Navy assists stranded Tamil Nadu fishermen

Four Indian fishermen found drifting in their fishing boat near the Maradapuram fishing marshalling point in Karainagar Island yesterday around 10 a.m. were taken ashore by Naval authorities.

The fishermen being cared by naval personnel.

The four fishermen had set out to sea on November 28 from Kodiyakarei, Nagamawattam, India to fish in the Palk strait. They had lost track of their nets which they had laid in the night and this had resulted in them sourcing the high seas looking for the lost nets. Their fibreglass boat had run out of fuel and the fishermen had got stranded at mid sea. The boat had begun to drift deeper into the ocean and ended up in Sri Lankan shores.

Sri Lanka Navy authorities in Karainagar took the fishermen in distress into their care. After proper medical examination, the fishermen were provided with clean clothes and served with a meal. Naval authorities took all measures to ensure the fishermen's welfare. Their boats together with all equipment had been handed over to the Madarapuram Fishing Society for safe keeping.

The four fishermen Karunanidhi Sekar (44), Ramanchandiran Shakthivel (40), Weeramuthtu Soundaraj (30) and Kumaran Muniyan (32) are natives of Nagamawattam and belong to the Naleiwurumei Fishing Society in Kodiyakarei, India.

The fishermen said they were well taken care by the Sri Lankan Navy.

Gotabhaya to tighten security for Rajapaksas claiming a possible military conspiracy

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has decided to tighten security to the President’s family and his own by instilling fear of a possible military conspiracy and has decided to perform a total reorganization of the state intelligence units and Gajaba Regiment Head Brigadier Mahinda Weerasuriya has been appointed as the head of the Operation Center in Colombo (OCC).

The Defence Secretary has decided to locate three battalions of the Gajaba Regiment in Colombo simultaneous to the appointment of Brigadier Weerasuriya as the head of OCC. This is the first time three battalions of the Gajaba Regiment are summoned to Colombo. The Gajaba Regiment is Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s most trusted regiment in the Army and he

too served in it as a Colonel before leaving for the US.
The Defence Secretary’s decision to reorganize the intelligence units in the defence establishment has been made in order to keep a close watch on the opposition political developments following the end of the war with the LTTE. Sources from the Defence Ministry said there will be changes made among the heads of the state intelligence units.

The national intelligence unit is currently headed by retired Major General Kapila Hendevitharana and the intelligence unit in the Foreign Ministry is headed by retired Major General Chula Seneviratne. The State Intelligence Service is headed by DIG Keerthi Gajanayake and the Directorate for Military Intelligence is headed by Major General Kamal Karunasena.

Minister Rohana Kumara Dissanayake’s wife and children worship the General in front of the President

Minister Rohana Kumara Dissnayake’s wife and children have worshiped Chief of Defence Staff General Sarath Fonseka on bended knee when he accompanied the President and other VIPs to the Minister’s residence in Matale after attending the felicitation ceremony of the forces at the Aluviharaya in Matale. Neither the President nor the other VIPs had reportedly received such a welcome.

A similar situation had occurred even at the felicitation ceremony where the people had welcomed the General on stage with loud applause that lasted for about 10 minutes. The President had reportedly not received such a response.

Sources said the President was thoroughly displeased with the situation.

Basil’s resignation a Presidential election gimmick

Reliable sources say that Basil Rajapaksa’s deicison to resign from parliament is a Presidential election gimmick.

Many SLFP seniors are displeased with the President’s move to appoint his relatives and friends to important positions. Several other tactics like this are to be adopted to ensure the support of all SLFPers for the President during the next Presidential election.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa making a special statement during a TV interview said he would not enter politics under any circumstance. The President has also held discussions with several close confidantes of Mangala Samaraweera, who played a key role in the President’s election campaign in 2005. The President


had said he could consider any condition put forward by Mangala Samaraweera.

However, Mangala Samaraweera’s response was not received even at the time of going to press.

- Lanka

Mangala Samaraweera rejects the messenger sent by President.

Reports published there are prospects in Sri Lanka, to conduct the Presidential election before the General Election , after the information circulated that President’s Advisor Basil Rajapakse, intended to resign from the Parliament membership. The initial assignments due to this is on the process is according to information.

Meanwhile the attempt initiated by President Mahinda Rajapakse with Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s Peoples Division Organizer Mangala Samaraweera for a compromise had failed. During the last Presidential election, Mangala Samaraweera was in the utmost front functioning for the victory of President Mahinda Rajapakse.

In this situation, President had sent a representative to come a negotiation , and the issues among them could be discussed and sorted out, but such request was turned down by Mangala Samaraweera. Mangala had informed that he would not come for any agreement with President, but would be functioning to intensifying his progressions against President. Such information was circulated from the internal sector.