According to military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara, these zones are located at Oddusudan and Vishwamadu.
People could use these routes to leave areas under LTTE control without any harm, he said.
MVP on noticeUnder a new law signed yesterday by US President George W. Bush, leaders of military forces and arm
ed groups in Sri Lanka who have recruited child soldiers may be arrested and prosecuted in the United States, Human Rights Watch said. The law could apply to leaders of forces that have recruited and used child soldiers in Sri Lanka’s armed conflict, including the Tamil Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE or Tamil Tigers) and the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP).
The Child Soldiers Accountability Act makes it a federal crime to recruit knowingly or to use soldiers under the age of 15 and permits the United States to prosecute any individual
on US soil for the offense, even if the children were recruited or served as soldiers outside the United States. The law imposes penalties of up to 20 years, or up to life in prison if their action resulted in the child’s death. It also allows the United States to deport or deny entry to individuals who have knowingly recruited children as soldiers.
“The US is saying to the world that using child soldiers is a serious crime and that it will take action,” said Jo Becker, children’s rights advocate for Human Rights Watch. “Military commanders who use children can no longer come to the United States without the risk of ending up in jail.”
The Tamil Tigers have recruited thousands of children during the 
25 years of Sri Lanka’s conflict. UNICEF has documented 6,284 cases between January 2002 and September 2008, with 1,426 cases outstanding. The majority of families do not report the recruitment of children, often because they are afraid. Field investigations by Human Rights Watch found that the LTTE threatened and coerced families that refused to give a son or daughter to the LTTE, a
nd that in some cases, children were abducted.
The TMVP (Karuna group) has also recruited hundreds of children into its armed wing. UNICEF has documented 528 cases between April 2004 and September 2008, with 127 outstanding. Human Rights Watch investigations documented TMVP abduction of children from their homes, workplaces, playgrounds, public roads, and camps for the internally displaced. Human Rights Watch also found that government security forces have been complicit in the abductions, which have taken place in areas of strict government control.
Between 2
002 and 2008, the UN secretary-general has cited the LTTE in five successive reports to the Security Council for violations of international law prohibiting the recruitment and use of child soldiers. He cited the TMVP in two reports since 2006.
The Child Soldiers Accountability Act was introduced by Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois and adopted unanimously by both the US House of Representatives and the US Senate in September 2008.
In a statement issued on October 3, Senator Durbin said: “The United States must not be a safe haven for those who exploit children as soldiers. Period. The use of children as combatants is one of the most despicable human rights violations in the world today and affects the lives of hundreds of thousands of boys and girls who are used as combatants, porters, human 
mine detectors and sex slaves. The power to prosecute and punish those who violate the law will send a clear signal that the U.S. will in no way tolerate this abhorrent practice” (http://durbin.senate.gov/showRelease.cfm?releaseId=304082 ).
The recruitment and use of children as soldiers was recognized in 1998 as a war crime under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. In 2007, four former military commanders from Sierra Leone were convicted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone for recruiting and using children as soldiers. Rebel and military commanders from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda have also been charged under the International Criminal Court with recruiting and using child soldiers, though none have yet gone to trial.
“This new law is a breakthrough because it no longer leaves the prosecution of child recruiters to international 
tribunals and the national courts of conflict-affected countries,” Becker said. “The United States is stepping up to hold these war criminals accountable in its own courts.”
Children are currently used in armed conflicts in at least 17 countries. Countries and territories in which children are known to have been used in hostilities between 2004 and 2007 include: Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Nepal, Philippines, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand and Uganda.
LTTE military operation and administrative
Former Minister Kingsley T. Wickremeratne passed away
LTTE's clandestine airstrip located by troops - Mullaittivu
Defence.lk - now in Tamil
The official website of the Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order of Sri Lanka, defence.lk, has launched its Tamil page. Viewers can now get the latest news updates on the country's war on terror and other related issues in Tamil by logging to http://www.defence.lk/tamil
The Tamil language website was considered necessary by Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who is of the view that all citizens should be kept informed of issues related to the country's defence. The English language site was launched in April 2006 catering to both the local and international communities.
New Delhi: A 26-year-old television journalist was shot dead in the Capital early on Tuesday mo
rning.
Soumya Viswanathan was an employee of TV Today Network’s English news channel Headlines Today. Prior to joining Headlines Today, Soumya also worked with CNN-IBN.
She had stayed back in office on Monday night to bring you coverage of the blasts in Malegaon and Modasa. The incident occurred when she was driving from her Jhandewalan office to her Vasant Kunj residence at around 0330 hrs (IST).
Police say she was shot dead while on her way home. Her car was found rammed into the divider on Nelson Mandela road. Her body was still in the driver's seat and there was a bullet in her head. There were signs of a struggle in the car and one tyre was punctured from which a bullet was recovered.
The police rushed her to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences but doctors declared her brought dead.
Soumya last spoke to her father at 3:15 am, saying she'll reach home shortly.
Police have registered a case of murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, but the motive for the killing has not yet been established.
"We received a call at about 3:55 am regarding a road accident. They responded by removing the injured to the hospital and this lady was subsequently declared as brought dead. During a post-mortem, it was revealed that a bullet was lodged in her skull. We registered a case of murder. At the moment preliminary investigation is in progress, we have called the experts to examine the scene of crime and the car. Further action will be taken as the investigations progress, it is not very clear if the second bullet was fired or not. But this is a very serious case and we are putting our best efforts forward," Joint Commissioner Southern Range, Delhi, Ajay Kashyap said.
Soumya's death raises questions about security of women in the Capital, specially those working in night shifts. But the Delhi Police was quick to say that women should themselves exercise precaution.
Ajay Kashyap said, "We advocate women should take busy, well-lit routes and drive with companions."
Working women have and will always be on their guard, but it's time for the police to make Delhi a safer place for professionals, by day and by night.
Two grenades had been hurled at the premises at Kohuwala around 2.00 am, but only one had exploded.
No one has been injured, while there is minor damage to the house and the property.
Mr. Weliamuna, executive director of Transparency International Sri Lanka, has appeared in many HR cases in the Supreme Court and also is an activist against corruption in the state.
Cana
dian MP and Liberal Foreign Affairs Critic Bob Rae says Sri Lanka's war is entering a tragic new phase as the Sri Lankan government issues an official warning that the government can no longer 'guarantee' the safety of aid workers in the north and east, and encouraging them to leave the area.
The Presidency of the Council of the European Union, France, welcomed the meeting of the Co-Chairs of the 2003 Tokyo Conference held on 24 September in
This meeting, which brought together representatives from the European Union, United States, Japan and Norway, has enabled a broad consensus to be reached on the assessment of the situation on the ground, France said in a statement
Security forces continued advances in the combined Mullaittivu-Kilinochchi battlefront Saturday (Sep 27), reportedly killing 6 terrorists and recovering a terrorist body, according to military reports received.
4 terrorists were killed during fighting ensued between troops and LTTE, West of Mankulama, at around 1p.m. Subsequently, troops have recovered a slain LTTE body along with 2 T-56 assault riffles, sources said.
Also, a terrorist was reported killed and another injured in general area West of Akkarayankulama, when troops forced into an LTTE bunker defence.
Meanwhile, an LTTE terrorist was killed sniped in the same area .
Read more:www.defence.lk
according to defence.lk."The target was located 1.5km East of the A-9 trunk road and North of the Iranamadu Tank", Air Force Spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said.
According to the Air Force Spokesperson, the target was acquired on real-time ground information received.
The site is known to be the main female black tiger training and coordinating facility and a most frequented location by LTTE's intelligence wing chief, Pottu Amman, military sources said.
Read more :
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080927_05
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) attack in Iraththinapuram, a suburb of Ki'linochchi town, Saturday around 12:30 p.m.
from Ira'naimadu junction, is situated around 150 meters away from the bombed locality. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan defence ministry claimed that the attack was a 'precision air strike' against an LTTE target.
The market, in the Mehrauli area, was packed with shoppers when, according to eyewitnesses, two men drove up in a motorcycle and dropped a package.
Police have described it as a low intensity explosive device.
Witnesses said blood and broken glass littered the streets, and one man said his brother had taken five people to hospital.
Some of the injured were in serious condition while six others had been admitted to hospital in critical condition, the Press Trust of India said.
Two weeks ago, five bombs ripped through busy shopping areas in Delhi, killing at least 20 people. Nearly 50 were killed in Ahmadabad in July.
Police say they have arrested the head of a group claiming the attacks.
Mohammed Arif Sheikh, described as the founder of the Indian Mujahideen (IM), was arrested along with four others, Mumbai (Bombay) police said on Thursday.
Central Bank names and shames six fraudulent finance operatorsAccording to the Central Bank notice these individuals and institutions are not authorized to conduct finance business by accepting money from the public as deposits or in any other form and the lending of money on interest and/or the investment of money in any manner.
Why did not take action to against these companies
print and electronic media (TV and Radio) encourage people to invest the companies for a long period whereas the Central Bank of
| President mahinda meets Nepali PM Pushpa kamal in New York | |
 The newly elected Prime Minister of Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal met President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday (24), in New York on the sidelines of the 63rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly currently in progress at the UN headquarters.Prime Minister Dahal in his discussion with President Rajapaksa stated that the Government of Nepal is fully committed to working towards achieving the expected goals of the SAARC as arrived at during the recently concluded 15th SAARC Summit in Colombo. While both parties agreed on initiating an air route between Lumbini and Colombo, Sri Lanka also expressed willingness to help train Nepali students at Sri Lankan medical institutions and extending cooperation to the Government of Nepal in upgrading their health sector. Another decision was reached at the discussion to grant Nepali Bhikkus an opportunity to pursue their higher studies in Sri Lankan academic institutes. |
Indian PM Manmohan Singh is due to meet US President George Bush amid frantic efforts to win US Congressional support for the two countries' nuclear deal.
The controversial accord needs to be rushed through Congress before lawmakers conclude this year's session to campaign for November's elections.
Correspondents say its ratification will be a complicated process.
US officials hope Congress will approve 
the deal before the two leaders meet later on Thursday in Washington.
Congress goes into recess at the end of this week.
"We will not let the Tamil community be held hostage to terrorism" -- President Mahinda Rajapaksha tells UN