This line of 28 bullock carts carrying loads of illicit timber seized by the STF in Pottuvil was captured by our staff photographer Dimuthu Premaratne while they were wending their way to the Pottuvil Magistrate’s Court last Thursday. Twenty eight suspects were also arrested by the STF and handed over to the police in this connection. The STF claims that the kingpins behind this multi-million rupee timber racket were responsible for generating public wrath by accusing the commandos of the recent massacre of the 10 civilians at Radella.
Inset: Kareem Meera Mohideen, the sole survivor. Pix by Dimuthu Premarthne

• Dhanapala: It was the right thing at the right moment
  Jayantha Dhanapala, who pulled out his candidacy for the post of UN secretary-general, said yesterday that withdrawing had been "the right thing to do at the right moment in the interest of securing a consensus around an Asian candidate"."Naturally, one is disappointed that the international community did not recognise my experience and qualifications, which were readily conceded by everybody," Dhanapala told the Sunday Island, on his return to Sri Lanka. "It seems to me that decisions (at the Security Council) are more politics-based than merit-based... and I think analysing the politics of it must wait a while."
   

• Six indicted on charges of arms brokering for LTTE and Indonesia
  BALTIMORE (AP) - Three people suspected as arms brokers for the LTTE terrorist group were arrested as they thought they were closing a deal to send missiles, grenade launchers and other weapons to Sri Lanka, U.S. prosecutors said.
   

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• If the stock market’s the barometer we’re headed for peace!
  If the stock market is an accurate barometer, then Sri Lanka is at last headed in the right direction towards peace. The market reacted last week to comforting headlines that the UNP – SLFP talks were going nicely and, mirabile dictu, that parallel talks between the greens and the JVP too were to begin. These, it appeared, had been initiated by MP T. Maheswaran who, according to reports, had been given the go ahead by Ranil Wickremesinghe. There were even uncontradicted newspaper reports that Maheswaran, Bandula Gunawardene, Gamini Jaywickrema Perera and Vajira Abeywardene will represent the UNP at the proposed talks. 


 
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• Somawansa speaks out
  Straight talk, hard questions
  JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe said last week that he never meant to degrade any profession when likening the SLFP to a ‘prostitute’, clarifying that he was only referring to the governing party’s tendency to vacillate. He also said that the JVP’s continued ambition was to ensure that the UNP never returns to power. And speaking candidly about the controversy involving his sister, Amarasinghe said that the courts must establish she was running a brothel. Excerpts:

• ‘The law denies Justice to the poor’
  Mr. L: This is certainly not the first occasion you have visited Sri Lanka. You have over the years made a very valuable contribution on developments in several areas of the law. Swarajya, a movement in Sri Lanka, who have invited you to Sri Lanka is trying its best to create a new culture empowering the people at the lowest possible level and your contribution in Colombo will be in regard to the experience of India with regard to the Panchayats and the constutionalising of the Panchayat idea.

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• Ceylon Oxygen to be de-listed by new owners
  Ceylon Oxygen Ltd. (COL), the once British-owned company acquired by the government under the Business Acquisition Act in the 1970s, and then `peoplised' during the Premadasa regime will be de-listed from the Colombo Stock Exchange if its present controlling shareholder, Specialist Gasses (Private) Ltd. (SGL) now holding 70.85% of the company increases its shareholding to not less than 75% by a mandatory offer for minority share that is now open.
   

• 42% of Apollo now under Insurance Corp. belt
  The Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation Limited (SLIC) has received acceptances for slightly over 65.7 million ordinary voting shares of the Lanka Hospitals Corporation Limited (LHCL), the owners of the Apollo Hospital, amounting to 41.98% of the company’s issued capital, following a mandatory offer it made to all shareholders in accordance with the Securities & Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Takeovers and Mergers Code.
   

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• Dumped by dowry hunters
  Her name means "beautiful girl" in Punjabi. Yet for Rupinder Kaur Chahal, her life feels anything but. The shy 25-year-old resident of Deenashabib, a plain village in the Moga district of India’s Punjab state, says her life is over before if it’s even begun."I have nothing to hope for, nothing to do," the graceful young woman whispers as she lowers her head, tears dropping on to her baby blue salwar kameez.
   

• Questions remain over accession
  The news that Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko have had a son may have lessened the urgency for a government-prepared bill to amend the Imperial House Law, but the debate over accession is unlikely to go away.Following the birth of the first male heir in 41 years, the government has postpone submission to the Diet of a bill that would allow female and male Imperial family members in the female line to ascend the Imperial throne.
   

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• We are well prepared – Mahela
  Sri Lanka’s cricket captain Mahela Jayawardene expressed confidence and expected conditions in India to suit his team during the upcoming Champions Trophy tournament. Speaking to journalists before the team’s departure, Jayawardene (29) expected Sri Lanka to fair well in Indian conditions, the same place they suffered a 6-1 ODI defeat and 2-0 Test defeat last year.  

 

• Murali to play for Lancashire
  Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan is set to make yet another appearance for English county Lancashire in the next season, sources told ‘Sunday Island’ yesterday. Since making his debut for the country in 1999, the off-spin great had two more extremely successful seasons with Lancashire in 2001 and 2005. After next year’s World Cup, Sri Lanka have just one international commitment against Bangladesh during the English season and Muralitharan could end up playing the full season at Old Trafford.
   

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  Sri Lanka’s vice-captain Kumar Sangakkara and middle order batsman T.M. Dilshan, with his kid, moments before the team’s departure yesterday.
  Pic by Nishan S. Priyantha.

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