Category: Politics

April 26, 2007 (LBO) – The United States has charged a senior representative of the Tamil Tigers for supporting a foreign terrorist organization, the US embassy in Colombo said in a statement Thursday. If the charges are proved, the defendant Karunakara Kandasamy also known as ‘Karuna’ faces a maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment. œAs […]

April 26, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s surge into cricket’s World Cup final this weekend has raised hopes of a peace dividend on an island united by sport but divided by conflict, even if no one is showing long-term optimism.Cricket is hugely popular in Sri Lanka and is seen as one of the few things […]

April 25, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse will fly to Barbados to cheer the national team in the cricket World Cup final later this week, a senior aide said on Wednesday. “It is almost certain that the president will leave on Thursday at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Barbados,” said […]

COLOMBO, April 25, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka Wednesday vowed to destroy the Tamil Tigers’ air capability, a day after the guerrillas killed six soldiers and wounded 13 in a bombing of a key military base.The Sri Lankan air force said that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had used a single aircraft to […]

VIENNA, April 25, 2007 (AFP) – A media watchdog on Wednesday described 2006 as the “most savage and brutal” year on record for journalists with 100 media professionals killed across the world. It was a “war on journalism,” said Johann Fritz, director of the International Press Institute. “With 100 journalists killed, 2006 was the most […]

April 24, 2007 (AFP) – Tamil Tiger rebels said they carried out their second-ever air attack on Sri Lankan government troops on Tuesday, a claim that was immediately denied by the military. The government on Monday asked peace broker Norway to put off a visit to rebel-held territory by their ambassador, citing security considerations. Two […]

April 24, 2007 (AFP) – Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels set off a bomb in northern Sri Lanka, killing five bus passengers and wounding another 33, defence officials said Tuesday.The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) set off the blast in the district of Vavuniya, 250 kilometres (150 miles) north of Colombo just before midnight on […]

April 24, 2007 (AFP) – Separatist Tamil Tiger rebels flying light aircraft bombed a military airbase on Sri Lanka’s northern peninsula of Jaffna on Tuesday, killing at least six people, officials and the guerrillas said.The government on Monday asked peace broker Norway to put off a visit to rebel-held territory by their ambassador, citing security […]

April 24, 2007 (AFP) – Tamil Tiger rebels used aircraft to target Sri Lanka’s main military complex in the Jaffna peninsula Tuesday but were beaten back by ground fire, the army chief said on national television. Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka said they used ground fire to attack the rebel aircraft which changed course and bombed […]

April 24, 2007 (AFP) – Tamil Tiger rebels flying light aircraft bombed Sri Lanka’s northern Jaffna peninsula Tuesday and launched an artillery attack, killing at least six soldiers, officials and the rebels said.In their second air strike in as many months, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) spokesman Rasiah Ilanthiriyan said two light aircraft were […]

April 24, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels are to take a brief break from battle later Tuesday to watch the national cricket team play New Zealand in the World Cup semi-finals. “There may not be any attacks tonight because we are also watching the match,” Tiger spokesman Rasiah Ilanthiriyan told AFP by […]

COLOMBO, April 23, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka asked peace broker Norway to suspend a planned visit Monday to Tamil rebel-held territory in the island’s north, diplomatic sources said.The Sri Lankan government told Norway’s top envoy here, Hans Brattskar, not to proceed with his visit to the town of Kilinochchi, 330 kilometres (206 miles) north […]