Monthly Archive for October, 2007

Frazer’s Blog

Published on 23/10/2007 in Blogs and press coverage. 0 Comments

Just so it doesn’t look like it’s all fun and no work here, I’ve added a couple of pics of some of the roads I am doing at the moment. I’m just about finished the bottom layer of a couple of kilometers, with the macadam (stone) and surfacing to seal it all off will be started soon. We’re going balls to the wall to try and get as much finished off before the rain, but I fear we may be fighting a losing battle.

First (or sub-base for you engineers) layer in Lahugala

Depakote medications for bipolar disorder Purchase procardia in pregnancy

Setting out in Panama

Also, here are a couple of photos of beaches that we are lucky enough to be able to enjoy. Both are pretty deserted (Pottuvil Point has a reasonable break so it does get a lot of surfers when it is on) at present which makes them nice. Peanut Farm has a lovely gentle slope and is very calm at the moment, I had a very peaceful swim around there last weekend.

Peanut Farm

Pottuvil Point. How’s the serenity?

This weekend Fergus and I went down and spent Saturday afternoon at Pottuvil Point, where we went for a wee paddle around the lagoon on a contraption consisting of a pallet nailed to a couple of the local fishing “canoes”. During the wet season we’ll get a couple of big torches and go out at night and try and spot crocodiles (there are some “beauties” in there”). Merete (the owner of Stardust where I was staying at the beginning of the year) had the opening party for her restaurant on Saturday night, which she has finished rebuilding after the tsunami. It’s been a bit of a labour of love for her, slowly slowly at times, but she is pretty happy she has finished and it is a beautiful building with great views of the sea and a nice breeze to keep it all cool.

Last week the LTTE attacked a small Army camp south of Panama, inside the Yala National Park. The usual knee-jerk reaction happened, with the military sending in a whole bunch of troops to look for them but by the time they arrived they were long gone. However they have decided to piss everyone off and cut off the mobile networks again in Thirukkovil and Akkaraipattu, and also this time in Pottuvil which they didn’t do last time, so I am kind of cut off with telecoms at the moment, probably for another week or so. It ain’t so bad though.

South Africa won the world cup, at least it wasn’t the Poms. But I’m over rugby…

source:
http://intheeyeofthetiger.blogspot.com/2007/10/work-and-play.html

Party Time

Published on 23/10/2007 in parties and press coverage. 1 Comment

RAIN DANCE

PIX: indi samarajiva/ organises

Subha Wijesiriwardena parties hard and takes notes at the second Ministry of Sound party on Lankan shoresA?a??A?

On the 8th of September at the River View Hotel in Wadduwa, Sri Lankan party animals did us proud. According to Mahesh Wijetunge, Event Manager for EN-V Productions, this party, the second such Ministry of Sound party in Colombo, was celebratory of MoSA?a??a?? 16th Anniversary. Under the open night sky in Wadduwa, people partied on until sunrise, with relentless vigor, in both rain and shine. I bet British DJ Richard Dinsdale has never had people dancing for him in the pouring tropical rain before.

As a friend of a friend said A?a??A?A?a??A?but, there is no ministry of soundA?a??A?, and until a few months ago, not many Sri Lankans had a reason to believe otherwise. On the 23rd of June however a party took place that changed that. This party helped rocket Ministry of Sound to fame in Colombo, and ever since the mere mention of A?a??A?MoSA?a??A? has been enough to get masses flocking for tickets.

MoS A?a??a??Round One
The first MoS party, in June, was unfortunately held at H2O. In poor little ColomboA?a??a??s largest club which can hold 750 people, there were 1600 (and 400 more were turned away, said Mr. Wijetunge). This provided partygoers with a stifled and uncomfortable party atmosphere. Add to this the free can of Axe Deodorant (a main sponsor) provided with every ticket, and soon enough, the inside of H2O smelt very strongly of a combination of bad A?a??E?for menA?a??a?? deo and sweat.
The dance floor was a far from safe place for the ladies, and upon about the sixth time of being felt up, I gave up and went home. The root cause for the unpleasantness was the evident overselling of tickets, but if you had somehow managed to overlook this, the music was as it always is with MoS: very, very good.

Round Two
This time, they said A?a??A?MoSA?a??A?, A?a??A?Richard DinsdaleA?a??A? and A?a??A?Outdoor eventA?a??A?, and the people said A?a??A?Hurrah!A?a??A?A?A? And it truly was the turning point. The party itself was in a rather obscure hotel in Wadduwa, called A?a??A?River View HotelA?a??A?. However, the party was outside by the pool, on a spacey lawn and the outdoors did a brilliant job providing both space and rain, but IA?a??a??ll get to the rain later.

The organizers offered packages of rooms/tickets, with rooms at the more sophisticated and popular Blue Water. Due to either the price of the packages on offer (Rs.15,000 was the cheapest) or the distance to the party from Colombo itself (about a one-hour drive down Galle Road), or both, the party didnA?a??a??t see the most ideal turn out, only 1200 in contrast to last timeA?a??a??s near 2000. But this may have been for better rather than worse.

Party people
Despite the exorbitant package deals, everything at the party was more or less affordable. That said, the night would have been ruined for those dependant solely on drinking because the only alcohol available other than beer, was sold by the bottle. This was a definite drawback, as, for example, a bottle of Smirnoff was Rs. 4000. This wasnA?a??a??t ideal for a small group, or a couple. A Carlsberg buddy was Rs. 200, this too a little pricey for such a small bottle. Food was available too, for those who wanted it.

Cost of keflex This was somewhat made up for: The open air was an ideal setting for a party at which you never stopped dancing, and the space accommodated everyone comfortably. Glow sticks that were given free at the entrance were essential to the rave atmosphere, and although the Frangipani garlands for the girls were a nice touch, they didnA?a??a??t last around our necks long. Once again, cans of Axe Vice Deodorant were handed out free, but the open air did not allow for one to get stifled by the smell!

The dance floor, boarded on the deep end of the pool, killed two birds with one stone: it worked as the dance floor, but also as a safety precaution in not having a deep end of a pool at a rave. There were inflated baby pools by the side, and these were made use of by folks lounging in them, drink in hand. On the lawn on either sides of the pool, there were tables for those that were quick to grab them. The DJ was showcased on a high stage directly in front of the dance floor, covered by a huge dome.

MoS are famous for their use of the best sound and lighting equipment, and they didnA?a??a??t disappoint this time. The lights were well suited for a rave and the sound was delivered via 12 large speakers on either side of the dance floor. This guaranteed that the music was crystal clear and you could feel that heavy bass A?a??a?? signature of house music A?a??a?? passing right through your body if you got close enough.
Not everyone seemed to fully appreciate the music, but I only say this based on the relatively empty dance floor. Each to his own A?a??a?? perhaps people skulked out of the rain and enjoyed the sound. By the end of the night there were more people in the pool than on the dance floor, fully clothed, shirts, pants, dresses and all. This seemed slightly ridiculous, as the tickets and all the promo material emphasized the dress code to be A?a??E?strictly beach wearA?a??a??. It seemed that not all Colombo partygoers can exchange their high heels and make up for shorts and flip flops.

Richard Dinsdale A?a??a?? the life of the party
It was the music, it really was. Even by our impressionable standards, the understanding that house music means Bon Sinclair is rapidly fading. The previous MoS party too showcased a lot of the usual suspects (Fedde le GrandA?a??a??s A?a??A?Put Your Hands up 4 DetroitA?a??A? is literally so last year) at the beginning, making my hopes for the extraordinary crumble in despair. Although music from the likes of DJ Shadow and Justice saved the day, the experience over all was much more satisfying this time.

While the highlight of this party was Richard Dinsdale
(http://myspace.com/richarddinsdale), resident Ministry of Sound DJ, local DJs Van Luup and Shiyam got the party nice and warmed up for Dinsdale. Keep your eyes open for Van Luup and Shiyam; they are definitely on their way up as DJs and mingling with the likes of Dinsdale must have been educational. It couldnA?a??a??t have been bad for their reputations either.

While it might be argued that Dipesh Parmar A?a??a?? DJ at the last MoS party, was for technical reasons, a better DJ than Dinsdale, in terms of overall experience, the party in Wadduwa wins effortlessly over the one that was at H2O.

As at any proper rave, there had to be the famous lyrics A?a??A?I canA?a??a??t get no sleepA?a??A?. While A?a??A?Sandstorm Insomnia 2000A?a??A? (Faithless vs. Darude) is an anthem and a clichA?A?, there were highly offbeat tracks aplenty too. He threw in New OrderA?a??a??s A?a??A?Blue MondayA?a??A? all the way from1983 and A?a??A?Do It AgainA?a??A?, brand new from the 2007 Chemical Brothers album A?a??A?We Are the NightA?a??A?.

It seems to me as though our understanding of a DJ is someone who queues up the next track, mixes it soundly with the track that is playing, and plays it. Perhaps this is due to our extreme lack of exposure. Are we easy to impress because we are otherwise starved for good contemporary music on mainstream radio and in local nightclubs? Perhaps.

Dinsdale was in another league simply because of this; he was more than just playing a set play list. He judged his crowd superbly, and spun unusual rhythms that kept people dancing for hours. For all that, we never once found out what the man sounded like. He left all the talking to DJ Van Luup (who, like many Sri Lankan DJs seemed to thoroughly enjoy it), and simply did his job.

The Rain Dance
When the rain began, not only did no one budge from the dance floor, but people under the tents joined in on the manic rave and the party turned into something that strongly resembled a tribal dance. It felt as though we were partaking in some ritual, all facing Dinsdale reverently, in awe, in worship, soaked to the skin. Despite the weather conditions, the party went on. A friend of mine returned to the hotel at which we were staying at about nine am the next morning.
Between having grown quickly out of ColomboNightLife parties and despairing about the mundane hip hop that dominates nightclubs here, Dinsdale was a blessing. After all, our only other hope for getting to party that way lies with the Offshore Life group, who has been missing in action for awhile now.

How much does keflex 500 mg cost All in all, the MoS party was a satisfying experience, and we can only hope for more. But before foreign DJs and party tours can find Sri Lanka a tempting location, local organizers need to start making the right decisions. Needless to say, the organizers, Action Station Events and EN-V Productions, made a big blunder on their part with the choice of venue and overselling tickets for the previous MoS party. However, they did a good job in winning back the crowds with this one. If this trend of thinking in the long term becomes a habit with local organizers and event managers, Sri Lanka can easily become a top international party location.
Colombo is a city that is swamped by a party culture that is limited by the commercial, the indoors and the mediocre, and not just with regard to the music it advocates either. Time is nigh for drastic changes in the taste and attitudes of the casual city partygoer, and the hardcore are waiting for something new. But until then, albeit rarely, it is nice savouring electronic rhythm in your veins, watching sunrise by the sea to Faithless, and then returning home with music in your head and sand between your toesA?a??A?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 9th, 2007 at 6:23 am and is filed under Feature. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

source:
The Leisure Times

AbaY Award?

Published on 21/10/2007 in press coverage and the bay. 0 Comments

High profile international recognition for Arugam Bay

Responsible Tourism Partnership said that Arugam Bay has been selected as one of the three finalists for the Best Destination award at the World Travel Market World Responsible Tourism Award.

Charmarie Maelge, Director/CEO of the RTP said that “WTM Responsible Tourism Awards is now in the fourth year and this is the first time that a Sri Lankan tourism establishment has been recognised.

Arugam Bay and the rest of the country will benefit tremendously from this rare and most prestigious recognition”. The aim of the awards is to recognise individuals, companies and organisations in the travel industry that are making a significant commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and are providing a positive contribution to biodiversity conservation.

There are 13 award categories. The Best Destination Award is given for a resort, village or an entire country that manages tourism well for the long-term benefit of tourists, conservation and local people.

Maelge said that the Responsible Tourism Partnership (RTP) submitted the application for Arugam Bay on behalf of the tourism community and the people of Nolvadex purchase canada Arugam Bay and the NGOs who have been actively working rebuilding livelihoods promoting community tourism efforts.

The application was submitted in association with the Sewalanka Foundation, Arugam Bay Tourism Association and ICEI in Arugam Bay.
source:
http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2007/10/21/fin03.asp
Lady era price in india

Attack in deep South

Published on 19/10/2007 in press coverage and Security & Safety. 0 Comments

Silagra online bestellen

Yala attack plan to shift attention away from North

Desperate LTTE in diversionary attacks:

Lanoxin cost

“Remark by arugam.info webmistress:
In keeping with our pledge and promise, all security related news are published. After careful consideration, even this depolrable incident is not considered to present any danger for visitors to the Bay. Firstly, foreigners are NEVER targeted, secondly the place of this incident is far away from your famous Arugam Bay.”
The LTTE this time has come with a different game plan with the launch of a sudden attack on an isolated Army detachment in the Southern end of the country. The intention of the LTTE is quite evident.

It wants to give the message to the country and also to the international community about their capability to launch attacks on Security Forces even in the South despite the setbacks suffered by the outfit in the Wanni and

Environment Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka visited the Yala National Park on Tuesday after Monday eveningA?a??a??s LTTE attack on Thalgasmankada Army Post. Here the Minister meeting the wild life officers.

A?A?the Jaffna Forward Defence Lines.

But, it is very evident from this attack that the LTTE is in a desperate state. If not, why target an Army detachment guarding the Yala National Park. It also betrays a sign of desperation after the outfitA?a??a??s inability to launch any major attack in the North or in the Wanni.

Out of the seven soldiers attached to the detachment manned by the troops of the 18 Sri Lanka National Guard six were killed in this unexpected attack.

Many feared that the LTTE had infiltrated the Yala National Park in large numbers as the tractor which was heading towards Thalgasmankada Army detachment to collect the bodies of the soldiers was caught in a landmine explosion just 600 metres away from the detachment.

One soldier was killed and five others injured in this mine explosion increasing the number of deaths to seven.

Elite Commandos and Special Forces were flown to the Yala National Park on Wednesday morning to launch a massive search operation and track down the Tiger cadres who had infiltrated the National Park.

Even two days after the search operation, troops found no proof of a Tiger presence despite searching many parts of the Park including block II of the park hemmed between Kumbukkan Oya-the border of the Ampara district and Menik Ganga.

Therefore, it is believed that the number of Tiger cadres who had launched this attack would not have exceeded ten.

Yet, the existence of even a handful of Tiger cadres inside the National Park will be a threat as they can launch unexpected attacks not only on Security Forces and Police personnel but also the civilians visiting the park, in their desperation.

That was why the Defence Authorities have taken steps to screen all parts of the National Park to give a full security guarantee to the people visiting the Park before it is open to the public.

Apart from this the security of the historic Situlpawwa Raja Maha Vihara has to be considered in view of the large number of Buddhists visiting the sacred area as it is located just six kilometres away from the Thalgamsmankada Army detachment.

However, this is not the first occasion the LTTE carried out such attacks inside the Yala National Park. There had been many occasions where the LTTE had set fire to a number of Holiday Bungalows inside the National Park in the late 1990A?a??a??s.

But according to records this is the first occasion the LTTE was able to kill seven soldiers inside the Yala National Park located in the southern tip of the country.

What is most important here is to find out how the Tiger cadres infiltrated the Park. There are many possibilities for them to infiltrate the national park considering the enormous jungle area it covers bordering many districts including Ampara, Moneragala, and Hambantota.

According to Security Forces the most probable way for the LTTE infiltrate the national park is through Ampara border across Kumbukkan Oya which demarcates Ampara district and the Hambantota district.

Zone II of the National Park located between Kumbukkan Oya and Menik Ganga, according to sources, provides a safe haven for any group to operate freely considering the number of rock caves in the region.

This area could have been used by the LTTE to infiltrate into the Zone I of the National Park and launch this

The Wild Life department vehicle that gamagedot d

attack on Thalgasmankada located some six kilometres into the land from the location which links Menik Ganga into the sea.

The Security Forces believe that groups of Tiger cadres who fled from Kanchikudichchiaru jungle would have entered the this area across the Lahugala National Park in the Ampara border with the Police Special Task Force launching a number of search operations in the jungle patches of the Ampara district in search of the Tiger cadres who fled from Thoppigala.

There had been information that a team led by LTTE leader Ram had fled further southwards from the Thoppigala in their bid to escape Security Forces operations.

The presence of the STF in the area has paved the way for the LTTE to flee from the Kanchikudichchuaru jungle towards further south of the Ampara district.

The other possibility for the LTTE to move into the area is by mingling with the fishermen arriving there to the Yala National Park area for seasonal fishing.

There had been information from a hunter, that some suspected people were living inside a rock cave in the Block II area of the National Park.

Therefore, it is quite clear the LTTE infiltrated the jungle through the Ampara border from Panama and Lahugala jungle.

Another possible way for the LTTE to infiltrate the Yala National Park is mingling with the pilgrims from the North to the annual Kataragama perahera through the jungle terrains passing the Yala National Park.

The recently concluded Kataragama perahera gave ample opportunities for fleeing Tiger terrorists from the Eastern theatre to move towards the southern end mingling with these pilgrims on Pada Yatra.

Though it was compulsory for the Security Forces to screen them before arriving at Kataragama they had many opportunities to move away from these pilgrims and take refuge in jungle patches easily.

The Security Forces who were guarding the Yala National Park had not been on alert as the area had not come under such a terror attack for the past few years.

The LTTE took this chance to overrun the Army detachment killing six soldiers there in the detachment as the Security Forces guarding the National Park have not conducted any search operations outside their detachment.

But this cannot be taken as a serious lapse on the part of the Security Forces as they never expected such an attack from the LTTE at this point, though there had been many incidents in the past inside the Yala National Park.

There had been several terror attacks on Thalgasmanakada in 1986, and in 1996. The LTTE set fire to a few holiday bungalows inside Yala National Park in 1996.

In October 1997 there was an incident in which the Kataragama bus depot was set on fire while a few vehicles were set ablaze in Galge area inside the Yala National Park.

The LTTE had selected an easy target to transmit a message across the world announcing their presence at a time the outfit was at the receiving end of a severe hiding both on ground, sea and through air attacks, its worst ever reversal in the near three decade old conflict.

There had been wide publicity to this incident as it involved a world famous Wild Life Park and also due to its location hundreds of miles away from the theatre of battle in the Wanni and in the Jaffna peninsula.

Had the LTTE launched this attack targeting a small Army detachment in Weli Oya or in Jaffna the incident would have gained the least prominence to the LTTE since such incidents were commonplace in the North.

Even if they did the same thing in Trincomalee or in Batticaloa, that also would not had any effect as this type of isolated incidents are frequently reported when Security Forces launch search operations to check Tiger infiltrations into the province possibly from the Northern sector.

One major objective of the LTTE through this attack is to divert the attention of the Security Forces from the Wanni in the face of the severe beating taken by the outfit. They want the Security Forces to deploy a major strength, at least a Brigade to secure an area like the Yala National Park, which stretches over 97,889 hectares.

It is vital for the LTTE to shift a considerable strength from the Wanni battle front as it facing an acute shortage of fighters to face the Security Forces advancing towards their Wanni strongholds slowly but steadily.

Such a vacuum in the Wanni battle front will enable the LTTE face the Security Forces easily with the limited number of cadres available with them.

During this week alone more than 100 Tiger cadres were killed in the confrontations with the Security Forces West of Omanthai. The number of Tiger cadres killed in these confrontations in this location have increased to 1,500.

Heavy LTTE casualties were reported when troops crippled a Tiger advance on Wednesday at the defence lines North of Uyilankulam, Mannar.

The limited encounter between Forces and the LTTE sprung amidst stormy weather with the onset of monsoonal rains.

Earlier, on Monday the Security Forces were able to kill more than 30 Tiger cadres in the FDLs West of Omanthai. Many of these cadres were female cadres and bodies recovered by the Security Forces were handed over to the LTTE later through the ICRC.

Yesterday too the security Forces averted another major LTTE move towards Security Forces defences in Periyathampanai in the West of Omanthai killing at least 13 LTTE cadres and injuring 10 of them. Seven bodies of the LTTE were recovered by the Security Forces along with their personnel weapons.

What is most significant is that the LTTE is realising that the fall of the Wanni bastions is inevitable in the face of determined efforts by the Security Forces to continue their advance towards the uncleared areas amidst heavy resistance from the LTTE.

In the same way the LTTE is also receiving severe beatings from the Security Forces in the Jaffna FDLs. According to the military at least five LTTE cadres are being killed on daily basis in the Jaffna FDLs in Muhamalai, Kilali and Nagar Kovil.

The recovery of a large haul of arms inside a house in Jaffna was a major breakthrough to the Security Forces since this detection could well have averted a major disaster that could have been planned by the LTTE to gain the upper hand.

That was the biggest recovery ever made by the Security Forces in the Jaffna peninsula. Troops acting on information given by civilians detected this massive LTTE war chest inside a false wall of a house.

The recovery included 622 Kilograms of C-4 explosives packed in boxes, 6334 live rounds of T-56 ammunition, one T-56 weapon, one silence pistol, 21 boxes of bicycle balls, eight suicide jackets, five claymore mines, five cellular phones, one Global Positioning System(GPS) set, 20 T-56 magazines, 790 T-56 silencer ammunition, 70 LTTE code sheets and a large stock of batteries.

This is the second largest quantity of C4 explosives detected in a single instance after the recovery of an explosive laden freezer truck in Trincomalee.

It is clearly evident that LTTE is now in a major preparation to launch a massive attack on vital security installations either in Jaffna or elsewhere in the country in order to rise from its present debacles.

Therefore, the attack on the Thalgasmanakada Army detachment can be seen as one step towards destabilising security in the South as it was the only place they could find to attack the Security Forces.

Therefore it is vital on the part of the Security Forces and also the public to be alert to possible LTTE moves to launch a desperate and inhumane attack targeting civilians in Colombo to exert pressure on the Government to hold back military operations targeting the groupA?a??a??s Wanni strongholds.
source:
http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/10/19/fea02.asp

Introduction to “Hotels”

Published on 19/10/2007 in accomodation, bars, cabanas, guesthouse, hotels and restaurants. 0 Comments

Arugam Bay is basically a simple, straight 2km Beach Road, and nearly all Hospitality places are located here, either sea or land side.
This “SunRise Strip”, AbaY ‘Broadway’ or “Marine Walk” has no name or indeed house numbers.
To give you some idea of their position, as from 2006, we list all “hotels” with a #prefix followed by a number starting with #01 Stardust at the Lagoon bridge.
The tractor washing bridge at the Panama end might one day see #100 or so.

(see annual Mid Year AbaY Photo “Walk” in the photo gallery)

We list all of them, one by one, and we include at least one photograph as well as a brief introduction giving you a little bit of history.
Once they are all numbered and properly in line, special buttons will be added leading directly to their respective Home Page and an email editor.
If you like what you read and see you one click and you can book directly with them. No need to go back to Google!

When you have returned home, simply leave a comment! So you can help other travelers with your impressions, recommendations, or warnings.
AbHa hopes to improve services and standards this way and we want to assist you to form a closer link with the Bay and our respective establishments.
Remember! Not everyone has a home page or a guest book.
Charming, understated #59 Ruwangi “I think” has no own home pages….I think..
It is also very transparent for all to see. And discuss matters if need be.

Purchase himcolin cream “Hotel” is to be understood as a place where you can either sleep, eat or drink – any or all of it.
Sorry, folks! This is how it is: It’s just the Sri Lankan word for ‘Hotel’; it could be a simple tea shed right now.
Should one day more visitors arrivals warrant a little expansion this little shack now called ‘Cool Spot’ might soon bloom into Price of lamictal 100mg AbaY’s “Hot Spot”!
But:….It could be even worse. Maybe it will be “The Hilton”, a Galadari or perhaps The AbaY ‘Kalahari’ one day…….who knows?

AbHa

Published on 13/10/2007 in From our own Correspondent, front page, Ideas, Money Matters, press coverage and the bay. 3 Comments

The neglected Bay is still stuck since 2004!

AbHa (the original Arugam Bay Hotel Association) is considering:
Where did we go wrong?

Because we have little doubt that:

We represent the interests of the Arugam Bay Hotels, since 1999
Arugam Bay has been, without any doubt, the hardest hit area by the 2004 waves
The sea quake centre was, after all, directly opposite the famous surf Bay
Cheap seroflo Arugam Bay Hotels have, so far, not received any real help or funds to rebuild
Although Millions were collected for cases such as our predicament

Norvasc prices

The hotels suffered most. First 25 years war, than water, than war again
Fishing folk received great help, but they were back in business the next day…
And: Fish prices – a FREE raw product- have increased 4-5 fold since…!??
A great ‘Master Plan’ exists – but little has happened in Arugambay.
Apart from more obstacles and outside interferences. Nothing! Since 2004.

AbHa considers that, overall, this is nothing short of a scandal.
Or part of a very devious mater plan?
Whatever, before we look for faults elsewhere:

Where do you, our supporters and critics, think WE have done wrong?

Perhaps we voiced our objections to the observed waste of donated Millions to openly?
Perhaps we were too undiplomatic in our approach?
(But after all we have gone through we doubt that anyone else would have been more moderate)
Your feed-back and any observation is always most welcome.
Posted right here, as a plain comment or per email to:
VisitArugamBay@gmail.com
And we will publish your full article!

Fly to Arugambay?

Published on 12/10/2007 in Money Matters, services, taxis and the bay. 0 Comments

Purchase skelaxin and alcohol Sea Planes/ Air Taxi
If you want to reach your destination without breaking rest whilst also
enjoying the beauty of Sri Lanka, you now have the option of chartering a
flight on your arrival at Bandaranayake international airport to get to
Kandy in approximately 30 minutes, Dambulla in the cultural triangle in 30
mts, Bentota in 25 mts, and as far away as Trincomalee and Anuradhapura in
40mts.
Initial touch points of operation will be.
A?a??A? Kandy
A?a??A? Koggala
A?a??A? Bentota
A?a??A? Trincomalee
A?a??A? Anuradhapura
A?a??A? Hingurakgoda
A?a??A? Wirawila and Ampara.
Passengers originating from Colombo city or its suburbs will have the option
of requesting for flights out of Ratmalana or Bandaranaike International
Airport (BIA) at Colombo to the above destinations. Other destinations are
also planned for the future.
Flights will be scheduled according to passenger requirements,subject to
flight availability. For passenger convenience and safety, the aircraft will
operate only during daylight and acceptable weather conditions.
Available Aircrafts
Cessna Caravan (Amphibious)
Seating Capacity 8 passengers
Services
A?a??A? Luggage: one piece of checked luggage at 20kgs (excluding volumetric
luggage) and one piece of hand luggage measuring no more than 18″x14″x6″
(46x36x20cm) and weighing no more than 7kgs. (Rest of the luggage to be
transported by land with an excess baggage surcharge of USD 2 per kilo)
A?a??A? Charter flights are available: for groups or single passengers who would
like to hire the entire aircraft for excursions or photo flights.
A?a??A? Ground transportation to/from destinations is not included in the price
quoted.
Enjoy the Ride
These aircraft are very reliable and versatile for your service and manned
by experienced pilots recruited from around the world. The aircraft is
ideally suited to carry more than a ton of payload or eight passengers and
all their gear.
So all you have to do is sit back , relax and enjoy the ride. Our sea planes
will take you along the most scenic routes to the most beautiful places you
have ever been to any where in the world. Your journey will cover the
following destinations.
The Ancient Cities
A?a??A? Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Dambulla encompassing the cultural
triangle and Kandy, the last Kingdom of the Sinhala Kings
Your touch points for the air taxi are Anuradhapura Hingurakgoda & Kandy
The Southern Costal Belt
A?a??A? Beruwala, Bentota, Hikkaduwa & the Deep South
Your touch points for the air taxi are Koggla & Bentota
The East Cost
A?a??A? Trincomalee, Arugam Bay Differin cream for sale
Your touch points for the air taxi is Trincomalee
The Hill Country
A?a??A? Nuwara Eliya
Your touch points for the air taxi is Kandy

source:
http://groups.google.com/group/mbat06/browse_thread/thread/bae87936
ae490612/f7cebd5af2f4be32?hl=en&q=arugam#f7cebd5af2f4be32

Mr. Woolley and the waves

Published on 11/10/2007 in Blogs and press coverage. 0 Comments

Experiences in the tsunami
by Jonathan Woolley

Posted on the net April, 2005, but only just discovered by arugam.info:

IA?a??a??ve been asked by several colleagues about my
familyA?a??a??s experiences in the recent tsunami.
Thank you all for your concern and enquiries.
ItA?a??a??s special to feel supported by, and to matter
to, a community and our CPWF community is
that for me.
We were on Christmas holiday at Duphalac syrup cost Arugam Bay Buy deltasone online
in Sri LankaA?a??a??s south east coast, a remote,
beautiful and simple resort, and one of the
islandA?a??a??s closest points to the earthquakeA?a??a??s
epicentre off Sumatra. Just before 9 a.m., my
wife Pilar and I were on a short pre-breakfast
walk along the beach and our daughter Olivia was about 800m away, about
to enter the sea in front of our small hotel. We had earlier sat together
commenting how perfect the morning was and how tranquil the sea. There
was no visible warningA?a??a??here the sea did not draw back at allA?a??a??we were
admiring it as it was so beautiful. The first hint we had was a wave (more
like a surge as it didnA?a??a??t break) that came too far, wetting us suddenly, but
not violently. Instinctively, we retreated.
About 15 seconds later, Pilar and I were caught in the middle of our backs
by a second surge, when near the top of the beach. The third surge washed
us through a simple open building. The fourth somehow swept us near a
palm tree that we wound ourselves around, holding on to it and to each
other. There we weathered what were apparently about four more surges
over what seemed like the space of about 10 minutes. We remember the
sea as cold, brown and full of debris. The sea washed over us as we held
onto our tree; we both remember thinking that we couldnA?a??a??t resist the tremendous
push and pull much further. In retrospect, we were very lucky to be
partly protected from the debris and the full force of the waves by the building
still standing near our tree. Then in a flash, the water level fell as though
a plug had been pulled from a bathtub. We had to resist being sucked away,
while wedged between our tree and a floating tree-trunk pressing against
us. We still somehow thought then that we had been involved in a freak local
tide. It was only when we saw the level of destruction and death near our
hotel that the extent of it dawned.
Meanwhile, Olivia was on a more exposed part of the bay, open to the full
force of the waves. By about the third surge, she climbed on top of a onestorey
structure; as it collapsed, she calculated a grab for the leaves of a palm
tree, from which she hung for a few seconds, until she was swept further
inland and grabbed hold of the trunk of another palm tree just below the leaves.
She has a photograph of the tree taken laterA?a??a??the leaves are about 8m above
the ground. Others in this area were swept a kilometre into the lagoon or out
to sea. When she couldnA?a??a??t hold on any longer, Olivia slipped into the water,
fortunately as the last surge of the first incident was draining. She made her
way back to our two-storey hotel building. It was still standing although one-storey
buildings of the same hotel had been utterly destroyed.
Our son, Alan, who had been asleep in a second floor room, was awakened by the
deep rumbling noise (near our palm tree I remember no noise at all) and got out of
bed in time to see the water pouring in. Seeing the destruction, he thought weA?a??a??d all
been lost. Fortunately, within half an hour of the first wave, we were reunited in one of
the few remaining buildings. There, we withstood six more sets of surges over the
next 3 hours. From the height of the hotel, we could just about detect new surges
coming. With each, along with 10 other people, we clutched pillars in the corridor,
surfboards and each other. The peak of each set of surges washed powerfully through
the open corridors, specially the last two that occurred close to each other around
12.30 pm and seemed the strongest. Through different estimates, we reckon that the
peak level of most of the sets of surges was about 10m above normal sea level,
which in that flat terrain was devastating, entering at least a kilometre inland.
One of AlanA?a??a??s first actions was finding a mobile phone that had luckily been on a
high bedroom shelf and was still dry. Once reunited, we used that to seek the help
of IWMI, who provided wonderful support and advice and contacted the British
High Commission in Colombo, which kept a register of all the foreign nationals in
our group. We were advised to retreat to higher ground once the waves abated.
That we did, spending the next 24 hours on a hilltop 10m above sea level and
almost a kilometre inland with some 150 others. The injured and foreigners were
evacuated by Sri Lankan Air Force helicopters to Ampara, a nearby district capital,
but it was a slow process only possible in daylight. Meanwhile, food and water was
dropped to us and a few with medical skills attended the wounded. We were stranded
as the bridge had collapsed leaving us in effect on an island.
In the community of Arugam Bay, some 250 people perished out of 2000, many of
them women and children, including the hotel owner and a number of guests.
We keep in touch with several members of our global A?a??A?hilltop survivors groupA?a??A?.
Having gone through a similar experience, we can provide mutual support and
there is less to explain. The group has raised funds to help in Arugam Bay and
Olivia has conducted a needs assessment and linked with local NGOs to distribute
our contribution. It sometimes seems complicated to know how and where to help.
Despite the availability of funds, there is still much confusion and disorientation.
My personal conclusion to all this, so far, is still contained in the comment by a wise
Sri Lankan doctor, who treated us on return to Colombo: A?a??A?You have passed in a few
minutes through an intensity of experience that some never have in a lifetime.A?a??A?

source:
http://www.waterandfood.org/gga/files/news_events/CP%20Newsletter-14.pdf

Arugam Elephants

Published on 11/10/2007 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent and wild life. 0 Comments

Buy forzest tadalafil

Lahugala Kitulana National Park

Size	1,554 hectares
Main attraction	Large herds of elephants

The Lahugala Park was initially declared a sanctuary on 1 st July 1966 and then upgraded to a national park on 1 st October 1980. Although this is one of the smallest national parks in the country, this is a popular location for elephant enthusiasts and bird watchers.

There are 3 tanks within the park. They are, Lahugala (243ha), Kitulana and Sengamuwa. The water from these tanks flow in to the Heda Oya. These tanks are largely silted up and support an abundance of Beru grass, which is a delicacy for elephants. These lakes also support a large variety of birds, local as well as migratory.

Cheap innopran medication Being in the dry zone, the land is generally flat with occasional boulder formations. In addition to the elephants, the park is home to the endemic toque macaque, common languor, sloth bear, jackal, rusty spotted cat, fishing cat, leopard, wild bear, Indian muntjac, spotted deer, sambar, pangolin and black naped hare. The tanks and the surround area has become nestling places for wetland birds like pelican, purple heron, painted stork, lesser adjutant stork, white bellied sea eagle, grey headed fishing eagle, common kingfisher, stork billed kingfisher and white breasted kingfisher. Endemic comb duck, rare red-faced malkoha and Sri Lankan Spur fowl too can be seen the park.

There is no accommodation in the park it self, but Pothuvil and Monaragala can be used as the base when visiting the park.

On the nor then edge of the park is the Magula Maha Viharaya, an ancient temple built by king Devanmpiyathissa in the second century BC. This is said to be the location the king married princess Vihara Maha Devi. The foundations of the A?a??A?Magul maduwaA?a??A? where the wedding ceremony took place can still be seen in the vihara premises. The entire Vihara complex had covered an extent of around 10,000 acres where ruins of a palace, moonstone, monastery, bo-maluwa, stupas, ponds etc. are found scattered all over. The moonstone here is said to be unique in the country as this is the only location where elephants are carved with their mahouts in the moonstone.

Location

Lahugala National park lies in the basin of the Heda Oya, 16km inland from the coastal town of Pottuvil in the Monaragala District. The Pottuvil-Monaragala trunk road runs through the south-eastern sector of the park. It is 2 km off the main Monaragala A?a??a?? Pottuvil road some 5 km from Pottuvil…… And only 6km from Arugambay.

source:
http://www.angelfire.com/planet/wildlifesl/lahugala/lahugala.htm

Timber

Published on 08/10/2007 in Money Matters and press coverage. 0 Comments

Forest Department officials unearth longstanding timber racket

Divisional SecretaryA?a??a??s signature forged on licence

A massive timber racket carried out over a long period using forged documents, has been unearthed by Forest Department officials in the Ampara area.

The signatures of Divisional Secretaries have been forged in a shrewd manner to transport the trees felled in areas such as Medagama and Bibile in the Moneragala district.

Officials had uncovered details about this well-organized timber mafia after the examination of a lorry between Ampara and Samanturai, transporting a load of satin wood with a forged licence bearing the signature of a Divisional Secretariat. The Forest Department had expanded its investigations into this matter because a Divisional Secretary could not authorize the transportation of Satin wood according to the existing laws and regulations.

Acticin over the counter In this deceptive document, the signature of the Bibile Divisional SecretariatA?a??a??s Gunadasa Samarasinghe and his rubber seal had been used fraudulently. After thorough investigations, officials had confirmed that the number of the timber permits issued here, could not be found in the log books maintained at the local authorities in the Moneragala and Ampara districts.

Forest officials emphasized that these documents had been forged so well that anyone could not suspect them at all, expect for minor factual mistakes made in them. In the document, the unit of measuring timber had been mentioned as milliletre instead of millimetre. There had also been an error in the Sinhala spelling of Forest Ordinance.

The value of the satin wood load seized had been estimated at one million rupees. Two suspects were produced before the Ampara Magistrate in connection with this racket and released later on cash bail of Rs. 7500 each and surety of Rs. 50,000.

Meanwhile, another timber load kept in the house of a mill owner in Samanturai had been found after investigations.
Cardura online stopwatch

According to instructions and guidance by the Director General of Forest Conservation, Sarath Fernando and Deputy Forest Conservator W.A.C. Weragoda, investigations were carried out by a team of forest officers led by District Forest Officer Lalith Gamage. Forest officials R.M. Wijeyapala, A.G. Sanath Priyantha, Upul Hettiarachchi, K. Jeyakumar and M.A. Jayah too took part in the investigations.

source:
http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/10/08/news/01.asp

Surf’s up

Published on 07/10/2007 in Blogs, surf and the bay. 0 Comments

Surf’s up

Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka – 26 Aug ’06
(but only discovered on the net October, 2007)

Text: Pablo Chaterji
Photos: Pablo Chaterji

Hitting the waves in Sri Lanka

Surf's up

Apologies for the somewhat morbid beginning, but of all the methods of shuffling off the mortal coil, drowning is the one I fear most. There’s something about being caught under water that inevitably scares the daylights out of me. Since one Mr Murphy revels in just such situations, perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised to find myself deep inside the ocean, under a wave of fairly gigantic proportions. I could feel the blood pounding in my forehead as I struggled furiously to come to the surface. My eyes were stinging from the salt water, my lungs were at bursting point and I could feel water starting to enter my nose. I was in a blind panic, to put it mildly, and the fact that I had a surfboard attached via a cord to my ankle wasn’t helping matters any. The overall sensation was that of being thrown inside a giant washing machine in Turbo Spin mode, and the more I struggled, the more air I burned up.

Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka Just then, in the midst of all the panic and chaos, I suddenly realised I was being stupid. Sure, the water was deep, but not that deep; I could see the ocean floor a couple of feet beneath me. Also, although the wave that had knocked me flat and churned me underwater had been huge, it had spent itself and was now not much more than a large swell making its way to shore. I stopped fighting the water and allowed myself to float to the surface, treading water and gratefully sucking in lungfulls of air. Man, this surfing business wasn’t as easy at it looked.

Nevertheless, I was in Arugam Bay, on Sri Lanka’s eastern coast and among the world’s top ten surfing sites. I hadn’t come all the way here just to give up after being battered by one wave, so I gathered up my (rented) board and headed back to shore in order to try again. Before coming here, I had done a ‘surfing for idiots’ Google search and had carefully memorised some of the how-to lessons I had found. Naturally, as is usually the case with such foolishness, the chasm between rote learning and practical application had turned out to be considerable. Still, the absolute basics were valid, so I began to go over them mentally as I walked into the water.’You saarf faarst time?’ I turned around to find that the query had come from a spectacularly fit Japanese girl in a bikini the size of a postage stamp. Board in hand, she looked like she had been surfing for years. ‘Is it that obvious?’ I asked. She giggled in the way only Japanese girls do. ‘I see you fall. Also, you holding saarfboard wrong way.’ I produced one of those sheepish ‘heh heh’ grins and quickly turned my board around. ‘I show you? Is not so difficult.’ ‘That’d be great’ I said, although frankly I would blindly have said yes even if she had suggested I walk barefoot over hot coals, such was the power of her attire.

Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka ‘Ok, you lie on board now’, she said when we had got close to where the waves started to break. ‘Lie in middle so board is frat, aazzawize front go down or back go up.’ I did as I was told and managed to lie flat on the board without stoppie-ing, wheelie-ing or rolling it over.

We were now paddling parallel to the wave as it started to build itself up. ‘Now you stand up slowly, put your feet on middle and look straight. You looking down, you fall.’ I positioned myself as if I was doing a push-up, raised my upper body and swept my feet underneath myself. I stood in a low crouch with my hands just above my waist and my feet positioned shoulder-width down the middle of the board. ‘See, now you saarfing!’ said the divine Oriental. And what do you know, I was. For about ten seconds, I managed to stay upright and guide the board across the wave and I tell you, it was a trip and a half. There was a wall of water to my right, from which spray was hitting my face, and when I looked ahead I could see the wave curling away over my head into the distance – it was like being in a tunnel of water, and the
feeling was quite indescribable.

Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka Then my beginner’s instinct kicked in and I looked straight down at my feet, at which point I plunged head first into the water. This time I let the wave pass over me and surfaced quickly, feeling completely overjoyed. Surf Girl was giggling away and offered congratulations. ‘Ha ha, now you saarfar. You practice more, you more better.’ I decided to
follow her advice and went at it for the next few hours, and although I can’t claim to have got rid of my learning wheels, I certainly managed to stay on the board for longer than ten seconds.

Back at my charming beachside hotel, I collapsed into a welcoming beach chair and ordered as much lemonade as they had on the premises. I was totally exhausted, but the physical tiredness was eclipsed by the elation of having achieved something. I slurped down my lemonade and looked out onto the water, which was a simply dazzling blue. It was a picture perfect scene, but just over a year ago it wasn’t quite like this.

Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka The tsunami that hit Arugam Bay on the 24th of December, 2004 completely flattened what is little more than an overgrown fishing village that just happens to have some of the best surfing waves in the world. The structure on whose balcony I was now sitting was one of the few that survived the seven massive waves that swept inland, but the Danish owner of the hotel hadn’t been as fortunate. Almost 3,000 people died that day, which for a small village is a huge number. Even now, I could see reminders of the utter devastation. The main road running through the village was little more than a series of craters, and the surviving buildings on both sides looked like they had been at the receiving end of an air-raid. Buses and Toyota Hiace vans were scattered here and there, crumpled like so much tissue paper. New structures and houses had come up, made mainly of wood and tin, giving the place an air of a refugee camp more than anything else. Teams of flustered white people drove up and down in Landcruisers, aid workers who looked like they’d much rather be downing cold ones at the Colombo Hilton. Just after the tsunami, the village had apparently received
consignments of mini skirts, ties and dog food among other things, so exactly what the aid agencies were doing was anyone’s guess. Anyway, as is usually the case, most of the meaningful help came from private individuals, friends and well-wishers, not to mention the fact that the locals hauled up their socks and got back down to the business of living.

Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka Apart from the physical scars, the village was almost back to normal now. Tourists were coming back, almost all the hotels and shacks appeared to have re-opened and the fishing boats were putting out to sea again. Even then, it seemed unlikely that it would ever develop into a full-fledged ‘tourist’ centre, which was just as well. I couldn’t think of anything worse than the place being overrun by hundreds of people and swank hotels. You see, ever since it was first
discovered by itinerant surfers more than 20 years ago, Arugam Bay has been off the regular tourist circuit – its location in the war-affected east coast has been a dampener. Although it’s now quite safe and the LTTE have largely been driven out by the security forces, the odd incident does take place, which is usually enough to scare the average traveller away. From a purely selfish viewpoint, I hoped that this would continue to be the case. I mean, here was the perfect holiday spot. It had 330 days of Met department-certified sunshine a year and largely missed out on the effects of both monsoons. It had incredible swimming and surfing beaches. The people were welcoming and friendly, the atmosphere was tranquil and the seafood was straight off the boat. What more could you possibly want, to use a clichA?a??A?? Well, for one thing I wanted another crack at the surf. I downed the last of the lemonade and headed to the beach. Heck, maybe I’d persuade Surf Girl to give me a few more lessons…

TRAVEL LOG
Arugam Bay isn’t the easiest place to get to, especially if you don’t have transport of your own. However, you’re reading BSM, so I’m assuming you’ll be resourceful enough to find a car to drive. Although the roads aren’t of the best quality, the route is very picturesque, passing through a major reserve forest at one point where you’re likely to encounter elephants crossing the road. Being a sensitive area, you’re also likely to be periodically stopped at check-points, but the soldiers are usually very polite and let you through immediately once they realise you’re a traveller. Just make sure you slow down and stop no matter what, though; even if you don’t understand what they’re saying and keep going, they might shoot first and ask questions later.

And please don’t be alarmed by all this – it’s perfectly safe to go there, probably safer than an average day spent in Delhi. Once there, there’s the beach, the beach and the beach. You can go swimming, hire a surfboard and try your luck or simply flop down and sunbathe till you’re well cooked. Visit the ancient Buddhist remains in neighbouring Pottuvil for a bit of culture – they were protected from the waves by a large sand dune and survived. Walk down the beach to Crocodile Rock, from where there’s a great view of the whole bay. Drive 25 km further south to Panama Tank, where you’ll see crocodiles and huge numbers of birds of all kinds. Round off your day with a moonlight swim in the sea and a plate full of fresh prawn curry. Trust me, it’s the life.

The very first hotel you’ll see in Arugam Bay is the Stardust Beach Hotel (+94 63 2248191, www.arugambay.com, US $24-55 a night). Stop here, because it’s the best one. There’s a choice between simple cabanas and swankier rooms in the main building, but they’re all basic, clean and cheerful. The food alone is worth the price of admission; it’s a little pricey, but is simply out of this world. Their home-made ice-creams are to die for. Next door is Ranga’s Beach Hut (+94 63 2248202), which is cheaper but just as clean. Ranga’s a magnificent cook and handles the kitchen himself, so don’t miss his crab, fish and prawn curries even if you’re not staying at his place. For a touch of morbid irony, there’s the Tsunami Hotel further down the road.

source:
http://images.google.co.th/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bsmotoring.com/bsm/wcms/en/
home/travel/getaways/Arugam-Bay-Sri-Lanka-060826.avsFiles/Image/awol_arugam_7.
jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bsmotoring.com/bsm/wcms/en/home/travel/getaways/
Arugam-Bay-Sri-Lanka-060826.html&h=266&w=400&sz=17&hl=th&start=2&um=1&
tbnid=40UCpJGs9maFKM:&tbnh=82&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Darugam%26
svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Dth%26sa%3DG

PottuVille Bridge…

Published on 03/10/2007 in press coverage. 0 Comments

Politics on international platforms does not change people’s realities

By Jehan Perera

The Sri Lankan government came out with a forceful campaign in favour of the global war against terrorism and against those whom it claimed sought to use human rights as a tool against states in New York at the meeting of the UN General Assembly and in Geneva at the session of the UN Human Rights Council. President Mahinda Rajapaksa used the podium in New York to speak in the Sinhala language and reach the hearts and minds of his countrymen back at home. This was the second successive occasion in which the President used the Sinhala language to address all the nations of the world. Invariably the largest audience for the PresidentA?a??a??s speech was in Sri Lanka where the powerful state media gave it maximum coverage.

One of the roots of the ethnic conflict, and current war in Sri Lanka, has been the issue of language. When Sinhala was made the sole official language of the country in 1956 over the impassioned opposition of its Tamil-speaking peoples, who amounted to over a quarter of the countryA?a??a??s population, the seeds of ethnic marginalization were laid. Although the government made Tamil also an official language in 1990, it remains unimplemented for the most part. The PresidentA?a??a??s choice of Sinhala to make his speech at the UN remains part of a deeply ingrained pattern in government officials, both elected and unelected, to give primacy to Sinhala only.

In his speech in New York, President Rajapaksa gave emphasis to the war against terrorism that his government was conducting against the LTTE. He drew upon the growing international antipathy to terrorism, which took an upward climb following the terror attack on the US in September 2001, to strengthen his governmentA?a??a??s justification for its use of the military option to restore democracy and peace to the country. The LTTEA?a??a??s own track record of human rights violations and terrorist practices assisted the government to silence those who might otherwise have stood their ground firmly for the path of negotiations.

The PresidentA?a??a??s references to the restoration of democracy and plans for massive reconstruction in the newly recaptured areas of the east could have impressed the international delegates to whom a translation of the PresidentA?a??a??s speech was readily available. The President demonstrated considerable skill in coming across as a homespun and patriotic head of state in his unique clothing with a sash around his shoulder. Notwithstanding his narrow electoral victory which was made possible by the LTTEA?a??a??s enforced boycott of Tamil voters, the fact that he is the democratically elected President of a country also gave him equal international legitimacy with other elected heads of state, which was visible in the many photographs and visuals that pictured him with leaders of other countries.

Metoclopramide antiemetic generic reglan Ground realities

But back home in Sri Lanka, most particularly in the north and east where the military conflict between the government and LTTE is focused, the situation was starkly different from that sketched out by the President in New York. The most recent report of the international monitors of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission says that the security situation in the north and east continues to be bleak and deteriorating for the civilian population. The PresidentA?a??a??s speech made in the Sinhala language would have reconfirmed to the Tamil-speaking peoples their disadvantaged position in Sri Lanka in relation to the more numerous Sinhalese people. In translation the claims made by the President that the government was serious about restoring democracy and development to the north and east would have seemed like an impossible dream, given the situation they presently live in.

A little more than two months ago I was an eyewitness to the fear and suffering that stretches across the east, from Trincomalee through Batticaloa down to Ampara, through which the governmentA?a??a??s writ now runs more or less completely. But if the governmentA?a??a??s writ implies justice, security and normalcy, this was not at all the case. Due to the constant apprehension about LTTE infiltration, the government troops are on high alert, manning hundreds of checkpoints at which the people are searched and sometimes detained. The armed Karuna group has its offices in public places guarded by its own armed cadres who also prowl about town as an effective para military affiliate of the government forces.

Although the President spoke of a massive development effort to reconstruct the east, the only thing that I saw of a major infrastructure development project during five days of travel through the east was a big bridge that is being constructed near Pottuvil. Indeed, it is hardly a cause for surprise that development should be taking a back seat in the east at the present time. The government is so badly strapped for cash that it is finding it difficult even to make pension payments, although it has printed cash in a manner that has driven up inflation to near 20 percent, has borrowed heavily from the state banking system, and now has approached commercial institutions for massive foreign loans.
Robaxin price per pill

The President also spoke of the restoration of democracy and elections. But the ground reality gives another story. The remnants of the LTTE still present in the east, and the possibility of fresh infiltration from outside, create a security crisis in which people are constantly checked, detained, abducted and assassinated. Even if this should happen to a few with impunity, it creates a climate of terror in which people are afraid to speak, even of their own sufferings and the injustices heaped upon them. This makes a free and fair election impossible in the foreseeable future. But the correspondence between democracy and elections is so strong in the international community that it becomes easy to see those who promise it as upholders of the higher values of civilization.

Offensive campaign

It was not only in New York that the government took the offensive. The government also temporarily staved off a much anticipated resolution against it by the Human Rights Council in Geneva. The assumption that the Human Rights Council would call Sri Lanka to account for its deteriorating human rights record proved to be a mistaken one. Many of the countries represented in the Human Rights Council are from the third world, or are those who also face problems similar to those faced by Sri Lanka. Each of these countries is cynically aware that if they were to take up a principled stance against a fraternal country, they are liable to be at the receiving end of that same principled stance.

Those who wish conflict resolution and problem solving in national and international affairs to take place on the basis of human rights, peace and justice may wish that the Human Rights Council of the UN is primarily a human rights body. But this is not the case, as it is primarily a political body just as much as the UN, which is a political organization where the interests of member states come before everything else. For instance, the Human Rights Council failed to meet to discuss a resolution that would condemn the Burmese government for suppressing the peopleA?a??a??s movement that demands change in that country. The Sri Lankan government selected a delegation that took advantage of this situation to attack and discredit their opponents.

An example would be a working document listing 547 persons killed and 396 persons disappeared during the period January to June 2007 compiled by the Law & Society Trust, in collaboration with four local partners including the Civil Monitoring Commission nd the Free Media Movement, which was submitted to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry as well as relevant members of the government. The government delegation identified that eight of the names on this list were those of Sri Lankan soldiers. They sought to discredit the NGOs, arguing that A?a??A?the callousness with which the dead become statistics, mere grist to the mill of these ghouls, does no service to those who suffer through violations of human rights.A?a??A? But they had nothing to say about the 935 other persons who had been killed or disappeared and whose spirits cry for justice.

A second example would be the government delegation calling upon A?a??A?the Office of the Special Representative and the international community to impress upon the LTTE and its breakaway Karuna faction to give priority to implementing the recommendations made in the 20th December report of the UN Secretary General on Children Affected by Armed Conflict in Sri Lanka and to cease child recruitment immediately and return child combatants and young persons to their families to that they can be reintegrated.A?a??A? However, this statement made no mention of the fact that the Karuna group is an important ally of the government and that the armed cadres of the Karuna group operate freely in government-controlled areas.

For an improvement in the ground situation it may be necessary for an international human rights monitoring mechanism to be established in Sri Lanka on the lines of the UN human rights monitoring mechanism established in Nepal with field offices. As a part of the peace process that led to the peace agreement between the Nepal government and Maoist rebels there was agreement to establish field offices of the UN to monitor the human rights situation.

In New York and Geneva, on the other hand, the Sri Lankan government denied that there was a crisis of human rights in the country. This means that obtaining positive change from the government and its agencies by themselves is unlikely at this time. President Rajapaksa frequently refers to his pride in Asia. Sri Lanka could follow the Nepal example, strengthen its human rights protection mechanism with international assistance, and be another endeavour of Asian peacemaking.

source:
http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/10/02/opinion/01.asp

Q & A

Published on 03/10/2007 in Blogs and hotels. 0 Comments

Arugam Bay

Saby_Baby

Nova Scotia, Canada
Joined: Jun 2006
Forum posts: 55
(8835951)

More about Saby_Baby…

Posted on: 16 September 2007, 15:00

Save

Hiya,

Has anyone been to Arugam Bay? Or stayed at any of the guesthouses there? I would like to know everything if at all poss. Or if you would recommend staying soemwhere else i would like to hear it.

Thanks

Sarah

Report inappropriate post

	KenR-UK Birmingham UK Joined: Jan 2006 Forum posts: 106 (8837520)
More about KenR-UK…

Posted on: 16 September 2007, 17:52

Save

We stayed in Arugam Bay last year.

Suggest you take a look at the following site which give some good information and blogs, comments etc about Aurgam Bay and hotel, facilities etc. https://www.arugam.info/category/accomodation/

We stayed at the Siam View Hotel (SVH) when we were in Arugram bay. Accomodation there is very basic but the restaurant and bar are excellent; best food in ABay. They only a few rooms left after the tsunami destroyed most of the hotel, as with a lot of the hotels and bars in Arugam Bay. We stayed there mainly to provide practical support after the tsunami – Arugam Bay received very little or no funding from the various Non Government Relief organisations. If you read some of the blogs on the site you will see that the author (Fred) is very bitter about the lack of support.

I think Arugam bay is definitely worth a visit as part of a tour, the beach, surf, swimming and diving are probably the best in Sri Lanka. The best accomodation is probably the Star Dust Hotel –

see http://www.arugambay.com/

If you are going there I would recommend staying at the Star Dust but eating and drinking at the SVH.

You may find that you have to contact the local AB hotels to arrange transport – some of the Colombo based taxi drivers give misleadiing info about the safety in the area. It’s perfectly safe.

Regards

Report inappropriate post

	Saby_Baby Nova Scotia, Canada Joined: Jun 2006 Forum posts: 55 (8838710)
More about Saby_Baby…

Posted on: 16 September 2007, 20:00

Save

Thanks for the info.

How much is food and drink? We are looking at staying in that area for 10 nights. Is there lots of activities to do?

Thanks

Cleocin t pledgets price

Sarah

Report inappropriate post

	KenR-UK Birmingham UK Joined: Jan 2006 Forum posts: 106 (8839179)
More about KenR-UK…

Posted on: 16 September 2007, 20:50

Save

Hi Sarah

Food and drink in the Siam View Hotel was very reasonably priced. When we were staying there were quite a few surfers and students from OZ and the UK using the restaurant. Most of them didn’t have a lot of money.

I can’t recall the exact price, but it was one of the cheapest places we visited in Sri Lanka.

Order serpina benefits

If you are there during Full Moon they have big Poya beach parties at night.

If you want to find out more, suggest you post a question on the Arugam.info site.

Regards

Ken

Report inappropriate post

	KenR-UK Birmingham UK Joined: Jan 2006 Forum posts: 106 (8839260)
More about KenR-UK…

Posted on: 16 September 2007, 20:59

Save

Sorry, forgot the add that if you are into water sports and surfing this really is excellent. You can hire a surf board for the week for not a lot of money.

If you can’t surf, then I suggest getting paying for a few lessons from one the beach boys. The beach is really exccellent for learning to surf; the waves sweep across and into the bay, so it’s a great place to learn. If you are an expert surfer then you can go a few miles south to the point where the waves are much bigger, but they sweep across at right angles to the shore.

There are also a number of locals who will take you sailing or rent a boat, also I believe that you can hire diving equipment as well.

There isn’t a great deal else to do at Arugam Bay, it’s very much a beach bum and surfers location.

It may be possible to go further south down the coast to Yala East National Park to do a safari, but you would need to check if this is open. it was closed at one time.

Regards

Report inappropriate post

	Saby_Baby Nova Scotia, Canada Joined: Jun 2006 Forum posts: 55 (8839597)
More about Saby_Baby…

Posted on: 16 September 2007, 21:32

Save

Thanks for all of the aswers. How did you get to Arugam Bay from Colombo? We were looking at making it a 2 day trip by train and bus. Any suggestions?

Report inappropriate post

	KenR-UK Birmingham UK Joined: Jan 2006 Forum posts: 106 (8848737)
More about KenR-UK…

Posted on: 17 September 2007, 17:36

Save

Hi Sarah

We hired a van and driver for the whole holiday which included 4 days in Arugam Bay.

However if you are going to spend a significant period in AB and don’t need a vehicle and driver then there are a number of alternatives:-

1. You could get the Hotel in AB to arrange a pick up at the Airport – that can work out quite expensive. I don’t think there are any direct bus services to Arugam Bay, only pre-arranged pick up by AB Hotels/taxis. They charge about $80/person

2. A good (and spectacular) alternative would be to get the train from Colombo to Ella or Badulla; then negotiate with a local driver to drive your party to Moneragala and finally arrange with the Arugam Bay Hotel to send transport from Aurgam Bay to pick up up at Moneragala. The train trip from Bandarawela to Ella is amazing, the track even loops over itself in order to gain height.

The reason you will probably have to do the road part in stages is that it’s sometimes difficult to get drivers to drive to Pottuvil and Arugam Bay even though it’s perfectly safe – but they are normally ok going as far as Moneragala. There may even be a bus from Ella or Badulla to Moneragala but Sri Lanka buses can be a bit rough – but an interesting expperience.

You may find that most drivers going to Moneragala from Ella or Badulla prefer to take the longer route via Wellawaya as the road from there to Moneragala will be better, so getting out at Ella may be better.

Maybe Erik or Dave can advice, we didn’t travel on the A22 from Badulla to Moneragala so I don’t know the state of the road or if there are buses – I can only speculate.

From Moneragala to Arugam Bay there is only 1 big Police/Army checkpoint at Siyambalanduwa; the road is good but goes through a jungle area near Lahugala which is the bit that seems to worry some of the Colombo drivers – but it’s really safe.

Take a look at some of the blogs from Fred on the www.arugamBay.info site about travel to Arugam Bay.

You might even want to have a stopover somewhere on route such as Bandarawela or Ella, we stayed a couple of nights at the Bandarawela Hotel which is an old fashioned Hill Station Hotel and ok

Hope this helps

Report inappropriate post

	Saby_Baby Nova Scotia, Canada Joined: Jun 2006 Forum posts: 55 (8849906)
More about Saby_Baby…

Posted on: 17 September 2007, 18:59

Save

Thanks so much for all of your help. Were so excited and just cant wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!xx

Report inappropriate post

	jannerburns truro Joined: Mar 2007 Forum posts: 23 (8973621)
More about jannerburns…

Posted on: 27 September 2007, 16:17

Save

Hello Sarah!

Know you’re probably overloaded with all the great info that’s gone before but I had to chip in with one other accomodation reccomendation!

My cousin runs a place in Arugam Bay called the Galaxy Lounge (it has it’s own website so take a look.) It’s at the quieter end of the beach which means you can sleep at night when there are parties going on but it’s only a 5 min walk down the beach to the ‘action’!! You stay in beachside cabanas + the food is really great. Proper traditional Sri Lankan food but you can ask them to cool it down a bit if you’d prefer!!

As others have said, chilling + surfing aside there’s not much else to Arugam Bay but I spent the last week of my holiday in June at the Galaxy + it was awesomely relaxing!!

Have a great time wherever you end up!!

Rach.

Report inappropriate post

	Saby_Baby Nova Scotia, Canada Joined: Jun 2006 Forum posts: 55 (9033015)
More about Saby_Baby…

Posted on: yesterday, 19:37

Save

Thanks for you info. I have had a look at the website and the place looks amazing. Im going to send them an email this week for rooms! Thanks Sarah xxxxxxxxxx

source:
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g293961-i8983-k1459225-
Arugam_Bay-Sri_Lanka.html

Frazer’s Blog & non halal pork

Published on 03/10/2007 in Blogs and press coverage. 0 Comments

My Shitty Week

Just thought I’d share my shitty week. It was pretty shitty.

Shit Monday: Ceftin length of treatment My driver got fired after 1 1/2 years. To be honest he probably deserved it. Bright Spot: Got given 1 kilo of wild pork in Panama (the town, not the country)
Shit Tuesday: Tractor driver working for us in Pottuvil got arrested for “illegally” transporting sand between 2 sites, I spend 1 hour trying to get him released then another 2 at the court.
Shit Wednesday: Meeting with Police in Pottuvil to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Bright Spot: The Pottuvil Divisional Secretary (Government Rep) ragging on the Chairman of the Pottuvil Pradeshiya Sabha (Local Council) for 10 minutes about how hard he finds it to work in Pottuvil, and how he has never had so many problems in any other division he has worked in over the past 20 years. We agree.
Shit Thursday: Not much on the shittiness front this day.
Shit Friday: Boundary wall collapses on a site and kills one labourer and injures another. ’nuff said. Visit wailing family, accident site, got offered to see the body but turned it down. Police arrest Technical Officer and Supervisor but release later. Bright Spot: Get another 4 kilos of Panama pork
Shit Saturday: Visit other man in hospital. Bright Spot: Seems like he will be OK with no lasting damage. Fiji beats Wales (sorry, South Pacific solidarity and our Security guy is a big Fijian).
Shit Sunday: Get some sort of weird allergic reaction to something and lips around left corner of my mouth swell up for a few hours. Bright Spot: BBQing some of Friday’s pork tonight. Have lunch in Arugam Bay with Dawn as she is leaving for a few months. Get word that Annette will be back soon. Don’t have to deal with anything to do with work. Guys are here installing generator so I might be able to sleep in AC at nights now (it’s really hot at the moment).

Conclusion: This week SUCKED.

Had to share that. Hope to have some pics from Ha Noi and Bangkok up soon.

1 people talking back:

Order digoxin swisshits said…

Hahaha
“Get some sort of weird allergic reaction to something and lips around left corner of my mouth swell up for a few hours”

Monday: Got given 1 kilo of wild pork

Friday: Get another 4 kilos of Panama pork

Sunday: BBQing some of Friday’s pork tonight

Maybe to much “non halal” Pork?

Give my best regards to Rifai!!!

Cheers
Magnus

source:
http://intheeyeofthetiger.blogspot.com/2007/09/my-shitty-week.html

Frazer’s Blog and New Austrian Cook

Published on 03/10/2007 in Blogs and press coverage. 0 Comments

The End of My Madness

It’s all been happening since my last post. Well, not all, but a couple of things.

At the start of July we moved into the guesthouse, waayhay! I have been getting surprised looks from all the local staff as I appear in the office around 7.30 in the morning, as they were used to me showing up at least an hour later because of the travel time from Arugam Bay.

A panoramic view of the house (we’re building a bar too)

Outside

Inside the main dining area

Ranjith, our cook, after Patricia did his hair (don’t ask, we have no TV…)

Anyway we finally got to move in, there are some teething problems but we are getting over them. The cook is fantastic (I’ve been eating more pork than you can poke a curly tail at to get over my deprivation) and we are working to make it more liveable every day. Small steps. We even have hot water which is a luxury I was missing a lot, I just feel so much more cleaner now.

I also managed to finally get away on holiday, so I shaved off my beard after a couple of months I think, I’m not sure, anyway not shaving until I got to go on holiday was the deal. Was pretty hairy anyway and kind of glad to see it gone although it wasn’t too annoying in the end.

Order bonnispaz My beard at it’s peak

The aftermath…

I spent the first few days in Colombo and got Laser Eye Surgery at a hospital there. Was quite surprised at the “production line” that the doctor had going on, I had the initial consultation at about 4pm and then by 6 ish I had new eyes. Was all pretty painless although the bit where he poked my cornea to establish the thickness, even though he’d put in anaesthetic eye drops, was a bit strange. After a bit of an uncomfortable evening, where I could barely open my eyes (understandably) they were not too bad the next day and the follow up check revealed 20/20 vision! All for the bargain price of just over $1,000 USD for both eyes, which is probably about half what you’d pay for one eye at home.

They have settled down now and I can read, watch TV, look at the computer etc without having to wear glasses, it is just training the muscles to focus properly from now on. I am not too sure about the long distance at the moment, but I’m not sure if I am expecting too much – like being able to spot the flag on the moon.

Graphical Representation of before and after eye surgery (possibly exaggerated) Purchase noroxin antibiotics

So I went down to Phuket again to catch up with Steve, got to see the bar which was still being constructed last year when I was there. Was a bit dangerous not having to pay for beer but I’m not complaining… I had an overnight in Singapore but got in late so didn’t really get to see much of it, had a wander down Orchard Road which is one of the main shopping streets there. I think I’d like to go back and have a better look around at a later stage. First night I was in Phuket Steve was having a full moon party to try and drum up some business in the off season (it was pretty dead, not many tourists but still the ex-pats that live there coming in). Funny thing was it wasn’t a full moon, he had planned the party after checking the internet but he looked at 2006 instead…Never mind, went off OK, there was a snake show and fire dancers and not a bad crowd. Went a bit silly and one of the waitresses had to take my bike home after closing cos I was not fit to ride (apparently), even though Steve only lives a couple of hundred metres down the road. Was probably for the best. That kind of set the tone for the trip and I think Steve was pretty glad when I left (especially after I changed my ticket to stay a few days longer) so he could catch up on his sleep. Anyway it wasn’t just me who was trashed, some girl fell off the couch things that night too and went through one of the glass coffee tables. The third time that has happened Steve tells me. He is now considering replacing them with sturdy wooden ones…

Snake show at the bar

Sunset from Steve’s parents balcony. This was followed by possibly the biggest thunder storm I have ever experienced, pretty cool though

Back to Sri Lanka and to work, we are going to start roads on our big project soon and my concrete block project should be wrapping up in a month or two. While I was away there were issues with labour now it is rice harvesting season, the local armed thugs annoying our gravel suppliers to pay them “tax” which stopped the gravel and even 3 or 4 days of rain. I guess I was lucky, Fergus had to deal with it. Cheers!. It slowed things up but we are pushing on, double teaming the roads etc to get it done. USAID have agreed to give some more money so that we can get a consultant in to turn the block making factory into some sort of business so it will be interesting to see how long that lasts in Pottuvil before all the equipment and/or money gets stolen and it gets shut down. I’m not jaded, honest. Only against Pottuvil. It’s a long story.

In the middle of September Fergus and I are off to Vietnam (Hanoi to be precise) for a couple of days for a conference and as it is Fergus’ birthday on the way back we decided to stop off in Bangkok for a couple of nights as he didn’t really want to celebrate it in Colombo. He did his masters at the AIT there a few years back so knows the city well and has friends there, so it will be good to have a tour guide who likes to drink beer. He says there are some great Jazz and Blues clubs there so hopefully we’ll get to check them out. It will break up the remainder of my contract nicely so I should be able to coast the next 3 months before getting the usual 1 month off around November to make the pilgramage back to NZ when it is a little warmer there. I think I’ve been in the tropics too long now to handle any sort of winter at home, the last summer was bad enough (especially stepping off the plane in Wellington wearing shorts and jandals).

While I was away the east of Sri Lanka was “liberated” from the clutches of the LTTE, so I am assuming that the shelling in the nearby jungle that has been going on for the past couple of days is just the Army trying to catch their dinner of wild deer and boar… Although things have quietened down here which is good but it sounds like both sides are gearing up to square off in the north where the LTTE still control a large area. Watch this space. Last week saw the anniversary of the killing of 17 ACF staff near to Trinco last year, there has still really been no progress in the investigation into who did it. Everyone blames the other side, de riguer round here. There was talk of missing evidence, now the person reported to have said it didn’t actually say it etc etc. Goes round in circles really.

source:
http://intheeyeofthetiger.blogspot.com/2007_08_01_archive.html

VisitArugamBay@Gmail.com

Published on 01/10/2007 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, front page, people, press coverage, presse-deutsch, services and the bay. 3 Comments

www.Arugam.info is an open source forum and web site designed for the entire How much doxazosin can i take Arugambay Community. It is our own, local platform to communicate with outside world.

Anyone can comment on this site. Order femcare
Anyone is also invited write a full, front page post or article for all to see.
There is NO censorship or control!
If you have any views with certain relevance to our famous Bay, you are again reminded to contribute!
For guys unfamiliar with wp: You are welcome to send your contribution, be it text or photo, to the email address above and we will publish it for YOU!!
(Please note that www.arugam.info is a non-political, non religious and also totally pacifist site)

Message from the Creator of this site:

Arugam.Info is a free Self-help Community page.
We attempt to publish and re-publish every article and every report ever written about our small, remote village.
The idea is to make it easy and simple for you to decide, if this is a resort for YOU.
An upcoming and most promising, beautiful Bay with a lot of untapped potential:
This is what we wish to share with you.
And try to attract you to visit us.
If you like, what you see here, join our popular Facebook Fan Club, too!

Monthly Archive for October, 2007

High profile international recognition for Arugam Bay

Yala attack plan to shift attention away from North

Lahugala Kitulana National Park

Location

Surf’s up

1 people talking back:

TODAY’s Comments

AA Now: AbaY Hotels are on Facebook!

AbaY and direct Hotel site links

AbaY at its Best

AbaY Hotel Intro

arugam fully supports

Best Photos of AbaY

Blogs

Deutsche Freunde

Facebook AbaY pages

Friends

Home, Cooking, Recipes

Links that clicked with Arugam

Literature about AbaY

Religious blogs

Safaries & Wild Life

Stop over suggestions

Surf & Weather Info.

Surf Clubs & Associations

Surf Federation News & Links

Surf Tour Specialists

Taxi Sharing

Tour Operators

Travel Advice sites

Traveller\'s Reports

Weather at Arugam Bay

AbaY News:

Navigation

Arugam News Archive

Remember? The good old Days of Arugam Bay?

To Contact us:

Arugam.info Visitor Counter

Counter

Meta

Recent Posts

Arugam Surf on Facebook. Join our 155,000+ friends!

Disclaimer

Do you like Old Arugam Bay?

Here you find any article ever written about Arugam Bay

Meet great people on our FB page

Arugam Bay:

Arugam Twits:

Old Arugam:

Message from the Creator of this site:

Summary of Arugam.info pages

Surf Conditions by MSW