Dayan Jayatillake’s irresponsible utterances on Arbour uncalled for…

Dayan Jayatillake, Sri Lanka’s envoy to the Human rights Council in Geneva had called the office of the UN High Commissioner Louise Arbour as unqualified to make unbiased reports on S.L’s human rights situation.

This irresponsible and uncouth utterance has been viewed with grave concern by Hillel Neuer; Executive Director of the Geneva based NGO who regretted the use of “ill advised language and the disputing of the UN’s jurisdiction to monitor the events in Sri Lanka.”

These statements of Dayan only underscored dangerous attempts of repressive regimes to keep out independent human rights scrutiny, he lamented.

Second claymore blast in Buttala targets army vehicle

A second claymore blast in Buttala, Moneragala targeted a Unicorn vehicle of the Army this morning, reports say. Three soldiers were injured in the incident at Galge on Buttala-Kataragama road. This explosion followed hours after a similar attack on a passenger bus that claimed 26 lives and injured 67 others.

A bomb ripped through a packed civilian bus Wednesday, killing 23 people in southeastern Sri Lanka. The blast, the latest in a string of attacks in government-held territory in recent months, struck the bus in Buttala, 150 miles southeast of Colombo.

The bomb was planted by the side of the road, exploded about 7:45 a.m., said military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara. In addition to the 23 killed, 67 people were injured… "We do not know if it was a claymore mine or a parcel bomb," he said, when asked about the nature of the explosive device.

Thirty of the injured were in a critical condition in Moneragala and Buttala hospitals, reports said.

The Tigers were not immediately available for comment on the blast, which bore the hallmarks of previous rebel attacks, but routinely deny involvement. A 2002 ceasefire which broke down on the ground two years ago formally ends later today after President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government announced a fortnight ago it was scrapping the pact, triggering fears that the fighting will deepen.

Chief Minister of Uva Vijithamuni Soysa announced that all schools in the province would be closed indefinitely following the Okkampitiya bus bomb blast. The decision has been taken to facilitate the police and the security in their duties in the aftermath of the explosion that claimed 26 lives and injured 64 others. Three schoolchildren are among the dead, reports say.

Sri Lanka ‘a government of thugs, by thugs, for thugs.’

A famous American President had said that a democracy is ‘a government of the people, by the people, for the people.’ But we in Sri Lanka can say without any hesitation that we have ‘a government of thugs, by thugs, for thugs.’

M. de Alwis says… Our beautiful island once known as the ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean’ very soon will be known as the ‘bloody Ruby of the Orient’ due to the blood that is being spilled without end in the entire country.

The blood that is spilled is not the blood of the sons and daughters of the high and mighty, the politicians or the wealthy — but of the poor Gunapalas and Siriyalathas who are struggling for survival whilst the rich and the powerful are merrymaking with the taxpayers’ money.

As Nero fiddled while Rome burned so do our very "patriotic" politicians of all colours and hues.

We are blessed with a top heavy NATO government — No Action Talk Only — and an equally pathetic opposition which can only bleat without any effect.

The third force which takes the high moral ground on almost all national issues becomes a pus vedilla in time of need.

The religious sect which left the hallowed temples and came out with all guns blazing to make our beloved country a dharmishta one is war mongering whilst enjoying all the perks and privileges.

A famous American President had said that a democracy is ‘a government of the people, by the people, for the people.’ But we in Sri Lanka can say without any hesitation that we have ‘a government of thugs, by thugs, for thugs.’

God help bleeding Mother Lanka. We weep for her day and night

Prabhakaran ‘hurt’ in air force attack

LTTE supremo V. Prabhakaran sustained minor injuries during an air raid by Sri Lankan air force jets on November 28, a media report said today.

“Although the nature of the injuries is minor, he had been treated in an underground facility in a secret location in the Wanni by the LTTE’s Thileepan Medical Unit, the official emergency care unit of the LTTE,” the Nation newspaper reported quoting sources.

Prabhakaran was wounded in an underground bunker in the northern district of Kilinochchi, the report said, adding the government appears to be unaware of the incident.

“A section of the bunker had crumbled and some falling debris had struck the LTTE leader,” the newspaper said.

Earlier last month, the Tamil rebel group’s political head S.P. Thamilselvan was killed in an air force raid.

“The November 28 attack by the air force near Jeyanthy Nagar in Kilinochchi hit the underground bunker in which Prabhakaran was staying between 12 noon and 1 pm,” the report said.

The LTTE is keeping the incident under wraps because of the demoralising effect it may have on cadres and supporters, the report said. There were no immediate reactions to the story either from the LTTE or the military. — PTI

This government is unstable, this government has collapsed- JVP

The government is unstable. The government has collapsed. The JVP position on the budget has not changed. We do not want to protect this government. We do not want to protect Mahinda Rajapaksa, Lalkantha said.

 

“We don’t think there is still any need for changing our position, but after taking into consideration all the developments in the run up to the crucial vote, we will make a final decision,” JVP Parliamentary Group Leader Wimal Weerawansa said.

 

The JVP is not prepared to protect this government,” JVP parliamentarian and trade unionist K.D. Lalkantha told V FM Radio in a live interview a short while ago. Lalkantha said further, “We have been telling the government that giving ministerial portfolios is futile. The government cannot be made stable by increasing its headcount. What we have been saying all this while has now proved correct.”

 

JVP voted against the government last November 2nd budget reading voting but later backed the defense vote at the committee stages.

 

According to the Sri Lankan constitution failure to muster the necessary support for the budget will lead to Parliament dissolution and fresh parliamentary elections could be called by the government.