Monthly archive

By Wajid Ali Syed – Washington Correspondent for Asian Tribune

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton assured Iraqi leaders that as the United States draws down its troops in Iraq, it remains committed to to Iraq's government and people. The secretary met yesterday with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari and Iraqi citizens to get their perspectives on Iraq's political, security and economic progress. Newly confirmed US Ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill also participated in the discussions.

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama outlined to David Miliband, Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs of the UK when they spoke yesterday, that the foremost priority of the Sri Lanka Government is to ensure the safety of civilians entrapped in the North, and combat operations had reached its conclusion. The telephone call was initiated by Foreign Secretary Miliband. Minister Bogollagama explained that the security forces hitherto had been engaged in a rescue mission of the entrapped civilians and would continue to do so since the LTTE had not made any attempts to release the persons being held hostage.

By K.C. Somaratna

A Sri Lankan who has worked with US conglomerates has written to President Barack Obama offering a set of five proposals to help jolt a beleaguered American economy. Imploring the US president to invest heavily on infrastructure, K. C Somaratna, who heads his own Management Consultancy firm in Colombo, says there is a need to make battery powered cars and also exchange spent batteries for ones recharged using solar energy collected off solar panels placed above the highway itself. He says the US should also research and develop a mechanism to use these same panels to prevent snow falling on the highways there by saving the expenditure on clearing of roads of snow.

By Wajid Ali Syed – Washington Correspondent for Asian Tribune

The Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) members of Pakistan and United States met here today and announced to continue cooperation on Economic and trade issues. Both countries signed the TIFA agreement in 2003 and this was the third meeting they had since then.

Daya Gamage – US National Correspondent Asian Tribune

Robert BlakeWhite House last Friday announced President Obama’s intention to nominate current U.S. ambassador to Sri Lanka Robert Blake to be the assistant secretary for South Asia in the State Department in Washington. The official White House communiqué did not include Central Asian Affairs to the portfolio offered to Mr. Blake. At present Richard Boucher hold both South and Central Asian Affairs as the assistant secretary in this State Department bureau. When asked about this division of the State Department Bureau the Department spokesman Wood did not have a clear answer at hand but instead said "I’ll take a look and see what – if there’s some discrepancy, I’ll take a look at that."

Daya Gamage – US National Correspondent Asian Tribune

Department of State spokesman Wood expressed U.S. reaction to Sri Lanka government’s decision to end combat operation in the north of Sri Lanka saying it is an encouraging development and should allow humanitarian operation to take full swing.

The Sri Lankan nationals and the Swedish friends of Sri Lanka flocked together to celebrate the Sinhala and Hindu New Year in Stockholm. The celebration was held at the Kista Traff in Kista which is a suburb of Stockholm. More than 300 Sri Lankan nationals belonging to various ethnicities and Swedish friends of Sri Lanka joined this joyous event. Sri Lanka Ambassador to Sweden, Ranjith Jayasooriya marked his presence as the Chief Guest of the event. Chief incumbent of the Stockholm Buddhist Vihara, Ven. Kirindigalle Dhammaratana Thero and Maratugoda Maniratne Thero of the Dharma Pradeepa Buddhist Vihara Ven.Imbulane Dhammasiddhi of the Stockholm Buddhist Vihara, were also present at this occasion.

By Shenali Waduge

What could be on the mind of a man who has spent 35 years of his life hidden in the Wanni jungles to create a separate homeland for the Tamil people now that the armed forces are but a few kilometers from capturing him? With very few cadres left and having to hide behind the very people he was supposed to protect is it too late to wonder whether or not Prabakaran was nothing but a pawn for the Tamil Diaspora? Prabakaran’s killing spree was first directed at Tamils and not the Sinhalese when Tamil police officers stationed in the North while on duty ended up being shot at. Not many also seem to want to remember or recall that all other Tamil groups who also shared Tamil nationalist thought were gunned down ruthlessly to enable Prabakaran’s LTTE to be able to refer to itself as the "Sole" representative of the Tamil people.