We are reproducing below a letter by Justice V R Krishna Aiyer written this morning to Shri A K Antony, the Defence Minister of India:

My Dear Antony,

I have recieved a letter regarding the situation in idinthakarai village, coy of which has been sent to you using the Central Armed Forces to overpower peaceful resistance to the nuclear power project. I have maintained for a long time that our nuclear hostility is the right way and any nuclear project big or small should not be experimented in our country, Solar ever, nuclear never is the right slogan of kerala and Tamil Nadu. Please emphatically withdraw armed forces to break up the peaceful resistance by the people. After all, the defence is to defend the people, not to break up Gandhian satyagraha.

Dear Antony, do your duty by �we, the people of India", never against them.

With best regards,

-V R Krishna Aiyar-

A group of young Sri Lankan cricket fans have reportedly assaulted a group of Tamil activists who were staging a peaceful protest against the Sri Lankan government at the entrance of Oval grounds in England. The incident has occurred after the Sri Lanka national cricket team gained victory over Australia in Champion Trophy. Over 100 Tamil activists including children have participated in the protest and they have been issuing leaflets, which indicated that people should boycott the matches played by the Sri Lankan cricket team as the Sri Lankan government is involved in the genocide of the Tamil ethnics. The fans who came out excited after victory of Sri Lanka over Australia has attacked the demonstrators, who were wearing yellow T shirts and holding LTTE flags, with bottles and stones. Several demonstrators have sustained injuries following the assault.

Sri Lanka Navy Wednesday intercepted and arrested 80 illegal migrants bound for Australia in the seas off the eastern coast. A fast Naval Patrol Craft attached to the Eastern Naval Command has intercepted a multi-day fishing vessel with the 80 people onboard in the seas off of Batticaloa this morning, the Navy said. The arrested migrants are being brought to the Trincomalee Harbor to be handed over to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for further investigations. Despite Sri Lanka Navy's efforts and Australia's recent measure of returning the boat people back to home country, would-be asylum seekers continue attempting to migrate to Australia.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said the Northern Province should be opened up for all communities to live in without further delay. That would be of pivotal importance to promote bonding among the people in the post-war era. The Defence Secretary emphasised that the Sinhalese shouldn't be deprived of their right to buy land in any part of the country, including the Northern Province comprising the administrative districts of Jaffna, Mannar, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya. The outspoken official said that the Sinhalese and the Muslim public servants too, should be allowed to serve in the Northern Province as well as in the predominantly Tamil areas of the Eastern Province.

For the first time since the end of the military annihilation of the LTTE in May 2009, and a raging debate within Sri Lanka on the way to go about redressing the political and social grievances of the island nation's Tamils, India has expressed dismay over reports suggesting that Colombo is mulling over a review of the key issues related to devolution of powers to the provinces. At an interactive session with a delegation of the Tamil National Alliance, the legislative representative group of the Sri Lankan Tamils in the North-Eastern province, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is reported to have told them that reports of the Rajapaksa regime reneging on its commitment to New Delhi on a political package for resolution of the concerns of the Tamil community in the island nation are disturbing.

Two suspects have been arrested by the police rearding the warehouse fire which broke down at the Colombo harbor recently. They have been arrested by the Colombo Crime Division. The fire broke down on the 24th May around 1.00 am. Ports authority Fire brigate with the help of the military and the CMC was able to put out the fire.

DIG Vaas Gunawardena who is in remand over the alleged involvement in an abduction and murder of a businessman has been interdicted, the Police Spokesman stated. DIG Gunawardena, who is a suspect in the abduction and murder of a businessman in Dompe was taken from the Colombo National Hospital to the Prison Hospital on June 15 after falling ill while in custody. The DIG was further remanded until June 25 by the Colombo Additional Magistrate A.M. Shabdeen. Bambalapitiya-based businessman Mohamed Siyam was abducted and murdered in the Dompe area on May 22.

Tamil National Alliance MP C Yogeswaran on Sunday demanded that immediate steps be taken to stop the aggressive and meticulously planned sinhalicisation of Punaanai East, situated 52 km northwest of Batticaloa city. During the times of the LTTE, the presence of the Tiger forces from Kudumpimalai in the South to Vaakarai in the North had thwarted the earlier attempts of sinhalicisation. In the absence of LTTE, sinhalicisation is now rapidly taking place along Batticaloa and Polonnaruwa border, where Punaanai is situated. Besides occupation of Sinhalese families, Punaanai has also witnessed various instances of Sinhalicisation including the statue of the Chief deity of a Pi'l'laiyaar temple going missing and demolition of Saivite temples under the guise of archeological excavations.

The Principal of the Anuradhapura Niwanthaka Chetiya College had been allegedly assaulted by the son of the SLFP Pradeshiya Sabha member Anil Pushpananda today. The assailant, an Advanced Level student in the college had allegedly assaulted the Principal when he asked the students to attend additional classes during the holidays.

The Registration of Electors (special provisions) bill that ensures voting rights to displaces persons in the North passed in parliament with amendment a short while ago. The Supreme Court ruled that the special bill that gives voting rights to the displaced in the North is consistent with the constitution, Speaker announced in parliament on June 5. The issue of whether it is in accordance with the constitution that those who were internally displaced in the North could cast their votes according to the areas they resided in before being displaced was brought up to the Supreme Court for interpretation. Deputy Solicitor General Arjun Obeysekera who was present for the Attorney General pointed out that internally displaced persons can, with a certificate from the Grama Sevaka, cast his vote for the area of residence prior to being displaced.

The 13th Amendment to the Constitution has opened up a dialogue in the media and the public space. It is a characteristic of democracy. Some say the 13th Amendment is needed; some say it is not required. However, Police powers and Land powers referenced in the Amendment are not required at this juncture, Prime Minister and Buddhasasana and Religious Affairs Minister D.M. Jayaratne said. The Prime Minister made these comments at a meeting at the Prime Minister's Office yesterday. He said giving Police and Land powers will create needless issues in a small country like Sri Lanka. "This would lead to many problems in the future. The 30-year war in Sri Lanka was brought to an end under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha, the new High Commissioner of India to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka arrived in Colombo today, the Indian High Commission said in a release. Mr. Y.K. Sinha is a seasoned diplomat and during his career of 32 years, has handled several important assignments at the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi and in Indian diplomatic missions in the Middle East, Europe, South America and the Permanent Mission of India at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Before coming to Sri Lanka, he was Additional Secretary in the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division at the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi. He was Ambassador of India to Venezuela from January 2007 to August 2009 and Consul General of India in Dubai from August 2003 to December 2006. Earlier, he served as Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi (UAE) from March 2002 to July 2003.

Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Leader Sarath Fonseka said today the fact that President Mahinda Rajapaksa himself had to call the victimised teacher to assure her that justice will be done goes to prove that there is no justice in Sri Lanka. Mr. Fonseka was referring to the incident where a UPFA member of the North Western Provincial Council had allegedly humiliated a female teacher for disciplining his daughter on Friday. At a ceremony to appoint DNA electoral organisers, Mr. Fonseka said the provincial councillor should have praised the teacher for advising his daughter.

Sources close to the main coalition party of ruling alliance, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), say that the controversial Provincial Councilor of the North Western Provincial Council has submitted his resignation to the party. North Western Provincial Council member Ananda Sarath Kumara forced a female teacher in charge of discipline at the Navagattegama Navodya Vidyalaya to kneel down before him in her classroom as a punishment for warning his daughter that her school uniform is too short. The politician has been arrested and remanded until June 27th. He has sent his resignation from the remand prison, sources said.

Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday said that the UPFA would be very strict when nominating candidates for the Central and Wayamba Provincial Council elections. The two councils would be dissolved very soon, he said. Some of those elected at the previous Provincial Council elections on the UPFA ticket had been charged with murder, rape, assault robbery, arson and misconduct and party would be very careful as to whom nominations would be given, Rambukwella said. Such politicians, he said, had tarnished the good name of the party, which had won praise from the masses and was known as the party which could deliver. "We will not allow the aforementioned people to contest on the UPFA ticket and will carefully filter those who are seeking nominations," he said.

The Working Committee of the United National Party (UNP) has decided to expel 10 members including provincial councilors Maithri Gunaratne and Shiral Lakthilake from the party. UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake stated that the report compiled by the disciplinary committee appointed to inquire into the attack on Sirikotha was handed over to the Working Committee today. He stated that Working Committee decided to terminate the party membership of 10 individuals, including Maithri Gunaratne and Shiral Lakthilake based on the findings of that report.

Colombo District MP Duminda Silva is due to attend Parliamentary sessions tomorrow (18) after 18 months of leave taken with the approval of Parliament, according to government sources. He had been granted leave after being seriously injured in a clash in Mulleriyawa. He returned to Sri Lanka recently after a long period of medical treatment at a hospital in Singapore and continued undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Colombo.

JHU says that It not Sri Lanka, but India which broke the Indo-Lanka pact by not being able to demilitarize the LTTE as they promised. JHU made this accusation to India as a reply to a alleged statement made by the TNA in India that by bringing changes in to the 13th Amendment, Sri Lanka is trying to violate the Indo-Lanka pact. Party secretary Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said in a media meeting today (17) held at the party HQ, that the Indo-Lanka pact has now become politically nullified. He said that it is India who broke the pact by militarizing the LTTE instead of demilitarizing it. And even the TNA's India visit to discuss about the 13 Amendment changes wit the Indian Govt, was heavily criticized by the minister. He said that the local problems should be solved locally.

Sri Lanka's Ministry of External Affairs Monday launched the official website of the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in Colombo in November this year. The website www.chogm2013.lk , launched at a function held today with Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris presiding, will provide information relating to the CHOGM 2013. Prof. Peiris speaking at the occasion said that holding the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka is a victory achieved by all Sri Lankans. He said that this is the first time an Asian country got the opportunity to host the Commonwealth summit.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said India would convey its views on alleged attempts by political parties in Sri Lanka to repeal the 13th Amendment to its Constitution, after considering its implications. "While this is a matter on which a decision will be taken by various political parties within Sri Lanka, we will certainly consider its implications and make known to the Sri Lankan authorities our views in the matter," Singh said in a letter to DMK chief M Karunanidhi. As per the 13th Amendment that followed the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord of July 1987, Sri Lankan government had agreed to devolve some authority to the provinces. Observing that the Centre had consistently worked for all communities in Sri Lanka to find their rightful place in the country, Singh said, "We will continue to work for attainment of this goal through a process of national reconciliation in Sri Lanka."

External Affairs Minister Professor G.L. Peiris today expressed appreciation of the action taken by the German Parliament (Bundestag) to defeat a recent Resolution critical of Sri Lanka. He also urged the German authorities the activity of several LTTE front organizations operating in Germany under the guise of community organizations. Peiris made these observations during his bilateral discussions in Berlin with Dr. Guido Westerwelle, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany. He emphasized that conditions in Sri Lanka today are conducive to significant expansion of trade and investment relations between the two countries. Germany, he pointed out, is the second largest investor from the European Union in Sri Lanka, a very significant source of tourism, and the largest source of grant and soft loan assistance from the European Union to Sri Lanka. In these circumstances, it is important for Germany to be fully informed, Minister Peiris said, about current developments in Sri Lanka.