Baby farm in Chinese restaurant?

By Tania Fernando

When Mirihana Police raided the brothel in Nugegoda this week, three of the five women who were there were found to be pregnant. The youngest woman was aged 20 and was around five months pregnant.

The OIC of the Special Crimes Operation Unit of the Mirihana Police, SI Jayasiri Amarasinghe said they raided the brothel on information received and said the three women were eight months, five months and three months into their pregnancy.

The woman who was eight months pregnant has been warded at the hospital when she fell ill at the police station after the arrest. "Once she has the baby we will keep a close tab on her to see what happens", SI Amarasinghe said.

He said that according to reports received by them, a foreigner who lives in Moratuwa purchases the babies from these women. 

"The women had said that their husbands are in remand. However they failed to give proper information about them in order that the police can verify their statements", he said. 

The woman who was eight months pregnant has given a statement

to the effect that her husband has been in remand since last April and she therefore stays at the brothel as she has no place to go.

SI Amarasinghe said that during the raid they found a few cots, baby's sheets, pillows and other items.

While the five women and the manager of the place were fined Rs. 1000 each and released by the courts, the police have allowed bail for the three clients who were in the premises at the time of the raid.

Fishermen protest at Tiger tricks

By Nilika de Silva

SLMC Chairman and Highways Minister A.L.M. Athaullah told The Sunday Times that the fishermen had come out on to the roads to protest against the attempts being made, using the MoU, to take away by force the right to sell fish caught by them. 

Mr. Athaullah said that SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem was due to visit the area that afternoon to speak to the fishermen and allay their fears. 

Meanwhile, the SLMC is preparing to protest next week demanding that the Muslims be taken into consideration as a third force in any peace discussions. 

We, the Tamil speaking Muslim people also must be taken into consideration and powers must be allocated to us too in the North-East which is our motherland, Mr. Athaullah said. 

Compromise to settle ethnic issue: Israeli ambassador 

During a short visit to Colombo this week, Mr. Matnai who is based in Thailand, said a compromise is an essential part of the solution to the problem.

'Even if you completely destroy the enemy a compromise is needed to find a settlement to any problem', he said.

He said he was encouraged by the moves for peace in Sri Lanka and claimed it was a positive sign.

'As soon as I arrived I saw the newspapers most of which were talking about peace. This is welcome', he said.

'It is important the two sides come closer to each other. You do not have to sign an agreement. Once the two sides have a common interest they will come together. It will take some time as human beings do not accept changes immediately', he said. Though Israel is known to be a supplier of military hardware and provides training for the Sri Lankan security forces, the ambassador said that during his visit he would not be going discussing the sale of military hardware.

'I am no military expert. The government will come to us if there is a requirement', he said. 

During his visit Mr. Matnai held discussions with government officials and politicians. Among those who he met were representatives of the tourism, irrigation and agriculture sectors.

He expressed the hope that the trade and tourism sectors between the two countries would be expanded.

'We should have more cultural exchanges in order to improve relations between our two countries', he said.