US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Ambassador Richard Boucher expressed grave concern last week over reports of human rights abuses and killings in government controlled areas in Sri Lanka and said the United States would strongly encourage the government to take the issue of human rights seriously and would support an international commission to help make sure those investigations do get carried out more thoroughly.

Speaking to The Sunday Leader at the Department of State in Washington, Tuesday, Boucher said the United States urged Sri Lanka to investigate incidents of abuse in a serious manner and to ensure that law enforcement officials followed careful codes of conduct and acted in a transparent manner.

Boucher also expressed equal concern over continued forced recruitment in Tiger controlled territory and the bombing of buses full of innocent civilians.

In response to a question by The Sunday Leader on the US assessment of the deteriorating human rights situation, Boucher said the United States was "concerned about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka."

"I think we have two things. We have first the basic problem which is that a democratic government with democratic institutions is fighting against a terrorist group. We are very concerned about the continuing reports of what is going on in the Tamil Tiger areas about forced recruitment. Frankly the bus bombings, bombing buses full of innocent civilians, these things are all serious human rights problems. But we are also concerned about reports of abuses and killings in government controlled areas and we strongly encourage the government to take those seriously, to investigate seriously, to ensure that the law enforcement officials follow careful codes of conduct and act in a transparent manner," Ambassador Boucher said.

He further stated the United States has "helped support the commission of inquiry and supported an international commission to help make sure those investigations do get carried out more thoroughly."

"I’d say we are very concerned about the whole human rights situation and put a lot of emphasis on it as we’ve seen often it is a difficult thing for other things to proceed if there are widespread concerns about the human rights situation," Boucher said.

Boucher, head of the US State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs has been involved in Sri Lanka’s peace process and has participated in several discussions among the Co-Chairs.

Speaking to a group of international journalists from the South and Central Asian nations Boucher also said the region was a place of enormous potential even though just about every problem in the world can be found in the region. The US, he said, was fighting terrorism, trying to find democracy, dealing with climate change and poverty problems, in the region.

Boucher further added the United States was not looking to change governments. "Building democracy and building stability we think are part of the same thing. We are not looking to change governments, we are looking to help governments achieve the institutions that can support democracy, the education systems, the information systems, the rule of law, election commissions, anti corruption commissions, things like that, that really can make a democracy stable in the longer term. That sort of democratic stability in the longer term, that is what we are trying to achieve, " he said.

Meanwhile speaking to a group of international journalists Tuesday morning, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice acknowledged the difficult role of journalists in conflict areas stating "journalists are often those who are on the frontlines of some of the most difficult conflicts in the world, very often giving their lives, paying the highest sacrifice to report the news. And in these days of conflict around the world there are always journalists who have given their lives and so I want to especially acknowledge that sacrifice."

Paying tribute to fearless journalism Secretary Rice stated "it’s also true that in countries that are not yet free, where people do not yet enjoy the benefits of freedom, it is often journalists who make the sacrifice and endure the danger to try and report to the outside world so that those places can be free. And so journalists are not just reporters, if you will, of the great events. They are also very involved in making those events happen. There’s no period in history in which journalists, in which the press has not played a role in bringing about change."

The UNP last week said that it supported the induction of international human rights monitors to the country following Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s acceptance of a pledge from the Civil Monitoring Committee at a meeting attended by family members of those missing.

"If local means are not enough, we will have to enlist the support of international organisations," Wickremesinghe told the gathering.

The pledge included a request to the government to "set up an independent international monitoring mechanism in Sri Lanka that can investigate the disappearances of our loved ones in an independent manner." "We do not oppose (international monitors). When the UNP was in power everything was carried out in a transparent manner. The government is against this because it has so much to hide," MP Lakshman Kiriella, member of the CMC told The Sunday Leader.

Many family members of the missing too support the setting up of an international monitoring mechanism, repeatedly rejected by the government.

They said that local authorities have proved futile in tracing the missing.

"The international community should bring pressure, nothing gets done here without international involvement," Tambiah Sivaraja whose son Haran went missing last April in Jaffna said.

According to the Human Rights Commission more than 1000 have been abducted or gone missing during 2006 and at least 81 cases have been reported this year as well. Family members are too frightened of repercussions to come out openly with their grievances but say that they have not received any help from authorities.

"We have appealed to everyone, the police, the government, the NGOs, everyone, no one knows anything," S Chandramohan whose brother Manivaran was abducted said.

The family members said that they have had no information of their missing loved ones and had no way of looking for their whereabouts as well.

"We want him back, why should my daughter give birth to a child like this, who is responsible," S. Pakiyanadan whose son-in-law Pradeepan was abducted on April 4 said.

The CMC said that it was planning to hold island-wide meetings to muster support for wider investigations and an end to abuses.

The government has continuously maintained that the newly set-up Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry would fulfill all requirements of an independent investigative body.

No fresh initiatives are underway to renew any new dialogue between the Tigers and the government, the SLMM said, though both sides continue to express willingness to negotiate.

"There is nothing new, there were no fresh proposals or moves when we met the Tigers last time (on April 6), it was just routine," SLMM Spokesperson Thoffinur Omarsson told The Sunday Leader.

Last week reports indicated that there were fresh moves underway following the latest SLMM visit to Kilinochchi and the government reiterated its willingness to negotiate.

"We have only normal discussions with the SLMM and others, that is it," LTTE military spokesperson Rasiah Ilanthirayan said.

He said that neither the Norwegians nor any other party had informed of any fresh initiative. (AP)

Heavy fighting broke out along the Forward Defence Lines west of Vavuniya last week, the Tigers and the military said.

The government also said that the strategic A5 had fallen under its control on April 11 afternoon.

Twenty-four hours of fighting about 12 km west of Omanthai, had claimed the lives of 30 combatants by April 10. The military said that it killed at least 20 Tigers in the fighting north of Vavuniya and the Tigers said 10 soldiers were killed.

"There is heavy fighting in the Palamuttai area, fighting broke out Tuesday evening," LTTE military spokesperson Rasiah Ilanthirayan said. He said that the Tigers had repulsed a government attack and had recovered eight bodies and weapons.

The military said the Tigers had attacked troops in the area with mortar and 120 mm shellfire forcing retaliation.

The crossover point remained closed from April 10.

The area has seen heavy fighting in the past three weeks and two weeks back the military had launched two major offensives involving hundreds of troops into the Tiger held areas, the SLMM said.

"There were two SLA led offensives into LTTE controlled areas in the Wanni 25 kilometers west of Vavuniya. The first reportedly involved some 200 soldiers, the second comprised of more than 1000 soldiers according to the LTTE. The last confrontation lasted more than 12 hours and it is believed that more than 60 combatants died in the battle. The intention (according to the Defence Ministry) was to gain control over the Madhu area. However ground positions seem to have remained more or less the same," the monitors said in their situation report from March 26 to April 1.

One soldier was killed and three others injured in the shellfire at Omanthai on April 10. Meanwhile, shell and artillery fire was reported at the northern end of A9 at Muhamalai, south of Jaffna and at Black Bridge, just west of Chenkalady.

The SLMM reported that shellfire has been continuous along the FDLs in the last few weeks. "Sporadic shelling has taken place all along the southern, as well as the northern FDL all week and sea clashes have taken place both south of Mullaitivu and further north," it said.

At least one relief agency, the World Food Programme has warned that the fighting now centered on the east may shift to the north.

Each teary-eyed face that gathered with posters of their missing loved ones at the meeting organised by the Civil Monitoring Commission (CMC) last Monday had more or less the same story to tell — a son or husband gone missing, and they want answers.

Throngs of family members and friends of missing persons, some of whom have travelled from as far as Vavuniya, participated in the meeting.

CMC Convenor and Western People’s Front Leader, Mano Ganesan said that the government would be definitely pressurised by the local and international community due to the increasing human rights violations in the country.

He added that the government was under severe pressure as the main opposition had also joined the CMC on the issue of abductions and human rights violations.

"Definitely the government will face a lot of pressure as this issue has been taken up internationally and also due to the fact that the main opposition the UNP, has joined hands with us on this issue," he told The Sunday Leader.

"We’re talking about people who have a right to live in this country, regardless of their religion and political views. White vans visiting houses — is this what we expect from Sri Lanka? This nonsense must stop before it becomes an international crisis. A government has been elected and it’s time it carried out its duties," he added.

He added that the functions of the CMC were not restricted to the abductions and HR violations in and around Colombo, but in other areas as well.

"We appointed a TNA parliamentarian as a member to show that we are concerned about the HR violations in the north and east as well. There were people who were from Vavuniya and Batticaloa who took part in last Monday’s meeting," he said.

TNA Parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran at the meeting called on the government to ‘stop playing with people’s lives’ and stated that he and the TNA would help the Opposition Leader in whatever way they can to solve this issue.

The UNP, which joined the CMC for the first time last Monday said it would continue to work with the organisation on human rights violations in the country.

"A declaration was handed over to our leader by Mano Ganesan. We will be working with the Civil Monitoring Commission on these issues in the future," UNP General Secretary, Tissa Attanayake said.

However, most of the affected families who attended the meeting told The Sunday Leader that they were taking every possible effort to make sure that their sufferings are conveyed to the abductors.

"We have complained to all the human rights organisations. We have not got any responses so far. We are taking part at these meetings so that our sufferings would be conveyed to the community at large and the abductees as well," said S. Premila, whose husband, a van driver, was abducted along with two others from Puttalam.

She said that he had previously gone on hires to the north and east and had not received any threats.

However, the families pointed out that the involvement of the international community was not likely to change the situation in the country.

"We have seen the human rights violations in the north and east. International organisations are working in these areas. The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) is finding it very hard to curb the situation. This is nothing different. We want to know whether the abducted people are safe. We do not want any other people to undergo the agony we are going through," Premila added.

The Tigers last week expressed their willingness to allow international human rights monitors and said that they would welcome any investigation by an international agency.

The Tigers made their position public following the government’s reaction to an advocacy campaign launched by Amnesty International (AI) coinciding with the Cricket World Cup to push for international monitors in the country.

Despite, the government’s grouse that the campaign was against the Sri Lankan cricket team and the government, AI has also accused the Tigers of rights abuses and has insisted that any international mission should work in the entire island.

"We are not against Amnesty International’s campaign. We are all cricket lovers but initiating such a campaign during the World Cup will only bring more pressure on the Sri Lankan government to cease violating human rights," LTTE Spokesperson for Human Rights, Selvy Navaruban told The Sunday Leader.

Navaruban said that the Tigers would support international monitors and their work in LTTE controlled areas.

Meanwhile, AI said that it had never launched any protests inside venues where World Cup matches were being played and did not plan to do so as well.

"We never initiated our campaign in the Caribbean. We have only had very small groups in the West Indies who have visited bars and school children in order to inform them of our campaign against Sri Lanka’s human rights violations. The Sri Lankan government needs to get its facts straight before accusing Amnesty," Regional Campaign Coordinator, Asia Pacific Programme, Amnesty International, Rob Godden said.

The government last week wrote to the International Cricket Council through the Sri Lankan High Commission in London raising its concerns over the AI campaign. The ICC said that it did not want to get involved in a political wrestling match between the government and AI, but said that any protests inside venues would be barred.

Former Port Development Minister Sripathi Sooriyaarachchi who is currently in remand custody has started studying for his MBA in Finance.

Sooriyaarachchi who passed the first semester of his MBA from the University of Southern Queensland in Australia with an A grade last month is to sit for his second semester in June.

However, Sooriyaarachchi who is unable to attend classes conducted by the Chartered Institute of Accountants given his remand status has obtained the study packs from the University of Queensland and is preparing for his examination from prison.

President Mahinda Rajapakse is to meet Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican this week.

Rajapakse is scheduled to leave the island early this week for the four-day tour. He will fly to the Vatican via Kuwait.

The National Building and Research Organisation (NBRO) has warned residents in the Southern Province to immediately evacuate their homes if they notice even slight earth movements or cracks in the ground.

The heavy rains experienced in the past week have mostly been in the south of the country.

Geo Technical Engineer, NBRO, Kumari Weerasinghe told The Sunday Leader that heavy rains have been reported from the Matara and Kalutara Districts.

In Matara, the specific areas of Pasgoda and Kotagoda divisions have recorded high rainfall.

Weerasinghe stated that the people living in hilly terrain in these areas have to be extra vigilant. In the Kalutara District there is also a threat of landslides especially in the areas of Pittabedera and Kekinadura.

It was also highlighted that the relevant Divisional Secretariats have been instructed to evacuate families in case there are signs of a landslide. NBRO has briefed these officials on pre landslide signs.

With regard to the up country areas, Weerasinghe said that these areas have not received much rain and as such there was no imminent threat of landslides.

"The up-country areas have not received much rain, so the risk of landslides is low," she explained.

Upto last Wednesday the NBRO had not received information of any deaths or injuries to persons resulting from landslides.

Steps are to be taken by the government to strengthen the nursing and paramedic sectors in the island.

The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry is to take necessary measures to meet the equipment shortage presently facing the Nursing Training Schools (NTSs) in the island by April 24.

Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva’s call to international organisations such as UNICEF, World Health Organisation (WHO), World Bank (WB) and other organisations for assistance has finally borne results as these organisations have volunteered to provide the necessary equipment for the NTSs. Following a discussion to be held in the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry on April 24, equipment will be distributed among the schools on the same day. In addition, the nursing and paramedic system in the island will be further strengthened with the award of diplomas to nurses and paramedics at the BMICH on April 24. This will be the first time a recognised certificate will be issued to those engaged in the two fields.

The Private Bus Owners’ Association (PBOA) will enter into a partnership with the government to improve the public transport service in the country.

Speaking to The Sunday Leader President, PBOA, Gemunu Wijeratne said at present the Provincial Transport Authority does not accept rules and regulations imposed by the central government.

"There is no development by the Transport Authority with regard to the transport sector in the country. Officials of the Transport Authority are not interested in developing the sector for the benefit of the public. We have discussed this issue with Transport Minister Dulles Alahapperuma and he has agreed to a private-public partnership between the PBOA and the government," Wijeratne said.

According to Wijeratne under the new partnership agreement the PBOA will come directly under the central government and not the Provincial Transport Authority.

"The government will benefit by this partnership agreement as the PBOA will pay the government for using its facilities. At present Rs .500 million is paid by the government to run the SLTB. Under the new partnership agreement the PBOA will pay the SLTB for using its bus stands and other facilities," Wijeratne added.

With the onset of the inter monsoon rains there is an expected outbreak of chikungunya and dengue fever once again.

"Even though chikungunya and dengue prevail at a low level at present, we are expecting an increase in the number cases because of the prevailing weather conditions in the island.

"However, we are taking action to review the situation and will plan ahead for the next couple of months," Chief Epidemiologist, Health Ministry Epidemiology Unit, Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe told The Sunday Leader.

In addition, Dr. Abeysinghe said that Leptospirosis is an endemic problem and at present the Epidemiology Unit is conducting surveillance, which is an ongoing programme.

Further, the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry is requesting the general public to cooperate in controlling the mosquito menace by disposing of tins, yoghurt cups, tyres and other household litter in a proper manner. The Ministry’s Dengue and Malaria Control Units are also taking steps to destroy mosquito-breeding places by spraying appropriate chemicals. (SR)

Civilians who are yet to return to their homes in Kebethigollewa will not be receiving any assistance from the government for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, Kebethigollewa Divisional Secretary, H.M.J.M. Herath said.

Speaking to The Sunday Leader he said that 58 families were yet to return to their homes. These families from Yakawewa had remained in the Borulukanda camp despite the rest of the villagers going back.

He added that 128 families were initially displaced from Yakawewa after the claymore attack on the civilian bus last June.

The Divisional Secretariat added that the government had stopped helping the remaining people a few months ago as the other civilians from nearby villages had gone back to their homes.

"There were 128 families from this particular village following the claymore attack.

"Most of the victims were from this village. That was the reason why the villagers were not willing to go back. However, 58 families are still remaining in the camp. The government however is not assisting them as there are only a few families and the rest have gone back," he said.

He added that the government would be distributing food parcels among the Yakawewa civilians for the New Year.