ஈழச்செய்திகள்

Lanka seeks India's help
30 May, 2007 l 0118 hrs ISTlRajat Pandit/TIMES NEWS NETWORK NEW DELHI:

Sri Lanka has sought more military equipment and assistance from India to tackle the "escalating" LTTE threat in the island nation, as also "more effective" coordinated naval patrolling along the IMBL (international maritime boundary line) in Palk Bay.
Sources said visiting Sri Lankan defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse listed out his country's "urgent military requirements" during meetings with national security advisor M K Narayanan, Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta and Army chief General J J Singh, among others, over the last three days.
India, incidentally, is already supplying Sri Lanka with a wide array of military equipment, which also includes two new radars to supplement the two low-flying detection radars given earlier.
An IAF AN-32 medium-lift aircraft, in fact, made a "secretive" visit to Colombo to deliver "some" military supplies a few days ago. Beginning with a Sukanya-class offshore patrol vessel in 2002, India has stepped up military supplies to Sri Lanka to counter Pakistan's inroads into the island nation. India, however, does not want to be sucked into Sri Lanka's never-ending ethnic strife after the IPKF fiasco of the late-1980s.
Moreover, the UPA government has to keep political sensitivities in Tamil Nadu in mind before jumping headlong into the Sri Lanka mess. Rajapakse, who incidentally is Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse's brother, however was assured that India would do "all that is possible" to help Sri Lanka, said sources.
India has already stepped up naval patrolling in Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannar by deploying more warships under 'Operation Tasha' after the interception of an LTTE explosive-laden boat near the Tamil Nadu coast in mid-February.
The audacious LTTE air strikes against Sri Lankan bases in March-April led the Indian security forces to quickly put in place a "multi-layered surveillance and radar network" along the coast, with the Navy even deploying its Israeli UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) for reconnaissance missions.
"We already conduct coordinated patrols with Sri Lankan Navy. The idea is to prevent LTTE from smuggling arms and ammunition, apart from keeping a watch on refugee influx. Maintaining heightened vigil along our coastline is also necessary to thwart any misadventure by a non-state actor," said an officer.
Obviously seeking to garner more Indian help, Sri Lankan foreign secretary Palitha Kohona had recently even declared there was a possibility of LTTE carrying out air strikes on nuclear installations in India as also ships sailing through the Indian Ocean. The Indian Navy's high-level commanders' conference, which kicked off in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday, also reviewed the "dramatic increase in the asymmetric threats from non-state actors in our neighbourhood and the probable contingencies in the region".

Sri Lanka among 26 countries at high-powered Asian security summit
Wed, 2007-05-30 05:01 Neville de Silva - Diplomatic Editor Asian Tribune

London , 30 May, (Asiantribune.com) :Sri Lanka is due to participate at the major Asian security summit starting in Singapore on Thursday at which the progress made in counter terrorism activities will be an important subject.
This is the first time Sri Lanka participates at this summit which began in 2002. The presence of official delegations from several southeast countries which have reportedly been used by the LTTE as bases or transshipment points for the smuggling of weapons and narcotics will make this summit of particular significance to Colombo.
There would be time during the three-day conference for bilateral meetings which will allow delegations to follow up on issues discussed earlier or raise new matters affecting national security.
Organized by the prestigious London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies(IISS) this summit known as the Shangrila-La Dialogue will bring together defence ministers and key officials from some of the major powers including the US, China, India, Russia, Japan, France, Germany, the UK and Indonesia to discuss such crucial issues in today’s world as Indo-China relations, what progress has been made in securing regional waters and security cooperation in Asia.
From Sri Lanka’s standpoint one of the key issues- the progress made in counterterrorism- will be discussed as an off-the-record session during one of the three breakout groups.
The other two breakout groups will discuss “Intervening in Fragile States” and “New Challenges for Security Sector Reform.”
As the IISS points out this three day security summit will help shape the inter-governmental debate between the states of Asia-Pacific and the major outside powers on the key security issues facing the region.
Last year some of the proposals that emerged from the summit were for greater maritime security cooperation in the Malacca Straits and the establishment of a regional disaster and humanitarian relief centre.
With Sri Lanka and Bangladesh participating for the first time this year’s Dialogue is expected to build on past discussions and provide the foundation for future security policies.
The presence of sea pirates and the emergence of a “third navy” in the south-southeast Asian region in the shape of the LTTE’s Sea Tigers” and its use of Asian shipping routes for the smuggling of arms is expected to provide an added dimension following interceptions by the Indian coastguard and navy and very recently by the Maldivian coastguard.
The presence of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia and Timor-Leste some of which have been used by the LTTE for the purchase and shipment of arms according to official and media reports, would make the summit of importance to Sri Lanka.
The IISS says that the Shangri-La Dialogue has been recognized as a key event for defence and security diplomacy for the region.
“Since its inaugural meeting in 2002, the Dialogue has become a recognised part of the architecture of Asian defence diplomacy and is seen as the region’s premier and most inclusive security institution.”
Besides the countries already named, others attending are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Mongolia, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Republic of Korea (South Korea) and Singapore.
- Asian Tribune -

Tiger air, sea power worries India
National Security Advisor says India has enhanced surveillance:

INDIA: India is “concerned” by the air and sea capabilities of the LTTE, a top Indian official said yesterday.
Speaking to reporters after meeting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan called the Tigers a terrorist organisation, saying: “We are always concerned about their air and sea capabilities.”
He said the Sea Tigers “are a threat; otherwise why should we increase (Indian) patrolling” in the sea dividing India and Sri Lanka.
Narayanan said the Centre would take all necessary steps including enhancing security to protect Tamil Nadu fishermen from attacks on the high seas.
“We will have to start coordinated patrolling,” Narayanan told reporters.
Narayanan, who was with the chief minister for about 20 minutes, added that coordinated Naval patrolling between India and Sri Lanka in the sea that divides them was yet to start, Indo-Asian News Service reported.
Asked if Karunanidhi had any objection to such patrolling, Narayanan replied: “I don’t find any problems for that.”
About coordinated patrolling, he said the opinion of the Lanka was also required in this regard and “I do not think there is any problem from our side”.
To a question whether new Delhi planned to step up assistance to the Sri Lankan defence forces to tackle LTTE, he said, “Ask the political leadership”.
Karunanidhi, who later spoke briefly to journalists, however, denied discussing the issue of “coordinated patrolling” with Narayanan.
The chief minister, who is here to attend a meeting of the National Development Council, said Narayanan called on him to discuss the problems faced by the Tamil Nadu fishermen — on the suggestion of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The chief minister said Narayanan would travel to Chennai again to take forward their discussions on the security situation related to Sri Lanka.
Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary L.K. Tripathi was present during the Karunanidhi-Narayanan meeting.
Narayanan, an Indian Police Service officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, has in recent times come under attack in the Tiger media on charges of pursuing a tough line vis-a-vis the LTTE.

Peace Zone proposed for Madhu Rohan Mathes

COLOMBO: The possibility of setting up a ‘Peace Zone’ within the precincts of Madhu Church and the surrounding region, has been discussed when President Mahinda Rajapaksa met some of the Catholic Bishops at Temple Trees yesterday.
President Rajapaksa met the Archbishop of Colombo Rt. Rev. Oswald Gomis, the Bishop of Mannar Rt. Rev. Rayappu Joseph and the Bishop of Chilaw Rt. Rev. Valence Mendis.
President Rajapaksa recalling his commitment and efforts on the provision of adequate facilities to Madhu Pilgrims from the time he was a Minister, assured the Bishops on arranging and establishing a peaceful and secure environment in which the Catholic devotees who visit the Madhu church could freely engage in their religious activities and rituals sans any hindrance.
The President conveyed to the Bishops the discussions he had with the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisco Bertone during his visit to the Vatican recently, pertaining to the security and the facilities available for the Madhu pilgrims.
President Rajapaksa had brought to the attention of the Bishops the measures taken by the Government to uplift the living standards of the civilians in the North and East, and the re-settlement programmes adopted by the Government.
In the course of cordial discussions, President Rajapaksa had requested the Bishops to pay a visit to the North and the East, in order to see for themselves the development and re-settlement activities already underway.
The President had also briefed the Bishops on the proposals put forward by the SLFP to the All Party Representative Committee (APRC), based on the devolution of power.
He had pointed out the snags and the pitfalls in the present Provincial Council Administration system wherein the people were subjected to various difficulties and therefore proposed the District Council system instead.
The President has added that these SLFP proposals will now be forwarded to the APRC for amendments if necessary and thereafter reach a final decision which can be accepted by all parties.

Estate Tamils seek 16 seats - CWC and WPF also agree on principle
By Kelum Bandara

The Upcountry People’s Front (UPF) has asked for 16 parliamentary seats for Tamils of Indian origin under the proposed electoral reforms along with ten constituencies re-demarcated to strengthen the community’s representation.
The UPF, a party of the governing coalition, discussed its proposals with other political parties representing the upcountry Tamils at the Indian community council meeting held on Monday. Currently, there are 11 members representing Tamils of Indian origin in Parliament.
UPF central committee member S. Vijesandiran told the Daily Mirror yesterday they basically demanded 16 seats in parliament and ten of them should be elected from the proposed constituencies in the districts largely inhabited by upcountry Tamils.
“We will support a combination of the first-past-the post system and the present proportional representation system only on these conditions,” he said.
In addition, the UPF has also proposed 18 and 12 constituencies for Sri Lankan Tamils and Muslims respectively out of the total 40 minority constituencies.
The proposed constituencies for estate Tamils in the Nuwara-Eliya district are Maskeliya, Hatton, Talawakele and Nuwara-Eliya and in the Badulla district, Passara and Dambatenne-Poonagala.
The party has also proposed the demarcation of Kotahena and Wellawatte as separate constituencies for Tamils of Indian origin in the Colombo district.
The Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) agreed in principle with the UPF demand of 16 seats in Parliament for estate Tamils.
CWC spokesman R. Yogarajan said the party decided at the meeting to join hands in fighting for its electoral rights in the future.
Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reforms has said he will soon present an interim report to Parliament. However, the UNP, JVP, TNA, SLMC, the CWC and the Western People’s Front have already objected to the move to introduce new electoral reforms without incorporating their viewpoints.