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| Sunday, 16 January 2005 |
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Much ado about Annan visit From the Tamil Press by S. Selvakumar Government's opposition to allow UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to visit tsunami devastated areas in the North and East has widened the gap between the LTTE and the government on the resumption of peace talks, the Sudaroli screamed in its lead story on Monday and added that the tigers were angered by this action. In a related story the paper said hundreds of people gathered in the Jaffna town and held a demonstration opposite the UN branch office demanding that the UN Head should visit the North and East. In another front page story the paper said President Kumaratunga herself had said that it was the government that advised the Secretary General not to visit the North-East. The Thinakkural quoted LTTE political wing leader Thamilselvan and said the government had destroyed the efforts on peace by preventing Kofi Annan from going to the North-East. TNA leader R. Sampanthan and Parliamentarian Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam met with Kofi Annan before his departure and complained about discrimination in the rehabilitation work in the North-East. The Thinakaran in its lead story said that Kofi Annan had assured that equal assistance would be granted to all affected areas in the country. The Thinakaran on Tuesday quoted President Kumaratunga and said houses would be built within 90 days for all those families who lost their dwellings in the tsunami. All Tamil dailies reported the death of former Parliamentarian and Leader of the EROS, Shankar Raji. He died of a heart attack at the age of 54. The Thinakkural in its lead story said the TNA boycotted a visit by North-East Governor Tyronne Fernando to the Jaffna peninsula. The paper also quoted Fernando and said the President did not advise Kofi Annan not to visit the North-East and said it was just the opposite of what President Kumaratunga said earlier. The Virakesari said the President of the World Bank and envoys of certain countries had told the TNA that a structure should be set up to give direct aid to the North-East. In another front page news item Virakesari said Tyronne Fernando had said that military will not interfere with the relief work in the North-East. The Sudaroli in its lead story said the UNP accused the government of mishandling the tsunami relief by providing little to the affected areas and attempting to use the balance to develop areas not affected by the devastation. The Interpol donated hightech equipment to the Police to expedite the relief efforts. The Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation has accused the STF of interference in relief work in the East. The Thinakkural in a front page story said Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe met President Kumaratunga and discussed the relief efforts and had told her there should be transparency and accountability in the relief and rehabilitation program. The Virakesari in its lead story said the UNP had told the government that relief efforts should be carried out on a common basis and the UNP's program of such relief efforts was handed over to the President. CWC Leader Arumugam Thondaman along with his aides visited Batticaloa and had assured help to the victims. The Thinakaran said all reconstruction work would start within this month. In another story the paper said President Kumaratunga had written to the Opposition Leader that the government had already started work on the program proposed by the UNP. The Sudaroli in its lead story said the government had so far failed to respond to a LTTE request to form a committee comprising people from all three communities and representatives of the international community to draw up plans for rehabilitation. The LTTE told the SLMM that the military should not be in charge of rehabilitation. |
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