Indian Daily Pioneer warns about the immense danger by Air Tigers to India

INDIAN DAILY PIONEER SAYS IF UNCHECKED AIR TIGERS COULD DESTROY PLACES IN INDIA FURTHER THAN 200 MILES AND INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING

By Walter Jayawardhana

Appealing to India and the international community to take serious note of the nascent air wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) the Indian daily of New Delhi, The Pioneer said if left unchecked the terrorists will be able to inflict more severe damage than the current range of 200 to 300 nautical miles and threaten more sites within India and International shipping.

The May 9 dated editorial of the newspaper said with its suspected connections with Al Qaeda and Taliban, “ There are good grounds to believe in terrorism’s network of mutual assistance, with the LTTE serving as a role model for some of these outlawed organizations.”

The editorial entitled, We can’t ignore Air Tigers, warned that the “LTTE’s air force is an anomalous development that can emerge as a threat just about anywhere

The following is the full text of the editorial:

“In suggesting that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’s air wing of light aircraft poses a threat to India ’s nuclear installations, Sri Lanka ’s Foreign Secretary has only stated a grim verity, the failure to take cognisance of which could have disastrous consequences. While the existence of ’Air Tigers’ has given a new dimension to Tamil separatism in Sri Lanka, it would not be alarmist to agree that a new threat has arisen to strategic sites in southern India and it is not one that should be taken lightly. Air Tigers, whose existence – postulated for years – has been clearly revealed this March, appear to possess a small fleet of an unknown number of aircraft modified for military purposes. This makes the LTTE the only terrorist organisation to possess air power. Over the course of the last year, Air Tigers have evidently been growing, if not in resources, then certainly in daring. While it was in August 2006 that there were first reports of an unidentified aircraft that flew over a Sri Lankan military base, the first significant Air Tigers attack came in March this year, when their aircraft penetrated the defences of Sri Lanka’s Katunayake Air Force base, killing and wounding security personnel. More audacious was the bombing of the two fuel storage depots near Colombo on the day of the World Cup final. The Tigers have vowed that more air raids will follow in an escalating conflict. Sri Lanka is once again caught in a vortex of ethnic violence although the 2002 truce is officially in place.

”What is disquieting for India and the international community, amid these developments, is that air power has added a dangerous strategic and tactical flexibility to the LTTE’s depredations. This would not be so troubling had the LTTE not long been suspected of having links with other designated terrorist organisations, including Al Qaeda and Taliban: There may even be links with Pakistan ’s terrorist training schools. There are good grounds to believe in terrorism’s network of mutual assistance, with the LTTE serving as a role model for some of these outlawed organisations. What convolutions the war against terror will take in the future cannot be predicted with certainty, but the LTTE’s air force is an anomalous development that can emerge as a threat just about anywhere. India is in special danger given its proximity to Sri Lanka and its history of past involvement in the ongoing conflict. In its nascent stage, the Air Tigers, with their allegedly propeller-driven planes that have a range of 200-300 nautical miles, are in a position to threaten sites within India as well as international shipping. In the future, if left unchecked, they will be in a position to inflict more severe damage at greater range, perhaps at the behest of other forces. It is for India and the international community to take note and act appropriately.”

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Sri Lanka Cricketers Reception at President’s House

The politicos were up to it again. They flocked to where the cricketers were in droves, this time at President’s House on Tuesday evening where President Mahinda Rajapaksa hosted the team for a felicitation after the World Cup.

Some of the politicians were attired in casual wear that even the players were unsure of the people who came up to chat with them.

Pix: Sudath Silva – via Pat and Mangala LA

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Nothing wrong in taking advice with aid says UNP

UNITED NATIONAL PARTY SAYS IF WE ARE RECEIVING AID FROM BRITAIN THERE IS NOTHING WRONG IN TAKING ADVICE

By Walter Jayawardhana

The British Parliament has full rights and independence to discuss any country including Sri Lanka and if Sri Lanka is receiving aid from Britain there is nothing wrong in receiving advice from them said United National Party (UNP) spokesman and former Minister John Amaratunga.

John Amaratunga, a senior member of the party was being interviewed by the Sinhala Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) about his party’s stand on the extension of the Emergency Regulations in the Sri Lanka Parliament.

Emergency regulations, mainly maintained for the existing war with the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has to be extended in the parliament from time to time.

The LTTE proxy party the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) voted against the extension while the UNP took a more neutral stand by declining to vote. But the vote for extension was passed by a majority of 109 votes.

John Amaratunga said his party did not vote this time since the government has failed to provide any security for the people. The government was also not ready to accept the views of the UNP regarding the war. The UNP signed a peace accord with the LTTE and refused to act militarily when the LTTE was engaged in such activities against them in retaliation while the UNP was in power.

Meanwhile the Janata Vimukti Peramuna (JVP) parliamentarian, Anura Dissanayaka who is also a member of the parliamentary opposition said in the same program that his party would give every support to the government to crush terrorism. Therefore, his party voted for the extension of the emergency powers.

He said human rights issues are being used by certain foreign elements as an excuse to interfere in the internal affairs of the country. He said his party would oppose forces who use such issues with ulterior motives.

Commenting on the British parliamentary group allegedly siding with the LTTE Anura Dissanayaka said they had no right to advice Sri Lanka and subject the country for inappropriate pressure.

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Coke launches new label in appreciation of cricketing heroes

Coca-Cola Sri Lanka newly introduced a novel label for its entire PET bottle array highlighting the achievements made by the Sri Lankan Cricket team at the recently concluded Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean. The label shows three stars of the squad, Mahela Jayawardena, Kumar Sangakkara and Upul Tharanga who are the brand ambassadors for Coca-Cola in Sri Lanka. The new label was launched to the marketplace in May 2007.

Commenting on the achievements of the Sri Lanka cricket team, Mr. Lakshan Madurasinghe, Public Affairs and Communications Manager stated, “As Sri Lankans we ought to be very proud of our team’s achievements in the Cricket World Cup. As a company, we thought what better way to commemorate this than a limited edition package to recognize the achievements of our cricketers and as a tribute to the affiliation between Coca-Cola and Sri Lankan Cricket. We were privileged and honoured to be part of the welcoming ceremony as the official Beverage partner”.

As a brand, Coca-Cola recently renewed their commitment to cricket at the end of last year by announcing an initiative to develop rural and school level cricket across the country. This plan will be carried out with the support of Sri Lanka Cricket, the School Cricket Association and the three Coke Ambassadors. This undeniably would reinforce the attributes of the Brand and re-iterate the positioning of the campaign ‘Refreshing Side of Cricket’ in Sri Lanka. Internationally, Coca-Cola is involved with mega sporting events such as the Olympics and FIFA world cup. Coca-Cola Sri Lanka continues to be linked with sporting events and acts as the official soft drink partner for Sri Lankan Cricket. This was epitomized through their involvement and association with International cricket matches that were played in Sri Lanka in the past three years and more. -Wijeya Newspapers

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President Rajapaksa says he would not let down the country’s independence

PRESIDENT MAHINDA RAJAPAKSA SAYS UNDER NO CONDITION HE WOULD ALLOW HIS COUNTRY TO LOSE ITS INDEPENDENCE

By Walter Jayawardhana

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said to thunderous applause that he would not let his country once again become a colony of any imperial power and lose its precious independence making obvious references to the country’s Leader of Opposition allegedly going round world pleading for help for his political power from foreign powers.

The President says the whole Sri Lankan society is his family. Here he posed for a photo with a lankan boy during a trip to Houston

“When we were in the opposition unlike some leaders we organized our own citizens to gain political power,” said the President in ridicule of the Leader of Opposition, Ranil Wickremesinghe who has advised him publicly to listen to India, Europe and the US in formulating a political solution to the country’s strife created by an armed insurrection. Spokesman of the government had earlier said it was seeking an indigenous solution for the country’s ills.

Addressing a ceremony to award scholarships for 2500 elementary students in Colombo the President said some leaders of the country were begging foreign countries to gain their own political power.

He said those leaders should stop betraying their own motherland and the armed forces at a time when the country was on the verge of defeating terrorism for their own political gain.

Paying his homage to former leaders of Opposition like the late Dudley Senanayaka who came to the aid of the government at times of national crisis President Mahinda Rajapaksa said he never sought foreign assistance to gain power at time of national crisis.

Under any kind of circumstance he assured the nation that he would not let any body allow to make Sri Lanka a subservient slavish nation once again making it a part of any imperial power.

He said certain leaders go abroad any tell that he was making this country only benefit one family. He said the Tamil Tigers were targeting the outfit’s bombs against the Rajapaksa family while the country’s leader of opposition was uttering things what the LTTE wanted. He said he was having three children and quite understood and enjoyed the love of children. But he said now he was considering the whole Sri Lankan society as his own family.

Meanwhile, speaking on the floor of the parliament, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said he would not allow any other nation interfere with the sovereignty territorial integrity and independence of Sri Lanka

He said so, at a time when opposition Member of Parliament, Wimal Weerawansa introduced a resolution in the parliament condemning the uttering of an all party committee of the British Parliament which he alleged was attempting to interfere with the internal affairs of Sri Lanka.

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