People squat on a raft in a flooded area at Katakhali in Gaibandha district, 240 km (149 miles) north of Dhaka on Friday, October 14, 2005. About half a million people and 26 people died in floods as a result of heavy rain in northern Bangladesh over the last two weeks. 

Police commandos search a van on Monday, October 17, 2005 in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo as part of tighter security ahead of next month's presidential elections. Police have found abandoned weapons and explosives which they say may have been intended for assassinations. 

Tighter security for Lanka candidates amid suicide bomb fears

Security has been tightened for Sri Lanka's two Presidential candidates amid fears that Tamil tigers may resort to suicide bombings against key politicians in the run-up to next month's elections, officials said today.

Outgoing President Chandrika Kumaratunga, who herself faced a bid on her life during a previous election campaign, has sent her elite bodyguards to protect Prime Minister and ruling party candiate for the November 17 election Mahinda Rajapakse, her office said in a statement.

The main opposition candidate, Ranil Wickremesinghe, was also given addtional security and told to plug the holes in his security system, the statement said.

"Security for the two candidates was strengthened and they were provided additional security personnel, vehicles and other logistics as directed by the President," it said.

Ports Minister Mangala Samaraweera said meanwhile that they feared that Tamil Tiger rebels may resort to suicide bombings against the Premier and other key politicians in the run up to the vote.

Tamil Tiger rebels have been accused of assassinating an opposition presidential candidate in October 1994 and trying to blow up Kumaratunga when she ran for re-election in December 1999. She lost one eye in the attack.

The new security measures also come in the aftermath of the assassination of foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar in the heart of the capital. The government immediately blamed the Tigers for the killing, a charge denied by them.

Mecca ‘Ceylon House’ in dire straits

The Ceylon House', in the Holy City of Mecca, a gift from the late King Faisal Ibnu Abdul Aziz to the Muslim national leader Dr. T. B. Jayah in 1960, for use by Sri Lankan Muslims as a pilgrims rest, is today in a critical situation, former Parliamentary Affairs Minister A. H. M. Azwer says.

"The Ceylon House is the property of Sri Lankan Muslims. A Board of Trustees comprising seven Sri Lankans and one from Saudi Arabia was appointed to administer it. All the Sri Lankan trustees have passed away. The place is now being rented out by the Saudi trustee and I have witnessed shops have been constructed," Azwer said in a letter to President Chandrika Kumaratunga seeking her intervention to urge Saudi authorities to save the place for Sri Lankan pilgrims visiting Mecca. "New buildings are established in the area where the Sri Lankan Medical Team functions during the Haj season."

"It is learnt that all attempts made by Sri Lankan Consul General in Jeddah to meet the Saudi Trustee to protest against illegal structures hindering the pilgrims have failed as the Trustee over there had evaded all meetings," he said.

"Presently, the Saudi Government constantly extends area of the Haram Sheriff to accommodate the ever increasing annual Haj pilgrims. The site in which the Ceylon House is located will also come under the hammer in the near future. Compensation will then be paid for re-building of a new Ceylon House. Who will then receive the compensation is the concern of every Muslim in our country. Will the Sri Lankan Muslims, who are the rightful owners of this building, be the beneficiary or would it be the sole Saudi representative?"

Azwer in his letter requests the President who is also the Minister of Muslim Affairs to take prompt action to address a communication to Saudi leader King Abdullah appealing him to intervene in this matter to restore ‘Ceylon House' to the ownership of a newly appointed Board of Trustees.

Despite the pressures and turmoil of campaign politics, President Chandrika Kumaratunga wears one of her broadest smiles as she admires a gift presented to her from a grateful people of the city of gems Ratnapura during a rally in support of Mahinda Rajapakse. 

LTTE neutral in Presidential poll

The LTTE has decided not to put its weight behind any candidate in the Presidential Elections, but would permit canvasing in the Wanni.

"We have decided to be neutral... We will not support any party," The LTTE spokesman, Daya Master told the Sunday Observer.

"We will let people make their choice," he said. He said the LTTE could not recommend to Tamil people to vote for any main contenders, given the "history of broken promises".

The LTTE would permit canvasing in LTTE held areas, he said, however adding that candidates would be required to obtain prior permission. He said though the LTTE would not back any candidate, it was firm that the people's right to exercise universal franchise should not be curtailed under any grounds.

"There were previous incidents where Tamil people were prevented from voting," he said referring to the closure of entry-exit points to Vanni in the Parliamentary polls in 2001, disenfranching an estimated 80,000 voters.

The Supreme Court later ruled it a violation of fundamental rights. He said the LTTE proxy Tamil National Alliance would also not support any candidate.