May 11 (BBC) The Sri Lankan govt rejected a surrender offer by Tamil Tiger rebels at the end of the war, reports released through the Wikileaks website say. They say that Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa dismissed US pressure to allow a mediated surrender with the words "we're beyond that now". The leaked US cables suggest requests for the ICRC to go into the war zone were refused. Sri Lanka's govt has repeatedly denied all these accusations. more..

May 11 (DN) The Jaya Pirith Chanting with the participation of 3,000 Buddhist monks representing all districts in the country was held at the BMICH to invoke blessings on the President and the country for the fourth time in succession. This pirith chanting ceremony is organized by the Defence Ministry. Mahanayaka of Asgiriya Chapter Most Ven Udugama Buddarakkitha Thera, Anunayaka Thera of Malwatta Chapter Ven Niyangoda Vijithasiri Thera, President of Amarapura more..

May 11 (DM) President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that the government was not willing to give a salary increase of 200% to university lecturers and that this demand was politically motivated and not justifiable. In reply to a question posed by an editor, he said that he was ready to discuss this matter at any time if requested. He said that, if the government gave in to this demand, the non-academic staff of the university would also demand a similar increase. He said the demand was very unreasonable. more..

May 11 (DM) President Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday that elections to the Northern Provincial Council would be held soon after the resettlement and the registration of voters in the province were completed. Speaking to newspaper editors at Temple Trees, he said this in response to a question by an editor who asked why elections to the Northern Provincial Council were being delayed. more..

May 11 (DM) The resignation of academics from voluntary administrative positions has made a strong impact on the operations of universities countrywide, the Federation of University Teachers Associations (FUTA) said yesterday alleging that the university administrations were now trying to reinstate the resigned academics using various devious means. more..

May 11 (SG) When former Sri Lankan test captain Hashan Tillekeratne recently claimed that there has been match-fixing in Sri Lankan cricket over the years � for well over a decade � the Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, without batting an eyelid, rejected the allegations and asked him to prove it. It was symptomatic of what one could call the �Sri Lankan disease� where govt or opposition politicians deny any allegation against them or more..

May 11 (Island) LTTE activists are planning to hold a major rally and protest next Wednesday (18) at the United Nations, New York, to coincide with the defeat of the LTTE on May 18 two years ago. Sri Lankan officials say the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE), headed by a former LTTE lawyer has organised the event. Among the groups involved in the protest are United States Tamil Political Action Council (USTPAC), more..

May 11 (DM) Former Supreme Court Judge D.J.D.S. Balapatabendi will be appointed as the chairman of the Bribery Commission and Dr. Dayasiri Fernando as the chairman of the Public Services Commission (PSC) to be activated under the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, informed sources said yesterday. The Parliamentary Council which recommends the names of members selected for these committees will meet tomorrow to more..

May 11 (DM) Despite last week's decision to extend the fertilizer subsidy to all field crops, the government has reduced the amount of urea fertilizer issued to paddy cultivation per hectare in major paddy cultivation districts under major irrigation schemes from 312 kilos to 265 kilos, officials said yesterday. Opposition parties have cited this as a step towards the curtailment of the fertilizer subsidy given to farmers. more..

May 11 (DM) Sri Lanka yesterday said that the UN and other humanitarian agencies must respect the role of governments and support those governments to protect their own civilians, which is the primary responsibility. Speaking at the UN Security Council meeting in New York yesterday, Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN Dr. Palitha Kohona said, ��there was a need to recognize the fundamental role of more..

May 11 (Island) Following the university teachers submitting letters of resignation, from administrative posts from Monday, in protest against the govt�s failure to increase their salaries, non-academic staff too are planning trade union action demanding that the government rectify anomalies in their salaries. President of the Inter University Trade Union Federation Chandrapala Ratnayake told The Island that they would decide the dates for more..

May 11 (NN) Public relations Minister Mervyn Silva says he has trained a team to commit suicide, if the need arises, in order to protect President Mahinda Rajapaksa from the west. The controversial Minister said today that so far he has trained 18 people who will die trying to protect the President or commit suicide for the cause. He noted that President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Minister Basil Rajapaksa should be protected at every cost. more..

May 11 (Island) Minister Basil Rajapaksa alleges that some foreign elements are working with a section of the Tamil politicians to undermine the post-war recovery process. Minister Rajapaksa says anti-Sri Lankans elements are jeopardizing the national reconciliation process for their personal benefit. Minister Rajapaksa was addressing a public gathering at Mavadipuram Kandaswami kovil on Monday (9) more..

May 12 (DM) The UNP today welcomed the statement made by the SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena that one should work closely with the UN when dealing with the advisory panel report. UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella told a news conference today that the statement made by Mr. Sirisena is welcomed as this is something which his party had stressed recently after the Darusaman report was published. Mr. Kiriella however said the government is not handling the issue in an effective manner. more..

May 12 (ER) Though unnoticed, commentaries on the Upcountry Tamils (UcT) or Mallai-naatu Thamilar, also referred to as Indian Tamils or Tamils of recent Indian origin, have been sparse in both media and scholarly periodicals in the recent decades. Focus on the war has hogged headlines and pushed everything else out of view; but this is not the only reason. Changes in the socio-economic fabric and the political landscape have contributed to the eclipse of the UcTs from the limelight. more..

May 12 (LT) Whatever facts are included in the report compiled by the �Panel of Experts� appointed by the UN Secretary General, the JVP rejects the political objectives that were the background for compiling such a report says the General Secretary of the JVP Tilvin Silva. He further said while rejecting the intervention by imperialists the JVP expresses its opposition to the arbitrary, capricious and un-democratic Rajapakse regime that more..

May 12 (NN) A judge today issued notice on opposition and UNP leader Ranil Wickramasinghe to appear in Court on May 23rd to respond to a petition filed against him. The petition was filed by UNP provincial Councilor Maithree Gunaratne challenging the appointment of UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake as the National organizer of the party. The petitioner has charged that the party constitution had been violated by the appointment and wants the Court to intervene in the matter. more..

May 12 (GDI) The Ceylon Electricity Board has earned over Rs. 10 Million during last month from fines, from those who were found tapping electricity illegally. The flying squad of the Board has revealed 282 illegal electricity users, out of which 106 cases are for manipulating meter readings. 176 cases were for illegally tapping electricity by hooking to the main power lines. Accordingly the Board has collected Rs. 3.1 million as fines and Rs. 7.4 Million as damages to the Board�s property. more..

May 12 (Reuters) Sri Lankans will enjoy an "extraordinary life-changing situation" should the port city of Hambantota, ravaged by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, win the bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Ajith Nivard Cabraal has told Reuters. The governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka was speaking in Kuala Lumpur after handing over the city's bid book and delivering a speech to Commonwealth Games officials in Malaysia. more..

May 12 (NN) A security backup vehicle of Minister Mervyn Silva met with an accident in Chilaw this afternoon injuring four people. The vehicle was returning from Anuradhapura with the convoy of the Minister when it slammed into a tree in Chilaw. The driver of the vehicle, a security official and two others sustained injuries in the accident and were rushed to hospital for treatment. Minister Mervyn Silva was returning from Anuradhapura after attending an event. more..

May 12 (NN) President Mahinda Rajapaksa says he is alarmed that motor cycles are at the top of the accident list with lorries and private buses following. The President also says he was rather surprised to learn that most accidents on the roads occur because of speeding and over-taking and while turning. He says the Police must take note of the fact that twenty three per cent of the accidents are caused by drivers without licence. The President expressed these views at more..

May 12 (AP) A former Wall Street titan was convicted Wednesday of making a fortune by coaxing a crew of corporate tipsters to give him an illegal edge on blockbuster trades in technology and other stocks - what prosecutors called the largest insider trading case ever involving hedge funds. Raj Rajaratnam was convicted of five conspiracy counts and nine securities fraud charges at the closely watched trial in federal court in Manhattan. more..

May 12 (NN) Activities relating to demarcation of Grama Niladari Divisions are reported to be progressing smoothly. The Committee which has undertaken this task has called for proposals in this regard. The Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs has instructed relevant District Secretaries to handover their suggestions and proposals to the 13 member committee before next month. There have been disparities in the demarcation process in the past. more..

May 12 (GDI) SL Magazine - a quarterly magazine in English medium to enlighten the international community as well as our reading public on Sri Lankan Icons was launched with the first copy of it being presented to the Minister of Economic Development Mr. Basil Rajapaksa. This magazine will highlight and bring forth facts and figures on Sri Lanka which will enable the international community as well as our reading public to grasp at a glance on truthful facts pertaining to our country. more..

May 12 (IPS) The civil war ended two years ago this month, but for war-affected women�widows, mothers, daughters, and former rebels� the struggle to survive rages on. Nearly one-third of families that have returned to the former conflict zone in the north are headed by women single-handedly trying to make ends meet, said a recent study by the Sri Lankan government and the United Nations office here. The study, called the "Joint Plan for Assistance Northern Province 2011", more..

May 12 (LG) Under creeping cover of the report of the Advisory Panel mandated by the United Nations Secretary General (UNSG), the Government of Sri Lanka appears to be leading the country even further down the precipitous slope of constitutional anarchy than it has gone so far. At one level, all is sound and fury signifying profoundly nothing. Pronouncements on the Advisory Panel report emanating from all quarters of the government reminds us more of more..

May 12 (LG) The familiar cartoon of a man perched in a tree, busily cutting off the branch on which he is sitting, provokes varied reactions. Some find it highly amusing; others, recognising perhaps a predicament in which they have occasionally found themselves, can manage only a wry smile. Indian foreign policy mandarins, who must be questioning their own competence in managing the Sri Lankan relationship, must be included in the latter category. more..

May 12 (Cimic) A special UN delegation, with view to getting an update of humanitarian de-mining in Jaffna, met Commander Security Forces - Jaffna (SF-J) Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe at his office in Palaly Tuesday. During the meeting, Commander SF-J enlightened Ms. Indumathi Mohandas, Head of the field office UNHCR Jaffna, Mr. Alfred Mutiti, Child Protection Specialist and Mr. Damascus Machery, Area Security Coordinator of the UN office about more..

May 12 (TC) The Indian troika comprising National Security Advisor Menon, Indian foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and Defence Secretary, Pradeep Kumar reckoned as India�s policy making body are due to arrive in SL shortly. The Indian troika came to SL on an earlier occasion when the war was just about to be concluded. On that occasion, only Menon of the present delegation came with that troika. Menon was the Foreign Secretary at that time, while more..

May 12 (LG) Mr. Janith Chandeera a 15 year old and a year 10 student of Kavisigamuwa Sri Gamini Maha Vidyalaya was illegally arrested and subjected to degrading treatment by police officers attached to the Rambadagalle Police Station on 24 April 2011. Janith is a bright student and on this particular day had participated in several competitions in the New Year's Celebration held in the village. Police officers arrested and questioned him while subjecting more..

May 12 (NS) We live amongst a community that has all sorts of people. People, who are needy and greedy, people who are rich and poor. We meet people, who are differently-abled, people who fend for themselves and people who are shunned by others. Not always and or often do we tend to care and give attention to those who really need special care. People with disabilities, disorders and special needs require that special care, special attention and more..

May 12 (Island) Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's sons are up in arms against the killing of their terrorist father. They have lambasted the US and its President Barack Obama for having violated basic legal principles by killing an unarmed man and shooting his family members and dumping his body into the sea. In a statement issued to the media they question the �propriety of the assassination� which, they say, violated the international law. They argue that the principles of more..

May 12 (DM) Private bus owners said they would increase bus fares by 15 per cent even if they did not get the approval of the National Transport Commission (NTC) adding that bus owners �had the legal authority� to do so although the NTC had stated otherwise. Did anyone notice a different trend here? Earlier the bus owners used to �strike,� but looks like they have dumped the idea and resorted to anarchy. Fare increases are decided by the NTC with the agreement of bus owners and more..

May 12 (TC) Excellency, It gives me great pleasure to convey to you on behalf of the people and the Government of Sri Lanka, and my own behalf, best wishes and sincere felicitations on the success of the Conservative Party of Canada under your leadership, ensuring your continuance in the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada. I am confident that the clear majority you have now obtained in Parliament through your dynamic leadership will provide strong and more..

May 12 (LG) The first principle in selecting an inquirer is to satisfy yourself that he is impartial and does not carry previous prejudices. Otherwise rules of bias disqualify a person from being an inquirer. The appearance of impartiality has been stressed a requisite for an inquirer. A report signed by a person with traces of prejudice, bias and partiality is deemed to be a nullity. Why did Moon select Maruzuki Darusman, after being outrageously critical of more..

May 12 (LB) Last year environmentalists and concerned others warned that Sri Lanka Export Development Board�s proposed partnership with German Pet Trade and Industry Association to set up reptile farms for the export of non venomous snakes to European Union (EU) is a breach of national law and a precursor to an ecological catastrophe. The biggest problem with the idea was the fact that we had/have no proper monitoring mechanisms to regulate the import of more..

May 12 (SL) The National Freedom Front (NFF) party of Minister Wimal Weerawansa participating in the May Day procession organized by the Government shouted slogans and carried placards against the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. An effigy of his was also burnt. While the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka (SL) protested against these actions, even Ministers of the Government expressed grave concern. The Government convened a meeting on Wednesday evening to discuss more..

May 12 (SL) My fears of asphyxiation while holding my breath in anticipation of principled and rational responses to the report of Ban Ki-moon�s panel of experts were, fortunately, not realised. The reason for this change in my fortunes was a letter, a copy of which I received from a friend, written by a �Group of Concerned Christians� and posing the question, �Is the report of the UNSG�s more..

May 12 (BL) Pears, the most experienced baby toiletries brand in Sri Lanka, handed over the renovated and refurbished paediatric wards of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital to medical authorities recently. The renovation was carried out as the 17th project under Unilever � Pears �Safe Hands� CSR initiative. Due to the conflict situation in the peninsula especially during the last few years, the hospital had been in poor condition. more..