Vol. 30 No. 15 Thursday 2nd December, 2010, 56 pages Rs. 20 Registered in Sri Lanka as a Newspaper - Late City Edition Professionals and Public Servants 11 on the UNP The ineffable angst of 13 Samuel Beckett Trade deficit Page 3 Page 11 Pakistan drone doubles victim demands President’s Oxford damages from CIA Financial review Page 14 UNP reforms Union address Gaddafi n, climate combine demands £4 billion from Cancun’s erode EU or Europe eaches will turn ‘black’ cancelled Thursday December 2nd 2010 – Lalith W due to security reasons WikiLeaks: Reformists confident, Sajith Ahmadinejad I’m not deterred – MR President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s claims revelations Oxford Union address has been cancelled due to LTTE a US conspiracy keeps his options open protests. Secretary to President Lalith ahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's pres- BY SHAMINDRA Mident, dismissed WikiLeaks revela- Weeratunge confirmed tions yesterday that Arab countries FERDINANDO demanded a US attack on his country as an Iranian President orchestrated attempt by Washington to ith the UNP planning to sanction a new Mahmoud Ahmadinejad destabilise the Middle East. that the address had 16 Constitution unanimously for the party been cancelled. WikiLeaks: Won Dec. 12, the stage is now set for the ‘Reformists’ to take on the Wickremesinghe A statement issued summary of the Camp in an intense political battle, which may by Mr. Weeratunga said: “For end by late April next year. security reasons the speech by latest disclosures Political sources say contrary to recent His Excellency President reports in a section of the media, the Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka at the ‘Reformists’ group is confident of taking con- Oxford Union, the home of free trol of the situation. Those who asserted that speech, has been cancelled. This that Reformists’ campaign had is a decision that has been made collapsed, due to the UNP unilaterally by the Working Committee rejecting MP Sajith Premadasa’s proposal to expand the Electoral College, were wrong, sources say. Responding to a query by Island, sources said that at theThe Deserter killed, rince Andrew criticised a Dec. 12 special sessions at variety of governments, Sirikotha the Working Sajith Committee would be converted 16 injured in blast Pincluding those of Britain BY into an interim body and given a NORMAN and America, as corrupt, stupid 120-day deadline to choose the Party Leader PALIHAWADANA AND (Ranil Wickremesinghe), Assistant Leader (post JAYAKODY and backward in a conversation RATNAYAKE with a US diplomat. vacant/last held by Rukman Senanayake), National Organiser (post vacant/last held by S. An army deserter, identified as B. Dissanayake), Treasurer (Senarath Amila Damith (32), died on the spot in Kapukotuwa) and Deputy Leader (Karu an explosion he triggered when he Jayasuriya). was arrested by the Nuwara Eliya Norwegian inquiry: A section of the LTTE activists engaged in Monday night’s protest at the police, on a charge of possessing Heathrow Airport. In spite of the presence of the British police, protesters caused ganja (cannabis), on Wednesday Lanka denies visas inconvenience to those leaving the passenger arrivals point. (Pictures courtesy (Dec. 1) at 3.00 p.m. of the organisers of the protest, the Tamil Youth Organisation (TYO - UK). Seventeen persons, including 14 to INGO men London Debate police officers, two civilians and the ganja addict were injured in the blast. Sri Lanka has denied visas to The suspect succumbed to his members of two INGOs hired by JJ, Wickremabahu injuries after being admitted to the Norway to evaluate its failed peace LTTE rump’s protest against Nuwara Eliya hospital. bids in Sri Lanka (1997-2009). lambasted for Sources told The Island Sri Lanka wouldn’t cooperate with the inquiry. President MR a flop According to sources, two INGO Lanka bashing personnel, including Gunar Sorbo, A senior spokesman for the WikiLeaks expose: BY DASUN EDIRISINGHE Presidential Secretariat said that an – Govt. head of Norway-based Chr. UNP MP Jayalath Jayawardena and NSSP estimated 300 plus Sri Lankan Tamil sition to President Rajapaksa, as the Michelsen’s Institute had sought to leader Dr. Wickramabahu Karunaratne expatriates and their supporters in the Sri Lankan leader had left the airport Govt. to take up SL visit Sri Lanka to meet several key incurred the wrath of a Sri Lankan audience UK had been involved in the protest at through the VIP arrival point. people involved in the peace last Thursday in London, when they started the Arrivals Point at London’s “They stayed shouting anti-Sri specific material process, particularly the disastrous bashing Sri Lanka, making allegations of Heathrow Airport, UK on Monday Lankan, anti-Mahinda Rajapaksa and Sri Lanka yesterday Feb. 2002 bid. Recently, UNP leader human rights violations etc. at a debate on (Nov. 29) night to protest against the pro-LTTE slogans and displaying pro- ‘Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation in Sri LTTE banners for several hours before expressed concern Ranil Wickremesinghe met Sorbo in arrival of President Mahinda Lanka.’ Sources said they had been inter- Rajapaksa. President Rajapaksa is on a and after the arrival of the flight with over the release of con- Oslo. rupted and asked to substantiate their allega- special visit to address the Oxford the President around 10.00 p.m. on fidential and secret doc- The other institution involved in tions or stop making them. Union, and also hold discussions with Monday night. Passengers who arrived uments by whistle- the evaluation process is UK School political leaders. on several fights on Monday night and blowing website, of Oriental and African Studies The spokesman told those who had come to meet them at WikiLeaks, including the Arrivals Point showed considerable (SF). demonstrators had failedThe in Island their 3,325 cables from the attempt to make a show of their oppo-that displeasure at the obstruction caused by the demonstrators,” the official US Embassy in said. Colombo to US State Department. Speaker orders clean up Director General of Government Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa inspected the areas around the Parliament Information Ariyarathna Athugala said complex yesterday and directed a clean up of the potential mosquito breeding Working days should be that Sri Lanka didn’t condone the grounds. (SI) increased to attract release of privileged and confidential matter. investors - Ravi BY SAMAN INDRAJITH Judges tell defence to Sri Lanka needs to increase The Island the number of its working www.island.lk days in order to attract foreign investors, UNP file ‘Cader case’ order MP Ravi Karunanayake told Parliament White Flag Trial-at-Bar yesterday. Sri Lanka The Trial-at-bar Judges, in the has 277 working ‘White Flag Case’, yesterday JAYANTHA DE SILVA days as against directed the defense to file the India’s 301 ! The Speaker orders clean up order in the Abdul Cader case, at Rs. 1 million. which was a dis- where Cader was acquitted on When the case was taken up of Parliamentary premises. advantage in Tuesday (Nov. 30) due to non-avail- before the Trial-at-bar, the Defense terms of attract- ! What about inside? ability of original documentary Counsel Nalin Ladduwahetty Ravi ing foreigners to invest here, evidence in relation to misappro- pointed out that similar to the Karunanayake said during the priation of 690 bags of rice valued Abdul Cader case, the White flag case too didn’t have the original committee stage of debate on Fonseka the Ministry of Economic Cader Development. Sri Lanka at present has 33 holidays a year..