INDIA LOOKS TO RESUME RAMESWARAM-TALAIMANNAR FERRY SERVICE

Top Indian officials today visited the Arichal Munai near Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu and other places to see if ferry service between Rameswaram and Talaimannar in Sri Lanka, suspended in the 1980s, could be resumed. 

Ferry services between India and Sri Lanka halted in the early 1980s because of the war in Sri Lanka. 

Tuticorin Port Trust Chairman Subbiah, who visited the areas along with Shipping Secretary K. Mohandass, said the state and Central Governments should negotiate with the Sri Lankan government for resuming service between Rameswaram and Talaimannar. 

Some facilities had to be created at the Rameswaram Harbour for resuming the service, he said. 

About reviving Tuticorin ferry service that had hit a snag due to economic and legal problems after a few months of operation last year, he said it would resume once a big ship that could transport 1450 passengers per trip arrived from Shipping Corporation of India. 

The Tuticorin-Colombo service was started in June last year aiming to tap the potential bilateral business opportunities, amid growing trade links in the post-conflict era. 

Regarding the Sethusamudram Shipping Channel project, he said the case was pending with the Supreme court.”We have made some suggestions regarding the alternative route and that is also pending before the court.” 

SSCP proposes linking Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka. 

Work on the project has been stalled as the Supreme Court had earlier reserved orders on the project and appointed an expert Committee headed by noted environmentalist R. K. Pachauri. 

The court was moved on the grounds that the present alignment would damage the Ramarsethu, a bridge believed to have been constructed by Lord Ram, PTI reported.

INDIAN FISHING BOAT WITH “NAVY” LETTERS HELD

Three Indian fishermen have been arrested by Sri Lankan Navy for poaching in the country’s waters while six others were rescued in a separate instance.

The three fishermen were found poaching in the seas north-west of Kovilum by the Sri Lanka Naval Ship “Ranadheera” attached to the Northern Naval Command on routine patrol yesterday (11), navy said.

They had painted letters “NAVY” on the roof top of their fishing trawler to disguise their illegal act, SLN media reported today. 

The arrested Indian fishermen and their fishing boat were brought to Kankasanthurai Harbour and handed over to KKS Police for onward action on completion of the preliminary investigations.

Separately, the Navy rescued six distressed Indian fishermen in the Gulf of Mannar off the Northeast coast on Friday.

They were onboard a boat named ‘Neranjana’ and will be handed over to the Indian Coast Guards later.

BLAKE ARRIVES, MEETING WITH TNA ON THE CARDS

US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert O. Blake, who arrived in the country last night, is set to meet representatives of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) today evening for discussions. 

TNA leader R. Sampanthan and MP M. A. Sumanthiran are to attend the discussions, which is scheduled to take place at 4.45 pm today (February 12) in Colombo. 

Present situation of the ongoing talks between the TNA and the government is said to be one of the topics which will be discussed. 

Robert Blake, a former US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, and Maria Otero Under Secretary for Civilian Protection, Human rights and Democracy have arrived in Sri Lanka, the External Affairs Ministry said.

The two top US diplomats will meet External Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris and other government officials during their stay till February 14. 

The visit comes amidst speculation that US would move a resolution against Sri Lanka at the next session of the UNHRC getting underway later this month in Geneva. 

Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington D.C. today said that a group of influential US Congressmen in a letter to President Barack Obama had urged strengthening ties between US and Sri Lanka, noting the island nation’s triumph over terrorism. 

The letter signed by Republican Jack Kingston and 11 others both Republican and Democratic says for the first time in a generation the US has an opportunity to develop its relations with Sri Lanka.

JOBS PROVIDED THE WRONG WAY: UNEMPLOYED GRADS

The government is not following the ‘correct procedure’ when providing graduates with employment, says the Joint Unemployed Graduates’ Union.

Employment should be provided according to the year in which the degree was awarded after publishing gazette notifications, Convenor of the union Dhammika Munasinghe stated.

However, pointing out that registers have already been received at district secretariats for vacancies in several districts, the Joint Unemployed Graduates’ Union says the ‘arbitrarily prepared’ registers should be annulled immediately and proper procedures followed. 

LPBOA TO STRIKE; OTHER UNIONS REFUSE TO JOIN

The Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) says it will continue with the proposed strike and withdraw from operating buses from midnight today (Feb. 12) after diesel prices were increased last night. 

However, other bus associations say they will not join the strike action and will operate as usual. 

Private bus operators had yesterday warned that they will resort to strike action, after diesel prices were increased by Rs.31 per litre by the government, and said they would meet at 11am today in order to reach a final decision on the matter. 

Speaking at press conference today following the meeting LPBOA President Gemunu Wijeyratne stated that bus operators incur heavy losses due such high increases in fuel prices.

If approval is not granted for bus fare hike, the government should at least afford concessions, he said.

Secretary of the All Ceylon Private Bus Owners’ Union Federation Anjana Priyanjith however said they will continue with usual operations as they would not allow causing hindrance to the public or engage in disruptive acts.

THONDAMAN FORCED TO LEAVE COIMBATORE FOLLOWING PROTESTS

In the second such incident in about month, a Sri Lankan minister was forced to leave Coimbatore on Saturday after a group of Naam Tamilar Katchi activists staged a demonstration in front of his hotel, demanding that he leave India immediately.

Arumugam Thondaman, Cabinet Minister of Livestock and Rural Community Development, vacated the hotel shortly after the protest and left the city for Chennai, Indian police said.

Some Naam Tamilar Katchi activists almost laid siege to the hotel located in the heart of the city, where Thondaman was staying and raised slogans against him and the Sri Lankan government, they were quoted as saying by PTI.

The protesters attempted to jump over the main gate of the hotel but were prevented and chased away, police said. They also took 15 persons into custody in connection with the incident.

Naam Tamilar Katchi is led by Indian film director and known LTTE supporter Sebastian Seeman.

On January 10 last month, suspected MDMK and NTK activists allegedly barged into the house of the Ramanathaswamy Temple priest in Rameswaram and threw stones and slippers when the husband of Deputy Minister Nirupama Rajapaksa was about to perform a ‘pooja’.

On January 29 it was reported that Uva Provincial Council Member Senthil Thondaman, the nephew of Minister Arumugam Thondaman, was harassed by a group of political activists while visiting a temple in Tamil Nadu.