August 18-25

Sri Lanka government delegations including Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunge left to India on a two-day official tour.

The group is scheduled to meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other high ranking members of the Indian government.

Discussions between India and Sri Lanka are to be focused on the present development trends in the Sri Lanka and the recent developments in the north and east.

Minister Rajapaksa is to also brief the Indian Premier and members of his government of the infrastructure and livelihoods development that have been carried out in the North and East.

Former Peace Secretariat Head Professor Rajiva Wijesinha today said that the ceasefire agreement (CFA) of 2001 was a good idea but yet it was a failure mainly due to then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe’s inability to integrate it.

Speaking before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Committee (LLRC) Prof. Wijesinha said that the actions of Mr. Wickremasinghe and many officials who were engaged in the CFA process, benefited the LTTE - including instances where the Peace Secretariat had provided money to the LTTE. “The Government wasn’t interested in monitoring what was done with the money that was provided. The general lack of monitoring allowed the LTTE to run riot,” he added.

He said that unlike former Presidents Premadasa and Chandrika Bandaranike Kumaranatunga, Ranil Wickremasinghe failed to realize his mistakes of being completely impawned by the LTTE. “His naïve and culpable actions during the ceasefire period turned the CFA a betrayer of all the Tamil leaders who stood against the LTTE,” he added.

Prof. Wijesinha also said that Mr. Wickremasinghe’s limited perception of the international community – that it comprises only of Western countries - and his actions provided leverage for the LTTE in the eyes of the international community which resulted in the LTTE taking advantage of the situation. “The sudden affection of the international community towards ex-Army Commander Sarath Fonseka makes it evident that their agenda towards the conflict in Sri Lanka was political throughout the years,” he said.

Sri Lankan Ambassador to US, Jaliya Wickramasuriya and the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington, DC, in collaboration with Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, launched the first in a series of Signature Tours that will bring more American travellers to Sri Lanka.

The group of tourists who arrived in Sri Lanka will be in the country till August 29, accompanying them are Ambassador Wickramasuriya. Travellers on the inaugural trip include an award-winning travel writer, Hollywood film professional and executives from a variety of companies.

"It is our pleasure to bring this group of American travellers to Sri Lanka," Wickramasuriya said. "I look forward to introducing the travellers to our island of unrivaled splendour and our welcoming culture. I know our journey will be an eye-opening experience that will highlight Sri Lanka's boundless potential."
The 12-day itinerary includes travel from Colombo to the UN World Heritage site of the Galle Fort and then a visit to the renowned countryside and tea fields of Nuwara Eliya. Working with the Embassy, the itinerary was organized by Jetwing Travels.

Earlier this year The New York Times named Sri Lanka its number one travel destination in 2010 and National Geographic ranked Sri Lanka second among its top 25 places to visit in 2010.
The Embassy plans to arrange Signature Tours on an annual basis.

Due to the stable peaceful conditions in Sri Lanka since May 2009 end of a conflict against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the number of tourists arrivals has increased by 50 percent during the first half of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009. The US Department of State in May recognized the lasting peace and lifted a travel advisory.

"We believe we are just scratching the surface of our tourism market and we look forward to continued growth," Ambassador Wickramasuriya said.

Guidance and cooperation extended by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority officials were essential in the timely implementation of this initiative.

The UNP requested President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the government to hand over its proposed constitutional amendments in writing.

A delegation of UNP members led by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe informed this to the President during a meeting at Temple Trees.

The discussion was based on the government’s proposed constitutional amendments on extending the two term limit to hold the office of an Executive President and the changes to the 17th Amendment.

UNP parliamentarian Joseph Michael Perera told The Sunday Leader that the party had requested the government’s proposals in writing, so the party could discuss it with the Working Committee in order to arrive at a decision.
“We did not agree or deny the proposals. We asked for them to be given top the party in writing for us to discuss with the Working Committee and parliamentarians,” he said.

The UNP delegation led by Wickremesinghe consisted of UNP MPs Tissa Attanayake, Joseph Michael Perera, Lakshman Kiriella and SLFP Leader Rauf Hakeem.

Discussions among United National Party (UNP) Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, MPs Sajith Premadasa and Ravi Karunanayake to resolve party disputes are to continue amid various suggestions on the changes to top posts including that of the post of opposition leader.

Party sources said the party hierarchy which met on Sunday night was undecided whether Mr. Wickremesinghe should remain as party leader and Mr. Premadasa appointed as the deputy leader. There were also suggestions that another senior member be appointed as opposition leader. Another suggestion was to appoint Mr. Premadasa and Mr. Karunanayake as assistant leaders.

Other sources said nothing about changing the top posts but that a concerted effort was being made to finalize party reforms.

UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake when asked said the party would go public with the changes at the right time and would not divulge any details now.

The UNP working committee recently approved the recommendations of the reforms committee, which proposed to elect by secret ballot the leader, deputy leader, assistant leader, national organizer and the chairman.

The Committee also proposed that the leader be vested with the power to appoint the general secretary while the other office bearers including district organizers, electoral organizers district managers were to be appointed by an advisory committee comprising the leader, deputy leader, assistant leader, national organizer, chairman and the general secretary.