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Asian Tribune is published by World Institute For Asian Studies|Powered by WIAS Vol. 12 No. 732

News

In defence of the Church of Ceylon, aka the Anglican Church

Fri, 2007-11-02 05:19 — admin

By Sesha Samarajiwa

The prestigious "Asian Tribune's" Forum Member SRH Hoole takes issue with my article, Sri Lanka's Anglican Church adopts Liberation Theology, Bishop shows symbolic solidarity with Kilinocchi, which warrants a few comments from me. I won't trace the history and politics of the British Isles which led to the formation of the Church of the Anglos – the Anglican Church – except to say that it was essentially a political statement by the then English royals. It was undeniably a response to power struggles with the Vatican, other groups on the islands such as the Welsh, the Scots and the Irish, as well as players on the Continent.

SC charges ABC radio head with contempt

Fri, 2007-11-02 04:53 — admin

Ruwan Weerakoon

Sri Lanka Supreme Court today charged the Managing Director of the Asia Broadcasting Corporation (Pvt) Ltd A. Samantha Reynor Silva for contempt of court for suppressing vital facts of the controversial news story to the court. Mr. Silva, Managing Director and the head of the marketing of ABC Network Pvt Ltd was released on a cash bail of Rs. 250,000 to be paid forthwith and fixed the case for November 24 to decide on the contempt charged against him.

Sri Lanka gifted central library building to Maldives

Fri, 2007-11-02 04:41 — admin

At a colorful official ceremony held in Male’, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama officially handover the Central Library building, which is a gift to the Government of the Maldives by Sri Lanka. The building was handed over to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives Abdullah Shahid. The President of Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, at the invitation of the Minister Bogollagama, unveiled the plaque of the Library building. The Maldivian Foreign Minister while appreciating the gift of the library said that the Library is testimony of the friendship and co-operation between the two countries.The Sri Lankan Minister said that the historical relations that dates back to several millennia and the contemporary relations that have been diversified into many spheres of co-operation have received new impetus with the increased interaction and involvement between the two countries in the recent period. Mr. Bogollagama added that the gift of Library will help contribute towards realizing the vision of the President of Maldives to create a knowledge based citizenry.

22 Tigers confirmed dead in Mannar

Fri, 2007-11-02 02:45 — admin

By Ruwan Weerakoon

Sri Lanka Army confirmed that 22 Tigers were killed and 8 of their bodies recovered in the Giant Tank area, Mannar where clashes between the Tigers and the Sri Lanka Army erupted in the morning and went on till Thursday (01) afternoon. Sri Lankan troops were able to capture many of LTTE’s bunker lines in the area. Meantime 2 soldiers died and 12 were injured in the battle according to a Sri Lanka Army report. But pro- LTTE Websites claimed that at least 25 Sri Lanka Army soldiers were killed and more than 60 wounded in the fire-fight. But LTTE claims of causalities were dismissed by the Sri Lanka Army as a propaganda ploy for the consumption of the Tamil diaspora.

A New Publication on Child Friendly Teaching Practices Launched

Fri, 2007-11-02 01:54 — admin

Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) launched the publication 'Psychosocial Wellbeing in the Classroom,' a resource kit on child friendly teaching practices on 01 November in Colombo. According to NRC Country Director in Sri Lanka, Mr. Joern Kristensen, the resource kit provides any group interested in working with the development and protection of children in emergency situations, with a comprehensive, holistic and practical guide to child-centred teaching methodologies. "Education is not only a basic human right; a good classroom environment also provides a sense of normalcy for children living in very difficult circumstances in any emergency situation," says Kristensen.

Destiny of housemaid Rizana hangs in the balance

Thu, 2007-11-01 14:46 — admin

There is no change in the status of Rizana Nafeek, a native of Mutur, employed as a housemaid, who was sentenced to be beheaded by a Shari’a court in Dawadmi, Saudi Arabia, that she had murdered an infant in her care in 2005. Reliable sources revealed that her destiny still hangs in the balance. When "Asian Tribune: contacted Hussain Bhaila, Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs said, “There is no change in the sentencing of Rizana up to yesterday, and we are following it up at legal and diplomatic levels.” It is learnt that some confusion prevails regarding the plight of Rizana, as a conflicting report has been broadcasted in Colombo two days ago, that the young Rizana Nafeek, was exonerated from the murder charges by the Saudi Arabian court.

Troops foiled another LTTE attempt to storm cleared areas in Mannar: 6 LTTE cadres confirmed dead

Thu, 2007-11-01 12:49 — admin

By Ruwan Weerakoon

Sri Lanka Army captured LTTE Forward Defence Line Northeast Mannar and North of Giant Tank, 10 km South of Mannar and Army is currently advancing towards Madhu. Confrontation erupted today around morning 2.30 am and lasted for more than 3 hours. According to the latest report 6 LTTE cadres were confirmed dead as Army recovered the dead bodies.

Death Penalty Threatens to Split World Body

Thu, 2007-11-01 11:35 — admin

By Thalif Deen, UN Bureau Chief, Inter Press Service

The 192-member U.N. General Assembly is expected to vote, perhaps by early or mid-November, on one of the most divisive political issues before the world body: a moratorium on the death penalty. The 27-member European Union (EU), backed by virtually every single major international human rights organisation, will introduce a draft resolution on the death penalty which is expected to split the General Assembly right down the middle.

Sri Lanka Government rescinds blanket media censorship regulations

Thu, 2007-11-01 05:21 — admin

By Ruwan Weerakoon

Sri Lanka Government has cancelled the Gazette Extraordinary issued on 29th October, in order to enable taking necessary legal action, with regard to the false and incorrect information about national security and matters relating to defence. Recently it was alleged that ABC Radio and other electronic media organizations, with a view to mislead the public, broadcasted news items, which said to have caused considerable anxiety among the people and embarrassment to the security forces. Subsequently, Government of Sri Lanka put out a gazette notification prohibiting news reporting on proposed military operations in the country. It was issued under the emergency regulations and called "Prohibition on Publication and Transmission of Sensitive Military Information".

Nowak acknowledged torture is not systemic in Sri Lanka - Human Rights Ministry

Thu, 2007-11-01 04:25 — admin

By Jaya Rohana

The Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights in a press release issued on Monday (30 October) stated that Mr. Manfred Nowak acknowledged that torture is not systematic in Sri Lanka. However, the UN News Service, purporting to cite Mr. Nowak stated that the practice of torture was ‘widespread’. The Ministry of Human Rights strongly refuted any such conclusions which did not find any place in Mr. Nowak’s preliminary findings. When Mr. Nowak was asked by the Minister to clarify his positions with regard to the prevalence of torture Mr. Nowak made it clear that his usage of the term ‘widely practiced’ was in reference to instances of alleged torture that he witnessed in diverse locations in the country and that such alleged instances did not relate exclusively or predominantly to the conflict or conflict affected areas.

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