Vol. 30 No. 74 Wednesday 9th February, 2011, 48 pages Rs.
20 Registered in Sri Lanka as a Newspaper - Late City Edition
DEMOCRATIC
GOVERNANCE IN THE SOUTH
8 ASIAN REGION: SOME
PERSPECTIVES -I
Romania may
toughen its laws
on witches
BUCHAREST, Romania
(AP) - Legislation being debated
in Romania would require witch-
es to get a permit and make it
possible to fine or even imprison
one whose prediction turns out
to be false.
The draft bill has just started
its way through Parliament in
Romania, where witchcraft has
been part of its culture for cen-
turies.
On Jan. 1, Romania changed
its labor laws to officially recog-
nize witchcraft as a profession,
angering some witches.
Iranian opposition
recruits disgruntled
Revolutionary Guard to
cripple Ahmadinejad
billionaire opposition leader
A who has pledged his fortune
to the cause of removing
the Iranian government and a for-
mer senior Guard commander told
The Daily Telegraph that dissatis-
faction with hardline tactics was
rife in throughout the Guards.
WORLD VIEW
! Romania to toughen its laws
on witches.
! They are free to come here as
the law is blind.
OBAMAS NEW
BEGINNINGS IN CAIRO
10 11 AND MIDDLE-EAST
UPRISINGS
Economist wants
govt. plans reviewed
following Rs. 50 bn
flood damage
BY SHAMINDRA FERDINANDO
N
ow that the gov-
ernment has esti-
mated the dam-
ages caused by floods at
over Rs. 50 bn, it should
take tangible measures to
cut down on waste, cor-
ruption and irregulari-
Harsha
ties to save money needed
for relief programmes, says UNP
Parliamentarian Dr. Harsha de Silva.
Disaster Management Minister
Mahinda Amaraweera, on Monday (7),
made the flood damage assessment, while
warning that the actual losses could be
much higher.
MP de Silva urged the government to
review all its ongoing projects as well as
future ventures to identify prospective
high priority projects. But no project could
Germany indicts top
LTTE leader
A spokesman for the LTTE in
Germany has been indicted on terrorism
charges, Germanys federal justice
authorities said on Monday (7) in
Karlsruhe.
Agilan W., who now holds German citi-
zenship, was arrested in November and
indicted on January 24. Prosecutors said
he was spokesman in Germany for the
Tamil Coordination Committee, a front
for the LTTE, from 2004 to the end of 2009
and oversaw its public relations. Three
other leaders of an alleged LTTE front
were earlier arrested and indicted,
SC declares Piyasenas
expulsion from ITAK invalid
BY CHITRA WEERARATHNE
The Supreme Court yesterday declared
invalid the expulsion of ITAK Digmadulla
District Parliamentarian Perumpali
Hewage Piyasena from the party.
The petitioner, Piyasena, had com-
plained that he was expelled by letter dated
Nov. 28, 2010, signed by Party Secretary M.
Senadheera, for having voted with the
UPFA government in favour of the
Eighteenth Amendment to the
Constitution, which removed the presiden-
tial term limit.
The Supreme Court overruled the pre-
liminary objections taken by the Secretary
Massacre of 600 policemen: SLA couldnt
have saved them Retired SLA officer says
The Army couldnt have come to the
rescue of the besieged police deployed in
the Eastern Province at the outset of the
eelam war II in June 1990 even if the top
brass had wanted to go on the offensive, a
retired army officer says.
Speaking on the condition of anonymi-
ty, the official, who had been stationed in
the East, says the Army hadnt been
equipped to face an emergency at that
time. In fact, we were outgunned in the
Ampara and Batticaloa sectors and didnt
have the wherewithal to defend detach-
ments, he said, asserting the absence of
UNIVERSITY
EDUCATION:
THE PERADENIYA
MODEL AND ITS DEMISE
be as important as help-
ing the flood-affected peo-
ple to stand on their feet,
the MP said, asserting
that the government
seemed blind to rapidly
deteriorating ground
realities.
Amaraweera
He lashed out at the
government for failing to identify high pri-
ority projects and implement them before
going for high flying projects such as host-
ing Commonwealth Games in 2018, which
could cost the State coffers as much as $ 10
billion. The government had spent some
Rs. 400 million to formulate the 2018
Commonwealth bid, the MP alleged. He
said foreign PR firms hired at exorbitant
cost to the
sources in Germany told The Island.
No date was given for the 35-year-olds
trial on a charge of membership in a for-
eign terrorist organisation and breaching
German export laws. That charge relates
to his allegedly purchasing equipment
worth 370,000 euros ($500,000) from group
funds for the LTTE and sending that gear
to Sri Lanka, German media reported.
The European Union declared the
LTTE a terrorist group in June 2007.
Germany indicted three other activists in
the TCC, Vijikanendra V. S., Sasitharan
M. and Koneswaran T. in August.
of the ITAK, who is cited as the third
respondent in the petition. The second
respondent is R. Sambanthan, the party
leader.
The Judgment was given by Justice
Saleem Marsoof, with Justices K. Siripavan
and R. K. W. Sureshchandra agreeing.
D. S. Wijesinghe PC appeared with
Shanthan Jayawardena and Kaushalya
Molligoda for petitioner Piyasena. K.
Kanag-Ishwaran PC appeared with Viran
Corea for the respondents the TNA leader
and Secretary General.
BY SHAMINDRA FERDINANDO
air support during the first few hours of
the LTTE assault gave the enemy the
upper hand.
The officer who had been at the fore-
front of ground operations at an earlier
stage of the conflict, was responding to
retired SSP Tassie Seneviratnes recent
oral and written submissions to the
Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation
Commission (LLRC). Seneviratne while
flaying the then President Ranasinghe
Premadasa for throwing away the lives
over 600 police personnel to appease the
LTTE, asserted their lives could have been
CENTRAL BANK KEEPS
INFLATION
EXPECTATIONS AT
BAY Financial Review
Kivulelade Wewa in Galenbindunawewa, Anuradhapura is one the tanks whose bunds gave way
due to recent floods in the North Central province. Irrigation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva on
Tuesday told the media that Rs. 500 million was needed to restore the irrigation system. (Photo
Cyril Basnayake)
Can an IP handle a probe previously
conducted by an SSP? Defence Counsel
Even junior rankers competent to conduct such investigations Witness
BY SHAMINDRA FERDINANDO
Nalin Ladduwahetty, Defence Superintendent of Police, Wimal
Counsel for defeated Samarasekera.
Opposition candidate Gen.
Sarath Fonseka on Tuesday
White Flag IP Silva, Officer-in-Charge
of Commercial Fraud Section,
(8) posed a series of questions Trial-at-Bar said that SSP Weerasekera
to IP Aruna Silva with regard had moved out of the CID fol-
to his suitability to conduct a high pro- lowing a transfer.
file investigation, which had been previ- The IP was testifying before the
ously spearheaded by a Senior
Remembering Upali Wijewardene
The 28th anniversary of the as Buddha Poojas, Bodhi
disappearance of Mr. Upali Pooja, Alms Giving, Pahan
Wijewardene, Founder Pooja and Blood Donation
Chairman of the Upali Group Campaigns.
(Private) Limited, including A special Bodhi Pooja will
Upali Newspapers, and party be held at the Kelani
falls on February 13, 2011. Rajamaha Viharaya at 6 p.m.
The Upali Group, its employ- on February 13, a blood dona-
ees and sales agents islandwide tion campaign will take place
have made arrangements to from 8.30 a.m. at the Kelaniya
commemorate the anniversary Rajamaha Viharaya
with religious ceremonies such
UNP Writ applications for
support on Feb. 11
BY CHITRA WEERARATHNE
The Court of Appeal yesterday Asoka Samararatne appeared for the
fixed for support, on February 11, 2011, applications filed, challenging the
the Writ Application filed by the UNP, rejection of the nominations for
challenging the rejections of the UNP Baddegama and Homagama
nomination papers to contest the
Pradeshiya Sabhas of Welikanda,
Baddegama, Homagama and the Town
Council of Embilipitiya.
Pradeshiya Sabha. Wijeyadasa
Rajapaksha PC, instructed by Joe
Rajakaruna, appeared for the writ
applications filed against the rejec-
The petitioner, Tissa Attanayake, tion of the nominations for the Town
General Secretary of the UNP, had Council of Embilipitiya and the
requested the Court to quash the deci- Pradeshiya Sabha of Welikanda.
sion of the respective returning offi- The Bench comprised Justices
cers to reject the nomination papers. Sathya Hettige (President of the Court
Ronald Perera, instructed by of Appeal) and Upali Abeyratne.
Flood displaced will
get free dry rations for
six months - Sirisena
BY SAMAN INDRAJITH
saved if the military had intervened. Minister Maithripala Sirisena on
Responding to a query, the ex-infantry Tuesday (8) said that the Government
officer said that in the Batticaloa District, would provide dry rations to those dis-
the army had less than 600 personnel placed by recent floods for six months
deployed at five detachments at Kiran, free of charge.
Kalawanchikudy, Kallady, Wellaweli and
Kalmunai along the coast. The strength of
the army in the Batticaloa District had
been less than a fully fledged infantry bat-
talion, he said adding troops lacked
ammunition to go on the offensive.
After surrounding police stations in
the East, an LTTE cadre identified as