"Help to evict Sinhala Forces from Tamil Home Land"---TNA Parliamentary group

The Tamil National Alliance Parliamentary Group has urged the international community to help evict the Sinhala Forces from the Tamil Homeland and recognize the right for self-determination of the Tamils.

The statement released by the Parliamentary Group has strongly condemned the Government of Sri Lanka’s decision to call all NGOs and foreign aid workers to leave from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled areas (generally known as the Wanni).

The TNA Parliamentary Group said, "These Non Governmental Organizations and Agencies were helping the already many times internally displaced Tamil people. This demand for the aid agencies to leave comes at a juncture when the Government of Sri Lanka is indiscriminately bombing these already displaced people every day using its air force and artillery. It will be another blow to the already physically and psychologically affected people if these aid workers left the Wanni."

The statement went on to say, "These aid workers were helping rebuild life of people after the 2004 Tsunami, de-mining, humanitarian assistance to children affected by the war and other general humanitarian work. They were not involved in any major development work or building factories to assist large scale manufacturing. As they were performing humanitarian work with approval not just from the Government of Sri Lanka but from the LTTE as well, we feel leaving these helpless people at this juncture without seeking consent from both warring parties is inappropriate and irresponsible.

"People were displaced fearing for their lives and to secure relatively steady supply of food and medicines. These aid agencies should think and recognize their responsibilities before leaving these helpless people who are living under appalling conditions under tress and in temporary accommodations.

"Demanding people to leave their homes and to displace over and over again to secure safety, food and medicine is a breach of their human rights.

"This clearly demonstrates the insincerity, inhumane and the genocidal motives of the Sinhala State of Sri Lanka and its current government. We request the international community to recognize the ulterior motives of the government of Sri Lanka and to acknowledge that it is impossible to on the one hand unleash a genocidal war and on the other pretend to be acting in a humanitarian fashion.

We therefore demand the international community to help evict the Sinhala Forces from the Tamil Homeland and recognize the right for self-determination of the Tamils."

Paris Hindus chose Ganesh pooja over LTTE diktat

Hindu devotees in their hundreds participated in the Ganesha pooja at the Hindu temple in Paris and broke thousands of coconuts as a part of ritual defying the orders issued by the Tamil Tigers 'not to waste money to break coconuts when the people in the north and east are displaced'.

The trustees of Sri Manika Vinayakar Alayam denounced the Tamil Tigers for their attempts to interfere with Ganesha pooja from October 31 to September 3. Immediately after the temple authorities announced the schedule of Ganesha pooja, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) pasted posters in Tamil dominated La Chappelle area in Paris urging Hindu population to boycott the coconut pooja, which is an integral part of the Ganesha pooja.

"Instead of breaking coconuts for Ganesha pooja, donate the amount you spend for coconuts and for cleaning the Paris roads after the pooja for the special fund for displaced Tamils in the north and east," the LTTE poster urged. The poster carried photographs of previous year's Ganesha pooja and a crying child allegedly starving at a refugee camp. In this poster, the Ganesha pooja picture was cut across with an 'X' and it called on the Hindus to contribute funds to the Tamil Refugee Organisation (TRO). The poster urged the Hindus to see first about the current situation before thinking of salvation in future reincarnations.

"The LTTE poster is nothing but religious sacrilege," Vijayan Arumugan, a Hindu devote said. "The LTTE can raise funds at any other place, but not at the cost of a sacred Hindu ritual". He added that the Tamils have serious doubts in any case whether the funds collected by the TRO would go to the welfare of the displaced people.In the Kovil - breaking coconuts to fulfill vowsIn the Kovil - breaking coconuts to fulfill vows

The TRO (ORT France) is under investigation currently as the documents seized from 17 arrested LTTE cadres in France have revealed the close links between the LTTE and ORT France. The Sri Lanka Embassy in Paris urged the European Union to ban the TRO as it is a front organization of the LTTE.

NCP doctors plan token strike

Over five hundred doctors in the North Central Province plan to go on a token strike on Wednesday (17) as they have not been paid their on call, availability and transport allowances for three months.

Government Medical Officers’ Association, spokesman, Dr. Upul Gunasekara said there was a ‘coup’ against the health services of the North Central province by the provincial council. "We have seen the lack of enthusiasm they show towards solving the issue,"he said.

The Doctors of the Anuradhapura General Hospital would join the token strike despite being paid the allowances, in support of their counterparts in other hospitals under the provincial government.

Only the doctors of the Anuradhapura General Hospital have been paid the allowances, as they come under the central government. The rest of the doctors in the district and the doctors serving in Polonnaruwa have not been paid the on call, availability and transport allowances. These doctors come under the provincial government

The Health Ministry too has shown little interest as they have not done their duty by the doctors of this province, he said. The Ministry on its part has failed to appreciate the service rendered by the doctors of the Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura districts.

They have ensured that there was no breakdown in the services provided by them during the war and have left no room for foreign NGO’s to send their doctors to take care of war casualties as is done in other war ravaged countries.

Gunasekara said the doctors would maintain emergency services but refrain from attending to OPD patients and warded patients.

However, if the provincial government and the ministry take steps to settle the issue by paying the allowances pending for three months, the doctors would gladly give up ideas of the token strike, he said.

Security News 09/10/2008

Troops of the 57 Division, operating in general area Akkarayankulama in Mullaittiuvu, confronted a group of terrorists and subsequently recovered a LTTE terrorist body and few warlike items, Tuesday (Sep 9). A T-56 assault riffle, 01x I-com set, a motor cycle and few other accessories were also found by the troops during a search operation, according Wanni security sources.


Air Force jets engage LTTE’s main intelligence headquarters 1 km west of Kilinochchi at 6.45am, SLAF confirms target accurate-SLAF Spokesman

Nepal experienced heavy monsoon rains--- Sri Lanka Helps

The Government of Sri Lanka as a mark of a solidarity with the people of Nepal has donated a sum of US$ 25,000 as relief assistance for victims of the recent floods. A cheque for this amount was handed over to Rt.Hon.Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Prime Minister of Nepal by Mr. Ranawaeera Banda, Charge d’ Affaires of the Sri Lanka Embassy in Kathmandu last Saturday (06 September 2008).

This token contribution for relief efforts in Nepal is a symbolic manifestation of Sri Lanka’s friendly and warm relations with the Government and people of Nepal as the flood victims begin to rebuild their lives.

Nepal experienced heavy monsoon rains last month displacing nearly 60,000 people in Sunsari District in the Eastern part of the country.

INGOs asked to quit LTTE-held area

With major ground battles expected in the Vanni theatre in the coming weeks if not days, the government has advised all INGOs including the UN agencies and NGOs to quit the LTTE-held area.

Defence Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday said that the government wanted them to set up a base in the security forces controlled area. Responding to queries raised at Tuesday's press conference at the Media Centre for National Security, he questioned the conduct of some INGOs and NGOs. He expressed concern over the possibility of the LTTE endangering the lives of local and expatriate staff.

The army is stepping up pressure on the LTTE with troops on one flank positioned at the southern edge of Akkarayankulam tank about 12 kilometres away from Kilinochchi. The government has said that it could no longer ensure the safety of aid workers in the LTTE-controlled area.

Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that Task Force I, Task Force II, 57 Division on the western flank and the 59 Division on the eastern flank were making steady progress.

In a brief statement issued Tuesday, UN mission in Colombo said that it was in the process of evaluating operations with a view to re-locating humanitarian staff. "A precise timetable for the complete withdrawal of all staff is yet to be determined, but relocations will begin this week," it said.

ICRC spokesperson Ms Sarasi Wijeratne last night said they were continuing operations in the area. Responding to our query she said the ICRC was not asked to vacate the area.

Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe has briefed the Consultative Committee on Humanitarian Assistance (CCHA) of the government decision. The meeting took place on Monday (8) after Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa called for immediate relocation of INGOs and NGOs

Samarasinghe said that government was responsible for the safety and security of all INGO and NGO staff. Urging them to continue their relief, the minister reiterated the government's commitment to look after the displaced through District Secretaries as was done in Vakarai. The CCHA also appointed a committee to be chaired by Basil Rajapaksa, MP to discuss operational issues with the UN and INGOs.