Email this page

A news bulletin on Sri Lanka produced by Australian and New Zealand activists working for peace in Sri Lanka. contact: Australia - Willie willie@apex.net.au New Zealand - Malathy malathy@ihug.co.nz

1. Election and the Conflict ==========

A Canadian funded survey found that 70% of Sri Lankans approve negotiations with the LTTE. However, a larger percentage of Sri Lankans are more concerned about their staggering economy than bringing an end to the war.

The government run media gave wide publicity to the government allegations that there is a secret pact between UNP and the LTTE. UNP has denied the claim. A tape of a conversation that reportedly took place between a UNP MP and LTTE officials was presented to Sri Lanka's influential Buddhist clergy. One senior clergy, Mahanayaka thera of the Malwatte Chapter Rambukwelle Sri Vipassi thera has refused to accept the tape evidence.

President has vowed to thwart any attempt by the opposition UNP to set up an interim administration in the north-east if it is voted to power. The President also said that the government is determined more than ever to wipe out terrorism and to continue to wage war against the Tigers to a logical conclusion. The Prime Minister, Ratnasiri Wickremenayake, reiterated the government's opposition to the concept of a Tamil homeland. He said the government has directly and indirectly opposed to accept the concept of Tamil homeland. Hundreds of Buddhist monks protested in Colombo against granting an interim administrative council to run the northern and eastern parts of the island.

Members of the Tamil National Alliance - formed this year to fight the election on a common platform - are canvassing in the LTTE controlled areas. Sampanthan, Secretary General of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), told the Tamil people to consider the forthcoming general election in the Northeast province as a referendum in support of the policy of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) that any future peace negotiations should be held with the Liberation Tigers only and no parallel talks should be held with any other Tamil groups.

2. Election and JVP ==========

Somawansa Amarasingha, the leader Marxist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna, returned from a 12-year self imposed exile from the United Kingdom. Amarasingha is the only surviving member of the JVP's politburo that was formed in 1969. In 1971 and 1988, Amarasingha, along with his comrades Rohana Wijeweera and Upatissa Gamanayaka, led two armed insurrections to capture state power. On return he said that India helped him flee a government crackdown on his party's second insurrection against the state in 1988. UNP which was the government at that time asked how and why India helped this ex-insurgent. Sihala Urumaya leader Thilak Karunaratne said that the government must arrest Amarasingha, a senior partner of the biggest crime of all. He also added that if the government do not do so, he is studying the possibilities of forcing the government to do so through legal action.

Amarasingha, addressing a massive rally, said that JVP cadres should "arm themselves" at the appropriate time in the event of a breakdown of law and order. He said that "there is no other way" to achieve their demands if they are suppressed. However, in a later interview he said that JOV will not take up arms again.

3. Election and External Interference ==========

The Sri Lankan government rejected a statement made by the European Union (EU) Election Observation Mission (EOM) that EU was deeply disappointed at the government's failure to implement the recommendations following the last October parliamentary elections. The government claimed that EU EOM should have praised the government for bringing in historical amendments to the constitution to pave the way for independent commissions.

Sihala Urumaya party has accused European Union of interfering in the internal affairs of the country because it funded a National Peace Council (NPC) project which aims to decrease the popularity of pro-war groups like Sihala Urumaya. The EC Information Officer in Colombo Manique Mendis denied that NPC project has anything to do with elections and political parties. She said that project selection criteria for the grant was stipulated by the programme 2001 established by the Commission. The particular NPC project addresses the critically important issue of reconciliation between parties to the conflict. Sihala Urumaya has also objected to EU election monitors accusing them of close association with the NPC

Sihala Urumaya has also objected to PAFFREL election monitors because its chairman Kingsley Rodrigo has been serving in the executive committee of the NPC for the last six years.

4. Election and Other Claims ==========

The government warned a private television station it would be shut down if it "worked towards the victory" of the country's main opposition in next month's national elections.

A petition seeking interim injunction order against the State owned television station Rupavahini prohibiting it from telecasting programmes in support of the ruling People's Alliance, seventy two hours before the date of poll has been filed in the Supreme Court Thursday.

The President has warned of a possible constitutional deadlock if the opposition becomes government. The opposition has denied the claim.

PA attacked the election chief Dayananda Dissanayake of bias against the government. It said he was applying "undue pressure on public servants" to ensure that the opposition could rig the December 5 election.

Prof. Peiris claimed at a press conference that the President had asked him to approve a textile quota to a person of her choice which he refused to do. Peiris claimed that this was why the president was now alleging that he had been involved in a textile quota which amounts to fraud.

5. Election Violence =========

Latest press release by the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) said that 1704 cases of election violence has been reported so far. This is a record number. Of this figure of 1704, 927 fall into the category of Major Incidents, which include Murder (24), Attempted Murder (32), Hurt (182), Grievous Hurt (36), Assault (319), Threat and Intimidation (210), Misuse of State Resources (16), Robbery (38) and Arson (70).

Some typical incidents are: On Nov 17, gunmen shot dead on a Sri Lankan UNP candidate while campaigning; Two supporters of the ruling People's Alliance (PA) were shot dead in north western Sri Lanka and a UNP candidate was remanded on suspicion of being involved in the double murder; Ten campaign offices of the Tamil National Alliance in the Ampara district were attacked during one night; Twelve people were injured when a hand grenade being carried by a supporter of the ruling Peoples Alliance exploded prematurely in Kandy; On Nov 24, police were forced to impose a dusk to dawn curfew at Balangoda in the Ratnapura district due to fierce clashes that broke out between supporters of the PA and UNP; The Police has requested the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), a major coalition partner of the People's Alliance government, not to go about in the Jaffna peninsula with weapons during the elections; On Nov 28, a group of Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) candidates and supporters were attacked by EPDP and one supporter was killed and about twenty including four TNA candidates were wounded.

UNP called for legal action against President after she publicly urged ruling party supporters to murder those who try to kill them. Former Cabinet Minister G.L. Peiris, now in the opposition, said that the statement made by the President violated the law of the country and was possible grounds for impeachment.

UNP also accused that four Tamil men who have defected from the LTTE are undergoing training at the Army Directorate of Military Intelligence at Panaluwa to assassinate UNP leader Wickramasinghe. Army Commander General Lionel Balagalle denied the allegations.

UNP leader Wickremesinghe has written to U.S.President George Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and the President of the European Community requesting them to use maximum pressure on the government to ensure a free and fair election.

6. War News ==========

On Nov 15 three soldiers were killed nine others seriously wounded when a suspected LTTE suicide bomber blew himself. Two other government troops were shot dead by the rebels in another incident. (Source: Defense ministry)

On Nov 16, a soldier was killed and two others were wounded in a claymore mine attack by the Liberation Tigers near Vavuniya. (Source: TamilNet).

On Nov 16, two police officers on duty in a Jaffna check post were blown to death, when they tried to open a box handed over to them by some unidentified person as gifts on behalf of the "Deepavali" festival. (Source: Defense ministry)

On Nov 18, a senior Buddhist monk was killed and three others wounded when the jeep they were riding was blown up by a landmine in north-central Sri Lankan. (Source: Defense ministry)

On Nov 18, three soldiers were wounded when a grenade was lobbed at a military truck in Batticaloa town. (Source: TamilNet).

On Nov 20, 16 rebels and two soldiers were killed. (Source: Defense ministry)

On Nov 20, three police officers were killed and one civilian injured at Anuradhapura when the vehicle they were travelling in hit a claymore mine. (Source: Defense ministry)

On Nov 21, three houses belonging to Tamil villagers were burnt down and several civilians were severely assaulted by Police Security Assistants (PSAs or 'Home Guards'). (Source: TamilNet)

On Nov 22, five civilians were killed as rebels and police clashed. (Source: Defense ministry) More than a hundred people demonstrated against the Police near Batticaloa for indiscriminately shelling and firing on a Tamil neighbourhood killing five persons. (Source: TamilNet).

On Nov 23, government forces shot dead at least 10 Tamil Tiger guerrillas.(Source: Defense ministry)

A youth arrested by the Police near Batticaloa, was found dead by a school. (Source: TamilNet)

On Nov 24, A military trained policeman was killed and four others were wounded when the Liberation Tigers attacked forwards defense lines. (Source: TamilNet)

An estimated 1,800 people died in the war over the past seven months. 294 government troops, 1552 rebels, and 93 civilians had been killed. (Source: Defense ministry)

7. Other News ==========

In the annual hero's day speech LTTE leader Pirapaharan said that the Sinhalese, Tamils and other communities in the island could co-exist in peace and harmony if a political settlement is reached through peaceful means. But he warned that the Tamils would be left with no alternative other than to secede and form an independent state if the Sinhala nation continued to refuse to resolve the conflict through peaceful means. Yet he insisted that lifting of the ban on his organization is a necessary pre-requisite for the LTTE to participate in the peace talks as the legitimate, authentic representatives of the Tamil people. He also expressed dismay over the decision made by some Western governments to include the LTTE in the list of international terrorist organisations. Full text can be read at: http://www.eelamweb.com/leader/messages/herosday/2001/english/

The United Nations treaty banning the use of child soldiers will be ratified in February 2002 after New Zealand also becomes a signatory. It is estimated that around 300,000 children in approximately 40 countries use children as combatants. UNICEF has repeatedly condemned the recruitment of child soldiers by the LTTE in Sri Lanka stating that the Tamil Tigers are guilty of recruiting children as young as 11 years old.

On Nov 22, police opened fire at a protest march against sand dredging by the Dutch Firm Boskalis International for the construction of an expressway. Two fisherman were killed and 15 others injured.

At least four hundred employees of the North East Provincial Council (NEPC) in Trincomalee went on a strike morning demanding that the administrative language of the Council should be Tamil, as specified by the 16th amendment to the Constitution.

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is probing large scale forgery of dollar notes and has discovered the largest stock of such notes hitherto found in Asia. According to local reports, the stock, amounting to about 65 million rupees was found at two printing presses near capital Colombo. An inquiry was also being conducted by the CIA and CID to trace the international connection in the racket.

The Norwegian government has offered 800 million rupees (around 8.8 million U.S. dollars) to facilitate rural integrated development program in Sri Lanka. Under the program cold storage facilities and buying centers will be set up to assist fishermen and vegetable and fruit growers at Hambantota, Moneragala and Chilaw districts in the country.

8. Articles ==========

The UK Guardian article on the sale of 'vacuum bombs' to Sri Lanka by UK dealers.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/armstrade/story/0,10674,604182,00.html

ENDS

Email this page

back to top