Global News Post: Sri Lanka

Analysis: Sri Lanka’s long road to reconciliation

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<b><span style="color: maroon; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Two countries in one<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: maroon; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Militarization of north deepens distrust<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: maroon; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Limited efforts to bridge divide<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: maroon; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Problem of impunity<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Photo: <a href="http://www.irinnews.org/Photo/Details/201211090356510501/Genzia-Mary-a-10-yr-old-war-returnee-is-desperate-to-make-friends-with-the-bus-loads-of-tourists-who"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Amantha
Perera/IRIN</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">War returnee Genzia Mary<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU (IRIN) - Genzia Mary, 10, is
fascinated by the buses arriving in northern <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Sri Lanka</st1:country-region></st1:place>, their jovial travellers
singing in a language that, until two years ago, was completely foreign to her.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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Mary lives in Kilinochchi District, part of the country’s northern former war
zone popularly known as “the Vanni”. Thousands of southerners, mostly from the
majority Sinhala ethnic group, come to visit war attractions as well as a
well-known Buddhist temple north of the Vanni.<br />
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“There are lots of people in [the buses]. Sometimes there are old ammas
[grandmothers] in them, all dressed in white,” she said. Many girls her age
also visit, especially during school holidays. “But I have never spoken to
anyone of them,” Mary said, disappointed. “They never talk to us.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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For years, the Vanni was cut off from the rest of the country. It was the main
battle ground during two and half decades of civil war, as the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels fought successive governments, demanding a
separate state. The war ended in May 2009 with LTTE’s defeat.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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In late 2009, parts of the region were opened for unrestricted civilian travel,
and thousands of travellers from the south began streaming in. The numbers have
dropped from highs of over 100,000 a day, but they still figure in the
thousands.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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These visits could help bring communities inside and outside the war-scarred
region together, but, so far, that has not been the case.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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“The two communities still live in two separate cocoons. There is hardly any
interaction,” said Saroja Sivachandran, head of the Centre for Women and
Development, a women’s rights group in northern <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Jaffna</st1:city></st1:place>. “One example of how far the gulf is:
the visitors will sometimes bring their own fire wood. The only interaction
with the Vanni population is if they ask for directions,” she said.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<strong>Militarization</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><b><br />
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Mahendran Sivakumar, 61, is a retired government education officer who remained
in the Vanni even during the bloodiest years of fighting. He said interaction
with southern visitors is limited because mistrust lingers from the decades of
bloodshed and isolation.<span class="apple-converted-space"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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“It will take another generation to break the ice. Unfortunately no one [in
authority] seems to doing anything tangible to bring them together,” Sivakumar
said.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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He said there is still a significant military presence - mostly Sinhalese - in
the Vanni’s civilian affairs, contributing to Tamil distrust. More than three
years after the end of the war, the military still plays a large role in daily
village life, from attending school events to repairing water distribution
networks. “If the military role in civilian affairs is reduced and we see
public and elected officials taking a larger role, then people will begin to
feel that at last this sense of being watched is over. But it will not happen
overnight.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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Tens of thousands of security forces are posted in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Northern Province</st1:state></st1:place> - at least 80,000
according to<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>analysts in the
north - but there are few other Sinhalese in the region.<span class="apple-converted-space"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Local media report that military-run businesses - from barbershops to
restaurants - have distorted prices and edged out local competition, worsening
the north’s already<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>bleak
employment situation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Sivakumar said southern visitors mostly mingle with government soldiers and
other Sinhalese service personnel in the Vanni. “It is obvious they feel most
comfortable with those who speak the same language.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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<strong>Lack
of rapprochement</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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With few chances to interact, deep divisions remain between the Tamil and
Sinhalese, the country’s two main ethnic groups.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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“Most of the tour buses will travel through areas devastated by the fighting,
with families living in huts. But they [visitors] don’t seem to care,”
Sivachandran said.<span class="apple-converted-space"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">She blamed the apparent indifference on ignorance.
“The visitors are clueless as to what happened here, or only know part of the
story. For those living in the Vanni, especially the interior, the tourists are
alien.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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It does not help that there has been no national recognition of civilian
deaths, stripping northerners of the chance to mourn properly, added
Sivachandran. “Some of us feel like there is searing pain within that we cannot
let out. The more it stays in, the more painful it is. Also, this idea of
winners and losers has to end. If it’s one country, then there are no winners
and losers, only survivors.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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Some 40,000 civilians died in the bloodiest stage of fighting before the
government declared an end to the war, according to a<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>UN expert panel.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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The furious pace of reconstruction masks the lack of rapprochement between the
Tamil and Sinhalese, said Ruki Fernando, a human rights advocate who formerly
headed the Human Rights in Conflict Programme at the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Law and Society Trust, a national
advocacy body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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“[Mega development projects] give a false sense that things are moving here.
But nothing much has happened to make a Vanni civilian feel he can trust the
south.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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Officials say it may take years to finish repairs. Meanwhile, ethnic
reconciliation has slipped as a priority, even though it is as essential to
moving beyond conflict as physical repairs, said Fernando.<span class="apple-converted-space"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<strong>Repairing
ties<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
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There have been few grassroots efforts to bridge the ethnic and cultural divide
between Tamils and Sinhalese. But several small-scale, ad-hoc exchange
programmes are helping to widen people’s perspectives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Since January 2011, the NGO International Alert<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>has organized three visits to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Sri Lanka</st1:country-region></st1:place>
- including the north - for the UK-based Sri Lankan diaspora. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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Johann Rebert, the NGO’s manager in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Sri Lanka</st1:country-region></st1:place>, said the country’s
diaspora can play an important role in reconciliation efforts. “Engagement with
them is more sustainable, and can lead to better outcomes, than shutting them
out.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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The Colombo-based NGO<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Sri Lanka
Unites, has also brought together youths from both communities, most recently
for a conference<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Jaffna</st1:city></st1:place> this past
August. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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Prashan de Visser, the president of Sri Lanka Unites, counts some 10,000
members in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Sri Lanka</st1:country-region></st1:place>,
30 percent of whom come from the north. “We live in a very segregated society.
Our focus is to allow the youth to break out [from] segregation,” he said.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><img alt="''" height="18" src="file:///C:/Users/Zainab/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtml1/08/clip_image001.jpg" v:shapes="_x0000_i1025" width="23" /><b>If it's one country then there
  are no winners and losers, only survivors.</b><img alt="''" height="18" src="file:///C:/Users/Zainab/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtml1/08/clip_image002.jpg" v:shapes="_x0000_i1026" width="23" /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">De Visser said every year his organization takes 25
youth leaders from around the country on a month-long national tour. During
this experience, he said, Sinhalese youths “finally” realize the enormousness
of the destruction in the Vanni. “The three representatives from Hambantota,
[the country’s southern-most district] in fact, pledged to raise Rs 300,000
[about US$2,300] for our work in the [northern] region. There is a lot of
misinformation out there.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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Sivchandran, the women’s advocate, welcomed these initiatives. But she warned
that without government support, such efforts will have limited results.
“Agencies and activists who work on advocacy issues still sometimes find it
hard to work effectively in the region.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<strong>Where
to start?</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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Bedevilling both activists and authorities is just where to begin to restore
the community ties that existed before LTTE rebels killed 13 government
soldiers in 1983, triggering widespread anti-Tamil riots in other parts of the
country.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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After 18 months of investigation, the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Lessons
Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, set up by the government in May 2010,
concluded “human rights issues are critically relevant to the process of
reconciliation.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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Between January and May 2009, the government reported 2,635 missing persons
were “untraceable” in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Northern
  Province</st1:state></st1:place>. Between December 2009 and mid-2012, the UN
Children’s Fund (UNICEF) office in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Sri Lanka</st1:country-region></st1:place> reported 747 cases of
missing children.<span class="apple-converted-space"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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“You have to answer the questions on the missing, deaths and alleged abuse
truthfully, once and for all,” said human rights activist Fernando.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
He also criticized the country’s main Tamil political party, Tamil National
Alliance, for making power devolution a prerequisite for reconciliation. Tamil
political leaders have pushed for power decentralization to address the
discrimination that they say led to the conflict. But an influential group
within the government is campaigning to scrap a constitutional amendment that,
in 1987, set up power-sharing provincial councils, which are now widely
regarded as ineffective.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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“It is all good if effective power devolution takes place, but by focusing
exclusively on that, we take away the importance of other underlying issues,”
Fernando said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
Though a complicated issue, ethnic reconciliation is possible, said Sri Lanka
Unites president de Visser. “We have inherited a mess, but this is also an
opportunity for us to build strength among youth and foster unity.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>

Analysis: Sri Lanka’s long road to reconciliation

Two countries in one Militarization of north deepens distrust Limited efforts to bridge divide Problem of impunity ...

INDIA: Buses Carrying Sri Lankan Pilgrims Attacked in Tamil Nadu

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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">NAGAPATTINAM (INDIA) (NNN-TNN/PTI) -- A batch of 178 Sri Lankan nationals on a pilgrimage in Tamil Nadu faced protests for the second day on Tuesday with a pro-Tamil outfit trying to block their vehicles when they were returning after offering worship at the famous Velankanni Christain shrine near here. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">According to TV reports, buses carrying Lankan pilgrims were attacked but no passenger suffered any major injury. However, windowpanes of some buses were shattered in the attack.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Police, however, intervened and arrested nine activists of the Naam Tamizhar Iyakkam with pro-LTTE leanings, who tried to block the seven buses carrying the pilgrims.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The Lankan nationals were meted out similar treatment during their pilgrimage to the Poondi Madha Christian shrine near Thanjavur on Monday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The pilgrims, including 75 women and 36 children, had arrived at Velankanni on Tuesday morning to offer worship at the Shrine Basilica, police said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">As the activists protested, police personnel on security duty for the ongoing annual festival rushed to the spot, arrested them and brought the situation under control within a few minutes, sources said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The pilgrims later proceeded to Tiruchirappalli safely from where they are expected to leave for Sri Lanka.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The Sri Lankan nationals had worshipped at the Poondi Matha shrine on Monday evening as part of their annual pilgrimage when activists of Naam Tamizhar Iyakkam headed by film director Seeman, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and P Nedumaran-led Tamizhar Desiya Poduvudamai Katchi, staged a demonstration asking them to go back.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The incident comes a day after Sri Lanka issued a travel advisory asking its citizens not to visit Tamil Nadu until further notice in the wake of "increasing number of instances of intimidation" of Sri Lankans in the state.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">While, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had on Sunday ordered sending back home a football team from Royal College of Sri Lanka which played a friendly match against Customs Department in Chennai on Friday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Jayalalithaa, who slammed the Centre for allowing the Lankan football team into India, had also directed that eight students of a Lankan school who had come for a tournament with a city-based school and their coach be sent back.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The ruling AIADMK and key UPA ally DMK and other political parties in Tamil Nadu have all joined the chorus of opposing India training Lankan military personnel, alleging the island republic's forces had committed war crimes against Tamils during the last phase of 2009 war against LTTE. -- NNN-TNN/PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

INDIA: Buses Carrying Sri Lankan Pilgrims Attacked in Tamil Nadu

NAGAPATTINAM (INDIA) (NNN-TNN/PTI) -- A batch of 178 Sri Lankan nationals on a pilgrimage in Tamil Nadu faced protests for the second day...

22 Indian Fishermen Injured in Attack by Sri Lankan Navy

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">RAMESWARAM, Tamil Nadu, India (NNN-Bernama) -- Some 22 Tamil Nadu fishermen were injured in two separate attacks by the Sri Lankan navy while fishing near Katchatheevu in Palk Straits. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Fisheries officials said Tuesday a large group of fishermen from here had set out to sea in more than 600 boats to Katchatheevu, an islet ceded by India to Sri Lanka, when three of their boats were surrounded by the navy who later arrested 16 members. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The fishermen were taken to a naval base in Neduntheevu and were allegedly beaten before they were released, Press Trust of India reported. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">One fisherman who was seriously injured was taken to the Ramanathapuram government hospital while the others received outpatient treatment. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">In another incident, a group of six fishermen who had gone out to sea from nearby Mandapam were allegedly physically assaulted by Sri Lankan fishermen and sufferred concussions and weals on their bodies. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The fishermen claimed they were warned by the Sri Lankan navy not to inform state authorities of what had taken place. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">On Sunday, Sri Lankan navy allegedly took away the fishermen's catch at gun point near Katchatheevu after surrounding 10 of their boats. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">In another incident on the same day, eight fishermen from Vedaranyam village in Nagapattinam were injured in an attack by Sri Lankan navy in mid-sea off Arukattuthurai in Tamil Nadu. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Tuesday's attack came a day after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, accusing the government's "soft handling" the Sri Lankan navy's alleged attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Ruling UPA key ally DMK chief M Karunanidhi had also slammed recurring attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen and demanded the government seek a permanent solution to the issue. -- NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

22 Indian Fishermen Injured in Attack by Sri Lankan Navy

RAMESWARAM, Tamil Nadu, India (NNN-Bernama) -- Some 22 Tamil Nadu fishermen were injured in two separate attacks by the Sri Lankan navy wh...

India Sri Lanka CEO’s Forum Identifies Potential Areas for Strengthening Bilateral Ties

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">NEW DELHI (PIB) --- The Sri Lanka- India CEO’s Forum organised by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) was held on August 4, 2012 with the participation of a large number of CEOs from both Sri Lanka and India. The Co-Chairs for the event were Kulatunga Rajapakse, Managing Director of DSI Samson Group (Pvt) Ltd. from Sri Lanka and Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman & Managing Director of Bharti Airtel Ltd. from India. The Forum was conceptualised at a meeting between the Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh and the President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The trade ties between Sri Lanka and India go back over 2500 years. India is fast becoming a global super power. The business community in India is the driving force behind this growth. Sri Lanka can reap benefits from the Indian growth story. Given the small size of the Sri Lankan market, it is important that Sri Lanka access the Indian market to increase its export and economic growth. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The trade balance between India and Sri Lanka at present is heavily in favour of India. Ways and means have to be identified to reduce this imbalance. The two Governments envisage doubling of trade between the two countries within the next three years. Sri Lanka would like to see obstacles to trade and investment removed to enable Sri Lankan businesses to penetrate into the Indian market. There are opportunities and partnerships to be forged for the mutual benefit of both the countries. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Some of the potential sectors identified for increasing trade and investment between the two countries are apparel, rubber products, power and energy, tourism, education, skill development, ports and shipping and infrastructure in general. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the apparel sector, with China becoming more expensive apparel sourcing destination, it was felt that there is immense opportunity for India and Sri Lanka to increase their market share in the world. Further there is scope for Sri Lanka to increase export of apparel to India with further relaxation of the rules of origin and quota for apparel that is currently in place under the ISFTA. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There is high demand for rubber based components in India and at present companies in India face high prices and shortages. Hence an area for both countries to explore the possibility of forging joint ventures in rubber product sector to supply rubber components to India. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The CEOs also discussed the potential of cross promotion of tourism between the two countries. It was also highlighted that air connectivity is crucial to promote tourism. Providing higher frequency of operation to Indian airlines to Sri Lanka will help improve air connectivity between the two countries. In addition to that there is potential to invest in hotels. Interest was expressed by Indian CEOs to invest in mid-segment of hotels in Sri Lanka as opposed to luxury hotels. It was pointed out that further streamlining of investment procedures will help attract more investments. For example a suggestion was made to establish a land bank identifying land available for hotel construction in tourism zones. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Given that an additional 35,000 hotel rooms are expected to be constructed in Sri Lanka in the next few years, there will be high demand for manpower in the tourism sector. This provides an opportunity for India to invest in hotels in Sri Lanka. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Given the rapidly growing demand for electricity in India, there is potential for Sri Lanka to export power to India during the off peak hours and vice versa and for Indians to invest in power generation in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has a potential in excess of 40,000 MW of wind energy. To encourage investments in to wind power generation, it was pointed out that the wind resources availability in Sri Lanka should be identified and land earmarked for wind power projects. It would also make sense to expedite the implementation of undersea transmission linkages so that surplus power can be exported to India and this will help in bridging the trade deficit between the two countries. The necessity to have a policy and regulatory framework that enables big power projects to be done by private sector was also highlighted. Further it was stated that Sri Lankans can invest in power generation in India and 100 percent foreign equity participation is allowed. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sri Lanka currently faces shortage of skills in a number of sectors. Therefore it was agreed that internationally recognised Indian education institutes should be encouraged to set up branches in Sri Lanka. To encourage investments into the higher education sector in Sri Lanka, it is important to fast track setting up the right regulatory framework to facilitate such investments. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Further it was agreed that Colombo Port is crucial for India for its transshipment. Indian CEOs stated that the regulatory framework in Sri Lanka is more efficient than in India and the bureaucracy is more manageable compared to India. Therefore India should maximise benefits from the geographical locational advantage of Sri Lanka to access the rest of the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The CEOs of both the countries emphasized the importance of having a flexible visa regime between the two countries. It was specially pointed out that Sri Lanka should facilitate multiple entry visa for businesses from India without hassle and from Indian side the minimum salary requirement of India of US$ 25,000 needs to be relaxed for Sri Lanka. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Commerce Ministers of both countries and the Senior Minister of Monetary Cooperation of Sri Lanka graced the occasion and agreed to support the initiatives that will be taken by the CEOs. The two Governments have already decided to establish a Joint Task Force to come up with a road map to further enhance economic cooperation between the two countries. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div></div>

India Sri Lanka CEO’s Forum Identifies Potential Areas for Strengthening Bilateral Ties

NEW DELHI (PIB) --- The Sri Lanka- India CEO’s Forum organised by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) and Federation of Indian Chambers o...

Indian Commerce Minister Meets President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Colombo

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</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center; unicode-bidi: embed;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sick Sri Lankan Textiles units to be Revived<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center; unicode-bidi: embed;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There will be more Clarity on IKEA in Guidelines<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center; unicode-bidi: embed;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Three More NMIZs to be Announced in August<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center; unicode-bidi: embed;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFjI4WhUWooptG9qJyv-1jWbZv8Vjz20zAKlRPlDDXDGJCr4Bp6XutIEzgPXakuu6a4GvPDNv1CHZ4cX1FWRMonvxYef1JoyEdVzm-pSuJAJbc2dbyhKF0vRkMdTUuI1i7YQ0x9dIOqs/s1600/l2012080441614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFjI4WhUWooptG9qJyv-1jWbZv8Vjz20zAKlRPlDDXDGJCr4Bp6XutIEzgPXakuu6a4GvPDNv1CHZ4cX1FWRMonvxYef1JoyEdVzm-pSuJAJbc2dbyhKF0vRkMdTUuI1i7YQ0x9dIOqs/s400/l2012080441614.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Union Minister for Commerce & Industry and Textiles, <o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Anand Sharma with the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, during his visit, <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">in Colombo on August 04, 2012. Photo © PIB</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center; unicode-bidi: embed;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></i></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center; unicode-bidi: embed;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></i></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">NEW DELHI (PIB) ---The Union Minister of Commerce, Industry and Textiles, Anand Sharma met the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa who invited him and a group of Indian CEOs for lunch in Colombo today. Both leaders discussed the bilateral issues and the Indian Minister briefed the President about the progress made during the key events during his visit. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Earlier during an interaction with the mediapersons Sharma said that India and Sri Lanka will cooperate for modernization and revival of closed mills in Sri Lanka and Indian textile players will establish some manufacturing units also. “Cooperation in Textiles sector is important from the perspective of both the countries as it is a major component of our economic partnership. A delegation of leading textiles industrialists will visit Sri Lanka in the first half of September” Said Sharma. India is committed to give a big boost to Sri Lanka exports as they will have the preferential access given the principle of asymmetry that has been offered without any expectation of reciprocity. ‘It will be special and differential treatment that will be given. This is happening elsewhere also. This is how global production lines are created, said the Minister. He also announced the Indian side of the composition of the Joint Task force. Apart from the official representative there will be representation from Automobile Component Manufacturing Association (ACMA), EEPC, Pharmaxil, CII and Texprocil will be the part of the Joint Task Force. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Referring to his meeting with the Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka Prof G L Peiris, Sharma said that both the side had substantive discussion on a range of issue including rehabilitation and resettlement of those who were displaced during the conflict over the year in Sri Lanka.  Sharma said that Indian government will continue to support for building the infrastructure that is desired as a part of the process. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Replying to a query on the status of IKEA application the Minister said that there will be clarity in the guidelines and DIPP is working on the guidelines.  Sharma also said “We have to remember that policy evolution is a continuous process. The policy has just been put in place and now we are learning about it. For example, the SME, once an Indian SME, are engaged with them, the definition of SME may require a change because if you are an SME, and if you have global majors taking from you… So when you are selling this kind of material to them, to a global major irrespective of xyz, then, you may not remain SME as in the present definition…. The concerned departments will discuss it. What I am saying you cannot punish a SME for performing well. This is the issue that is being discussed.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Sharma announced that by the end of August, Three more national manufacturing and investment zones will be notified taking the total number of NMIZs, to 15.  Sharma said that Andhra Pradesh may have one NMIZ and possibly two NMIZs will be in the state of Karnataka. ‘After this, we will focus on the establishment of these zones’ said Sharma. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On a question regarding amendment in the SEZ act and reported differences with the Finance Minister, Commerce secretary, S.R. Rao said ‘As a matter of fact, there has been closure on several or most of these issues. I should say that there is cent percent meeting of mind and very soon we are going to be cabinet to seek approval’. </span></div></div>

Indian Commerce Minister Meets President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Colombo

Sick Sri Lankan Textiles units to be Revived There will be more Clarity on IKEA in Guidelines Three More NMIZs to be Announced in August ...

India to Assist Sri Lanka in Setting up Manufacturing Zone

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8EUCa4xpm6G7Tvw9geErUAMIAKgZE2zLS0yn9YISC0t8XRdJOr3utSZwo8ryEkH68iwsMhtptsg5KlSco2PmMmhnXr4Lrfgj4rqg8Jqb9ytgYwmwgOlM8Ou-RUva-tqGTAF5AeIGXSVY/s1600/l2012080341596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8EUCa4xpm6G7Tvw9geErUAMIAKgZE2zLS0yn9YISC0t8XRdJOr3utSZwo8ryEkH68iwsMhtptsg5KlSco2PmMmhnXr4Lrfgj4rqg8Jqb9ytgYwmwgOlM8Ou-RUva-tqGTAF5AeIGXSVY/s400/l2012080341596.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Union Minister for Commerce & Industry and Textiles, <o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Anand Sharma with the Minister of Economic Development of <o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Sri Lanka, Basil Rajapaksa, at the inauguration of <o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“The India Show-Land of Limitless Opportunities”, <o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">in Colombo on August 03, 2012. Photo © PIB<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">COLOMBO (NNN-PTI) -- India on Friday said it will provide assistance to Sri Lanka for setting up a manufacturing zone for producing engineering and auto component goods to help the neighbouring country improve exports. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"We have agreed to have investment-link manufacturing and exports (zone). India will assist is establishing a manufacturing and export zone in Sri Lanka for engineering and auto component", Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said while speaking at India Show being organised by CII. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The two countries, the Minister said, have also decided to set up a skill training institute at Trincomalee. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The manufacturing hub, Sharma hoped, would help Sri Lanka in exporting value added products to various countries including India. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"We are not seeking reciprocity. We will ensure that whatever Sri Lanka exports to India, comes without any difficulty," he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Both the sides have also agreed to set up a Joint Task Force to increase economic operation. The task force would submit its report in three months. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"We have also agreed that India and Sri Lanka will work together in establishing a pharmaceutical manufacturing hub in Sri Lanka and that is part of the mandate of the joint task force," Sharma said, adding a delegation of pharma industry will be visiting Sri Lanka in the next one month. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Minister also underlined the need for increasing bilateral investments between the two countries. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"Indian companies are willing to invest here. You have port facilities...," he said adding Indian companies have proposed to invest about $ 5 billion. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Indian government will make available Line of Credit and other facilities to promote trade, he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sharma said although the bilateral trade has touched $ 5 billion, "it is well below potential." <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The two countries "should look at doubling this number by 2015 taking it to $ 10 billion," he added. -- NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

India to Assist Sri Lanka in Setting up Manufacturing Zone

The Union Minister for Commerce & Industry and Textiles, Anand Sharma with the Minister of Economic Development of Sri Lanka, Basil ...

India to Build 43,000 Houses for Sri Lanka's War Displaced

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">  <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (NNN-Xinhua) -- India is to build 43,000 houses for Sri Lanka's war displaced communities in the north and east of the country, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said on Saturday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Contracts to build the houses have been awarded to the respective agencies and the project will be implemented immediately.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The Indian High Commission said that the construction of 43,000 houses for resettlement and rehabilitation of war displaced in the north and east is part of the overall commitment by India to build 50,000 houses in Sri Lanka for the war affected communities.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The beneficiaries of the 43,000 houses will be selected through a transparent and norm-based process on the basis of clearly defined and objective criteria.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">In order to ensure early operationalisation of this commitment, a pilot phase for the construction of 1,000 houses in the five districts of Northern Province was launched in November 2010 of which 950 houses have already been completed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">In the last phase of the project, which is also expected to commence soon, about 6,000 houses will be directly built by construction agencies for people from most vulnerable sections of the war displaced in the northern and eastern provinces and for the estate sector in the Central and Uva Provinces, the High Commission said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The entire Project is under full grant assistance of the government of India with a total outlay of approximately 270 million U.S. dollars.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Thousands of Tamils were displaced during the last stages of the war in Sri Lanka which ended with the defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels after 30 years of fighting.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Strong sentiments expressed in India, particularly in the southern Tamil Nadu area, towards the Tamils in Sri Lanka saw the Indian government coming forward to help the war displaced. -- NNN-XINHUA<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

India to Build 43,000 Houses for Sri Lanka's War Displaced

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (NNN-Xinhua) -- India is to build 43,000 houses for Sri Lanka's war displaced communities in the north and east o...

India to Discuss With Sri Lanka Steps for Tamils' Rehab

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">CHENNAI  (PTI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has told his government's key partner DMK that he had taken up with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse the steps required for rehabilitation of Sri Lankan Tamils in that country. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In his letter dated June 25 to DMK chief M Karunanidhi in response to the latter's objections to the reported controversial remarks of a Sri Lankan Minister relating to Tamils, Singh said he had discussed this matter also with Rajapakse. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sri Lankan President Mahindra Rajapaksa on Friday discussed the issue of rehabilitation of Tamils in Sri Lanka and other bilateral issues. Official sources said that while Mr. Rajapaksa detailed the steps being taken for rehabilitation, India wanted Sri Lanka to act “decisively” on arriving at a political settlement to connect the ethnic divide. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“It was a very cordial meeting. No issue was discussed at length, but India wanted to know our plans. We indicated that we want to talk to a broader spectrum of stakeholders. That is the only way to do this, to get their ideas and to build a consensus”, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris told journalists here. Rajapaksa had met the Tamil National Alliance twice and planned to meet its leader R. Sampanthan, he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Earlier, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna told presspersons that India felt it was “time to act decisively to win over Tamil-speaking Sri Lankans so that their concerns were taken care of adequately”. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">India had completed a survey of the Kankesanthurai port and was preparing a report for its modernisation. The paperwork for modernising the Palaly airport was over and the project to build 50,000 houses in the wartorn areas had taken off. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sri Lanka appreciated the help extended by Indian civil society organisations in rehabilitating the war widows and providing assistance to farmers in the northern and eastern areas in sowing the fields after the end of the war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">During the interaction on Friday and the one held a day earlier between Krishna and Peiris, New Delhi stressed that Colombo start comprehensive opening to ensure that the minorities did not feel unloved. The meeting between Dr. Singh and Rajapaksa also touched the issue of “genuine devolution”.  -NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

India to Discuss With Sri Lanka Steps for Tamils' Rehab

CHENNAI (PTI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has told his government's key partner DMK that he had taken up with Sri Lankan President...

SRI LANKA: "Lot of Talking And Not Much Improvement" in The North

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW550NbFwlx2uXs1AcpTKpt6yPBT6edzbzpJ3TP_nkxsJhJRNYx60qDQgK_GuqasyCiVyMGS8DBTZ7kxz7yaINfk3XfIN9m2rVt7J3-Mtz6BRya8alMXPu1lJ7jyBzVsM5O5XbqjaTQcM/s1600/2007041732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW550NbFwlx2uXs1AcpTKpt6yPBT6edzbzpJ3TP_nkxsJhJRNYx60qDQgK_GuqasyCiVyMGS8DBTZ7kxz7yaINfk3XfIN9m2rVt7J3-Mtz6BRya8alMXPu1lJ7jyBzVsM5O5XbqjaTQcM/s1600/2007041732.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Photo: <a href="http://www.irinnews.org/photo"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">Amantha Perera/IRIN</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">A Missing Husband Portrait Shown in a<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">2007 Civil Monitoring Committee</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">COLOMBO (IRIN) - Sri Lankan parliamentarians in favour of acting on the recommendations in a report into the final stages of the country’s civil war by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) are slowly gaining ground over those who are not, says a presidential peace process adviser. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The government’s initial reaction to the LLRC recommendations was positive, presidential adviser and parliamentarian Rajiva Wijesinha told IRIN, but others saw the report, released just over six months ago, as a call for regime change and were “highly critical”. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“However I now think we have equilibrium again, and the more positive forces in government seem likely to go ahead [with implementing the recommendations],” Wijesinha said, noting that many of the LLRC recommendations fell within the existing framework of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“We have wasted far too much time in defending ourselves against gratuitous attacks, when a simple general appreciation of the LLRC would have taken us forward more quickly. But we have to realize that other countries play games in terms of their own interests, and we have to be sensible enough to ignore these and move forward in the interests of pluralism and peace,” he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sri Lanka’s president Mahinda Rajapaksa formed the commission in May 2010 to investigate the final period of a decades-long civil war between the government and separatist rebels from the Tamil ethnic group. After an 18-month inquiry, the commission submitted its findings to parliament on 16 December 2011. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Human rights groups questioned the group’s impartiality and along with the UN Secretary-General's Panel of Experts on Accountability called for an independent inquiry, which the government rejected. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Among dozens of recommendations, the LLRC called for a special commissioner to investigate alleged disappearances and criminal proceedings; an amendment to the Registration of Deaths Act, which allows a next of kin to apply for a death certificate if a person is missing due to “subversive” activity; an independent advisory committee to examine the detention and arrest of persons in custody to address concerns about indefinite detention without due process under an anti-terrorist law; and addressing grievances from minority communities, including Muslims in the north and Tamils. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tasks <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Since then there has been some progress in economic development and resettlement in the northern conflict zone, but many problems still exist, said Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, executive director of the Centre for Policy Alternatives, a Sri Lankan think-tank. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Progress also made with the rehabilitation of LTTE [Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the separatist movement] cadres, although there are reports that even after being released they are being questioned and face issues with regard to re-integration in the community,” said Saravanamuttu. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Not enough has been done to reach a political settlement between the sometimes antagonistic ethnic groups of Tamils and Sinhalese, demilitarizing the north, punishing impunity, and improving governance - such as putting in place legislation that ensures the right to information - and establishing independent commissions to investigate the conflict, Saravanamuttu noted. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The LLRC called for independent investigations into the UK’s Channel 4 television broadcasts in 2011 and 2012, which examined alleged war crimes, and also into civilian massacres spanning a decade in the north’s Trincomalee District, including the 2006 murder of 17 workers of the French NGO, Action Against Hunger. Saravanamuttu said these investigations should start immediately. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thavarajah Rasiah, 63, in Jaffna District in the northern Sri Lanka, told IRIN that residents in the former war zone have been promised much, but seen little. “Lot of talking and not much improvements”. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdmZ1J_0NpCq9WrC9Ux1DvCjEivBIrorl2miLpgl_kRFFwY6rNEEilMkt2IcUh9uNROGe8BsY8W7rNvy0KSTsUoluxMlIBd94r-dpoVAK48pQCb_aqkguj2CyA-xLY_0zDIlBqwpdzeM/s1600/20070819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdmZ1J_0NpCq9WrC9Ux1DvCjEivBIrorl2miLpgl_kRFFwY6rNEEilMkt2IcUh9uNROGe8BsY8W7rNvy0KSTsUoluxMlIBd94r-dpoVAK48pQCb_aqkguj2CyA-xLY_0zDIlBqwpdzeM/s1600/20070819.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Photo: UN OCHA<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">What happened there?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Selva Sivaguru, 43, in neighbouring Mannar District, said Tamil people were exhausted by conflict and would like to find normalcy rather than more politics. “These political games have pushed the country through 30 years of conflict. I hope this will not be repeated.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The executive director of the National Peace Council, Jehan Perera, told IRIN, “While the government asserts that it is implementing the recommendations, it has not been specific as to what it is implementing,” and progress has been very limited so far. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The government does not seem keen on implementing governance recommendations that would interfere with the highly “personalized” powers of current leaders, he added. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Resistance” <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“The government is also inclined to justify its resistance to implementing the LLRC recommendations on the grounds that the international community is interfering in Sri Lanka's internal affairs,” Perera said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The ruling government has largely discredited reports of human rights abuses from international NGOs. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The LLRC recommendations included a mourning period prior to the country’s independence day celebrations on 4 February to express solidarity and sympathy with conflict victims, but nothing took place, said Ruki Fernando of the Christian Alliance for Social Action, a local NGO. Rather, pro-Sinhalese victory parades rolled out. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Fernando said there were a number of critical issues needing urgent attention, including the continued existence of a large number of “high security zones” still controlled by Sri Lankan military forces in the north, which prevent large numbers of people returning to their places of origin. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Other matters needing urgent attention were alleged attacks on the media, reports of religious harassment, issues of language discrimination, and cases of abuse of personal freedoms, including the abuse of civil liberties and human rights<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

SRI LANKA: "Lot of Talking And Not Much Improvement" in The North

Photo: Amantha Perera/IRIN A Missing Husband Portrait Shown in a 2007 Civil Monitoring Committee COLOMBO (IRIN) - Sri Lankan parliam...

Sri Lanka Concerned Over Radiation From India's Nuclear Plants: Minister

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<div class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">COLOMBO <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(NNN-PTI) -- Sri Lanka Monday expressed concern over possible impact of radiation from India's nuclear power plants located in the southern region, as it prepares to raise the issue with global atomic watchdog IAEA.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The official raising of concern with the International Atomic Energy is to be made in September, the power and energy minister Champika Ranawaka said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"We respect the right of India to have nuclear power stations. But our concerns are on the possible radiation affects they could have on Sri Lanka. We have already written a letter", Ranawaka said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ranawaka said Sri Lanka's concerns stem from disasters such as Chernobyl and Fukushima. Sri Lanka would work towards achieving guarantees of safety.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sri Lankan energy officials say at least three nuclear plants are located on the southern coast of Tamil Nadu which is separated from the island by a narrow strip of sea.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Minister said the IAEA had proposed that a mutual agreement on the matter should be reached between the two countries. "We have sent a proposal to India through the<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">External Affairs Ministry and the Indians have sent back a note on the matter," he was quoted as saying by Colombo Page.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">According to Ranawaka, the Indian government has sent a proposal to commence a broad based discussion while Sri Lanka wants only to discuss and reach an agreement on a disaster mitigating programme in the event of a nuclear disaster in the South Indian plants, the paper said. Sri Lanka has no nuclear power plants but is just 20 kilometres away from Indian main land at the closest point.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Koodankulam nuclear plant in India's Southern coast is just 250 km from Sri Lanka's northwest coastal town of Mannar.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Authority does not possess adequate facilities to face a threat of nuclear accident. -- NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Sri Lanka Concerned Over Radiation From India's Nuclear Plants: Minister

COLOMBO (NNN-PTI) -- Sri Lanka Monday expressed concern over possible impact of radiation from India's nuclear power plants located i...

Sri Lanka Orders Probe on Attack on Indian Statue

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">COLOMBO (NNN-Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government has ordered an investigation into an incident in eastern Sri Lanka where several statues including that of Indian independence icon Mahatma Gandhi had been vandalized, a statement by the Sri Lankan External Affairs Ministry said Saturday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"It has been brought to the notice of the Ministry of External Affairs that several important statues in the Batticaloa town had been vandalized. The Inspector General of Police has been instructed to carry out an immediate and thorough investigation into these incidents to identify motives and culprits behind these acts of vandalism," the External Affairs Ministry said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Sri Lankan police said that the attackers had beheaded the statues of Gandhi and Britain's Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scout movement.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">According to the police, two other statues of local figures had also been attacked on Thursday, which appeared to have been a coordinated crime. --NNN-XINHUA</span></div>

Sri Lanka Orders Probe on Attack on Indian Statue

COLOMBO (NNN-Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government has ordered an investigation into an incident in eastern Sri Lanka where several statues ...

UNHRC Resolution Will Not Affect India's Ties with Sri Lanka

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;">       </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">   </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">KOLKATA, India (NNN-Bernama) -- Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi on Sunday said that India supported the UNHRC resolution against Sri Lanka keeping in mind Tamil sentiments but assured that it would not affect relations with Colombo. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"Issues of human rights violation were moved by certain western countries before the UNHRC. Due to the Tamil issue, the Government of India could not ignore the resolution and voted for it," Ravi told reporters on the sidelines of the diamond jubilee celebrations of Kolkata Malayalee Samajam. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"We have taken the sentiments and compulsions of the Tamil population in mind. We cannot ignore the sentiments of our citizens and as such we had to take this decision (to vote for the resolution)," Press Trust of India (PTI) quoted him as saying. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Describing Sri Lanka as a neighbouring and friendly country, he said India's support to the UNHRC resolution would not affect relation with that country. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">In a major embarrassment to Sri Lanka, the UNHRC adopted a resolution on Tuesday censuring it for alleged war crimes in the conflict with LTTE, with India joining the West in backing the US-sponsored move. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Of the 47 UN Human Rights Council member-countries, 24, including India, voted for the resolution and 15 against it, while eight nations abstained. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">India, which normally does not vote on nation-specific resolutions, made a last-minute departure after overwhelming pressure from parties in Tamil Nadu state, especially the DMK which had even considered pulling out its ministers from the government at the Centre, to vote against Sri Lanka.--NNN-BERNAMA <o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

UNHRC Resolution Will Not Affect India's Ties with Sri Lanka

KOLKATA, India (NNN-Bernama) -- Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi on Sunday said that India supported the UNHRC res...

India Inclined to Support UN Resolution to Probe Lanka Civil Rights Atrocities: PM

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">NEW DELHI (NNN-ANI) -- Prime Minister, Dr.Manmohan Singh, on Monday said India is inclined to support a United Nations resolution backed by the U.S. that calls on the Sri Lankan government to investigate atrocities against the Tamil minority during the country's civil war that ended in 2009.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Replying to President Pratibha Devi Singh Patil's address to a joint session of parliament last week, Dr. Singh said:"We are inclined to vote in favor of the resolution."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dr. Singh further said that India has only seen a draft and not the final text of the U.N.resolution.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Encouraging the Sri Lankan Government to "deal with the wounds of the conflict" would be one New Delhi's "highest and most immediate priorities," he added.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dr. Singh's statement was greeted with a thumping of desks, including by members of key ally-the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) -- which has said it would discuss the issue, including the option of withdrawing from the UPA II regime at its internal meeting on Tuesday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dr. Singh said his government has emphasised that there should be a "genuine process" of reconciliation to address the grievances of the ethnic Tamils and implement the recommendations of a report of a high-level committee placed before Parliament.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">India has asked Sri Lanka to stand by its commitment to broaden the dialogue with political parties, including with the Tamil National Alliance to achieve forward looking and meaningful devolution of power.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dr. Singh's statement on the Sri Lanka issue came as reports filtered in of several protests being carried out in Sri Lanka over the U.S.-sponsored UN Human Rights Council resolution on Sri Lanka.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The BBC reported that Council for National Unity activists marched to the Indian High Commission, the U.S. Embassy and the British High Commission calling for the resolution to be scrapped.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Colombo has described the U.N. resolution as an interference in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Protesters are scheduled to participate in a mass Adhistana Pooja", or "Prayer of Determination" at the Town Hall in Colombo.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Some 4,000 Buddhist monks, Hindu, Catholic and Islamic religious leaders are expected to take part.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sri Lanka stays bitterly opposed to the US resolution which aims to bind the government to the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). The commission was appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa as Colombo's answer to allegations of human rights abuses during the last phase of the military conflict with the LTTE. -- NNN-ANI<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

India Inclined to Support UN Resolution to Probe Lanka Civil Rights Atrocities: PM

NEW DELHI (NNN-ANI) -- Prime Minister, Dr.Manmohan Singh, on Monday said India is inclined to support a United Nations resolution backed b...