Six armed men have broken into a jewelry store near the clock tower in the Negombo town today and robbed jewelry and cash estimated to be worth around Rs 10 million before escaping on motorcycles.
The robbery had taken place at around 7.30pm today just as the shop was being closed for the day and cash was being placed inside safes.
The robbers, wearing helmets to conceal their identity, had arrived in 3 motorcycles and threatened the shop’s staff with firearms before escaping with the valuables.
The exact value of the stolen jewelry and cash has not been calculated yet, however it is believed to be around Rs 10 million, police sources said.
This is the second such armed robbery to take place in Negombo in recent weeks.
Pro-Russian groups in eastern Ukraine have accused the authorities in Kiev of violating an agreement to defuse tensions across the country, adding that they have no intention of leaving buildings they have occupied.
On Thursday Russia, Ukraine, the EU and the United States signed an agreement in Geneva that was supposed to see illegal groups withdraw from municipal buildings and give up their weapons.
At a press conference on Friday, however, Denis Pushilin, the self-styled leader of the Donetsk People's Republic, said his supporters would stay put until a referendum on the region's future status took place. The current pro-western government in Kiev was illegitimate, he said.
Referring to Ukraine's interim prime minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, and president, Olexsandr Turchynov, he added: "We understand that everyone has to leave buildings or nobody does. Yatsenyuk and Turchynov should vacate theirs first."
Pushilin – speaking from the occupied regional administration building in central Donetsk – said that Kiev had already violated the Geneva deal by refusing to withdraw its military units from eastern Ukraine. "They have not pulled their forces out from Slavyansk," he said, referring to the town taken over by armed separatists a week ago. Ukrainian troops currently occupy an aerodrome close to Slavyansk and the neighbouring town of Kramatorsk.
Pushilin delivered his message on Russian state television, which had turned up to interview him. He appeared to be speaking from a carefully drafted script and was surrounded by several media advisers. He also claimed Kiev was denying the local population access to insulin, and asked Russian civilians to send money to a bank account to help. Kiev says separatist leaders in the east are under the direct control of Russian's spy agencies. Moscow denies the charge and says it is not meddling.
Pushilin's comments suggest that the Geneva agreement is already unravelling. Pro-Russian separatists on Friday continued their occupations in a string of public buildings across eastern Ukraine and said they were not budging.
There was no sign of separatist groups pulling out from their positions in Donetsk or surrounding towns. Anti-Kiev activists have been in control of the city hall in Khartsyzsk, an industrial city 30 miles from Donetsk, since Sunday. They said they had no plans to leave. Barricades of tyres have been built around the city hall, which flies the flag of the Donetsk People's Republic. Banners draped outside proclaim "No to Fascism" and "No to the EU". Another banner reads "Russia+Donbass=heart".
At the barricade Vladimir Pakhomovich, a former miner, said: "We are not Moscow or Kiev. They do not command us. We are just here to defend our people. Until we get a referendum, we do not intend to leave."
Pakhomovich said he was aware of the agreement made in Geneva but said he did not feel beholden to Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, or the president, Vladimir Putin. "We are prepared to ignore Lavrov. Why should we listen to him?" he said.
The occupation continued in other eastern cities. In Makiivka, closer to Donetsk, public buildings flew the flag of the Donetsk People's Republic. A flag of the Russian Federation that had flown earlier in the week had been taken down.
HANOI, Vietnam—The Vietnamese government says seven people have been killed in a shootout between Chinese migrants and Vietnamese border guards at a crossing in the north of the country.
The government in the province of Quang Ninh says Vietnamese authorities early Friday detained a group of 16 Chinese including 10 men, four women and two children after they illegally entered the country.
It says they were being taken to the border to be returned to China when one of them seized a gun from a guard, killing one of them.
Vietnamese guards responded and an ensuing standoff and firefight left one other guard and five Chinese dead.
The government didn’t say whether the Chinese dead included children and women.
BEIJING (AP) — China’s government says in a report that nearly one-fifth of the country’s farmland is polluted, mostly from yearslong accumulations of toxins from factories, mining and agriculture.
The report raises sharp concerns about the country’s food safety after years of unbridled industrialization.
Results of a nationwide survey of soil samples taken from 2005 through last year show contamination in 16.1 percent of the country’s soil overall and 19.4 percent of its arable land.
More than 80 percent of the pollution is the result of inorganic toxins, with the top three identified as cadmium, nickel and arsenic.
The results were released jointly by China’s Environmental Protection Ministry and its Land and Resources Ministry.
Exclusive: Mountaineer Ed Wardle speaks to Channel 4 News about "horrific" scenes on the slopes of Everest, which has now been closed off, and says that 16 people are believed to be dead.
Prosecutors in South Korea have requested a warrant for the arrest of the captain of the South Korean ferry that sank on Wednesday, leaving hundreds missing, feared dead. Warrants for the arrest of two other crew members have also been lodged with a court.
“It used to be that reading papers - Made you stupid and even crazy
One wrote ‘Bravo! Very good!’ - Another ‘Pfui!’ The truth stayed hazy.
Now you can save your dime - If you read one, you know what’s right,
They say the same thing every time - Brought into line, brought into line.”
A state-endorsed song in Nazi Germany
( April 17, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Karim Nabbach is a fortunate man. He will suffer no ill consequences, even though he has incurred the wrath of Kim Jong Un. Mr. Nabbach, a barber by profession, advertised discounted haircuts in a poster, adorned with a picture of the North Korean leader and titled, ‘Bad Hair Day?’ But Mr. Nabbach is safe. He lives in London. All North Korea can do is to formerly request the British to take “necessary action to stop the provocation” .
This is a case of ‘accountability and responsibility’ that all Prime Ministers, Chief Ministers, Ministers and all Members of Parliament or members of any such representative institution in a functioning democracy should abide by.
The Premier of the New South Wales (State) of Australia, Barry O’Farrell, announced his resignation yesterday morning (16 April 2014) over the issue of receiving a bottle wine as a gift that he failed to declare in 2011 in the ‘Pecuniary Interest Register.’ When the matter came before the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) the day before, as a potential issue of corruption, O’Farrell first declared that he cannot recollect receiving such a gift. However yesterday morning, the ICAC asked him again to appear before the Commission and informed that a ‘Thank You Note’ written by him is available as evidence. The note was submitted to the Commission only yesterday morning as evidence by an interested party.
Having realized that an ‘omission’ has been committed by him under the required law and code of ethics, and also what he revealed day before has been disproved by the new evidence, even appearing before the Commission, the Premier gracefully announced his resignation yesterday expressing his commitment to the principles of ‘responsibility and accountability.’ That was commendable.
What he lacked in the first instance, when he received the ‘bottle of wine’ in 2011, was the required ‘transparency’ by a Member of Parliament. It should have been declared, however small in value it was. Otherwise, it could have, although it has not been the case according to the prevailing information, led to a corrupt dealing between the ‘giver’ and the ‘receiver.’
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) that recently engaged in a visit to South Africa has said the party will back a process facilitated by South Africa to achieve reconciliation in Sri Lanka.
The TNA has also noted that the party will also closely monitor the actions of the government.
TNA leader R. Sampanthan has been quoted in the media that the visit to South Africa was a positive one and that the TNA delegation had informed the South African government that the Tamils want a political solution to their issues and also want to live without having to face intimidation from the military in the north.
The TNA delegation had met the South African special envoy to Sri Lanka Cyril Ramaposa as well as the South African Foreign Minister and other officials.
According to Sampanthan, the TNA is not willing to be misled once again and will therefore follow the actions of the government while supporting South Africa’s moves in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader and Justice Minister Rauff Hakem says he stands by his decision to submit a report to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay related to reconciliation issues.
Speaking to reporters after meeting the Chief Prelate (Mahanayake) of the Malwathu Chapter in Kandy today, Hakeem said that the report to Pillay focused purely on shortcomings in implementing the recommendations of the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).
He said that as the LLRC was approved by Cabinet there was nothing wrong in giving Pillay a report related to that commission and its recommendations.
The Minister also said that by giving a report related to the LLRC to Pillay he and his party wanted to further secure reconciliation in the country.
“We did not betray the country. The UN human rights commission is something that is accepted the world over and in Sri Lanka. Every year every country goes to the commission to counter allegations against them. Meanwhile it is an accepted norm that any organisation or group submit reports to the commission independently. Even President Rajapaksa had once given a report to the commission regarding some incidents. So I see nothing wrong in this,” he said.
Hakeem, meanwhile warned, that the reconciliation process in Sri Lanka is now under threat owing to the actions of some groups.
He said that in the recent past some organisations were creating divisions among communities representing various religions and this in turn was a threat to the reconciliation process.
The Minister noted that these groups operate on the basis that they own the country and this has now resulted in more negative information being reported to the UN Human Rights Council. (Colombo Gazette)
[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 April 2014, 13:26 GMT] After getting the family members of the three slain ex-LTTE members in Nedungkea'ni to identify the victims, the Sri Lankan authorities have refused to hand over their dead bodies to the families to conduct a decent funeral. The family members who were allowed to identify the said the victims were shot in close range. Meanwhile, reliable sources in Vanni and Jaffna told TamilNet that they were not slain in a clash as the SL military has claimed, but caught in advance. It is believed that a Tamil person, who was working as the SL military intelligence officer at Kokkaavil camp in Vanni, was also slain in the sting operation. His identity is yet to be confirmed. The operation has been headed by an under cover operative now working for Sri Lankan military intelligence. He is known as Kalaiyan, an informed source told TamilNet Thursday.
Sundaralingam Kajeepan was one of the slain victims. Known as Theyveekan, he was a pilot of the Air Tigers before May 2009. There is no independent verification to assert the various claims surrounding his modus operandi after 2009. It is also not known how he was associated with the others who have been assassinated together with him.
However, the other two ex-LTTE members, both of whom were known to each other in the past, Navaratnam Navaneethan alias Appan or Thiru from Punnaalaik-kadduvan from Jaffna district and Selvanayagam Kajeepan from Trincomalee district, were linked by operative Kalaiyan who is working with the Sri Lankan military intelligence in a project to ‘revive the LTTE’.
The mission probably sought to create, monitor and keep the forces under containment with a purpose. This purpose seems to have been achieved during the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva last month.
The operative was being used in a sting operation to approach Tamils in homeland, Tamil Nadu and diaspora, stating clearly that nothing other than an armed struggle would work - with an aim of diverting resources and entrapping anyone who may have such tendencies.
A nexus has prevailed between the Sri Lankan and Indian intelligence outfits on this mission.
Kalaiyan has also been allowed access to India through a deal between the Sri Lankan and the Indian intelligence agencies, the informed sources further say.
Projecting the end of the mission as a successful counter-insurgency operation, the SL military has also slain one of their intelligence officers who was a Tamil.
The SL operative Kalaiyan, who was also a former LTTE member, has been talking to various people of ‘reviving the LTTE’. He was in the LTTE as a deputy district head of an important division of the movement in the past and was now wandering around and encouraging ex-LTTE members, particularly those who had not been caught by the Sri Lankan military at the end of the genocidal onslaught on Vanni in 2009.
The Australia government has updated its travel advice on Sri Lanka. Last week the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and trade upgraded Sri Lanka states to “Exercise a high degree of caution” saying, the advice “contains new information under Civil unrest/political tension (the Prevention of Terrorism Act remains in place and permits prolonged detention without charge or trial). We advise you to exercise a high degree of caution in Sri Lanka at this time because of the unpredictable security environment.”
Read the full update below;
Tony Abbott – PM
We advise you to exercise a high degree of caution in Sri Lanka at this time because of the unpredictable security environment.
Security forces maintain a visible presence throughout the country. Military and police checkpoints are present along some roads and road closures can occur without warning.
You should avoid all demonstrations and large public gatherings as they may turn violent or be a target for politically-motivated attacks. Police have used tear gas in response to protests.
In the Northern Province of Sri Lanka, which includes Mannar, Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Kilinochichi and Jaffna Districts, post-conflict security force activity is ongoing.
In both the Northern and Eastern Provinces you should stay on main roads and pay close attention to signs warning of danger from landmines.
Foreign passport holders, including diplomats and international and local non-government organisation personnel, no longer require approval from the Ministry of Defence to travel to the north of Sri Lanka. However, individuals and groups intending to visit military establishments or High Security Zones or to meet military officials still require specific approval from the Ministry of Defence.
Pay careful attention to the type of visa you apply for. Travellers risk deportation if they engage in activities outside their visa conditions.
All regions of Sri Lanka experience outbreaks of the mosquito-borne dengue fever. Almost half of the cases in 2013 were reported in Western Province, where Colombo is located. See Health Issues below for more information.
Because of the prevailing security situation, we strongly recommend that you register your travel and contact details with us so we can contact you in an emergency.
Be a smart traveller. Before heading overseas:
organise comprehensive travel insurance and check what circumstances and activities are not covered by your policy
Sharing Power is essential for Peace, Prosperity and Happiness with Democracy in our Country
| by Sithamparapzillai Kathieravelu Letter to the Editor
"Individuals have international duties which transcend the national
obligations of obedience. Therefore, (individual citizens) have the
duty to prevent crimes against peace and humanity from occurring.”
- Nuremberg War Crime Tribunal, 1950
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
- Margaret Mead
I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything but I can do something.
And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something I can do.
What I can do, I should do. And what I should do, by the Grace of God, I will do.
– Edward Everett Hale (1822 – 1909)
( April 17, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The conflict arose, in my humble opinion, due to the turmoil in the country. This conflict is often portrayed as a bi-polar conflict between the Sinhalese majority and the Tamil minority by-passing the substantial minorities like the Muslims and Upcountry Tamils. This sad state of affairs has to be changed. All efforts must be taken to change the mindset of ‘dividing’ the people as “majorities” and “minorities” not by words but by deeds. It is a well-known fact that these “majorities” and “minorities” are living together in many parts of the country as kith and kin, helping each other in times of need.
Thu, 04/17/2014
பொது பல சேனா அமைப்பை உடனடியாக அரசாங்கம் தடை செய்ய வேண்டும் என கோரிக்கை விடுக்கும் அமைச்சர் வாசுதேவ நாணயக்கார சிங்கள பௌத்தர்கள் என்ற போர்வையில் இயங்கும் பயங்கரவாத அமைப்பே பொது பல சேனா என்றும் அமைச்சர் தெரிவித்தார்.
இது தொடர்பாக சமூக ஒருமைப்பாடு மற்றும் தேசிய மொழிகள் தொடர்பான அமைச்சர் வாசுதேவ நாணயக்கார மேலும் தெரிவிக்கையில்,
சிங்கள பௌத்தர்களை பாதுகாக்கின்றோம் என்ற போர்வையில் வெளிநாடுகளிடம் பணத்தை வாங்கிக் கொண்டு ஏனைய முஸ்லிம் இந்துக்கள் கிறிஸ்தவர்களுக்கு எதிராக பயங்கரவாதத்தை இவ் அமைப்பு கட்டவிழ்த்து விட்டுள்ளது.
அத்தோடு தமக்கு அரசு தரப்பு ஆதரவு உள்ளதாக வெளிக்காட்டிக் கொண்டே அரசாங்கத்திற்கு எதிராக சதி செய்யும் நாடுகளிடம் பணத்தை வாங்கிக் கொண்டு சிறுபான்மை இன மக்களுக்கு எதிரான பயங்கரவாதத்தை கட்டவிழ்த்து விடுகின்றது. இதனால் சர்வதேச ரீதியில் அரசாங்கம் பாரிய நெருக்கடிகளை சந்திக்க நேரிடுகினறது. இவ் அமைப்பை பயங்கரவாத பட்டியலில் சேர்த்த TRAC அமைப்பை பற்றி எனக்கு எதுவும் தெரியாது.
ஆனால் என்னைப் பொறுத்தவரை பொதுபல சேனா ஒரு பயங்கரவாத அமைப்பாகும். எனவே இதனை உடனடியாக தடை செய்ய அரசாங்கம் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டுமென்றார் அமைச்சர் வாசு.
The UNP yesterday rejected claims by some sections of the government that the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) was being used by international conspirators to tarnish the image of Buddhism.
It was elements within the ruling alliance that were instigating the BBS to act in the manner it did so that the resulting confusion could be used to cloud burning issues such as the rising cost of living, rampant corruption and the unprecedented crime wave, which had gripped the entire country, senior UNP MP, Ravi Karunanayake told The Island.
Responding to claims by some senior Ministers that the Rajapaksa government had kept quiete, hoping that the disruptive campaign by the BBS would tide over with time, MP Karunanayake replied "It is utter rubbish. Leading members of the UPFA government are fully behind the BBS. How can those entrusted with ensuring the security of the people fiddle for nearly five years while violent elements attacked the minorities including their places of religious worship and economic interests? No sane person will accept such a stupid excuse."
The MP pointed out that the government had been crying wolf for far too long and did not hesitate to brand those who criticized it with supportive evidence as deshadrodhin (traitors)."Sri Lankans are now sick and tired of hearing such foolish rhetoric."
The BBS and other extremists were all home-grown forces and there was no foreign connection whatsoever, he emphasized.
Karunanayake called on the Muslim Ministers and MPs in the government to stop "running with the hare and hunting with hound" and decide whether they wanted to continue to be in an administration that was treating the minorities like third class citizens who could be punched and kicked about with impunity.
The only person having true feelings for Sri Lanka, the Sinhalese nation and Buddhism is defence secretary Nandasena Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, secretary general of Bodu Bala Sena Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera has told several journalists recently.
The Thera has gone onto say quite forgetting kindness and compassion, “Namal is a real fool. He does not understand anything about nation or religion. He is a character without any use. It is the same with the president. One thing should be said about Basil. Basil had definitely been born to a Muslim. I know you cannot publish this. Publish anywhere you can. I do not fear anyone.”
When a journalist asked him about the proscription of BBS as a terrorist organization, the Thera has said, “Who cares about what the pariahs say? We have never touched a pistol or a bomb, but if they call us terrorists, how do they call the real terrorists? One thing should be said clearly. We will not hesitate even to take up pistol and bombs for the country, nation and religion. Like what S. Mahinda Thera said, it is my religion to go forward by destroying my enemies.”
With the Terrorist Research Analyze Consortium’s naming of BBS as a terrorist organization, the French embassy in Sri Lanka had turned down a visa application by Gnanasara Thera. In the future, it will be very difficulty for any BBS activist to obtain visa from western diplomatic missions.
Minister Wimal Weerawansa is practically over the moon over the naming of the BBS as a terrorist organisation. The BBS was to make revelations concerning acts of corruption committed by the minister, said reliable sources.
[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 April 2014, 23:30 GMT] While the occupying Sri Lankan military has been constructing hotels and resorts along the coastal strips of the occupied country of Eezham Tamils from Ampaa’rai to Puththa’lam for military run affairs, a systematic corporate programme of coastal land grab is being schemed by Colombo’s ministries under the direct supervision by SL presidential sibling Basil Rajapaksa, the minister of ‘Economic Development’ and Namal Rajapaksa, the son of SL president Mahinda Rajapaksa. The latest design is to choke Jaffna by turning the narrow strip of Chu’ndikku’lam sandbar, which links the peninsula with Vanni mainland, into a Sinhala colony with new resorts, prawn farming industry and state of the art houses to tolerate any disaster with the guarantee from the SL disaster management ministry with the backing of occupying SL military.
Denying access to Tamil fishermen who have been using the strip for seasonal fishing and refusing resettlement to the few Tamils who have been uprooted from Chu’ndikku’lam, the SL military is already housing Sinhala fishermen from South to engage in fishing along the coast.
Since the area has been already declared as bird sanctuary and extended into one of the largest ‘natural parks’ by the occupying Colombo through involving the SL ministry of wildlife resources conservation, the transformation is taking place with a low profile under a strict militarised environment, Tamil civil officials in Jaffna said.
Sandwiched between the resourceful Jaffna lagoon and the deep sea at a strategic location, the Chu’ndikku’lam sandbar is becoming a major hub Colombo’s Sinhalicisation, committing demographic genocide and corporate exploitation in the country of Eezham Tamils, the civil officials further said.
The Sri Lankan Government Agent of Jaffna Mr Sunthararam Arumainayakam and Maruthangkea’ni Divisional Secretary were invited to a workshop held at a military camp on 06 and 07 April. The workshop, exploring the possibilities of constructing disaster-managed houses on the strip, was organised by the SL ministries of disaster management and economic development. SL Minister Basil Rajapaksa was flown to the site in a Sri Lanka Air Force helicopter to attend the workshop and a series of meetings.
A military-built resort is already in operation between Keavil and Chu’ndik-ku’lam.
The new programme of corporate Sinhalicisation is targeting a 10 km long narrow strip.
The postmaster of Chu’ndikku’lam, who was uprooted from the area, is living in Point Pedro. He has been denied access to his residence at Chu’ndik-ku’lam. Likewise, Tamil fishermen from the nearby fishing villages are denied access to engage in seasonal fishing from their huts at the strip.
A recently schemed expansion of the ‘Natural Park’ will also be targeting Ki’linochchi and Mullaiththeevu districts, the Tamil civil officials in Ki’lnochchi said.
Constructing resorts and settling Sinhalese as workers at these ‘tourist’ facilities with the offer of housing and thriving business opportunities has been a tactic adopted by Colombo after the genocidal war in 2009.
Similar programmes are being carried out at Kaangkeasanthu’rai (KKS), Kaarai-nakar, Ooraaththu’rai, Neduntheevu in Jaffna district. Similar schemes have also been reported in Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampaa’rai districts in the East.
The so-called devolved powers of the 13th Amendment and the provincial council system backed by India and the Geneva process spearheaded by the USA which removed even the term de-militarisation from the resolution, have completely failed to address the structural genocide being committed on the nation of Eezham Tamils after the genocidal war in 2009, commented Tamil civil sources in Jaffna.
April 17, 2014
Six armed men have broken into a jewelry store near the clock tower in the Negombo town today and robbed jewelry and cash estimated to be worth around Rs 10 million before escaping on motorcycles. 
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) that recently engaged in a visit to South Africa has said the party will back a process facilitated by South Africa to achieve reconciliation in Sri Lanka.
The only person having true feelings for Sri Lanka, the Sinhalese nation and Buddhism is defence secretary Nandasena Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, secretary general of Bodu Bala Sena Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera has told several journalists recently.