despatched to all the badly affected areas "without exception', he said. "You cannot give this a political colour, you have to set political considerations aside...," he said, adding however that his own reports indicated the Tigers had taken some government relief material and distributed it in their name.
Striking a conciliatory tone he also said the only way to get reconstruction going is "a cooperative effort", pitching strongly for a joint working arrangement with the Tigers.
On the prickly question of the Tigers receiving funds directly from donor countries he was unambiguous. "Only a sovereign government of Sri Lanka can receive foreign funds. There can be no other recipient but the government." He said funds and relief material from donor countries and NGOs must be routed through a government panel which can then be held accountable for the distribution.
"The arrangements are by no means final, but it is our endeavour to ensure the widest participation of government through the Government Agents, LTTE representatives through the body they have approved, the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), Sinhalese representatives, NGOs and donor countries." He called on “the LTTE to be more flexible'.
Dispelling reservations by the Tigers of the government's intent he said "while peace talks at this juncture could be protracted and complicated, a working arrangement for reconstruction and development cannot be allowed to become a problem.”
Confirming that there would be no peace talks until the victims of the tsunami had been rehabilitated, he said "With the tsunami, that has got to take a back seat.”
Asked if the government would accede to the LTTE's demand that the Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) to be the only item on the agenda if talks, stalled for some 20 months were to resume, he said "this is unacceptable". The time has come to consider an "overall settlement on the whole question of devolution.'
"There is room for discussion on the draft resolution of August 2000 where there is a clear provision for an interim authority to come into play, after an agreement is found on a final solution. The LTTE instead of discussing the options towards finding a final solution wants to begin with a final solution - the ISGA."
He said that in the Oslo agreement reached in 2002, the LTTE and the previous government led by former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe "agreed to explore the possibility of a negotiated settlement with the aim of establishing self administration based on a federal structure within an united Sri Lanka in areas of habitation of the Tamil speaking peoples."
"We have said, as has the previous government that this is acceptable," but since then the LTTE has changed tack by insisting that "the ISGA is the only basis for resumption of talks, seeming to go back on their commitment to a federal structure."
Asked whether Colombo would ever acquiesce to the LTTE's demand for a separate state, Tamil Eelam, he said “absolutely not” The LTTE have not given up their dream of a separate state entirely, he said, and more worryingly, have made several oblique references to it in recent months. "Nobody is clear, least of all the LTTE, on what they want."
OLTTE demands “paramilitaries” to be disarmed
Feb 14- LTTE's political strategist and chief negotiator, Mr. Anton Balasingham, told Norwegian facilitators that the Sri Lankan government had to take steps to restore confidence in the peace process, in particular by disarming paramilitaries working alongside its armed forces and establish a joint mechanism with the LTTE for post-tsunami aid, according to report in the TamilNet website.
Mr. Balasinghamtold a Norwegian delegation comprising Special Envoy Mr. Erik Solheim and Foreign Ministry official Ms. Lisa

Page 9
FEBRUARY 2005
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Golden which met him in London on 14 February that "The Sri Lankan government needs to contribute to a conducive and congenial climate for the resumption of peace talks in two specific ways. Firstly, it should disarm the paramilitary forces functioning with the Army or integrate them into its armed forces and station them outside the North-East. The government needs to do this with immediate effect,' Mr. Balasingham reportedly said.
"The other aspect of creating a conducive climate for peace talks is that the government should end its intransigence to creating a joint mechanism with the LTTE to distribute post-tsunami relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance as soon as possible," Mr. Balasingham said.
The Norwegian officials met with Mr. Balasingham for three hours at his London residence. Their discussions focused on how to resume the stalled negotiations and the urgent need to establish a joint mechanism to distribute the post-tsunami international assistance, the Tamil Net irport added.
Mr. Solheim is scheduled to fly to Colombo on February 20 on a five-day official visit, sources in Colombo said.
O Freehouses for the displaced
Feb 10 - The government will implement a programme to provide newly built houses free of charge to all persons who are likely to be deprived of their houses due to the introduction of the 100 metre coastal buffer zone, the Presidential Secretariat said in a press release issued on 9 February,
It said, "The government has now taken action to implement programmes to provide with newly built houses free of charge to all persons who will be deprived of the opportunity to construct their own houses on land belonging to them as a result of setting this limit of 100 metres from the coastline. The government which draws the attention of the general public to the massive damage of
 
 

TAMIL TIMES 9
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life and property caused by the recent Tsunami Tidal Waves, earnestly request the people to refrain from any attempts to construct dwellings on land belonging to them coming within this limit of 100 metres of the coastal belt.
"After the massive damage to life and property that was caused by the tsunami tidal waves of 26 December 2005, the government has decided to make the coastal belt of Southern Sri Lanka within 100 metres from the coastline and coastal belt of Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka within 200 metres from the coastline a region free of permanent human residence and devoted only to the growing of economic crops.
"Relevant government institutions and organizations like the Coast Conservation Department, the Meteorological Department and the Central Environmental Authority and many groups of citizens possessing "wide knowledge about the subject including University Professors have agreed to the decision taken by the government. Although in the Coast Conservation Management plans and other documents prepared earlier, varied limits have been prescribed for different stretches of the coastal belt taking into consideration factors such as altitude of the land, and also geographical and climatic factors, the scientific personnel referred to above have expressed the view that setting a distance limit for activity in the coastal belt is essential in view of the geographical changes that have now taken place in the coastline."
O Telecom to expand
in Northeast
Feb 11 - Sri Lanka Telecom, the biggest telephone company in
the country, has said it will expand and upgrade its networkin areas
controlled by Tamil Tigers betting that the ceasefire with the gov
ernment will continue into a fourth year.
The Colombo-based company, 35.2 percent owned by Nippon

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10 TAMIL TIMES
Telegraph & Telephone of Japan, plans to expand its cellphone and fixed-line network in the northeast. The company will soon open the biggest microwave-transmission tower on the island in the government-controlled city of Jaffna in the north, the chief executive, Shuhei Anan, said recently.
Though peace talks remain stalled, the ceasefire between the Government and the LTTE is holding and this is providing a chance to upgrade infrastructure that was barely maintained during the civil war, a task that Anan said has become urgent after the Dec. 26 tsunami. The disaster killed more than 31,000 Sri Lankans and damaged many telephone lines.
It is reported that the LTTE which controls certain parts of the northeast, has welcomed the telephone company's expansion, especially since much of the area it controls has no telephone network. "We have had no lines or electricity in Mullativu and other LTTE areas with the exception of Kilinochchi, Trincomalee and Batticaloa,' Daya Master, a Tamil Tiger spokesman, is quoted to have said in a telephone interview from Kilinochchi in northern Sri Lanka. "We have made a request for phone lines and we will allow phone companies to set up towers and offices in our territory in the future.'
.Sri Lanka Telecom, which is 49.5 percent owned by the island's government, is funding its expansion in part with $100 million raised last year in the first global bond sale by a Sri Lankan company. "Sri Lanka Telecom's plans to expand north is a good idea but it all hinges on the peace factor," Chitra Sathkumara, chief executive of Unit Trust Management in Colombo is quoted as saying. "Telecom is a company to hold long-term, at least for two years because of its potential to expand its fixed and mobile network,' Sathkumara had said.
"There are many opportunities to expand in the northeast," Anan said. He said he did not expect the civil war to resume, adding that the company was not paying taxes or levies to the LTTE. O The need to refocus
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FEBRUARY 2005
on peace process
The National Peace Council of Sri Lanka in a press release issued on 11 February said, "The assassination of the LTTE's eastern political leader Kausalyan and the killings of five others, including former TNA parliamentarian Chandra Nehru who was also a member of the North East Secretariat on Human Rights serve as a grim reminder of the flawed and fragile nature of the current, ceasefire in which violations of the Ceasefire Agreement and of human rights have proliferated. The recent killings have also shattered the hopes of people that the tsunami tragedy would have brought reconciliation between the conflicting parties. The UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's condemnation of the killings as a setback to the peace process highlights the gravity of the situation and the concern of the international community.
The National Peace Council condemns the killing of Kausalyan and others in a highly militarised part of the east between Welikanda and Punani. Those who are parties to the Ceasefire Agreement must do their utmost to honour the agreement and to ensure protection to one another. When unarmed LTTE cadre and civilians pass through government-controlled territory the need for tightened security precautions on both sides becomes necessary as indeed required by the Ceasefire Agreement.
The National Peace Council welcomes the government’s immediate condemnation of the killings. That there needs to be confidence building and positive action at this time is imperative in view of consistent accusations by the LTTE of alleged military connivance in the activities of the Karuna group. We call on the government to ensure that all unauthorised armed groups are disarmed as required by the Ceasefire Agreement and that the promise made in Parliament to appoint an independent commission of inquiry into this incident is followed up.
The aftermath of the tsunami disaster created humanitarian space that enabled members of the government and LTTE to come together on the ground to resolve the problems of the people. We recognise that their mutual focus was mainly on the provision of relief and the facilitation of relief efforts. However, the killing of Kausalyan and others, and the importance of the position that Kausalyan held serves as a clarion call to all sections of Sri Lankan society to give their primary attention to the speedy resumption of peace talks.
The equitable and efficient provision of relief to the victims of the tsunami cannot be separated from the urgent need re-activate the peace process. The support extended by the international community to Sri Lanka for the setting up of a shared mechanism for the disbursement of tsumani relief provides an opportunity for confidence building for both sides. It is imperative that this opportunity provided by the generosity of the international community be grasped. We appeal to the government and to the LTTE to utilise the goodwill generated by cooperation in the distribution of tsunami relief as a first step to revive the peace process without delay."
O 40 children recruited since tsunami- UNICEF
Jan 26 - Tamil Tigers Lanka had recruited 40 children since the tsunami hit the country a month ago, the U.N. children's agency, UNICEF, said on January 26, describing the practice as unacceptable. UNICEF said it was acting on complaints from families of the children recruited. Most of the 22 boys and 18 girls taken were aged between 15 and 17, it said.
We have 40 verified cases. UNICEF is very concerned about the recruitment," said Martin Dawyes, a UNICEF spokesman in Colombo.
Four cases were from tsunami survivor camps, and the others were recruited after the disaster from LTTE-controlled areas in the island's north and east, Dawyes said.
One of the recruits was 13 years old and the others were 17, he said. He confirmed that his organization had complained to the LTTE leadership a few days earlier over 29 specific cases, but the

Page 11
FEBRUARY 2005
Tigers had not yet responded.
UNICEF said most of the villages where the recruitment took place were inland, and were not affected by the tsunami. "We feel that this is not a direct campaign by the LTTE to recruit tsunami survivors, but obviously there is an increase in the recruitment which is totally unacceptable," said Geoffrey Keele, another UNICEF spokesman. UNICEF had hoped that the LTT would have ended this practice, specially at a time like now when everybody have suffèred so much,”Keele said.
Sri Lankan military officials confirmed the UNICEF report, saying the army also had encountered cases about which they had reported to various child care agencies.
UNICEF was focusing its efforts on providing relief for hundreds of thousands of survivors displaced by the tsunami, but was continuing to monitor alleged cases of child abuse and recruitment by the LTTE, he said.
Only two weeks earlier, UNICEF charged that three children were taken by the Tigers. But two of them, girls ages l l and 12, were later reunited with their parents. The fate of the third was not known. The LTTE denied any were recruited.
O Steps taken to help Jaffna tsunami victims
Feb 12 - The Jaffna Government Agent said in addition to the provision of normal relief measures, steps were taken to rehabilitate the fisheries industry by providing the necessary equipment as most of the tsunami devastated people in the Jaffna district are fishermen.
Forty eight thousand seven hundred and forty eight (48748) people in the Jaffna district have been affected adversely by the tsunami disaster. Out of them 7,705 persons live in thirteen relief centres. Jaffna GA K. Ganesh said the means of living of the major
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TAMIL TIMES 11
ity of victims in the district are in the fisheries industry and if action is taken first to equip them with facilities to resume work in the fishing industry seventy percent of the problem will be solved. According to the statistics available, 827 fishing boats had been identified as those which could be put into use after repairs. The possibility of getting them repaired by the fisheries department is being explored.
Under Stagel, a sum often million rupees had been provided by the government to obtain boats and fishing equipment and ten new boats had been provided by the Fisheries Department. In addition, non-governmental organisations have provided fifty new boats in addition to assistance to purchase fishing boats and equipment.
Mr. Ganesh further said ninety percent of those affected had already been paid compensation by the government. Compensation of Rs. 15,000 had been paid to he relatives of 932 deceased persons. Payments in respect of 324 deceased persons from LTTEcontrolled areas had yet to be made and these payments have been delayed as the Grama Seva Niladharis in the areas concerned had not been able to provide properly the death certificates and documents relating to the identification of dead bodies. He further said that more than ninety percent of the victims had been paid Rs. 2,500 for the purchase of kitchen utensils and added that action was being taken to pay an additional sum of Rs. 5,000 per family through the Bank of Ceylon or the People's Bank.
The GA stated more than 4,000 houses in the Jaffna District had been destroyed completely by the tsunami disaster. Ten schools situated within one hundred metres limit would have to be shifted to different locations. He said the meal allowance of Rs. 40 for an adult and Rs. 30 for a child is not sufficient and that he had requested the Social Services Ministry to increase it.
O Aquestion of helicopter rides
Feb 12- Reports from Colombo indicate that the Sri Lankan the Air Force is likely to be called upon more frequently to fly key LTTE leaders and cadres within the northern and eastern provinces. This is because of the increased level of danger they might face for their security particularly taking account of the recent ambush on 7 February in which the LTTE's AmparaBatticaloa political wing leader E. Kaushalyan and four other cadres including former TNA Member of Parliament Ariyanayagam Chandra Nehru were waylaid and killed suspected to be by loyalists of the LTTE's renegade commander Karuna.
"There is going to be a sharp increase in their requests," a military official said, adding, "We are in a dilemma. They accuse us of facilitating attacks on them and then they ask us for escorts.”
LTTE's senior leaders have now and then relied on the helicopter facility provided by the Sri Lankan Air Force to travel within the Northeast and between Kilinochchi and Colombo. Though the LTTE has blamed the Sri Lankan military for the killings, it should be noted that several of the senior leaders of the LTTE, availed of this facility provided by the Air Force to travel from Kilinochchi to attend the funerals of the slain Kousshalyan and others which took place in the east of the island. Some of them had been flown to Sampoor, Trincomalee while the rest, including Thamilchelvan and Ampara-Batticaloa Special Commander Bhanu, had reached Karadiyanaru in the LTTE-held area where they paid their last respects to Kaushalyan.
Trincomalee 'military commander' Sornam and two others had also been flown to Sampoor earlier. They also had to be flown back to the Vanni.
A senior Air Force officer is quoted as saying that while the Air Force would be happy to continue providing this helicopter facility to the LTTE, what they were unhappy about was the unsubstantiated accusations made by LTTE and TNA leaders of a secret link between the military and the Karuna faction in targeting the LTTE cadres. O

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12 TAMIL TIMES
Senior LTTE leader a
others killed in amb
Feb 7 - Mr. E. Kousalyan, head of the LTTE's political division for Batticaloa-Amparai district was killed in an ambush on the highway to Batticaloa on 7 February, Monday evening around 7.45, Sri Lanka military sources said. Three persons who were travelling with him were also killed and four were injured including two policemen in the attack which took place between Sri Lanka army garrisons at Welikanda and Punanai, northwest of Battialoa, according the military. Mr. Kousalyan was travelling with Mr. Ariyanayagam Chandra Nehru, former TNA MP for Amparai district, who was seriously injured in the ambush. The incident took place near Welikanda near the Polannaruwa - Batticaloa district border.
Mr. Kousalyan is the most senior LTTE official to be killed after Colombo and Tigers signed a cease fire in February 2002. He was returning from Vanni after discussing the expansion plans for Tsunami rehabiltation in the east, LTTE sources said. The military identified two of the dead as Mathimaran and Kumanan, both members of the LTTE. The injured policemen were providing escort to Mr. Chandra Nehru's vehicle.
The Tigers blamed paramilitary operatives working with the Sri Lankan armed forces for the attack. LTTE officials added that Mr. Kousalyan was accompanied by Vinothan, Puhalan, Senthamil and Nithimaran in his journey from Kilinochchi to Batticaloa.
Meanwhile, the Liberation Tigers cadre who escaped the killing said that the assassins had followed them in a van which overtook their vehicle at a lonely place near a village called Namalgama and blocked the road.
All the assailants were dressed in Sri Lankan military type uniforms and had asked the passengers in Mr. Ariyanayagam Chandra Nehru's van to get down. The two police constables who were providing security to the former TNA MP didn't offer any resistance as the assassins were in military fatigues, according to the LTTE cadre who escaped the murder.
Serious Setback - LTTE
Feb 8 - "We fear that these killings
would have a seriou manitarian relief we and for the recomm talks. The Tamil pec manitarian workers a community shouldn ements that are work Tamil unity,” said th the LTTE in a press Full text of the pres: “Killing of humi the post-tsunami sc set-back to relief ar forts and the peace p Mr. Koushalyan Batticaloa-Amparai his team that was ret from Kilinochchi al the District level di rehabilitation, recon opment in the pos with the leadership, ambush group ofmil last night around 19 Lt.Col. Koushal Major Senthamilan himaran attained Ma destine attack that t tion between the S complexes at Welik the border area of naruwa and Valaicht Killing of LTTE political and huma travelling across a C controlled area, is a the Cease Fire Agree vides for the trave members. The local two SL military ch uniformed position indicators to the nex with the military.
The Sri Lanka (SLMM) should tak attack vis-a-vis the ( and make the inte privy of its finding killings would havi the humanitarian re now and for the peace talks. The over, humanitarian ternational commu ognise the elements
 

FEBRUARY 2005
, impact on the huck undertaken now 2ncement of peace ple world over, hund the international
ow recognise the eling hard to weaken e Political Wing of release.
release follows: initarian workers in enario is a serious d rehabilitation efrocess at large'
Head of the LTTE olitical division and urning to Batticaloa ter participating in scussions on relief, struction and develt-tsunami scenario was shot at by an itary uniformed men 45. yan, Major Puhalan, and Second Lt.Vitrtyrdom in this clanook place at a locari Lankan Military anda and Punani in Welikanda- Polonnai- Batticaloa. members engaged in litarian relief work, iovernment Military serious violation of ment (CFA) that proof unarmed LTTE ion, its proximity to ck - points and the of the attackers are ls the assailants have
Monitoring Mission e serious note of this Lurrent circumstances national community ... We fear that these a serious impact on ief work undertaken commencement of amil people world workers and the inity should now rechat are workinghard
to weaken Tamil unity.
The demise of Mr.Chandranehru Arianayagam, former Ampa rai District parliamentarian and Human Rights Activist who was travelling with Mr.Koushalyan, is an irreparable loss to the Tamil people at this time. Being a founder member of the NorthEast Secretariat On Human Rights (NESOHR), Mr. Chandranehru functioned vigilantly in the area of Human Rights violations in his district. His untimely demise is a serious loss to all Human Rights lovers. Considering the valuable services rendered by Mr. Chandranehru Arianayagam, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam confers on him post-humously the title of ‘Patriotic Citizen” and express condolences to his family members.” Govt condemns killing
The government of Sri Lanka in a statement issued on 8 February condemned the killing six personnel, including Mr. E. Kousalyan, head of the LTTE Batticaloa-Amparai political division and former parliamentarian of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Mr. Ariyanayagam Chandra Nehru and said that it was a violation of the ceasefire agreement. The statement released by the Director, Government Information Department, S.D. Piyadasa, said that “while these killings are the violation of the Ceasefire Agreement, their timing is also clearly calculated to disrupt the positive post-tsunami atmosphere of increasing co-operation between the GOSL and the LTTE on humanitarian issues.”
The government statement also called on all concerned to prevent further violations of the ceasefire gravely risking a return to conflict and, instead, support the peace process and move ahead.
The UN Secretary-General condemned the killings of Mr. E. Koushalyan, a senior political leader of the LTTE Eastern Province Division. A spokesman for Kofi Annan said, “The Secretary-General condemns the killings of Mr. E. Koushalyan, a senior political leader of the LTTE Eastern Province Division, and several colleagues traveling with him, when their vehicle came under attack yesterday evening. He extends his sincere condolences and deepest sympathies to the families of all the victims of these callous killings. "The Secretary-General urges all parties to exercise calm and restraint so as to avoid actions that could disrupt the Cease-fire Agreement of February 2002 or the long-term interest of peace in Sri Lanka.”

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FEBRUARY 2005
Govt cannot disclaim responsibility
The killings of LTTE Political Head for Batticaloa and Amparai districts, Mr.E.Koushalyan, TNA former parliamentarian Mr.A. Chandra Nehru and four others raise question as to "how such an attack was carried in an area, which has a strong Armed Forces presence. The question also arises as to who could have carried out such an attack without being deterred by the strongpresence ofArmed Forces. These factors have raised serious questions in the public mind in regard to the role and/or the complicity of the government and its Armed Forces in the attack. This attack is clearly aimed at destabilising the peace process. It is well known that there are some sinister forces in the country that have a vested interest in destabilizing the peace process.' said Mr.R.Sampanthan, TNA parliamentary group leader in a statement made in parliament on 9 February.
Koushalyan didn't heed military advice
Feb 9 - Meanwhile the Army said that the 33-year-old Ilayaythambi Lingarajah alias Kaushalayan, had travelled withoutprotection despite the army having warned him earlier not to travel in government-held areas without a military eSCOTt.
Batticaloa divisional commander Vajira Wijegunawardane said the incident might not have happened if Mr. Kaushalayan had heeded the military's advice. Maj. Gen. Wijegunawardane said that on several earlier occasions, Mr. Koushalyan had travelled in Air Force helicopters to the Wanni, but had returned to Batticaloa without informing the army. "At recent SLMM meetings, I requested the LTTE leaders not to travel without an escort due to threats and the SLMM had also asked the LTTE to follow the military advice,” he said.
The Major General said he recently deployed army personnel along the road that Mr. Koushalyan generally took on his return from the Wanni around midnight, though he had not asked for such protection adding that Mr. Koushalyan had a better rapport with the military than other LTTE leaders.
Military spokesman Brigadier Daya Ratnayake said the Army could not be blamed as Mr. Koushalyan had not heeded military advice to travel with an escort. “It is clearly mentioned in the ceasefire agreement, that when LTTE cadres travel in government-held areas
they should seek mi LTTE on Several oc plied with the requ Ratnayake said.
Meanwhile, an yesterday some "ol be behind the kill closely monitoring t ably referring to the SLMM spokes' sdottir said monito scene soon after be killings and investig ing. "The incident c internal dispute. Th interfereinsuch matters. tor the situation. It is po ements had carried outt clear lead,” she said.
Trinco and Battis Feb9-Trincom down completely as munities responded shut down (hartal) ings of Mr. E.Kousa head for BatticaloaAriyanayakam Chandra tional Alliance (TNA) others including three I Shops, governm vincial council offic thorities and non-g zations were closed ums also did not op{ ices came to a stand function. Branches private sector banks courts did not fun mostly deserted.
Red and yello were seen flying of and suburbs. The ri the Madathady junc trance to the east decorated with LT trolled villages in the general shut do seen all over the bu A total shutdo the Batticaloa distr eas of the Amparai death of Mr. Kous: in Batticaloa said t take place Thursd that he would be b memorial in Tha kilometers west B
LTTE leaders vis Feb. 9 - Head of Mr. S. P. Thamilch

TAMIL TIMES 13
Litary escort, but the asions had not comirement," Brigadier
SLMM official said her element' could ngs and they were he situation, presumKaruna faction.
woman Helen Olaf. 's had rushed to the ing informed of the ations were continuould be a result ofan at means We cannot Yetwewill closely monisible that some other elne attack, but we haveno
hut down alee district was shutmembers of all comto the call of general condemning the killlyan, LTTE Political Amparai district, Mr. Nehru former Tamil Naparliamentarian and four TTE cadres. centdepartments, proes, offices of localauovernmental organi. Schools ofall medin. State run bus servstill. Markets did not of State banks and did not operate. Law ction. . Roads were
v flags of the LTTE 1 houses in the town bund about located at tion, which is the enport town, was seen TE flags. LTTE conMuttur also observed wn. LTTE flags were ildings. wn was observed in ct and the coastal ardistrict to mourn the lyan. LTTE officials hat his funeral would ly, 10 February and uried at the martyr’s ndiyadi, about ten tticaloa town.
t LTTE Political Wing, lvan, LTTE's Special
Commander for Batticaloa, Col. Banu, Head of LTTE's Finance Division, Mr. S. Thamilenthi, LTTE Senior Member Mr. K. V. Balakumaran, and LTTE military commander Mr. S. Nagesh arrived in Karadiyanaru Maha Vithiyalam grounds in Batticaloa in a Sri Lanka Air Force helicopter and visited Mr. Kousalyan's wife Pushpa in Ampilanthoddai, Kokkadicholai and Kousalyan's mother and three sisters in Pandariyaveli in LTTE controlled area. Kousalyan was married in 22 March 2004, and Pushpa is reported to be 7 months pregnant.
This is the first visit to Batticloa by Thamilchelvan after former commander Karuna split from the LTTE.
The bodies of Kousalyan and his slain colleagues were taken to Kiran, 28 kilometres north of Batticaloa, for the people of the village to pay their last respects. Then the bodies were taken from the Ampara district to Batticaloa town on 10 February for the public to pay their last respects amid tight security by Sri Lankan armed forces. Tamil National Alliance MPs, religious and civil society leaders from the town spoke at the Deivanayagam Hall where the bodies of Mr. Kousalyan, his colleagues and ex. TNA MP Mr. Ariyanayagam Chandra Nehru lay. Mr. Chandra Nehru's body was taken to Thirukkovil, his ancestral village 76 kilometres south of Batticaloa. His funeral would be held there, according to his family. The bodies of the slain Tigers were taken from Krian to Thandiyadi Marty's Memorial later in the af. ternoon for burial.
Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan, head of LTTE's political division on 10 February, speaking at the funeral of Mr. E. Kousalyan, at Thandiyadi Martyr’s Memorial in Batticaloa, blamed the government for the killing. Senior LTTE leader, Mr. V. Balakumar, Col. T. Ramesh, Ms. Thamilini, head of LTTE Womens wing, TNA MPs and Mr. A.L.A. Abdul Javath, President of the Federation of Mosques in Batticaloa also spoke before Mr. Kousalyan's last rites. LTTE leaders Mr. S. Karikalan, Mr. E. Pararajasingham, head of Tamil Eelam Judiciary and Mr. Thamilenthi, head of LTTE's finance division were present at the last rites. Thousands of mourners thronged the Thandiyadi martyr’s memorial for the funeral.
TNF claims responsibility -
The Tamil National Force (TNF) - a para-military group under the joint com

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14 TAMIL TIMES
mand of the leader of the TamilBela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), V. Muralitharan (“Col” Karuna) and the Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front (ENDLF) - claimed responsibility for the killing of E. Kousalyan, a regional political wing leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The claim posted on the official website of the TMVP on 9 February said the ambush on Kousalyan was a "direct attack" unlike the killings by the LTTE of some of the supporters of Col. Karuna, who were "shot when they were asleep”. The claim was signed by Cheran of the Tamil National Force. Refuting the LTTE's version that the attack was carried out by para-military groups working with the Sri Lanka Army, the TNF blamed the LTTE “under the leadership of" V. Prabakaran as "the reason for not attaining Tamil Eelam" and warned that “all supporters" of Mr. Prabakaran “will be considered as traitors of the Tamils.' gDon ft make false allegation that it was the Sri Lanka Army that attacked Kaushalyan and others, h the statement emphasized adding that TNF had no obligation to defend the Sri Lankan Army, but gwish only to put the record
straight h. It also u and learn to accept said. It also insinu; LTTE leaders like Tamilselvan, Kari Thamilenthi and oth obtaining help from tary to travel in its A
“Killings highligh weaknesses in Ce: New York, Feb 1 human rights organis Watch, said on l l F. ings of a senior Tam: former parliamental need for all sides to a concerns in the Sri ess, In its statemen lows:
On February 8, political head of the gers of Tamil Eelam ern Batticaloa-Ampa in an ambush in a go area while returning Kilinochchi on pos recovery work. Five voy were also Chandranehru Ariay
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ged the LTTE to try he truth, the report ted that it was the
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I - The international ation. Human Rights bruary that the kill| Tiger official and a ian underscored the ddress human rights Lankan peace proc, HRW said as fol
E. Kaushalyan, the rebel Liberation Ti(LTTE) in the eastrai region, was killed vernment-controlled from discussions in t-tsunami relief and members ofhis conkilled, including anayagam, a former
parliamentarian and a member of the LTTE human rights body, the North East Secretariat on Human Rights (NESOHR). While the perpetrators of the killings are not yet known, it is widely believed that they were carried out by forces loyal to Colonel Karuna, who broke away from the LTTE in March. Some in the LTTE have accused government forces of complicity, though no evidence has been of fered.
“These killings are particularly disturbing as they may signify a dangerous new round of politically motivated violence,' said Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch. “This kind of violence and intimidation undermines the ceasefire and hinders the post-tsunami relief and rehabilitation work going on right now.”
Political killings have continued in Sri Lanka despite the ceasefire between the government and LTTE that has been in effect since 2002. Frequent political murders and violent clashes between LTTE members and persons loyal to Karuna pose a grave threat to civilian security in eastern Sri Lanka. The LTTE has long carried out politically motivated killings (continued on next page)
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FEBRUARY 2005
post-tsunami Sri
At the beginning of the tsunami disaster, there was clear sign that both sides in the island's protracted conflict having realised the urgent need to provide relief to the affected people and rebuild the devastated areas had decided, where necessary to work jointly in the coming months. Many welcomed this partnership because it would also help to build mutual trust useful when negotiating a political settlement to the conflict. The feeling of togetherness amongst the people with diverse ethnic and religious af. filiations that sprung instantly was remarkable. The newly emerged harmonious environment also gave renewed hope for reconciliation and national unity. Many thought the tragedy had presented a good opportunity for securing permanent peасе. Timely communal help
The Tamil daily Thinakkural reported on December 30: "50 lorries loaded with rice, sugar and cooked food arrived from Uhana, Amparai, Kandy, Mahiyangana and Polannaruwa with relief for the Tamil coastal villages north of Kalmunai. Owing to bridges and roads being damaged between Periyanilawanai
and Onthachimada Kottai Kallar among lated. The Sinhalese on their heads and S distances as far as victims not reached and unselfishness o diers seen during t the people ofall rac on December 26 ha (e.g. UTHR(J) in No.37 released on There have also b LTTE cadres have 1 cluding soldiers an
On December to extend their 'fu the Government, fo by President Chand LTTE leader Velu where she called ul the Government ir the country back to the tsunamitragedy Leader S.P. Thami spite both the Gove having many differ was a time to sink and work together
(continued from page 14) in order to strengthen its hold over the north and east of Sri Lanka, and has used violence and intimidation against perceived opponents to its claim that it is the solerepresentative of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka.
The February 8 killings may have been a violation of the ceasefire agreement and should be investigated by the Norwegian-led Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), putin place to monitor the ceasefire. The monitoring mission has publicly stated that these killings do not fall within its remit.
“The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission should urgently investigate these killings and strengthen its human rights monitoring capability,” said Adams. "Failure to do so would affect its credibility and engender mistrust from the very population it is meant to protect."
In a welcome ifunusual move, the Sri Lankan government has condemned the
killing of LTTE lea man Rights Watch ment must do more the killing. In light ity by government ment should immed mission of inquiry ensure that proceed are credible and tra
Human Right while LTTE officia this case, the Tamil carrying out politi ings with impuni there have been nu attempted murders as well as assassina of the rebel group' ics.
'For the cease volved parties, inclu community, must t ensure that human major part of the pr
 

TAMILIMES 15
m, Periya Kallar and g other areas were iso: people carried relief houlders and walked
5 miles to succour so far.” The courage If the Sri Lankan solheir efforts to rescue es from certain death ve been documented formation bulletin
January 10, 2005). een instances where escued Sinhalese ind Muslims. 31, the LTTE agreed llest' cooperation to llowing an invitation lrika Kumaratunga to pillai Prabhakaran, pon the LTTE to join its efforts to bring ) normalcy following , LTTE political wing lselvan said that dernment and the LTTE inces of opinions, this
all such differences for the benefit of the
der Kaushalyan. Husaid that the governthan simply condemn ofa possible complicforces, the governiately establish a coninto the deaths and lings and conclusions Insparent.
S Watch stated that ls were the victims in Tigers have also been cally motivated killty. Since November lmerous murders and of LTTE members, tions and abductions s opponents and crit
fire to work, all inlding the international ake stronger steps to rights protection is a ocess,” said Adams.O
people. R. Sampanthan, the TNA parliamentary group leader who along with his colleagues in the alliance function as spokespersons of the LTTE said in an interview: "Not only the Government, but even the Sinhalese people are rushing to help us”.
Foreign visitors optimism
Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell on January 7 told reporters at the Colombo International Airport before leaving Sri Lanka after a tour of the southernareas by helicopter: “Ifall Sri Lankans come together to deal with this common catastrophe, this common crisis, and work with each other and cooperate with each other, then perhaps that spirit of cooperation can be elevated and extended into the political dialogue and find a way forward to a political solution to this longstanding crisis between the government and LTTE." (The transcript of Powell's remarks issued by the U.S. Department of State Office of the Spokesman Nairobi, Kenya on January 7, 2005).
UNSecretary General Kofi Annan at the end of his two-day tour of tsunamiravaged Sri Lanka told a news conference at the Presidential Secretariat he had raised the issue of the peace process and the need to intensify it, during his meetings with President Chandrika Kumaratunga and leaders of other political parties including the Tamil National Alliance. He said: "I witnessed the terrible human tragedy and how the disaster has affected all sections of your people. All the people of this country have come together at this hour of need. I hope the political leaders will also follow the same attitude. If the whole nation comes together in this humanitarian work you will instill a level of confidence that will accelerate the peace process, and the UN will be there to help the peace process.”
Apparently the joint effort of the people in a spirit of solidarity, regardless of their ethnic and religious affiliations has also impressed many other foreign visitors. This was during the first phase of recovery after the tsunami disaster, when humanitarian assistance was the priority. The people on their own initiative moved in to help the affected people without any selfish motive. The absence of powerful' leaders and bureaucrats from the scene was ablessing. The accusations and counter accusations Started when the allocation of relief funds and essential supplies began. The initial euphoria that the tsunami that lashed the

Page 16
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island on December 26 causing extensive death and destruction could bring the warring parties together soon began to fade. Political struggle suspended
The LTTE has shown again its capacity to change strategies instantly according to changing situations without abandoning its political aims. Londonbased political strategist and LTTE's chief negotiator Anton Balasingham announced January 22 that the rebels were putting on hold the struggle for autonomy for the North-East region in order to deal with the aftermath of the tsunami disaster. He also said: "The political struggle will continue but we need to put that away now." Referring to the January 22 talks in Kilinochchi with the Norwegian facilitators, he said though the discussion did not give more emphasis on the current peace process, but the LTTE leader told the Norwegian delegation that reconstruction and rehabilitation programme of the Tsunami destroyed country should be implemented in such a way to build confidence at the national level, thus contributing to the peace building in the future. "Mr Prabhakaran has expressed his disillusionment that the government has not come forward with positive, confidence building measures to create mutual trust and understanding, which is crucial," he told the news conference. "The government has to do more to win the goodwill of the Tamil people." The policy of the LTTE all along has been to obstruct the government trying to win the hearts and minds of the Tamil people in the North-East and some compassionate army commanders in the - north, who won the admiration of the people, paid the ultimate price with their lives.
"Parochial politics is out of the equation at this hour,” Anton Balasingham said on the eve of the meeting in Colombo between the representatives of LTTE and Government Peace Secretariats to consider Government’s proposal for a threetiered structure at district, regional and national level to review and coordinate the post tsunami relief assistance. He explained that a structured common strategy was needed to ensure equitable distribution of the international aid. He also pointed out that this is the time for "struggle for economic emancipation that differs from our political freedom struggle at least for the time being.” At the same time, the LTTE ruled out talks on tsunami reconstruction being used to revive the country’s peace process. Sri Lanka's foreign minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar in an exclusive interview to
"The Hindu' on Ja that the governmen ing any attempt at resume the peace ta "The Governm donors by putting balancing two con not be given outri against the necessit areas, to have a sig implementation of construction projec on an agreed joint \ in the North-East' He is hoping succe tion of a joint work provide a new platf litical structure nee flict could be built new platform is als be seeking to put in cal structure.
The statements Sea Tiger unit, "C cated a shift toward knowledged the nee tion with the govern the onslaught of M clared that Governi sential for the reco nami-hit areas in til the LTTE cannot f own. He told the C terview (February "There should be for any committee construction of tsu North-East represer in each district.' E. Soosai said: "Wew any foreign group, military to come in eas. We need the he community. I don' eign groups are not they are thinking a LTTE. I urge them eas and see the sit silver lining appeal last pragmatism wo lasting peace is so political settlement communities. Buts as the statements o' and S.P. Thamilse Soosai's thinking. Dispute over join In as much as t all-party unity at on its terms, the L to co-operate in the ifa joint mechanism To the dismay of m the LTTE and Gov. tariats have not be

FEBRUARY 2005
nuary 27 confirmed t would not be makthis point in time to ilks.
ent, the LTTE and the their act together of :epts that funds canght to the LTTE, as y for the LTTE, in its gnificant hand in the rehabilitation and reits, must first decide vorking arrangement , the Minister said. sful co-implementaing arrangement will orm on which the poded to settle the con. Paradoxically, this what the LTTE will place its own politi
of the Head of the olonel” Soosai indis pragmatism. He acdfor close co-operament to recover from other Nature. He dement support was esInstruction of the tsuhe North-East, since ulfill this task on its baily News in his iny 1) in Mullaitivu: government officials appointed for the renami hit areas in the iting all ethnic groups arlier, on January 25 ill not deny access to including the foreign and work in our arlp of the international t know why the forcoming here. Maybe l the Tamils here are to come visit our aruation'. Suddenly, a red on the premise at uld play a part, when ught via a balanced acceptable to all the ome doubts emerged, fAnton Balasingham lvan did not reflect
t mechanism
he Government Want this calamitous time TTE too is prepared rebuilding task only his setup on its terms. any anxious persons, ernment peace secreenable to agree on a
joint mechanism for rehabilitation and reconstruction work in the North-East. "The Government of Sri Lanka is still dragging its feet over the establishment of a joint mechanism to take forward the reconstruction and rehabilitation of tsunami destroyed Tamil coastal areas in the “ northeast province,” said S. P. Thamilselvan, addressing a press conference in Kilinochchi following his two hour-talks with Norwegian Ambassador, Hans Brattskar on February 5. Government is “increasingly demonstrating its unwillingness to work with the LTTE in rebuilding the devastated areas,' he complained. "Their proposals for a joint mechanism are, in our opinion, impractical and are not worthy of our consideration,” he added. The LTTE wants the Government to accept its proposals, which as expected incorporate its longterm interests. The purpose of Ambassador's sudden visit to Kilinochchi was to convince the LTTE of the urgency to reach a compromise on the setting up a joint mechanism.
In as much as the Government is keen that the funds pledged by the donors should not be given directly to the LTTE or its proxies, the LTTE too wants the donors not to channel funds intended for rebuilding the North-East through the Government. The LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, according to his adviser Balasingham, had asked international donors to disburse their tsunami-related assistance to the Tamil-speaking North East Sri Lanka through their own NGOs, circumventing the Sri Lankan government. In this regard, Anton Balasingham's speech on January 27 at a refugee camp in Mullaitivu is pertinent. The LTTE leader Prabhakaran himself did not make any public statement after the meeting with the Norwegian visitors. According to Balasingham, Prabhakaran had told the Norwegian Foreign Minister, Jan Peterson, that he was not insisting that the international donors give the aid directly to the LTTE. They could use their own NGOs to disburse the aid in the North East. What they should not do was to channel it through the Sri Lankan government, which had a tendency to discriminate against the Tamils. Balasingham also said that the LTTE would not join any national level body on tsunami relief and reconstruction set up by the Sri Lankan government for this same reason. It is clear that the LTTE is not prepared to abandon its two nations concept and also disregard the parallel administration it runs in the North-East in any joint effort to rebuild the NorthEast.

Page 17
FEBRUARY 2005
Meanwhile, the JVP said it was against the proposed joint mechanism between the government and the LTTE to handle financial aid and other relief measures in affected areas in the North and East. The key partner in the coalition government said it believed the establishment of such a joint committee was a violation of the country's Constitution
Donors assessment and recommendations
In a preliminary needs assessment, the Asian Development Bank, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation and the World Bank have indicated Sri Lanka needs US$ 1.5 billion to implement ef. fectively a recovery and reconstruction strategy. They also stated US$ 500 million is needed in foreign funding this year alone. Their assessment differs significantly from the estimate of US$ 3.5 billion announced earlier by the Sri Lankan government for rebuilding. Importantly, the three major financiers called for a transparent mechanism to monitor the reliefand recovery effort and for including the Tamil Tiger rebels in the process. The donors will be reluctant to finance a national rebuilding plan that lacks the backing ofall stakeholders. The President is aware of this dilemma but not the JVP. It does not want any link with the LTTE. The dislike of the two radical groups - the JVP and the LTTE is mutual. The LTTE was behind the ugly incidents in Jaffna during the Prime Minister's visit as his companions were top JVP members. The JVP parliamentarians want to assert their authority disregarding the place and matters being discussed at crucial meetings. A case in point is the barging in of the district JVP parliamentarian at the meeting on January 31 in the Thirukkovil Divisional Secretary's (DS) office (Amparai district) between the local LTTE leaders and Government officials for setting up a committee for assisting Tsunami victims. Angered by this showmanship, the LTTE members walked out "objecting to the cheap political tactics used in promoting the JVP'. The JVP wants to be seen as the organisation truly helpful to the people at the present difficult time. But its relief work though appreciated by many has also been considered as not entirely altruistic. Incidentally, JVP is not the only party that has tied its own agenda to relief effort. The JVP factor compels the LTTE to be wary of the coalition government and to proceed with its own agenda. The former Sinhalese insurgents are justifying the case for separation with their extreme pro-Sinhala stance.
The co-chairs ( ence comprising th pan, Norway and th a joint statement iss meeting in Brussels said the multi-millio aid pledged as tsun sensitive to and st process in Sri Lank aged reconciliation a nic groups and esp government and th ing the reliefaid. Th that the reliefaid sh any political purpo used for the increas political interest.
The statements called on donors an that tsunami assista principles of equit accountability”. TI parties concerned work closely to ass natural disaster. In ment called on the and aid organizatic coordinate their tsu each other and with Sri Lanka. Thus, it i community has indi aster aid to develo process, though not the donors meeting 9 and 10, 2003 that for reconstruction a aid was later withhe progress in the effo settlement. Disrega ment of the co-cha has accused the opp ing to sabotage rebu ing for tying disast process! The dono of the controversy posals submitted vember 2003. The that these should b ing the dormant pe also not imprudent rebuilding when th another round of w sequences to the re
Any curbs on pledged funds hurt ernments and not fighting for indepe Lankan governme) that lost when the kyo conference wa progress in the pea tion that the LTTE military equipme aircrafts useful for port by Defence c.

TAM TIMES 17
f the donor confer2 United States, Ja: European Union in ued after the review on January 25 have n dollar international ami relief should be rengthen the peace a. They also encourmong the various ethecially between the LTTE in distributey made it very clear ould not be used for ses nor should it be or advantage of any
aid: "The Co-chairs i all parties to ensure nce adheres to basic y, transparency and ney also expect the to co-ordinate and ist the victims of the addition, the stateinternational donors ns to cooperate and nami assistance with all relevant parties in s clear that the donor rectly linked the dispments in the peace t in the form it did at meld in Tokyo on June pledged $4.5 billion nd development. The ld because of lack of rts to seek a political rding the joint stateairs, the government bosition leader of tryilding aid by canvasser aid and the peace rs cannot be unaware over the ISGA proby the LTTE in Nohave not suggested e the basis for revivace process. They are to donate funds for ere is the prospect of ar with adverse conbuilt areas. . the disbursement of the recognized govhe rebel movements ndence. It was the Sri ht and not the LTTE lid pledged at the Tos withheld for lack of *e effort. Ifthe allega, acquired expensive int including small aerial attacks (ref, relumnist, Iqbal Athas
in the Sunday Times February 6) is true, this shows that the suspension of the funds pledged at the Tokyo meeting had no effect on LTTE's financing capacity. Moreover, development of the region was not at the top of its agenda then. But the current situation resulting from the enormous destruction in the North-East caused by the tsunami disaster is different. Not only foreign aid but also the cooperation of the Government and other stakeholders is needed for rebuilding the affected areas. The LTTE is aware of this imperative and hence the willingness to rebuild the tsunami-battered region jointly with other stakeholders. But as noted earlier, the terms must be acceptable to the Tigers, who are overly concerned about safeguarding their powers.
Linking recovery and peace processes The international community is quite keen to link the tsunami-recovery to peace building. The UN has also made it quite clear that it is keen to use the "openings' the tsunami has created for re-activating the peace process that remains stalled since April 2003. The UN Secretary General Kofi Annan himself emphasised the imperative of peace as a prerequisite for any meaningful and sustainable recovery process during his visit to Sri Lanka.
The LTTE raised its concern soon after tsunami relief aid was promised by the donors to the Government, as the rebels thought the Government would exploit the enhanced fiscal power to exert its authority in the entire North-East. Since the time the Sri Lankan government received pledges of external assistance to provide relief to the distressed persons and rebuild the devastated areas, the LTTE has been jittery of losing its grip on the North-East and even the existing balance of combating power. The preemptive charge that the government was using the relief funds for purchasing arms for its military was made because of this fear. Any arrangement for rebuilding the affected areas in the North-East must not weaken the prospects for securing self rule. On the contrary, the LTTE will readily accept a mechanism that enhances it. If the recovery and peace processes are linked, the Tigers fear that they will find themselves in a tight corner compelled to compromise on their Eelam demand.
TNA's role
When the Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin during his recent visit to Sri Lanka inquired about the nature of the federal structure the Tamils wish to have from the TNA members, they cited coun

Page 18
18 ΤΑΜΙL TIMES
tries such as Canada, Australia and Switzerland that offered models of federalism. They also told him that the Tamil linguistic region in the Northeast, which had been accepted as the areas of historical habitation of the Tamil-speaking people should enjoy sovereign power within its area of competence. The region should enjoy legislative, executive and judicial power in defined areas and have adequate financial autonomy within the framework of a united country. The TNA delegation pointed out; when the LTTE is actively involved in dealing with the post tsunami situation, goodwill and confidence would be increasingly built, and the ensuing positive environment would greatly contribute to the furtherance of the peace process and the evolution of an acceptable negotiated political solution. On the surface, this reasoning is quite convincing but what the TNA did not tell him was the model the LTTE wants is more confederal than federal consistent with two independent nations coexisting in one country The TNA has so far not suggested a political structure that meets the concerns and legitimate rights of the people.
LTTE's approach to self-rule also assumes a monolithic society in the NorthEast, the tragic mistake Sri Lanka gov
ernments made after regard to the entire blunder that is respor cal, social and econo) over the past several c kept the country pot like Singapore have with their citizensenj ard of living.
The TNA has ele resenting multi-ethnie and should know th overlooking the grou the Tamil people mu during bitterness of ( that will result frol proach with dire col stability and peace in the LTTE succeeds i litical objective, the able to coexist peace nic communities and multi-ethnic country. Conclusion
From the above a culties in bringing a the powerful LTTE mechanism and a w rebuilding the devast parent that a political able to all the diverse Lanka even after the
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independence with country. It is this Isible for the politinic problems faced lecades. These have or, while countries advanced rapidly oying a high stand
:cted members repdistricts in the east e consequences of und realities. What st realise is the enother ethnic groups n the LTTE's apnsequences for the the region. Even if n achieving its poTamils will not be fully with other ethprosper in the small
nalysis of the diffill parties including to agree on a joint ork programme for tated areas, it is ap| settlement acceptcommunities in Sri (sunamitragedy is a
hope than a real possibility. Merely linking the recovery and peace processes without external involvement in pushing both sides to take the same road will not lead to permanent peace. At present there is no agreed road map' to peace.
Given the opposing stands of differ
ent parties, each having a separate agenda for securing peace, a breakthrough in future negotiations is unlikely unless external pressures are brought to bear equally on both sides. There is also a yawning gap between the rhetoric and decisions of powerful political leaders adding to the uncertainty in securing peace without third party involvement. The civil society lacks the unified force to exert any meaningful pressure to influence the leaders, who are concerned more about their capacity to wield power than making a joint effort to secure permanent peace. Even the influential Buddhist prelates seem to be unable to persuade the powerful political leaders in the south to put behind their political and personal differences and unite for the good of all the people in the country. In the north and east, there are no influential sections or leaders, political or otherwise, to influence the LTTE. There are many ready to oblige the LTTE by adopting an appeasing or subservient role. O
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Page 19
FEBRUARY 2005
Kausalyan kill
in ambush
D. B. S. Jeyaraj
The time was around 7.45 p.m. on Monday, February 7. The Toyota Hiace van, numbered 57 - 1020 going along the Batticaloa and Polonnaruwa road or All highway slowed down as a vehicle with blinking lights was parked ahead on the right side of the road. With the lights signalling to go ahead, the van driven by Vinayagamoorthy slowly passed the white coloured van parked alongside the road with its motor running.
There were nine people inside the Hiace van. In front, seated next to driver Vinayagamoorthy was former Amparai District Parliamentarian, Ariyanayagam Chandra Nehru. Sitting next to him was a policeman from Thirukkovil, Chandrasekeran. In the middle was the Tiger Political Commissar for Batticaloa and Amparai, Kausalyan, his comrade in arms Pugalan and another constable Nagarajah. Three other LTTE cadres Senthamilan, Nithinnaran and Vinothan were seated at the rear.
All hell breaks loose
Even as they passed the parked vehicle the front seat occupants saw two or three men in uniform standing ahead in front of the white van. One of them raised a hand as if hailing them or asking them to stop. The van that was already moving at snail fs pace now slowed down further. Suddenly all hell was let loose. Rapid gunfire from behind and to one side of the Toyota ensued. Vinothan seated behind saw the driver and Kausalyan slumping forward.
The two policemen inside the vehicle were boduguards assigned to protect Chandra Nehru. They had a T-56 each. Furthermore, Chandra Nehru had a 9mm pistol in his possession for his personal protection. There was no time for any counter fire. Even as the vehicle and occupants were hit in a hail of gunfire, at least one of the cops jumped out but fell down as gunfire hit him. The five LTTE men were unarmed. Without any retaliation the attack was simply a cold blooded massacre. Within two minutes it was all over and the assassins fled away in their
vehicle.
Five of the men Pugalan, Nithimaran a the driver Vinayagar The two policemen, LTTE cadre Vinothan ever, Chandraseke though bleeding were Nehru, Kausalyan cadre had a cellularp ther of the conscious using them. In about shooting soldiers fr camp, about five kn
SCC.
The dead and in taken to Welikanda a to the Polonnaruwa H persons were later a and admitted to the Emergency surgery Chandra Nehru who the Intensive Care U Nehru showed sigr started sinking later death toll in the ma The condition of bc and Vinothan impr where they were ab inquest and also be tions of the media.
The ambush toc serted stretch of roac and 105th mileposts ity of a comparative tlement known as N. pected that the par the same vehicle that the ill fated Toyotal passed the 23rd brig Welikanda. It had Pillaiyarady between milepost when the moorthy and the t alighted to worship catedto Lord Ganesł into the till.
The incident ha Polonnaruwa and Ba der, The two neares the A-ll highway Punanai were abou

TAMIL TIMES 19
inside - Kausalyan, ind Senthamilan and noorthy were dead. Chandra Nehru and were injured. Howan and Vinothan conscious. Chandra und another LTTE hone each. But neipersons thought of 10 minutes after the om the Welikanda away came to the
jured persons were nd then transferred (ospital. The injured irlifted to Colombo National Hospital. was performed on was later placed in nit (ICU). Initially, is of recovery but and died. Thus the ssacre became six. th Chandrasekeran oved to an extent le to testify at the interviewed by sec
k place on the debetween the 104th , It was in the vicinly new Sinhala setamalgama. It is susked white van was had been following Hiace after they had ade headquartersat overtaken them at the 103rd and 104th driver Vinayagawo policemen had at the shrine dediand also put money
i occurred near the tticaloa District bort military camps on at Welikanda and : 14 km apart. The
attack happened at a spot five km from Welikanda. Furthermore, there were three other army camps in proximate region. Naval addy and Valaichchenai in Batticaloa District and Minneriya in Polonnaruwa. Yet the assailants seem to have vanished without a trace.
Charges of complicity
The LTTE and their propaganda organs have levelled overt and covert charges of security forces complicity in the massacre. It is not known whether the suspected white van travelled along the A-ll highway after the massacre or not. If so the Punanai and Welikanda army camps must behaving some knowledge. There are also other routes through which the vehicle could have reached Minneriya or Thoppigala. Moreover, the areas around the place where the incident occurred are now Sinhala or Muslim inhabited. Twenty five years ago the area was predominantly Tamil. This columnist still remembers the delicious milk sold by Tamil vendors at Welikanda when the buses stopped there.
Lt. Col. Kausalyan, Major Pugalan, Major Senthamilan and 2nd Lt. Nidhimaran were all promoted posthumously. Nidhimaran from Mandoor was only 16 years old. He had been conscripted three years ago just as he entered his teens. Chandra Nehru was given the "Naatuppatraalar” (patriotic citizen) award by the LTTE. This is the second highest civilian award of the LTTE. The greatest loss to the LTTE was of course its Political Wing Head for Batticaloa and Amparai, Kausalyan.
Despite his seniority and experience, 32 year old Kausalyan seems to have acted with rash carelessness.The ceasefire regulations permit security to be provided to senior Tigers when passing through government controlled territory. Kausalyan's boss, the overall LTTE Political Wing Chief, Tamilselvan for example always demands and gets helicopter transport. In Kausalyan's case he seems to have gone to Kilinochchi with recently appointed Eastern Commander, Bhanu. After some discussions there regarding the post-tsunami rehabilitation work, Kausalyan had returned by road. He and the accompanying cadres were unarmed. They were travelling in a double cab - NP 6886. The LTTE Head of Finance Division, Thamillendhi (nee Ranjith Appa) accompanied him from Puthukudiyiruppu upto Puliyankulam. Thereafter, Thami lendhi turned back.

Page 20
20 TAM IL TIMES
This, however led to a rumour initially that Thamillendhi too was killed in the attack. The LTTE issued a denial and also sent Thamillendhi to the funeral ceremony in Batticaloa to prove that their "chancellor of the exchequer was still alive.
After reaching Polonnaruwa, Kausalyan had changed vehicles. Former Amparai District MP, Chandra Nehru who is now the district representative of the LTTE human rights outfit, NorthEastern Center for Human Rights, had gone in the Toyota Hiace van,57-1020 to Polonnaruwa. They had according to the LTTE website, Nidharsanam, met at a side road in Polonnaruwa. According to the policeman who survived, Nehru and Kausalyan had been communicating via cellular phone. After switching vehicles Kausalyan had sent the double cab back to the Wanni.
Danger
Kausalyan had checked in with the security forces at the entry and exit point at Omanthai at about 3 pm. He had not requested any security escort and opted to travel alone and unarmed in government controlled territory. Contrary to
some reports, Chand been travelling with Kilinochchi. So there security cover as the ty men, 35 year old Chan year old Nagarajah v Nehru because as a for MP, he was in potenti The Tigers had b Vavuniya, Habarana an refreshments. Chandr, had initially passec Polonnaruwa. Later phoned him and the va terestingly Chandra N the two policemen o' travelling. They were Nehru was going to Co after Kausalyan and the the vehicle vhich tur Batticaloa that the cop their mission.
Likewise, the dr oorthy too was unawa tion. He had told his going with Nehru to Va the van was not owned or Vinayagamoorthy. I cle. Vinayagamoorthy
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ra Nehru had not Kausalyan from was absolutely no wo injured policedrasekeran and 36 were assigned to mer Eastern Tamil al danger. roken journey in dPolonnaruwa for a Nehru's vehicle ! Kaushalyan at Kausalyan had yn turned back. Insehru had not told f the purpose for told that Chandra lombo. It was only a comrades entered ned back towards s became aware of
iver Vinayagamare of his destina
wife that he was lvuniya. Incidently by Chandra Nehru twas a hired vehihad worked for a
longtime in Saudi Arabia. After returning to the island he had bought his own van and drove it for hire. Recently he had sold it and worked as a freelance driver. He was a close associate of Nehru and worked diligently for him during the election campaign.
It appears therefore that Kausalyan and Chandra Nehru had a pre-arranged plan to switch vehicles at Polonnaruwa. If Kausalyan had thought this "switch' and the two armed cops were enough security, he had been sadly mistaken. Another cardinal error had been delaying the Wanni departure till afternoon because by the time he passed Polonnaruwa it was dusk rendering him more vulnerable. The switch would have become known when the passenger identity was checked at Welikanda. Moreover, a Tiger website says that switching vehicles at Polonnaruwa was observed by the "en
邻笼
emy.
Risks
Being an active Political Commissar, Kausalyan had often been compelled to workin government controlled areas without security. He had been warned by se
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Page 21
FEBRUARY 2005
curity personnel not to take such risks. Yet Kausalyan persisted, perhaps because he did not want the security forces to keep track of his movements under the pretext of protection. Batticaloa and Amparai LTTE Administrative Head, Dayamohan has explained the reluctance to seek security as being due to delays and red tape by the security forces. Whenever such requests were made there was always inordinate delay in accommodating them, he alleges.
When news of the ambush became known the immediate suspects were the Karuna cadres. If there was any doubt it was dispelled the following day when some of Karuna's operatives began telephoning people in Batticaloa and abroad that the military wing of the newly formed Tamil Eelam Ikkiya Viduthalai Munnani (Tamil Eelam United Liberation Front) was responsible. This was a union between Karuna's party the Tamil Eelam Makkal Viduthalai Puligal and the Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front (ENDLF), led by Paranthan Rajan. The military wing of the new outfit is known as the "Tamil Thesiya Padai' or Tamil National Force (TNF). On Thursday, February 10, a statement was issued in Europe by a person called Cheran. It was openly claimed that the TNF was responsible. By this time the Batticaloa grapevine was humming with the news that five people comprising both ex LTTE and ENDLF cadres were responsible. The actual firing was done by Mangalam Master and Thooyaseelan.
Both were Karuna loyalists. Thooyaseelan had earlier been LTTE chief of the Kaluwankerny area. Mangalam Master was an aide de camp to the former Vinothan Regiment Commander, Bharathidasan who was killed at Vaaharai in the LTTE internecine warfare last April. An AK47 assault rifle and an HK 33 sub machine gun had been used. The assassins apparently had made their escape along the Maradanwela road.
Curiously the grapevine also had it that the assassins had no knowledge of the victims' identities. It seemed that Mangalam Master had been elated afterwards that they had taken out Kausalyan and rushed to claim credit. The killers had not deliberately disfigured Kausalyan as alleged in some quarters. Though Kausalyan's face was severely damaged it was not due to his beingshot at close quarters. It was because he had received bullets which entered the back and exited from the face thereby damaging the faceseverely.
Hasty operation
The assassins away the baggage in briefcase with impo not taken. So too v Nehru's revolver phones. The operati in haste. The assass Tigers inside and f quickly as possible. away presumably t forces would have b LTTE and proeverallege that it wa tion clearly aimed a tion that the secur volved to some exte The statement issue tional Alliance (T) clearly. It also mak the government can sibility. The Monit ever opines that th ceasefire violation. SLMM feels that it tra-Tamil" killingw participation.
Given the prop leashed by the pro Tamils will believe t had no role. There i the assassins could refuge at a military Karuna revolt, the stance that it was o and that there are the east. This is sin loyal to Karuna are of Batticaloa tow ankudiyiruppu onv The areas betwe Valaichenai alongw Kirimichai, Omadh Panichankerny, l Karuna stronghol around Kudumb Kattumurivu. Vagan also no go areas to because of a strol presence. The b Batticaloa and Pol fested with Karuna The mainstrea not acknowledget position that Karu to reckon with. Th pro-Karuna remna para military grou rity forces are en tactics with the sec abetting. The LTT

TAMIL TIMES 21
ad also not taken he van. Kausalyan's tant documents was ere the two T-56s, und the three cell in smacked ofbeing ns knew there were nished them off as They had then sped ecause the security en at the scene soon. iger elements hows a deliberate operaKausalyan. The noity forces were init is believed widely. d by the Tamil NaNA) insinuates this es a valid point that mot disclaim responpring Mission how2 ambush was not a This means that the was purely an "inithout security force
aganda barrage un-Tiger sections, few hatthesecurityforces is also suspicion that I have simply taken installation. After the LTTE maintains a nly a one man show ho Karuna cadres in ply not true. Cadres living in areasnorth h from Arumugathvards. en Chenkalladdy and th areas like Vaaharai, yamadhu, Mankerni, Kalkudah etc., are s. The jungle areas imalai, Tharavai, eri and Vadamunai are he mainstream LTTE g pro-Karuna cadre order areas along onnaruwa too are in's cadres n LTTE will simply is. They take up the a is no more a factor charge is that some its along with Tamil s allied to the secuaging in hit and run rity forces aiding and : says that these elle
ments are either staying in close proximity to military camps or within the camps itself. In any case the LTTE feels that the anti-Tiger violence in the east is not possible without some military connivance. This accusation is not entirely without foundation.
Denial
When the LTTE conveyed these sentiments to President Kumaratunga through the Norwegians she denied any state complicity. She however admitted that some elements in the security forces could be aiding the pro Karuna elements in an unofficial capacity. Cadres fleeing the wrath of Pirapaharan who seek ref. uge at military camps will be granted sanctuary. Whatever the truth, it has not been the practice for states in any part of the world to admit to such activity. Covert operations are usually "officially sanctioned unofficial action'.
The LTTE in its official statements does not refer to Karuna or the existence of his outfit. The reference is to paramilitary forces. The interference is that these are linked to the security forces and enjoy their support. This is due to two reasons. One is that the LTTE considers it infra-dig to admit that Karuna is still a problem and that his cadres can inflict damage to the supposedly "invincible' LTTE. Any damage is possible only because of security force involvement is the LTTE position.
Secondly admitting to an internal squabble will take the offence out of the Monitoring Mission's purview. Who can forget or forgive the Norwegians for washing their hands off the whole Karuna revolt and remaining all off, while amassacre of innocents was perpetrated by Piraba loyalists? Emphasising"paramilitary' involvement makes it a ceasefire offence.
Whatever the outcome of these charges and counter charges, there is no doubt that the Karuna and Paranthan Rajan combine has made a significant hit. Further attacks of this nature are on the cards. It is reported that Karuna is back with a vengeance. The anniversary of his inglorious exit from Batticaloa on April 12 is drawing near. The renegade Colonel has sworn that the Batticaloa situation will be transformed by the April New Year. The LTTE will certainly resist. This means that terrible bloodshed is on the cards. O

Page 22
22 TAM TIMES
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Page 23
FEBRUARY 2005
In pursuit of pol of disaster
Dr. S. Narapalasingam
The December 26 tsunami triggered by a massive underwater earthquake off the Sumatra coast, the largest since 1964 registering 9.0 on the Richter scale devastated many countries in Asia. Indonesia and Sri Lanka were the two countries most severely affected by it with huge loss of lives. Both countries have also been affected by prolonged separatist war in the Aceh province in Indonesia and the North-East province in Sri Lanka. The epicenter of the quake was close to Aceh, whereas Sri Lanka was far away from it but yet the devastation caused by the tsunami waves that thrashed fiercely the island's east and south coasts was colossal. It took away the lives of over 30,000 persons in Sri Lanka (the final death toll is expected to be close to 40,000) of whom a third were children. About 15,000 people were injured and over 800,000 inhabitants left homeless.
More than 117,000 homes in 135 towns and villages were destroyed by the tsunami. 312 schools and 72 hospitals were destroyed. Fishing families were particularly hard hit. It has been reported mid January 7,500 fishermen were killed, 5,600 were still missing and more than 90,000 had been displaced. Some 18,500 fishing boats had been damaged or destroyed. The number of people who have lost income is estimated at 800,000 of which nearly half the number has lost almost all source of income. A sizeable number would require longer or permanent support. The unemployment rate has now risen to 20 per cent.
The north-east province
As many as 27,000 people are either dead or missing in the Northeast. The Amparai coast was the worst affected with 13,000 to 14,000 deaths. Mullaitivu town and the coastal villages in Mullaitivu and Vadamarachchi East had been completely devastated. The death toll in Mullaitivu, the eastern coastal area in the north covered by the Bay of Bengal Sea is reckoned to be higher than the estimate 1932 given by the LTTE peace
secretariat on Janu Ms. Emelda Sukuma of Mullaitivu distri been recorded in the sons said to be miss 12/26 tsunami. Th lost only 6 cadres 1 now defunct Centre tions put the ca Batticaloa at 2,815 ing.
According to early February by t 47,195 people from either displaced o economically by th Jaffna peninsula. people from 2,660 be in refugee camp persons belonging staying with friend. persons belonging t been affected econ have not been displ Sevaka divisions Maruthankerny, 6,6 completely destroy lost their lives an been listed as missi 10 Feb. 2005).
2862 children or one of their pal province. The nur lost both parents wise breakdown is: arai-l 62, Mullai Trincomalee-35 an number of child mother or father i Batticaloa-699, M 47 and Trincomale school children it been killed by the 1000 students in tional Zone alone in the tragedy. T down of tsunamic schools in the no Batticaloa-36, An 23, Mulaitivu -l educational zone

AMIL TIMES 23
tiCS
ry 8. According to , Government Agent t, 2765 deaths have district and 558 pernga month after the
LTTE maintains it o the tsunami. The for National Operasualty figure for lead and 1,086 miss
he report released he Jaffna secretariat 12,669 families were r severely affected e tsunami waves in Out of these 9,663 families continue to bs. A further 30,393 to 7,934 families are s and relatives. 7739 o 2,075 families have bmically though they iced. In the 31 Grama of Point Pedro and 80 houses have been ed. 1256 people have 1,240 people have ng (source: TamilNet
have lost either both ents in the northeast ber of children who S 737. The district Batticaloa-406, Ampvu-94, Jaffna- 39, Killinochchi-01. The en who lost either 2125: Amparai-954, illaitivu- 393, Jaffna-32. More than 2,400 the North-East have sunami waves. About ne Kalmunai Educaave lost their parents district wise breakstroyed and damaged theast province is: - arai-40, Trincomaleeand Jaffna-11, Nine but of a total of 24 in
the North-East have been affected by the tsunami tragedy.
Prompt foreign assistance
The immediate reaction of foreign countries to the tragedy was overwhelming. Nine ships, ten helicopters and eight aircrafts arrived from foreign countries during the first week itself to assist in the relief operations. Despite the severe damage inflicted by the tsunami to Andaman and Nicobar Islands and some coastal areas in Tamil Nadu (the worst hit areas were Nagapattinam and Cuddalore), India was the first country that rushed to assist in the rescue work with personnel and essential supplies. India sent five naval ships and nearly four hundred personnel for the relief and rescue operations. The Indian rescue teams landed in Galle and Trincomalee. A fifty member Indian navy medical team comprising Indian doctors, nurses and other workers who arrived with adequate medicines and medical equipments served at the Kuchchaveli government hospital in the north of Trincomalee district. On completing the mission, the local resident doctors thanked them for their timely assistance at a farewell function at the hospital on January 24 morning. India also made cash contribution, equivalent of US$22 million. It is an outright grant, which will be used for certain types of reconstruction work to be decided in consultation with the Government of Sri Lanka.
At the end of third week after the tsunami struck there were 1,657 US troops and 2,517 other foreign military personnel in Sri Lanka engaged mainly on clearing and relief operations. 317 US troops were at the Katunayake international airport, 221 in Colombo, 404 in Galle and 39 (medical officers) in Point Pedro (under government control).
LTTE's suspicions
The arrival of US marines to perform urgent relief work in the tsunami struck areas was resented by the LTTE. Its political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan said the people in the North and East needed aid, not the assistance of foreign armies. To the Tigers used to iooking everything from a military perspective, even humanitarian assistance provided by persons in uniform seemed dangerous! The visit of US doctors and other medical personnel who were part of the marine contingent to the north was detested. The suspicion

Page 24
24 TAMIL TIMES
that they were in Jaffna to gather information about their outfit and its activities were the main reason.
Despite the Tigers' objection, many Tamils in Point Pedro went to the Manthikai hospital and sought treatment from the US medical team. The people were not bothered about the nationality or race of the doctors offering treatment. It was only after the Tigers realised that the presence of foreign military personnel did not pose any threat to them the grumbling subsided. Having completed the primary missions, the majority of the US marines left the country end January and the remaining members are scheduled to leave by mid February 2005. The US Embassy's Charge D'Affaires, James Entwistle said: "They have completed the tasks of heavy ground and air lift, debris clearing, medical assistance and transportation of supplies and equipment for which they are best suited. Now we are transitioning to an increased focus on the civilian reconstruction and recovery effort.'
A Russian airmobile hospital provided medical aid to injured persons in southern Sri Lanka. The Russian medical team on the way to the Wanni was refused permission to proceed by the LTTE at the Omanthai checkpoint on the grounds of security. On January 2, President Kumaratunga asked the ceasefire monitors (SLMM) to persuade the LTTE to allow the Russian medical relief teams to work in areas under its control in the north. The LTTE refused to yield. Unable to provide medical assistance, the Russians returned home disappointed. One month after the tragedy, the number of foreign military personnel in Sri Lanka was as follows:
US-568 (Southern coast), Canada200 (Amparai district) Pakistan - 170 (Hambantota), India - 80 (Southern coast) Austria - 77 (Galle), Belgium - 69 (Matara) and Russia - 60 (Hambantota). India has been avoiding direct contact with the LTTE after the outfit was banned following the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. The LTTE leader is a wanted person for his alleged involvement in the murder. The LTTE leaders regretted that India was not directly involved in the relief work in the north and wanted her to forget the past and assist the people in the region. Several attempts in the past to mend the sour relationship by pleading time and again to forget the past
have all failed. Ironi not want to forget ti and trust the modera This has been the m tiating a political S lombo based on fed carrying out speedi rehabilitation andre the North-East joint ment.
Many foreign r work in the south an Amparai district in medical team compr two nurses, two h three experts from C pharmaceutical la engineer assisted the government too w perform relief work The south and to a la benefitted as a res situation in the nor foreigners going to t areas. The telecasted foreign residents he and the distressed chi coastal areas also revi interest shown by fo the affected people in those in the north. they were discourag ment to visit the Tam
Government’s bun
The worst hit An displaced persons nea number displaced in and western provinc covering from the t cause of administrat internal political riva in Amparai was also bined figure (10,364, western provinces. T criticised for not givi sis to Amparai wher the loss considering displaced and destr so vast this distric greater attention, moi clearing equipment t combined southern inces. But a month al the debris clearing ceeding at snails' pa Amparai District Dayaratne said at a p government officials of the tragedy have r to assess the damag

FEBRUARY 2005
:ally, the LTTE does e past in Sri Lanka e Sinhalese leaders. in obstacle in nego2ttlement with Coeralism and now in y the much needed onstruction work in ly with the Govern
lief teams opted to d the worst affected the east. A Cuban ising 16 physicians, ygiene specialists, uba's biological and poratories and an victims in Galle. The as not allowed to freely in the north. asser extent the east ult of the volatile :h that discouraged he LTTE-controlled films of benevolent lping the fishermen ldren in the southern ealed the contrasting reigners in helping the south as against This is not because ged by the Governil-dominated north.
gled operations parai with 107,885 irly equal to the total the entire southern es was slow in reunami disaster beve inefficiency and lries. The death toll igher than the comof the southern and he Government was ng adequate emphae the magnitude of (ogether the deaths, oyed property was I should have got e relief material and han received by the and western provter the tragedy even York had been proe in Amparai. UNP arliamentarian P. ress conference the even after a month ot gone to Amparai e to property. Ар
parently the resident government officials were either busy with other work or just lethargic to visit the battered areas and speed up the clearing work. Exceptionally, in Amparai the LTTE cadres were seen working in many of the relief camps alongside the government's Special Task Force (STF). Amparai district has 41.6% Muslims, 39.3%. Sinhalese and 18.7% Tamils and the relatively poor performance cannot be attributed to discrimination by the Government against the Tamils.
Among the survivors in the affected areas, there was growing anger over the chaotic and limited character of the government's relief operations. The resentment of the people was vociferous in the south too, although the region received considerable assistance from foreign relief teams. The fishermen who lost their means of livelihood after the tsunami were in desperate need of financial assistance besides accommodation.
On February 2, Tilak Ranavirajah, the head of the Task Force coordinating relief and Commissioner of Essential Services, said he was appalled that only 30 percent of the affected people outside the LTTEcontrolled areas had received state help. The reference to state aid includes assistance, which Sri Lanka received from other governments or major foreign organisations. He blamed bureaucratic bungling for the post-tsunami disaster in the relief operations, not ruling out corruption amongst officials. "There is some foul play somewhere down the line,' David Muller from the centre for national operations said. He also said that he discovered during his recent visit to Batticaloa, people living in several camps were being given poor quality rice and spoiled lentils to eat. Muller added: "There is definitely some malpractice going on aimed at discrediting the government." According to some media reports, officials have complained in recent weeks that at least four trucks with rice, lentils and sugar bound for minority ethnic Tamil areas in the north were forcibly diverted by majority Sinhalese mobs and low-ranking government officials to predominantly Sinhalese aca.S.
The haphazard way the post-tsunami work has been carried out is also evident from the confusion over the official casualty figures. A report issued by the Task Force for Rebuilding the Nation

Page 25
FEBRUARY 2005
(TAFREN) estimated the fatalities at 40,000. Another 6,000 were listed as missing and one million people as homeless. The public security ministry puts the death toll at 38,195, while the Centre for National Operations (CNO), which is meant to coordinate relief work, has it at 30,956. On February 3, the day after the Commissioner of Essential Services admitted that 70 percent of survivors haven't received anything because of bureaucratic bungling, Government appointed a special task force to ensure aid reaches all tsunami victims. The main disaster management body, the CNO wrapped up its work the same day.
The Government was seen anxious to stamp its label on each policy and programme for rebuilding the country ravaged by the tsunami. The co-operation extended initially to the Government after the tsunami tragedy by the main opposition party appeared tenuous within days, because of this oneupmanship. In a counter move to show its importance, the UNP on January 28 unveiled a 15-point national agendaaimed at introducing an uninterrupted national policy for 15 years, for the development of the nation. "Before us is a nation that was battered by cut throat politics, war and finally the tsunami. The challenge before all of us is to rise from the ruins and rebuild the nation. Let's give a new birth to this nation by pursuing a single policy uninterrupted for 15 years comprising the 15 points which are acceptable to all," opposition and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said at the unveiling of the National Agenda for a People's Convention. A characteristic feature of the country's political landscape is the condemnation by opposition leaders of past abhorrent practices, which they will embrace when these seem profitable to them or their party. It is not difficult to see why a southern consensus has not been forthcoming to the crisis caused by the N-E conflict, which itself is the outcome of shortsighted competitive party politics.
LTTE's strategy
To the LTTE any apparent weakness in the government administration in the North-East, including those emanating from its own obstructions is useful to support the demand for self-rule. This has been the case, ever since the struggle
for autonomy starte also been citing the present administr North-East for ins ISGA considered b for carrying out spe the reconstruction justify the case for the claim of discrir North-East provinc The blunders of pa led to the present cri to sustain the mome for self-rule.
The LTTE and have refused to joi up at the national le tsunami problems, to give any recognit concept. There hav criticisms on the approach to rebuild this is not the re boycotting the joi parties convened b fact, the TNA parlia attended any meeti government in th tsunami opting government from ol
On February Alliance boycotted Governor of the N Tyronne Fernando district secretariat ir they described as," by the Sri Lankan Tsunami aid to Tam affected by the dis was mostly to pro information about post tsunami rehab north. The TNA in used the occasion the various shortco immediate remedi would have been at agenda.
Again on Feb boycotted the me President Chandri discuss reconstruct tsunami affected at district. The TNA the area, Joseph Pra he was invited to meeting but he dec meeting as the "TN a separate structure

TAMIL TIMES 25
d. The Tigers have weaknesses in the tive setup in the titutionalizing the y them as essential :dily and efficiently work. In order to bermanent self-rule, lination against the e is also sustained. st governments that is are also given life ntum of the struggle
its proxy the TNA any committee set vel to deal with the as they do not want on to the "one-state' ve been some valid
over-centralised ling the country but ason for the TNA nt meetings of all y the President. In mentarians have not ng convened by the e aftermath of the to condemn the utside.
2, Tamil National a meeting with the Northeast Province, o, at the Vavuniya protest against what gross discrimination
state in delivering lil and Muslim areas aster". The meeting vide the Governor the current state of ilitation work in the embers could have to draw attention to mings and press for al actions. But this odds with the LTTE's
ruary 7, the TNA eting convened by ka Kumaratunga to ion of houses in the eas in the Batticaloa parliamentarian from rajasingham said that participate in that ded not to attend the A firmly believes that should be established
to handle relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in the Northeast. Until progress is made in establishing this mechanism, there is little use in TNA participating in any meetings with Ms Kumaratunga." This challenging and confrontational stance shows the relative importance the Tamil representatives are giving to address the urgent needs of the suffering people in the North-East at this most difficult time.
Instead of dealing directly with the Government, the TNA has on every available opportunity rushed to foreign envoys and visiting ministers to complain about their dissatisfaction and even to submit useful suggestions. For example, at the meeting on February 3 with the visiting Foreign Minister of the Netherlands, Bernard Bot the TNA delegation emphasized the importance of creating a mechanism in the Northeast, represented by the Government, the LTTE, and other stakeholders such as the Muslims the Sinhalese and other institutions to handle the post tsunami related activities in the Northeast. They also pointed out that the centralization of such activities was doomed to result in failure, and that this was evident from the fact that almost six weeks after the tsunami disaster, hardly any progress had been achieved in the restoration of the lives of the affected people. The fact is at the time these matters were raised with the Foreign Minister, discussions between the LTTE and the Government peace secretariats on setting up such a mechanism was already underway for a number days, though no agreed mechanism has been found.
The Government's action plan for rebuilding the nation has also been prepared without LTTE's inputs and not surprisingly the latter has rejected it as irrelevant to the North-East. Government has said it will implement the plan after taking into consideration the valuable suggestions and inputs of all stakeholders. In the interest of the people in the North-East affected by the tsunami, the Tamil leaders should put forward their proposals to the Government and press for immediate implementation. The negative approach to the tsunami problem will only prolong the suffering of the hapless people. It is unfair to exploit their suffering in the power struggle at the present time. O

Page 26
26 TAMIL TIMES
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Page 27
FEBRUARY 2005
UN Report on Chi and Armed Conf
Feb 17 - Identifying 54 'offending parties', including the LTTE, as being involved in use and abuse of child soldiers, a report on “Children and Armed Conflict' submitted to the United Nations Security Council by Secretary General Kofi Annan has recommended a sanction regime that includes international travel ban on leaders, exclusion from any future governance structures or amnesties and arms embargoes and military assistance bans and restrictions on the flow of financial resources.
The UN Security Council is expected to debate the report on February 23.
The report notes improvements in protecting children from war recruitment and abuse as important organizations have adopted many of the standards advocated and the estimated number of child soldiers has declined in the past 18 months to 300,000 from 380,000. It notes that the situation for children has notably improved in Afghanistan, Angola, the Balkans, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Timor Leste.
However the report has named the LTTE as one of the 54 offending parties involved in the forced recruitment of under age children and says situations of concern remain in Burundi, Colombia, Cóte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Somalia, Sudan, Sri Lanka and Uganda.
According to Kofi Annan's report, the major violations would be recruiting children as soldiers, abducting, maiming, or killing them, subjecting them to rape and other sexual violence and attacking schools and hospitals.
The latest UN report came a week amid allegations by the UNICEF that they had recruited at least 40 underage combatants since the island was battered by tsunamis in December last year.
International rights organisations have accused the Tigers of stepping up recruitment of child soldiers since entering into a truce with government forces in February 2002.
Saying that the more than 4,700 chi as ll, since 2001, E port said, "The LTT ofTamil Eelam) has cruitment by force while on their way religious festivities, and teachers who r the children.' The ing 2004 alone, mo1 new recruitment an reported to UNICE of them girls. Out ( child recruitment si than 2,900 children released to their fam 1,230 children wh leased, the report si Over 1,660 chil lowing fighting in April 2004, and the faction of the LTTE 550 children have LTTE during this p Recruitment of categorized as a wa the LTTE has braze international law bli ments signed with to recruit children The LTTE has argi have joined volunt grees with this con York reporters: ". carried out recruitm ing children while ( or during religious ing families and t the seizure of the c In his report til has submitted an United Nations Sec for the systematic n ing of child abuse i conflict (CAAC), o cern,' with a view international crack The UN repor tional compliance offending parties,

TAMEL TIMES 27
ldrem iCt’
LTTE had recruited ldren, some as young of Annan in his reE (Liberation Tigers , often carried outreabducting children to school or during and beating families sisted the seizure of report said that durethan 1,000 cases of re-recruitment were F, a high percentage of the 4,700 cases of nce April 2001, more have returned or been ilies, including about o were formally reaid. dren went home foleastern Sri Lanka in a fall of a breakaway . In addition, at least deserted from the eriod. child soldiers is now ur crime. Despite this nly violated not only ut even the UN agreeWr. Olaru Otunnu not under the age of 18. led that the children rily, Mr. Annan disatention. He told New he LTTE has often ment by force, abducton their way to school festivities, and beatachers who resisted hildren.' he Secretary General action plan to the urity Council received nonitoring and reportn situations of armed in “situations ofconto triggering a strong down on offenders. t states "An internaregime would list all whether from the gov
ernment or rebel side, in all situations of concern, whether or not those situations are on the agenda of the Security Council.”
Kofi Annan said that he was recommending to UN Security Council to take "targeted and concrete measures where insufficient or no progress has been made” by parties named in his report. The report recommended, "For widespread and unacceptable patterns of violation, the Security Council should take such measures as imposing travel restrictions on leaders, excluding them from future governance structures or amnesties, arms embargoes and military assistance bans and restrictions on the flow of financial resources."
Other "destinations for action" would be the General Assembly, the Commission on Human Rights, the International Criminal Court, regional organizations and, as the first line of response, the national governments within whose borders the children are endangered, the report says.
Olara Otunnu, Annan's special envoy for children in armed conflict, said the report marked a milestone for children in combat zones as it signaled the United Nations was finally getting serious about ensuring their protection.
The issue has been on the council agenda since 1998, but "atrocities against children and impunity for violators continue largely unabated on the ground," Otunnu said. There are about 300,000 child soldiers around the world today, compared to 380,000 a year and a half ago, he estimated.
Otunnu's office was created as a result of a landmark 1996 report by Graca Machel of Mozambique, now the wife of former South African President Nelson Mandela, who detailed the recruitment and exploitation of children in war zones. But UNICEF has reported cases of those freed being targeted for re-recruitment by the Tigers.
Ramesh Gopalakrishnan of the BBC Tamil Service spoke to Olara Otunnu, UN Special Representative for Children in Armed Conflict, on the implications of the recommendation.
Otunnu said that the Tamil Tigers should stop abducting and recruiting child soldiers, immediately come up with an action plan for rehabilitating the child soldiers recruited by them and discuss it

Page 28
28 TAMIL TIMES
with the UNICEF representative in Sri Lanka. Otunnu said it was up to the UN Security Council to decide on Annan's recommendations of targeted measures, including sanctions, against Tamil Tigers and other organisations in the list. He said this was the second time the Tamil Tigers had figured in the UN list. The UN was concerned that the practice of recruiting has continued despite the ceasefire and despite the Tamil Tigers signing an agreement with the UNICEF in July 2003 to rehabilitate child soldiers.
LTTE rejects UN charges w
Feb 18 - The LTTE said a United Nations report saying that the guerrilla movement had recruited more than 4,700 children since 2001 was false.
"We totally reject the accusations levelled against us about recruiting children for war," the LTTE political wing leader S.P..Thamilselvan said on the Tamil nitharsanam.com website.
Mr. Thamilsel van said the UN should send a representative to discuss the issue with the LTTE.
"We believe the United Nations would study them (the allegations) and take a fair decision. We are prepared to join and work with any organisation that is acting in a practical manner for the welfare of our children,” he said.
Mr. Thamilselvan said if children volunteered for enlistment were underage, they were returned to their parents. "As far as we are concerned, those coming forward to join our ranks, if they are found to be children, are sent back to their parents," he said. His remarks came ahead of a debate next Wednesday in the UN Security Council on Secretary General Kofi Annan's report on children. The LTTE is included in a list of groups that could face sanctions, including a travel ban.
The Tigers have said they have set up a system to verify ages of combatants and release anyone underage.
UNICEF spokesman Geoffrey Keele, said the Tigers have not yet responded to their charge that at least 40 child soldiers were recruited after tsunamisdevastated Sri Lanka's coastlines and killed nearly 31,000 people on December 26.
“We're still awaiting a response from the Tigers', Mr. Keele said. “We haven't had any feedback from them yet." O
An rebu
STANDING in old fort at Galle this v on to what I rememb picturesque cricketg I saw a stadium in ru ied underneath rubb experience will go saddest and stranges It was here - alm - where I stood last M tralia team gathered t having won the Tes was an extra special had just taken my 5 thing seems great on think what lay aheac Sri Lanka hasalv ful place to tour. The still my favourite bec time I felt I contribu team. That is why I help as soon as the s tragedy registered.
The Boxing Day bourne is a highlight back home and there feeling to be involves Australia dressing-ro ing seen the pictures the television.
I spoke to Mut who was lucky not to disaster himself. We mates through the s thought that simply ( people would help a stances, that seemed and we started to fir the fundraising game The idea of visi lombo has been to p few faces. I wanted in particular to mov ward. I have helped like chocolates and sets, but the aim ha that. I have tried to

FEBRUARY 2005
ny Sri Lanka special to me
Shane Warne Australian cricket star appeals for help in the ilding of a country devastated by the tsunami
front of the famous week, I looked down er as one of the most rounds in the world. ins, an outfield burish and rubble. The lown as one of the t in my life. ost to the exact spot March when the Auso sing our team song st series. For me it occasion because I )0th wicket. Everynights like that. To i. ways been a wonderTest here in 1992 is cause it was the first ited to the Australia decided I wanted to scale of the tsunami
Test match in Melof the sporting year is always a special i. But all of us in the om feltdeflated havin the press and on
tiah Muralitharan, be caught up in the have always been pinners' union. He coming over to meet lot. In the circumthe least I could do m things up during
in Melbourne.
ting Galle and Cout smiles back on a to help the children re on and look forto distribute things biscuits and cricket s gone deeper than give the kids hope
that better times lie ahead.
One village near Galle I visited was reduced from 400 houses to just ten. I mettiny children who have lost both parents, all their clothes and toys, but are battling on. They are the real champions of the world. To hear them laugh when we gave out books and crayoning sets, and to be so polite, has been humbling.
I never imagined anything so devastating could happen in an age when technology is so advanced. I suppose I always associated the loss of lives on this scale with the great plagues and the Middle Ages rather than the 21st century. It has been weird to stand where the tsunami hitandimagine the wave coming in at 500 kilometres an hour.
The determination and resilience of people has been inspirational. As a parent, I still struggle to get my head around the tales of mothers and fathers having to let go of the arms of a child to try to save the life of another. I don't know if I could leave two of mine, knowing they would be swept away, to make sure the third survived.
I wanted to visit the hospital in Galle to say “well done" to the doctors and nurses who have worked tirelessly in all this. I came out in conjunction with some surgeons from Melbourne, including the man who operated on my shoulder. They have brought equipment as a donation. I hope the visit will act as a stimulus to raise funds through friends of the Shane Warne Foundation, which was set up initially to help children in need in Australia. We are joining forces with City of Melbourne to try to rebuild the children's library and restore the Galle ground to its former glory. Any help will be appreciated greatly.
There will be more informaiton on how you can help on the website of the Shane Warne Foundation at
www.tswf.com.au (Times on Line,
11 Feb 2005)

Page 29
FEBRUARY 2005
Canadian PM UTC
to act on child soldi
Toronto, February 9, 2005 - Prime Minister Paul Martin should publicly call on the Tamil Tigers to end all recruitment of children in Sri Lanka and to release the children currently in their ranks, former Canadian foreign minister Lloyd Axworthy and Human Rights Watch urged in a letter made public today. "Canada provided refuge to thousands of Tamils fleeing human rights abuses by the Sri Lankan government during the war,” said Jo Becker, children's rights advocacy director for Human Rights Watch. “It should also address the Tigers' on-going recruitment and use of Tamil children as soldiers.'
In addition to Dr. Axworthy, who serves on the international board of directors for Human Rights Watch, other signers of the letter included Jasmine Herlt, director of the Human Rights Watch Toronto Committee, and Noah Novogrodsky, advocacy co-chair for the Toronto Committee and the director of the International Human Rights Program at the University of Toronto Law School. The full text of the letter dated 7 February to the Canadian Prime Minister is as follows:
“We are writing on behalf of Human Rights Watch regarding the Canadian government's response to the recruitment of children by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka. We appreciate the opportunity to share information on this important subject, and respectfully request a meeting with your office to discuss the recommendations outlined below.
Human Rights Watch welcomedyour public statement prior to your recent visit to Sri Lanka that LTTE recruitment of children “is the kind of thing which requires universal condemnation' and your commitment to raise the issue during your meetings with the Tamil National Alliance. We recognize that combating the use of children as soldiers has long been a priority for the government of Canada, as illustrated by its early ratification of the optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in arme! d conflict, and its leading role in drafting the statute of the International Criminal Court, which
identifies the recruit dren under the age crime.
We also note t Canada has provide for work relating to Sri Lanka’s conflict lion to support UNI related to children af flict, including ther tion of child soldiel support local non-g zations working to the rights of childr CllmStanCCS.
We believe that est Sri Lankan Tamr world outside of Sri can play a unique a addressing the recrui soldiers in Sri Lanka The LTTE's prac using children, inclu the age of fifteen, h documented. Huma ducted an indepenc LTTE recruitment a August of 2004. C report, Living in F and the Tamil Tiger. we enclose, drew on ens of former child s how the LTTE us threats to pressure" North and East top daughters for mili families refuse, thi children from their cibly recruit them school.
Prior to the cea routinely used in c ducted during them 40-60 percent of LT in battle were child eighteen. More re number of childre) April 2004, when resulted in short b tween the main "W and a breakaway LTTE's eastern cor Human Rights supported by info) the United Natio
 

TAMIL TIMES 29
ment and use of chillof fifteen as a war
hat through CIDA, l financial resources children affected by
including $2.2 milCEF's programming fected by armed conelease and reintegra's, and $4 million to vernmental organiprotect and promote :n in vulnerable cir
as home to the largil population in the Lanka itself, Canada ld influential role in tment and use of child
.
:tice of recruiting and ding childrenun! der nas been extensively n Rights Watch conlent investigation of nd use of children in hur November 2004 ear: Child Soldiers in Sri Lanka, which the accounts of dozoldiers and described 2s intimidation and Tamil families in the rovide their sons and tary service. When : LTTE may abduct homes at night or forwhile they walk to
sefire, children were ombat. Studies conid-1990's found that TE Soldiers who died ren under the age of :ently, an unknown died in conflict in a split in the LTTE it fierce fighting beanni” LTTE faction -group led by the mander.
Watch's findings are mation collected by is Children's Fund
(UNICEF) which maintains an extensive database devoted to child recruitment by the LTTE, and has documented approximately 3,600 cases of LTTE child recruitment from the time the ceasefire took effect in February 2002 through December 31, 2004. Of the child recruitment cases documented by UNICEF in the past three years, 937 involve children under the age of fifteen.
The Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission (SLMM), the international body led by the Norwegian government to monitor the ceasefire, also documents cases of child recruitment. Between February 1, 2002 and November 30, 2004, the SLMM received 1851 complaints of child recruitment by the LTTE. It ruled 1490 of these complaints as violations of the ceasefire. Regrettably, the devastating December 26 tsunami has not halted the LTTE's recruitment of children. As of January 26, UNICEF had registered over forty cases of child recruitment by the LTTE since the disaster occurred, including several cases of child recruitment from relief camps established for tsunami survivors. The true number of children recruited to date is probably higher. Local aid workers say that, for now, the presence of international workers may be discouraging child recruitment by the Tamil Tigers. But they worry about an increase in child recruitment once the foreign workers leave.
As you know, Canada's large Tamil population has been a source of both financial and political support for the LTTE, often funneled through "charitable” organizations. The extent of such financial support is extremely difficult to document, with estimates ranging from S1 million to S22 million per year. Irrespective of the exact amount, the significant fundraising that takes place within Canada's Tamil community facilitates the LTTE's continued recruitment and use of child soldiers.
One ofthe major fundraising organizations linked to the LTTE is the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), which functionally serves as the humanitarian arm of the LTTE and is currently seeking charitable status in Canada. During Human Rights Watch's investigation, reliable local sources raised concerns about the close link between the TRO and LTTE, reporting for example, that TRO representatives are often former LTTE soldiers. Credible sources also report that since the tsunami, the TRO, in (continued on next page)

Page 30
30 TAMIL TIMES
(continued from page29) collaboration with the LTTE, has sought to control relief efforts in the East and relocate displaced persons camps to LTTE-controlled areas, in orderto facilitate LTTE monitoring and control of vulnerable populations, as well as recruit
ment.
Our country's relationship with Sri Lanka and large Tamil population provides Canada vith a unique opportunity! to address the LTTE's continuing recruitment of children. Specifically, we urge you to take the following actions:
l) Issue a public statement calling on the LTTE to end all recruitment and use of children as soldiers and to release all children currently in its ranks. Also call
on the LTTE and its the Tamil Rehabilita (TRO), to end efforts efforts, camps and or areas, and to allow un and access by impart national organization 2) Use the occasi United Nations Secu debate on children and rently scheduled for F demn the LTTE's recr and demand the relea ranks.
3) Through projects for vuln strengthen recruitme
child protection initi
Two helicopters with tsunami supplies: Jan 22 - Sri Lanka’s air force has detained two unassembled helicopters that arrived with
tsunami aid supplies, saying they presented a potential threat to national security.
Investigators said that inquiries were underway to find out who had sent the aircraft parts. "We are still checking from what country they came and for what purpose," he said. Until then, they will be held," they said.
Normally the Defense Ministry and Civil Aviation Authority must provide clearance for all military equipment brought into the country. JVP not for selling water: Jan 24 - The JVP group of parliamentarians, in a press release said they disassociated themselves from any effort by the government to sell water resources and attaching a commercial value to water, as recently stated in certain media reports.
The UPFA was formed on a historic agreement between the SLFP and the JVP reached to reverse the privatization of national assets policy of the previous UNF government and a number of other political parties agreed to the common policy of the UPFA. In its manifesto published before the 2004 general election it was emphasized the UPFA would not allow the privatization of national resources like water to profit certain private bodies, the press release stated.
“Therefore, no one should entertain any fear that the UPFA government has embarked on a policy of privatization of the water resources though we believe the sustained effort to privatize national resources including water has not abated in certain quarters. Still there is no room within the UPFA government to embark on such a policy especially in view of the fact the JVP will within and outside the government work to prevent that policy being implemented. However, at a recent meeting of the Cabinet a decision to appoint a committee to formulate a national policy on water and that decision was misreported as an effort to privatize water," the press release said. NGOs threatening national security Jan 24 - The Patriotic National Movement, in a press statement warned the authorities to be wary of certain NGOs backed by some foreign bodies which were, under the cover of providing humanitarian assistance to tsunami affected areas of the country, importing helicopters, vehicles, heavy machinery and other material to be handed over to LTTE.
The LTTE was known to have possessed a light aircraft even before the tsunami disaster and now the intelligence sources have said the organization possesses two light aircraft. How the LTTE procured these aircraft and why a particular NGO imported two
 

humanitarian arm, tion Organization to control all relief phanages in Tamil hindered operation ial local and inter
3.
bn of the upcoming rity Council open armed conflict (curebruary 23) to conuitment of children se of children in its
CIDA-supported erable children,
FEBRUARY 2005
are vulnerable to LTTE recruitment efforts and other abuses, including tsunami-affected areas, reliefcamps and orphanages.
4) Urge the government of Sri Lanka to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, and offer technical assistance in drafting national implementing legislation.
5) Urge both the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE to ensure basic human rights protections as a core component of any future peace process.
We believe that these actions could have a positive impact on the LTTE's practices and help bring an end to the
LTTE's recruitment of children.
Thank you for your consideration."
nt prevention and atives in areas that
helicopters has to be viewed as very serious matters affecting the national security of the country and authorities should without taking heed of the liberal views in some quarters should take stringent measures to stem the tide of aid flow into the LTTE and prevent the danger of the organization making use of the tsunami to pose a stronger threat to national security, the statement said. UNHCR seeks review of buffer zone plan: Jan 24 - The UN's main refugee agency, UNHCR, called on the government to rethink plans to create a coastal buffer zone, arguing it would swell the ranks of the hundreds of thousands already displaced by last month's tsunami.
The government, in a bid to save lives and property should another tsunamistrike our shores, wants no destroyed buildings rebuilt within 100 metres (yards) of the beach and wants those that were partially damaged to be razed. "We believe this will create significant further displacement,”UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) External Relations Officer Robyn Groves said. "We are concerned that the principles of voluntary resettlement should be adhered to," she said, adding that the UNHCR had submitted its concerns to the government and was now awaiting a reply.
“We have also called for clarity and transparency in the proposal. Let's see what response we get,” Ms. Groves said.
The plan has been widely condemned by fishermen in particular but also by aid agencies, the hotel sector and some government ministers.
According to Coast Conservation Director R.A. Samaranayake, the government wants the buffer zone in northeastern areas controlled by the LTTE to be 200 metres wide - double that of the other areas, but the LTTE has stated that it would impose a 330 meterban on new buildings along the coastal areas under its control. Youth shot, injured in Colombo: Jan 24 - A Tamil youth identified as Jegadeeshwaran aged 32 was been shot and injured near 33rd Lane in Wellawatte, Colombo 6 on 24 January by unknown gunmen, according to police sources who alleged that the LTTE's "pistol gang' as being responsible for the shooting. According to hospital sources Jegan received two gunshot injuries in his right chest and was undergoing medical treatment in the Intensive Care Unit. Day of Mourning observed: Jan 26 - Amid cries among those attending the various ceremonies, a highly emotional day of mourning was observed throughout the Northeast Wednesday on the 31st annivesary day of the Tsunami that devastated the Northeast on 26th of December. A wall-clock, which stopped at 8.50

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a.m. on December 26 at Mullaitivu Kallapaddu Maha Vidiyalayam following the Tsunami disaster was again made to tick into operation at 8.50 a.m. symbolizing the return of life.
Special ceremonial gatherings, meetings and events were held at several locations in the Northeast. Shops were closed and black flags were seen in houses and buildings throughout Northeast. Special ceremonial gatherings, meetings and events were held at several locations in the Northeast. Tsunami relief fund distribution to be monitored: Jan 27 - PAFFREL, a non-governmental organization specialised in monitoring elections is to deploy five thousand volunteers to monitor the distribution of relief supply and foreign aid to Tsunami af. fected districts in the island. The monitoring will commence on February 1, said PAFFREL Chairman Mr. Kingsely Rodrigo at a press briefing held in Colombo.
Mr Rodrigo added that monitoring would continue for six months. PAFFREL has decided to monitor the aid and relief distribution following several complaints that irregularities prevail in various schemes implemented by NGOs, civil groups and government agencies.
Meanwhile, Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) is to launch a special programme to monitor the flow of foreign aid into the country following Tsunami disaster, which left about thirty thousand dead, and several thousands rendered homeless and now are sheltered in welfare centres. HRC to monitor post-tsunami Rights violations: Jan 27 - The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has established Disaster Relief Monitoring Unit (DRMU)) to ensure human rights protection during the post-tsunami reconstruction phase with Mr.Lionel Fernando as its chairman.
Mr Fernando, a veteran public servant, served in past in various top level capacities as Government Agent of Jaffna, Governor of the North East provincial Council, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, Secretary of the Ministry for Media, Tourism and Aviation, Secretary to the Foreign Ministry, Ambassador in the Netherlands. and High Commissioner in Malaysia
Ms Radhika Coomaraswamy, HRCSL Chairperson, said that Mr.Lionel Fernando would work with Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) project of the HRCSL and the Investigation, Inquiries Division of the HRCSL in ensuring protection of human rights. Opposition Leader leaves for Norway: Jan 29 - Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the opposition and the United National Party (UNP) left for Norway accompanied by Mr.Milinda Morogoda and Mr.T.Maheswaran, former ministers in the then United National Front (UNF).
During his stay in Oslo, Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe is expected to hold talks with Norwegian Prime Minister and other European government leaders regarding rebuilding tsunami devastated Sri Lanka and the prospects of resuming peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE. 893 children lost both parents: Feb 1 - The Children's Desk of the Centre for Operations said that 893 children had lost both parents in the tsunami disaster. Sources of the Children's Desk at the Centre for Operations said that 707 children in the North and East had lost both parents.
Giving a break down, sources of the Children's Desk said that there are 21 children in the Western Province and 165 children in the South who had lost both parents.
They pointed out that 2,089 children from the North and East had lost at least one parent in the disaster which occurred in December, 19 from the Western Province and 896 from the Southern Province had lost one parent to the tsunami waves which hit the coastal belt killing over 30,000 people.
The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), UNICEF, and the Probation and Child Care Department had formed a set of guidelines to protect the affected children. Tsunami early-warning system from Japan: Feb 1 - The government of Japan, the largest donor country to Sri Lanka, has agreed to a request made by President Chandrika Kumaratunga to provide with the technical assistance to set up a tsunami earlywarning system here as soon as possible. Visiting Senior Vice

TAMILTIMEs 31
Minister Foreign Minister for Japan, Shuzen Tanigawa, reveled this at a press conference held at the Hilton Hotel on Tuesday at the end of his fact finding mission in Sri Lanka. "President Chandrika Kumaratunga has asked for Japanese assistance to set up a tsunami early-warning system. But it depends on the government of Sri Lanka's ability to absorb it," Minister Tanigawa said. Expressing the Japan's willingness to provide maximum assistance to rebuild tsunami-hit Sri Lanka, he said that country should progress and turn this tragedy to build mutual confidence with the LTTE and to further promote the stalled peace process. Over Rs. 400 m released to provide relief: Feb 1 - The Centre for National Operations announced that a sum of Rs. 403 million has been so far disbursed to the District Secretaries of the North and East to provide relief assistance to people who were affected by the recent tsunami.
This money disbursed through Ministry of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Reconciliation to all District Secretaries of the North East was to meet the funeral expenses of those killed in the devastation and to meet the immediate and short-term needs of the people who were displaced by the tsunami.
Further, dry foods, equipment needed for the welfare centres, beds, mattresses and kitchen utensils were also provided by these money allocated up to 25th of January, states the Government Information Department. The largest amount of Rs. 110 million was allocated to Ampara District. The other district Secretaries who were paid money were Jaffna Rs. 42 million. Kilinochchi Rs. 46 ml, Mullaitivu Rs. 45 ml, Trincomalee Rs. 65 ml and Batticaloa RS. 95 ml.
In addition to these allocations all districts inclusive of North East which were affected by the tsunami have been issued with sufficient stock of dry rations and infant milk food. Accordingly the Director, Centre for National Operations Dr. Tara de Mel said that so far 6151 MT of rice 43700 MT of Milk Food and 2781 MT of Sugar have been distributed to all districts by the Government in addition to other essentials such as dhal, potatoes buscuits, bread, plastic utensils, etc.
Unemployment soars to 20%: Feb 1 - Sri Lanka's unemployment rate has risen to 20% due to 400,000 people losing their livelihood in the eastern, southern and western provinces of Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the tsunami disaster, the International Labour Organisation disclosed yesterday.
In a report the ILO said the rise from 9.2% to 20% in such a short period was one of the worst in history.
ILO said the worst affected areas were fisheries, hotels and tourism including eco-tourism, which was beginning to expand, in addition to the informal economy where unemployment has soared. These three sectors were flourishing in the coastal belt of Sri Lanka when the tsunami devastated them. The ILO warned that those rendered unemployed by the tsunami must be found jobs within two years to prevent further social crises and unrest 2 862 children orphaned in NE: Feb 1 - About 2862 children have been orphaned in the northeast province due to December 26 tsunami, states Ms N.R.Ranjini, Director, Provincial Department of Social Services and Child Care, in a report sent to the Chairman of the National Child Protection Authority. The number of children who lost both parents in Tsunami disaster is 737. Districtwise breakdown is: Batticaloa-406, Amparai-162, Mullaitvu-94, Jaffna- 39, Trincomalee-35 and Killinochchi-01
The number of children who lost either mother or father is 2125:Amparai-954, Batticaloa-699, Mullaitivu- 393, Jaffna- 47 and Trincomalee-32., according to the report.
LTTE releases teenage recruits: Feb 3 - The LTTE handed over 23 underage youths who had enlisted with the LTTE to the NorthEast Secretariat on Human Rights (NESOHR) Chairperson Rev. Fr.Karunaratnam on 3 February, according to a repoprt in the LTTE's Peace Secretariat website.The report said that the identification of underage youths was part of a continuing process in the initiative taken by the Special Committee appointed for this purpose by the LTTE's Political Division. Four youths were handed

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over to their parents and NESOHR was trying to trace the parents of the other youth, the report said.
CNO terminates relief operations: Feb 4 - The operation of the Centre for National Operations (CNO) established by Sri Lanka President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge following December 26 tsunami devastation has been terminated and its functions have been handed over to Line Ministries and provincial authorities, said Mr.Dhammika Hewapathirana, Manager of the CNO at a press briefing.
“We are not saying that the CNO is dissolved. CNO has completed its task and the provincial authorities will now take over and carry forward the rest of the work under a different name,' said Mr. Hewapathirana.
Muslims protest: Feb 4 - Thousands of Muslims demonstrated in the main coastal towns of the Amparai against the Sri Lankan government for denying them Tsunami aid. Protestors poured out of Mosques in Sainthamaruthu, Maalikaikaddu, Ninthavur and Kalmunaikudi and Maruthamunai after Friday afternoon prayers, carrying placards and shouting slogans against the President Kumaratunga's government.
The demonstrations were organised by local mosque trustee boards. Muslims in densely populated towns along Sri Lanka's southeast coast suffered severely when the Tsunami hit.
LTTE official shot dead in Batticaloa: Feb 4 - An official of the LTTE was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Kiran, 28 kilometres north of Batticaloa. The slain official was identified as Mr. Sinnathurai Thevathas, 28, who was in charge of LTTE's Forest Conservation Division for Batticaloa. He was shot dead with a T-56 assault rifle while riding a motorbike with a colleague near Kiran Vishnu Temple, Police in Valaichenai said. His companion escaped unhurt. The assailants got away, Police said. They suspect that the assailants might have belonged to the LTTE's
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FEBRUARY 2005
breakaway Karuna faction.
LTTE cadre gunned down: Feb 4 - Unidentified gunmen suspected to be Karuna loyalists killed an LTTE cadre at Kiran in Batticaloa district, army sources said. The LTTE cadre identified as Viveshan was gunned down while riding a motorcycle, sources said adding that another man travelling with him escaped without Inյury. Suicide attempt LTTE cadre: Feb 5 - A former member of the LTTE alledgely tried to kill himself after the group attempted to re-enlist him against his will, a military spokesman said.
Anthony Arulappan, 23, left the Liberation Tigers last year and was staying at his home in the eastern Batticaloa district when LTTE cadres arrived and took him away at gunpoint on on 4 February, said Brig. Daya Ratnayake. “On the way he snatched a gun from one of the guards and shot himself," Ratnayake said. Most of the bullets hit him in the abdomen and lower parts of the body. He is being treated at the Batticaloa hospital, Ratnayake said.
Also in Batticaloa on 4 February, a Tiger cadre identified only as Kalaimaran shot and killed himself after he was denied permission to visit his ailing father, Ratnayake said. The LTTE has not made any mention of the incidents, and telephone messages left at the LTTE office in the northern town of Kilinochchi remained unanswered as of Saturday, 5 February.
Colombo dragging feet on joint mechanism: Feb 5 - "The Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) is still dragging its feet over the establishment of a joint mechanism to take forward the reconstruction and rehabilitation of tsunami destroyed Tamil coastal areas in the northeast province," said Mr S P Thamilchelvan, Political head of the LTTE addressing a press conference following his two hour- talks with Mr Hans Brattskar, Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka held on 5 February in Killinochchi.
Mr Hans Brattskar with acting Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) arrived in Killinochchi by a Sri Lanka Air Force helicopter and discussions were held in Killinochchi Peace Secretariat mainly centring on forming a joint mechanism between the GOSL and LTTE.
Mr. Koushalyan, Batticaloa-Amparai district LTTE political head and Pulithevan of the LTTE Peace Secretariat also participated with Mr.Thamilchelvan in the discussion.
"GOSL is increasingly demonstrating its unwillingness to work with the LTTE in rebuilding the devastated areas. GOSL's proposals for a joint mechanism are, in our opinion, impractical and are not worthy of our consideration,” Mr.Thamilchelvan said while speaking to journalists. "We have submitted several suggestions and proposals through Norwegian facilitators to the GOSL. We feel that GOSL is not sincere in creating a situation that would enable us to move forward,” he said.
"We categorically deny all allegations and propaganda by the GOSL that we are recruiting forcibly children affected by tsunami,” said Mr.Thamilchelvan.
"We have taken several steps to rehabilitate children afected by war and now by tsunami. GOSL which failed to provide :ven basic facilities to children orphaned by the war and natural lisaster has no moral authority even to make such allegations,” aid Mr.Thamilchelvan.
Greek floating hospital in Trinco: Feb 5 - A Greek passenger hip converted into a floating hospital arrived in Trincomalee larbour on Saturday 5 February with a 70 member medical team. he ship will remain in the eastern port town till 31 March, said Mr. Efstathios Lozos, Ambassador of Greece to Sri Lanka, adressing journalists on board.
A Greek shipping firm, Majestic International Cruises Comany, offered its one of its passenger vessels OCEAN MONARCH o the Government of Greece free of charge for the humanitarian hission to Sri Lanka, Ambassador Mr. Lozos said. The ship left IRUS Greek port city, a port in Greece about two weeks ago.
Ambassador Mr. Lozos and Deputy Provincial Director of Iealth in the Provincial Ministry Dr.S.Abraham and Dr (Ms) .K.Gnanagunalan, Medical Superintendent of the Trincomalee

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general hospital received the medical team at the Ashraff Jetty, sources said.
Mr. Lozos said the floating hospital will start its medical services within a week and they will collaborate with the Trincomalee general hospital. The floating hospital comprises an operating theatre, fully equipped laboratory, X-Ray unit, Radiology Unit, and a Pathological unit. It brought 750 tonnes of medicine and an ambulance. Greece Red Cross Society sent eleven-member team to serve during the stay in Trincomalee, sources said. The medical team includes Surgeon, Gynaecologist, Psychiatrist and PaediatriCidfil.
Missing youth found dead: Feb 6 - Mr. Cumaraswamy Thirukumaran (26) of Puttur east in the Achchuveli police division reported missing since January 29 was found dead on Saturday 5 February and his body was recovered from a bush near Kottuthanai. Jaffna Police immediately commenced investigation to find how the youth met his death, sources said.
Achchuveli Police handed over the body to the mortuary of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital for post-mortem examination, sources said. Relatives later identified the body as of Mr.Thirukumaran. A bicycle was also recovered from the scene where the body was lying, police said.
TNA boycotts Tsunami meeting: Feb 7 - The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) boycotted a meeting convened by Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge to discuss the question oTsunami reconstruction, held today at the Presidential Secretariat.
TNA Parliamentarian, Joseph Prarajasingham said that a meeting to consider the question of reconstruction of houses in the Tsunami affected areas in the Batticaloa District, and that he was invited to participate in that meeting but he decided not to attend the meeting. "TNA firmly believes that a separate structure should be established to handle relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in the North-east, and until progress is made in establishing this mechanism there is little use in TNA participating in any meetings with Ms Kumaratunge,' Mr Parajasingham added.
Study spotlights plight of Jaffna widows: Feb 7 - A study conducted by the Federation of NGOs revealed that 26,745 women have become widows due to the two decades of war and other reasons in Jaffna district, and the children growing up in widowed families suffer from severe malnutrition. These families continue to be economically backward, the study further said.
Only 15,700 widows, 59% of the total number, receive even the meagre allowance of Rs 250 or less a week from the state, the study found. 40% of the widows are below the age of 50, and most of them face difficulties in meeting the nutritional and the educational needs of their children.
Meanwhile, although many projects are implemented to improve the well being of the widows and their families by the International and local NGO's, there are criticisms from civil groups that as these projects are not satisfactorily carried through and have not yield satisfactorily results. Civil society groups also have criticised the Government of Sri Lanka not taking action to improve the economic well being of this group which needs urgent Support.
Extortion despite ceasefire: Feb 6 - The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), said that despite the ceasefire, instances of extortion cases had been reported from the eastern border villages in the Polonnaruwa district. This was revealed during a factfinding mission by SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem to Sungavil, Akbarpura, Palliyagodella and Alingipotana in the Polonnaruwa district recently.
Issuing a statement, the party expressed its doubt as to whether the LTTE or its breakaway group, led by Karuna, was responsible for these extortions. "Whoever it was, the fact remains that five villagers were kidnapped and later released for a ransom of Rs. 200,000 in mid January this year', it said.
People in these villages are severely affected by insecurity

TAMIL TIMES 33
and anxiety due to constant threats and violence. The statement also said that a caller on a cellular phone claiming to be Tiger leader Ravindran is reported to have told Adham Bawa, “You will leave the village for about two weeks; then we will carry out a full search and apprehend Karuna's men". However, Mr. Bawa had requested him to send an official letter to the village mosque. This was not complied with; instead Ravindran is reported to have threatened severe consequences if the villagers did not heed his request.
The villagers complained to the SLMC leader that they were not satisfied with the protection provided by the Police and that they were living in fear. They need Army protection instead and another SLMM office in Polonnaruva to monitor cease-fire violations, the statement added.
EU to gift Rs 1700m to repair N/E roads
Feb 7 - The European Union is to gift Rs. 1700 million to repair rural roads in the North and East of Sri Lanka. This decision was taken at a special meeting of the Union which discussed the programme of financial aid to Sri Lanka, held at the Union Headquarters at Brussels, Belgium, recently.
As revealed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, M.S. Jayasinghe, this is the first instalment of a total of Rs. 12000 million that the European Union is contemplating to grant as aid to Sri Lanka, depending on the progress shown in the utilization of aid.
He said that rural roads of Grade "C" and "D" maintained by the North East Provincial Council, extending to 550 kilometres will be repaired using this sum of aid.
Secretary Jayasinghe was optimistic that the social, economic and transport conditions of the people of North and East would improve immensely by properly maintaining these roads which had been neglected over several years.
He further stated that these are outright gifts by the European Union not subject to any interest or repayment, and that their two previous gifts, one of Rs.2000 million and another of Rs. 800 million were utilized by his Ministry to resettle refugees displaced by the North East War. Each of the resettled families under this programme was given Rs. 25000 in cash as resettlement expenses, he reminded.
Sri Lanka is likely to get further assistance by the European Union, out of a total of Rs. 35000 million the Union has allocated to help the Tsunami assailed countries including Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka, he added.
Two Tiger hitmen arrested: Feb 7 - Two LTTE cadres, believed to be members of a hit squad, had been arrested, at a joint policearmy check point at Urani, Batticaloa, recently. "Two motorbike riding armed cadres of the Wanni faction were arrested on 3 February around midnight,” a military official said. They had been identified as Sellathambi Navaseelan (24) of Kiran and Udayan Uruthiran (21) of Kokkadicholai. They had one pistol, two magazines, fifteen rounds of 9 mm ammunition and one cyanide capsule, he said.
Three housing schemes for Batticaloa: Feb. 8 - President Chandrika Kunmaratunga has directed the housing authority officials to commence construction activities of three projects special housing projects with all urban amenities before the 20th of this month in the Batticaloa district.
The President chaired a special discussion on new housing schemes for the people displaced by tsunami disaster in the Batticaloa district. The President briefed the Ministers, Parliamentarians and officials of the District on three special housing projects with all urban amenities.
The National Housing Authority (NHDA) has already identified the lands required for the construction of all such resettlement schemes in the North-East provinces.
Urban Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardane, Labour Minister Athauda Seneviratne, Batticaloa District Rehabilitation Minister Risad Badiudeen, Rehabilitation Deputy Minister D. M. Dassanayake, Hon. Basheer Segudawood, M. P., Secretary to the President W. J. S. Karunaratne, Urban Development Ministry

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Secretary T. Hewage, Chief Secretary of the NEPCS. Rangarajah, Batticaloa Government Agent S. Shanmugam and NHDA Chairman M. N. Junaid also participated in the discussion.
A group of entrepreneurs of the private sector who have pledged to construct houses for the displaced also called upon the President at the President's House this evening. The officials of the Housing Authority made them aware of the identified lands for the construction of the houses undertaken by them. Several foreign institutions have also agreed to sponsor selected villages of those displaced by the tsunami.
Govt to monitor foreign tsunami aid: Feb. 9 - The Government has asked local and international aid agencies to disclose their tsunami-relief operations and sources of funding, saying that the information was essential to reduce waste. The Finance Ministry in a statement said it was asking all local and foreign non-governmental organisations working on the island to register with the state and give audited financial statements. It said all such organisations should give details of their tsunami relief and reconstruction plans, sources of funding, annual report and audited accounts and financial statements to the Sri Lankan government.
The ministry did not set a deadline, but said a detailed announcement on the registration procedures would be made shortly. It said the measure was taken in the interest of "transparency and adherence to best practices' and ensure efficient coordination of relief.
The move came two days after the World Bank warned that any move to control foreign money flows to the island would be counter-productive, but said coordination was necessary to ensure that relief was sent to all those in need. "This is an extraordinary situation and any attempt to control foreign money will mean you will not get a cent," World Bank country director Peter Harrold told reporters adding, "But we agree that the work must fit into a broader plan."
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FEBRUARY 2005
Commission to probe tsunami:Feb 9 - Sri Lanka President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratungahas appointed Retired Judge of the Supreme Court H. S. Yapa as the Chairman of the Tsunami Commission and retired Judge of the Court of Appeal P. H. Kulatilake has been appointed as a member of this Commission. The President appointed the Commission of Inquiry to find out whether any advance warning was received by any relevant State institutions in Sri Lanka relating to the earthquake that originated in the Indian Ocean off Northern Sumatra on December 26th last year and whether there would have been a possible threat of tsunami to any part of Sri Lanka. The Commission will also inquire into whether any State institutions have failed to give advance warning to the people. President directed that the report of this Commission be submitted within three months.
Tsunami Select Committee: Feb 10 - An all-party parliamentary select committee with an Opposition MP as chairman was appointed by the Speaker to recommend ways of minimizing damage from natural disasters similar to the devastation of 26 December last year.
Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara announced the names of the twenty-one-member body with chief opposition whip Mahinda Samarasinghe as chairman.
The committee has been vested with powers to summon any person before it or obtain the advice of experts to facilitate its investigations. It has also been requested to inquire whether there was any lack of preparedness by the authorities to meet an emergency of the magnitude such as when the tsunami struck the coastal belt.
The tsunami select committee appointed in response to a request made by eight parliamentarians representing all parties in the House is expected to regularly submit interim reports on its findings.
The committee comprises Lakshman Kadirgamar, Tissa Vitharana, Jeyeraj Fernandopulle, Dinesh Gunawardena, Mangala Samaraweera, Maithripala Sirisena, Bimal Ratnayake, Vajira Abeywardena, John Amaratunga, D.E.W. Gunasekera, Ferial Ashraff, Douglas Devananda, Sajith Premadasa, Sagala Ratnayake, Mohommed Mustapha, Ven. Athuraliya Ratana Thera, R. Sambanthan, M.K. Sivajilingam, N. Raviraj and Rauf Hakeem.
Details of Jaffna tsunami damage: Feb 11 - Latest report released by the government's Jaffna Secretariat reveals that 47195 people from 12669 families were either displaced or severely affected economically by the tsunami waves in Jaffna peninsula. Out of these 9663 people from 2660 families still continue to be in refugee camps. A further 30393 persons belonging to 7934 families are staying with friends and relations, the report said.
Statistics in the report also revealed that 7739 persons belonging to 2075 families have been affected economically though they have not displaced.
Further in the 31 Grama Sevaka divisions of Point Pedro and Maruthankerny 6680 houses have been completely destroyed. In Point Pedro l l 14 houses have been partially damaged, the report said. 14 schools have been either partially or completely damaged for an estimated loss of 96.1 million rupees.
Until January 31st 1256 people have lost their lives and 1240 people have been listed as missing. 1647 injured had sought treatment for injuries. Only 355 families of the tsunami deceased persons had received payments in part or full for the funeral expenses.
Along the coast under the control of the Sri Lankan forces from Thondamanaru to Kudaththanai in the Vadamaradchy east and on the coast under the control of LTTE the losses to the fishing vessels, nets and other tools of trade have been estimated to be 994.24 million rupees.
Duty on Tsunami relief supplies: Feb 12 - Government of Sri Lanka has imposed customs duty at current commercial rates on donated relief supplies including water purification tablets arriving in Colombo addressed to Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) including Tamil Rehabilitiation Organization (TRO). Only

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FEBRUARY 2005
medicine and infant milk formula are exempt from duty,
"The Ministry of Finance and Planning released instructions to the Director of General Customs claiming disaster management has moved to the reconstruction phase and therefore regulation on importation of items should return to normal procedure under the relevant tax laws," a report posted at the website run by the TRO said. Director of TRO, Mr Reggie, has informed TRO offices in other countries, and expatriate Tamil well-wishers to withhold shipments until the tax issue is resolved.
Grenade attack on LTTE political office: Feb 12 - Two civilians and an LTTE political worker were wounded when unidentified persons lobbed a grenade at the LTTE political office in Mannar town t around 7.45 PM on 12 February. Mannar hospital sources said one civilian identified as M. Callister (32) who was admitted at the Mannar Hospital succumbed to wounds.
The office is located in the town's high security zone. Crowds gathered at the scene upon hearing the explosion. The attackers got away, Police said. An SLMM official, TNA MP for Vanni district Mr. Selvam Adaikalanathan and catholic fathers visited the scene. Hospital sources added that there were two other civilians, aged 25 and 40, being treated at the Hospital for injuries.
President challenges JVP to leave: Feb 13 - Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga has warned her main coalition partner that it could leave her government if it continued to obstruct her politically. In a hard hitting speech at the opening of a Multi Purpose Co-operative Society in Attanagalla, her home electorate in Sri Lanka's western province, she warned the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP): 2If they want to leave, let them leave. I cannot rule like this. They threaten to leave the government even over paltry issues. They are more interested in getting rid of me than Pirapaharan". "When I try to work on a solution (to the ethnic conflict), they say no. no. They say this word is wrong. That letter is not right. They tell us to add this word or add that letter. It is farcical," she said. She lambasted "some coalition partners' in her government for obstructing her efforts to find a political settlement to the island's ethnic conflict
With thirty nine MPs, the JVP holds the key to her coalition government's survival in power. If the JVP leaves the government, Kumaratunga has to either form a national government with the opposition, or run a shaky minority government or go for fresh elections.
Indian power plant for Sri Lanka: Feb 16 - India's stateowned National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) announced recently that it is considering setting up a power plant in Sri Lanka."We are looking at setting up a 300 MW power plant in Sri Lanka. We have already submitted a proposal to the Sri Lankan government with regard to this,' stated C.P. Jain, Chairman and Managing Director of NTPC, according to the Sri Lanka Board of Investment.
The proposed project, which would be implemented in a joint venture with Bharat Heavy Electricals and Ceylon Electricity Board, is estimated to cost around Rs.15 billion. The plant is expected to be run on either coal or gas. "We are looking at both the fuel options but no decision has yet been taken," Jain said. "The project would be run on Built-Own-Operate basis," he further added.
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TAMIL TIMES 35
Another LTTE cadre killed: Feb 16 - Suspected Karuna faction gunmen shot and killed a top Wanni LTTE intelligence wing cadre identified as Tambunathan Sudeekaran at Batticaloa, on 14 February according to intelligence sources.
The Wanni LTTE cadre, who was travelling on a motorcycle had been followed by his assailants at Kommathurai near Batticaloa before he was shot, sources said. They also said that Thambunathan was accompanied by another LTTE Wanni cadre but his whereabouts or what happened to him was not known.
Clinton and Bush to visit Sri Lanka: Feb 17 - Former U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush will visit Sri Lanka's tsunami-hit southern coast and lead a fund-raising campaign for the victims, the U.S. Embassy said.
The two former presidents will meet President Chandrika Kumaratunga when they arrive on Sunday. Clinton and Bush will visit the USAID-sponsored debris clearing project Monday in the southern Matara district, 130 kilometers (80 miles) south of the capital Colombo, before leaving for the Maldives, the embassy said.
The United States has played a leading role in helping Sri Lanka's tsunami victims by providing money, food donations and deploying U.S. Marines to clear debris.
At least 31,000 Sri Lankans were killed by the Dec. 26 Indian Ocean tsunami, which swept across l l nations in Asia and Africa. Nearly a million people on the island were made homeless by the disaster.
Non-Tamil students driven out: Feb 18 - Tough ragging by some Tamil students has caused some O Sinhala and Muslim medical students at the University of Jaffna, to give up their studies, Jafna according to a news report from Colombo.
It is reported that the University Grants Commission had selected about 10 students to join the Jaffna University's faculty of medicine, for the academic year. The Grants Commission had claimed that it had taken this decision following the ceasefire accord. It added that the affected students had said they were unable to continue studies and wished to withdraw due to the tough ragging as never before, deliberately carried out on them. They said that the violence, the so-called ragging, was a well planned move to drive out non-Tamil students from the Jaffna University.
Students, who were attacked severely by a group have said that an impartial and fair inquiry into the attack should be carried out and justice meted out to them. Currently, the students are endeavouring to raise the issue with the President and top government officials concerned.
Senior Police Officer indicted: Feb 18 - The Attorney General has indicted controversial Police Superintendent Kulasiri Udugampola on 19 charges connected to the questionable police raid on the military safe house at Millennium City in Athurugiriya off Colombo. The raid, in the course of which Senior Army officials and some from the military intelligence were taken into custody and detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, exposed the activities and personnel involved the Deep Penetration Unit operated by the Military Intelligence. A Commission headed by a Judge later concluded that the raid general election and the resulting publicity that exposed military intelligence as a "treacherous act'.
In the indictment filed before the High Court SP Udugampola is accused of violating the Official Secrets Act and the wrongful confinement and filing a false case against Senior Army officials including former Army Commander Lionel Balagalle.
According to the indictment SP Udugampola had arrested Army personnel on January 2, 2002 despite their claim that they were performing army duties with the approval of the Army Commander. The accused had later brought these army officials including some senior Army Officials to the Narahenpita Military Police station.
At the time of committing the alleged offences, Udugampola

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36 TAMIL TIMES
CLASSIFIEDADS
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Jaffna Hindu parents seek for their son, Surgeon, M.B.B.S., MRCS,32, UK born, bride to be of similar profession. Tel: 02086894979 (UK)
Jaffna Hindu mother in Australia Seeks a partner, preferably a doctor for her medical doctor Son, 40, 5'11", working in Australia, Please send horoscope, details to M 1433 C/o Tamil TimeS.
Jaffna Hindu brother in UK seeks professional partner, fair and handsome, 3436 years, doctor/engineer/ computer professional for sister, fair and pretty, 34, 5'2", chemical engineer, wellemployed in staff post, EU citizen, migration possible. Pleasesend details to M 1434 C/o Tamil Times
Hindu parents seek professionally qualified groom for their daughter, 33 years old, brought up in UK, Software professional, innocently diVOrced With a child, Caste no bar. Contact e-mail:
ChelakrisGyahoo.com, Tel: 441302391440 (M1435)
Jaffna Hindu parents seek tall, fair, qualified bride for son, 32, 6', fair, M.Sc. Engineer working in South Africa. Please Send details to M 1436 C/o Tamil Times.
Jaffna Hindu Doctor parents seek professional groom for their Cambridge educated, professional, pretty daughter, 31, born, brought up in UK. Please send details to M 1437 C/o Tamil Times.
OBTUARIES
Sanders - Nalliah Samuel Devapalan, 52, beloved husband of Srimalee Chintha (nee Senaraïne), loving father of Devika, Ruvini, Shalome, Sandra and Samuel; Son of Kamalam Sanders and the late W.T.Sanders, brother of Dayalan, Kanya, Deeran & Diyana; brother-in-law of Kohila (nee Selvarajah), Fabiola (nee Thangarajah) & Niranjan Gunaratnam passedaway peacefully on Monday, January 10, 2005. The funeral took place on January 13*at Grace United Methodist Church, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.
The members of the family Wish to thank all friends and relatives who attended the funeral, Sent floral tributes and messages of sympathy and assisted then in Several ways during the period of great Sorrow.
-19605, Blue Smoke Way, Gaithersburg,
MD 20879,
USA.
 
 
 

FEBRUARY 2005
Nesadurai Thirunesan (Rajee Sankar), Consultant, Cashew Corporation, Sri Lanka, loving son of Nesadurai Potikodi (Urumpirai) and the late Manickam Nesadurai, beloved husband of Nirmala (Rani), loving father of Thirumalnesan,
Rajanie, Niranjanee, Aarabee and Sarananan; loving brother of Lalitha, Sivanesan, Jayantha, Geetha and Sathiyanesan brother-in-law of late Dr. Rajanathan, Rohinie, Visakan, Loganathan and Sasigala passed away on 10” January 2005. The funeral according to Hindu rites took place on 14 January and the Cremation was at Kanatte, Colombo 5. The members of the family Wish to thank all friends and relatives Who attended the funeral, Sent floral tributes and messages of sympathy and assisted them in several ways during the period of grief. - 192/1 Moor Road, Colombo 6, Sri Lanka (Courtesy-Daily News, Sri Lanka)
IN MEMORIAMS
Sixth Death Anniversary 10.2.05
Mrs Regina Rajanayagam Sadly missed and fondly remembered by her beloved husband Rajanayagam, brothers Ratnam Jesudasan, Anton James and Prince, Sister Cecilia Lawrence, brothers-inlaw Dr. Arasaratnam 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 DA51EH.
Academy of Languages and Fine Arts
We have the following Staff Vacancies in the Academy
1) Saxophone artist/teacher who has qualifications
and experience in Carnatic Music.
2) Mandolin artist/teacher with experience
in Carnatic Music.
k Experience in any other instrument would be an advantage For more information, please telephone
AFA on 01923 213 247
Applications close on 14th March 2005 - Director of Studies.

Page 37
FEBRUARY 2005
In ever lovin Thanabalasingham Pararajasingham
In ever loving memory of our dearest Ayah and Amma who da tively. We are grateful to God Almighty for blessing us throl Life goes on, but you v
Your everloving children, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, in - 285 Malden Road, New
Third Year Remembrance
In ever loving and precious memory of Mr. Suppiah Kanagalingam on the third anniversary of his passing away on 27th February 2002.
Your silent love and great guidance for all of us brightened and strengthened our lives. Dearly missed and remembered with love and affection by his loving wife, children, sons-in-law, daughters-inlaw, grandchildren and great grandchildren and brother9 Fosseway, Lichfield, Staffs WS14 0AD. Loving memories of you are held close to our hearts.
W.Sria
 
 

TAMIL TIMES 37
g memory of
Sivagamasoundaram Pararajasingham
'eparted this world, three years and seven years ago respecgh the love and affection of the two great souls for so long.
vill always be missed.
ephews, nieces, grandchildren and great grandchildren Malden, Surrey KT36AH.
Seventh Anniversary Remembrance
In loving memory Of Mrs Pakiaratпат Kandah on the seventh anniversary of her passing away on 3rd February 1998.
Fondly remembered and sadly missed by her only sister Parimalaratnam Thirunavukarasu of Yogarswami Abode, Colombuthurai, Jaffna, children Sivayogaratnam, Sivayoganatham, Sivayogeswary, Sivayogaiswaran and Sivayogan, sons-in-law Varatharajah and Sivathasan; daughters-in-law Umasakthy, Sivayogiand Amirthavalli several grandchildren and great grandchildren.
- 3 New Leasow, Walmley, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham B761 YL.
O
nkan S-COm

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38 TAM TIMES
Eighth 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, grandsons Nicolas, and Colin, sister Chandra, brothers Indran and Peter and their families.
Death Anniversary Remembrance
In loving memory of Mr. Chelliah Sivasampu on the thirteenth anniversary of his passing away on 9th March 1992.
Sadly missed and fondly remembered by his two sons.
- 15 Wolsey Way, Chessington, |L_ဒ္ဓိန္နီ Surrey KT91XQ.
14. Shashti; Karthigai FO R ချိပျံ NGS 17. Feast of St. Patrick,
Patron of Ireland March 2005 18. Feast of St. Cyril 1. Feast of St. David, Patron 19. Feast of St. Joseph of Wales 21. Eekathasi 4. Feast of St. Casimir 22. 11 a.m. Colombuthul6, EekathaSi rai Yoga Swamigal Abhis8. Maha Sivarathiri ekham and Guru Poojah PirathOSam followed by Prasatham at 9. Amavasai; Feast of St. Sree Ganapathy Temple, Francis 123 Effra Road, London 13. Sathurthi SM/19. All Welcome.
OY Genera
WWWarmaSSOCiateS.CO.uk-uSe
CSMERSEN TRA
Please Call O795
75047
 
 
 
 
 

FEBRUARY 2005
23. Pirathosam 25. Fullmoon, Pankuni Uththiram; Thiru Kalyanam; FeaSt of Annunciation of the Lord, Jesus Christ
28. Sankadakara Sathurthi Presented by Vani Fine Arts Society at Bhavan Centre, 4a Castletown Road, West Kensington, London MV14 9HE. Te: O20 7386 0924. Fax. 020 76100460 MWeb: www.vanifinearts.net Mar 3rd till 18th 6.30 p.m - 8.30 p.m. Karnatic Vocal Workshop by Prof. T.V.Gopalakrishnan
March 5th 6.30 p.m. Kathirgama Kuravanji Dance Drama by Guru Sri Prakash Yadagudde and his students. March 12th 6.00 p.m. Karnatic Vocal Concert by Prof. T.V. Gopalakrishnan March 13th 6.00 p.m. Bharatanatyam Recital by Priyadarshini Govind.
WEDDING BELLS
We congratulate the following couple on their recent wedding
Sivagnanaraj, son of Mrs T. Kunarasah of 19 Beach Road, Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka and the late Mr. R. Kunarasah and Gaithree, daugh
ter of Mr. & Mrs Nagendra of 394, Wendox Crescent, Mississauga, Ontario L5R 3H3, Canada on 22 January 2005 at Orchard Wedding Hall, Galle Road, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka.
Agasthiya, son of Mrs G. Narendranathan of 53, Crossways, South Croydon, Surrey CR28JQ and late Mr. P. Narendranathan and Malini, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Thushyanthan of "Victoria Court, 54, 8/5 St. Lawrence Road, Colombo 6, Sri Lanka on 22”o January 2005 at Hotel Samudra, Galle Face, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka.
Nithiyavaran, son of Mr. & Mrs. Yohesvaran of 34 Moor Road, Colombo 6, Sri Lanka and Madurika, daughter of Mr. & Mrs P. Sivapathasundaram of 138/1, 3' Cross Street, Jaffna on 22"o January 2005 at Ceylon Continental Sapphire Ballroom, Colombo 1.
Dr. Reuben Nithi, son of Mr. & Mrs Karunanithi of 12 The Manor Drive, Worcester Park, Surrey KT77LG and Kerry Amanda White, daughter of Mr Trevor White and Mrs Gill Daniels on 12th February 2005 at Pennyhill Park Hotel, Bagshot, Surrey.
Prayer Meetings in the Thames ValleyArea
Hindu Tamils resident in the Thames Valley area meet regularly at the Reading Hindu Temple (Old Methodist Church at 112, Whiteley Street, Reading) from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sundays for prayer meetings. Singing of Tamil devotional songs, including
Thevarems, Sivapuranam etc is conducted, followed by Poojah. All devotees are kindly welcomed to these meetings.
TRajeshwara, 35 Delamere Road, Reading RG6 1AF Te: O1189266564.
ful linkS-ARM Online insurance
/ELONLY ) )-SRILANKA
676 360
SOUTH INDIA -SINGAPORE

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FEBRUARY 2005
The Late Chelliah Gunapalasingam Principal Emeritus
Nurtured by the pedagogic traditions of Handy Perinbanayagam, A. R. Rajanayagam and C. K. Kandaswami, Gunapala-Singam bloomed in later years into a model educational administrator to the envy of many educationalists of the day. At the same time, many were nota Ware that the SuCCeSS of the Principalship of Handy AMaSter and C.K. K. at Koku Vil Hindu was in large measure due to the silent background work done so efficiently and meticulously by a few teachers led by Gunapalasingam - mainly drawing of the time table, and the planning of the co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.
Hailing from Urumpirai, he entered the University of Ceylon from Jaffna Hindu in 1945 and after graduation and a brief spell as a Land Development Officer joined the teaching staff of Kokuvil Hindu in 1950. A superb teacher of Geography, he should be proud of having turned out excellent geographers who are at the helm of affairs in Sri Lanka and in many other countries. Apart from School teaching his contribution to the teachers' Welfare and the progress of students in varied fields have made him a master figure in the educational horizon of Sri Lanka.
As Secretary of the NPTA Examination Council for long years his meticulous streamlining the JSC examination made it a popular one for all the Tamil Children to raise their level leading to the GCE O/L examination. In the planning and conducting the examination Gunapalasingammaintained and improved on the high standards of credibility, reliability and acceptability set by earlier stalwarts like C. Vyramuttu and K. Pooranampilai.
He was a long standing member of the executive committees of the NPTA, ACUT, and the NUT and his contributions helped in a large measure to enhance the professionalism of the Teachers Trade Unions. His measured and weighty advice was always Sought after in preparing educational memoranda and any document that he had a hand was welcomed by persons in authority at the national level as one with polish and precision and hence he was held in high esteem.
I had the privilege to work with him in many educational and professional committees and found him to be a hard task - master. He is an embodiment of method, system, punctuality and very choosy in getting correct words a diphrases and spends lot of time and care in polishing details. It was easy to get a document approved from the NPTA executive committee of 55 members but a Himalayan task to get it through Guna as it had to go through "Baptism of Fire" but once approved by Guna it was a well rounded model of a document. As the Assistant Secretary of the NPTA I had a wonderful training under him (though with some grumbling) when he was the General Secretary and Vice President of the NPTA which helped me immensely and l had a smooth sailing later as the General Secretary and President of the NPTA. He always had an open mind and a helping attitude and took great care to put others on the correct path and also to discharge a given responsibility true to his conscience.
He was a long standing and silent member who managed the funds of the Northern Province Teachers Provident Soci
 

TAMIL TIMES 39
ety to the entire satisfaction of all concerned and when the NPTA Benevolent Fund was organised in 1960 his experience in fund management was a tower of strength to ease all our teething problems and still the fund is going strong.
Though his entire teaching service was at Kokuvil Hindu College he crowned his career with the Principalship of Velanai Sir Waitilingam Duraisamy M. M. W and the Jaffna RKM Vaitheeswara Vidyalayam. His wife Nithiyalaksmi, daughter of another prestigious History teacher of Jaffna Hindu (a teacher of mine) and later Principal of Kokuvil Hindu, Nagalingam (popularly known as Shakespeare Nagalingam) was a source of strength to him in all his endeavours. We have lost an eminent educationalist and a perfect gentleman when he passed away in Vannarponnai Jaffna on the 31 January 2005.
May we pray for his soul.
- V.Sivasupramaniam, Seychelle
Australian NeWSletter
All public gatherings of Tamils in Australia during the past month were in a rather sober atmosphere and the fifth annual Tamil Writers Conclave held in Sydney was no exception. It is normally conducted during the summer break in different cities of Australia and the previous conclave was held twice in Melbourne, once each in Canberra and Sydney. The event usually draws participants from a cross section of the community and Mrs Kokila Mahendran, a prominent novelist and Mrs Jeyanthi Vinothan were among the participants this time. The day was packed with seminars, book reviews, artistic displays and cultural programme and Annaviyaar laya Pathmanathan was honoured for his contribution to Tamil Art.
The Tamil Coordinating Committee's Annual Sports Meet in Melbourne was a rather abstemious occasion. A concerted effort was made during the day to raise the awareness on the suffering of Tamil brethren in Tsunami affected areas, while maintaining the sporting sprits of Tamil Melbournians.
Australia Day Tamilar Ondru Koodal in Sydney took Tsunami Relief as the underlying theme of this year's event. Durgadevi Devasthanam in Syndey organised a cultural event in support of the temple project.
“Kalaivalavan” Si Su Nagendran's "Anthakaathau Yarlpanam" was ceremoniously released at the Tamil Senior Citizens monthly gathering in Melbourne. "Anthakaalthau
- Yarlpanam", is a collection of essays on lifestyle, traditions,
and customs etc that were prevalent in Jaffna during the yesteryears. The author delightfully narrates the role of "Kinnaru" in Tamil society, benefits of "Palmyrah" etc. with infinitesimal details and the book is not just an interesting read in Tamil, but also a valuable source of information on Jaffna Tamils.
"Kallappai, a quarterly Tamil Journal published by the Australian Tamil Graduates Association in Sydney is commemorating its tenth year of publication. Kuchupudi legend Dr Vempati Chinna Satyam's dance ballet "Arthanareeswarar" was held in all major centres of Australia. Members of the Tamil Community in Sydney and across Australia grieved the sudden loss of Dr Venthanar lango, who spearheaded Tamil language education.
Tamil University Students in Melbourne, Tamils of New South Wales and many other community groups successfully conducted fund raising campaign during the past few weeks in all major cities across Australia in support of Tsunami victims. On a larger format, The Tamil Rehabilitation Organization is actively pursuing the fundraising campaign throughout Australia & New Zealand in aid of Tsunami victims in the North & East.
- Sivasupramaniam Sitsabesan

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40 AML TIMES
Shankar Rajee (Nesadurai Thirunesan) - An Appreciation
Rajee was an incomparable leader. From a military point of view, he was extraordinarily courageous, and as a human being extraordinarily kind. lf as a guerrilla Commander he had a weakness, it was this quality of extraordinary kindness and his absolute contempt for injustice.
Anyone who associated with Rajee would neverdoubt his quality. The tributes that have come from his many friends all speak, in the essentials, of the same man, warm hearted, responsive, spreading with a loving generosity, amongst his friends, his acquaintances, amongst everyone with whom he came into contact, the Sparkle of his sense of fun, his dedication for the cause he believed in; the kind and untiring mentor of the young and inexperienced, but uncompromising in opposition to all that was unfair, unjust and overbearing. He was too true a man to wear a different face for different occasions. Unpretending himself, he had the gift of being the cause of unpretentiousness in others. He trusted all and had no fear of anyone. He exemplified the life of a free soul and a fearless fighter.
Rajee was a man of many parts. He had come the full course, from the boy soldier - short Smiling young man with curly hair, a master of words with a good turn of phrase, and of agentle manner. As someone who knew him for quite some time, and if I had judged him right- I believe that the World of Injustice oppressed him and the World of International politics appalled him. In them he found a rough, ungenerous world of military politics pursuing narrow national interests and there he placed himself to change the World. Through that he mainly followed the cultivation and development of two arts, the art of achieving a wide understanding of others, and the art of communicating to others the quality of that understanding.
Rajee walked into our lives through Ealam Research Organisers (EROS) in 1976. By then he had had his education at Jaffna Hindu College - and experienced the rise and fall of Sivakumaran another student of the College-then travelled to England and qualified as an Engineer. This shy and quiet man joined EROS and decided to blaze a new trail to free the Tamil people he had left behind in Ealam. For him, the immediate task was to create the peoples army that was capable of freeing his oppressed people.
He was one of the first to be trained by the Palestinian Liberation Organisation. With a small band of trained men he went back to Ealam and established the first base at Kannatty and set about the task of organising and training a people's force. From this moment he was ready to shed his generous blood spontaneously, for the cause of his people. Indeed there could have been no better example of a happy warrior like Rajee. His radiant smile and the slant of voice conveying the jokes were always there to lift our spirits and lighten our endeavourS.
He used all his gifts of perception and sympathetic understanding to uncover beneath the surface of the Tamil charac

FEBRUARY 2005
terthose rich veins of ore that make the community tick. This quality was at its most productive, when in 1983 he became one of the triumvirates leading EROS. He believed in the goodness of the human being and believed that people can be changed by the highest expression of revolutionary stoicism, the revolutionary spirit of sacrifice, revolutionary combativeness and the revolutionary spirit of work. Under his leadership, EROS was trusted by friends and foe alike. These qualities enabled EROS to cut across all divisiveness among the different liberation groups and uniting them under Ealam National Liberation Front (ENLF) in 1984. EROS as a unitying force was personified in Rajee. This was the time when EROS was at its best and the Tamil national forces were at their strongest. Rajee will have a secure place in history as the author and architect of the four principles at Thimpu.
"He saw the clashes and the tensions between the groups. He saw a community hugging tightly to itself and confronting many uncertainties within it. He caught and reflected on the problems afflicting his society, which, frustrated and appalled him. He saw the essential brittleness of the Scene and the endemic violence implicit in a social tension that could neither be permanently justified nor immediately released. He thought that what was amiss with this society was not so much that this group prevailed rather than that, or one philosophy or doctrine against another, but that there was still in the world so much of mistrust. He never sought to inculcate hatred, suspicion or distrust of motives, on the part of some men toward others.
He along with others in EROS believed that India was the key player who can unlock the National Question in Sri Lanka. He held on to this position without fear or pain. Until his death, he continued to strive to bring an understanding between the Indians and the LTTE. Right up to the end, he maintained his faith that he could bring a rapprochement between the two. That hope, retained against reason was severely tested. The fresh inspiration, which spring from his example, the continuing guidance that is gleaned from his actions, is a tribute to his genius and to his contribution to the Tamil community
His conduct was always profoundly influenced by the idea that men have a relative value in history, the idea that causes are not defeated when men fall, that the powerful march of history cannot and will not be halted when leaders fall. Indeed, his dedication for the cause was not diminished even after his arrest and imprisonment in India.
He was a man offine and distinguished manners. Generally, it was an informal manner, not easy to penetrate. That made the effect all the more engaging when, as he often did when he was happy and at ease, he abandoned formality fora style that was direct, simple and entirely personal. His presence was always a delight. His rich humour, his great purpose, generous impulses and strong passions raged within him making him the genuine character we knew. We are privileged to have had him in our midst and thankful for the many gifts that he unceasingly showered on us.
The untimely death of Rajee is a hard blow for the Tamil Freedom struggle, in that it deprives it, without a doubt, of its most experienced and able leader.
-Velupillai Kuhanendran

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FEBRUARY 2005
KRISHNAPILLAI VAIKUNTHAWASAN
15 April 1920 - 3 January 2005
This is a short story of a great Eelam Tamil hero whom we lost recently in London. He was born to Hindu Tamil parents of Alaveddy, Tamil Eelam, Sri Lanka, with three brothers and a sister. Though he was the eldest, all the others had predeceased him. Vasan was nearing his grand 85 year when the good Lord called him up to His Court. May be to command Vasan's counsel on some tricky judgements which He had to make. For, Vasan was a Barrister of the English Bar, Advocate of the Supreme Court of Ceylon (also of the Madras High Court) and District Judge & Registrar of Zambia's High Court - all by His Grace, of coursel But the Bar and Bench werent his true peaks.
Vasan's beginnings were modest. His father Ambalavanar Krishnapillai was a devout Hindu, well known as a Karma Yogi, who inspired his five children towards good moral values. But he was not so well-to-do. Vasan and his siblings were born in their mother's village, Karai Nagar, but brought up in Alaveddy (their father's place) where the family lived, and the children went to school. Vasan had to play the expected role of most eldest boys in middle class Tamil Hindu families in those days.
He had to forget all ideas of further schooling. He enrolled with the General Clerical Service of the Government of Sri Lanka, in order to earn his living, as well as to bolster the family income. Being blessed with an ideal wife in Maheswary both happily accommodated Vasan's siblings in their own rented house in Colombo, as each grew up, from where they all went for their tertiary education.
From his humble beginnings Vasan rose steadily, both in his career and in popularity among all his colleagues at work, progressively in the Trade Union Movement, then the bar, thereafter on the bench and finally in the political arena, as an activist more than at any elected post. The long and painful tribulations he underwent, the difficult but courageous path he took during his life, the contributions he made for liberating social underdogs like fellow workers, and lately the Tamilspeaking people of Sri Lanka are a matter of record. A committed socialist he was one of the towering figures of his time in the trade union movement becoming General Secretary of the Government Clerical Service Union and the All-Island Middle Class & Public Service Trade Unions. Along with some of his comrades in government Service, he was summarily dismissed from government service on allegations of being involved in political activities by Vengeful government which was confronted by militant industrial action by the trade unions. Undaunted, Vasan became the architect founding editor of a weekly newspaper, People's Voice (1951-53), which became the standard bearer of the oppressed people by an unconscionable government led by the United National Party. When the UNP was defeated in 1956 and the MEP came to power under the premiership of the late SWR D Bandaranaike, there was in his cabinet TB langaratne as Minister of Labour, another victim of the witch hunt by the previous UNP regime. The new Government reinstated all the victimised government servants with full back wages and seniority for all the years they had lost, and Vasan was one among them.
Within a Short time Vasan decided that he was not Cut Out for being an obedient government servant and took up to law, Vaikunthavasan had authored a dozen books and pamphlets during his lifetime. Among these is an authorised Biography of Vaikuntha Vasan (2003) by S.M. Satha Ananthan. The books he authored and others from his library are being sent by

TAMILTIMES 41
Vasan's beloved wife Maheswary Amma to the rebuilt worldenowned Jaffna Public Library.
Vasan's Crowning glory was perhaps the 2-minute surprise speech he made at UN General Assembly on October 5, 1978 to express Sri Lankan Tamils'political plight and express the repression faced by Tamils from the government to the world. Vasan had 'smuggled" himself into the General Assembly where the delegations of all the nations of the world had gathered, walked up to the rostrum when the President called the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister to make his speech. In a split second, Vasan was at the rostrum to perform some thing historic which no one had previously or since then dared to do.
Before the shocked UN officials could gather their wits as to what do and order the guards to remove the intruder' from the rostrum, Vasan managed to make the following address to the assembled delegates: "Mr. President Leaders of the World! If oppressed minority nation such as Tamil Eelam cannot make representations to this supreme body, then where are we to go? My name is Krishna, and I come from the 2.5 million strong Nation of Tamil Eelam lying between Sri Lanka and India. The Sri Lanka Sinhala government is continuing a policy of genocide aimed at the destruction of our Tamil Nation. We have exercised our right of self-determination to live as a separate Nation. There is every danger of the Tamil problem threatening the peace of the Indian Region. The problem in Sri Lanka will develop to be as serious as the Palestinian and Cyprus problems unless you, the world leaders intervene and help in its solution now. We appeal to you for such help! Thank You. I apologise for speaking without permission. Long live Tamil Eelam”.
Vasan captured global headlines overnight. Vasan had indeed thought grand, mingled with the world's mighty, and sculptured his greatness!
- Professor Kopan Mahadeva
(continued from page 35)
had been attached to Kandy Police Division as an Assistant Superintend of Police.
Injured PLOTE member critical: Feb 18 - Saranai Pakyanathan, 38, member of a non-LTTE Tamil party, PLOTE, allegedly shot by a group of suspected LTTE cadres near the Boo Oya Army checkpoint on the Vavuniya-Kandy Road on February 17 was admitted to the Colombo National Hospital in a critical condition. Saranai Pakyanathan had been travelling in a double cab at the time of the incident. He is said to have joined the PLOTE after decamping from the LTTE ranks. Desmond wins BASL presidency: Feb 18 - The hotly contested election for the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) presidency has resulted in victory for Desmond Fernando, PC, by a majority of 139 votes
The final results were announced by Solcitior General C. R. de Silva, who functioned as the Returning Officer. Fernando obtained 1,853 votes while his main rival and incumbent president Ikram Mohammed got 1,714 votes. The third candidate in the fray R. S. S. Thangarajah received 56 votes with 36 of them coming from Colombo. 42 of the ballots cast were declared spoilt In Colombo, Fernando won by 220 votes with 2,041 of the 4,122 registered voters casting their ballots, .25 of them were spoilt Votes.
3,665 of the 6,484 registered members of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), voted in what turned out to be the most bitterly fought elections called after one year. Usually the incumbent is re-elected uncontested.
Feranando, a former President, broke with tradition to contest the election saying that the independence of the unofficial bar was at stake. "We will not permit outsiders to manipulate the BASL according to their whims and fancies', he said. O

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42 TAMIL TIMES
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