Mar 5 (AM) A Sri Lankan journalists' association has appealed for aid for provincial journalists impacted by the December 26, 2004 tsunami that killed over 38,000 people there. In the aftermath of the disaster, the SLEJF sent out three five- to six-person teams to survey tsunami-affected areas for data about the damages and losses sustained by journalists working in rural areas. more..

Mar 5 (AT) In a letter addressed to the President of Sri Lanka, The Society Peace Unity and Human Rights of Sri Lanka (SPUR) has pointed out that there is irrefutable evidence that the LTTE, is sheltering under the ceasefire signed by the former Wickremesinghe Government, is preparing for war.” more..

Mar 5 (AT) The need to introduce forensic services in Sri Lanka was insisted in the absence of people coming forward to be witnesses in criminal cases fearing reprisal. As witnesses were unwilling to appear 80% percent of those accused of murder were usually being discharged emphasized more..

Mar 5 (IL) Work began on the Japanese aided National Blood Transfusion Centre (NBTC) at Elvitigala Mawatha on Thursday, with the foundation laying ceremony hosted by the Healthcare, Nutrition and Uva Wellassa Development Ministry (MHN&UWD). more..

Mar 5 (AT) Sri Lanka has officially launched its bid to succeed UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan when he leaves the prestigious post at the end of his second term next year. Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry has informed the country's diplomatic missions to lobby for its candidate Jayantha Dhanapala, more..

Mar 5 (SLBC) In the World Bank assisted Project for Improving the Relevance and Quality of Undergraduate Education (IRQUE), contracts have been signed with several universities for the improvement of 17 study programs chosen on a competitive basis. more..

Mar 5 (SAMN) THE Government Friday announced a series of measures to expedite the clearance of relief and reconstruction goods entering the country. Under the new terms announced by Treasury Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, most items will be cleared duty free for speedy distribution under the relevant government authorities and personnel. more..

Mar 5 (SAMN) A mini-cabinet reshuffle is likely to take place within this month according to an informed government source. The source said the reshuffle which might involve the ministries of Buddha Sasana and Civil Aviation Services would likely take place before March 23 or after April 2, according to the advice of astrologers. more..

Mar 5 (SAMN) Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Leader Somawansa Amarasinghe Friday called upon the international community to help the government to transform the LTTE from a military outfit to a mainstream political party. more..

Mar 5 (LM) The Sri Lanka Army today blamed the LTTE for provoking civilians into creating unnecessary tension in the Jaffna peninsula following the death of a Tamil student. more..

Mar 5 (HT) Attempts to re-start peace talks between the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE received a severe setback on Thursday, when the Government categorically rejected latter's demand that talks begin with only one item on the agenda — the setting of an Interim Administration for the Tamil-speaking North Eastern Province. more..

Mar 5 (TN) A paramilitary cadre was shot and seriously wounded in Batticaloa town Saturday morning around 9.10. He was shot near the ICRC office in the eastern town. The paramiltary cadre was identified as Mr. Kandaiah Ganesalingam, 25. He is a member PLOTE, Police said. more..

Mar 5 (TN) A man suspected to be a cadre of the paramilitary Karuna Group was shot dead in Vanthaarumoolai, 18 kilometres north of Batticaloa Saturday, Police said. He was identified as Mr. Mylvaganam Pulenthiran, 26. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Air Force flew the paramilitary cadre who was shot and seriously injured in Batticaloa town Saturday morning to Colombo, more..

Mar 5 (TN) A member of the Liberation Tigers was killed in an ambush near Kirumichchai, 48 kilometres north of Batticaloa, Saturday morning around 10. "He was killed in an ambush by the Sri Lanka army (SLA) in an area that is under our control. It about three kilometres from the SLA's Cadjuwatte camp", more..

Mar 5 (TN) In new measures announced by the Government of Sri Lanka, relief agencies, including Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), have to channel all relief items, including medicines, through respective Government Ministeries to avoid items being taxed by the Sri Lanka customs, more..

Mar 5 (PIS) IN response to the LTTE denial on Thursday, UNICEF stood firm by its latest numbers on reported cases of child conscription saying their statements are based on personally verified data. more..

Mar 5 (CI) John Dyson's long-term future as Sri Lanka's coach remains uncertain, but the cricket board has indicated a willingness to offer him a fresh contract. Dyson and the board are expected to sit down for contractual discussions before the team's departure to New Zealand later this month. more..

Mar 5 (CI) Thilanga Sumathipala, the most powerful and controversial administrator in Sri Lanka's cricket history, is set to return for his fifth term as board president after the current incumbent, Mohan de Silva, announced on Friday that he would be stepping aside for Sumathipala, who has formidable support amongst voting clubs. more..

Mar 5 (LT) A 28 year old youth was shot down at a shooting incident which took around 11.35 a.m. today (5th) at Kaluwankerni at Wandaramulla in Batticaloa. According to Security forces information has been received that the murder had been committed by the Wanni tiger organization. more..

Mar 5 (LT) An active member of PLOTE organization has been shot by the pistol gang of the Wanni tiger organization. The shooting has critically injured his head and after a minor surgery he has been flown to Colombo National Hospital. more..

Mar 5 (LT) President Chandrika Bandaranaike has responded the JVP inquiries over the establishing private universities and creating private degree courses within the state universities, saying that the necessary steps will be taken to stop such attempts. more..

Mar 5 (LT) The discussions between the Government and Wanni tiger organization on a mechanism to be established to distribute tsunami aid in the Northern and Eastern Provinces are on the verge of collapsing. The reason for this is the Government and the tigers have not been able to come to agreement on certain matters. more..

Mar 5 (HS) A GRANDSTAND at a new cricket ground in tsunami-ravaged Sri Lanka is expected to be named the "Melbourne Stand" in recognition of our help since the disaster. Swamped by the tsunami, the Galle Test arena will be rebuilt on higher ground and Victorian companies are set to play a leading role. more..

Mar 5 (FLS) Sulakshana Seevaratnam, a student at the University of Mary Washington, is a step closer to helping tsunami victims in her native Sri Lanka. The 20-year-old has raised about $9,000 to send to those who were devastated by the natural disaster. She expects to receive another donation that will bring the total to about $16,000. more..

Mar 5 (SAMN) The UNP Friday told the UPFA government that if they could not govern the country to hand over the government to the UNP. UNP parliamentarian Kabeer Hashim said the UPFA government had failed miserably to keep its promises made to the people during the election time and now they have realized all what they said was a plethora of lies. more..

Mar 5 (LNP) The principal of the Pannala National School was arrested yesterday by the Presidential Investigation Unit on charges of obtaining cash bribes from parents to admit their children to Grade 1 classes. more..

Mar 5 (LNP) Foreign Minister Lakshamn Kadirgamar is trying to scuttle the peace talks between the UPFA government and the LTTE, said Tamil National Alliance Batticaloa District parliamentarian Joseph Pararajasingham on Thursday. more..

Mar 5 (DN) Sri Lanka's tallest tower is now in operation in Jaffna, under a joint project by Sri Lanka Telecom and Dialog GSM. The 150 Meter (500ft) Transmission tower in the Jaffna Peninsula is one of two transmission towers built under a Joint Venture project more..

Mar 5 (ANN) With the appointment of a presidential commission of inquiry to probe the on-going attacks on the Wanni Faction, the government may seek to clear the air vis-vis the allegations levelled by the LTTE that the armed forces are behind them. more..

Mar 5 (IANS) The Norwegian ambassador to Sri Lanka was flown Saturday to the Tamil Tiger rebel headquarters in Kilinochchi district amid rising violence in the northern and eastern provinces, reports Xinhua. more..

Mar 6 (wsws) More than 50 people attended a meeting on the political issues raised by the Asian tsunami organised by Socialist Equality Party (SEP) at the Ambalangoda town hall on February 27. The audience included workers, fishermen, housewives, young people and students, many of whom had been directly affected by the December 26 disaster. more..

Mar 6 (TN) Mr.Hans Brattskar, Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Saturday met with Head of LTTE Politicial Wing S.P Thamilchelvan at the LTTE Peace Secretariat, sources in Kilinochchi said. The Ambassador expressed his Government's concern and condemnation over the killing LTTE political cadres in the east, more..

Mar 6 (TN) Residents of traditional Muslim village of Pulmoddai closed their shops, set up road blocks, and burnt tyres Saturday protesting against the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) for forcibly digging their cemetery and removing human remains out of the burial sites, sources said. more..

Mar 6 (TN) Refuting allegations by Sri Lanka military that "LTTE was behind the public protest after the death of a student by an army vehicle," Head of LTTE Political Wing for Jaffna district, Mr Ilamparithy said "not a single political cadre of the LTTE was involved in the public agitation" more..

Mar 6 (TN) The question of child soldiers continues to vex strained relations between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers. That the matter has been raised against the Tigers by the UN and other rights organizations is considered by Colombo as a feather in its foreign policy cap. more..

Mar 6 (LBO) Sri Lanka's stocks are expected to end the year at least ten per cent higher if the no war situation prevails. Analysts are predicting this, despite a slowdown in overall growth in the country as well as earnings. more..

Mar 6 (LBO) Electricity prices could go up further if the CEB is unbundled and an independent regulator takes over pricing. But experts say there is little choice but to bite the bullet as the CEB, being used to channel a government sub subsidy, loses nearly Rs. 3 for every unit of electricity sold. more..

Mar 6 (AT) The international dimensions of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the Sri Lankan rebel movement fighting for a separate Tamil state in north and east of Sri Lanka, was explored in an in-depth cover story published in the Asiaweek of July 26, 1996. more..

Mar 6 (AT) Political circles believe that the Speaker, W. J. M. Lokubandara, is likely to ignore the appeal of the UNP members to re-summon Kusumsiri Balapatabendi, former Secretary to the President, to be questioned by the High Post Committee before it decides on his appointment as the next High Commissioner to Australia. more..

Mar 6 (AT) The Tiger Eelam project can be conclusively defeated only if the Tamil people are given the hope of a Sri Lankan future, a future of equality, dignity and democracy. A series of mutually negating compromises aimed at appeasing the extremists in the North and the extremists in the South cannot save Sri Lanka either from the next war or eventual bifurcation. more..

Mar 6 (AT) Just as we lost the post 9/11 moment, we are losing the post 12/26 moment. We are rapidly losing our post-tsunami chance of leveraging the new global factors, including goodwill, to escape our decades-long downward spiral. That chance was real. more..

Mar 6 (AT) An underhand move to extend by two years the tenure of the pro-Tiger Bishop Rt. Rev. Subramaniam Jebanesan of the Church of South India (CSI) has backfired, with the young pastors rejecting him as their next bishop. The move to extend his term was backed by the LTTE but their presence raised a storm of protest. more..

Mar 6 (AT) Political analysts agree that the latest report (March 1, 2005) in the Jane’s Intelligence Review (JIR) on the renewed “shopping spree” for arms by the LTTE in South East Asia is a serious threat to the peace process in Sri Lanka. more..

Mar 6 (Hindu) Two persons were killed and three injured in three internecine attacks in Sri Lanka's troubled eastern Batticaloa district today. A member of the LTTE, `Maj.' Pushparaj, was shot dead by supporters of the former LTTE special commander, V. Muralitharan, in the eastern Batticaloa district. more..

Mar 6 (CT) Earlier this week the National Christian Council of Sri Lanka released a statement addressing concerns regarding attacks against Christian places of worship and the possible enactment of a legislation to restrict religious conversions. more..

Mar 6 (Gulf) The JVP has steadily hijacked the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s main vote bank. The president is clearly being held to ransom by key communist allies who spelt out their own pre-conditions for peace talks to resume with the separatist Tamil Tigers. more..

Mar 6 (LNP) President Chandrika Kumaratunga has rejected one of the members newly nominated by the Constitutional Council (CC) to the independent Bribery Commission, prompting council sources to express concern that it may suffer the same fate as the Elections Commission. more..

Mar 6 (LNP) JVP leaders Friday night skipped a meeting on education reforms with President Chandrika Kumaratunga at President's House fuelling speculation that the ongoing efforts to restore SLFP-JVP relations have not had the desired result. more..

Mar 6 (ANN) SriLankan Airlines has begun a new selling point by combining rebuilding efforts with holidays. In one such project, the Bentota beach was cleaned by a team of 85 volunteers during a two-day campaign. more..

Mar 6 (ANN) Last week’s pictures of Abilash, the tsunami baby who grabbed world headlines, making a guest appearance on US television were certainly joyful images and a commentary on how human interest, particularly stories with happy endings, can be converted to hard cash. more..