Lankapress COLOMBO, August 29: Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels Friday accused government forces of setting off a roadside bomb and killing two civilians inside guerrilla-held territory.

A man and a child died when their motorcycle was caught up in the bomb attack at Nedunkerni in the vast Wanni region on Thursday evening, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said in a statement.

"A farmer and a boy were killed in a claymore attack by the Sri Lanka army in Olumadhu in Nedunkerni on Thursday," the statement said, more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, August 28 : Sri Lanka on Thursday appealed to minority ethnic Tamil civilians living in the line of fire in rebel-held towns to move to areas under government control, saying it would guarantee them safe passage.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse said the military had cleared a route for people fleeing the island's embattled north, where troops are advancing on the rebel capital of Kilinochchi, 330 kilometres (205 miles) north of Colombo.

"We plan to give passage to people from Kilinochchi to come to (government-held) Vavuniya. We're dropping more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, August 27 : Wounded Sri Lankan security personnel are wheeled into the main hospital in Trincomalee on August 27, 2008, after Liberation Tigers for Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels carried out an air attack on the navy. The guerrillas used at least one light aircraft to bomb a naval facility in eastern Sri Lanka leaving at least 10 people wounded, as security fores kept up a major ground offensive against the Tiger guerrillas in the north of the island. (AFP) more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, August 26 : Rights groups on Tuesday denounced Sri Lanka's use of tough prevention of terrorism laws against a veteran journalist reporting on the island's decades-old ethnic conflict.

The condemnation came a day after authorities formally charged J.S. Tissanayagam with inciting racial hatred and bringing disrepute to the government.

The journalist, who has been in detention since being arrested in March, is also accused of supporting terrorism by collecting money from donors to publish his website in the country racked by deadly civil war.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said it condemned the Colombo High Court's indictment of Tissanayagam.

The journalist was brought to court to hear the charges and a hearing was slated for next month. He has denied all the accusations.

"We condemn J.S. Tissanayagam’s long detention and harsh charges for publishing a magazine which should not constitute an offence," more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, July 31: South Asian leaders are set for a weekend summit in Colombo where they are expected to repeat pious platitudes, highlighting that the 23-year-old regional grouping has little to show by way of economic progress.

Observers compare summits to movie productions, but the script has changed little since the first SAARC meeting in 1985 with poverty still rife in the region.

More than three-quarters of South Asia's 1.5 billion people earn less than two dollars a day, according to the World Bank. more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, July 30 : Twenty-one Tamil rebels and four government troops were killed in fresh fighting in Sri Lanka's embattled north as the nation readied to host a summit of regional leaders, officials said Wednesday.

Colombo will be the venue for the two-day summit of leaders of the 15th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which opens Saturday amid extraordinary security.

In other fighting, Sri Lankan war planes on Wednesday bombed a suspected Tiger base in the north, but there were no immediate reports more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, July 29: Sri Lankan troops have killed at least 34 Tamil Tiger rebels and lost three of their own in the latest reported clashes in the island's north, the defence ministry said Tuesday.

Security forces fought with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the northern Wanni region where they have been trying to advance into rebel-held territory for weeks, the ministry said.

It said an estimated 37 guerrillas were also wounded in the clashes on Monday while security forces suffered another 11 wounded. more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, July 28 : The People's Liberation Front (JVP) continuing its anti-Indian policies charged that India has intensified its unnecessary interference in Sri Lankan politics and the economy under Mahinda Rajapaksa administration.

JVP Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Herath said the situation is worse than it was during J.R. Jayewardene administration in 1987 and accused the government of being spineless to counter such interventions.

Mr. Herath said under this intensified interference India has already jeopardized the sovereignty of Sri Lanka in many ways.

"We speculated that the more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, July 9: At least 22 Tamil Tiger rebels and two government soldiers have died in the latest clashes in northern Sri Lanka, the island's defence ministry said Wednesday.

The fighting, which took place on Tuesday, was centred around the Weli Oya, Vavuniya and Mannar regions, the statement said.

The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) did not comment on Tuesday's fighting. more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, July 8 : Sri Lanka's main opposition Tuesday accused the country's military chief of orchestrating violent attacks on journalists critical of its battle against Tamil separatists.

Opposition MP Joseph Michael Perera told parliament that a recent wave of beatings and other violence against journalists was carried out by a "special team" under the head of the army.

"We are told by those in the army itself that journalists are abducted and subjected to grievous injury by more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, July 7 : Sri Lankan journalists take part in a protest camapign in Colombo July 7, 2008, against alleged continued harassment of media personnel. Media activists sent telegrams to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse urging him to expedite investigations on attacks on media, to arrest goons responsible for such atacks and to ensure free conditions for media personnel to carry out their profession. (AFP) more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, July 6 : Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers on Sunday commemorated 356 men and women who have staged suicide attacks since the tactic was first used by the rebels 21 years ago.

The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said they held ceremonies in guerrilla-held Wanni region on Saturday to mark the 21st anniversary of the first suicide truck bombing by a cadre known as Captain Miller.

The elusive Tiger supremo, Velupillai Prabhakaran, 53, led the remembrance ceremonies at an undisclosed location with the participation of his elite "Black Tiger" suicide cadres, the pro-rebel Tamilnet.com web site reported.

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Lankapress COLOMBO, July 5: With all set for the SAARC summit to be held in Colombo by end of this India is yet to confirm its participation due to security reasons. It was learnt that India is still reviewing the current security situation in Sri Lanka, especially in Colombo for its leaders to attend the summit. This uncertainty of India about attending the SAARC summit leaves Sri Lanka's chance of being SAARC president at a bay. According to the more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, July 4 : Sri Lankan security forces shot dead at least another 32 Tamil Tiger rebels and lost two of their own soldiers in fresh fighting in the island's north, the defence ministry said Friday.

Troops killed the 32 members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and wounded another more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, July 3: The United States said Thursday it had "strong concerns" about Sri Lanka's deteriorating human rights record and escalating attacks on the local media.

Deputy assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian affairs Evan Feigenbaum expressed US concerns to Sri Lankan authorities during his four-day visit which ends Thursday.

"We continue to have strong concerns about human rights and pressures on the media," Feigenbaum said.

He noted, however, the formation of a ministerial committee to address concerns raised by journalists over their more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, July 3 : Sri Lankan security forces shot dead at least 26 Tamil Tiger rebels in fresh fighting in the island's embattled north, the defence ministry said Thursday.

Troops killed the 26 members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the districts of Vavuniya, Mannar and Mullaitivu on Wednesday, the ministry said, adding that security forces suffered six soldiers wounded.

There was no immediate word from the LTTE on the latest violence.

The defence ministry's claim takes the number of rebels reported killed by government troops more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, July 2 : Sri Lankan media rights activists shouts slogans while holding placards during a protest rally in Colombo on July 2, 2008, after an assault on two journalists in the Sri Lankan capital on June 30. Hundreds of Sri Lankan reporters and cameramen staged a protest outside President Mahinda Rajapakse's home demanding an end to a wave of killings, abductions and assaults against journalists. The protest was sparked by the attack on a British embassy political officer, Mahendra Ratnaweera, and independent defence writer Namal Perera, while driving on a busy street in Colombo. Journalists covering the government's escalating war against Tamil Tiger rebels have come under increasing pressure in recent months. (AFP) more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, July 2 : Hundreds of Sri Lankan reporters and cameramen staged a protest outside President Mahinda Rajapakse's home Wednesday demanding an end to a wave of killings, abductions and assaults against journalists.

Media workers' associations peacefully demonstrated outside the main access to Rajapakse's Temple Trees residence while dozens of unarmed police stood behind yellow iron barricades.

"We have two simple demands: We want the killings and assaults to end. We want the government to stop the culture of impunity," said media rights activist Sunanda Deshapriya.

Journalists covering the government's escalating war against Tamil Tiger rebels have come under increasing pressure in recent months. The protest was sparked by the attack Monday on a British embassy political officer, Mahendra Ratnaweera, more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, July 1: A Sri Lankan military helicopter was hit by small arms fire in eastern Sri Lanka Tuesday as President Mahinda Rajapakse visited the region, officials said.

The Bell helicopter made an emergency landing in the district of Ampara where the president was visiting to launch a 10-million dollar US-gifted bridge that was rebuilt following tsunami damage in December 2004, an official said.

"The president was not flying at the time and he returned safely to Colombo after more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, July 1 : Sri Lanka's main media rights group Tuesday condemned an assault on a journalist and a senior British High Commission officer and demanded that the attackers be brought to justice.

Political officer Mahendra Ratnaweera was severely injured in the Monday evening attack in Colombo while his passenger, freelance journalist and defence analyst Namal Perera, also suffered serious injuries.

"We will be closely monitoring the actions taken by the government to bring the perpetrators to justice in this more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, June 30: Sri Lankan journalist attached to the Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI), Namal Perera, lies on a hospital bed at a private hospital in Colombo on June 30, 2008. A senior British High Commission officer was beaten and his car smashed by unidentified attackers who tried to grab a reporter travelling as a passenger in the vehicle, police said. Political officer Mahendra Ratnaweera was severely injured in the attack while his passenger, freelance journalist Namal Perera, also suffered serious injuries. (AFP) more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, June 30 : A senior British High Commission officer was beaten and his car smashed by unidentified attackers who tried to grab a reporter travelling as a passenger in the vehicle here Monday, police said.

Political officer Mahendra Ratnaweera was severely injured in the attack while his passenger, freelance journalist Namal Perera, also suffered serious injuries. Perera told reporters from his hospital bed that he locked himself in the car but the attackers smashed windows.

"They continued to beat us with batons and clubs and escaped when a large group of bystanders gathered," said Perera, who had been a defence analyst for a private newspaper.

Both were admitted more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, June 30: Sri Lanka's annual inflation hit a record 28.2 percent in June for the first time since its new price index was launched six years ago, official figures showed Monday.

The inflation rate was calculated using the New Colombo Consumer Price Index which tracks price movements since 2002, the statistics department said.

The NCCPI reached 205.9 in June, up from 160.6 in June last year, recording a 28.2 percent increase, the Census and Statistics department figures showed. The statistics department announced in May it more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, May 30 : Sri Lanka's army chief said Monday his forces had wiped out the military capability of the Tamil Tigers, and that they needed just one more year to totally defeat the rebels.

Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka said the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) guerrillas had been forced to resort to hit-and-run attacks.

"From about the beginning of the year, the LTTE has lost its conventional capability," Fonseka told Colombo-based foreign correspondents. "They are no longer fighting as a conventional army. more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, June 29: At least 41 more Tamil Tiger rebels and two government soldiers have been killed in the latest fighting in Sri Lanka's north, the defence ministry said Sunday.

Troops shot dead 20 guerrillas in the district of Vavuniya on Saturday while 14 were killed in the neighbouring Weli Oya region, the ministry said, adding that another seven Tigers were killed in the coastal district of Mannar.

The ministry said 33 members of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were also wounded in Saturday's more..

Lankapress COLOMBO, June 26 : At least 69 Tiger rebels and two soldiers have been killed in heavy fighting in Sri Lanka's north where security forces wrested more territory from the guerrillas, the defence ministry said Thursday.

Clashes since Tuesday saw troops take a seven-square-kilometre (2.7-square-mile) stretch of territory from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the ministry said in a statement.

It said Mi-24 helicopter gunships were deployed Wednesday to hit LTTE positions, while ground troops kept up their advance in the coastal Mannar district. more..