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By Thilak Wijesundera Walgampolage Dilan (20), son of gem dealer W. Winil was killed in an accident at Egodamulla, Ahungalle in the early hours of Friday (Mar. 25). He was among the two per- sons killed on the spot. The police iden- tified the other dead person as Mathil, son of Commander (rtd) Ajith Boyagoda. The police said that the speeding car had gone off the road and smashed into a king coconut tree. Four received injuries. The police said that the dead and the wounded had been under the influence of liquor at the time of the accident. Home News The Island Saturday 26th March, 2011 4 K. VENKATARAMANAN CHENNAI: When U.S. troops arrived in Sri Lanka for relief work in the aftermath of the December 2004 tsunami, alarm bells rang in sections of the Indian establish- ment, media and the strategic community over possible American ‘intrusion’ into its backyard. But U.S. diplomatic cables of the time, accessed by The Hindu through WikiLeaks, show that the official thinking in the United States favoured utilising its military participation in relief efforts to strengthen “military-to-military” coopera- tion with other participants in the effort, especially India. In New Delhi, Political Counselor Geoffrey Pyatt on January 7, 2005 clarified to Ministry of External Affairs Director (Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives) Taranjit Singh Sandhu the extent of U.S. military presence in Sri Lanka. On January 10, 2005, Ambassador David Mulford in New Delhi wrote in a cable ( 25165: confidential): “Sandhu seemed surprised to learn that the widely reported figure of 1,500 US troops in the country was incorrect, and that the USG [United States Government] was going to refocus some military assets on Indonesia because India was doing a very good job of providing assistance to Sri Lanka.” And, Mr. Mulford added in a note in parenthesis: “We have heard from others that the Indian Embassy in Colombo has been a source of some of these alarmist reports about US military plans for Sri Lanka.” However, India, which dispatched its Navy to render immediate relief and med- ical aid to Sri Lanka, was actively cooperat- ing with the U.S. troops on the ground. In Colombo, Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead, apparently responding to suggestions that the cooperation be upgraded into joint Indo- U.S. efforts, saw no need to “turn this into some sort of joint (as opposed to coopera- tive) effort,” which is in a cable sent on January 5, 2005 ( 24950: confidential). Reporting that based on a U.S. initiative, a cooperation mechanism was in place for all foreign militaries working in the island nation, and that there was a daily coordina- tion meeting, Mr. Lunstead said: “The Indians enthusiastically participate in this meeting.” The Government of Sri Lanka itself did not want this to be “a possible Indo-US con- dominium.” The Ambassador had assured that country’s Foreign Secretary that the U.S. was cooperating with India, “but these are separate efforts.” Despite the “excellent relationship,” the Indians were also “very careful to assert their independence.” Indian High Commissioner in Colombo Nirupama Rao had made it plain that on the civilian side she was ready to share infor- mation, but she did not want any greater level of cooperation or coordination. When a number of bilateral donors formed a coor- dination group and nominated one member to be their liaison with the GSL, she emphatically stated that “India will not let anyone represent us.” The U.S. Ambassador added: “We and the Indians are good buddies and share all information. Our mil [military] programme is about to get off the ground. Let’s not try to fix something that is not broken.” If these observations were of a piece with the growing convergence of interests between India and the U.S., there were phas- es in which their military concerns were divergent. For instance, in discussions that preceded India’s decision to assist the rebuilding of the Palaly airfield in the Jaffna peninsula, a crucial air and military base for the Sri Lankan security forces in the peninsula through much of the war with the LTTE, it is clear that the Indian help came with a rider that the U.S. thought did not accord with U.S. interests. India wanted to be consulted on all “third party usage of the airfield,” which is in a cable sent on November 17, 2004 ( 22910: confiden- tial). The U.S. thought such restrictions would be “unfortunate.” India’s Deputy Chief of Mission in Colombo Mohan Kumar, and First Secretary Amandeep Singh Gill told U.S. Embassy offi- cials that the proposed agreement on reha- bilitating the Palaly airfield would include a clause requiring that India be “consulted” on all third-party usage. “We are not trying to shackle the Sri Lankan government,” the Ambassador, Mr. Lunstead, quotes Mr. Gill as saying. “But we would naturally expect to be consulted.” However, Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar told the U.S. there were no such restrictions on third-party usage. “I person- ally settled that,” he said. In his comment, Mr. Lunstead noted the Indians and the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister had “widely differing ideas” about the contents of the proposed agreement, but the U.S. was on record expressing its con- cern on such restrictions. (This article is a part of the series “The India Cables” based on the US diplomatic cables accessed by The Hindu via Wikileaks.) Together and apart in Sri Lanka India-U.S. military coop- eration was excellent in tsunami relief but con- cerns varied on rebuild- ing of Palaly airfield Gem dealer’s son killed in high speed car crash The Cosmetic Devices and Drug Control Authority has suspended the sale of Apetamin – P syrup at all pharmacies until further notice as a bot- tle of syrup sold to a customer in Maho pri- vate pharmacy con- tained an insect. National Cosmetic and Drug Control Authority Director Dr. Hemantha Beneragama told The Island that a private pharmacy in Maho had sold the Apetamin –P syrup bottle to a customer and as the bottle contained an insect the person had handed it over the bottle to the Kurunegala district Food and Drug Control Inspector Nihal Premaratne. He had sent the con- taminated bottle of medicine to the National Cosmetic Devices and Drug Control Authority for further investigations. He added that Apetamin – P was a drug prescribed by physicians for patients to develop an appetite and it had been manu- factured by an Indian drug company. Selling drugs with foreign par- ticles was a punishable offence and the author- ity suspended the sale of Apetamin – P syrup at all pharmacies. Dr. Beneragama said that the Indian drug company which manufactured Apetamin – P had not assured the quality of the drug and had com- mitted an offence. The Cosmetic Devices and Drug Control Authority had commenced laborato- ry tests of the specimen. He had already sent circulars about the sus- pension to all Regional Health Directors who distributed them to pharmacies. Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva is pictured at the newly opened sales outlet at T.B.Jayah Mawatha especially to sell Mahaweli products. Deputy Minister W. B. Ekanayake, Director General Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority D. M. C. Dissanayake and Director Agriculture M. S. Dayaratne are also in the picture. Sale of Apetamin – P syrup suspended: Insect found in bottle Society of J’pura 1985/86 first get together will be held on April 30 at Saffron Beach hotel, Wadduwa at 9 a.m. For details contact Ranjith Gunatilaka (071-4884320) and Piyal Pathmanatha (077-2442062). Society of J’pura meet Sujatha Jayaratne captured these scenes outside the US embassy in Colombo on Friday afternoon. Hundreds of Muslims staged a protest against the ongoing US-led military action directed against Libya. BY LAL GUNESEKERA The Excise Department earned Rs. 17 million through fines in 2010. A total of 2,194 persons, including 68 women, were arrested, for various offences. Excise Dept. sources said 1,221 persons were arrested for selling liquor illegally, 368 for oper- ating without a valid liquor license, 156 for sell- ing hard liquor without a license and 250 for selling foreign liquor and beer without a license. The source said that 28 persons were appre- hended with cannabis (ganja), 19 with heroin and 22 for selling illicit cigarettes. Excise Department officials also inspected 585 bars to ascertain whether they possessed valid licenses. Excise earns Rs. 17 mn through fines At the opening ceremony of the Nittanbuwa branch of the Kribathgoda Thilakawardena Textile (Pvt) Company, some of the invitees laugh at a joke cracked by chief guest, Minister of Public Relations Mervyn Silva. Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources Sarana Gunawardene (extreme right), businessman W.P. Rupasinghe (wearing a tie) and S. Thilakawardena, owner of Thilakawardena Textile Company (Pvt) Ltd. were present on the occasion. (Pic by Jude Denzil Pathiraja) BY DON ASOKA WIJEWARDENA Most Arab countries have become puppets of some western nations who want to destablise Libya, with an eye on its considerable oil and gas resources, the Movement Against Colonialism said yesterday. Western Province Governor Alavi Moulana leading an MAC demonstration in Colombo, calling for an end to attacks on Libya, said that the coun- try has to be protected against the imperialist forces who had gathered on its borders. It was for the Libyan peo- ple to decide on who their rulers should be, he said adding that the rest of the world has to unite against the spread of colonialism in the guise of ousting Muammar Gaddafi. Strategic reasons in addition to Libya’s oil and gas resources have also contributed to western military operations aimed at establishing what it calls a No Fly Zone, he said. Meanwhile, another demonstra- tion expressing solidarity with Libya was held in Kandy yesterday. A spokesman for the organisers told The Island that the Central Province Governor Tikiri Kobbakaduwa addressing the public, had called for an end to interference by America and its allies in Libyan affairs. The operations launched by west- ern allied forces was an attempt to spread its “unholy” influ- ence in the Middle East, he had said. According to a survey conducted by Woods and Mackenzie, Libya holds the largest proven oil reserves in Africa, with around 44 bil- lion barrels and is Europe’s biggest North African oil supplier. It also possess 54 trillion cubic feet of gas. Libya remains largely unexplored with vast oil and gas potential. About 80 percent of its proven oil reserves are located in the Sirte basin, which is responsible for 90 percent of the output. With only 25 percent of the country’s surface territory explored to date, there was every chance that actual reserves could see this figure dwarfed in the coming years, W&M said. Arab countries have become western puppets – MAC Libya should be protected against imperialist forces – Alavi Moulana BY ZACKI JABBAR Moulana An exhibition and demonstration of radio controlled model aircrafts is scheduled to be held at Panape, in Bandaragama, tomorrow. The event has been approved by the Sri Lanka Air Force & Civil Aviation Authority Joint Panel. It commences at 9 a.m and would go on till 1 p.m. Entrance was free, a spokesman for the Organisers – The Pan Model Flying Club said. Exhibition of radio controlled aircrafts
