U.N. troops bring peace and tranqulity to Somalia.

U.N. Troops Torture Somali boy by holding him over Fire Not Verified

Don't make humans to be be like this

This picture was taken in Ghana.

THAT WHAT YOU CAN GET FROM WAR

Indian woman strips in dowry row

A woman in western India has stripped to her underwear in public to protest over alleged abuses from her husband's family for not providing a dowry.

Her in-laws were questioned by the police and have been released on bail.

The Hindu woman shocked residents of the normally conservative city of Rajkot in Gujarat state, by her half naked parade through the street.

Women's groups say her case highlights the plight of women who continue to face abuse at the hands of males.

'Extreme steps'

There are reports that the 22-year-old tried to set herself on fire a few days ago demanding the police take immediate action against her husband and in-laws, who she alleged had been physically torturing her for a dowry.

In an interview to a local TV channel, Pooja Chauhan justified her action saying she did it to embarrass her husband and in-laws.

Although paying and accepting a dowry has been illegal in India for more than 40 years, it still goes on.

Official estimates show that every year almost 7,000 women are killed by their spouses and in-laws because of inadequate dowry payments.

Ranjana Kumari - who runs a refuge for victims of dowry and domestic abuse - says the law enforcement authorities need to be more active in tackling the problem.

"It's a shame that women are driven to take such extreme steps. The law enforcing agencies must be more active," she told the BBC News website.

A police inspector in Rajkot, SS Jhala, told the BBC that "swift action" had been taken against Ms Chauhan's family, who had been arrested and were now on bail.

Police have denied reports that they charged her for indecent behaviour.

Photographs of the wedding of Yasodhara Kumaratunga in London

The wedding of London educated daughter Yasodhara of Sri Lanka’s former President Chandrika Kumaratunga and a Consultant medical practitioner Roger Walker

Dark days in paradise

Kidnapping and murder are common in Sri Lanka as the teardrop isle slides towards anarchy, writes Dylan Welch....
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Why the Tamils are hated?

A friend of my son, who was a born in Canada, had an interesting question. He asked, ’Why the Singhalese majority do not wish to give the minimum amount of freedom to the Tamils though they had lived together more than two thousand years? In order t o get a reasonable answer I would like to reco...

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Indian army didn't want to take Toppigala: Gen Mehta

The Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF), which battled the LTTE in North-East Sri Lanka from July 1987 to March 1990, did conduct operations in the Thoppigala jungles, but made no attempt to occupy the area because it had no strategic significance, a former area commander, Maj Gen Ashok Mehta told Hindustan Times on Thursday.

Gen Mehta's remarks are significant in the context of a claim by the Sri Lankan Defence spokesman, Keheliya Rambukwella, on Wednesday, that the IPKF could not occupy Thoppigala even though it had deployed 20,000 troops.

"Thoppigala was a vast jungle area which did not lie on any major line of communication. It was basically a hide out for the LTTE. It had hospitals, prisons and training camps. I have personally led operations to destroy these facilities. But we always came back to base, as there was no need to occupy the area. There was nothing to occupy!" Gen.Mehta, who led Indian troops in the Eastern districts of Batticaloa and Amparai, said.

But this was contradicted by the LTTE's military spokesman, Rasaiah Ilanthirayan, who told an Australian radio station, that the IPKF had set up camps in Thoppigala.

Cost of occupation

Taking and retaining Thoppigala will be costly, both in men and material, independent military experts say. But since the Sri Lankan government is hell bent on militarily defeating the LTTE, it would go ahead regardless of the cost, they added.

Ilanthirayan had told Tamilnet recently, that the Sri Lankan Army was walking into a "trap" as the LTTE's withdrawals were "strategic" in nature.

He admitted that the Sri Lankan Army had entered the Thoppigala area, but maintained that only the future would be able to say if the government's assertions were well founded. As regards the LTTE's plans he said: "At the moment we can only say that we are recasting our plans for the East."

Lankan army gung ho

However, the Sri Lankan Army is gung ho about its achievements and prospects.

"We have already taken 700 sq.km of Thoppigala, and have only about 7 to 8 km to go before the whole place is under our control," said Army spokesman, Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe, on Thursday.

But independent military observers say that the progress has been slow. There is stiff resistance by the LTTE and the terrain has been difficult. "If it is a walk over, why the did the Air Force pound the area on Wednesday and Thursday?" asked Iqbal Athas of The Sunday Times.

However, no one disputes the claim that taking Thoppigala is only a matter of time, given the manpower and the weaponry with the Army. In contrast, there are only about 400 ill-equipped LTTE there.

Political compulsions

Observers feel that the need to take Thoppigala is political rather than military. The government's aim seems to be to take it by July 26, when President Mahinda Rajapaksa plans to celebrate the conquest of the entire East, covering a total of 5200 sq km, "something which has never happened before," as Brig.Samarasinghe said.

There are plans to follow this up by holding "free and fair" local elections without the interference of LTTE terrorists and thus get the plaudits of the moderate Tamils.

In July-end, Rajapaksa will be presenting the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party's plans for the country in the form of document, which is eagerly awaited because he is facing mounting challenges. There is a revolt in his party, albeit incipient. There is heightened activity of the opposition parties and increasing international censure for human rights violations.

English tuition needed for Foreign Employment Bureau chairman

The foreign employment bureau has issued a circular last month to all recruitment agencies with the signature of its chairman, but it is sad to note that the four line circular carries over 15 language and spelling mistakes. The circular has been issued regarding the signing of job agreements of Sri Lankan Migrant Workers. The Foreign Employment Bureau which is a government organisation deals with various international organizations and embassies hence, one would expect such organizations to issue accurate circulars and letters, simply because the country would be humiliated by such careless work. The circular and the corrections are given above.

Cell Phone Explodes and Burns Off Owner’s Nipple Marked

You often hear of stories how a cell phone can harm people who have heart problems and use pacemakers or that there is radiation in the airwaves that effect the brain. Rarely do you actually consider your cell phone would explode on you.

That is exactly what happened to poor Cai.

“Right after I powered on the cell phone and pressed the button it exploded. My nipple got burned so badly from the explosion”.
20 year-old Cai paid $50 for a second hand cell phone and followed the instruction that the battery needs to be fully charged before use.

Next morning he got out the bed, couldn’t wait to try out his new toy, right after he powered on and he began to press a few buttons, it exploded.

Cai wasn’t wearing any clothing at the time, his left chest got badly burned including his nipple. The cell phone was some “Made in China” local brand with cheap quality and the battery wasn’t even safety certified.

An office girl also bought a similar new cell phone and it exploded as well, her nose was hurt so badly she ended up having to be hospitalized and might need a plastic surgery later. China is famous for cheap products which are often are fake, imitation and even dangerous.

These types of underground factories are everywhere and the government is not regulating it enough.

Burglars Caught On Webcam.
A portland couple who set up a webcam after a spate of recent burgalries,caught 2 men on film breaking into their home,they have been identified and police are now looking for them.

Burglars Caught On Webcam.

A portland couple who set up a webcam after a spate of recent burgalries,caught 2 men on film breaking into their home,they have been identified and police are now looking for them.

Grotesque Tumor-shocking!!!

Take a look at this poor individual

Radioactive Kitten born with two faces..

India to host World Toilet Summit

New Delhi, (IANS) New Delhi will host the World Toilet Summit 2007, a four-day international event on sanitation, in October later this year.

The summit with the theme 'Toilet for all' will start on October 31. It is expected to attract experts from across the globe.


The main aim of the summit would be to develop strategies to widen sanitation coverage all over the world.


The summit is being jointly organised by social service organisation Sulabh International and the World Toilet Organisation, Singapore, a press release said.


'The summit will be an excellent meeting opportunity for the exchange of information, ideas and know-how with international experts on toilet-related topics,' said Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, the founder of Sulabh International.


'A large number of delegates representing different countries, UN agencies, NGOs, local bodies, town planners and policy makers are likely to take part to discuss the issue of sanitation and sustainable development during the summit,' he said.

Man pulls passenger jet with ears

A Leicester man is hoping to walk into the record books after pulling a passenger jet with his ears.


Manjit Singh, 57, pulled the aircraft 12ft along the apron at East Midlands Airport, at Castle Donington in Leicestershire, reports the BBC.



Manjit already holds 30 world records, which include pulling a double decker bus with his hair and lifting 85 kg with his ears.

Speaking after the record attempt, he said: "I don't feel too bad, I have a little bit of pain around the ears but I'm ok.

"I feel really, really pleased that I've managed to achieve this and am very grateful to the people who made it possible."

The attempt raised money for his charity Manjit Fitness, which aims to get children living in his native Mahilpur, India involved in sport.

The amazing little and large identical twins

Here is one pair of twin brothers that few will have any difficulty telling apart.

For although Byron and Lincoln Ryman were born within a minute of each other, firstborn Byron - at 3lb 6oz a small baby himself - was precisely three times bigger than his sibling.


Eleven weeks premature, both boys were given a slim chance of survival - particularly Lincoln, weighing only 1lb 2oz at birth.

Lincoln has gained 10oz, while Byron has added 2lb 8oz.


"When the doctors took an ultrasound and saw that Lincoln had stopped growing in the womb, he was given very little chance of survival," relieved mother Nicole Ryman said .


"But now I have two little boys who are doing well. I'm so happy."


Neo-natalist Dr Parag Mishra said Mrs Ryman was induced to give birth at 29 weeks because it was seen as giving the babies the best chance of survival after complications arose.


"Nicole was 15 weeks along when the medical staff detected twin-to-twin transfusion, a type of problem that occurs sometimes with twin babies when blood flows from one twin to another.


"Lincoln's chances of survival, I considered, were less than 30 per cent because he was so small."


But after their birth, both brothers showed an "exceptional will to live," said Dr Mishra.


"Lincoln initially had a lot of breathing problems and then he had heart problems, so an operation was carried out when he was still about 600g (1lb 5oz).


"But Byron also needed a little bit of help with his breathing before he began to gain proper weight and now he is doing well.


"We're now watching both boys carefully, particularly little Lincoln, but we hope that he'll soon start gaining weight much more quickly and get nearer and nearer his brother."


For Mrs Ryman, 31, and her husband Todd, 32, who conceived through IVF, the first weeks of parenthood have been testing. Mrs Ryman admitted: "It has been a really up and down experience for us but now we're on top of the world because we didn't think we were going to have both of them.


"We've had a few scares along the way but they're going pretty well now and I know I'm going to be able to take them home soon.


"During the pregnancy the doctors wrote Lincoln off. But he's a big boy now - comparatively. They're both fighters."

Zero abduction in Sri Lanka: Is it possible?

Introduction
Sri Lanka has been witnessing gross violations of human rights committed by both the government and other groups from late 2005 and since the resumption of the war between the armed forces and the LTTE, it has recorded an exponential rise. This has received much international condemnation, especially from the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions- Professor Philip Alston, the Co-Chairs of the peace process and the SLMM. The International Crisis Group, the Human Rights Committee, the Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other human rights bodies have also universally condemned the continued abductions and extrajudicial killings. Whilst all these reports condemn the violations committed by the LTTE, severe strictures have been tabled against the Government of Sri Lanka. If this trend continues, there will be serious consequences for Sri Lanka internationally. Some of the consequences are as follows.

n Reduction in international assistance to Sri Lanka. Germany has already withdrawn aid. The UK has reduced a sum allocated to debt reduction. It is likely that others will follow.

n Sanctions to be introduced starting with travel restrictions, freezing of assets and a resolution in the Security Council. Recently the UN severely criticized both parties for gross violations of human rights and humanitarian law.

The argument of this paper is that new mechanisms have to be developed which can address the phenomenon, since the existing criminal justice system is unable to deal with the issue adequately. It argues for a Special Commission with authority which can examine the nature of the crimes committed and which can obtain the cooperation of all service personnel under the direction of a DIG with outstanding qualities. Such an authority must have a council of distinguished lawyers, politicians with known integrity and expertise. What is required is a national mechanism for verification and action as the Presidential Commission to investigate extrajudicial killings does not have the mandate to address the current violations. I am of the opinion that it is better that Sri Lanka relies on homegrown efforts to resolve this crisis, rather than depend upon international efforts.

Contextualising the situation
It is important that we contextualise the violations of human rights in Sri Lanka. During the period 1987 -1988 when President Premadasa was combating the JVP insurgency, the number of disappearances and abductions were recorded as over 30,000 by the various commissions that were appointed at that time. A review of the commission reports reveals that there were recommendations on how to improve the human rights record in the country. There were few cases of punishment. It is therefore proper to say that Sri Lanka has failed to arrest the culture of impunity. Whilst the 1987- 88 confrontations was largely against the JVP and the Sinhalese, the current spate of violations is largely a result of the war with the LTTE. Government spokespersons including the Secretary for Defence has repeatedly said that human rights violations have not been committed against any of the parties of the south or parties representing the hill country Tamils.

It has been reported that more than 2500 combatants have been killed in battle and more than 250,000 civilians displaced since early 2006. In addition, more than 1,500 are reported as missing. Moreover, the Civil Monitoring Committee, an organization documenting disappearances has reported 125 abductions in Colombo during the last three months. Many more have been detained under newly strengthened emergency regulations that give the government sweeping powers to arrest and detain people without charge. In a recent report by the SLMM, a staggering number of 34 people have been reported abducted in the East within the space of just one week and the number includes 16 under aged youth. (SLMM weekly situation report, June 11-17). In addition to this, media personnel have been under great threat in the recent past. According to the statistics available since January 2006, 8 media personnel have been killed, 2 abducted, 3 arrested and a further 12 harassed and threatened with death.

The different types of abductions/extrajudicial killings
Analysing these cases, it becomes clear that there are several types of abductions being committed by different groups in Sri Lanka at present. They are as follows:

State sponsored abductions
The theoretical basis of abductions and extrajudicial killings is that the civilian base of the LTTE has to be destroyed if the armed forces are to protect the Jaffna peninsula. This is very clearly obvious in Jaffna, where abductions happen largely at night. In addition, political interference too has proven to be a hindrance. It is alleged that state sponsored abductions and extrajudicial killings take place with the cooperation of paramilitary groups. It is also alleged in newspaper reports that abductors often have in their possession the tax returns and bank account details of those whom they have captured. It has also been reported that in Colombo people who pay ransom money are allegedly allowed to pass check points without any hindrance. As a result of international pressure and local concerns being expressed, the level of abductions in Jaffna has dropped significantly. It is important that this trend continues and is monitored.

Paramilitary abductions
Blackmailing Tamil businessmen is a phenomenon which is largely aimed at obtaining a ransom. The sums asked for are in the range of Rs.50-100 million. These threats against Tamil businessmen have largely declined due to the pressure of the Indian government which has come down very hard against this phenomenon. In the absence of this lucrative business, Muslim businessmen are now a target of attack. Often businessmen do not report such incidents to the Police. It is reported that Muslim businessmen are moving to countries like Malaysia as a result of this situation. This is a major loss to the country. In the East, the Karuna group is responsible for ongoing child recruitment, abductions and targeted killings, as well as intimidation and violence against the internally displaced. The recent split in the Karuna group may further escalate human rights violations against civilians.

Abductions by the LTTE
The LTTE has been engaged in a number of cases of extortion, abductions, torture and extrajudicial killings. It has also been prime culprit of child recruitment. During the first few years of the Ceasefire Agreement, the LTTE was responsible for large scale extrajudicial killings of intelligence officers and members of other Tamil political parties. These actions have been thoroughly condemned and have led to the banning of the LTTE in several western countries. In the last few months, the LTTE has abducted a large number of young persons in the North to recruit them to the LTTE military ranks. The numbers run to thousands.

The President`s stand
The President when he was in the opposition was very passionate about this issue and continued to visit Geneva and give submissions on human rights to the Human Rights Commission. He organized mammoth demonstrations against the Bheeshanaya of President Premadasa. In the late 80`s, he even took some bones from the famous Balanakanda mass grave to Parliament and placed them on the Speaker`s table, demanding an inquiry on the brutal massacres being conducted by the Army and the STF. He was one of the most vociferous critics of the Batalanda torture chambers and continuously raised the concerns and agony of the mothers and fathers whose children had gone missing.

Repercussions of human rights violations
There is growing allegations that there are state sponsored abductions and extra judicial killings in Sri Lanka. It is because of this very reason that a Presidential Commission of Inquiry has been appointed. Even during President Jayewardene`s tenure, state sponsored violence was used to suppress the militant Tamil youth in the North and every Tamil was seen as a potential terrorist. However, state sponsored violence was not successful in addressing the Tamil insurgency rather it fuelled the insurgency into new levels of violence. In the case of the Tamil population, it could be said that the violence and abuse suffered by them has ensured increased support and funding for the insurgents. It has to be borne in mind that it is the state that has the responsibility to ensure that all of its citizens are protected. This is even more important when there is an armed conflict. Human rights law and humanitarian law are the twin pillars of protection for the citizens. Even if and when non state actors resort to violation of human rights, it remains the duty of the state to adhere to these norms. It is the adherence to these principles that is the litmus test between barbarism and civilisation.

Bodies appointed to arrest abductions and extra judicial killings
In this light, it is imperative that steps are taken to achieve zero abduction in Sri Lanka. This is a question of political will by the President and higher authorities. Although many committees have been set up to investigate abductions and political killings, none of these bodies have been effective so far very few culprits have been arrested.

The Mahanama Tillekaratne Commission. This report has still not been made available to the public.

The Presidential Commission on Extra Judicial Killings. The Eminent Persons Group has expressed serious misgivings about the slow progress and lack of political will. They have also complained about the undue influence of the Attorney General`s office.

The Advisory Council on Human Rights. This body works under the chairmanship of the Minister for Human Rights. It has a mandate to advise the Minister on human rights issues.

Recently, the President appointed a group of MPs. to review the manner in which inquiries into reported cases of abductions and extrajudicial killings could be expedited.
Recommendations

One single authority should be entrusted with the task of maintaining zero abductions. To achieve this purpose, it has to be granted power and authority to ensure compliance with the law. A task force should also be appointed which acts under this authority to include all service personnel under the direction of a DIG with outstanding qualities. International experts should be drawn in wherever necessary.

A 24 hour help line should be established so that citizens can call to report incidents of human rights violations. This helpline should be wisely advertised in the printed and electronic media.

A rapid response mechanism should be put in place so that all checkpoints are alerted and cordon and search operations conducted as soon as an incident is reported.

Source(s)
• Wijeya Newspapers

'கிளுகிளு' காட்சிகள்-டிவிகளுக்கு பச்சைக்கொடி?

டெல்லி: தொலைக் காட்சிகளில் இரவு 11 மணிக்கு மேல் வயது வந்தோருக்கு மட்டுமான நிகழ்ச்சிகளை ஒளிபரப்ப மத்திய அரசு அனுமதி வழங்கவுள்ளது.

ஆபாசக் காட்சிகளை தொலைக்காட்சிகளில் ஒளிபரப்ப தற்போது மத்திய செய்தி ஒளிபரப்புத் துறையின் தடை உள்ளது. ஆனாலும் இதை மீறி எப் டிவி உள்ளிட்ட சில சேனல்களில் நிகழ்ச்சிகளை ஒளிபரப்பி வந்தன. இதையடுத்து சமீபத்தில் ஏஎக்ஸ்என், எப் டிவி ஆகியவற்றுக்கு மத்திய அரசு தடை விதித்தது.

இந்த நிலையில் மாறி வரும் உலக மனோபாவத்திற்கு ஏற்ப தொலைக்காட்சிகளில் நள்ளிரவுக்கு மேல் ஆபாசக் காட்சிகள் அடங்கிய நிகழ்ச்சிகளைக் காட்டிக் கொள்ள மத்திய அரசு அனுமதிக்க வேண்டும் என்ற கோரிக்கை வலுத்து வந்தது.

இதையடுத்து இந்தக் கோரிக்கையை மத்திய அரசு தீவிரமாக பரிசீலித்து வந்தது. தற்போது ஆபாசக் காட்சிகளுடன் கூடிய நிகழ்ச்சிகளை தொலைக்காட்சிகளில் காட்ட பச்சைக் கொடி காட்ட மத்திய அரசு முடிவு செய்துள்ளது.

அதன்படி இரவு 11 மணி முதல் அதிகாலை 4 மணி வரை கிளுகிளுப்பூட்டும் காட்சிகள் அடங்கிய நிகழ்ச்சிகளை ஒளிபரப்ப மத்திய அரசு அனுமதி வழங்கவுள்ளது. செப்டம்பர் மாதம் முதல் இந்த உத்தரவு அமலுக்கு வரும் எனத் தெரிகிறது.

முற்றிலும் வயது வந்தோர் மட்டுமே பார்க்கக் கூடிய நிகழ்ச்சிகளை இரவு 11 மணி முதல் அதிகாலை 4 மணி வரையிலும் ஒளிபரப்ப மத்திய அரசு அனுமதி அளிக்கவுள்ளது.

இதுதொடர்பான சட்டத் திருத்த மசோதா வருகிற மழைக்காலக் கூட்டத் தொடரில் கொண்டு வரப்படும் என்றும் எதிர்பார்க்கப்படுகிறது.

ஆனால் தற்போதே மா டிவி உள்ளிட்ட சில டிவிகளில் நள்ளிரவு 12 மணிக்கு மேல் கிளுகிளுப்பூட்டும் காட்சிகள் அடங்கிய நிகழ்ச்சிகள் ஒளிபரப்பாகி வருகின்றன.

தெலுங்கு சேனலான மா டிவியில் உடலுறவுக் காட்சிகளை மட்டும்தான் காட்டவில்லை. மற்றபடி கிளுகிளுப்பூட்டும் வகையிலான காட்சிகளை சனிக்கிழமை தோறும் படு ஜிலுஜிலுப்பாக காட்டி வருகின்றனர் என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

Viewpoint

Sri Lanka on the brink

Sri Lanka's peace process has broken down in all but name, five years on from a ceasefire. An estimated 4,000 people have been killed in the past 15 months, despite the truce signed by Colombo and Tamil Tiger separatist rebels in February 2002. In one recent incident, several foreign diplomats were injured in rebel shelling, while land and sea battles between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) continue almost daily.

Despite the unrelenting violence, Sri Lanka's government insists the door is still open for talks on ending the decades-old conflict. Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, who led the government team at peace negotiations last October, discussed Colombo's position with reporter Sen Lam.
The Sri Lankan government is always committed to a negotiated settlement for this issue and we believe that this issue could only be finally settled through a negotiation process.

But of course you know, you can't clap with one hand. You need two hands to clap. Simultaneously, that the LTTE too should respond positively to our call, because we are every ready and willing to negotiate with them, talk to them.

With that spirit we went to Geneva twice and our team went to Oslo once, where[as] they did not come to the negotiating table in Oslo.

But, wasn't one of the sticking points the fact that the Tamil rebels want the key A9 Highway linking the Jaffna Peninsula with the mainland to be reopened, because many Tamil civilians were suffering there. What was the main difficulty there in reopening this highway? Why did the government refuse?

Because they brought this issue of the A9 only on the second day. So, I told them that still there is room for negotiation - let us fix another date for discussions. But, they said, first open A9, then only they will talk, which is a very, very unreasonable condition because they came to Geneva to talk on the basis that they were coming unconditionally for talks. So they changed their tune when they came there.

And the other thing, the people in Jaffna are not suffering any more now because we have made alternative arrangements to take shiploads of goods, from India, as well as from Trincomalee, to Jaffna, although the LTTE was targeting the food vessels. But with all that we have managed very well to ensure that the supply routes are intact.

And yet, thousands of Tamil civilians have fled the island's northeast, particularly in Vavunia district, and they are feeling unsafe because they're caught in the crossfire.

No, that is false LTTE propaganda. You show me where thousands of people have gone. It is not so. All the people who went - a few hundred people who went - they have come back and they have been resettled well. This is just the LTTE slogan and propaganda. You show me where thousands have gone?

Isn't it a fact though, that your government is very sensitive to the opinions of the Sinhala and also the Buddhist communities. Now both communities are vehemently against any kind of peace deal with the Tamil Tiger rebels. How do you reconcile political pragmatism with wanting a lasting peace?

Yes, we are more concerned than you. Because people in the south, they are there for a devolution, because we have the whole party conference in Sri Lanka and the expert group where they have come out with the devolution package which we will finalise within next two weeks.

So, you can see for yourself. Just wait for two to three weeks. The devolution package which we are going to offer, not to LTTE, but to the reasonable Tamil people of Sri Lanka. So therefore, LTTE is fighting for a separate state which we are not prepared to concede at all.

Do you think the local Tamil communities in the northeast would be happy with a devolution package?

They would be very happy, but unfortunately they are under the grip of the LTTE terrorism. If they say they are happy, they will be assassinated, they will killed and they would be harmed.

We know the tactics of the LTTE, being a terrorist organisation. There is no democracy in the areas which are under their control.

What will it take for your government to return to the negotiating table and start talking again to the Tamil Tigers?

We are already in the negotiating table. You name a date tomorrow, I'll be there with my negotiating team.

It is LTTE who fled away from the negotiating table and who are not coming to the negotiating table. So therefore, you must ask the LTTE, but they can't impose conditions on the legitimate government. They must come to the negotiating table, place their grievances before us and discuss the devolution package, which should be announced shortly.

Of course, because the United National Party, where they have about another 48 members in their pocket, they too have said, irrespective of the political differences which they have with us in the economic management, that they are prepared to support us in the devolution process.

Therefore it is very timely for the LTTE to come into the negotiating table and grab this opportunity to sort out this matter.

This Viewpoint is based on a interview conducted with Sen Lam and broadcast on Radio Australia's Connect Asia program on February 28

Economy

Sri Lanka began a process of economic liberalisation in 1977, replacing its import substitution trade policy with market-based policies and export-oriented trade.

Exports have gradually shifted emphasis from agriculture to the services and manufacturing sectors.

The service sector accounts for over half of Sri Lanka's GDP.

Major industries include the processing of rubber, tea, coconuts and other agricultural commodities, clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles and tobacco. Other dynamic sectors include telecommunications, banking and insurance.

Agriculture still accounts for 20 per cent of Sri Lanka's output and employs more than one third of the workforce. The main agricultural products are rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, roots, spices, tea and rubber.

Another important source of income is remittances from about 800,000 Sri Lankans who work abroad - mainly in the Middle East.

Sri Lanka's growth has been steady over the past few years - apart from a contraction in 2001. The economy is expected to sustain average GDP growth at about 6 per cent until 2007. However, this growth may be affected by the impact of the tsunami that devastated Sri Lanka's coastal regions in December 2004.

Government

Sri Lanka is a parliamentary democracy, although the president has strong powers.

The president is the head of state and also holds the positions of head of the executive, head of government and commander in chief of the armed forces. He or she has the power to appoint or dismiss members of the cabinet and to dissolve the cabinet.

The president is elected by the people and holds office for a period of six years.

Sri Lanka has a unicameral legislature, with 225 members directly elected for five years by a system of modified proportional representation.

In 1987, Sri Lanka's constitution was amended to allow greater powers for nine directly elected provincial councils, with the aim of meeting Tamil demands for greater autonomy. However, ongoing ethnic conflict has caused delays in elections in a number of the provinces.

Since Sri Lanka's independence in 1948, politics have been dominated by two main parties - the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United National Party (UNP).

Sri Lanka's law is a mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law. The president appoints judges to the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.

History

The Sinhalese first came to Sri Lanka, probably from north India, in about 500 BC. They were closely followed by the Tamils, who historians believe started arriving on the island from southern India as traders in about 300 BC. At around this time, Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka from the Indian subcontinent. The faith was embraced by the Sinhalese, while most Tamils remained loyal to Hinduism.

Portugal was the first colonial power on the island, arriving in 1505 and staying for 150 years, until it was expelled by the Dutch in 1658. The Dutch, in turn, were pushed out in 1796 by the British, who in 1815 became the first colonial power to unite the entire island - then known as Ceylon.

Ceylon gained full independence in 1948. Over the next decade the socialist government adopted a number of policies that favoured the Sinhalese. In 1956 the government made Sinhala the island's only official language, sparking protests in 1956 by the Tamil community, which began to press for greater autonomy in the Tamil-majority north and east.
The prime minister, Solomon Bandaranaike, was assassinated in 1959 trying to reconcile the two communities, and in 1960 his widow, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, became the world's first female prime minister.

Tamil grievances were further exacerbated in 1972 - the year in which the island became a republic and was renamed Sri Lanka. The new constitution made Buddhism the primary religion, and there was a reduction in university places for Tamils, sparking civil unrest that resulted in the declaration of a state of emergency in Tamil areas.

The conflict escalated into a full scale civil war in 1983, which has dominated Sri Lankan politics for three decades. The war erupted after the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) killed a Sri Lankan police detatchment in Jaffna, sparking a two-day rampage by Sinhalese mobs, in which several thousand Tamils were killed and Tamil homes and shops, particularly in Colombo, were looted and burnt.

The LTTE, led by Velupillai Prabhakaran, became the largest and most powerful Tamil group, embarking on a major military campaign against Sri Lankan troops with the aim of establishing a separate Tamil state in the north-east.

The government attempted to resolve the insurgency in 1987 by signing a peace accord involving India. Indian troops were deployed, but the LTTE fought them strongly and in 1988 violent opposition to the accord emerged in the south, led by the Sinhalese Maoist People's Liberation Front (JVP).

After suffering significant casualties, the Indian troops withdrew in March 1990.

Despite a ceasefire, violence by the LTTE escalated again in the early 1990s. Casualties of bomb attacks during this time included the deputy defence minister, Ranjan Wijeratne, in March 1991; India's former prime minister, Rajiv Ghandi, in May 1991; and Sri Lanka's president, Ramasinghe Premasada, in May 1993.

It is estimated that more than 65,000 people have been killed in the conflict, and hundreds of thousands of others have been displaced.

Hopes were raised in February 2002 when the government and the LTTE signed an agreement for an indefinite ceasefire. Supervised by Norwegian peace monitors, the ceasefire has resulted in the easing of security restrictions in government-controlled areas and greater freedom of movement for people and goods around the country.

The LTTE suspended peace talks in March 2003, but a fragile ceasefire continued to hold.

Communities along Sri Lanka's east and south coasts were devastated on December 26, 2004, when an earthquake off the coast of Indonesia sparked tsunamis across the Indian Ocean. Tens of thousands of people were killed in Sri Lanka and more than one million were made homeless.

In 2006, there was an upsurge in violence between government troops and LTTE rebels, which began over a key irrigation canal on the country's east coast. Thousands were killed and many thousands were forced to flee their homes. The violence led to truce monitors declaring that the 2002 ceasefire existed only on paper. Talks were held in Geneva in October, 2006, in a bid to secure more face-to-face negotiations between the two sides, but they were unsuccessful.

Issues

More than two decades of civil war between government forces and Tamil separatists has cost at least 65,000 lives and seriously damaged the economy.

About 600,000 displaced people are living in refugee camps in India and parts of Sri Lanka as a result of the civil war.

Political instability, resulting in a number of early elections and political assassinations.
The separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have been criticised by international human rights groups for the alleged recruitment of child soldiers.

Sri Lanka's southern and eastern coastal regions were devastated by a tsunami on December 26, 2004. Tens of thousands of people on the island were killed and an estimated one million others were left homeless. Recovery from the tragedy is expected to take Sri Lanka many years.

Country Profile

Introduction

Lying south-east of the Indian subcontinent, the island of Sri Lanka is rich in natural resources and beauty. However, for more than two decades the country has been engulfed in a bitter civil war over tensions between the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamil ethnic groups. A shaky ceasefire has been in place since 2002.

Full country name: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

Population: 19.6 million

Languages: Sinhala, Tamil and English

Religion: Buddhist (70%), Hindu (15%), Christian (8%), Muslim (7%)

Ethnic diversity: Sinhalese majority, Tamils, Moors

Literacy: 91 per cent

Capital: Colombo

Total land area: 65,000 square kilometres

Political Status: Republic

Head of State: President Mahinda Rajapaske

Head of Government: Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake

Currency: Sri Lankan rupee

Major trading partners: US, UK, India, Belgium

Timeline:Sri Lanka conflict

Conflict in Sri LankaThe conflict between Sri Lanka's government and ethnic Tamil rebels has a chequered history spanning decades. Look at key dates in a dispute that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

1948 - 1972 Early turning point

Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, gains full independence in 1948 and over the next decade the socialist government adopts a number of policies that favour the Sinhalese.
In 1956 Sinhalese is adopted as the official national language, while both English and Tamil are dropped. Many view this as a turning point in the history of the island. The move sparks protests by the Tamil community, which begins to press for greater autonomy in the Tamil-majority north and east.

Formation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

Tamil grievances are further exacerbated in 1972 - the year in which the island becomes a republic and is renamed Sri Lanka. The new constitution makes Buddhism the primary religion (the Tamils are Hindus, however, religion is not thought to be behind the hostilities) and there is a reduction in university places for Tamils. Separatist groups begin to form - the biggest of which is the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, formed in 1972. The country starts its slide towards civil war.

1983 Black July

Civil war breaks out in 1983, with the Tamil areas coming under the control of separatist militias. In July 1983 (Black July), the LTTE ambushes an army patrol in Jaffna, killing 13 soldiers. This sparks anti-Tamil riots, in which an estimated 600 people die. From 1983 onwards the conflict between the Sinhalese majority of the south and the northern Tamil minority dominates Sri Lankan politics.

1987 - 1990 India intervenes

Sri Lanka accepts India's offer to send troops into the north of the country to disarm the rebels and pave the way for political reforms. The LTTE puts up a vigorous resistance against the Indian forces, killing an estimated 1,200 Indian soldiers. By 1990 Indian troops have withdrawn from the country, leaving the LTTE in control of large areas of northern Sri Lanka.

1994 Peace talks

Prospects for a peace accord between the government and the Tamil Tigers brighten considerably with the election of a new president, Chandrika Kumaratunga, who comes to power pledging to end the war and open peace talks with the LTTE. A ceasefire ensues, and hopes are high of a final settlement in the civil war. However, the truce breaks down after several months.

1995 Casualties mount

Peace talks collapse and the Tamil Tigers carry out a series of bomb attacks. The army launches a major offensive, and by the end of the year 500 soldiers and 2,000 Tamil Tigers have been killed. 1996 Violence rages
In January, the Tamil Tigers ram a truck loaded with explosives into a central bank in the capital, Colombo, killing 91 people. In July, the Tigers overrun an army camp in the northeastern town of Mullativu, killing 1,200 soldiers. In the same year, the Tigers also bomb a train near Colombo, killing 70 passengers. A state of emergency is extended across the country.

1997 US labels LTTE terrorists

On October 8, the United States declares the LTTE a foreign terrorist organisation. A week later the LTTE attacks the World Trade Centre in central Colombo with a truck bomb, leaving 17 dead and 100 injured, including dozens of foreign tourists.

1999 Road to ceasefire

President Chandrika Kumaratunga invites Norway to help bring the Tamil Tigers to the peace table.

2001 More countries outlaw LTTE

Britain outlaws LTTE as a terrorist organisation, a move which is followed swiftly by Canada and Australia. Later in the year, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe wins the election and revives the peace bid.

2002 Ceasefire agreement

On February 23, 2002, the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tiger rebels enter a ceasefire agreement, paving the way for talks to end the long-running conflict. The peace initiative is sponsored by Norway. In September, the government lifts a ban on the Tamil Tigers, and the first round of talks begins in Thailand. Both sides exchange prisoners of war for the first time and the rebels drop their demand for separate state.
But by April of 2003, the Tigers have suspended participation in the peace talks, saying they are being marginalised.

2004 Tsunami brings temporary unity

On December 26, 2004, a tsunami, generated by a powerful undersea earthquake off the Indonesian coast, slams into 11 countries bordering the Indian Ocean, including Sri Lanka. More than 30,000 people are killed in Sri Lanka alone, while hundreds of thousands are forced from their homes. The government declares a national disaster. In June of the following year, a deal is reached with Tamil Tiger rebels to share tsunami aid among ethnic Sinhalas, Tamils and Muslims. The Marxist party pulls out of the ruling coalition in protest.

2005 Surge in violence

Relations between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the government rapidly deteriorate with the election in November of President Mahinda Rajapakse, with the backing of hardliners opposed to any power-sharing deal with the rebels.
Nearly 1,000 people die in a surge of violence that follows over the next few months.

2006 EU outlaws LTTE

In May the European Union outlaws the Tamil Tigers as a terrorist organisation, leading the rebels to demand that the EU components of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) withdraw from the country. Denmark, Finland and Sweden later announce they will pull out by September 1, leaving only non-EU nations, Iceland and Norway, as part of the monitoring team.

Fears of a return to full-scale warPeace talks in Geneva, Switzerland in October end in failure.

More than 3,000 troops, civilians and rebel fighters are killed in a spree of ambushes, suicide bombings, air raids, naval clashes and land battles during 2006.

Both the Tigers and military accuse eachother of violating the 2002 ceasefire.

US lawmakers want to end Sri Lanka conflict

About 50 US lawmakers have written to President George W. Bush asking him to step up American efforts to help resolve the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka.

In the letter, obtained by the AFP news agency, the law makers say the United States has the opportunity to serve as a leader in renewed international efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Led by two Democrats in the House of Representatives, David Price and Rush Holt, the lawmakers told President Bush it is "imperative" for him to step up US diplomatic engagement in Sri Lanka in a bid to achieving peace.

Peace talks between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebels fighting for a separate homeland in the areas of northern and eastern Sri Lanka collapsed in October last year, leading to a sharp escalation of fighting.

Sri Lanka in Trouble

As the country plunges further into conflict with a major battle looming in the north, Sri Lanka’s beleaguered tourism industry is in serious trouble.With 2,000 hotel rooms closed, occupancy levels have hit an all-time low in Colombo and outside.
Tourism revenues are down by 20%. 1,500 casual and contractual workers have been laid off. It is expected that this figure will rise in coming weeks; the industry said this week it was facing a ’grave’ crisis and wanted urgent support from the government, wrote, Sundaytimes.lk.
The Tourist Hotels Association (THASL) and the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) wrote to Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda urging immediate relief measures. The associations have called for ’some urgent and serious intervention by the government if a major social upheaval and economic crisis is to be prevented’.
The association said that they were under pressure from the membership, staff and other stakeholders to obtain relief measures to keep the industry afloat. They are also requesting a meeting with the President to discuss the crisis. They have pointed out that at least 900,000 individuals and their families are directly and indirectly dependant on tourism.
“This is based on the assumptions, that there are four people in an average Sri Lankan rural family, and that the ratio of direct to indirect employment is 1:3. Since, the largest concentration of the hotels is in the south, it is obvious that the largest number of dependants is also from the southern coast. They emphasize that occupancy levels in all regions, including Colombo and even Negombo, (which showed some resilience earlier) are falling. Presently Colombo hotels are averaging around 40% occupancy, while the circuit hotels are currently averaging 25% to 35%, which is an all-time low for this time of the year.
Statistics released by the Central Cultural Fund showed a 48% drop in revenue from entrance fees for the period of JanuaryÐMay 2007, when compared with the previous year’s figures. Out of a total room stock of 221 rooms only 17 rooms were booked a few days ago.

Jackie considering Indian cinema

Jacqueline exudes oomph, confidence, sophistication and style. Born and brought up right here in Bahrain she pursued a degree in media and communication in Australia and was crowned Miss Sri Lanka Universe in 2006. Now that she’s accomplished quite a bit in a relatively short time, maybe this Lankan beauty has thoughts of settling down …rumours are rife that she is dating Bollywood star Vivek Oberoi. But when asked if the wedding bells will be heard soon, jumping out of her seat she said, “Marry Vivek Oberoi? Oh God, no! At 21, I have no marriage plans.”“I met Vivek at an awards function two weeks ago, but it was hardly for a few minutes. The media in India loves to blow things out of proportion. I want to say this loud and clear, I’m not marrying Vivek.” What she plans to do instead is make a career in the Indian glam industry. She explains, “I have anchored programmes for TV shows in Sri Lanka, but making a career in India’s glamour industry is my desire. The industry is making its presence felt in the international scenario in more ways than one. Sri Lanka, in contrast, has a long way to go.”Did she always want to be a part of the glamour world? “Well, not really. Otherwise I would not have specialised in media and communication. However, while doing the course, I realised I was comfortable being in front of the camera and that’s when I decided the world of glamour was for me.”Apart from meeting people and making friends, Jackie is busy learning Hindi and Kathak. An entry into Bollywood looks imminent as she is already reading a few scripts. “However, I will only sign the dotted line if I am convinced about the role,” she says. As for beauty, Jackie’s mantra for beauty is self respect and the ability to see the bright side of life. “Always wear a cheerful smile and you’ve conquered half the world.”

The Maldives to release fisherman

KOCHI: The Maldives Government has decided to release Simon Sosa, who had been in the custody of the Maldives Police for two months, Minister for Fisheries S. Sarma said here on Tuesday. Hailing from Njarakkal, Mr. Sosa was taken into custody by the Maldives Police after his fishing boat was seized by LTTE terrorists. He is expected to arrive in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. — Staff Reporter

The Sri Lankan Government and the Calculator


Apparently, the kindly leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, Rauf Hakeem was informed by the Social Services Ministry that it was donating two million rupees to the recent flood victims. Now isn’t the government really sweet? That’s only Rs three (million) less than what they gave N. Raviraj’s widow.But wait. Hold that thought, Rs two million - for 30,000 families. That’s a whopping 66.67 rupees per family.It gets even more impressive - Sri Lankan families have an average of four people in their family, so that Rs two million can also be translated as a sum total of Rs 16.66 rupees per person. Wow. Isn’t that really great? Except for the itsy bitsy detail that Rs.16/= will get you nothing in this country, and Rs. 60/= will not fare any better. Especially for flood victims.

Buy a calculator!

Did the Social Services Ministry forget how to calculate?Or did they make a mistake at the press conference, a mistake which they then repeated for Rauf Hakeem’s benefit. Oh wow wow wow.Being N. Raviraj’s widow is beginning to look far more profitable.P.S. If you know anyone in the said ministry, please buy them a calculator and teach them some basic logic and mathematics.n Survivor - Lankan Ishtyle! The SL Gov. really is too kind to us. When they watched ‘Survivor’, they wanted us poor Sri Lankans to be able to experience the same type of adventures, on a far more regular basis. But they went one up on the show, since we have far more variety here in terms of field events. In fact, it looks more and more like Survivor meets the Olympics here in Paradise Isle. A few of the currently available games are listed below:

Where exactly is the road

Here, contestants can test their deduction skills against the RDA, conveniently located on the important Kandy-Colombo road, at the heart of the Kadawatha town. Any type of vehicle will do. At strategic points, you will be faced with a challenge: Where exactly is the road, and where exactly is the construction site? Believe me, I’ve tried this one and it’s pretty difficult! If you can tell the difference and pass them with minimum damage to your vehicle, you pass. I’m not sure if anyone has won this yet.In-pin-safety-pin: Remember the old school-yard rhyme? Well, this is like that, available in Colombo 07 and the Galle Road-Duplication Road areas in Colombo 04, Colombo 05. Pit your wits against those of the Colombo Traffic Police and guess which roads are one-way, which are temporarily barricaded, and which roads can be used for travel. Since it changes on an almost daily basis, , every day brings a new challenge. Recommended for those with infinite patience only.

(Courtesy Shoat Statements)

Lankan girls come of age in Toronto
By Thulasi Srikanthan

As the drums beat, 12-year-old Niroshi Ravichandran steps through the towering white doors, her face masked by a translucent white veil, body wrapped in a pink-and-gold sari.

With white flowers pinned to black hair and brown cheeks reddened with blush, Niroshi walks silently up the aisle, through a guard of more than 24 flower girls, to a garland-draped platform.

It has been almost six months since Niroshi got her first period and now, after the congratulatory visits from her relatives and a small religious ceremony at home, her coming-of-age celebration at Toronto’s Princess Banquet hall is about to begin.“It wasn’t my idea,” says Niroshi, who has been up since 5 a.m., getting primped by a pair of makeup artists hired for the occasion. “But it’s really cool.”

The rituals

And as her parents wished, the party for 260 guests has come with the works, including white stretch limo, a televised mini-biography of Niroshi’s life and three giant screens filled with live feed from onsite cameramen. The price tag is more than $10,000.

This ritual, often written in English as pooppunitha neerattu vizha, is observed by Hindu Tamils in India as well as Sri Lanka. In Canada, among Sri Lankans, the celebration has taken on a distinct identity, not only growing more opulent but also becoming a way for families to pass on their traditions.“When you are at home, you’d realize a lot of these traditions. You are a part of it. It was there,” says Dharini Sivakumar, secretary of the Tamil Cultural Association of Waterloo Region.
“When you are away from it, you see the difference from the Western culture. You want to maintain this for your own children to a certain extent. That way, they can say, `This is who I am. This is my identity.’”
In keeping with these traditions, when a girl in Canada gets her first period, her family phones all their close relatives. On the same day, they give her a bath at home with saffron and milk - considered an auspicious act. The girl then stays at home to rest. Though in Sri Lanka, girls could be absent from school up to 10 days, in Canada, it’s only for two to three - if at all.Some people think treating the girl like Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, during this time will mean good fortune and happiness for the family. Relatives bring rich, nutritious foods, including eggs and special oil, so she recovers her strength.A big ceremony marks the end of this first period. A priest comes early that morning to bless the girl. Another aspect of her moving from girlhood to womanhood is that she wears a sari for the first time.

In Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, “the customs vary slightly from village to village,” says Mani Pathmarajah, a community activist and elder. In Canada, she says, the ceremony takes place anywhere from one week to several months later, depending on the auspiciousness of the date, the availability of the hall and the parents’ preferences. In preparation, the family has to clean the house, give the girl a second bath and prepare 11 trays of sweets, fried snacks, fruit and coconuts. If the event takes place at a hall, the caterers do the cooking.The family dresses the girl in a new sari for the occasion and two married women perform arthi, a religious ceremony, using the 11 trays to ward off evil eye. A key component of arthi involves rotating in a vertical circle a tray filled with three banana pieces and burning wicks in the middle. The girl’s maternal uncle breaks a coconut during the ceremony to remind those who are present to let go of their ego, Pathmarajah says.

Like a wedding

In the Greater Toronto Area, business owners from the Tamil community say they have seen anywhere from 250 to more than 1,200 people come out for these parties. Costs range from less than $1,000 for at-home ceremonies to tens of thousands of dollars at local banquet halls.“They do it in a huge way, like a wedding in Toronto,” Sivakumar says. “Back home, it’s a very family-oriented tradition. You don’t invite the whole world, you invite your family and very, very close friends.”In the GTA, however, there are more than 100 banquet-hall ceremonies a year. Like many others working in the industry, Jeya Ponnuchamy says this is just the beginning. Ponnuchamy, co-owner of the Princess Banquet hall on Pharmacy Ave., has been running around organising Niroshi’s ceremony, from telling the teen how to pose, to telling the waitresses and flower girls where to walk. At the banquet hall, she sits down to eat rice and curries after her ceremony ends. When she looks back, she is sure she will remember how happy she was on this day.“It’s to know that we are not forgetting our culture, even though we are in Canada.”

-Courtesy Life Time

Words that sound the same

This exercise will help you to handle situations which need grammatical knowledge. Some of the words are pronounced in the same way, but have a totally different meaning. Be careful when you use these words and use them in the correct context so that the words will convey the correct meaning.

Accept vs except

Accept is a verb, which means to agree to take something .For example: “I always accept good advice.” Except is a preposition or conjunction, which means not including.

For example: “I teach everyday except Sunday(s).”

advice vs advise

Advice is a noun, which means an opinion that someone offers you about what you should do or how you should act in a particular situation.For example: “I need someone to give me some advice.” Advise is a verb, which means to give information and suggest types of action.For example: “I advise everybody to be nice to their teacher.” Often in English the noun form ends in ...ice and the verb form ends in ..ise.

affect vs effect

Affect and effect are two words that are commonly confused.affect is usually a verb (action) - effect is usually a noun (thing).Hint: If it’s something you’re going to do, use “affect.” If it’s something you’ve already done, use “effect.”To affect something or someone.Meaning: to influence, act upon, or change something or someone.For example: The noise outside affected my performance.To have an effect on something or someone

Note: effect is followed by the preposition on and preceded by an article (an, the)Meaning: to have an impact on something or someone.

For example: His smile had a strange effect on me. !Effect can also mean “the end result”.

For example: The drug has many adverse side effects.

alone / lonely

Alone, can be used as an adjective or adverb. Either use means without other people or on your own.For example: “He likes living alone.”“I think we’re alone now.” There are just the two of us here.Lonely is an adjective which means you are unhappy because you are not with other people.For example: “The house feels lonely now that all the children have left home.”
a lot / alot / allot A lot, meaning a large amount or number of people or things, can be used to modify a noun.For example:-“I need a lot of time to develop this web site.” It can also be used as an adverb, meaning very much or very often.

For example:-“I look a lot like my sister.”It has become a common term in speech; and is increasingly used in writing.Alot does not exist! There is no such word in the English language. If you write it this way - imagine me shouting at you - “No Such Word!”Allot is a verb, which means to give (especially a share of something) for a particular purpose:-For example: “We were allotted a desk each.”

all ready vs already

All ready means “completely ready”.For example: “Are you all ready for the test?” Already is an adverb that means before the present time or earlier than the time expected.
For example: “I asked him to come to the cinema but he’d already seen the film.”Or“Are you buying Christmas cards already? It’s only September!”
altogether vs all togetherAll together (adv) means “together in a single group.”For example: The waiter asked if we were all together. Altogether (adv) means “completely” or “in total “.

For example: She wrote less and less often, and eventually she stopped altogether.!To be in the altogether is an old-fashioned term for being naked!

any vs some

Any and some are both determiners. They are used to talk about indefinite quantities or numbers, when the exact quantity or number is not important. As a general rule we use some for positive statements, and any for questions and negative statements,

For example:- I asked the barman if he could get me some sparkling water. I said, “Excuse me, have you got any sparkling water?” Unfortunately they didn’t have any. Note - You will sometimes see some in questions and any in positive statements. When making an offer, or a request, in order to encourage the person we are speaking to to, say “ yes”, you can use some in a question:

For example: Would you mind fetching some gummy bears while you’re at the shops? You can also use any in a positive statement if it comes after a word whose meaning is negative or limiting:


For example:-A. She gave me some bad advice.B. Really? She rarely gives any bad advice.
apart vs a partApart (adv) separated by distance or time. For example: I always feel so lonely when we’re apart. A part (noun) a piece of something that forms the whole of something.
For example: They made me feel like I was a part of the family.
been vs goneBeen is the past participle of be, gone is the past participle of go Been is used to describe completed visits. So if you have been to England twice, you have travelled there and back twice. If you have gone to England, you have not yet returned. Now you’ve been and gone and done it!

bored vs boring

Bored is an adjective that describes when someone feels tired and unhappy because something is not interesting or because they have nothing to do.

For example: She was so bored that she fell asleep. Boring is an adjective that means something is not interesting or exciting. For example: The lesson was so boring that she fell asleep.

Note: Most verbs which express emotions, such as to bore , may use either the present or the past participle as an adjective, but the meaning of the participles is often different.

Why is Sri Lanka’s past hidden from its own people?

BY AMEEN IZZADEEN
3 July 2007

SRI Lanka’s Hindu king Devanampiyatissa (246 BCE), who ruled from Anuradhapura in the north-central province of Sri Lanka was on a hunting mission and chasing after a spotted deer. And suddenly, he heard a voice: Someone calling him by his first name. No one in his kingdom would dare to utter his name. Shocked, he stopped his chase and turned towards the direction from where the voice was heard.

There was Mahinda Thera, son of Emperor Asoka. He urged the king not to kill. With this advice began the spread of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. On Saturday, June 30, Sri Lankan Buddhists marked this event with religious ceremonies throughout the country. But there was not much celebration in the north and the east. It was not because of the war. But there aren’t many Buddhists in these areas, especially in the north.

The north is pre-dominantly Tamil Hindu. Many people in the north see Buddhism as the religion of the ‘Sinhala’ Army, which they respect least but fear most. The Buddhism, which Mahinda Thera preached, spoke of non-violence and social egalitarianism. The appeal of this reformist religion was so overwhelming that it spread like wildfire. For centuries, it was the main religion of Tamils in India’s Tamil Nadu and in Sri Lanka.

It was unfortunate that very little attempt is made by authorities to highlight this historic fact. On the contrary, text books recommended for children in their tender ages contain stories that plant seeds of ethnic hatred in their hearts. In one lesson, the young Sinhala prince Dutugemunu was asked by his mother why he was huddling under a blanket. The prince replied in a typical devil-and-the–deep-blue-sea manner, “How can I straighten my limbs, when on the one hand, we are surrounded by the dumb sea and on the other, by the ‘para’ Tamils”. The decent transliteration of the word ‘para’ means ‘foreign’. But the word is also being used to denote something derogatory or low. I am not an etymologist, but I believe the word in its derogatory sense refers to the ‘Pariah’ caste of south India. Ironically, many people belonging to this caste later converted to Buddhism.

When I asked about this lesson, a teacher of a Methodist church-run school was apologetic and told me, “We skip it.” Dutugemunu was not a racist. Neither was the Chola king Elara, a Tamil, whom he defeated and killed in battle.

If only we have presented history in the right context, Sri Lanka would have been a peaceful country. It is still not too late. For a start, let’s teach our children that there were Tamil Buddhists in this country. Some ultranationalists are quick to grab artifacts found in the north and say that the discoveries were proof enough to show that Buddhism was once prevalent in every part of the country. Their conclusion, however, was that there were Sinhalese in the north, practising Buddhism. They failed to acknowledge that Tamils in the north were once Buddhists.

A reading of the great Tamil epic, Manimekalai, by the 2nd century Tamilnadu poet, Sathanar, would expose one to the influence of Buddhism among Tamils in Tamil Nadu and northern Sri Lanka.

Manimekala was about to marry a prince, who was infatuated with her. But the death of her father, Kovalan, hero of another Tamil epic, Silappathikaram, made her contemplate on the impermanency of life. Caught between the love of a prince and her passion to become a nun, Manimekala was in a state of confusion. She was rescued by a goddess and taken to Nagadipa, an island off Jaffna. It was here that she walked into a site hallowed by the visit of the Buddha. The legend has it that Buddha visited Nagadipa to settle a dispute between two princes over a gem-set throne. Manimekala was exposed to the teachings of the Buddha. She was handed a sacred bowl which Buddhist monks and nuns carry. She departed Nagadipa and reached Kaveripatnam, Madurai where she donned the robe of a Buddhist nun, and began her spiritual mission. With the begging bowl in her hand, she served the poor and the marginalised.
Not many Sri Lankan Buddhists today know who Manimekala is. Neither do they know that Tamil Nadu Dalits who have embraced Buddhism – and continue to embrace it — are hurt when they learn that the Sinhalese, most of whom profess Buddhism, are portrayed as the oppressors of Tamils in Sri Lanka.

The universality of the philosophy preached by Gautama Buddha has unfortunately been replaced by communality. There is little effort to take Buddhism to Tamils in the north and east. With some Buddhist monks themselves backing the government’s war effort, what success the efforts to promote the Buddha’s philosophy of non-violence will meet is anybody’s guess.

The message with which the Mahinda Thera wooed the king to ‘ahimsa’ is lost in the jungles of bigotry. The Buddha’s teachings tell us to abhor greed, but our politicians, in their greed for power, refuse to devolve power to the Tamils in a meaningful way. Buddhism also emphasises the virtues of detachment because it identifies attachment as the main factor that leads to sorrow. But our attachment to concepts such as race, language and ethnicity has become a barrier to a peaceful solution to the Sri Lankan crisis.

Ameen Izzadeen is a Sri Lankan journalist based in Colombo

Few can afford to buy at Jaffna's restocked markets

Jaffna's town market is once again stocked, with many of its small retail shops bursting with canned and packaged goods and large bags of dried fish, lentils, dhal and rice. However, increasing numbers of Jaffna residents and the 40,000 internally displaced people in the district cannot afford them.

When the A9 highway - the vital transport route linking the Jaffna peninsula to the rest of the country - was closed on 11 August 2006, the 150-plus trucks that daily delivered goods into and out of the district ceased operation. Jaffna became totally dependent on sea transport and limited air freighting for all its imported goods.

S. B. Divaratne, commissioner general of Essential Services which has been running the sea transport operation, takes some pride in their shipping achievements over the past 11 months. "Adequate stocks are available in all basic food items, including medicine in Jaffna," he said. The commissioner general said 112,197 metric tonnes of essential food items had been transported by sea to Jaffna since September 2006 in more than 50 separate ship loads.

While food stocks are up, the number of buyers is decidedly down. N. Pathmanathan, a shopkeeper in the Jaffna market told IRIN: "While I had shortages of food and other commodities soon after the closure of the A9, I have no problems getting goods now, it's just the costs are so much higher." In his 24 years as a shopkeeper, he said he had never seen the situation so bad. "I am only doing one quarter of the business that I did prior to 11 August 2006," he lamented.

A short distance from the market at Rolex Restaurant, A. Sinnathurai, the head waiter, told a similar story. "We had to close this entire back room [half the restaurant's total space] because of a lack of customers," he said. "Business has dropped 50 to 60 per cent."

According to the June Jaffna Food Security Bulletin (JFSB), a joint publication of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the UN Children's Agency (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), "food items are available. Market prices, however, are substantially more expensive than Colombo market prices."
For example, June prices for bread and flour were 150 percent higher in Jaffna than in Colombo. Those for white rice and red rice 160 and 220 percent higher, respectively; for milk powder 110 per cent and kerosene 205 percent higher.

Fishing hit

High prices are only part of the problem. Since the A9 closure and with continuing security concerns on the peninsula, many of Jaffna's 600,000 residents and internally displaced persons (IDPs) no longer have productive livelihoods or reliable sources of income. The Jaffna District government agent, K. Ganesh, in a January situation report said 17,498 families, 9 percent of the population, are involved in fishing, but severe restrictions imposed by the Sri Lankan military have limited their ability to fish. "Fish production has slightly increased since the beginning of the year but is still only 10 percent of pre-conflict levels with the consequent impact affecting household livelihoods," according to the JFSB.

Agriculture hit

In the agricultural sector, according to the government agent's report, 96,525 families, 51 percent of the population, are farmers or farm labourers. Their ability to produce was hit hard by the lack of fertilizers and other farm inputs. In addition, some farmland was taken out of production because it was in areas designated high security zones, and some was mined.
"Available land for paddy cultivation is 13,000 hectares for the last 'Maha' season, only 6,627 was cultivated," the JFSB said. And because of lack of agricultural inputs, "the average yield has dropped to 1.5 metric tonnes per hectare… compared to the usual yields of three to four metric tonnes per hectare."

The situation in the livestock industry is not much better. According to FAO, the number of livestock, including poultry and cows, is only 34 percent of pre-conflict levels, though efforts are under way to replenish stock. Many livestock were killed in the conflict, and many farmers sold their stock when short of cash to buy essentials.

Big price increases for fish, poultry, eggs

These drops in fish and farm production have led to significant price increases. Fish, which was 150 rupees per kilo before 11 August 2006, is now 600. Chicken, which was 180 rupees a kilo, is now 700. Even an egg which was 7 rupees goes for 23 rupees - over three times the price. For many Jaffna residents, these former staples have now become luxury items.
V.T. Selvaratnam, director of education for Jaffna District, told IRIN: "Given the food shortages and the high prices, even I and my family can only eat chicken once a month. How can poor families possibly cope?"

An answer to that question was provided at Nanthurai welfare camp in Jaffna town. An IDP, Jasantha Arul Nasensan, who was displaced from Allaipiddy in August 2006, told IRIN: "Now we go to the market and see the pretty things," she said laughing with a group of a dozen or so other IDPs. "We do window shopping, because we don't have money to buy anything there." [IRIN]

மீன் உருண்டை குழம்பு

தேவையான பொருட்கள்:

மீன் - 1/2 கிலோ
பச்சை மிளகாய் - 4
வெங்காயம் - 1
இஞ்சி துண்டு - 1
கொத்தமல்லித்தழை - 2 கைப்பிடி
சிறிதளவு புதினா தழை
கரம் மசாலா தூள் - 1 டீஸ்பூன்
சீரகம் - டீஸ்பூன்
முட்டை - 1

உருண்டை செய்ய:

சதைப் பற்றுள்ள அரை கிலோ மீனை வேகவைத்து தோல், முள் நீக்கி உதிர்த்து வைக்க வேண்டும். இப்படி உதிர்த்து வைத்துள்ள மீனை மிக்சியில் அரைத்து சிறு உருண்டைகளாக உருட்டி ரொட்டித் துண்டுகளில் பிரட்டி சூடான எண்ணையில் பொரித்துக் கொள்ள வேண்டும்.

செய்முறை:

வாணலியில் 4 டீஸ்பூன் நெய்யை சூடாக்கி, பொடியாக நறுக்கிய 2 வெங்காயம், ஒரு துண்டு இஞ்சி, 4 பல் துண்டு, இரண்டும் அரைத்த விழுது போட்டு வதக்கி, தோல் எடுத்து பொடியாக நறுக்கிய 3 தக்காளி சேர்த்து வதக்கவும். நெய் மேலே மிதக்கும்போது சுடுதண்ணீர் ஒரு கப் விட்டு அது கொதிக்கும்போது பொரித்து வைத்துள்ள மீன் உருண்டைகள், கரம் மசாலா, சீரகம் போட்டு சிறுதீயில் கொதிக்கவிடவும். நெய் மேலே மிதக்கும்போது கால் டம்ளர் பால், கொஞ்சம், குங்குமப்பூ போட்டு 2 நிமிடங்களுக்கு கொதிக்கவிடவும். இறக்கி கிரீம், கொத்தமல்லித் தழையால் அலங்கரித்து பரிமாறவும். அரைத்த முந்திரி பருப்பு விழுது அரைகப், சேர்த்துக் கொண்டால் கிரேவி நல்ல மணத்தோடும் மலாய் ஜோப்தா போல அதிக ருசியாகவும் இருக்கும்.

வடைகறி

தேவையானப் பொருட்கள்

கடலைப்பருப்பு-ஒரு கோப்பை
வெங்காயம்-நான்கு
தக்காளி-ஒன்று
துருவிய தேங்காய்-ஒரு கோப்பை
பச்சைமிளகாய்-ஆறு
நசுக்கிய முழூ பூண்டு-ஒன்று
துருவிய இஞ்சி-இரண்டு துண்டு
மிளகாய்த்தூள்-ஒன்றரை தேக்கரண்டி
மஞ்சத்தூள்-ஒரு தேக்கரண்டிசோம்பு-இரண்டு தேக்கரண்டி
கடுகு-அரைதேக்கரண்டி
பட்டை-இரண்டு துண்டு
ஏலக்காய்-நான்கு
கிராம்பு-நான்கு
பிரிஞ்சி இலை-இரண்டு
எண்ணெய்-முக்கால் கோப்பை
உப்பு-இரண்டு தேக்கரண்டி
கறிவேப்பிலை-ஒரு கொத்து
கொத்தமல்லி-ஒரு பிடி

செய்முறை

கடலைப்பருப்பை குறைந்தது இரண்டு மணிநேரம் அல்லது இரவு முழுவதும் ஊறவைக்கவும். தேங்காப்பூவில் ஒரு கோப்பை நீரைச் சேர்த்து மைய்ய அரைத்து திக்கான பாலாக வடித்து வைக்கவும்.வெங்காயம், தக்காளியை நீளவாக்கிலும், பச்சைமிளகாயில் நான்கை மெல்லியதாகவும் நறுக்கி வைக்கவும்.பூண்டை ஒன்ரும் பாதியுமாக நசுக்கி வைக்கவும்.ஊறிய பருப்பில் ஒரு தேக்கரண்டி சோம்பு, இரண்டு பச்சைமிளகாய், அரைத்தேக்கரண்டி உப்பையும் சேர்த்து வடைக்கு அரைப்பதைப் போல் கர கரப்பாக அரைத்துக் கொள்ளவும்.பிறகு அரைத்த மாவை இட்லி தட்டில் ஊற்றி ஆவியில் வேகவைத்து, நன்கு ஆறிய பின்பு கட்டியும் தட்டியுமாக உதிர்த்துக் கொள்ளவும்.பிறகு சட்டியில் எண்ணெயைக் காயவைத்து முதலில் கடுகைப் போட்டு பொரிந்தவுடன் சோம்பு மற்றுமுள்ள, வாசனைப் பொருட்களைப் போடவும். தொடர்ந்து வெங்காயத்தைப் போட்டு வதக்கவும்.வெங்காயம் நன்கு வெந்தவுடன் இஞ்சி பூண்டைப் போட்டு நன்கு வாசனை வரும் வரை வதக்கவும்.அதைத் தொடர்ந்து தக்காளி, நறுக்கிய பச்சைமிளகாய் கறிவேப்பிலை ஆகியவற்றைப் போட்டு நன்கு வதக்கவும்.பிறகு தக்காளி நன்கு கரைந்தவுடன் மிளகாய்த்தூள்,மஞ்சத்தூள், உப்புத்தூளைப் போட்டு நன்கு வதக்கி, தேங்காப் பால், மற்றும் மூன்று கோப்பை நீரைச் சேர்த்து நன்கு கலக்கி விட்டு கொதிக்கவிடவும்.குழம்பு நன்கு கொதித்து கெட்டியானவுடன் உதிர்த்து வைத்துள்ள பருப்பை போட்டு கிளறி அரைகோப்பை நீரைச் சேர்த்து கலக்கிவிடவும்.பிறகு நறுக்கிய கொத்தமல்லியை மேலாக தூவிவிட்டு குறைந்த அனலில் பத்து அல்லது பதினைந்து நிமிடங்கள் வைத்திருந்து இறக்கி விடவும்.இந்த சுவையான வடகறியை இட்லி அல்லது தோசையுடன் சூடாக பரிமாறவும்.