NEWS

Norway takes LTTE ceasefire proposals to Sri Lanka

The Liberation Tigers this week put forward through the Norwegian government their proposals for establishing a permanent, stable ceasefire with the Sri Lankan armed forces, sources close to the LTTE told Tamil Guardian. A Norwegian delegation which met the LTTE's chief negotiator and political advisor, Mr Anton Balasingham, on Friday is expected to shortly visit Sri Lanka to meet the new government, taking the proposals, the sources said.

Both the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan military are presently separately observing parallel unilateral cessation of hostilities which are due to expire on January 24. The LTTE's offer in mid December of a month-long 'goodwill' truce was reciprocated by the new United National Front (UNF) government. Both began on Christmas Eve. The Tamil Guardian learnt last week from sources close to the LTTE that the Tigers had agreed to work out modalities and mechanisms with the new Sri Lanka government to bring the two unilaterally declared cessations of hostilities to a stable cease-fire.

According to the sources, the LTTE's ceasefire proposals passed to the Norwegian government cover issues such as terms of minimum separation between the two sides' military forces, mechanisms for provision for the safe passage of unarmed personnel in the other sides' territory, mechanisms for resolving any breaches of the ceasefire, and so on.

The necessity for a formal ceasefire was deemed necessary to minimise the risk of a serious clash which could undermine the ongoing Oslo peace initiative.

The LTTE leadership, has instructed its political cadres not to embark on unauthorised visits to the army controlled areas in the Tamil homeland until mutually agreed ground rules for a stable cease-fire are hammered out between the parties in conflict, sources told the Tamil Guardian last week.

The LTTE argues that the de-escalation of the conflict and the alleviation of the suffering of the Tamil people in areas subjected to government blockade are vital steps to creating an atmosphere conducive to resolving the island's protracted ethnic conflict.

The lifting of the Sri Lankan government's economic blockade on Tamil areas and the ending of travel and fishing restrictions on people living in these areas, as well as the de-proscription of the Liberation Tigers were all essential to advance the Norwegian assisted peace initiative, Mr Balasingham told the Norwegian delegation he met which consisted of the Deputy Foreign Minister Mr Vidar Helgeson, Mr Eric Solheim and Ms Kjersti Tromsdal.

India to host talks?

As the Norwegian peace initiative gathered pace this week, suitable venues and locations for future negotiations are being explored, sources close to the LTTE told Tamil Guardian this week. The organisation is believed to have suggested a location in south India as being most suitable for both the Sri Lankan government and their negotiators. The Norwegian government is expected to convey the suggestion to the Sri Lankan and Indian governments, the sources said.

With Sri Lankan territory deemed unsuitable given the inherent security concerns and the health requirements of the LTTE's chief negotiator and political advisor, Mr Anton Balasingham, south India was an ideal location, the sources quoted the LTTE as telling the Norwegian government.

Negotiations based in India would permit negotiators on both sides to shuttle rapidly for consultations with their respective leaderships in Colombo and the Vanni, the LTTE had pointed out.

As the regional power, India has important interests in ensuring that a lasting solution to the Sri Lankan conflict is achieved at the earliest opportunity and the provision of a suitable venue would prove invaluable assistance, the sources said.

Kumaratunga faces SLFP dissent

Twenty-three MPs of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), the primary constituent of the opposition People's Alliance (PA) are prepared to support the ruling United National Front (UNF) to form a National Government, the state-owned Daily News reported Monday.
The move presents a challenge to President Chandrika Kumaratunga, leader of the PA and the SLFP, whose impeachment requires a two thirds majority in the 225-seat Parliament, has firmly rejected the notion of a national government.

Amongst the SLFP rebels are six former Ministers, Colombo District MP and former Highways Minister A. H. M. Fowzie told the Daily News. Mr. Fowzie, who held the portfolios of Health, Highways and Social Services in the PA regimes of 1994 and 2000, said, that the six former Ministers and MPs included former Leader of the House and Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs and Administrative Reforms Richard Pathirana, former Minister Tourism and Aviation Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and former Deputy Minister of Power and Energy Felix Perera.

He denied that there was support for this move from the other constituent parties of the PA and other opposition parties such as the JVP. Responding to a question as to whether the UNF leadership had offered them Cabinet portfolios as an inducement, he replied in the negative.
"The reason for us deciding to support the UNF to form a national Government is primarily to ensure that there is a solution to the ethnic crisis which has ravaged the nation and also to see that the proposed electoral reforms are implemented. So, hankering for Cabinet portfolios is not our priority," he said.

Commenting on the political backdrop in the immediate aftermath of the December 5 polls, he said: "There are over 200 activists and supporters of the PA who are currently in jail over various accusations. The Police and the Judiciary and not acting expeditiously with the inquiries so that they can even be granted bail."

Meanwhile, Chief Opposition Whip, Mahinda Rajapakse in a statement issued last week has requested all activists and supporters of the PA and other opposition parties who have suffered harassment and intimidation and violence at the hands of UNF supporters during the post election period to furnish details in writing to his office to enable him to bring it to the notice of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and raise the matter in Parliament on January.

Tamil Alliance slams delay in lifting embargo

The Tamil National Alliance Jaffna parliamentarian Mr V Anandasangari has called on the government to allow in large amounts into Wanni some of the items banned or restricted by the government. "Some of these items are essential for civilians," the Tamil daily Uthyan quoted Mr Anandasangari.

In an interview to the BBC last Wednesday the MP said "at the end of the elections and with the change of government's the people had many expectations. The government announced something about the economic blockade a month after the elections. It's been told that this lifting of the blockade will be from January 15 and even then some items will be restricted."
He queried the need for the delay. "There is no need to hesitate such a while for this. Many lives will be lost before the 15th," he said.

"Also, cement and fuel have been restricted. This is unnecessary. People in the Wanni are paying a thousand to two-thousand rupees for cement. If only restricted amounts are allowed in only a few dealers will make huge profits from selling cement. So, the restrictions on these should be lifted," the parliamentarian was quoted as saying.

"Essential goods should be available to the people of Wanni at reasonable prices like elsewhere on the island. It's the duty of the government to ensure this. This will foster goodwill; even pave the way for a quick peace," said Mr Anandasangari.

"People who are happy to hear of the ceasefire are also anxious if it will only be for a month. Therefore, the government should lift the ban on the Liberation Tigers and initiate steps for peace negotiations. We will press for these," he said.

The Sri Lanka government announced a limited easing of the economic embargo on goods into the north and east last week.

STF in recruitment drive

Despite ongoing efforts to revive the stalled Norwegian efforts to bring the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan government back to the negotiating table, the new United National Front (UNF) administration has authorised its military and police to continue with recruitment drives aimed at strengthening the fighting forces, the Island newspaper reported Saturday. The elite police commando unit, the Special Task Force (STF), Saturday launched a major new recruitment drive to strengthen its forces deploy-ed in the north and east , the paper said quoting authoritative defence sources. The STF's campaign comes amid a major drive by the Sri Lanka Army's regular infantry divisions and Special Forces, as well as the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF).

Walk-in-interviews for applicants to the STF will begin Saturday at Chilaw public ground, the sources told the Island adding that interviews will continue until January 29 at 18 different towns including Ampara. Over the past few days, police commandos put up colourful posters in Colombo and provinces to urge youth to join them.

The fresh recruitment drive comes amidst controversial comments this week by Sri Lanka's Defence Minister Marapana who vowed his government would do its utmost wipe out the LTTE.
Mr. Marapana said that his government would provide the Sri Lankan armed forces with "all the necessary assistance by way of weapons and other means to wipe out the LTTE terrorism from this land," the state-owned Daily News reported Monday.

�No solution within unitary constitution�

The is no political solution to the Tamil national question within a unitary form of government, the United National Party (UNP) and People's Alliance (PA) were told by Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian, Mr M Sivasithambaram, reported TamilNet.

"We have clearly told the UNP and the PA that no political solution could be found to the Tamil national question within a unitary form of government", said the President of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) at a press conference held Saturday in Colombo.

The veteran Tamil leader met the press on his return to Colombo Saturday from Chennai, South India after getting medical treatment. Mr. Sivasithambaram said, "peace talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam should be carried out by the present United National Front government without any further delay."

Commenting on the peace process, Mr. Sivasithambaram asked why the government has delayed commencing negotiations with the LTTE. "The delay in starting peace talks would give room for Sinhala hard-liners to whip up opposition to finding a just and reasonable solution to the Tamil national question," he stressed.

The sole national list parliamentarian of the Tamil National Alliance is expected to be sworn in as MP on January 8th when parliament reconvenes.

PM, President woo Buddhist clergy

Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told leaders of the powerful Buddhist clergy in Sri Lanka that he would continue to heed the advice of the Buddhist clergy and stressed that Sri Lanka was the centre of the Buddhist World and that it was the duty of the government to protect the sacred place, said news reports last week. In a separate communication Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga tried to appease criticism from the powerful Buddhist clergy over her failure to respond to the United National Front's (UNF)offer to join a national government of reconciliation.

UNF leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe told the Anunayaka of the Malwatta Chapter
Ven. Rajakeeya Panditha Ambanwelle Pannasekara Thera Thursday that would consult the Maha Sangha whenever he needed their advice and said the advice he received from the Anunayaka Thera on this occasion was most appropriate in the present context, reported the Daily Mirror newspaper.

The Prime Minister also said Sri Dalada Maligawa was the centre of the Buddhist World and it was the duty of the government to protect the sacred place.Later he paid homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic at the inner shrine room by offering a tray of white jasmine.

The Anunayake of Malwatta Ven. Rajakeeya Pandihta Ambanwelle Pagnasekera Thera in his Anusana to the Prime Minister atthe official residence of the Mahanayake said a solution should be found to terrorism and hoped that the Prime Minister would succeed in finding a lasting solution the national problem. Later the Prime Minister proceeded to the Eye Ward of the Kandy General Hospital to pay respects to the Malwatte Mahanayake who was warded there.

Later he attended an alms giving at the Sri Dalada Maligawa where the Malwatte Anunayake and the Asgiri Mahanayake were present.

Meanwhile, responding to a letter from an open letter sent to her by Ven. Agga Maha Pandita, Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayake Thera, Opposion leader and president, Chandrika Kumaratunga told the religious leader that she had no qualms over joining a national government of reconciliation.

Ven. Pannasiha said Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe soon after assuming office has invited the opposition to eschew confrontational politics and join a government of national reconciliation to solve burning national problems and it was up to the President and the PA to respond favourably towards it, reported the Daily News newspaper.

"The PA has no qualms about lending its unstinted support towards solving the country's burning problems. But the new government should officially inform the PA the exact program of work for which its support is needed with specified dates and periods. Neither the UNP nor the UNF has so far put forward any plan, strategy or active program for solving the ethnic problem or ending the war," the President said in her letter. The President said in her letter she wished to find a political solution to the ethnic conflict that was acceptable to the majority of the people. Tamil parties have expressed concern over the formation of a national government of reconciliation, fearing that it would create a Sinhala hegemony in government.

President, PM see difficult path ahead for peace

In their respective new year's messages, Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe warned of the difficulties that lay ahead in resolving the country�s economic woes and long running ethnic conflict and urged their audience to be resolute in seeking a more prosperous and peaceful island.

"The path of peace is not an easy one. It is hazardous and painful. We have to be convinced of this reality. What we want is not a type of peace which is a defeat to one party or a victory to another. An honourable peace is our aim," Kumaratunga said

"We are embracing in our arms not a beautiful bouquet of flowers but a thorny branch. Yet we are compelled to grip it. Let us tread the hazardous terrain and make the thorny branch bloom," echoed the Prime Minister who's government is elected last month.

Sinhala nationalist cast doubts over Norwegian efforts

The Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) continued to state its opposition to the Norwegian bid to broker peace in Sri Lanka, press reports said Saturday. In a press statement party leaders cast doubts over the impartiality of the Norwegian government and urged to United National Front (UNF) government to militarily weaked the Liberation Tigers prior to engaging in peace talks.

The Leftist JVP Friday charged that Norway's bid to broker peace here would favour the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and vowed to oppose the internationally backed effort, reported the India Abroad News Service

The LTTE should be militarily weakened before they are brought for peace talks, JVP propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa said, at a press conference hosted at the Nippon Hotel in Colombo.

"We do not accept the Norwegian role as facilitators as they have shown they are unfair," said Anura Kumara Dissananyake, a JVP MP.

"We also have the example of the Israeli-Palestine conflict where the Norwegian brokering has notled to any peace," he said. "Norway under the Warsaw agreement helped create Israel. But today there is an eternal war between Israel and Palestinians. Though Norway helped create an Israel it takes no responsibility to the blood letting that goes on in that country now. So will it be in Sri Lanka if the country was broken up under Norwegian or other help", echoed Weerawansa.

"The memorandum of understanding will clearly give in to the rebels' demands," Weerawamsa said referring to the document drafted by the Norwegian government between the previous People's Alliance Government and the LTTE.

The Island newspaper, which is considered to voice Sinhala nationalist opinion, echoed the JVP's sentiments. "The Norwegian government has shown itself to be very partial towards the LTTE and this was the reason why their mediation efforts made earlier failed," the daily newspaper said in its editorial on Friday. It went on to accuse Tamil parties it previously projected as moderates of being LTTE front organisations.

"The LTTE is very much desirous of having the Norwegians in and the TULF, which is now clearly another front for the LTTE, makes no bones about their appreciation of the Norwegians," the Island said.

The JVP propaganda secretary cast doubts over the LTTE's intentions suggesting it was military weakness that had lead to the LTTE's initiation of the current truce.
The LTTE has a manpower problems as it had lost many of its cadres during troop operations in Elephant Pass and therefore the UNF government's peace move is a blessing for the LTTE to become stronger, Weerawansa said.

Last year the JVP lent crucial support last year to the former minority People's Alliance government of President Chandrika Kumaratunga, naming the suspension of Norway's facilitation as one of the conditions for their help.

Meanwhile another Sinhala nationalist party, the right wing, Sihala Uramaya (SU) echoed the JVP's statements accusing the LTTE of using the current truce as an opportunity to rearm.
Udaya Gammanpila, Media Secretary of SU, acc-used the LTTE of "continued military preparations eng-aged in by the LTTE despite the so-called ceasefire".

Kamal Deshapriya, SU Central Committee member, said that the SU decided to set up this monitoring centre in order to keep the general public informed about the dangers posed by the proposed talks with the LTTE as a first step in agitating against any political package or constitutional change that would compromise the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the nation, reported the Daily News newspaper.

�State terror is cause of terrorism�

Addressing the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SA-ARC) summit in Kathmandu, Sri Lanka's Presid-ent Chandrika Kumaratunga said violence expedited by the state against its people is the cause of terrorism. Speaking on global terrorism, President Kumaratunga said in a half-hour address that the best way to stop terrorism "is to stop generating it," reported the Sunday Times newspaper this week.

"Violence perptrated by the states or their agents against the people of the state is the womb of terrorism. Humiliation is the cradle and continued revenge is the mother's milk and nourishment of terrorism," she said. President Kumaratunga has repeatedly blamed her rivals for triggering the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka , but her accusations of her rivals for starting the Tamil struggle for a separate state have been contested and her own role in permitting the perpetration of state sponsored violence has been often questioned.

Kumaratunga olive branch amidst impeachment moves

Sri Lanka's President and leader of the People's Alliance (PA) opposition party said Saturday she would be willing to work together with the new United National Front (UNF) government to form a national government of reconciliation. Her statement came amidst reports the UNF government had instigated proceedings to investigate allegations that the President was responsible for promoting crime, shielding criminals and corruption, with a view to forwarding an impeachment resolution, this week's Sunday Leader newspaper said.

This decision to investigate the president was taken at a meeting on December 31 on a proposal made by the late Gamini Athukorale. It was the last meeting Minister Athukorale participated in, before his demise. The meeting was presided by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and other members present included Ministers Karu Jayasuriya, S. B. Dissanayake and G. L. Peiris.

President Kumaratunga earlier challenged the Untied National Front government to prove allegations made against her and pledged to waive off the immunity and face any investigation. The Sunday Leader said that the murder of All Ceylon Tamil Congress leader Kumar Ponnambalam was also discussed at the meeting and a decision taken to launch a full scale investigation. A member of the President's Security Division is alleged to have carried out the assassination of the prominent human rights lawyer and Tamil politician.

Meanwhile, President Kumaratunga, whose People's Alliance government was defeated at general elections exactly one month ago, told the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) summit here that the elections had provided a "historical opportunity" for the main parties in Sri Lanka to forge with a "constructive system of cohabitation" for the resolution of the separatist conflict in Sri Lanka.

It was the first time that President Kumaratunga had offered to co-operate with the new UNF government, but she maintained that "the government" meant the party controlling the presidency and the party controlling the cabinet. President Karatunga had previously expressed her opposition to a call by the new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to form a government of national reconciliation together with her People's Alliance.

�Lucky� Kadirgamar

Almost a month after the new government took office and the former ministers relinquished office together with their fleets of vehicles, security and other luxuries, one minister has managed to retain much of his past perks. Minister of Foreign Affairs Lakshman Kadirgamar still has in his possession 15 luxury vehicles, 125 special army commandos, 10 MSD personnel, 17 drivers and three personal staff (cook, gardener, helper), all paid for by the state of course, The Sunday Leader reported.

Some of the ex-minister's staffers are still using mobile phones, the bills of which are footed by the state. Among the vehicles in Kadirgamar's possession upto date are two Nissan Primeras (bearing Nos. 302-0339 and 302-0186), three Benzs (bearing Nos. 300-6544, 300-6639, 300-6635), a Mitsubishi Montero Jeep (bearing No. 65-3794), a Mitsubishi Pajero Jeep (bearing No. 61-7851), a Mitsubishi Double Cab (bearing No. 57-6762), and two bulletproof Benzs belonging to the PSD.

It is now learnt that Kadirgamar and his wife Sugandhi left for Kandy on December 26 for a holiday using 10 vehicles and stayed at the presidential house in Kandy, privileges which a normal MP would not be privy to. A petrol bill of nearly Rs. 20, 000 had to be met by the Foreign Ministry. Foriegn Minister Tyronne Fernando, contacted by The Sunday Leader confirmed the facts.

It is also learnt that following the new cabinet taking oaths, Kadirgamar requested the new Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe to retain G. Wijayasiri as secretary to the ministry of foreign affairs and N. Navarathnarajah as additional secretary to the same ministry. Both are retired officers above 62 years employed by Kadirgamar under direct influence of his wife who is also a close confidante of Chandrika Navarathnarajah , wife of the additional secretary.

India, Sri Lanka to strengthen ties

India and Sri Lanka agreed to revive a process for strengthening bilateral relations when Foreign Ministers of the two countries met on the sidelines of SAARC summit, the Press Trust of India reported on Thursday.

Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh, who met here with his counterpart Tyronne Fernando, was expected in Colombo by April to revive a joint commission that has not met since 1998, a Sri Lankan diplomat said.

"The entire gamut of foreign relations will be discussed by the joint commission, including trade issues," a Sri Lankan diplomat said.

The Foreign Minister's intended visit and moves to jump start the joint commission comes amid the backdrop of Sri Lankan attempts to open peace talks with the Liberation Tigers through Norwegian mediation.

India has supported Oslo's peace initiative, which was revived last month by Sri Lanka's new government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Colombo faces debt repayment problem

Sri Lanka's new government painted a bleak economic picture on Sunday, saying the country would have problems servicing its debt in the first quarter of 2002, but added it would not need to restructure any loans, reported Reuters last week.

Officials told a news conference that almost all economic targets would be missed for the fiscal year 2001, and that the government would have to scramble to meet its debt servicing and repayment requirements for this year.

"The debt servicing is a serious problem, the debt servicing is greater than the government revenue," Deputy Finance Minister Bandula Gunawardena said.

But he said the government would not need to restructure the country's debt and would take other measures such as cutting state spending to meet its debt servicing needs.
"One objective is to cut down on state expenditures," he said.

"There will be no money for any other government expenditure after we service the debt in first three months," he said.

"But we don't want to ask for a restructuring because that would damage the financial credibility of the country."

The government has already announced that the fall in revenue would push the budget deficit to 10.5 percent of gross domestic product from the original forecast of 8.5 percent. The deficit is expected to be in the same range in 2002, and the government will say how it plans to finance the shortfall when it announces its budget in March, said G.L. Peiris, the minister of Enterprise development and Industrial promotion.

"What we are trying to do is contain the budget deficit," Peiris said.

IMF reconsiders $235 million facility

The International Monetary Fund said Friday it was prepared to work with the government to release a stalled credit facility, but urged it to speed up its reform programme. "They are faced with a number of difficulties, but I think they have made a number of good moves," Nadeem Ul Haque, the fund's senior resident representative told Reuters in an interview.

"The interesting thing is the government came in on an economic agenda, that is a positive sign. I think it is also a very good thing they have an economic reform minister -- that puts economic reform on the agenda." Sri Lanka is planning a restructuring of the public sector after the economy shrunk an estimated 0.5 percent in 2001, its worst performance since records began 50 years ago. Ul Haque said the IMF was ready to resume its credit facility once the government had its budgetary plans in place. The budget is expected to be presented to parliament in early March, five months behind schedule, after a snap general election in early December prevented it from being passed in November.

The IMF approved a $253 million balance-of-payments support facility last April, but handed over only the first tranche of $131 million. "There was no decision taken to suspend the loan, it was just waiting for key decisions by the government," said ul Haque, adding the decisions were not made because of the political turmoil in the run-up to the election. "We will talk to the government and we will see the shape of the budget and the next stage of their own reform plan," he said.

UNF replaces army, diplomatic posts

A month after victory at the polls, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's United National Front (UNF) government are taking steps to place diplomats and military staff loyal to the party in key positions, press reports said last week.

The UNF government appointed senior SP Nimal Lewke the Deputy Com-mandant of the Special Task Force (STF), police sources told the Island newspaper on Thursday. Lewke, one of the pioneers in the paramilitary unit of the police department set up during the previous United National Party (UNP) government, was sidelined after President Chandrika Kumaratunga's People Alliance government took power in 1994.

Sri Lanka's Army Chief of Staff Major General Neil Dias and five Brigadiers, one time spokesman Palitha Ferando, Bandula Ranasinghe, P.G. Charles, Priyantha Samaratunga and Nihal Tissera have retired from service effective December 31, reported the Island. Dias is to stay on for 4 more months, other reports said. SLA Commander Lt. Gen. Lionel Balagalle is followed by Majors General, Lohan Gunawardena, Anton Wijendra, Shantha Kottegoga, Chula Seneviratne and Sarath Fonseka according to the seniority list.

Acting Foreign Secretary R. S. Athukorale told the press last week she had signed the letters recalling the envoys including career diplomats and political appointees. Among those being recalled is Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam, a career diplomat, who had served in Geneva for only one year. The transfer is effective from April when the UN Human Rights Commissionan important forum for Sri Lanka the-re - is in session. Ambassador K. H. M. J. G. Bandara who was posted to Jakarta recently is also being recalled as are Warnasena Rasaputra from Washington, Mangala Moonesinghe from London, Gamini Moonesinghe from South Africa along with the deputies.

UNP MP Gamini Atukorale dies

Assistant Leader of the United National Party (UNP) and Transport, Highways and Civil Aviation Minister Gamini Atukorale, 50, died of a heart attack last Tuesday.He took to politics at the age of 22 and entered Parliament at 26 on the UNP ticket, in 1977, when J. R. Jayewardene came to power.

Gamini Atukorale's political skills were soon noticed by the UNP leadership. The present Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe requested Atukorale to become the party's General Secretary when Mr. Wickremesinghe was appointed the Leader of the Opposition, reported the Daily News newspaper.

A vociferous critic of the PA Government's activities, especially in terms of De-fence and bribery and corruption, Mr Atukorale played a major role in the United National Front's victory on December 5.

Ban remains obstacle to talks, Tigers remind Norway

The lifting of the Sri Lankan government's economic blockade on Tamil areas and the ending of travel and fishing restrictions on people living in these areas, as well as the de-proscription of the Liberation Tigers were all essential to advance the Norwegian assisted peace initiative, the LTTE's chief negotiator and political advisor, Mr Anton Balasingham, told a Norwegian delegation which met with him in London last Friday. In comments he made to the Jaffna Tamil daily Uthayan, Mr Balasingham described his three-hour meeting with a Norwegian delegation at his London residence.

"The creation of an atmosphere of goodwill amongst the Tamils in Sri Lanka is necessary for negotiations," Mr Balasingham told the Norwegian delegation. "Only if the economic embargo is lifted will the people's difficulties ease."

Acknowledging that the Sri Lankan government has announced the easing of the embargo, Mr Balasingham pointed out that six crucial items needed by the populace in the region are still banned and others remain restricted.

"There has been no explanation for that. Even how much of the restricted items will be permitted hasn't been made plain. It is necessary that these items are permitted in sufficient quantities according to the needs of the people," he noted.

Mr Balasingham also raised with the Norwegians the issue of the restrictions on fishing [on Tamil fishermen] imposed by the Sri Lankan armed forces. "It is essential that the ban on fishing is lifted fully. Fishermen should be allowed to ply their trade freely, without time and distance restrictions," he was quoted by the Uthayan as saying.

"People's movement and travel are severely restricted by practices such as issuing passes. The norm has been affected by all these. How is it possible to conduct meaningful dialogue and take useful decisions when such a repressive situation prevails?" queried the chief negotiator of the LTTE.

Stressing that "a suitable environment has to be created by solving these problems prior to peace talks", Mr Balasingham also told the Norwegians that the Sri Lankan government's ban on the LTTE remained a stumbling block on the path to peace talks. "The ban on our organisation will have to have been lifted before we go to the table for talks. Then only we can come for talks."

Mr Balasingham also stressed the need to formulate a formal ceasefire agreement out of the unilateral cessation of hostilities being observed by the Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan government's avoidance of hostilities.

Mr Balasingham and his wife Adele Balasingham represented the LTTE in the talks, while the Norwegian delegation consisted of the Deputy Foreign Minister Mr Vidar Helgeson, Mr Eric Solheim and Ms Kjersti Tromsdal, the Uthayan said. The Norwegians said that they were to visit Colombo this week and planned to explain the LTTE's stance to the Sri Lankan government during discussions with Colombo's representatives. The Norwegians are understood to have expressed satisfaction that the talks with the LTTE were cordial and fruitful.

A Norwegian Foreign Ministry spokesman was quoted by press reports as saying the talks were productive, though he refused to give details. "There was a highly positive atmosphere," said the spokesman, who wished to be anonymous. When questioned on starting date of the peace talks the official is quoted a saying, "Apart from the government's declaration that talks will start in March, we have no more details."

The new discussions with the Norwegians occurred after the LTTE leader Mr Velupillai Pirapaharan, wrote to the Norwegian Prime Minister Mr Kjell Magne Bondevik, calling for Norway's continuous engagement as the facilitator between the LTTE and the new Sri Lanka government to find a peaceful settlement to the ethnic conflict. In a press release, the LTTE said last Wednesday that Mr. Pirapaharan al-so complimented the Royal Norwegian Government for its impartial and neutral approach in the facilitatory process.

Sri Lanka to ease embargo

Sri Lanka's new government announced an easing of the economic embargo on goods into the north and east last Wednesday, but said it was still maintaining restrictions on many goods, including supplies of cement and fuel. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced last Wednesday that it would allow the transport of restricted amounts of diesel, petrol, cement and steel bars to the areas held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the North-East province effective from January 15.

"The government has decided that all categories of goods, with exception of the following, will be permitted access into this area with effect from January 15," said a defence ministry statement, listing only 10 banned items including explosives. The MoD said the embargo was being eased "with a view to uplifting the quality of life for the people...and there by bringing about an atmosphere conducive to invigorating the peace process."

The ministry left the ban in place on six items, including arms, explosives, communication equipment and binoculars. Four more items, including fuel and cement, are subject to stringent controls and will be rationed, the statement said. The embargo currently prevents more than 20 items, including fertilizer and oxygen, from entering the LTTE held areas.

The Defence Ministry statement said that the newly elected United National Front (UNF) government, which received a mandate from the people at the last general election to find peace, has taken this measure to create an atmosphere conducive to initiating peace talks.

The statement further said that logistical arrangements to ensure smooth implementation of the decision are currently being worked out, and will be in place within the next two weeks.
However, a note at the bottom of an earlier circular under which Sri Lanka's Ministry of Defence lists the things that are not allowed to the Vanni reveals the extensive and arbitrary manner in which Colombo's economic embargo is imposed on the northern region reported TamilNet last year.

"A person can/should be stopped from taking things with him on the advice of an authorised officer. Even permitted items can be stopped at the last moment on the basis of information received by the army about the future needs and plans of the terrorists. Soldiers at the checkpoint can decide whether a person should be stopped from passing thro-ugh or whether to postpone the checking of his bags," the note says.

"The list of banned and permitted items displayed here to the public and government departments is totally deceptive. In effect, an officer or soldier has the rig-ht and authority to stop anything from being taken to Vanni purely at their discretion," explained an official at the Vavuniya District secretariat.

The decision of the UNF is in contrast to that of the former Peoples' Alliance (PA) government, whose leader, President Chandrika Kumaratunga, most famously dismissed all talk of an embargo as "nonsense" during her tour of Europe prior to the December 5 polls.

The embargo between 1990 and 1999 on essentials going into the areas controlled by the LTTE in the north and east resulted in thirteen thousand three hundred and seventy nine civilian deaths in Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu according to a press report in the Vanni published last November.

Four thousand eight hundred and seventy nine civilians died in the Mullaithivu district between 1994 and 1999 due to the direct impact of the economic embargo on the Vanni, particularly due to the severe restrictions on medical supplies, said the report.

SLN re-imposes fishing restriction

The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) last Wednesday re-imposed the restriction on fishing off the Vadamaradchi coast of Jaffna that it had partially eased following the United National Front government's decision to make good will gestures towards creating a conducive atmosphere for starting the peace process. Fishermen in Katkovalam and Sakkottai alleged that the SLN had demanded part of their daily catch in return for easing the limit on the hours allowed for fishing off this coast. All fishing in the seas off the Vadamaradchi coast from Thikkam to Thondamanar is still banned.

Fishermen in villages between Katkovalam and Sakkottai on the Vadamaradchi coast were allowed to fish only for four hours from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. However, the fishermen on this coast allege the SLN had told them that it could permit them to fish from 3 a.m. to 9 a.m. if they gave part of the daily catch. The restriction was eased on 29 December 2001. Last Monday the fishermen told the SLN that they could not give the stipulated part of the catch, as there was little or no profit to be gained from what was left.

TELO MP writes to PM on Jaffna suffering

Jaffna is in the throes of scarcity of essential food items, fuel is being sold at a very high rate and the price of bread is beyond the means of most people, Jaffna District MP, M. K. Sivajilingam states in a letter to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. He adds that fishing has been prohibited from Thondamannar to Thikkan and an immediate lifting of the ban was necessary "in the interests of the long suffering people in the district".

The TELO parliamentarian has urged the Prime Minister to take urgent steps to bring normalcy to the Jaffna peninsula said press reports from Colombo. Mr Sivajilingam said he appreciated the efforts of the government and the Prime Minister in the ongoing attempts to find out a lasting solution to the national question, and assured the Premier that the Tamil people would extend their unqualified support to the current government if appropriate steps in the right direction were taken to ameliorate the conditions.

Immediate steps in the right direction "will ensure genuine support of your government", the letter said. In the alternative the urgent attention of Parliament will have to be sought, Mr Sivajilingam said.

Bed-ridden Mr. Sivajilingam is now recuperating in a private hospital in Colombo from the injuries sustained, allegedly at the hands of rival militant party cadres, belonging to the paramilitary Eelam Peoples' Democratic Party (EPDP), during the recent general election campaign in the Jaffna isles. He attended the opening of Sri Lanka�s 12th parliament in a wheelchair (pictured below) due to the severity of the injuries he sustained. Two EPDP members, including an MP, have been charged in connection with the altercation in the islands that left more than 20 people, including 4 parliamentary candidates injured.

Children deprived of education by conflict - official

Most of the children under the age of ten living in welfare centres, slum areas and remote villages in the North-East province, have been deprived of their pre-school and primary education due to the ongoing war, said Mr.Sokkalingam Amirthalingam. The Provincial Secretary to the Ministry of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction, Social Welfare and Women Affairs was addressing a three-day workshop on the Early Childhood Development Project.

"Pre-school education lays a firm foundation for the betterment of the younger generation in the sphere of education. Due to the present war, thousands of children live in refugee camps, welfare centres and in shanties, losing the opportunity for obtaining pre-school and primary education," said Mr.Amirthalingam, participating as the chief guest of the event.

Pre-school teachers who attended the workshop were briefed of the urgent necessity of providing better attention to children under ten who have been displaced or separated from their parents or who have lost their parents in the ongoing war and living in refugee camps, welfare centres and other institutions.

The workshop for the teachers deployed to teach children in the North-East, between the age three and five in nursery schools, concluded on December 29 at the auditorium of provincial department of the local government in Trincomalee. The Provincial Ministry of Women Affairs organized the workshop.

Essential Services Commissioner stripped of duties

Rehabilitation Reconstruction and Resettlement Minister Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene accused the Commissioner General of Essential Services of not co-operating in matters relating to the peace process and said his ministry was taking over the important functions of the Commissioner as of the beginning of the year.

The Commissioner, Sripathi Suriyarachchi, is known to be one of the propaganda chiefs of the defeated Kumaratunga government. Minister Jayawardene told the Daily Mirror his ministry had been called upon to play an important role in the peace process but the Commissioner was not co-operating.

Ministry Secretary A. Jayarathnam has written to the Commissioner informing him that the ministry was taking over his powers and functions. The functions of the Commissioner who came directly under the Presidential Secretariat included the provision of relief for displaced people.

Help requested for thousands affected by severe floods

The Mullaithivu Government Agent (GA) and the TULF Vadamarachi organiser have called for relief for the tens of thousands affected by flooding in the north and east of Sri Lanka. The calls come despite reports last week that the Re-settlement and Rehabilitation Minister Dr Jayalath Jewadena had directed the Northern Rehabilitation Author-ity to release money for the payment of compensation to many families.

"There are approximately 10,500 families affected by the recent heavy rain in Mullaitivu", says Jaffna's Uthayan newspaper, quoting Mullaitivu GA, Mr S Sun-daram. Mr Sundaram sent a letter to Dr Jewadena stating "amongst the affected people around 6,064 families were displaced and were living temporary huts, the remaining 4,046 displaced families are living in permanent residences. The homes of 1180 families were completely destroyed and 2198 family homes were subjected to minor damages."

He further goes on to say that here are no dry foods rations granted to the affected families. 2586 families from Karaithurai patru AGA division, 4207 families from Putthukudiyiruppu AGA division, 250 families from Oddusundan AGA division and 1291 families from Thunukkai GA division were not granted the dry food rations. 2054 families in Pandiyan Kulam AGA Division in Mankulam were also affected by floods.

Meanwhile Mr S Aravinthan, Vadamarachi organiser for the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), also sent a letter to the Re-settlement and Rehabilitation Ministry requesting relief aid for the people who have been affected by the flood in Vadamarachi. He went onto state that people living in Vadamarrachi South East and Vadamarachi South are severely affected by the flooding.

Stating that these people were already living in extremely poor conditions, he commented that as a result they are unable to afford the repairs to their huts necessitated by the damage suffered in the storms. Noting that they are currently living with relatives or under trees, he requested the government to repair their houses and help them to return to normal lives.
A copy of the letter was also sent to Jaffna GA.

Residents living on the Mullaitivu coast, from Maththaalan to Chemmailai, were forced to flee their homes due to heavy rain and flooding, with press reports stating that the flooding is the worst to hit the north and east of the island in many years.

The Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation has said that it is struggling to get supplies to the region as much of the road network, which is in a poor condition anyway, has been flooded.
The provision of relief supplies were affected by the fact that the main roads into the regions were in poor repair. Dr Jayalath Jewadena was quoted as saying that the roads were being renovated immediately to streamline relief supplies to the people.

Talks on de-mining in Jaffna to resume

The United Nations will be holding talks with the government to recommence the de-mining programme in Jaffna suspended in April last year because of heavy fighting reported the Daily Mirror. The revival of the project has been under consideration since September last year. The UN agencies are looking at the possibility of reviving the project after holding talks with the government, UN spokesman Mohan Samaranayaka told the Daily Mirror.

He said," this was taken up with the authorities of the previous government and the UN agencies want to go ahead with this project but no dates have been fixed for talks with the new government."

The project termed the Mine Action Programme in Jaffna had been suspended after the fall of Elephant Pass and the escalation of the war, he said. The heads of UN agencies had held talks to revive the project which involved identification of mined areas, fencing the areas, programmes on mine awareness and finally the de-mining of the areas.

Up to the time the project was suspended from certain areas such as those close to the Jaffna Technical College, more than 350 mines had been destroyed. Towards the end of 1999 more than 600 landmines had been destroyed, a UN report on the Mine Action Programme said.

Last week, the de-mining division of the Liberation Tigers announced that it had removed 132,328 anti-personnel land mines (APLM) and booby traps left behind by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in the villages and towns of the Vanni region.

The Voice of Tigers news broadcast that 132328 APLMS and booby traps left behind by the SLA were removed between 20 April 2000 and 31 December 2001. Among the mines and booby traps removed by the de-mining division of the Tigers were 82000 APLMs, 1956 152 mm artillery shells, 2131 130 mm artillery shells, 4618 122 mm howitzer shells, 11400 81 mm mortar shells, 3740 82 mm mortar shells, 8388 grenades, 360 jumping mines and 929 Claymore mines.

The SLA captured the southern sector of the Vanni region in the largest military operation ever undertaken by the Sri Lankan government against the Liberation Tigers and established scores of large garrisons and thousands of defence positions from 1997 to 1999.

EPDP MP surrenders to Jaffna court, organiser sought

Mr. Nadarajah Mathanarajah of the paramilitary Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) who was elected as a Member of Parliament for Jaffna at the general elections on 5 December last year surrendered to the Jaffna court Monday, reported TamilNet. The Jaffna judge ordered the Police to remand Mr. Mathanarajah until 16 January.

Mr. Mathanarajah, a close confidante of the EPDP leader Mr. Douglas Devananda was wanted by the courts in connection with the attack on Tamil National Alliance candidates and supporters on 28 November in which two were killed. The EPDP is a key coalition partner of President Chandrika Kumaratiunga's People's Alliance. It has two seats in the Sri Lankan Parliament. Mr. Mathanarajah was admitted to the Jaffna Teaching hospital when he complained to court that he was suffering from asthma. He also asked the court permission to be in Colombo to be sworn in as a Member of Parliament. The court directed prison officials to do the needful for Mr. Mathanarajah to be sworn in as an MP.

Jaffna District Judge R. T. Vignarajah Thursday had last week ordered the security forces to track down EPDP parliamentarian N. Matanarajah and Kayts organiser Sebastiampillai Ramesh, alias Napoleon, who are wanted in connection with a Kayts attack where four TNA candidates and more than 20 supporters were injured during the election campaign.

The two EPDP members had earlier surrendered to court and were allowed free on bail, but failed to show up when the case came before the judge on Thursday. The Grama Sevaka Niladhari said they might have left the island. However, while the Oorkavatrthurai Police chief claimed that two were not within his constabulary, the same two were said to be getting on with their daily activities, reported the Uthayan. The pair are said to have visited local schools on Thursday, while the police officer attended court to tell the judge that the they were not to be found.

Student leader Thivyan taken to hospital with dislodged shoulder

K Thivyan, the detained student leader from Jaffna University, held at Jaffna prison was admitted to the hospital with the dislodged left shoulder reported the Uthayan. He was allegedly attacked in an incident at the prison while waiting in a queue with several other detainees, all of whom were hand cuffed, to go to the hospital for treatment. A quarrel broke out between the detainees and the officers and which ended up with the violent attack on Thivyan.

The Jaffna University Students Union had last week called on the new Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe to allow Thivyan to continue his studies.
In a fax to the PM, the union pointed out that Thivyan, a science faculty undergraduate, had been in custody without adequate ground for a long time.

"Thivyan was arrested on 2nd July 2001, under the previous government's rule. To justify the arrest he was then falsely accused of having links with the Tamil Tigers and being in possession of weapons," the JUSU said. The organisation points out that the charge of having links with the Liberation Tiger has yet to be proven.

Dengue fever turns deadly

Health officials in Jaffna and Trincomalee have appealed for the public to maintain high levels of hygiene to counter the alarming spread on Dengue fever. Outpatient departments in most government and private hospitals are currently treating a large number of case of the fever that is spread by mosquitoes and unhygienic drinking water, reported Uthayan last Saturday. The risk of this spreading will be there until February, according to the officials.

The fever has taken a heavy human toll in the Jaffna peninsula, with five deaths in the past two weeks. The latest to succumb was Kandiah Sinnammah (57) of Kop-ay South, who died at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital. Amongst the earlier fatalities was a six-month-old infant.

Meanwhile, Trinco's health officials have composed a special 'Dengue Anthem' to raise awareness. The Dengue Elimination Campaign there began last Saturday with a march. An art exhibition will also be held during the week at a local school. Five people in November and seven in December had been afflicted by the fever in Trinco and its outlying areas.

The fever has been spreading across the north and east, with Three patients including a 3 1/2-year-old baby dying in Ampara. A number of patients suspected of having dengue fever are being treated at hospitals in the area reported the Daily Mirror. At the Ashraff Memorial hospital in Kalmunai, 45 patients were found positive,by tests carried out between November and December last year.

"The intermittent rain experienced here is the cause for this outbreak of dengue and this can be brought under control only by mass participation as done in the south" said Dr. Jezeelul Dahi. The people are charging that the North-East Provincial Council is doing nothing to curtail the spreading of dengue fever reported the paper.

Dengue viruses are transmitted by mosquitoes, which are most active during the day. These mosquitoes are found near human habitations and are often present indoors. Epidemic transmission is usually seasonal, during and shortly after the rainy season.
Dengue fever is characterized by sudden onset, high fever, severe headaches, joint and muscle pain, nausea/vomiting, and rash.

Tamil voters contest December election results

Seven Tamil voters, from areas in Batticaloa and the Vanni held by the LTTE, have filed fundamental rights applications in the Sri Lankan Supreme Court seeking declarations that the December 5 polls in their districts are invalid as they were denied an opportunity to vote by the Sri Lankan military forces.

Three Tamil voters residing in areas held by the Liberation Tigers in the Batticaloa district filed fundamental rights applications in the Supreme Court Thurs-day. They sought a declaration that the election held on December 5 for the Batticaloa electoral district was null and void and an order to re-poll the district as they and several other electors were prevented from voting by the security forces. The petition argued that this was a violation of their fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 12 (1) and Articles 14 (1) (a) of the Constitution.

The petitioners Messrs S.Soosai, K.Kandasamy and R.Parameswaran cited six respondents including the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, the Commissioner of Elections and the Batticaloa's Returning Officer. The clustered polling stations meant for the electors in the LTTE held villages in the Batticaloa district were located in Vavunativu. When the petitioners with several other electors attempted to enter the area held by the State armed forces to cast their votes at the cluster polling stations, all of them were prevented and chased away by the security personnel manning the checkpoint.

Another man, Sothilingam Navaneethan of Vaakarai, north of Batticaloa, has filed a separate fundamental rights application on behalf of electors residing in areas held by the LTTE in Vanni and Batticaloa districts. Twenty-eight people, including the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and Commissioner of Elections, have been cited as respondents in his application.

Similarly, three Tamil voters from the Vanni region held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam filed fundamental rights applications in the Supreme Court Wednesday. They too sought a declaration that the December 5 polls in the Vanni electoral district were invalid and an order for re-polling as they, with several other voters, were prevented from voting by the Sri Lanka Army.

Thavaraja Sivakumar of Omanthai, Chelliah Joseph of Mullaithivu and V.Thangaraja of Nedunkerni cited the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army Lieutenant General Lionel Balagalle, Security Services Commander in Vavuniya Major General Shantha Kottegoda, Army Spokesman Brigadier Sanath Karunaratne, The Return-ing Officer, Vavuniya K.Ganesh, the Commissioner of Elections Dayananda and the Attorney General as respondents in their fundamental rights application.

NEP officials to tour LTTE regions

North-East provincial ministry secretaries and heads of departments have decided to tour the Mullaithivu and Kilinochchi districts in the Liberation Tigers held Vanni region to obtain first hand information about the sufferings of the people. At the last meeting of the Provincial Planning Council of the Northeast Province (NEP), its chief secretary Mr.G.Kirushnamoorthy tabled a resolution to this effect.

He said that provincial ministry secretaries and heads of department as a team should visit the LTTE held areas in the North-East province to see the situation personally to assess the needs and shortcomings prevailing in these areas. The Provincial Planning Council headed by Mr.Kirushnamoorthy unanimously endorsed the view expressed by him.

The Secretariat of the Chief Secretary has been entrusted with the task of making arrangements for such a visit to areas held by LTTE. This is the first time provincial secretaries of the NEPC to tour the LTTE held areas in Vanni region as a team to assess the needs, shortcomings and the sufferings of the people in these areas, an official said.

Tensions between India and Pakistan ease at SAARC

The Indian prime minister has cautiously welcomed Pakistan's offer of a "hand of friendship" at a regional summit in Nepal, but relations between the two powers remain fraught, reported the BBC on Saturday.

Atal Behari Vajpayee said he was pleased the Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf had made the gesture of shaking his hand, but insisted that it must be followed up by concrete action to clampdown on the Kashmiri militants Delhi holds responsible for attacks on Indian territory.

Reports by Pakistani officials that the foreign ministers of the two countries had met on the sidelines of the summit were firmly denied by India, which had ruled out any such face-to-face discussions earlier in the week. Mr Vajpayee also stayed away from a so-called "retreat" to allow the seven regional leaders to talk in private.

The BBC's Simon Ingram says it all suggests that, despite the international pressure, Delhi is not willing to soften its stance just yet - particularly with crucial regional elections looming. With no sign of a diplomatic breakthrough in sight, civilians on both sides of the Kashmir line of control have continued to flee their homes for fear of an outbreak of war.

The Commissioner for Relief in the Pakistani-administered part of Kashmir said at least 50,000 people had fled, while officials in the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan also reported that villagers were moving their families to safety.

Indian and Pakistani forces have come close to war since border tensions flared last month, and there has been a massive troop build-up by both sides. They exchanged heavy fire along the disputed border in Kashmir on Saturday. The Indian army said four border villages in the district of Poonch had come under mortar attack.

India has accused Pakistan of sheltering Islamic militants whom it says were behind a suicide attack on the Indian parliament on 13 December, in which 14 people died. Earlier, Mr Musharraf told the conference that his government "strongly condemn[s] terrorism in all its forms" - but, in a clear reference to the Kashmir dispute, he said a distinction should be made between those pursuing a freedom struggle and acts of terror.

The president said Pakis-tan "remains ready to engage in sustained dialogue with India at all times and all levels", adding that the summit should be used as a forum to solve regional differences.

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has offered his "total solidarity" with India in the wake of the attack on the country's parliament. Mr Blair, who is in the region, insisted that "only politics, not terror, can solve issues like this".

As the summit got under way, Pakistani security forces were reported to have arrested more than 200 militants opposed to Indian rule in Kashmir. Police sources told Reuters they had detained members of the extremist Muslim Sipahe-Sahaba group in raids in the central province of Punjab and in southern Sindh late on Friday and early on Saturday.
Pakistan has insisted it has taken the action for domestic reasons, not in response to Indian or international pressure. It has refused to hand over a number of men India blames for the attack on its parliament. But the BBC's Jonathan Head says the latest arrests suggest Mr Musharraf is serious about clamping down on militant organisations.

FARC and government reach impasse on talks

Colombia's government and its largest guerrilla group broke off peace talks without reaching an agreement on any agenda item, government peace commissioner Camilo Gomez said.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) abandoned negotiations in their second and final scheduled day after the two sides reached an impasse over the issue of military patrols on the perimeter of the guerrilla haven where the talks were taking place, reported AFP on Saturday. Gomez said FARC negotiators left the table for consultations. He expressed hope that the FARC and the government would resume talks later in the week.

The FARC, Colombia's largest guerrilla group, had sought a decrease in military presence around the Switzerland-sized area but was rebuffed publicly by the commander of the armed forces. Gomez backed up the military's decision, saying that the patrols on the periphery of the zone under FARC control were not negotiable.

President Andres Pastrana announced the stepped-up patrols around the zone in the south of Colombia on October 7, shortly before the previous round of talks ended. The Pastrana administration has tried unsuccessfully for four years to negotiate peace with the Marxist 16,500-man FARC, which has been fighting for over three decades.

America cuts funds to Iraqi opposition

The United States has suspended funding for the leading Iraqi opposition group, citing poor bookkeeping, the State Department said Saturday. Some consider the group a key to any effort to topple Saddam Hussein, but it has been criticized as ineffective, unorganised and without a capable fighting force, reported Associated Press.

The State Department informed the Iraqi National Congress this week that the suspension would be in effect "until adequate financial controls are in place." Still, the department considers the group an important player in the opposition to Hussein, said Gregg Sullivan, spokesman for the Near Eastern Affairs bureau.

A spokesman for the group, Sharif Ali Bin Al Hussein, said the action was premature and blamed State Department officials who don't want aggressive action against Iraq. Some top department aides have praised the organization, he said.

Sullivan, the State Department official, said the suspension is completely based on an inspector general's audit that found the group could not properly account for its spending. No financial wrongdoing was discovered. "The financial controls were insufficient and did not match requirements under U.S. laws," Sullivan said, contending the group failed to heed warnings since June to institute the controls. "They can't account for the money that was given."

Al Hussein said the group was given until Jan. 15 to institute new financial controls and said the State Department was told the deadline would be met. He said certain department officials, including Clinton administration holdovers, "want to appease Saddam. They want to contain him and keep him in his box and don't want to take Saddam on as the head of a terrorist state."

The London-based confederation of opposition groups has considerable backing in Congress, but critics have said its members aren't prepared to combat Saddam on the ground, even with U.S. backing. Congress appropriated $25 million for the Iraqi opposition, with at least $10 million to be used inside Iraq. But Al Hussein argued that administration officials would not let the group use the money inside the country and therefore the opposition group rejected the entire amount. The State Department went ahead on its own and sent the group about $12 million in 2001.

The money was primarily used to collect information on abuses by Saddam Hussein's government, present the findings to the United Nations and other countries, and save it for later use if there's a war crimes tribunal. "Senior level officials have been very encouraging" about the opposition's work, Al Hussein said.

Blair sees wider role for Britain

Prime Minister Tony Blair believes it is time for Britain to forget the nostalgic days of empire and play a pivotal new role on the world stage, reported Reuters on Saturday. "We do not have an empire, we are not a superpower, but we do have a role, and in playing it properly we benefit Britain and the wider world," he said in the high-tech Indian city of Bangalore. "That role is to be a pivotal player," he said.

Blair, visiting India on a week-long tour also taking in Bangladesh and Pakistan, laid out his vision of a "modern foreign policy", which he says can no longer be divorced from domestic policy. "It is to use the strengths of our history, our geography, our language, the unique set of links with the U.S., Europe, the Commonwealth, our position within the U.N. and NATO...to be a force for good for our own nation and for the wider world."

Blair, who has travelled the globe in efforts to build a coalition against terror following the September 11 attacks on the United States, has been criticised for spending too much time overseas and too little on domestic issues. Having spent the Christmas break on holiday in Egypt, he went straight into his South Asia tour without returning to London. Meanwhile, train strikes and an ailing health service are fraying tempers at home.

In his speech at a Confederation of Indian Industry conference in Bangalore, Blair said: "In today's interdependent world, foreign policy and domestic policy are part of the same thing. Dealing with international terrorism abroad is not just right in itself, it is vital to our economy, our jobs, our stability and our security."

Blair said this new role is one Britons should "embrace with real confidence, resisting nostalgia, refusing to retreat into isolationism".

Mr Blair's itinerary included a meeting with the Indian Prime Minister on Sunday before travelling to Pakistan. He has said he wants to try to exert a "calming influence" on the two nations, which have come to the brink of war in a long-standing dispute over the Himalayan region of Kashmir.

Relations between the two south Asian nuclear powers have nose-dived since an attack on the Indian parliament on December 13 in which 14 people were killed. New Delhi blames the attack on two Pakistan-based militant groups fighting Indian rule in Kashmir. Blair's official spokesman said he would condemn the attack on India's parliament in his speech as an "attack on democracy itself".

Attacks on journalists increased in 2001

Two leading media watchdogs last week reported a sharp rise in attack on journalists in 2001. The number of journalists jailed or attacked for their work rose dramatically last year, the Paris-based Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF - Reporters Without Borders) said in its annual assessment of press freedom. The number killed was almost the same as in 2000 when the death toll was 32, it said. But arrests soared by almost 50 percent to 489 while threats and physical attacks on reporters jumped around 40 percent to 716, reported Reuters.

"More and more journalists are in jail across the world," the group said in a statement. "There are currently 110 behind bars. Whereas this number had steadily decreased since 1995, it suddenly started rising again in 2001." The situation sharply deteriorated in states including Bangladesh, Eritrea, Haiti, Nepal and Zimbabwe. Few countries recorded progress in granting the media greater freedom, RSF said.

"Every day, a new media outlet is censored somewhere in the world and close to a third of the global population lives in a country where there is no freedom of the press," it added.

The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed similar concerns in a statement last week. In 2000, 24 journalists were killed while on the job, said the CPJ, a New York-based nonpartisan group which is dedicated to the defense of free press. "Journalists covering the war in Afghanistan showed extraordinary courage, but we should also remember that journalists around the world who uncovered corrupt, illegal acts, and graft at high levels of power were murdered with impunity," said CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper.

At least 25 of the 37 journalists killed in 2001 were murdered. In addition to Afghanistan, journalists were killed in Colombia, the Philippines, China, the United States, and 17 other countries, CPJ said.

Reuters journalists Harry Burton, an Australian television cameraman, and Azizullah Haidari, an Afghan-born photographer, both 33, were among a group of journalists murdered by gunmen in an ambush near Kabul in November. One journalist and eight media technicians lost their lives in the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center in New York. Another U.S. journalist died from anthrax in Florida after receiving a letter laced with the bacteria.
Journalists were assassinated for what they wrote in Haiti, Colombia, Northern Ireland, Ukraine, Spain and Yugoslavia. No reporters were killed in Africa or the Middle East last year.
Elsewhere, Fadila Nejma and Adel Zerrouk were killed in June while covering anti-government protests in Algeria. Feng Zhaoxia, who covered criminal gangs, was found with his throat slit in China, CPJ said. Mayilvaganam Nimlarajan was shot in is home in Sri Lanka, it is suspected by government funded paramilitaries.

Chechnya conflict escalates in New Year

The New Year has seen a sharp escalation of fighting in Chechnya as Russian forces killed eight separatists in southern Chechnya overnight and rebels stepped up their own operations, reported AFP on Saturday.

The rebels were killed in the village of Novaya Zhizn near Kurchaloy, 30 kilometres (20 miles) southeast of Grozny, on the sixth day of an offensive launched last Sunday, according to federal officials quoted by the military news agency Interfax-AVN.

Around a dozen rebels were killed Friday in another operation at Agishty, also in the Kurchaloy region, RIA Novosti quoted Russian military officials as saying. The Russian state prosecutor in Chechnya Vsevolod Chernov said the operation in the Kurchaloy region was "nearly completed," but there were no immediate signs of a respite in the fighting.

The ITAR-TASS news agency reported that a mopping-up operation began Friday in Argun, Chechnya's third-largest town located 15 kilometres east of Grozny, after it was cordoned off in order to ensure that no rebels fleeing the offensive near Kurchaloy could take refuge there. Argun lies on the main road from Grozny to both Gudermes, where most of the republic's administration is accommodated, and to Kurchaloy and Vedeno further south.

Several tanks were stationed in the town square, though no shooting was audible, ITAR-TASS said. Chernov said an Arab, Aboudar Fazif, had been one of several mercenaries identified among those killed during the overnight fighting.

Russian military officials admitted that Chechen separatists had stepped up their actions throughout the republic over the past few days. In the southeastern Shali region alone, rebels had launched around 30 attacks, while incidents had been reported even in districts considered to be pacified, officials at the federal army general staff headquarters in Grozny said, without providing details.

They said the upsurge in activity could be due to the rebels having received significant financial support recently, and noted that new concentrations of rebel fighters had been noted in the Urus Martan and Achkoi Martan regions southwest of the capital.

Federal spokesmen have estimated the total Chechen losses during this week's offensive at more than 100 dead. A spokesman for rebel president Aslan Maskhadov, Mayerbek Vachagayev, told AFP Friday the figure was false, saying the Kremlin spokesman on Chechnya, Sergei Yastrzhembsky, was seeking to mislead public opinion in Russia and in the West.

Both sides have reported inflicting heavy casualties during the fighting as federal forces surrounded Chechen separatist fighters in the hamlet of Tsotsyn-Yurt. Figures issued by either side are impossible to verify independently.

The Chechen conflict erupted in the mid ninties after the Russian government sent in its armed forces to crush Chechen demands for greater autonomy. A tentative peace deal two years later collapsed, leading to the present phase of conflict.