Some time back TamilNet made much of a pernickety lawyer called Bruce Fein who had prepared genocide indictments against various Sri Lankans. Unfortunately he lost some of his sheen when, having challenged me to a debate, he backed off when I accepted with alacrity. Though he has popped up again once or twice, he has now been replaced by another lawyer, who works at the Illinois College of Law.

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Tamil Tiger separatists counterattacked with a failed suicide bombing in heavy clashes that killed at least 14 rebels, as hundreds more refugees fled Sri Lanka's war zone, the military said on Tuesday.

Rackets aiming at the Sri Lankan Diaspora brought to light relate to the route of the guerrilla  

Investigation  

The French Justice will be the first in Europe to look into the financing networks of the Tamil rebellion in Sri Lanka. Paris anti-terrorism Judge in charge of the case Philippe Coirre ended his investigations and should hand over the file to the Public Prosecutor at the end of March for summing-up.

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Consul General for Sri Lanka in Toronto, Bandula Jayasekara led a delegation to meet Hon Peter Kent, Canada’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs to brief him on the current situation in Sri Lanka and the atrocities committed by the LTTE in Sri Lanka and the harassment to democratic Tamils and other Sri Lankans in Toronto. The group met with Minister Kent at the Wellington Building of the Canadian parliament in Ottawa

By Ravi Ladduwahetty- Sri Lanka Editor- Asian Tribune 

* Prabhakaran should be hiding in limited area if he is still alive  

* Troops only few kilometers away from beach and 400 meters away from safe zone  

* Over 1900 civilians cross the borders to liberated areas yesterday and today  

Colombo (Asiantribune.com): Top military officials in the battlefront are now firmly convinced that the war against the now- battered- and-bruised LTTE will be over within the next two or three weeks.

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapksa along with a team of senior defence officials yesterday (Mar 16) met with the families of war heroes who had made their ultimate sacrifices for the motherland. The meeting took place at the Sri Lanka Army Gajaba Regiment Camp, Saliyapura, in Anduradhapura last morning.

The World Bank (WB) approved a US$160 million package of assistance to Sri Lanka to develop the country's national road network and to support the education system yesterday. 

According to a press release issued by the World Bank, the assistance package from the International Development Association (IDA), the lending arm of the WB, will provide a US$100 million credit to finance development of the national road network, and a US$60 million grant to support the education system.

Kulasekara climbs to No. 1 in ODI bowler rankings 

Cricinfo staff

Nuwan Kulasekara, the Sri Lanka medium-pacer, has moved to the top of the ICC ODI bowler rankings, ahead of Australia's Nathan Bracken and New Zealand's Kyle Mills.

B. Muralidhar Reddy  

COLOMBO: The United Nations on Monday said it holds grave fears for the safety of a U.N. national staff member and three dependent family members who were forcibly recruited over the weekend by the LTTE, inside the government-declared No-Fire Zone.

by Shamindra Ferdinando 

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday said that the army was engaged in close quarter combat with the LTTE on the eastern flank. "We are making significant progress although the civilian presence will cause delays," he told The Island yesterday.

Ranil Wijayapala  

* LTTE’s last operational centre  

* LTTE Court complex captured  

The Security Forces who are now on the final leg of their battle against the LTTE has entered the outskirts of Iranapalai, the last operational centre of the top rung Tiger leaders including Intelligence Wing leader Pottu Amman with the troops clearing the last section of the built-up area in Puthkuduyiruppu East by yesterday evening.

In a leading article, Chennai's 'The Hindu' said, the world, while expressing its concern for Tamil civilians trapped in a war, should never equate the Polpotist outfit called the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) with the legitimate elected government of Sri Lanka.

The Associated Press 

Colombo, Sri Lanka: The United Nations on Monday accused the Tamil Tigers of seizing one of its staff members and pressing him into service, as the rebels struggle to avoid a defeat in a shrinking war zone in northern Sri Lanka.

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary General of the Peace Secretariat and Secretary to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights, spoke in the debate on the report of the Special Representative on the Rights of Displaced Persons in Geneva today. His comments in response to interventions by states and non-governmental organisations are carried below. 

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The US Secretary of State Mrs. Hillary Clinton acknowledged that Sri Lanka is now on the verge of defeating terrorism, and that this presented a great opportunity to restore peace, leading to reconstruction and rehabilitation in the country.

3 civilians were reported killed, including a 9 year old, who were among 66 people who sought protection with troops fleeing from LTTE hostage at Pudumathalan on Sunday (March 15).

UN worker, Sutharshani Tharmila and 13 others were injured when the LTTE shot at them when they arrived in the cleared areas of Puthukudiyirippu on Saturday evening.

 In PDF

Addressing local and foreign media at a briefing on Saturday (14), Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights, Mahinda Samarasinghe stated that the consolidated position of the Government of Sri Lanka in respect of the press release from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, was that the statement dated 13 March was unacceptable due to the manner that it was formulated and disseminated and also with regard to the contents as they pertain to the conduct of the Government. He expressed his disappointment and dismay at the statement and said that one of the main issues of contention was the use of unsubstantiated casualty figures cited by the High Commissioners’ Office. He noted that these figures bore a similarity to those carried by websites such as Tamilnet and the figures quoted by LTTE front organizations and their representatives. He stated that the representatives of these front organizations were very active on the sidelines of the 10 Sessions of the UN Human Rights Council currently being held in Geneva.

A total of 1011 civilians including 458 children have fled from LTTE hostage and sought protection with the 58 Division troops operating in general area Ampalavanpokkanai South on March 15.

March 14th 2009 

Hilton Hotel, Colombo  

It is a pleasure to be back once again in Sri Lanka and I am grateful to the government for the invitation to visit the country for which I have such great affection.   

Sri Lanka lives in momentous times. The next few months are probably the most important since independence and will shape this country for the next generation and beyond.  The decisions which are taken by politicians now will not only influence the internal development of Sri Lanka but how it is perceived in the world outside.  It is a time for statesmanship not partisan politics and one where leaders must want to be judged by history rather than the contemporary electorate.