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The Iranian Government has  extended by another year the four month interest free credit facility to Sri Lanka originally granted following President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s visit to Iran in November 2007.

Consequent to talks with Iranian President Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian Government granted the facility beginning January 2008 and ending on August 31, 2009.

In 2008 alone, Sri Lanka imported crude oil under this facility to the tune of US$ 1.05 billion (Rs.110,550 million) nearly all of its requirements, helping release the pressure on the island’s foreign exchange requirements in a year of significance for the Government’s war with the LTTE. Treasury circles have acknowledged this as a substantial rolling facility that helped ward off any financial crisis, last year.

An additional three month credit package at a concessionary rate of interest was also accommodated in Sri Lanka’s favour if the country needed further time. Further to the discussions, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Iran M.M. Zuhair had with the Iranian authorities on the instructions of President Rajapaksa, the National Iranian Oil Co. under the oil Ministry of the Islamic Republic of Iran has extended by another year the special facility on the same terms as earlier.

The heavy rain experienced this morning did not dampen Eid festivities in Sri Lanka. Muslims all around the island thronged Mosques since early this morning to offer prayers before celebrating the Eid festival. Picture shows Muslims at the Dehiwala Grand Jummah Mosque this morning.

Pic by Pradeep Dilrukshana

partnership of the Muslims of Sri Lanka to forge a new Sri Lankan nation of unity, tolerance and harmony.

The President’s message is as follows:

“The Muslim community of Sri Lanka joins its brothers in faith the world over on this occasion to mark the completion of the period of fasting and religious practice which is the most significant tradition of the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.

It is the time of rejoicing at the conclusion of the strict religious observances in keeping with the teaching of the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet Muhammad.During their long history of presence in Sri Lanka, the Muslim community has lived in harmony with the Sinhalese, Tamils, Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and all other communities to whom this country is motherland and has contributed much to its progress. When the festival of Id-Ul-Fitr was celebrated last year we had already cleared the Eastern Province, with its large population of Muslims, from the grip of terrorism.

Today, there is cause for greater satisfaction when the entire country has been freed from terror, and the Muslims expelled from their homes in the Northern parts of the country are able to return to live and carry out their traditions and religious activities in freedom.
On this very special occasion we look forward to the lasting partnership of the Muslims of Sri Lanka to forge a new Sri Lankan nation of unity, tolerance and harmony and making its own contribution to the further progress of peace in the country. I wish all followers of Islam of Sri Lanka a happy Eid-Ul-Fitr, Eid-Mubarak!

Sri Lankan Grand Mosque  announced that Sri Lankan Muslims will Celebrate the Holy Eid Ul Fitr Ramadan Festival tomorrow(21)

It has come to  light that a Chinese Company has supplied arms and war equipments to the SL Govt. as well as to the LTTE during the period when the war was raging. This has been confirmed by the LTTE weapons which were discovered from the Udyarkattu District.
A very powerful Chandrika technology Anton equipment has been found in the Udyarkattu District.. This is a product of a popular arms manufacturing Chinese Company.
According to reports , equipments which show instantly on a screen ,rifle attacks have also been supplied by this Company to the LTTE while at the same time supplying them to the Govt.

It is obscure whether the LTTE directly purchased them from the Company , or used an intermediary to purchase them

LANKAENEWS

A no confidence motion is to  be moved against Easter Provincial Health Minister MLAM.Hisbullah by the opposition parties in the EP Council. Notice to this motion has been given by leader of the Opposition and SLMC Chairman Basheer Segu Dawood. It is stated in the motion that Minister Hisbullah has failed and neglected to give permanency to the casual senior employees working in the health sector of the province and instead has taken steps to recruit more casual employees at his whims and fancies.

The motion adds further that the minister has abused his power as minister of health and other portfolios and thereby has breached the trust placed on him by the public and therefore to remove him from the portfolio and from the board of ministers of the eastern Province Provincial Council.

However, the ruling UPFA sources said that this motion is politically motivated and has no basis or foundation. The motion will be defeated by the ruling UPFA, the sources added further. Minister Hisbullah has been in the centre of contraversy recently for many reasons. Sunday Leader weekly in its last week edition carried his alleged financial transaction in one of the now collapsed Ceylinco subsidiaries. Mr. Hisbullah has denied this.

23 ministers who have   contradictory standpoint to that of the President have been identified by a survey secretly carried out by a group of prominent activists of NGOs who have links with the government through various programmes.
Strangely, most of them are senior leaders of the SLFP, the main party of the UPFA government. It is speculated that most of them would join the opposition at a general or presidential election held in the future.

The government has planned to launch a web site to reveal frauds and corruptions linked to these ministers so that their crossing over would not have an impact on the government. The web site is to be launched by a group of NGO activists with the direction of several leaders of the government.

Badulla Police on Thursday  recovered the bodies of a young couple in a thick jungle about 350 feet above the Dunghinda waterfalls. They are suspected to have committed suicide by hanging on either end of a single nylon rope.

A man who went into the jungle to cut a branch of a tree had first seen the bodies and notified the Police.

Police said the deaths may have occurred at least a month ago. When the bodies were found the woman’s body had got severed from the neck and fallen down. A hand bag was also found at the scene.

The deceased were identified as D. M. Samantha Kelum, a 29-year-old soldier and 24-year-old Muththulakshhmi Meena of Rokatenna Estate, Hali Ela.

Badulla Police are conducting further investigations.

In a new political development, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has invited the SLMC and other Muslim parties to join hands with it to form a broad alliance to push for their rights.

TNA leader R.Sampanthan mooted the idea for a grand political alliance of the Tamil and Muslim parties based in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, at a function held in Vavuniya.

Mr. Sampanthan had reportedly said that there was a pressing need for all the Tamil parties to get together. He had said there was no need for these parties to engage in rivalry and violence.

“We cannot achieve anything through disunity and violence. There is a pressing need for us to unite under one umbrella. This is essential. In such a situation, the SLMC and other Muslim parties should also be accommodated,” he said.

He said that the government would then consider conceding the rights to which the minorities were entitled.

In the past, Muslim politicians have contested elections under the symbols of the major Tamil parties, such as the TULF. At present there is one Muslim MP who belongs to the TNA.

The TNA leader made these comments at a function to mark the swearing in of the TNA members who had been elected to the Vavuniya Urban Council.

Meanwhile, Basheer Segudawood, the Opposition Leader of the Eastern Provincial Council, who is also the chairman of the SLMC, said he too had participated at that function, and stressed the need for Tamil parties to stand together in the greater interests of their community.

Asked for his comments on the TNA’s invitation to the Muslim parties to form a broad alliance with the Tamils, he said that he could not say anything about this at this the present time.

“In such a situation, there will be polarization in this country. I cannot comment on it now. Mr. Sampanthan said something about a need for an alliance between the Tamil and Muslim parties,” he said.

However, he said that all these Tamil parties stood for Tamil nationalism, and that some of them were with the LTTE and others against the LTTE.

“The LTTE is no longer a factor. So, why can they not unite now?” he asked.

Mr. Segudawood pointed out that  even Muslims who had been elected on the SLMC ticket had now defected and formed other political parties.

daily mirror

Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya and the Embassy of Sri Lanka staff celebrated the traditional Ifthar (breaking of the fast) ceremony with the Muslim community recently. Ambassador, in brief remarks, said the Muslim community had a rich heritage of noble service and contributions to Sri Lanka. He underscored its important role in the past and future of Sri Lanka, describing the Muslim community as peacemakers in a diverse country.

Ambassador said Muslim community, from the times of the kings and colonial rule, has been dedicated to a united Sri Lanka.

A Colombo Magistrate  today ordered the Police Children and Women’s Bureau to publish the photographs of several local porn stars, who appeared in pornographic CDs which are presently being circulated in the market, in order to identify them and take further action.

The Magistrate considering the application allowed the Children and Women’s Bureau to publish those photographs in the newspapers and ordered the Bureau to file their report in court on October 29. (TFT)

One hundred and fifty thousand industrial job opportunities are lost in Sri Lanka from the second quarter of year  2009 was according to statistics report. Ninety thousand jobs are lost in the service field, but one hundred and eighteen thousand jobs are originated in the agriculture sector.
Comparing with year 2009, nineteen thousand and seven hundred and twenty one job opportunities have arisen during the first quarter, But 34 thousand and 151 jobs had been lost in the service department. By totaling the amounts, 55 percent to 62 percent job opportunities have increased but the north and east provinces were not included in the statistics was stated.

Western Province governor  Seyed Alavi Moulana and adviser to His Excellency President A.H.M. Azwar had requested a particular station yesterday to stop telecasting programmes that tarnish the images of Prophet Mohamed.

Telecasting a programme during this holy month of Ramadan against the belief that Prophet Mohamed (Kaathamun Nabyin) is the last prophet of the Muslims sent to the world should be condemned and the Muslim can never allow this.

It is believed the intruding “Kaadhiyani” is the cause for this kind of occurrence. The western province governor and the adviser to the President have pointed out that a petition had already been handed over to his Excellency President at the ‘Temple Trees’ by the Jamiethul Ulema to say that ‘Kaadhiyani’ are not Muslims and wanted his Excellency to prevent medias falling prey to this coup.

They have informed the telecasting organisation that it is prohibited to telecast news or programmes condemning Islam and tarnishing the last prophet in Medias at a time when President Mahinda Rajapakse is taking action to create understanding among the multi ethnic, social and religious groups.

They wanted the organisation to stop telecasting this programme and apologise the Muslims for telecasting.

“Tamil division  of Kalmunai divisional secretariat is to be up graded with all powers vested on it” , said the National Integration Minister Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan. The Kalmunai Tamil secretariat division is functioning under the Kalmunai Muslim DS division at present.
The minister speaking at a discussion held to develop the Periyakallaru village in the Batticaloa district recently said that all action to upgrade the Kalmunai Tamil divisional secretariat had been completed and would be done very soon once the demarcation process was over.

He also said that he would speak to the President try to fulfill the request made to set up a new secretariat division comprising of Periyakallaru, Thuraineelavanai, Kottaikallaru, Onthachchimadam and Mahiloor in the southern boundary of the Batticaloa district.

He said further that Tamil nationalism had worn out now and the 3 decades war had taken away lives and properties of Tamil people leaving them to suffer. So it is necessary to develop the Tamil areas which can only be done gradually.

“We should move the pawns of politics according to situation. One community involved in moving political pawns during the time we were at war, had now developed itself in every field” he added.

MIC

Three Tamils  including two Muslims totaling six persons were arrested at the Thambanni area of Puttalam. The arrest was due to the information that some persons from Murungan and Mannar areas have moved towards this area.
Police suspect, the said persons may be some of the Tamil Eelam Liberation tiger escapees from the Vavuniya detention camps. But later it was revealed that the arrested persons had come to Puttalam to purchase vehicle.

A Sinhalese tiger member’s team who  had been taken armed training from Tamil Eelam Liberation tigers had been arrested by the police division. It is informed that the said group had been on a contract of rupees 50 million to brutally murder Defense Secretary Gothabaya Rajapakse.
The group members had been functioning in the defense division to the Ministry Secretaries and had been planning to kill hierarchies’ was according to information. A political leader who is contesting the Southern Provincial election is also arrested in regard to this incident. It is noted that the said Sinhala tiger members’ have accomplished training in the Vanni region.

Arrested persons are from the Gampaha area, and they had been functioning as security officers to the said politician one year before. Some weapons which were hidden were recovered as speculations are that it was meant for attacks.

A special Ramazan Ifthar programme took place yesterday at Temple Trees under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapakse.
The ceremony was attended by several dignitaries including Ministers and Islamic Clergy.

At the function Western Province Governor Alavi Moulana observed that the ceremony could be carried out peacefully because the President brought peace to the country.

The government has unofficially  informed several newspapers and magazines not to use photographs of women in a provocative manner on the front page of newspapers and magazines.

Director of the Women’s Bureau, Pradeepa Serasinghe said there was no law on the matter, but was made on moral grounds.

Additional Secretary for Planning and Development at the Media Ministry, Priyantha Mayadunne said there were mortal grounds for it although there were no laws on it. “If a basic framework is being prepared on moral grounds with the help of professors and media personnel, this too is one matter included in it. However, if a media institution publishes any unsuitable photograph we would take legal action against it. However, this could change according to the moment that is captured on camera. Yet, these pictures should not be provocative,” he added.

- Ravaya

The President who  was the Chief guest at a State literary awards ceremony at the President’s Secretariat today (14) fell down from the chair that was assigned to him due to a fault in the chair. The President a little while later left the venue without addressing the gathering.

The ceremony commenced at 10.35 this morning at the Secretariat. The President however arrived at 11.25 a.m. Deputy Minister of Justice V. Puthrasigamany had by that time has distributed a number of awards and certificates to the recipients.

The president who sat in a revolving chair fell down as it slid . The President who was offered a chair by a Minister who was seated close by. But, the President said something resentfully to the Minister . Although the Security Division provided him with a chair , he did not sit on that chair.

Cultural and National Heritage Deputy Minister and President then took the stage , while President was asked to take the center stage. Though the President was requested to move to the replaced chair by the Minsiter , the President ignored this , and went forward beside that chair to hand over the lifetime ‘Sahitya Ratne ‘ award to Dr. Tissa Kariyawasam , Dr .Kandiah Kunarasa and Dr. Ashley Herath.

But, when the names of the next awardees were being called , the President walked past the awardees wishing them , and left the premises without informing.

According to an invitee , the President’s disappointment was writ large on his face when he was leaving without addressing the gathering .

Wannier Udayanan and Mrs. Sunethra Rajakarunanayake were also among the awardees at the occasion.

lankaenews

Authorities have been alerted  that Nargesh Sudardeepan alias ‘Deepan’, a LTTE intelligence leader, has escaped from Menik Farm welfare camp, where he was held.

‘Deepan’, who allegedly was as a military and intelligence leader until the final battle, is said have been a close confidante of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.

Intelligence units have found out that ‘Deepan’ has escaped with the intention of fleeing abroad after giving a bribe of Rs. 600,000 to several persons.

Sources say that he is still in the country.

EPDP leader and Social Services and Social Welfare Minister Douglas Devananda says he will seek the intervention of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to release multi million Rupees worth of unclaimed deposits in the state banks in the Northern Province to be used as soft loans for people in the agricultural and industrial sectors.

“I will first ask the Central Bank to give me exact details on such deposits. After that, I will write to President Mahinda Rajapaksa asking him to make available those monies for micro economic development work in the Northern Province. We can use them to give soft loans for people to invest in the industrial and agricultural sectors,” he said.

Palestinian National Authority  has decided to press Arab League to help Sri Lanka in this hour of need specially in the areas of rehabilitation and development connected with the relocation of displaced persons in North and East.

Sri Lanka Representative for Palestine Dr.T.Jayasinghe held a series of discussions with Dr. Ahmed Soboh, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in Palestine and later with Dr. Riad Malki , Minister of Foreign Affairs with regard to the ways and means of helping Sri Lanka.Even President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas has indicated that he will be speaking leaders of Arab countries on this matter.

Last week Dr. Riad Malki assured Dr. Jayasinghe that he will be taking up this matter at the next Arab League meeting to be held in Cairo. Palestinian leaders feel that it is their duty to help Sri Lanka considering the consistant support given by Sri Lanka and specially by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the Palestinian cause during the last four decades.

In the midst of the continuous below the belt attacks by some Western countries with concocted video material and other baseless allegations about the situation in IDP camps it is heartening to note that Arab and non aligned countries are coming forward to help Sri Lanka.

However considering the magnitude of the problem especially the inability to remove the land mines speedily to settle the villagers in their original lands Sri Lanka is in need of funds and expertise urgently. Even though many countries are helping Sri Lanka the extent of support from the Arab countries given so far is far from satisfactory.

Palestinians feel that Sri Lanka deserves more support in view of the long standing pro Arab policies of Sri Lanka.