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K'tunga hopes LTTE will join democracy

Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga hopes that a proposed joint mechanism for relief work for tsunami victims could lead the LTTE to "embrace democracy".

Addressing a gathering of her Freedom Party on Friday night,Kumaratunga said she expected the mechanism to form a basis for resuming the stalled peace talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

"The LTTE can also start doing democratic politics just like the other parties which at one time killed people and indulged in violence-based politics," the president said referring to her main coalition partner, the JVP or the People's Liberation Front.

The JVP is opposed to the joint mechanism proposal, claiming it would give the LTTE recognition.
Kumaratunga said seven of the eight parties in her United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) coalition agree with the joint mechanism.

"I hope the JVP also would realise that a mechanism is needed,"she added.

The JVP has threatened to walk out of Kumaratunga's government if the joint mechanism is implemented.

The government's parliamentary majority hinges on the 39 seats held by the JVP in the ruling UPFA coalition.

Political analysts, however, said the JVP was unlikely to rock the boat and make the Kumaratunga governmentfall as then it would open the door for the main opposition United National Party to return to power.

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May Day eve TU action: On the eve of International Workers’ Day and in the gloom of the killing of a fellow journalist members of the Working Journalists’ Association trekked it to the 3rd Floor of the YMMA building in Colombo, Fort yesterday to cast their vote to elect office bearers for the ensuing year. Picture shows some members at the polling booth depositing their ballot paper into the ballot box.

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May Day: 10 processions and over 16 rallies

Almost all the functioning political parties and a number of trade unions celebrate May Day today with ten processions and over 16 rallies throughout the country. Sri Lanka Freedom Party led Freedom Alliance (UPFA) will hold their rally at the Galle Face Green after the public march from Campbell Park with the participation of the UPFA leaders. The march will commence at 12 noon from Campbell Park and is expected to reach Galle Face Green, via Borella, Maradana, Technical Junction and Pettah. This year's theme is "National Unity for the Country's Development".

The UNP meeting will be held at the Town Hall Colombo at 4.00 pm under the patronage of party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. Their rally will start from Sugathadasa Stadium at 1.00 pm and will arrive at the Town Hall via Sangaraja Mawatha and Borella. Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna will hold its rally at BRC Grounds. Party leaders, members and supporters will reach the BRC Grounds from the S.De S.Jayasinghe Grounds, Dehiwala.

The Ceylon Workers Congress will hold its rally in Nuwara Eliya instead of Kotagala. CWC leader Arumugam Thondaman will preside over the event while the rally will be addressed by CWC stalwarts and foreign delegates. CWC members from all the districts will attend the rally.

The Upcountry Workers' Front will be in Badulla under the presidentship of its leader P. Chandrasekaran. Party leaders and provincial level representatives are due to address the meeting.

The National Workers Congress along with the All Ceylon Federation of Free Trade Unions and its affiliated sectoral unions will commemorate Workers' Day at their Workers' Centre, Dehiwala.

National Development Front will also hold its May Day at the D. S. Senanayake Memorial Library, Kandy at 1.00 pm. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Deshapremi Peramuna has cancelled their May Day celebrations but will hold a Bodhi Pooja instead at Jayasekararama Temple at Kuppiyawatta.

A united May Day celebration will also take place at Price Park, Gunsinghapura with the collaboration of 40 trade unions. Government Clerical Services Trade Union celebrates May Day at their head office and the Sri Lanka Pragathisheeli Peramuna will hold its May Day Celebrations at the YMCA Hall, Fort.

Foreign Ministry sponsors tsunami housing project

Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar laid the foundation stone for a housing project in Walahanduwa, in Akmeemana, Galle, for tsunami affected families, on Thursday 28th April, invited by Urban Development and Water Supply Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. This project will be carried out by the Urban Development and Water Supply Ministry and will be funded by donations collected by the Foreign Affairs Ministry and Sri Lanka Missions abroad after the tsunami disaster.

Over 600 million rupees were collected through Sri Lanka Missions with the generous contributions from members of the public and well-wishers abroad, both Sri Lankan and foreign, following the tsunami disaster. This money will be entirely utilized for providing permanent housing for tsunami affected families.

The Walahanduwa project is only a part of this wider plan to provide housing to people affected by the disaster in the northern, eastern and southern areas of the country.

Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony, Minister Kadirgamar said Rs. 600 million would fund the construction of over 1000 houses in separate complexes comprising approximately 200 houses each. Minister Kadirgamar said it was a very special occasion for the Foreign Ministry where it was able to do something with direct impact upon the people of the country, although it was unfortunate that it had to be under such tragic circumstances. The Minister emphasized the responsibility of ensuring that this 600 million, which was given by ordinary people abroad, be spent for the benefit of people affected by the disaster without any kind of discrimination.

The Minister added that the special unit within the Foreign Ministry set up for this purpose would be coordinating the progress of the construction project with the Ministry of Urban Development and Water Supply. He further expressed the hope that the project, once started, would proceed without undue delay and said that it would be a happy moment when the families actually take possession of the completed houses.

Urban Development and Water Supply Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister Amarasiri Dodangoda, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Chandrasena Wijesinghe, as well as officials of Foreign Affairs and Urban Development and Water Supply Ministries and members of the tsunami affected families in the area also participated at the simple ceremony.

Kahlid

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Government orders full-scale investigation into Journalist’s slaying

The Sri Lankan Government today condemned the abduction and killing of prominent journalist D. Sivaram. In a media communiqué, the information Department said, “the Government unreservedly condemns the reprehensible and dastardly abduction and killing of well known journalist, Mr. D Sivaram.”

The Government has ordered a full-scale investigation into the abduction and killing of Mr. Sivaram and law enforcement authorities will ensure speedy action in this regard. Mr. Sivaram's abduction and killing is the latest in a series of violent acts and political killings that have taken place while the Ceasefire Agreement has been operational. Most recently a Tamil Police Inspector, Mr. T Jeyaratnam, attached to the Terrorist Investigations Unit of the Mt. Lavinia Police was abducted in Colombo. Prior to that a Divisional Secretary was killed in the Eastern Province and a Tamil Government official, a Director attached to the Ministry of Vocational Training was gunned down while in Batticaloa on official duty.

Sivaram was targetted because of his uncompromising coverage of political and military situation- Reporters Without Borders

Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo, SLT 5.50 P.M Friday 29 April 2005. Reporters without Borders say journalist D. Sivaram, editor of Tamilnet and columnist of Daily Mirror was targeted because of uncompromising coverage of the political and military situation, particularly since the emergence of the pro-government Tamil militia headed by Colonel Karuna.Reporters Without Borders say they are revolted at the murder of Dharmeratnam Sivaram "Taraki", editor of the news website TamilNet and Daily Mirror columnist. Four men abducted the well known journalist on 28 April and he was found dead the following morning.

Issuing a statment condeming the killing of Sivaram, RSF say that Sivaram, 46, had often told friends that he feared for his safety. "My life is in serious danger," he told Reporters Without Borders in May 2004 after police raided his house and some pro-government media accused him of being a spy for the Tamil Tigers.

Reporters Without Borders said Sri Lanka's authorities were guilty of failing to combat impunity in past cases of murders of journalists. In several reports, it had shown that the government, headed by Chandrika Kumaratunga, has protected killers of journalists, particularly Tamil militia of the EPDP, elements in the presidential guard and members of Col. Karuna's Tamil militia.The organisation called on the government to now do everything possible to ensure the killers and those who sent them were identified, arrested and put on trial."The premeditated murder of one of the most renowned Tamil journalists is a huge loss for Sri Lanka's press. Through his website that was visited by tens of thousands of people daily, he provided essential news on the situation in the country," it said.

"Whatever one may think of his relations with the Tamil Tigers movement, Sivaram, was a brilliant journalist", the worldwide press freedom organisation added.