Special security for Madhu Feast

The police has implemented a special security plan to ensure a peaceful Madhu banquet this year and cater to the safety of vast crowds expected during the festival season, DIG (North) Nimal Leuke told a press meeting held in Vavuniya yesterday (August 7).
He said devotees coming on pilgrimage to Madhu from the South and other parts of the country can proceed to Madhu through Medawachchiya without a hassle. Pilgrims be supposed to register themselves at the entrance to the shrine by filling a form available at all Churches, Police stations and SSPs offices throughout the country. Pilgrims visiting Madhu between August 6 and 11 have to return the same day through Medawachchiya.
Those coming from August 12 to 16 will be allowed to wait over at the sacred region.
Pilgrims coming from August 6 to 11 could pass through Medawachchiya between 6 am and 12 noon daily, as those coming on August 12 and 13 can pass from side to side Medawachchiya from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Those on the return trip from August 6 to 13 should pass through Medawachchiya check point before 10 p.m. daily while those recurring on August 14 should pass through similar before 12 midnight. On August 15 and 16 those returning should pass through Medawachchiya before 10 p.m. and on August 17 they should do so before 2 p.m. The public will not be allowed to stay back in the sacred region after August 17.
Liquor and animal protein would not be allowable in the sacred area, said Rev. Fr. David Alexander Silva, Media Co-ordinator of the Madhu shrine. Drinking water, physical state and all other facilities will be provided to pilgrims without limit. Pilgrims will be allowable to park small vehicles shut to their camping tents. There will be a particular commons for vans.
Courtesy - Daily News

Italy allocates Rs. 48 million more for IDPs

The Italian Government has decided to allocate UNHCR a further contribution of Euros 300,000 (Rs. 48 million).
This is following the UNHCR 'Global Appeal 2009 Update' in favour of the 280,000 Refugees in Vavuniya and with the aim of causal to the international labors to assist the Government in alleviating the conditions of the refugees of the new conflict.
The Italian payment will fund UNHCR activities in the caring and lawful assistance, education and hygiene for the IDPs, as well as in assisting the Indian and Sri Lanka Governments to identify modalities for a unpaid and dignified return from India of Sri Lankans who fled the state due to the ethnic disagreement
Courtesy - Daily News

Sri Lanka is capable of defeating LTTE terrorism wherever it emerges- Defence spokesperson on KP's arrest

Sri Lankan forces, intelligence units and other defence authorities are capable of defeating LTTE terrorism where or whenever it tries to reemerge, says administration Defence Spokesperson, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.
Speaking at a special media briefing held at the Media Centre for National safety (MCNS), Colombo; Minister said that LTTE's self claimed leader after V. Prabhakaran and the outfit's head for international terrorist activities Kumaran Pathmanadan alias KP was arrested outside the island yesterday (Aug 6) and brought into the country this morning (Aug 7).
The Minister underscored the importance of the arrest as the removal of the residual LTTE leader who tried to overshadow the country's victory over terrorism.
" Though we have productively defeated LTTE in the battle, a seed of doubt was left in the minds of average people that there was a possibility for KP to recommence the terrorist activities , owing to the link he had with international terrorist network.", said the Minister.
The Minister further pointed out that there has been a clear effort by some of the unpatriotic politicians to down play the forces victory over terrorism and to endorse an idea that LTTE will make a reply with KP's leadership.
"Our defence establishment have foreseen this state of affairs, and proactively and determinedly taken action to defeat this and also taken the key LTTE remainder into custody", he said.
Also, he highlighted though the suspect was among the most wanted radical by many INTETPOL and various other foreign law enforcement agencies, it was the Sri Lankan authorities that finally located him.
Finally, the Minster pointed out the international support that Sri Lanka is at present having in her try to curb terrorist behavior. Though he did not divulge all the details of the arrest due to safety reasons, he said that arrest was made a achievement due to the unreserved , and adequate support of the " international friends" of Sri Lanka.
Related News: KP arrested

Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington hosts "Peace Forum"

A special gathering of peacemakers explored the subject "A New Vision for Peace in the 21st Century," held at the residence of the Ambassador of Sri Lanka on July 30th 2009 in Washington DC. The Sri Lankan Embassy partnering with Universal Peace Federation (UPF) International and UPF-USA obtainable a program which introduced the core principles and practices that can facilitate the creation of a earth in which people of every race, culture and religion can live jointly in peace.
At long last, the three decades of military conflict in Sri Lanka has ended, and the government is looking to establish a sustainable peace for their people. For this cause, Thursday's agenda was particularly timely and moving.
An overflow crowd of diplomats, Ambassadors for Peace and new visitors, encountered the exotic Sri Lankan atmosphere of the Ambassador's house and were welcomed by Ambassador Wickramasuriya himself, and his cordial staff. A delicious array of Sri Lankan foods and famous Ceylon tea was served for the reception, as precious relations and new friends were made.
Mistress of Ceremonies: Tomiko Duggan, Director of the (UPF) Office of Embassy Relations, Washington, D.C., welcomed the spectators and introduced the gracious host for the evening, the H.E. Jaliya Wickramasuriya, Ambassador of Sri Lanka. After showing a beautiful film of Sri Lanka, the Ambassador communal sincerely about his country as it savors a hard won peace and at the similar time faces post disagreement challenges.
Ambassador Wickramasuriya greeted us the customary way, "Ayubowan," which means, "May you live long". Sri Lanka is the oldest democracy in Asia and rich in culture; however, nearly three decades of the recent civil war, which ended in May this year, caused a large amount of displaced families to live in the government-run centers. Now that peace has returned, the government has launched an determined plan to rebuild 80,000 new homes for those move people, who "have a right to voluntary return, in security and dignity, to their original places of residence." They have also just completed a assignment to remove 1,000 land mines near the northern city of Jaffna . In conclusion, he stated that now is the time to heal old wounds. The Ambassador invited everyone to visit Sri Lanka . It is a happy place, full of a new liberty and excitement for a prospect of peace, happiness and prosperity.
Mr. John Dickson, a Committee Chairman with the World Trade Centers friendship, Inc., shared his thoughts on the topic, "Peace and Stability through Economic Growth and Development" Mr. Dickson praised Sri Lankan government for appointing an diplomat from the private sector, noting the practical and effectual natural world of the Ambassador's appearance. Mr. Dickson went on to give particulars the association flanked by business, peace and stability.
After an inspirational musical appearance and an introductory video to UPF, Mr. Jim Flynn, Secretary General of UPF-USA delivered a complete synopsis of the main beliefs of peace building and reconciliation which are the central pillars of UPF's work of establishing peace throughout the world.
At the close of the program, new Ambassadors for calm were appointed and welcomed to UPF's global network of peacemakers by the Washington area Secretary General, Ms. Gail Paine. Sri Lankan Ambassador to U.S, H.E. Jaliya Wickramasuriya, was chosen as an Ambassador for Peace, while two other Sri Lankans were among seven the newly appointed Ambassadors for Peace.
Ambassadors for Peace are a global network of leaders representing the spiritual, racial and ethnic diversity of the human family, as well as all disciplines of human try. They stand on the ordinary ground of communal principles, committed to the path of promoting reconciliation, overcoming barriers, and building peace.



Cross section of peacemakers Ambassador Wickramasuriya addresses the gathering of peacemakers
Courtesy: Embassy of Sri Lanka - Washington DC

CPA and other NGOs had no interest in next of kin of deceased - Commission Report

Conspiracy by counsel to discredit the commission

The justice Udalagama Presidential Commission (COI) report on human rights violations, in its recently released report, states that NGOs such as the Centre for Policy Alternatives and INFORM etc., "were more interested in satisfying their paymasters'', the foreign INGO ACF (....whose employees, 17 aid workers were shot and killed, which was one subject of the commission investigation....) "than securing compensation for the victims.''

The commission report cites in detail the subterfuge of the NGOs such as the Centre for Policy Alternatives, which in furtherance of their "well known'' agendas are alleged, according to the commission report, to have had a one-track objective, which was to "attempt to discredit every possible institution and authority of this country before the Commission, and attempt to hold one party responsible for the gruesome crime. ''

The commission report states that the Centre for Policy Alternatives etc., went to great lengths to discredit the security forces, and was not interested in finding who was responsible for the crime except to pin it on their "targeted group."

At one point the commission report states that "it appears from the above that there had been a preconceived plan or a conspiracy to discredit the Commission by making false allegations and or exaggerating and twisting the truth to suit their purpose in order to achieve the long term objective of interested parties including their paymasters to discredit and disrupt the Commission for the consumption of some of the international organizations.''

In a stinging indictment on counsel who appeared for the NGOs such as CPA, the report states at one point ".....false positions were) taken by Counsel who withdrew from the Commission thereafter, which enables them to make irresponsible statements and then run away.''

Pinpointing various instances where "counsel repeatedly took up matters obviously to cater to other interests'' the report states that the counsel for these NGOs had a "conflict of interests'', manifest by a "narrow outlook'' to pin the blame on the security forces. Counsel are also faulted for 'making wild allegations'' at various times, and at times against the officers of the Commission to discredit their credibility. Below are some of the relevant extracts of the Report:

It is necessary to consider some of the matters referred to in the written submissions filed on behalf of the so called civil society consisting of seven organizations namely, Centre for Policy Alternatives, Home for Human Rights, INFORM, Law & Society Trust, Mothers and Daughters of Lanka, Rights Now-Collective for Democracy and Sri Lanka National Commission of Jurists, and the counsel of the next of kin who previously represented ACF which suddenly left the Commission without giving reasons. The purported "civil society'' before the Commission were non Governmental organizations, known in the public domain to hold a common point of view of supporting causes that in the public perception are well known, on which the Commission does not desire to elaborate; but has considered their line of conduct and cross examination before the Commission requires comment. The lawyers who represented the said organizations and the next of kin though purportedly watching matters of public interest, as set out in the civil societies mandate placed in writing before the Commission, showed total disregard in matters affecting the interests of deceased persons' next of kin.

This aspect should have been the prime fact of concern in terms of the mandate presented to show their interest and gain representation in the case, but they appeared to be more anxious to safeguard the interest of the foreign based NGO, the ACF. It was sad that their contribution was negligible with regard to enhancing the compensation package due to the next of kin, which should have been a matter in which they should have interested themselves. Instead they left it to the others who assisted the Commission. The Counsel who represented the next of kin and previously the ACF, may have been in a conflict of interest situation. Their main function was in the attempt to discredit every possible institution and authority of this country before the Commission, and attempt to hold one party responsible for the gruesome crime. They did not consider any other group being possible offenders, or show any interest in ascertaining on whom responsibility could be placed except their targeted group. They appeared not to ascertain the truth but to engage in a fault finding exercise of the security forces of Sri Lanka. We consider it as a suspiciously narrow outlook to adopt, not worthy of a role to be played by responsible civil society members, who should have looked at issues broadly to ascertain who the actual culprits are in this ghastly act.

We have prefaced our findings with these sentiments as the said civil society organizations have been critical of so many functionaries before the Commission, in their several submissions when their own conduct required examination. It is for these reasons we dwell on this subject. One of the submissions made by them:

1. The so called harassment of witnesses, as alleged is as follows:

(a) It is alleged that Rev. Father Swarnaraj who was a witness in this case was approached by two unknown individuals during the Commission's tea break and these two individuals "aggressively questioned him regarding his on-going testimony".

When this matter was brought to the notice of the Commission, it caused an immediate inquiry, and within few minutes. Counsel was informed at the hearing that an officer of the Investigation Unit, which Unit that had already recorded Father's statement, had asked the Rev. Father the name and address of a particular Reverend Brother who was referred to by the Father during the course of his evidence. This had taken place in the presence of Witness Protection Officers.

This was a sequel to the instructions given by the Commission to the Investigation unit at the time the Unit was formed. They were told to follow the proceedings and in the course of the evidence of any witness any new name transpires who would be of importance to arrive at the truth, to obtain particulars of that person, from the witness and record the statement to ascertain whether his testimony would be of any assistance. However, the day this alleged incident took place the Commission warned the Unit not to speak to any witness during the course of his testimony before the Commission. All these matters were brought to the notice of both Counsel for the so called civil society and the deceased party. Notwithstanding the above, these two Counsel repeatedly took this matter up on two occasions later obviously to cater to some other interests.

It is false to say that two officers questioned the Father. It is also palpably false and dishonest to say that Father was "aggressively questioned regarding his ongoing testimony". It is surprising and shocking to hear for the first time that "under individual questioning the officers gave conflicting testimony". No such thing ever happened, and these intentional and deliberate false positions taken by Counsel who withdrew from the Commission thereafter, which enables them to make irresponsible statements and then run away. Counsel assisting the Commission should act in a more responsible manner and not make wild accusations against officers of the Commission. The nature and the contents of the allegations reflect a deliberate design to discredit the Commission and its officers.

The Rev. Father's testimony and statements made to the police and the Investigating Unit of the Commission when taken together, are not favourable to the LTTE as he speaks of LTTE presence on the 4th morning and the other alleged parties were not seen in the town area at that time according to his evidence. If there were any threats to him, as alleged, it could originate from the LTTE against whom his evidence was unfavourable.

However, after his testimony before the Commission, it has been brought to the notice of the Commission that the Father has sought asylum and is now in a foreign country. One wonders whether all these "theatrics" and uproar were to facilitate his seeking asylum.

(b) The Rev. Father "felt threatened" when Counsel for the Army, Mr Gomin Dayasiri, "used a mobile phone camera to take pictures of him and a Commissioner" during a Commission tea break. In actual fact Commissioner Dr Nesiah had been talking to the Father at a critical stage of his evidence during the adjournment, and a picture had been taken for the purpose of establishing the said fact by evidence. It must be noted that Mr Dayasiri had raised the propriety of Dr Nesiah sitting as a Commissioner due to his relationship with the Centre for Policy Alternatives, a party before the Commission. In fact this matter was brought to the immediate notice of the Commission by Mr Gomin Dayasiri himself, to the impropriety of a Commissioner talking privately to a witness in the course of his giving evidence. The photograph was shown to the Commission to support the submission. In fairness to Dr Nesiah, being a laymen, would have been unaware of the inquirer - witness relationship that should prevail during an inquiry, and no intentional fault could be attributed to Dr Nesiah. There may have been an undoubted lapse on the part of Commissioner Nesiah and the Rev. Father through ignorance. In the circumstances we see no merit in this objection.

(c) It is alleged that they received unconfirmed reports "of continuing visits to witnesses' homes by the Criminal Investigation Division, both prior to and after their testimony before the Commission. There is no Criminal Investigation Division in the Commission nor is the Commission aware of any such Division elsewhere. This type of false misleading allegation can seriously affect the credibility of the Commission.

All witnesses are given protection before and after their testimony by the Victim and Witness Protection Unit headed by a DIG (retired). They were well looked after and were assured protection and secrecy. Never a complaint was received from any witness about any kind of harassment. This is obvious fantasy on the part of the Counsel for the Civil society.

(d) At one stage Counsel indicated to the Commission that some officers of the Investigation Unit, by their body language, were attempting to influence a witness before the Commission. The Commission found that this was totally false. It is the officers of the investigation Unit who record the statements of witnesses before they are called to give evidence.

2. Vide the written submissions, attempts have been made to pass the blame on the Commission for the resignation of Dr Devanesan Nesiah. Objection was taken by Counsel for the Army/Navy and the STF that in view of the participation of the seven civil societies, one of which was the Centre for Policy Alternatives, it has been stated Dr Nesiah had connections with the said society as an employee and therefore there was a conflict of interest in the participation of Dr Nesiah in the Commission. Dr Nesiah denied that he was an employee of the Centre for Policy Alternatives. Counsel stressed the fact that this objection was only so long as CPA was a participant in the proceedings, that Dr Nesiah acts as an employee of the CPA.

3. Reference has been made by the "Civil Societies" to what is termed as "evidence of profound irregularities". To substantiate this assertion they refer to the evidence of a particular Lieutenant who had made a statement during the investigating stage of the Commission. It is alleged this particular witness has subsequently, about a month after, written a letter to the Commission to change the record of his testimony. It is further alleged that the Commission never intended to disclose this letter but that it had accidentally got included in the Commission's records.

This position is absolutely incorrect and is an attempt to discredit the Commission by the so called "Civil Society". At the initial stage of the investigating proceedings, it was brought to the notice of the Commission that statements made by witnesses before the Commission cannot be made use of before a Court of Law in the event of any criminal prosecution. In view of this the Commission decided to get the witness sign his statement after his testimony before the Commission. The typing of witnesses' testimony before the Commission takes about a month as the stenographers have to check the audio tapes and type the proceedings. When this particular witness was called to sign the statement about a month later, he was required to go through the statement and sign it as the correct reflection of his testimony. At that stage he had discovered that a particular answer had not been correctly recorded and wanted to correct it. It is at this stage that the officer responsible for keeping records has requested a letter, if he needs a correction to be made. This was purely a bona fide exercise and in fact was done quite transparently.

The assertion that this was a profound irregularity is absolutely misleading and incorrect, especially when this position was clearly indicated to the Counsel who apparently accepted it. The Commission finds that this was the only instance where a witness sought to correct the record.

It appears from the above that there had been a preconceived plan or a conspiracy to discredit the Commission by making false allegations and or exaggerating and twisting the truth to suit their purpose in order to achieve the long term objective of interested parties including their paymasters to discredit and disrupt the Commission for the consumption of some of the international organizations.

Witness Protection

Much has been said about the inadequacy of witness protection. It must be said at the very outset that Witness and Victim Protection is a concept new to Sri Lanaka. In fact most countries, like India, Pakistan, Indonesia amongst others do not have any kind of witness protection schemes. The Commission on its own initiative, even before the Bill that is now before parliament was introduced, decided to have its own Victims and Witness Protection scheme.

The following Sri Lankan civil society organizations made a request for full standing before the Commission which was granted.

(i) Centre for Policy Alternatives 24/2, 28th Lane, Off Flower Road, Colombo7.

(ii) Home for Human Rights, 14, Pentrive Gardens, Colombo 3

(iii) INFORM, 5 Jayaratne Avenue, Colombo 5

(iv) Law and Society Trust, 3 Kynsey Terrace, Colombo, 8

(v) Mother's and Daughters of Lanka, 19 1/1 Sri Dhamma Road,.Colombo, 10

(vi) Rights Now - Collective for Democracy, 237/22, Vijaya Kumarathunga Mawatha, Colombo, 5

(vii) Sri Lanka National Commission of Jurists, 26 Charles Place, Colombo 3.

These organizations were represented by the following Counsel:

Mr. Desmond Fernando P.C, Dr. Jayantha de Almeida P.C. Mr. Chandra Kumarage,

Mr. J.C. Weliamuna, Mr. M.S. Sumanthiran, Mr. V.S. Ganeshalingam, Ms. Nimalka Fernando,

Mt. B.N. Thmboo

Mi. Kishali Pinto Jayawardane

Ms. Bhavani Fonseka

Ms. G.C. Ranitha

Mi. Sandamal Rajapakse

Mr. K. S. Ratnavel, Mr. S.M.M. Samsudeen and Ms. SheIrene Ahilan appeared for 1)r. K. Manoharan, father of one of the victims.

Mr. Priyantha Gamage subsequently appeared for Law and Society Trust. These counsel were present from 24th March to 15th September 2008.

Courtesy : Lakbima News

'I always treat India as a friend... President Rajapaksa

In this concluding part of an extended interview to The Hindu at Temple Trees in Colombo on June 30, President Mahinda Rajapaksa answers N. Ram's questions on concerns over what is perceived as triumphalism, the power of Sri Lanka's executive presidency, assaults and pressures on the news media, personal friendships, and relations with India. The first and second parts of the interview were published on July 6 and 7.

N. Ram [NR]: Are you not worried by what is seen outside Sri Lanka as triumphalism following the military victory? That has to be checked, does it not, in the South?

President: No. The Tamils are happy, the Muslims are happy. They had that fear for two days. I must admit that. When my friends informed me, "Sir, we have a problem like this" - they had this fear - I spoke to them in Tamil and said: "Don't worry, I will look after you." People were enjoying themselves for two weeks. One day I took a vehicle and went all over just to find out what was going on. I placed the Army and the police near the Tamil houses. Nothing happened. Not a single Tamil house was attacked, not a single Tamil was humiliated. Not a single Muslim.

Do you know that recently there was a fight. Two were killed. I thought, "Another problem." Only to find out that a gang had applied for visas saying, "The Army is bombing us and fighting us" and that they wanted to escape all this. They somehow got two visas and [to celebrate that] had a party. After drinking, two fellows were killed. We caught all of them and questioned them. They are not LTTEers, they don't belong to any political party. They are gangsters. Gang fighting is going on. These are the underworld; we have to tackle them. They want to go to some western countries. I don't mind; if those governments want them, let them take them!

Is the President too powerful?

NR: There is a perception that the presidency has become too powerful. If so, what is the safeguard? What would be your answer to this criticism?

President: My answer is that it is not too powerful. That is my three years' experience. I can't take any decision on money matters. My money is controlled by Parliament. My powers have been taken over by Commissions. I can't dismiss any Provincial Council - unlike your central government, which has the constitutional power to dismiss a State government and dissolve a State Assembly. So how can I say I am powerful? I can't transfer a provincial teacher. I can't make a school a national school. So what is this power? To decide on the security, yes. The power is there. To keep the country in one piece. Otherwise I have no powers. The Cabinet has all the power. I can request.

NR: You are a man of Parliament, are you not?

President: I always say I am a man of Parliament. I like to debate. I like to fight, not physically of course. If you are inside Parliament, you're in touch. I'm in a prison now. A glorified prisoner, I would say, with all these security personnel. I'm one who walked from Colombo to Kathargama, 180 miles in 18 days. I'm a person who went and met people. I am a person who went to their houses. I was very free: 40 years of politics was with the people. So suddenly you put me here. I also have been in remand for three months. But I can't see a difference now. Of course I'm getting all these comforts. But what is comfort? This is not comfort. I can't get out, I can't drop in on my friends, I can't bring them here. I can't enjoy anything.

Friendship

NR: They say you value friendships a lot. You have friends in India.

President: I will do anything for a friend - not for any bad work, of course. But when a friend in difficulty approaches me, I will do whatever is possible to comfort them. Even when a country needs a friend, I always trust that country as a friend. Personal friendship has become important even in international relations. That is why I always treat India as a friend. A little more than that: a relation, I would say. Because of that, I will not get angry with others also.

NR: You are happy overall with India's response to the recent developments?

President: Yes, India was very helpful, first by understanding what was happening. We had a list and we knew what was possible and what was not. We bought the weapons we wanted from China. It was a commercial deal. China helped us and when somebody helps you, you appreciate it, don't you? But we paid them on international terms. We were very clear about this. That is also why I stood by Pakistan. When they were isolated, I got up and defended them. Then I canvassed for India during the process of choosing a Secretary-General for the Commonwealth [Kamalesh Sharma, a senior Indian diplomat, was chosen for this post by the Commonwealth Heads of Government in November 2007 and took up his post in April 2008]. I think no other country's leader would have been doing that openly. There were people in Sri Lanka who were interested in the job. But I said I wanted an Indian candidate. "In this region, we must have a leader. Here's the SAARC leader, at that time. So make them also powerful internationally and then we have a friend to defend us in international forums." That was my reasoning.

Media issues

NR: There has been international concern over the assaults and pressures on journalists in Sri Lanka. Some of these journalists were your personal friends, especially Lasantha Wickrematunge [Editor of The Sunday Leader] who was gunned down in January 2009. Then, in June, a Tamil woman journalist [Krishni Ifhan n‚e Kandasamy of Internews] was abducted in Colombo by unidentified persons [who questioned her for several hours before releasing her in Kandy].

President: Most of these cases were created, I would say. If you fight someone in the street and that man comes and hits you, can the government take responsibility? But we have not done anything against journalists even when they attack us. For example, even though we had evidence that a Tamil newspaper owner and editor supported the LTTE, we treated them as journalists. I invited them here and they even entered into arguments with our senior officials.

Some of our journalists want complete freedom. They can attack anybody, they cannot be charged. Under the Constitution, only the President has immunity from prosecution. But the journalists also think they have the right to do whatever they want and get away with it - because they are journalists. Some of them said they would get together and do something about this. But what are some of the newspapers doing? They use media power to blackmail innocent citizens and collect money. I am a politician, I can take it. But public servants, what recourse do they have? The journalist writes something and then publishes a correction - it is useless. If they write falsely that this person is a bribe-taker or a rapist - there are such instances - what does he do? He can't go home; he can't face his children. How many people can afford to go to court with a civil [defamation] case?

Newspapers must take responsibility. If they won't do this, then you will have laws to make them do this.

Lasantha was my friend; he used to come and meet me, told me of various things that were happening, even in my party. He would drop in at two o'clock in the morning and I used to send him back in my vehicle.

NR: His last call was to you?

President: Yes, but unfortunately I was in the shrine room. It was a bad time. If I was out, they would have given me the phone. I was very angry with my security people.

Cultural values

President: I always respect the family culture of the Tamils. That is very important but it has been ruined by the LTTE. There is this 19-year-old girl in one of the IDP camps; she has had seven children! Every year she got pregnant because then the LTTE would not take her away to fight. And they don't even know the father.

NR: And the parents also supported this?

President: Yes, to keep the child. This is in a traditional family. This is the society we are living in. We don't want to publicise all this, although I did mention it in one of my speeches. The point is you can't ruin the culture of a country, the future of the young generation. The drug dealers are doing that. We must do everything to stop them.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Viru Jaya Celebrations in Switzerland

'Viru Jaya' a programme organized by the Sri Lankan Diaspora in Switzerland to commemorate Valiant Armed Forces Personnel who sacrificed their lives, defeating the ruthless LTTE was held Fribourg, Switzerland on the 13th of June 2009.

Viru jaya commemoration was chaired under the patronage of Mr.T.B.Maduwegedara His Excellency the Ambassador for Germany and Switzerland.

The Sri Lankan community living in Switzerland together with all Democratic parties paid tribute to the fallen war heroes. The event began singing of the National Anthem followed by religious ceremonies. A two minute silence was observed in honour of the war heroes who had sacrificed their lives over the past three decades in the fight against terrorism and the invitees lit candles at the monument specially designed in commemoration of the fallen heroes.

Addressing the gathering, Ambassador Maduwegedara stressed on the historic importance of this year, as the dreams of a nation have finally become a reality today. While emphasizing that the astute leadership of H.E. the President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been the decisive factor in this historic victory, the Ambassador called on everyone to work towards the common goal of rebuilding the nation to make it a better place for all Sri Lankans to live in harmony, leaving aside all ethnic differences, and to contribute in whatever possible way for the betterment of the fallen and injured Armed Forces through the Sri Lankan Diaspora which is under his direct supervision.