59 Div positioned 1.5 km south of last big SLAF attacks in LTTE-held town support of After a series of bloody battles over the weekend, the 59 Division has ground troops secured positions 1.5 km south of by Norman Puthukkudiyiruppu, the last major Palihawadana town under LTTE control. The Division operating west of Nanthi SLAF Chief Air Kadal lagoon had breached the Marshal Roshan LTTE’s heavily fortified frontline Gunatilleke yesterday south of Puthukkudiyiruppu, the said that Mi-24 helicopter Continued on page 2 `Vol. 28 No. 67 Monday 2nd February, 2009 28 Pages Rs. 20 Registered in Sri Lanka as a Newspaper - Late City Edition gunships yesterday car- Gunatilleke ried out several opera- tions in support of the army conducting operations east of the It’s the World Nadal beats Federer to A9. He said that air operations would continue as the army pressed the LTTE on multiple fronts. According to him, Wetland Day win Australian Open the Katunayake-based jet squadrons and Number 9 Attack Helicopter Squadron Page 10 Page 14 operating from Hingurakgoda had inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. Two costly anti-corruption plans gather dust as fresh USD US guns capable of firing 858,000 project gets underway by Shamindra tive integrity initiatives in Ferdinando select organisations. According to the UNDP, the chemicals found While two costly anti-cor- project would help create a ruption plans are gathering favourable regulatory environ- dust, the govern- ment and strengthen Thermo-baric weapons, 9 mortars among largest arms haul on Vanni front ment and the UNDP operational capacity by Shamindra will launch another of the CIABOC, par- Ferdinando two-stage explosion. The first project to tackle ticularly investiga- blast occurs upon the bomb’s waste, corruption tions and prosecu- he largest ever arms, penetration of a cave, tunnel or and irregularities, tions. In a media ammunition and equip- a bunker and scatters explosive in the public sector. advisory, the UNDP Tment recovery dust throughout A three-year said that Justice made in a day on the the area where the project called Ameer Ismail, Vanni front over the Tamilnet bomb lands. This is Support Efforts and Chairman, CIABOC weekend included followed a fraction claim denied Action against and Douglas Keh, US built guns capa- of a second later by Corruption in Sri Country Director, ble of firing chemi- The army yester- a second, larger Lanka (SEAC) is UNDP, would brief cals, thermo-baric day dismissed a explosion that liter- expected to cost the press at the UN weapons and nine Tamilnet report that ally sucks oxygen USD 858,500, with conference room, mortar launchers of there had been a suc- out of a confined the UNDP’s contri- Colombo, today,at 10. different calibres. cessful LTTE attack on space. bution being USD a.m. Military spokes- three main battle tanks During bloody 300,000. The UNDP Although the gov- person Brigadier on the battles for intends to raise USD 558,000 ernment received UNDP Udaya Nanayakkara Puthukkudiyiruppu Kilinochchi last from other donors. (January 2007) and USAID told The Island that front. year, the LTTE The UNDP said that the (July 2007) reports prepared in although they had fired chemicals at Permanent Commission to consultations with senior offi- been aware of the possibility of both 58 and 57 Division troops. Investigate Allegations of cials and experts, including the LTTE acquiring thermo- Army headquarters said Bribery or Corruption (CIA- CIABOC, no action had been baric weapons, the recovery of that the 11 SLLI (Sri Lanka 58 Div commander Brigadier Shavindra Silva inspects a gas mask recov- BOC) would be the implement- taken as yet, well informed Tippman A-5 guns capable of Light Infantry) and 6GW ered by his troops on the Vanni front on Saturday. (Defence.lk) ing partner of the project to sources said. firing deadly chemicals was (Gemunu Watch) had captured promote legislative and institu- The UNDP plan titled The startling. The use of thermo- the arms after heavy confronta- Vishvamadu area Saturday manded by Brigadier tional arrangements, establish Strategic Plan of the CIABOC baric weapons is prohibited tions south of morning. The two battalions are Shavindra Silva. mechanisms to monitor the prepared by Chua Cher Yak, under international law. The Piramanthalkulam and east of with the 583 Brigade operating implementation of anti-corrup- thermo baric bomb — features a Puliyampokkanal in the under the 58 Division, com- Continued on page 2 tion policies and programmes and introduce new and innova- Continued on page 2 Bridges, bridges everywhere Midshipman Act on COPE, AG Yoshitha joins but Beliatta is without one Dvora crew findings: Wijedasa by Dasun Edirisinghe compelled to until yesterday his promise by Sahamindra Former COPE Limited (LMSL) last People of Beliatta complain hire three had not been carried out Ferdinando Chairman Wijedasa July, the CIABOC was that no action has yet been wheelers or according to residents of the President Rajapaksa yesterday yet to move the court on taken to construct a temporary walk. area. Mahinda Rajapaksa’s told The Island that the this particular case. bridge pending repairs to the Buses and Chief Engineer of the second son, midship- CIABOC hadn’t moved He said that had the dilapidated Godakumbura lorries have to Tangalle Road Development man Yoshitha is serv- the judiciary against government wanted to Bridge, which has been closed take a detour Authority (RDA) office H. B. A. ing on board Fast the suspects involved tackle waste, corruption for heavy vehicles including and at night Nayanananda said action had Attack Craft (FAC) in any of the cases Wijedasa and irregularities, it buses, along Beliatta-Matara buses do not Ekanayake been taken to construct a tem- deployed in the east- Yoshitha investigated on a com- could thoroughly inves- main road at Godakumbura. operate on this porary bridge by using ‘minor ern theatre of naval plaint lodged by Parliament. tigate findings made by the School children, office route for security reasons. The labour’ and it would be weeks operations. Responding to our queries, he COPE and the Auditor workers, patients and thou- Beliatta Pradeshiya Sabha before the project was complet- Yoshitha, who is expected to pass said that though the Supreme General. According to him, Sri sands of other people depend- Chairman Cyril Munasinghe ed. out early this year as an Acting Sub Court had delivered its land- Lanka had received World ent on this arterial road have told The Island that he would Minister of Highways, T.B. Lieutenant, recently returned from mark judgment on the hotly Bank funding to strengthen been affected as no vehicles ensure that buses would ply up Ekanayake said that he was the UK after his initial training. disputed privatisation of the COPE and PAC (Public operate along the 8km-long to the damaged bridge from not aware of the situation, but State-run ITN Saturday night quot- Lanka Marine Services Accounts Committee). road between Beliatta and Beliatta and Matara for the he would take prompt action to ed the young man in combat Dedduwawala. They have been convenience of people but remedy the situation. fatigues as saying that he had obtained his father’s approval after the government urged the youth to join armed forces. I did not warn foreign Obama’s half-brother arrested in Kenya over drugs President Mahinda Rajapaksa on envoys or journalists by Philip Sherwell Saturday declared that his son had in New York travel to Washington for the inauguration George joined the navy along with thou- — Gota on Jan 20. Hussein sands of youth who responded to Reference our news item Twenty four-year-old, George Obama The two met previously when Mr Obama Onyango the government’s call to strengthen yesterday, ‘Act responsibly or be who denies the allegation, was told he would visited his ancestral homeland in an Obama, the the battle against the LTTE. chased out: Gota tells BBC and face a court hearing today. encounter that he described as a “painful youngest half- Continued on page 2 envoys’, Defence Secretary President Obama’s young half-sibling affair” in his memoir ‘Dreams from My brother of Barack Gotabhaya Rajpaksa says he was in the headlines last year after it was Father’. Obama out- did not warn that any foreign revealed that he was living in a corrugated Inspector Augustine Mutembei said the side his home ambassadors or journalists iron shack in a sprawling slum as his broth- trainee mechanic would face charges of pos- in the Huruma would be chased out of the er ran for the most powerful job in the session of cannabis and resisting arrest. slum in country. He says he only world. But the accused man protested his inno- Nairobi, stressed the need for them to George, who was the son of Mr Obama’s cence in comments from behind bars. September act responsibly and help Sri father by his second wife, was one of the 2008. Lanka crush terrorism. president’s few close relatives who did not Continued on page 2.