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Promoting Arugam Bay & homestays in the East

Published on 09/12/2008 in Blogs, guesthouse, hotels, Ideas, Money Matters, press coverage and the bay. 0 Comments

Sri Lanka set to develop tourism in the East 4 Hoteliers
Lexapro generic name escitalopram We want a people based tourism to flourish in the East!

Sri Lanka Tourism in its attempt to develop the East, now liberated after the 22 years of war in the region has set in place a process to fast track development. Regions listed are: of Pasikudah, Arugambay,
Trincomalee, Nilaveli, Waakarai, Verugal and Kalkudah.

The appointment of the Eastern Province Tourism Development Committee was officially announced last week at a press conference held at the Ministry of Tourism under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Tourism, Faiszer Musthapha who handed over the letter of appointment to Eastern Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan as the member of the committee, to take forward the development work to empower the tourism sector of the East. Leading business persons were also appointed as members of the committee to fast track activities.

Stressing the importance of the committee, Deputy Minister said, ?We need the East, since it has lots to offer for the tourism sector and we have focused on accelerating the development of the Eastern Province within a specific time frame. East, ravaged by the war for 22 years, is now freed and we have a vision to develop the East under the guidance of Tourism Minister, Milinda Moragoda. In a similar manner we intend to work along with other provinces with the help of chief ministers in encouraging tourism development. Sri Lanka Tourism is glad to have the Chief Minister of East, working towards achieving this goal.

Secretary to the Ministry, George Michael in his address said, “We will be taking a lead role in development sharing the power and resources with all provinces and an event like the JATA Fair in Tokyo, where the Eastern Chief Minister attended, set the path to tell the country the model of sharing power and resources”.

Eastern Chief Minister said, “We are prepared to work in unity towards our future goals. Development of the East will surely improve the living condition of the people. To begin with, we will work on the development of areas like Kalkudah, Pasikudah,
Arugam Bay and Nilaveli . As we all know East is blessed with many touristic attractions and it will enable us to reestablish those areas to bring direct benefit to the community, that will make the area more attractive for international vistiors to Sri Lanka.”

Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Renton de Alwis, spoke of the need for a new approach in ensuring wider benefits to the people of the area. He said that already the concept of establishing rooms in homes in the East, a concept where homes can accommodate guests has got the nod from several donor agencies. This will be a way to develop a truly community based tourism in the east, which ideally fits the new tourism demand, where visitors seek interaction with people and want to learn of their lifestyles, he said.

Director General, Tourism Authority and Managing Director, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau also spoke at the press briefing.

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Flood Warning from Arugam Bay

Published on 06/12/2008 in press coverage, Security & Safety and the bay. 0 Comments

Heavy rains, floods expected

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

COLOMBO: The Disaster Managegement Centre of Sri Lanka yesterday warned that spells of heavy rains could be expected in the Northern and Southern regions within the next couple of days influenced by a forming Buy actoplus met “depression” in the Bay of Bengal.

The Centre’s director Major Gen. Gamini Hettiarachchi said the Jaffna, Mulativu, Killinochchi , Vavuniya, Mannar, Batticaloe, Ampara and Trincomalee districts could experience floods if the depression forming in the low pressure areas over the Bay of Bengal intensifies.

Continuous rains and thundershowers are forecast for the region with the winds of Bay of Bengal in the Northeasterly regions influenced by the forming depression, he explained.

Hettiarachchi said, the Disaster Management Centre has taken steps the for necessary evacuation of people from areas most prone to floods in the districts by now as an emergency measure.

“People have been evacuated from several villages in the Batticaloa district as well,” he said.

Asked if the Centre had dispatched life saving boats to these areas, he said they have sent but a limited number of Allopurinol annual sales boats, a number enough to handle initial flood stages.

‘We have carried out the necessary drills, educated the public in villages on how they should act in an emergency. We are prepared to face any situation that could arise from floods,” he said.

The Disaster management Centre has placed its co-coordinators in the North and East to deal with the situation at its first signs, he added.

He also said , the Ministry of Resettlement and Disaster Relief, UN Agencies , UNICEF and UNCHR , will be there to assist the flood victims with food and medicine and other non-food relief items.

source:
A?A?http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/12/05/news12.asp

Mercy Corpse sells its AbaY ‘Investments’

Published on 05/12/2008 in front page. 0 Comments

Abstract:

Tourism is highly vulnerable to external, non-controllable events. A natural disaster can affect the local tourism industry in numerous ways, and such events are particularly devastating for small communities whose local economy is heavily dependent on the sector. Loss of infrastructure plus negative media stories can have long-term ramifications for the destination. In spite of the economic importance of tourism, post-disaster recovery efforts in this sector are often overlooked by non-governmental organisations (NGOs), which focus on more traditional livelihoods such as agriculture or fishing.
This paper describes Mercy Corps’ support of tourism recovery activities in Arugam Bay, a remote village on the east coast of Sri Lanka, following the 2004 tsunami. The local economic base is built largely on two sectors: community tourism and fishing. As many other actors were supporting recovery in the local fishing industry, Mercy Corps concentrated on revitalising the tourism sector.

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Keywords: Arugam Bay; livelihood recovery; Sri Lanka; tourism; tsunami

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-7717.2008.01058.x

Affiliations: 1: Tourism Advisor, Mercy Corps Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Cheap lady era review 2: Director, Climate Change, Environment, and Natural Resources, Mercy Corps, Italy

The full text electronic article is available for purchase. You will be able to download the full text electronic article after payment.

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source:

http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bpl/disa/2008/00000032/00000004/art00007

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
Joined: Jan 2006
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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
Joined: Jun 2006
Forum posts: 76

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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
Joined: Jan 2006
Forum posts: 146

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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
Joined: Jan 2006
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Travel map pins: 0
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
Joined: Jun 2006
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Travel map pins: 29

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
Joined: Jan 2006
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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

Nova Scotia, Canada
Joined: Jun 2006
Forum posts: 76

Travel map pins: 29

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
Forum posts: 23

Travel map pins: 11

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.

Nova Scotia, Canada
Joined: Jun 2006
Forum posts: 76

Travel map pins: 29

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
Forum posts: 11

Travel map pins: 52
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]

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

Where to buy metronidazole flagyl USAID for Ullai
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/

Hiding away in Arugam Bay: Paul Harris

Published on 14/11/2008 in Blogs, press coverage and Security & Safety. 0 Comments

More Thrills than Skills – A Half-life in Journalism,m Part 98
Over the next few weeks, allmediascotland.com is to publish, each weekday, extracts from the memoirs of Scottish war correspondent, Paul Harris. A?a??E?More Thrills than Skills: A Half-life in JournalismA?a??a??, is being scheduled for publication next year.

I visited the east with Nanda Godage and we were joined by an Indian journalist, P K Balachandran of The
Hindustan Times. A?a??E?P.K.A?a??a?? was an old Sri Lanka hand who had been in the country several years. Affable and incisive as he was, I was never really sure why he was to join us. I knew why I was there A?a??a?? as a sounding post, with my intelligence background, for Godage.

The visit to the east convinced me more than ever that the LTTE were up to no good. In Pottuvil (March 12), the fears of the Muslim community were clearly expressed in a series of meetings at the appropriately-named Hideaway Hotel. We visited a place by the sea called Kumari and I was moved by the plight of a woman whose son had been taken by the LTTE. Ordinary people clearly feared the stranglehold the LTTE was imposing under the guise of peace. In Ampara (March 14), I was impressed by the men of the Special Task Force (STF).

In Batticaloa, the security forces seemed under no illusion as to what was going down. What they could not understand was what Colombo was up to. On March 16, we crossed into LTTE territory in the company of the local MP, Krishnapillai. The most interesting thing about the meeting was the appearance of his wife. She soon broke down into tears. The price of LTTE support for her husbandA?a??a??s election to parliament had been their eldest son. They had handed him over to the LTTE for military training.

As Nanda spoke with the Peace Secretariat and the Prime MinisterA?a??a??s office on a Sunday morning (March 17) from Trincomalee, the sound of cannon fire broke the still. I assumed they were practice rounds but the firing went on for a quarter of an hour or so and I could see puffs of smoke in China Bay. LTTE gunboats were probing the harbour defences.

In Muttur on March 19, the local Sinhala community revealed they had met and voted to a man, and a woman, for that matter, to leave if the security forces were to withdraw their protection.

Our trip to the east was rounded off on March 20 with an impressive briefing at military headquarters in Minneriya by Maj Gen Sunil Tennakoon, himself a former intelligence officer. In the cool of his air-conditioned office, he gave us a two hour-long briefing and left us in no doubt as to his own views and, indeed, those of the military establishment generally. The LTTE were gathering men and materiel for war.

At NandaA?a??a??s request, I compiled an intelligence report for the Prime Minister drawing together all the strands of our visit and culminating in a risk assessment.

I wrote a couple of articles for the Mirror and my Telegraph articles were re-published in The Island. It seemed to me that the real Achilles Heel of the LTTE might be the organisationA?a??a??s lack of a sense of humour. In my perception, it was an unreformed and anachronistic revolutionary movement spawned a quarter of a century previously in the school of Castro and Guevera. I wrote a number of wry, mickey-taking articles. It seems that these essentially harmless, humorous article really hit home, which was, I suppose, what I wanted.

The intro to one of my Mirror articles raised hackles………..

‘These LTTE people are oh, so charming. With their cheery smiles, mild manners, warm open features and welcoming handshakes they are straight from the Saatchi & Saatchi public relations manual for Transformation of Terrorist Leaders into Genial Uncle Figures. They make the government Information Department chaps look like grumpy ogres. Who could possibly think that friendly, limping man Mr Thamil Chelvam was such a rotter? Then thereA?a??a??s that nice man Mr Karikalan who holds court over the eastern province from his remote fastness in Kokkadicholai.

‘He greets you with a firm handshake, beaming genially from behind a pair of designer spectacles. He reminds you of Mole, rather than Ratty, from Wind in the Willows. Such a nice man . . .Somewhere in the background is that rather tasty looking girl, Banuka.

‘I first noticed her at the Batticaloa Pongu Thamil. She gave a dynamic, powerful performance haranguing the crowd. It was infinitely more effective than that of all the politicos put together. And it was oh, so sexy. A sort of beautiful version of Margaret Thatcher. I have definitely developed a crush on her (Banuka not Margaret Thatcher). SheA?a??a??s an absolute cracker. In more ways than one. Apparently, she sends the female cadres out into the eastern province to deal severely with male A?a??E?eve teasersA?a??a??. They beckon rude boys into back streets for hoped-for hanky panky, then beat them to pulp with karate chops. On second thoughts, I think IA?a??a??ll leave her alone. But IA?a??a??ll still have fantasies about her . . .’ Order differin cream online

Satire is, of course, well established in Britain as both a literary form and a political tactic. It is in its infancy in Sri Lanka and I did not then realise the truly devastating effect my piece would have. The day the article appeared A?a??a?? April 1, appropriately enough A?a??a?? the phone rang from early morning.

Several journalist colleagues wanted to know if the rumour that I was having an affair with LTTE womenA?a??a??s leader, Banuka, was true. What had been meant as wry humour became instant rumour. Nanda Godage was shocked. A?a??A?I hear youA?a??a??ve dared to call Thamil Chelvan a rotter and Karuna a bad egg.A?a??A?

He opined that there could be A?a??A?very serious consequences.A?a??A? At the time, I found that rather amusing in itself. But I was still on the learning curve. . . Within days Prabhakaran had called both Karikalan and Banuka to his jungle fastness in the north for some meaningful discussions.

But the article which seemed to find its mark, long before it was published thanks to surreptitious emailing around the world by the magazineA?a??a??s staff, was one I wrote for Lanka Monthly Digest……

* Send your Scottish media news and gossip, in the strictest confidence, to info@allmediascotland.com

Or phone us on 07710 721 478

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Return to Arugam Bay

Published on 10/11/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters, press coverage and the bay. 0 Comments


By Dr Kavan Ratnatunga

The consequences of Great Tsunami of 26th December still influence events in Lanka. I had visited the east coast of Lanka 5 days after the Tsunami and it was just over 5 months, when I got the opportunity to return to Arugambay to see how the population directly affected by the Tsunami have recovered. They have little time to ponder the larger issues of sovereignty which is currently dominating the media and tearing apart the government and it’s politicians bickering on how to safeguard Lanka and divide the billion$ of Foreign Aid promised for Tsunami relief.

As on the previous trip I joined Lt. Col. Anil Amerasekara. Wing Cmdr. Ranjit Ratnapala was also traveling with us to continue his quest to help the region in the name of his son Chinthaka, who had in June 1997 made the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of Lanka. We were joined in Kandy by Nisanka and Ira Madiwaka who had collected funds in UK to rebuild Tsunami affected houses in the east coast.

On Friday we visited three small computer centers near Ampara organized by the Thawalama organization and housed in Buddhist Temples. A computer technician Manjula came with us to fix problems and maintain the 5 computers in each center. A local teacher is hired to educate 5 batches of about 10 students each in English and Computer literacy. After the 6 months course they sit for an exam. We held such an exam on Sunday in one of the centers before returning to Colombo. The exam is set and marked in collaboration with IDM who awards certificates to those that pass (about 30%) and scholarships to those that do very well (about 1%). This program had been active now for about 2 years in eight centers in the North-East provinces of Lanka.

The Potuvil to Arugambay bridge, part of which had washed away in the Tsunami had reopened with the aid of the Engineering regiments of the Indian Army Task Force. An Indian Flag was hung on the side in gratitude, I wonder how long this temporary repair which allowed a single vehicle to be on the bridge at one time, will need to serve the community.

Indian Bailey Bridge
The entrance to temporarily reconstructed Arugambay Bridge
It was about 10 O’clock when we drove into Arugambay on our way to stay overnight at the Guest House in Kudakalli 2 km further south. A ghost town after the Tsunami just five months previously, Arugambay was alive at this late hour. Many Tourists had returned to this surfing paradise and were on the streets walking from their hotels to patronize the Cybercafe and many Bars and restaurants which had reopened. A street performance was entertaining a large audience near a newly constructed Buddhist shrine in the town center.
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The infamous Tsunami Hotel sign, repainted with URL
The Tsunami Beach hotel sign had been revised and put back up proudly stating that they had open since 1999. The owners cashing in on on all the media publicity after the Tsunami had even registered in March 2005 an Internet domain tsunamihotel.com. It like the Hotel had still not activated.Arriving at Daya Fernando’s guest house we surprised the caretakers since they had not got the message of our arrival. However dinner was soon ready and the mosquito nets put up for us to retire to sleep from a long drive. Since I had not slept overnight near the east coast for almost 30 years, I got up an hour before sunrise and walked out with disturbing the others. Daya’s 3 dogs were ready to protect me and show me the way. The surf was up but fairly calm. Starlight and a crescent moon illuminated the many shells that had washed ashore on to the beach. A couple were beach combing a rich bounty. I too picked up some beautiful large shells and coral. I was amazed to see the many striations of black sand on the beach. Considering that region of the beach needs to have been rebuilt after the Tsunami, black sand probably settles only at particular tide characteristics. I was disappointed by the clouds which covered the horizon at sunrise. The others were up and ready for breakfast by the time I walked back to the guest house.Our next visit was to Panama. A small Sinhala community 10 km south of Arugambay. We went to the residence of Chandrasena who was the secretary to the local Pradesh Saba (community council). He is I was told a (s)pot-less politician. It was he who had compiled the list of 17 houses which had been badly damaged in Panama by the Tsunami and had sent out the appeal with photographs for funding. He told us that all off them had already been rebuilt by Thawalama using funding from Sri Lanka Tsunami Appeal Committee of Western Australia. I also witnessed the handing over of ten carts with pneumatic tires to cultivators affected by the Tsunami from this same committee.

The cultivators of Panama also lost over 350 acres of paddy land, when areas such as Halawa, close to the sea was flooded by Tsunami water. These Paddy fields will remain barren for many years till the salt washes away. Though they have been promised alternate land under the Meeyangoda tank, which is to be restored with funding from the Rotary Club of Kandy, the cultivators now fear that this too is another promise that will never materialize. Most NGO’s who have visited the village of Panama have requested the villagers to fill application forms, but have failed to provide the promised assistance.

In the reality that some promises of help for reasons beyond the control of the well-wishers get delayed or unfulfilled, construction starts when the first group comes with the hard cash. There have been some reported cases when more than one group have known to have paid for the same reconstruction.

That was clearly not going to happen here. The UK funding would need to be used for other housing project in Panama or elsewhere on the East coast. We visited some homes which although had only been slightly damaged by tsunami, the residents who had lost their livelihood to the Tsunami and their ability to complete a partial house construction. The decisions were hard to make with so many valid requests for help.

Nearly all of the help to reconstruct and revitalize the community has come from private organizations which have raised the required funds in Lanka and abroad. The government represented by the Task Force for Rebuilding the Nation (TAFREN) had still not made any positive impact on reconstruction the community. All that the residents have seen are the numerous reports and advertisements in the media of what is being planned, Those affected were wondering where all the claimed foreign aid had got tied up.

Just south of Arugambay, the village of Ulla, within the 200 meter buffer zone was totally destroyed by the tsunami. TAFREN has thus far failed to provide the affected families with alternate property outside the buffer zone, for them to commence rebuilding their houses. The NGO’s who want to help these unfortunate people to rebuild their houses are being discouraged as a result.

TAFREN unlike most NGOs allocates the task signs a MoU and waits. For example the Sinhapura Sinhala Vidyalaya in Ulla near Arugambay was totally destroyed by the tsunami, even though it is beyond the 200 meter buffer zone. The Italian Civil Protection Mission has signed a MoU to complete construction work in six months. It is now six months since the tsunami and they have yet to commence work on reconstruction. The Thawalama Development Foundation that wrote to the President in this connection, requesting her to reallocate this school to them, as they are in a position to find the necessary funds for the purpose, have been informed by TAFREN that this is not possible.

Unlike state aid, private aid has in many cases been made on racial and religious divisions. A Tamil resident from Jaffna I spoke to said that although many who didn’t have any fishing boats have received a one, but he who had lost seven boats in the Tsunami has still to get any replacement.

That evening we visited the “Mudu Maha Vihara”. We were surprised to find that the archaeological dept. sign that pointed the way for pilgrims and tourists had been removed and replaced with a large Mosque sign which at bottom mentioned an unnamed archaeological site. An interesting report that circulated soon after the Tsunami was that a reclining Buddha statue had been seen few hundred meters from the coast when the sea receded near the Vihara. The Monk who was in residence on the fateful day, said that no such statue had been seen. The story had been made up to say that the 34 acres of land allocated in the 1960’s to the Vihara as an archaeological reserve is from the sea, and not the 30 acres of archaeological land illegally encroached by the local Muslim community.

King KavanTissa
Buddhist Monk explains the history of MuduMahaVihara next to statue identified as that of King KavanTissa.
This great Buddhist temple near the sea dates back to the 2nd century B.C. and has ruins and many sculpture from that era. It is stated in the ancient chronicle the “Rajavaliya” that in the second century BC after Kelaniya was submerged by the sea (Tsunami), Devi daughter of King was cast to sea in a Golden Vessel to appease the gods, and washed ashore near a Vihara to became queen to king KavanTissa under the name Viharamahadevi. Kirinda which is a lot further south and this site each claim to be the “true” landing site. Local folklore relate place names Komari to “Ko Kumari” (where is Princess) and Arugambay to reply “Ara gamme” (In that village)Early next morning observing that the sky was still too cloudy to see sunrise, I went on a bicycle to photograph Arugambay and the reconstructed Bridge at dawn. The village was as empty as when we had walked that way five months previously. All of the rubble had been cleared. However various Political forces with wildly different agendas were preventing the start of the urgent Reconstruction.After breakfast, packed and on our way out of Arugambay, we distributed baby T-shirts sent by the Senahasa Trust of UK. Although we had sent a message the day before through a local contact that we would be distributing free T-shirts to Tsunami affected families, no one had come when we arrived a bit early. I guess they had probably been disappointed before. A reasonable crowed of mothers with babies gathered after we arrived when word spread in village. We were glad we realized before trying to distribute them that the sealed T-shirts marked 6-12 was months not years as we had first assumed. Although all of the T-shirts were for babies under 2 years, we found some small built 9-years olds who fitted into them comfortably. To ensure that the T-shirts went to kids and not the local store, we insisted that the babies be present despite some legitimate comments from some mothers who didn’t want to bring their babies in the hot sun just to get a T-shirt.

Hillton HotelHillton Hotel
Has the charm Arugambay Hillton to be demolished for the 5* Original
Talking with the villages at that time I was told that TAFREN with the Ceylon Tourist Board is trying to acquire a 17-mile long strip of the best sea coast on the pretext of a Tsunami 200 meter buffer zone, for development of a upscale resort of with five-star hotels, displacing the residents and small business who have occupied this land for generations. This amazing outrage is in detail by John Lancaster in a Washington post article of 6th June. The people of Arugambay must surely be feeling like they say in Sinhala “Like a man fallen from a tree, getting butted by a bull”

An edited version of this article Slow relief but surfers are back By Kavan Ratnatunga appeared in the SundayTimes of Sri Lanka on 2005 June 26th. The printed copy of Newspaper included Photographs shown above and not included in online edition. Access to the Online edition of the SundayTimes of Sri Lanka requires a paid annual subscription.source:
http://lakdiva.org/tsunami/arugambay/index.html

Magul Maha Viharaya – Lahugala

Published on 09/11/2008 in Blogs, people, press coverage and wild life. 0 Comments

The day was bright and the sea a glittering turquoise blue with a strong wind sweeping over it. Some people standing on a beach saw an object shining with the rays of the sun being tossed to and fro by the ocean waves. They waited till the object advanced towards the shore and was surprised to see that it was a gold-gilded canoe carrying a beautiful damsel in it. They ran towards the palace and informed the King that a golden-canoe was coming ashore with a beautiful princess in it. The King hastened towards the beach but found the boat gone. A?a??A?Ko KumariA?a??A? inquired the King? The boat had been swept away by strong winds towards the village Komarigama (coined with the words Ko kumari) in Arugam Bay. (The canoe had not been able to anchor at Kirinde due to its rocky environment). On inquiries made King Kavantissa was informed that the damsel in the canoe was Princess Devi, daughter of King Kelanitissa of Maya Rata, who was offered as a sacrifice to appease the wrath of the sea-gods as the sea waters threatened to drown villages. King Kavantissa then hastened to meet the Princess and married her in keeping with traditional customs, and she became Queen Vihara Maha Devi. A?a??A? The Magul PoruwaA?a??A? said to be of the Royal couple could be seen amongst ancient ruins in a temple called A?a??A?Magul Maha ViharayaA?a??A? in Lahugala. Princess DeviA?a??a??s canoe had been washed ashore at Arugam Bay ( coined from the words A?a??A?ara -gamaA?a??A?) and not Kirinde. This is folklore A?a??a?? as related to us by the Chief Priest of the ancient Lahugala Temple Ven. Hulanduwe Ratanasara Thera. We visited Magul Maha Viharaya which is in ruins today. Ven. Hulanduwe Ratanasara Thera the 5th generation descendent of the Uva-Wellassa lineage which administered the Magul Maha Vihare is the present Chief Priest. Lahugala belonged to the Ruhunu Kingdom of ancient Lanka. 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. were found scattered all over. A headless white marble Buddha statue was seen lying horizontally in one part of the ruins, which sometimes people step on, Ven. Ratanasara said, taking us round the complex. The moonstone found in the complex was of special significance. The Chief Priest explained that among other unusual features, the row of elephants in the moonstone with their mahouts was exceptional. This moonstone is said to be the only one of its kind in the country. The Ven. Thera showing us round the ruins of the vihara complex observed that there were several villages round the temple and people had fled due to unrest. With the ongoing peace process many were returning to their original places. A perahera has been planned along with other religious ceremonies to be observed during Poson the Ven. Thera said. We then visited Muhudu Maha Viharaya at Arugam Bay. The wide white beach was endless, stretching for miles and miles. There were excavated ruins and stone pillars which provided evidence of an ancient kingdom which had flourished. The Chief Priest of Muhudu Maha Viharaya, Ven. Kataragama Siriratana Thera supporting Queen Vihara Maha DeviA?a??a??s story as related to us by the Lahugala Viharaya Chief Priest, showed us partly ruined stone statues two of which were believed to be of King Kavantissa and Viharamahadevi. The moonstone which had been in existence near a ruined A?a??A?BudugeA?a??A? had been removed by treasure hunters and the A?a??A?Mura-galA?a??A?had been replaced awkwardly. Ven. Siriratana Thera showed us ruins and stone pillars of an ancient structure excavated on the vast stretch of the beach, where, he said, a stupa had been erected to mark the spot where Princess Devi had landed. The monk living by himself protecting the ruined temple,is supported by about 12 families living in the vicinity who provide him with the A?a??A?danaA?a??A?. There were sand dunes forming part of the endless beach bordering a tranquil turquoise sea and at one end was the Arugam Bay and the A?a??A?UlaA?a??A? with a natural harbour. Several fishing huts were seen dotting the area. Both Chief Priests at Lahugala and Arugam Bay said that the ruins found in these places supported the existence of a royal kingdom of ancient Ruhunu Rata, and believed if chronicled had not sufficiently surfaced. The Ven. Theras said that these places were historically and culturally important and their conservation was of utmost importance to preserve the countryA?a??a??s rich heritage. (@CDN)

source:

http://mahawansa.wordpress.com/2004/09/09/magul-maha-viharaya-lahugala-by-florence-wickramage-www-virtual-library-sri-lanka/

Muslim farmers in Pottuvil caught in the middle

Published on 09/11/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters, people, press coverage and Security & Safety. 0 Comments

The Nation

By M.I.M. Anwar

At a time when the government is urging farmers to cultivate their neglected lands, the cultivators of Pottuvil are facing great difficulties due to security threats and lack of money for cultivation.A?A?

The farmers of Pottuvil have neglected a large acreage of paddy fields due to the LTTE not allowing them to cultivate their lands in areas controlled by it. Earlier, Tigers also had their camps in the nearby Kanchikudichchaaru jungles.A?A?

Despite the east being declared as being liberated, the farmers say the LTTE cadres are still seen in those areas close to paddy fields of Muslims. The LTTE had even advised farmers not to cultivate in those regions as they had planted mines.A?A?

Many of these paddy lands are now overgrown with trees and bushes and they need a large amount of money to clear them and prepare for cultivation, as they were not cultivated for more than twenty (20) years. Neither the government nor other organisations here are willing to help them.A?A?

The farmers also fear the LTTE, forcing them to purchase essentials required by the organisation from shops in the town and the possible consequences. Unless and until the government provides them with full security and financial assistance, it is unreasonable for the government to expect the Muslim farmers to do cultivation there.

source:
http://www.nation.lk/2008/11/09/news8.htm Detrol la generic available

Eastern Development Committee

Published on 04/11/2008 in Blogs, Ideas, Money Matters, people, press coverage and the bay. 0 Comments

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Sri Lanka Tourism in its attempt to develop the East now liberated after the 22 years of war in the region has set in place a process to fast track the development of Pasikudah, Arugambay, Trincomalee, Nilaveli, Waakarai, Verugal and Kalkudah.

The appointment of the Eastern Province Tourism Development Committee was officially announced recently.

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Stressing the importance of the committee, Deputy Minister said, the East was needed, since it has lots to offer for the tourism sector and we have focused on accelerating the development of the Eastern Province within a specific time frame. East, ravaged by the war for 22 years, is now freed and we have a vision to develop the East under the guidance of Tourism Minister, Milinda Moragoda. In a similar manner it is intended to work along with other provinces with the help of chief ministers in encouraging tourism development. Sri Lanka Tourism was glad to working towards achieving this goal with the Chief Minister.

Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Renton de Alwis, spoke of the need for a new approach in ensuring wider benefits to the people of the area. He said that already the concept of establishing rooms in homes in the East, a concept where homes can accommodate guests has got the nod from several donor agencies.

Director General, Tourism Authority and Managing Director, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau also spoke at the press briefing.

By Christine Hettiarachchi
Courtesy: Lankapuvath

source:
http://firstlanka.com/english/news/committee-set-up-to-develop-tourism-in-the-east/