Feb 28 (LeN) 'The Sri Lankan Ambassador in Netherlands is paying the lesser salaries to her Sri Lankan Domestic maids and treating them as slaves' says Information Sources from the Embassy. According to the service contract, they were to pay Rs.30,000/- per month, but they have received only Rs.10,000/- for more than one year. The contract is for 3 year period, but so far, they have not received the salaries agreed. more..

Feb 28 (BBC) The government of Sri Lanka has categorically denied accusations that the upcoming elections in the east are marred with violence. Defence Affairs spokesman, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, accused the opposition parties of trying to portray a 'bleak picture' on the overall picture in the east. Admitting he was mainly referring to the main opposition, UNP, the minister described UNP accusation as 'a serious crime' at a time government is trying to 're-establish democray' in the east. more..

Feb 28 (AT) Sri Lankan Embassy in France has strongly objected to France 24, an English TV channel distorting the situation in Sri Lankan when they broadcast a the special report "Sri Lanka:Tamil Mothers Waiting for Their Sons,". Asian Tribune published news of this Special report yesterday. The Embassy stated that the special report was one-sided, factually inaccurate and exaggerated. more..

Feb 28 (AT) A group of property developers and building construction contractors held a joint press conference in a bid to inform the general public about certain misconceptions on their industry held at Nawaloka Hospital premises. Managing Director Sanken Lanka Ranjith Gunatilleke, Director HR Residencies Ananda Jayasekere, General Manager Nawaloka Construction Kalana Alwis, Chairman Benison International Dr Sunil De Silva and General Manager Marketing City Developers, Prasad Moraes, addressed the media. more..

Feb 28 (CT) The air raid by Sri Lanka Air Force on Friday (February 22) at a terrorist camp in Kiranchi, West of Kilinochchi, has drawn considerable controversy. The knee-jerk reaction of the LTTE to this air raid was the release,through its propaganda mechanism, of some pictures showing the bodies of a few children and women, with the claim that nine civilians were killed and 14 others injured as the Sri Lanka Air Force had bombed a civilian settlement. more..

Feb 28 (CT) United Nations Assistant Secretary-General Angela Kane had a telephone discussion with Civil Monitoring Commission Convener and Western People Front leader Mano Ganesan MP immediately before she left the island. During the discussion Ms. Kane had expressed her regrets for not being able to meet Mano Ganesan for discussions and requested Ganesan send her a situation report says the media communiqu� issued by the WPF office of Mano Ganesan MP. more..

Feb 28 (AT) The TULF Leader V. Anandasangaree expressed shock and concern over the decision by the JHU and MEP for withdrawing from the All Party Representative Committee for not including TMVP in the Committee. Anandasangaree said in a statement, �I am perturbed over the decision of the APRC to postpone the meeting of the APRC due more..

Feb 28 (FI) At a meeting organised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on Monday, 25 February 2008 at the Houses of Parliament, chaired by the Foreign Minister Lord Malloch-Brown, the Minister stated that Britain with Europe will be taking a stronger position against the Government of Sri Lanka at the forthcoming UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva next week. This meeting will be attended by the Minister in person. more..

Feb 28 (LG) The reason why the Kosovo independence is so significant is because it addresses an issue that's prevalent throughout the world, for example Sri Lanka, where you have a minority that has been oppressed by the majority. And we�ve always had rather blurry lines in knowing, well, when does the oppression reach a sufficiently intense and egregious level that you're entitled to walk away from a sovereign and establish your separate statehood? And Kosovo certainly creates a benchmark. more..

Feb 28 (LG) I knew Tyronne Fernando for a long period of time even before he became the Minister of Foreign Affairs. My association with him got closer while working with him during his tenure as the Minister. Tyronne Fernando was born in August 8, 1941 to Shelton Fernando and Edna Fernando. He was a descendent of Veera Puran Appu. He was educated in Royal College, Colombo and later had his higher education in University of Oxford and Gray�s Inn, UK. more..

Feb 28 (IN) The country�s trade balance with Sri Lanka has turned in favour of Colombo after the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries came into effect in June 2005. Previously, the balance was in favour of Islamabad. While signing FTAs and Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs), the government should conduct a comprehensive study of the relevant market and emphasize active role of officers for boosting exports with the countries of their appointment, more..

Feb 28 (AHRC) The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the alleged torture of a man and false charges being made against him and his family members by the Kolonne police on 16 December 2007. The police severely assaulted him at the time of arrest and then arbitrarily arrested other family members who intervened in an attempt to stop the assault. more..

Feb 28 (BN) Sri Lanka's inflation probably slowed in February as interest rates at a 5 1/2-year high helped damp consumer spending and loan growth. Consumer prices in the capital Colombo rose 19.5 percent from a year earlier, after gaining 20.8 percent in January, according to the median estimate of nine analysts in a Bloomberg News survey. The statistics department will release the data tomorrow at 3 p.m. in Colombo. more..

Feb 28 (AT) UNICEF says that it will support the Government of Sri Lanka to complete an additional 11 tsunami-affected schools in the southern and eastern provinces. It has issued a notice for expressions of interest from construction management companies, which will be published in newspapers this Sunday nationwide. Speaking from Colombo, UNICEF�s Chief of Education, Ita Sheehy, said that there was no question that UNICEF will finish the schools, more..

Feb 28 (AN) As many as 96 Sri Lankan runaway maids who were languishing in a government detention center in Riyadh were repatriated yesterday under a deal concluded between the two governments. The maids boarded the SriLankan Airlines flight No. 266 at King Khaled International Airport bound for Colombo. Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) Chariman Kingsley Ranawake, who negotiated the deal, told Arab News that the Saudi officials were cooperative in completing the exit procedures quickly. more..

Feb 28 (CI) Half-centuries from Billy Godleman and captain Tom Westley guided England to an eight-run D/L victory at Royal Selangor Club. England next take on the winner of Thursday's Australia-Bangladesh clash in the fifth place play-off final. Sri Lanka, after being put in, got off to a disastrous start and were reduced to 10 for 2 in the fourth over. However, powered by an unbeaten 97 from Sachith Pathirana, who is currently the tournament's leading run-scorer, they posted a competitive 241. more..

Feb 28 (LG) The ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka has been one of the most tragic episodes in South Asian history. Here are two groups of people with culturally similar ancestral roots with similar way of life and outlook pervading in most of South Asia, but who have built up animus over years divided by language and to some extent religion. Though being Buddhists, many a Sinhalese is an ardent devotees of Hindu Gods and can be seen worshipping in the five Easwarams more..

Feb 28 (LT) In agreeing to support the 13th amendment Ranil, who put up posters to topple the government on Valentine�s Day, has displayed the UNPs bankruptcy says Information Secretary of the JVP Wimal Weerawansa. Mr. Weerawansa said this to �Lankatruth� when we inquired him regarding the UNP�s decision to support the government in fully implementing the 13th amendment. more..

Feb 28 (LT) Students of Gintota Maha Vidyala accuse UNICEF for not taking steps to reconstruct their school destructed by the tsunami in December, 2004. Though UNICEF has undertaken to build schools ruined by the tsunami they have been busy elsewhere without paying attention to rebuilding school buildings say students. UNICEF officials are camping in their school and rebuilding other tsunami destructed schools but students in Gintota Maha Vidayalaya are forced to carry out their studies in huts complain students. more..

Feb 28 (LT) Creating administrative units on the basis of nationality and religion is an attempt to legalize separatism and the JVP would never allow such an attempt said JVP Leader Somawansa Amarasinghe. He said this at a media meeting organized by the Union of Foreign Journalists held at Gale Face Hotel in Colombo yesterday (27th). Thanking an opportunity given for apprising foreign journalists Mr. Amarasinghe made a short speech regarding more..

Feb 28 (ML) One of the important, and valid messages contained in Satheesan Kumaran's message, published in the Midweek review if The Island of 20th February is that we need bridge-building among the different communities. But he observes it in the breach. Hurling accusations does not help. He claims, "The ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka between the Sinhalese and Tamil-speaking has been a creation by the Sinhala leaders". more..

Feb 28 (LeN) A new crisis is building up in United National Party (UNP) ranks due to a conflict between party leader Ranil Wickramasinghe and General Secretary Thissa Aththanayaka. Mr. Wickramasinghe reportedly alienated Mr. Aththanayaka from the discussions on the implementation of the 13th amendment to the constitution held day before yesterday (26) evening at Temple Trees under the patronage of the President. more..

Feb 28 (LBO) Five foreign banks who bid to syndicate a 300 million US dollar loan for Sri Lanka are discussing an alternative deal to club together and find the money, bankers said. Sri Lanka�s central bank, which manages the island's public debt office, invited foreign banks to arrange a 5-year dollar loan earlier this month. "There are five bids, the selection will be announced by the third or forth of March," Central Bank governor Nivard Cabraal said. more..

Feb 28 (LBO) A joint venture between Sri Lanka's International Construction Consortium (ICC) and China Harbour has a won 2.4 billion rupee deal to build section of the highway leading to a northeast of the island, a senior minister said. The contract floated by Sri Lanka's Road Development Authority is funded by an Asian Development Bank credit, information minister Anura Yapa said. more..

Feb 28 (LBO) Access routes and the road network in Sri Lanka's central hill city of Kandy will get a billion rupee spruce-up ahead of a regional meeting of heads of state scheduled for next year, a senior minister said. The government was planning to rehabilitate the main access road from Colombo, and resurface roads leading to Citadel Hotel, Mahaweli Reach Hotel, Earls Regency Hotel, Amaya Hills, Topaz Hotel and Kings Park. more..

Feb 28 (LBO) Sri Lanka will teach arts and commerce subjects for pre-university students in English from this year, a senior government minister said. Sri Lanka's cabinet of ministers had approved a proposal by education minister Susil Premajayantha to start English medium instruction at 50 schools this year, information minister Anura Yapa said. In Sri Lanka's fast growing service sector people with English skills command premium salaries. more..

Feb 28 (LD) Local election monitor PAFFREL filed a fundamental rights petition in the Supreme Court today (Feb. 28th), seeking a court order to ensure the conduct of a free and fair local government election in Batticaloa district. The People�s Action for Free and Fair Elections has cited 35 respondents, including the Elections Commissioner, the IGP and the Minister of Local Government in its petition. more..

Feb 28 (LD) The Inland Revenue Service Union reiterated their demands to the authorities when they staged a protest demonstration in front of the Department of Inland Revenue in Colombo Fort today (Feb. 28th). There has been no response since their five demands were placed before the President, the Deputy Defence Minister and the Treasury Secretary, the protestors claimed. As a mark of protest, membership of the trade union is staying away from their official duties since February 25th. more..

Feb 28 (UPI) India said it is taking new measures to check the activities of Sri Lankan Tamil rebels in the south of the country. "The government has taken various new steps to check the activities of the LTTE in southern part of the country. The government has declared LTTE as a terrorist organization under the provisions of the unlawful activities (prevention) act," junior Interior Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal told Indian Parliament Wednesday. more..

Feb 28 (PISL) Sri Lanka has made remarkable progress in restoring normalcy in Tsunami affected areas of the North and the East. Reconstruction and recovery activity under the aegis of the Government has been rapid. A majority of the displaced have returned to their homes and their livelihoods were restored. The memory of the disaster is gradually fading. It is being replaced by the brighter things that life has to offer to the unfortunate victims. more..

Feb 28 (GDI) The Sacred Hair Relics of the Buddha gifted by the Chittagong Purana Viharaya, Bangladesh, will be taken to the Kataragama Kiri Vihara premises in a special motorcade today (28). A pinkama in this conection will be held at Temple Trees, Colombo this morning under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Sacred Relics will be taken to Temple Trees from the Gangaramaya, Hunupitiya around 7.15 a.m. more..

Feb 28 (GDI) Cabinet approved a memorandum submitted by His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa to pay a sympathetic allowance to the widows and children of parliamentarians recently assassinated by the LTTE, T. T.Maheswaran and D.M.Dassanayake, the late Minister of Nation Building. Accordingly, these families will each be provided with a sum of Rs. 5 million. more..

Feb 28 (GDI) Sri Lanka will be one among the 75 exhibitor nations participating in the world's largest Information Communication Technology (ICT) exposition, CeBIT 2008. The country and its potential in the field will be showcased with the patronage of Sri Lanka Export Development Board. The exhibition show will be held from 4th March at Hanover,Germany. more..

Feb 28 (GDI) Fourteen development projects constructed at a cost of Rs. 6.6 million were commissioned in the Muttur DS Division by the Nation Building Ministry. Nation Building Minister Susantha Punchinilame said that the Muttur Regional Development Committee meeting was conducted for the first time after Muttur was liberated from LTTE's clutches and that the victory of the security forces has led to more development projects in Muttur. more..

Feb 28 (CT) Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara has urged President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is also the Minister in charge of the finance, not to restrict the use of official phones of members of Parliament. The Parliament Secretariat has informed the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry that it would continue to settle telephone bills as the Finance Ministry hadn�t responded to the Speaker�s appeal. more..

Feb 28 (CT) Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara on Wednesday (27) addressing a media briefing held at MCNS said, the frustration of the LTTE terror outfit was now very much evident following heavy defeats in the Wanni and Northern fronts. In the wake of its imminent, defeat the Tiger media stooges are carrying out false propaganda to hoodwink the international community, he remarked. more..

Feb 28 (SAMN) Government Defence Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella scoffed at the malicious attempts by certain political parties to present a bad picture about the forthcoming Batticaloa local polls citing it as one of the best conducted elections so far. �Only 26 election related incidents had been reported so far in Batticaloa and they too are minor incidents. Police are fully investigating those incidents,� the Minister pointed out. more..

Feb 28 (SAMN) Most mainstream political parties described the meeting between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe on Tuesday as a positive move.Scoffing at the crucial meeting Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna frontliner and Parliamentarian, Vijitha Herath told the Daily Mirror that the JVP doubts there will be any positive outcome from the meeting between the two leaders. more..

Feb 28 (SAMN) Government Defence Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella says Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has no right to level allegations against the government over the handling of the Eastern elections as the UNP is not participating in the polls. Responding to a question raised by a journalist Minister Rambukwelle said Mr. Wickremesinghe was invited for talks with the President yesterday based on the fact he was the Opposition Leader. more..

Feb 28 (SAMN) The Sri Lanka Balloon Festival 2008, recognized as a national event by the Ministry of Tourism will take off next month, under the theme �To promote adventure tourism through hot air ballooning and civil aviation�. In a fortnight from Friday, March 21 to Friday April 4, the skies over some parts of Sri Lanka will see an unusual sight, when over 72 participants mainly from the UK, Ireland, Japan, and Saudi Arabia are expected take to the skies in 22 hot air balloons. more..

Feb 28 (DN) Transport Minister Dulles Alahapperuma has ordered Labour Commissioner S. Edirisinghe to conduct an immediate investigation on a major Employees Provident Fund (EPF) fraud amounting to Rs.8 billion at the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB). A spokesman of the Transport Ministry told the Daily News that Minister Dullas Alahapperuma with high ranking officials of the SLTB has met the Labour Commissioner in this regard. more..

Feb 28 (DN) It was to be noted that a newspaper recently carried an article based on a letter purported to have been submitted by judges of the Court of Appeal questioning the merits of appointing persons other than career judges to the higher judiciary. That article pointed out that the judges of the Court of Appeal are opposed to the appointment of a person from outside their ranks to the Court of Appeal. more..

Feb 28 (Island) The Congress of Religions, representing various religious sectors, professional, business, legal and civil society, which met at the Abhayaramaya in Narahenpita, has addressed a memorandum to President Mahinda Rajapaksa urging him to reactivate the Constitutional Council without further delay. The memorandum said: "The 17th amendment to the Constitution was passed in Parliament in 2001 with the express approval of all political parties and more..

Feb 28 (Island) Minister of Higher Education Professor Wiswa Warnapala yesterday lashed out at university student unions. "Universities have become danselas, where those who enjoy free food smash cups and plates," he said at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Higher Education. He said it had become difficult to maintain universities because of a small section of students who were working according to a sinister political agenda. more..

Feb 28 (DM) The EPRLF and PLOTE yesterday informed the People�s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) of their concern over the possible rigging of the March 10 local government poll in Batticaloa. EPRLF leader P. Sritharan and PLOTE leader S. Sitharthan who called on PAFFREL chairman Kingsley Rodrigo raised concerns about possible election violence on the day of polling. The two parties are fielding candidates for the election as an independent group under the apple symbol. more..

Feb 28 (DM) Sri Lanka, a country where annually 8000 � 9000 people fall victim annually to renal failure has only six nephrologists when the required minimum number is 20, Colombo National Hospital Head of the Kidney Treatment Unit and Consultant Nephrologist Dr. A.L.M.Nazar said yesterday. The North Central, North Western and Uva Provinces have shown a marked increase in kidney diseases in the recent past but more..

Feb 28 (CI) Australia will treat Friday's dead-rubber against Sri Lanka as their first final ahead of the best-of-three CB Series deciders with India starting on Sunday. Sri Lanka have only pride to play for but Australia know they cannot afford to lose momentum after winning their past four games of the tournament. "We've certainly taken the approach that our finals campaign starts now," Gilchrist said in the lead-up to the Sri Lanka match at the MCG. more..

Feb 28 (PTI) Asking Sri Lankan government to restart the peace process, a pro-LTTE party has said it could "persuade" the rebels to resume talks if Colombo implements the power devolution proposals and opens the highway linking the capital and the embattled north as a "goodwill gesture". "We will prevail upon the LTTE to reciprocate by agreeing to negotiations if government agrees to implement the interim committee report on devolution as a first step besides opening of the A 9 road," more..

Feb 28 (IPS) An internal feud at Sri Lanka's best known non-governmental organisation (NGO), over alleged mismanagement and financial irregularities, has snowballed into wider issues of lack of transparency, corruption and cozy relationships between funding agencies and recipients. NGOs over the years have often been accused by the government and sections of the media of interference in politics, the peace process and social issues, but more..

Feb 28 (Reuters) The Tamil Tigers on Thursday accused government troops of killing eight civilians with roadside bombs in their de facto state in north Sri Lanka, but the military denied it. Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said troops had not mounted any ambushes in rebel territory on Wednesday, but said nine rebels and one soldier were killed in clashes in the northern districts of Vavuniya and Mannar the same day. more..