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ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION
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MARCH 2005
Celebrating a 25 Year Partner
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TAMIL TIMES 2
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ΜΑΥ 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
Tani
HMES
ISSN 0266 - 44 88 Vol. XXV N0. 5 MAY 2005
Published by: TAMIL TIMES LTD PO Box 121, Sutton, Surrey SM13TD United Kingdom Phone: 020 - 8644 0972 Fax: 020 - 8241 4557
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CONTENTS A cowardly murder O3 News Review 04 SL Development Forum 09 Incidents over statue 10 Murder most foul 12 Dance of hypocrisy 18 President on tightrope 20 Rajini Thiranagama 22 Focus on Rights 24 Multiculturalism 25 Conflict costs 27 Pope's passing away 29 NeWS Track 30 Classified 37
COVER:
Top - Protest by Free Media Movement in Colombo against Sivaram killing; Bottom: Protest by Jathika Hela Urumaya in Colombo against Joint Mechanism with Tigers
-
Dharmaratnam Siv the most informed an COmmentatOr On the e related issues, tactics few hOurS Of his ab{ Community and unnel
It will be wrong to mindless act. It was fully Conscious as to bundled into a vehicle blank range with a 9 Silence Taraki forever
The outpouring ( assassination, both fr stature that he enjoye in which Sivaram Was though most of them
During his relatively name for himself as a after by many an inter regularly Wrote a Colu
During a phase wh armed Confrontation, politics, the writings ( reflected either a Sint Sivaram's Contributio perSpective Was not played a leading poli journalism as his mai
Hailing from Battic the SOUth of the islant editorial positions ont in his regular weekly relative freedom, tole South of the island W friends and mates & Community.
AS to who carried was carried out by t tended to be in supp Commander of the L split, the fratricidal blc into other parts of th (SLMM) has docume Ceasefire betweenth them unarmed, have motivated killings anc most prominent lates killing represents not cruel denial of the rig
The prolonged vio widespread intoleran political dissent ever devOured SOme the able and willing Tami COmmunity and S0cie and remain abroad. intellectually impoves ranks of those many
 

TAMIL TIMES 3
A heinous Crime
ram, better known by his nom de plume "Taraki', has been one of | Well known journalists in Sri Lanka and recognised as an expert hnic Conflict, especially On matters relating to security and military and strategies of the Warring parties. His brutal murder within a uction On 28 April has shocked and saddened the journalistic ved the political establishment.
describe this heinous and Cowardly murder as a senseless and remeditated, deliberate and Cold-blooded. The perpetrators were why they were Committing it. Abducted from the highway, forcibly , gagged and driven to a lonely spot where he was shot at pointm pistol. It was a targeted politically motivated assassination to and intimidate others like him into Silence.
f Condemnations, tributes and eulogies that followed his m within the country and Outside, not only reflect the considerable das a journalist, but also demonstrate the esteem and admiration held by the Countless number of his Colleagues and friends, even nad views divergent from those of Sivaram.
'short career as a journalist, Sivaram had gained a reputation and n Outspoken and knowledgeable Commentator and analyst sought national Sri Lanka watcher. Incidentally, in the mid 1990s, Sivaram mn to this journal On a monthly basis.
Ien Sinhala and Tamil nationalisms were in a state of Continuing and in the highly polarised and ethnicised World of Sri Lankan of most journalists and Commentators, with very rare exceptions, hala or a Tamil nationalist perspective. And there is no doubt that hs reflected a Tamil nationalist perspective. That he had such a Surprising given the fact that Sivaram in an earlier period had tical and military role in Tamil militant politics before he took up n preoccupation.
aloa in eastern Sri Lanka, Sivaram with his family chose to live in i from where he wrote freely and fearlessly to newspapers whose he ethnic issue were quite Contrary to those articulated by Sivaram Columns. That he was able to do SO stood to the Credit of the rance and the democratic space that continued to prevail in the there he had the opportunity and capacity to Count as his best large number of journalists who belonged to the Sinhalese
but this dastardly murder remains a mystery. Many suspect that it he Karuna faction for the reason that Sivaram's recent Writings Ort of the mainstream LTTE and Critical Of the erstwhile eastern "TE, Colonel Karuna, who defected in April last year. Since that Odletting mainly in the east of the island, Occasionally spilling over island, has been unrelenting. The Sri Lanka monitoring Mission hted Over a thousand abductions in the Northeast alone since the Government and the LTTE was signed. Many hundreds, most of been killed. This brutal and merciless campaign of politically Counter-killings Continue unabated. And Sivaram has become the t victim leaving behind a grieving widow and three Orphans. His Only an assault on the right to freedom of expression. It is also a nt to life itself.
ent Conflict has spawned within the Tamil Community a Culture of 2e leading to a denial of the right to freedom of expression and in its mildest form. What started as a struggle for liberation has est and able leaders and sons of the Tamil Community. Many an has been denied the Opportunity to make their Contribution to the ty at large; they have been physically eliminated or forced to flee The Tamil Community today stands physically debilitated and shed. And Sivaram, like many others before him, has joined the hat have paid the ultimate price with their lives.

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4 TAMIL TIMES
O Donors pledge S3 billion aid to Sri Lanka
May 17 - International donors wrapped up a
key conference for Sri Lanka pledging $3bn in aid, but stressing the importance of progress in resolving the island's protracted ethnic conflict to pave the way for its disbursement, according to news reports from Colombo. Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga had promised donors that she would overcome opposition from the JVP to negotiate and conclude a joint mechanism with the LTTE, to deal with posttsunami reconstruction.
According to western diplomats in Colombo, the increased foreign aid offer of three billion dollars for Sri Lanka's tsunami recovery was mainly aimed at pushing Colombo and Tamil Tigers to work together to salvage their long-satlled peace talks.
"The message from the donors is very loud and clear: money is not a problem, but get the peace process back on track,” a Western diplomat said. "We also want to see how the government will spend the money.”
Sri Lanka's Finance Minister Sarath Amunugama said there were no conditions set by the donors, who raised their tsunami aid pledges to more than three billion dollars, but that the government was also aware of the need for peace.
“Unless we go on the path of negotiations, many of these pledges and funding will not materialise," Amunugama told reporters shortly after the meeting.
The Sri Lankan Development Forum (SLDF), attended by a large number of international donor countries and agencies held a two-day conference commencing 16 May in central hill country town of Kandy primarily to discuss post-tsunami and post-conflict assistance for Sri Lanka.
This is the first time this key donor forum met in Sri Lanka. The World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), Japan Bank For International Cooperation and other funding agencies and around 200 delegates from international donor agencies participated at the sessions.
Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga inaugurated the Forum at the Earl's Regency Hotel. Finance and Planning Minister Sarath Amunugama made the welcome address. The World Bank's vice president, Mr. Praful Patel, delivered an address on behalf of the development partners.
After the ceremonial inaugural event the second part of the SLDF began in Mahaweli Reach Hotel, Katugastota.
The first two sessions of the conference discussed post-tsunami related matters. Among others, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Finance and External resources Department Director General Sujatha Cooray, representatives from Task Force for rebuilding (TAFREN) and Government Agents (GA) in Matara, Trincomalee and Mullaitivu addressed the Forum.
In a direct reference to the opposition she was facing, particularly from the JVP, the Presidident told the gathering, “A vociferous minority,” could not be allowed to "hinder the forward march of a nation towards economic peace and prosperity. ... Governments have been elected by the people to take decisions, sometimes difficult decisions, sometimes dangerous ones." Kumaratunga told donors, "On this issue we are fully aware that the lives of some of us are in extreme danger,” adding her commitment to creating a joint mechanism with the LTTE.
Mr. Praful Patel, the World Bank's vice president for South Asia, had said that donors were keen that Sri Lanka's faltering peace process be revived. "For many development partners, the peace process is at the core of their interest in Sri Lanka," Patel said, adding international lenders were also backing the initiative as
 

MAY 2005
it was the only way to en
sure economic development. "We feel a joint mechanism will make it quicker to
deliver aid and also make it easier for donors to give more,' the Dutch ambassador to Sri Lanka, Susan Blankheart, was/ reported as saying.
She said European Union countries backed moves to swiftly establish a proposed "joint mechanism” that President Chandrika Kumaratunga promised after saying she would do it even at the risk of her life from Sinhala extremists vehemently opposed to the setting up a joint mechanism with the Tigers.
Following the conclusion of the two-day sessions, Sri Lanka's Treasury Secretary, P. B. Jeyasundara, said the pledges included $745 millions in bilateral assistance, S631 millions by multilateral agencies and $853 millions by NGOs.
A further $300 million is likely to accrue in the form of debtrelief, Mr. Jeyasundara said, lauding India, which recently announced a three-year debt moratorium as the "first country' to provide
Lanka, Nirupama Rao said, was to transform pledges into projects "equitably and on the basis of objective needs assessment."
The Sri Lankan government has estimated it will cost around S1.5 billion to Sl.6 billion to rebuild towns, schools and other infrastructure destroyed by December's tsunami, a Reuters report said, adding it was not immediately clear what any excess aid would be used for.
A separate 4.5-billion-dollar pledge by donors in June 2003 to help rebuild Sri Lanka's conflict areas was directly linked to progress in the Norwegian peace process and remains largely on hold amid the talks stalled in April 2003.
Diplomats said that Sri Lanka's tsunami recovery money could face the same fate as the pledges for the peace process unless the government can overcome political difficulties and press ahead with reconstruction work.
The Dutch ambassador to Sri Lanka, Susan Blankheart, said the lenders were not making aid conditional on the peace process, but that it was essential to ensure a more equitable distribution of relief. "We feel a joint mechanism (between the government and the Tigers) will make it quicker to deliver aid and also make it easier for donors to give more,” Blankheart said.
A Buddhist monk parliamentarian belonging to the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) sought to steal the thunder at the conference when, immediately after President Kumaratunga finished her inaugural speech, he interrupted proceedings to make an unscheduled statement slamming the LTTE and the proposed joint mechanism. Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera told startled delegates that a joint mechanism would "give legitimacy to one of the most ruthless terrorist organizations in the world, thereby undermining the global struggle against terrorism."
"No country or organization that has any regard for democracy and the upholding of human rights would under these circumstances recommend such a mechanism with an organization of this nature,” he said. “We are certain, for example, that none of you would argue that a joint mechanism of this nature should be established.”
The President had used the occasion of the Forum to openly criticise her coalition partner, the JVP which has vowed to oppose any joint mechanism with the Tamil Tigers. Later the JVP in a statement slammed Kumaratunga for discussing differences within the coalition in public. "We condemn the president's articulation of such differences in front of the international community," the JVP said, adding that they expected Sri Lankan leaders to follow internationally accepted norms and decorum. "Our party could

Page 5
MAY 2005
have replied to what she said, but since ours is a party which acts in accordance with accepted international norms and also we didn't want to ridicule our motherland in the presence of foreign delegates by slinging mud at each other as a responsible political party we refrained from doing so at this forum,' the JVP further said.
O LTTE rejects President's claim
May 18 - Accepting a joint mechanism did not mean that the LTTE was accepting the sovereignty of the government, LTTE political chief S. P. Thamil Chelvan told a regional newspaper published in Jaffna. He also said that the LTTE was angered by the irresponsible comments of the President that the LTTE had accepted the sovereignty of Sri Lanka. The LTTE would not work under any authority director otherwise and would not accept the sovereignty of the government, he said.
"We have categorically said so during the initial stages of the discussions on the joint mechanism. We said we cannot work under the Presidential Secretariat, Prime Minister's office or Parliament. We only agreed to work in an independent body consisting of foreign monitors and observers.
“We reject outright the President's comments that we are willing to accept Sri Lanka as a sovereign state” he had said. "Just because we agreed to a joint mechanism, the President is attempting to publicize locally and internationally that we have accepted the sovereignty of Sri Lanka. It is misleading and irresponsible of her to do so as we looked forward to a joint mechanism to meet urgent humanitarian needs and provide relief to our people, that is why we were willing to compromise on our previous stand,” he said. "We also made it very clear that funds should be channelled directly through international custodians who will monitor the process and not through the government.”
"It is amusing and disappointing to find that the head of state the President having expressed statements contrary to what we agreed to initially. Further more by stating that she would take a decision on the joint mechanism in a few weeks time, the President has angered and disappointed us even more as we believed that the President would make a decisive announcement on the joint mechanism at the Economic Forum in Kandy. But by her dilly dallying it only proves that she is only allowing for a hardening of opposition from sections including the JVP in the south to the joint mechanism and in reality was only a strategy of the President to refrain from forming joint mechanism to the LTTE,” Tamilchelvan said.
O Balasingham urges action on aid
May 18 - Norwegian diplomats met with LTTE's Chief Negotiator and political advisor, Mr. Anton Balasingham, to discuss current developments in Oslo's peace initiative in Sri Lanka. Mr. Balasingham had welcomed the donor community's commitment to a joint mechanism between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE for aid distribution, but called for an agreement to be finalised and signed, they said.
Norwegian Special Envoy Mr. Erik Solheim and Foreign Ministry official, Ms. Lisa Golden, met with Mr. Balasingham at his residence in London for two hours of discussions.
Noting President Chandrika Kumaratunga's assurance to donors that she would overcome opposition within her government to the joint mechanism and strike a deal with the Tigers, Mr. Balasingham had called for concrete action. After two decades of war and in the wake of the Boxing Day tsunami, the Tamil people desperately needed the international donors' assistance, Mr. Balasingham had said.
"President Kumaratunga must engage seriously with the LTTE in finalising the terms of the joint mechanism and sign the agreement to enable aid to flow to the Northeast,” Mr. Balasingham was quoted as saying.

TAMIL TIMES 5
Mr. Solheim said he would convey the LTTE's view to the Sri Lankan government. Noting the recent spate of violent incidents in Sri Lanka, the Special Envoy had stressed the importance of both sides remaining committed to the February 2002 ceasefire agreement. Mr. Solheim, who recently travelled to Delhi to discuss developments in the Norwegian peace initiative with the Indian government, briefed Mr. Balasingham on his visit, sources said, but declined to reveal further details.
OJVP proposes “national committee
May 19 - The JVP which opposes the setting up of a joint mechanism between the Government and the LTTE for post-tsunami assistance has instead proposed a “national committee” headed by the island's President.
In a statement issued following a meeting of its politburo, the JVP strongly and totally rejected the joint mechanism to be set up between the Government and the LTTE, charging that it would be unconstitutional, undemocratic and create chaos not only in the country but in the whole South Asian region.
Instead the JVP proposed a widely representative national committee headed by the President to oversee tsunami rehabilitation and reconstruction along with district boards.
"Any mechanism should not create or worsen the inequalities in the country. More importantly it should not lead the South Asian region towards insecurity and instability. Though the official joint mechanism proposal has not been publicised yet, it is clear this proposed joint mechanism with the LTTE will violate all these concepts,” the JVP said in a statement.
The statement added that accepted democratic norms would be violated as soon as a democratic government entered into a joint mechanism with a terrorist group which bore arms and had no public mandate. "Moreover, sharing the sole authority given to the government through the Constitution, with a terrorist organisation which attempts to divide the motherland and which does not show any sign of entering into the democratic mainstream, in order to rebuild a part of the country, is indeed a violation of the Constitution,' the JVP statement said.
It maintained that if the government entered into a joint mechanism with a terrorist group which threatened the security of the South Asian region, it would create chaos in the region. "It will also affect diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and other countries in the region. In this context the President and the government should take tangible and special steps to provide relief and rebuild tsunami affected people and areas withoutgoing for a joint mechanism,” the JVP said.
OTNA demands international probe into Sivaram murder
May 5 - Mr.R.Sampanthan, parliamentary group leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has demanded that the government should take steps to constitute an international commission of inquiry comprising of impartial and qualified persons from the countries in the SAARC region, like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and from the Commonwealth countries like Australia, New Zealand and canto to investigate all aspects of the murder of journalist Mr.D.Sivaram.
Mr.Sampanthan opened the special debate on the murder of Mr.D.Sivaram by moving an adjournment motion in the parliament on Friday, 5 May.
The adjournment motion which condemned the killing of Sivaram said the crime was also a threat top free and fearless journalism in this country, and that was imperative that it should be fully and properly investigated and the truth ascertained. Condemnation by government personalities and statements that proper

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6 TAMIL TIMES
investigations would be conducted provide no guarantee whatsoever that justice would be done, and
"therefore ask the Government to take steps to constitute an international commission of inquiry comprising of independent impartial and qualified persons to investigate all aspects of the crime and submit its finding. We call upon all right thinking people in the country to support the call for the constitution of an independent impartial international commission of inquiry."
"Sivaram's stature as a journalist and the manner of his killing makes it imperative that the Sri Lankan State should leave no stone unturned in ascertaining the truth. I am sorry to state that the steps thus for taken do not inspire confidence. Sivaram has left behind a young widow and three teen-aged children who are entitled to justice. It would be grave mistake by the Sri Lankan State to deny justice to that young family. The Sri Lankan State owes a duty to Sri Lankan society to ensure that the culprits are brought before the law. I am sorry to state that the action that the Sri Lankan State has taken thus far do not event inspire the impression that the Sri Lankan State is attempting to do so.
“There is a need for the persons responsible for the maintenance of law and order in this country to answer before an independent, impartial Commission of Inquiry for Sivaram's death and all the circumstances relating thereto. The Government should not fail in its duty,” Mr Sampanthan said.
O RSFurgesSLMM probe murder
May 10 - Reporters San Frontiers (RSF) have urged the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) supervising Sri Lanka's ceasefire to carry out their own investigations into the abduction and murder two weeks ago of political columnist and military analyst Dharmeratnam Sivaram.
"Experience leads us to fear that the Colombo authorities will not do everything necessary to identify the killers and the instigators of Sivaram's murder. In fact, the absence of any rigorous investigations and trials in previous murders and attacks on journalists has considerably discredited the state's work in support of press freedom,” the worldwide press freedom organisation wrote.
"The killers and those who sent them to kill journalists Myilvaganam Nimalarajan, Aiyathurai Nadesan, Rohana Kumara, Nadarajah Atputharajah and Anthony Mariyanayagam over the past four years, have never been brought to trial. Reporters Without Borders has constantly condemned this climate of impunity.” “The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) has for too long ignored political murders and violations of press freedom. Peace is not built just by a halt in fighting, but also through the opportunity for civil society, including journalists, to work freely and safely. Peace also comes through justice."
Reporters Without Borders said it has previously- in July 2004 - called on the SLMM to directly intervene in cases of press freedom violations.
“We regret that the Norwegian authorities have never publicly condemned attacks against journalists by one of the two parties in conflict, while the document setting up the SLMM specifies that every violation should be the subject of an investigation.”
OTiger leader confers "Maamanithar' title on Sivaram
April 30 - "Death never destroys great men who had lived for lofty ideals," said V Pirapaharan in a message released from Vanni on 30 April, Saturday, conferring the "Maamanithar' (Great Man) award on journalist Dharmeratnam Sivaram. Mr Sivaram, a senior editorial board member of TamilNet, was abducted and murdered by unidentified persons Thursday evening 10.30pm.
Full text of the message issued by Liberation Tigers conferring

MAY 2005
"Maamaniathar' award to Sivaram follows:
"Tamil people have lost today a highly principled man who deeply loved them and the Tamil Nation. A voice that echoed the freedom of the Tamil people and their homeland, Tamil Eelam had been silenced today. An eminent Tamil journalist had fallen victim to the enemy's act of cowardice.
Humble and honest, Mr.Dharmaratnam Sivaram is a unique person. He is knowledgeable and is an expert in the field of journalism. As an internationally renowned journalist, Sivaram does not need any introduction.
“Through his writings, he brought out the Tamil National question in the international arena with clarity and cohesion. Diligently and cleverly, he exposed to the international and diplomatic community, the false propaganda undertaken by the Sinhala regime. Positioning him in the Sinhala stronghold, Sivaram forthrightly told the outer world the injustices and the atrocities perpetrated by the Sinhala ruling elite on the Tamil Nation. Although facing danger and threats, Sivaram fought against injustice fearlessly with courage. Above all, he relentlessly worked to keep the Tamil people politically vigilant. The yeoman service rendered by him is eternally praiseworthy.
"Respecting his love of the Nation and his love for freedom, I am proud to confer posthumously on Mr.Dharmaratnam Sivaram, the noble National Award of "Great Man'. Death never destroys great men who have lived for lofty ideals. They have an everlasting place in the history of our Nation.”
O CPJ alarmed at death threats to journalists
May 13 - “We are alarmed by the rising threats against our colleagues, and call on authorities to find those responsible for these crimes. All sides of this conflict must respect the rights of journalists and help safeguard the free flow of information in Sri Lanka," Executive Director of Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Ann Cooper said in a news alertissued at CPJ's website on 12 May.
"Two journalists with the Sri Lankan press freedom organization Free Media Movement (FMM) received death threats on Tuesday (10) at the group's headquarters in the capital, Colombo. Several other journalists also said they are under threat in the wake of the abduction and murder of veteran Tamiljournalist Dharmeratnam Sivaram late last month.
"Victor Ivan, editor of the Sinhala-language tabloid Ravaya and FMM organizer, and Sunanda Deshaprita, FMM spokesman and freelance journalist, received letters from an alleged Sinhalese extremist group calling itself"Theraputtabhaya force. The letters, signed by a person identified only as Commander Mayadunne, threatened all "traitors' and said they should be ready to become "fertilizer of the motherland.'
"The group also claimed responsibility for the April 28 murder of Sivaram, who was a founding member of the TamilNet news Web site and a columnist for the English language Daily Mirror who wrote sympathetically about the rebel group the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
"Local sources say that the FMM may be a target for extremist groups because it condemned Sivaram's murder and has supported calls for a negotiated peace to end Sri Lanka's longstanding civil war.
"Several journalists have reported being underthreat. Lasantha Wickrematunga, editor of the English-language paper The Sunday Leader, sent a letter to Sri Lanka's police chief last week requesting police protection after a government official publicly accused him of being a "terrorist, The Associated Press reported. Other local journalists told CPJ that they fear being targeted in retaliation for Sivaram's killing because they have written critically about the

Page 7
MAY 2005
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“With peace talks between the LTTE and the government stalled and millions of dollars of tsunami aid money frozen pending an agreement between the two sides about distribution rights, political vitriol and violence are on the rise, sources told CPJ. Since the LTTE split into two warring factions last year, tensions between the rival Tamil groups have escalated and journalists have become increasingly vulnerable to attack.
"We are alarmed by the rising threats against our colleagues, and call on authorities to find those responsible for these crimes, All sides of this conflict must respect the rights of journalists and help safeguard the free flow of information in Sri Lanka," CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper said,
O'North-East is very close to India's heart
April 30 - "India is committed to assisting in the development of Sri Lanka's NorthEast through economic and technical assistance. The welfare and well-being of the people living in the NorthEast is very close to India's heart," Mr.Shyam Saran, Indian Foreign Secretary said in Trincomaleehanding over a consignment of materials worth about five million rupees donated by the Government of India to the Government Technical College located in Mihindupura, a suburb of the east port town.
Indian Foreign Secretary arrived in Colombo on a four-day visit Friday, 30 April.
Mr.Shyam Saran accompanied by his Joint Secretary Ms Neelan Deo and Indian High Commissioner in Colombo Ms NirupamaRao were received at the entrance to the college by Mr.V. Suntheralingam, Principal and his staff, They were then taken in a procession to the venue with the band music of Sri Shanmuga Hindu Girls
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

TAMIL TIMES 7
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College in attendance. Mr.Gamini Rodrigo, Trincomalee Government Agent also was present.
Mr.Suntheralingam presided the event attended by two Trincomalee district parliamentarians, Mr. R.Sampanthan, Mr.K.Thurairatnasingham and Mr.R.Thiakalingam, Secretary to the North East Provincial Education Ministry and college staff.
Mr.Suntheralingam made the welcome speech. Excerpts from the speech made by Mr.Shyam Saran follows: -
"I am delighted to be in the fabled harbour city of Trincomalee which is renowned in legend and history and known by a variety of names including Kona Malai and Tiru Kona Malai, The Thirukoneswaram Temple of Trincomalee is revered throughout South India. Thirugnanasampanthar, the Saivaite Saint of the AD 7th century, featured the temple in his devotional hymns. And as far as the natural beauty of Trincomalee is concerned, it has been aptly said nature has endowed the region with a beauty and grace that has not been excelled by man.
"The importance of Trincomalee as a place of strategic interesthas also guided its destiny over the last 500 years. Therefore, to be in Trincomalee is a most interesting and educative experience. "India is committed to assisting in the development of Sri Lanka's NorthEast through economic and technical assistance. The presence of the Lanka-IOC Corporation in Trincomalee and assistance to projects such as the one involving Trincomalee technical College are symbolic and representative of the close and enduring ties that we have with the NorthEast of Sri Lanka. Trincomalee has also provided an important setting for the close interaction between the navies of our two countries. I was particularly glad to have had the opportunity during my visit here today to meet with officers of the Eastern Naval Area; many of them have very pleasant memories of the periods they spent on training

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in India.
“Our ties with your city were further cemented in the aftermath of the tragic tsunami. The Government and the people of India reached out spontaneously to help Sri Lanka after the tsunami. Our disaster relief teams worked tirelessly with the Sri Lankans including here in Trincomalee, to restore normalcy. In the NorthEast, our Navy and Army teams helped to restore communications, administer medical relief, provide drinking water, restore functioning of hospitals and helped to rebuild the damaged bridge at Arugam Bay.
"Furthermore, we wish to make a lasting contribution to posttsunami reconstruction. We are finalising our plans in this regard in close consultation with the Government of Sri Lanka. The Government of India is providing a sum of US $23 million for tsunami rehabilitation projects in this country. Our intention is to execute projects that will provide maximum benefit and relief to the tsunami hit areas.
"The welfare and well-being of the people living in the NorthEast is very close to India's heart. There are many ties of shared culture, language and history that tie our peoples together. As an Indian and as a citizen of a multiethnic pluralistic democracy, I believe that socio-economic development is predicated on the universal and fundamental principles of democracy, and respect for pluralism and human rights. India is firmly committed to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and for the peaceful and harmonious development of all sections of the Sri Lanka.”
O LTTE “no threat to India says Thamilchelvan
May 10 - Any capability acquired by the Liberation Tigers is solely for the protection of the Tamil people and not a threat to India or any other country, the head of the LTTE's political wing, Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan, said this week in response to concern expressed by Indian officials over the movement's naval force and reports it had acquired aircraft
"The surprise and concern voiced by India surprises us,” Mr. Thamilchelvan said in response to Indian External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh’s comments on 7 May.
Mr. Singh was quoted in Indian press reports as saying "we are concerned about the LTTE having built an airstrip and having two aeroplanes, and there's news about more coming."
In comments made to the BBC's Tamil service and reproduced by Tamil news media, Mr Thamilchelvan said: "All our organisation's structures and efforts are aimed at protecting our people. This is not in any way a threat to any other country in general, particularly India.”
"Our military efforts are aimed at combating the threat to our people, and not aimed at disrupting democracy or establishing a military regime. India or the Indian people or indeed any other people certainly need not fear this. I wish to state that this is purely for the self protection of our people and the defence of our homeland,” he said.
The Indian home ministry's annual report this year was strongly critical of the LTTE, describing it as an "an extremely potent, most lethal and well-organised terrorist force.”
The report also said that the LTTE's insistence on recognition of Sea Tigers, its naval wing "poses yet another threat to Indian security." Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's Navy said three Indian warships visited Colombo last week.
“Three Indian Naval Ships Sukanya', 'Cuddalor', and "Koshicode' entered Colombo harbour around 11.30 hrs on 4th May 2005 for replenishment," the SLN said. Cuddalor and Koshicode are minesweepers of the Pondicherry class. "Under trainees of Sri Lanka Navy were on board in order to get familiarized themselves with the mine-sweeping gears and mine-sweeping op

MAY 2005
erations,” the SLN said.
O CARE funds JVP projects
May 12 - The Janatha Vimukthi Perumana's (JVP), in spite of its public hostility towards foreign NGOs, has accepted financial donations from them. According to the JVP, CARE International is one of the institutional and private donors from whom the party has received well over Rs 100 million for its own post-tsunami reconstruction activities.
The JVP's Relief Services Force has received funds from CARE for building of 100 houses for resettlement in "Shrama Abhimani Pura” (City of labour dignity), according to a JVP publication.
The bi-monthly bulletine "Tissa’ is published by the JVP Tissamaharama Pradesiya Sabha (PS). The report of CARE's assistance to the JVP was carried in a centre-page spread in its 2005 February- March edition.
In the wake of the December 26 tsunami, the JVP has been directly collecting contributions for its Relief Services Force. Amidst international shock and sympathy, the JVP had, by mid-January, been able to collect over Rs 100 million for its own projects, the party says.
In April this year, however, the JVP propaganda secretary, Wimal Weerawansa, told a packed audience at a party meeting that they needed to 'expose the NGO Mafia that is against the land and the country.' "We should spit on NGOs and stop them from walking on our streets. Donor countries and their NGO agents are holding this country to ransom, telling the government to set up a joint Tsunami relief mechanism with the LTTE,” he said.
O NGOs should disclose funds
Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL), the watchdog on transparency and corruption, has said that all governmental and non-governmental organizations involved in tsunami-related work should make a voluntary disclosure of foreign funding and expendi1ture.
Several NGOs have requested the TISL to draft a set of guidelines on this matter. TISL said though it had agreed to do so, it might take some time.
It said that the lack of a legal framework making it compulsory for non governmental organisations and political parties to disclose sources of funding and expenditure provided ample opportunity for corruption.
"All funds coming for tsunami-related work should be used for that purpose and for nothing else. If it is used for something else, then it is corruption," TISL Executive Director J.C.Weliamuna said.
He said though the government had the machinery to monitor incoming foreign funds and expenditure with Parliament Oversight Committees and the Auditor General's Department, it did not give public and media access to the details.
"They must disclose the sources of funding - how much they got, what they plan to do and expenditure. We have issued a statement asking them to do so, and though some NGOs and political parties have disclosed the details in their websites, some are reluctant to say from whom they received funds," he said.
TISL strongly calls for urgent enactment of disclosure norms for all relief and reconstruction activities, he said. Recently at a seminar organised by the TISL and the Institute of Chartered Accountants, several NGOs said that abuse of foreign tsunami funds by NGOs was not investigated by any authority.
The Centre for Non Governmental Sector (CNGS) of the Finance Ministry and the Exchange Control Department of the Central Bank said they were not mandated to supervise and prevent any fraud committed by NGOs on foreign aid. CNGS said they had not received any complaints either. O

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SL Development F Joint Communic
The following is the text of the Joint Communique issued at the conclusion of the two-day conference of the Sri Lanka Development Forum held on 16-17 May 2005:
The development partners commended the government and the people of Sri Lanka for their immediate and effective response to the tsunami tragedy. They noted with satisfaction the near completion of the first phase of the recovery process. The Government expressed its appreciation for the prompt and generous support it received from the international community.
The Government and the donor community issuing a joint communique at the conclusion of the Sri Lanka Development Forum said they particularly appreciated the three presentations made by the Government agents of Mullaitivu, Trincomalee and Matara, which graphically described the challenges on the ground in addressing the needs of the affected populations.
The development partners reaffirmed their continued commitment to assist Sri Lanka in the ongoing rehabilitation and reconstruction phase. They agreed that the reconstruction strategy that has been formulated based on a set of guiding principles that would include inter alia (a) allocation of resources based on identified local needs and priorities, (b) delegation or subsidiarity to the lowest level of government, (c) consultation with affected communities, (d) ensuring transparency, accountability and flexibility, (e) reduction of future vulnerabilities, (f) sensitivity to equity considerations and (g) effective coordination between the Government and development partners, should be operationalised.
While noting that financing was not an issue given that the pledges and commitments already made now stand at approximately US dollars 3
billion including d rum focused on th challenges curren among which were sing of the guidir effective donor co The developme the significant pl been made with res. housing and perma stressed the impor resolution of the p. land acquisition ar While recognizi establishment of a zones for coast c safety, the devel urged the governm mum flexibility to practical implemen ciple, especially in shortage.
The Governm commitment to a n tiatives with rega. improve informatic dination mechani key partners, inc stakeholders who critical in the post effort; the clarity o and the determina sponsibility to th level of governme. ening their capacit mechanisms with parency, account governance.
For their part, partners committ assist Sri Lanka ir in ensuring that tl nancial and tech would be realized, coordination proce burden on Govern tive capacity.
The Governm analysis of recent opments and curr ditions, and set ou

TAMIL TIMES 9
Ο ΠΠ.
[ue
ebt relief, the Foe implementation tly being faced, the operationalig principles and ordination. nt partners noted ogress that had pect to transitional nent housing, and tance of an early oblems related to ld allocation. ng the need for the ppropriate buffer Konservation and opment partners ent to adopt maxiallow for a more tation of the prinareas of acute land
ent reiterated its lumber of key inird to the need to on flows and coorsms involving all luding non-state se contribution is -tsunami recovery froles at all levels tion to assign ree lowest possible ht, while strengthy; and monitoring a focus on transability and good
the development ed themselves to these efforts and heir pledges of finical assistance and to deepen their ss to minimise the ment’s administra
ent presented an
economic develnt economic conir its plans for the
medium-term. The development partners commended the Government for its endeavours to address the current macroeconomic imbalances and structural bottlenecks.
Among the areas of concern noted on the macroeconomic front were the need to raise investment especially for infrastructure, the need to strengthen government revenue performance to address the problem of continuing high fiscal deficits and growing public debt, and the need to reduce inflationary pressures that could be exacerbated by rising petroleum prices and high levels of inflows and domestic activity related to post-tsunami reconstruction.
The Government presented its discussion paper for a “New Development Strategy, a Framework for Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction (FEGPR) based on accelerated growth, reduced regional imbalances, and improved opportunities for the poor. It also presented its report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as well as a number of more detailed presentations such as those on NCED, SEMA financial sector reforms, and administrative reforms.
The international community commended the Government for the quality of these reports. Development partners noted the issues of income distribution and regional disparity in economic activity in Sri Lanka and how these were impacting on the prospects for achieving MDGs.
While the proposals that had been introduced to the Forum were viewed as encouraging, it was agreed that more work was required, especially on how to improve the growth
prospects for the poor. In particular,
the principle of "no growth, no poverty reduction' was espoused, and the Government was encouraged to continue to build consensus on the specific strategies for increasing economic growth.
The Government strongly indicated its intention to engage in reinvigorated efforts to complete its new Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) to achieve the MDGs. In particular, the Government committed it

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self to a wider consultation process with all its social, political and development partners, and declared its intention to complete this process in the coming months.
While committing itself to key economic reforms, the Government would pay particular attention to the reform design and sequencing of the implementation process.
The development partners offered their strong support for such efforts and looked forward to further discussions of the Government's PRS,
The participants welcomed the maintenance of the ceasefire agreement, the continued efforts to implement the National Plan of Action for Children, and the efforts toward a negotiated settlement of the conflict,
There was strong support for ef. forts to bring all communities into the process through a possible joint mechanism for managing post-tsunami assistance in the affected areas in the North and East.
The international community strongly endorsed the idea of such a mechanism and encouraged the parties to continue their efforts to bring it to fruition as soon as possible to ensure effective aid distribution at ground level. The Forum especially welcomed the strong commitment by Her Excellency the President in moving toward consensus building through wider consultation. Several partners indicated their support and cooperation for her initiative and commitment.
The partners expressed the hope that this joint mechanism would contribute to creating an environment that would lead to enhanced mutual trust and confidence-building between parties to the conflict, thus enhancing the prospects for peace,
There was a clear recognition that a just and durable peace acceptable to all her communities would remain the top priority on Sri Lanka's agenda and that with a return to lasting peace, maintenance of a macroeconomic stability and effective implementation of comprehensive PRS, prospects for sustained economic prosperity in Sri Lanka will be greatly enhanced. O
Tension in T.
ern Sri Lanka has accompanied by w dents following th troversial Budd Trincomalee tow May,
Trincomalee c nically mixed po ily turn out to be recurrence of wic violence by the vention by politic ments in a highly local lawyer said. Normal life in was disrupted on when Tamil resid call made by the TI Tamil Peoples observed a gene protest against erection of a Bud the Trincomalee had earlier beel removal of the B had been erected
Schools, prov fices, business e bankbranches we ices came to a sta following two ex place in the heart ( noon an explosic the bus stand. T diffused a live gr Dockyard Road la
Two confere the Police Monday day morning to over the matter fa sensus. Hindu an Muslim dignitari Buddhist clergy p conferences, poli
A person was sion that took p night around l l where the Buddh ted. Later in the s was assaulted ne suburbinthe eastportt
 

io
B
incomalee in eastbeen running high "ave of violent incie erection ofa conha statue in the n on Tuesday, 15
istrict with an ethpulation could easa flash point for a espread communal mischievous interally motivated elevolatile situation, a
Trincomalee town Tuesday, 17 May, ents, responding to rincomalee District Forum (TDTPF), ral shut down to the unauthorized dha statue close to bus stand. TDTPF n demanding the uddha statue which recently, incial council of stablishments and e closed. Bus servndstill around noon plosions that took of the town, Around in took place near he security forces nade found on the ter, police said. ices organized by ' evening and Tuessettle the dispute led to reach a cond Catholic priests, is and members of articipated in these :e said. njured in an exploace Monday (16) .m. near the place a statue Was erecame night a person ar Srimavopura, a wn, police said.
lenti
has
MAY 2005
Incidents
Tensions escalated in the town following explosions prompting the Police to clamp a curfew to bring the situation under control, Police imposed a curfew in Trincomalee town from Tuesday evening to Wednesday (18) morning following several explosions in which one died and three others injured. The incident took place Tuesday afternoon when an unidentified person threw a grenade targeting a shop in the Madathady junction in the east port town while the general shut down (hartal) was in progress, police said. The person killed in an explosion Tuesday afternoon was identified as Mr Susantha of Madathady, Trincomalee, police said.
There was heavy police presence and Monitors of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) based in the east port town also were watching the situation.
Court orders removal statue:
Mr.M. Ganesharajah, Trincomalee Magistrate and Additional District Judge Wednesday (18) instructed the Police to take all possible steps to temporarily remove the controversial Buddha statue erected near the bus stand by having direct talks with the parties concerned. Long-term solution to the matter can be found by legal action by the Urban Council, the magistrate had said, according to local sources.
The Magistrate further instructed the officers concerned to take legal steps on all other unauthorised temples of other faiths in the east port town after a careful review of registered complaints. He made this order following submissions by police of ficials that they have received reports of several unauthorised Hindu temples in the Trincomalee town.
The Police told the court that violent incidents had taken place during the general shut down in which one person was killed and three others

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MAY 2005
injured, legal sources said.
Lawyers appeared on behalf of the UC oficials and TDTPF President told court that they revered Lord Buddha and were not against the Buddhist religion. But they said they suspected political motives behind the erection of the statue and only a court order for temporary removal of the statute would lead to the restoration of peace in the town.
The shutdown continued on Thursday (19) and Friday (20) with shops and schools closed and public transport at a standstill. Eleven more bombs exploded in separate locations in the Trincomalee city adding panic and fear among its citizens who went through the second day of a hartal imposed on them on Wednesday (18). Two persons injured by explosions were admitted to Trincomalee Teaching Hospital increasing the number of injured to five, police sources said.
Time bombs exploded at Abayapura, Padiththiya, Anuradhpura Junction and Paalukkwa, North East Sinhala Organisation's District Secretary Anura Bandara said.
The hartal in Trincomalee continued into its fifth day with the situation in the area remaining tense after some unidentified groups threw three hand grenades at some shops on Thursday (19) night and yesterday afternoon, police said.
They said two unidentified persons who came on a motorcycle had hurled the grenade at a Muslim hotel in Tyre Kade junction before riding away. Though no casualties were reported, heavy damage was caused to the windowpanes of the hotel. Two vehicles parked near the hotel were also damaged with their windscreens smashed. The reason for the attack was believed to have been the hotel owner's refusal to pay extortion money to a group allegedly backed by some politicians.
Police said that shortly after the first attack another grenade had been thrown at a jewellery shop in the Trincomalee town by some unknown persons but the grenade exploded inside a culvert. A motorcycle which was parked in front of a shop was also set ablaze by an unruly mob.
Meanwhile the Trincomalee police arrested two of the three persons who were seen running after throw
ing a hand grena market in the towr to the shops. No c ported.
On Friday (20) bed at a vegetables shop was set abla made several attem klashes. Trincomal day's (20) incident of similar incident place during the p As attempts to failed, a grenade ported last night upura area of the T nce Secretary As and security chief comalee to preside to resolve the issu ing of a small Bud hist representativ meeting, but JVP Jayantha Wijesel them.
Tamil groups 1 Vigneshwaran info chiefs that they we sponse from the g the next three day pend the hartal til groups are deman Buddha statue be 1 fence Secretary told tion he would cc Chandrika Kumara ter but said he cou deadline would be
After this mee chiefs went to the temple in the town some Buddhist m talks, Ven. Dehiow told the Defence would not remove 1 The four-day h ous repercussions ( the Trincomalee di banks, filling stati ment institutions c has deprived pub pensioners of the and they may ha Wednesday becau holidays. Large nur sioners hopefully on Friday (20) butt One of them, T. A barely survived wit could not wait ti Thursday the follo

le at a vegetable causing damages asualties were re
grenade was lobtore while another ze as the military pts to prevent bacee police say Friwas one of a wave s that have taken revious days, resolve the crisis xplosion was rerom the Mihind'rinco town. Defe»ka Jáyawardena i flew in to Trinover a conference e over the replacdha statue, Buddes boycotted the Parliamentarian kara represented
epresented by V. rmed the security re expecting a reovernment within s and would susthen. The Tamil ling that the new removed. The DeI the Tamil delegaonsult President tunga on the matild not assure any met.
ting, the security Jayasunamaramya for a meeting with onks. During the ta Piyatissa Thera chiefs that they he Buddha statue. artal has had serion the civilians in strict after shops, ons and Governlosed. The hartal lic servants and r May payments ve to wait until se of the Vesak hbers of poor pengathered at banks ey waited in vain. umugam, said he h his pension and 1 Wednesday or ving week. Trans
TAMIL TIMES 11
port services were also crippled largely because the filling stations were shut down.
Most of the shops ran short of food and other essentials, though a few of them were opened. The town was rocked with fresh incidents on Friday with a Buddhist statue being damaged by unidentified persons late in the night.
Meanwhile, an unknown group had pelted stones and caused damage to windscreens of two lorries af. ter burning a motorbike parked opposite a shop at central road, Trincomalee, in the early morning. In another incident, an unidentified person lobbed a handgrenade at a shop named Prasanna Hotel in Trincomalee Town at around 7.20 pm on 20 May. However, no damages or injuries were reported in that incident,
A fresh effort on 21 May by service commanders and the Inspector General of Police to resolve the crisis between the two sides ended in a deadlock, but the hartal campaign in the city was suspended for three days pending a government decision on the issue of placing a Buddhist Statue.
Debate in parliament
When the deteriorating security situation in Trncomalee was taken up in the Sri Lanka parliament on 19 May, the Leader of the House Minister Maithripala Sirisena said that the Government would abide by the court decision in dealing with the dispute surrounding the erection of a Buddha statue in Trincomalee town. Until such time, all measures would be taken to preserve law and order and prevent a breach of the peace in the area, he told Parliament. He said court had requested the parties to settle the matter amicably while the Government on the part would ensure that law and order was maintained.
"The Security Forces have been issued with specific instructions in this regard and a continuous surveillance is done,' the Minister said.
However earlier, JHU MP Ven. Rathana Thera said there was a conspiracy afoot to drive away the Sinhala community from Trincomalee as in the case of Jaffna sometime ago.

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The hartal campaign to remove the Buddha statue from Trincomalee town and the killings carried out by the LTTE in the East were aimed at ethnic cleansing, he said.
He said not less than eight kovils had been constructed in the Trincomalee town but no hue and cry was raised. "We have never opposed putting up kovils in the South, but the LTTE opposes the erecting of a Buddha Statue in the Trincomalee city.” The monk MP said the Government should be more mindful about national security and not let a band of armed men call the shots. He said that the Government must take action to arrest those who carry weapons in Trincomalee and to conduct search operations in Colombo.
"We understand that there were three more grenade explosions. This campaign to drive the Sinhala people is intensifying and yet the government remains inactive,” the Thera said. He said that in 1985, 25,000 Sinhala people lived in Jaffna. But because of the LTTE's ethnic cleansing, there were no Sinhalese people living in Jaffna today. He claimed that from Trincomalee 40,000 had been driven away, and now the situation in that town was worsening.
The Thera blamed the government for inaction and failing to arrest any suspects involved in the bomb attacks, and urged it to launch immediately search operations by the army in the eastern town to arrest armed elements.
The JHU parliamentarian’s charges led to heated exchanges between leading JHU monks and some Tamil National Alliance MPs. Trincomalee District TNA MPR. Sampanthan said that Ratana Thero was trying to rouse trouble by making use of incidents in the East. The sudden installation of Buddha's statues in Trincomalee and Amparai districts by Sinhala-Buddhist nationalists, in the teeth of opposition from the local Tamils and Muslims, was part of an attempt to thwart any move to establish a Joint Mechanism with the LTTE, he said. Sambanthan asked the JIHU to be moderate in their approach or they would be held responsible for possible disturbances in the country. O
M SVa tUrr
The late Dharmer ter known as Taraki, nalist was abducte Bambalapitiya on Ap was found in the hig far from the Parliam Kotte in the suburbs ( hours of the followi the exact place whe nated remains a mys that the assassinatio: hailed from Battica Lanka, might have b the Karuna faction c alleged support of the The murder of Si has been roundly a demned within Sri La ally.
Before he emer championing the Tal was a leading mem Liberation Organizat (PLOTE) led by Uma many other armed m operating in the No 1987 Indo-Lanka pa engaged in the armec rights of the Tamils by the system of ma independence.
Mark Whitaker, sor of anthropology South Carolina, Aik completing a biograp Sivaram's life and w the ”TamilNet' of Ap some information ab: of the former milit widely known journ In 1982 Sivaram Movement, then a fr the People's Liberat Tamil Eelam (PLOT ethnic conflict erup in 1983, Sivaram, u soon became a pron tant. Sivaram's ro unique because he part in both the org

MAY 2005
JRDER MOST FOUL
ram the rebel ned journalist
Dr. S. Narapalasingam
htnam Sivaram, beta well known jouri by four men in ril 28 and the body n security zone not entary complex in fColombo in early ng morning. So far re he was assassitery. Many suspect h of Sivaram, who loa in eastern Sri een assassinated by if the LTTE for his mainstream LTTE. varam the journalist nd justifiably connka and internation
ged as a journalist mil cause Sivaram, per of the People’s ion of Tamil Eelam Maheswaran. Like ilitant Tamil groups rth-East before the ct, PLOTE too was struggle to win the lenied increasingly oritarian rule since
an associate profesat the University of cen, U.S.A, who is ny of Dharmeratnam ork in his article in ril 29 has provided out the experiences ant who became a alist.
joined the Ghandian ont organization for ion Organization of 3). After Sri Lanka's ed into all-out war der the alias “SIR”, linent PLOTE milile in PLOTE was layed an important anization's military
and political wings. In 1988, a year after the Indo-Lankan accord, Uma Maheswaran appointed Sivaram as General Secretary ofthe Democratic People's Liberation Front (DPLF), the PLOTE’s registered political party. Sivaram left the orgainsation in 1989 turning full time to journalism. Pen and not the gun was his sole weapon since then. He was the driving force behind TamilNet, the pro-LTTE website that many read to obtain views and news form a Tamil Tiger viewpoint. His views and analysis were in regular demand from members of the diplomatic community in Colombo. He also wrote a weekly column in the Daily Mirror under the pseudonym Taraki as well as columns in the Tamil media, notably in the Virakesari.
Sivaram's past as a member of an armed Tamil group helped him gain an insight into the militant movements and the armed conflict in Sri Lanka. This was clearly evident in his reports and analyses. He knew the aims of different strategies used by the Tigers to weaken the enemy and move towards the nationalistic goal - the creation of a separate Tamil state in the North-East. Sivaramas a Tamil nationalist advocated this aim in order to get the same rights and privileges enjoyed by the majority Sinhalese for the minority Tamils. He too felt the future of the Tamils in Sri Lanka will be insecure without liberating the North-East from the clutches of the Sinhalese dominated government in Colombo.
Former LTTE Eastern commander Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, alias Col Karuna, broke away in March last year from the Tamil rebel movement, accusing the Tiger leadership in Vanni of ignoring the grievances of Tamils in the east and trying to keep it under their control. Sivaram, himself from Batticaloa took a pan-Tamil nationalistic line and criticised Col Karuna for raising “regionalistic arguments”he felt would weaken the Tamil cause”. Hissupportfor Prabhakaraneamed thedispleasure of Karuna.

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MAY 2005
Special talent
His reporting of events relating to the N-Econflict was very similar to the way a talented lawyer would argue a case for his client. Anything unfavourable is left out and those considered favourable are well articulated to justify the disputed action. This helped the LTTE immensely in the confrontation with the Government and in the efforts to consolidate its position as the sole voice of the Tamil people.
In the Sunday Observer of June 6, Harinda Ranura Vidanage has paid tribute to Sivaram’s use of cyber technology to win and sustain support for the Tamil cause all over the world. He wrote: "Siva understood the trends of cyber culture remarkably. He used to discuss in length the growth of this phenomenon and what potential we can harness from it. His operational ability on the net displayed the strategic use of web based news services. His expertise was sought in many states both by the civil society and the state on success of www.Tamilnet.com. Siva more than anybody else understood the emergence of a transnational Tamil Diaspora and the vacuum that was created by the lack of a solid network. The LTTE already had a huge network going from the eighties but I would identify TamilNet as an alternative network which gave voice to the voiceless, while always standing up for the Tamil cause.
All the Tigers may have had access to the TamilNet but all TamilNet Surfers are not Tigers, thus in this context Siva exploited the ICT revolution to the maximum. This made him a very valuable asset to the Tamil interests and this took him closer to the LTTE. While Sinhala extremists perceived him to be a tiger claw in the Lions den, Tigers wanted his strategic insight and mastery of web-editing to benefit their own agenda.”
Sivaram's belief that force was necessary to win the rights of the Tamils never diminished. His vociferous and hurting attacks on the Sinhala chauvinists too fitted in with the LTTE's positions. This also created some enemies amongst the Sinhala nationalists in the south. Although he tried to join the Tiger movement before embarking on his career as a journalist, it is said that he was not considered then by its hierarchy as a trustworthy person to be enrolled. His admiration for Prabhakaran became evident later through his writing.
Importance of Sivar As Vidanage ha LTTE recognised t Sivaram’s contributi force of the TamilNet the Colombo-based papers that espoused and the chosen path t Tamil state in Northpresented the LTTE tary outfit vital for from Sinhala hegem because of this roleth he was conferred th award by the LTTE lea on April 30. On this leader said: "A voice t dom ofthe Tamilpeo land, Tamil Eelam ha day. An eminent Ta. fallen victim to the el ardice. Through his W out the Tamil Natior international arena w hesion. Diligently ar posed to the internatic community, the false taken by the Sinhalar him in the Sinhala st forthrightly told the justices and the atroc the Sinhala ruling eli tion. Although facing Sivaram fought agains with courage. Above worked to keep the TI cally vigilant. They dered by him is eter Death never destroys lived for lofty ideals. Even after death Sivaram is recognise for the body to be bro for the people in the respects. But his far vour of this propc declained it. The Sivaram's murder to energisethesupportf onstrations against th in the North. Its pri ceeded in bringing t Parliament. The ad moved in the Parlia the TNA group leade ter alia, stated:
* Mr. Sivaram's : der is brutal assault dom of thought and 1 of opinion and expr of the murder was to Mr. Sivaram. The

TAMIL TIMES 13
3. s mentioned, the he usefulness of ons as the driving and his writings in 3nglish and Tamil Tamil nationalism o create a separate East Sri Lanka. He as a politico-miliireeing the Tamils bny. It is probably at Sivaram played, e "Maamanithar” der V. Prabhakaran pccasion the LTTE hatechoedthe freeble and their homed been silenced tomil journalist had nemy's act of cowritings, he brought Lal question in the rith clarity and cold cleverly, he exonal and diplomatic propaganda underegime. Positioning ronghold, Sivaram outer world the inities perpetrated by te on the Tamil Nadanger and threats, it injustice fearlessly all, he relentlessly amil people politieoman service renmally praiseworthy. greatmen who had
the usefulness of d. The LTTE asked ught to Kilinochchi North to pay their mily was not in fasal and tactfully LTTE then used raise emotions to Dritsstruggle. Demhe killing were held oxy, the TNA suche issue before the journment motion ment on May 6 by rR. Sambandan, in
bduction and muron the right to freehe right to freedom ession. The motive silence the pen of crime has fascist
orientations and needsto be roundly condemned.
* The crime is also a threat top free and fearless journalism in this country.
Opening the debate on the killing and abduction of Sivaram, the veteran Tamil politician said that the killers of reputed journalist Dharmaretnam Sivaram had acted with impunity and with a confidence that they could evade the law, and it was therefore necessary to initiate an international commission of inquiry into the killing. "Mr. Sivaram's abduction and murder is a brutal assault on the right to freedomofthought, expression andopinion, the most valued human and funda-. mental rights in a free and democratic society”, he stressed. He warned: "as I have said in my motion this crime is a threat to free and fearless journalism in this country. If this trend continues free and fearless journalism could become the victim of the jackboot of fascism. If this trend were not stopped democracy would soon be dead in this country."
The previous day the TULF leader, V. Anandasangaree in a statement issued to the press challenged the TNA parliamentarians to condemn the killings of all journalists, academics and others, when they debate the killing of the TamilNet editor D. Sivaram in parliament. His statement highlighted the contradictory positions taken on the killings of other Tamil journalists, intellectuals and public servants by many Tamil politicians. Anandasangaree said: "I am fully appreciative of the TNA for taking up the issue in parliament and their demand for a parliamentary debate today. I also thank the party leaders for agreeing to their demand. I plead with the TNA to include the names of Dr. Neelan Thiruchelvam who was also a brilliant writer. Cheliyan Perimppanayagam former mayor of Batticaloa also a good journalist, T. Kailanathan technical education director, other academics and journalists who had been killed. TNA must talk of all the people killed by the dictatorial LTTE, not only of the killing of Sivaram.” He also expressed his sympathies to several other children who lost their fathers in the same
anner.
The latest report of the Free Media Movement released after the assassination of D. Sivaram was also criticised by the online daily "Asian tribune.com' (May 4) for lacking in balanced observations. To quote:, “The FMM report has failed to focus on the lone voices in the Tamil polity demanding the freedom of

Page 14
14 AMIL TIMES
expression, association and action they enjoyed in the pre-Prabhakaran phase of Sri Lankan politics. FMM is fully aware that dissenting Tamil journalists, Tamils academics and political activists are not only caught in the cross-fire of internecine Tamil warfare but are also eliminated at the first opportunity. Rival Tamil parties do nothesitate to indulge in revenge killing of journalists and independent Tamil voices. Neither the LTTE nor the other Tamil parties should be exempt from being named and shamed.”
Media and Information Minister Mangala Samaraweera in a statement to the media condemned the brutal killing, His statement said: "All who value media freedom will deplore this gruesome killing. The UPFA Government, which cherishes the people's right to information without any hindrance, will never condone such actions. We have acted against those who tried to stifle the media, regardless of their stature and party affiliations. On the instruction of the President, security authorities have already commenced investigations into the killing. There will be no room for covering up any evidence and the culprits will
be brought to justic ble,”
The main oppos brutal killing of Siv present government tain law and order, T death of journalist I strates the prevailing the country." Given in toppling Pres Kumaratunga's coalit party has taken a ne; jor national issues t tention. The rejectio vitation to discuss the nism' proposal for North-East districts ber 26 tsunami also ference. The killing independent journal during UNP rule.
Fourjournalists v to flee the country nalists were assaulte months in Sri Lank Veerakesari jour Nadesan, Thinaml Nadarajah Iyer (Chi vincial corresponden
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Kamalanathan who was shot and killed in Batticaloaare linked to the internecine Tamil warfare. Mylvaganam Nimalarajan, Nadarajah Atputharajah and Anthony Mariyanayagam were other Tamil journalists assassinated in the past four years. Ironically, the Tamil leaders who are now voicing their concern for the threat to freedom of thought, freedom of expression and democratic rights chose to remain silent even when their own colleagues in the Tamil democratic parties were murdered because of their independent views or trying alternative peaceful ways to regain the lost rights.
The public condemnation of the brutal killing of this outstanding journalist D.P. Sivaram and the demand for an in
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murder is not solely motivated by human rights, freedom of thought and expression and democratic considerations. Similar protests in the case of other journalists killed because of their vocation would not have had the same impact worldwide. Public condemnation of the killings alleged to have been carried out the LTTE would have infuriated its leadership. What is significant in the wide
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Page 15
MAY 2005
and open condemnations of the killing of Sivaram, there are many both within and outside SriLanka whose feelings are genuine. In this lot are many Sinhalese journalists who knew him personally though some did not agree with his political views, especially his support to the LTTE. Because of the need to be brief, only a sample of the tributes paid to late Sivaram are presented below,
International condemnation
The Ambassador of Japan Akio Suda said: "I was shocked and extremely disturbed by the news of the abduction and killing of a senior journalist Dharmeratnam Sivaram. I express my heartfelt condolences and sympathy to his bereaved family and friends. Whatever be the background of the perpetrators, such a heinous act should not be tolerated. Freedom of speech is the very basic component of a democratic society and should be upheld and respected by one and all. This murder of a senior journalist is a blatant attack on democracy and the freedom of speech, and must not be ignored by those who advocate peace and democracy.”
Reporters without Borders (RSF) said in its statement, editor of TamilNet and columnist of "Daily Mirror D. Sivaram, was targeted because of uncompromising coverage of the political and military situation, particularly since the emergence of the pro-government Tamil militia headed by Colonel Karuna. "The premeditated murder of one of the most renowned Tamiljournalists is a huge loss for Sri Lanka's press. Through his website that was visited by tens of thousands of people daily, he provided essential news on the situation in the country,” it said. “My life is in serious danger,” he had told Reporters Without Borders in May 2004 after police raided his house and some pro-government media accused him of being a spy for the Tamil Tigers. RSF said Sri Lanka's authorities were guilty of failing to combat impunity in past cases of murders of journalists.
In a subsequent statement issued on May 10, RSF said: "We regret that the Norwegian authorities have never publicly condemned attacks againstjournalists by one of the two parties in conflict, while the document setting up the SLMM specifies that every violation should be the subjectofan investigation." It further said: "The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) has for too long
ignored political mu ofpress freedom. Pe by a halt in fighting, opportunity for civi journalists, to work Peace also comes th1 The Hong Kong Rights Commission ureto address the ser destabilizes the cou tent. It warned that sue receives the atten about bringing stab will mean little, anc will continue, TheN mittee to Protect Jo condemned the mur Executive Director "This audacious an attack on free speech White, General Sec national Federation "This is a shocking, killing of a promine! commentator who w the Tamil minority." The President of spondents’ Associa (FCA), Simon Gar mently condemned til ist, D. Sivaram. “He ing his right to repc affairs. To gun dowr pure cowardice; tog is to attack freedom ( urged all parties to t bridge their differen and to put an end t Aidan White, Genel International Feder said: "This is a shock less killing of a pri guished commentatc voice of the Tamil n Teresita Schaft dor of the United Sta currently Director fo for Strategic and In Washington DC, U. sage: "I knew Sivar political analysts in one who valued anc pendence ofthought and the Tamil com like him. His loss is whoever killed him to the country and
Prof. Tom Plate, cific Media Netwo University of Calif wrote in his article rean Times: "Thean

TAM TIMES 15
rders and violations :ace is not built just but also through the society, including : freely and safely, ough justice."
based Asian Human condemned the failiesofkillings which Intry to a great exuntil this central istion it deserves, talk ility to the country the assassinations ew York based Comurnalists (CPJ) also der of Sivaram. Its Ann Cooper said: i brutal crime is an in Sri Lanka.” Aidan retary of The Interof Journalists said: tragic and senseless nt and distinguished as a leading voice of
f the Foreign Corretion of Sri Lanka dner said he vehehe killing of journalwas simply exercisrt freely on current lan unarmed man is un down ajournalist xfspeech.” The FCA he ethnic conflict to ces without violence o senseless murder. ral Secretary of The ation of Journalists ing, tragic and senseominent and distinor who was a leading hinority." ir, former Ambassatesto Sri Lanka and ir South Asia, Center ternational Studies, SA said in her mesmas one ofthe best Sri Lanka, and somedefended his indeand action. Sri Lanka munity need people s a true tragedy, and has done great harm he community." Director of AsiaPark, who is with the ornia, Los Angeles published in the Koguish felt worldwide
perhaps surprised the morally suspect government of President Chandrika Kumaratunga.”
Sivaram was "a prolific writer and keen observer of his beloved but deeply troubled Sri Lanka, who was uncompromising, prescient and sometimes easily irritated.”
Sri Lankan journalists
Thirumalai Manivannan of the BBC Tamil service said Dharmaretnam Sivaram was an active champion of Tamil nationalism, both prolific and controversial. He was the driving force behind TamilNet, the pro-Tamil Tiger website that has become a useful instrument over the past few years for accessing Tiger views and news. For journalists this killing is another sharp reminder of the perils of their profession. Whatever the motive for the killing or the identity of the killers, the murder has once more shown Colombo's security situation to be a shambles.
President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASIL) Desmond Fernando PC stated: "The Executive Committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka expresses deep concern over the gruesome killing of D. Sivaram, who wrote under the pseudonym "Taraki'. He was one of the ablest commentators on political and security matters. He was a specialist in his field and his writings were of the highest quality and were widely read and highly acclaimed by enlightened readers. He was well known for his fearless and independent views and it was probably these qualities which prompted persons with a hidden agenda to commit this despicable crime. Just as much as journalists have the right to express their views, the general public too is entitled to the right to information. The killing of any journalist is an attack on democratic values.”
Chandana Keerthi Bandara Senior producer, BBC Sinhala Service in his tribute said, Sivaram during his last visit to London, a couple of months ago had talked about increasing death threats since the LTTE Eastern commander Karuna broke away from Tamil Tigers in March last year, Sivaram did not support the Karuna faction espousing an “Eastern Eelam” although he was a man from Batticaloa. He saw the separation of the North and the East as the downfall of the whole Tamil Liberation struggle. The concept of a Tamil Homeland, the rallying call of Tamil militancy is based on a united North and East. He was for a

Page 16
16 TAM TIMES
separate Tamil identity in a united North and East. The BBC Sinhala Service producer said: "The man who braved battle fields, the man who wrote from government held territory highlighting the Tamil Liberation Struggle in inimitable English and Tamil without losing life or limb at the height of the civil war, felt that his life was now in danger. The man who could quote from the Tamil epic Manimehalai as well as Art of War by Sun Tzu with equal ease and who was counted as an authority on military analysis felt threatened a couple of months ago. But, he wanted to carry on with the work at home. We urged him to stay in London and carry on with publishing his website. "How can I write the story properly if I am not in touch with the ground situation? That is what made him a glowing beacon among military analysts. He knew the land; He knew the terrain; He knew why battles are won or lost. Therefore, when Siva said that he was threatened, it was serious. But, he was never concerned about his safety even while in hostile territory. It could well be a reason how he
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managed to comm ence in a relatively
46 years.”
Daily Mirror Alahakoon) in the e April 30 stated: “ deserts, the waste ness, he gave a vo had not spoken. He for those whose lip wrote the tune for
no longer.
Many may have the perceptions an Dharmaratnam Siva this era of half tr analysis, bias or pri dency towards se muck-raking jour) Dharmaratnam Siv commitment to see versity by not only respecting the viev others. Among Dha est friends were th, agree and often t with what he said insisted that thoug they would defend right to say and sta
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MAY 2005
and such a presshort life span of
(editor Lalith ditorial comments From the barren lands or wilderice to those who found the words s were sealed and
those who sang
: not agreed with d view points of iram especially in uths, half-baked judice and a tennsationalism or nalism. But like raram we need a king unity in diaccepting but also vs and beliefs of rmaratnam's closose who did not otally disagreed but he and they h they disagreed the other person's nd for what he or he believed in.'
The Sunday Dbserver in the May 1 issue unreervedly conlemned the dasardly murder of ournalist D. Sivaram. It said: He was a courageous journalist who neither hid is views nor rerained from exressing his conrictions, however inpalatable they may be to the owers that be. His writings bore he hallmark of Irudition, experiince and knowl:dge but were | EVET VθΠΟΠΙΟS. Various theories re being spun to xplain the mysery behind the killng Whoever did t for whatever reaons it is a stupid
ity of the first order. Guns cannot silence ideas. Whatever his political convictions no one has a right to take the life of another. Therefore, the Sunday Observer views with contempt attempts to justify his killing or provide an excuse for the killers. This crime reminds us of the volatility of the present political climate arising from our inability to find a peaceful way out of the ethnic crisis. The sooner we get out of the present stalemate in the peace process the better for the country.”
The daily paper “The Island in its editorial May 7 said: "The killing of Taraki or Siva as he was fondly called is a dastardly crime which must be condemned by one and all. And the perpetrators must be brought to book fast. But the fact remains that Siva is not the only one who has been felled in that brutal manner. Many more Tamil leaders and intellectuals had been silenced before him. Of them, the legendary politician A. Amirthalingam and suave legal luminary Dr. Neelan Thiruchelvam stand out. People of such calibre are an asset not only to the community they belong to but also to the entire country,” it was at "The Island' where Sivaram first started his celebrated political column under the pseudonym Taraki a byline that was given to him by the then Editor of The Island Gamini Weerakoon.
The Srilanka Tamil Media Alliance in its statement strongly condemned the gruesome killing of veteran journalist Dharmeratnam Sivaram who contributed immensely to the contemporary political and military issues in the country. It said: Sivaram's gruesome death has also threatened the journalists with independent thinking and the media freedom at large. It sends a chilling message to the journalists already working in an atmosphere of fear.
Dayan Jayatilleka senior lecturer at the Colombo University and political analyst who was earlier a close associate of Sivaram wrote in the Asian Tribune April 29: "The abduction and murder of D Sivaram alias Taraki, is a crime and a stupidity. It is a crime not only in the simple legal sense but in an ethical and moral sense too. And if it were conducted in the anti-Tiger cause, it is a tactical and strategic stupidity, which will hurt

Page 17
MAY 2005
that cause and help the Tigers far more than any single target I can think of Sivaram challenged us with his writing. He was an uppity Tamil: confident, aware of Sinhala society and political trends, knowledgeable of international affairs. He held up a mirror before us. He was the Other in our midst. Now that he is dead, this is a lonelier place.”
H. L. D. Mahindapala former editor of 'The Observer' and well-known as a harsh critic of the Tamil Tigers wrote, "Dharmaratnam Sivaram was way above the run-of-the-mill journalists working in Grub Street. He was a leading Tamil intellectual who is the latest to sacrifice his life in a beastly war that nobody wants to continue, except those who thrive in it. One of the cruelest aspects of this war is the loss of the lives of many valuable Tamil intellectuals. On Thursday (April 28) Sivaramjoined the ranks of Neelan Thiruchelvam, Rajini Thirangama and a host of other Tamil intellectuals who risked their lives for the cause they championed.” He also observed: "Sivaram threw new insights into conflict from the other side of the fence. He had the capacity to bring the power of his intellect to rationalize Tamil violence which, to his way of thinking, was a necessary tool for the 'liberation struggle of the Tamils'. ... His style and reasoning conveyed a sense of conviction which was possible to admire even by those who disagreed with him.'
Journalist Tisaranee Gunasekara wrote: "D Sivaram used his pen in defence of one of the most violent organisations in the world. He should not have been responded to with a gun. He had a right to his opinion and to express that opinion, irrespective of the nature of that opinion. Any reaction to him should have come in the form of words - written and verbal - and not bullets. His murder has to be condemned even though he would not have used his pen to condemn the murder of a civilian like him
self if the killing LTTE. He could even if he wantec nature of the mast the choices he choice but to co the systematic use by the Tigers to s the Tamil commu Ajith Samarar day Observer and in his tribute saic knew was no blin cause but it is true identified certain t rents of the Tamil r he paid the supre also true that cert rabid Sinhala pres ion branded him commitment to th not preclude him assessments of S that sense we are being deprived of former Tamil mili world of Sinha insights from wh
gained immeasuri
It is apt to con tary by citing th Rajpal Abeynaya Times, who has friend of Sivara Coming from his h was my friend - O not, as a matter ( That friendship i ple, who saw us t site ends of the logical spectrum. ent matter. He w who counted the intelligentsia and A cursory list of lombo if divulgec the minds of ma embarrass more outsider would pl a man who was enemy of the 'S called, could be with the best ele ciety. Now that
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TAMIL TIMES 17
was done by the 't have done that to because of the r he served. Given made he had no done and defend of lethal violence ifle dissent within ity.” ayake of the Suna friend of Sivaram : "The Siva that I i apologist for any that he would have road historical curhovement for which me price. But it is ain sections of the i and political opinis a "Tiger.” Siva's : Tamil struggle did rom his own sound inhala politics. In also the poorer for the "insights of this tant into the murky la party politics, ich we could have ably as a society.” clude this commenhe tribute paid by ke of the Sunday been an intimate m in recent years. eart he wrote: "Ram ne of the closest, if if fact, the closest. ntrigued many peoo be from the oppopolitical and ideoBut that's a differas a cosmopolitan, best among Sinhala elite as his friends. his friends in Cohere would boggle by and maybe even in the bargain. The obably wonder how perceived to be the inhala nation' soon first name terms nents of Sinhala sohe has been killed,
the best of Sinhala society seems to be in a daze. They feel that they have let themselves down badly; the obituaries that I have read so far of him lend abundantly to this feeling. Those who were opposed to him, at least at an ideological level, seemed to be having an attack of conscience. The unmistakable undertone of their jottings is: why were we so hard on him when he was living - we shouldn't have been?
His death should throw an open challenge to society. They couldn't see the man in his many dimensions as a few among us did, and was therefore guilty of a collective narrow mindedness which it now finds difficult to bear upon its collective conscience. Those who didn't engage him missed a great deal - for the simple reason nobody could come away from conversation with him without being intellectually enriched.”
Concluding remarks
The brutal killing of another Tamil committed to the collective well-being of the Tamil community in multiethnic Sri Lanka fostering its language, culture and regional interests, while respecting the rights and similar interests of other communities is another stark reminder of the tragic consequences of ignoring the culture of violence and intimidation that has emerged as a result of the methods used in the struggle for liberation from Sinhala majority rule. Some of the Tamil leaders, who opted to remain silent on the practice of killing unarmed persons because of being perceived as a hindrance for capturing exclusive power soon became victims of this abhorrent culture. One dreads to think the kind of society that will come to stay if the ruthless practices continue without any consideration for the basic rights of the unarmed fellow Tamils just because they hold different views either on the political goal to be reached and/or disagree with the method currently used to achieve it. O
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Page 18
18 TAMIL TIMES
Lucilen Rajakarunanayake
I was at my regular watering hole last evening sipping the usual old stuff, when fellow journalist Puvath Liyanagedera joined me, Ordering his own blend of spirits he spoke some words of caution. "Don't you think we must be careful in choosing our drinking companions? he asked.
"Don't we usually drink with friends we trust?" asked him.
“That may be,” he said. “But in future we must make sure they are friends who will not run away if we happen to be abducted as we leave our watering hole, or not even bother to report the incident to the nearest police post, even if it happens to be right in front of the watering hole."
“Aha,” I said, wisdom dawning on me despite the two drinks I had already taken.
“You are laying down the new Taraki code for safe drinking for all journalists." “Whatever you may call it, we had all better be concerned about the people who invite us for a couple, that may be extended and also the NGO or trade union types they may bring along or later invite to join us."
I ordered another round for the two ofus to show that I did share his concern about the drinking companions of journalists, not because of any harmful effects on the liver, but for the Taraki syndrome among one's drinking company.
“What do you think of the TNA's latest demonstration in parliament?" he asked me.
“With all the respect for the office of Speaker, I admit I do not envy the situation that Speaker Lokubandara was placed in by this latest example of TNA hypocrisy.”
“Why do you call it hypocrisy? They were protesting against the killing of a Tamiljournalist, who supported the cause of the LTTE-TNA axis of terror, which no doubt is his right, even if we may not have agreed with him," said Puvath Liyanagedera.
"I see it as the height of hypocrisy, What were these people such as Sampanthan, Raviraj, Ponnambalam Jr. Mawai Senathirajah, Joseph Pararajasingham and their ilk doing when other killings of
Tamils were taking impunity? No doub for the most seriol certainly not by t LTTE.”
"Why do yous Dharshanaratne, a joined our compan "I say their pr and hypocritical. W when the LTTE cart post hanging of as tor in Jaffna? Was tant? How many were carried out a opponents of the L eliminated, without any protest, or aski ies?” “But this is a nalist, so surely the Rupa.
"Wasn't Neela puted Tamil intelle Why were they Thiranagamawask her husband was a they not object wil Anthony Mariadas blood when he car Year's Eve mass at Vavuniya? If they a nalism and the fre what were they doi shut when the LT "Eelanadu' and otl pers in the North? I fuss when the BBC'. was killed by those the LTTE? Why cc when the late Gan sought to give an the crisis of the T. the LTTE to stop 6 Review from Jaffr tion to the problem JRJ,” I asked.
“Well that is q said Puvath Liyan journalists have a ety, and attacks on all opprobrium. Bu issue is the respect mans; and respectf protest when those ists are killed for th
 

place with complete Taraki's killing calls s condemnation, but hese proxies of the
y that?” asked Rupa TV journalist who
y, otest is both hollow Ihat were they doing ied out the first lampb-called civilian traithat life not imporother such hangings nd how many other TTE's thinking were these people making ng for special inquir, reputed Tamil joury should object,” said
n Tiruchelvam a rectual and academic?” silent when Rajini illed? Was it because Sinhalese? Why did men the broadcaster, , was killed in cold ne to cover the New a Catholic Church in re interested in jouredom of the media, ng with their mouths TE closed down the her regional newspaDid they make such a stringer Nimalarajan said to be other than uld they not protest lini Navaratne, who independent view of mils, was forced by diting the "Saturday a? This was in addishe had to face from
uite a charge sheet,” agedara. "No doubt pecial place in socithem should attract t the more important for the life of all huor their views. Not to other than journaleir political views or
MAY 2005
political activity certainly amounts not just to cowardice, but also to compromise with terror."
"Yes, it is the caving into terror when the same people do not condemn the killing of elected representatives of the Tamil people, whether they are Pradesheeya Sabha members, the Mayors of Jaffna, or other political activists, as we have seen happen with the EPDP members in recent months, especially after the ceasefire, rush to condemn the killing of a journalist.
I don't think those who remained mute when all those killings took place, have any right to protest at Taraki's kill1ng.
In fact, their behaviour is both insult
and injustice to the memory of Taraki,
and his good journalism," I said. "What of the statement by Ranil Wickremesinghe that the government should accept responsibility for Taraki's killing" asked Rupa Dharshanaratne?
“Very interesting indeed” said Puvath. "A government is responsible to maintain law and order, but can it be held responsible for every breach of the law? Nonsense; to go by Ranil's logic, does he admit that the government of which he was a Cabinet member in 1988/89, should accept responsibility for all the killings ofjournalists and other media personnel at the time?' "There's more than that, He was Prime Minister when the government, through the Attorney General, stopped the court case into the murder of Richard de Zoysa, at a crucial stage. As Prime Minister, he was also responsible for preventing a commission of inquiry being appointed to probe Richard de Zoysa's killing. He and the Government he was a member ofmust accept all this responsibility, before pointing fingers at today’s government for Taraki’s killing,"I said.
"In fact most of these people who today point one finger at the government for the killing of Taraki, should realise that there are four fingers pointing at themselves for not protesting or acquiescing in the killing of others," said Puvath.
"I wonder how these whited-sepulchres, participated in the protest organised by the Free Media Movement over Taraki's killing?" I asked.
"It might be due to the whirligig of politics today," said Puvath Liyanagedera.
"The true cause one represents is best seen from the company one keeps," said Rupa Dharshanaratne. O

Page 19
MAY 2005
HRWCallsto Er Killings and Abduct of Tamil Civilians
New York, May 24, 2005. Ongoing killings and abductions of Tamils throughout Sri Lanka have created a climate of fear among Tamils across the country, the New York-based international human rights organisation, Human Rights Watch, said today,
Human Rights Watch called for the establishmentofan independent commission of inquiry into the killings and abductions in order to identify those responsible and recommend measures to end the abuses, The killing in early May of well-known Tamil journalist D. Sivaram by unknown assailants is only one of a long line of assassinations of outspoken members of the Tamil community. Since the beginning of the ceasefire between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in February 2002, an estimated 200 Tamils have been killed for apparently political reasons, though numerous such killings occurred prior to the ceasefire. As of November 2004, there had been 900 reports of abductions, of which almost 400 have been certified by the Norwegianled Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) as violations of the ceasefire agreement.
The evidence available places responsibility for many of the killings on the Tamil Tigers. Most victims were considered to be LTTE opponents and in many cases there is circumstantial evidence of LTTE involvement, such as threats from LTTE members or agents prior to a killing. Other killings have been linked to persons loyal to Colonel Karuna, a Tamil Tiger commander who broke off from the LTTE in March 2004. A number of the victims were persons deemed to be supporters of one faction or the other.
The LTTE denies all involvement in the killings. The Sri Lankan government has not responded forcefully to the killings. The government claims it can do little to protect even obvious targets and the few investigations into killings it has conducted have been ineffectual.
"The ceasefire between the government and LTTE is welcome, but some are using it as an opportunity to kill their opponents,” said Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch. "Every
one hopes for a lasti
raises serious questio ofpeace it will be for' of favor with the LTTE
Government failur In a country wher have been the prima tracted and complice failure by the governm killings is particularly serious questions abc mitment to take Tamil cerns seriously, Follo' murder last year of D. leader of the Eelam Pe Party (EPDP) and a ment, the government delivered through Harim Peiris, was ess the attack, saying: "It after a political oppo absolutely nothing els In June 2003, follo Jaffna ofT Subathira of the Eelam People’s eration Front (EPRLF not to question the c case. It was not until government spoke ol spate of political kil not resulted in any There have been no p
"Government an vestigations are welc every case must be gated,' said Adams." killings, we have yet ment seriously investi punish those respons
motivated killings of
The international is uniquely positione Lanka, has also rema The Sri Lanka Moni sponsible for monitc on violations of the C (CFA) between the g LTTE, only recently political killings ofo tivists by the LTTE a agreement, and ther mandate. Disturbin short of investigating although its mandate will “enquire' into c(

TAMILTIMEs 19.
d
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ng peace, but this is about what kind amils who fall out or other factions."
Tamil grievances y cause of a proted civil war, the ent to pursue these roubling and raises ut its stated comhuman rights conwing the attempted ouglas Devananda, 'ople's Democratic member of parlia's initial response, its spokesperson
entially to dismiss
is the LTTE going nent. It is that and e.” awing the killing in n, a senior member Revolutionary LibF), the police chose hief suspect in the late 2004 that the ut condemning the lings, but this has concrete actions. rosecutions. ouncements of inome, but each and vigorously investiIn all these years of to see the governgate, prosecute and ible for politically Tamils.” community, which d to be heard in Sri ined largely silent. :oring Mission, rering and reporting easefire Agreement overnment and the acknowledged that pposition Tamil acre violations of the fore fall within its ly, it has stopped any of the killings, stipulates that they mplaints and viola
tions of the CFA.
Donor Conference
Human Rights Watch noted that the Sri Lanka donor conference strongly endorsed a "joint mechanism" to coordinate tsunami aid with the LTTE, but did not demand an end to the political killings and abductions. Norway, the facilitator of the ceasefire agreement, and other key states, such as Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom have also chosen not to use their leverage to demand an end to the killings. The European Union and Canada have spoken out more recently in strong terms against the killings, EU Commissioner for external affairs, Benito Ferrero-Walnder, on March 8 publicly condemned the killings and abductions. She specifically called on the LTTE to stop the killings and to allow room for dissent within its areas of control. Human Rights Watch called on all external actors with influence in Sri Lanka to also speak out forcefully.
"The only way to end this campaign of violence and impunity is to refuse to ignore it," said Adams. "These killings are part of a concerted campaign to destroy opposition voices. The silence on the killings simply fuels more killings and leads to more impunity."
Impartial commission
Human Rights Watch supported calls by local human rights groups and others in Sri Lanka for the establishment of an independent and impartial commission of inquiry into the killings and abductions. Such an effort may serve as a deterrent to future violations and could start to address the culture of impunity in Sri Lanka. However, the organizations warned that serious security concerns must be addressed in order for such a commission to be able to conduct proper investigations.
“The LTTE has effectively silenced human rights groups in the east through fear and intimidation, and there is a real danger that a commission probing the killings would be similarly silenced,” said Adams. "All sides must publicly commit themselvesto cooperate with investigations and ensure the security of investigators.”
Human Rights Watchpointed out that continuing violence in eastern Sri Lanka is particularly tragic given the reconstruction and rehabilitation work required in the aftermath of the devastating tsunami in December 2004. The violence intensifies the deep psychological and physical insecurity wrought by the tsunami, especially for Tamil communities in the eastern part of the country, where the bulk of the killings have taken place. O

Page 20
20 TAMIL TIMES
Sri Lankan Presi on a political tigh
K. Ratnayake
Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga is facing sharp opposition, both from within government ranks and from outside, over her moves to set up a joint body with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to handle tsunami relief work. The campaign to stop the signing of an agreement, scheduled for next week, is being lead by her key government ally, the Janatha Vimkuthi Peramuna (JVP).
Because of pressure from the US and other powers, setting up the joint body with the LTTE has become a crucial issue for the president. The proposal was initiated by the US, the European Union (EU) and Japan as away to channel funds for tsunami relief into areas under LTTE control. Such an arrangement would have the added advantage that it could be used to press for a resumption of the stalled peace talks to end the more than 20-year conflict between the LTTE and the Colombo government.
Though Kumaratunga agreed to the proposal, she has continued to drag her feet because the JVP has denounced it, saying it would amount to conferring recognition on the LTTE.
Tensions sharpened last month when Kumaratungareiterated that she was prepared to come to an agreement with the LTTE. Pressure to resume the peace talks was mounted by the US and EU powers, with Christine Rocca, the US assistant secretary of state, and Erick Solheim, the Norwegian special envoy, both visiting Sri Lanka for talks with government and opposition leaders.
Diplomats have told the media that donor countries want both sides to move towards the creation of the joint body before a World Bank-sponsored development forum to be held in Kandy on May 16-17. These dates have become a deadline for the president, with a spokesman for the Asian Development Bank telling the Daily Mirror that the joint mechanism will be a key issue at the forum. After the launch of the joint mechanism, "we can pour in the required funds for relief and rebuilding,” he said.
IfKumaratunga line, hundreds of pledged for tsunam According to the Sr retary, out of $1.8b $750 million has b mitments.
Knowing thats sition from all the forces, above all ht partner, Kumaratul ately trying to cob for the joint mecha high. She told ame Christian leaders o process the govern that she could "ever but those things we interest, "unlike bri the country."
Trying to app monks, who are atth chauvinist movemer there was a “high de sibility of bringing gotiating table' an the first time has sovereignty of the
Nervous about c Kumaratunga has y details about the jo gious leaders aske said it was impossil details in a closed-c According to il the media, the organ as the Post-tsunam ture and will be lir operations will be nami-affected distr the east, to a dista from the sea. The will have three repr government, the LI ganisation. The reg sist of five LTTE ir lims and three from The Sinhala ch only source of op Kumaratunga met of the Muslim pea up largely of MPs

MAY 2005
dent trope
fails to meet the deadmillions of dollars i relief could be lost. Lankan treasury secillion in pledges only een received as com
he faces heavy oppo: Sinhala-chauvinist rown JVP coalition nga has been desperble together support nism. The stakes are 2ting of Buddhistand n May 3 that “in the ment might fall” and lose the presidency,' re not in the national nging lasting peace to
ease the Buddhist ecentre of the Sinhala hts, Kumaratunga said gree of practical posthe LTTE to the nethat the 'LTTE for agreed to accept the government.”
hauvinist opposition, 'et to publicly reveal int body. When reli
i to see a draft, she
ble but then provided oor meeting. iformation leaked to isation will be known Management Strucnited to one year. Its confined to six tsuicts in the north and nce of 2 kilometres peak national body sentatives-from the TE and a Muslimorional body will conmembers, three Musthe government. auvinists are not the Iosition. Last week, with representatives ce secretariat, made elonging to her own
ruling coalition and to the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), which is aligned with the opposition. Members of the SLMC and even some Muslim
MPs from the government have indicated
they could not work with the LTTE. This opposition is being motivated by fears among some in the Muslim elite that they will miss out on the money being put into reconstruction and relief work.
Last Friday (10 May), Kumaratu-nga met with JVP leaders to explain her plans. The JVP has insisted that a joint body would strengthen the hand of the LTTE, giving it "acceptance” and "paving the way for UN recognition,” and even that the LTTE would be conferred with “executive powers” under the pro
posed scheme.
These are gross exaggerations aimed at fanning chauvinism. The LTTE has agreed to the joint mechanism in order to demonstrate its readiness to accept the intervention of the majorpowers in dictating a so-called "political solution” to the war and in order to secure funds for the regions controlled by them. Nearly five months after the tsunami, anger among people in these already war-devastated regions is rising.
So far, the JVP has been unmoved by Kumaratunga's appeals. It has planned a series of meetings-the first one of which was held last Tuesday—under the slogan "No to the joint mechanism”.
To intensify pressure, the JVP has unleashed its front organisation, the Patriotic National Movement (PNM), to campaign against the joint mechanism. PNM spokesman Elle Guna-wansa, a Buddhist monk, told the media that "over 30 religious and civil society organisations have expre-ssed support for our campaign." A spokesman for the JVP front organisation operating among the monks said the government could give
the joint mechanism to the LTTE only
over their dead bodies.
The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), another Buddhist-monk-led organisation competing with the JVP for Sinhalachauvinist support, has also joined the fray. The United National Party, the main opposition party, is playing a duplicitous role so characteristic ofall the bourgeois parties. For the past few months, it has been criticising the Kumaratunga for not working out a plan with the LTTE to distribute aid and start reconstruction. But as the campaign against the joint mechanism has heated up, the UNP, its eye firmly on the Sinhala chauvinist

Page 21
MAY 2005
constituency, has decided not to support the government. Rejecting an invitation from Kumaratunga to hear an explanation of the joint mechanism, UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe wrote that the party would respond "once the government reaches a final agreement with the LTTE."
For its part, the LTTE is afraid that it might miss a chance to enlist the support of the major powers to secure a settlement. Like the other parties, it is looking to use the inflow of aid and other funds to its own political advantage. In an interview with Reuters on May 7, LTTE political leader S.P. Thamilchel van said the three-year truce was now in "jeopardy.' Kumaratunga was dragging her feet in sharing the $2 billion aid pledged by donors, and it was doubtful if a deal would be implemented even if it were signed, he said.
The conflict has led to sharp divisions in the Sri Lankan media. The Daily Mirror expressed concern over the position of the UNP, saying that unless it was “bent on following opportunistic politics, thus jeopardising the country's larger interests,' the
opposition party sh government's move mechanism.
Other sections c ever, have given p JVP campaign. An land on May 6 exe eral tenor. “If a terra listen to the US, th of the European U ues to recruit child money, assassinate sacre rivals, which planet could contro earth could a legiti have a partnership w tinues such crimes The governmen creasingly nervous tion. If the JVP w port of its 39 MPs may collapse or be minority. While be the major powers, I not want to lose til chauvinists or the about the impasse, Lakshman Kadirga conference that th commitment' forth
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ould support the to create a joint
f the media, howominence to the :ditorial in the IsImplified the genroutfit refuses to UK and the rest nion and contin| soldiers, exhort politicians, mascountry on this l it? And how on mate government rith it while it conייל t is becoming inabout the situaithdraws the sup, the government forced to rule as a ing pressured by cumaratunga does he support of the : military. Asked Foreign Minister umar told a press here was a "firm e joint mechanism
on the part of the president but then quickly added that aid agencies
should not press the government
with deadlines and "exacerbate sensibilities.”
Kumaratunga faces bitter choices. On the one hand, if she signs the joint mechanism document she will lose the support of the JVP, possibly leading to the collapse of her government. On the other hand, if she does not sign, her refusal could be a final blow to the ceasefire agreement, opening the way for the resumption of the civil war. The dilemma is of her own making. When UNP leader Wickremesinghe was prime minister, Kumaratunga played the key role in rallying the military, the JVP and the JHU against the peace process initiated by his government.
Meanwhile, nearly five months after the tsunami, hundreds of thousands of victims are still being denied much needed relief and reconstruction. Such is the reactionary logic of the communal politics that characterises all the Sri Lankan bourgeois parties.
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Page 22
22 TAMIL TIMES
No More Tears Sister
The Story Of An Assiss Human Rights Activ Dr. Rajani Thiranaga
Firdaus Ali
“Men in battle garb, whether they come with swords or guns, on a horse or in armoured cars, the price of conquest seems heightened by the violation of women," wrote Dr. Rajani Thiranagama, a few months before she was assassinated in Jaffna, northern Sri Lanka.
And, it was exactly the subject of "woman and war' that captivated Montreal-based filmmaker Helene Klodowsky and formed the beginnings of yet another powerful film. "The real heroes in any war are the
vs. anti-nationali women as both pa nocent victims of w in armed struggle vs. tarism.
Helene has bee recting social, polit mentaries for 20 ye. the Nova Scotia C Design and Queen' films have been s evised around the won more than 25 :
Her recent film
“One day some gun will silence me and it will not be held but by the son born in the womb of this very society, from whom my history is shared,” wrote Dr. Rajani in 1989,
before she was killed.
people. And, it is the strong women that help keep families, neighbourhoods, societies and nations alive during turbulent times, like in Sri Lanka," Helene said in a recent interview to Voice.
She was moved by the courageous story of Dr Rajani - a mother, anatomy professor, author and symbol of hope - who was killed at the age of thirty-five. "Rajani Thiranagama's life was marked with vision. Her tragic death demonstrates the dangers faced by women everywhere who are struggling for human rights in the face of violence and corruption,” reflects Helene.
The filmmaker believed that by following Rajani's lifestory and the circumstances surrounding her untimely death, several themes could be explored simultaneously: nationalism
Sister' offered foot triggered off animal shown at a world pi Docs Canadian Int mentary Festival month. The film w Seattle Film Festi Rights Watch Film York and the Banff val later this spring “I knew that cre a slain human righ be no easy feat - es fact that there were chives, few photos rity concerns, no ac Jaffna where Rajani In addition, most of students and collea, fearful to speak abo Almost everything constructed, but bas

inated ist, a
im, the lives of ticipants and in'ar, and the belief a critique of mili
In writing and dical and art docuars. A graduate of ollege of Art and 's University, her creened and telworld and have awards.
"No More Tears
by an outsider a woman with a few months
i for thought and
ed debates, when emiere at the Hot ernational Docuin Toronto last vill screen at the val, the Human Festival in New Television Festi
ating a portrait of ts activist would pecially given the
no surviving arand, due to secucess to filming in lived and worked. er friends, former gues were far too ut her on camera. would have to be ed on careful re
MAY 2005
search I wanted "No More Tears Sister" to reflect the passion and beauty of Rajani's ideals. I aimed at making a film that is political, feminist and aesthetic," adds Helene.
A story of love, revolution, and betrayal, "No More Tears Sister" explores the price of truth in times of war; Rajani was anti-war in every sense, openly condemning the LTTE's strategy and failures, just as she condemned the actions of the Sri Lankan military and the Indian Peace Keeping Force. She was shot dead as she cycled back home from the University one evening in September 1989, The bullets that killed her are believed to be that of an LTTE assassin’s.
"One day some gun will silence me and it will not be held by an outsider but by the son born in the womb of this very society, from a woman with whom my history is shared," wrote Dr. Rajani in 1989, a few months before she was killed. And, to film her story, Helene travelled to the other side of the globe, researching and documenting one gutsy woman's journey and in the process opening up the violent, ethnic conflict of Sri Lanka, to the entire world.
Fifteen years after Rajani's death, her charismatic older sister Nirmala, a former Tamil militant and political prisoner, journeys back to Sri Lanka. She has decided to break her long silence about Rajani's passionate life, and her brutal slaying. Joining her are Rajani's husband, sisters, and grown daughters, as well as fellow activists forced underground. Stunningly photographed, using rare archival footage, intimate correspondence and poetic recreations, the story of Rajani and her family delves into rarely explored themes - revolutionary women and their dangerous pursuit of justice.
The film, a production of the National Film Board of Canada dwells on the theme: Sri Lankan Tamils must debate how to stop retributive killings in the community, not who's next. The film, based mainly on interviews with members of Rajani's fam

Page 23
MAY 2005
illy and on archival material, and narrated by the Sri Lankan-Canadian writer Michael Ondaatje, vividly captures her transformation from a sympathizer of the Tigers' cause to one of its fiercest critics,
Following Rajani's killing, Jaffna saw a few protests but they quickly fizzled out when the LTTE began contacting participants individually, asking them to pipe down,
As the documentary notes, those were the last spontaneous instances
nic fratricide” of h Raging in vari tensity since 1983, the least known bl wars of the postcol as a "forgotten wal least 65,000 death one million people human rights abu mised Sri Lanka’s ( velopment.
“I wanted to ur nic conflict and na
"She was truly a heroine of our times and an unforegeta enveloping tragedy, Rajani had a vision for her people Tamils. She envisioned a time when they would live in enjoying democratic rights and freedoms. Standing a and brutality in all its forms, she is a beacon of light for a in fear and struggling for self-respect. She will never be.
for everyone in Sri Lanka fighting for freedom.”
- Dr. Radh
Former UNSpecial Rapporteur on viol and current chairperson of the National Human Rights Comr
of free expression in northern Sri Lanka.
“The sensitive subject of the film made it impossible for a filmmaker from within Sri Lanka to make the film. Someone from outside was needed to tell Rajani's story,” says Helene. The film was conceived of as a threepart series entitled Women and War, "When I was first approached by the National Film Board of Canada to make a film about women and war, I considered myself up to the task. Besides making films about other conflict zones, I had lived close to the shadows of war. My mother survived the Lodz Ghetto and other concentration camps. Questions about war and women's experience in war were part of my daily vocabulary," recalls Helene.
She was drawn to the subject of women's experience of war in Sri Lanka - a conflict that scholar Stanley Jeyaraja Tambiah has called the “eth
impact women - t war, militant fight ers. I wondered wi feminist critique guerrilla violence? that the Sri Lanka opposition Liberati Eelam were both g legal detention, d. extrajudicial execu explore whether w hand, torn betwee ethnic community hand, the commun oppressed minorit fighting injustice than their male co Embracing fem in human rights, I women in particula casualties of war. T demonstrates the r ple everywhere w promote human rig nocent lives.
WWarmaSSOciateS.CO.uk-USe
 

is country,
ous degrees of init has been one of ut more intractable onial era. Labelled ," it has caused at s, displaced up to resulted in severe ses, and comproonce promising de
nderstand how ethationalist struggles
able symbol of its , the Sri Lankan peace and dignity gainst oppression community living forgotten; an icon
ika Coomaraswany, ence against women mission of Sri Lanka
be they victims of ars or peace buildhether there was a of both state and It was well known n military and the on Tigers of Tamil guilty of torture, ilisappearances and tions. I wanted to
omen were, on one n loyalties to their and, on the other ity of women? Did y women imagine in different ways punterparts?” inism and a belief Dr Rajani felt that ur were the primary his film powerfully isks faced by peoho are working to ghts and protect in
TAMIL TIMES 23
This was an important film because of its feminist perspective, its strong voice for human rights, and its resonance here in Canada, which is home to the world's largest Tamil community outside Sri Lanka. Like all communities who have migrated here, Tamil Canadians have brought with them their concerns about events taking place in their homeland. It is vital that Canadians understand the politics and social issues of Sri Lanka, "Rajani had a vision for her people, the Sri Lankan Tamils. She envisioned a time when they would live in peace and dignity, enjoying democratic rights and freedoms. Standing against oppression and brutality in all its forms, she is a beacon of light for a community living in fear and struggling for self-respect. She will never be forgotten and is an icon for everyone in Sri Lanka fighting for freedom.”
Helene's candid style of filmmaking accompanied by the interweaving of compelling personal narratives and complex political analysis makes the film unforgettable. Though set in Sri Lanka, Rajani's story has parallels in postcolonial societies around the world. She was part of a generation of political activists of the 1960s and '70s who dreamed of radically transforming their societies. Sadly, this idealism often fell victim to narrow nationalist agendas.
For years the government and rebels kept trying to bury the story of Rajani and only succeeded in having songs sung in her praise. In the midst of the ongoing conflict, Rajani's story constantly gives Sri Lankans a reason to affirm and celebrate themselves as a people. They should continue to do so in the name of peace and justice.
Original Publication Date: Saturday, May 14, 2005 - The Weekly Voice, 19 May 2005)
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Page 24
24 TAMIL TIMES
O UN asks Sri Lanka. to change its contempt of court laws
In deciding that the committal of lay litigant Anthony Michael Fernando to a term of one year rigorous imprisonment for contempt of court by Sri Lanka's Supreme Court violated his right not to be arbitrarily deprived of his liberty, the Geneva based United Nations Human Rights Committee has directed Sri Lanka to make such legislative changes as are necessary to avoid similar violations in the future.
The State has been further directed to pay Mr. Fernando compensation for the violation of Article 9(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, (ICCPR), and to respond to the Committee regarding the measures taken to give effect to its Views within ninety days of the decision.
It has also stated that the State cannot absolve itself of responsibility merely on the ground that actions of the judiciary are in issue. The Communication of Views delivered on 31, March 2003 will be filed of record in the United Nations General Assembly as part of the Committee’s annual report.
Commenting on the decision, Mr. Fernando told The Sunday Times, "This is not a victory for myself. It is a victory for all those who stood up for justice and fair play, democracy, and the independence of the Judiciary in Sri Lanka. I would not wish that what I suffered would be undergone at any point by anyone else again. I came to court in the morning, was imprisoned in the afternoon and thereafter tortured and hospitalised. I was in prison for eight months. Many people turned away because my case was too controversial. There is some justice achieved now. But can money compensate me for all that I have suffered merely because I went into court one morning?'
Tony Michael Fernando, formerly
an English teacher and father of an
infant son, was sentenced to one year rigorous imprisonment by a Supreme Court bench consisting of Chief Justice Sarath Nanda Silva and Justices Yapa and Edussuriya in February 2003 for raising his voice in court and
persisting in filing applications. A la ing the Court to 1 der was dismissec same judges. The to the Geneva ba in an individualco ing that his impı Covenant rights.
He was repre UN Committee b Pinto Jayawarde Hewamanne. His by the Internatio Protection of Righ United Kingdom, Rights Commissic the World Organi ture, Geneva.
Deciding in his rists of the UN I without dissent t notably in commo traditionally enjoy tain order and di bates by the exer power to impose tempt of court, " nation has been pl or the State party severe and sum warranted in th court's power to proceedings.”
The Committe only disruption in party is the repet tions by Mr. Ferr imposition of f would have been instance of "raisil presence of the thereafter to apo It stated furth the Covenant for deprivation of libi of a draconian p
 

MAY 2005
fundamental rights ter application urgevise its earlier ori byla bench of the
reafter, he appealed
Sed UN Committee mmunication pleadisonment violated
sented before the by lawyers Kishali na and Suranjith appeal was assisted nal Centre for the nts (IINTERIGHTS),
the Asian Human on, Hong Kong and sation Against Tor
s favour, thirteenjuCommittee agreed hat though courts, in law jurisdictions, authority to mainignity in court decise of a summary penalties for conno reasoned explaovided by the court as to why such a mary penalty was e exercise of the maintain orderly
e observed that the dicated by the State tious filing of moando for which an nancial penalties sufficient and one ng his voice” in the court and refusing ogise.
er: "Article 9(1) of bids any "arbitrary' rty. The imposition enalty without ad
equate explanation and without independent procedural safeguards falls within that prohibition. The fact that an act constituting a violation of Article 9(1) is committed by the judicial branch of government cannot prevent the engagement of the responsibility of the State party as a whole.'
Individual communications by citizens who feel that the organs of the Sri Lankan state, including the judiciary, have violated rights secured under the Covenant can be lodged before the Committee consisting of eminent and well respected jurists drawn from countries who have ratified or acceded to the Covenant as well as its Optional Protocol.
Article 2 (2) of the Covenant obliges every State party subject to the Covenant to take necessary steps to adopt such legislative measures as may be necessary to give effect to the rights recognised in the Covenant.
O Editor faces contempt of court charge
Lankadeepa Editor in Chief Siri Ranasinghe has been directed by the Supreme Court to show cause why he should not be punished for contempt of court by publishing a statement from the UNP condemning the judgment in the Rohitha Bogollaga
a CSC.
Court ordered to issue summons on Mr. Ranasinghe directing him to appear in court on June 6. The charge sheet was filed when the case was taken up on 10 Msy before a bench comprising Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva and Justices Shirani Tilakawardene and Saleem Marsoof.
The Supreme Court took the view that the publication of the article amounted to contempt of the Supreme Court and was punishable in terms of Article 105 (3) of the Constitution and ordered Mr. Ranasinghe to show cause why he should not be punished. Earlier National Enterprise and Advanced Technology Minister Rohitha Bogollagama had lodged a complaint against the Lankadeepa Editor for publishing the UNP statement.
(continued on next page)

Page 25
MAY 2005
ensions Within multicu and the federalist So
Prof. S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole
There is a natural tension within the concept of multiculturalism that its advocates do not realize and allow for. On the one hand, many of us say that Sri Lanka is a multicultural country where every citizen ought to be able to live anywhere and practice his culture. The view seemingly takes the moral high ground in terms of equality, liberty and justice.
On the other hand, weaker cultures - whether weak in terms of institutions or numbers - will not survive under this interpretation of multiculturalism. The stronger cultures dominate paying mere lip-service to the minorities. In time the minority-cultures will be marginalized and their very existence will be threatened. The right to practice and live one’s culture therefore must be protected. One such means, in the Sri Lankan context where due to minorities living under long years of discriminatory legislation and adverse practices that have given the State the character of a Sinhalese state, is to provide a devolved region, where the culture can be protected and allowed to thrive.
Thus, unlike the first paradigm, multiculturalism provides for a protected territory. This dimension of multicu-lturalism runs counter to the first paradigm where anyone is free to live anywhere. This is the tension within multiculturalism.
The genius of federalism in this context is to provide areas where mi
norities can be in control it is easier and accommodati changes that co course of econom out the fear of be eralism in fact accc of anyone to live
so without any f mped.
Failure of the Un A look at Sri L obvious that the fi ting anyone live unitary structure seen clearly in re in Sri Lanka. Ag widely interpreted dhist and no ol amiss. A recent r example, tries to knowledge and t ing the job can Clearly, it is as t enous knowledge Lankan indigenou teaching of histo fers to Sinhalese down the fact that were begotten by from across the Sl ries hurt the dig Besides, there is in historical resea torians have felt line or go abroad, that we at least ag allow a federal s
(continued from page 24)
Mr. Ranasinghe had recently informed court that he was prepared to tender an apology to court if the Supreme Court felt the publication had lowered the dignity of Court by the publication of the statement, but refused to apologise to the Minister who lodged the complaint. The Supreme Court said it felt that the publication of the UNP statement critical
S
of the Supreme CC vour of minister B attack on the inte; Mr. Faiz Mus Counsel for the E that if that were was prepared to a but saw no reasc the Minister.
(Courtes)
 

TAMIL TIMES 25
urals
O
control. While in to be generous with ve of demographic me about in the nic migration withing swamped. Fedommodates the right anywhere and does ear of being swa
itary Structure anka makes it quite rst paradigm of letanywhere under a has failed. This is :cruitment patterns ain, Sri Lankan is as Sinhalese-Budne sees anything 2search project, for gather indigenous he one person donot speak Tamil. hough Tamil indigis not part of Sri s knowledge. In the ry, "our kings” rekings, even playing most of these kings Tamil princesses traits. School histohity of the Tamils. so much acrimony Lrch that Tamil hispressured to toe the I think it is better ree to disagree and tructure where mi
purtjudgment in faogollagama was an grity of the Court.
stapha PC, Senior Editor-in-Chief said the case, his client apologise to Court, on to apologise to
y - Sunday Times)
norities can send their children to school where their dignity is not negated through these distorted histories.
The inability to practice culture in a unitary structure is exemplified by the Federal Party's request in 1968 to have Koneswaram Temple precincts declared a sacred area. It was a time when the FP was in the coalition government of Dudley Senanayake. Dr. C.E. Godaku-mbura, a retired archaeological commissioner, argued in articles in The Sun (17.9 and 9.12 1968) that such a move would allow "quislings' and "fifth columnists' to entertain foreign agents in the temple precincts and facilitate an invasion of this country by India. True to the wisdom of his class, he argued that "when Visakapatanam is developed as a naval base, Trincomalee will be easily accessible from there.' He saw agents of the invader coming in advance to the 'sacred city' as tourists and pilgrims to be entertained by "collaborationists' etc. Dudley Senanayake refused the FP's request for reasons of 'national security'. The Federal Party had little to show for its cooperation. To add insult to injury, within Koneswaram Temple precincts in Fort Frederick, a brand new Buddhist temple was constructed, purporting it to be the replanting of the ancient Gokanna Vihare that had disappeared without a trace. It was the first time that a lost shrine was located with so much certainty without a trace of archaeological evidence to support it.
The Colonisation Example
The colonization of lands where Tamils are in majority, particularly as an instrument of state policy, is something that any Tamil would feel threatened by. A natural reaction is to ask for separation or adequate devolution that includes control over land. It is only when Tamils are in control of their own regions that they can be liberal and welcome Sinhalese in their midst in confidence and security, not as colonizers. The percentage of the Tamil-speaking population (including Muslims) in the Trincomalee District from 1921 to 1946 to 1953 to 1981 from the census exercises is 92.13, 75.09,

Page 26
26 TAMIL TIMES
78.80, and 65.38. In the Batticaloa District for the years 1921, 1946 and 1953 the figures are 93.1292.55 and 87.64. After Batticaloa District was broken up into Amparai and Batticaloa Districts in 1961, the Tamil speaking figures for Amparai are 70.22% in 1963, 69.47% in 1971, 62.03% in 1981 and 60.67 in 2001.
The colonization of the East by the state is a classic example where the unitary structure has been used to eviscerate minorities there by settling mainly landless peasants from the South, (except in the Weli-Oya scheme where prisoners from Anuradhapura were brought in). Initially it was done to protect large land holdings in the South. But it ignored protests by Tamil and Muslim leaders about 1) their fear of marginalisation in representation, 2) land in the East now being denied to them for their natural growth and economic advancement, and importantly 3) security fears owing to the adoption of, in-effect, a Sinhalese supremacist ideology by the State, which became a reality with the 1956 Gal Oya riots and thereafter.
For those Sinhalese who cannot believe the militarism that went with colonisation, M. Herman Gunaratne's book (For a Sovereign State) is a must for the game it gives away, According to Guna-ratne, Jayawardene "happened to be present" at the Security Council meeting where a report apparently on the security of settlements was discussed. The report had been prepared by the lawyer S.L. Gunasekera and Davinda Senanayake and submitted to Brigadier Dennis Hapugalle, Chief of Civil Defence. Here is the high point - Gunaratne blames the authorities for settling Sinhalese there without weapons training which his group had planned to do at Maduru Oya.
Gall Oya and Mahaweli
The Gal Oya and Mahaweli schemes were the principal vehicles by which this marginalization occurred. The Gal Oya colony erupted in communal violence, within a short time of S.W. R.D. Bandaranaike’s “Sinhala Only' government being voted into power. In this scheme in
the interior of the Sinhalese elemei from the workfo Tamils who were numbers as settle government serv Tarzie Vittachi wr Inspector-General de Zoysa went th to arrest even Ca they incited the m politicians made i ches against polic clearly confirms th highest levels of
Kantalai erupte violence claiming It had reduced th under an ever-pre lence and in total d
In the weeks 83 violence, some istry of Mahaveli tive trying speed Mahaveli System malee in the Yan Like the subseq Manal Aru (Weli itivu District stai year, it was to be project without M The plan as th was intended to s ity of the largel North-East by e Sinhalese settleme basin and then Maduru Oya basi scribed by Gunara according to him Gamini Disssanay ised to brief the F Also remarkab well educated pec who fell in line to cause. Gunaratne Kulasinghe (Chair rdene and H.B. Central Enginee Bureau as showi. thusiasm for the p them that the Mir approval. Signi about 23rd July 19, no doubt, excell motivated by Sir ogy, they were transplanting the conditions that \

ΜΑΥ 2005
Eastern Province, its largely drawn rce attacked the here in significant rs, professionals, ants and traders. ote: "Until Deputy of Police Sydney ere and threatened binet Ministers if ob to violence, the nflammatory speee action." Vittachi e complicity of the government. d during the 1977 many Tamil lives, e Tamils to living sent threat of violistrust of the State. preceding the July officials in the Minund Lands were aclily to implement M north of TrincoOya (River) basin. uent System L in Oya) in the Mullated the following another Mahaveli ahaveli water ese officials saw it under the contiguy Tamil-speaking stablishing large ints in the Yan Oya System B in the n. The story is deine (ibid.). The plan had the approval of
ake, who had prom
'resident.
le is the number of iple in high places do their bit for the names Dr. A.N.S. man), G. G. JayawaJayasekera of the ring Consultancy ng tremendous enroject once he told ister had given his ficantly, this was 83. These men were, ent engineers. But halese elite ideolhoughtless about Sinhalese poor into vere economically
disastrous and politically explosive. Patrick Peebles has written thus in his article titled Colonization and Ethnic Conflict in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka (Journal of Asian Studies, February 1990): "As late as May 1982 Mahaweli project officials claimed that Dry Zone settlements would defuse ethnic tension by reducing unemployment, They were unduly optimistic. Earlier colonization schemes had divided the Sinhalese majority and the Tamil minority long before either Mahaveli River development or ethnic violence accelerated...,
The UNP consciously evoked the image of an idyllic Buddhist past in
which the Dry Zone irrigation pro
vided the resources for a prosperous and cultured civilization. Officials of the Accelerated Mahaveli Programme appealed directly to this mythical past, in which Tamil Hindu invaders were hated enemies, to mobilize Buddhist support.”
In time, by the 1990s as my students from the East testify, they were lined up by the hundreds from their hostels and survived only because of knowing a few words of Sinhalese while the rest were shot by the STF. When this kind of land settlement created the Gal Oya and subsequent massacres leading to a more and more strident cry for separation, is such land settlement worth the price we have paid for it?
The World Bank's Inspection Panel Ifgood Sinhalese are still not convinced that the Mahaweli Scheme was not tied up to majoritarian militarism, they ought to read the Mossad Commission Report (1991) which draws attention to the following from the book by Viktor Ostrovsky and Claire Hoy (By Way of Deception, 1990, p. 69): “I was assigned to escort Jayewardene’s daughter-in-law - a woman named Penny - on a secret visit to Israel. She knew me as "Simon'... she insisted on telling me about the Mahaveli) project and how money for it was financing equipment for the army. She was complaining that they weren't really getting on with it. Ironically, the project had been "invented to get money (continued on next page)

Page 27
ΜΑΥ 2005
Conflicts cost Lal $4.4bn injust 5 y
P. K Balachandran
April 22 - Violent conflicts cost Sri Lanka $4.4 billion injust five years between 1983 and 1988, says Professor John Richardson, who teaches International Development at the American University,
In a study just brought out by the Kandy-based International Centre for Ethnic Studies, Richardson says that if one includes all the conflict-related expenditure and losses in those years of anti-Tamil rioting, armed conflict between the government and the Tamil militants, the induction of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF), and the insurrection staged by the Sinhala-Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the cumulative cost
(continued from page 26)
from the World Bank to pay for those weapons." While some may argue that the commission discredited the book, as Mervyn de Silva pointed out Ostrovsky stood his ground in a televised debate with a leading Israeli official and its contents have not been challenged since.
It is now becoming increasingly
known that the World Bank is presently going through some soulsearching as to how its money declared to be for irrigation was used for socio-political engineering. Officials have been cautioned about examining this dimension prior to authorizing Sri Lankan grants. Today, the World Bank, with its Inspection Panel requires social impact assessment prior to funding and will investigate complaints on the ill-effects of projects under its sponsorship. Poignantly, the project settling ethnic Chinese in Tibet was aborted by the Bank's Inspection Panel after due investigation, despite powerful China’s protests.
was Sri Lankan Ru! (or $4.4 billion as p rate at that time).
Richardson, w Lankan conflicts fo writing his tome, di related losses and three categories: p1 and tertiary,
Primary cost
He defines “pri destruction of phy ture. According to government's Maste habilitation of Pers the Disturbances o factories and 2,300
Looking Forward.
As Sri Lankans than our share of pr these, there really sisting on the first one being able to liv can happen only w ples sic. of this la only in terms of cu terms of life.
Too many time close to some accc the times of the BC our hopes dashed tremists. Once aga Federalism. The lac the North is used deny Tamils their riy to remember that i tlement is negotia shape the kind of East will be. If the off because of co gence over ceding Tamils, we would at all over what h indeed, the land wi itable to everyone Muslim or Sinhales

TAMIL TIMES 27
nka
22S
bees 145.3 billion er the conversion
tho studied Sri r 20 years before vides the conflictexpenditure into imary, secondary
mary cost" as the rsical infrastructhe Sri Lankan r Plan for the Reions Displaced in f July 1983, 122 other commercial
to Federalism
we had had more oblems and given is no point in inparadigm of anyve anywhere. That vhen all the peohd feel secure, not ulture but even in
s have we come mmodation from Pact only to have by communal exIn there is talk of k of democracy in as an eXCuSe to ghts, But it is good t is when the sethted that we can place the NorthNorth-East breaks ntinued intransithe just rights of then have no say appens there and ll become unprof, whether Tamil,
S,
buildings were destroyed in the riots, which took place mainly in Colombo. From other sources, it is estimated that 20,000 houses were destroyed,
Using the cost estimates used by the government and the World Bank, it is estimated that the 1983 anti-Tamil riots cost SLRs 784 million in houses and SLR 169 million in commercial and industrial property,
The total primary cost of the riots was SLRs 953 million or $29 million
Destruction in the Tamil-speaking North East began with the rise of armed Tamil militancy in the latter part of 1983. Here again, according to government and World Bank estimates, between 1983 and July 1987, 69,400 houses were destroyed and 30,000 damaged. 11,300 commercial businesses were damaged and 8,000 completely destroyed,
In addition, irrigation structures, roads, bridges, water supply, power and transport systems and public buildings were destroyed. The cost was estimated to be SLRs 23.5 billion ($712 million).
Between July 1987 (the signing of the India-Sri Lanka Accord) and 1988, two new factors appeared in the Sri Lankan conflict. One was the induction of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) and the other is the insurgency led by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) in south Sri Lanka.
While the IPKF battled the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the Tamil-speaking North East, the Sri Lankan government had to face the JVP's insurgency in the Sinhalaspeaking South.
In this period, the damage done to the North East was SLRs 12.7 billion and to the South was SLRs. 9.2 billion.
Richardson puts the overall primary cost from July 1983 to 1988 at a little less than SLRs 50 billion ($1.4 billion).
"This is a conservative figure, but a huge sum for a nation of Sri Lanka's size and level of development," he comments. He further observes that this is what the Mahaweli Development Programme, Sri Lanka's largest development programme, cost,

Page 28
28 TAMIL TIMES
Secondary cost
Richardson has taken the conflicts' impact on three key sectors, namely, tourism, education and employment, as the secondary cost. With the inauguration of the Open Economy in 1977, tourism began to boom. Between 1977 and 1982, tourism increased by 150% to 400,000 arrivals. But in 1988, thanks to five years of intense conflict throughout the country, only 183,000 had arrived. The cost to tourism was SLRs l 7 billion ($500 million).
This was roughly the amount of foreign aid that was disbursed in 1986,” he observes.
The JVP’s insurrection in the South took a heavy toll in terms of education. All universities in the South were closed most of the time from 1987 to 1989. Many secondary and primary schools were also closed. This led to an emigration of students and technically qualified people. And the on-going conflicts discouraged them from returning.
Immediately after the July 1983 riots, 15,000 factory workers, 3,500
plantation workers employed persons. contraction of thi took away 30,000 ji had gone, new had the country had re els in unemployme touching one millic the labour force.
Richardson pu macro economy of 51 billion ($ 1.5 bill "Virtually all th been gained by op lost,' he observes Included in the the government's e armed forces and th military. It was SL 1982, but had rise lion in 1988. Of thi (S100 million) was the import of arms. Richardson say tion of foreign exc purchases of this Lanka could not af ance of payments
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MAY 2005
and 10,000 selfost their jobs. The
tourist industry bs. While old jobs lot come. In 1988, ached record levnt with the figure n or 18 per cent of
is the cost to the Sri Lanka at SLRs ion).
e ground that had en economy was
secondary cost is xpenditure on the e police and paraRs 1.54 billion in to SLRs 7.6 bils, SLRs 3.3 billion accounted for by
's that the allocahange for defence magnitude, Sri ford, given its balsituation. ditional expendiure on the armed orces and public rder machinery etween 1983 and 988 at SLRs 21.8 illion or S660 mil
O.
Even though e IPKF was being unded entirely by e Indian governent, Richardson cludes the exenditure on the PKF in his calculaon of the secondy cost to Sri anka. The IPKF ad around 500,000 oops in the island om July 1987 to arch 1990.
ʻ20 million ru'es was the figure ost frequently reorted by the Sri ankan and the Inlan press as the aily cost of supprting IPKF op
erations. The IPKF operated in Sri Lanka for about 150 days in 1987, and throughout 1988 (366 days, a leap year). At 20 million rupees a day, the cost of these operations was 10.3 billion rupees ($300 million),' Rich, ardson says.
The total secondary cost then was, SLRs 51 million, being the impact on tourism, education and employment, plus SLRs 21,8 million additional expenditure on defense and public order, plus SLRs 10.3 billion, the cost of the IPKF.
The total was SLRs 83.1 billion or S2.5 billion.
Tertiary cost
Tertiary cost refers to the impact of the conflicts on the viability of the Open Economy inaugurated in 1977 and on regional (South Asian) cooperation vis-à-vis Sri Lanka.
The Open Economy resulted in a 10 per cent growth rate between 1978 and 1982. There was an absolute reduction in poverty as employment and earnings went up. Normally unpopular measures like privatisation went through without difficulty because people had money in their pockets and jobs were available. But come July 1983, things changed radically for the worse, points out Richardson. Every aspect of the economy began to suffer. Government could not privatise and revitalise sick economic institutions.
Relations with India sank to an unprecedented low, with that country beginning to support the Tamil militants. This impeded Sri Lanka's economic growth. The SAARC summit could not be held in Colombo because of India's opposition. According to Richardson, Sri Lanka lost about SLRs 16.3 billion or $500 million on account of the tertiary factOTS.
He says that the primary, secondary and tertiary cost, put together, was SLRs 145.3 billion or $4.4 billion. These expenditures and costs were by no means unavoidable and options other than those leading to a protracted conflict were available to policy makers in Sri Lanka, Richardson says. But sadly, these were not used. O

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MAY 2005
The Pomp and Pan of a Papal Passing A as the Dust Settl
Paul Caspersz, sj
On the day following was the simple funeral of a dear friend. He was a man of much legal knowledge and experience, filled with the Spirit of truth and justice, fully dedicated to the service of faith through the promotion of justice, especially justice for the poor and the unjustly treated. He lived, because he could afford no better, in a small house, very difficult of access, on a steep hill off the beaten track in Nawalapitiya. Not for him even in his maddest dream did leaders of State and Church gather for his funeral from many nations of the world. Not for him a brilliantly televised final send-off, the glitter of bright ecclesiastical robes, flamboyant headgear and exotic footwear, exquisitely cut suits and gowns of mourning. And yet his was a life full of good deeds and of great service to his fellow human beings.
On the day of the simple, tearful funeral in Nawalapitiya, I naturally contrasted it with the lavish papal funeral in Rome. A third image came up before me: the funeral of the Galitean carpenter, lowered barely clothed from his ignominious hanging on a cross into the bosom of his mother and then taken away by a few men and some utterly devoted women to a tomb hewn out of a rock in a cave. Which of the two funerals, besides the Galilean's, gave greater hope for the future? I found it difficult to decide.
Many Achievements
Pope John Paul II doubtless had many and great achievements to his name: the triumph of Solidarity in his native Poland, the break-up of a vast monolithic empire, over a hundred media-covered visits to foreign lands in five continents, the ap
pointment during of all but three ca knew would ele selves one of thei succeed him on t the reining in of ered dangerous di eral and immediat officers in his Ch. liberal stance he d of courage, selfconviction.
So did my hu Nawalapitiaya al achievements to hi a different stamp: charge hundreds how to obtain just of law, maintainil in great comfort, a wife, three daught spiring all in his h cle of friends with utter selflessnes opening the door dwelling to anyor bed for the night day, hiding his boc everyone, always and good cheer, i infectious optimi day when every wiped away and a every poor child's
Who achieved selfless assistance ings, in terms of for a new and jus ety? Who in his de forcefully the life the Galilean car ceived the greater other side of the r can tell?
Many on the ( rejoiced as they v tering of the Ber breaking-up of the pire, the result in

TAMIL TIMES 29
Oply AWay
S
“ጰ»
his long papacy rdinals whom he :t among themr own number to he papal throne, what he considssent, the unilatremoval of high urch whose more id not like, a life confidence and
umble friend in so have several s credit, albeit of advising free of of poor people tice in the courts ng, though never united family of ers and a son, inousehold and cirhis own spirit of is and service, s of his humble he who wanted a and food for the lily ailments from full of laughter inspiring with an sm hope for the tear would be smile appear on face. more in terms of to his fellow beplanting the seed t and equal sociath recalled more and the death of enter? Who rewelcome on the eef of life? Who
onservative right ritnessed the totlin wall and the
Communist empart of John Paul
II’s interventions. Yet he vetoed politics to priests and sisters all over the world. He himself was certainly among the most political of the 264 Popes of the Roman Church. The difference was that he always considered his role to be a sacred one: anything which weakened Communist power was not political, but was of God working through him. Yet he warned his priests and other church officers, whose leader he was convinced God wanted him to be, that action for justice could easily become political. Over such action then he exercised his commanding veto.
Bipolar and Unipolar
John Paul II became Pope in a bipolar world. He left it a unipolar one. He had played his part in making the world that way. But as one year succeeded another, he came increasingly to understand that, though he had done all that depended on him to drive way the devil of communist materialism and atheism, it had returned stronger than before in the form of rampant free market consumerist materialism and the practical atheism of substituting for the worship of God the idolatry of Mammon or Money. The offspring of a free society turned at to be a monster. For the new materialist atheism was more insidious and totalitarian than the former one. John Paul II may even have signed for the return of something of the socialism which he had helped to destroy. But he was not given the time.
True Disciples
The disciples of Jesus, such as John Paul II and my Nawalapitiya friend, are called to the Service of Faith but of this Service of Faith the Promotion of Justice has in ecclesiastical documents recently been variously called an absolute requirement, a constitutive dimension, an integral part. Faith and Justice are the two sides of the same coin.
John Paul II and my Nawalapitiya friend both led exceptional lives. How many who were present at their funeral rites are ready to complete the unfinished agendas of the two men? C

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Karuna Group cadre shot dead:Apr 21 - Ayouth believed to be a Karuna Group cadre was killed by an unidentified gunman around 11.30 a.m. in Valaichenai, north of Batticaloa. He was gunned down by suspected m LTTE gunmen on the Valaichenai Kalkudah road, according Police. The victim was identified as Mr. Sivagna-naselvam Kirubaharan, 25, of Kalladi Uppodai, a suburb of Batticaloa tOW,
Senior Police officer abducted: Apr 22. A very senior Police intelligence officer, Inspector T.Jeyaratnam, has gone missing in Colombo since April 20, Sri Lanka's Inspector General of Police said, Mr.T.Jeyaratnam was a senior officer of the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) ofthe Sri Lanka Police. He was the most experienced officer in carrying out investigations into terrorist activities. Police suspect that the LTTE might have abducted and taken him away to the Vanni.
Four injured in shooting: Apr 24 - A man identified as Rasamanickam Mathiyalahan, 31, the chief trustee of Aanaipanthi Chinna Pillaiyaar Temple in Batticaloa, was seriously wounded when a gunman opened fire on him in Batticaloa town on 24 April, Sunday morning. A Batticaloa jail employee and two children were also wounded in the firing. Police said the seriously wounded man was an ordinary civilian, adding that the gunmen allegedy belonging to the Tigers got away after the firing. The wounded jail worker was identified as Rajaratnam Rajasekaram, 43, and the children were Ms.Ravichandran Suhanya, 13 and Ms. Jeganathan Nithiyanandana, 12.
LTTE complains against STF: Apr 25 - The LTTE today lodged a complaint with Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission that commandos of the Special Task Force (STF), the elite counter insurgency arm of the Sri Lankan armed forces, had forcibly entered the LTTE political office in Navithanveli, southwest of Batticaloa. It alleged that the STF men were drunk and had caused damage to the office.
Firing on EPDP office: Apr 25-Unidentified gunmen opened fire towards the EPDP office in Valaichenai in eastern Sri Lanka around noon on 25 April according to the Police. No one was hurt in the firing and the gunmen, allegedly belonging to the LTTE got away, according to Valaichenai Police,
Karuna cadre killed, associate abducted: Apr 25 - Acadre of the LTTE's dissident Karuna Group was killed and his Singhalese colleague was abducted by gunmen, allegedly belonging to the LTTE in Karapola, an interior Tamil village in Polannaruwa district close to Batticaloa border, around 4.30 pm on 25 April. Police sources in the area said that the gunmen had fired on the victims who were in a house in Karapola. The Karuna Group cadre, who was seriously injured, died on admission to the Polannaruwa Base Hospital.
The dead cadre was identified as Mr. Sellathurai Kopalkumar, 22. His abducted Sinhalese colleague was identified as. W. Rana-tunga according to Police who said that the gunmen who abducted Ranatunga got away before they could arrive at the scene of the incident,
Police officer gunned down: Apr 27 - Unidentified gunman riding amotorbike shot a Sri Lanka Police intelligence operative in Chenkalady, north of Batticaloa around 5.30pm on 27 April. He died on admission to Eravur Hospital, Police said. The

MAY 2005
Policeman was shot near the Chenkalady market, a high security zone area between Sri Lanka army garrison in Kommathurai and the Black Bridge checkpoint. The gunmen reportedly belonging to the LTTE got away. The dead Police intelligence officer was identified as Mr. Shelton Navaratna, 33, of Gokaralle.
Earlier in the day around 8.30am, gunmen shot and wounded an EPDP cadre in the same area. The Wounded EPDP cadre is Mr. Ariyathas Ramesh, 29, Police said,
Protest at SLMM HQ:Apr 27. An organization calling itself "National Fortress for Safeguarding Military Intelligence Of. ficers' protested in front the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) headquarters in Colombo accusing the Nordic truce monitors of partiality, Five protestors who were allowed into the SLMM office handed over a letter to the truce monitors urging them to secure the release of Inspector Jeyaratnam, the senior Sri Lankan Police intelligence officer allegedly abducted by the Liberation Tigers during the previous week. The protestors shouted at the truce monitors, calling them "white Tigers'.
Fall of Elephant Pass celebrations: April 28-Fifth anniversary of the fall of Sri Lanka Army's (SLA's) Elephant Pass garrison to the LTE was celebrated from the 22nd to 25th April in Vanni with long distance running competitions among different military divisions of Liberation Tigers followed by a day of cultural events. The fall of Elephant Pass, described as "impregnable" by a US army officer who visited the garrison months before the fall, established the Tigers as the only nonstate military force in the world today capable of complex manoeuvre war fighting, Said a report in the TamilNet website. Sharp-shooting competitions marked the final day of the celebrations. The Tigers' Northern Region Commander, Col Theepan, supervised the day's events at the LTTE Military Academy. The fall of Elephant Pass on 22 April 2000 established the Tigers as the world's only non-state military force capable ofcomplex manoeuvre warfighting, LTTE sources said. Hundreds of shooters including women cadres from Malathy brigade and Sothya brigade, fighters from Kutti Sri Mortar brigade and Charles Anthony Special brigade, instructors from military academy and LTTE officials participated in the competition.
"A sniper's job is to deliver discriminatory, accurate rifle fire against targets which cannot be engaged successfully by the regular rifleman because of range, size, location, fleeting nature, or visibility. Our cadres chosen for such training develop basic infantry skills to a high degree of perfection. The competition highlights the importance of snipers and allows our cadres to show their marksmanship,” Col Theepan said.
Bomb attack on methodist parish home: April 28 - The parish residence of the Methodist Church in Kiran, 28 kilometres north of Batticaloa, was damaged in a grenade attack around 11.30 pm on 28 April. The pastor, Rev. N. Arulnathan and his family were away when unidentified persons lobbed a grenade at the parish home. The parish care taker was not injured in the blast.
Another killing in Batticaloa: April 28 - A member of the EPRLF was shot dead around 5.35 p.m. in Kallady, a suburb of Batticaloa town. He was gunned down near the Manning Bridge. The gunman allegedly belonging to the Tamil Tigers

Page 31
MAY 2005
who shot him got away, police said, The victim was identified as Mr. Murugesu Varatharajah, 40. He was residing at the Paddy Marketing Board camp for Tsunami refugees,
Journalist Sivaram murdered: April 29 - The body of the well known journalist and a senior editorial board member of TamilNet, Mr Dharmeratnam Sivaram, 46, who was abducted the previous night was found with gunshot wounds on his head in Himbulala, a suburb between Jayawardhenapura hospital and the Parliament building in Colombo on 29 Friday morning. The location is about 500 meters behind the parliamentary complex and lies inside a high security zone.
Mr Sivaram, a senior editorial board member of TamilNet, was abducted on 28 April, Thursday evening around 10.30pm by unidentified persons in front of the Bambalapitya Police Station in Colombo. Family members who visited the scene identified the body.
Inspector of Police from the Thalangama Police division, Asoka Gunasekere, took the body to the hospital for postmortem examination.
He leaves behind his wife Herly Yogaranjini (43) and three children: Vaishnavy (16), Vaitheky (13), and Seralathan (10).
Four men travelling in a Pajero abducted Sivaram late in the evening on 28 April as he was leaving a Colombo bar with friends, just a few metres from the Bambalapitya police station. Witnesses said the men were speaking Tamil.
TNA meets Indian Foreign Secretary: May 2 - Adelegation of the Tamil National Alliance MPs met the visiting India's Foreign Secretary Mr. Shyam Saran in Colombo and reportedly told him that nothing tangible had occurred to further the
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TAMIL TIMES 31
Peace Process and that even the proposed post Tsunami Joint Mechanism had yet to be formed, according to a press release issued by the TNA.
Associated with the Foreign Secretary were the Indian High Commissioner Mrs. Nirupama Rao, the Under Secretary Mrs. Neelam Deo, the Deputy High Commissioner Mr. Mohan Kumar and the First Secretary (Political) Mr. Amandeep Singh Gill. The TNA delegation comprised of Mr. R. Sampanthan MP Parliamentary Group Leader, Mr.Mavai Senathirajah MP, Mr. Suresh Prema-chandran MP, Mr. Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam MP and Mr. N. Raviraj MP.
- The TNA had urged that India should use its influence to bring about a change in the situation in Sri Lanka. The Foreign Secretary assured India was firmly committed to the well-being and interest of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka and that India would bare that in mind in the dealings with the Sri Lanka government. The Foreign Secretary had urged that every endeavour should be made to prevent a return to the path of violence.
Protests mark Press Freedom Day: May 3 - Marking the World Press Freedom day, hundreds ofjournalists of print and electronic media demonstrated carrying placards with photos of Mr Sivaram and shouting slogans demanding freedom of expression, in front of the Fort railway station in Colombo.
Free media movement (FMM), Sri Lanka Tamil media Alliance, and journalists from other electronic and print media participated in the protest. The protest march started from Colombo Fort station, moved towards the Lake House circle, and turned back to the Fort station.
Protesters demanded Sri Lanka's President Ms Kumaratunge to hold independent inquiry to identify the killers. The meeting ended with FMM Chairmen Sunantha Desapriya, Editor of Sunday Observer Ajith Samaranayake, President of Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance Ananda Balakidnar speaking to the marchers. The protesters said that the killing was a serious threat to media freedom. The protest lasted about one and half hours. Police provided security to the event.
SL President to set up JM despite opposition: May 3 - President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge said an excellent opportunity has arisen to achieve peace in the island by establishing a Joint Mechanism (JM) with the LTTE to reconstruct the tsunami destroyed coastal areas in the northeast. Despite opposition and risk to her presidency, she was prepared to implement the JM proposal to bring peace to Sri Lanka, she said addressing a meeting of the National Council for Peace and Reconciliation attended by leaders of all faiths held Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall in Colombo on 3 May. The President further said some in the government were opposing the JM proposal. But if a referendum were held tomorrow about sixty percent would vote for the proposed JM. She was very keen in implementing the JM proposal to bring the LTTE into the process of democracy. "LTTE which fought for a separate state has now come to accept a joint mechanism with the government. Those who oppose JM proposal have no alternative," Ms Kumaratunge said.
UPFA announces domestic fuel price hike: May 4 - The government increased domestic fuel prices, petrol by six rupees, and diesel by four rupees and kerosene by three rupees, the increase coming into effect from midnight Wednesday, May 4, Mr.Jaliya Medagama, Chairman of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) said.
The price increase is aimed at convincing multinational lend

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ing institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) that the government is serious about reform, and taking steps to reduce consumption and ease pressure on the balance of payments, according to Finance Ministry sources. Government sources said two weeks earlier during talks with the IMF officials in Washington, Sri Lankan government promised to lift the fuel subsidy.
Youth shot dead at Dehiwela: May 5 - A Tamil youth identified by Police as Nadaraja Jeewaratnam (28) was shot dead at point blank range on Saturday (4) night in Dehiwela, Police said. According to the Police, unidentified persons had fired seven shots at the victim using a 9mm pistol around 9.10 pm along Second Lane, Dehiwela. Police informed by a neighbour rushed to the scene and had found a passport and an identity card belonging to the suspect. Police who tried to trace the address shown on the identity card and found the address at Jintupitiya, Colombo 13 to be fictitious. The victim was conducting tuition classes in Dehiwela. The police claimed that the victim once blonged to the LTTE.
Father of four found dead: May 6 - Mr. Kandiah Sritharan alias Mahalingam, a 55 year-old father of four children, was found dead with cut injuries on his neck May 6, Friday morning around 7.30 a.m in Vaarikutiyoor, a village about 13 km west of Vavuniya. Residents of the village found the body in a shrub jungle and informed the Police, sources said. Cheddikulam Police rushed to scene and recovered the body, Vavuniya Police said.
Compalints to SLMM by Tigers/SLA: May 6 - Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the LTTE lodged a complaint on May 6 with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in the east port town that the Sri Lanka that Army soldiers located in Kaddaiparichchan camp had fired at the LTTE sentry in the LTTE controlled Muttur east. A team of SLMM monitors who visited the scene on receipt of the com
plaint is reported to have collected eight spent bullets found near the LTTE sentry point, Muttur.
Meanwhile, the SLA also made a complaint to the SLMM that its Kaddaiparichchan camp had been attacked by the LTTE on the same day. The Sri Lankan military said that the LTTE in another attempt to provoke Security forces on duty had fired around 350 rounds of T 56 gunfire over the Kattaparichchan Army detachment on 4 May, Saturday morning. They said that the fire was directed from a location approximately 400 m - 500 m away from the camp causing damage to roofs and treetops in the area. The LTTE fire had also caused damages to a few residences in the area. The fear stricken civilians who experienced the irresponsible LTTE act of violence in the night when they were about to sleep had rushed to the security forces camp premises seeking protection, the army said.
SLMM has commenced investigation into the two complaints.
World Bank will support displaced Muslims: May 6 - Mr.Peter Harrold, World Bank Country Representative in Sri Lanka, on May 6 said in Puttalam, a Muslim dominated town in the north of Western Province, that the World Bank would extend its full support to the implementation of the Joint Mechanism proposed by the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for tsunamirehabili

MAY 2005
tation in the northeast.
Mr. Harrold paid a visit to Puttalam at the invitation of the Rehabilitation and Vanni Development Minister Mr.Rishard Baddiudin to see the condition of displaced Muslim families from Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Mannar and other areas now sheltered in 136 camps in Puttalam since 1990 after being driven out by the LTTE.. /۷
Mr. Harrold was taken to several camps where displaced Muslim families reside, according to sources in Puttalam. Mr. Harrold later addressing a gathering said the World Bank was prepared to provide assistance to the displaced Muslim families now sheltered in Puttalam. Ranil declines President's invitation for talks: May 7 - Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) declined the invitation extended by Sri Lanka's President MsChandrika Kumar-atunge for a discussion on national issues including the proposed joint mechanism between the government and the LTTE. "There is no necessity for such discussion at present,” said Mr Wickremasinghe in reply to Ms Kumaratunge, reported the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) in its morning news bulletin on May
Ms Kumaratunge had expressed her dismay over the rejection of her invitation and had expressed her concern in her reply to Mr. Wickremasinghe, the SLBC reported. Mr Wickremasinghe had also reportedly told the President that no one from his party UNP would attend the discussion with her.
Two LTTE cadres killed: May 7 - Two bullet ridden bodies found in Pollonnorawa police division near the border of Batticaloa District were identified as Capt.Suban (Arasaretnam Vigneswaran of Valaththapitty) and Lt.Nilavarasan (Rasalingam Shankar of Kaluwankerny), both belonging to the LTTE, according to Tamil Tiger sources.
Their bodies were taken to Valaichenaihopital, 32 km. north of Batticaloa, where a post mortem inquiry was held. Reports said that arrangements have been made to hand over the bodies to the LTTE through the the Internationational Red Cross.
One killed and several injured as police open fire: May 8 - Sri Lankan Police opened fire Monday (6) when Tamil activists attending a rally demanded the removal of a new Army checkpoint in the Batticoloa area in eastern Sri Lanka. One demonstrator was killed and another 15 were wounded. Five women were among those wounded when soldiers and police fired for over 10 minutes at Chanthiveli, Batticaloa. The firing took place as the SLMM ceasefire monitors and news reporters as witnessed the incident. The dead man was identified as a protestor named Mr. Kandasamy,
Over 2,000 people, including children from the schools drafted into join the protest on both sides of the checkpoint and demanded that a security checkpoint there be removed. The Army checkpoint was set up recently between Kiran and Morakkeddanchenai, to which the LTTE had reportedly objected and raised anxieties amongst local residents. According to military sources, the LTTE had instigated the civilians in the area to protest against the Shanthiveli road block as it had become a hindrance for the LTTE cadres coming thereby sea to cross to the areas under the LTTE in Kaluvankerni. LTTE cadres in the guise offishermen used to cross this area to enter the LTTE areas in Kaluvankerni and regular checks by the Army and Police had made their task difficult, they said.

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Military Spokesman Brigadier Daya Ratnayake said Army and Police manning the checkpoint at Shanthiveli had to fire shots into the air to control the violent protestors instigated by the militants. "The mob had turned violent started peltingstones and missiles at the Police and the Army personnel. They grew violent around 10.30am,' he said. The three Policemen and the five Army men including one officer injured in the incident were admitted to Polonnaruwa base hospital.
The protestors smashed the windscreen of the Army vehicle belonging to the Commanding Officer of the 12th Artillery Regiment, Major Anura Hewamanna. According to Brigadier Ratnayake, the Shanthiveli roadblock was established one month back due to growing tension in the area following reported attacks on the Wanni faction of the LTTE by Karuna faction cadres.
SLA, LTTE discuss Trinco situation: May 9 - Officials of the Sri Lanka Government security forces and the LTTE in the Trincomalee district met for discussions on the ground situation and to review complaints made by both parties to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) over recent firing incidents, sources said. The hour long meeting was held at the SLMM Trincomalee office in the presence of Mr.Jan Ledang, Trincomalee head of the SLMM.
Embargo on cement, diesel, petrol and other materials to LTTE controlled areas by the SLA through its Kaddaiparichchan army camp, also was discussed at the meeting, sources said.
Major General Balasuriya, General Officer Commanding of the Trincomalee district, led the SLA delegation, with Brigadier Udumalgalla accompanying him. Mr. HN.B.Ambanwela, Senior Superintendent of Police led the police delegation. Trincomalee district political head Mr.S.Elilan led the LTTE delegation.
Northeast shuts down over checkpoint gunfire: May 10 - The normal life was disrupted in several parts of the districts of Jaffna, Mannar, Vavuniya, Killinochchi, Mullaitivu, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Amparai, in the Northeast province Tuesday followinga hartal (general shut down) condemning the attack on protesting civilians by Sri Lankan security forces at Santhiveli in Batticaloa, Monday, 9 May, in which one person was killed and more than 15 others, including 5 school children were injured.
In Jaffna district civilians and police clashed in Chavakachcheri as Police fired tear gas to disperse protesting civilians. ASri Lanka Army (SLA) sentry was damaged during the clash. In Trincomalee three explosions were heard in the heart of town between 10 and 11 a.m. Sri Lanka Police said that handgrenades were not involved and speculated that the sound was from explosives used for demolition.
Across the Northeast, schools were closed and Provincial Council offices did not function, as employees did not report for work. Central government offices were also closed. State and private banks did not operate. Business establishments were shut. In many areas state and private bus services almost came to a standstill, sources said.
In Batticaloa black flags were hoisted on several houses and buildings. Train services were suspended and the public market was closed down, sources said More police, army and navy personnel have been deployed major junctions in the towns and other areas in Army controlled areas. Riot police squads were deployed to prevent any trouble breaking out, sources

TAMIL TIMES 33
said.
JVP vows to scuttle aid deal: May 10 - Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga's main coalition partner, held a massive rally at the Colombo Municipal Council Ground on May 10 against the Government entering into any agreement with the LTTE to handle post-tsunami reconstruction in the northeast.
JVP leaders including Somawanse Amerasinghe, propaganda Secretary and Colombo District Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa, General Secretary Tilvin Silva, parliamentarians, Regional organisers, Buddhist Monks and thousands of party supporters carrying red flags attended public rally.
While Ms Kumaratunga was making preparations for a meeting with foreign diplomats to brief them on the proposed joint mechanism JVP vowed to defeat the government plans. Mr. Tilvin Silva addressing the rally warned, "JVP will never allow President Ms.Kumaratunga and UPFA government enter into a joint mechanism with LTTE. The day an agreement is signed, UPFA government will fall." JVP holds 39 seats including four cabinet Ministers in the 225-member Parliament.
In a move to silence critics JVP spelt out alternatives to the joint mechanism for disbursing tsunami funds in the North and East.
Mobile library service launched: May 11 - Foundation for Co-Existence (FCE), with financial support from the People in Need (PIN), a non-governmental organization headquartered in Czech Republic, started a mobile library service in Trincomalee district to assist tsunami-affected students and others who have no access to libraries and reading rooms, sources said.
The inaugural event was held Monday in the Trincomalee Town Hall with Mr.K.Sivapalan, Attorney-at-Law in the chair. Mr.Petr Navrat, Financial Manager of the PIN mission in Sri Lanka was a special guest to the event. Mr Navrat launched the mobile library service by cutting the ribbon.
Mr.Y.Jeyamurugan, Co-ordinator, FCE, said the mobile library service will help encourage reading habit in the community and will especially help students affected by tsunami. About three thousand books in the Trinco-malee public library had been damaged in tsunami when tidal waves on December 26 entered the library building, he said.
Under this project a vehicle has been provided to FCE to conduct mobile service to remote villages, Eachchilampathu and other areas. "We will be taking the vehicle to welfare centres where tsunami affected students are sheltered as our survey conducted had shown that sixty percent of students prefer borrowing textbooks through mobile service,” Mr.Jeyamurugan said. Four policemen wounded in attack: May 12 - Four policemen were wounded when unidentified gunmen opened fire and lobbed grenade at vehicles in which a local leader of the paramilitary Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), Mr. S. Sivanandan and seven of his men were travelling, sources said. The attack took place at Valaic-henai, 30 kilometers north of Batticaloa.
The policemen were amongst those escorting the EPDP group, sources said. The gunmen allegedly belong to the LTTE attacked the pajero 4x4 and another van between the offices of the Assistant Superintendent of Police and Divisional Secretary on the Batticaloa-Valaichenaimain road, around 11.30 a.m., according to the police.

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The wounded policemen were identified as Sunil,26, Jayatilake,28, Sarathunga,28, Jayasinghe,32, all attached to Batticalao police station, They were taken to Valaichenai hospital and latter transferred to Batticaloa hospital, according to medical sources,
Dispute over landmine clearance in no-man'sland: May 13 - The Sri Lanka Army said that the LTTE had obstructed the Army's humanitarian mine clearance team from clearing a patch of mined land on the side of the A9 road to prepare a civilian crossing point in northern Srilanka.
The A9 road, which runs through the no-man's land between the Omanthai forward defence lines and the LTTE forward defence lines, is very narrow and congested and is difficult for civilians to cross. The land on either side of the A9 road is mined. Therefore the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) requested the Vavuniya District Secretary to clear the western side of the A9 road to a width of 15 metres and a length of 169.5 metres to prepare a route for civilians to walk.
However, the LTTE had obstructed the Army's mine clearance unit when it got ready to commence the clearance work on May 10, and had allegedly issued a warning through an ICRC officer that they would attack if the mine clearance team was deployed.
Body found in Eastern University: May 13 - The body of a man shot in the head was found dumped in grounds of the Eastern University at Vanthaarumoolai, 18 kilometres north of Batticaloa town around 7 a.m. on 13 May, Police said. A note left behind by the assassins stated that he was a LTTE member from Uppuveli in the Trincomalee district, they said. The person was identified as Vimalenthiran Manojkumar, about 25 years, the police said.
SLRC wins prestigious Spanish award: May 13 - The Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) was awarded the prestigious Spanish Red Cross Society Gold medal for 2005 in recognition of its outstanding work towards the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Mr. Jagath Abeyasinghe, President of SLRCS received the award on behalf of thousands of SLRCS volunteers at the ceremony chaired by Her Majestic Queen Sofia of Spain in Madrid on the 10th of May, SLRCS sources said.
“We have not yet recovered from the shock caused by the enormous tragedy of the tsunami in the Southeast Asian countries, which led to the biggest relief operation in the history of our organization, and which will result in a prolonged recovery phase. The Red Cross and Red Crescent reiterates today its conviction that defeating poverty, and therefore its allies disease, illiteracy, and violence, is not impossible at all," President of Spanish Red Cross Society Mr. Juan Manuel Suarez del Toro in his address at the event said.
"I accept this award on behalf of the thousands of our dedicated volunteers spread out in every single district of our island. This award makes us reflect on our humanitarian mission to some of the most vulnerable in our society, whilst rededicating ourselves to the tremendous challenges ahead,' Mr. Abeyasinghe emphasized.
Chained and tortured youth escape: May 14 - Two men who were reportedly detained in an LTTE camp in the Sampur area in the Trincomalee district. managed to escape and surren

MAY 2005
der to security forces personnel. One of them identified as Selvarajah Selvakumar, 19, from a village near Trincomalee escaped on Thursday (12) and surrendered to Navy personnel deployed in the Trincomalee harbour area while the otherman identified as Subramanium Vigneswara escaped on Friday (13) and surrendered to army personnel at Kattaparichchan.
Both men had been shackled but had managed to escape with the chains still on their ankles, security sources said. Selvakumar said he had been tortured after his abduction for refusing to join the LTTE. One of the youths, showing the marks on his legs told police he had tried to escape several times but failed and thus he was chained and tortured. He said two other youths had tried to escape with him but he did not know what happened to them. He swam about one kilometre before surrendering to the Navy,
A few minutes after Selvakumar surrendered, 12 LTTE cadres had arrived at Sampur beach with T-56 rifles and fired 5060 rounds before withdrawing to the jungle, Navy sources claimed.
Akashi meets Thamilchelvan: May 14 - The Japanese special peace envoy Mr.Yasushi Akashi met with the Head of the Political Wingofthe LTTE S.P. Thamilchelvan at LTTE's Peace Secretariat building in Kilinochchi, on 14 May, Mr.Akio Suda, Japanese Ambassador and Mr. Kenji Miyata, Second Secretary, Embassy of Japan accompanied Mr. Akashi.
Associated with Mr.Tamilselvan in the meeting were P.Nadesan, head ofTamilleelam police, Mr. Ialinthirayan, Political Head of Batticaloa-Amparai Districts, Mr.S.Puleedevan, secretary general of the LTTE peace secretariat.
Protests against joint mechanism: May 15 - Hundreds of Buddhist monks belonging to Jathika Sangha Sammelanaya(JSS - National Buddhist Congress) held a protest march in Colombo on May 15 against any deal with the LTTE for a Joint Mechanism to facilitate post-tsunami reconstruction in the NorthEast. The protesters marched to the office of Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr Mahinda Rajapakshe and handed over a memorandum.
The Buddhist Monks carrying the National and Buddhist flags attended the protest march under the banner of "Against Joint Mechanism deal and Against legalizing Tiger terrorism." Before they started protest march the monks held meeting at New Town Hall building with many speakers denouncing Sri Lanka Government's attempt to strike a deal with the LTTE on the Joint Mechanism. The Monks handed over the Memorandum to the Prime Minister's acting sectretary Mr. Gamini Thenakoon and waited for more than one hour inside the Prime Minister office before meeting the Prime Minister.
TNA kept out of Development Forum: May 15 - The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) protested against being kept out of participation in the Sri Lanka Development Forum held on 1617 of May 2005 in Kandy the central hill capital of the island. The TNA received an invitation to the inaugural ceremony of the Sri Lanka Development Forum to be held at Earl's Regency Hotel, Kandy, but it did not extend to the Development Forum two-day discussions held on at Mahaweli Beach Hotel, Kandy.
Mr R Sampanthan, Leader of the parliamentary group of the TNA, in a letter he wrote to the Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Sarath Amunugama, pointing out that the TNA

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"had 22 members in Parliament elected on the votes cast in the North East, said,
"The programme formulated for the Sri Lanka Development Forum (SLDF) which is to be held in Kandy on May 16th and 17th seeks to marginalize the North East and fails to recognise diversity, and respect the democratic verdict of the people of the North East,"
Decamps from LTTE police: May 15 - A 21-year-old youth from Avarangal North, Puttur who had decamped from the LTTE "Police' and surrendered to the ICRC was handed over to the Vavuniya Police for further investigations. The youth named Jothi Shankar Sharma alleged that he was forcibly recruited to the LTTE. "Police' promising a monthly salary. Although he has served for nearly one year he was never being paid any salary and he decided leave it disgruntled.
Tamil refugees die in Mannar Sea: May 15 - Seven Sri Lankan Tamil refugees of fourteen returning from Ramanathapuram coast in South India to Talaimannar died when their boat capsized in sea due to rough weather on 15 May, Saturday early morning. However seven other refugees escaped by swimming to a nearby sandbank in the Sri Lanka territorial waters. All fourteen left by a boat from Ramanathapuram Friday night around 11 p.m., Mannar legal sources said.
A Sri Lankan Naval craft, which was on its routine patrol, rescued the seven refugees from the sandbank, brought them to the Talaimannar shore and handed them over to the Police. Two women of the seven rescued were immediately admitted to the Mannar government hospital as they suffered from dehydration and exhaustion. The rest including four men and a boy were produced in the Mannar magistrate court.
Mr.Muttiah Ganesh (32), one of the survivors said that one of the seven died when the boat capsized was his fifty three year old father Shanmugavel Muthiah who was the father offive children. Afather, mother and their child also died in the boat mishap, he said.
Hands tied and killed: May 15 - An LTTE Sea Tiger cadre was found with hands tied behind him on the Valaichchena road at Vandaramullain Batticaloa Friday (13) morning by the security forces. Military sources said that the body was found opposite the Eastern University, Taking the responsibility for the killing, Karuna faction had left a note on the body that said in Tamil: "Lying here is 25 year old Sea Tiger V. Manojkumar and this is punishment for Prabhakaran's insatiable thirst for blood-Karuna faction'.
The gunman had used a 9 mm pistol to kill Manojkumar after tying his hand and blindfolding him. Meanwhile, five Wanni cadres, who went missing since Tuesday (10) at Pillumalai, in Mahaoya in the Ampara district have been found in a drunken coma in a paddy filed. They had reportedly gone to collect wood to the nearby jungle and had failed to return. Later civilians had come across the Wanni cadres in a drunken coma in a paddy field.
60,000 SL refugees in India await repatriation: May 15 - Around 60,000 Sri Lankan refugees in India await to be repatriated while around 14,000 have returned to the country illegally. Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation, Dr. A. S. Kunasingham said. The United Nation High Commissioner on Refugees had brought back

TAMIL TIMES 35
around 3,000 of the refugees while their set target for this year is around 6,000.
The UNHCR has pledged to bring back more provided the two governments are agreeable to it. Kunasingham said the Ministry of RRR had written to the Ministry of Foreign Af fairs to urge the Indian Government to quicken the pace of repatriating Sri Lankan refugees living in South India.
"The government will not keep them in transit camps once they return." hey would be sent home with assistance given akin to the internally displaced persons of the North and East, he stated. The returning refuges would be given Rs. 25,000 with other infrastructural facilities to enable them to restart their lives.
However, government sources reiterated that there was still a large number remaining - waiting eagerly to return to their own country, "We cannot expect the UNHCR to bring them back as it would take a very long time." The authorities concerned and the relevant ministries should take the necessary steps to expedite the pace of return'85 it is their responsibility, they said. "Or else those refugees would continue to use illegal means of return,' sources said. - Boy shot dead near checkpoint: May 16 A 17-year-old boy was found shot dead in the vicinity of an army checkpoint at Batticaloa bus depot on Sunday (15) morning. The unidentified victim had been shot twice in the head and neck. According to Batticaloa police the boy was believed to have been killed at another place before his body was dumped near the checkpoint. The reason for the killing is yet to be established though police suspect that he was slain as a result of LTTE activities. The body is lying at Batticaloa hospital morgue for identification.
Auto-rickshaw driver shot dead: May 16- Two unidentified persons speeding on a motorbike shot and killed Mr. Vishvalingam Arunkumar, 23, at Thandavanveli in Arunagiri lane, Batticaloa town. The incident took place not very far from the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) checkpoint at 6.20 pm on 16 May. Mr. Arunkumar is a resident of Koolaavadi list cross street, Batticaloa.
Housing project for war hit North-East: May 17-The Government is to launch a massive Rs. 7.5 billion project to construct 31,500 war affected houses in the North and East parallel to the permanent housing projects for the tsunami affected in the province, according to Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Reconciliation Ministry Secretary M. S. Jayasinghe. The project to be completed over four years commencing this year will be launched on May 19. The project launch follows the successful completion of the pilot project to construct 860 houses in the North and East last year, he said.
The construction process is scheduled to commence on June 1.''The World Bank has agreed to increase the money from Rs. 150,000 per house to Rs. 250,000 following the Government decision to grant Rs.250,000 to construct tsunami affected houses,”Jayasinghe added.
RRRMinistry Senior Advisor S. Sivadasan said Rs. 250,000 will be provided for the construction of 500 square feet houses fully damaged during the conflict, Rs. 100,000 will be issued to reconstruct partly damaged houses. The project will cover Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Amparadistricts and will beimplemented under the supervision of the Chief Secretary of the North East Provincial Council with the Project Management Unit in Trincomalee,
The RRRMinistry has also released Rs.45 million each for

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Jaffna, Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi districts to construct 100 houses for tsunami affected people in each of these districts. “This will be released for the most deserving tsunami affected people in Jaffna, Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi districts," he said.
360 LTTE cadres surrender since CFA: May 17 - Three hundred and sixty LTTE cadres have surrendered to the Sri Lanka Army since the ceasefire agreement signed between the government and the LTTE three years ago. The youngest member surrendered to the Army is aged ten and the oldest, fifty. Among the surrendered are eighty seven female cadres Sri Lankan army sources claimed.
Among the surrendered LTTE cadres were thirty seven male cadres and twelve females below the age of fifteen years and one hundred and three males and twenty eight females below the age of eighteen. One hundred and fifty males and ten females were between the ages of nineteen and thirty while three males were over thirty years of age. There were no female cadres over thirty years of age. The Army said details of fifteen cadres surrendered to them were not available
The highest numbers surrendered to the Army were from Trincoamlee, one hundred and twelve followed by ninety twofrom Batticaloa. One each was from Kurunegala and Colombo. Forty six had surrendered from Ampara, nine from Jaffna, eleven from Mannar, ten from Mullaitivu, thirty two from Polonnaruwa, twenty nine from Vauniya and two from Wellioya.
The Army had handed the surrendered LTTE cadres over to the police and thereafter through courts to their parents and guardians.
EPDP member shot dead: May 18 - Arumugampillai Alias Mohan (35), a member of the Eelam People's Democratic Part (EPDP) was shot dead at Batticaloa market in high security zone at 9.20 am on 18 May, security sources said. Mohan worked at the EPDP's Batticaloa officee. The EPDP has accused the LTTE of carrying out the murder. Mohan was on his way to the market with police personnel to buy provisions when he was shot. He was taken to the Batticaloa hospital where he died at around 10.30 am about an hour after being admitted to the hospital.
Two civilians at the market were also wounded in the incident. One of them is identified as Vellupillai Navaratnam,50, of Pump house road, Palameenmadhu, Batticaloa.
UC former Chairman shot: May 18 - Mr. Periyapodi Suriyamoorthy, former Chairman of the Trincomalee Urban Council was shot by unidentified persons Wednesday (18) night around 9.30 p.m. He was admitted to the Trincomalee General Hospital, police said.
The incident took place when he was at his residence along Vihare Road, close to Trincomalee Police Headquarters and the bungalow of the Trincomalee Magistrate, police said. Mr.Suriyamoorthy sustained injuries in his abdomen and was admitted to the intensive care ward. Later as his condition turned crtical, he was airlifted to a Colombo hospital.
An independent group led by Mr. Suriyamoorthy won the election for the Trincomalee UC in 1994. He was Chairman of the Trincomalee Urban Council between 1994 and 2000. Mr.Suriyamoorthy was a member and chairman of the elected North East Provincial Council since 1989 till the then President R. Premadasa dissolved it in 1990. Since then the NEPC is administered by the central government.

MAY 2005
STF trooper wounded in landmine blast: May 19-Atrooper of the elite Special Task Force (STF) was injured when the vehicle he was driving was hit by a claymore land mine which detonated at around 9.30am near the 9th milepost on the Monaragala-Ampara Road, police sources said.
The Defender jeep, being driven by the Constable Kalansuriya, was escorting a Prison Department bus, which was transporting some prisoners to the Monaragala Prison, they said.
Japan to give US$90m loan assistance: May 19- Japan is to provide Sri Lanka a US$90 million for infrastructure rehabilitation and small business revival of tsunami affected areas, a press release from Japanese embassy issued in Colombo said.
The Government of Japan pledged Yen Loan assistance of 10,006 million Yen (approximately Rs 9,206 million) to the Government of Sri Lanka to support tsunami relief programs. This is in addition to the grant of US $ 80 million (approximately Rs.8 billion) provided under its Non-Project Grant Aid during January this year for relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in tsunami affected areas in the country. This Loan is provided towards the Sri Lanka Tsunami Affected Area Recovery and Takeoff (STAART) Project. Loans under this scheme are offered on highly concessionary terms and administered by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC),' the press release said.
Body of missing soldier found: May 19 - The body of a soldier of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) who was reported missing from 17 May during training in the forward defence line in Kilali high security zone in Thenmaradchchi division along Jaffna-Kandy highway was recovered Wednesday (18) from nearby shrub jungle by fellow army men, security sources said. Chavakachcheri Magistrate Mr.P.Subramaniam visited the scene Wednesday evening and held the inquest. The Magistrate further ordered the Police to send the body of the soldier to the Colombo national hospital for post-mortem and to submit the report in court later.
JHU to boycott Parliament if JM is signed: May 19- Jathika Hela Urumaya monks after going in a procession to Pettah in Colombo from Parliament, staged a sathyagraha near the Bodhiraja Viharaya and vowed to do everything possible to stop the government from signing an agreement for a joint mechahism with the LTTE.
The monks also protested against the violence that took place in Trincomalee Town, after a dispute over the construcion of a Buddha statue. JHU leader the Venerable Ellawala Wedhananda Thera said the LTTE should be made to lay down ts arms before signing an agreement for a joint mechanism. He lso called upon the government to destroy the new air strip built by the LTTE. JHU parliamentary group leader Ven. Athureliye Rathana Thera said JHU monks would boycott arliament if the President went ahead with the joint mecha1S.
Body of Muslim youth found: May 19 - The body of a Musim youth who was allegedly shot dead by the LTTE pistol ang opposite the Valachchanairailway station was discovered y the Valachchanai police around 5.15 p.m. on 19 May. The eceased was identified as 25 year old Segu Ismail Jessim of
(continued on page 41)

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IN MEMORAMS
Second Year Remembrance
mplexion, working in London. EmailebnuaSiOhotmail.co.uk
In everloving and cherished memory of Mr. Sithamparapillai Thiruchelvam who passed away on 5 May 2003.
Yourenduring love and light continues to inspire us. Deeply missed and always remembered with love by your devoted wife Dhanapathy, daughter Sharmini and son Shanjeev.
Sale of a Property in Jafna
Close to Hospital Road, Jaffna, 5 larchem property with large house (needs repair to a part of the house). For details please write to E 92 CIO Tamil Times.
 
 
 
 

TAMIL TIMES 37
Eighth Anniversary Remembrance Pradeep Jeganathan
01.12.1964 - 31.03.1997 "But O for the touch of the vanish'd hand, And the sound of a voice that is still. Lovingly remembered and profoundly missed by his parents Jeganathan and Shakunthala, Sister Mythii; brothers Janarthana and Sanjayan and their families.
Ninth Anniversary Remembrance
In loving memory of Mrs. Ranjini Geetanjai Thirunavukarasu on the ninth anniversary of her passing away on 24th May 1996
Sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her husband Thirunavukarasu, children Poornima and Pradeep, father Mahalingam, sisters Mrs Lalitha Dilkushi Karunakaran and Priyadarshini Damayanthy, brothers Premkumar, Mohankumar, Ranjitkumar, Nimalkumar and Tilakumar, brothers-in-law Karunakaran and Balanathan, SisterS-inlaw Kamalarani, Vijayalaxmi, Nirmala, Yasothara, Nalini, Kamaladevi and Sugirthadevi - M. Ranjitkumar, 12 Chase Lane, Barkingside, Essex IG6 1BH. Tel: 0208518 5759.
Georges Apartments to let in Colombo
Two bedroom luxury self contained air conditioned apartments to let in Colombo area. Cook on request. £20 per day.
Contact George 0208 689 0236 or O79315871.68
nkans.com

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38 TAMIL TIMES
FORTHCOMINGS EVENTS
June 1. Feast of Dedication 6. Feast of St. Norbert
of Westminster Cathedral 7. Feast of the Most Holy 2. EekathaSi Trinity 4. Sani Pirathosam 9. Feast of st. Ephrem 5. Amavasai; Karthigai; 10. Sathurthi
Feast of St. Boniface 11. Feast of St. Barnabas
APPEAL FOR ASSISTANCETOUPGRADE
HEALTH SERVICES IN THE JAFFNADISTRICT
Dear Friends,
l, Dr. A. Ketheswaran, Deputy Provincial Director of Health Services (DPDHS), (Director of Health Dept, Jaffna District) have reported for duty in Jaffna on 1 March 2005, lappeal to all of you with the intention of upgrading the Health Services in Jaffna. I look forward to your support
The Teaching Hospital (TH) in the Jaffna District provides tertiary health care services and comes under the administration of the Central Ministry of Health. There are 42 additional hospitals in Jaffna District to provide primary and secondary healthcare services. Among them, 38 function at present. These 42 hospitals come under the administration of the Provincial Ministry of Health. At district levell manage these 42 hospitals and 7 MOH OfficeS.
I have visited these hospitals and MOH offices, and I have conducted a need assessment survey. The 38 hospitals are in a very poor state due to lack of human and other resources. There should be 19 consultants in these hospitals outside TH Jaffna. But there are only 2 re-employed consultants in service. The Medical Officers in the cadre are in service. These hospitals are mainly run by RMOO/AMOO. Among them most of the doctors are very old. All these hospitals are unable to provide service at the expected level
In addition all these hospitals need medical equipment, furniture, etc. I have completed a need assessment forevery hospital. Now we have prepared a development plan to upgrade the health Services in Jaffna District.
We have taken up the staffshortage issue with the Ministry of Health and action is being taken to fill these staff vacancies. But it will take some time, Till such time we expect some intermediate arrangements.
We expect our doctors abroad to come forward and serve in Jaffna Hospital for a short period (few weeks to few months). We will make the accommodation arrangements. Those volunteering to serve can forward their CV (Bio data) to me, We will get the approval from the Ministry of Health,
if anyone would like to provide any equipmentorother Support we are ready to share the development plan, which includes the needs of each hospital separately, You may choose to help the local hospital of your home town or any hospital in Jaffna District,
We expect a positive response from you, Also please for ward this letter to anyone who you think would help, My contact details;
Dr. A. Ketheswaran Deputy Provincial Director of Health Services (DPDHS) DPDHS Office, Hospital Road, Jaffna, Sri Lanka, Tel 009421-2223725 (Office) 009421-2264160 (Residence)Fax:009421-2222278E-Maill: dpdhsfflQsitnet, lk Thank you
Yours Sincerely, Dr. A. Ketheswaran
 

ΜΑΥ 2005
12. Shashti 14. Feast of the Sacred
Heart of Jesus 18. EekathaSi 19. PirathOSarm 20. Feast of St. Alban 21. Full Moon, Feast of St Aloysius Gonzaga 24. Sankadakara Sathurthi; Feast of Nativity of St. John, the Baptist 27, Feast of St. Cyril of Alexandria 30. Feast of the First Martyrs the Church of Rome At Bhavan Centre, 4A Castletown Road, London W149HQ,
e 02073813086/4608, Website:www.bhavan.net June 11 6.30 p.m. Tamil Dance Ballet, Utchl Tilagam by Parvathi Ghantasala along with her three disciples from lndia for which music is SCOred by L. Vaidyanathan and á selected few verses are rendered by Dr. K.J. Jesudas June 12 6.30 p.m. SurdhulWani, Vani Fine Arts and the Bhavan present Mohan Vina Concert, Vishwa Mohan Bat and Group June 18 6.30 Contemporary Indian Music by Nashid Kamal
Wedding Bells
We congratulate the following couples on their recent wedding
Ramesh, son of Mrs Parathi Sivagnanam of 58 Lisle Close, London SW176LD and the late Mr. Sinnadurai Sivagnanam and Mamata daughter of Mr. & Mrs Bhanuprasad Engineer 9"April 2005 atBahia
Shriners Center, 2300 Pembrook Drive, Orlando, Florida, USA,
Sashi Cala, daughter of Mr. & Mrs Sivasubramaniam of 63, Elliot Avenue, East Ryde, NSW 2113, Australia and Ramanathan, Son of Mr. & Mrs Natarajan of6/333 Mogappair East, Chennai 37, India on 22 April 2005 at New Woodlands Hotel, Chennai, India.
Sri Lankan in Malaysia Brings Pride to his Country
Dato R.C.M. Rayan, or lawyer Rayan as he is affectionately known, had his early education in Ceylon. While preparing for his London Matriculation at St Patrick's Col. lege in Jaffna, Rayan was greatly applauded by his principals Father Charles S. Matthew and Rev. Father Long, for publishing the books "Latin Syntax Simplified", "Flowers from the Garden of Charles Lamb"and"Milton WithOut Tears,"
In 1954, Mr Rayan proceeded to London to study law. While being a student he was elected president of the Four Inns of Court Students Union. After obtaining his Barrister-at-Law degree there, he returned to Ceylon, where he was admitted and enrolled as an advocate of The Supreme Court of Ceylon. He then went to Ipoh, in Malaysia, and settled down there. Here too he was admitted and enrolled as an advocate and a solicitor of the Courts of Malaysia. He converted the city of Ipoh into a great city with a beautiful park, which attracted visitors from different parts of Malaysia. The former prime minister of Ma|laysia, Tun Abdul Rszak, visited Ipoh to see the park and city. The biggest hall for weddings and dinner parties for the Sri Lankan and Malaysian communities in Ipoh was built by him and is named today as "Rayan Cultural Hall."
Mr Rayan was the M.P for Ipoh, and a Member of the State Assembly of Sungei Sipul (anothertown in Perak) and was also a municipal councillor for nearly fifteen years. He was awarded

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MAY 2005
the title of A.M.P. P.M.Pand D.P.M.Pwhich camythe title “Dato,” There is also a road in Ipoh named Jalan R.C.M. Rayan.
He is the third Son of the late Mr and Mrs S.R. Chelva
Rayan of Jaffna, and grandson of the late S. Ramanathan of Kuala Kangsar — Malaysia, who was the first J.P in Kuala Kangsar.
May Lord Ganeshagrant him good health to do many more services to the country.
- Pavalam
Mrs Suseela T. Moorthy
B.Sc. Hons, Bar-at-Law Grays Inn,Attorney at Lawin Sri Lanka - An Appreciation -
Mrs Suseela T. Moorthy, wife of former High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in the U.K., and elder daughter of Saiva Sigamany Late Justice Pon. Sri Skanda Rajah and Mrs Kanmany Sri Skanda Rajah attained union with Lord Sivaperuman and Parasakthy Amman on Tuesday 19 April after a brief illness.
She was an ardent devotee of Yoga Swamigal. Having had hereducation at CMS .288 Ladies College, Colombo, and having represented the College in many intercollegiate Contests of General Knowledge, she graduated from the University of Ceylon in Physics and Mathematics in 1957, and while functioning in the Department of Physics had to relocate to Jaffna. On account of the Civil disturbances in 1958. At this time Suseela taught Physics and Mathematics at Vembadi Girls School in Jaffna. She was endowed with exceptional beauty and was of calm and charismatic disposition. With Yogar Swami's Blessings a week earlier, stating "Goodtime is approaching very soon" on the occasion of her dharshan of Swami with her parents, Suseela's hand was soon sought in marriage to Career Diplomat Mr Thedohana Moorthy on his home posting from the Embassy in China in 1959.
The marriage was solemnised at Sri Selva Sannithy Temple in ThondaimanAru. After the birth of their two children in 1960 and 61 Mr. Moorthy was posted to London as first Secre. tary to the High Commission. Whilst in London besides taking care of two infants, Suseela along with her husband prepared and completed all examinations to enrolas Barristers at Gray's Inn. Shortly after this Mr. Moorthy was posted to the Embassyir Germany as Charge d'Affaires. In all his postings, Suseela's education and social graces added more finesse to their stand ing in diplomatic circles.
On their return to Sri Lanka in 1965, Suseela had the unique distinction, after fulfilling other requirements of being called to the Bar in Sri Lanka as Advocate and taking her oaths before her father the Hon. Justice PSri Skanda Rajah and the Hot Justice T.S. Fernando. Suseela attended Mr. Samarawickreme chambers and later was Mr Choksy's Junior. Suseela has give! greatly of her time, skills and funds for the advancemento Saivism both in Sri Lanka and in the United Kingdom. She utilised her knowledge both of English, Thamil and spiritualit in rendering the world renowned Abirami Andaadhi into Englisi for the benefit of generations to come and forthose desirous c
 

TAMIL TIMES 39
acquiring knowledge of Saiva Scriptures.
in 1967 she had their third child, now Dr. Sri.A.T. Moorthy, Director of investments, Credit Suisse-First Boston Bank in the City. Mr Thedohana Moorthy was appointed High Commissioner to the United Kingdom in 1981 prior to which he was Head of Mission in Thailand, Iraq and Pakistan. Their older daughter Uma obtained Masters in Science from Imperial College London, lectured in Mathematics at South Bank University and functions in Whitehall in the Home Office, and their second daughter Dr.lma is Consultant Radiologist. Suseela leaves behind her loving husband, her children and grandchildren on whom she has showered her inexhaustible love, namely Suseela Jane, Ramya Amanda and Lalitha Mary. In addition she leaves behind Sons-in-law Peter Connor and Dr. Jim Zwaal, her brothers Dr. Sri Bavan Sri-Skanda-Rajah and Usha, Sri Guggan SriSkanda-Rajah and Janet, and her sister Dr. Mrs. Indra Sivayohamand Dr. Sabapathy Siviyoham.
May the Evergracious Lord Sivaperuman and Goddess Parasakthy bless her soul profoundly.
- Dr. Mrs. Indra Sivayoham
Australian Newsletter
Tamil New Year was celebrated by Tamils across Australia and special religious ceremonies were held at various temples to mark the occasion. Rajinikanth's latest movie Chandramuki, which was released to coincide with the Tamil New Year was popular in the cinemas in Melbourne, Sydney and other Centres across the Continent.
Sri Lankan Tamil parliamentarians Mr Pararajasingam and Mr Gajendran recently completed a tour of Australia and New Zealand briefing various organisations and lobbying groups On the issues surrounding peace process and the need for a joint mechanism to undertake Tsunami relief. Another parliamentarian Mr Raviraj was also in Australia on a study tour of the region in the aftermath of Tsunami disaster as part of a parliamentary group.
Media groups and community organisations in Australia expressed griefand shock on the brutal murder of journalist D Sivaram. Condolence meetings were held in Melbourne, Sydney and other major centres in Australia. TNA parliamentarian Mr Pararajasingam highlighted the planned murders of journalists D Sivaram, G Nadesan and Nimalarajan in his deliberations with various lobby groups here.
A 24hour uninterrupted event was conducted in Sydney by Tamil youths to raise awareness of the aftermath of Tsunami in the North and East. Manithaneyam Trustin Australia conducted a cultural evening in Sydney to raise funds for the humanitarian projects in the North and East, which is being undertaken by its parent body in Sri Lanka.
Puthuvai Ratnathurai’s "Puvarasam Veliyum Puulunic Kunjukalum" was ceremoniously released in Sydney to a modest gathering at Homebush High School. The Annual Cricket match between the Old Boys of Jaffna Central and St Johns, Jaffna took place in Sydney.
After the successful Olympics in Sydney in 2000, Melbourne is gearing up for Commonwealth Games in March 2006. There is a growing interest for economic collaboration with India and the Premiers from the States of News South Wales and South Australia have travelled to the Sub-Continent in the recent past and the latest is the Victorian Premier Steve Bracks who recently completed a tour of India.
- Sivasupramaniam Sitsabesan

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40 TAMIL TIMES
MADRAS - ASA EXCELS AGAIN
The Academy of South Indian Arts (A.S.I.A) in tandem with The Music Academy of Dance, Rhythm and Song (M.A.D.R.A.S.) was founded in 1991 by Lakshmi Samarakoon nee Ganeson, Premaleela Ganeson and Adayar Balu as a voluntary Arts organisation based in Harrow Middlesex. It specialises in the instruction and presentation of classical South Indian dance (Bharatanatyam) and Carnatic Music (vocal, instrumental and percussion). The objectives include the education of individuals, in particular children in the appreciation, practice and presentation of classical South Indian performing arts. Their performances include annual charity productions; colaboration with other UKbased arts organisationsandregular cultural events giving all students' performance opportunities and experience. In order to encourage a process of continuing improvement and ensure the delivery of most up to date performance techniques, many of ASIA's teachers, workshop leaders and senior students are given the opportunity to take subsidised master classes with leading South Asian Dance performers, choreographers and teachers such as Mavin Khoo, Chitra Sundaram, Leela Samson and Professor Jeyalakshmi of Kalakshetra.
We have witnessed all the past productions by MADRASASIA such as the Ramayana (1993) Vinayaka (1999), The journey of the Soul (2000) Shakti Prabbaavam (2004) and Vetri Vinayagar(2005) reviewed below.
The credit for their continuing success must go to the coproducers and choreographers Lakshmi Samarakoon nee Ganeson and Sabanitha Manohar. Every performance has been a sell-out. ASIA is also noted for its excellent front of House management and a punctual start has become its hallmark. ASIA is proud of its record of collaborative work with other groups such as Pali peacocks (excelling in Kathak dance), Shristi and students from other Harrow schools. A joint production last year at Harrow Arts Centre of the Hindu mythological story “Kubera meets Ganesha” was a sell-out on both occasions it was staged.
MADRAS/ASIA'strength is its band of well-trained, qualified and highly ex- 0: perienced producers, choreographers and teachers Lakshmi Samarakoon nee Ganeson (Dance), Sabanitha Manohar (Dance), Premaleela Ganeson (Music), Kutralam Nagarajan (Music) and K.T.Sivaganesh (Music)
For their majordance drama production this year MADRASASIA staged on the 19th of March at the Logan Hall, University of London, a collection of legends on Lord Ganesha honoured as the First and unequalled among the celestials, depicting a victorious theme aptly named Vetri Vinayagar. The first scene was a puranic story about the Creation of Lord Vinayaka. This
 
 
 

MAY 2005
s a rather puzzling legend as to how the child God Pillaiyaar 2ame to acquire an elephant head. The scene enabled the display of a range of contrasting emotions - deep and tender affection of Parvathi for herson, Shiva's anger when obstructed from entering the courtyard, Parvathi's shock and agony on discovering her decapitated son, delight as Her son's life is restored, and with the acquisition ofan e|- ephant face the title supreme commander of celestial forces - Ganapathi. The scene also contained two vibrant dance sequences Lakshmias Parvathi performing MahishaSuravathamandroudra thandavam by Threeya Tharmendiran who was Lord Shiva. The audience will have recognised Within the first fifteen minutes What a treat was in Store for them.
Sabanitha's diction and clear explanations in English, with suitable natyagestures at the Commencement of each Scene, a thoughtful and pragmatic step was received with great enthusiasm. Technical problems did not seem to matter and her voice projection showed clarity and confidence.
The story of the mango is a popular one and often the first any Hindu child learns. Two concepts, wisdom as the key to success and respect for parents, were brought out in a most entertaining manner. A brief humorous interlude between the brothers Ganesha and Karthikeya drew warm applause. The musical scores done by Sri Nagarajan too shared a lighter touch and among others included Maduraimani lyer's "notes". Shareka Jeyakumar who was little Murugan deserves a specialmention.
The story of Vibeeshana, King Ravana's brotherand Lord Ganesha's role in being instrumental for Lord Sriranganathar lying in His abode on the banks of Kaverifacing south, towards Srilanka is a legend not known to many. This story formed the basis of scene three. Sveta Alladi who was Vibeeshana did her role creditably. Lyrics composed by Kutralam Nagarajan and KPArivanandam were of high quality. For example the lyrics here brought out how Lord Ganesha is beyond sectarian divides withinour religion, and stands supreme on the hilltop in Thiruchy as Uchchipillaiyaar.
The story of how Lord Vinayagar used one of His tusks to slay the demon Gajamukhan who tormented the devas, but later showing compassion transformed him into a mouse which became His vehicle, was the theme for Scene four. The dance sequences demonstrated triumph of good over evil commendably.
The penultimate scene concerned the role of Lord Vinayagar in the marriage of Lord Murugan to Valli, the daughter of the head of the gypsy community. The scene began with a solo by Lakshmias Valli, bringing out the anguish of a devotee whose Lord will not come to her. Lakshmi's charm and artistic competence was clearly evident. Threeya who had earlier Combined with Lakshmi as Lord Shiva, returned to the stage as Lord Murugan and acquitted herself admirably.
The dance drama had many short but beautiful nritta or

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pure dance sequences. While there was the expected emphasis throughout the evening on interpretative aspects of dance that brought out the rich lyrical contents and a story line, there were many graceful dance interludes some of which rather fleeting that primarily depicted mood. For example towards the start of a kurathi dance there was a rendering on the violin of the raga amirthavarshini (believed to bring rain), and appropriately there was a delightful though briefportrayal of a peacock, followed by the depiction of a deer by Lakshmi-aquicklesson perhaps in elegance for aspiring students.
The role of Murugan who pretends to be an aging ascetic was performed by Sabanitha and this was one of the highlights of the evening. Showing a Curious mixture of cunning and humour, in her manner and movements Sabanitha's portrayal of Lord Muruga's mischievous attempts to entice Valli, helped though by His older brother in the form of an elephant, was a treat to watch. The sequence has a happy ending when the ascetic reveals that he is none other than Lord Muruga himself. A celebratory Thillana follows this as Lord Muruga marries Valli,
From matters mundane, the Dance Drama takes a deeply philosophical turn and moves on to a higher plane. Rather unusually without bringing the evening to a close after the Thilana, MADRAS - ASIA preferred to introduce Vinayaha Ahaval noted for its "poetic diction, Vivid imagery and yogic insights". After celebrating His victories it was fitting that the evening should conclude with the ahaval as it "communicates
Kingston's First Tamil N
At a meeting of T. Kingston-Upon-T on 11th May 2005, nathan was elected of the Council. Cllr. resident of The Roy ston-Upon-Thames f is a Retired Local ( with 27 years serv Sources and Manag The Royal Borougho Sea and the London Wich. He was elect Council in 1992 to r Ward, Surbiton.
(continued from page 36)
Buhari Hadjiarroad, Ottamavadi in eastern Batticaloa, district. A live round of ammunition used in Chinese pistols was
recovered by the police near the body. The matter has been
reported to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission by the police.
137 child cadres since tsunami - UNICEF: May 20 - The LTTE has recruited 137 child cadres into their ranks since the December 26 tsunami, and nine of whom were taken directly from relief camps, the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) said Friday, 20 May.
"There have been 137 cases of child recruitment since the Decembertsunami,” UNICEF spokesman in Colombo Geoffrey Keel, was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
The AP report said however the rate of child recruitment
 

TAMIL TIMES 41
the quintessence of the worship of Ganesha". Again a victory of a different sort, of mind over matter through the medium of meditation. Sri Nagarajan's rendition was truly inspiring and the choreography a bold attempt to bring out the deeper meaning in Auvaiyars lyrics and experiences. An instance of particular note was the singing of the lines on self-control beginning "taught me how to shut the five sense-gates in the nine door temple” in reverberating Revathiraga.
The accompanists were Sri M Balachandar the gifted mirudangist from the Bhavan, Madurai KTSivaganesh on the violin and Sri Pitchaiappa Gnanavaradan both highly acclaimed artistes.
As usual at the performance itself a large donation was made to the Isunami Fund jointly organised by Mahajana College OSA and Shri Kanagathurrkai Amman Temple, London. We know the programme was a sell out, but there were unusually some vacant seats. We sincerely hope that this is not a sign of a degree of lethargy creeping in amongst the public who have always been so enthusiastic and supportive.
The individual and collective effort of so many participants in this dance drama is testimony to the wealth of talent that is available for Lakshmi and Sabanitha to guide and direct. MADRAS-ASIA is here to stay and will grow from strength to strength.
Siva Sivananthan Kandiah Sivakumar
Cllryogan has made vast strides in
layor
he Royal Borough of hames Council held Cllr. Yogan Yogathe first Tamil Mayor Yogan has been a al Borough of Kingor over 35 years. He government Officer ice in Human Reement Services for fKensington & ChelBorough of Greened to the Kingston epresent St. Marks
community service having been (a) Founder Member of Kingston Institute of Tamil Culture (b) Trustee of International Foundation of Tamils (c) Member of Kingston Racial Equality Council (d) Member of Kingston Community Health Council (e) Trustee of Kingston Victim Support (f)Member of Metropolitan Police Sector Working Party (g) Chairand Founder of Ceylon Cricket League for Young people in London. (h) Chair and Founder of Surrey Lankanians Cricket and Social Club.(i) Supporting the need of Communities affected by the Tsunami and on the Kingston FairTrade initiative
The Mayorand Mayoress have a 26 year old son.
by the rebels, accused of enlisting youngsters throughout their two-decade insurgency, appeared to be falling. "But any recruit is one too many," Keele was quoted as saying and added that the children who were forced to join the LTTE ranks in recent weeks were between 14 and 18 years of age. "There have been 137 cases of child recruitment since the December tsunami,' he said, adding that nine of the youths had been taken from tsunami relief camps in the North and the East.
The U.N. agency has accused the LTTE of reneging on their promise and says that since the agreement they had recruited more than 1,500 children. Keel said the latest figures indicate recruitment of children is waning. "It's a positive sign,” he said. “We are happy to see the downward trend and hope it will continue.'

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42 TAMI. TMES
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COLOMBO RETURN SRI LANKAN AIRLINES
From £450+ Taxes With a free stop over in India or Bangkok valid 01 Apr - 30 Jun From E470 + Taxes valid 01 Jul - 09 Juli From £560 + Taxes valid 10 Jul 19 Aug From £450+ Taxes valid 20 Aug - 30 Nov
NDA/FAR EAST RETURN Madras/Trevandrum/Trichi/KochilBangalorel Hyderabad/Delhi/Bombay Bangkok/HongKong Singaporel Kuala Lumpur (No Stop in Colombo Permitted) COLOMBO RETURN KUWAIT AIRWAYS From £340 + Taxes valid till 31 May QATAR AIRWAYS From £370 + Taxes valid 07 Apr - 30 Jun
WEACCEPT ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS O 2 O 8 7 (
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TAMIL TIMES 43
Colombo Return £450+ Taxes {fi: 30th June'0S) "Free extension to india of Bangkok r £470+ taxes tonist July. 9th July في عن
么 £560+Taxes from oth July. 9th Aug Si lankar) #450 +Taxes trom 20Aug 30th Nov}
India i Far East E360+Taxes (fron ist April 30th June)
DETRAVE --------- ---Eza Singaböff - dia - taifaysia
VN 3. Nights, 3 Hotet in Dutai
Coornbo Restr 499 £330 + taxes -2 Nightsstein india * (frofe ist April - 30th Jzne'05
صمد عمر
4 Metro Centre
Ronsons Way St Albans Road St Albans star Hertfordshire A49
Fax O87O 359 Ot 53
c 82 MTCHAMROAD HT స్లో, TOOTING
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COLOMBO 370. OO +TAXES
Bangkok & Singapore £335 + tax Dubai £205 + tax, Bombay E335+ tax Trevandrum & Cochin E355 + tax Kuala Lumpur & Manilla £355 + tax
Ondon to Sri Lanka 450,00+Taxes
Plus FREEtripto Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore or India
LONDON TO SRI LANKA E250.00 +Taxes 10,000 SKYWARD MILES VALID 15" APRIL TO3OT JUNE
FARES AVAILABLE ON ALL AIRLINES
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skybooker.com 75766

Page 44
TRAVEL SHIPPING AIR FREIGHT
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f470a | f 370 Tax Our Bond Warehouse 1 July - 1 Jul ni Srilaka E နှီဒီ0 LAKISIR SEWWA | 10 July - 19 ALugust 66 New Nuge Road E. 560+Tax 16 July - 19 August
Peliyagoda E 525+Tax
Extensions Available from Sri Lan NEXT SAILING Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Hong K. :: SKYWARDSMEMBERs Apr 250 +Tax FREE w岛颂器岛R。 + 10,000 Points si 1#.wဖါးဖွံ့ဖြိုးဖြုံဖါးဂိuma| 14 Allied Way, off W Til: rrே http: Tel: D BO 8379, OD 87 rww.plancalitra.co.uk NS3% Email: glen carriersgaol.c
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COLOMBO RETURN C SRI LANKAN AIRLINES
From £450+ Taxes With a free stop over in India or Bangkok valid 01 Apr - 30 Jun From E470 + Taxes walid 01 Jul - 09 Jul From £560 + Taxes valid 10 Jul.19 Aug From £450+ Taxes valid 20 Aug. 30 Now INDIANFAR EAST RETURN Madras Trevandrum/Trichi/Kochi Bangalore! Hyderabad/Delhi/Bombay/Bangkok/HongKong Singaporel Kuala Lumpur (No Stop in Colombo Permitted) COLOMBO RETURN KUWAIT AIRWAYS From £340 + Taxes valid till 31 May CATAR ARWAYS From £370+ Taxes valid 07 Apr. 30 Jun
OPEN 7 Days A vEEk PLEASE FEELFREETo con
O2O SOSYZ
Zk. En 119 HIGH STREET, TOOTING mobile:07350876921 (25 hours) Web: www.skywi
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

WEL & SHIPPING & AIR FREIGHTER
RSLTD
essess
COLOMBO, OTHERWORLDWIDE DESTINATIONS
st frussed and reliable name in the trade
Service to the Sri Lankan
Community
20 Years
KLIWalt AirWays
May E 335+Tax
JJITTE E 365+Tax 1 July - 15 July E 380+Tax 16 July-31 August E 395+Tax
(S?
UYA, DRAMAYLi
May - 15 July E 310+Tax
16 July - 16 August E 350+Tax
ETT HATID
r
May - June E33O+Tax
Business Class
E950+Tax
First Class E 1475+Tax
kan Airline to the following Destination: Singapore, ong, Madras, Trevandrum, Trichi, Bombayor Delhi
| - June to COLOMBO
450 +Tax
EXTENSIONSTONDATHILAND, ORE, KUALA LUMPURE HONGKONG
Ring us for
SPECIAL FAMILY FARES
arple Way, Acton, London, W3 ORQ 490595,02087437353, Fax: 020874O4229 om Websito: http://www.glen carriers.co.uk
GS TD
GENT
he Sun never
sets" -2
rice & Service
MAIN AGENT/FOR
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===="ست سمیت==
- - -
OLOMBO e370.00 +TAxEs
Bangkok & Singapore E335+ tax Dubai E20.5 + tax, Bombay E335+ tax Treyandrum & Cochin E355+ tax Kuala Lumpur & Manilla E355 + tax
London to Sri Lanka
45000+Taxes
US FREE trip to Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong
Bangkok, Singapore or India
LONDON TO SRI LANKA
E250.00 +Taxes
10,000 SKYWARD MILES WALID 15th APRIL TO3OHJUNE
RES AVAILABLEONAL AIRLINES
TACT OUR STAFFON 2 9)))
LONLON SW17 OSY Ings.co.uk E-mail: balaaskywings.co.uk
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