Representative Danny Davis & the Tamil Tigers (terrorists)

Congressman Danny Davis (D-Illinois) and an aide traveled to Sri Lanka last year on the nickel of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE or Tamil Tigers), a terrorist organization which, according to the U.S. State Department, “[b]egan its armed conflict with the Sri Lankan Government in 1983 and relies on a guerrilla strategy that includes the use of terrorist tactics.”

The Chicago Tribune reports today:

Davis’ seven-day trip came under new scrutiny this week following the arrests of 11 supporters of the organization on charges of participating in a broad conspiracy to support the terrorist group through money laundering, arms procurement and bribery of U.S. officials.

Davis denies knowing that the Tigers funded his junket, saying it was funded by an Illinois-based social organization, the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America.

(more…)

Rebel group funded congressman’s trip to Sri Lanka, sources say

By Andrew Zajac and Mike Dorning

Chicago Tribune

(MCT)

WASHINGTON – Illinois congressman Danny Davis and an aide took a trip to Sri Lanka last year that was paid for by the Tamil Tigers, a group that the U.S. government has designated as a terrorist organization for its use of suicide bombers and child soldiers, law enforcement sources said.

Davis’ seven-day trip came under new scrutiny this week following the arrests of 11 supporters of the organization on charges of participating in a broad conspiracy to support the terrorist group through money laundering, arms procurement and bribery of U.S. officials.

The five-term Democratic congressman said he was unaware that the Tigers paid for the trip and on his required congressional disclosure form he reported that the trip was paid for by a Hickory Hills, Ill.-based Tamil cultural organization, the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America.

During the visit, Davis spent most of his time in a region controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, as the group is formally known, and visited the organization’s political headquarters. He also met with a police chief for the region appointed by the Tigers.

The Tamil Tigers is a separatist group that has been fighting since 1983 for an independent state for 3.2 million ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka, a tear-shaped island nation of 20 million off the southern tip of India. In addition to conventional guerrilla tactics, the group has used terrorist methods, including 200 suicide bombings, in a bloody conflict that has claimed more than 60,000 lives. Though the violence between the government and the separatist group abated during the past several years, it recently surged again, threatening a renewed civil war.

Davis said he believed that the trip, from March 30 to April 5, 2005, was paid for by the Tamil federation, which in accordance with congressional ethics rules sent him a written statement of the travel expenses, more than $7,000 each for Davis and his aide, Daniel Cantrell. Davis said he knew that the group was "associated" with the Tamil Tigers but did not realize that the trip’s costs were covered with funds controlled by the rebel group.

"I know who I got the trip from," Davis said. "I don’t know if any clandestine group gave them money. All I know is what I saw and was told."

He also said that he had not been contacted by federal investigators in connection with the trip.

He defended the trip, saying he traveled there at the behest of ethnic Tamils who live in his Chicago congressional district so that he could examine charges that the region was not receiving an equitable share of relief funding sent to Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the December 2004 tsunami. Davis has been harshly critical of the Sri Lankan government’s treatment of the Tamil minority.

"Since I have an interest in human rights and since I have a tendency to kind of favor the underdog, I went at their request to take a look," Davis said. "I don’t regret taking the trip. I have a much better understanding of the situation than prior to going."

As recently as this past Saturday, Davis talked in Chicago with a supporter of the Tamil Tigers who was among 11 people arrested on charges of conspiring to aid the rebel group through money laundering, procurement of arms, including surface-to-air missiles, and bribery of public officials.

That Tamil Tiger supporter, Murugesu Vinayagamoorthy, was described in a federal criminal complaint as a high-level operative who served as an intermediary between the Tigers’ leaders and foreign backers. The complaint charges that he offered a $1 million bribe to an undercover FBI agent posing as a State Department official in an attempt to remove the Tamil Tigers’ designation as a terrorist organization.

Davis said he first met Vinayagamoorthy, a 57-year-old London physician, at a Tamil cultural event in the Chicago suburbs at which both of them gave speeches "a few years ago." Vinayagamoorthy also participated in several of the meetings that Davis held while visiting Sri Lanka, the congressman said.

The Tamil supporter contacted the congressman’s office again last week seeking a chance to brief Davis on events in Sri Lanka, where violence between the government and Tamil Tigers has flared anew. Vinayagamoorthy arranged to do so while walking alongside Davis Saturday for 10 blocks during the congressman’s annual "Back to School" Parade in Chicago, Davis said.

The criminal complaint against Vinayagamoorthy asserts that he had "direct and frequent contact" with leaders of the rebel group and was "often dispatched" to facilitate Tamil Tiger projects around the world.

Without mentioning Davis or his aide by name, the complaint describes a series of transactions in which Vinayagamoorthy and others charged in the case allegedly laundered $13,150 in Tamil Tiger funds at the direction of a top guerilla leader to pay for travel of "two individuals" to Tamil-controlled Sri Lanka. The two individuals were Davis and Cantrell, law enforcement officials said.

Another person arrested in the case, Nachimuthu Socrates, was listed as a director in 2004 of the Tamil cultural organization which Davis listed in public disclosure forms as the trip’s sponsor, the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America. Representatives of the federation did not return phone messages on Wednesday.

Davis said he always assumed that the organization had a connection with the Tamil Tigers.

"I knew that they were associated with the Tamil Tigers, yes," he said.

Davis has been an outspoken supporter of the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka.

This month, he issued a statement condemning an Aug.14 Sri Lankan Air Force bombing in Tamil-controlled territory that reportedly killed dozens of girls.

Davis’ statement said the facility was an orphanage he had visited during his 2005 trip to Sri Lanka. The government said the site was a former orphanage being used as an LTTE training camp for female recruits.

"We’ve been engaged," Davis said. "There hasn’t been anything clandestine about our position."

Davis has been one of the most prolific travelers in Congress, accepting 47 trips paid for by private groups since 2000. That total ranks Davis 15th among the 535 members of Congress, according to Political Moneyline, a nonpartisan watchdog group that compiles data from congressional disclosure forms.

The Tamil Tigers were designated by the State Department as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997. As a result, federal law bars providing them funding, arms or other material support.

The FBI searched a residence Sunday in Glendale Heights, Ill., in connection with the Tamil Tiger investigation, according to Ross Rice, a spokesman for the bureau’s Chicago office. No arrests were made and no criminal charges have been filed as a result of the raid, Rice said.

Via… Picture Politics

Teenager Mayumi strikes gold again by Rex Clementine

Local swimming heroine Mayumi Raheem completed a hat-trick of Gold Medals in the women’s Breaststroke events in the 10th South Asian Games yesterday at the Sugathadasa Swimming pool in Colombo. She also won four silver and three bronze medals in addition to the three gold medals. Of the 23 medals won by Sri Lanka in swimming ten were won by the 15-year-old student. Raheem is based in Singapore and expects to represent Sri Lanka in the upcoming Asian Games in Qatar. (Photo- Dimuthu Premaratne)

Teenage swimming sensation Mayumi Raheem gave local supporters a moment of joy when she won a close race to secure the gold medal in the 200 metres women’s breaststroke at the 10th SA Games at the Sugathadasa swimming pool on Tuesday. The 15-year old, who won Sri Lanka’s first gold medal of the games on Saturday when she came first in the 100 metre breaststroke, faced a stiff challenge from India’s Tejaswini Varadraju but came on top with a time of 2:45:24, a new South Asian Games record. In the process, she also improved on the national record that had stood at 2:48:33, also established by her early this year.

Mayumi got off to an excellent start and maintained the lead in the first three laps but the Indian swimmer fought back in the final lap, making it an interesting battle. But the Sri Lankan managed to hold onto the lead and finished ahead of Varadaraju, to be crowned champion.

Having won the 100 and 200 metres women’s breaststroke, the youngster’s next aim will be to secure the gold in the 50 metre breaststroke, which was scheduled for 6.00 pm yesterday, but she’ll once again face a tough challenge from the Indian swimmer.

Mayumi was a student at Musaeus College and moved to Singapore with her pilot dad at the age of nine and ever since has been training at the Singapore Swimming Club under Australian coach Jaan Murphy.

"I am thrilled with the medals, although I could have done a bit better with my timing. All my cousins and relatives were there to encourage me and that was a very special moment and I feel proud to win two gold medals for my country. It was a sensational feeling when the national anthem was sung and I am really thrilled," she told ‘The Island’ soon after the awards ceremony.

Mayumi has now won two gold and two bronze medals at the games and also collected a silver medal in the women’s 200 metre freestyle relay, on Tuesday.

Mayumi’s was the only gold medal Sri Lanka won in swimming on Tuesday while there were two silver medals.

Daniel Lee won a silver when he finished second in the men’s 100 metre freestyle in a time of 55:75 behind India’s Vidhaval Khade while the quartet of Mayumi, Devinka Gunatilleke, Hansani Weerathunga and Piumi Ekanayake won the silver medal in a time of 9:38:41 in the 200 metre freestyle relay behind India, whose quartet clocked an impressive 9:18:76.

Lee had a closely contested race for the second place with Bangladesh’s Mohammad Rezaul while local hero Milinda Wickramasinghe, from whom much was expected, finished fifth.

The Indians dominated the pool once again as they won gold medals in all but one event. They won seven gold and five silver medals in all.

Via… The Island

The strategy behind the Sri Lanka Apparel Brand

In an exclusive interview with The Financial Times, CEO of STING Consultants, Ruchi Gunewardene reveals the rationale and the thinking behind the development of the Sri Lanka Apparel Brand.

Q; What is the background relating to creating a brand for Sri Lanka Apparel?

A: This is a part of a broader strategic 5 year plan which has been developed by JAAF. That plan is an extensive one which covers various aspects of the industry and aims to enhance the entire apparel industry in Sri Lanka. It includes strategies related to productivity improvement, training, backward integration etc. all of which will raise the standard of the local industry. The branding initiative is one part of that plan, and was entrusted to the image building sub committee of JAAF which was headed by Mr. Kumar Merchandani.

Q: But why is there a need for branding?

A: Sri Lanka apparel is in fierce competition with other countries such as China, Vietnam, Philippines etc. for orders. And as we compete, we need to be able to stand out for certain attributes or values that are unique to us, and which cannot be easily duplicated by others. That’s where branding can play a part.

Q: Tell us how you’ll set about this?

JKH Annual Report in world’s best list

Only international survey of annual reports “Annual Report on Annual Reports” in its 10th anniversary issue lists Lanka’s premier blue chip as 80th in the world out of 1,200

The JKH annual report has been ranked ahead of annual reports of companies such as General Electric (GE), Walt Disney, Unilever, J Sainsbury, IBM, BMW, Sony, Wal-Mart, NTT, Infosys Technologies, Boeing, Reliance Industries and Accenture.

The John Keells Holdings Limited (“JKH”) annual report for the year ending March 2006 has been ranked among the best in the world by Enterprise.Com, an organization that evaluates annual reports from around the world.

The survey carried out by Enterprise.Com is the only global survey of annual reports of listed companies.

The JKH report has been ranked 80th out of 1,200 annual reports selected among leading listed companies worldwide. The JKH annual report has been ranked ahead of annual reports of companies such as General Electric (GE), Walt Disney, Unilever, J Sainsbury, IBM, BMW, Sony, Wal-Mart, NTT, Infosys Technologies, Boeing, Reliance Industries and Accenture.

Making a special comment on the JKH annual report in its 2006 publication of the “Annual Report on Annual Reports”, Enterprise.Com states the following: “John Keells, the diversified holding group from Sri Lanka employs, calculates and charts ratios much better than many: besides some classics, “Capital Productivity”, leverage and margins are finely measured and smartly reported. The MD&A (Management Discussion and Analysis) is clearly structured and introduced with investor pages filled with ratios”.

The JKH annual report is the only annual report from Sri Lanka to be ranked in the top 300 and is the highest ranked from South Asia.

The reports were scored on marks based on the following criteria: Report packaging – Volume – Layout; Use of covers; Theme, branding, identity, differentiation; Key figures – Financial highlights; Charts, ratios, performance metrics; Profile – Year events – Major products; Snapshot of business and geographic segments; Executives statement(s): substance and style; Strategic direction – outlook – Targets; Review of operations, businesses and markets; Segment and contribution analysis; Stakeholder/social responsibility chapter or report; Operating, social, environmental measures and statistics; Financial review – Management discussion; Medium-term performance – Growth factors and components; Risk factors, analysis, mitigation and management; Statements, accounting policies (IFRS, GAAP); Board and management details and changes; Corporate governance – Committees (and reports); Executive compensation: policies and figures; Shareholders and investor communication; Earnings and dividends highlighted; Share fundamentals reported and compared; Read appeal – Reading facilities; and Visuals – Illustration – Photography. The reports went through a scoring process based on the 25 items listed above.

This was conducted by Enterprise.Com report analysts.

The number one report in the world was Telus of Canada, followed by SAS of Sweden, SCA of Sweden. Among the top 10 are Philips, Volvo and advertising giant WPP.

The top 100 reports were then submitted to an independent rating panel.

The primary role of the rating panel is to double-check reports scored by Enterprise.Com and to help move from a very quantitative scoring to a more qualitative rating. As a result, some reports were upgraded while others were marked down, sometimes significantly.

Enterprise.Com’s survey is the only global survey on annual reports from listed companies.

The survey was created in 1996 (by a team of financial analysts, economists and communication specialists) and has kept on growing ever since (from 250 to 1,200 companies selected).

It is based on rock-solid report assessment and scoring criteria –with a strong emphasis on financial and business content, without overlooking other key report aspects. Enterprise.Com is independent of any group, institution, publication or profession.

Via… Daily Mirror