Prabakaran targeted

Sri Lanka war weary troops have begun to lay siege of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts, targeting a high valued crucially figure. In the meantime ‘News-Lanka’ reliably learnt that an untenable situation has arisen over the safety of Velupillai Prabakaran, the reclusive Leader of the Tamil separatists and terrorists outfit, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, as the defensive arrangement to safeguard him turning out to be more and more porous and indefensible. V. Prabakaran - Days are numbered?V. Prabakaran - Days are numbered?

Defense spokesperson, Minister Keheliaya Rambukawella said, "So far by our successful operation in the North, LTTE is in a disarray and we found them very weak and their resistance might crumble at any time. According to our Intelligence report Prabakarn keeps on shifting from one bunker to another for his security. However, Sri Lankan forces are determined to capture him alive.

He said, "We learnt that Tamil diaspora are very much concerned about the safety of Prabakaran and they are frantically contacting Norway to safeguard him from the imminent capture by the Sri Lankan forces. Norwegians are trying to sprit him away to some safe haven in Africa most probably Eritrea.

He said, "We are not certain whether Norwegians might take him to Eritrea as earlier rumored, but the latest grapevine is that he will be taken out of Vanni to a most safest destination, probably in Africa.

While the Tamil diaspora have begun to show concern about the safety of Prabakaran, captains of Sri Lanka defense are showing interest in trying to arrest him alive to make him answerable for all crimes he was alleged to be responsible against humanity.

Dr. Keheliaya Rambukawella, Sri Lanka Governments Spokesperson on Defence and National Security said that Sri Lankan troops are getting closer and closer, inch by inch daily towards Prabakaran. He added that latest intelligence reports revealed that Tamil diaspora are pressing Prabakaran to leave the country for safety and Norway has been requested to make arrangement for sdafe refuge.

Minister Rambukawella said that the capture of Illupaikadai, the last bastion of the LTTE in the Northwest coast of the Mannar district has brought 95 percent of the district under the Government’s control.

He said that after the liberation of the East, seizing of Silavathurai on 02 September 2007, in the Mannar district sealed LTTE movements in Wilpattu National Park and in the border villages in the Puttalam District, has led the way for chasing out the LTTE out of the Mannar district.

He explained LTTE cadres were evicted from the coastal villages and Sri Lanka Navy will be in the future who would effectively monitor the sea movements of the Sea Tiger vessels in the Palk Bay.

Sri Lanka Navy believes once the North west border villages are taken back Latte’s smuggling activities from India would be halted. They also believed that once Tiger boats are effectively stopped in the Gulf Bay, complaints of Tamil Nadu fishermen would cease.

12 terrorists killed, 30 injured

12 LTTE terrorists were killed and 30 others reported wounded Tuesday (July 22) when security forces pushed into LTTE defences in general area Murunkaiaddipiddi at the combined Mannar- Vavuniya front, MCNS reports.

According to the sources, troops have destroyed 5 LTTE bunkers during the multiple attacks launched between 12 noon and 3p.m., also recovering 4 LTTE bodies during subsequent search operations conducted in the area, located 5km Northeast of Iluppaikkadavai.

Lady of Madhu has reached back to Madhu

The sacred statue of Our Lady of Madhu has reached the Bishop House in Mannar until its eventual journey back to the Madhu Church. It is obvious that efforts by Rev.Dr. Rayappu, Bishop of Mannar to make a case for keeping the statue away from Madhu has failed.The sacred statue of Our Lady of MadhuThe sacred statue of Our Lady of Madhu

Catholics in Italy especially in Napoli and Rome were sending petition to the Holy See and specially the Papal Nuncio in Colombo who always opposed the LTTE terrorists for having interceded in the matter and brought final victory for the Catholics in Sri Lanka. Catholics in Italy will assemble as a group and thank the Holy See for the intervention. They are planning to have a special mass with progressive Catholic Priests for answering their prayers.

The Asian Tribune received the following press release regarding the statue of the Madhu Statue:

The announcement made by Bishop of Mannar Rev. Dr. Rayappu that the Sacred Statue of Our Lady of Madhu has been temporarily brought by to the Bishop’s House, in Mannar today the 22nd of July is a final victory for Sri Lankan Catholics and especially for Sri Lankan Catholics in Italy.

The Catholics in Italy rejoiced when the Bishop of Mannar also announced that the Sacred Statue will be taken back to its original abode Madhu, when the situation becomes conducive after due penitential services according to the tradition and practice of the Catholic Church.

This announcement has at last borne fruition to the agitation of the Sri Lankan Catholics in Italy, to safeguard Madhu from the clutches of the LTTE terrorists. From the time Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa telephoned Ambassador in Italy Hemantha Warnakulasuriya requesting him to intervene in getting the statute of Our Lady Madhu , it was a tireless effort by the progressive Sri Lankan Catholic Community in Italy who urged the Pope to interfere in this issue.

Earlier Catholic Bishops Conference was making noises about declaring the Madhu Church as a ‘no peace zone’ and that the Army and the LTTE must vacate the holy place to return the Madhu Statue which was taken by Bishop Rayappu to Tiger controlled area giving credence to the belief that Catholic Shrine was safe in Thevanpidy, an area under the control of the Tigers and also informing the international community that there are two territories and two states.

But the Sri Lankan Catholic Community in Italy signed a petition requesting the Holy See to intervene to rid the holy sanctuary of Madhu from the LTTE. “Bishop Rayappu had to eat humble pie when he ostensibly on the orders of the Holy See made a pronouncement that the LTTE should leave the Sanctuary.

This was few days before the Petition to be handed over to the Holy See. This petition gathered international recognition and Italian Catholics joined the Sri Lankan patriotic Catholics in Italy.

After the LTTE vacated the church and was occupied by the Army, the church was handed over to the trustees; however, the Sri Lankan Ambassador was jolted when he met Sri Lankan Catholics in Napoli. He was questioned by a strong Catholic community why he has given up his cause to bring back the Madhu Statue to the Madhu Church.

In fact the Catholics castigated Bishop Rayappu statement that the Madhu feast will be held without the statue. The Napoli Catholics wanted the Ambassador to mediate and find a time with the Holy See to hand over a petition to the Holy Father requesting him to intercede and order Bishop Rayppu to bring the statue back.

As Mr. Warnakualsuriya is not the Ambassador to the Vatican, the petition and the request was forwarded to another Ambassador T.B. Maduwegedera, who is the Ambassador in Germany. He is the accredited representative to the Vatican.

Ambassador Maduwegedera requested yesterday morning the Vatican to give time on Thursday to hand over the Petition of the Catholics from Rome and Vatican.

On Tuesday July 22nd at 11 a.m. the Madhu Statue has reached the Bishop House in Mannar.

The talk and the action of the Bishop Rayappu is resented by many progressive Catholics in Italy. In fact in Padua where the biggest gathering of Catholics resides, protested the manner the Statue of Madhu was taken to Thevanapidy earlier. Strangely, the Catholic Bishops Conference who have been extolling the virtue of peace and giving the LTTE a easy ride to call for peace and commit war will have to do a lot explaining about the steps leading to the statue leaving Madhu.

However, the statue has been brought to Mannar without fulfilling any of the conditions imposed by the Bishops Conference or the dictates of Rayappu who seem to be above the other Bishops.

Now the Catholics in Italy especially in Napoli and Rome are changing their petition to thank the Holy See and specially the Papal Nuncio in Colombo who always opposed the Tamil Tigers for having interceded in the matter and at last brought final victory for the Catholics in Sri Lanka. Now they will assemble in a small group and thank the Holy See for the intervention. They are planning to have a special mass with progressive Catholic Priests for answering their prayer.

JHU and NFF concerned over CEPA

The Jaathika Hela Urumaya has expressed serious concern over the proposed Indo-Lanka Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and conveyed the party's apprehensions to Minister G.L. Peiris. At a recent discussion with the minister, the Venerable Athureliye Ratana said that CEPA could turn out to be the same as SAPTA (South Asia Preferential Trade Agreement) or even worse.

He recalled that SAPTA brought no benefit to Sri Lanka. According to him its only outcome was that it enabled India export everything from the humble karapincha leaf to TATA buses and Maruti cars to Sri Lanka. He asked how is it possible for Sri Lankan products to compete with these.

Among the other participants in the discussion were JHU members Minister Champika Ranawaka, Udaya Gammanpila, Nishantha Warnasuriya and Anuruddha Pradeep.

National Freedom Front Leader Wimal Weerawansa said that CEPA is bound to cause seriously harm to Sri Lanka. According to him the Indian authorities have consulted around 1000 Indian economists on CEPA. But in Sri Lanka's case it was the opposite, he alleged. Instead of consulting professionals attempts were being made to conceal the proposed agreement from Parliament and have it signed during the SAARC Summit after getting Cabinet approval. (It is however now understood that the agreement will not be signed on the sidelines of SAARC).

Government rejects LTTE’s unilateral ceasefire offer

Sri Lanka Government rejected unilateral ceasefire offer by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the separatist Tamil Tiger outfit.

Responding to an oral question raised by Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa, in the floor of Sri Lanka parliament today, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said the government does not response to this offer. He said a number of local and international allies try to stop operations against the rebels.

"At present government is defeating the terrorists .We never stop these operations," he said. A rebel statement said the Tigers would refrain from military action during the 15th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) conference but warned they would be forced to take "defensive action" if the island's military carried out any offensives against them.

The government sources further said, it had not received an official ceasefire notification from the rebels and expressed wariness about the move.

Meanwhile the head of the government peace secretariat, Rajiva Wijesinghe, said the government needs time to carefully consider the LTTE call for a ceasefire during the SAARC summit and will wait till it is officially communicated.

22 LTTE suicide bombers killed in air raid

Air Force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara speaking to defence.lk said that 22 LTTE suicide bombers (Black Tigers ) were killed in the air raid carried out this morning (July 22) at the Uddayarkattukulam LTTE camp.

Citing Air Force intelligence sources , he said that the group of the slain LTTE cadres had been engaged in a rehearsal of a major suicide operation at the time of the air raid.

Air Force fighter jets launched an air strike targeting pre identified LTTE special operation training facility located Northeast of Uddayarkattukulam in the Mullaittiuvu district around 8.15a.m.

The Air Force sources said, targeted camp was providing training for LTTE cadres in special operations and in leadership for the terror leaders. Activities in the terror camp had a significant increase recently, the sources added.