LTTE retreating in Lanka: The Time of India

On Friday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met an array of Sri Lankan political forces in Colombo, ahead of the SAARC summit. Those he met included Tamil groups opposed to and sympathetic to the LTTE. To everyone he had one message: India would like democratic forces to prevail in Sri Lanka's northeast.

Meanwhile, the refugee flow into India is manageable. New Delhi is also relentlessly pursuing the LTTE in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere so that it does not source war materials from India. This is music to Colombo's ears.

Less than three years after it took on Colombo with aggressive war mongering, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is desperate for fighters, say Tamil activists and diplomatic sources.

According to Tamil sources in the island's troubled northeast, the LTTE is appealing to Tamil families to contribute at least one member each, irrespective of age and gender, to take on the advancing military.

The LTTE now controls about 4,000 sq km - or just six percent of Sri Lanka's land territory. And the population under its control is said to be about 250,000 - a mere 1.25 percent of the country's total.

This is a far cry from 2005 when it controlled a vast area in Sri Lanka's north and east. However, soon after President Mahinda Rajapaksa took power in November that year, the LTTE took the offensive, stoking a war that rages to this day.

Military officials say that the LTTE's ability to counter-attack in a major way has been seriously eroded over the past year. The loss of the east has meant that the LTTE has lost valuable training ground and a region where it recruited cadres to wage war.

While Sri Lankan leaders admit that it will be impossible to crush the LTTE as long as a sense of Tamil nationalism exists, the LTTE appears to be on the retreat in the north. But those who have known the LTTE warn that it will not give up, come what may.

Most diplomats feel that neither Colombo nor the LTTE desire talks. Colombo certainly thinks it is winning the war. And although the pro-LTTE media makes noises about the need for a dialogue, there is no guarantee the LTTE wants that.

In any case, calls for peace talks are dismissed in Colombo as a disguised pro-LTTE stand. The state refuses to listen to hectoring on human rights. Western activists are told that they cannot cross a line. If they do, reaction is swift.

In Sri Lanka, the two most key anti-LTTE Tamil leaders, former Tiger commander Karuna and his deputy and Eastern Province Chief Minister Pillayan, appear to have made up. Residents in the east say that Karuna will be in charge of party affairs while Pillayan will handle only affairs related to the provincial government.

Karuna's men are reportedly looking for 300 ex-LTTE cadres they believe are hiding in Colombo. It is trying to hunt them down in the Tamil areas of the capital with the help of the security forces.

At the same time, Sri Lanka seems to be in no hurry to unveil a political package that would be acceptable even to Tamil moderates.

Source: The Time of India.

Nallur Kandasamy annual festival commences today

The annual festival of Nallur Kanthasamy Kovil (Temple) in Jaffna commences today with Kodi Etram - the ceremony of flag hoisting to mark the beginning of the temple festival. The festival will commence at 10 AM, in the morning. According to tradition, Nallur Kanthasamy Temple is said to be one of the few temples in the peninsula that practices rites and observances according to Saiva agama traditions, and reflected with regularity, splendor and pageantry.Nallur Kanthasamy Kovil is one of the most important temples in the Jaffna peninsula.

The annual festival used to commence on the sixth day of the Adi Amavaci – New moon in the month of Aadi (July) and would last for 25 days.Nallur Kanthasamy Kovil is one of the most important temples in the Jaffna peninsula. The annual festival used to commence on the sixth day of the Adi Amavaci – New moon in the month of Aadi (July) and would last for 25 days.

The temple festival will be held for the next 25 days. Unlike earlier annual festivals, according to the temple authorities, this year too the festival is to be held with subdued version of the pageant and pageantry.

The day pooja (adoration of deities with rituals) is to be held with the temple deity taken into procession within the inner court of the temple.

The evening pooja during the festival days will be held with the deity taken in procession at 4.45 pm. Temple authorities revealed that the day’s pooja will be over by 5.30 pm in the evening .

Today, the temple flag will be brought in procession from the ‘Theradi Murugan matt’ located at the Sattanathar Street, to be used for the hoisting.

The annual festival is expected to draw tens of thousands of pilgrims from all corners of the country and also this year, a few dozens of Tamil expatriates from Western countries are expected to arrive for the festival.

Light Tremor Felt In Tangalle

Light earth tremor felt in Tangalle, Beliatte, Ranna & Kudawella around 5.45am. No damages to property or any threat from it-Met Dept

over 20 terrorists killed - Vavuniya

Sri Lankan Army thrashed an LTTE offensive attempt in general area west of Kalvilan in Vavuniya front killing over 20 LTTE terrorists and injuries many others this afternoon, 5 August, the latest information received from the Vavuniya battlefront said.

According to the available sources, hours long fighting ensued between LTTE terrorists and security forces lasted till 8.00 PM and troops have retaliated with Multi Barrel Rocket Launchers (MBRL) and artillery.

11 terrorists killed,

Security forces personnel engaged in offensive march to liberate the Wanni from terror grip further advanced into LTTE territory inflicting damages to the enemy in Vavuniaya front, the finalized military report received from the battlefront said. 11 LTTE terrorists were killed and 7 others suffered injuries while an army personnel has made his utmost sacrifice for the sake of motherland. 3 more soldiers also received injuries in yesterday's clashes ensued, the report further added.

Troops launched an attack targeting terror bunker defences in general area Navatkulam and by intercepting LTTE radio transmission confirmed that one terrorist was killed and another suffered injuries. Separately, 5 more LTTE terrorists were killed when the troops attacked LTTE bunker defences in general area Thunukkai.

Meanwhile, 5 LTTE terrorists were killed and 6 others suffered injuries in a confrontation took place in general area Palamoddai. 2 soldiers also suffered injuries in this incident.

SAARC Declaration to Call for United Effort Against Terrorism

South Asian leaders meeting in Sri Lanka will today commit themselves to fighting terrorism in their region and call for joint efforts to fight what the Indian leader the "scourge of terrorism."
The eight leaders of the regional bloc will today wind up their two day summit after a morning "retreat" where they will exchange views and ideas without their supporting aides.
The "retreat" that has now become a regular feature following the practice adopted by the Commonwealth heads of government and leaders of the Asia Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) gives leaders an opportunity to express views freely.
It is expected that the issue of terrorism will figure prominently. The initial statements of regional leaders at the summit opening showed that this remained a major concern particularly after last month’s spate of bombings in India and against the Indian Embassy in Kabul in which two Indian diplomatic officials at the mission died.
President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh both made specific reference to these bombings while Pakistan Prime Minister Yosuf Raza Gilani called for a united front against terrorism.
Yesterday’s statements on terrorism indicated what could be expected in the summit declaration. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called terrorism the "biggest single threat" to stability and peace in the region and stressed that terrorists and extremists know no borders. He said that member states must fight to preserve democratic values of pluralism and the rule of law.
Earlier Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa who assumed the chairmanship of SAARC for the next year had pointed out that all countries in the region had faced terrorism and extremism at some time and some member states still do.
He was adamant in his stance that there are no good terrorists and that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations should be wiped out.
After the meetings of the SAARC Council of Ministers, its chairman Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama had said that terrorism will be included as an offence in the Mutual Agreement on Criminal Matters that is to be signed by the SAARC leaders.
At that point Bogollagama said he was not in a position to reveal details but it is understood that by incorporating terrorism within the meaning of the agreement will provide countries with more cooperation to prosecute terrorism-related offences.
This will enhance inter-governmental assistance such as exchange of information and intelligence.
The 15th SAARC summit has been a triumph for Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama whose first major conference involving regional leaders since assuming the office around 18 months ago.
This was the real test of Bogollagama’s prowess in steering SAARC in the coming year will be how well he is able to push through with the implementation of the people-centred policy that is at the heart of Sri Lanka’s year of chairmanship.
Bogollagama is very much a practical man and he would wish to leave his mark on the organisation before he hands over the reigns to the next leader of the Council of Ministers.
The opening ceremony featured colourfully-attired artistes performing a sequence of dances outside the impressive Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) as the leaders were driven in to be greeted by the Sri Lankan foreign minister and then by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Also there to receive the visiting leaders and conduct them on stage was Sri Lanka’s new Chief of Protocol Sudantha Ganegama Aaratchi.