Monthly archive

By Farzana Shah-Asian Tribune correspondent in Pakistan

27 militants, including three top militant commanders, have been killed in the last 24 hours of ongoing military operation in Swat, DG ISPR told Monday. Briefing the newsmen on the latest situation of the insurgency-hit areas of Malkand division, Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said that three security personnel have also lost their lives while 17 others were injured in the last 24 hours of operation. Military’s top spokesman said that the operation is presently underway in Kanju and Peochar areas of Swat, while Matta town has been cordoned off by the troops and the search operation to locate the miscreants is underway in the town.

From Gopal Ethiraj in Chennai

As news came in that Tamil Tigers chief Velupillai Prabhakaran had actually been killed, it evoked a mixed feeling in Tamil Nadu’s capital and throughout the state. For some it was a relief; for some it was disbelief. Some said it was to happen one day or the other, "good the curtain has come down; let peace prevail." Others simply refused to believe it was true. "If the news is true, the last hope of Tamils in Sri Lanka who once ruled that island nation, is lost forever. Whatever may have been his shortcomings, he will always be hero to us," said a sympathizer. Some believe it was his double that was killed, and Prabhakaran would surface either in Germany or France.

From Gopal Ethiraj in Chennai

KarunanidhiThe DMK, which lead the UPA alliance in Tamil Nadu, has authorized the Chief Minister and party president to decide about its participation in the new government at the Centre. The executive council of the party met today and passed a resolution in this respect. The meeting also congratulated Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Rahul Gandhi for piloting the UPA to victory for a second successive term. Later in the day, Karunanidhi has left for the capital to have discussions with the UPA leaders and he would decide about berths for DMK elected members in the Central cabinet.

By M Rama Rao, India Editor, Asian Tribune

India will provide another Rs. 30 million worth medical aid to Sri Lanka, the foreign office announced on Monday even as a local TV channel, CNN-IBN reported that external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee spoke to President Mahinda Rajapaksa for a confirmation on Velupillai Prabhakaran’s end. An Indian Air Force IL-76 aircraft carrying about 25 tons of medicines will leave Delhi for Colombo on Friday, May 22, the official statement said. This will be disbursed to the sick and wounded Internally Displaced People (IDP) in northern Sri Lanka. The Indian Armed Forces have set up a fully equipped 50-bedded hospital close to an IDP Camp at Pulmodai, a town on Sri Lanka’s northeast coast.

Kosh Raj Koirala – Asian Tribune Correspondent in Nepal

The formation of new government in Nepal has become uncertain as the lawmakers belonging to Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) have continued disrupting regular proceedings in the parliament. The Maoist lawmakers obstructed house proceeding for the seventh time in a row on Monday, making the Speaker of the House to put off the meeting yet again. The continuing House obstruction has pushed the process of electing a new prime minister into further uncertainty, along with the tabling of his resignation by caretaker Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Gunilla CarlssonSweden is to contribute additional humanitarian assistance to support the civilian population affected in Sri Lanka. "The humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka is still very serious. We urge the Sri Lankan authorities to ensure free humanitarian access to the refugee camps and to the former conflict zone so that assistance can reach those affected," says Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson. In a press release Minister Gunilla Carlsson said, the war in Sri Lanka essentially appears to be over but the humanitarian needs remain. According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) the conflict has resulted in a total of more than 265 000 internal refugees. Most of the internal refugees are in one of the 43 refugee camps controlled by the Sri Lankan Government and a smaller number are in the former conflict zone.

By Raj Gonsalkorale

Sri Lankan Armed Forces have done what was unthinkable a few years ago. President Rajapaksa has done what none of his predecessors even dared to imagine was possible. The military battle with the LTTE is over. One has to pinch one self to believe this has happened. Much will be written about this battle, and the bravery of the Sri Lankan Forces. They need to be written about and admired for their courage. Their Commanders led by the Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and the Army Chief General Sarath Fonseka need to be recognized and praised for their leadership, stead fastness and single minded determination to defeating Sri Lanka’s greatest enemy, the LTTE.