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Sri Lanka's trade deficit contracts 20.7 percent in February 2014

5:57 AM

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Sri Lanka's trade deficit in February 2014 narrowed by 20.7 percent to US$ 504 million as earnings from exports substantially increased while expenditure on imports declined during the month, the Central Bank said Monday releasing the External Sector Performance review.

Earnings from exports in February 2014 increased significantly on a year-on-year (YoY) basis by 5.4 percent to US$ 841 million, while expenditure on imports declined by 6.2 percent to US$ 1.345 billion.

The cumulative trade deficit for the first two months of 2014 contracted by 12.5 percent, as the growth in export earnings of 13.9 percent outpaced the 1.1 percent increase in import expenditure.

Improved performance in agricultural exports, followed by industrial exports, led the significant growth in exports.

Earnings from agricultural exports increased 15.3 percent for February to US$ 201 million, out of which tea exports increased by 11.7 percent and amounted to US$ 116 million.

Earnings from industrial exports, which account for more than three fourths of total export earnings increased by 2.5 percent, year-on-year, to US$ 637 million in February 2014, reflecting an increase in earnings from export of textiles and garments by 6.6 percent to US$ 396 million.

Expenses on fuel imports increased marginally by 0.6 percent to US$ 421 million in February compared to same month in 2013 and expenses in most of other categories declined.

During the month Workers' Remittances grew by 6.9 percent to US$ 502.0 million and earnings from tourism increased 33.6 percent to US$ 205.0 million. However, inflows to the government from Treasury Bills and Bonds declined 71.8 percent YoY and only earned US$ 202.5 million.

By the end of 2013, Sri Lanka's gross official reserves amounted to US$ 8.3 billion, while total international reserves, which include foreign assets of commercial banks, amounted to US$ 9.4 billion.

The domestic foreign exchange market has remained relatively stable during the year so far up to 22 April 2014, with the rupee marginally appreciating by 0.11 percent against the US dollar, the Central Bank said.

Sri Lanka Opposition Leader to convey party's vision for future of country to the public

6:46 PM

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Sri Lanka's Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe says he aims to convey the party's vision and goals for the future of the country to the public and raise awareness in the current situation of the country.

Speaking to ColomboPage exclusively, the Opposition Leader, who is currently finishing up a fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, dismissed the media reports which said that he will not contest the Presidency at the next Presidential elections.

Wickremasinghe said although he has not ruled out himself from contesting for the presidency, he is open to consider others and will make a decision on a presidential candidate only after President Mahinda Rajapaksa formally announces a Presidential election.

However, the party's immediate goal is to start a grass root campaign to educate the general public on the government's economic policies and how those policies and massive scale corruption affecting them, the Opposition Leader said.

He said to attain sustainable peace and reconciliation in the country, the government needs to start a dialogue with the Tamil party and resolve their grievances. Pointing out that Tamils lack a generation of political leaders due to the three-decade long war, the Opposition Leader noted that it's imperative for the Tamil parties to groom moderate leaders to take reins after their senior leaders.

A future UNP government, he said, would reinstate the 17th Amendment to the Constitution and repeal the 18th Amendment to limit the powers of the executive presidency and would establish a system where the cabinet and parliament would have more powers than the President. He added that major reforms are needed in the health, education and financial sectors.

The opposition leader urged the Sri Lankan public as well as the expatriate community to rally around the party regardless of the religion, ethnicity and political affiliation to eliminate corruption and restore democracy and good governance in the country.

Packer completely exempt from taxes - UNP

7:15 AM

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The UNP today accused the government of granting complete tax exemptions for James Packer and Ravi Wjeratne. Speaking at a press conference UNP MP Harsha De Silva charged that the government has planned to completely exempted them from the 12% VAT and 2% M.B.T and in place only imposed a new 5% casino tax.

He claimed that despite this the government continues to mislead the public by stating that the hotel project does not include a casino. This talk is similar to claim by the Hambantota Mayor that he brought a toy pistol to protect UNP MPs, Harsha stated.

When two monkeys mate the result is another monkey and when two casino giants get together the result will surely be another casino, Harsha claimed.

Disciplinary action against Sanga, Mahela: Sumathipala slams ‘brainless’ move

7:03 AM

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Launching a scathing attack on Sri Lanka’s cricket officials over a possible move to conduct a disciplinary inquiry on the country’s most senior cricketers, a former Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) chief today said it is a “foolish” decision taken by “brainless” officials.

It was reported yesterday that former Sri Lanka captains Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara could face disciplinary action over remarks they had made on arriving in Colombo after winning the ICC World T20 title.

Sri Lanka Cricket had decided, at yesterday’s executive committee meeting, to refer the matter to the SLC’s disciplinary committee, an ex-co source was quoted as saying by media report.

The entire world must be laughing at us for the decision to take disciplinary action against Sri Lanka’s star players, who led the country to victory in the Asia Cup and World Twenty20, former SLC president, MP Thilanga Sumathipala, said.

“The move will tarnish the good image of cricket in Sri Lanka in the face of the international community. The entire world must be laughing at the fact that disciplinary action is being taken against Mahela and Sangakkara, the best players of the Sri Lanka team which won the World Cup.”

“Aren’t they ashamed?” he questioned, adding that it is a “stupid” thing to do.

He stated that the biggest questions are as to why two world-class players such as Mahela and Kumar had made accusations against the cricket administration, why are they doing it in public and why is the administration behaving in this manner.

“When the ICC decided to expel Arjuna Ranatunga over the Muralitharan issue we saved the sport from the players’ side. But today when the players have brought fame to the country by bringing home a World Cup, the administration is chasing after the players as if they have done something wrong,” he told Ada Derana.

He stated that the best way to resolve such issues is to invite cricketers for discussions behind closed doors as conducting disciplinary inquiries on them will only worsen the already disastrous situation.

If you take a stance that ‘I am the Chairman’ or ‘I am the Secretary’ the players are below us and they have personally slung mud at us, then it will only prolong this battle, he said.

Sumathipala stated that personal issues have to be put aside and the reputation of the country, sport and player should be given priority when resolving such matters of importance.

Terming the decision to take disciplinary action against Mahela and Sanga as an “unintelligent” move, he said the cricket administration would face a grave problem if they follow through with it. “It will only worsen the SLC’s already tarnished reputation and widen the gap between players and the administration.”

He said it is regrettable that attempts are being made to probe such world-renowned sportsmen.

He said the country will not easily get two gentlemen like Jayawardena and Sangakkara in this era and that if they had made any mistake there is a process to resolve it.

Mathews to captain ODIs and Tests, Malinga for T20s

6:56 AM

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Angelo Mathews has been appointed the Captain of the ODI and Test team while Lasith Malinga appointed the Captain of the T20 team. Lahiru Thirimanne has been named as the Vice Captain of the ODI, T20 and Test teams, SLC said a short while ago.

The SLC added that the appointment will be valid until March 2015.

Scenarios of possible Canadian involvement in Syria revealed

9:36 PM

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Internal documents obtained by a Canadian newspaper show that Ottawa has drawn up at least five scenarios in which it could be involved in the three-year Syrian conflict, including the deployment of Canadian Forces.

The Ottawa Citizen paper said on Monday that while Canada’s federal government has no official plans so far for the country to be dragged in the conflict, the National Defense has developed five scenarios to address the problem of “rapidly deteriorating conditions in Syria, its impact on neighboring countries and … the importance of Middle East stability.”

Military intervention is included in one of the potential scenarios, per the existence of is “a legitimate armed opposition group has been recognized” by Canada.

The scenarios rest on the several assumptions, such as the Syrian government remains “defiant,” and include possible outcomes for each plan, including those “most likely” and the “worst case.”

Worst case scenarios include extremist groups getting ahold of advanced or chemical weapons or the conflict spilling beyond Syria’s borders.

Further specifics about the remaining scenarios have been censored.

Theodore Karasik, the Dubai-based Director of Research and Consultancy at the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis (INEGMA), reasons that the conflict affects a myriad of countries not just in the region but globally.

“Many countries face the threat from the Syrian theater because jihadists there have gained incredible battlefield experience and were further indoctrinated of jihadist violence,” he told Al Arabiya News.

Karasik urged all countries prepare adequately if they intervene in the conflict which must include a contingency plan.

“Not only militaries but police forces have to be prepared as well,” he added.

While the United States and its main ally, the United Kingdom, have both had their parliaments veto a military airstrike against the Syrian regime over chemical weapons accusations last year, a source who spoke to Al Arabiya News on the condition of anonymity said “in [neighboring] Jordan, the Brits are on ground already, in special operations forces.”

Hinting at additional covert support from other nations, the source added: “It is to varying degrees of how these [NATO] countries are involved and under what circumstances.”

Additional documents show that Canada has already started training anti-sectarian activists, journalists and others so they can provide a political alternative to Islamic extremist groups if the fighting stops.

President worshipped at the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy

9:30 PM

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President Mahinda Rajapaksa worshipped at the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy yesterday and received blessings for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. The President is seen participating in religious observances before the Sacred Tooth Relic. Central Province Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa, Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake, MP Lohan Ratwatte and Diyawadana Nilame Nilanga Dela also participated.

South Korea ferry death toll rises, hopes fade for hundreds missing

9:27 PM

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The death toll from a capsized South Korean passenger ferry rose to 25 on Friday as parents of missing schoolchildren blamed the ship's captain for the tragedy after he and shipping company officials made emotional apologies for the loss of life.

Of 475 passengers and crew on the Sewol ferry, which capsized in calm seas on Wednesday, 179 people are listed as safe and 271 are still missing.

South Korean authorities were due to restart rescue efforts on Friday morning and to deploy an unmanned submarine to inspect the vessel. Divers, hampered by strong tides and murky waters, have been unable to gain access inside the ferry.

Theories about the cause of the accident swirled and an official investigation was due to resume with questioning of the captain. The vessel started to sink on Wednesday on a routine trip out of the major port of Incheon to the holiday island of Jeju, 480 km (300 miles) to the south.

Coastguard officials have said the investigation was focused on possible crew negligence, problems with cargo stowage and structural defects of the vessel, although the ship appears to have passed all of its safety and insurance checks.

The captain, Lee Joon-seok, faces criminal investigation, which is standard procedure in South Korea. Relatives of those who died have accused him and some of his crew of being among the first to leave the vessel.

Both 69-year-old Lee and the company that owns the ship have apologised for the loss of life, although neither has admitted responsibility.

Most of those on board were children from a high school in the suburbs of Seoul who were on a field trip to Jeju.

Relatives were in mourning overnight in a hospital in the city of Mokpo, close to the port city of Jindo, which is acting as a rescue centre. Some of them spoke bitterly of the captain.

"How could he tell those young kids to stay there and jump from the sinking ship himself?" said Ham Young-ho, grandfather of 17-year-old Lee Da-woon, one of the dead.

Lee has not made any public statement on whether or why he may have left the vessel before many of the passengers.

Witness accounts say crew members instructed some passengers to remain where they were as the ship listed sharply and then capsized in about two hours 25 km (16 miles) southwest of Jindo, a large South Korean island connected to the mainland.

HUNTING FOR CLUES

South Korean media have reported the ship may have turned before listing sharply to port, but investigators have declined to comment.

While Lee and some of the crew members have been criticised for their role in the sinking, he was described as a "veteran" by Chonghaejin Marine Co Ltd, the owner of the vessel.

"He is a veteran captain who has run such passenger ferry between Incheon and Jeju for 20 years," said Song Ki-chae, who heads one of Chunghaejin's branch offices.

Song paid tribute to Park Ji-young, one of the crew members who died after escorting children to safety and helping them don life jackets.

Of the 20 crew, half are not accounted for.

Officials will investigate Chunghaejin, the unlisted operator, which owns four other vessels, and which reported an operating loss of 785 million won ($756,000) last year.

Earlier efforts to locate survivors inside the hull, which is still partly above water, did not succeed. Data shows that the speed of the underwater current varies throughout the day and, at its strongest, hit 10km/h, making diving impossible.

Although the water at the site of the accident is relatively shallow at under 50 metres (165 feet), it is still dangerous for the 150 or so divers working flat out, experts said. Time was running out to find any survivors trapped inside, they said.

"The chances of finding people in there (alive) are not zero," said David Jardine-Smith, secretary of the International Maritime Rescue Federation. However, he said conditions were extremely difficult.

"There is a lot of water current and silt in the water, which means visibility is very poor and the divers are basically feeling their way around."

US is looking to resume a 'more comprehensive' military relationship with Sri Lanka

9:22 PM

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The United States is looking for resuming a "more comprehensive" military relationship with Sri Lanka once the Sri Lankan government makes progress towards reconciliation and accountability, a top U.S. official said.

Nisha Desai Biswal, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs said that following the March UN Human Rights Council resolution on Sri Lanka, the U.S. continues to call for credible efforts to ensure accountability and justice.

"We look forward to a resumption of a more comprehensive military relationship once the Government of Sri Lanka has made better progress toward reconciliation and accountability," Biswal said delivering a speech at the Harvard University in Boston.

"Sri Lanka has fortunately ended its civil war, though reconciliation has proved challenging," the Assistant Secretary has said.

In March the UNHRC in Geneva adopted a resolution on Sri Lanka sponsored by the United States, the United Kingdom and three other countries requestingthe Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to undertake a comprehensive independent investigation into alleged serious violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes by both parties in Sri Lanka.

Kidney racketeers used Facebook

8:56 PM

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The alleged international kidney racket, which came under the police radar following the death of a city youngster in Sri Lanka, has been using Facebook and other social networking sites to identify victims.

Kishanbagh resident, Dinesh Maroo, who died in Colombo allegedly after a kidney transplant, had at least six Facebook friends with whom he had discussed kidney donation in the past.

One of them, named “Nv Kidney” had also had an e-mail correspondence with Dinesh, who sent his passport copy and ID proof to him, probably for visa and air tickets, his family members said.

Meanwhile, CCS police has taken few people into custody from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in connection with the case. Officials said that they had traced the persons who were in touch with victims through email and Facebook.

The police has also tracked two other victims who went to Colombo with Dinesh on March 22. One of them has also undergone a kidney transplant in a Lankan hospital. The racketeers had called the victims to Colombo with job offers, said police sources.

The Facebook friends of Dinesh have accounts under false names and have uploaded statuses seeking attention of people for kidney donation. The scam attracts victims through these status messages and then convinces them over chat and email correspondence.

The racketeers have also given advertisements on the internet. CCS police officials said that they were investigating a nexus active on social networking sites.

Chat details of Dinesh reveal that the racketeers, who also claim to be medical doctors, had convinced the victims that they would not face any physical trouble after the transplant, and had offered lakhs of rupees as compensation. They had chosen Sri Lanka for the operation to avoid police surveillance, sources added, Deccan Chronicle reports.

Govt justifies troops presence in North

10:42 AM

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A day after three key operatives of the banned LTTE were killed in a major military operation in Sri Lanka's north, the government today justified maintaining troops in the former war zones.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa's special envoy on human rights and Government Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said yesterday's incident has underlined the need to keep the military on alert.

"We were asked and criticised about the presence of the military in the north and the need to scale down its presence by the international governments at the Geneva UN Human Rights Council...We explained to them the need to keep the military going as it was a decision for a sovereign government to take in view of the national security needs," he said.

"Yesterday's incident was clear evidence of that," Samarasinghe said after briefing the outcome in Geneva to the Buddhist high priests in the central town of Kandy today.

The Army said three armed suspects who attempted to escape the troops were killed in a cordon and search operation in the area of Padaviya in North Central Province on April 11.

Samarasinghe reiterated the call made by Sri Lankan External Affairs Minister G L Peiris.

He said Sri Lanka would not cooperate with the UNHRC in implementing the resolution adopted late March which was aimed at setting up an international investigation on the country's alleged human rights abuses during the final phase of the war with the LTTE.

"We will not participate as we have no confidence in such a process. We are a government which is committed to achieving reconciliation through credible local mechanisms," Samarasinghe said.

He said Sri Lanka would not give into attempts by the pro-LTTE diaspora to destabilise the country.

The Sri Lankan government claimed that pro-LTTE diaspora is moving the Western governments to act against it.

Sri Lankan Army soldier dies of accidental fire during training

10:37 AM

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A Sri Lankan army soldier has died of gunshot injuries sustained during a training exercise in the general area north of Vavuniya in the North.

The soldier, Lance Corporal S.K Raja of 7 Military Intelligence Corps (MIC), who was engaged in a training exercise succumbed to accidental gunshot injuries on late Thursday (10) on admission to Padaviya Hospital, the Army said.

He was in engaged in a training exercise together with several fellow soldiers when the accidental fire, believed to have originated from one of the guns of a fellow-soldier, caused injuries to the deceased soldier.

Military Police investigations into the soldier's death are in progress.

Earlier local media reported that an army soldier was killed in the operation to capture the three LTTE operatives in the area. The Army shot and killed the three LTTE suspects during a shootout.

379 arrested for drunk driving

10:35 AM

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The Police Department says that legal action has been taken against 211 motorists who were driving under the influence of alcohol, following operations carried out within 24 hours (from 6.00am yesterday) in various parts of the island.

The Police Headquarters launched special round-the-clock operations from April 10 to apprehend drunk drivers in view of the festive season.

Cases have been filed against a total of 379 motorists so far, since the commencing of the operations on April 10, out of which 208 are said to be motorcyclists. 125 of them were three-wheeler drivers while the rest (43) are drivers of other vehicles.

Police also said that 3 bus drivers have been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.

Gnanasara and Vijitha Theros need psychological help - Dilan

10:56 PM

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General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena, Galabodaaththe Gnanasara Thero and Secretary of the Jathika Bala Sena Watareka Vijitha Thero should both get psychological help, Minister of Foreign Employment Promotions Dilan Perera stated.

He told Ada Derana that he calls upon medical specialists to help cure the psychological problems of these two Theros as their behaviour was discrediting and bringing shame upon Buddhism adding that they were two sides of the same coin.

Speaking on the incident in which Gnanasara Thero stormed a press conference and verbally abused Vijitha Thero, Minister Perera charged that Gnanasara Thero was fulfilling a contract for the western countries in coalition with UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay.

He added that the BBS was engaged in trying to confirm accusations by the Western world that there is no religious harmony in Sri Lanka and that Buddhists were a violent group.

The Minister strongly condemned the actions of the BBS group and reiterated its agenda to discredit Sri Lankans in front of the whole world.

Modi will not betray Tamils - Vaiko

10:20 PM

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MDMK general secretary Vaiko said that a Modi-led Government at the Centre would not repeat the blunders of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government in Sri Lankan Tamils and fishermen issues.

Mobilising support for the party candidate in the Tenkasi (reserved) segment N. Thirumalaikumar at Sankarankovil on Friday, he said the UPA government, in which the DMK was a vital constituent, paved the way for the “massacre of Sri Lankan Tamils” by providing men and materials to the island nation’s armed forces.

Even after 578 Tamil fishermen were hunted down on the highseas by the Sri Lankan navy, the Indian Government did nothing to save its citizens.

If BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was given an opportunity to lead the new government, he would never repeat such blunders. “I guarantee the voters that he will never betray the Tamils,” Mr. Vaiko said.

He assured that he would continue to be the first person to safeguard the welfare of minorities, The Hindu reported.

World champs get what they asked for-SLC

10:16 PM

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Sri Lanka cricketers who refused to sign their annual contracts and left for their victorious campaign in the ICC World T20 tournament in Bangladesh over a disputed payment from International Cricket Council (ICC) events, have been assured of receiving almost what they demanded and have actually clinched much more with the prize money for winning the world title, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Treasurer Nuski Mohamed told “Daily Mirror”.

SLC has promised the team US $ half a million (Rs. 65 million) as participation fee and win bonus of US $ one million (Rs. 130 million). The prize money for winning the ICC World T20 title is US $ 1.1 million (Rs. 143 million).

Mohamed said that SLC would receive US $ 8.9 million from the ICC World T20 for taking part in the event and pointed out that with the prize money of US $ 1.1 million, the total amount SLC would receive from ICC would be US $ ten million.

The team which would receive the participation fee of US $ half a million plus the US $ one million win bonus added to the US $ 1.1 million prize money would make it a total of US $ 2.6 million, a figure which would further be enhanced by the match fees and seniority fees bringing the total figure to around US $ 2.8 million or a percentage of 28 from the total SLC income from the event.

The discretion of how participation fees, prize money and win bonus would be distributed among team members lies with the team captain, and the usual practice is to distribute it equally which means each player can expect to earn in the range of US $ 200,000 (Rs. 26 million) for their world title winning performance.

“We haven’t received money from ICC yet. It might take more than a month for that money to come though I think prize money would be released quickly by ICC,” said Mohamed.

“We do not get involved in distributing prize money or bonuses. The team has the discretion on how they disburse that money among team members,” said Mohamed.

He added that players have little excuse now to refuse signing the annual contracts as they have received the percentage they demanded from the year’s only ICC event.

“When they come to this side one day, they will understand the position. We are not here just to pay the national team. We have much bigger responsibilities to keep the game alive. If the game dies without money, will there be a national team to win world titles?,” questioned Mohamed.

“We have to look after the schools, clubs, districts, provinces, ‘A’ team, Youth teams, women’s cricket, academies. Then we have to maintain grounds and stadia. You have to understand that we do all these things with this money we get from the ICC. That is why we cannot pay them as they demand, because if we do, from where can we find the money to do all that development?,” questioned Mohamed. He however said they had no qualms about recognising achievements and would be prepared to reward the players according to the performances.

“We have been reasonable to the limit we can be reasonable. Take the last Asia Cup in 2012. We even lost to Bangladesh and lost all our matches. Despite that poor performance we had to pay them all that money. But now, things are different. There are less doles, but massive incentives if they perform. That’s the difference,” Mohamed added.

Mohamed revealed that the prize money or participation fees due to SLC from Asia Cup had still not been received.

“The finance committee of the Asian Cricket Council has to meet and finalise those payments. I am also in that committee, but we haven’t still fixed a date for the meeting. We will probably meet later this month to sort that out,” said Mohamed.

Mohamed said that Sri Lanka players who won the Asia Cup would be awarded a US $ 100,000 winning bonus as promised by the SLC.

SL should honour commitments made in 2009 - UN

10:10 PM

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The United Nations recalled the commitments made by the Sri Lankan Government in its joint statement with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in May 2009 and urged Sri Lanka to remain committed to its undertaking.

The UN spokeswoman Eri Kaneko, who spoke to Daily Mirror, urged the Sri Lankan Government to constructively engage and cooperate with the OHCHR in implementing the resolution adopted at the 25th UNHRC session in March.

She made these comments in response to several statements made by the government recently on the upcoming investigation by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on alleged violations of human rights and humanitarian law during the conflict period in Sri Lanka.

Ms. Kaneko also referred to External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris’s statement that the resolution was not welcome in Sri Lanka.

“The Secretary-General has consistently underlined the importance of an accountability process for addressing violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in Sri Lanka. He welcomes the determination by the HR Chief to advance accountability and promote lasting peace and reconciliation in the country,” Ms. Kaneko said adding that the UN would remain engaged with Sri Lanka to support efforts to make progress in accountability, reconciliation and a lasting political solution.

Sri Lanka Army says wanted LTTE suspect Gopi shot dead

10:06 PM

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Apr 11, Colombo: The wanted LTTE suspect Ponniah Selvanayagam Kajeeban alias Gopi was among the three LTTE operatives killed by the Sri Lankan security forces in a clash last night in Vavuniya, the military spokesman has confirmed.

Earlier reports said the security forces in a search operation for the wanted LTTE suspect Gopi had clashed with suspected LTTE operatives Thursday night in the Vedivachchikallu in Nedunkerni, Welioya, Nadunkarni area of Vavuniya.

Three LTTE operatives were killed during the shootout between the army soldiers and the suspects when the soldiers surrounded the suspects' hideout. Earlier reports said a soldier was also killed.

"The three suspects were identified as Gobi, Appan, and Thevian. Judicial inquiry is being held at the scene of the shooting," Army spokesman Ruwan Wanigasooriya was quoted in local media as saying.

The security personnel have recovered arms, ammunition, explosives and other material from the hideout, the spokesman has added.

US says New Year brings a new opportunity for all Sri Lankans

10:02 PM

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Apr 11, Washington DC: The United States today said the upcoming Sinhala and Tamil New Year brings a new opportunity for all Sri Lankans to join together in the spirit of tolerance, reconciliation, and peace.

In a press statement issued Friday, the US Secretary of State John Kerry, on behalf of President Obama and the American people offered "warmest greetings to the people of Sri Lanka and the vibrant global Sri Lankan diaspora"

"This New Year brings a new opportunity for all Sri Lankans to join together in the spirit of tolerance, reconciliation, and peace. As Sri Lankans gather to mark the potential of the New Year, we join in celebrating with you," his message said.

"As you continue your work to build a prosperous, democratic Sri Lanka, I offer my best wishes for a safe and happy holiday and a prosperous, peaceful year ahead."

Lankan issue will not affect congress in polls- Vasan

11:21 AM

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Union Minister and senior Congress leader G K Vasan today said the centre's stand in abstaining from voting on a US resolution on alleged war crimes by Sri Lanka at the UNHRC would not affect the party in the Lok Sabha elections.

"No way the Sri Lankan issue will affect the Congress in this election," he told reporters responding to criticism of the UPA government's stand by most parties in Tamil Nadu.

He said it was the Congress-led UPA Government that had allocated crores of rupees for the rehabilitation of Sri Lankan Tamils.

The resolution, which sought an international inquiry into alleged war crimes in the last stages of the conflict with the LTTE in 2009, was adopted by 23 votes.

Noting that the Congress was contesting the April 24 Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu on its own after a long gap, he said the party's chances were bright.

He said during his campaign tour of the state, he could see enthusiasm among the Congress workers.

Attacking the Jayalalithaa government, he said it was suppressing the role of the central government in various welfare schemes being implemented.

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