JKRSOTHY

Sri Lanka Marxist party wants government to reveal developments on UNHRC resolution

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 11:59:00 PDT

Sri Lanka's Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) is to call on the government in parliament on Tuesday (05) to reveal the developments that have taken place in the country and in the international arena following the adoption of a resolution on the country at the 19th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva.
The JVP has yesterday submitted the statement to parliament to be taken up when parliament meets on Tuesday. JVP Propaganda Secretary and parliamentarian Vijitha Herath told ColomboPage that parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake would make a special statement in parliament on the developments since March 23rd. He said the government would be asked if External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris had handed a document to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton outlining the government's plan to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). "We will ask if such a document had been prepared and if so demand that the government reveal the contents in parliament," he observed. According to Herath, the JVP is to carry out a campaign demanding the government to reveal the undertakings by the government during Peiris' recent visit to the US.

Sri Lanka Tamil party denies internal rift in the party

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 11:55:00 PDT

R. Sampanthan, the leader of Sri Lanka' major Tamil political party, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), has denied reports of a rift in the party as reported by the local media. Reports of a rift in the TNA emerged following comments made by TNA members over a statement made by Sampanthan at the convention of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) in Batticaloa last week. Some senior TNA members of the party had criticized Sampanthan' statements at the party meeting but he has responded by saying that TNA is a democratic party and members could express their own views. He has said that
he would respect comments made by the party members and denied of a rift in the party. Meanwhile, the TNA at a meeting of party leaders held at its headquarters in Colombo Friday has decided to establish a high command within the party. The alliance will hold further discussions on the operating procedure of the high command and its membership.

Bilingual services at Sri Lanka's divisional secretariats

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 11:50:00 PDT

Sri Lanka Minister of National Languages and Social Integration Vasudeva Nanayakkara says that bilingual relief counters will be established in 76 divisional secretariats.
The Minister said that these bilingual relief counters are established in the divisional secretariats where both Sinhala and Tamil speaking People live. Already, the bilingual relief counters have been set up in 14 divisional secretariats. The project will be implemented in 46 divisional secretariats in the first stage. The counters will be manned with officials who are fluent in both languages to assist the people with their needs

BSP accuses Mulayam of corruption to defend Mayawati

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 11:24:00 PDT

On the backfoot over number of corruption cases and scams during its rule in Uttar Pradesh, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has now launched a direct attack on Mulayam Singh Yadav, chief of the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP). Leader of Opposition in state legislative council and close aide of former chief minister Mayawati, Naseemuddin Siddiqui during the debate on
the governor's address in the legislative council, asked SP leaders to 'introspect' before accusing BSP supremo Mayawati of being involved in scams. Responding to allegations of corruption against the previous Mayawati government, Siddiqui alleged that several private firms in which Mulayam Singh Yadav and his family members had a stake had been pocketing money through ontracts of the Public Works Department (PWD) when the SP was in power before 2007. Claiming that he has documentary evidences of Mulayam and his family members having share in companies which reaped huge profits during previous SP regime, Siddiqui claimed that while a construction company in Etah had a turnover of Rs 2,300 crore during the three-and-a-half-year tenure of the previous SP regime, another had a turnover of Rs 1,800 crore. Similarly, he claimed, the third company had a turnover of Rs 1,300 crore. He also mentioned names of some more construction companies. When the SP members started objecting to the allegations, Siddiqui said that he has been PWD minister and has all records to substantiate his allegations. "I have been hearing that the previous BSP government was involved in corruption and scams. Now I think I shall also give some good examples. Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others," he said. After SP government came to power in March this year, numbers of scams during Mayawati's rule have been exposed. The government is even thinking to form a commission headed by a retired high court judge to probe into the complaints of corruption and scams in previous regime. Already, some complaints of corruption and anomalies, including those done in construction of dalit memorials, have been referred to the Lokayukta. In retaliation, the BSP had earlier attacked SP government over detraction of law and order in the state. However, now the party has launched a direct attack on Mulayam.

Egypt's ex-president Hosni Mubarak sentenced to life in prison over protest deaths

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 11:06:00 PDT

An Egyptian court sentenced former president Hosni Mubarak to life in prison on Saturday after convicting him of involvement in the murder of protesters during the uprising that ousted him last year. Also given a life term for the killings was Mubarak's former interior minister Habib al-Adly, while six former police commanders were acquitted. Corruption charges against Mubarak's sons, Alaa and Gamal, were dropped due to the expiry of a statute of limitations. Mubarak was acquitted in one of the corruption cases. Scuffles broke out soon after the verdicts were delivered, and chants of "Void, void" and
"The people want the judiciary purged" could be heard. Lawyers inside the courtroom were furious over the acquittals, and told AFP they feared that Mubarak and Adly would be found innocent on appeal. The former strongman, wearing dark classes and a beige tracksuit, showed no emotion as Judge Ahmed Refaat read out the sentence. His two sons, Alaa and Gamal, looking tired with dark circles under their eyes, appeared close to tears on hearing the verdict. Clashes erupted out outside the court following the sentencing, as police used stun grenades to control the crowds. Mubarak, the only autocrat toppled in the Arab Spring to be put in the dock, former interior minister Habib al-Adly and six others were on trial over their involvement in the deaths of some of the estimated 850 people killed during the uprising that toppled the strongman. Mubarak, his sons Alaa and Gamal and business associate Hussein Salem, who fled to Spain, were also on trial over an alleged bribe.

Asylum seekers deported from Britain arrive in Sri Lanka

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 08:51:00 PDT

Sri Lankan asylum seekers deported by Britain arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport at Katunayake on Friday, an airport official said. A group of 36 asylum seekers that included 28 Tamils has returned to Sri Lanka on a special charter flight from London after the British government rejected their asylum requests.
Officials of the UK Border Agency had accompanied the Sri Lankans on their return journey and handed them over to officers, Xinhua reported. According to officials, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has recorded their before releasing them. Meanwhile, a Britain court has granted a last-minute reprieve to 40 other asylum seekers who were to be deported by the British government after the court has heard testimony from their lawyers raising concerns that deportees will be tortured when they reach Sri Lanka. New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) this week said that Britain should immediately halt deporting Tamil asylum seekers to Sri Lanka and review its policies in assessing their claims. They say that investigations have found that some Tamil asylum seekers had been tortured upon their return to the country. Sri Lankan government however denies torturing the returnees and Britain's Foreign Office has earlier said there had been no substantiated allegations of mistreatment of those returned from the UK. Most of the asylum seekers have fled during the war claiming they fear for life and persecution by the government, but the government says most of them are economic refugees looking for greener pastures.

India outlaws Sri Lanka's terror group LTTE for another two years

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 08:46:00 PDT

The Indian government has decided to extend the ban on Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger terrorist group, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) the by another two years, local media reports said.
Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram has said that under the provisions of Prevention of Unlawful Activities Act, the LTTE has been declared as a banned organization in India and confirmed that the ban has been extended another two years. The Indian government declared the LTTE a banned organization in 1994 after an LTTE suicide bomber assassinated former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. Sri Lanka comprehensively defeated the terrorist group in the country three years ago in May 2009 and ended the 30-year long terrorism in the country, but the supporters of the terrorist group in Tamil Nadu state of India, certain European countries including the UK, France, and Canada have been actively involved in attempts to revive the group.

Former deputy leader of Sri Lanka opposition party and wife injured in road accident

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 08:28:00 PDT

Former deputy leader of Sri Lanka opposition United National Party and Gampaha district parliamentarian Karu Jayasuriya and his wife had met with a road accident today. Jayasuriya and his wife were injured when their vehicle ran off the road and fell into a nearby pit along the road between Hambantota and Tangalle, the police said.
The parliamentarian has been rushed to the Hambantota hospital with injuries while his wife was treated for minor injuries at the outpatient department.

Attack on US base kills 14 in Afghanistan: NATO

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 08:24:00 PDT

A suicide truck bomber attacked a US-run base today, sparking clashes that killed up to 14 people in eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistani border, officials said. NATO's US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said none of its personnel was killed in the attack in Khost province, a Taliban flashpoint that borders Pakistan.
The Taliban militia, which is leading a 10-year insurgency against foreign troops and the Kabul government, claimed responsibility for the attack. But the precise details of what happened were murky. An Afghan security official told AFP that the bomber drove a truck packed with explosives into the outer security checkpost of Forward Operating Base Salerno, which is run by the US military. "Initial information shows that seven Afghans have been killed and 13 others injured," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media. According to the official, the victims are Afghan workers involved in a construction project at the base. But Khost provincial police chief Sardar Mohammad Zazai later told AFP that only three attackers were killed as they stormed the base. "Four civilians were injured when the roof of a nearby house collapsed as a result of the explosion," Zazai said, adding that the bodies of three attackers had also been recovered. ISAF, however, said 14 insurgents were killed in clashes, but released no further details. It said it did not have further details on any civilian casualties. A spokesman for the Taliban claimed that a "large number" of foreign soldiers were killed, but the militia is known to exaggerate its claims.

BJP mouthpiece slams one-upmanship in party; takes a dig at Narendra Modi, B S Yeddyurappa

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 08:19:00 PDT

After senior BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani's veiled attack on party leadership, BJP mouthpiece 'Kamal Sandesh' has expressed concern over the growing tendency of one-upmanship in the party saying that the happenings in Karnataka, Gujarat and Rajasthan have deeply hurt the sentiments of the common people.
"If pupils make a mistake in a class room, it is understandable-but here even masters and principals are ready to leave the track", said a special editorial written by its editor Prabhat Jha, who is president of BJP in Madhya Pradesh as well as a member of Rajya Sabha. Without naming Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi or BJP Karnataka leader B S Yeddyurappa, the BJP mouthpiece said "Everyone was hurt as the happenings were painful and in contravention to the very nature of the BJP .There has never been any conflict in BJP for ones' own sake". "party doesn't function on the basis of any individual's contribution alone but on the basis of everyones contribution", it added. It said "as one ascends the ladder, his understanding should also elevate. But the irony is that it is always been that on reaching the top, even after knowing that a day will come when he has to come down, he tries to belittle to the ones below him. When we applaud a person more than required then we in fact ourselves open the door of his possible distraction. Similarly, if one is criticised in extremity, we open the door for his possible exit". BJP mouthpiece's hard-hitting editorial comes at a time when Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is muscling up his way in the party, jostling out a powerful party leader Sanjay Joshi from the BJP national executive meeting and a section within the party has been trying to portray him as future prime ministerial candidate. Besides, Karnakata veteran B S Ydddyurappa has been flexing political muscles to stage a comeback to power in the southern state. The editorial-apparently written before L K Advani made a veiled attack on the party leadership-also said former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, senior leader L K Advani and Dr Murli Manohar Joshi have been shining in the horizon of Indian politics only because they have always considered organisation to be the supreme. "They kept themselves within the fold of BJP even though their stature is very high but they never allowed their height to exceed the party. It's because of this reason they are revered by everyone", the editorial said.

Election laws violated in Sri Lanka since 2005 - former deputy leader of UNP

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Thu, 31 May 2012 11:06:00 PDT

Former Deputy Leader of Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) Karu Jayasuriya says that election laws have been violated in the country since 2005. Jayasuriya has told the media that the violations of election laws and political interferences during election time have now become the norm in the country. Jayasuriya's comments are made in the backdrop of speculations over the calling of early elections for several provincial councils this year.
He has explained that the rules laid down by the Election Commissioner during election times have been blatantly violated, especially during provincial council elections. Jayasuriya has cited the misuse of public property and entertaining the public using public resources as common election law violations. Continuation of such practices would erode the people's confidence in the electoral process, he has noted. Jayasuriya has called on the government to establish an independent police and elections commission and conduct elections in a free and fair manner.

Sri Lanka Cricket to slash benefits given to Lasith Malinga

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Thu, 31 May 2012 11:04:00 PDT

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) sources say that the authorities of SLC have decided to cut the benefits granted to fast bowler Lasith Malinga. SLC has come to this decision since Malinga has declined to come to an agreement with the SLC. He was reportedly demanding a better remuneration package from SLC. However,
the SLC has not so far announced the decision. If the SLC decision is implemented, Malinga will lose the insurance coverage, gymnasium facilities, medical and physiotherapy facilities and sports apparel etc. for which SLC bears a huge expense, sources say.

Sri Lankan President participates in Thai Sambuddha Jayanthi ceremony

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Thu, 31 May 2012 10:55:00 PDT

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is on a four-day official visit to the Kingdom of Thailand participated in the Sambuddha Jayanthi inauguration ceremony as a distinguished invitee.

The ceremony was held Thursday (May 31) at the main auditorium of Mahachulalongkorn Rajavidayalaya University, a public Buddhist university in Thailand, under the auspicious of Princess Chulabhorn of Thailand to mark the 2600th anniversary of Buddha's Enlightenment.

Cultural Minister of Thailand welcomed the Sri Lankan delegation including the President.

President Rajapaksa offered a memento to the Chancellor of Mahachulalongkorn Rajavidayalaya University, Venerable Professor Dhammakasojan Thera to mark the occasion.

The 2600th Sambuddha Jayanthi Ceremony which is also the 9th Vesak commemoration ceremony of the United Nations Organizations, will be held in Thailand from today to 2nd June.

More than 2500 Buddhists representing 58 countries are participating in this ceremony. Over 400 persons including Buddhist monks represent Sri Lanka in the ceremony.

Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of Cultural affairs, T.B. Ekanayake, Deputy Minister of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs, M.K.D.S. Gunawardena, United National Party Parliamentarian Gayantha Karunathilaka, Sri Lankan Ambassador in Thailand General Shantha Kottegoda, and Diyawadana Nilame (Custodian) of Sri Dalada Maligawa, Pradeep Nilanga Dela were also present on the occasion.

Hurriyat Conference suspends Abdul Gani Bhat

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Thu, 31 May 2012 10:51:00 PDT

Moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today suspended three leaders and issued show cause notice to them including Abdul Gani Bhat in the wake of clashes within the amalgam over the relevance of UN resolutions on Kashmir.
The decision to issue show cause notices to Bhat, Nayeem Ahmad Khan and Mohammad Azam Inqillabi were issued following a meeting of the executive council of the Hurriyat, its spokesman said. He said the three leaders have been asked to explain their position over the recent acts of "indiscipline" within 10 days. They have been suspended from the amalgam till disciplinary proceedings are in progress. Bhat angered the separatist groups including leaders from his own faction of Hurriyat as he said that UN resolutions on Kashmir were not practically implementable in the present geo-political scenario. Shabir Ahmad Shah, Khan and Inqillabi had questioned Bhat's statement and sought action against him. The issue had led to clashes between the rival supporters at Hurriyat headquarters earlier this month. The amalgam has also asked Shah to refrain from taking the issue concerning the Hurriyat to the people or media and discuss these issues within the forum.

Israel hands over bodies of 91 Palestinian militants

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Thu, 31 May 2012 10:47:00 PDT

Israel on Thursday handed over the remains of 91 Palestinians killed during anti-Israeli attacks, some of whom died more than 40 years ago, officials on both sides said.
The transfer began before dawn, when Israel formally gave the bodies to the Palestinians at a location near the West Bank city of Jericho, with 79 of them immediately transferred to Ramallah and the other 12 sent to Gaza. "At 4am (0100 GMT) today, we received the remains of 91 martyrs, 79 from the West Bank and 12 from Gaza who had been buried (by the Israelis) in an inhumane and unethical fashion in numbered graves in the Jordan Valley," said Hussein al-Sheikh, head of the Palestinian general committee for civil affairs. "They will all be wrapped in a shroud and the Palestinian flag, they will be identified and have the last rites performed," he told AFP. The remains of the 79 were transferred to the Muqataa headquarters of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, where they were honoured with "an official ceremony and prayers for the dead," Palestinian prisoners minister Issa Qaraqaa told AFP. The remaining 12 bodies were handed to Gaza's Hamas rulers through the Erez border crossing in the early afternoon. As they were transported into the coastal territory, the dead were greeted by hundreds of people, senior Hamas officials and a guard of honour, who fired 21 shots into the air as a mark of respect, an AFP correspondent reported. The bodies were then transferred to Shifa hospital in Gaza City from where they were to be taken to the city's main mosque for funeral prayers before being buried. Several days ago, the Palestinian Authority had named the 91 "martyrs," who include eight members of a commando unit killed in March 1975 in an Israeli assault on the Savoy Hotel in Tel Aviv where they had barricaded themselves inside with hostages. Israeli public radio said the bodies included those of militants responsible for a string of suicide bombings in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the southern city of Beersheva. Families of the dead admitted they had conflicting emotions over the return of the bodies of their loved ones. "I have mixed feelings. I don't know what to say," said 70-year-old Mahira Misk, whose son Ezzedine was killed in clashes with Israeli troops in the West Bank city of Hebron in 2002. "I wish they had released a prisoner so he could go back to his mother alive, instead of my son who is going to return to me as a dead body," she told AFP. "But at least now I can visit his grave and read to him from the Koran." For the family of Nasser al-Buz, who had been missing since August 1989, finding his name on the list was a shock they had not expected. "We were really surprised to see my brother's name on the list of martyrs," Subhi al-Buz said of his brother, who was on Israel's most wanted list during the first Palestinian uprising from 1987 to 1993. "We always thought he was still alive somewhere," he said, adding that the family had for years asked Israel for confirmation he had been killed but had received no response. Buz founded the Palestinian Black Panthers, a military wing of Abbas's Fatah faction. "We now know Nasser's fate but the question remains -- what happened to him? How did he die and why was the occupation silent for all these years?" Israel said it hoped the gesture would build confidence between the two sides and help revive the moribund peace process, which ran aground in late 2010 in a dispute over peristent settlement building. "We hope that this humanitarian gesture will serve both as a confidence building measure and help get the peace process back on track," said Mark Regev, spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "Israel is ready for the immediate resumption of peace talks without any preconditions whatsoever," he said in a statement. Sheikh said another handover of bodies was likely to take place in the coming weeks. "We started negotiating on a second batch, made up of 70 martyrs, and we expect to receive them next month. But there are some difficulties in the negotiations because their names and identities are not clear," he said. In July 2011, Defence Minister Ehud Barak blocked the transfer of the remains of 84 Palestinians buried in numbered graves in its "cemetery for enemy combatants" in the Jordan Valley, citing the need to review their identities.

Sri Lankan authorities receive over 300 applications for licenses to mine gold in Kelani River

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Wed, 30 May 2012 08:05:00 PDT

Sri Lankan authorities have received over 300 applications yesterday for licenses to search for gold in the Kelani River in the Pugoda area.
The Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) has announced that permits are now being issued under a license scheme to mine the river bed for gold. GSMB Chairman, Dr. N.P. Wijayananda has said that only people from the area and are above the age of 18 years are eligible to apply for permits. He has explained that confirmation of each individual is to be obtained from the area Grama Niladari and the Division Secretary before the GMSB issues permits. A mobile unit was established yesterday in the Kumarimulla area in Pugoda by the Dompe Divisional Secretariat and the GSMB. Applications were given to area residents who had the Rs. 2,000 deposit for the application form. The license issued by the GSMB will be valid for a period of three months. Villagers in Kumarimulla in Pugoda last week found small quantities of gold in the Kelani River resulting in a gold rush in the area.

Sri Lanka ruling party's Mohammed Maharoof appointed as Opposition Leader of Colombo Municipal Council

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Wed, 30 May 2012 07:30:00 PDT

Sri Lanka ruling party's Mohammed Maharoof has been appointed as the Opposition Leader of the Colombo Municipal Council. Addressing a press conference held in the Opposition Leader's office of the Colombo Municipal Council today, Maharoof said that
he was supported by 19 out of the 21 opposition council members of the Colombo Municipal Council. Colombo Municipal Council is ruled by the United National Party (UNP) and the country's ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) is the opposition of the CMC. The post of Opposition Leader of the Colombo Municipal Council became vacant when the former Minister Milinda Moragoda resigned from the post to concentrate on his other political work. Maharoof, a former Minister joined the ruling UPFA days ahead of the CMC election since the UNP denied the Mayor candidacy of the council to him. Mahroof's decision, hours ahead of handing in nomination to the CMC elections last August, was regarded as a severe blow to the UNP. However, the UNP won the CMC at the election, their only victory in the local government elections. However, another stalwart of the Colombo Municipal Council, Asath Sally has not supported Maharoof's appointment, UPFA sources say.

Sri Lankan President meets Thai Prime Minister

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Wed, 30 May 2012 07:25:00 PDT

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is on an official tour in Thailand met Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinwatra at the Prime Minister's office this morning.

The two leaders held discussions on enhancing bilateral relations, especially in trade and investment, between the two countries, as well as on regional and multilateral issues.

Following the meeting, two bilateral agreements have also been signed. External Affairs Ministry of Sri Lanka and the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Thailand signed a Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral political consultations and an agreement regarding exchanging of documentation on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.

International prostitution racket busted in Delhi

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Wed, 30 May 2012 07:21:00 PDT

With the arrest of seven women, Delhi Police Wednesday claimed to have busted an international prostitution racket run in the capital by women from Uzbekistan. According to a police officer, six women, including a woman pimp, were arrested Tuesday.
The racket was being run from a rented accommodation in south Delhi's Chhatarpur farms by a woman pimp Gulnaaz (33), he said. "All arrested women, who hail from Uzbekistan, are between the age group of 27 and 33 years," said the officer. Gulnaaz, who has been staying in India since 2009 after visa extension on various grounds, has been operating in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) since the past three years. Some of the girls live with her in her rented accommodation in Chhatarpur while some others reside in south Delhi's Vasant Vihar. She has been arranging girls from Uzbekistan to Delhi on a regular basis. "Gulnaaz facilitated her other colleagues to come here in the capital and stay on a tourist visa. She even got one girl married to an Indian national to enable her to get multiple entry visa on marital grounds," said Sanjay Jain, deputy commissioner of police (Crime). Jain informed that she charged between Rs.20,000 and Rs.25,000 per girl per night. "The charges increased to even Rs.one lakh for other services including 'belly dancing', weekend parties and travel companions to various destinations like Shimla, Jaipur and Goa," added Jain.

Former Liberian leader Charles Taylor sentenced to 50 years in jail for war crimes

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Wed, 30 May 2012 07:16:00 PDT

Former Liberian president Charles Taylor was jailed for 50 years on Wednesday for helping Sierra Leonean rebels wage a savage war, receiving a precedent-setting sentence from a special war crimes court. Taylor,
the first head of state convicted by an international court since World War II, had been found guilty of backing rebels who murdered, raped and mutilated tens of thousands of people in an 11-year-war that ended in 2002. Presiding judge Richard Lussick said there was no legal precedent by which to determine a sentence, but the term was intended to reflect Taylor's position of authority. Prosecutors had demanded 80 years. "He was found responsible for aiding and abetting some of the most heinous and brutal crimes in recorded history," he said, reading out the sentencing. "Leadership must be carried out by example by the prosecution of crimes not the commission of crimes." The sentence is intended to "underscore the gravity it attached to the betrayal of public trust." Dressed in a blue suit and yellow tie, Taylor sat impassively through the roughly 45-minute reading at the Special Court for Sierra Leone. Hands clasped in front of his mouth and his brow furrowed, Taylor shifted uneasily when the camera broadcasting proceedings settled on him. Both sides are expected to appeal. Reacting from Sierra Leone, deputy minister of information Sheka Tarawalie said: "Today the people of Sierra Leone, the victims, and ordinary observers inside and outside the country would believe that some kind of justice has been done."

Protest in Sri Lanka calling to free political prisoners

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Tue, 29 May 2012 11:55:00 PDT

Families of missing and detained persons in Sri Lanka today staged a protest outside the Welikada Prison. A group calling Movement to Free Political Prisoners, comprising political parties and civil activists, organized the protest. Family members carrying placards with names and photographs of the missing and detained demonstrated outside the prison with representatives of opposition parties and trade unions.
The protestors called on the authorities to release the political prisoners if legal action is not resorted against them. They called for details about the missing persons and the detainees to be publicized for the families to know about them. Prison Reforms Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera, in response to the allegations that the government holding political prisoners, has said that there are no political prisoners in the country. The government earlier in the month announced that it has made available the list of named of the persons currently being detained to the family members.

Two high level Pakistani delegations visiting Sri Lanka

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Tue, 29 May 2012 11:46:00 PDT

Two High Level Pakistani delegations are currently visiting Sri Lanka. The first delegation comprises of nine members and is headed by the Parliamentary Secretary and Member of Parliament Ms Robina Saadat Qaimkhani.
The said delegation arrived in Sri Lanka to represent Pakistan at the South Asia Follow up Regional Consultation on the UN Study on Violence against children. The event is being jointly organized by the Government of Sri Lanka and the Secretariat of the South Asia Initiative to end violence against children (SAIEVAC). Other members of the delegation includes Shaigan Shareef Malik , Secretary to the Ministry of Human Rights and Ms Jahanara Watoo, Government of Pakistan's Goodwill Ambassador for Orphan Children. Representatives from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are participating in this event with the aim to overcome violence against children in homes, schools and society. Another three member delegation headed by the Chairman Intellectual Property Organization (IPO) of Pakistan Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi arrived yesterday for a 3-day visit. He will be representing Pakistan at WIPO Regional Forum on Intellectual Property (IP) and Environmentally Sound Technologies (ESTs). The Chairman IPO would also be attending the SAARC Roundtable on Sub-Regional Cooperation on Use of IP for Development and Acquisition of ESTs. The forums would provide opportunity to discuss possible international cooperation to expand access to ESTs, IP for generation of, and access to, environmentally sound technologies, enhance Sub Regional Cooperation in the field of IP to develop and acquire ESTs. The event has been organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in cooperation with National Intellectual Property Office Sri Lanka (NIPOS) and Japan Patent Office (IPO). The objective of the activity is to assess how IP system contributes to the development of ESTs, provide policy makers and representatives from the private sector with an opportunity to exchange views on promoting sustainable development through transfer of environmentally sound technologies. In addition to Pakistan, delegates from Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, Iran, Indonesia, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand, Japan and Vietnam are also participating in the deliberations.

Sri Lanka military gradually reducing its presence in North

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Tue, 29 May 2012 11:42:00 PDT

Sri Lanka military is gradually reducing its presence in Jaffna, the Security Forces - Jaffna (SF-J) Commander Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe has said.
The Commander has revealed this during a meeting with the High Commissioner of Australia in Colombo, Ms Robyn Mudie who was on a visit to the peninsula with two other officials. Major General Hathurusinghe has told the High Commissioner that the Police personnel are replacing the security forces since the civil administration has been established in Jaffna. Apprising the Australian diplomat of present security situation in Jaffna and humanitarian activities being carried out by the Army, has explained that a majority of the houses taken by the security forces during the war has been handed over to the owners. "Army in Jaffna has already handed over majority of the civilians' houses and lands to legitimate owners, and will continue to do so considering the security situation," Major General Hathurusinghe has said. The Commander has also briefed the Australian diplomatic delegation on the livelihood activities initiated by the Headquarters SF-J for reintegrated ex-LTTE combatants in different areas of the peninsula. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the war anniversary celebrations said the government will not remove any military camp from their current locations in the country as long as threats exist to national security. He said that it is not advisable to remove any military camp or reduce the strength of the forces while threats to national security exist from overseas, especially from the Tamil diaspora in the Western countries who have not given up the Eelam dream yet.

Suu Kyi leaves Myanmar for first trip abroad in 24 years

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Tue, 29 May 2012 11:35:00 PDT

Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi headed to Thailand Tuesday for her first trip abroad in more than two decades, ending an era of isolation and cementing her arrival on the global stage.
The former political prisoner, who won a seat in parliament in historic April by-elections, is expected to meet the Thai prime minister, attend the World Economic Forum on East Asia and meet Myanmar communities during several days in the country. Speaking to AFP at Yangon International Airport before her departure at around 8:00 pm (1330 GMT), Suu Kyi said she "didn't feel anything special" about the landmark foreign trip. "It's a part of my job. I'm going to stay for four or five days... I will visit one refugee camp," she added, without providing further details. Suu Kyi, who spent 15 of the past 22 years under house arrest, will emerge into a world transformed -- the skyscrapers and frenetic activity of Bangkok presenting a stark contrast to her home city of Yangon, with its crumbling architecture and frequent power outages. She is due to arrive in Bangkok around 1440 GMT, where she will be met by international media. Speaking in Yangon after her departure, Tin Oo, spokesman for her National League for Democracy party, said it was up to Thailand to guarantee her security. The Nobel laureate's plan to leave Myanmar for the first time since 1988 comes as dramatic changes sweep the country, after decades of outright military rule ended last year. Suu Kyi, fearful that she would never be allowed to return, had refused to travel abroad in the past, even when the former junta denied her dying husband a visa to visit her from Britain. Pavin Chachavalpongpun, of the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies in Japan's Kyoto University, said the visit signals "she is very confident in her position, confident with the ongoing reconciliation and political reforms". The trip will "convey a message" from the Myanmar government that its reforms, which have caused unprecedented thawing of relations with the international community and easing of tough sanctions, are sustainable. "Before the sanctions can be removed, the government have to earn legitimacy big time, so that is what they want from Suu Kyi's trip," he told AFP. The 66-year-old icon will meet Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra during her trip, but the timing has yet to be confirmed, the premier's secretary general Thawat Boonfeung told AFP. Suu Kyi is also set to visit Myanmar migrant workers in Samut Sakhon province, south of Bangkok, on Wednesday according to local activists. Thailand's workforce is heavily reliant on low-cost foreign workers, both legal and trafficked, with Myanmar nationals accounting for around 80 percent of the two million registered foreign workers in the kingdom. Suu Kyi is then expected to travel to the north of the country to meet some of the roughly 100,000 refugees displaced by conflict in Myanmar's eastern border areas. She is scheduled to speak in an open discussion with World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab and appear at a session on the role of Asian women on Friday. "This is a hugely symbolic but also substantive visit because it is going to mark the beginning of Aung San Suu Kyi as an international stateswoman," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, of Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University. Suu Kyi's European travel plans include an address to an International Labour Organization conference in Geneva on June 14. After that she will make a speech in Oslo on June 16 to finally accept the Nobel Peace Prize she was awarded in 1991 for her peaceful struggle for democracy. She also intends to travel to Britain, where she lived for years with her family, and will address parliament in London on June 21. The democracy campaigner was on Tuesday invited to visit India during a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Yangon ahead of her trip and said she hoped to go there soon. Myanmar President Thein Sein, who is credited with a string of reforms that have prompted the international community to ease sanctions, has postponed his official visit to Thailand, which would have clashed with Suu Kyi's trip. "She is a rock star in international politics so she will inevitably, I think by circumstance more than by design, overshadow everybody, she will steal the show," said Thitinan. Thein Sein will now travel to Thailand on June 4 and 5, according to the Thai foreign ministry.

I will quit public life if graft charges proved: Manmohan Singh

noreply@blogger.com (a.jeyakumar) — Tue, 29 May 2012 11:29:00 PDT

Strongly rebutting Team Anna's allegations of corruption against him, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today offered to quit public life and face any punishment if charges on coal block allotments are proved. "Let the people of India decided as to what crime the Prime Minister has committed for which such hard and harsh words are being used against him. "If I have indulged any such misdeed, then my entire public career, be it as finance minister, leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha or as Prime Minister ...
whoever levels allegations in this regard should substantiate it," Singh told reporters on his way back from Myanmar. He said it was unfortunate that irresponsible allegations relating to irregularities in allocation of coal blocks are being made without confirming facts. "If there is even an iota of truth in it, then I will give up my public career and the country can give me any punishment," he said, adding his public life has been an open book. Singh deprecated use of harsh words against him by Team Anna. "To use such words, which have been used without reason or rhyme, I think, the public in India should make up its mind whether this sort of politics will rule the roost in the country," Singh said. This is Prime Minister's first reaction to Team Anna members Prashant and Shanti Bhushan's allegations last week accusing him of corruption for the first time when they referred to a draft CAG report on allocation blocks when he held charge of coal ministry. He also termed as "unfortunate and irresponsible" the corruption allegations levelled against him and 14 of his ministerial colleagues by Team Anna. RSS disapproves of Team Anna comments Meanwhile, the RSS in Nagpur on Tuesday disapproved of Team Anna's comments against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the issue of corruption. Decency in language should be maintained while criticising the Prime Minister, who holds the highest office in the government, RSS joint general secretary Dattatraya Hosbale told reporters here. Key aides of anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare have levelled corruption charges against Singh and some of his ministers. The charges against the PM related to allotment of coal blocks when he was in-charge of the coal ministry. Hosbale ridiculed Hazare for distancing himself from the Sangh, saying the veteran social activist had addressed its volunteers in the past. Nagpur-based RSS had also organised programmes in Ralegan Siddhi, Hazare's native village in Ahmednagar district, he added.