EPC to seek Indian aid for development

The Eastern Provincial Council which is led by Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan has sought direct assistance from India for the development of the province, resettlement of displaced persons and for launching a relief programme for an estimated 45,000 widows – most of whom have lost their husbands due to the war.

The first round of talks was held this week between an EPC delegation led by Minister M. L. A. M. Hisbullah and Indian High Commission officials in Colombo. The Indian team was led by Deputy High Commissioner Wickram Misri.

Mr. Hisbullah told The Sunday Times that the EPC was trying to obtain aid amounting to US $ 200 million to rehabilitate widows. He said that of the 45,000 widows in the province, 33,000 are war widows. He said the High Commission had sought a detailed proposal of the requirements of the Provincial Council.

The Indian government has also invited an EPC delegation to visit Gujarat on a study tour of dairy farms, food processing factories and agricultural farms.

The Indian government has already donated 22 mini-buses to the Eastern Provincial Council with eight of them for Trincomalee and the rest for Batticaloa and Ampara. The buses are to be used for schools, for resettlement programmes, health and for revenue collection purposes.

An additional three trains comprising railway engines and passenger coaches will be donated by the Indian government next week to the Eastern Province to be used by passengers travelling between Batticaloa and Trincomalee.

Indian High Commission spokesman Dinkar Asthana said he was aware of the buses being handed over, but was not aware about the details of the meeting held this week.

Provincial Council sources said they had launched the campaign to find their own funds as the funds allocated by various donors had not been utilized for the development of the province.

The Chief Minister had earlier appealed to the Provincial Council Secretariat for funds, but had failed to get a positive response. The Council had thereafter decided to seek its own funds, mainly from India which had earlier pledged to support the Provincial Council.

However, the Council was also seeking funds from the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, JAICA and the Canadian government for road development, resettlement, the health sector, the education sector and for improving irrigation and canal systems.

LTTE shoots dead STF commando in Batticaloa

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam shot dead a Special Task Force (STF) commando at Munaikkaadu in Kokkaddichchoali police division in Batticaloa district on Saturday night, LTTE sources in Batticaloa said. The commando killed was identified as M. K. Vijayasiri, 37.

Immediately after the shooting incident at 10.30 p.m. STF commandos started firing in retaliation which left a civilian, Nesarajah Arulampalam, a resident of Munaikkaadu, seriously injured.
 
Arulampalam was admitted to Batticaloa Teaching Hospital.

Two Sri Lankans from Amparai beheaded in Saudi Arabia

Two Sri Lankan from Amparai districts were beheaded on last Friday in Saudi Arabia.

The Sri Lankans were beheaded by the sword on Friday after being convicted of armed robbery and murdering a Sudanese accountant, the Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry said.

Two Sri Lankan migrant workers T. Suthakaran from Amparai and Ganesh Meharaj from Kalmunai were found guilty of shooting dead and robbing one Mohammed al-Jakk Mohammed, who worked as a company accountant.

Mohammed al-Jakk Mohammed was shot and killed as he walked out of a bank in Riyadh, after withdrawing Saudi Riyal 2 million in May 2006.

Even in 2007 Saudi Arabian government beheaded four Sri Lankan migrant workers—Sanath Pushpakumara, E.J.Victor Corea, Ranjith De Silva and Sangeeth Kumara—despite years of protest from international human rights organizations and the victims’ pleaded for clemency.

When Asian Tribune contacted Hussein Bhaila, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, he said that the execution by beheading of the two Sri Lankans occurred unannounced on last Friday and it was done without being notified to the Sri Lanka Mission in Riyad.

He said that he has called for a detail report from the Sri Lankan Embassy in Saudi Arabia.

The recent two beheadings were the first to be announced in 2009, while the tally of decapitations announced by Saudi authorities in 2008 stood at 102.

In 2007, a record 153 people were executed in the country, which applies a strict version of sharia, or Islamic law. That figure compared with 37 in 2006 and the previous record of 113 in 2000.

Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking can all carry the death penalty in Saudi Arabia, where executions are usually carried out in public.

In October, human rights watchdog Amnesty International said the number of executions in Saudi Arabia was surging and that the principal victims were poor migrant laborers’ and Saudis without connections.

STF recovers claymore mine during search operation - Kalmunai

Special Task Force (STF) personnel while conducting a cordon and search operation in general area Kalmunai , Ampara, have recovered a 3kg weighing claymore mine, Saturday(Jan 3) at 12.30p.m.

According to MCNS sources, the claymore mine was found near the Sinhala Maha-Vidyalaya.

It had been set to explode when it was detected. 

History of Batticaloa

History of the beginnings

One records it in the history that the people of Mattakkallppu Thamizaham (மட்டக்களப்புதமிழகம்) had lived in this ground during more than 2500 years. The Hindu scripture principal Ramayan also recorded that the crowned tank which was created by Hanuman is localized in the kovil of Mamangeshwarar.

Arrival of Mutkuhar

According to Mattakallappu Manmiyam (மட்டக்களப்புமான்மியம்) Mukkuva or Mutkuhar are known like the first people emigrated with this ground and built seven villages in various sectors. They have immigrant their India shape of people and established the kingdom of the name of Mukkuva.The of the villages and the cities in Batticaloa always holds the historical evedence of the ancient people batticaloan. When Mutkuhar imposed through by salt water and reached the destination of their voyage with the forests located around the lagoon. When they finshes.

The name given by Mukkuva was (Kallpu-Mattam) which means the " literally; border of the lagoon Later this was called (Matta-Kallappu) which indicates that the destination of the voyage and the water of Mukkuva is punt.

Arrival of Thimilar

A group of people of Fisher called " Thimilar" who emigrated of India lived in " Thimilathivu" where the strong first was built by Thimilar for the themself. " Valaikattiravu" who a place where Thimilar fished the massive quantity of fish by using the fishing nets (Valai/வலை). With the begginng there were conflicts between Thimilar and Mutkuhar later which it developed to the war and continued for one long period.

to fight between Mutkuhar and Thimilar

Mutkuhar gained the assistance of another group of people who came in Batticaloa from " Pattaniar" called parInde for the business and have demolishes Thimilar and drive out them far in Verukal/வெருகல் (close to the village boundry of Trincomalee).

The name of some villages are seemed to be the monuments of this war. A village close to morden Batticaloa " Sathurukondan/சத்துருகொண்டான்" called by city (Sathuru=ambush Kondan=kill the enemy) was employed by Mutkuhar attracted in an ambush the enemy. The place where the warriors who drove out behind Thimilar returned with Santhiwelli/சந்திவெளி together are called vitory and met (not of meeting of Santhi=a in all manners +Welli=field) and place of tha the warriors took the rest and celebrated the victory was called Vantharoomoolai/வந்தாறுமூலை (place of Vanthu=coming Aaru=rest Moolai=a took the rest) where the Eastern university of Sri Lanka is today localized.

The place where Mutkuhar accustomed Pattaniar them helped by conquering Thimilar and built the fortress to prevent Thimilar immigrate Eravur/ஏறாவூர் again called. (Era-derivative Erathu= to prevent the oor=place or the village Re-immegrant).

The rule and the expansion of Ellalan

For the period of King Ellalan (545 before JC) of Chola which reigned the majority of Scandinavian, the oriental parties of the country including/understanding ancient Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura were several of the soldiers of Chera, Chola, empires of Pandiya were remained with the existing people of Batticaloa

Etymology

Mattakallappu Manmiyam (மட்டக்களப்புமான்மியம்) is the only resource having the valid resourses events recorded in the ancient word Mattakkallpu de BatticaloaThe consists the words Mattu/மட்டு (honey) of Tamoul or Matta-derivative of Mattam/மட்டம் (flat) and Kallappu named geogrphical.

Mukkuwa called this place like Kallpu-Mattam or boundry of the lagoon later it became Matta-Kallappu or flat Lagoon.Similarly Mattu-Kallppu or the " confluence of the river of miel" became combinig Mattu de Mattakkallppu.When and additional Kallappu and sounnd of " k" added accoding to the rule tamoule lexicon. Consequently it became Mattukkallappu.But by pronouncing Mattukkallppu gives the same noise as Mattakkallppu is marked. Mattakkallppu became of this fact the name of this place. What consists the pure words tamoul employed 2500 years of back Mattu (honey)

References

• Mattakkallappu Manmium
• Batticaloa.com,
• Tamilian Nation, Oya Project

Chikungunya cases rising in Kalmunai

Sri Lanka's health officials today said that Chikungunya fever is spreading throughout the country at an unexpected rate. Dr. Paba Palihawadana, Director of the Epidemic Disease Unit of the Health Ministry, confirmed that over 3000 Chikungunya cases have been reported from various parts of the country within the last week. According the government statistics, the highest numbers of cases were reported from Embilipitiya, Monaragala, Polonnaruwa and Kalmunai. Health officials have already initiated special safety measures to prevent an epidemic of Chikungunya in the Embilipitiya area of Ratnapura District. Dr. Palihawadana urges the people to report to the nearest hospital if any person is suffering from fever.

Two security personnel killed in Eastern Sri Lanka

In the first attack of the New Year, a claymore mine exploded at Samanthurai in Batticaloa this morning killing two security personnel, the police said. According to the police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekara suspected LTTE cadres have launched a claymore mine attack on a group of police officers of the Veeracholai police on a foot patrol. A Civil Defence Force personnel and a policeman at Veeracholai Police were killed, spokesman confirmed. Samanthurai Police are conducting further investigations.