WANNI: Devotion that couples with the sanctity of a sacred place, no matter whether it belongs to Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims or Christians, remains the same since civilized men never dared to cause harm to any religious object. But for Tiger terrorists on the run in WANNI, even a religious place does not make any difference.

By C. Bryson Hull

COLOMBO, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan troops assaulted the outskirts of the separatist Tamil Tigers' self-proclaimed capital on Wednesday, the military said, a day after both sides said they killed more than 100 in a series of confrontations.

TamilNet announced, just before midnight on Sunday December 14^th, that its latest angel of light, Bruce Fein, ‘Counsel for a US Tamil Group’ as he is described, had prepared a 400+ page model indictment against Sri Lankan officials for genocide against Tamils.

In the course of his interview with TamilNet Mr Fein claimed that the New York-based Genocide Prevention Project has included Sri Lanka as one of the eight "red alert" countries where genocide and other mass atrocities are underway or risk breaking out. Also, the Obama administration was handed a policy report on genocide with specific recommendations from former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. This is likely to bring Sri Lanka's genocide into U.S. focus.’

18 civilians belonging to 6 families, have fled from LTTE after been held captive for months and have sought protection with security forces at Omanthai, Monday (Dec 15) at around 3.30p.m.  

The group included 11 men, 3 women, 3 boys and a girl who were reportedly from Oddusudan, Keridamadu and Mannakandal localities in Mullattivu district. According to Army sources, the civilians have made the escape from LTTE for 6 days until they reached the Omanthai Entry/ Exit point in Vavuniya.

Forced Recruitment, Restrictions on Movement Put Lives at Risk

December 15, 2008  (New York)

Sri Lanka's separatist Tamil Tigers are subjecting ethnic Tamils in their northern stronghold, the Vanni, to forced recruitment, abusive forced labor, and restrictions on movement that place their lives at risk, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.

The 17-page report, "Trapped and Mistreated: LTTE Abuses against Civilians in the Vanni," details how the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which have been fighting for an independent Tamil state for 25 years, are brutally abusing the Tamil population in areas under their control.

The Yal Devi train service which earlier went only up to Medawachchiya will continue to Vavuniya beginning today (16), Operating Supervisor, Sri Lanka Railways, Vijaya Samarasinghe told www.news.lk

Havana, Dec 15 (Prensa Latina): Cuba and Sri Lanka inaugurated the first Session of the Intergovernmental Joint Commission for Economic and Scientific-Technique Collaboration, scheduled to session for two days to strengthen bilateral relations.

By Janaka Perera

Colombo, 15 December, (Asiantribune.com)

"BBC thinks that Sri Lanka is still a British colony."

This was Sri Lanka Broadcasting Chairman Hudson Samarasinghe's response to a complaint by BBC's South-East Asia Regional Head saying that the SLBC had violated the agreement with his organization by jamming the broadcast of LTTE 'Sun God' Prabhakaran's so-called Heroes Day speech, last month.

By C. Bryson Hull

COLOMBO, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Under unrelenting military pressure, Sri Lanka's separatist Tamil Tigers have increasingly subjugated Tamils with forced military service or labour and kept them trapped in the war zone, Human Rights Watch said on Monday.

12 December 2008

The Security Forces announced a major initiative designed to bring real and enduring peace to the country yesterday. For over two decades, fighting has severely affected the lives of the people of Jaffna. Children have suffered the most, being deprived of opportunities to develop their skills and having limited employment prospects in an economy struggling to keep afloat. Jaffna Commander of the Security Forces, Maj. Gen. G.A. Chandrasiri, declared his intention to help address some of these problems by organising an industrial and educational exhibition later this month, with the support of the Peace Secretariat.

by Shamindra Ferdinando

* Troops approach Nedunkerni-Mullaitivu road

* LTTE airstrip at Mulliyavalai threatened

* TF III takes Karuppaddamurippu on A 34 

* Kfirs, MIGs 27s and F7s in major assault

While the focus was on the bloody battles waged by 57 Division and Task Force I (TF I) to regain the Kilinochchi-Paranthan stretch of the A9, the army on the eastern flank had reached the outskirts of Mullaitivu over the weekend.

Hands over Letter from H.E. President Rajapaksa to High Commissioner for Human Rights 

The Human Rights Council Geneva held a Commemorative session on the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) today (12^th December 2008) at the Palais des Nations of the United Nations Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland.

Army Commander, Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka speaks about the current status of the humanitarian mission to rid the country of terrorism, the obstacles that had to be overcome and the challenges ahead, in a candid interview with Malinda Seneviratne.

Colombo (PTI): Sri Lanka has told an international gathering that the Mumbai attackers followed the pattern used by the LTTE of using sea routes to launch terror attacks.

Addressing the Bali Democracy Forum in Nusa Dua, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, also underscored the need for the world community to beef up maritime security, given that these attacks were committed by terrorists getting in from the Arabian Sea aboard a hijacked vessel.

10 December 2008 

There are many development projects running in the Eastern Province but none as unique as the work done by the SANASA Development Bank Ltd. (SDBL). It is a bank of cooperative microfinance. Its unique approach to development and high success rate made us investigate further into the Bank’s activities so that other organisations too could get some tips on implementing development work.

08 December 2008 At the Partner Day arranged by partners of the Facilitating Local Initiatives for Conflict Transformation (FLICT) project of German Technical Cooperation, a number of questions were put to the Secretary General of the Peace Secretariat regarding the Peace Process as well as mechanisms whereby Non-Governmental Organizations could contribute to Peace. The dialogue was connected with discussions the Peace Secretariat had had with FLICT about how it could most efficaciously fulfil its mandate.

Preeti Kannan

12 December 2008  DUBAI - Sri Lanka is witnessing an encouraging increase in tourism from the UAE and the Middle East, according to a top Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry official on Thursday.  

There is a marked difference even as the battle against the terrorist outfit the — Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) — is going through a ‘decisive stage’.

Colombo, 10 December, (Asiantribune.com): Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his message to mark the 60th anniversary of the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, reaffirmed the renewed commitment of Sri Lanka in upholding the values and goals proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which, he also said, requires the elimination of terrorism in all its forms, ranking high among the threats to all civilized society.

Message from Hon. Mahinda Samarasinghe, MP, Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights on the occasion of the commemoration of the 60^th Anniversary  of the Adoption and Proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – 10 December 2008

FIDEL’S ETHICS OF VIOLENCE, BY DAYAN JAYATILLEKA  

Rémy HERRERA 

[The following is the English translation of a review essay by Prof. Remy Herrera which has just appeared under the caption "Morale de la révolution" – "Morality of the Revolution" - in the December 2008 edition of Afrique-Asie, the reputed French magazine.]