Events

The resettlement of IDPs has commenced today in Musali, the only predominant Muslim DS division in Mannar according to sources of the Ministry of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services. However, the resettlement of IDPs is confined only to the villages of Arrippu and Saveriyarpuram from where the Tamils were displaced in 2007. The Muslims were forcibly evicted from the Northern Province including the Musali DS division in 1990 by the LTTE and most of them are living in camps in the North Western Province mainly in Puttalam. The resettlement of forcibly evicted Muslims is yet to commence in Musali according to reliable sources.

A gang believed to be Tamils, had gone to the ‘Peace Village’ in Addapalam, Ninthavur late night recently (21st  April 2009) and caused damages to a Thaikka (small mosque). They had also abused the Muslims demanding them to vacate from the village and pelted stones at the houses constructed for tsunami victims. The stoning has damaged the glasses on the window panels of the mosque and some houses there.

The worst affected political party by yesterday’s Western Provincial Council elections is Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). It has lost 20 seats and returned only 3 seats. In the 2004 elections in this province the JVP contested with the United People’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and returned 23 seats. This time the JVP contested alone. According to the final results the UPFA has got 68 out of 104 seats. The main opposition has managed to get 30 seats, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress 2 seats and the Democratic Unity Alliance 1 seat. In the 2004 Western Provincial elections the SLMC secured 4 seats.

Fifty experienced Muslim cooks from Kattankudy have left this morning for Vanni to provide instant cooked meals for the recently rescued Tamil IDPs from the war zone on the request of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Cooks from Kattankudy are famous for their meals all over the island. Kattankudy Mosque Federation Secretary Mr. Sabeel said that they had arranged this humanitarian gesture on the request of President through his senior adviser Basil Rajapaksa MP.

The civilians rescued by the govt. forces from the Safe Zone from Monday 20th up to this morning has exceeded 106,000, according to defense sources. This brings the total number of civilians who fled the LTTE grip to over 122,000, the sources added. The figures are expected to increase further in the days to come, the sources predicted. Only 15,000 to 20,000 more civilians remain in the government declared “Safe Zone”said the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The regional and international attention is fully focused on the ground situation and the govt. is compelled to fight militarily and diplomatically.

A delegation from the Pakistan National Defence University called-on Secretary Defence Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa today at the Ministry of Defence.  The delegation was led by Rear Admiral Teyyab Ali Dogar, who were on a study tour to the island from 19th April to 25 April 2009.

(Photo courtesy - www.defence.lk) 

77,793 civilians have come to the safe areas in the last two days after the start of world's largest hostatge rescue operation, Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said in its statement this morning. Troops have also captured North of no-fire zone from North of Ampalawanpokkanai, the MCNS further said.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said soon after the first phase of the rescue of nearly 35,000 civilians from the No Fire Zone that, LTTE leader could lay down arms and surrender and if he did so, the government would consider the possibility of rehabilitating him and his cadres.

The much expected adjourned debate on the proposed  Local Authority Election Bill is not to be taken up today as announced on Friday 18th but is now postponed to 12th May. Sources said even the new deadline is unlikely to allow the adjourned debate in the EPC. Meanwhile, Parliament which is scheduled to debate this bill today is also in a dilemma after  the turn of events that took place in the EPC. "In fact the EPC has changed the order paper of the Parliament. We have to wait and see how the difference between the Centre and the Province is going to be resolved on this crucial issue", lamented a political analyst.

The special police team investigating the recent killing of Superintendent of Police Eastern Province M.H. Jamaldeen recently determined that TMVP’s Karuna faction was involved in the killing.