The Island 4 Wednesday 18th March, 2009 More News Page Four Govt. MP wants Ranil protected from UNP rebels UNP MPs seen exchanging blows by Saman Indrajith had been UNP MPs Wickremesinghe step down. roughed up. exchanging His proposal was seconded Nation Building Minister “The blows. by MP Ranjith yes- Speaker must As a UNP Maddumabandara. terday (17), requested the look after the group meet- As a war of words gave Speaker to provide security security of ing was in way to fisticuffs, the proposal to Leader of Opposition members progress, made and seconded had , who, inside none of the failed to take effect, sources he claimed, had been held Parliament Ranil Jagath UNP MPs said. forcibly by a group of MPs of premises,” he turned up Then the MPs opposing his own party inside a com- said. inside the Chamber until 11 Wickremesinghe demanded mittee room in the The UNP MPs were hold- a.m. that a vote be taken and if Parliament complex. ing the Opposition leader UNP sources said that the their resolution was passed Minister Pushpakumara, against his will inside a com- main issue discussed at the Wickremesinghe step down. The ‘Visithru’ handicraft exhibition was held at the Lionel Wendt Theatre from March 12 to 15. The raising a privilege issue soon mittee room downstairs and group meeting was the The meeting was later exhibition was ceremonially opened by French envoy in Michel Lummaux. Mrs. Lummaux after the commencement of some other UNP MPs were replacement of the party adjourned for 5 p.m. and France’s Trade Representative in Sri Lanka were present on the occasion. Public Business, said that guarding the passage leading leader with someone who Party sources said that the UNP Parliamentary to the entrance of the com- could win elections. The MPs some UNP MPs were plan- Group meeting had turned mittee room, he said. were divided on the ning to submit a no-faith Positive sign in UN – SL into a mini battle and there Ministers Wickremesinghe issue. motion against their leader were reports that the and Mahinda Ratnatilake UNP MP Lakshman who is also the leader of Opposition and UNP leader said that they had seen some Seneviratne proposed that Opposition. relations – Ban Ki-moon UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon erated that no firing whatever was and President had being carried out on the No Fire or Safe a telephone discussion yesterday Zones declared by the security forces. evening, where the matters discussed In discussing conditions in the IPD centered on, inter alia, the humanitari- villages President Rajapaksa said that President directs new Holy Cross an situation in the North, efforts of the the facilities were being steadily Government to ensure the supply of improved. College “Interact food, medicines and other assistance to In response to a query by the UNSC SLAS officers to serve the IDPs, conditions in the IDP villages, about telephone facilities for the IDPs, political initiatives by the Government the President said that once the securi- Band Fiesta” and the recently published statement by ty screening was completed such facili- the UN High Commissioner for Human ties could be provided. He also cau- in North and East Holy-Cross College, Rights (UNHCHR). tioned the SG that at present it would be Gampaha will host a show President Rajapaksa described the possible for some handlers of LTTE’s resistance by the LTTE to release the suicide cadres to have access to such by Zacki Jabbar officers should not be posted in titled “Interact Band Fiesta” at civilians held by it, thus causing severe elements via telephone which could A group 134 public servants, who are Colombo, but sent to rural areas includ- the College grounds on March hardship to these persons entrapped by result in major security related conse- presently undergoing training at SLIDA ing the North and East. “The Secretary 21. Several leading schools in the LTTE, as well as the threats and quences. Some of the previous experi- to be SLAS officers, should be posted to of the Public Administration Ministry the Gampaha and other dis- dangers to those fleeing the LTTE ences where suicide killers had been the North and East once they pass out in was informed of the Presidents direc- tricts will participate in this clutches to Government held areas. given instructions from remote loca- May, President Mahinda Rajapkasa tive.” festival. The President told the UNSG that tions via telephone were shared with directed yesterday evening. Rajapaksa had also directed Trade The schools participating in there was new evidence, including pho- the Secretary General. tographs, which would be supplied, of On the political process, President Informed sources told The Island last Minister Bandula Gunawardena to the event include, St Benedict’s the LTTE having built bunkers for its Rajapaksa apprised the UNSG that he night that Rajapaksa on being informed ensure that no corn is imported this College, Colombo, St. Joseph’s armed cadres in the midst of the civil- expects the by Agriculture Minister Maithripala year since local corn production of College, Colombo, St Peter’s ians it was holding. However, despite (TNA) members to respond to his call to Sirisena of the large number of public 150,000 metric tones was sufficient. “He, College, Colombo, Thurstan the threats of harm by the LTTE there participate in discussion of the political sector vacancies that exist in rural also wanted Mr. Gunawardena to reduce College, Colombo, Kolonnawa were increasing numbers coming over proposals that are now before the All areas and the non-fulfillment of the peo- the price of ‘Nadu’ and ‘Kakulu’ rice Balika Maha Vidyalaya, to the Government held areas. This was Party Representative Conference ples needs due to the lack of govern- from Rs.65 a kilogram to Rs.60 with Yasodara Balika Maha seen as a positive sign, as the continued (APRC). He awaits a positive response moving of civilians away from the to his repeated calls for such participa- ment servants, had said that new SLAS immediate effect.” Vidyalaya, Colombo, Ave Maria shrinking LTTE held area would help tion from even some members of the Convent, Negombo, Maris ease the confinement of the civilians. TNA, who are prepared to overcome Stella College Negombo, Don Giving the latest figures of those threats by the LTTE in this regard. Severino College, Waikkala, St who had come to the Government held The widest possible political discus- Nicholas’ College Negombo, De areas, President Rajapaksa said that the sion will be maintained among all of Two injured in police fire Mazenod College, Kandana and number who had come over to the gov- the polity, the President said. Bandaranaiaka Maha ernment area today was 1,565 and that In discussing the recent statement as at 6 pm today the total number of by the UNHCHR, President Rajapaksa The police have shot and wounded two shooting two innocent youth. A senior Vidyalaya, Gampaha. civilians who had fled the LTTE into the regretted that adequate consultations youth, who allegedly made an attempt to police official told The Island that people safety of government areas was 45,519, had not taken place before such a state- extort Rs. 500,000 from a doctor at weren’t aware of their involvement in the and the numbers were rapidly increas- ment was issued. Had this been done Urubokka in Matara, on Monday night. extortion bid. According to him, police had ing. matters could have been clarified. He Although two other suspects managed mounted an operation to track down the In response to concerns expressed had advised the Minister of Foreign to escape, police recovered a three wheeler suspects after receiving a complaint from Indonesia conveys by the UNSG about the food situation Affairs to have a full response on behalf for IDPs, President Rajapaksa said that of the Government in this connection, and a locally made galkattas. the doctor who had received death threats adequate food was being supplied, with which will be announced shortly. Some people had accused the police of over the phone. condolences larger vessels now being used for trans- Secretary General Ban Ki-moon wel- In a statement issued by port of food and essentials, and supplies comed this and said a continuous dia- the government of the being done through a regular turn- logue between the Government and the Republic of Indonesia, fol- around of vessels, despite resistance United Nations on the related matters lowing the tragedy of the sui- and obstacles to this by the LTTE. He would be most useful. IMF loan of US$ 1.9 billion on low cide bomb attack in Matara, said that statistics regarding supply of The UNSG concluded that there is on March 10, which killed food had been sent to Sri Lanka’s increasing cooperation evident between more than 10 innocent people Permanent Representative to the UN to the UN and the Government of Sri interest rate - Siyambalapitiya and injured three Ministers, be given to the Secretary General. Lanka and said this is a positive sign in by Saman Indrajith amounting to US $ 1.9 billion. The interest conveyed its condolences to Commenting on the military offen- the continuing relationship. rate for loans of this nature was very low, the Government of Sri Lanka sive against the LTTE, the President The Secretary to the President State Revenue and Finance Minister Minister Siyambalapitiya said adding and deepest sympathies to mentioned that every restraint is being Lalith Weeratunga and the Minister of said yesterday that for the quarter ends on March 15, the people of Sri Lanka and maintained by the military, with clear Foreign Affairs orders given against firing heavy (17) that the IMF loan of US $ 1.9 billion 2009 the interest rate was 1.48 percent. specially to the families of were present during the telephone con- weapons at areas with civilians, includ- ference which began at 6.30 pm and last- was on relatively low interest rates and it The talks to obtain this loan com- the victims. ing the areas held by the LTTE. He reit- ed nearly 17 minutes. was the best available facility within cur- menced on March 4, the Minister said. The statement said “The rent context of the global economic melt The Government hoped to finalise the Government of Indonesia down. talks by the end of this month and it is strongly denounces and He was making a special statement to expected that the IMF would release a reject barbaric acts in all its reply some points raised by Opposition significant portion of this loan soon after forms which claim so many Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe on March 6 that, he said. Securing this facility would innocent lives. In this regard demanding that the Government inform result in further economic stability as it the Government of Indonesia the House of all details pertaining to the would attract more foreign investors. wishes to express its confi- loan facility. He said the country was facing diffi- dence and believe that the The ongoing global economic reces- cult times successfully and the current Government of Sri Lanka sion was one of the most disastrous after record of marching forward despite all will succeed in its current the recession in 1930 the minister said. types of obstacles was unprecedented in endeavour to restore peace All economic scholars had predicted that its history. The Opposition, therefore, and maintain security of the after 1930’s world production would come should not take cover behind mere slo- country, the Government of down to minus figures soon. All countries gans but act responsibly by giving its Indonesia also hopes that the have taken unorthodox measures to find support to the Government and the solutions for the impending crisis. President in his aim of wiping out ter- perpetrator behind such bar- The IMF had come forward to assist rorism and steering the country forward baric acts will be brought Sri Lanka and the Government decided to for further development, before the justice according obtain 300 percent of its share in IMF Siyambalapitiya said. to the Sri Lankan Law.”

Colombo Excise Special Operations Unit last week made pre-dawn raids on illicit distilleries in the areas of Ja-Ela, Adalathura, and Welikanda. Excise Superintendent Upula Seneviratne and officers Attempt... From page 1 of the Unit examining the seized items. Pic by Kamal Bogoda. High Court on behalf of a lawyer from community representative authori- by the Solicitors Regulation Authority for friend, who is a convicted conman sus- ties about this matter.” He had concluded suspected dishonesty and accounting mal- pended from practising law in Britain. saying that ‘… it seems appropriate that practice. Popular musician D.D.Danny passes away The Daily Mail has exposed that Vaz the hearing should be adjourned pending The Mail has alleged that solicitor Kalasuri D. D. Danny, ‘Budu Sadhu, Sadhu Saman wrote to the High Court last June on a the conclusion of the OJC’s (Office of Mireskandari showered Vaz with gifts and popular musician and welak wennam’ and ‘Surathal Home Affairs Select Committee notepaper Judicial Complaints”) investigation. appreciation and thanks to him the politi- flutist, passed away at the Podi hawa maharetath’ without the concurrence of other commit- MP Vaz and his wife Maria Fernandes, cian enjoyed best seats at the biggest and age of 81 last week. vocalised by Visharada Nanda tee members expressing concern over the a human rights lawyer by profession, are most glamorous events around London. He joined the then Radio Malini, ‘Lenage Pita meda iri manner in which his solicitor friend alleged to be beneficiaries of freebies MP Vaz is one of the British lawmak- Ceylon in 1949 and served thuna ende’ by Mallika Shahrokh ‘Sean’ Mireskandari’s law firm from their lawyer friend. ers who articulate the LTTE’s voice in the the institution for 35 years Kahawita and Srima Perera’s on the brink of losing its battle with Angel According to press reports, Virendra British parliament. Recently, Sri Lankan and retired from the Sri ‘Mama kawuruwage Weyida Airlines was being dealt with. He was Sharma, the Labour MP for Ealing anti-terror activists protested opposite his Lanka Broadcasting Kiyala’. quoted by the Mail as having said in the Southall, who was persuaded by Vaz to co- office in London and handed over a mem- Corporation. His remains lie at 231/9, letter, “We are deeply concerned about the sign the letter to the High Court judge has orandum to him urging him to desist from He was one time leader Temple Road, Pittugala, apparent way in which this ethnic-minor- publicly accused the latter of misleading supporting terrorism in Sri Lanka. Vaz of the SLBC orchestra. Malabe and the last rites will ity firm of solicitors has been dealt with. him over the extent of his friendship with claimed he had not been fully informed of He was also a lyricist and com- be performed at Talahena cemetery, We have received a number of complaints Mireskandari, who has been suspended the Sri Lankan situation. posed popular children’s songs such as Malabe today at 4.00 p.m.