Late City Edition 4 Thursday 15th October, 2009 The Island More News Page Four On IDPs’ distress, extra judicial killings, arbitrary arrests and lack of press freedom GL discusses expansion of Ranil sends envoy to brief Navanetham trade with and Antonio Guterress Netherlands eader of the Opposition Ranil , about of rights of the people laration confirming that Dr. Wickremesinghe has nominated the pathetic situa- of Sri Lanka, includ- Jayawardana’s fundamental rights have LDr. Jayalath Jayawardena as his tion of Sri Lankan ing the Opposition been violated. Dr. Jayawardana com- special envoy to brief UN High internally displaced Members of mands recognition from the internation- Commissioner for Human Rights Ms persons, detained in Parliament, with al human rights and humanitarian Navanetham Pillai, and UN High camps in the north- both local and inter- agencies, and the Members of Commissioner for Refugees Antonio ern part of Sri national authorities. Parliament all over the world, for his Guterress on the pathetic situation of Lanka. “Dr. tireless, consistent human rights and Sri Lanka’s Internally Displaced “Dr. Jayalath Jayawardana’s com- humanitarian activities.” Persons detained in camps in the north- Jayawardana has plaint to the UN Wickremesinghe states that Dr. ern part of Sri Lanka. been drawing his Human Rights Jayawardana would on his behalf pres- Prof. G. L. Peiris with Mrs. Maria In a letter addressed to the UN offi- special attention to Commission under ent them with the latest developments Vander Hoeven, the Dutch Minister Ranil Jayalath cials he had stated: the people of the the Covenant on including the pathetic situation of the of Economic Affairs. “I have nominated Dr. Jayalath war torn areas of Sri Lanka, where he Civil and Political IDPs, extra judicial killings, arbitrary The exceptional opportunities now Jayawardana, Member of Parliament, has provided basic humanitarian needs Rights (CCPR), against the former assets and suppression of the media in available for trade and investment in Assistant Secretary of the United to those people who were suffering in President Chandrika Bandaranaike Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka, after the eradication of ter- National Party in charge of Relief and silence. He is a well known human Kumaratunga was the first case in Sri Dr. Jayawardana will be in Geneva rorism , should result in a powerful impetus for co-operation between Sri Human Rights as my special envoy to rights activist and has always been tak- Lanka, where the United Nations from October 21 to 24 and in London Lanka and the Netherlands in the eco- brief you on behalf of the Opposition in ing up the issues of violation of human Human Rights Commission issued a dec- from October 26 to 30. nomic sphere, Minister of Export Development and International Trade, Professor G. L. Peiris, said in The Hague this week when he met Mrs. Maria van der Hoeven, the Dutch Samudra Devi stops Minister of Economic Affairs. Minister Peiris pointed out that sev- eral programmes of the Dutch at Wadduwa Government, in terms of which Dutch companies and institutions involved in by Kalutara Corr. development projects eligible to receive subsidies or grants under business The ‘Samudra Devi’ express train incentive instruments, could now be stops at Wadduwa railway-station on extended appropriately to Sri Lanka, Saturday’s and Sunday’s from with mutual advantage to both coun- September. tries. ‘The Island’ highlighted the issue of As examples of such initiatives, lack of trains on Saturdays and Prof. Peiris cited the Dutch Programme Sundays causing a major problem for for Economic Co-operation for Projects the daily commuters. (PESP), the Emerging Markets Co-oper- The Wadduwa travellors thanked ation Programme (PSOM) and the the Minister of Transport and the Development Related Export General Manager of Railway for giv- Transactions Programme (ORET) in ing instructions to the relevant terms of which the Dutch government authorities to stop the express train at used to grant a maximum of 35% of Wadduwa on week ends. the estimated cost of the project. Prof. Peiris briefed his counterpart in the government of the Netherlands about the new spirit of confidence Several Piliyandala which had been infused into Sri Lanka’s economy with the opening up of the Northern and Eastern Provinces bus routes unfit of the island for a wide range of eco- nomic activities including agriculture, for operations fisheries and tourism. He emphasized the relevance, in the emerging Sri Poor conditions of roads from Piliyandala to Lankan context, of unrivalled Dutch Kottawa via Dolekanatta (Route no 296) and from expertise in respect of canals and Piliyandala to Maharagama via Dolekanatta (Route waterways, and said that this expertise will be particularly beneficial for the No. 341) are in such a deplorable condition that no Minister of Education declared open the new computer room at Vidyalaya, bus could be driven on these roads safely due to nar- large infrastructure projects which Sri Colombo prior to his presiding over the school’s prize giving on Tuesday. Pushpa Kalubowila, Principal of the School and Anura Lanka is now able to implement in the row and dangerous bends. Withanage, Teacher in charge of the Computer Centre were present at the opening ceremony. (Picture by: Jude Denzil Pathiraja) new situation. The Piliyandala Pradeshiya Sabha has approved plans to construct buildings and boundary walls keep- ing only a 10-foot distance from the middle of the road. In addition, the Ceylon Electricity Board, and Sri Lanka Mahaweli H zone Cadet battalions set up in 18 Telecom have set up posts further narrowing ‘Wewas’ to be renovated the road for vehicle schools islandwide movements. This A programme is under- ate in renovating tanks. obstructs overtaking way to renovate 125 Wewas Gunathilake said after Under the patronage and on toons. presentation of awards was the instructions of Defence Major Gen. Jayasundara was done by him. A large gathering and two way crossings. (reservoirs) in the repairing the tank, the Mahaweli H Zone to supply authorities will be able to Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the chief guestat the passing out of parents and principals It is the responsibility of the Pradeshiya Sabha to Major General Gamini parade of this camp and the attended. renovate these vital roads to enable easy vehicle water to cultivate 25,000 regulate the supply of acres of land. This vast water from the Kalawewa Jayasundara, RWP RSP,is imple- movement. It is also relevant to remind the PS that acreage remained fallow reservoir. The renovation of menting a well designed train- the Pradeshiya Sabha Act clearly says that in rural due to lack of water as the tanks would quicken ing curriculum for cadet pla- areas all buildings and boundary walls should be con- most of the village tanks the repairing of the rest of toons in almost all the schools in structed 25 feet away from the middle of the road. has been neglected. the irrigation system which the island. This is being done Thambuttegama now remains neglected. with the intention of moulding Mahaweli Zones Resident The project would also the character of the school going Manager Asanka solve the problem of drink- children as well to discipline Demand to restore Gunathilake said, farming ing water to Mahaweli zone and build junior leaders to take organisations will cooper- Gunathilake said. up responsibilities in the future. So far, 18 Battalions have Sri Lanka Tourist Board been established all round the There is not a single responsible organisation for country and cadets, both girls and boys, are being exposed to tourism in Sri Lanka. training programmes. This is a result of the new Tourism Act. No. 38 The culmination of such introduced in 2005. Three Tourism organizations training is the annual assess- were formed, namely the Sri Lanka Tourism ment camp scheduled separately Development Authority (SLTDA), Sri Lanka Tourism for the Eastern and Western Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) and Sri Lanka Institute bands. of Tourism & Hotel Management (SLITHM). The Western Band The division of functions without a central Assessment Camp was held recently at the National Cadet authority has completely disorganized the manage- Corps Training Centre in ment of the tourism industry. The most dangerous Rantembe. result is, there is no responsible organization for Major General Gamini Jayasundara Director National Cadet Corps A large number of Eastern presents the Championship Trophy to the leader of Kandy Vidyartha tourism in Sri Lanka. Band Platoons took part in this College Platoon, and winner of the Eastern band contest. At the All efforts of employees to highlight the short- camp where Vidyartha College, Assessment Camp held at National Cadet Corps Training Centre, comings of the administration and work for the bet- Kandy and Maliyadeva Balika Ramtembe, Vidyaratha College, Kandy and Maliyadeva Balika terment of the tourist Industry have gone unheeded. Vidyalaya, Kurunegala won first Vidyalaya, Kurunegala won the 1st places in the boys and girls pla- Instead, the money collected has been spent mostly places in the boys’ and girls’ pla- toons respectively. on the decisions taken by the private sector leaders. Those decisions are usually weighted on behalf of the vested interests of big players in the tourism industry. Marriages of IDPs living together, registered The employees have requested the Tourist A programme to register the riage due to the absence of rel- their unions is in the best Minister to abolish the existing Tourism Act and re marriages of internally dis- evant services during displace- interests of their children as establish the Sri Lanka Tourist Board. placed couples, who are living ment. well,” said Sharmeela Rassool, together in welfare villages of The documentation pro- National Project Coordinator of Vavuniya, was launched recent- gramme implemented with the the EA2J project, which provid- Hotel employee arrested ly by the Equal Access to participation of Ms. Ananthi ed financial assistance for the Justice Project of the United Jeyarathnam, Assistant programme. Nations Development Register General of Vavuniya, She said the marriage regis- for misappropriation of funds Programme (UNDP). was accompanied by Hindu and tration programme will be by Jayantha de Silva In the Zone Kadirgamar Catholic customary marriage extended to other IDP welfare Nagar welfare village, 27 cou- ceremonies providing couples villages in future. An employee of the Mt. Lavinia Hotel arrest- ples who had cohabited without the opportunity to solemnize According to Ms. Rasika SLAF Commander, Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonatileke and ed on a complaint of criminal misappropriation of registering their marriage their marriages . Jayasinghe and Ms. Menaka President of the SLAF Seva Vanitha Unit Mrs Nelum exchanged marriage vows and “Facilitating the marriage Priyadarshani, Women’s Rs. 1,375,522 was yesterday remanded till October Goonatileke lay the foundation stone to construct a fully 27 by Mt. Lavinia Chief Magistrate Harsha received marriage certificates. registration of these internally Development Officers of the fledged school in Divulwewa in Morawewa. The project has The majority of them had displaced couples is vital to Ministry of Child Care and Setunge. been undertaken by the SLAF Seva Vanitha Unit. been prevented from entering ensure their effective re-inte- Women’s Empowerment, the OIC Tissa Sugathapala conducted investiga- Commanding Officer of the SLAF detachment in Morawewa, into wedlock due to the LTTE’s gration to the community. It is number of cohabiting but tions. PS Jayatunge prosecuted. Chandana the Group Captain Leonard Rodrigo and SLAF spokesman Wing ban on marriage in 2008, noteworthy that most of them unmarried couples in the Asst. Security Manager represented the interest of Commander Janaka Nanayakkara were present on the occa- whereas a large number had have children. Therefore, pro- Kadirgamar Nagar welfare vil- the complainant Hotel. sion. (Pic by Nishan S. Priyantha) failed to register their mar- viding legal recognition to lage alone exceeds 100.