Sri Lanka records strong post-war growth

(AFP) – 3 hours ago

COLOMBO — Sri Lanka's economy expanded 7.1 percent during the first quarter of this year, the statistics office said Friday, as the island picks itself up after a long civil war.

The growth for the January-March period, up from 1.6 percent at the same point last year, was boosted by expansion in farm produce and services.
"This promising growth was mainly backed by prevailing peace across the country and also easing of the global economic recession to a certain extent," the department said in a statement.

The economy has continued to benefit from stability after the 37-year conflict against separatist Tamils ended in May last year.
Agriculture, which includes rice, tea, rubber and fishing, expanded 9.0 percent, compared with 3.0 percent a year earlier, lifted by a 47.2 percent growth in tea production.

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HOLDER, ATTORNEY GENERAL, et al. v . HUMANITARIAN LAW PROJECT et al.

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
HOLDER, ATTORNEY GENERAL, et al. v . HUMANITARIAN LAW PROJECT et al.
CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
Argued February 23, 2010—Decided June 21, 2010 No. 08–1498. *
________________________________________

It is a federal crime to “knowingly provid[e] material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization.” 18 U. S. C. §2339B(a)(1).

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PULLING SRI LANKA TOGETHER CONSTITUTIONALLY

Dr A.C.Visvalingam
President, CIMOGG
www.cimogg-srilanka.org
June 22, 2010

Most of our politicians, intellectuals and other opinion-makers continue to give prominence to the issues that divide us and offer myriad solutions to deal with the fragmented society that we have become. What is really needed is to look at what we are (a motley collection of Veddahs, Sinhalese, Tamils, Moors, Malays, Burghers, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, other groups and random mixes of all of these) and find ways and means of creating a common Sri Lankan identity, so fashioned that every member of these groups would accept it without reservation in order that it is only mutual respect and shared interests, and not compulsion, that will help to unite the Nation.

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Former Head of LTTE Fund Raising Helps Arrange Talks between Pro-LTTE and Govt.

P K Balachandran
Express News Service
21 Jun 2010

COLOMBO: Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP, the former head of the LTTE's fund gathering and arms procurement operations abroad, who is now in detention in Sri Lanka, had helped bring top overseas leaders of the militant organisation for talks with the Sri Lankan government in Colombo last week.

Prof Rohan Gunaratna, Head of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Studies at Nanyang University in Singapore told Express on Sunday that a ninemember delegation comprising "countryhead level" leaders of the LTTE had flown into the island for a fiveday tour and talks with high government and military officials, particularly, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. "All key leaders, barring the USbased Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran, who heads the rival Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE), were here," Gunaratna said.

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Ex-LTTE members get training and jobs in textile industry

EX-FEMALE cadres currently undergoing rehabilitation are to undergo garment industry related “On the Job” training and are to join the Garment sector work force at Tri-Star Apparels chain of garment factories on successful completion.

As the first step, Tri-Star apparel whilst giving training opportunities for 150 ex-female combatants at the Ratmalana garment factory will absorb them as permanent employees on completion of the training. They will get hostel accommodation at the factory along with food and other basic needs.

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The Visit of a Life Time

Ms Sharlene De Chickera, Manager Career Services of EDEX

“A child more than all other gifts that Earth can offer to declining man, brings hope with it and forward looking thoughts”…George Eliot

The day was June 2nd 2010. Our mission was to receive 86 school boys from Trincomalee District and host them at Royal College, for a day!

The trip was planned by the Army, in terms of organizing an educational trip to Colombo for a group of students from three schools in the Echchalampattu area in the Tricomalee district.

The main objective of the trip was to enable these students to visit Colombo schools, and gain exposure to the lifestyle and day-to-day activities of their peers, thereby enjoying the peace and harmony established after a 30 year war.

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Sri Lanka mass wedding for former Tamil rebels

By Charles Haviland
BBC News, Vavuniya

Monday, 14 June 2010

"Tell Vivek to come over here!" the young girls begged us.

They were former Tamil Tiger members and fighters seated in the guest enclosure at a mass wedding of their friends and comrades.

But their main focus was Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi, who had come along with the son of the Sri Lankan president after touring northern Sri Lanka.

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Walking Down Memory Lane

I remember the day we finally ended the battle against terrorism. It was May 19th mid afternoon when my father got the call saying that the war is finally over and they have found the body of the LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, near the lagoons.

I remember my father first calling the Defense Secretary and letting him know. Then he called the President to convey the good news. He then left for office to give the good news to all Sri Lankans. At once we could hear fire crackers all around the city. Everyone was celebrating victory in their own way with their own reasons. To me, it was a relief that at least my father's life won't be endangered anymore. For once, the whole country was together. This was a good feeling and I was glad I was in
Sri Lanka to enjoy it and feel the glory of peace.

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WINNING THE INVISIBLE CONFLICT: Is Sri Lanka headed for sustainable peace?

By Pushpi Weerakoon - MA in Conflict Transformation

Background

On Tuesday 19th May 2009 – the day after the death of Velupillai Prabhakaran, leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) – Mahinda Rajapaksa, the President of Sri Lanka, declared victory over the Tamil Tigers, bringing to a close 26 years of conflict. With the routing of the LTTE, and the reclamation of all occupied territory, it was announced that the conflict in Sri Lanka had come to an end.

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A Journey through Two Forms of English

By Sanjeewa Karunaratne, Asian Tribune

Prior to my last visit to Sri Lanka, I exchanged a few emails with my bank manager with regard to the transfer of some funds. When I met him he asked, “How long have you been in the U.S.?” I said, “10 years.” He replied, “Well, you still don’t know how to spell cheque!”

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