Nothing lends credibility to an argument or an accusation more than a first person account. Be it autobiographies or first person accounts, they are simple yet powerful. Such works also stand out for the courage, for you don’t know what the consequences will be.  So, it was with great fear that, seven years ago, Sri Lankan Tamil writer Shobasakthi wrote about his time as a child soldier with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, blowing the lid on a cruel practice of one of the deadliest and most ruthless terrorist organizations in the world.

Colombo, 05 July, (Asiantribune.com): Those journalists who were attacked must come forward to identify their attackers and come forward to give evidences. In the event evidences are provided about the allegations of attacks on any journalists, actions will be taken immediately, said President Mahinda Rajapakse.

President Pervez Musharraf on Thursday urged member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to boost cooperation for the elimination of terrorism and extremism in the region. Talking to Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama at President’s Camp Office in Rawalpindi, Musharraf said the SAARC countries - India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, Bhutan and Afghanistan and Pakistan - would have to devise a joint strategy to surmount the challenges faced by the region.

Last Tuesday President Mahinda Rajapaksa travelled to Arugam Bay in the East for the ceremonial opening of the bridge that links Pottuvil, Arugam Bay and Panama. It replaces the former bridge over Arugam Bay that was destroyed in the tsunami of December 2004.

Colombo, 05 July, (Asiantribune.com): The Government of Sri Lanka strongly refuted allegations contained in certain foreign media reports that the Sri Lanka Navy had detained and harassed Indian fishermen aboard fishing trawlers which had been detected poaching in Sri Lankan waters.

 Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister Karu Jayasuriya met EU Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner at the European Commission (EC) in Brussels. The Minister was accompanied by Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Belgium and the EU Ravinatha Aryasinha while Joao Aguiar Machado, DDG/External Relations (Asia and Latin America) of the EC who led the EC team to the recent Sri Lanka-EC Joint Commission was associated with Benita Ferrero-Waldner.

WELIOYA: The Army’s 59 Division engaged in an offensive on the Weli-Oya front gained another victory by capturing the LTTE’s strategic ‘Michael’ base yesterday afternoon. The Michael base, part of the 1-4 base, is located seven km north of Janakapura. Munnagam, the first base in the 1-4 complex was captured earlier.

"Tamil mafia works in hand-in-glove with the Tamil Tigers in their campaign to extort money from unwilling Tamil citizens in France and the mafia gangs keep a percentage and pass on the ransom collection to Tamil Tigers".

Years back when I was a young officer in the Regiment of Artillery, our regiment moved from New Mal in Eastern India to Deolali in Western India. On the day of our departure we trooped into the railway station with our trucks, baggage, stores and all the men at 6 am in the morning. Our special train was scheduled to leave at 11 am.

LTTE terrorists have carried out an indiscriminate claymore attack in front of Eravur Railway station around 8.10 pm today (July 03), says the defence sources. According to the sources, 3 civilians and 3 police officers have been injured in the explosion. The injured have been admitted to the General Hospital Eravur.

Renegade former Tiger leader Karuna Amman returned to Sri Lanka yesterday after a six-month jail term in Britain for immigration offences, a spokesman for his breakaway party said. He was detained in November 2007 in London and pleaded guilty to carrying a passport in a false name.

Around 39 civilians fleeing from the grip of the LTTE in Mullaitivu sought protection with the Security Forces in Pulmodai on Wednesday evening, Military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said. He said 39 civilians from 13 families comprising 26 males and 13 females had arrived on a boat fleeing from the LTTE controlled areas in Mullaitivu and reached Pulmodai around 3.00 pm. seeking protection with the Security Forces.

Colombo, 04 July, (Asiantribune.com): Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Evan Feigenbaum visited Sri Lanka June 30 and July 1 as part of the U.S. Government’s regular, ongoing consultations with the Sri Lankan Government.

COLOMBO: The Government has formulated plans to develop areas liberated recently from the clutches of the LTTE, Defence Affairs Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said yesterday. Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said President Mahinda Rajapaksa was undaunted in his quest to eradicate LTTE terrorism despite attempts to target him. He said the President has accepted the LTTE’s challenge and would continue relentlessly his mission to end terrorism and lead the Forces to liberate all parts of the North as well from LTTE tyranny.

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama has emphasised the paramount need for Sri Lanka to adopt a national strategy for maritime security, given her geo-strategic location in the Indian Ocean straddling the vital sea route linking the Orient and the West.

Sri Lanka’s most successful Army Commander, serving under Sri Lanka’s militarily most successful Commander-in Chief and President, and most dedicated Defence Secretary, has held an important discussion with Colombo’s foreign correspondents on our most essential topic, the war. That General Fonseka is our most successful army commander may be hotly debated in the subjective and partisan Sri Lankan media, but not by top professionals overseas.

 Liberation ‘Rice Bowl’! - On June 29, the Sri Lanka Army’s 58th Division liberated what is known as the ‘Mannar Rice Bowl’ which had been in the LTTE grip for 20 years. Brigadier Shavindra de Silva said at 7:30 p.m. last evening, the 58th Brigade from Pallemadhu links with the 57th Brigade from Periyamadhu. 

Sweet dreams are made of this Who am I to disagree? Travel the world and the seven seas, Everybody's looking for something, Some of them want to use you, Some of them want to get used by you, Some of them want to abuse you Some of them want to be abused.... ...  A retired foreign service officer, Izeth Hussain (IH) has recently informed us ("Understanding the HRC debacle," Island, 6/9 & 6/19, 2008), that Sri Lanka has been ‘awarded' a sobriquet the "abusive state" by the NGO coalition which canvassed against Sri Lanka's continued HRC membership. And IH was pleased with this "beautiful" award.

London, 02 June, (Asiantribune.com): Though Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam remains a proscribed Foreign Terrorist Organization in the United Kingdom, it is planning to hold ‘Pongku Thamil’ event in London to glorify Black Tiger suicide cadres and also to raise funds for its war chest.

 Sri Lanka's war on terror is a process that goes beyond military operations. Though many LTTE sympathizers and their stooges in media try to give a wrong picture to the world that LTTE is as a representative of the Tamil citizens in Sri Lanka, there is ample evidence barred from the world that Tamils are nothing but the main victim of LTTE terrorism. This was evident when defence.lk covered the recent release of a group of rehabilitated LTTE cadres by Sri Lanka Army in Jaffna.

Army during a cordon and search operation found over 4 Kg of C-4 high explosives hidden inside a barrel found in the Internally Displaced Persons' centre at Siddambarapuram , Vavuniya this morning (July 2). The search was launched after the arrest of a female resident of the IDP centre smuggling explosives inside coconut nuts last evening.

 President stresses at Arugam Bay bridge opening: President Mahinda Rajapaksa urged the international community to understand the reality and the motive of the Government’s humanitarian operations to liberate the North, in cognisance of the ‘Eastern Renaissance’ enjoyed by the Eastern polity now.

India will train Sri Lanka officers in its military academies and will also provide it with more defensive weapons, The Times of India newspaper reported Tuesday. In 2008-2009 alone, over 500 Sri Lankan officers and other ranks will receive training in institutions ranging from Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School at Vairengte..

COLOMBO: The new Inspector General of Police Jayantha Wickremaratne stressed yesterday that his aim was to build an honourable, disciplined and respectable Police Department. Addressing the media for the first time after assuming duties, he said that the Police Department has faced numerous challenges and stands tall to face the future. The Police Force is devoted to protect the country, he said.

“Balasingham Prabhakara of the Inpath Tamil Vanoli is a noted broadcaster who carries virulent campaigns against the Sinhalese. He is seen as the Voice of the Vanni. Serious complaints have bee lodged against him with the Police for threatening people. He is backed by the noted pro-Tiger Dr. Mana Mohan of Sydney. The Sydney Tamil Coordinating Committee funds him.”

London, 01 July, (Asiantribune.com): The widely circulated Observer magazine distributed with the Observer newspaper said, in a four page in-depth article, by targeting innocent civilians the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is fast losing whatever sympathies they had earlier.

By Asoka Bandarage - Narrow interpretations of cultural identity and models of conflict resolution built on ethnic dualism contribute to ethnic polarization and inhibit sustainable peace. To improve both the analysis and processes of conflict resolution, it is necessary to move beyond the bipolar ethnic model and explore the multi-polar nature of conflicts.

"When information flows freely, people are equipped with tools to take control of their lives"……Ban Ki Moon - 2nd May 2008 (Press Freedom day) My attention was caught by the comment made to the press by the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for "Democracy", "Human Rights", and Labour Erica Barks-Ruggles at the conclusion of her recent visit to Sri Lanka.

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s Army chief Sarath Fonseka said on Monday the LTTE had "lost the capability to fight as a conventional force" due to the relentless "overall military strategy" since August 2006. In an interactive session with members of the Sri Lanka Foreign Correspondents Association (FCA) at the Army Headquarters here, Lt. Gen. Fonseka said the Tigers would be reduced to nothing more than a "rag-tag terrorist outfit" in a year’s time.

The Ministry of Defence, invites Sri Lankan intellects, professionals, businesspersons, technocrats and apprentices of conflict resolution and think tanks to contribute in the areas of foresight, forecasting, long range planning and visioning with respect to the Sri Lankan Peace building issue and its future challenges.

COLOMBO: The Tigers have "lost their capability of fighting as a conventional army" because of the offensive the military is waging against them, Army Chief Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka said yesterday. "The LTTE has lost the capability of fighting as a conventional army. Although they are (still) fighting us, they (are) not in the same manner as was in the past.

COLOMBO: The Government will open the new Arugam Bay bridge connecting Pottuvil, Arugam Bay and Panama in the Eastern province, to the public from today. The bridge constructed at a cost of US $ 10 million, will replace the old bridge over Arugam Bay which was severely damaged in the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.

MANNAR: The Security Forces engaged in the Wanni liberation operation, entered a decisive phase yesterday as the troops created the biggest ever military front to the LTTE in the western flank of Wanni with two Army divisions that independently operated in Mannar and Vavuniya linking together from southeast of Periyamadu yesterday afternoon.

Rome, 01 July, (Asiantribune.com): Sri Lankans and other nationalities participated in a huge anti-terrorism protest rally in Milan, Italy. The demonstration against terrorism was held on 29 June, at Piazza Castello, Milan.The aim of the demonstration according to the organizers was to invite people all over the world to get together to defeat terrorism. More than 5000 Sri Lankans - Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Italians and other nationalists who live in Italy participated in the anti-terrorists rally.

By Stephen Long of Los Angeles - I just saw the Bruce Fein interview on Canadian ITV Live that has been posted on YouTube. This is a must-see for all who are interested in the Tamils for Justice push to grab international media attention for their primary cause: a separate Tamil country in Sri Lanka. First of all, I think the interviewer did an excellent job; he was unemotional, centered, well-informed, and poised.

Fearing the LTTE would use someone to smuggle in an explosive device to Parliament to carry out an assassination, the government has prohibited all members from bringing in electronic equipment into the House. Acting on the instructions of security services, Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara has informed ministers, deputy ministers and members of the unprecedented decision to prohibit laptops and similar equipment in Parliament.

NEW DELHI, June 26 (UPI) — Indian intelligence agencies said Sri Lanka’s rebels are sourcing raw materials for explosives from two major Indian cities. According to a senior Intelligence Bureau official, armed guerrillas of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam are sourcing raw materials for explosives and ammunition from Information Technology city Bangalore and industrial city Mumbai, previously called Bombay.

Colombo, 30 June, (Asiantribune.com): Sri Lanka denied yesterday the news reports about the arrival of the elite Indian and Afghanistan troops for the special security of Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Indian delegation and President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan.

"Vellupillai Pirapaharan is no Rohana Wijeweera. This difference can be best understood by the difference between the anti-IPKF struggles of the LTTE and the JVP. The LTTE took on the IPKF militarily; the JVP waged a poster war against the IPKF in the South, reserving its lethal violence for unarmed and unprotected Sinhala civilians."

The less privileged I write about today are injured armed forces personnel and school children in disadvantaged schools. And who attempts the improving of their quality of life? The Dharmavijaya Foundation in one project and the Melbourne based Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights (SPUR) through the Dharmavijaya, on the other.

Paris, 29 June, (Asiantribune.com): Sri Lanka has presented a very compelling case and has requested European Union for the continuation of Generalized System of Preferences facilities for another three years, from 2009 to 2012. Sri Lanka has taken up the issue with France, which will be taking over from 1st July, the rotating EU Presidency for the next six months from Slovenia, the present holder. Sri Lanka Minister Professor G.L. Peiris was in the French capital last week and held talks with French authorities regarding this issue.

Colombo, 30 June, (Asiantribune.com): The Assistant Government Agent of Thunkkai, located in the Mullaithievu district, was killed yesterday around 5.00 p.m., under mysterious circumstances. Thunukkai is an AGA Division, coming under the control of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam

MANNAR: The 58 Division of the Sri Lanka Army operating on the Mannar front yesterday successfully completed operation ‘Rice Bowl’ after capturing over 120 square kilometres including 105 square kilometres of the most fertile land in the country.

Police yesterday recovered twenty rounds of T-56 ammunition and a hand grenade from a vehicle belonging to the Jaffna branch of the Human Rights Commission (HRC). Confirming the incident, Police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekera told Daily News that the cache was found inside the vehicle while it was undergoing repairs inside a garage.

The Sri Lanka Navy handed over 18 fishermen from Pamban, Tamil Nadu, to the Indian Coast Guard on Saturday. The fishermen were arrested for straying into Lankan territorial waters about one month ago.

SPUR New Zealand proudly presents  

Neela Wickramasinghe in New Zealand