Smoke billows from Iraq's Planning Ministry in Baghdad. Missiles fired by US forces targeted government buildings including the Planning Ministry (AFP)

LTTE abandons armed struggle

By Lasantha Wickremetunge  in Hakone, Japan

The LTTE on Friday (21), announced that it has now abandoned the armed struggle for separation and also abandoned violence, but accused the media of creating paranoia in the south of an arms build up by the organisation  to help 'racist' parties like the JVP.

Despite such disinformation the LTTE's Chief Negotiator, Balasingham charged the people do not want a breakdown of the peace process since they would not be happy with the prospect of bomb explosions in Colombo in such an eventuality.

Balasingham speaking to The Sunday Leader further said the ceasefire agreement has placed the organisation at a disadvantage, but that the media was portraying a false picture and creating paranoia that the LTTE is arming itself. "We have not brought anything. A merchant vessel carrying fuel was destroyed. There was only one small cannon. There is no evidence of weapons being smuggled. It is mere propaganda and organisations like the JVP flourish through these utter lies and false information," he said.

Balasingham said there is a definite move by the government to modernise its security forces with no substantial reduction even in the defence budget, whilst also getting training facilities from India and the United States.

"Where then is the balance of forces as contemplated by the ceasefire agreement? The government has also put in place an international security net with the support of India and the US. We are aware of it. But it is the LTTE that is criticised for bringing in weapons. During times of war, we amassed a large amount of weapons from the security forces and also purchased in the international arms market. Now we are deprived of these advantages due to the ceasefire agreement while the government continues to strengthen its forces. But a wrong impression is created in the south that it is the LTTE that is arming itself in a bid to help the forces opposing the peace process," Balasingham charged.

Balasingham also criticised the SLFP-JVP alliance and said it proved the President's opposition to the peace process. "The President is the leader of the SLFP and the SLFP has linked up with the racist JVP to oppose the peace process. Therefore, it is clear the President is opposed to the process whatever her public posturing," he added.

The Head of the LTTE delegation also said the JVP has no clear vision about the future of Sri Lanka despite articulating Marxist and socialist principles, and was a communal and LTTE abandons...

racist party. "This peace process is crucial for the economic prosperity of the country and this link between the SLFP and JVP make us wonder the policy orientation of the SLFP," he also said. He said the President speaks not with two tongues, but three.

Balasingham also said the LTTE was seriously considering a government proposal to hold local authority elections in the north-east and added they would show the international community how democratic elections are held. Balasingham said all parties would be welcome to contest the polls and urged EPDP Leader Douglas Devananda also to do so if he had the guts.

High priority to Lankans in the Middle East

The plight of Sri Lankans employed in the Middle East has been placed as high priority by the Sri Lankan government in view of the outbreak of war in the Gulf.

Labour Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe on Friday (21) assured that tens and thousands of Sri Lankans employed in the Middle East would not be left in the lurch if they are posed with serious security threats, following the decision taken by the US to launch military attacks on Iraq.

The Minister allaying fears told The Sunday Leader that necessary steps have already been taken to evacuate every Sri Lankan if his/her life is in danger.

The Minister has already nominated 15 MPs from the consultative committee in parliament from his Ministry to visit the Middle East to ascertain the actual condition of the Sri Lankan migrant workers there and provide them with whatever relief that is required.

According to the Minister, there is a general evacuation programme in collaboration with international organisations that would be put in motion when the necessity arises.

Samarasinghe however said that there is no need for immediate evacuation as almost all Sri Lankans working in Iraq have already been evacuated to safe areas except one Sri Lankan who the Minister says is married to an Iraqi national.

According to the Minister only 28 Sri Lankans have been employed in Iraq, of which 27 have already been sent out.

The Minister was also scheduled to meet with government agents and divisional secretaries yesterday (22) to discuss the plight of the migrant workers and instruct them to disseminate actual information regarding Sri Lankans to relatives who would be thronging their offices to inquire about their loved ones.

The Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLFEB) has also opened a special unit operational all 24 hours under a deputy general manager in order to provide information about the plight of the migrant workers to their relatives here.

"We are constantly in touch with our officials in the Sri Lankan missions there and they are taking every step to ensure the migrant workers are safe. We have already found the necessary funds to commence a possible evacuation programme with other international organisations.

"Evacuation cannot be done by Sri Lanka alone. Therefore, it would be a concerted effort by various international organisations," he told The Sunday Leader.

Invasion force pushes into Iraq

US and British troops advanced deep into Iraq early on Friday (21), seeking to secure Iraq's southern oil fields against attack by Saddam Hussein's forces.

But one convoy of US Marines which crossed into Iraq overnight had come under fire from Iraqi forces.

BBC's Adam Mynott, who was travelling with the marines, said the convoy was attacked with small arms fire and missiles just a few yards inside the Iraqi border.

"There has been much stronger resistance in this sector of the battlefield than many in the coalition forces had expected," the correspondent said.

British artillery was called in from northern Kuwait to bombard the Iraqi positions, while the convoy was forced to retreat.

One reconnaissance unit is said to have advanced about 200km (125 miles) through open desert to the west of the river Euphrates.

Correspondents have reported seeing towering flames and smoke in southern Iraq, but it is unclear whether this came from burning oil wells.

Elsewhere, the marines met little resistance as a long convoy of vehicles, including tanks and artillery, snaked its way across the Iraqi desert.

The Western forces suffered their first fatalities of the campaign when a CH-46 Sea Knight transport helicopter crashed in Kuwait.

The Iraqi capital, Baghdad, was tense, but quiet at daybreak on Friday, after sustaining two air raids within 24 hours.

On Friday morning, two of the three main buildings in the Tigris complex of ministerial offices were reduced to burnt out shells, not actually in rubble, but completely unusable.

BBC's correspondent in Washington, Justin Webb, says it appears that the Pentagon is willing to pause at least for some hours before putting into action the planned devastating aerial bombardment of Baghdad, the so-called "shock and awe strategy."

Given the risk of civilian casualties that strategy entails, America would plainly prefer to prevail by other means if possible, the correspondent said.

The Iraqi President's main palace and government offices were among targets struck in the second wave of attacks.

The correspondent says the hope in Washington is that Saddam Hussein's power structure has been significantly weakened and his ability to co-ordinate a strong response to the US-led ground attack has been damaged.

He says it is still thought possible that Saddam Hussein's sons or some of his closest aides were killed in the surprise attack which began the war.

The ground assault began after an intense artillery bombardment in which more than 100 shells were fired on Iraqi positions across the Kuwaiti border.

Tens of thousands of troops of the US Third Infantry Division and 1st Marine Division poured into Iraq.

As American units pushed northwards, British marines of Three Commando Brigade backed by tanks mounted an amphibious assault on the strategically important al-Faw peninsula in south-eastern Iraq.

Correspondents say their destination is unclear, although it could be the southern city of Basra.

Large explosions were reported from the direction of Basra, 70km (44 miles) north of the Kuwaiti border, and unconfirmed reports say several oil wells in the area are on fire.

It's not a war - it's a unilateral show of muscle power to the whole world. The Arabic television station al-Jazeera also reported explosions in the northern city of Mosul.

Shortly after the troops crossed into Iraq, the Kuwaiti news agency, Kuna, said US and British forces had captured the southern Iraqi city of Umm Qasr, a key oil shipping terminal, although Iraqi television denied this.

As the ground campaign unfolded, Australian defence officials said their special forces were operating deep inside Iraq, identifying troops movements and military targets.

Australian FA-18 Hornets - part of a 2,000-strong Australian force sent to the Gulf - have also been protecting US aircraft on missions over Iraq, the Australian defence minister said.

In the Iraqi capital, huge explosions were heard during the second raid amid Iraqi anti-aircraft fire.

Iraqi television said four Iraqi soldiers had died and five wounded.

The International Red Cross said one person was killed and 14 others were injured in the first attack.

There is no word of casualties from the second assault.

In other developments:

* UK Prime Minister Tony Blair addressed the nation. He says he is aware that many British people are against the war, but it is necessary and justified.

* Israel radio said US forces are operating in western Iraq to try to thwart the potential for missile attacks on the Jewish state.

* United States has expelled remaining three Iraqi diplomats in the country, announcing it will freeze all non-diplomatic Iraqi government assets.

* Parliament in Turkey voted to allow US planes to use Turkish airspace for the war on Iraq.

LTTE sinks Chinese trawler

Fourteen persons were feared dead after their trawler was sunk by the LTTE off the coast of Mullaitivu on Thursday (20) morning.

Two trawlers FU-YUNG -YU 225 and FU-YUNG -YU 226 were fishing in the general sea area of Chundikulum about 33 nautical miles off Mullaitivu at the time they came under LTTE attack, the Defence Ministry said.

The incident was conveyed to the Sri Lanka Navy only on Friday (21) morning by the trawler's agent and naval craft reached the scene soon after, rescuing nine members from the ill-fated vessel, who were earlier rescued by the other craft.

They have been warded at the Trincomalee Hospital with one being in a critical condition.

Two weeks back a LTTE ship was sunk by the Sri Lanka Navy in the same area, but further into the deep seas. The LTTE may have suspected the two trawlers of spying.

There were no immediate reactions from the LTTE, Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, Foreign Ministry or the Chinese Mission in Colombo.

Officials at the Mission were reported to have gone to Trincomalee and had also discussed the incident  with the Foreign Ministry on Friday.

However, the LTTE denied any involvement in this incident.

Plans to ensure adequate supplies at fair prices

by Dilrukshi Handunnetti

The Consumer Affairs Ministry will come up with special plans to ensure availability of supplies of articles essential to the life of the community and provide their equal distribution at fair prices and deal with shortages that may result consequent to the continuing US strikes on Iraq, Consumer Affairs Minister Ravi Karunanayake said.

Minister Karunanayake said that the Articles and Services (Temporary Provisions) Act passed with amendments in parliament last Thursday would provide the structural foundation for this purpose with the appointing of a Competent Authority who would be charged with the responsibility of administering and implementing a regulatory system and setting out procedures relating to collection and distribution of articles.

Meanwhile, the opposition charges that the government would not be able to practically fulfil the targets as there is no infrastructure, specific financial allocations, a distribution network and the manpower to make it work clockwork like.

Karunanayake admits that there would be problems when dealing with an islandwide distribution target, but remains confident that once the Competent Authority and support staff are appointed, problems could be minimised.

"The main idea was to prevent black marketing and unfair hoarding, taking undue advantage of the situation," the Minister said.

The Competent Authority will be appointed by the Minister, who would in turn appoint officers to assist him during the contingency period. A special advisory committee will also be set up to advise the Minister.

Minister Karunanayake said that a nominee of the opposition leader could be accommodated as an observer on the advisory committee, a last minute opposition proposal that was accepted by the government.

The bill would enable the fixation of maximum wholesale and retail prices, specify price structures, specify conditions for sale such as quantity, and provide the organisation and administration of a system of rationing if required. It further provides for the acquisition of stocks and by magisterial order, upon which the Competent Authority is empowered to compel the sale of articles to him.

However, the powers of a Competent Authority acting in a contingency situation as the one anticipated has altered drastically as a state of emergency no longer exists.

The bill, originally meant for regulation and maintenance of supplies had to be amended as a temporary provision following the Supreme Court ruling last week which upheld it as unconstitutional and was carried with several amendments.

Not enough anti-riot equipment - Amaratunga

Interior Minister John Amaratunga says the country lacks adequate anti-riot equipment to either curb or prevent mass protests that sometimes end up in riots and violence.

According to Minister Amaratunga, his Ministry has already submitted papers to the relevant authorities for possible purchases.

Amaratunga told The Sunday Leader that the lack of such equipment could be to the disadvantage of the government in the event a mass protest march turned out to be a major riot in the country.

"We are really handicapped without sophisticated machines that are purely meant to prevent violence and not to harm protesters. Sometimes, the methods that are used by our policemen could endanger the lives of people who take part in protests. In foreign countries this is how mass protests are prevented from turning into riots," the Minister explained.

He also said quotations have already been called and soon the government would look into the possibilities of purchasing these equipment.

Church leaders urge early end to war

Church leaders have called on political leaders to secure a "just, lasting and secure peace" in Iraq and throughout the Middle East.

The Archbishop of Canterbury. Dr. Rowan Williams said war with Iraq could only be "a limited means to an end."

He was joined by five of Britain's most senior religious leaders from three faiths outside Lambeth Palace as he read out a joint statement.

The comments came as the Muslim Association of Britain urged Muslims to use Friday prayers to pray for peace.

Hundreds of mosques across the UK were expected to take part in the special prayers.

Protests against the war were also expected to take place across Britain throughout the day.

Dr. Williams, who has been a vocal opponent of a war against Iraq, said the rights of civilians innocently caught up in the conflict had to be protected.

"We pray that early efforts to achieve a just, lasting and secure peace both in Iraq and throughout the Middle East may follow swiftly in the footsteps of war.

"We urge those with the power to help make real this vision to remain true, amid the clamour of conflict, to that noble and vital purpose," he said.

And he called for unity between religions.

"This is a conflict neither about religion nor between religions."

He was joined by the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Three Churches Moderator, the Rev David Coffey, Chief Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Sacks, Chairman of the Council of Mosques and Imams UK, Dr. Zaki Badawi, and Co-president of Churches Together In England, the Rev Esme Beswick.

UNP, PA prepare for provincial polls

While the UNF government threatens to impeach President Chandrika Kumaratunga to prevent dissolution of parliament as the opposition bides its time for a beneficial dissolution, both parties are preparing to grease the provincial polls.

The first election that would be due is the Wayamba Provincial Council poll, due in April 2004. Within another two months, three other provincial elections become due.

Authoritative government sources told The Sunday Leader that the party machinery has been alerted to start working at grassroot level. While specific plans are yet to be discussed, the organisers have been instructed to sell memberships, hold pocket meetings and to particularly educate the public on the ongoing peace process.

UNP Party Spokesman Gayantha Karunathileke said that the party is continuing with its general grassroot level plans and said that finer details of an election have not been discussed yet.

SriLankan cancels all flights to Kuwait

by Frederica Janz

SriLankan Airlines has cancelled all its five weekly flights to Kuwait via Dubai and will instead terminate in Dubai.

Following the outbreak of war in Iraq the national carrier however said it would maintain all its other Middle Eastern destinations to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain.

An airline official said the flight paths for European destinations will be changed and SriLankan Airlines will take the Russian or Northern African flight routes to Europe. This route is marginally longer than the route via the Middle East.

Head of Corporate Communications, SriLankan Airlines, Chandana de Silva said the airline's underwriters have requested that if SriLankan is to resume flights to Kuwait then there will be an insurance surcharge or a war risk cover the airline will be forced to take. De Silva added that in the event of a protracted war in Iraq, "there are some contingency flight paths the airline will take as and when required to European and Far Eastern destinations." Beyond this aspect he said there would be no changes to the carrier's flight schedules other than its cancelled flights to Kuwait.

In anticipation of the war, Senior Media Relations Executive, Manuela Motha said the airline only added a fuel surcharge this month at the rate of US $ 10 per one day journey and US $ 5 for those flying the Indian sectors.

The re-routing of flight paths she said would mean extra fuel costs for the carrier which may in the long term have to also make extra stopovers which would add to landing and parking fees. A day after the war broke in Iraq, Motha on Friday maintained that there had been "hardly any cancellations both into and out of Colombo."

Remand on Indian fishermen extended

Mannar District Judge, M. A. Mohideen ordered Thursday that the remand for 26 Indian fishermen who were arrested by local fishermen and handed over to the police on March 5 for trespassing into Sri Lankan waters, be extended until April 3, sources said.

Though the fishermen were produced in court Thursday, legal sources said that the judge ordered their extended remand, saying that the Attorney General has not yet submitted his instructions on the case.

Meanwhile, the judge refused permission to release the 31 boats being held by the Sri Lankan officials to representatives of a fishermen's union in India on behalf of the Indian owners of the boats.  The representatives, Juwani Fernando Arulanantham and Anton Fentinklaus from the union who sought the release of fishermen and operate from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, were present in the court.

They sought the release of the boats, but the judge said that the owners of the boats should themselves appear in court to seek the release of their boats.

CMC imposes fine of Rs. 700,000
on Colombo Swimming Club

The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has imposed a fine of nearly Rs. 700,000 on the Colombo Swimming Club for an unauthorised structure the club has put up.

The Director, City Planning, CMC, in a letter sent to the club has stated that the area constructed and completed without approval is at the rate of Rs 1000 per meter.

Some of the members of the club who were against the decision to put up the unauthorised structure told The Sunday Leader that the President of the Club, Victor Castelino, an Indian national has acted contrary to the constitution of the club.

They say the requirement according to the club constitution is that three bids should be submitted to the club committee for evaluation before any plans are made to construct buildings.

They charged that it was almost on completion of the building that they were made to understand of the construction.

The constitution of the club states that approval from the committee has to be given for any building to be put up but according to the members this had not happened.

Victor Castelino has been the president of the club for almost six years and is contesting for the post again next year.

Meanwhile, Castelino in a letter to all the members has said that consensus was obtained from the general membership at the AGM before embarking on the construction of the new restaurant and a gym.

"Established procedures of calling for tenders were strictly adhered to," he has stated.

LTTE regrets lack of UN sanction

The LTTE has criticised the US led war on Iraq charging it has marginalised the United Nations.

Chief Negotiator of the LTTE, Anton Balasingham told a press conference in Hakone, Japan, Friday that while the Tigers are against the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein and acknowledges the fact he is heading an evil empire in the Middle East, the war to disarm Hussein should have been carried out with UN sanction. "Regrettably the US has launched an attack without UN approval. We are concerned at the plight of the innocent civilians in Iraq," he added.

Advisor to PM on monitoring

Dinesh Weerakkody has been appointed as advisor to the Prime Minister on monitoring and implementation. The new unit is charged with monitoring and assessing the progress of projects undertaken by the government.

Sir Razik Fareed to be remembered

The All Ceylon Moors Association is sponsoring the Sir Razik Fareed memorial lecture to be held at the Mahaweli Centre, Ananda Coomaraswamy, Colombo 7 at 6.30 p.m. on Friday, March 28.

The keynote speakers will be Dr. Gamini Corea, Sri Lanka's former Representative in the UN and Secretary - General of UNCTAD and Desmond Fernando P.C. and former president and secretary general, International Jurists' Organisation.

They will speak on 'The Life of Sir Razik Fareed' and on 'Peace and Peace Dividend and Solidarity of the Moor Community towards Sri Lanka.'

 New procedure to sell Pinnawela elephants

Animal rights activists protest

by Dilrukshi Handunnetti

A recent request by the Private Elephant Owners' Association to permit private owners to obtain elephants from the Pinnawela orphanage has earned the wrath of environmentalists and animal rights activists while the Environment Minister intends moving fresh legislation to replace the annual licensing system of elephants in private ownership or custody.

The elephant owners took this matter up with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe a few weeks ago, and told him that if the orphaned elephants at Pinnawela that are to be auctioned are not released to them, they would refrain from paying the annual licensing fee of the animals currently in their custody.

The Association headed by Kataragama Basnayake Nilame, Nilanga Dela Bandara has requested that they be permitted to purchase the orphaned elephants up for auction.

Bandara told The Sunday Leader that these elephants are required for temples and devales for cultural pageants and other events, and as such the demand was legitimate.

" We do not abuse animals and these are orphaned animals that need to be looked after. It is also a cultural requirement. What harm is there if we own them?" argued the youngest Basnayake Nilame in the country.

But activists say the move is aimed at increasing the number of animals owned privately, as most owners are landed proprietors who are also in the timber industry.

Piyal Parakrama, leader of the Green Party and an environmental activist, alleges that the proposed legislation supports the very thing the private owners of elephants have been clamouring for - the removal of the annual licensing fee.

He says that opposition need not be construed as being against cultural practices, but as being opposed to the possible risk of using aged animals for heavy work such as carrying logs etc;

Sources from the Pinnawela Orphanage claimed that often older elephants are auctioned, which gives credence to Parakrama's theory about employing them for heavy work.

"It is accepted that elephants are costly to maintain and owners need some income to maintain them. But there should be some restriction on the age of the animals" he argues.

Parakrama states that the famous Panamure elephant fought while in captivity, and this cost the animal his life. " The elephant was shot dead for causing a commotion in the Panamure private elephant kraal. This  generated much public interest and inspired a popular song at that time.

" That is how the country's animal rights evolved and restrictions were brought on private ownership of elephants by Dr. N.M. Perera," asserts Parakrama.

Besides animal rights concerns is the legal question. According to Environment and Natural Resources Minister Rukman Senanayake, auctioning will be replaced by a tender procedure.

Senanayake says that tenders will be called in April for five male elephants currently in Pinnawela. Tenders will be called for and the animals would be sold to the highest bidders.

" There are maintenance and space constraints at Pinnawala. The problem aggravates when male animals come into musth (heat). They turn violent and the entire kraal gets affected. The selected five elephants are male."

Minister Senanayake asserts that the owners will be required as before to register with the Wildlife Department while the annual licensing scheme would be replaced by complete ownership, subject to provisions of the new act pertaining to animal welfare.

He claims that the act provides for the immediate confiscation of any 'domestic animal' if not cared for according to requirements.

Elephants, though categorised as wild or dangerous are also covered by the above provisions as it extends to all domestic, wild or exotic animals in captivity.

Environmental lawyer Jagath Gunawardene counters the position and states that new protective mechanisms are unnecessary as the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act introduced in 1907 already contains such provisions.

The penalty for cruelty according to Section 22 of the Flora and Fauna Act is a fine of Rs.100, 000 to Rs. 200,000 or imprisonment for a period of two to five years, or both.

Parakrama argues that the new procedure would exclude open tender where bidding is immediate. The new scheme would provide for preparation of bidders, which could be done without transparency.

"This will open the floodgates as a tender board will finally select who would own the animals, in stark violation of the previous public auction procedure" he charged.

New numbering plan for telephones

The Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) last week announced a 10-digit numbering plan to create a level playing field for all fixed line and mobile operators, thus stimulating competition.

The new number plan will also provide resources to meet the future demand, the TRC said.

The TRC announced that the present telephone numbering plan, developed more than 30 years ago when there were about 100,000 telephone lines in use is now outdated. Sri Lanka presently has approximately 1.8 million telephone lines in use and the demand for new lines is increasing.

The TRC said that in this scenario the country needed a comprehensive numbering plan that will take into account telephone line requirements and telecom services.

The new plan will provide for a uniform 10-digit number across fixed and mobile lines, consisting of a standard three-digit area code plus a seven-digit subscriber number for fixed lines and a three-digit operator code plus seven-digit subscriber number for mobile lines.

An important feature will be that all fixed lines (wireless and wire line) would have a geographic identity determined by the area code.

The new number plan will enable the introduction of emerging services like free phone services. It will make provision for standardised short codes for all operators; for example emergency services like fire, ambulance and police.

TRC announced that in order to implement the changes smoothly and with the least possible inconvenience to the user, the implementation will be undertaken in stages, commencing June this year.

It was also announced that the TRC hopes to complete the entire project during the course of this year.

Minister condemns school closure

Education Minister Dr. Karunasena Kodituwakku, one of the respondents in a case filed by some parents against Kottawa Dharmapala Vidyalaya for deciding to close down the primary section of the school has condemned the action taken by the school.

The school decided to shut down the primary section thereby depriving hundreds of primary students of a proper education.  The school requested the parents to transfer their children to another school in the same area. The parents however filed a case against the school, and the Supreme Court granted a stay order, thus preventing the school from implementing its decision.

Dr.Kodituwakku who is one of the respondents told The Sunday Leader that though he was representing the state, he sympathised with the students and condemned the decision of the school.

"A proper institution where teaching is prime, should not resort to such acts. This school should have given the parents a choice and also adequate time for the parents to decide on the future education of their children," the Education Minister said.

He condemned the Western Provincial Council Education Ministry for permitting the closure.

Media conference

The third South Asian Free Media Conference on 'Media and Democracy' is to be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh on April 7 and 8.

About 170 media persons from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will participate in this conference.

Photo exhibition in Trincomalee

The first ever photographic exhibition organised by the North- East Provincial Council is scheduled for today in Trincomalee. The exhibition commenced yesterday.

The photographs focus on historic places, antiques, cultural identity and scenic beauty in the north east region.

More than 500 photographs are displayed and the two best photographs of each category will be selected for special awards.

The exhibition is being held at the Trincomalee Sri Koneswara Hindu College Hall. Provincial Secretary to the Ministry of Education, R.Thiagalingam, was expected to preside over the inaugural event of the exhibition yesterday, March 22, while Provincial Public Service Commission Secretary, V.P.Balasingham was to participate as the chief guest.

The ultimate objective of the exhibition is to encourage persons involved in photography in the North-East Province, a spokesman from the North-East Provincial Council said.

NE teachers threaten death fast

The North East Province Volunteer Teachers' Consortium (NEPVTC) Wednesday (19) warned the government that it would convert its present sit-in protest in front of the Provincial Ministry of Education in Trincomalee to a hunger strike from March 28, if the Ministry fails to grant permanent status to them before March 27.

The sit-in-protest in addition to fasting on a rotation basis entered the 17th day on Wednesday.

Tamil medium volunteers selected for permanent appointment following interviews and after cabinet approval was granted are participating in the protest campaign.

Volunteer teachers from Kilinochchi in the Wanni region have joined their Trincomalee colleagues in the campaign, NEPVTC sources said.

NEPVTC in its statement condemned the latest stand taken by the government to hold another interview to grant permanent status to the 1000 Tamil medium volunteer teachers in the North-East Province. This had been reported in a section of the media quoting the Schools' Education Ministry Secretary, H.M.Sirisena.

Hoardings come down

Acting Mayor of Colombo, Azath Sally, last week ordered his council to remove all unauthorised hoardings that have come up in Colombo during the past several months.

The unauthorised hoardings according to Sally have caused inconvenience to pedestrians and residents.

A special operation commenced last Thursday to remove all such unauthorised hoardings by the end of the week. "Further, all authorised hoardings must  visibly display the permit number issued by the Colombo Municipal Council and failure to do so will compel the council to remove such boards as they would be considered unauthorised," the Acting Mayor said in a statement.

CWC wants DWC leader out of UNF

The Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) The Sunday Leader learns has applied pressure on the United National Front (UNF) to refuse Democratic Workers Congress (DWC) Chief Mano Ganesan nomination for future elections under the UNF.

According to well informed sources, some members from the CWC have already requested Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to remove Ganesan's name from the list in the event of an election being called by President Kumaratunga. It is believed that with the People's Alliance and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna entering into a pact, the President is likely to dissolve parliament and call for fresh elections.

The DWC leader contested the 2000 election under the UNP and was short of 96,000 votes to be elected to parliament. The following year he contested under the UNF along with two CWC members and received 55,000 votes whereas both CWC members together received only 30,000 votes. At this election too, there had been moves by the CWC to block Ganesan from contesting under the UNF.

Quality lamps

Under the Appliance Energy Labeling Programme, the CFL Energy Labeling Standard (SLS 1225) has now been published by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution to support the ongoing Energy Efficient Lighting Programme of the Ceylon Electricity Board.

In this stage of the programme high power factor CFLs with low Total Harmonic Distortion  (THD) have been introduced. The prime consideration is to provide quality lamps to customers with minimum effect on the quality of the power supply, Deputy General Manager, CEB Bandula S. Tilakasena said.

Introduction of CFL energy labeling under the CEB  energy lighting programme will help customers make rational decisions in investing on energy efficient products, Tilakasena stated in a release.

A photographer's impressions of the NE war

By Shezna Shums 

"The people of the north are said to be getting back to normal existence, but the odd irony is that for the people under the age of 25 who come from the north, normal existence has been war," observed international photographer Tim Dickinson.

Dickinson first came to Sri Lanka last September to visit a friend who had been here for about a year.

At the time, he was to be in the country only for three-weeks during the ceasefire. It was then that Dickinson thought that this time of peace was a special opportunity to get a story and felt it would be stupid to leave without one.

Dickinson then decided to visit Jaffna with the assistance of a NGO.

Change of mind

His plan was to find out the ground situation in Jaffna, take some pictures for a newspaper story and sell it to either an English or Australian newspaper.

However, all this changed when he was approached by an NGO in Kilinochchi, which invited him to come to the north for a second week and at the end of this week it was this NGO - Norwegian People's Aid - that first suggested having a photography exhibition.

"Then I considered to make this a long term project," said Dickinson, adding that during his stay in the island he has been in and out of the country to his home in Australia. Although he is British, Dickinson has made Melbourne, Australia his home.

Dickinson has also been in Burma. In 1994/1995, he had stayed in Thailand but travelled across the border to Burma.

In Burma, it was the Caren people who were fighting against the government for an independent state. "It is similar to the LTTE," Dickinson pointed out.

Comparing the two, Dickinson says that he thinks the LTTE is much more organised, more financed and better equipped.

Pictures that communicate

"And now the LTTE is at the negotiating table, but in Burma this is not the case, and unlike the LTTE, the Burmese are more apprehensive about the Caren people," Dickinson said.

Speaking on the angle he looks at when taking a photograph, he says, "it depends on each job. In this instance, I have taken pictures that communicate. What it feels like to be a part of their life and what sort of obstacles people face when returning to normal existence. Ironically, normal existence for most of them would be returning to war."

Dickinson feels that people are happy with the peace process as it has brought an end to the brutality and destruction they have known for so long. Families who have left their homes are now returning because of the ceasefire.

He says that at the time he was in Kilinochchi, he didn't notice any tense atmosphere and feels that people want to make the ceasefire work.

The impact of the war in the north hadn't really hit him until he witnessed how schools, hospitals, villages and other places were destroyed. All he knew of a war earlier was what every foreigner knew - very little.

He adds that he admires those affected by the war, especially their spirit, because it is amazing to see how they come out of war with their spirit intact.

The worst place he visited is not in the Wanni, but  Chavakachcheri. "There was astonishing damage and the area has a large number of accidents causing a lot of suffering," he observed. The place being small and densely populated with a lot of mines is the reason behind the accidents.

Mine threat

"Many people had left their homes and were returning because of the ceasefire. So usually, one male member of the family would return first to see if the house was intact and whether it is ready for his family to return. And in most cases, there are mines in the area and unknowingly, this particular man would step on a mine and injure himself. This has been a common occurrence in the area," Dickinson explained.

Another aspect admired by Dickinson is how people can get on with their lives without a fuss.

He emphasised that although the artificial limbs worn by these people are out of date, they keep using them. "They put the fake leg and just get on with their life," said Dickinson, adding that this is what he heard from a person at the White Pigeon, which gets down foreign doctors for assistance. He went on to say that a worker at the White Pigeon had told him that a doctor is sued for the slightest discomfort in other countries, but in Sri Lanka people hardly make a fuss.

"I have been with a person for more than a month and not realised he was wearing an artificial limb. It was only when he sat down with his leg showing a little that I realised he was wearing a fake limb," he commented.

"Those returning to their homes know of the dangers of landmines, but the question is the level of awareness. Do they know about landmines around their homes?" he queried. However, he said that a lot is being done right now, but a lot more needs to be done.

Tim Dickinson's photography exhibition 'The-Fall Out' opened last Thursday and will continue till April 3 at the World Trade Centre Lobby, Level 3, West Tower. The title The-Fall Out was chosen to emphasise the side effects of a war. Dickinson counts 11 years in newspaper photo journalism.