A protocol Manual completed by Mrs. Manel Abeyesekara, a former Chief of Protocol and career Ambassador, was presented to Minister of Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera, at the Foreign Ministry last Tuesday (05-09-2006). An initiative to update her original Manual mooted by the late Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, this publication was therefore dedicated to him and is a comprehensive work on Protocol. Foreign Secretary H.M.G.S. Palihakkara and Mrs. Suganthie Kadirgamar were also present.
 

• ...any military aggression on their part would entail military costs to them
  –Foreign Minister
  Forces seize Tigers’ Jaffna frontline
  Against the backdrop of the Sampur success, the Government over the weekend smashed the LTTE fortifications across the Kilaly-Muhamalai line in the Jaffna theatre.
  
  

• Weapons supply to Indian terror groups
  Chennai police probe LTTE role
  The Chennnai police are probing LTTE links into an arms shipment from Tamil Nadu. The investigators believe that the LTTE had connections with the internally based terrorist groups in India. Shortly before the investigations, former Tamil Nadu Chief minister, Jayalalitha Jayaram stated that LTTE was the most feared terrorist organization and Tamil Nadu would not intervene to stop any action to neutralize the outfit, ‘The Hindu’ said.

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• You are losing the battle, ‘Sangaree tells Prabakaran
  The President of the TULF, V.Anandasangaree, in a letter to Velupillai Prabakaran, has observed that the LTTE leader is losing the battle and the Eelam War is coming to an end. Stating that the the 23-year-old war has taken the people back to the bullock cart age, he has called on Prabakaran to call off the struggle without making things worse.
   

• War and learning from our mistakes
  The murder of Kethesh Loganathan marked the first anniversary of the death of the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement (CFA), which occurred when Lakshman Kadirgamar was assassinated. In retrospect, it should be clear that the murder of Kadirgamar was the first shot in the Fourth Eelam War. Since then, there has been a return to full-scale hostilities. Muslims, Tamils and Sinhalese have been killed in large numbers, lakhs of people have been displaced, ugly war crimes are routinely perpetrated by all the armed parties. Who is to blame for this situation? And how can we escape from the seemingly endless cycle of war, ceasefire, and then more war?
   

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• SLMANA provides well-built houses for tsunami-hit fishermen
  Sri Lanka Medical Association of North America (SLMANA) yesterday handed over 40 houses constructed for the tsunami affected fishermen in the Payagala South. This new project named the ‘Long Island Fishing Village’ was built at a cost of Rs. 20 million donated by the SLMANA with good quality building materials with other infrastructure requirements.
   

• Shame on you Minister Rohitha!!!
  During the yesterday’s launch of housing handover ceremony The Island Financial Review learnt that, since the launch of construction last year, necessary support has not been extended by the respective authorities of the area which also include the Foreign Employment Promotion Minister and Deputy Minister for Post and Telecommunication Rohitha Abeygunawardena.

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• Trinity tame Royal in their own den
  Trinity College hooker Mahen Wickramasiri powered by some fabulous play guided the visitors for a comfortable victory against Royal College (21 – 10) in the first leg of the 62nd Bradby Shield played at the Royal Sports Complex on Saturday. Trinity led 7-3 at the breather.

  Trinity’s vice-captain and lock forward Shehan Deane gets hold of the ball off a line out as his Royal counterpart Dimithri Siriwardene fails in his attempt at the first leg of the Trinity Royal Bradby Sheild rugby encounter at the Royal College complex on Saturday.Pic by Nishan S. Priyantha.

   

• Sharapova wins US Open
  Maria Sharapova won the US Open on Saturday defeating Justine Henin-Hardenne 6-4, 6-4 with a riveting display of power-hitting.
  It was the 19-year-old Russian's second Grand Slam title to go with her 2004 Wimbledon win.

  Maria Sharapova of Russia (3) holds her trophy as the lid comes off after winning the woman's final match against Justine Henin-Hardenne of Belguim (2) at the 2006 US Open at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York 09 September 2006. The US Open runs until 10 September. (AP)

   
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