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More Muslim Harthals In Kathankudy.

Muslim in Kathankudy organized a massive harthal and a protest campaign today against marginalizing Muslim aspirations in the PTOMS.

"We are not against our Tamil brothers or peace process, we are against marginalizing our community and its interests. We are the most affected community by the Tsunami and we have a right to demand equal representation in the Joint Mechanism" said a participant to our correspondent in Kathankudy.

The protestors hoisted black flags and burnt tires on roads paralyzing the normalcy in the area, according to our correspondent.

" Government Muslim ministers betrayed our community interests for their ministerial portfolios, we support the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress's non cooperative stance against the PTOMS with LTTE" said another protestor.

Rauff Hakeem, the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress will be addressing the crowd tonight.

In the 1990's, over hundred Muslims were massacred by the LTTE in their systematic ethnic cleansing campaign in Kathankudy. LTTE cadres surrounded the mosque during the evening prayers and shot and hacked Muslims to death.

"The President and her Government are like a bunch of pick pocketers”,

In what was claimed to be the biggest mass rally ever to hit Colombo, the main Opposition United National Party (UNP) today alleged that President Chandrika Kumaratunga and her Government were acting like a bunch of 'pick pocketers' merely to stay in power.

"She is trying to steal another year, even though her term as President ends this year. They are acting like pick pocketers," a sun burnt UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe declared this evening to many thousands of party supporters at Lipton Circus in Colombo at the end of the Jana Bala Meheyuma, which began at Devinuwara on the 2nd of this month.

Wickremesinghe insisted that the people should not allow this to happen. "We as citizens of Sri Lanka and not as political party affiliates should not let her take advantage, and violate our legal rights as citizens of this country," he mentioned.

He declared that it was the peoples right to elect a new President this year. "If moves are made to violate the masses rights, then 'people power' should get into action," the UNP leader requested. "Neither the Government nor the Chief Justice nor the Election Commissioner has any right to violate the rights of the people," he noted.

He also insisted that the Government was not paying attention to the public woes because of their own political bickering within the Alliance. "Because of the power struggle, one wing of the Alliance' has already been clipped," he said and added that his party was ready for an election even tomorrow.

Next Presidential Election in November 2006

THE next Presidential Election will be held only in November 2006 and the Elections Commissioner cannot call for a Presidential poll arbitrarily, new Government Spokesman Nimal Siripala de Silva announced yesterday. Minister de Silva described the UNP's Jana Bala Meheyuma launched to call for a Presidential Election this year as an unconstitutional demand. "The Government has no power whatsoever to meet this UNP's illegal demand," the Minister stressed. Constitutional Affairs Minister D.E.W.Gunasekera quoting 31 (3) of the Constitution said the Election Commissioner should act based on this clause. One month before the term of the President ends, the Elections Commissioner should call a Presidential Election.

The Minister explained that there is no connection between the swearing of the President and the Constitution. "According to the Constitution, her term of office will end in November 2006. Then the Election Commissioner should call a Presidential Election." Minister Gunasekera said that if UNP is unsatisfied with this constitutional interpretation, it can seek legal recourse.

Minister de Silva said UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has completely forgotten the constitution introduced by his uncle late President J.R. Jayewardene. In the first term of the President, if the President wants she has the right to call a Presidential Election four years later. During the second term of the President she has no power to call a Presidential Election, he said. According to the Constitution, the next Presidential Election should be held in November 2006. The Elections Commissioner should also call the Presidential Election subjected to the terms and conditions of the Constitution. Therefore, the Elections Commissioner has no right to violate the Constitution.

"Therefore the major slogan of the UNP's Jana Bala Meheyuma is entirely unconstitutional. "It makes undue pressure on the Elections Commissioner to take an illegal decision. Even though the UNP conducts a Jana Bala Meheyuma, the President or the Government has no constitutional power to call a Presidential Election," he said. "The UNP's Jana Bala Meheyuma is a camouflage. This is an attempt made to destabilise the Government," he charged. The Minister noted that the Opposition has the right to go on a march. This would be a good opportunity to some UNP politicians who have never walked on a road to touch the soil and identify the hopes and aspiration of the people. Mahaweli and River Basin Development Minister Maithreepala Sirisena said the UNP's Jana Bala Meheyuma uses tsunami victims as political pawns making an unconstitutional demand to hold the Presidential Election during this year.

The UNP, giving various false pledges to Tsunami victims is now making an unsuccessful attempt to gain power. Sirisena said that as a democratic Government we are fully committed to safeguard the democratic rights and act fully within the Constitution. "Therefore we condemn these UNP attempts which only shows their greediness for power." The Minister also requested all political parties to extend their cooperation towards the development activities of the Government and rebuild the country devastated by the recent tsunami catastrophe. He said as mentioned in the Constitution, elections will be held on time. The next election to be held will be the Local Government Election. The Presidential Election will be held in November 2006.

"The UNP has a bad reputation with regard to July and this is a familiar month to the UNP. People are well aware how the UNP acted in 1983 Black July. There is a doubt as to whether the UNP is getting ready to re-enact this old experience," he said. UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who cannot face the internal crisis within the UNP and also mounting pressure levelled against him is seeking this Presidential Election, the Minister said.

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Four killed by unidentified gunmen in Sri Lankan capital, police say

The bound and gagged bodies of a tea trader and his three colleagues were found shot dead in the Sri Lankan capital on Saturday, with police saying they could have been killed over a business dispute. The men belonged to Sri Lanka's Muslim minority, and were believed to have been killed elsewhere and then dumped in a luxury jeep along a quiet but plush street in the city, said Sarath Kumara, a senior police official at the scene.``Initial investigations reveal that the victims were a tea-trading businessman and his three colleagues,'' Kumara said. He said the killings may be linked to a business dispute but didn't rule out Tamil Tiger rebel involvement. The police anti-crime unit spotted the abandoned vehicle while patrolling the area, he said, as he inspected the jeep's blood-soaked back seats. Armed police and soldiers cordoned off the scene and investigations are continuing.

Kumara said there was a possible link between one of the victims and a complaint lodged Friday about the abduction of a person from Sri Lanka's central city of Kandy.``It's dreadful how these killings can take place under your very nose,'' said Malcolm de Silva, a resident in the area. He said he was unaware of the murders until he stepped outside to pickup the morning newspapers. Violence has increased in Sri Lanka in recent months, mostly connected to a split in the Tiger rebel group last year and underworld gang violence.

"We failed in our duty," Government's main Muslim ally admits"

The Government's main Muslim ally, National Unity Alliance (NUA), yesterday admitted that it had failed in its duty of securing the Muslim aspirations in the controversial Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure deal. NUA Vice President and Spokesman Abul Kalaam told the Lanka Academic that, "We admit that we have failed in our task. But it is not only us, but all other Muslim political parties including the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress which received the mandate have failed in this endeavour." He however noted that his party had still not taken an official decision of leaving the United Peoples Freedom Alliance Government. The NUA has been having a series of meetings in Ampara with its supporters, since the P-TOMS agreement was signed. Many issues including the party's future course of action was taken up at these meetings, sources said. The NUA member announced late last month soon after the P-TOMS was sealed that it will not make 'hasty decisions like the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna', but instead will try to reach an amicable settlement with President Chandrika Kumaratunga in giving due place to the Muslim aspirations in the tsunami aid deal.

"Pulling out of the Government is not going to solve all the problems. But, in the event nothing positive works out, we will most likely pull out of the Government. Yet we are trying to work out things while staying within the Government," A NUA member reportedly said. The Muslim community was the worst affected (41%) due to the December 26th catastrophe. The community has expressed their anxiety with regard to the impartiality of aid distribution among the tsunami victims. The Muslims demanded that they be accommodated as equal partners to the P-TOMS deal, and be a signatory to it, a request not accommodated by those concerned.

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Tigers Kill Three In Major Truce Violation

Udara Soysa (LM), Thu 30th June 14:05GMT. The LTTE committed a major ceasefire violation killing three Army intelligence operatives on the spot in a hail of T-56 gunfire this morning at the Urani junction in Batticaloa, putting pressure on the credibility of the Truce Monitoring Mission to investigate the crime and report accurately.

Today's triple killings were in the very heart of the Army controlled area at the Urani junction. The killers had surprisingly dropped their T56 assault rifle and fled the scene on the motorcycle used in the killing.

All three operatives were from the Batticaloa Brigade Headquarters.

The victims, Sergeant S.Kularatne, Lance Corpral Saman Kumara and Trooper Chaminda Kumara were in a three-wheeler when they were shot at close range.

Military sources said that all three soldiers died on the spot.

Army investigations have revealed that the LTTE gunmen fired indiscriminately at the victims while riding abreast of the three-wheeler. Troops were sent to the scene to conduct a search and clear operation in the area.

The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission has been briefed on the killing.

Australia welcomes P-TOMS

AUSTRALIAN Minster of Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer, MP in a press release states: "I welcome the signing of an agreement between the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to establish a Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS).

"The P-TOMS has the potential to facilitate the equitable and transparent distribution of tsunami assistance in the North and East and to build confidence between the Government and the LTTE.

Moreover, I recognise the importance of the Muslim community in the functioning of the P-TOMS. I encourage the rapid implementation of the structure.

"The Australian Government supports Sri Lanka's peace process, and calls on both sides to recommence formal peace talks, which were suspended in April 2003.

"Australia is concerned at persistent violence in Sri Lanka, including ongoing assassinations.

I urge all parties to take necessary steps to enforce the provisions of the ceasefire agreement. I call on the LTTE to stop the recruitment of child soldiers and release all child soldiers in its ranks.

"The Australian Government provides practical support to peace building, humanitarian efforts and development in Sri Lanka through the aid program, which amounted to $ 39.8 million this year. This included over $10 million for vital tsunami assistance.

Australia is committed to continue to assist tsunami reconstruction efforts in Sri Lanka."

A smiling girl selling flowers to pilgrims at Kirivehera, Kataragama, venerated by Buddhists all over the island.

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Positive response to Muslims demands

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has reassured the Muslim community that the Government would take steps to ensure that their concerns and aspirations are addressed in the implementation of the Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS).

During an extensive discussion with Muslim Ministers and Deputy Ministers, President Kumaratunga responded positively to the Ministers' suggestions and undertook to give them every consideration and explore how their proposals could be implemented.

The President held a fresh round of discussions on the Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS) or Tsunami Relief Council (TRC) with Muslim Ministers and Deputy Ministers.

At Monday's discussions at the President's House, the Muslim legislators expressed their concerns regarding certain aspects of the P-TOMS, a Presidential Media Unit release said. "Their concerns were discussed in depth with the President. They proposed some options with the objective of resolving the issues causing their community apprehension," it said.

UPFA General Secretary Minister Susil Premajayantha was associated with the President at the discussions.

Following the discussion, the National Unity Alliance has withdrawn an ultimatum to the Government that the P-TOMS be withdrawn by Tuesday. The party has since decided to stick with the Government.

"Following talks with the President, the NUA will not rock the boat," a party official told reporters.

NUA spokesman and Condominium Management Authority (CMA) Chairman Abul Kalam said their party will continue to remain in the UPFA alliance since they strongly believed in President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga's commitment of justice and fairplay by the minorities and were confident of the resolution of Muslims' concerns with regard to the P-TOMS. The President held several rounds of talks with Muslim theologians and legislators over the last few weeks prior to the signing of the P-TOMS last Friday. In a recent discussion with Muslim theologians in the East, the President assured them that the rights and security of the Muslim community would be safeguarded and respected and that they will be given their rightful share in the proposed P-TOMS.

President Kumaratunga met with Minister Ferial Ashraff and a delegation of her party on June 21. The President assured Minister Ashraff that she was fully conscious of the fears, anxieties and concerns of the Muslim people in the context of the suffering the Muslim community has endured during for more than two decades of armed violence and the recent tsunami natural disaster.

On that occasion, she assured Minister Ashraff that the Tsunami Relief Council takes into consideration and accommodates many of the interests of the Muslim community and has clauses for addressing their concerns.

During the long negotiations between the GoSL and the LTTE on the Tsunami Relief Council, the GoSL negotiated hard to accommodate Muslim concerns, persuading the LTTE to agree to some significant practical measures. Specifically the Muslim parties have equal representation at the national level, sufficient representation to prevent decisions that may adversely affect them at the regional level, and dominant representation in the areas where they live.

She assured Minister Ashraff and other Muslim leaders that her government would in the future as in the past take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of the Muslim people living in the East and the North.

Further, the President strongly recommended that Muslim leaders consider the proposed Tsunami Relief Council in its totality and the gains that may be made by the Muslim community as a whole, through full participation in it. The President also met MP Rauff Hakeem to discuss Muslim concerns regarding the P-TOMS.

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Muslim Council Meets Ranil

Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo, SLT 10.00 P.M Tuesday 28 June 2005. An eight member delegation from the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka met opposition leader Ranil Wickramasinge at the opposition leader's office at Cambridge Terrace at 4 PM today. During the meeting, the Muslim Council presented its concerns with regard to the P-TOMS signed by the Government and the LTTE. The Muslim Council pointed out the serious flaws in the agreement, with special emphasis on the need for the Government of Sri Lanka to maintain the chairmanship at all levels of administration and equal representation for the Muslim, Tamil and Sinhala community in the regional and district committees.

The opposition leader also commented on the injustice to the Sinhala and Muslim Community in the P-TOMS agreement and assured his support and consideration in a future government under him. The opposition leader also agreed to meet a delegation of Muslim Youth from the Eastern province on Friday at his office. Wickremasinghe wants to assure the youth that he will find a solution to their grievances under a UNP government and urged them to avoid violence, and conduct any opposition through peaceful means.

The Muslim council of Sri Lanka has also requested a meeting with President Chandirika Bandaranayke Kumaranatunga. They will also meet the Tamil National Alliance, The Prime Minister, other Political parties and Co-chairs of the Tokyo agreement to discuss their concerns.

Muslims Take Anti-JM Harthals To Mutur.

Udara Soysa(LM), June 28. Following the string of Harthals imposed by angry Muslims in the Ampara / Batticaloa districts yesterday, the mass anti P-TOMS agitations by the Muslim community will be extended to Trincomalee tomorrow , according to a member of the organizing committee in Mutur.

It was not immediately clear whether the Harthals will grip Trincomalee town but will certainly be launched in Mutur early morning, the sources said.

The organizing committee was in conference finalizing Harthal plans at the time of writing.
In yesterday's decisive Harthal action by the Muslims in Ampara and Batticaloa, traders of all communities were compelled to put up shutters while transport and other services were also shut down completely.

It is learnt that the Harthal, if staged in Trincomalee could generate adverse repercussions and might hence not be staged in Trincomalee town, where the controversial Buddha statue issue remains an explosive powder-keg issueand could give rise to unwarranted complications right now if a hartal is staged there.

Yesterday's Harthals in Ampara and Batticaloa was a historic first as an agitational exercise by the Muslim community in Sri Lanka, that spread with surprising rapidity through more than ten commercial areas in the district, bringing life to a grinding halt everywhere.

Our reporters in the province said scanty pro-PTOMS canvassing by other Muslim interests was drawing no response from an angry eastern province Muslim community.

Political sources said that a break up of another mushroom Muslim party in the government was expected within the next week.

Meanwhile, unprecedented responses from Muslims in the Ampara district has resulted in the SLMC leadership being compelled to extend its eastern province tour by another two days.

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JM puts Muslim devolution rights in grave jeopardy – Rauff Hakeem
Although the Government touts the Joint Mechanism as a mere operational arrangement to distribute Tsunami aid, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Leader Rauff Hakeem told the media today that the "Manner in which the document was finalised had very serious implications in the context of substantive devolution arrangements in a future resumption of peace talks.

Speaking at Party headquarters Dar-us-Salaam in Colombo,Mr.Hakeem said there were implicational clauses in the JM which "cause very serious concern to our future when these implications are considered seriously."

He drove home the point repeatedly that these were the very aspects he sought to secure safeguards against in the formulation stage of the JM and in its implementation stage.". But with Parliament being adjourned, even then we were not able to place on record our position vis—a-vis the JM.

We very categorically insisted that the Muslim community can not be overlooked being a principal party in determining what should be in the document. This has been consistently denied to the Muslim community despite our demands and requests to the government, facilitators, and our complaints to the donor community. Now we find that the way in which the document has been finalised, it has serious implication for the future peace process as well for the Muslim community, he added.

He said the SLMC will immediately launch an awareness campaign among the Muslim people, the affected people in the areas and thereafter decide what its response would be.

Right now I must say the party is of the position that extending our cooperation to this mechanism would be quite difficult given the present composition of the document. Therefore, there may have to be some opportunity for us to raise these issues with the parties concerned, the government and the LTTE. When I met with the President, I did emphasise to her that unless we are able to see in black and white what the document contains.

"We find that some details which have been revealed to us have serious implication for the future of the Muslim community in the peace process. Therefore, we are exercising maximum restraint in taking a total rejection stance because, it also involves the rebuilding of infrastructure and the damaged private properties of the affected people, we would give due consideration to all of that," Mr.Hakeem said, adding that however, "in the mean time we can not compromise the community's basic rights to be consulted, to be involved in the process.

And that has been denied to us and that major blow will also have serious repercussions for the co-existence among communities and therefore as a responsible party we will start our awareness campaigns since the details are only now made available to us, and this has been hatched in total secrecy for so long.

We have been asking our colleagues, who for a variety of reasons had gone and joined the government, to re-unite with us and bring substantial pressure so that at least we would be able to prevent this happening in this manner.

Once again I must reiterate that we are not in league with some of the parties which are totally rejecting any arrangement with the LTTE. We feel that we should have some kind of a mechanism, but this is not the way to go about it, and therefore, I must say that we can not cooperate with this arrangement as it is, that's our position, and we want to make it very clear.

"What we are trying to say here is that by basic denial of our rights to participate in this document as a party, we have not been able to make our input into it and now we find the implications of some of these provisions are going to visit us in a future peace process as well. Therefore, if we did participate without any protest about these matters, without reserving our rights to or without getting the parties who have already signed it to acknowledge that these matters are not going to be taken as a given" it would be a gross abuse of our peoples trust in us.

Forces not consulted on JM

Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo, SLT 7.45 A.M Monday 27 June 2005. Members of the Security Forces expressed anger and displeasure that the government did not consult them before signing the joint mechanism with the LTTE. Senior officers say that there was no professional input from the forces and they are surprised by what the government has done. One officer said "The international community and the LTTE have taken it by force. They attacked our people, killed them violated the CFA and now they have got what they wanted."

Another officer said even the CFA had many gaps and the security forces were never consulted on it even then. He said "The politicians have put us into an embarrassing situation. Even the Trinco harbour area could be now controlled by the LTTE in Killinochchi. The LTTE could use most places along the 2 km coastal area as landing places and the LTTE would make demands saying that they have a legal right after the document was signed." He also wanted to know what the government would do then.

Navy officers say that many Navy camps are covered and come under the joint mechanism agreement. They accuse the government for not consulting the Navy, custodian of the Sri Lankan seas. "The LTTE could control from the South of Yang Oya now and they could do whatever they want. There could be many repercussions due to this. We are in serious doubt. What happens if they come and open a so called Tsunami relief camp 10 yards from a Navy camp? What do we do then? Questioned the officers.

Several Security Forces members said they have decided to ignore the charges levelled by President Kumaratunga that security forces were corrupt. "They are baseless. She is also a politician. We know what most politicians are up to. Don't we', said A war veteran

Ferial under pressure, Hisbullah quits

Chairman Airport Authority M. L. A. M. Hisbullah resigned from his post yesterday (Sunday) protesting against the joint mechanism signed between the government and the LTTE. Hisbullah, who is also the Deputy Chairman of the National Unity Alliance (NUA), gave his leader, minister Ferial Ashroff, forty eight (48) hours to quit the government. Hisbullah told Ashroff that he would also quit from NUA if she would not leave the government.

Hisbullah says by signing the joint mechanism, Kumaratunga has betrayed the Muslims, who were most affected by the tsunami. He was also a former deputy minister for Telecommunications and a close confidante of Minister Mangala Samaraweera. SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem welcomed the resignation and the stand taken by Hisbullah. He said " Even though its late he has taken a courageous stand. we hope others also would follow him"

Ashroff is coming under tremendous pressure to quit the government by her people. Several Muslim organizations have called for a Hartal in the Ampara district today to protest against the joint mechanism. They have asked that the shops and other institutions be closed today.

JVP protestors who tried to storm Parliament yesterday morning disperse after police fired tear gas.

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JM puts Muslim devolution rights in grave jeopardy – Rauff Hakeem

Although the Government touts the Joint Mechanism as a mere operational arrangement to distribute Tsunami aid, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Leader Rauff Hakeem told the media today that the "Manner in which the document was finalised had very serious implications in the context of substantive devolution arrangements in a future resumption of peace talks.

Speaking at Party headquarters Dar-us-Salaam in Colombo,Mr.Hakeem said there were implicational clauses in the JM which "cause very serious concern to our future when these implications are considered seriously."

He drove home the point repeatedly that these were the very aspects he sought to secure safeguards against in the formulation stage of the JM and in its implementation stage.". But with Parliament being adjourned, even then we were not able to place on record our position vis—a-vis the JM.

We very categorically insisted that the Muslim community can not be overlooked being a principal party in determining what should be in the document. This has been consistently denied to the Muslim community despite our demands and requests to the government, facilitators, and our complaints to the donor community. Now we find that the way in which the document has been finalised, it has serious implication for the future peace process as well for the Muslim community, he added.

He said the SLMC will immediately launch an awareness campaign among the Muslim people, the affected people in the areas and thereafter decide what its response would be.

Right now I must say the party is of the position that extending our cooperation to this mechanism would be quite difficult given the present composition of the document. Therefore, there may have to be some opportunity for us to raise these issues with the parties concerned, the government and the LTTE. When I met with the President, I did emphasise to her that unless we are able to see in black and white what the document contains.

"We find that some details which have been revealed to us have serious implication for the future of the Muslim community in the peace process. Therefore, we are exercising maximum restraint in taking a total rejection stance because, it also involves the rebuilding of infrastructure and the damaged private properties of the affected people, we would give due consideration to all of that," Mr.Hakeem said, adding that however, "in the mean time we can not compromise the community's basic rights to be consulted, to be involved in the process.

And that has been denied to us and that major blow will also have serious repercussions for the co-existence among communities and therefore as a responsible party we will start our awareness campaigns since the details are only now made available to us, and this has been hatched in total secrecy for so long.

We have been asking our colleagues, who for a variety of reasons had gone and joined the government, to re-unite with us and bring substantial pressure so that at least we would be able to prevent this happening in this manner.

Once again I must reiterate that we are not in league with some of the parties which are totally rejecting any arrangement with the LTTE. We feel that we should have some kind of a mechanism, but this is not the way to go about it, and therefore, I must say that we can not cooperate with this arrangement as it is, that's our position, and we want to make it very clear.

"What we are trying to say here is that by basic denial of our rights to participate in this document as a party, we have not been able to make our input into it and now we find the implications of some of these provisions are going to visit us in a future peace process as well. Therefore, if we did participate without any protest about these matters, without reserving our rights to or without getting the parties who have already signed it to acknowledge that these matters are not going to be taken as a given" it would be a gross abuse of our peoples trust in us.

Sri Lanka's main Muslim party rejects deal to share tsunami aid

Sri Lanka's main Muslim party said Saturday it will boycott a deal signed between the government and the Tamil Tiger rebels to share international tsunami aid because it doesn't include Muslims as equal partners.

``They are looking at us as bystanders and this is not acceptable. We cannot participate in it,'' Rauff Hakeem of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress told a news conference, a day after the deal was signed.

The Dec. 26 tsunami hit the eastern coast where most Muslims live. Hakeem said his party will appeal for an amendment to the deal to include Muslims, the country's second-largest minority after the Tamils.

Sri Lanka's economically powerful Muslims comprise 1.3 million of the island's 19 million people, and like the Tamils, they want autonomy in areas where they are the majority. Hakeem's party has six seats in the 225-member Parliament.

Hakeem said the tsunami aid sharing deal may set a precedent and reduce Muslim chances for autonomy when a final deal is agreed upon between the rebels and the government to end the country's civil war.

The Tiger rebels generally don't trust the Muslims, because they see them as siding with the government.

During the two decades of war, the rebels carried out systematic killings of Muslims, including an August 1990 massacre of 130 people at two mosques on the same day. The rebels have driven out tens of thousands of Muslims from the northern Jaffna Peninsula, and many continue to live in camps.

The aid-sharing deal has already been rejected by the Marxists and the powerful Buddhist monks.

The pact paves the way for the government and rebels to share US$3 billion (euro2.4 billion) in foreign tsunami aid, ensuring that the Tamil-dominated north and east - parts of which are under rebel control - get a fair share of funds.

Critics say the deal raises the rebels' legitimacy in the international community, boosting their separatist agenda and undermining the country's sovereignty. The Marxists pulled their lawmakers out of President Chandrika Kumaratunga's ruling coalition over the issue, reducing her formerly majority coalition to a minority in Parliament. The government could collapse if other parties side with the Marxists in a no-confidence vote.

A 2002 Norway-brokered cease-fire halted the two-decade civil war between the Tigers and the government that left nearly 65,000 people dead. Subsequent peace talks have been deadlocked over rebel demands for wide autonomy.

The waves killed more than 31,000 people in Sri Lanka and made 1 million homeless.

Yesterday�s panorama of Mihintale lit up by ANCL.

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Tigers Invite Muslim Leadership For Talks….slate CBK.

LTTE Political Wing leader S.Thamilchelvan has told Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesssen today that the Muslim leadership must have talks with the LTTE towards considering their grievances and possibly accommodating them in the Joint Memorandum.

Thamilchelvan charged today that President Kumaratunga's "proclamations alone were not sufficient to alleviate the sufferings of the Tsunami hit people in the North-East province."

A spokesman for the LTTE in Kilinochchi said Thamilchelvan came down hard on Kumaratunga saying " the people had already reached the very extremes of suffering and tolerance. Furthermore, he said, the people have been waiting for over 20 years of the war to get back to normalcy.

Helgesen is reported to have told Thamilchelvan that the government wanted a few more assurances before aid began flowing from the $3.5 billion foreign aid for Tsunami reconstruction .

What was essential today was to salvage the peace process, he said adding that this was being threatened seriously by cease-fire violations, for the CFA is the key to the entire peace process and if that is hijacked by scheming elements, then there is no useful purpose in the Joint Mechanism or any mechanism for that matter." Tamilselvan said.

He expressed disgust over the armed groups sponsored by the SL Military intelligence units and urged that the case of post-war resettlement, rehabilitation, reconstruction, resettlement and development must not be placed on the back burner.He urged the facilitators to interact with the government to bring about an attitudinal change in Colombo.

Sixty representatives from civilian organizations presented a memorandum to the Norwegian Ambassador expressing Tamil concern over the developing trend in the south. The memorandum recalled " many deceptions heaped on the Tamil people during the past and the growing race hatred and religious fanaticism that is posing a serious threat to communal harmony, in the south.

Tigers Invite Muslim Leadership For Talks….slate CBK.

LTTE Political Wing leader S.Thamilchelvan has told Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesssen today that the Muslim leadership must have talks with the LTTE towards considering their grievances and possibly accommodating them in the Joint Memorandum.

Thamilchelvan charged today that President Kumaratunga's "proclamations alone were not sufficient to alleviate the sufferings of the Tsunami hit people in the North-East province."

A spokesman for the LTTE in Kilinochchi said Thamilchelvan came down hard on Kumaratunga saying " the people had already reached the very extremes of suffering and tolerance. Furthermore, he said, the people have been waiting for over 20 years of the war to get back to normalcy. Helgesen is reported to have told Thamilchelvan that the government wanted a few more assurances before aid began flowing from the $3.5 billion foreign aid for Tsunami reconstruction .

What was essential today was to salvage the peace process, he said adding that this was being threatened seriously by cease-fire violations, for the CFA is the key to the entire peace process and if that is hijacked by scheming elements, then there is no useful purpose in the Joint Mechanism or any mechanism for that matter." Tamilselvan said.

He expressed disgust over the armed groups which he claimed are being sponsored by the SL Military intelligence units and urged that the case of post-war resettlement, rehabilitation, reconstruction, resettlement and development must not be placed on the back burner.He urged the facilitators to interact with the government to bring about an attitudinal change in Colombo.

Ferial will not Quit Government.

The National Unity Alliance lead by Ferial Ashroff will not leave the government even if Muslim aspirations are not included in Tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation structure. NUA leader Ferial Ashroff said "why should we leave the government ? There won't be any JM signed without the inclusion of Muslim aspirations".

Cegu Izzadeen of the National Unity Alliance told the web site Lankamuslims that they do not seek to withdraw their support from the government as they were confident that the President will do justice to the Muslim minority.

He also added that the President stated she was convinced that the Muslims must be a equal signatory in the Joint Mechanism in talks with Muslim MP's.

However, the President had said she would pass this request to the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam through the Norwegian officials.The Norwegian delegation however returned after talks with the LTTE in Kilinochchi empty handed. Thamilchelvan had told Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen that the Muslim leadership should initiate talks with the LTTE to sort out Muslim rights in the JM.

Mr.Izzadeen, the Deputy Minister of Media and Information said he was confident that the LTTE wwould respect the request of the Muslim minority.

Meanwhile, Cegu Izzadeen said that the NUA ministers will not quit the government even if the muslim aspirations are not included in the P-TOM.

"The government and the president are doing the best to accommodate the Muslim representation and if a problem arises, it will only be because of the LTTE so we see no relevance in quitting the government" he added.

However, LTTE sources claimed that the Norwegian officials who visited the LTTE delegation did not bring any decisive message from the government. More...

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"Better late than Never," Muslim Peace Secretariat tells Norway

Munza Mushtaq in Colombo, June 21, 2005, 8.34 p.m.. Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen today termed the possible non inclusion of the Muslim aspirations in the proposed Post Tsunami Operations Management Structure (P-TOMS) as an 'irreparable damage'.

During a meeting with Muslim peace Secretariat Officials today at the Norwegian Embassy, the Norwegian Facilitator had however claimed that it was now too late to amend the P-TOMS deal to accommodate the community's needs. But had noted the Muslim community was represented at both the Apex level and Regional level. However the Muslim Peace Secretariat officials had insisted upon the need for the Facilitators to impress upon to the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Government to include the Muslim Community's needs in the P-TOMS more commonly known to as the 'Joint Mechanism'. But Helgesen had claimed that 'its too late', to which the MPS officials had responded as 'better late than never'.

Sri Lankan Muslim leader expresses opposition to govt, Tiger joint deal

The minority Muslim community are to oppose the proposed joint deal between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers, the leader of the main Muslim party said Tuesday.

Rauff Hakeem, the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC)told reporters after a meeting with the visiting Norwegian deputy foreign minister Vidar Helgesen that he was planning to meet with President Chandrika Kumaratunga on the issue

Hakeem said he was disappointed with the Norwegian peace facilitator's failure to have the Muslim community as a signatory to the joint mechanism with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels.

Hakeem said Helgesen had told him that the final draft of the mechanism had been finalized and it was not possible to amend it now.

The government and the LTTE would be the only two signatories to the mechanism which has presented Kumaratunga with severe political repercussions.

The SLMC leader said that the Muslim representatives had earlier been assured that adequate accommodation of Muslim concerns would be made in implementing the mechanism and that Muslims would be given the status of a signatory.

He said he would be having talks with the rest of the Muslim representatives to discuss a common stand against the latest turn of events on the mechanism.

The main partner in the Kumaratunga's ruling alliance, the JVP or the People's Liberation Front had already walked out of the government reducing it to a parliamentary minority.

The Sri Lankan president, however, is determined to go ahead inimplementing it in order to ensure equitable distribution of tsunami relief assistance to Tamil regions in the north and east controlled by the Tigers. Enditem

Today is Fathers� Day. Poets and writers often eloquently describe the mother�s love for the child, but a father�s love is also equally limitless. Parents will surmount all obstacles to bring up their children, as evidenced by this father and mother feeding their child at a camp for the tsunami displaced in Panadura. This father, mother and infant are among the lucky families who survived the cataclysm. Despite the adversity, they are determined to secure a bright future for their child.

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Donors support President, LTTE effort to implement P-TOMS

Co-chairs of the Sri Lanka Donor Group said they support President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, her Government and the LTTE's, commitment to rapidly implement the structure to administer tsunami assistance in the North-East. The Co-chairs in a statement also called on the LTTE to stop assassinations, including of individuals such as Tamil informants, members of other Tamil groups and political parties and government and military officials, and to stop the recruitment and the use of child soldiers.

The Co-chairs of the Sri Lanka Donor Group, met in Washington DC on June 13. The statement: "The Co-chairs of the Sri Lanka Donor Group met on June 13 to discuss the current situation in Sri Lanka and consider the way forward."

Peace process and Ceasefire Agreement We note with utmost concern that while full-scale hostilities have not resumed, respect for the Ceasefire Agreement has been undermined by persistent violence, including assassinations of individuals affiliated with both parties. The resulting climate of impunity violates the spirit of the Ceasefire Agreement.

The Co-chairs urge the parties to take all necessary steps to end violence and enforce all provisions of the Ceasefire Agreement in areas under their control. The Co-chairs call on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to stop assassinations, including of individuals such as Tamil informants, members of other Tamil groups and political parties and government and military officials, and to stop the recruitment and use of child soldiers.

The Co-chairs likewise call on the Sri Lankan Government to take decisive action to ensure that killings are stopped and paramilitaries are disarmed immediately as required in the Ceasefire Agreement.

We recognise that most Sri Lankans understand that the only path to a better future is through negotiations aimed at peaceful settlement. The Co-chairs continue to call on the Government and the LTTE to bring about substantial and concrete progress in the peace process.

The Co-chairs commend the untiring efforts of Norway to facilitate a peaceful resolution to this conflict, and the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in carrying out the monitoring of the Ceasefire Agreement.

Tsunami reconstruction

The Co-chairs support the commitment by the President, her Government and the LTTE to rapidly implement the structure to administer tsunami assistance in the North and East. The Co-chairs recognise the importance of the Muslim community in the functioning of this structure.

We believe such a structure will facilitate effectiveness and equity in tsunami assistance, and can help build confidence between the two sides. We urge the immediate signing of the agreement in order to ensure proper flow of reconstruction aid to tsunami victims in the North and East.

The Co-chairs call on all donors, private and public, to tailor their reconstruction activities in the North and East to the specific humanitarian situation, particularly the need to observe a balance between the victims of the conflict and those of the tsunami."

UNP Calls for Presidential election

While the United National Party says it is not interested in forming a government by capitalizing on a crisis situation faced by President Kumaratunga, it's, calling for a Presidential election by the end of this year. The UNP is of the view that the Presidential election should be held by the end of this year, while the government and the President had gone on record saying she can stay in power till the end of next year. The UNP will begin its pressure campaign with the Jana Bala Meheyuma next month to exert pressure on the President and the government. Party leader Ranil Wickremasinghe has already begun his election campaign. The SLFP and the JVP are yet to announce its candidates.

Some sections of the UNP are calling for the President to resign immediately without leading the country into oblivion. UNP MP, Mano Wijeratne said "She must resign immediately because she is not decisive as a leader. Look at leaders like JRJ and Ranil Wickremasinghe. They took decisions at the right time for the sake of the country however, hard it was for them. She just cannot make her mind up. If she cannot do it she must hand it over to a person who can do it, hold Presidential elections and let the people decide". Wijeratne said that one must look at the state of the economy to see how decisive Chandrika was. "Look at the cost of living. She has not made any decision on the Petroleum Corporation, Electricity Board and whole lot of other issues. Leader should be able to make decisions added Wijeratne. The UNP also urged Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse to break his silence and come out openly and explain to the country his stance on the proposed joint mechanism. Rajapakse, who has a reputation as a grass root leader, is yet to explain his position and has on several occasions said that he is not fully aware of the mechanism.

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JVP accused of 'psychological terrorism’

President Kumaratunga with JVP leader Somawansa Amerasinghe

Kumaratunga says JVP ministers are blocking 'progressive' cabinet papers

Sri Lanka’s president has accused her coalition partner of running a psychological warfare against her government.

Making a scathing attack on the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), President Chandrika Kumaratunga on Sunday said the JVP is sabotaging every attempt in the Cabinet of ministers to introduce “progressive” cabinet papers.

In an hour-long live phone-in interview with Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), the president has accused the four JVP ministers in the cabinet of running a “psychological terrorism”.

Kumaratunga told the chairman of the SLBC Hudson Samarasinghe that the JVP is on a mission to spread false information that the proposed mechanism to share relief aid with Tamil tigers would threaten Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Joint Mechanism

She admitted the country’s economy facing a crisis “due to JVP’s activites”. JVP ministers are blocking all cabinet papers of other ministers while getting approval for their own “pet projects”.

Peoples Bank for example, is on the verge of collapse due to unpaid Rs. 95 billion by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), Kumaratunga said.

The inflation rate, which is at 18.5 percent at the moment, could be reduced to 10 percent if the JVP allows restructuring of “failing” government institutions, according to the president.

The JVP on Friday threatened to leave the government unless Kumaratunga withdraw her plans to sign the proposed joint mechanism (JM) between the government and the Tamil Tigers for tsunami reconstruction before 15 June.

However, in an apparent attempt to mobilise support for the JM, she met parliamentarians of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) later on Sunday.

The president said she would meet opposition leader Ranil Wickramasinghe this week.

Tsunami survivors protest in southern Sri Lanka demanding compensation for destroyed homes

Hundreds of tsunami survivors protested in southern Sri Lanka Sunday alleging the government has still not compensated them for homes lost to December catastrophe.

The demonstrators in Pareliya village carrying black flags blocked traffic on the main road linking capital Colombo with the southern town of Galle.

Protesters turned violent and stoned a bus when police tried to disperse the crowd. They said police attacked protesting women with rifle butts. No one was injured.

Later the villagers sat blocking aroad and demanded that a senior minister visit and assure them of a quick resolution to the problem.

``We have lived in this area with much respect but we have lost everything now and we are not receiving any assistance from the government,'' protester Premalal Dhanawardena said by telephone.

Peraliya, 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Colombo was where a train was swept by massive waves on Dec. 26, killing 2,000 passengers and villagers who tried to escape by crawling on top of the train.

Dhanawardena said the government promised 250,000 rupees (US$2,500; euro2,061) for every destroyed home but has not paid.

More than 31,000 Sri Lankan were killed and about 1 million lost their homes in the disaster.

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The LTTE is unlikely to accept India's condition that it should accept other Tamil parties as members of the proposed Joint Mechanism for post-tsunami reconstruction in the North Eastern Province (NEP), according to an informed Tamil source in the north. "The LTTE guards its status as the sole representative of the Tamils zealously. The only Tamil party it will accommodate in the mechanism is its proxy in parliament, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA)," the source said. "By insisting on the inclusion of other Tamil parties, India has in effect scuttled the Joint Mechanism proposal," the source added. The source was reacting to a report in the NDTV on Friday in which India's National Security Advisor, MK Narayanan, said that India had agreed to the Joint Mechanism proposal on the condition that other Tamil parties, and not just the LTTE, were also included. "We have agreed to the proposal as long as it is not with the LTTE alone, but with other Tamil parties too," Narayanan told the TV network in New Delhi after the end of the talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the visiting Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga. Kumaratunga had sought India's support for her bid to establish a Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS) for reconstruction work in the Tamil-speaking North Eastern Province (NEP). The proposal mooted first by Norway, and then accepted by the LTTE, envisaged the participation of the Sri Lankan government, the LTTE or its nominees, and representatives of the Sinhala and Muslim minorities. But the proposal ran into a severe storm in the Sinhala-dominated South Sri Lanka, where key political parties said that it would give legitimacy to the LTTE, make it the sole representative of the Tamils and the also give it access and control of reconstruction in areas of the NEP over which it has no control now. A key coalition partner, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JHU) threatened to walk out of government and bring it down. The Buddhist monk's party, the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), threatened to make it a hot social-political-religious issue which could inflame Sinhala-Buddhist nationalist passions. On the other hand, the international community led by the US, the donor countries who had pledged US$ 3 billion for post tsunami reconstruction, and Bill Clinton, UN's special envoy on tsunami relief, strongly backed the proposal for a Joint Mechanism as proposed by Norway and accepted by the LTTE. This put President Kumaratunga on the horns of a dilemma. On the one hand, there was the domestic political threat, endangering her government and the chances of her party in the 2006 Presidential elections. On the other hand, there was the possible alienation of the international community and a cut in the much needed development assistance, a cut which might affect reconstruction work in the tsunami-hit parts of South Sri Lankan also. Kumaratunga then rushed to New Delhi to consult the regional power, India, and apprised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of her efforts to establish the Joint Mechanism which she called P-TOMS. According to the Joint Communique, Singh "expressed understanding of and support for these ongoing efforts." India's conditional support But clearly, India had more things to say than this, as Narayanan's statement to NDTV reveals. India's support is tied to the inclusion of other Tamil parties and not just the LTTE or its proxies. "Although the only other Tamil party in the Sri Lankan parliament from the North East is the EPDP (Eelam Peoples'' Democratic Party), and the EPDP has only one seat, the LTTE will not accept the EPDP on the mechanism. The LTTE and the EPDP are sworn enemies," the northern source quoted above said. Now that a top Indian official has said that the LTTE cannot be taken as the sole representative of the Tamils, the JVP and JHU will take up the tune, and will be chanting it, forcing the President to accept the Indian formulation. But if she does accept it, the LTTE opts out of the process! Plan to get parliament backing for JM To fight the opposition from the JVP and the JHU and draw the main opposition party, the United National Party (UNP) out of its shell, President Kumararunga is reported to be thinking of presenting the Joint Mechanism proposal to the Sri Lankan parliament. If parliament passes the proposal (with a simple majority with the support of the UNP), she could go ahead and establish the Joint Mechanism legitimately. The JVP and JHU may lose face as a result. She would get a simple majority even if the UNP abstains. But if the UNP abstains, the victory will be considered a politically illegitimate one, as only a minority of MPs will have been present and voting. But a victory, however got, will certainly alienate of the JVP and will adversely affect her party's chances in the 2006 Presidential elections or any election for that matter. Kumaratunga's Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) cannot win national elections without JVP's support.

Ericsson Gets GSM Deal With Mobitel In Sri Lanka

STOCKHOLM -(Dow Jones)- Swedish telecommunications equipment maker Telefon AB LM Ericsson (ERICY) Tuesday said it has been selected by Mobitel as the exclusive vendor to expand Mobitel's telecommunications network in Sri Lanka.

Ericsson said it will supply both core and radio access network equipment, including Global System for Mobile communications, General Packet Radio Service, Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution equipment, as well as turnkey network design, deployment and integration services.

The agreement complements the another contract that was previously awarded to Ericsson, leading to Mobitel's launch of mobile services in 2002, for both consumer and corporate market segments.

The current contract together with the existing will enable Mobitel to more than double its network capacity and offer the latest and advanced features and services to its end users, thereby strengthening Mobitel's leadership in Sri Lanka.

Edited Press Release

STOCKHOLM -(Dow Jones)- Swedish telecommunications equipment maker Telefon AB LM Ericsson (ERICY) Tuesday said it has been selected by Mobitel as the exclusive vendor to expand Mobitel's telecommunications network in Sri Lanka.

Ericsson said it will supply both core and radio access network equipment, including Global System for Mobile communications, General Packet Radio Service, Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution equipment, as well as turnkey network design, deployment and integration services.

The agreement complements another contract that was previously awarded to Ericsson, leading to Mobitel's launch of mobile services in 2002 for both consumer and corporate market segments.

The current contract together with the existing one will enable Mobitel to more than double its network capacity and offer the latest advanced features and services to its end users, thereby strengthening Mobitel's leadership in Sri Lanka.

Members of Bangladesh Soldiers of Islam, the children wing of Youth Jamiyat, hold the Quran during an anti-U.S. protest in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, June 3, 2005. The group was demonstrating against the alleged desecration of the Quran by U.S. soldiers in Guantanamo Bay


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U.S. Confirms Gitmo Soldier Kicked Quran

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon on Friday released new details about mishandling of the Quran at the Guantanamo Bay prison for terror suspects, confirming that a soldier deliberately kicked the Muslim holy book and that an interrogator stepped on a Quran and was later fired for "a pattern of unacceptable behavior." In other confirmed incidents, a guard's urine came through an air vent and splashed on a detainee and his Quran; water balloons thrown by prison guards caused an unspecified number of Qurans to get wet; and in a confirmed but ambiguous case, a two-word obscenity was written in English on the inside cover of a Quran. The findings, released after normal business hours Friday evening, are among the results of an investigation last month by Brig. Gen. Jay Hood, the commander of the detention center in Cuba, that was triggered by a Newsweek magazine report — later retracted — that a U.S. soldier had flushed one Guantanamo Bay detainee's Quran down a toilet.

The story stirred worldwide controversy and the Bush administration blamed it for deadly demonstrations in Afghanistan. Hood said in a written statement released Friday evening, along with the new details, that his investigation "revealed a consistent, documented policy of respectful handling of the Quran dating back almost 2 1/2 years." A spokesman for Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, Lawrence Di Rita, did not address the confirmed incidents of mishandling the Muslim holy book. Reached while traveling with Rumsfeld in Asia, Di Rita said that U.S. Southern Command policy calls for "serious, respectful and appropriate" handling of the Quran. "The Hood inquiry would appear to affirm that policy," Di Rita said. Hood said that of nine mishandling cases that were studied in detail by reviewing thousands of pages of written records, five were confirmed to have happened. He could not determine conclusively whether the four others took place. In one of those four unconfirmed cases, a detainee in April 2003 complained to FBI and other interrogators that guards "constantly defile the Quran." The detainee alleged that in one instance a female military guard threw a Quran into a bag of wet towels to anger another detainee, and he also alleged that another guard said the Quran belonged in the toilet and that guards were ordered to do these things. Hood said he found no other record of this detainee mentioning any Quran mishandling. The detainee has since been released. In the most recent confirmed case, Hood said a detainee complained on March 25, 2005, of urine splashing on him and his Quran. An unidentified guard admitted at the time that "he was at fault," the Hood report said, although it did not say whether the act was deliberate. The guard's supervisor reprimanded him and assigned him to gate guard duty, where he had no contact with detainees for the remainder of his assignment at Guantanamo Bay.

As described in the Hood report, the guard had left his observation post and went outside to urinate. He urinated near an air vent and the wind blew his urine through the vent into the cell block. The incident was not further explained. In another of the confirmed cases, a contract interrogator stepped on a detainee's Quran in July 2003 and then apologized. "The interrogator was later terminated for a pattern of unacceptable behavior, an inability to follow direct guidance and poor leadership," the Hood report said. Hood also said his investigation found 15 cases of detainees mishandling their own Qurans. "These included using a Quran as a pillow, ripping pages out of the Quran, attempting to flush a Quran down the toilet and urinating on the Quran," Hood's report said. It offered no possible explanation for those alleged abuses. In the most recent of those 15 cases, a detainee on Feb. 18, 2005, allegedly ripped up his Quran and handed it to a guard, stating that he had given up on being a Muslim. Several of the guards witnessed this, Hood reported. Last week, Hood disclosed that he had confirmed five cases of mishandling of the Quran, but he refused to provide details. Allegations of Quran desecration at Guantanamo Bay have led to anti-American passions in many Muslim nations, although Pentagon officials have insisted that the problems were relatively minor and that U.S. commanders have gone to great lengths to enable detainees to practice their religion in captivity.

Hood said last week that he found no credible evidence that a Quran was ever flushed down a toilet. He said a prisoner who was reported to have complained to an FBI agent in 2002 that a military guard threw a Quran in the toilet has since told Hood's investigators that he never witnessed any form of Quran desecration. Other prisoners who were returned to their home countries after serving time at Guantanamo Bay as terror suspects have alleged Quran desecration by U.S. guards, and some have said a Quran was placed in a toilet. There are about 540 detainees at Guantanamo Bay. Some have been there more than three years without being charged with a crime. Most were captured on the battlefields of Afghanistan in 2001 and 2002 and were sent to Guantanamo Bay in hope of extracting useful intelligence about the al-Qaida terrorist network. Both President Bush and Rumsfeld have denounced an Amnesty International report that called the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay "the gulag of our time."

The president told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday that the report by the human-rights group was "absurd." On Wednesday, Rumsfeld called the characterization "reprehensible" and said the U.S. military had taken care to ensure that detainees were free to practice their religion. However, he also acknowledged that some detainees had been mistreated, even "grievously" at times.

Austrians to build 2000 houses for Lanka's Tsunami victims

Austrian organisations working in Sri Lanka will build around 2000 houses at a cost of approximately Rs. 600 million for tsunami victims who lost homes. Those organisations and the Austrian public have already donated 50 million Euro to Sri Lanka for the welfare of tsunami victims, Consul for Austria Senaka D. Amerasinghe said.

Addressing the media at the Colombo Plaza yesterday, Amerasinghe said Austria is very happy about the way Sri Lankans handled the reconstruction of railway tracks destroyed by the tsunami. Two hundred houses in the Galle district have already been constructed and handed over to victims. Construction of more houses are being carried out by Austrian organisations, he added.

Amerasinghe said the Vice Chancellor of the Austrian Government will visit Sri Lanka next week.

Sri Lanka's Coordinator of Institute for Integrative Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding, Christopher Temt said rebuilding tsunami affected villages is not just reconstructing houses but is building peace. This is Austria's contribution for a peaceful Sri Lanka.

Site Project Manager, Waagner - Biro Brueckenbau AG, Colombo Office, Ernie Jimenez said three villages: 250 houses and a hospital in Nintavur, 200 houses in Vattavan and 100 houses in Samuduragama will be constructed. The number of houses expected to be built in the North-East is around 550 and the number of houses expected to built in the South is 450.

Several other representatives from different Austrian organisations also spoke. According to them, they maintain close contacts with the inhabitants of the houses while building them.

A group from the Austrian Army visited Sri Lanka and assisted in debris clearing soon after the tsunami.

Water purification plants, 21 buses and six pick up trucks (from Austrian Federal Railway) are among the six donations received from Austrian organisations.

The Austrian Organisations (Red Cross) also assisted community service in Ratnapura. Seva Lanka and Sarvodaya are among the local organisations which worked with the Austrian organisations.