The Sri Lankan government has taxed a charity for importing wheelchairs for Tamil war victims.

322 wheelchairs and other mobility equipment destined for the north of the island were taxed $8,000 by Sri Lankan customs.

The head of the Yorkshire based charity, PhysioNet, has condemned the move by the government.

Peter Thompson said the shipment took over 3 months to clear customs.

Photograph www.sundaytimes.lk

Escorted by Sri Lankan military commander for the Eastern province, Major Gen.

Sri Lanka's ruling party, the UPFA, have said that the country's close ties with China should not be seen as a threat to India.

According to Rohitha Bogollagama, member of the UPFA, Sri Lanka's relationship with India is unique and cannot be replaced.

In an interview with Bhagwan Singh, published in the Deccan Chronicle, Sri Lankan president, Mahinda Rajapaksa slammed calls for a war crimes inquiry as "baseless issues" contrived by the Tamil diaspora, and dismissed the TNA's demands as "impossible".

See here for interview in full.

Extracts of Rajapaksa's responses reproduced below:

On calls for a war crimes investigation

"The LTTE remnants in these Western countries are bringing pressure on political leaders there to raise baseless issues against Sri Lanka."

"After the 1880 uprising in Ceylon’s Uva (in the south), the British rulers killed every male aged above 14, and destroyed all water reservoirs to force the people into starvation. They took away land. They did that in India, too. And they talk of human rights now. The West wants me to be their lackey and I refuse to be that."

 

On relationships with India

"For me, India is first, and others come only after India. As soon as I came to power, I went to India and got their support; after that, I did not have to bother about the UN, UK, US, and so on."

On TNA and devolution

"They (TNA) have the same attitude as the LTTE.

"They demand impossible things — merger of the north and the east, land policy and police. See what happened in your country [India] when Rahul Gandhi was travelling in Uttar Pradesh. Chief minister Mayawati tried to get him arrested. Do you think I want to get arrested by these people (by giving the Tamils a police force)?

An anonymous letter addressed to the Inspector General of Police has alleged that attempts are being made to undermine the investigation of the murder of former Red Cross worker holidaying in Tangalle.

Russia has welcomed the release of the LLRC report and the ‘great contribution’ it would make to reconciliation, ignoring widespread criticism of it.

A statement, released by Alexander Lukashevich, the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, ignores the serious flaws in the report, highlighted by many human rights organisation and various governments.

Full text of statement:

The JHU's (Jathika Hela Urumaya) legal advisor, MP Udaya Gammanpila, criticised India's statement, made 25th December on the LLRC report, as "incorrect", reasserting the Sri Lankan government's refusal to devolve land and police powers to the North-East. 

Gammanpila said,

Slamming the LLRC report as "one-sided", the secretary of the JHU, MP Patali Champika Ranawaka condemned the report for only recommending investigations in the Sri Lankan army and navy, whilst criticising the report for going "beyond its mandate".

Ranawaka reportedly said, 

“There are no recommendations to conduct investigations against the LTTE atrocities but the army and navy”.

“The report discusses political matters beyond its mandate”.

As foreign investors sold their shares in the Colombo Stock Exchange Tuesday, the Central Bank stepped in to preserve the value of the rupee.

By selling SLR 788 million in stock, foreign investors were heavy net sellers as Sri Lanka’s stock exchange resumed trading Tuesday after the Christmas holidays. Despite the foreign disinvestment, the main All Share Price Index gained 0.54 percent (32.51 points) to 6,015.09 as local investors (mainly government institutions) stepped in to buy.