British MPs have shown an awful lot of interest in Sri Lanka recently.  Written questions have been flowing in to the responsible minister quicker than he can answer them, and requests for parliamentary debates have been almost as frequent. 

Sri Lankan expatriates living in Britain have plenty of reasons to follow what is happening back at home, but few of those who take the initiative to approach their elected representatives seem to have any understanding of the situation. Deliberate attempts to mislead cannot be ruled out either.

This was made abundantly clear by the numerous errors and several quite apparent fabrications that came up at a session held in Westminster Hall on October 14th. British MPs met to discuss their concern at the intensification of the conflict here in the last few months.

by: Christine Hettiarachchi

(Colombo, Lankapuvath) – Sri Lanka Tourism has appointed the destination representation/public relations companies in key markets including UK, Middle East, Germany, France and India as part of its efforts to boost the image of Sri Lanka and generate more tourists to the country.

In the backdrop of negative publicity in international publications, giving Sri Lanka positive publicity is of paramount importance, especially when there are many positive stories.

By Quintus Perera - Asian Tribune

Colombo (Asiantribune.com):

The organizing of the International Fisheries Expo Sri Lanka 2008 (IFESL-2008) International Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Exhibition – is another first of its kind by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) in partnership with the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

This fisheries exhibition will be held at the Sri Lanka Exhibition and Conventional Centre from 7th to 9th November.The IFESL -2008 is a unique initiative by the Fisheries Ministry which has linked together with the Small and Medium Enterprises Developers of FCCISL in organizing this first ever international fisheries exhibition which would bring together the widest cross section of stakeholders in the fisheries industry.

New Delhi (PTI): Welcoming MDMK chief Vaiko's arrest for his pro-LTTE remarks, the Tamil Nadu Congress on Thursday said all those who support the banned militant outfit should be put behind bars.

"Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi ordered the arrest of Vaiko and his deputy Kanappan. Congress party demands appropriate action against all those who speak in favour of the LTTE.

"We want all such supporters of the banned guerrilla organisation to be dealt with similarly," TNCC president K V Thangkabalu told reporters here. Tamil Nadu police on Thursday arrested Vaiko, a vocal supporter of LTTE, on the charge of publicly supporting the banned militant outfit.

(LBO) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC) have launched a trade finance scheme for developing countries the initial phase of which will be in Sri Lanka and Pakistan. An ADB statement said the bank and SMBC have entered a risk-sharing agreement that will enhance support for international trade in developing countries in Asia. The Risk Participation Agreement initiative, which falls under the umbrella of ADB’s Trade Finance Facilitation Program (TFFP), will expand trade finance facilities to selected financial institutions on a risk-sharing basis. The transactions covered in the scheme range from short-term letters of credit to tenors that last up to two years.

“There is no genocide in Sri Lanka”

Leader of the Eelam People’s Democratic Party and Minister of Social Services, Douglas Devananda tells Hard Talk that there is no basis for the hornet’s nest raised in India calling for an intervention to the military exercises in Sri Lanka, maintaining that it was only an indication that the LTTE was losing the war.

He maintains that there is no justification for the Tamil Nadu government’s claims of genocide against the Tamil people in the Wanni under the security forces.

• India will support a proposal brought forward by the Rajapaksa government.
• The New Delhi government will look into it in a fair manner.
• We can add whatever possible powers to the provinces and retain the rest with the Centre.
• The more the people suffer, the closer the LTTE is to their goal.
• The 13th Amendment failed last time only because the leaders were misled.

G. Anand  

Wanted LTTE men may come to India in fishing boats

The Second Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body on a Protocol on Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products concluded in Geneva on 25 October 2008. The Conference was attended by delegates from over 150 countries, observers, organizations and NGOs. 

Sri Lanka, together with other members of the South East Asia Region (SEAR), actively participated in the deliberations both at the Committee meetings as well as at the plenary sessions.

by IANS – 

Colombo, Oct 23 (IANS) A shutdown to protest a suicide boat-attack by Tamil Tiger rebels on two cargo vessels brought normal life to a standstill Thursday in Sri Lanka’s northern Jaffna peninsula. A Sri Lankan cargo vessel was damaged when the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealem (LTTE) Wednesday carried a pre-dawn suicide attack targeting two government merchant vessels off the Kankesanthurai harbour in the north. According to reports, schools, government offices and business establishments observed a near complete shutdown. Public transportation also came to a halt.

However, the Jaffna Teaching Hospital remained functional.  The anti-LTTE Eelam People Democratic Party (EPDP), which organised the shutdown, said the people in the Jaffna peninsula “have expressed their condemnation to the LTTE attack on ships carrying essential supplies to the north, by extending their fullest support to the hartal (shutdown)”.