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11th November 2001

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Graduates at the convocation of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy held at the BMICH in Colombo on Thursday. In the foreground is an ex-serviceman proudly displaying his medals and sporting a poppy on his coat collar. Pic. by Gemunu Wellage


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Contents

No pact with the LTTE, says Ranil

By M. Ismeth
UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has categorically denied that there is a secret pact between his party and the LTTE.

In his response to the query raised by Mahanayake Theras over the alleged UNP-LTTE link, Mr. Wickremesinghe has said, "I assure you that there is no pact or secret agreement between myself and the LTTE or any other agreement between our party or the United National Front and the LTTE.He also assured the Mahanayakes that the UNP and the UNF would protect Sri Lanka's territorial integrity and safeguard the rights of the Sinhala majority while ensuring the rights of all ethnic groups and religions.

"It is no secret that the war in the North -East has destroyed our economy as well as social political stability. People living in the border villages of the North-East and members of the security forces are severely affected due to the curse of this war. This has also deeply crushed the lives of innocent Tamil and Muslim civilians in the North and the East. You are aware this curse has engulfed our entire nation and its social fabric.

"When the late D. S. Senanayake created the UNP, he did so by bringing all the nationalities and religious groups under one flag. Distrust and differences grew due to the decisions and actions of certain political parties that took charge of the destiny of our country thereafter.

"When the PA came to power in 1994 under the leadership of Chandrika Kumaratunga, she had the necessary background and international backing to find a peaceful solution to the ethnic problem. But that golden opportunity was missed by her own folly," Mr. Wickremesinghe said.

He also said there was no agreement between the UNP/UNF and any party representing the people of the North and East, but said his party had extended a hand of friendship to the people of the north and east to restore peace and rebuild trust.


SPMC rocked by crisis

By Faraza Farook
The State Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Corporation (SPMC) has been plunged into further crisis with the managing director also being sent on compulsory leave by the Health Minister one week after the chairman was sacked.

Chairman Nihal Kiriella had been sacked by Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva on the basis that there was evidence of improper tender procedures and financial irregularities, though Mr. Kiriella claimed he was removed because he stood against corrupt practices by some bureaucrats in the SPMC.

Managing Director Anura Jayasundera was also removed by the minister on the same grounds, but Mr. Jayasundera also charged he was being removed to make way for a political appointee who had earlier been interdicted on corruption charges.

Meanwhile, the main trade union in the SPMC last Monday launched a black band campaign protesting against the appointment of a new board of directors and attempts by political elements to use corporation vehicles and other resources for the current election campaign.

Like Mr. Kiriella, Mr. Jayasundera had also first been asked to resign but he refused and was removed.

The removal of the chairman and the managing director followed a major controversy over the import of the raw material, Carbamazepine, for the manufacture of an epilepsy drug. The minister claimed the tender procedure was irregular but Mr. Kiriella and Mr. Jayasundera said some officers at the quality control unit of the SPMC had tried to manipulate the tender to give it to a former supplier at a price which was about half a million rupees more than another offer. Backing up Mr. Kiriella's charges, Mr. Jayasundera also claimed there was widespread corruption in the SPMC and both of them were removed because they stood against the corrupt elements.

Mr. Jayasundera charged that a former general manager who was interdicted recently had been linked to several cases of fraud, including alleged forgery of documents and extravagant expenditures.

In one instance, the general manager who was not entitled to an official cell phone had been given one and run up a bill of tens of thousands of rupees a month. 


SAARC seeks EU link-up

South Asian Foreign Ministers are to meet the European Union hierarchy in New York next week to explore ways and means of expanding ties between the two geographical regions.

Foreign Ministers of the seven-nation regional grouping SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) are now in New York for the UN General Assembly sessions which began yesterday and are scheduled to meet formally as a prelude to a summit meeting of heads of government in Katmandu on January 4, 5 and 6 next year. The seven-nation SAARC comprises Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka, the current chairman of the grouping, will hand over the mantle to Nepal at the oft postponed summit, which could not be held due to continuing differences between India and Pakistan over Kashmir.

In New York, the foreign ministers will also meet with Chris Patten, EU Commissioner (External Affairs), and other senior bureaucrats at the Brussels secretariat to discuss avenues of cooperation between Europe and South Asia.

Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar had wide-ranging talks with Mr. Patten and other senior EU officials in Brussels en-route to New York. EU is reported to have expressed interest in engaging itself more in South Asia by providing more financial assistance for economic development in the otherwise impoverished region.

SAARC states have also initiated a dialogue with the economically advanced ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) states for markets and trade, but an impasse at the highest political levels in the South Asian grouping in the intervening years had impeded progress on this front.


SU starts from Borella

The inaugural campaign rally of the Sihala Urumaya will take place tomorrow at 4 p.m. at Borella. 

Prof. Oliver Abeynaike and Pandula Endagama will make their maiden speeches from the Sihala Urumaya platform, while the party leadership including Tilak Karunaratne, Champika Ranawaka and Dr. Neville Karunatilleke will address the public. Singers such as Madu Madava Aravinda will perform at the event, a party spokesman said.



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