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Hakeem's
presence a problem for LTTE The LTTE is
learnt to have expressed its unwillingness to accept the SLMC or
its leader as a group within a group in the government delegation.
Amidst this
uncertainty, Mr. Hakeem is expected to leave for London in the next
two days to hold talks with LTTE' chief negotiator Anton Balasingham
and clarify his party's position. The meeting
is being arranged by the Norwegian peace brokers. Mr. Hakeem's
Media Co-ordinator A.R.A. Hafeez told The Sunday Times that the
SLMC leader's London visit was aimed at obtaining assurances from
the LTTE with regard to the security of the Muslims in the North
and East. Responding
to the objections raised by the LTTE, Dr. Hafeez said that in the
joint statement issued by the LTTE and the SLMC leader in April,
the LTTE had recognised the SLMC as a separate party at the negotiations. "At peace
talks in Thailand, the SLMC leader will mainly speak of the Muslim
dimension and put across the Muslim aspirations and view point,"
Dr. Hafeez said. Meanwhile,
a spokesman for the National Unity Alliance, a breakaway group of
the SLMC, said the two parties were working on the possibility of
coming together to create a joint front to voice the Muslim grievance
at the peace talks. NUA Deputy
Leader M.L.A.M. Hisbullah told The Sunday Times that when a high-powered
government delegation was meeting the LTTE for a historic deal,
the Muslim people must have a right to at least express their views. On Friday night, a NUA meeting chaired by Ferial Ashraff discussed the possibility of working together with the SLMC with a view to safeguarding the rights of the Muslim community at peace talks in Thailand. Wattala UC snubs
HRC A group of
Oliyamulla residents yesterday returned to the land armed with the
HRC order but the police blocked them on the orders of the Wattala
UC Chairman Mark Gunasekara. Wattala Police
Inspector Sena Suraweera said he had instructed by the UC chairman
that no one should be allowed to re-enter the disputed land. The UC Chairman
told The Sunday Times he would accept only a court order and the
UC would meet tomorrow to further discuss the matter. The HRC on
Thursday granted the residents permission to return to the land
from where they were evicted on August 24. The HRC had
issued a similar order last month also soon after the people were
evicted, but the UDA rejected that order too. Residents say they have been told the land is to be turned into a sports ground. Muslims for
equal status at peace talks The organisation
calling itself the Committee for Justice to the Eastern and Northern
Muslims also hopes to propose that in the establishment of an 'Interim
Administration' separate unit be established for northern and eastern
provinces taking into account the existing ethnic ratios of the
province the press release said. It further
stated that in the event of a united north-east the Muslims be granted
the position promised on representation, land distribution, recruitment
of personnel providing security and that the existing boundaries
of north and east remain unaltered. The committee has also decided to meet both the President and the Premier to discuss these matters.
The RMV in
a controversial move started registering vehicles without inspecting
them and reports said that while an average of 400 were registered
every week earlier, it had zoomed to 1,500 from last Monday to Friday. The relaxation
enables reconditioned vehicles and those which are brought down
in parts and assembled here to be registered without any inspection. Under the new
system only documents need to be produced to obtain a registration
number for a vehicle. Earlier, during
the inspection, an examiner would paste a sticker on the vehicle,
but the new system provides for the sticker to be handed over to
the vehicle owner without any inspection. "In the
event of a vehicle being involved in a criminal incident or accident
the RMV will not be in a position to provide further information
regarding the vehicles as they have not been produced for an inspection
and investigations cannot proceed because the vehicle seen at the
site of the incident may be a jeep whereas the vehicle registered
maybe a car," a senior Police officer warned. Motor Vehicles
Commissioner E. Jinadasa defending the move said that producing
the vehicle for registration was an unnecessary burden to the customer.
He said the RMV was a service organisation and thus therefore should
be customer-oriented. "According to the Motor Traffic Act,
as the Commissioner if I'm satisfied with the document we can register.
We don't want to find the details because the Customs officers have
already checked that," he said. Referring to the dangers involved with illegally assembled vehicles being registered with no inspection, the commissioner said that was not a matter for him but for the police. Responding to
this, a senior police officer said it would be difficult for them
to identify a vehicle which had been assembled illegally as the
owner may have all the necessary documents. Former Police Traffic chief Camillus Abeygoonewardene said he believed the relaxation would be in order for new vehicles but reconditioned ones needed to be examined.
The Minister
said he would even keep away from parliament, but would meet the
legal requirement by attending sittings once in three months. Mr. Maheshwaran complained that though he represented the Jaffna district and was a minister, schools principals were transferred without his knowledge as was the GA. Several UNF
ministers and MPs trying to mediate in the conflict have assured
Mr. Maheshwaran the Prime Minister would give him a fair deal but
the angry minister wants immediate action instead of promises. According to
reports, Mr. Maheshwaran had given his resignation to the Prime
Minister but it was not accepted and he had said he would then give
it to the President. The row erupted
after Mr. Maheshwaran sent a strongly worded six-page protest letter
to the Prime Minister who was equally annoyed and had asked Mr.
Maheshwaran to disclose who had drafted the letter. Mr. Maheshwaran complained the government was consulting the TNA on various issues but not him. He, however, pledged he would not join any other party.
These vehicles
are allocated false numbers, posing a serious threat to security. Inspector Janaka
Senadheera of Traffic Police Head Quarters said the services of
Interpol Japan was sought to clarify certain information regarding
a Mitsubishi jeep carrying the registration number issued to a Ford
Car. The detection
was made two years ago of a Mitsubishi Pajero Intercooler bearing
number 64-3689. This number had originally been issued to a Ford
car registered in 1978. The investigations are still proceeding,
he said. However, the
Customs had been prepared to release the vehicle but on the intervention
of the Traffic Police it has been further detained. It is alleged
that the Customs Preventive Unit had attempted to suppress this
investigation. Responding
to the police request Interpol in Japan has sent a report on the
jeep stating the date of manufacture as November 18, 1991. The Report
pertaining to the registration of the vehicle had been tampered
with at various stages and the date of first registration of the
vehicle was been given as November 29, 1978 while an year later
it had been altered to read November 29, 1994. The Central
Intelligence Unit of the Customs is conducting a fresh inquiry POM/1131/2000
When the inquiry recommenced it was found that all original documents
had been removed from the file. With the crime rate in the country on the increase, the dangers of vehicles moving around with false number plates is real indeed, the police said.
The Speaker
told The Sunday Times the post of Secretary General still remains
vacant and as such is affecting many of the administrative functions
of parliament. "In the
absence of the Secretary General I am compelled to attend to some
of those duties", he said. "It is
only the Secretary General who has the authority to carry out particular
functions in parliament. Matters concerning an MP that have to be
officially conveyed to the Election Commissioner has to be carried
out by the Secretary General', the Speaker said. Mr. Joseph
Michael Perera said that it was the duty of the Secretary General
to prepare Bills that are to be presented in parliament and it is
the Secretary General who has the authority to approve payments
of over Rs. five lakhs. Ms. Priyani
Wijesekara, who served as the acting Secretary General for fourteen
days and now reverted back to the post of deputy SG told The Sunday
Times that it is the responsibility of President Chandrika Kumaratunga
to make this important appointment.
The residents
filed a writ application in the Court of Appeal last week protesting
against the construction that has also created traffic problems
in the area. The application supported by attorney at law M. Iqbal Mohamed states that despite objections to the construction of a building for the Sakya tutory at No. 8 Pietersz Place, Nugegoda being made to the relevant authorities no action has been taken by them. About 4000 students
are attending classes leading to a chaotic situation in the area
with roads eternally blocked. The neighbourhood has lost its peaceful
residential atmosphere, it said. The petitioners
said a large and unprotected electric transformer has been placed
outside the tutory for the supply of electricity which is both dangerous
to the life of the neighbours and hazardous to their health. Residents have sought a writ of mandamus prohibiting the UDA and the Dehiwela Mount Lavinia Municipal Council from permitting the owners of the institute to continue with the construction of the tutory at Pietersz Place. |
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