The Island Page Three Thursday 19th February, 2009 ! Leisure Land News ! ! World view INSIDE: Financial Review Sampanthan holds AB Foundation proxy for LTTE - Keheliya by Harischandra “We know there are Gunaratna only 130,000 IDP’s. Perhaps Sampanthan has launched Defence Minister a problem with his arith- Keheliya Rambukwella metic,” he quipped. by Shamindra Ferdinando burden. attack the ruling coalition. yesterday accused Tamil “His comments are Among the invitees Ms Sunethra Bandaranaike, UPFA National Alliance (TNA) totally unfounded, base- Assisting the poor is not the exclu- present on the occasion MP Arjuna Ranatunga, UNP MP parliamentary leader R. less and irresponsible. A sive responsibility of a government, were Business tycoon Sarathchandra Rajakaruna, Sampanthan of holding a Keheliya Sambandan senior parliamentarian former President Chandrika Harry Jayawardene, Professor Carlo Fonseka and Upul brief for the LTTE and in the calibre of Kumaratunga said at the launch of one of the closest asso- Mahendra Rajapaksa, Chairman of making a vain attempt to whitewash ter- Sampanthan should have been more Anura Bandaranaike foundation at ciates of the late the Attanagalle Pradeshiya Sabha rorism. realistic when making statements of the Naritasan Hall, Ranpokunugama, Bandaranaike and had been present on the occasion. He was responding to statement by this nature,” he said. Nittambuwa, last week. Chandrika Mrs. Pam Cooray, the Kumaratunga said that the Sampanthan at a news conference held The impediment that the govern- She said that the revenue derived wife of the late Crishantha Cooray. Foundation would initially focus on on Tuesday, that civilians in the war ment is facing, is the civilians. from investments made on behalf of But many invitees including those the Attanagalle electorate before torn areas are totally neglected and Otherwise the security forces would the Foundation would be utilised to who had immensely benefited from spreading its activities to the entire harassed by Government forces and the take only a couple of days to liberate the strengthen the livelihoods of the poor. Bandaranaike’s generosity over the Gampaha district. She expressed con- troops were firing at the civilians who Vanni from the clutches of the Tigers, The launch coincided with the 60th years and some of the beneficiaries of fidence that the Foundation would were fleeing for safety to government the Defence spokesman said. birth anniversary of the late his last will and testament were expand its activities to other parts of controlled areas. “We have one of the most disciplined Gampaha District MP. notable absentees. the country. Addressing the weekly defence brief- security forces in the world, they have Asserting that there was a limit to Well informed sources told The Warning that extremism wouldn’t ing, Rambukwella said Sampanthan had fought the terrorists with utmost care what any government could do to pro- Island that the invitations had gone benefit any country but would retard blown everything out of proportion in not because they love them but they vide assistance to the needy, she said under the hand of Kumaratunga. progress, she emphasised the impor- favour of the LTTE. “He claims that have to be careful about the civilians that it was the duty of NGOs and Many feared to associate with the tance of a vibrant democracy while there are 350,000 internally displaced being used as a shield by the LTTE who other private voluntary organisa- launch as they had felt that it would dismissing the concept of the majori- people in these areas, but how did he have shown scant respect for human tions to meet a part of the growing be transformed into a platform to ty community and minorities. arrive at this figure?” life,” he explained. SC allows FMM Successive SL govts petition sabotaged Indo by Chitra Weerarathne -Lanka Accord by S Venkat Narayan party’s name. The Supreme Court yesterday Our Special “If it was granted leave to proceed with a Correspondent not sabotaged Free Media Movement petition at that point, against the abrupt termination of the problem telecasting of a programme titled, NEW DELHI, February could have ‘Era Unduru Pata’ on November 4, 18: Former Sri Lankan been 2008. The programme was telecast President Chandrika resolved,” she on the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Kumaratunga has charged said. “But Corporation, at 10.30 p.m. and that successive governments Chandrika every (Sri scheduled for forty five minute. But in Colombo have sought to Lankan) government ensured was terminated after fifteen min- sabotage the 1987 India-Sri that it did not work.” utes. Lanka Agreement (ISLA) by She admitted that she too On this day the panel had been spiking its provisions that could not implement the pro- discussing the social political were aimed at devolving pow- visions of the 13th amend- The Mechanical Engineering Division of the University of Moratuwa, signed an MOU with the Ministry of aspects and implication of regula- ers to provinces in her coun- ment. Industrial Development to introduce three new machines to improve efficiency and productivity in the tions pertaining to private broad- try. Kumaratunga, whose production of Coir. Ministry Secretary R. V. D. Piyathilake, Professor Malik Ranasinghe of the Moratuwa casting stations. Speaking at a panel discus- movie star husband Vijaya University and President Lakshman Thilakaratne of the Coir Related Manufacturers’ Association signed the agreement. Industrial Development Minister Kumara Welgama hands over a copy of the agreement The members of the panel were sion here on Tuesday evening, Kumaratunga was assassinat- to the Vice Chancellor of the University. Lalith Herath, Advisor to the she said that Sri Lanka’s drag- ed in 1988, sought to dispel the Ministry of Media, Dhamma ging ethnic conflict might impression that Tamils in Sri Dissanayake, Senior Lecturer of have ended a long time ago if Lanka tend to support the the Colombo Campus and Uvindu only the devolution of powers Liberation Tigers of Tamil Sri Lanka’s response to global Kurukulasuriya, a Convener of the as envisaged in ISLA had Eelam (LTTE) because they No power cuts, FMM. taken place earlier. agree with its ideology. economic crisis… The producer was Laxman Ms Kumaratunga, who “Sometimes 75 per cent of Maththumagoda. stepped down as President in the Sinhalese population say A Colombo based official have attracted the attention says CEB boss The petitioner Uvindu November 2005, was referring that all Tamils support the of an international lending of participants, sources said. by Ifham Nizam Kurukulasuriya and J. K. W. to the 13th amendment of the LTTE. But the Tamils have agency and a senior official of They were in the front row, Jayasekera, both office bearers of Sri Lankan Constitution that been left with no choice a Sri Lankan NGO were seen sources said, adding that par- Despite Ceylon Electricity the FMM, said the terminations of followed the 1987 accord. The because successive Sri fast asleep as a local expert ticipants who paid Rs. 3,000 Board officials fearing that the the programme, was unreasonable agreement sought to end Lankan governments gave delivered a talk on Sri each for admission had a prevailing drought that had and a violation of the freedom of Tamil separatism in Sri them no choice.” Lanka’s response to the glob- hearty laugh when one reduced the water levels of major expression and the right to infor- Lanka. She explained to her al economic crisis at a five remarked the scene depicted reservoirs would lead to possible mation. “The 13th amendment is Indian audience: “The LTTE star hotel in the City. Sri Lanka’s response to the power cuts shortly, the CEB The petitioners requested Court still relevant in solving the has in some ways given the Sri Had they sat a couple of deteriorating global econom- Chairman is positive that they to peruse the contents of the pro- problems Sri Lanka is facing,” Lankan dignity, so they are rows back, they wouldn’t ic crisis. (SF) could supply power without gramme and to order a re-telecast she said at an event to mark forced to support it. They interruption. of the entire programme. the launch of a book by don’t have any choice. It is not CEB Chairman E.K.S. A. The Court granted leave to pro- Panchayati Raj Minister Mani that they want a separate land Edirisinghe told The Island yes- ceed with this petition which will Shankar Aiyar. or support terrorism as such.” Japan’s finance chief quits terday that there won’t be any be argued on June 30, 2009. Kumaratunga said she had ISLA, signed in July 1987 power cuts because there are The petition was supported by tried to push through the 13th by then Indian Prime over alleged drunkenness standby generators. J. C. Weliamuna. amendment but sections of Minister Rajiv Gandhi and However, he said that he The Bench comprised, Justice Sri Lankan political parties then Sri Lankan President JR TOKYO (AP) - Japan’s prominent members of would be in better position to Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake, Justice did not allow it, claiming that Jayewardene, “is still rele- finance minister abruptly Aso’s Cabinet. “I decided comment after he attends a dis- K. Sripavan and Justice P. A. it could lead to an eventual vant” to resolve the ethnic resigned Tuesday over alle- that it would be better for cussion with experts represent- Ratnayake. independent Tamil state. She conflict, Ms Kumaratunga gations he made a drunken the country if I quit.” ing a wide spectrum. did not take any political maintained. appearance at a G-7 news “He made a difficult Meanwhile, CEB officials said conference, shaking Prime choice, and I respect his that if the country does not get Minister Taro Aso’s decision,” Aso said.