Maldives Update: May 30, 2007.

The Maldives government had proposed three women as judges or magistrates, as there are no women judges in the Maldives. The Justice Minister has nominated three women as judges last week. The Adhaalath Party has strongly opposed the proposal saying female judges are against the sharia and women cannot hold the position of judges.
Ajay Makan, Female Judges "Against Sharia" Warns Adhaalath, Minivan News, May 28, 2007.

The MDP has claimed that the government and police has been obstructing the party's upcoming Presidential election.

Meanwhile the Maldivian government has called for international help for people displaced in the worst flooding in the Maldives since the deadly 2004 tsunami. The Maldives government also made a formal appeal to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to help.
Maldives in need of help following severe flooding, Taipei Times, May 24, 2007.

The Maldivian President is to deliver regular monthly radio addresses to the people.

The Maldives is a Muslim country—exclusively so, since the practice of other religions is illegal—and has been so since 1153.
John Lancaster, Islamism Comes to Paradise, Slate, May 28, 2007.

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In Indian Ocean, only one fifth of the total trade is conducted amongst the countries of the Indian Ocean themselves, whereas 80 per cent of the trade is extra-regional. Isn’t it time for the ‘owners’ of the Indian Ocean to get together to protect their own interests?

Atul Dev, The Indian Ocean – Current Security Environment, Mauritius Times.

Sri Lanka Update: May 27, 2007.

The incident in Delft, according to the government, clearly indicates that the LTTE has not given up their idea of capturing Jaffna, which is considered the nerve centre of their activities.
Delft plan goes awry as Security Forces enhance vigilance, Daily News, May 25, 2007.

The LTTE account of the Delft confrontation was completely different.
Roland Buerk , Who is winning Sri Lanka's war? BBC, May 25, 2007.

LTTE attack on an International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) hut in no-man’s has shattered the hope of re-opening of the Omanthai and Uyilankulam entry/exit points.
Eelam War IV’ steadily spreads North, Nation on Sunday, May 27, 2007.

The LTTE which claimed to be the sole representative of the Tamil population now turned their role to the suppressor of the Tamil community as they are fast losing control over the Tamil community.
Destiny of Wanni civilians bleak, Sunday Observer, May 27, 2007.

In an era where communications have advanced and the flow of information cannot be forever curtailed, news management by those spearheading the "war on terror" is only bringing the Government's credibility into further question.
Iqbal Athas, Ground battle and media battle, Sunday Times, May 27, 2007.

While it is true that the proposals of the SLFP will not result in a restoration of peace, it is equally true that no proposals for constitutional reform even in the form of proposals for a federal constitution will result in the restoration of peace. Accordingly, setting up the APRC and considering proposals for constitutional reform as a means of restoring peace is a futile exercise.

S L Gunasekara, The charade of constitutional reforms, Sunday Times, May 27, 2007.

British Parliamentarian and ruling Labour party member Keith Vaz has said that he would personally like to see more international attention on the current situation in Sri Lanka and added that the country should benefit from any assistance the international community can provide.
Easwaran Rutnam, British MPs defend action on Lanka, Daily Mirror, May 26, 2007.

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In the late Eighties, when Indian forces were battling the LTTE in Sri Lanka, Tamil politicians, ignored the activities of the terrorist outfit which was at the time obtaining fuel and funds, and even running grenade factories in the state.

Manoj Joshi, Secret service, Hindustan Times, May 27, 2007.

John Ruwitch, Caught in an air raid scare in Sri Lanka, Reuters, May 27, 2007.

"The innocent lives of the Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims are killed because of this. We must find a political solution", says Major General Sarath Munasinghe.
Wilson Gnanadass, Karuna faction must be enlisted into the army, Nation on Sunday.

Southern States Update: May 26, 2007.

The Blast at Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad has rocked the nation and been on the headlines this week. The recent terrorist incidents establish the intention of terror masterminds to establish Islamist terrorist network beyond Kashmir, a strategic move considering the international focus and the dialogue.
Wilson John, Hyderabad blasts: The ISI hand, Rediff, May 25, 2007.

Blast in Hyderabad has revealed that the terrorists have found yet another locally available explosive — picric acid — a shock-sensitive liquid explosive capable of creating a huge impact.
Vishwa Mohan, Liquid bomb is new terror device, Times of India, May 26, 2007.

The IAF is zeroing on three places in Tamil Nadu for its possible deployment of indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) named Tejas, highlighting the new strategic concerns in Indian establishment 's regarding country's security, particularly with the growing importance of Indian Ocean region and the maritime security.
Air Force To Deploy First LCA Tejas Squadron in Tamil Nadu By 2010, India Defense, May 23, 2007.

Meanwhile a permanent base of the Border Security Force (BSF) would become operational in Coimbatore by October this year to cater to the emergency security needs of Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states.
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu: Permanent BSF Base To Be Operations By 2007 End, India Defense, May 20, 2007.

Sri Lankan parliament has been debating the issue of granting Sri Lankan citizenship to over 28,500 refugees living in Tamil Nadu.
Kelum Bandara and Yohan Perera, UNP, JVP voice concern for Lankan refugees in Tamil Nadu, Daily Mirror, May 26, 2007.

Kerala's proposal to construct a new dam to resolve the Mullaperiyar issue with Tamil Nadu has received national acceptance.
New dam has received acceptance, Times of India, May 26, 2007.

Sixty years after Independence, the monsoons still play a decisive role in determining how well the economy performs any year.

Also See:
Sankara Mahadevan, Ram Sethu campaign gains momentum, Organiser, May 27, 2007.

Lucien Rajakaraunanayake, The tolerance of terror, Daily News, May 26, 2007.

V. Sundaram, Suppressed marine, maritime, nautical aspects-II, News Today.

Maldives Update: May 22, 2007.

The witnesses have refused to confirm the accuracy of witness statements given to police almost four years ago in the famous trial of Ziya Abbas.
Ajay Makan, Witnesses Silent At Ziya Trial, Minivan News, May 20, 2007.

Maldives Government claimed that a coastguard vessel has opened fire on a boat carrying suspected Tamil Tiger rebels from Sri Lanka. Maldives is investigating whether a trawler sunk by its coastguard was carrying weapons for LTTE.
Anusha Ondaatjie and Paul Tighe, Maldives Probes Sinking of Possible Tamil Rebel Boat, Bloomberg, May 18, 2007.

Finance Minister of Maldives, was elected to fill the post of the President of the Special Majlis, left empty by the resignation of Abbas Ibrahim.
Ali Rasheed, Gasim's Test, Minivan News, May 10, 2007.

The Government has postponed planned elections for the Island Development Committee.
Government postpones Island Development Committee Elections indefinitely , MDP, May 20, 2007.

Meanwhile "the drafting of Constitution is taking place at a faster pace", says Ibra.
Draft ready for decision on system–Ibra, Miadhu Online, May 22, 2007.

Sri Lanka Update: May 20, 2007.

New Delhi is caught in a dilemma in trying to balance its interests in protecting minority rights on the one hand and providing military assistance to the Government to take on the Tigers on the other.
B. Muralidhar Reddy, Uneasy lies the island, The Hindu, May 20, 2007.

The Lankan Tamil militant group finds itself damned all over again for abducting Indian fishermen and their vessels, besides the horrific incident of March 29 when five fishermen of Kanyakumari were gunned down by the Tigers suspecting that they were spying on their sea sorties to transfer weapons from the 'mother' ship to the land base in north Lanka.
R. Bhagwan Singh, LTTE is getting damned, for the second time after Rajiv assassination, India Interacts, May 20, 2007.

The cost of the ongoing undeclared Eelam War IV, for which the public will be compelled to pay more, is rising equally faster. This is despite the new policy of fight now with foreign equipment and pay later - a burden that will fall on the next Government, whichever that may be.
Iqbal Athas, Fight now and pay later, Sunday Times, May 20, 2007.

Though some people were critical of the decision to acquire Russian made MiG 29 fighter jets to face the challenge posed by the LTTE saying that the Government is going for more expensive means to counter the threat, the decision has been taken considering all aspects, not just the LTTE air threat.
Ranil Wijayapala, Speedy acquisition of air threat negation systems builds people’s confidence, Daily News, May 18, 2007.

Sri Lanka is a developing country centrally and ideally situated with a highly developed and educated work force too struggling for more and more resources for development. Therefore obviously there are agitations within in various forms.
Sarath Wijesinghe, Concern about concerns of Human Right violations, Sunday Observer, May 20, 2007.

LTTE's focus is on developing an ambitious capability in space, using it to best effect in its communications offensive against Sri Lanka, and it aims of being a dominant force in the South Asia region.
Tigers take terror ops to space, Daily News, May 19, 2007.

"A large majority of the island's Tamil minority would like to have a solution based on federalism and a decentralization of power", says Kadirgamar.
Nora Boustany, Moves by Sri Lanka Military Worry Human Rights Group, Washington Post, May 18, 2007.

Most foreign governments that are playing an important role in Sri Lanka are subject to democratic pressures from their constituents. They have a problem when they are seen as giving public funds to governments that are violating human rights.
Dr. Jehan Perera, Confronting The International Community Is Not In Sri Lanka’s Interest, NPC, May 14, 2007.

While India has not been unduly concerned about Sri Lanka's arms acquisitions from China and Pakistan, it will have to keep a close watch on agreements Sri Lanka has reached with China for the development of the Hambantota Port, for which Beijing has extended Colombo a loan of $375 million.
G. Parthasarathy, Rising tensions in Sri Lanka, Business Line, May 17, 2007.

Also See:
There is a need to examine all the related issues with out emotionalising and politicising either the fishing or the security issues in Tamil Nadu coast line.

Major incidents involving the LTTE outside Sri Lanka, SATP.

Southern States Update: May 18, 2007.

Five people were arrested after the vessel was fired on and sunk by the coastguards of Maldives. It is believed that the trawler was carrying weapons for LTTE.
Anusha Ondaatjie and Paul Tighe, Maldives Probes Sinking of Possible Tamil Rebel Boat, Bloomberg, May 18, 2007.

The DMK hss revamped its team in New Delhi with Radhika Selvi joining the central council of ministers. The party is also planning its moves to get two names into the Rajya Sabha.
DMK begins changing team in New Delhi, India eNews, May 18, 2007.

The residents of Gulbarga city have remained indifferent to the efforts being made to stamp out the dreaded polio virus from the Indian soil. This has been the major cause of concern for people involved in enmasse polio vaccination.
Urbanites remain indifferent to drive against polio, Deccan Herald, May 18, 2007.

French Journalist Francois Gautier, who has spent nearly two decades in India has pointed out how much ill-found are the facts about the ‘prosperity’ of Hindus, especially, the Brahmins in today’s India.
Francois Gautier, The myth of Mayawati's success, Rediff News, May 16, 2007.

Also See:
Jaya Menon, Stalin: Fourth in party, first in line for throne, Indian Express, May 15, 2007.

57 old Dalit brutally persecuted by the Police in Kerala, le Journal Chrétien.

Maldives Update: May 15, 2007.

Adam Cooper, the political consultant of MDP faces a two-year ban from the Maldives following an alleged violation of immigration rules and regulations.
Will Jordan, MDP Consultant Faces Two-Year Maldives Ban, Maldives, May 10, 2007.

Reporters without Borders (RSF) has listed Star Force, an elite unit of Maldives Police Service, as a predator of press freedom.

The member of the Special Majlis, Ibrahim Ismail, has proposed amending the clause on the election of the president to enable the people to elect the president among candidates contesting in a public vote.
Presidential election by public vote proposed, Miadhu News, May 15, 2007.

The US has called on the Maldivian government to hold free and fair elections so that the people can decide on their government in 2008.
Ajay Makan, America Urges More Democratic Reform, Minivan News, May 8, 2007.

Also See:
Ali Rasheed, A legal conundrum, Bahabaru.

Human Rights Report, Friends of Maldives.