The executive editor of the Hindu, Malini Parathasarthy said in a signed editorial of the paper that despite the campaign masterminded by a desperate LTTE in Tamil Nadu the Indian government should maintain its policy of staying out of Sri Lanka's internal affairs.
The lengthy editorial carried on the paper's centre page said, "This latest campaign in Tamil Nadu masterminded by a desperate LTTE must not be allowed to undermine the sound policy decision upheld by successive Indian governments since 1991 to stay out of Sri Lanka's internal affairs."
In no uncertain terms the editorial said, "It is indeed the sovereign right of Sri Lanka as it is of India to eliminate any terrorist organisation that poses a fundamental threat to its survival as a nation."
The newspaper with 1.17 million circulation and considered the most influential national daily in India was commenting on the current agitation by Tamil political parties in the South Indian state to bring pressure on New Delhi to intervene and stop Sri Lanka's offensive against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) the leaders of which are believed to be virtually trapped in their stronghold of Kilinochchi.
The editorial severely warned New Delhi that such an intervention would weaken the moral authority of India to fight against terrorism and separatism in Kashmir.
Parathasarathy, in her comment, under the headline, "The Dangers of Tamil Chauvinism" said, "For the last decade or so, New Delhi has successfully resisted the various attempts made by the LTTE and its supporters in Tamil Nadu to force it to intervene in the Sri Lankan crisis. If New Delhi were to express its disapproval, even implicitly, of Sri Lanka's sovereign right to recapture its own national territory from the LTTE, it would weaken the moral authority of India's own actions in regard to its struggle against terrorism and the separatist agitation in Kashmir. This latest campaign in Tamil Nadu masterminded by a desperate LTTE must not be allowed to undermine the sound policy decision upheld by successive Indian governments since 1991 to stay out of Sri Lanka's internal affairs."
Parathasarathy said while India is anxiously grappling with the enormity of the horrific new threat to Indian society-terrorism- fast becoming an everyday reality on the streets political parties in Tamil Nadu led by the MDMK and the PMK "have recently plunged into high-pitched activity aimed at garnering support for the LTTE, a deadly terrorist organisation. These parties have launched a campaign in the State ostensibly to express solidarity with the Sri Lankan Tamils trapped in the war zone in northern Sri Lanka but the timing of this campaign which appears to have materialised overnight, is a dead giveaway. The Sri Lankan army, just two kilometers away from the LTTE's administrative capital, Kilinochchi, has successfully encircled the Tigers and their leader who are virtually trapped in their bunkers."
"For the first time in years," said Parathasarathy, "the Sri Lankan government appears to be on the brink of a major success in its battle with terrorism. There is now the very real prospect of the capture of the elusive LTTE chief, Velupillai Prabakaran, who is behind the assassination of a former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi. Tamil Nadu's politicians clearly have different standards for India and for Sri Lanka. It would appear that they accept that battling terrorism in India and saving Kashmir from Islamist jihadis are important national tasks but not so in Sri Lanka which has been menaced for more than two decades by the LTTE.
It was the LTTE which pioneered terrorism in South Asia and produced two generations of suicide bombers who have claimed numerous high-profile victims. For far too long have the legitimate aspirations of the Sri Lankan Tamils been held hostage to the hegemonic ambitions of the LTTE chief Prabakaran who has consistently sabotaged all attempts to find political solutions to the conflict."
The editorial further said, "Yet the Thirteenth Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution which was a consequence of the Indo-Sri Lankan Agreement of 1987, envisaging devolution of power to provincial councils has become a touchstone for the resolution of the ethnic conflict. The Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, has made it clear that he remains committed to a political solution of this sort. In a meeting with the All Party Representative Conference (APRC) last Saturday, Mr. Rajapaksa emphasised that it was the duty of the Sri Lankan state "to ensure to the Tamil people of the North the same democratic rights as enjoyed by the people in all parts of the country." He also took care to explain that the military action against the LTTE was against terrorism and not against the Tamil community.
"The Sri Lankan President has acquired unprecedented political space for his military campaign against the LTTE. Several factors including the rebellion of the powerful LTTE commander Karuna and the fact that there is now in place an elected provincial council in the Eastern Province have rendered irrelevant many of the points in the earlier Sri Lankan Tamil political platform.
That there is a credible and workable political solution now in sight has made it easier for Colombo to launch military operations against the LTTE. It is indeed the sovereign right of Sri Lanka as it is of India to eliminate any terrorist organisation that poses a fundamental threat to its survival as a nation."(News-SLDefence)
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Wednesday, October 15, 2008
More food enters Wanni
Close on the heels of 20 lorries carrying 300 tons of dry rations to Wanni, the Government said it would send another 15 truck loads containing 225 tons today, in its continuing endeavour to assist the displaced and deprived of basic needs by the LTTE in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu.
According to Army sources, 20 lorries from Vavuniya had crossed over to uncleared areas on Monday afternoon from the Omanthai entry\exit points after a thorough check.
The convoy carrying stocks of dhal, rice, coconuts, sugar, flour, spices, oil, grams, potatoes and cereals for children had made its way across Mundirippu, Nedunkandal, Mankulama and Oddusudan, sources said.
Commissioner General of Essential Services S.B. Divarathne said the 20 lorries which left Vavuniya on Monday afternoon had been slightly delayed east of Nedunkerni due to heavy rains and damages to the road.
However the convoy had re-started the journey and was expected to reach its destination by yesterday afternoon, Divarathne said.
Another convoy consisting of 50 lorries sponsored by the World Food Programme (WFP) is expected to leave Vavuniya carrying supplies to IDPs in Wanni within the next two days.
According to Divarathne, the estimated need according to numbers provided by Government Agents on the IDPs was around 500 tons of food per week. While emphasising that the Government and WFP consignments were meeting this demand comfortably, the Commissioner added that they had enough buffer stocks in Vavuniya to meet any emergency.
However Divarathne said that an independent verification regarding the number of displaced was difficult as they were depending on the numbers provided by the Government Agents which stood at 150,000 according to latest statistics.
The figure could be much lower, Divarathne said adding Vakarai as the best example where after liberation the actual number provided by local authorities were found to be much higher than the ones provided during early estimates.
In an earlier media briefing, Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe accused the LTTE of robbing a portion of food supplies sent to uncleared areas.
He said Sri Lanka could be the only country which feeds a terrorist organisation which attacks them, but emphasised that as a responsible Government which had the needs of its people uppermost in their mind irrespective of the location would continue its assistance to IDPs unabated.
According to Divarathne the first convoy of 650 metric tons of food had already been distributed.(News-Dailynews)
According to Army sources, 20 lorries from Vavuniya had crossed over to uncleared areas on Monday afternoon from the Omanthai entry\exit points after a thorough check.
The convoy carrying stocks of dhal, rice, coconuts, sugar, flour, spices, oil, grams, potatoes and cereals for children had made its way across Mundirippu, Nedunkandal, Mankulama and Oddusudan, sources said.
Commissioner General of Essential Services S.B. Divarathne said the 20 lorries which left Vavuniya on Monday afternoon had been slightly delayed east of Nedunkerni due to heavy rains and damages to the road.
However the convoy had re-started the journey and was expected to reach its destination by yesterday afternoon, Divarathne said.
Another convoy consisting of 50 lorries sponsored by the World Food Programme (WFP) is expected to leave Vavuniya carrying supplies to IDPs in Wanni within the next two days.
According to Divarathne, the estimated need according to numbers provided by Government Agents on the IDPs was around 500 tons of food per week. While emphasising that the Government and WFP consignments were meeting this demand comfortably, the Commissioner added that they had enough buffer stocks in Vavuniya to meet any emergency.
However Divarathne said that an independent verification regarding the number of displaced was difficult as they were depending on the numbers provided by the Government Agents which stood at 150,000 according to latest statistics.
The figure could be much lower, Divarathne said adding Vakarai as the best example where after liberation the actual number provided by local authorities were found to be much higher than the ones provided during early estimates.
In an earlier media briefing, Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe accused the LTTE of robbing a portion of food supplies sent to uncleared areas.
He said Sri Lanka could be the only country which feeds a terrorist organisation which attacks them, but emphasised that as a responsible Government which had the needs of its people uppermost in their mind irrespective of the location would continue its assistance to IDPs unabated.
According to Divarathne the first convoy of 650 metric tons of food had already been distributed.(News-Dailynews)
Govt committed to uplift local industries - President
President Mahinda Rajapaksa said the Government remains committed to protect and develop the indigenous industries by providing necessary facilities.
The President was addressing the local industrialists at Temple Trees recently in order to receive their viewpoints and suggestions to be included in the 2009 budgetary proposals.
"We were able to stand tall against all ills suffered by many countries in the face of the world economic crisis. Our programme of strengthening local industries prevented the country from collapsing economy-wise in the midst of the world economic crisis."
Many countries have expressed their willingness to open their markets for our products and local industrialists should also be prepared to enter the international market, he said.
The President commended local industrialists' contribution for the strengthening of national economy and vowed to provide more facilities and assistance to promote this sector.(News-Dailynews)
The President was addressing the local industrialists at Temple Trees recently in order to receive their viewpoints and suggestions to be included in the 2009 budgetary proposals.
"We were able to stand tall against all ills suffered by many countries in the face of the world economic crisis. Our programme of strengthening local industries prevented the country from collapsing economy-wise in the midst of the world economic crisis."
Many countries have expressed their willingness to open their markets for our products and local industrialists should also be prepared to enter the international market, he said.
The President commended local industrialists' contribution for the strengthening of national economy and vowed to provide more facilities and assistance to promote this sector.(News-Dailynews)
A timely directive
The assurance given by President Mahinda Rajapaksa that no more will he allow State property to be sold no doubt would be welcomed by the public at large particularly following the recent unravelling of the shady transactions involving State land and public assets.
The Presidential edict it is hoped would put an end once and for all to the flagrant misuse of public property that has proved to be cancer eating into the body politic of the country. It is no less a person than the Chief Justice who went to the extent of invoking the wrath of the gods on those who disposed of public assets for a song. This in itself shows the extent of emotions and feeling generated at the misuse of public property of all strata from the humble to the mighty.
This springs from the basis that public property has been entrusted to the powers that be to be held in trust for the public. But over the years as the recent Supreme Court verdict has demonstrated our leaders have betrayed this sacred trust and instead made use of sate property to enrich themselves. It is in this context that the President’s directive should be hailed as a path breaking development.
Addressing workers of the State Insurance Corporation who were granted appointment letters, at Temple Tress on Friday, the President said that under no circumstances would State property be sold, adding “future generations should be able to enjoy the benefits of these assets as we enjoy them today as a result of the great sacrifices of the patriotic leaders of this nation”.
No doubt the President’s concern may have been prompted by the evident large scale abuse and plunder of State assets by those who should have known better resulting in the public being denied the fruits of these valuable property and assets. For instance, the allocation of a storm water retention land for the building of a hotel and golf course far from benefiting the public have caused them to suffer when their homes and property go under floods due to such injudicious acts.
Leaders of the immediate post independent Governments exercised great propriety in matters of public property and State assets and any deviation from the laid down procedure and guidelines evoked a huge public outcry with trade unions in the forefront holding the Government accountable for any wrongdoing.
These assets involved not only State land. Public institutions and corporations were jealously protected by the workers in the immediate post independence era and particularly after the 1956 revolution which saw the vesting of all sterling Companies with the State.
That was the time when most utility services such as Ports and Transport came under State control and the public was infused with a state of pride and belonging that they were at last made partners and stakeholders in the affairs of the State after centuries of foreign rule.
True, not all these State ventures became successes, some of them later turned out to be white elephants. But this was chiefly due to mismanagement brought about by political meddling rather than any inherent weakness in their running. In fact most of these State ventures were deliberately run to the ground with the advent of the open economy so that they could be sold out to the cronies of the powers that be.
Public property became easy game for politicians bent on making hay in a culture which bred crooks and wheeler dealers who brokered the sale of State assets. That was a time when State owned land changed hands for a song and politicians took maximum advantage of a free wheeling consumerist ethos.
The most notorious case that comes to mind is the swapping of fallow unproductive land of a Government Minister for several acres of fertile State land. There were other instances where State land went for as low as Rs.32 an acre. All these lands of course were subsequently returned following exposure by the Special Presidential Commission when the Government changed.
President Rajapaksa’s decision to put a halt to all sale of State property, while obviating the need for such time wasting Commissions in the future at public expense, would also serve to retain public assets for the sole benefit of the public particularly the future generation. This rip off has to end and President Rajapaksa has taken a timely decision.
There is also an urgent need to save State land particularly at a time the Government has embarked on an ambitious food production drive and when land is at a premium.
There is also the need to ensure that all liberated land in the North and the East would be prudently used for the benefit of the people in the region and that no room is left for misappropriation of State property and assets in those areas. In this context the message spelled out by President Rajapaksa will serve to drive the point home to all concerned that public property is not to be trifled with.(Dailynews-Editorial)
The Presidential edict it is hoped would put an end once and for all to the flagrant misuse of public property that has proved to be cancer eating into the body politic of the country. It is no less a person than the Chief Justice who went to the extent of invoking the wrath of the gods on those who disposed of public assets for a song. This in itself shows the extent of emotions and feeling generated at the misuse of public property of all strata from the humble to the mighty.
This springs from the basis that public property has been entrusted to the powers that be to be held in trust for the public. But over the years as the recent Supreme Court verdict has demonstrated our leaders have betrayed this sacred trust and instead made use of sate property to enrich themselves. It is in this context that the President’s directive should be hailed as a path breaking development.
Addressing workers of the State Insurance Corporation who were granted appointment letters, at Temple Tress on Friday, the President said that under no circumstances would State property be sold, adding “future generations should be able to enjoy the benefits of these assets as we enjoy them today as a result of the great sacrifices of the patriotic leaders of this nation”.
No doubt the President’s concern may have been prompted by the evident large scale abuse and plunder of State assets by those who should have known better resulting in the public being denied the fruits of these valuable property and assets. For instance, the allocation of a storm water retention land for the building of a hotel and golf course far from benefiting the public have caused them to suffer when their homes and property go under floods due to such injudicious acts.
Leaders of the immediate post independent Governments exercised great propriety in matters of public property and State assets and any deviation from the laid down procedure and guidelines evoked a huge public outcry with trade unions in the forefront holding the Government accountable for any wrongdoing.
These assets involved not only State land. Public institutions and corporations were jealously protected by the workers in the immediate post independence era and particularly after the 1956 revolution which saw the vesting of all sterling Companies with the State.
That was the time when most utility services such as Ports and Transport came under State control and the public was infused with a state of pride and belonging that they were at last made partners and stakeholders in the affairs of the State after centuries of foreign rule.
True, not all these State ventures became successes, some of them later turned out to be white elephants. But this was chiefly due to mismanagement brought about by political meddling rather than any inherent weakness in their running. In fact most of these State ventures were deliberately run to the ground with the advent of the open economy so that they could be sold out to the cronies of the powers that be.
Public property became easy game for politicians bent on making hay in a culture which bred crooks and wheeler dealers who brokered the sale of State assets. That was a time when State owned land changed hands for a song and politicians took maximum advantage of a free wheeling consumerist ethos.
The most notorious case that comes to mind is the swapping of fallow unproductive land of a Government Minister for several acres of fertile State land. There were other instances where State land went for as low as Rs.32 an acre. All these lands of course were subsequently returned following exposure by the Special Presidential Commission when the Government changed.
President Rajapaksa’s decision to put a halt to all sale of State property, while obviating the need for such time wasting Commissions in the future at public expense, would also serve to retain public assets for the sole benefit of the public particularly the future generation. This rip off has to end and President Rajapaksa has taken a timely decision.
There is also an urgent need to save State land particularly at a time the Government has embarked on an ambitious food production drive and when land is at a premium.
There is also the need to ensure that all liberated land in the North and the East would be prudently used for the benefit of the people in the region and that no room is left for misappropriation of State property and assets in those areas. In this context the message spelled out by President Rajapaksa will serve to drive the point home to all concerned that public property is not to be trifled with.(Dailynews-Editorial)
Police raid Boralesgamuwa suicide bomber’s house; three in custody
Police raided a house in Wellawatte where the suicide bomber who targeted Minister Maithripala Sirisena had been residing for some time and took into custody three inmates along with several documents.
According to Police even during the recent registration of people who had come from the North and East, the house owners had refrained from registering the suspected suicide bomber who was residing there.
Police Spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunesekera said yesterday that in addition to the three persons arrested, Police was also pursuing some leads with information received from the mobile sim card of the suspected suicide bomber.
He said Police was on the trail of her accomplices including the people who had sold the sim card.(News-Dailynews)
According to Police even during the recent registration of people who had come from the North and East, the house owners had refrained from registering the suspected suicide bomber who was residing there.
Police Spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunesekera said yesterday that in addition to the three persons arrested, Police was also pursuing some leads with information received from the mobile sim card of the suspected suicide bomber.
He said Police was on the trail of her accomplices including the people who had sold the sim card.(News-Dailynews)
"Sakvithi" like swindler nabbed in Ja-Ela
person who ran a bogus financial scheme in Ja-Ela similar to the master swindler Sakvithi Ranasinghe and had cheated deposits worth over Rs.5million was arrested by the Negombo Police Fraud Investigation Bureau today, Police Spokesman said.(News-Dailymirror)
Tamil Nadu: From sympathy to support
When I sat to write this column last morning, Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayaram Jayalalitha was on her way to the MGR statue in Chennai to commence the token fast, to show her support to the Sri Lankan Tamils. Thousands of her party cadres had started their fast by that time. Jayalalitha’s ally Vaikoo, leader of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, and his party supporters too joined the fast.
The fast will add to the emotional upsurge already evident throughout Tamil Nadu since the October 2 fast by the Tamil Nadu branch of the Communist Party of India. “We are satisfied that our token fast on Gandhi Jayanthi day had brought out a feeling of support for the suffering Sri Lankan Tamils,” they said in a statement to the media on Monday.
The emotional upsurge will peak in the next four days, with several sections of the people coming out in the open to express support for the Sri Lankan Tamils. Students will enter the protest today. The powerful All India Students’ Federation has called for the boycott of classes today. Traders will shut their shops throughout Tamil Nadu on Friday to express their support. And on Sunday, the Tamil film industry will hold a massive demonstration at Rameswaram.
Film director Bharathi Raja, the main force behind the demonstration, said, “We hope to attract a massive crowd to Rameswaran. Most of the popular actors and actresses would be there. We will shout our slogans loud so that it could be heard across the Palk Strait.”
The film personalities will travel the distance of 600km from Chennai to Rameswaran by a special train and a convoy of buses, thus stimulating emotional support for Sri Lankan Tamils. They will have a demonstration and a public meeting on Sunday and return to Chennai on Monday.
The combined effort of the ‘show of support’by the students, traders and the film industry will transform the hitherto demonstrations by individual political parties into a mass support base for the Sri Lankan Tamils. Several pro-LTTE groups had demonstrated in the past ten days and their leaders had courted arrest.
The involvement of the students, traders and film artistes would increase LTTE’s already strong support base. A comparison of the results of a survey published by The New Indian Express on Sunday with that of Ananda Vikatan survey of August 8, shows a substantial increase of support for the LTTE.
The Ananda Vikatan survey, being the first, probed the mood of the people towards the LTTE. Its aim was to find whether the war in the Wanni and the persistent propaganda by the pro-LTTE pressure groups had affected the thinking of the people of Tamil Nadu. To everyone’s surprise it found that the mood of the Tamil Nadu Tamils had altered in favour of the LTTE.
That survey found that 47.65 of the respondents wanted the ban on the LTTE lifted. It also found that that 54.25 percent of the people supported the LTTE and 55.4 percent supported the LTTE’s goal of establishment of Tamil Eelam.
The New Indian Express; showed that the people who wanted the ban against the LTTE to be lifted, had slightly increased to 51 percent. But the opposition to the LTTE had slackened. Ananda Vikatan survey showed that 27.43 percent firmly opposed the lifting of the ban. Last Sunday’s survey revealed that only eight percent wanted the ban to be continued. The rest- 24.91 percent- adopted the position of wait and see.
Ananda Vikatan survey also found that about 43 percent of the people wanted LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran arrested and tried for the Rajiv Gandhi assassination; while 40.07 wanted him pardoned. The balance 16.90 percent maintained that Prabhakaran did not commit that crime. That mood has undergone significant change.
The New Indian Express survey asked: If Sri Lanka overran the LTTE and V. Prabhakaran is cornered, then… we would ask that he be sent here to stand trial for killing Rajiv Gandhi - 06 percent; he should be given asylum in Tamil Nadu - 23 percent; he should be tried by the Sri Lanka Government for various cases of assassinations - 12 percent; we should appeal to the UN to intervene - 25 percent; hope he is killed in battle to save everyone trouble - 03 percent; we should send troops to prevent this happening - 31 percent.
The New Indian Express survey went deeper into Tamil Nadu people’s support for the LTTE. It tried to find out the type of support they were prepared to give the Sri Lankan Tamil people. Eight percent said they would gladly take part in a bandh (hartal) to express solidarity with the Sri Lankan Tamils; 22 percent said they would support Tamil Nadu giving shelter to Sri Lankan refugees; 16 percent said they would do nothing because they don’t support the cause; 14 percent said they were not interested, but, 40 percent said they would gladly donate money and material to Tamil Eelam.
The survey also tried to get the impression the people had about the LTTE with the question: What is the LTTE? Twelve percent said that it is a terrorist organisation; 30 said they are freedom fighters; 22 percent said they work with others to promote the Tamil cause and 36 percent said they are the sole and genuine voice of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka.
The survey has clearly shown that support for the LTTE is growing in Tamil Nadu and that the Tamil people are aware of the leverage Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and its leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has in the central government. The survey shows that they want to make use of that weapon to make the central government intervene in the Sri Lankan problem.
The New Indian Express asked the people: What should our politicians do to help solve the Sri Lankan problem? Twenty six percent of the respondents said they should allow Sri Lanka to sort out its problem. But 34 percent said DMK should cut off ties with the UPA for arming and training the Sri Lankan army.
Forcing the Manmohan Singh Government to act, by pressurising Karunanidhi, is the strategy adopted by the pro-LTTE lobby, and Karunanidhi is going to do just that. Yesterday evening’s All Party Conference will authorise him to do that.(News-Bottomline)
The fast will add to the emotional upsurge already evident throughout Tamil Nadu since the October 2 fast by the Tamil Nadu branch of the Communist Party of India. “We are satisfied that our token fast on Gandhi Jayanthi day had brought out a feeling of support for the suffering Sri Lankan Tamils,” they said in a statement to the media on Monday.
The emotional upsurge will peak in the next four days, with several sections of the people coming out in the open to express support for the Sri Lankan Tamils. Students will enter the protest today. The powerful All India Students’ Federation has called for the boycott of classes today. Traders will shut their shops throughout Tamil Nadu on Friday to express their support. And on Sunday, the Tamil film industry will hold a massive demonstration at Rameswaram.
Film director Bharathi Raja, the main force behind the demonstration, said, “We hope to attract a massive crowd to Rameswaran. Most of the popular actors and actresses would be there. We will shout our slogans loud so that it could be heard across the Palk Strait.”
The film personalities will travel the distance of 600km from Chennai to Rameswaran by a special train and a convoy of buses, thus stimulating emotional support for Sri Lankan Tamils. They will have a demonstration and a public meeting on Sunday and return to Chennai on Monday.
The combined effort of the ‘show of support’by the students, traders and the film industry will transform the hitherto demonstrations by individual political parties into a mass support base for the Sri Lankan Tamils. Several pro-LTTE groups had demonstrated in the past ten days and their leaders had courted arrest.
The involvement of the students, traders and film artistes would increase LTTE’s already strong support base. A comparison of the results of a survey published by The New Indian Express on Sunday with that of Ananda Vikatan survey of August 8, shows a substantial increase of support for the LTTE.
The Ananda Vikatan survey, being the first, probed the mood of the people towards the LTTE. Its aim was to find whether the war in the Wanni and the persistent propaganda by the pro-LTTE pressure groups had affected the thinking of the people of Tamil Nadu. To everyone’s surprise it found that the mood of the Tamil Nadu Tamils had altered in favour of the LTTE.
That survey found that 47.65 of the respondents wanted the ban on the LTTE lifted. It also found that that 54.25 percent of the people supported the LTTE and 55.4 percent supported the LTTE’s goal of establishment of Tamil Eelam.
The New Indian Express; showed that the people who wanted the ban against the LTTE to be lifted, had slightly increased to 51 percent. But the opposition to the LTTE had slackened. Ananda Vikatan survey showed that 27.43 percent firmly opposed the lifting of the ban. Last Sunday’s survey revealed that only eight percent wanted the ban to be continued. The rest- 24.91 percent- adopted the position of wait and see.
Ananda Vikatan survey also found that about 43 percent of the people wanted LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran arrested and tried for the Rajiv Gandhi assassination; while 40.07 wanted him pardoned. The balance 16.90 percent maintained that Prabhakaran did not commit that crime. That mood has undergone significant change.
The New Indian Express survey asked: If Sri Lanka overran the LTTE and V. Prabhakaran is cornered, then… we would ask that he be sent here to stand trial for killing Rajiv Gandhi - 06 percent; he should be given asylum in Tamil Nadu - 23 percent; he should be tried by the Sri Lanka Government for various cases of assassinations - 12 percent; we should appeal to the UN to intervene - 25 percent; hope he is killed in battle to save everyone trouble - 03 percent; we should send troops to prevent this happening - 31 percent.
The New Indian Express survey went deeper into Tamil Nadu people’s support for the LTTE. It tried to find out the type of support they were prepared to give the Sri Lankan Tamil people. Eight percent said they would gladly take part in a bandh (hartal) to express solidarity with the Sri Lankan Tamils; 22 percent said they would support Tamil Nadu giving shelter to Sri Lankan refugees; 16 percent said they would do nothing because they don’t support the cause; 14 percent said they were not interested, but, 40 percent said they would gladly donate money and material to Tamil Eelam.
The survey also tried to get the impression the people had about the LTTE with the question: What is the LTTE? Twelve percent said that it is a terrorist organisation; 30 said they are freedom fighters; 22 percent said they work with others to promote the Tamil cause and 36 percent said they are the sole and genuine voice of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka.
The survey has clearly shown that support for the LTTE is growing in Tamil Nadu and that the Tamil people are aware of the leverage Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and its leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has in the central government. The survey shows that they want to make use of that weapon to make the central government intervene in the Sri Lankan problem.
The New Indian Express asked the people: What should our politicians do to help solve the Sri Lankan problem? Twenty six percent of the respondents said they should allow Sri Lanka to sort out its problem. But 34 percent said DMK should cut off ties with the UPA for arming and training the Sri Lankan army.
Forcing the Manmohan Singh Government to act, by pressurising Karunanidhi, is the strategy adopted by the pro-LTTE lobby, and Karunanidhi is going to do just that. Yesterday evening’s All Party Conference will authorise him to do that.(News-Bottomline)
Karu leads by example
In an era when politicians are quick to take wing to seek foreign treatment even for a cold, Public Administration Minister Karu Jayasuriya recently led by example when he underwent a major surgery at none other than Colombo South Teaching Hospital in Kalubowila.
During a six hour operation to treat diverticulitis, a digestive disease particularly found in the large intestine, Dr. Jayasuriya was attended by Prof of the Kalubowila Hospital Dr. Mohan De Silva. He is also the Professor of Surgery at the Faculty of Medical Science, University of Sri Jayawardenapura.
It is common knowledge that Ministers, political, business as well as social VVIPs avoid getting treatment from local hospitals, especially state owned ones, due to lack of confidence over the expertise and facilities that’s offered by such institutes.
However, medical sources said that on the part of Minister Jayasuriya, it was a classic example of someone having faith in local healthcare expertise as well as facilities.
“One exemplary deed sounds louder than thousand words by a Minister. In Jayasuriya’s case it involved his health hence his gesture is highly commendable,” they quipped.
During a six hour operation to treat diverticulitis, a digestive disease particularly found in the large intestine, Dr. Jayasuriya was attended by Prof of the Kalubowila Hospital Dr. Mohan De Silva. He is also the Professor of Surgery at the Faculty of Medical Science, University of Sri Jayawardenapura.
It is common knowledge that Ministers, political, business as well as social VVIPs avoid getting treatment from local hospitals, especially state owned ones, due to lack of confidence over the expertise and facilities that’s offered by such institutes.
However, medical sources said that on the part of Minister Jayasuriya, it was a classic example of someone having faith in local healthcare expertise as well as facilities.
“One exemplary deed sounds louder than thousand words by a Minister. In Jayasuriya’s case it involved his health hence his gesture is highly commendable,” they quipped.
LTTE fans play foul against Lankan cricketers in Canada
Sri Lanka’s cricket team was given a hard time by a group of people, suspected to be Tamils living in Canada, who showed their disapproval of the cricketers being present for the Canada Cup 20-20 cricket tournament. The incident occurred after the final which Sri Lanka won. The protest took place at road near King City grounds in Toronto.The protestors tried to stop the bus in which the Sri Lankan cricketers were heading back to their hotel. But the attempt to stop the bus was halted thanks to the Canadian Policemen who were on duty.
The angry crowd waved LTTE flags and later threw stones and eggs at the bus in which the Sri Lankan cricket team was traveling. None of the players were injured.
A policeman on duty said that the law enforcement officers couldn’t prevent the group from staging the protest because the Canadian Law didn’t prevent such acts (protest).
Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the Canada Daya Perera and Council General of Toronto Bandula Jayasekara condemned the behaviour of the crowd.(News-Bottomline)
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