Thursday 8th April, 2010 7 India says it will push on with Maoist offensive The rebels, who have “We are paying the price for tapped into the rural poor’s the neglect of the last 10 to 12 growing anger at being left out years.” of the country’s economic More than 500 Maoists gains, are now present in 20 of launched the attack early the country’s 28 states. About Tuesday morning on a group of 2,000 people - including police, soldiers who set out from a militants and civilians - have temporary base in been killed over the past few Chhattisgarh state’s years. Dantewada forests, said G.K. The solar powered aircraft “Solar Last year, the government Pillai, the federal home secre- Impulse” (HB-SIA prototype) steered by announced its “Operation tary. More soldiers were killed test pilot Markus Scherdel is silhouetted Green Hunt” offensive aimed when they stepped on land by the sun during its maiden flight at the at flushing the militants out of mines the Maoists planted military airport in Payerne, Switzerland, their forest hide-outs. Both the throughout the ambush zone, Wednesday, April 7, 2010. (AP) insurgents and government he said. forces have been accused of Two separate groups of PAYERNE, Switzerland (AP) - using violence and intimida- reinforcements rushed to the Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard’s tion against local villagers to area to help but came under team took its round-the-world solar coerce their cooperation. fire as well, Chidambaram plane prototype into the skies for the The government has said it said. The casualties came from first time Wednesday, with four pro- is willing to talk with the bombs, grenades, bullets and pellers lifting the massive craft off rebels if they give up violence, land mines, he said. the ground at near bicycle speed. but the rebels say there should The rebels, who rarely Piccard said the two-hour test be no preconditions for negoti- speak to the media, did not flight will examine if the plane, with ations. issue a statement on the attack. the wingspan of a Boeing 747 and Chidambaram took a hard- Named after Naxalbari, the the weight of a small car, can keep a er line Wednesday. village in West Bengal state straight trajectory. The team plans to “To our offer of talks, they where their movement was fly it around the world next year. have replied by savage and bru- born in 1967, the Naxalites “To fly without fuel, we have to Indian police officers and villagers gather around the bodies of paramilitary police officers killed in an attack by tal acts of violence. To talk of have an estimated 10,000 to make it fly in line,” said Piccard, Maoist rebels in Dantewada, in the eastern Indian state of Chhatisgarh, India, Tuesday, April 6, 2010. Maoist rebels talks now would be to mock the 20,000 fighters. who in 1999 copiloted the first non- launched a series of devastating attacks Tuesday on government forces patrolling the forests of eastern India, killing supreme sacrifice made by the While many are poorly stop round-the-globe balloon flight. scores of troops in the deadliest strike against the state in the 43-year insurgency. (AP (slain troops),” he said. armed - often going into battle “There might be things that go Part of the difficulty with with handmade weapons wrong - maybe a technical problem, PATNA, India (AP) - India highlighted the growing threat would not back down. the offensive is that it is being forged from plumbing pipes - engine failure or a part breakdown.” will push ahead with an offen- posed by the Maoists and “I think we should, while carried out by various state they regularly launch bloody The takeoff appeared smooth, sive against Maoist rebels showed that the rebels we grieve the dead, hold our police agencies and national attacks on government forces. however. despite the death of 76 govern- appeared uncowed by a gov- nerve and continue to do what paramilitary forces loosely In February, they killed at least At a military airport in the Swiss ment troops in an ambush by ernment offensive aimed at we are doing - namely to rid coordinated by the central gov- 24 police officers in West countryside, the “Solar Impulse” insurgents in the east, the crushing them. India of the gravest threat to ernment. Critics have said the Bengal state in an attack on a plane lifted off after only a short country’s top security official Indian Home Minister internal security, which is the troops are poorly trained and police camp. acceleration on the runway, reaching said Wednesday. Palaniappan Chidambaram Naxalite threat,” he said, refer- underequipped and are essen- The government dismisses a speed no faster than 45 kph (28 The ambush in a dense for- flew to the area Wednesday ring to the Maoists by their tially canon fodder for rebels the Naxalites’ claim to speak mph). It slowly gained altitude above est Tuesday was the deadliest and laid a wreath near the nickname. “This is a long, fighting on their home turf in for the country’s poor, arguing the green and beige fields, and disap- single attack on government coffins of the slain security drawn-out struggle. It will take the jungles. they do little but wreak havoc peared eventually into the horizon fighters in the 43-year-old forces. two to three years, perhaps “We can’t expect instant in some of India’s most impov- as villagers watched from the near- insurgency. It stunned Indians, He insisted the government more.” success,” Chidambaram said. erished regions. est hills.

From Ranil ... From page1 All set... From page1 Less... Security... page1 “There is no truth in From page1 for the District S. Sudhakaran ed for the internally displaced peo- Secretariat official said that there Up Country People’s Front (49,728 said. ple. the claim that the UNP would be 88 Polling Centres for the votes and one seat), while the EPDP Environment and Natural Vanni comprises the Vavuniya, Arrangements have been made would be denied the lead- IDPs. obtained 24,955 votes and also one Resources Minister Patali Mannar and Mullaitivu elec- to dispatch ballot boxes early in ership in the event of the At the 2004 Parliamentary Elections, seat. said torates. Six MPs will be returned the morning to polling booths in Opposition’s victory at UPFA (SLFP, JVP, MEP, CP, LSSP) Police will deploy 58,700 per- paints used in posters, was to Parliament from there. There remote areas of Welioya and the 2010 General Election. emerged victorious polling 4,223,970 sonnel for election duties, includ- one of the major health haz- are 266,975 registered voters. Kiriibbanwewa. Security has also Shamindra Ferdinando votes to secure 105 seats, while the ing 2,584 for mobile duty. ards. He said the Ministry had Of the 209 polling stations in been tightened in the Vavuniya carried this news item to UNP, which secured 82 seats polled Another 19,500 person- issued permits to Vogue the district, 28 have been designat- town and the District Secretariat. promote the election cam- 3,504,200 votes. TNA polled 633,786 nel from the Army, Navy paign of the UPFA gov- Lanka Industries (Pvt.) Ltd. votes to secure 22 seats, followed by and Air Force will assist ernment. did not contact me and Z. K. Soal and Shoe to JHU (552,724 votes and nine seats), the Police. Ranil calls... From page1 for comment before printing that new SLMC (186,880 votes and five seats), recycle PVC. item. The UNF, which wins this election participating in the polls were also was that a certificate signed by represen- will invite other parties to join it. The duty bound to work towards ensuring the tatives of all the candidates be pasted UNP led by me will be given pride of peoples right to exercise their franchise inside the ballot box to ensure that there place in this regard.” CMEV... From page1 without let or hindrance, he told a news would be no mix up.” News Editor’s Note: We stand by official vehicle had been provided category in the Puttalam District at the 25,582 IDP’s (21,035) for Vanni and conference in Colombo. Jayasuriya said that the Polls Chief our story, which was based on what for a vehicle convoy organised in sup- instigation of Minister Rishard 4547 for Jaffna) have applied and will “I appeal to the public to go early and had also agreed to permit party represen- had transpired in a TV talk show port of on April 5 Bathiudeen. Those ‘voters’ were cur- be permitted to vote in centres in cast their ballots. Don’t stay at home. We tatives to be present at the time votes called ‘Satana’, hosted by Chandana evening from Horethuduwa to rently residing in Colombo and Puttalam by the EC, although some have taken precautions to ensure that were counted after they complained of Sooriyabandara on March 30 night. Opposition Leader of the Southern Panadura. Panadura and the rest were either liv- IDP’s stated that they had not applied your franchise cannot be stolen.” irregularities that occurred during The CMEV has also received ing overseas or dead. There are about for voting. Provincial Council Buddhika Wickremesinghe said that the last Presidential Poll. Pathirana and UNF candidate at reports from the Puttalam and 6,000 such ‘voters’ – The Returning Similar incidents have been report- today’s election would be very “We referred to the violation of Batticaloa Districts alleging prepara- Officer for Puttalam, on investigation, ed from Batticaloa District too, and rel- today’s parliamentary polls, made a crucial since it would determine laws during the last Presidential tions for voter impersonation for today’s identified about 37 applications with evant authorities cautioned, CMEV statement to that effect and The elections under the displaced persons forged signatures of Grama Niladaries. says. the future of the country. Itwas a Election and requested him to pro- Island sought additional comments choice between good governance vide adequate security at the from Pathirana before filing the news and corruption, rule of law and polling stations and during the item at issue. The UNP may inquire from Sirasa Station Director Asoka Lanka plans... From page1 anarchy, economic prosperity and transport of ballot boxes. poverty. Mr.Dissanayake said that this time Dias, who was also present in the The power plant will help get rid of an environmentally friendly facility.” and to the country is that thanks to this show whether Pathirana made the Deputy Leader of the UNP, Karu round,security arrangements would be up to 1,300 tonnes of solid waste a day The first phase of the project project, wastes will be completely remark we attributed to him. Jayasuriya said that on representations entrusted to the Special Task Force.” to generate 55 Megawatts of power to involves the rehabilitation of an existing destroyed without causing pollution or The UNP leader accuses us of hav- made by the joint opposition, the Jayasuriya, said that Dissanayake, the national power grid. waste dump site at Bloemendhal, in gas emissions,” the BOI statement said. ing published a false report and Elections Commissioner Dayananda responding to their concerns about a pos- Siti Fatima Mohamed Shariff, chair- Colombo north. “It also will ensure that no more claims in the same breath that the Dissanayake had agreed to enforce suffi- sible computer fraud, as alleged during UNF will win today’s election. Who man of Orizon Renewable Energy, told The project also involves the con- lands are allocated to landfills.” cient security to prevent rigging and mal- the last Presidential Poll, had assured really utters falsehoods for propagan- media that construction work on the struction and operation of a new landfill A. M. C. Kulasekera, Deputy da purposes will be known to one project would start in October 2010. for fresh water wastes from Colombo Director General of the BOI said the practices. that the counting process would be done “Among the measures decided upon manually. and all when the results are out “ can also benefit from car- and the Western Province. gains from the project would benefit not tomorrow. bon credit qualification by introducing “The main attraction to the public just the investor but society at large.

Norway ... From page1 A 2/3... From page1 daily newspaper that broke the in Stockholm to investigate the alle- firmed that the order, whose Alliance supported the candidature and CWC (9) are also contesting on the cal sours told The Island that the TNA story. “He will never again be given gations and whether they should be German section he heads, was of MEP leader Dinesh Gunawardene UPFA ticket. The CWC contested the could be reduced to less than 15 seats, a position in the church.” reported to civil authorities. aware of the reason for Mueller’s (Colombo) and another MEP nominee, last General Election on the UNP ticket though its leader R. Sampanthan and a Sex abuse allegations, as well as Monsignor Rolandas Makrickas, resignation, but said it had no Sisira Jayakody (Gampaha). but switched its allegiance to President section of the UNP believed a repeat accusations of cover-ups by bishops a spokesman for the nunciature, power to handle the case. and Vatican officials, have swept said he had nothing to add to the Gunasekera and . performance was possible. Sources “As a bishop, he was and is under across Europe in recent weeks. The Norwegian statement “except con- the jurisdiction of the Holy See,” are National List nominees for the CP Political sources said that two of the said that a split in the TNA following the Catholic Church in Norway, a pre- firming that it is true.” Catrein told The Associated Press and LSSP. biggest losers at today’s election would January 26 presidential election with a dominantly Lutheran country, had Adresseavisen said that, before by telephone from Lahnstein, north In the run-up to the General be the JVP and the JHU, which had 39 section throwing its weight behind the previously said it had investigated Wednesday’s admission, it had made of Frankfurt. Election, Gunasekera urged the elec- and 9 seats at the last election, respec- UPFA had weakened the party. Another two separate claims of abuse from repeated requests for details on Since Mueller left Norway, he torate to defeat the corrupt and political tively. reason for concern among the TNA the 1950s. Mueller’s unexpected resignation, spent time in Germany and Italy - goons to ensure the next Parliament Minister Gunasekera said that the camp was former TNA heavyweight M. Eidsvig did not give details on which the church explained at the foremost in Rome - Catrein added. would be a better place. He said that JVP could manage perhaps K. Sivajilingham fielding sepa- when Mueller committed the abuse, time only in vague terms. This included several weeks of psy- the country was ready for a major two or three sets, including rate lists for Jaffna and Vanni but said the victim is now “well over The paper reported that the chiatric care in a German clinic change in the political scene. He one National List slot. electorates. age.” It’s too late for the case to be church paid the victim between that Catrein declined to identify. expressed confidence that the next According to him, a section of Sources said that perhaps tried in civil court because the 400,000 and 500,000 kroner ($67,000- “I don’t know where he is now. I cabinet would reflect the re-alignment the voters, who had exercised the most important political issue statute of limitations in Norway has $84,000) in reparations. Andreas get the feeling he doesn’t want to be of political forces. their franchise in support of at hand was whether two dozen passed, Eidsvig said. Dingstad, a spokesman for Norway’s found,” he said. The NFF is in the fray in Colombo, the JHU at the last election, UNP MPs, who had switched Vatican spokesman the Rev. Catholic Church, told The A priest at the order’s monastery Gampaha (two candidates), Kalutara, was likely to support the JVP- their allegiance to the UPFA Federico Lombardi said the abuse Associated Press he didn’t know in nearby Arnstein also was Matara, Hambantota, Moneragala, led Democratic National after the last election could sur- occurred at “the beginning of the whether the church had paid repa- unaware of Mueller’s whereabouts. Kegalle, Matale, Mahanuwara, Nuwara Alliance (DNA). He said that many for- vive today’s poll. UNP MP Dayasiri 90s.” Mueller was a diocesan priest rations. Church officials estimate there in Trondheim before being ordained Mueller, who first took up a post are more than 100,000 Catholics in Eliya, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, mer JHU supporters blamed the UNP Jayasekera told The Island that the a bishop in 1997. in Trondheim in 1981, quit his post Norway, a mostly Lutheran country Kurunegala, Puttalam and Ratnapura. for the break-up of the joint Opposition UNP electorate would reject them, Lombardi said church authorities on June 8, 2009, and relocated to of 4.9 million people. Although NFF leader Wimal alliance, which backed Gen. (retd) though they believed they could retain learned about the case in January Rome, according to the Web site of In neighboring Denmark, also Weerawansa is widely expected to poll at the recently con- their seats. Except M. H. Mohamed and last year. the German branch of his order, the predominantly Lutheran, the the highest number of preferential votes cluded presidential election. , all other UNP Eidsvig said he was making the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts Catholic Church launched an inves- in Colombo, his nominees are unlikely Minister Gunasekera said that the rebels are contesting as SLFP electoral case public at the request of of Jesus and Mary. The site said his tigation this week into claims of to fare impressively, though being in the (TNA), which organisers. The MP said that the gov- Cardinal William Levada, who over- resignation cited a section of canon clerical abuse dating back several limelight. NFF sources acknowledged secured 22 seats at the last General ernment could not take a commanding sees the office that handles cases of law that allows a bishop to quit decades. The panel is looking into 17 that they faced a tough fight. Election, could not expect a repeat per- position in Parliament, though it repeat- alleged abuse by priests. early if he is unable to carry out his cases mostly dating to the 1960s and The MEP (5 nominees), JHU (5) formance at the 2010 poll. Tamil politi- edly boasted of a two-thirds majority. Eidsvig said The Vatican duties for health or other reasons. 70s. assigned the Apostolic Nunciature Father Heinz-Josef Catrein con-