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Message: <blockquote data-quote="bandula" data-source="post: 158984" data-attributes="member: 2655">Short News - 2006.12.17Bush releases US Dollars 5.215 millions for war refugees in Sri Lanka and SomaliaSun, 2006-12-17 02:14 By Walter JayawardhanaWashington, 17 December, (Asiantribune.com): US President George W. Bush released 5.215 million dollars as emergency aid to help refugees who have become displaced due to war situation in Sri Lanka and Somalia, the White House in Washington D.C. announced. The announcement did not clarify how much money was allocated to each country as aid to help the refugees fleeing from war situations in each country. The announcement said President Bush instructed Condoleeza Rice US Secretary of State in an official memorandum dated December 14, 2006 to make the necessary funds available to each country under the war ravages “for the purpose of meeting unexpected urgent refugee and migration needs,” stemming from the emergency situations. In the published memorandum by the White House, President Bush told Condoleezza Rice, "These funds may be used, as appropriate, to provide contributions to international, governmental and nongovernmental organizations and, as necessary, for administrative expenses of the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration." - Asian Tribune -<img src="http://www.sundaytimes.lk/common_library/newmaster.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Sunday, December 17, 2006UNESCO suspends ChandrikaComplaints of human rights violations Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga's appointment as a Consultant for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) for South Asia has been suspended by the world body due to complaints over violations of human rights and press focus.<img src="http://www.sundaytimes.lk/061217/images/nws6.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />"This issue is now under review," Muriel de Pierrebourg, spokesperson for UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura confirmed to The Sunday Times last night. She made the comments from the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. A letter Mr Matsuura sent to Ms. Kumaratunga's London address states that these accusations against her "could undermine the objectives" of UNESCO. In that he asked her to change her arrangements concerning her plans to visit Asia. It had been sent from New York where he was attending the launch of Global Monitoring Report on EFA at the time. He said her assignment on behalf of UNESCO, had come to the attention of various human rights watch groups and she had been the subject of "very harsh criticism and press focus."Ms Kumaratunga who ended her second term in November last year, soon after Mahinda Rajapaksa was sworn in as President, lobbied strongly for the UNESCO assignment. This was through United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan who relinquishes office on January 1 next year. Press reports also stated that she sought and obtained the support of French President Jacques Chirac for this job. After the appointment was made, Ms Kumaratunga declared that she had expressly sought to leave out Sri Lanka and deal only with other South Asian countries. "Given the sensitivity of your mission with its subject area," Director General Matsuura has said, "I am concerned that the perceptions held by these human rights groups could undermine the objectives of a future relationship and your generous desire to further the work of UNESCO in South Asia in a mutually beneficial way."Mr. Matsuura has told Ms Kumaratunga, "In the light of these developments; I must also re-examine the proposed arrangement with you; however, I will revert to you as soon as possible on the outcome of this reconsideration." He has apologised for the "inconvenience, which he has said is "beyond our control." According to the Director General's spokesperson last night, the matter is still under review. Mr. Matsuura has added: "I am very mindful of your continued commitment to education for all and your desire to assist the region of South Asia and so I ask your understanding of this unexpected development and the need to ensure that UNESCO's ability to advocate on behalf of these goals remains paramount." Last week, Ms. Kumaratunga visited her former electorate of Attanagalla and told Sri Lanka Freedom Party workers there that astrologically it was good for her in April, and that she would return to active politics by then.The former President’s office spokesman, Piyasena Dissanayake, denied any personal knowledge of the UNESCO intimation to Ms. Kumaratunga.He provided to The Sunday Times the contact details of Ms. Kumaratunga’s office. When the newspaper contacted officials in her office for a comment from Ms. Kumaratunga, they assured they would convey the message to her. However, there was no response from her.<img src="http://arabnews.com/images/logo.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />More Lankans Allowed to ComeK.S. Ramkumar & Mohammed Rasooldeen , Arab News RIYADH/JEDDAH, 16 December 2006 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah instructed the Foreign Ministry to issue another 1,000 Haj visas to Sri Lankans, a senior official in Colombo told Arab News yesterday. “The king generously responded to a telephone call from President Mahinda Rajapakse requesting the quota increase in the number of Sri Lankan pilgrims,” said the president’s spokesman Chandrapala Liyanage said. He added that Rajapakse thanked King Abdullah for this gesture and had instructed the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Colombo to distribute the visas fairly among the deserving pilgrims. Last year, the island nation sent 7,500 pilgrims and this year the quota was reduced to 4,500 by the Haj Ministry here.Some 4,000 pilgrims have already arrived in the Kingdom and the last group would arrive on Dec. 23 with the country’s official Haj delegation. Those who were left out from this year’s group of pilgrims, made representations to their country’s president.Confirming the increase in quota for the Sri Lankan pilgrims, Consul General in Jeddah, Masihudeen Inamullah said efforts made by the Sri Lankan Ambassador A.M.J. Sadiq “have borne fruit at the eleventh hour.”“This was a special gesture of the Saudi king in response to a request made by the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse,” Mohamed Mahmud Al-Ali, Saudi ambassador to Sri Lanka, told Arab News from Colombo. He said his mission in Colombo started issuing the additional visas from yesterday.<img src="http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/Bandula777/weerakodi.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/Bandula777/sharook.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/Bandula777/Sgtratnayake.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/Bandula777/laptop.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />News from CNN link><a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/12/14/internet.security.reut/index.html" target="_blank">http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/12/14/internet.security.reut/index.html</a><img src="http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/Bandula777/seru.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/Bandula777/kiro.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />We've lost a friend, says Norway[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 December 2006, 03:01 GMT] Norwegian special envoy for the peace process in Sri Lanka Jon Hansen-Bauer praised late Anton Balasingam for his invaluable contribution to the peace efforts, and said Norway will miss a much valued friend. Speaking at a memorial meeting in Oslo arranged at the Tamil Resource and Consultation Centre in Oslo Friday, the Norwegian Special Envoy said that it is through Mr. Balasingham he learned much about the plight of the Tamils in Sri Lanka.<img src="http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/Bandula777/karu.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/Bandula777/hindu1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/Bandula777/bbcibm.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />News From BBC more >link><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/6184183.stm" target="_blank">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/6184183.stm</a>Soldiers turn good Samaritans! Sundy ObseverSunday, 17 December 2006An incident that portrayed humanity was reported from Welikanda, when soldiers on duty at the Rideethenna roadblock provided all basic requirements for a mother delivering a baby, Friday evening. On seeing the pregnant Tamil woman Latha who arrived in Rideethenna government-controlled areas leaving her homestead in Vakarai uncleared areas with several other villagers and was about to give birth to a child, women soldiers on duty near the roadblock attended to her immediately. Meanwhile, troops were able to get the assistance of two male nurses travelling in a Health Department vehicle to ensure a safe delivery of the child at the roadblock. Later, mother and newly born son were despatched to Polonnaruwa Hospital in an Army vehicle with a lady officer and a few women soldiers in attendance.<img src="http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/Bandula777/france.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/Bandula777/budist.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/Bandula777/bbcheart.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></blockquote>

Verification: Nawa warak dahaya keeyada? (Namaya wadi kireema dahaya)

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