Tamil Nadu sleeps while deadly serpants breed under the pillows

As Mahatma Gandhi had said, India and Ceylon can't afford to quarrel each other. It is more true in respect of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. My humble request to everybody on either side of the Palk Strait is to help to solve the problem by good-will and persuasion and not by confrontation. It is necessary for everyone on both sides to be cautious in all what they say and do. The good gesture of the "Q" Branch of the Tamil Nadu Police and the Indian Navy in detecting several tons of material used for the manufacture of bombs is highly appreciable and demands co-ordination between both Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu.

Sri Lankan Tamils are so unfortunate that Tamil Nadu, confused and infuriated by the false propaganda of the powerful pro-LTTE forces, shirked its responsibility of safeguarding them and had gone a long way to the point of no return. All the recent agitations and various actions taken by Tamil Nadu had only helped the LTTE, to the detriment of the Sri Lankan Tamils. The grave blunder of Tamil Nadu is, acting without sending a Fact Finding Mission to Sri Lanka during this hard period or inviting a delegation from Sri Lanka to know from them of the ground situation. If Tamil Nadu refuses to see reason and continue to be adamant in inviting trouble, nothing can be done.

Unfortunately, although there are many who want to protest, no one is prepared to come forward to prevent

A mass execution of villagers by the LTTE in late 80s

the handful of local and Sri Lankan personalities from misleading the entire Tamil Nadu exposing it to grave risk to life and property. Everybody in Tamil Nadu is unmindful of how fast this risk is spreading into the other States in India. Perhaps the bitter memories of Hon. Rajiv Gandhi's assassination is gradually fading away in their minds. Tamil Nadu cannot easily forget how his remains were recovered in pulp. So were Sri Lankan President R. Premadasa's and the Presidential candidate Hon. Gamini Disanayake's and several others with him, some of whom were ministers. In a number of clay-more mine attacks and bomb-blasts, thousands of bodies were recovered in parts, that includes those of ministers, service personnel and thousands of innocent civilians, Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims.

The Central Bank bomb blast in Colombo some years back took many lives, almost similar to the Mumbai disaster but with less deaths and more injured. A clay-more mine targeting a bus, from a remote village carrying a full load of school children, patients and officers, going for work to the town, left about 65 dead and a similar number injured. A suicide bomber took the life of two bus load of Navy personnel numbering more than hundred. The Defence Secretary, the Army Chief, some top ranking service personnel and many others had narrow escapes. I hope that no one in Tamil Nadu will ever want these incidents to take place in Tamil Nadu. These are a selected few of the very many such incidents.

LTTE terrorists blasted lorry bomb in front of the Galadari hotel killing many civilians in 1997

Not the children of LTTE Leaders, only children of poor parents, compulsorily recruited by the LTTE, had been used as suicide bombers. Even pregnant women had been used for this purpose. More than 20, 000 Tamil youths boys and girls, compulsorily recruited children of poor parents had been sacrificed at the battlefront till last year. It should be much more today. Every day the LTTE is sacrificing at the battlefront young boys and girls newly recruited and with hardly any training. Their methods of torture of civilians who defy them or object to the recruitment of their children by force or the escapees from their training camps are unheard of in any civilized society. What have Tamil Nadu done to save these innocent Tamils from the LTTE torture camps? The people of Tamil Nadu can't forget the detection of 5000 or more hand-cuffs in Coimbuttur, ready for supply to the LTTE, many years back. We Sri Lankans are grateful to the Tamil Nadu Police and the Indian Navy for the recent detection of several tons of material used for the manufacture of bombs, meant to be transported illegally to the LTTE in Vanni. I need not point out as to what type of danger Tamil Nadu will have to face, by promoting an organization like the LTTE.

A lot had been said and written by me about the atrocities of the LTTE and how the LTTE had been treating

A mass funeral following a village massacre by the LTTE in early 90s

the people in areas under their control. If the people of Tamil Nadu still believe that they are freedom fighters, only God can save Tamil Nadu. But what the people of Sri Lanka want today is liberation from those so called liberators and to save Tamil Nadu from this wretched terrorist group, to redeem whom desperate efforts are taken by some interested parties. The irony is that Tamil Nadu as a whole is prepared to trust a handful of local personalities and 22 Members of Parliament from Sri Lanka fraudulently elected with the fire power, threat and intimidation of the LTTE, only to act as their proxies and not as representatives of the Tamil people. This can be verified from the reports of the four Election Monitoring Teams, two of which are from the EU and the Commonwealth. This will prove that the TNA has no right to represent or talk on behalf of the Tamil people of Sri Lanka.

The tragedy is they do not trust me. I love not only my country and its people but also consider India as my mother country. I have very high respect for India's patriots and freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Nehruji, Indiraji and many such others. I love and respect Tamil Nadu Leaders like Rajaji, Karmaveerar Kamaraj, Periyar, Anna, M.G.R and many others. Special mention should be made of the great Martyr Rajiv Gandhi, a magnificent personality, blown to pieces by a group of ungrateful lot, the leader of which is now acclaimed by some as a great valiant Tamil, when in fact he should have been declared as the world's notorious coward for using women and other's children as his sacrificial animals.

One of the families hacked to death by brained washed LTTE terrorists in a Village massacre in Trincomalee

What is my credibility to advice Tamil Nadu? An innocent Tamil from Tamil Nadu, who had taken part in all demonstrations, human chain protests, hunger strikes, sitdown strikes, public meetings etc, on the belief that he has contributed his best for the Tamil cause, will want to ask. My short and simple answer is that I am a sincere follower of Gandhiji and one as far as possible lives up to his ideals and strictly committed to non violence. The founder leader of the TULF the late Hon. S.J.V. Chelvanayagam Q.C. was committed to non violence. But those who claimed themselves as his disciples have deserted his ideals and now defend a terrorist organization. The war clouds have now moved into Kilinochchi an Electorate I represented for several years in Parliament and a district created on my initiative. I had been fighting for the liberation of the people of Vanni for the last few years. Kilinochchi had to be liberated from the so called liberators who had deprived our people of almost all their fundamental and human rights. They had been deprived of all their democratic rights as well. Years back I informed the Secretary General of the United Nations, that the people of Kilinochchi are ready to give full co-operation to any friendly army that will liberate them without causing loss of lives and damage to property. I was the winner of the UNESCO's Madanjeet Singh award for the promotion of Tolerance and Non Violence in 2006. I hope Tamil Nadu will be satisfied with my credibility.

The atrocious activities of the LTTE are far beyond the imaginations of a Tamil living across the sea. Most of

A child shot to death by the LTTE in another village massacre

the Tamil media all over the world, for mysterious reasons, only glorified the LTTE and never pointed out their faults. It is the same in Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu is no exception. There are at least 15 letters, statements, appeals to Tamil Nadu People and Leaders released by me off and on for the benefit of the people of Tamil Nadu. Hardly one paper or any electronic media gave full publicity for them. No one realized the risk I face in this society for expressing my views frankly about the LTTE which has branded me as a traitor, a title with which the LTTE honours those who oppose them.

We Sri Lankans had been living with this agony for more than quarter of a century and live in constant fear and tension. Do the People of Tamil Nadu, living peacefully now want incidents of this nature happen in their own land? Had not the Mumbai disaster atleast, taught a lesson to Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, that terrorism is not a thing that should be retained by public demand? How many ardent supporters of the LTTE, who claim the LTTE Leader as a Valiant Tamil hero, be they Sri Lankans or Indians or any Tamil from any part of the world had sent or will be prepared to send his or her son or a daughter to Prabaharan's fold to fight the war of separation? I ask the students of Tamil Nadu, under-graduates included, who had joined the various protests recently in Tamil Nadu, whether any one of them will be prepared to join Prabaharan? I also ask the film stars producers, directors and technicians whether they will join Prabaharan or give one of their sons or daughters to join him? If they can't do it, I plead with them to reconsider their stand.

Remains of a family killed when LTTE raided a Muslim village in Ampara

We have a problem in our country no doubt, a very big problem, dragging on for nearly half a century and had cost over one hundred thousand lives and very many billions worth of property destroyed. Many of our intellectuals and top ranking Tamil Government servants, Heads of schools and many such others had been killed by the LTTE and not by any Sinhalese at any time. But in the warfront many young men and girls are killed by the army, or rather sacrificed by the LTTE in vain. We want it solved. Do anything in your power to persuade your Central Government to give pressure to the Sri Lankan Government to come out with a solution. Let the solution be acceptable to the minorities. The powers devolved on Tamil Nadu and other States in India can be a good starting point. If Tamil Nadu wants to see the Sri Lankan Tamils live in peace and harmony, this is the only option Tamil Nadu has. We Tamils are prepared to accept a solution within a United Sri Lanka. The Tamils are opposed to separation which is not acceptable to any country, India inclusive.

The charge of annihilation of Tamils by the Government is a fabrication of the LTTE endorsed by the TNA

A father carrying his son's body hacked to death by LTTE killers in a village raid at night in Madavachchiya

Parliamentarians who are trying to find an International market to sell it. Because of the LTTE's atrocities many Tamil people had fled the country. Many Tamils from their traditional places of residence had fled from their homes and are now living in peace and harmony with the Sinhalese and the Muslims. Over fifty percent of the Tamils in Sri Lanka now live with them. Not one Muslim in Tamil Nadu has any moral right to support the LTTE till all the Muslims driven out of the North with only Rs. 500 and all their properties confiscated, are resettled in their former places.

I am not a stooge of any body nor do I act as an agent of any body. I have a duty to defend the rights of the people and liberate them. There are a lot of human rights violations in the country, with the identity of the culprits not known. It is not that easy to track down the culprits because people are reluctant to come out to give evidence due to fear. Unless and until the problem is solved people will continue to live in fear and tension. There is no point in accusing one person or a specific organization because there are many involved. The greatest contribution Tamil Nadu can make is to tell the LTTE, with one voice, that they should declare their willingness to give up their demand for separation and agree to a solution that Tamil Nadu Government recommends as a reasonable one.

LTTE attacked central bank of Sri Lanka in 1996 with an explosive laden lorry. Over 100 people were killed and 1200 others suffered injuries

The war that started about 200 miles away from Pottuvil in the Eastern Province has now reached a point from where the end is only about 10 to 15 miles from Kilinochchi in the Northern Province. More than 90 % of the area under the control of the LTTE is already liberated. The people who lived under the subjugation of the LTTE for many years are now free and very happy. If Tamil Nadu has any sympathy for over three hundred thousand people trapped in the area still under the control of the LTTE, it should pressurize the LTTE to release them without using them as a human shield, for their own protection. With that the war comes to an end and lives of several thousand young boys and girls of the LTTE who are in the war front also can be saved. The LTTE can then sit and talk with the Government along with other representatives of Tamils and Muslims. There are about 20 TNA Parliamentarian now in Tamil Nadu. Let any one of them challenge any part of this statement.

V. Anandasangaree,

President - TULF.

WFP apology for BBC falsehood on Sri Lankan IDPs

World Food Program (WFP) country director for Sri Lanka , Mr. Adnan Khan today (Dec 10) apologized to the Sri Lankan government over a story filed by the BBC Sinhala service calling Sri Lanka a Somalia.

The BBC Sinhala service paddling on its not so hidden agenda, had quoted a comment made by one Mr. John Cambell, a WFP representative in non-liberated areas that "conditions for displaced people there are as basic as in Somalia".

Mr. Khan meeting with Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa today at the Defence Ministry treated with disdain this diabolical lie disseminated by the BBC Sinhala Service and said he would launch a special inquiry to the matter. Also, he said the WFP would issue an official statement clarifying the facts in the near future.

Meanwhile, the BBC with its known complicity with the Goebbelsian propaganda of the LTTE terrorists, or the "Tamil Tiger rebels " has further distorted facts by coloring the story with a brief introduction to Somalia.

"Somalia has been without an effective central government since President Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991. Years of fighting in the African nation between rival warlords and an inability to deal with famine and disease have led to the deaths of up to one million people", says the BBC story.

The defence.lk calls this an abominable attempt by the BBC Sinhala service to mislead its intended audience that Sri Lanka too has identical conditions.

The truth that is deliberately concealed by the BBC Sinhala service is that the sufferings of the civilians are artificially created by the LTTE terrorists to win international sympathy for their cause. In reality, these IDPs are the human shield held by the terrorists for the safety of their psychopathic chief V. Prabhakaran. The 'rebel held area" in BBC's terms is not more than a hiding place for the terrorists. All public services including health, education, transport, banks and administration are maintained by the central government. Even the terrorist chief is fed on food sent by the government. It is the medicine sent by the government that keeps his diabetes torn body alive.

While acknowledging the dictum that facts are sacred and comments is free, defence.lk believes that responsible journalism should strive to piece together a fuller picture of the issue. The BBC's story on Sri Lankan IDPs has obviously been filed with vicious intent to tarnish the good image of the country and the government, without any basis in fact.

To all discernible people who might have been influenced by this diabolical lie, defence.lk publishes the following pictures, that show civilians who had sought refuge with the security forces yesterday (Dec 9). They had escaped the LTTE run mono-ethnic hellhole in the Wanni at the risk of their lives. Do they by any means portray hapless figures of the particular country mentioned by BBC?

Finally, we request all interested in Sri Lanka to make a thorough study on the conflict as well as on the nature of the LTTE terrorists when making assumptions on our country. Assumptions made on a cursory glance, often based on one-sided stories filed by the international media would certainly make you victims of their hidden agendas.

Women soldiers attending for children's needs

FM highlights threat of terrorism to democracy at Bali Democracy Forum

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogallagama has highlighted the potent and ominous challenge that many democracies face today, emanating from the threat of terrorism. He was speaking at the inaugural session of the Bali Democracy Forum in Nusa Dua,Bali today(10 December 2008).The Bali Democracy Forum, an initiative of the Indonesian government, which brought together high level delegations from 33 countries in Asia to the Indonesian resort island of Bali for the 2 day meeting was inaugurated by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and co-chaired by the Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd .The Sultan of Brunei and the Prime Minister of Timor L'Este were also in attendance.

Minister Bogollagama spoke of Sri Lanka's deeply rooted democratic tradition, which he traced to the granting of universal adult franchise in 1931 and said that the trappings of democracy, manifested by the right of the people to go to the polls periodically and elect a government of their choice or in the many magnificent edifices housing the seat of Parliament, the Presidency or the Palaces of justice, do not qualify a country to be a true democratic state. Real democracy becomes alive in a state where the government is accountable to the people and where the rule of law is upheld by a fearless and independent judiciary.

Speaking further, the Foreign Minister drew the attention of the assembled august gathering to the similarity of the methods employed by the LTTE and the terrorists who had staged the multiple attacks on Mumbai last month and said that the fact that these attacks were committed by terrorists getting in from the Arabian Sea aboard a hijacked vessel, underscored the need for the international community to beef up maritime security. He recalled his address to the Shangri-La Forum in June 2007,where he had pointed out the Al Qaeda suicide attack on 'USS Cole' in October 2000,as a copycat of the LTTE's attack on a Sri lankan naval vessel 'Abheetha' in 1991,which had been even acknowledged by the Sea Tigers chief, Soosai.

The Minister went on to brief his audience on the high priority that the Sri Lankan Government attaches to the observance of human rights and respect for the rule of law, even as it engages in military operations to clear the last remaining pockets in the North of the LTTE terrorists, which would enable the people there ,who have had to endure two decades of despotic reign of terror by the LTTE, to once again breathe the air of freedom and enjoy the fruits of democracy, which the rest of the people in the country took for granted.

Calling for greater international co-operation to tackle terrorism, Minister Bogollagama quoted a statement of Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in this regard, where he had said," Together with international unity and resolve ,we can meet and work to bring about an international law of zero tolerance for terrorism". The Minister emphasized that terrorism spells the death knell for democracy and that terrorism anywhere is a threat to human civilization everywhere.

The Foreign Minister concluded his address by expressing the hope that the clarion call emanating from the Bali Democracy Forum would be a beacon of hope for the peoples of the Asian region, whether they belonged to long established democracies like Sri Lanka,or others which have just begun to take the first tentative steps into the unchartered brave new world of democracy.

Minister Bogollgama's speech was highly commended by Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, who co-chaired the session with the Indonesian President. He thanked the Minister for reminding the audience of the serious threat posed by terrorism to democracy and democratic institutions, as well as the need to uphold human rights, even when taking measures to combat terrorism.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Colombo

10 December 2008

Full text of the speech of Hon. Rohitha Bogollagama, MP,

Minister of Foreign Affairs

at the Bali Democracy Forum, Indonesia on 10th December 2008

I am delighted to be present here today in this beautiful island resort of Bali, at the launch of the Bali Democracy Forum, a commendable initiative of the Indonesian Government, ably supported by the Australian Government. I believe this is both timely and relevant in the world today, where democracy has become universally accepted as the most efficacious and desirable system of governance.

As Sir Winston Churchill speaking in the British Parliament in November 1947 remarked in his inimitable style, and I quote "Many forms of government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government, except all those forms of government that have been tried from time to time." Unquote.

While many States today may be democratic, the history of their political institutions reveals the fragility and vulnerability of democratic arrangements. The history of 20th century Europe alone makes clear that democracy is quite a difficult form of government to create and sustain - Fascism, Nazism and Stalinism came very close to eliminating democracy altogether. Democracy means a form of government where, in contrast to monarchies and aristocracies, the people ruled.

Electoral democracy has emerged as a universal value as the peoples of the world aspire their governments to be accountable and capable of being voted out of office. Some people may still wish for their countries to remain as monarchies for historical and cultural reasons, but even they will want the Royal families to share power with democratically elected parliaments. Recognizing these fundamental values, democracy offers a system of government rooted in the reality of the human condition as well as human aspirations.

Democracy cannot be denied to the peoples of the world on the basis that it is a Western concept. If it is a Western value, so be it. A little known fact is that in Sri Lanka, the seeds of its present day vibrant multi-party democracy were sown long before its independence from the British in 1948. Sri Lanka's deeply rooted democratic tradition can be traced to the granting of universal adult franchise in 1931, just 14 years after the people in the United States were granted this right. Thus, Sri Lanka became the first country in Asia to enjoy this right to vote without discrimination of race, gender, educational or property qualifications.

In any event, the assertion that the democratic values that we take for granted today are derived from Western culture is actually flawed. The right to vote without discrimination on the basis of race or gender is accepted by all as a universal value. But this has not always been so in liberal Western democracies even half a century ago. For example, women in America did not get the right to vote until 1920, while Swiss women were able to do so only in 1971. Sri Lanka blazed the trail in producing the world's first woman Prime Minister, with the election of Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike in 1960.

African American citizens got full voting rights only after the peaceful agitation for civil rights led by Martin Luther King in the 1960s. Today the American people can be proud to have elected their first African American President-Barack Obama. Racial equality has emerged from the struggle of the down trodden people against slavery, segregation, apartheid and discrimination, all of which had been practiced widely by Western societies not too long ago.

Just as much as the doctrine of separation of powers is steeped in antiquity, so is the rule of law deeply rooted in ancient natural law thought. The appeal to law as a check over abuse of power has been apparent since the times of the Greek civilization. Aristotle in his seminal work, "The Politics" remarked, "The rule of law is preferable to that of any individual". The Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations, whose diamond jubilee which co-incidentally falls today (10th December), declared "It is essential, if man is not compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law".

The mere trappings of democracy as manifested in the right of the people to go to the polls periodically and elect a government of their choice or in the many magnificent edifices housing the seat of Parliament, the Presidency or the Palaces of Justice, do not qualify a country to be a true democratic state. Real democracy becomes alive in a state where the government is accountable to the people and where the rule of law is upheld by an independent and fearless judiciary. To this, I would also add the existence of a free and independent media, as a watchdog of the public interest, to report and expose corruption in high places, as well as performing the useful role of providing wholesome information of educational, cultural and current interest to the general public.

It therefore goes without saying that persons holding public office in the three branches of government, whether they be from the executive, legislature or judiciary, should be men and women of the highest probity and personal integrity, and would treat their office as a public trust and not as their personal fiefdom. Such a society would be a functioning democracy; it is not an ideal or utopian goal, but one which can be practically achieved if the necessary political will and broad public support exists for the creation of such a society. Once these essential ingredients are present, it would be possible to harness the resources available to work towards the establishment of a democratic society. This would entail resources to be invested in capacity building of the three branches of the state, as well as educating the people of their rights and duties in a democratic state.

Thus, the existence of a thriving democracy would be indicated by the institutional strengths of its executive, legislature and judiciary, as well as the presence of a free and independent media. In more recent times, we have also seen the increasing influence of the civil society in fashioning policies of democratic governments.

In newly emergent democracies, there is a certain weakness that is apparent in these pillars of the state, which can be attributed to a deficiency in capacity building in these areas. Hence, it is incumbent upon long established and mature democracies to lend their support to help the new and fragile democracies to set up and develop the institutional mechanisms of a modern democratic state. In this respect, Sri Lanka can share its own rich experience gained over 75 years of uninterrupted democratic governance, with other members of the Bali Democracy Forum. We would consider such an opportunity as a means of drawing the best practices out of each other's experience and not to try to impose our values and system on another country, in an imperialistic sort of way.

As Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister, it would be frivolous for me to confine myself at this august gathering to merely an academic exposition of the virtues of democracy and its institutional strengths, which none will dispute. I am more concerned with the challenges that democracy faces in the contemporary world. Long established democracies like Sri Lanka and India are confronted by several challenges that threaten the very foundations of the democratic institutions. For developing nations, these challenges such as poverty, unemployment and social inequality are long term issues which are being addressed by the respective governments in their development agenda through the implementation of pro-poor policy initiatives. However, the most potent and ominous challenge that many of our democracies face today is that emanating from the threat of terrorism.

Terrorism is by no means a new phenomenon. It has existed in some form or other since the dawn of human civilization. But, what is new today is that terrorism in the last three decades or so has acquired an international dimension that has brought with it, novel and sophisticated concepts and methods, which makes it a highly sinister and deadly phenomenon.

The live television coverage of the dramatic scenes that unfolded in the siege of Mumbai in last month's multiple terror strikes, literally brought home quite vividly, the cold-blooded horror and the shocking reality of terrorism. The fact that the terrorists launched these attacks by commandeering a vessel in the Arabian Sea and slipping in ashore, virtually unchallenged and unnoticed, has exposed a chink in the defensive armour to prevent such incursions. It should serve as a wake-up call to the international community on the urgent need to beef up maritime security, in order to forestall such deadly attacks. Speaking in Parliament in the aftermath of these attacks, I drew the attention of the House to the similarity of the methods employed by the LTTE and the Mumbai terrorists. I said on that occasion on 27th November and I quote "The methodology and well-coordinated precision of these savage attacks are reminiscent of the terror tactics employed by the LTTE against innocent civilians and vital infrastructure in Sri Lanka. I have no doubt in my mind that terrorist groups the world over, study and mimic the modus operandi of each other to cause maximum death and destruction." Unquote

In this context, I cautioned the international community of the danger posed by the LTTE to maritime security at the 6th Shangrila-La Dialogue in Singapore in June 2007. Speaking on that occasion, I said and quote "The challenge the LTTE poses is not confined to the waters of the Indian Ocean. In this modern globalized world where the element of technological transfer amongst different terrorist groups takes place at a rapid pace, the LTTE's maritime terrorist attacks offer 'copycat models' for other terrorist groups. The LTTE also provides a convenient transport facility for other terrorist organizations. Thus, the LTTE's activities are being watched as an early example of emerging trends and patterns in maritime terrorism.

The LTTE had carried out ten suicide attacks on Sri Lanka Navy vessels with the use of explosive laden boats before the Al Qaeda, attacked 'USS Cole' in Yemen in October 2000. In fact the Al-Qaeda attack on the 'USS Cole' was a copycat of the LTTE's attack on "Abheetha", a Sri Lankan navy supplies ship on 4th May 1991. In a 19th March 2003 interview with the BBC, the Sea Tigers Chief Soosai was to state "I think in Yemen they used our strategy of targeting the hull in their suicide attack to blow up an American ship, "USS Cole"-this is exactly what we used to do." Unquote

Similarly, there is convincing evidence that democratic institutions and the rule of law are under increasing threat from the trans- national networking between terrorist groups and criminal syndicates engaging in illicit arms and narcotics trafficking, money laundering, piracy and human smuggling. It was former French President, Jacques Chirac who said that and I quote "Terrorism has become the systematic weapon of war that knows no borders or seldom has a face." Unquote.

Despite the serious challenge posed by the LTTE aptly described by the FBI of the US, as among the most deadly terrorists in the world, the Government of Sri Lanka places the highest priority in the observance of human rights and respect for the rule of law, even as it engages in military operations to clear the last remaining pockets in Northern Sri Lanka of the LTTE terrorists. As former Swedish Foreign Minister, Anna Lindh said and I quote "Terrorism can never be accepted. We must fight it together, with methods that do not compromise our respect for the rule of law and human rights, or are used as an excuse for others to do so." Unquote

Our people in the North have had to endure over two decades of misery and privation under the brutal and despotic reign of terror of the LTTE. As the Sri Lankan military makes steady inroads into LTTE held areas they do so with utmost professionalism and are at pains to avoid causing civilian casualties. We are confident that our fellow citizens in the North will soon be able to once again breathe the air of freedom and enjoy the fruits of democracy that the rest of our people have for so long taken for granted.

The defeat of LTTE terrorism will herald the dawn of lasting peace and stability in Sri Lanka. Our bitter experience in negotiating with the LTTE in the past has convinced us that unless the capacity of the LTTE to inflict its terror attacks on innocent civilians is neutralized, no political solution that the Government is formulating through the All Party Representatives Committee (APRC), drawing upon the collective wisdom of all democratic political parties, can be practically implemented. It is our considered view that disarming the LTTE is an essential pre-requisite to the unveiling of a political solution to address the genuine grievances of the minority communities in Sri Lanka.

A study by a research body, the Copenhagen Consensus recently has revealed that increasing defensive measures worldwide by 25% to counter terrorist attacks would cost at least US$75 billion over the next five years. In contrast, fostering greater international cooperation to cut off terrorist financing would be relatively cheaper and much more effective. As Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh has quite rightly said and I quote "Together with international unity and resolve, we can meet this global scourge and work to bring about an international law of zero tolerance for terrorism." Unquote.

A terrorist attack is an attack on society as a whole and its fundamental principles and core values. Terrorism spells the death knell for democracy. Terrorism anywhere is a threat to human civilization everywhere. The dark and evil forces of terrorism can never co-exist with the sublime values of democracy and the rule of law. The assassinated former Pakistan Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto underscored the importance of democracy as an effective deterrent to terrorism, when she declared, and I quote "Democracy is necessary to peace and to undermine the forces of terrorism." Unquote

It is my fervent conviction that the clarion call that we proclaim in unison from the Bali Democracy Forum will be a beacon of hope to the peoples of the Asian region, whether they belong to vibrant and functioning democracies such as my own country, Sri Lanka, or others which have just begun to make their first tentative steps into this hitherto unchartered but exciting brave new world of democracy.

O/L examination in North, East under security of Armed forces

The G.C.E. ordinary level examination commenced at examination centers in Kilinochchi and Mullathivu areas on Monday (December 8). Around 3500 candidates are sitting for the examination in 23 centers in Kilinochchi.

Security forces have given facilities to increase the level of the Education in Jaffna. Security forces have also taken measures to assist the students by minimizing the duration of power cut, providing transport facilities, free foods and stationeries etc. who are sitting for the examination.

Armed forces and Police have tightened the security for the examination centers as well as the places where the question papers stored.

Army reconstructs Trincomalee - Mullaittivu road connecting North and South

Sri Lanka Army while engaged in multi-pronged offensive operations to liberate entire Wanni region from LTTE's grip, contributed their effort to reconnect North and South with the reconstruction work of Trincomalee - Mullaitttivu road, which runs parallel to the eastern coastal belt.

Sri Lanka Army Engineers Service Regiment has commenced the reconstruction of a part of the Trincomalee - Mullaittivu road which had been destroyed by the LTTE terrorists recently.

The Trincomalee - Mullaittivu road, which is highly utilized by the fishermen in the area, runs across the Nayaru lagoon had been destroyed by the LTTE terrorists in two locations when security forces gained control over the Alampil area on 4th December.

Sri Lanka Army has already completed the construction of a bridge while another is under construction and to be completed soon, the defence.lk correspondent in Alampil area said.

Troops uncover cache of military hardware in Jaffna

Troops while conducting a search operation in general area Manthhuvil, Jaffna have uncovered a cache of military hardware including 10kgs of C-4 high explosives on Tuesday (Dec 9) evening.

According to Jaffna security sources, the items were found hidden in a shrub land patch at Manthuvil.

Following items were found in the search operation.

Item	Quantity
C-4 high explosives	10Kg
Anti-personnel (AP) mine	01
Detonator code	25m
Bangalore torpedo	02
Magnetic mine	02
15kg explosive chargers	01
Rocket propelled grenade (RPG) rounds	03
T-56 assault riffle	01
T-56 ammunition	121
CDMA phones	03
Night vision device	01

Sri Lanka wins bronze medal at '52 World Military Boxing Championship'

Sgt. PBA Bandara of the Sri Lankan Army secured a bronze medal under the weight category of 91 Kgs (heavy weight category) at the 52nd world military boxing championship held in the City of Baku of Azerbaijan.

This was the first occasion a medal was won by Sri Lanka at championship, officials said.

The Championship commenced on 25 Nov and concluded on 30 Nov 2008, with the participation of many other countries including USA, Italy, France, India, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Belarus, Netherlands, Ukraine, Barbados, Algeria, Slovenia, Latvia and the host Azerbaijan.

Sri Lanka military boxers displayed excellent skills and spirit throughout the championship for which the Sri Lankan Team was awarded the best 'Sportsmanship cup'.

The boxing championship was organized by the Azerbaijan Defence Ministry under the patronage of the Council of World Military Sports (CISM).

Meanwhile, Maj Gen J. Jayasuriya USP ndu psc and Gp Capt K.V.N.J. Dharmadasa were in the officials of Referees and Judges panel throughout the championship.

Fighting continues at the Wanni and Northern battlefronts: troops recover 25 AP mines

Clashes between troops and LTTE were reported throughout yesterday (Dec 9) at the Jaffna and Wanni battlefronts as troops claimed causing serious damages to LTTE during the confrontations. At the Jaffna theatre of battle, fighting was reported in general area Ponnar at Kilaly, while military confirmed taking two successful sniper targets in the same area at 12.45p.m., and 4.40p.m., respectively.

Separately, troops destroyed an LTTE bunker overhead after a series of rocket propelled grenade (RPG) and small arms fire attack at a terror defence line in Kilaly, security sources said.

Meanwhile, troops operating in general area south of Adampan in Kilinochchi, have also taken three separate sniper targets yesterday afternoon. According to the Wanni military sources, a terror bunker overhead was also destroyed by troops of the 57 Division at Adampan, around 7a.m.

Confrontations were also reported between troops and LTTE in general areas at Mulliyavalai, East Tanniyuttu, North of Kumulamunai, Pannikkankulam and East of Olumadu at the Mullaittivu battlefront, on Tuesday.

According to military sources, TF 3 troops have recovered 25 anti-personnel (AP) mines and 2 x 60mm mortars in general area East of Olumadu, during search operations conducted.

Sri Lanka Navy celebrates its 58th Anniversary

Sri Lanka Navy elites introduced a new concept of counter terrorist warfare at seas

Sri Lanka Navy celebrates its 58th Anniversary on the 09th of December 2008 with a wide array of religious and social functions conducted to mark the historical occasion. Many naval ceremonies are scheduled to be held in keeping with the traditions and customs of the Navy. Today , Sri Lanka Navy has evolved into its current prestigious status as a pioneering, professional and a victorious maritime force observing the standard naval protocols and executing a key role in eradicating the scourge of terrorism from our motherland. It traces its genesis as far back as the year 1937 when it began its voyage under the name of Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force (CNVF) established to meet the objectives and the requirements of the British Imperialist Crown who ruled our country then. Thereafter, it got absorbed into the Royal Navy after the World War II as the Ceylon Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (CRNVR) which eventually turned out to be Royal Ceylon Navy on 09th of December 1950 consisting of a nucleus of 100 officers and men. In 1972, with the introduction of the first republican constitution, Royal Ceylon Navy took on its present name, Sri Lanka Navy.

The humble voyage of the Sri Lanka Navy thus begun, has journeyed many a nautical mile gathering fair winds most of the time since its inception. It has so far been boldly and strategically steered forward by many a stalwart Commanding Officer at the helm. When we trace back along its illustrious history line, we begin to see how the Navy has evolved under all the Commanders who have steered it hitherto. As such, the qualitative and quantitative development in various aspects of the Navy has been in existence all along in varying degrees. However, the resurgence that has taken place in the Navy in the present war scenario under the present Naval High Command stands above them all; unique and inimitable.

In the past, the Navy used to be orthodox and remained largely ceremonial; Moreover, as far back as mid 2005, it was complacent about the role it was playing by being only reactive to the threat posed by the emerging LTTE sea power in our territorial waters. This traditionally languid attitude of being only reactive helped the enemy to forge into a force which, at one time some thought that it was a force that is difficult to be tackled because of the superiority it had exhibited in certain encounters with the Navy.

This clich‚ of the misnomer, largely perpetrated by its supporters and pro-media, that the LTTE is powerful at sea and posing a huge threat to the Navy, has been made to track back towards its nullity because of the timely and strategically prudent measures initiated and implemented by the present Naval High Command who have brought about an all round resurgence in every aspect of the Navy, both at sea and on land where naval personnel, proving their prowess ,competence and bravery, stay on constant alert to fight LTTE terrorism. The Navy is being fortified in its task of protecting the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of the motherland.

Under the present Naval High Command, weapons in the Navy do not get corroded and blunt by sea breeze; they are kept ever honed as sharp as finely thinned and tempered arrow points; all the craft, from the low profile small Fast Attack Craft, which has proven deadly against LTTE sea tigers, to the big Off Shore Patrol vessel, which destroyed the LTTE international logistics network, remain in constant readiness with ultra modern weapons mounted and competent gunners and sailors ready to meet enemy any attack.

Queen Elizabeth II accorded a Royal Guard of Honour by SL Navy in 1981

Naval personnel are never idle, jittery, and lethargic; they are agile being physically fit; they are dexterous having been trained by battle experts; they are well groomed in the ardent fervour of love for the motherland. Above all, they are extraordinarily patriotic and dedicated to the service that they render in safeguarding the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of the country. The high quality of their performance, excellent morale in the battlefield, unrelenting determination to execute a task assigned, the disciplined and orderly manner in which they act, the fine dexterity, competence and the precision that they exhibit in targeting their enemy and above all, the humane qualities ingrained in the naval personnel are the results of the fine training and the constant care and concern shown towards its men by the competent hands that handle the helm so strategically and shrewdly.

"Victory is the main object of war. If this is long delayed, weapons will become blunt and the ardour of the soldiers will be dampened" is a fact emphasized by Sun Tzu which is worthy of following by any great warrior who is engaged in a combat to cause the down fall of his enemy, however mighty and powerful he might be. Interestingly, for the fortune of our nation, the present Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda at the helm, has proven that he has been steering the Sri Lanka Navy in line with Sun Tzu ushering in a new victorious era making the Navy proactive with a proliferation of the latest innovations which have been greatly instrumental in creating a total disarray and the eventual extinction of the enemy. Therefore, the Sri Lanka Navy is indeed so blessed to have such a competent captain at the helm to guide her at this crucial stage of war.

Spectacular SLN band parading on independence day -2008

It is in this context that one can witness the Navy coming of age heroically and remarkably leaving from littoral waters to deep blue seas when the Navy caused the destruction of the enemy supply vessels which are rightly named as "floating armories". The destruction of these vessels that fed the LTEE with ultra modern weaponry and warlike materials to attack civilians and the security forces is considered to be the turning point in the ongoing counter terrorist operations.

Finally, it is pertinent to note that the Navy has immensely developed with the passage of time ushering in an era where it can transit from its traditionally confined limitations to broader farseeing perspectives with much ease enabling it to register more decisive victories in the annals of the country's history.

New Spring of Development in the North - President Rajapaksa

President Mahinda Rajpaksa declared open the Kerawalapitiya Thermal Power Station on December 09. (Photo by: Sudath Silva)

Now, in addition to the Negenahira Navodaya or New Dawn in East we are ready to launch the New Spring in the North. This is the New Spring of development in the North. We have already taken steps to free the people of the North who have been under the yoke of terror for so many years and launch developments for them in those areas. Our troops are not only gaining territory and liberating the people, they are also moving ahead with development of those areas," said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing in his address at the opening of the Kerawalapitiya Power Station today ( Dec 09).

"We will liberate this country from the clutches of terrorism. We will raise the standard of living of all our people, and establish a society where all can live without fear or mistrust. We will strengthen the rural people," he said

"Governments should be defeated by the people's vote. The terrorists in the North are trying tm overthrow the government by the gun. Similarly, there are others who instead of defeating a government by the ballot, are trying to defeat it by cutting off the sources of government revenue. They hope to gain power by blocking the means of revenue for the government, and pushing the people from the frying pan to the fire. Their greatest effort is to obtain court decisions aimed at reducing taxes to reduce the government's revenue," the President added.

Here is the text of President Mahinda Rajapaksa's address at Kerawalapitiya:

Address by H. E. President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the ceremonial opening of the Kerawalapitiya Combined Cycle Power Station - December 09, 2008

I am pleased at having the opportunity to participate in the opening of this project, because it marks the handing over to the people of an important task that was launched by us.

When we took over the country it faced many challenges. One was the problem caused by giving title to half of the country to terrorists. There were areas where our troops, our police could not enter, but the terrorists could come to other areas. That was the agreement. Due to the North and East being joined and ceded to terrorists, not only civilians and officials but the Prime Minister of the country too had to obtain the permission of the terrorists to move in these areas. Even to visit a religious shrine such as Madhu that was in those areas, one had to get the permission of the terrorist leader. The light of freedom of the people in this land had been put out.

Among the other major problems was that of power and energy. It was a time when there were power cuts for two to three hours each day. Even after a full year's rain, if there were a few months of dry weather there were power cuts. The clock was set back, and we established world records with such power cuts.

The leaders of this country lacked the ability to take courageous political decisions not only with regard to the war but with regard to the country's development, too. Norochcholai was to be constructed in the 1980s. Due to the inability to take firm decisions work on this coal fired power project was set aside for 20 years. It was the same with the Upper Kotmale power project. Work on it was delayed for 10 to 15 years due the inability to take clear decisions. The mentality of those in power then was to judge everything from how it would result in the next election. Will we lose a bundle of votes if we took a decision? Will I win? What will the people think of me? When leaders keep thinking like that it is not possible to develop the country. Even if the development necessary for the country was not done, they were satisfied if they went to parliament again.

It is time to be rid of this mind set. We cannot keep the people in the dark because of failure to take proper decisions. That is why we have taken these bold decisions to develop the country and also defeat terrorism. Such decisions should be taken with the future generations in mind, and not the next election, or the pressures that may come from other countries. If the government and leaders do not take clear and firm decisions, the people are destined to be in the dark forever.

Friends,

If at that time there were firm decisions on the construction of power stations, there would be no power crisis in the country. We would be a country that generates power at very low cost.

Yet, my friends, through a period of three years we have not imposed power cuts. Because we took quick and firm decisions there is no need for power cuts in the country again.

Just now the Norochcholai and Upper Kotmale power stations are under construction. When these projects are completed our country will have a power generating capacity of 750MW. Our expectation is by 2010 to 2012 to supply electricity at the lowest possible cost to all of the people of this country. This will be the lowest cost of electricity in all of Asia. We will be able to achieve this because of our ability to take bold and courageous decisions both against terrorism and for development.

This Kerawalapitiya Power Station was constructed in one year. This is the largest combined cycle power station in the country.

This is a project that had been abandoned as being impractical. The Asian Development Bank could not build it. Later, the private sector to which the work was handed over could also not build it. Yet, our engineers, and officials of the Ministries of Power and Finance, had a commitment to its construction. I pay a tribute to all the officers who worked with commitment to complete this project, and to the genius of the local engineers that saw how it could be done. We obtained machinery and equipment from friendly countries such as Germany, France and the USA at a cost of US$ 300 million and completed its construction in less than one year. It is known there were many who obstructed this effort.

This is a project designed by our own engineers and built with their own strength and capability. This had no foreign consultants. We found the money for this by ourselves. Today, we have cause to be proud as a nation for having successfully completed this great task with no burden to the country. There was a time when power stations such as Randenigala and Rantembe were opened one heard a great din about it throughout the country. There were posters, banners, and pandals all over. The drum beats of development were heard all over for several months.

But today within one year when we are declaring open the largest combined cycle power station in Sri Lanka, there is no tom-tom beating about it, except the drums of greeting at this ceremony. If massive development

projects such as this were completed in the past they would have been singing their praises for two to three years, until they go out of office. There is no need for such hosannas today; it is our achievements that earn us fame.

We see development everywhere today; in every district. While we open this project at Kerawalapitiya, within sight from here is the Colombo Port expansion project with a new breakwater, which too will be completed next year. In the South, a new port is under construction at Hambantota. The coal-fired power station being built at Norochcholai will also be handed over to the people around the time next year, as would the Hambantota Port, too. Also under construction is a hydro-power plant at Upper Kotmale, and the Southern Expressway. In close proximity to Kerawalapitiya work will also begin on the Katunayake Expressway. Throughout the country massive bridges, flyovers and many highways are under construction. The Moragahakanda reservoir, that was also put off just as this project, as being impractical and for lack of funds, is also making progress.

The Uma Oya Development Project has been launched. Not only at the broad national level, but at the village level too we have built new roads, provided electricity, water supply schemes and small irrigation systems. Last Sunday, modern equipment for the treatment of cancer costing Rs 500 million was given to the people's ownership at the Maharagama Cancer Hospital. All of this is social development work that had been neglected allegedly for lack of funds. No property or assets of the state were privatized to finance any of these projects. We do not sell any assets of the state and the people. Unlike those days we did not sell our assets for consumption. What we do is accumulate assets for the people. Kerawalapitiya is also one such asset of the people.

Friends,

The most developed countries in the world have caught economic pneumonia. Not only are thousands thrown out of employment, but huge banking institutions have gone bankrupt. Day by day the financial markets are crashing. There is foreclosure on mortgaged homes. Employees are being retrenched from industries. The world economy has faces a setback for nearly two years, according to economists. The past two years were very unfortunate for us too. The price of fuel rose to nearly US $150. If we had raised our prices proportionately the price of a litre of diesel would have been Rs 152 and kerosene Rs 129. Yet, we raised the price of diesel to Rs 110 and kerosene to Rs. 80, only.

Although there is a profit of Rs 07 from petrol, this is does not offset the loss on diesel and kerosene. Fertilizer that cost Rs 6000 continued to be supplied to cultivators at Rs. 350. This was done while raising the salaries of public servants every year. Today there has been a near twofold increase in the salaries of public servants. There have been 300,000 new jobs created. We have added value to paddy, sorghum, potato and local industry and developed them. We are moving towards the target of self-sufficiency in our food. We have taken measures to increase milk production. All these have brought higher income to the farmers. This is our policy.

Now, in addition to the Negenahira Navodaya or New Dawn in East we are ready to launch the New Spring in the North. This is the New Spring of development in the North. We have already taken steps to free the people of the North who have been under the yoke of terror for so many years and launch developments for them in those areas. Our troops are not only gaining territory and liberating the people, they are also moving ahead with development of those areas. We need to allocate funds for these. However, this is no reason to cut down relief to the people.

Just as we raised the price of fuel when it was going up in the world, we gave relief when it came down. From the time of the budget there have been reductions of Rs 25 in the price of a litre of petrol, Rs. 30 for diesel, Rs. 20 for kerosene, and Rs 20 for fuel used in industry. If all of this is calculated it amounts to nearly Rs. 11,000 crores.

It is necessary to pay due attention to recover at least part of the revenue the country lost when the price of fuel went up, and reduce the loss to some extent. The necessity of moving away from processes that that are heavily dependent of fossil fuel is accepted internationally today. We must reduce excessive consumption of fuel, and reduce the amount of fuel we import.

It is especially necessary to safeguard the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery by obtaining crude oil for refining there and producing the fuel needs for the country. If not, the fate that befell the Paper Corporation, the Thulhiriya and Veyangoda textile mills, and to the cultivators of potatoes, onions, sorghum and paddy during the last government will happen to the Petroleum Corporation and the CEB too. We cannot allow the collapse of state institutions as happened in the past.

Today, with the global economic crisis the price of oil has dropped further. This is a great relief to our country. Similar to the price of oil, the foreign exchange that we have to spend for fertilizer, foodstuffs, and raw materials in the coming year will be reduced. When this happens there will be the opportunity to increase government revenue without unduly burdening the people. It is our endeavour to keep the present prices of petrol, diesel and kerosene for nearly one year at the same level. With this it will be possible to offset the losses of last year and gain the strength to go ahead with our development work.

The Mahinda Chinthana will not be trapped in monthly pricing formulae. That is the approach of the previous governments. It is because that policy was wrong that the people accepted the policies of the Mahinda Chinthana. What we are implementing is a pricing policy that protects both the producer and consumer, and also strengthens the economy. But some are trying hard to derail these efforts, push the people into the fire and grab the government the reins of power for themselves.

Governments should be defeated by the people's vote. The terrorists in the North are trying tm overthrow the government by the gun. Similarly, there are others who instead of defeating a government by the ballot, are trying to defeat it by cutting off the sources of government revenue. They hope to gain power by blocking the means of revenue for the government, and pushing the people from the frying pan to the fire. Their greatest effort is to obtain court decisions aimed at reducing taxes to reduce the government's revenue.

Those who go to court today to bring relief to the people from the burden of taxes did not give a single job in the public service in their day. They insulted the judiciary; they brought the courts to ridicule. They attacked the homes of judges with stones. They brought a motion in parliament to impeach three judges of the Supreme Court. It is they who today seek the help of the courts for themselves. We are not like that. We respect the courts. When we have to face decisions of the courts that go against us, we accept such decisions. We are aware that every six years we have to go before the people and face their own verdict. This is the same for members of parliament, too. We cannot betray the people. When we govern with due respect to the courts, it is also necessary to take decisions, taking into consideration all aspects of the economy and development needs.

When we sought to obtain 8000 billion from an international bank for development of the East, the Leader of the Opposition led a demonstration outside that bank asking that those funds not be given to the country. Carrying out strategies to reduce government revenue is a further step in the same policy. This is what the terrorists also seek. There is no difference between setting up bombs to destroy public property and conspiring to reduce government revenue. This clearly shows the situation in

which the members of the opposition are in today. They do everything to deny the government of its revenue. It is necessary that he people understand this situation very well.

These are not things done with any feeling for the people. These are strategies to hurt the people and grab power for themselves. If they get power into their hands by 2012 not only this Kerawalapitiya Power Station but most of what we have built will also be sold to foreign companies. There must be those already having dreams of the biggest bidder to

whom they will sell this Kerawalapitiya Project if they come to power in 2012.They are doing everything possible to ensure that by 2012 instead of electricity for all, the people will be in eternal darkness.

Friends,

This government is moving forward while implementing to the very letter and in spirit the promises given in the Mahinda Chinthana. In out third budget too we have not changed an iota from the promises we gave in the Mahinda Chinthana. The Opposition is today unable to ask whether we have carried out our promises or not, because we are taking the country forward as we had stated in the Mahinda Chinthana. We will liberate this country from the clutches of terrorism. We will raise the standard of living of all our people, and establish a society where all can live without fear or mistrust. We will strengthen the rural people. I am certain that the as much as the light from the bulbs that will glow from the power generated in this Kerawalapitiya Power Station, and the electricity from other projects such as Upper Kotmale and Norochcholai too, will light up your lives, it will also make brighter the future of our country. This is a wish that I share with you.

I wish you all a prosperous future...