Iranian President Visits Sri Lanka

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reached Sri Lanka on April 28th for a two-day state visit. Sri Lanka is the first stop of his first Asian tour.

President Ahamedinejad and President Rajapaksa will be laying the foundation stone for the Uma Oya Hydro Power project, on April 29 at Wellawaya in Monaragala district. Iran had agreed to grant $450 million to finance the project. This project is targeted to supply electricity and irrigation water for agricultural and industrial use in the Hambanthota and Monaragala district.

Sri Lanka would also enter into an agreement for the Sapugaskanda oil refinery enhancing project during President Ahamedinejad’s visit.


President Ahamedinejad will also visit India and Pakistan after his Sri Lanka visit.

Once Again An Islanwide Power Falure

Sri Lanka once again experienced a total blackout for the second time due to a problem in national power grid. However officials have not being able to identify the exact reason for this failure. Island wide power failures have now become a common thing in Sri Lanka due to many reasons. Most of the time due to unknown ways and also due to security measures when LTTE airplanes raid Colombo sky.
CEB has been able to restore the power within about 1 hour time in Colombo town.

LTTE air raid in Welioya :No damages to SL Army

It was reported that 3 bombs were dropped by LTTE today using 2 light aircrafts (April 27) at the military forward defence lines in Welioya at around 1.45 a.m.

According to military Spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, no damages were caused to own troops in the aerial bombing.

Piliyandala - Sri Lanka Bus Bomb Photos

According to the available information the bomb exploded as the bus was about to start the journey. Over 100 passengers were in the bus by the time. The bus and the surrounding was heavily damaged due to the blast. Some photos of the incident are as follows

LTTE Kills More than 23 Civilians Inside A Passenger Bus In Piliyandala - Sri Lanka

LTTE has once again target innocent civilians who are returning home after work by blasting a parcel bomb inside a passenger bus. This ruthless explosion has taken place around 7.00 p.m this afternoon which is a rush hour full of civilians who are returning homes to their loved ones. According to the available information more than 70 have suffered injuries and alredy admitted to the Kalubowila and Wethara hospitals.
LTTE recently suffered cevere damages in the northern battlefront they lost the Sacred Madu Church also. LTTE is launching ruthless attacks against innocent civilians in order to withdraw the attention and moral of security forces from the victorious battlefront.
Await for pictures of the recent bomb blast in Piliyandala.

A Bomb Blast In Piliyandala This Evening

An explosion has occurred in a passenger bus which was parked at Piliyandala town. This bomb blast has occurred at around 7.00 p.m this evening. According to the available information bus belongs to Ceylon Traveling board and no information about causalities reported yet. Await more information!

Heavy Fighting Kills Dozens of Both Sides - No Information About Exact Causalities

In the ground operations by Sri Lanka army in Muhamalai and Kilaly, both parties have experienced severe damages. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched a major operation to to capture LTTE First Defence Line on 23rd of April. FDL is a key shield which directly helps to defence against troops capturing inner LTTE bunkers. Therefore LTTE has also used their military power as fully as they could in order to protect their strongholds.
As the fighting continues in a great scale no exact numbers of damages cannot be expected. However according to the Defence spokesmen Brig Udaya Nanayakkara, 52 LTTE cadres killed and more than 100 injured. He also revealed that around 38 soldiers have also died.
However there is a great possibility to increase these numbers.
[Bodies of LTTE found by Troops:MOD]

Special Task Force (STF) Celebrates Silver Jubilee

The Special Task Force (STF) today celebrated its silver jubilee at the police headquarters in Colombo with IGP Victor Perera as the chief guest. Former STF chief Nimal Lewke was also present.

The Special Task Force is the Para- Military arm of the Sri Lanka Police, deployed essentially for Counter Terrorist and counter insurgency operations within the country. They are also deployed in the close protection Units, providing security for VIP's and key installations.




The nucleus for the Special Task Force (STF) was formed in 1983, drawing on Policemen already in service and having them trained by the Army in the handling of infantry weapons and given basic training in "jungle warfare technique" The first few platoons formed were deployed mainly to provide support for Police Stations in the North of Sri Lanka.

The level of the STF was considerably enhanced in 1983 with the introduction of crack former Special Air Service (SAS) teams to provide specialized training in all aspects of counter insurgency and Counter Terrorist operations.

By the year 1987, the STF had taken over the control of the Batticaloa Division from Kiran, right down to Pothuvil in the South and were deployed in Company formation in no less than 15 caps, when the Indian peace Keeping Force was conducted into Sri Lanka, the STF was dominating the ground in the Batticaloa Division, having scored several successes against the Terrorist groups. Trains and buses running as usual and having he proud record of not having a single STF camp come under attack from the LTTE from 1983 right up to the time that the IPKF moved into the Batticaloa Division.

As the STF grew in number, they took on the added responsibilities of providing protection to key installations in the Colombo District and providing personnel for the protection of the President, Prime Minister, several Ministers of the Cabinet and other VIPP.

SLAF attacks LTTE's key logistic complex and engineering yard at VisuVamadu

Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets attacked LTTE's key logistic complex and engineering yard in general area Visuvamadu, 15 km north west of Puthukkudiyiruppu in Mullaithivu district morning Apr 17.

Air Force sources citing the fighter pilots said that the target was effectively engaged.

Electroteks To Rollout The 6th Mobile Network In Sri Lanka

Electroteks Network Services, a Sri Lankan owned company which offers digital video broadcasting services, Internet broadband services, Internet voice services and international leased circuits is planning to become the Sri Lankan's 6th mobile operator. Electroteks runs the famous Sri Lankan satellite TV channel TV Lanka. Electroteks has received the licence from Telecommunication Regularity Commission(TRC) to start mobile telephony operations in Sri Lanka.

However it was expected that the mobile tariff will be reduced more with the compition that would be created by the Sri Lanka's 5th mobile operator Airtel but so far Airtel has not being able at least to initiate the network roll out.
Electroteks chief B A C Abeywardana is very confident that his network will be able to offer mobile tariff at 20% reduced rates. Satelite links and telecommunication towers which Electroteks already operates will speed up the network implementation process. Electroteks also plans to co-operate with Reliance Communications of India a giant in both wired and wireless as well as broadband services including IPTV. Reliance Communications is a member of business tycoon Dhirubhai Ambani's group.
Sri Lanka has four mobile networks at present named Dialog, Mobitel, Tigo and Hutch with nearly 8 million mobile users. Dialog is under Teekom Malaysia where Mobitel is a subsidiary of Sri Lankan Telecom (SLT). South African Millicom group owns Tigo and Indian Hutch operates Hutch Sri Lanka. India's Bharti Airtel has also received license to operate mobile telephone services in Sri Lanka.

Air Chief Marshal Harry Goonethileke passes away

Air Chief Marshal Harry Goonetileke ndc, psc who served as the fifth commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force from November 1976 to April 1981, passed away peacefully this morning at his home at the age of 79.

Air Chief Marshal Harry Goonetileke ndc, psc who was predeceased by his son Group Captain Shirantha Goonetileke, who died in action in 1995, leaves behind his wife Marion Goonetileke, his son the present Air Force Commander Air Marshal Roshan Goonetileke, his daughters Shiromini Guruge and Sharmini Fernando, his daughters in law Nelun Goonetileke and Roshanthi Goonetileke, his sons in law Oliver Guruge and Kenneth Fernando and his Grandchildren Nihara, Rehan, Rukshila, Manillka, Mirasha, Evan and Ronali.

The funeral will be held tomorrow (12) at the General Cemetary Borella 1.30pm from Jayaratne's Funeral Parlour) with Military honours.

Happy Sinhala & Hindu New Year 2008

aboutsrilanka.blogspot.com crew wish you a very happy and a prosperous new year full of peace, wealth, joy and prosperity....!

Visitor Hits Vs Blogging Ethics - A Response to All Our Readers Who Are Looking For The Pictures Of Jeyaraj Pranandupulle's Body

We are observing a higher number of search queries for the pictures of remains of Mr. Jeyaraj Fernandopulle's body, who were killed by a ruthless LTTE carder last Sunday. But as responsible Sri Lankan citizens our bloggers have taken a direct decision that not to publish those scary and sympathetic photos of those who were dead by this tragic incident. However in one of our previous post about gampaha bomb blast we have published some selected photos which we thought will be enough to learn the scale of damage and brutality of LTTE terrorism. Believe us, those photos don't have anything to see but human blood and scattered body parts.
Therefore we apologise for not being able to full fill the requirements of a fraction of our visitors but we promise that we will be continuing our mission for fulfilling the breaking news thurst of our respectable readers under a well controlled manner.

IDD & Domestic Call Promotion For Sinhala & Hindu New Year From SLT

There will be a Sinhala & Hindu New Year related promotion for IDD and Domestic calling and the details are as follows.




Duration : From 0000 hrs on 12^th April to 2400 hrs on 13^th April (throughout 12^th & 13^th April)


(1) For IDD calls
A 20% discount on prevailing retail IDD tariffs to all destinations for the above time period for calls taken through SLT telephones, SLT’s Passport & Maxtalk pre-paid calling cards, Globelink Gold post-paid calling cards and SLT Payphone booths

(2) For Domestic calls

A 20% discount on calls taken through SLT telephones, SLT’s Passport & Maxtalk pre-paid calling cards and SLT Payphone booths

Wanni Operation Video

Sri Lanka Army is moving towards LTTE strongholds. Source : SLRC

Funeral of Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle On Thursday

Minister of highway and road development, Jeyaraj Fernandopulle was assassinated by a LTTE suicide bomber this morning in Weliweriaya -Gampaha. Honorable minister was participating for a start of a marathon race celebrating Sinhala and Hindu new year. At this occation a suspected LTTE suiside carder has launched this attack targeting Mr. Fernandopulle.

K.A. Karunarathna, national marathon champion and South Asian marathon gold medalist, Luxman Alwis, the national athletic coach and Chief Inspector K.D.R Kannangara, personnel security officer to the minister were also among the victims.
At present the body of Mr. Fernandopulle is being kept in his official residencies at Torinton, Colombo 7 and will be taken to the Parliament complex tomorrow morning. Funeral will be held on this Thursday.
Photos of Gampaha Weliweriya bomb blast [Source:Government News Portal]

Gampaha Weliweriya Suiside Bomb Blast Video

Gampaha Weliweriya LTTE Bomb blast video.
Read more on this LTTE suiside attack tageting MP Jeyaraj Fernandopulle.

Sri Lankan MP Jeyaraj Fernandopulle Assasinated by LTTE Suicide Bomber at Gampaha Weliweriya

A LTTE suicide bomb blast has been taken place in Weliweriya, Gampaha this morning at around 7.15.am targeting Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle who was participating for a opening of a marathon race and he has came near the competitors to give the starting signal. Just before the minister giving the signal the blast has taken place. Minister has died on the spot and also national marathon champion Mr Karunasena has also died from the incident. Those who have wounded were rushed to the hospital and according to the available reports 10 people have died from this incident and more than 50 injured.
Gampaha Division SSP Hector Darmasiri was also seriously injured and admitted to the General Hospital at Gampaha.
Visit www.jeyaraj.org for more information about MP Jeyaraj Fernandopulle.

LTTE Suicied Bomb Targets MP Jeyaraj Fernandpulle At Weliweriya, Gampaha

A LTTE sucide bomb blast has been taken place in Weliweriya, Gampaha this morning at around 7.15.am. Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle was participating for a opening of a marathon race and he has came near the competitors to give the starting signal. Just before the minister giving the signal the blast has taken place. Those who have wounded were rushed to the hospital.
However eyewitnesses say that there are many dead bodies are around the place. Await more information.

Terrorism Don't Have A Religion - Catholic Priests Are Feared

LTTE carders who are pretending as sole representatives of Tamils once again showed their ruthless to the world by forcing priest of Madu Church to withdraw from the church. Reason for such a order is earlier LTTE carders have launched attacks from the Madu Church area towards the Sri Lankan armed forces and priests and civilians of Madu have protest against LTTE for this action. With the recent battles, LTTE lost many of thier bunkers and as a result they have become helpless. LTTe is perfectly aware that Sri Lanka Forces will never launch attacks whic will harm innocent civilians and there fore LTTE is hiding behind civilians and launch attacks on government troops.
However in February 2008 LTTE launched an attack on a Catholic Church in nothern province of Sri Lanka and partially destroyed it. Military sources say that the priest are somehow manged to flee from the area with the sacred Madhu shrine. Meanwhile number of civilians fleeing from the LTTE control have increased doe to security situation in the northern province.