Eelam News- ஈழச்செய்திகள்

FM invites foreign Investors for liberated East.
Saturday, 26 May 2007

The Government is expecting the contribution of foreign investors in the process of developing the liberated areas in the Eastern Province following the return of Internally Displaced Persons to their homes.
Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama speaking to media, following a briefing held for members of the Diplomatic Community in Colombo yesterday affirmed that the Government with the assistance of the Security Forces is taking all the necessary steps to restore normalcy in an area which was once terrorized by the LTTE.
It was noted that the number of IDPs in Batticaloa prior to 14 May 2007 was 80,384 persons. This included the 8,749 persons from Trincomalee District. The Minister noted that the first phase of settlement of persons displaced in the Batticaloa area got underway on 14 May 2007 and was completed on 24 May 2007 with 21,574 persons already settled. A further 24, 000 were expected to return to their homes by the end of the month. The remaining persons will be allowed to return after the de-mining process has been completed.
The Foreign Minister who pointed out that a massive programme for infrastructure building and rehabilitation work was already underway in the Eastern Province, said that 53, 000 persons in Muttur and 14, 300 persons in Vakarai who were settled earlier, were already benefiting from this development.
He recalled that in his meetings with the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and several other Foreign Ministers, he had noted that the redevelopment of the Eastern Province in Sri Lanka could serve as a model for post-conflict peace building and development. He said that since earlier this month diplomats were free to travel to the East and hoped that they would observe for themselves the new developments in the region.
DIG Nimal Lewke, Commandant of the Special Task Force (STF) who is responsible for the security of those returning to their homes in the Batticaloa district, made a presentation to the diplomats, and later to the media.
In his presentation, DIG Lewke, highlighting the considerable dominance previously held by the LTTE in the now cleared area, outlined the government’s programme for settlement and restoration of normalcy. In addition, he gave details of the areas concerned and immediate measures being taken to repair roads, telecommunication, electricity and water supply, and to provide health, sanitation, transport, education services, and enabling livelihood activity.
Pawar's plea to Rajapaksa on devolution package May 27 (HT) Sharad Pawar, Indian Minister for Agriculture and political veteran, has urged President Mahinda Rajapaksa to offer a devolution package which will satisfy the political "moderates" in Sri Lanka. In his meeting with Rajapaksa in Colombo earlier this week, Pawar emphasized the need to find a political rather than a military solution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka

Unemployed graduates up in arms Saturday,
May 26,2007 COLOMBO:

Unemployed graduates numbering approximately 25.000 are up in arms against the broken promises given by Mahinda Rajapaksa during the Presidential Election campaign in 2005 under ‘Mahinda Chintana’.National Convener of the Consolidated Unemployed Graduates Association, (CUGA) Sujith Kuruwita said his association has decided to carry out an islandwide agitation to protest against the lethargic and don’t care attitude of Mahinda Rajapaksa administration in respect of the issue of unemployed graduates.“Attracted to the demagogic charm and pledges given by ‘Mahinda Chintana’ to provide employment to graduates within one year assuming office we worked hard to ensure the victory of Mr. Rajapaksa. After three meetings with Presidential Secretary Mr. Lalith Weeratunga and almost seventeen months, we have not been given even a hope of getting a suitable job,” lamented Kuruwita.This was in spite of allocating budgetary provisions to provide employment to 10,000 graduates in 2005 and another 8.000 in 2006. The government has failed to provide employment to a single graduate for the last seventeen months, he said. He also said that the last discussion with Weeratunga was held in November 2006 and since then there was no response though he promised a speedy solution to the problem. When the agitation hots up government politicians tend to issue statements to ward off the impending challenge. Similarly when the unemployed graduates started their protest campaign Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya declared that the government is in the process of providing employment to graduates.The CUGA had already held protests in Kurunegala and Kandy and the last one being in Matara Friday (25). The association is to decide the next course of action at a discussion to be held tomorrow.“We will definitely accelerate our protest campaign and bring it not only to Colombo but to Temple Trees until President Rajapaksa does justice to us as promised through Mahinda Chintana,” an adamant Kuruwita emphasised.

Sri Lanka to consider amending citizenship laws
B. Muralidhar Reddy
Government says subject can be referred to select panel

COLOMBO: While agreeing to consider the demand by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) to amend the citizenship laws for persons of Indian origin to enable Ceylon Tamil refugees currently living in Tamil Nadu, the Sri Lankan Government told Parliament on Friday that the subject could be referred to a select committee to rectify loopholes, if any, in the existing Act.
Sri Lanka Minister Dharmadasa Banda made the announcement responding to an adjournment motion moved by JVP MP, Ramalingam Chandrasekeran. "We believe [that] the Granting of Citizenship for citizens of Indian Origin Act No. 35 is sufficient. However, if some categories of people experienced difficulties in obtaining citizenship we are ready to amend the Act."
The motion said that around 28,500 people, who are living in camps for Sri Lankan refugees had not received Sri Lankan citizenship though they were entitled to it.
Requirement not met
"In terms of the 2003 Act, children of people who have lived continuously after October 30, 1964 are entitled to Sri Lankan citizenship. But those who have had to live as refugees in Tamil Nadu owing to the situation in Sri Lanka after 1983 have not been able to meet this requirement. As a result of this, about 28,500 have not received citizenship," the motion said.
Mr. Chandrasekaran and another JVP Parliamentarian Bimal Ratnayake were in India from May 7 to 13 to take part in a summit held by the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), youth organisation of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
Amendment proposal
At the invitation of OfERR, an organisation of Sri Lanka refugees, headed by S.C. Chandrahasan the JVP Parliamentarians visited the Sri Lankan refugee camps. On their return, they made a proposal for amendment to the 2003 Citizenship Act. Disadvantages
Mr. Chandrahasan told The Hindu over telephone that while preparing for the return of the refuges OfERR realised that 28,500 Ceylon Tamil Refugees in Tamil Nadu would suffer disadvantages unless they were in possession of the Certificate of Citizenship issued under Sec. 4(2) of the Grant of Citizenship to Persons of Indian Origin Act No. 35 of 2003 confirming their Ceylon Citizenship.
Under Sec. 2 of the Act, "Any person of Indian origin, who on the date of coming into operation of this Act, (a) Has been a permanent resident of Sri Lanka since October 30; 1964 or (b) Is a descendent resident in Sri Lanka of a person who has been a permanent resident of Sri Lanka since October 30, 1964, shall be granted the status of citizen of Sri Lanka, with effect from such date and be entitled, in like manner and to the same extent, to all the rights and privileges to which a citizen of Sri Lanka is entitled to, by law:"
He said that most of the Ceylon Tamil Refugees in India fled the island in 1990. Since then, the refugees referred to in the Act as "persons of Indian origin" had been accommodated in the camps run by the Government in Tamil Nadu.
"During the course of our work among the refugees we came to know that quite a number of people among the refugees were hill country Tamils falling into the category of `stateless' citizenship", said Mr. Chandrahasan, whose organisation conducted a survey.
Letter to President
Based on the survey, a letter was sent to the President of Sri Lanka in July 2004, seeking steps to ensure that they were accepted as citizens. This was brought to the notice of the Tamil Nadu Government and the Government of India as well.
Further when Lakshman Marasinghe, Chairman, Law Commission of Sri Lanka visited the refugees, his help was sought and the Law Commission prepared an amendment to Act No.35 of 2003 to meet the aspirations of the Ceylon Tamil refugees in Tamil Nadu.
Sri Lanka: Free higher education in total messSat, 2007-05-26 02:26 By Janaka Perera – Asian Tribune
A view is gradually gaining currency that the time has come to see an end to the prevailing `free' university education system. A statement that President (then Prime Minister) Mahinda Rajapaksa made during the last Presidential Election campaign has given food for thought in this connection.
Addressing members of students unions at Temple Trees in 2005 he said that the government would not privatize education but around 96,000 students with the required qualifications had no opportunity of having a university education due to limited accommodation and facilities. Only about 15,000 students had been fortunate enough to gain university admission.
Although students from both rich and poor students have access to free primary and secondary education poor students are left in the lurch when it comes to so-called free university education. Most of them who fail to enter seats of higher learning despite having the required qualifications are either compelled to enter technical institutions or go for jobs that are unsuited for them. Others through frustration and disillusionment get drawn to anti-social behavior.
Even worse political meddling and other factors causing strikes, student clashes and boycott of classes in state-run universities that are frequently closed as a result. This has been the bane of our higher education system.
Consequently, only 38,000 out of 119,000 students qualified to enter universities had applied to enter universities, according to the University Grants Commission's report for February this year.
This is hardly surprising, considering the doubtful prospects awaiting even many of those who have been lucky enough to enter universities.
So a minority of rich people and others who can afford it send their children to foreign universities, spending millions of rupees. Had there been private universities in Sri Lanka it would have cost the country only a fraction of this amount and valuable foreign exchange could have been saved.
It is obvious that vested interests want to keep our education system in a mess so that they can manipulate poor youth for their own ends. At every turn, politicized students unions have opposed the establishment of private universities. These misguided young people have become pawns in the hands of power-seeking opportunists who find it advantageous to lead the students astray.
We wonder whether we are coming back to the 1960s and `70s when English-speaking GCE O level and A-level students of leading Colombo and Kandy private schools found cushy jobs waiting for them while the Sinhala educated graduates faced an uncertain future. We experienced the bitter results of this lopsided policy in 1971 and 1988-89.
Sri Lanka today would have had a large educated population had the proposals for private higher educational establishments were accepted and implemented at the time they were first mooted. And it is a long time since the world has given up the concept that education is only for jobs.
But we are still like frogs in the well.
It is amazing and hypocritical that a country which allows international schools, other private schools, tutorial institutions, private hospitals, private transport companies etc. refuses to permit the establishment of private universities. If such universities are going to threaten free education what about private tuition given to AL students? What about all kinds of private organizations that award diplomas on various subjects, and institutions that train local students for admission to foreign universities? Why no opposition to them?
Sri Lanka is ready to send her young mothers to work as domestics in Gulf States but reluctant to give better educational opportunities to young people. In contrast, our immediate neighbour India has opened its higher education system. Consequently educated Indians are serving in all parts if the world in various capacities. Today there are enough job opportunities in the world for educated youth. The Middle East and Europe have already opened their doors for educated Asians.
The fact is that today education everywhere is a massive money making-industry. What is required is not the privatization of State universities but permission to establish private universities.
If our unionized undergraduates and their mentors really want to protect free education, they should first campaign for the right of every qualified student to have a university education.
It is now quite obvious that State universities alone cannot do it. The solution therefore is to allow the private sector to open additional universities. In such seats of higher learning no political meddling, student clashes, threats to the staff, brutal ragging and boycotting of classes will be tolerated. A socio-economic environment leading to such disturbances will not be there in these establishments. There will be no opportunities for using university students as political tools.
It is the government's responsibility to provide the infrastructure for such universities. Initially, private universities should be affiliated to their State-run counterparts and all the admissions, curriculums, examinations, awarding of degrees etc. should be supervised accordingly, since education should be geared to meet national goals.
Private universities are bound to expand the scope of our young people, since such establishments would follow the latest educational trends in the world.
A system of low-interest loans for educational expenses of students of such universities can also be introduced. In addition, students can be provided with the opportunity of doing part-time jobs as in the developed countries.
- Asian Tribune -