At the Chemmani graveyard on Friday, family members 
of those who disappeared in Jaffna after 1996 gathered 
in the hope that the truth would be told to them that their 
loved ones were among the buried there. Pathmini who lost her 
husband is one of them. 
Pic. by Lakshman Gunatillaka.

See  full report

• CBK: some ministers are discrediting me
• Op. Rana Gosa launched
• Kitulgoda debate: Govt. says it's ready
• Call off protest: CBK in last minute appeal
• Police chief will crack down on mafia cops

CBK: some ministers are discrediting me

Wayamba poll offenders face civic rights loss; candidates told to behave themselves

By Chamintha Thilakaratne

Addressing a meeting of all PA candidates for the upcoming provincial elections, the President said a few ministers and candidates at the last election had gone on a rampage which brought disgrace to the government and to her personally. She made the charge in the presence of several ministers.

Wayamba Chief Minister S. B. Nawinna and PA General Secretary D.M. Jayaratna have been cited as respondents in election petitions while fundamental rights cases also have been filed against PA members in the aftermath of the Wayamba violence and vote rigging.

The President warned the candidates against seeking support from groups brought from outside of the province and said she would not allow even ministers to interfere with campaigning in areas outside their purview.

The President pledged she would not condone any malpractices and would not use her authority or government powers to bail out any offenders whatever their positions. 

She told the candidates she had instructed the inspectors of all police stations to act effectively against anyone and all who violated election laws. 

"The police have been informed through the IGP and the President has personally asked them to act firmly against any wrong-doer and to take appropriate action immediately," Minister Jayaratna who was present at the meeting said.

Giving what was seen as the strongest warning, the President told candidates that if they were found guilty of any offences, she would personally move to get them sacked and brought before justice. 

The President said she would personally observe the conduct of the election.

Ministers Jayaratna, C.V.Goonertane, Alavi Moulana and Nimal Siripala de Silva were among others present at the meeting at Temple Trees on Friday. 

Meanwhile the two-member commission appointed to probe the Wayamba election malpractices has not started work yet. Former Judge Ananda Coomaraswamy, a member of the commission, said that they had not started work or decided on a date to meet.

Op. Rana Gosa launched

The offensive against Tiger guerrillas in the Wanni intensified yesterday with more troops breaking out from their defensive positions.

This is the first military offensive for 1999 and comes three months after the launch of Operation 'Rivi Bala' in December last year, which led to the recapture of a large area of land in the Eastern FDL's of the Vanni.

See also situation report

Ninth month The censorship on military news now enters its ninth month. It was introduced on June 5 last year.

Kitulgoda debate: Govt. says it's ready

The motion was handed over to Speaker K.B. Ratnayake on Thursday with a request for an early debate.

It has been signed by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Joseph Pararajasingham of the TULF, D. Siddharthan of the PLOTE and P.P. Devaraj of the CWC.

But our political correspondent reports, Mr. Devaraj might back out after his party leader S. Thondaman discussed the matter with him.

The motion claims that the appointment of Judicial Services Commission Secretary Dhammika Kitulgoda as secretary general of parliament, overlooking Deputy Secretary General Priyani Wijesekera is a violation of parliamentary tradition and totally unacceptable to the opposition. 

When parliament met on February 23, UNP MPs openly protested against the presence of Mr. Kitulgoda and parliament was abruptly adjourned amid wild scenes. 

The Sunday Times learns that the government will not object to the motion being debated and that Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle will lead the countercharge. The motion is likely to be taken up when Parliament meets in early April.

Call off protest: CBK in last minute appeal

In her appeal which was broadcast over the national radio and Rupavahini the President explained the Government's stand on the Catholic church's demand that the date of elections to five provincial councils be changed as it coincided with Maundy Thursday, a day of religious importance for Christians.

The President also explained steps she had taken and her discussions with the Archbishop and the Secretary of the Bishop's Conference.

Fr. Cyril Perera, Secretary to the Archbishop, told The Sunday Times last night the demonstrations would go ahead as planned within the church premises and they would not take to the streets.

The President claimed she had reliable information that 'a major opposition party' was making arrangements to send persons dressed in blue and red shirts to harass the demonstrators in a move to discredit the Government.

UNP parliamentarian John Amaratunga reacting to the President's comments said last night: "It was obvious that the PA is trying to disrupt the demonstrations and the UNP has no such intentions."

Meanwhile, The Sunday Times learns some persons in vehicles fitted with loud speakers were going around Palliyawatta, Wattala last afternoon announcing that the demonstration had been called off. 

The Catholic priest of the area on hearing this had gone around the town announcing that the demonstration would take place as scheduled.

Police chief will crack down on mafia cops

By Frederica Jansz

The move is the result of The Sunday Times report of January 17 this year. The front page lead report quoted Senior DIG Crimes H.M.G.B. Kotakadeniya as saying "even Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents of Police were working in cahoots with organised gangs."

The 'Sunday Times' report figured at a top level conference on VVIP security presided over by Police Chief Lucky Kodituwakku on January 18 this year.

At this conference Punya De Silva, DIG (CID) referred to 'The Sunday Times' report. He said the contents of the Times article was derogatory of the Police in general and therefore a bad impression is given to the general public. 

The IGP had also stated that even the Deputy Minister of Defence was perturbed by the article and wanted the Senior DIG referred to in the article, to name the police officers who are acting in collusion with criminals.

The DIG concerned, H.M.G.B. Kotakadeniya is learnt to have thereafter explained that it is no secret to the general public that there are police officers who are either committing crimes or helping those who are committing crimes either by acts of commission or omission. It is this factor that has tarnished the name of the Police and it is the bounden duty of the supervisory officers to rid the service of such elements, he had pointed out. 

He has reiterated this position at a subsequent police conference on February 17 this year. He has also referred to some observations made by DIG Punya De Silva, that it has been observed that some police officers are either conniving or for various reasons ignoring the activites of local mafia groups operating in the city committing murders and involved in drug dealing. 

Taking issue of what had been said previously, Senior DIG Crimes Kotakadeniya was quick to reiterate that when he chose to speak about certain police officers patronizing members of the underworld, criticism was levelled against him on that occasion by some. 

Meanwhile 'The Sunday Times' learns that all OICs at divisional stations are to be instructed to maintain lists of bad characters and law breakers and identify the thugs in each village area.

The IGP has also directed Senior DIGs and SSPs of area divisions to identify police officers involved with the underworld and submit their names to take suitable disciplinary action against them.

It was only last year that President Kumaratunga ordered the Police Department to transfer a large number of OICs and other police officers from Police Divisions after reports that they received large payoffs from underworld gangs, drug pedlars and criminal groups.