Monthly Archive for November, 2008

Flame in Lahuhgala, PottuVille or Arugam Bay?

Published on 29/11/2008 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, people, press coverage, Security & Safety and wild life. 0 Comments

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The nineteenth A?a??A?Great heroes dayA?a??A? (GHD) was observed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on Thursday November 27. In recent times the most important event for the LTTE has been its annual A?a??E?Maaveerar NaalA?a??a?? or A?a??A?Maaveerar ThinamA?a??A?held each year.

Various observances are held in Sri Lanka and abroad to commemorate the Tiger cadres who have died for the Tamil cause. A?a??E?Puligalin Thaagam Thamil Eelath ThaayagamA?a??a?? (Thirst of the Tigers is for a Tamil Eelam homeland) is the motto of the LTTE.

An important feature of the GHD has been the ceremony where LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran pays homage to the fallen cadres. The centrepiece of this ceremony is his address to the Tamil people in his capacity as the self-styled national leader of the Tamil Eelam nation.

This yearA?a??a??s GHD address by Prabhakaran came at a time when the LTTE was suffering setback after setback on the military front. It was only last year that Defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa predicted that the 2007 Great Heroes Day would be the last one for the tiger chief.

Prabhakaran however is still alive and what is more lived to deliver another GHD address. Given the series of military reversals undergone by the LTTE in recent times many expected or wanted the Tiger supremo to throw the towel in.

A number of articles and even editorials appeared in the Sri Lankan media ridiculing and mocking Prabhakaran and the LTTE for its perceived poor track record in military matters.

There is a widespread belief in the country and abroad that the LTTE is militarily weak and therefore is on the verge of being defeated conclusively by the armed forces. With the Rajapaksa regime utilising its military successes to consolidate itself in power a massive propaganda campaign is on to project an image that the Tigers are on the decline. If recent military developments are the sole criteria to assess the strength or weakness of the LTTE there was some justification at least for this opinion to gain ground.

This impression has led to an atmosphere of triumphalism in the country amidst many sections of the majority community. Those who disagree or dissent are unfairly depicted as traitors or Tiger agents.

There were quite a few who expect Prabhakaran to call it quits or face extinction. A few actually advised him to surrender arms and enter the negotiating process.

It was against this backdrop that PrabhakaranA?a??a??s annual GHD address was delivered last Thursday. If anyone thought of Prabhakaran as a battered, bleeding boxer, reeling on the ropes, gasping for breath, they were mistaken.

The Tiger chief was defiant as ever. Maintaining tremendous serenity amid severe strain, the beleaguered LTTE chief read out his prepared speech in customary style.

Though different analysts tend to draw different conclusions from the address, to this writer, the most significant aspect of the LTTE leaderA?a??a??s speech was his avowed declaration to continue fighting against overwhelming odds.

Here are some relevant excerpts from the translated version in English:

A?a??A?Today, the Sinhala state has, as never before, placed its trust on its military strength, on military modalities and on a military solution. As a result, the war has gathered intensity and momentum. In truth, this is not a war against the LTTE as the Sinhala state professes. This is a war against the Tamils; against the Tamil nation. In short; a genocidal war.A?a??A?

A?a??A?With various countries of the world buttressing the genocidal war on the people of Tamil Eelam, we are waging a defensive war for the freedom of our people.A?a??A?

A?a??A?We have faced forces much mightier than ours. We have had direct confrontations even against superior powers, stronger than us.A?a??A?

A?a??A?We have withstood wave after wave of our enemy attacks. When compared to these happenings of the past, todayA?a??a??s challenges are neither novel nor huge. We will face these challenges with the united strength of our people.A?a??A?

A?a??A?No great changes have taken place in the Sinhala political panorama. Politics there has developed into the form of a demonic war.A?a??A?

A?a??A?When it comes to the Tamil national question, the Sinhala nation is adopting only one policy. It is obviously a policy of suppression. Even the tinge of hope our people had that the Sinhala nation will abandon its path of violence and offer justice, has now evaporated. Our people are not ready to trust the Sinhala nation again and get cheated.A?a??A?

A?a??A?It is true Tamil Eelam is a small nation on the globe. However it is a nation with great potential. It is a nation with a characteristic individuality. It has a distinctive language, cultural heritage and history. As the freedom movement of the people of Tamil Eelam we will never, ever allow Sinhala occupation or Sinhala domination of our homeland.A?a??A?

A?a??A?Whatever challenges confront us, whatever contingencies we encounter, whatever forces stand on our path, we will still continue with our struggle for the freedom of the Tamil people. On the path shown by history, on the command of the circumstances of today, we will continue with our struggle till alien Sinhala occupation of our land is removed.A?a??A?

This writer does not agree with most views expressed by Prabhakaran both in his speech. The thrust of his address is all about laying the blame on everyone else but the LTTE and himself. Always the A?a??A?othersA?a??A? are at fault.

Recent history demonstrates very clearly that the LTTE had not utilised the opportunity that arose for exploring a solution on federal lines through negotiations. But the Tiger supremo is silent on why the tigers agreed in Oslo to A?a??A?exploreA?a??A? and then performed a political somersault.

It is certainly true that Sri Lankan Tamil people are suffering greatly under this government. But it was the LTTE that facilitated the election of Mahinda Rajapaksa by enforcing a boycott of the presidential elections in areas controlled by it then.

Also Prabhakaran in his GHD address of 2005 called the new president a A?a??A?pragmaticA?a??A? man and stated that Rajapaksa would be given time to resolve theA?A? problem Yet within days the Tigers began launching attacks through its A?a??A?acolytesA?a??A? called A?a??A?Makkal padaiA?a??A? or A?a??A?peoples forceA?a??A?.

Then came provocative acts like the suicide bomber attack on Army commander Sarath Fonseka, the blocking of water at Maavilaaru, synchronised attacks on Muhamaalai, Muthur and Mandaitheevu, the artillery barrage on Trincomalee harbour from Sampoor etc.

It was in this atmosphere that the current military campaign was launched by the Rajapakse regime. It has been rather ruthless with little concern for the plight of ordinary civilians.

Despite expressing concern for the Tamil predicament there has been little concrete action by the International community to alleviate it. This is not because the IC is against the Tamils. This unjustified apathy is due to its pronounced antipathy towards the LTTE.

Excerpting certain paragraphs while disagreeing with the essence of arguments expressed in those is merely to draw attention to the actual mindset of the Tiger leader. There is a tendency to be lulled into a false consciousness by believing oneA?a??a??s own propaganda that the LTTE is on the edge of a dangerous precipice.

Several analysts and commentators have portrayed PrabhakaranA?a??a??s speech in a negative light as having been stated from a position of weakness. This may give a A?a??A?feel good feelingA?a??A? to many.

It would however be a grave blunder if one were to write off PrabhakaranA?a??a??s speech as the ranting and raving of a cornered tiger.

As this writer has consistently stated in the past A?a??A?the Tigers may be down but they are certainly not outA?a??A?.

PrabhakaranA?a??a??s utterances about continuing to fight against A?a??A?SinhalamA?a??A? (Sinhale) or the A?a??A?Sinhala stateA?a??A? should not be dismissed as sheer bravado. Rhetoric it may be, disconnected with reality it may be, but nevertheless Prabhakaran means every word of it.

Those who saw visual images of Prabhakaran reading out his speech in Tamil were struck by one thing. Though propaganda in sections of the media stated that the LTTE leader was under severe pressure, the impression gained when seeing him was quite the opposite.

Those of us who have been regularly following his annual addresses were struck by a remarkable change in his demeanour and tone. He seemed relaxed and supremely confident. Serene amidst strain. Prabhakaran looked and sounded like a man in firm control of his destiny. He seemed to mean every word he said.

In this context one recalls an anecdote of 21 years vintage. This was during the time when Indian officials in New Delhi were trying to pressurise Prabhakaran into accepting the proposed Indo A?a??a?? Lanka accord.

At one point former Indian envoy Jyotindra Nath Dixit in typical A?a??A?hectoringA?a??A? mode warned Prabhakaran that he would have to fight the Indian army if he did not accept the accord. To which the LTTE leader replied, A?a??A?I donA?a??a??t want to but I will fight the Indian army if I have to.A?a??A?

Dixit then retorted, A?a??A?Do you know the strength of the Indian army?A?a??A? Prabhakaran replied A?a??A?350,000? 400,000?A?a??A? Then Dixit said A?a??A?Add another cipherA?a??A?. Once again Prabhakaran said that he did not want to fight the Indian army but was prepared to do so if necessary.

Later the LTTE went through the charade of agreeing and adhering to the Indo – Lanka accord. New DelhiA?a??a??s South block thought that Prabhakaran had submitted meekly to the overwhelming might of India and devoured humble A?a??A?kanjiA?a??A? (porridge).

When Dixit began relating the above A?a??a?? mentioned exchange of words on the diplomatic cocktail circuit most people had a hearty laugh. The A?a??A?puliA?a??A? (Tiger) had become an A?a??A?eliA?a??A? (mouse) with India, the joke went.

Yet it was Prabhakaran who had the last laugh,. Belatedly India realised that the tiger chief was dead serious when he said that he was prepared to fight India.

Likewise it may seem amusing to hear Prabhakaran declaring his intent to continue fighting at a time when the Sri Lankan military juggernaut is relentlessly rolling forward. But it would be a monumental error to misjudge or underestimate the man as many have done in the past.

There are two sayings in Tamil about the tiger. One is A?a??A?puli pathunguvathu paaivathatkuA?a??A? (the Tiger crouches only to pounce). The other is A?a??A?puli pasithaalum Pullai ThinnaathuA?a??A? (Even if hungry Tigers donA?a??a??t eat grass).

These sayings about four A?a??a?? legged felines are applicable in politico A?a??a?? military terms to the two A?a??a?? legged Tigers also.

Currently two DVD/Video cassettes are being circulated among the Sri Lankan Diaspora in the west. One is a 32 minute cassette portraying the hardship and suffering undergone by internally displaced civilians in the Wanni. It is emotionally moving to see their tragic plight. There is an open appeal to Tamil Nadu Tamils.

While these cassettes are openly distributed the other 21 minute cassette is clandestinely shown to selected activists and die- hard supporters. Several LTTE leaders and commanders appear in this film emphasising that they are ready and strong to prolong the fight. There are scenes of cadres being trained.

The LTTE bigwigs keep on appealing to A?a??A?pulam peyarntha uravugalA?a??A? (our relatives gone abroad) not to be deceived by Government propaganda that the LTTE is weak. They reiterate that they are waiting for the right time to strike.

They also keep A?a??A?requestingA?a??A? that Diaspora Tamils should continue to support them without faltering until their goal is achieved.

Both these cassettes illustrate the dual approach adopted by the LTTE. On the one hand the humanitarian predicament is focused on to make an emotional appeal while on the other; military strength is projected to retain support of hawkish elements.

This duality can be discerned in PrabhakaranA?a??a??s GHD speech also where he states that the LTTE is prepared for peace but goes on to assert that the tigers will not give up the fight. There is a deliberately instilled sense of ambiguity here.

A noteworthy aspect of this yearA?a??a??s GHD observances was the military situation and weather.

With the armed forces on the ascendant and Tiger-controlled territory shrinking rapidly, the climate was not conducive for widespread functions. Torrential rains aggravated the situation further.

In such an environment there was a nagging doubt as to whether GHD ceremonies could be conducted anywhere let alone being done in grand fashion.

Yet the LTTE did manage to demonstrate through those ceremonies that they were A?a??A?down but not outA?a??A?.

None of the ceremonies were conducted openly or on a lavish scale. Prabhakaran himself participated at the main function held in an undisclosed location.

He commenced his 25 minute address at 5. 40pm. A minute of silence was observed at 6.06 pm. The sacrificial flame was lit by him at 6.07 pm.

Similar ceremonies were organized simultaneously at different venues.

Pride of place was given to functions in the Eastern Province from which the LTTE was ousted last year. GHD ceremonies indicated that the tigers had re-established a viable presence in jungle areas of the Batticaloa A?a??a?? Amparai districts.

In Amparai district eastern special commander A?a??A?ColA?a??A? Ram lit the flame at a ceremony in Lahugala jungles in Pottuvil electoral district.
Amparai district military commander Nahulan lit the flame in another function held in the Kanjikudichchaaru jungles.

In Batticaloa district the district military commander Umaram lit the flame in Tharavaikulam in the Thoppigala/Kudumbimalai region; Maavadimummaari military chief Kalaimaruthan lit the flame at Thaandiaddy. The political commissar for Maavadimummaari zone lit the flame there. In the Vaaharai region, Aandaankulam military chief Pushpan lit the flame at Aandaankulam. Likewise the Karadiyanaaru military leader lit the flame there.

In the LTTE controlled regions of Wanni the following Tiger leaders lit the sacrificial flames in different locations. Despite Kilinochchi town being besieged by the armed forces LTTEA?a??a??s northern front commander A?a??A?ColA?a??A? Theeban lit the flame in Kanagapuram Great Heroes cemetery;

A?a??A?ColA?a??A? Sornam (some reports said he was injured or dead) lit the flame at Mulliyavalai GH cemetery while Keerthi did so at Viswamadhu. A?a??A?ColA?a??A? Jeyam did so at Oddusuddan while sea Tiger special commander Soosai paid homage at sea to all sea A?a??a?? Tigers who perished at sea. The woman sea A?a??a?? Tiger special commander Poorani and deputy sea-Tiger commander Vinayagam lit the flames in Alambil and Uduthurai respectively.

LTTE finance chief Thamilkumaran, A?a??A?SencholaiA?a??A? orphanage co-ordinator Sudarmahal, Charles Anthony division special commander Vimal, and Military college chief instructor Aathavan, lit the flames in Puthukkudiyiruppu,Vattakkachchi,Kandawalai and Udayarkaddu GH cemeteries respectively.

There are also special memorial monuments for cadres from Batticaloa A?a??a?? Amparai districts, Imran A?a??a?? Pandian infantry brigade and A?a??A?Kutty SriA?a??A? mortar units. The flames in these places were lit by Jeyanthan brigade chief Bhavaan,Kilinochchi district military chief Velavan andA?A? Kuttysri unit chiefA?A? Kalaichelvan respectively.

By staging these ceremonies in spite of a very hostile environment the LTTE has proved a point. The Tigers have shown that despite the strong challenge posed by the armed forces it is a case of A?a??A?business as usualA?a??A? for them in key spheres.

The Great Heroes day events are given top priority in the LTTE scheme of things.

There exists in the martial tradition of the Tamils a concept known as A?a??E?Nadugal Valipaadu,A?a??a?? which literally means worshipping the planted stone.

Until the influence of Aryan-Brahminism pervaded the Dravidian people, the custom in South India had been that of burying their dead. Tombstones were erected at the graves of great heroes fallen in battle. These were honoured regularly through special panegyrical rituals.

The classical Tamil literature of the Sangham era is replete with references to this A?a??E?Nadugal ValipaaduA?a??a?? concept.

Poetic works like A?a??A?pattinappaalaiA?a??A?,A?a??A?MalaipaduhadaamA?a??A?,A?a??A?aingurunooruA?a??A?, A?a??A?ahanaanooruA?a??A?, A?a??A?puranaanooruA?a??A? and A?a??A?TholgappiyamA?a??A? refer to this phenomenon.

The aftermath of the Hindu renaissance period saw Brahminism becoming dominant and altering a way of life drastically.

The decline of Tamil dynasties along with the advent of Moghul, Nayakkar and European colonialism saw the martial tradition among Tamils becoming debilitated.

The custom of paying homage to heroes fallen in battle became non-existent in an environment where war was virtually unknown for generations.

In modern times the LTTE has revived and developed to a great extent the Tamil tradition of paying homage to its fallen heroes just as it re-introduced a martial Tamil culture through war.

When the first Great Heroes Day was observed in 1989, there were only 1,343 martyrs. The tally in 2000 was 16,591. In 2005 the figure was 17,903; this year up to October 30, 1974 tigers comprising 1398 males and 576 females were killed. This excludes about 3,000 conscripts who had not been made A?a??A?fullA?a??A? members and therefore denied great hero status.

The grand total from November 27 1982 to October 30 2008 is 22, 114 Tiger great heroes killed. This comprises 17,305 males and 4,809 females.

As the ethnic conflict continues, the casualty rates also increase. What this means is that more and more Tamil families are suffering the losses of their loved ones and becoming grief stricken.

A qualitative change in recent times has been increased conscription by the LTTE. The emotional reaction of family members towards their kith and kin forcibly taken by the LTTE and sacrificed on the altar of war would be different to those who joined voluntarily.

Denying great hero status to some of those raw conscripts who get killed can only add insult to injury.

Given the current flow of events and the manner, mode and message of PrabhakaranA?a??a??s GHD address there can be little doubt that we are going to see more and more war.

The Rajapaksa regime though unpopular on many fronts is sustained in power mainly through its pro A?a??a?? war policy. In such a situation one can expect an escalation and intensification of war in the future.

Not only will the LTTE resist fiercely but also may launch its long A?a??a?? awaited counter A?a??a?? strike.

Which way the goddess of war would bestow her blessings or curses is uncertain. But the only certainty is that the Tamil A?a??a??populated regions will see an increase in death, displacement and destruction in the days to come. Tamil suffering will continue.

D.B.S. Jeyaraj can be reached

atA?A? Nasonex how much does it cost djeyaraj2005@yahoo.com

Arugam Bay Blog on Tripadvisor

Published on 26/11/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters, press coverage and the bay. 1 Comment

Posted on: 16 September 2007, 19:Tripadvisor30

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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

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Birmingham UK
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Posted on: 16 September 2007, 22:22

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Hi

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

Nova Scotia, Canada
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Saby_Baby
Posted on: 17 September 2007, 0:30

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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

Sarah

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Birmingham UK
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Posted on: 17 September 2007, 1:20

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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.

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

Birmingham UK
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Cheap prinivil zestril Posted on: 17 September 2007, 1:29

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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

Nova Scotia, Canada
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Saby_Baby
Posted on: 17 September 2007, 2:02

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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?

Birmingham UK
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Posted on: 17 September 2007, 22:06

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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 toElla 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

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Saby_Baby
Posted on: 17 September 2007, 23:29

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

truro
Joined: Mar 2007
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jannerburns
Posted on: 27 September 2007, 20:47

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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.

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Saby_Baby
Posted on: 03 October 2007, 0:07

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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

london
Joined: Mar 2007
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Posted on: 07 October 2007, 14:04

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hi saby

just got back from arugam bay last week

glad you have got loads of great info,

just to add a few points

1. be prepared for a significant military presence all along the road from buttalla

to arugam bay. lots of soldiers and checkpoints. all friendly though

2. stardust hotel is horrendously expensive..i d’ont know why..60 USD for a room with no ac !!

3. have a look at hideaway..a delightful place set back from the beach with gardens and wonderful staff..real rustic charm

we only stayed a day as someone said

if you are not a surfer, there is not much to do. there is a lot of construction going on..its not the preetiest of beaches in my opinion,, the south e.g tangalle ,unawatuna

is on a different level.. would i go back

..only if i had a midlife crisis and wanted to surf !

Who thinks East? And who thinks “Arugam”?

Published on 24/11/2008 in Blogs, people, press coverage, Security & Safety and services. 0 Comments

23. november 2008

THINK ABOUT EASTERN PEOPLE FIRST!!! TAMIL POLICE FORCE ESSENTIAL!!!

EPC has no powers, says PillayanInterviewed by Chandani Kirinde

Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan conceded that his relationship with Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna had deteriorated in the recent past. Pillayan in an interview with The Sunday Times, while pointing out that police powersA?a??a??that he says would ensure freedom of movementA?a??a??were more important than concentrating on development, also complained that the Provincial Council was not being consulted on any of the projects that have been launched so far.

Excerpts:

What is the relationship between you and Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna?

There is tension over KarunaA?a??a??s demand for restructuring the party. He wants to bring his men to the Executive Committee. I registered this party when the government decided to hold local and provincial elections in the east early this year. Karuna was out of the country at that time. Because we wanted to prepare for elections we registered as the TMVP. There is no necessity to make any changes now. Pyridium phenazopyridine cost

Why is Karuna demanding a restructure of the party and registering it under a different name ?

I understand he is trying to grab political power from us. He does not have any official status in the TMVP. Since he returned he has been trying to forcibly occupy our offices in the Batticaloa district. I have shifted my office to a new building due to this problem.

Karuna didnA?a??a??t want you to contest as the Chief Ministerial candidate but instead he wanted the Batticaloa Mayor, Sivageetha Prabhakaran to contest for the post. Is this correct ?

We decided she was suitable for the MayorA?a??a??s post because of her political experience within the district. The Chief MinisterA?a??a??s post is an important one and it would have been difficult for her to handle the work as there is a lot of pressure. Therefore, I decided to contest for the post.

What are the main obstacles you are facing to develop the province making use of the powers vested in the Provincial Council under the 13th amendment?

To tell you frankly, since I took office in May this year not a single person has been recruited to the Council. I donA?a??a??t have any powers to implement the 13th Amendment. We have asked the central government to give us the powers vested in the 13th Amendment, but Karuna who is with the government is now convincing the government not to give powers to me.

We see a lot of development activities including building of new roads, bridges, providing electricity and telephone facilities to the newly liberated areas. Have you been consulted on these projects ?

No. Only a few cabinet ministers in the district are directly involved in these projects. This is not what we need at the moment. We first need freedom of movement to travel within the district and outside.

We saw that some of the TMVP offices opened by cadres loyal to you, now being closed down. Why is this ?

In the recent past there have been some incidents in these camps located in the mainland as well as in the newly liberated areas. The offices have been closed down to prevent more attacks taking place among the Tamil brotherhood.

There is information that former LTTE cadres whom you have de-listed have returned to the TMVP, stating that their lives are in danger. How serious is the problem of infiltration?

Quite serious. We are trying to identify these people and send some of them back. If they lead a normal life we will leave them alone. Otherwise they will be dealt with according to the law. After the eastern province was cleared, we were aware that a handful of LTTE cadres had returned to the districts of Batticaloa and Ampara. We are currently helping the security forces to track them down.

You are demanding police powers, but in contrast Karuna has said that such powers are not necessary. Your reactions?

If police powers are devolved to the provincial council I can protect all our members. They can also be absorbed into the police force so that they get official recogntion. They will be disciplined and any action could be taken against those persons who act against the law.

What impact has the killing of your private Secretary Krishnaswamy Nandagopan alias Ragu had overall?

His slaying is not only a great loss to me personally but also to the Tamil community on the whole. He was truly concerned about the people of the east. Money and positions were of little importance to him. He was also a knowledgable person. He was born in Batticaloa and based in Trincomalee and therefore had a good knowledge about the problems in the Eastern Province and could have done good service.

You said the killing of Ragu was not the work of the LTTE. But Karuna blames the LTTE?

I will say it again. It was not the work of the LTTE. This was definitely the work of a group who does not like to see the province developing. Very soon I will prove it. We have vital clues. Nobody knew where Ragu and I were staying in Athurugiriya, the day prior to the killing. No one knew of our movements too, except the one other person who was with us. Singulair full price

There are allegations from the Muslim community in Kathankudy, that TMVP cadres are moving into the area and intimidating and threatening them. A few Muslim civilians were shot dead too. How do you hope to foster ethnic harmony in this kind of environment?

Yes, in the past there were some incidents in Kathankudy. We have punished some of our members who were involved in such incidents. Now we have established a good rapport with the Muslims.

There is a strong belief that after Karuna returned he has been having the upper hand by using his powers and influence with the government to sideline you. What is your reaction?

The people in Batticaloa district are aware about KarunaA?a??a??s behaviour and how he betrayed his community by leaving them and trying to lead a life of luxury in a western country. That itself clearly brings out his selfishness. I am the one who helped the government forces to liberate the people of Mutur and Sampoor. Some of our cadres were even killed in the operation, but Karuna did not even express his condolences to the families of these cadres. Because of these incidents the people have lost confidence in him. I challenge him, that if has a support base in the east to come forward and contest the next parliamentary elections.
—————————————————————————-
I have confidence in the Chief Minister

Playing down the reported rift between himself and Pillayan, UPFA parliamentarian Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna said police powers to the Eastern Province were not an urgent need and priority should be given to developing the province. In an interview with The Sunday Times he said he was concerned about LTTE cadres infiltrating the TMVP.

Excerpts:

There are reports about clashes between Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan and yourself. Any comment?

We have no major problems. Some of our political opponents and the LTTE are trying to create problems between us. Some media are also involved. There are some minor problems. We are a democratic party and there are bound to be arguments and disagreements, but they are not serious.

Who are these political opponents?

I donA?a??a??t want to say who they are individually, but the TNA is one such group.

Pillayan says that your interest in restructuring the party is to get your members into the Executive committee. What is your response?

Even before I returned to the country, I advised Pillayan to call for a Central Committee meeting and restructure the party by including senior cadres of the TMVP. Presently I am in consultation with some intellectuals to reorganize the party. We will drop the name Puligal (Tigers).

How serious is the threat of LTTE infiltration in the East ?

After 22 years of fighting we cannot bring every thing under control in one year. There are small pockets of the LTTE operating there. They killed a university student and now a doctor. That doctor was loved by all the people of the area. One lady called me and said the doctor was like her son. The people have clearly rejected the LTTE, but their intelligence operatives are carrying out such brutal attacks to destabilise the east.

But, what about the infiltration into the TMVP?

We are concerned about the infiltration. We have started a screening process with the help of the security forces. We are not going to enlist any ex-LTTE cadres to the TMVP. We are also carrying out search operations.

How did your acquaintance with the Chief Minister begin ?

When I broke away from the LTTE and formed the TMVP, he was one of the people who joined me. In my absence, I appointed Kannan as the leader but, he was killed by the LTTE, then I appointed my brother Reji, but he too was killed by the LTTE. Thereafter, I appointed Pillayan to the position.

Do you have confidence in the Chief Minister ?

Yes I am happy with him. Also it is important that a Tamil person be the Chief Minister of the east. It has proved that the LTTEA?a??a??s opinion that in a de-merged north A?a??a??east the Tamils will have no representation is wrong. Under him, all the communities are working to build up a civil administration.

Pillayan says that his private secretary Krishnaswamy Nandagopan alias Ragu was not killed by the LTTE.

Clearly the killing was carried out by the LTTE. In the past two months, 17 TMVP cadres have been killed by the LTTE. They have tried to infiltrate the TMVP for some time, but have failed. He (Pillayan) made a mistake by saying the killing was not carried out by the LTTE. I regret that statement.

While Pillayan says powers to the province must be devolved under the PC system to the Eastern Provincial Council, you have been holding a different opinion.

We have a lot of work to do in the east. There has been a war in the east for the past 22 years. While Muslims in the area managed to send their representatives to parliament, the Tamil people have been largely without representation. But now we have a chance. We have the Provincial Council administration and our priority is development work. But police powers are not an urgent need. In the past too, the mistake we made was making the same demands over and over again. But now we have to do things differently. We must develop education, sports and entertainment.

Have you discussed the law and order situation in the east with the Government ?

I have spoken to the Defence Secretary and for now we have Deputy Inspector General of Police Shankar appointed as the co-ordinator for the three districts in the east. The Defence Secretary told me there are about 1000 police vacancies to be filled in the east and Tamil youth are needed to be recruited. I have already informed the people. We must now give priority to development.
courtesy:sundaytimes.lk

source:
http://worldtamilrefugeesforum.blogspot.com/2008/11/think-about-eastern-people-first-tamil.html

From Welikade to Mutur and Pottuville

Published on 23/11/2008 in people, press coverage and Security & Safety. 0 Comments

Whither the office of the Attorney General?

sundaytimeslogo2.png
By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene

The office of Sri Lanka’s Attorney General has been subjected to the tug and pull of political pressure from many decades back. Some specific instances include the actions of the Attorney General in the Richard de Zoysa case where the country’s chief law officer was severely castigated for refusing to take steps against the police officer identified by de Zoya’s mother as having been responsible for the abduction of her son. (see Weerakoon, Batty, (1991) ‘The Attorney General’s Role’ in The Extra-Judicial Execution of Richard de Zoysa, Star Press, published by the author, at page 13).

This analysis also examines in specific detail, the manner in which Parliament had been misled in this context as a result of a report presented by the then Attorney General to the then Minister, Justice (ibid, at page 17). Another instance is the role of the officers of the Department in covering up the inquiry into the massacre of prisoners at the Welikada prisons (see “From Welikade to Mutur and Pottuvil: A Generation of Moral Denudation and the Rise of Heroes with Feet of Clay’ (2007) Special Report, No 25, University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna) Sri Lanka).

Negation of the theoretically independent post

A former Acting Attorney General who went on to become a member of Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has indeed pointed out that the office of the Attorney General has always been under threat from the political executive, despite the theoretical independence with which it is traditionally cloaked.

As observed; “It has been our experience that every administration wishes the judgments of the court to be in its favour. Perhaps we cannot fault politicians for this, But the Attorney General should be able to advise the executive and explain the legal basis of most judgments which have gone against the State. A?a??A?.Perhaps the Attorney General is no longer free or strong enough to advise the executive” (Kulatunge, KMMB (2001) ‘Disorder in Sri Lanka’, Gunasena Publishers, Colombo, at page 24).

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The attempts made at rectification by the 17th Amendment

It must be fairly said that at times, the holders of the office of Attorney General in this country have attempted to perform their duties according to law and as justly as possible but have been impeded by political constraints, though perhaps a newspaper column may not be the approriate forum for the specific discussion of these instances. The point is however that it was precisely due to these political influences that the office of the Attorney General was constitutionally sought to be insulated from political pressure by the 17th Amendment to the Constitution. Thus, the nomination had to be first approved by the Constitutional Council (CC) while the removals procedure was elevated to that of appellate court judges by subsidiary legislation passed consequent to the 17th Amendment.

However, for the past year and more, this important vetting task performed by the CC has broken down due to the CC not being constituted in its second term owing to an unconscionable negating of the 17th Amendment by the Presidency and Parliament. Though the mater has been referred to firstly, the Court of Appeal in a series of petitions and secondly, to the Supreme Court, it does not appear that the cases have reached any measure of finality. In the interim, the current Acting Attorney General who should in all respects be confirmed in his post, continues to function in an acting capacity.

Need for an independent public prosecutor?

From a different perspective and one which relates to the substantive nature of the office, arguments have been long prevalent that the separation of the public prosecution function from the Attorney General’s Department is needed. Indeed, a Public Prosecutor’s Office had been recommended as far back as 1953 when the Criminal Courts Commission advised the creation of such an office (Sessional Paper XIII of 1953). As stated by this Commission, serious weaknesses in the process of investigation on the part of the police meant that the intervention of a legal authority in this regard was called for. It was envisaged not only that such a legal authority would have the duty of giving counsel but that the police would be under a legal obligation to report cases to him/her whereupon he/she would be able to take over the conduct of the prosecution. The guidance of “trained lawyers with the ability to brush aside inessentials and drive to the heart of the case” was thought to be desirable.

The Director of Public Prosecutions

It was consequent to this recommendation of the Criminal Courts Commission that the office of a Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was created by the Administration of Justice No 44 of 1973. The office of the DPP was abolished consequent to the change of government in 1977 and the Administration of Justice No 44 of 1973 replaced by the current Code of Criminal Procedure Act, No 15 of 1979 (as amended).
Yet, however estimable the intention was in the creation of the office of the DPP, there is no doubt however that this office was also directly subject to political pressure during its existence. The creation of such a post in today’s highly politicized environment attracts no little dangers; indeed it may be feared that the proposed cure may be proverbially worse than the disease.

Realising the very minimum

Whatever may be the positive and negative arguments towards a radical restructuring of the office of Sri Lanka’s Attorney General, there is little doubt that there would be any movement on this score until the very minimum of constitutional appointments is realised. For that, the rejuvenation of the 17th Amendment is imperative and the need for a peoples’ movement on this basis is now exceedingly great.
The political executive must and should be shamed towards observance of the minimum of constitutional governance in this country. We cannot stand for anything less, even notwithstanding a war which, like the priestly cassock, is sought to be used sometimes to cover a multitude of sins.

 
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source:
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/081123/Columns/focus.html

Muslim Council for PottuVille & Arugam Bay?

Published on 23/11/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters, people and press coverage. 0 Comments

Ethnic based enclaves not acceptable – Prof. Warnapala

[November 22 2008]

Order cabgolin in endometriosis Ethnic based enclaves which the minority political parties have sought as units of devolution were not acceptable to the SLFP as a matter of principle, said Prof.Wiswa Warnapala, party stalwart and Minister of Higher Education, commenting on proposals submitted to the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) by the Upcountry People’s Front (UPF), Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC).

As party representative to the APRC, he will raise this matter with the party leadership and the central committee, he told the Sunday Observer. At the last APRC meeting he objected to proposals on such communal-based councils because it will cause communal disharmony and pose a threat to national integrity, he said.

Councils annexing the non-contiguous geographical areas of the respective minority people?s concentration, as units of devolution proposed by the minority political parties were not acceptable to the SLFP in the interests of national unity and ethnic harmony, he said.

The hill country minority political parties have asked for special enclaves encompassing Kotmale, Maskeliya and Nuwara Eliya and also sub-councils for other areas of domicile of their people while the SLMC has asked for a Muslim Council for Sammanthurai, Pottuvil Trileptal hyponatremia treatment and the Kalmunai areas in the east, annexing all non-contiguous geographical areas of their concentration, he said.

source:

http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/11/16/oostory.asp?sid=20081122_10&imid=MPWarnapala.jpg&dt=[November%2022%202008]

Eratic Rascal Erasmus

Published on 20/11/2008 in Blogs, front page, Money Matters and press coverage. 42 Comments
Update on this ‘old’ story:
A Video has been recorded for Australian TV.
Submitted by Joyce, one of C-J Asimus’ victims:
Ice Cool Carl: He’s swindled millions of dollars in dirty deeds over 28 years

Ice Cool Carl

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Here are the original articles on arugam.info:

CARL-JAMES ASIMUS (also known as CARL ASIMUS or JAMES ASIMUS) is currently using the assumed name of “JAKE ERASMUS”. His last known location was in Blackpool, England in MAY 2006.

www.arugam.info reported here:

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Correction:
His last known location is Arugam Bay, Eastern Sri Lanka (Arugam.info reported at the time. See flamboyant Aussie Boat buying venture etc, on this site)

ASIMUS had set up “business” in Blackpool with a small computer/internet shop. He was also renting garage/storage spaces. This was a “front” for his fraudulent businesses.

ASIMUS was in the process of setting up Eucalyptus
Tree plantations on the property of Aristocrats and/or people with property in Britain. He then intended to sell “shares” in these plantations to other people. ASIMUS would keep the money and the people who “invested” would wind up with nothing. This is the same scam ASIMUS pulled on myself and several other people who “invested” in Eucalyptus Trees in Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama and Georgia in 2003-2004. ASIMUS has probably been involved in many other nefarious activities in Britain.

CARL-JAMES ASIMUS is an Australian citizen. Date of Birth: 18 MAY 1953. Place of Birth: Gundagai, NSW, Australia. Height: 6’1″. Weight: about 250 pounds. Dark Brown Hair. Dark Brown Eyes. ASIMUS is very charming when first encountered. Spend time around him and he will unleash a nasty temper. This usually happens after he gets your money or whatever else he wants from you. He is usually seen in the company of one or more young men whom he uses as “gophers” and for other mischief. ASIMUS likes to party and hangs out at “Gentlemen’s” Clubs, where he often cons wealthy people. He likes to live in small/medium size towns near larger cities.

When this BLOG hits the internet, ASIMUS will probably change his name again and move on to another town, city or country.

If anybody knows ASIMUS’ current location, or any future name changes, or if you have been a victims of ASIMUS, please contact me.
JOYCE F. EVANS, Email: joycefevans@hotmail.com

SUPPORTED BY THE COALITION OF U.S. AND CANADIAN VICTIMS.
sources:
http://sydney.indymedia.org.au/node/37922#comment-69472
and:

USAID provides safe water to … Arugam Bay ….

Published on 20/11/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters and press coverage. 0 Comments

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) yesterday completed of the Buy benemid potentiates Pottuvil/Ulla Water Treatment Plant and Ulla Supply System, to give the residents of these coastal villages safe and clean water for the first time since the tsunami.

USAID has been able to complete its investment in wells, transmission lines, the treatment plant and a large elevated storage tank with the additional grant by AmeriCares. The additional contribution has also allowed the National Water Supply & Drainage Board to work with the local users to connect the supply directly to their homes, schools, hotels and workplaces.

The new water treatment plant and distribution system have been designed in partnership with the National Water Supply & Drainage Board.

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USAID provided US$8.3 million and AmeriCares funded another US$1.0 million to extract water from untreated ground wells, clean the water, and distribute the water through pipelines to the community.

source:
A?A?http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/ASAZ-7LJF8R?OpenDocument

War wounded hit by absence of doctors

Published on 20/11/2008 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, people, press coverage and Security & Safety. 0 Comments

By Sandun A Jayasekera

Medical officers in State hospitals in the North and East, vacating their places of work on the instructions of the GMOA, have crippled medical care services in those hospitals affecting the treatment of war wounded in particular.

The GMOA advised its members to vacate their places of duty last Monday on security grounds following the brutal murder of Dr. S.W.Pathmakumara, Medical Officer of the Vavunaitivu rural hospital in Batticaloa district on Sunday night.

GMOA committee member Dr. Chandika Epitakaduwa said doctors serving in the two provinces are reluctant to report for duty until adequate security was provided to them. The discussions so far held with the authorities had ended in failure, he said.

A?a??A?We had a discussion on Tuesday with Health Ministry officials and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa but could not reach a settlement.

Though Mr. Rajapaksa had given us many promises earlier no promise has so far been honoured. We cannot take his word to provide security to our membership as a firm assurance. We have instructed our members not to report until adequate security is in place for doctors to work without fear,A?a??A? Dr. Epitakaduwa told the Daily Mirror yesterday. War wounded The GMOA will assess the situation tomorrow before taking a decision, he said.

A?a??A?We do not intend to hold further talks with the Defence or Health Ministry officials. We informed the decision of our membership after FridayA?a??a??s discussion,A?a??A? Dr. Epitakaduwa added.

A top official of the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry said that the situation at many State hospitals in the North and East is grave as almost all the war wounded had to be brought to Anuradhapura, Ampara or hospitals in Colombo.

A?a??A?The danger is that seriously wounded soldiers have to be provided first aid or preliminary care before they are airlifted to a major hospital. Almost all the casualties have to be airlifted to the south without casualty management under the circumstances,A?a??A? he said.

Vavuniya District Hospital acting Director, Govri Nandakumar said 12 out of 13 Sinhala medical officers including a surgeon had left the hospital and she is facing difficulty in treating patients, the war wounded in particular.

Kalmunai Base Hospital Director Bhavani Pasupathiraja said all 15 Sinhala doctors have failed to report for duty. A?a??A?I sent some wounded soldiers to Ampara Base Hospital yesterday but it is very difficult to cope with the situation given the unavailability of doctors,A?a??A? he said.

source:
Price emsam A?A?http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=32766

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Fresh Water Supply for Arugam Bay, PottuVille

Published on 19/11/2008 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, front page, Money Matters, people, press coverage and the bay. 1 Comment

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Recent Archive photo of completedA?A? USAID protects at Ullai/Arugam Bay

Netcrawl found this (only) news article by Min. of Defense, Colombo:

USAID and AmeriCares provide safe water to Ampara communities

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the international relief organization AmeriCares today marked the completion of the Pottuvil/Ulla Water Treatment Plant and Ulla Supply System, to give the residents of these coastal villages safe and clean water for the first time since the tsunami.

“With the introduction of advanced water treatment technology and equipment, the new system can provide 4,000 liters per minute of clean water, benefiting over 40,000 residents, as well as local businesses and hotels,” USAID Mission Director Rebecca Cohn said at the opening ceremony. “In addition to safeguarding the health of the communities, it will contribute to stabilizing the tourist industry and help boost the local economy,” she continued.

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Thanks to an additional grant by AmeriCares, USAID has been able to complete its investment in wells, transmission lines, the treatment plant and a large elevated storage tank. The additional contribution has also allowed the National Water Supply & Drainage Board to work with the local users to connect the supply directly to their homes, schools, hotels and workplaces. The new water treatment plant and distribution system have been designed in partnership with the National Water Supply & Drainage Board of Sri Lanka, who has offered invaluable input into the project.

Minister of Water Supply and Drainage, Hon. Al-Haj A.L.M. Athaullah, M.P. and Mrs. Lisa Hilmi, AmeriCares Country Director, also took part in and addressed the opening ceremony.

source:
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20081118_05

An Outsider’s View of the East

Published on 17/11/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters, people, press coverage and Security & Safety. Closed

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The sequel November 11, 12,A?A?13th

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image001Paper making factories.

Both my visits to the field involved visiting paper making A?a??E?factoriesA?a??a??. I quickly realised that they were really what we would call a workshop.

Hand made paper is in high demand and its a good product for rural areas as its relatively cheap to transport. ItA?a??a??s also relatively easy to develop value added products made out of paper which primarily women can do from home.

DwDN is involved because both the projects involve focusing on working with disabled people especially women and making the projects disability sensitive. Certainly the buildings in both projects are accessible and you can see the photos of the ramp in one of them.

However both have been fraught with practical difficulties that its hard to manage from a great distance.

One has problems with the water supply and the other has problems getting the right current of electricity. Combine that with one of the projects only having one year of funding ( no mean thing to set up a new business from scratch in a year and then make in sustainable- it just doesnt seem a sensible way of using funds, especially when there has been such a big capital investment).

The issues around funding are just the same here as in the UK, funders with their own agenda, short term funding, hard for very small grass roots organisations to access funding.

As I think I may be fundraising for these projects it was good for me to get a sense of what the challenges are, but they are also the kind of projects which funders like trusts are more likely to find than our network.

image0081

image0031

image0021Some machinery at the paper making workshop and aboveA?A? some of the workers

image016Above is the workshop building near Batticaloa, the soil is sandy as it is very near the coast

image0171

The garden of the DESMIO office, the NGO that is supporting one of the paper making workshops, showing their well.

The meeting there was in sinahla and tamil, with a bit of English thrown in, so tookA?A? a while to make sure everyone has understoood.

Travelling in the Eastern province.

The Eastern Province only came under government control just over a year ago so the security situation is still fragile.

We could only enter the province with a permit, which we had to get at the A?a??E?borderA?a??a?? This then had to be shown at all check points. We were only actually stopped at three and then only one were the bags searchedA?A? (not mine as a foreigners dont experience the worst of it) On other days peopleA?A? we knowA?A? had worse experiences and travelling by ordinary bus can be very difficult.

Driving to Battilacoa there was lots of evidence of the recent conflict, with many derelict houses with bullet holes visible. There was also evidence of resettlement with plots of land being fenced off, corrugated iron shacks put up and some with half built brick houses at the front. The government gives money for materials for house building, but families have to rebuild themselves. Those few miles in from the border, there still didnA?a??a??t seem to be much cultivation, the land is fertile but needs irrigation.

All along the roads were sentry posts, often just one soldier, these seemed very isolated, but at least they were sheltered from the sun.

Driving through villages has a different feel, because there are fewer buddhist temples, more Hindu temples and some mosques. A couple of towns on the east coast driving to Ampara were majority moslem and one town had a magnificent structure with four posts at a crossroads and the four small minerets on top.

People in the east still have limited travelling opportunities so doing any business development and finding markets is very difficult. The east suffered badly from the Tsunami and the tourist industry is now non existent so not surprisingly many international donors are focusing more on the east.

Much as I would have liked to have photos, there wasnt really the opportunity , anyway, sometimes its just important to be in the moment.

On leaving Ampara we also had to get a permit as the security forces like to know which vehicles have entered and which are leaving the area. They also check the registration and the chassis no connect as stolen vehicles often find their way into the east.

This entry was posted on November 16, 2008 at 7:10 am and is filed underCarol,A?A?Photos,A?A?VSO,A?A?field trips. You can follow any responses to this entry through theA?A?RSS 2.0A?A?feed. You canA?A?leave a response, orA?A?trackbackA?A?from your own site.

http://carolandjoeburns.wordpress.com/2008/11/16/the-sequel-november-11-12-13th/

Veddahs have disappeared from Arugam Bay

Published on 17/11/2008 in Money Matters, people, press coverage, the bay and wild life. Closed

VeddahsA?a??a?? world is a no manA?a??a??s land
CitizensA?a??a?? rights continue to elude LankaA?a??a??s original inhabitants. Many of them live at poverty level, and do not possess birth or marriage certificates
By Sujiva I. Kumari

The countryA?a??a??s oldest residents, a people whose history goes back a couple of thousand years at least, are in the humiliating position of not being even able to call themselves proper citizens of this country.A?A?
The Veddhas, Sri LankaA?a??a??s Aborigines, live much as they did generations back, in comparative poverty, and shunned by the rest of society, except for the occasional tourist, or journalist who meets them out of curiosity.

Most Veddahs do not have birth certificates, and few Veddah parents possess marriage certificates.
Meanwhile, little or nothing has been done by the authorities to improve the lot of the Veddahs, or to make them feel a part of Sri LankaA?a??a??s multi-ethnic community.

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AbaY Veddah
Veddahs: a neglected people

Once upon a time, the Veddahs lived largely along the Mahaweli River. Up to around 1945, a community of Veddhas lived in the Bibile area. In more recent times, the Veddahs have moved out to districts such as Moneragala and Ampara, living in remote villages such as Rathugala and Nilgala.Some 78 Veddah families live in Rathugala.

Sudubandiyala Aththo, one of the Rathugala residents, said his father came to the village from the Senanayake Samudraya area. He said the it would take the Veddahs years, even generations, to catch up with the modern world.

Veddah children, he said, face many obstacles in getting an education. They are shunned at school by the other students, and are made to sit at the back of the class. They are called names and taunted. Many Veddah children refuse to go to school because of the unkind treatment they get.Sudubandiyala says he has to travel 50 miles in order to collect get his Samurdhi allowance from the state.

Thalabanda, one of the village elders, said life in the modern world was difficult, and finding the basics a challenge. A?a??A?I am the leader of the Pollebadda tribe of Veddhas, and it is true that we have a very hard life,A?a??A? he said. A?a??A?Sometimes I wonder whether it would not be better to go back to our ancient bow-and-arrow way of life,A?a??A?

In 1997, ThalabandaA?a??a??s tribe gave up its traditional habitat and moved into village areas to begin life as farmers. Ten Veddah families were given a 10-acre piece of land by the state. The land was inadequate for the Veddah community. There was only one well for irrigation purposes, and this would run almost dry in the dry season.

Meanwhile, the VeddahsA?a??a?? movements are strictly restricted to the land they have been allotted. If a Veddah is found to have strayed outside the limits of the reserve, he or she is liable for a fine of between Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 50,000. Veddahs do not have this kind of money to pay penalties, and so errant Veddahs end up in prison.

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The Veddahs also have a housing problem. There are only 22 permanent houses, and the other 78 living spaces are mere shacks. The villagers wonder how they will manage with the limited land when the village population expands.

Worst of all, most Veddahas have no birth or marriage certificates. The lack of documentation means they face insurmountable problems when they try to find employment or interact with society at large.
A Veddah youth said it was time the Veddahs were given a better deal and treated like other Sri Lankan citizens.

A?a??A?The authorities should give us our rights,A?a??A? the 24-year-old said. A?a??A?We deserve better. We too are human, like the rest of society.

source:
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/081116/News/sundaytimesnews_21.html

Bears, Tigers near Arugam Bay

Published on 17/11/2008 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, people, press coverage, Security & Safety and wild life. Closed

Bear saves monk from clutches of Tigers
By Wasantha Chandrapala Cost of floxin otic

A monk who went missing on Tuesday in the deep jungles of Ampara was found two days later by security personnel who were on a search operation but his true liberator was a bear, the shaken monk told The Sunday Times.

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The monk receiving treatment at the Ampara Hospital ICU

Rev. Sivuralamulle Dhammasiri Thera, now receiving treatment at the Ampara hospital ICU said he was returning from the Kudumbigala Aranya Senasanaya, a hermitage, about 120 miles away from his abode when he was accosted by an armed gang. The monks screams had alerted some people in the environs and soon a massive a search operation was launched in the vicinity of the sanyasanaya.

A?a??A?I had taken alms to the monks at Kudumbigala and was returning when I was waylaid by armed terrorists. I was threatened and then dragged into the thick surrounding jungle,A?a??A? the Ven. Thera said.

He said the men questioned him and inflicted cut injuries on him, before two of them dragged him to a spot where he thought he would be killed. However, at that moment a bear pounced on one of the kidnappers and the monk took the opportunity to flee, while the other kidnapper turned to help his friend.

On Thursday morning security men who were on a search operation came across the monk who was making his way out of the jungle. The monk was admitted to Panama hospital and later transferred to Ampara hospital as his condition was serious.

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Cut injuries on the monkA?a??a??s arm Search operations underway

source:
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/081116/News/sundaytimesnews_19.html

Arugam & PottuVille: Best Sunsets!

Published on 16/11/2008 in Blogs, front page, people, press coverage and the bay. 1 Comment

Thera found (nr. Arugam Bay)

Published on 14/11/2008 in Blogs, people, press coverage and Security & Safety. Closed

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Abducted Thera found

Rafik JALALDEEN

Ven. Sivuralamulle Dhammasiri Thera, Viharadhipathy Kudumbigala Aranya Senasanaya who was abducted by suspected LTTE cadres on Tuesday evening was found in a jungle patch one kilometer away from the STF camp in Pottuvil last morning.

Police Spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekera said Ven. Dhammasiri Thera who was in the temple vicinity had gone missing at around 5.30 p.m. on Tuesday in Panama, Kudumbigala in Ampara.

Subsequently, a person who heard a noise near a well rushed to the scene at the temple found a pair of slippers and a bag belonging to the Thera, the SSP Gunasekera said.

source:
A?A?http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/11/14/news23.asp Order ceftin uses

‘Missing’ Monk found near Arugam Bay

Published on 14/11/2008 in Blogs, people, press coverage and Security & Safety. Closed

By Norman Palihawadena
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Ven. Sivuramulle Dhammasiri

The monk who went missing at Panama, Pottuvil on Tuesday evening was yesterday traced by the STF.

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He was holding onto a tree and moaning apparently in pain but did not tell the STF as to what happened to him.

Ven. Sivuramulle Dhammasiri on his way to a temple from Kudumbigala escorted by home guards had told his guards that he had forgotten to bring pirith nool and returned to the temple which was only 300 meters away. He failed to return thereafter.

The STF traced him in the jungles off the temple yesterday morning around 9.30 a.m.

He was admitted to the Ampara Hospital.

Monk is found near Arugam Bay

Published on 14/11/2008 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, people, press coverage and Security & Safety. 0 Comments

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2008

Missing monk (Ven. Sivuralamulle Dhammasiri thera ) found

Reglan prescription cost Buy imitrex generic The Buddhist monk in the Ampara district who went missing since Nov 11 evening, had been found moments ago. Police said that the monk Ven. Sivuralamulle Dhammasiri thera was found kept inside a cave in the jungle.