The breakaway LTTE Karuna-Pillayan faction seems to be
rapidly strengthening its position with President Mahinda Rajapaka’s
government promoting one time separatists as its partners.
Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pillayan, Chief
Minister of the Eastern Provincial Council, last week joined a government
delegation led by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake to Tokyo as the
Vanni war entered a critical stage with UN agencies and INGOs quitting the
LTTE-held area on a government request.
Well informed sources said that Chandrakanthan’s inclusion
in the delegation had underscored the government’s commitment to a growing
political relationship.
US Ambassador Robert O. Blake listens attentively to a description of some of the titles on offer at a stall at the Colombo International Book Fair 2008, which opened at the BMICH yesterday. Mr. Blake was the chief guest at the ceremonial inauguration of the event, organized by the Sri Lanka Book Publishers’ Association while Prof. S. Sanderesegaram, Dean, Faculty of Education, Colombo University was a guest-of-honour. Ranjith Samaranayake, President, Sri Lanka Book Publishers’ Association, General Secretary Upali Wanigasuriya, former President Ariyadasa Weeraman and President, All Ceylon Booksellers Association, Kusumbandu Samarawickrema are also in the picture. (Pic by Dimuthu Premaratne)
26 Tigers,1 soldier killed
in Vanni battles
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP) Sri Lankan soldiers and
Tamil Tiger terrorists fought a series of battles in the North killing 26
Tigers and one soldier, the military said Saturday.
Census to prevent LTTE
pressuring civilians to launch attacks - Gothabaya
Defending the decision to conduct a census of Tamils from
the North living in the Western province, Defence Secretary Gothabaya
Rajapaksa said yesterday the primary objective of this move is to prevent the LTTE from pressuring civilians to carry out
attacks.
