The planned State Resource Management Corporation will be a vibrant company with 100 percent state ownership to make maximum use of idle state resources.

The company encourages the private sector to invest to enable smooth functioning focusing on reviving state sector enterprises. The State Resource Management Corporation will be set up with an investment of Rs 100 million under the purview of State Resource Planning and Enterprise Development Ministry.Its director board will comprise leading corporate heads. The company will be listed in the Colombo Stock Exchange for better management and expansion of capital base within a year, State Resource Planning and Enterprise Development Ministry Secretary Dr. Willie Gamage told Daily News Business. There are plenty of state owned resources which are not properly utilized. There is abundance of land in the six plantation companies and Cashew and Sugar Corporations.

The extent of 20,000 to 30,000 hectares will be used for agricultural purposes, he said.

“We need investors and are looking forward for active private sector participation. The company will play a proactive role to safeguard national enterprises in keeping with the Government’s vision not to sell or privatise these ventures,” Dr. Gamage said.

It is expected to set up 50 to 500 acre agricultural farms. These lands will be given on 30-year lease agreement. The Government will secure 4 percent annual market value on crop sharing agreement which is on flexible terms.

The State Resource Management Corporation’s initial action will be to set up 100 agricultural farms and to revive abandon factories. This is a long process. However, the company plans to work according to a long-term strategy.

Cabinet approval has been given to this company to absorb 17 loss making state enterprises.

Meanwhile Chamber leaders hailed this move by the Government.

The National Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka President Lal de Alwis said the move to drive in professionalism is beneficial as the private sector is concerned of quality products and the bottom line. Better results could be derived through re-structuring. This happens in the developed world too where the private sector manages State enterprises. The private sector which always performs well has the correct vision and direction. The management is well focused. However, the process needs to be transparent, de Alwis said.

This kind of restructuring exercise needs an on-going monitoring while implementing private sector management policies to benefit from professionals. The results can be achieved short-term as well as in the long-term, he said.

The National Chamber of Exporters’Sri Lanka President Sarath de Silva said this is an extremely good move. Private sector has the management capacity and is exposed to the business world.

They also have the investment capacity. It is important to encourage local investors over foreign investors, he said.

This is a very good proposal and an opportunity to harness professional capacity. It is important to retain the ownership within the country which could be facilitated by local investments, he said.

Daily News

The Central Bank has been able to amass record gold reserves with the Central Bank taking steps within the past 10 months to purchase 21 metric tons of Gold – an increase from the paltry two to three tons of gold in its vaults not so long ago.

This is an unprecedented feat and a great victory according to Senior Deputy Governor of the Central Bank Dharma Dheerasinghe.He said the value of the gold reserves currently held by the Central Bank is 700 million US dollars (Rs. 75 billion).

The Senior Deputy Governor said there was a trend showing an escalation of gold prices in the world market on a daily basis.At such a time the success of the Central Bank in raising its gold deposits was an indication of the country’s economic strength.

He also said that the Central Bank which has been successful in accumulating such a large gold reserve will at no time barter it away in a way that would be disadvantageous or unprofitable to the country.

While succeeding in expanding its gold reserve base the Central Bank has also been able to earn Rs 10 billion from its overseas investments – a special feature being that what the CB had earned from its overseas investments for the whole of last year was equalled in January alone this year. He said they expect to earn over Rs. 20 billion from overseas investments by the end of this year. The Senior Deputy Governor said by enhancing the country’s foreign reserves in this manner they have been able to cover up six months of imports.

“Two or three years ago our foreign reserves were so low we were able to meet only about two weeks of imports.Being able to rescue the country from such a situation is indeed a great victory,” he added.

Daily News

Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said the cabinet approved the move this week, but did not announce a formal date or the tenure of the proposed bond issue.

“We have taken short-term loans on high interest and we want to set off those,” Rambukwella said.

Sri Lanka issued a 500-million-dollar five-year bond in 2007 and another 500-million dollar bond in 2009.The island has raised money through short-term loans, supplier credit and syndicated loans to meet its budgetary needs.

In February, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said the government hoped to issue a 10-year post-war bond towards the third quarter of this year, to help defray mammoth post-war rebuilding expenses.

Cabraal said the island needed about 2.7 billion dollars for the next three years to build new roads, utilities, hospitals and schools in the war-ravaged north.

The northern province, which was the stronghold of the separatist Tamil Tiger guerrillas, is picking up the pieces after troops last May crushed the revolt and ended decades of bloodshed.

The northern province accounts for just 3.3 percent of the island’s 40-billion-dollar economy.

Sri Lanka is also eyeing a higher credit rating to allow the island to borrow at cheaper interest rates on the international market.

Sri Lanka’s is currently rated a ‘B’ grade by global ratings agency Standard and Poor’s, while rival Fitch rates it as B-plus. A “B” rating is five notches below investment grade.

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka this month picked HSBC, Merrill Lynch and Royal Bank of Scotland as rating advisors for its bond sale.

Sri Lanka wants to lift its credit rating to investment grade or at least ‘BBB’ by 2014.
(AFP)

Tea is Sri Lanka’s biggest cash crop and is sold in overseas markets as “Pure Ceylon Tea”. The industry suffered a setback last year due to a drought and fall-out from the global commodities crash of 2008.

But this year tea output for the six months to June rose 27.8 percent compared to the same period last year to 166.9 million kilos (367.18 million pounds), the Sri Lanka Tea Board said.Favourable weather, better fertilizer use and an absence of labour unrest all helped, said the board’s director general, H.D. Hemaratne.

Strong demand from key buyers in Russia and the Middle East helped Sri Lankan tea exports earn 399 million dollars for the four months to April, compared to 300 million dollars earned in the same period in 2008.

Tea production in June 2010 alone was up 18 percent at 29.5 million kilos (64.9 million pounds) compared to the same month a year earlier, board figures showed.

“If things continue, our total crop is on track to exceed 320 million kilos (704 million pounds) this year,” Hemaratne told AFP.

In 2009, total output fell nine percent to 289.7 million kilos (637.34 million pounds), after hitting a record 318.6 million (700.92 million pounds) in 2008.

Colombo, which stages the world’s largest weekly tea auction, has seen prices rise to an average of 3.37 dollars a kilo due to supply shortages in neighbouring India, brokers said.

India’s tea exports rose by 20 percent in the first five months of the year to 71.2 million kilos but overseas sales may slow due to heavy rains hurting output in the main tea-growing area, Assam, Indian tea industry officials say.
(AFP)

On that day, he declared his retirement. His birth number is 8.Number 8 has highly influenced his career.

He was born on April 17, 1972. His birth number is 8. Actually, 8 is his lucky number. Muralitharan surpassed Wasim Akram by taking 503 ODI Wickets. This number is quite significant for Murali. Because it added up to 8(5+0+3=8).

Murali became the highest Wicket taker in Tests by taking 710(7+1+0=8) in 116 (1+1+6=8) Tests at the time of surpassing Warne.At that time, Murali was 35(3+5=8) years old.

Number 8 stands in symbolism to the planet Saturn. It has two extremes-the best and the worst. Same is the case with number 8 also. As far as Murali is concerned, number 8 has always showered blessings on him, inspite of certain ordeals.

The name number of ‘ Murali’ is 17 that adds up to 8.

Numerologically, number 17 (birth date of Murali) is a much luckier number. It indicates everlasting fame! In the case of Murali 17 gives double delight. Because, it is not only his date ofbirth but also the name number. The name number of ‘ Muralitharan’ is 35 that add up to 8.

In his life, Murali has overcome many odds. He has obliterated many obstacles. At certain point of time, even his ability was questioned! But he did not care unwanted and cruel criticism. He has been able to withstand all the odds with patience and humility. All these can be attributed to the characteristics of Saturnian 8!

Above all, the occult number of his wife is 26 that adds up to 8.Again, his name and the name of his wife starts with the same letter-that is “M”.

His Zodiacal Sign:-He was born in the Zodiacal Sign of Aries ruled by number 9.It may be seen that retired after the Test that began on July 18(1+8=9).As on July 22,he is 38 years and 97 days old. The age represents 9. (38+97=135,1+3+5=9).

His occult number 60 and the occult number of Galle harmoniously vibrate with each other. The occult number of Galle is 15 that add up to 6.

- Asian Tribune -

Warning towers
Twenty-metre-high iron towers set up on various beaches affected by the
2004 tsunami. Once a warning is issued, the Disaster Management Centre
(DMC) communicates it to each tower by satellite.
A siren at the top of each tower, which can be heard up to 5km away, then
sounds, alerting residents of possible danger. The siren can also be turned
on manually.
The entire process takes 3 minutes.
The DMC currently maintains 55 warning towers strategically placed on
the island’s eastern, western and southern coasts, with 25 now under
construction in the north.

(Source: IRIN, United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs)

The author might add here that this is also due to the short sightedness of some countries and international agencies, as articulated well by President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s during his V day address to the Nation “that terrorism is still unvanquished in the world due to the wrong thinking amongst some countries that terrorism that is no threat to you is good”.

It is a grave error judgment to think that while being opposed to terrorism targeting you, to believe that terrorism that is no threat to you is good…The world has so far trod on this wrong path. Terrorism remains unvanquished because of this incorrect thinking. The countries that show sympathy towards terrorism and separatism will be the victims of terrorism. This is the lesson of history – President Mahinda RajapaksaIt is no secret that sections of the Tamil Diaspora in different countries, with the help of some international organisations and even sympathisers in some Western countries are still making serious attempts to keep alive the concept of “Tamil Eelam” and the LTTE.

Suspected pro-Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) elements, for the first time since the military defeat of the LTTE in Sri Lanka in May 2009, allegedly executed a terrorist attack in neighbouring India. On the morning of June 12,suspected LTTE cadres blasted railway tracks at the Perani railway station in Villupuram district in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Passengers of the approaching Tiruchirapalli-Chennai Rockfort express escaped unhurt because the driver applied the emergency brakes in time on hearing a loud explosion. Leaflets condemning the visit of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse to India (June 8-11) were found at the incident site, police said.

On June 8, hundreds of pro-LTTE activists, led by Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) leader V Gopalswamy, alias Vaiko, waving pictures of slain LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, held protests in Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu, against President Rajapakse’s visit.

Although the LTTE was comprehensively defeated in Sri Lanka, Tamil Diaspora elements and Tamil sympathizers continue to garner support abroad, including in India’s Tamil Nadu state, raising vital questions on the future of Tamil radicalism not just in Sri Lanka, but even in India.

During the debate on the extension of Emergency Regulations, Sri Lankan Prime Minister D M Jayaratne stressed the need to thwart international efforts being made by the Tamil Diaspora to support the revival of the LTTE by political advocacy and funding.

Those who tend to dismiss everything the government says as scare mongering, should take note of what the Prime Minister said on this occasion. He stated that there were LTTE operatives who are still mingling amongst civilians and that during the last month alone 77 die-hard LTTE cadres who are believed to have been directly involved in terror activities in the country had been arrested.

He went on to say that Intelligence agencies had reported that LTTE cadres who had escaped the military campaign last year were collecting weapons they had stashed away to resume their struggle. He also reported that the LTTE fundraising network was attempting to build apartments and residential complexes in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo and its suburbs for LTTE supporters.

It is well for doubters and sceptics in Sri Lanka to remember that it will take only one suicide bomber to set back all the gains that have been made and the state ofpeace and relaxation that exists in the country today. It is also well for them to remember that indignation and irritation they express openly when during security checks, should stop and they should cooperate with authorities when checks are being done. Suicide bombers are not discerning and they will blow up the rich and the powerful as well as the poor and powerless.

Earlier in the year, President Rajapakse himself said that Sri Lanka still faced a severe threat from separatists, although the LTTE had been militarily crushed. The President mentioned threats posed by the LTTE operatives in the Jaffna Peninsula, claiming that the area had not been cleared fully and that LTTE cadres could account for as many as 10% of the total population in thedistrict. The President added that LTTE and its agents would do anything to advance their cause.

Very correctly, the President has put his money where his mouth is and made an allocation of US$1.8 billion (Rs 200 Billion) for defence in 2010, down only marginally from an estimated 210 billion rupees in 2009 and 204 billion rupees in 2008, at the height of the fighting with the LTTE. This money is needed if the country is to be ready to face any resurgence of the LTTE in Sri Lanka, and none should complain if they wish to live peacefully in the country. Memories can be short, and some might not even remember those days of terror and uncertainty, but it will not take a lot for the LTTE give the country a chilling reminder.

In his article, Acharya states that remnants of the LTTE remain active in countries outside Sri Lanka as well, with regular reports of arrests on charges of terrorist activities. He has mentioned some prominent recent incidents.

Seven suspected LTTE cadres had been arrested in the Netherlands along with computers, paperwork, phones, documents, photos, DVDs and 40,000 Euros (US$48,800). The Netherlands Justice Ministry had stated that “Among the suspects are the leaders of various organizations of Tamils in the Netherlands, which probably play a role in the international network of the LTTE”.

The German Police had arrested six LTTE cadres, including three German nationals and three Sri Lankan nationals, suspected of raising funds for the outfit. The suspects were arrested during raids on eight premises including the Tamil Coordination Committee, a front organization of the LTTE, in Oberhausen in Essen.

Authorities in Thailand had arrested five people, including an LTTE cadre, for producing and smuggling more than 300 fake European Union passports and other official European documents.

The Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry had quoted the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Brazil, A M J Sadiq, as stating that a number of vessels belonging to the LTTE’s shipping fleet, which had hitherto been involved in drug trafficking and gun running, had shifted to the lucrative business of human trafficking.

The Malaysian National News Agency Bernama Today, reportedly stated that Malaysian police had arrested a number of key LTTE leaders, among other foreign nationals. According to the report, Malaysian Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein stated that the Malaysian authorities had recently conveyed information on the arrest of the LTTE leaders to Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse.

One silver lining and a glimmer of hope for all peace loving people who wish to have a peaceful and just solution to the conflict and who wish to work with the Sri Lankan government to achieve this, are the divisions amongst the Tamil Diaspora, and how various LTTE leaders residing in the US and European countries have clustered into rival factions, with each attempting to project itself as the “sole representative” of the Tamil Diaspora around the world, and to secure access to the vast funds created by the LTTE.

Acharya goes on to say that soon after the defeat of the LTTE and the death of its chief, Velupillai Prabhakaran, the then international head of the LTTE, Kumaran Pathmanathan, alias KP, along with the New York-based Lawyer and International legal adviser of the LTTE, Viswanathan Rudrakumaran, formulated the Transitional Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) proposal. On June 22, 2009, just a month after the collapse of the LTTE, Rudrakumaran issued a media release announcing the concept of the TGTE in New York:

We, the people of Tamil Eelam and its Diaspora … firmly believe that the formation of a Provisional Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam is imperative. It is a well accepted proposition in international law that the legal claim to establish a government in exile arises the more readily when the exclusion of its political leaders is achieved through acts contrary to principles of jus cogens, such as the unlawful use of force, abductions with a view to torture, genocide, war crimes, detention in internment camps or “open prisons”, the rape of women and the kidnapping of children. In this connection, we, the people of Tamil Eelam and its Diaspora, propose to put together a committee for the Formation of a Provisional Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam.

After Pathmanathan’s arrest, Rudrakumaran alone has shouldered the task of taking the TGTE effort forward. On May 17, 2010, Rudrakumaran disclosed, in a press statement, that the TGTE would hold its inaugural sessions in the city of Philadelphia in the United States (US) for three days between May 17 and 19, to coincide with the first year remembrance of the military suppression of the LTTE.

The communiqué? stated that TGTE “will continue its struggle until conditions are created which will enable the Tamils to realize their right to self determination and exercise their sovereignty”.

The TGTE meeting at Philadelphia was the result of a year-long effort by influential pro-LTTE elements of the global Tamil Diaspora to create an organization representing more than a million Tamils of Sri Lankan origin dispersed in different parts of the world. The TGTE, in a sense, is a rebranded manifestation of the LTTE overseas structure. Like LTTE, its ultimate goal is the creation of “Tamil Eelam”.

Although it does not unambiguously endorse the LTTE, the TGTE’s commitment towards the LTTE was established clearly at the Philadelphia summit, where LTTE flags waved in profusion, despite the fact that the LTTE is a banned foreign terrorist organization in the US.

Although Rudrakumaran is frequently referred to as the new leader of the LTTE in sections of the media, the reality has been somewhat ambiguous. The overseas LTTE structure has been deeply divided since Prabhakaran’s death. According to political commentator D B S Jeyaraj, the successor organizations of the LTTE are divided into three factions, the TGTE, also known, as the KP or Rudra faction, Global Tamil Forum (GTF) or Father S J Emmanuel faction, and Tamil Eelam People’s Assembly, the Makkal Peravai or Nediyavan faction.

Significantly, Thambiah Ganesh and Kuppilan Ravi, believed to be members of the Nediyavan group, were arrested in Paris on June 4, following the death of Ramesh Sivarupan, believed to be a member of the Rudrakumaran faction. Sources indicate that Sivarupan was abducted and taken in a van from his residence in Paris and was later found near his house with injuries, to which he succumbed at a hospital in Paris on June 3. Earlier in the week, the Nediyavan faction had burnt thousands of copies of Thainilam, a newspaper in Paris printed by the Rudrakumaran faction.

Reportedly there is widespread skepticism about the TGTE exercise besides internal divisions. There is apparently a growing view within this group that to be relevant to the Tamils, the TGTE would have to have a public presence in Sri Lanka, but as it has no foothold there, and it would be extremely doubtful whether they will be able to establish any such presence.

Significantly, the Sri Lankan Sunday Observer of the 20th June carried a headline report titled “Tamil intellectuals, ex-militant sympathisers to assist Govt”, and went on to state “A group of nine Tamil intellectuals including former prominent militant sympathisers who had been operating internationally for the militant outfit along with Pathmanathan (Kumaran), the former head of the LTTE’s activities abroad said they would assist in the post conflict rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in the country. The delegation of sympathisers of former militants domiciled in Canada, Switzerland, Germany, United Kingdom, France and Australia met Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Minister of External Affairs Prof. G. L. Peiris in Colombo with regard to the Sri Lankan Government’s peace building efforts. Pathmanathan who played a key role in bringing down the nine-member delegation to Colombo was also present at the meetings held with the Defence Secretary and the Minister of External Affairs”.

While these developments are welcome, one hopes that the government will be cautious in dealing with some of these elements as it could be dangerous to allow this grouping or any other grouping to establish a foothold in Sri Lanka if they still hold the view that their ultimate objective is a Tamil Eelam. Any group operating in Sri Lanka or wishing to do so must therefore be asked to openly declare that they have given up their quest for a Tamil Eelam and they will pursue a solution to the conflict within a unitary and united Sri Lanka.

The LTTE is still banned in 32 countries across the world, and Tamil Diaspora organizations are yet to secure any significant movement to resurrect any recognition for the LTTE abroad, or consolidate linkages with LTTE survivor groupings in Sri Lanka. Nevertheless, the aspirations for an independent Tamil Eelam are being kept alive, and extremist activity, while marginal, persists.

These groupings will continue to seek opportunities for a future crystallization and harmonisation, and the establishment of a foothold in Sri Lanka to promote the quest for a Tamil Eelam by democratic or other means. History tells us and should caution us that Wolves often come in Sheep’s clothing. Both Colombo and governments abroad – particularly India – will have to exercise the utmost vigilance to ensure that a terrorist movement is not able to take root again, even while fullest freedom for democratic engagement is permitted to peaceful Tamil groupings.

By Raj Gonsalkorale – Asian Tribune -

But what will you do if your ‘virtual ID’ is stolen? This may flabbergast many an internet user in Sri Lanka, especially the ordinary surfers who expect no evil from the World Wide Web. And many are yet to know ‘what to do’ or ‘where to turn to for help’ in such a calamity, which is still a novel experience for most local users.Experts warn that losing your virtual ID could be precarious as imposters could use this stolen ID to commit crimes such as financial fraud or to attack personal or commercial websites and send dirty emails, which are serious offences punishable under the Penal Code and the Computer Crimes Act of 2007.

Chief Operations Officer of TechCERT, Dr. Chandana Gamage who specialises in information communication security and senior lecturer attached to the University of Moratuwa, told the Sunday Observer that many people in Sri Lanka now have a physical presence as well as a virtual presence.

“If you lose your national ID you know what to do. But many don’t know what to do if they find their virtual IDs stolen. This is critical since the imposter may be a criminal,” he said.

Internet hacking and blackmailing are increasingly becoming common in Sri Lanka. It is vital that everyone is aware about the precautions to take and how to maintain foolproof accounts when using social networking and email sites. TechCERT is part of the ‘LK’ domain registry and their services are free for people who find themselves victims in a virtual world. Major commercial entities present in Sri Lanka including 60 percent of the banking sector and 80 percent of mobile and fixed line operators have partnered with TechCERT to profit from the technological know-how, knowledge base, and cost-effectiveness it offers over maintaining their own IT security and incident response teams, Dr. Gamage said.

“It is among individual users that we are trying to enhance awareness,” Janantha Marasinghe, Systems Security Specialist with TechCERT who is an expert on digital forensics and incident response said. TechCERT provides help to find the ‘source’ of the problem and help police solve cases connected to computer crimes and unearth ‘virtual evidence” admissible in court cases. Even individuals can contact them to solve their problems related to the World Wide Web (www).

TechCERT has helped companies and the police to collect virtual evidence to prosecute internet criminals successfully.

Marasinghe said they have seen a rise in complaints regarding stolen IDs from those who use social networking sites (Facebook, twitter, etc.), especially over the past six to seven months. The hacker could be an office associate, a bad friend or a total stranger in Sri Lanka or even overseas. A fellow journalist at Lake House opted to close down her Facebook account after she found out that an unknown individual had used her name to create a new account. He had stolen her pictures and other content.

She was distressed and disturbed by this incident, but TechCERT assured her that the hacker had not been able to penetrate her email so the contents there were safe.

Nevertheless, she closed down her account which was used to interact with close friends in Sri Lanka as well as overseas. “Why should I take a risk?” she said.

This would not be the case with everyone. I was told that another person who contacted TechCERT had to helplessly watch a hacker use a fake profile (in her name) to post filthy responses on the Facebook wall. Adding insult to injury, the Facebook Team blocked the original account. Her desperate attempts to warn her friends about the imposter had given rise to suspicion.

Ultimately, TechCERT intervened and the second Facebook account run by the imposter was removed and the original account was re-activated. But by then the damage had been done.

TechCERT wants the active contribution of the public to help police trace and apprehend internet criminals so that they could put a stop to these vile actions once and for all. But in some instances, the victims had been reluctant to let them pursue a case. “They even plead with us not to investigate the case for the fear that their embarrassing secrets will be out for all to know”, Dr. Gamage said.

He said many hackers do it for the fun of it and to show off their technical skills to their associates. “We have not come across internet stalkers and crackers who get paid to do such jobs for a third party in Sri Lanka so far. But that era may not be far away,” he warned.

To prevent IDs being stolen TechCERT suggests a few tips:

* Keep your passwords a closely guarded secret – Surfers must keep their passwords a closely guarded secret even from their closest associates if they do not want intimate information in their emails being widely circulated, or worse, get threatening or blackmailing emails in their inboxes. The password should consist of alphanumeric characters and the length should exceed eight characters. The periodic changing of passwords will also thwart any attempt to steal one’s ID.

* Know your friends on Facebook – It is essential to know your friends on the net and be careful when adding ‘unknown friends’.

If you want to add new friends, make a list of the people you do not want seeing your personal information and contact details. You can limit the exposure by adjusting the ‘privacy’ settings. This way, unknown friends could be restricted to viewing only a subset of your information.

* Never use the same password for all your accounts – TechCERT advises against using the same password for different e-mails and social networking sites.

This is a convenient habit among internet users so that they do not have to remember many passwords or mix them up when trying to log in. No matter how annoying or troublesome it is, if you have more than one account, different passwords will keep you away from trouble. Passwords that are parent’s names, pet’s names or children’s names are a dead giveaway.

* Secure wireless connections – If you don’t secure wireless connections with a password, a neighbour can use it as his own. A man in India was arrested after a string of deadly explosions. Unknown to him, a mail had been sent by an imposter acknowledging the attacks, using his wireless connection. The police which traced the origins of the email arrested the innocent man.

* Beware of Facebook games – Marasinghe also said that installing unknown applications on Facebook can be harmful since they can write various messages on the Wall with links to virus sites on your friends’ walls . It is best to do an internet search on the Facebook applications before installing them.

It is also important to update your Virus Guard every now and then. Many virus guards indicate a prompt to update, usually when there is a new worm or a virus in circulation. You should never ignore such prompts. Changing your password from time to time will also secure your account from hackers.

Switching to ‘https’ instead of the ‘http’ which is mostly in use now can give you a secure connection channel for interaction via the www. This foolproof encrypted version is supported by Facebook, Google, Yahoo and Hotmail. When you log into your Facebook or other network sites in future, type https:\www.facebook.com

Dr. Gamage said the implementation of the Computer Crimes Act of 2007 (brought into operation with effect from July 2008 had helped immensely to fight internet crime as it had given space to recognise virtual evidence during criminal prosecutions in a court of law.

Under this law, TechCERT recently helped crack a case involving a multimillion rupee fraud in a BOI export company. Their task was to filter through computer files to trace the people who had issued fraudulent invoices.

TechCERT found out the time and the machines used to issue the forged invoices and the company was able to link them to the persons who used the machines at the given times. They were later apprehended and prosecuted.
How hackers crawl in

One of the easier ways for a hacker to enter your account is through the ‘Forgot your password?’ prompt. The experts say the questions and answers you feed this setting should be your own original work and must consist of hard-to-guess answers. For example, you could set the prompt to ask for your pet’s name, and feed an entirely different answer, such as the name of the city you live in.

That way a hacker finds it difficult to guess the answer. Facebook too has initiated a new security tool to counter this irksome hitch. Everytime someone logs into Facebook, they will send an SMS to the users’ mobile phones. This will tip off the user if an imposter has logged in. This is still in the process of being introduced.

“If an email from an unknown source talks about money, you’ve got to be careful, because often it beckons trouble.”

There is no one who has not got the widely circulating email which has a photograph of an acutely burnt child on a hospital bed with a footnote asking that it be forwarded to as many others so that her mother will get money for treatment from Microsoft. All these are spam. Their objective is to collect email addresses to sell the data to online marketing campaigners and cyber criminals. For others it has become a hobby.
Substandard cyber cafes

Danger lurks in cyber cafes in Sri Lanka, no proper laws govern these places. Many use these places for their routine IT needs and the places harbour criminals as well.

“We are aware that certain cyber cafes have installed key loggers.This is a software that can record every key stroke of a user of a particular machine and email the data to a third party. This will include personal email content as well,” Marasinghe said. If the machines in the cyber cafes are not password-protected, outside users can also install such software and get hold of users’ passwords to commit crimes.

“So the users have to be extremely cautious and avoid such dubious places,” he said.

“Anyway, nothing is 100 percent safe. So it is best if you don’t use the Net to post your secrets and intimate information or pictures,” he concluded.

The Chief Executive Officer of TechCERT is Dr. Shantha Fernando, a senior lecturer at the Computer Science and Engineering Department of the Moratuwa University.
Sunday Observer

The significance of Vesak lies with the Buddha and his universal peace message to mankind.

As we recall the Buddha and his Enlightenment, we are immediately reminded of the unique and most profound knowledge and insight which arose in him on the night of his Enlightenment. This coincided with three important events which took place, corresponding to the three watches or periods of the night.

During the first watch of the night, when his mind was calm, clear and purified, light arose in him, knowledge and insight arose. He saw his previous lives, at first one, then two, three up to five, then multiples of them .. . ten, twenty, thirty to fifty. Then 100, 1000 and so on…. As he went on with his practice, during the second watch of the night, he saw how beings die and are reborn, depending on their Karma, how they disappear and reappear from one form to another, from one plane of existence to another. Then during the final watch of the night, he saw the arising and cessation of all phenomena, mental and physical. He saw how things arose dependent on causes and conditions. This led him to perceive the arising and cessation of suffering and all forms of unsatisfactoriness paving the way for the eradication of all taints of cravings. With the complete cessation of craving, his mind was completely liberated. He attained to Full Enlightenment. The realisation dawned in him together with all psychic powers.This wisdom and light that flashed and radiated under the historic Bodhi Tree at Buddha Gaya in the district of Bihar in Northern India, more than 2500 years ago, is of great significance to human destiny. It illuminated the way by which mankind could cross, from a world of superstition, or hatred and fear, to a new world of light, of true love and happiness.

The heart of the Teachings of the Buddha is contained in the teachings of the Four Noble Truths, namely,

The Noble Truth of Dukkha or suffering
The Origin or Cause of suffering
The End or Cessation of suffering
the Path which leads to the cessation of all sufferings

The First Noble Truth is the Truth of Dukkha which has been generally translated as ‘suffering’. But the term Dukkha, which represents the Buddha’s view of life and the world, has a deeper philosophical meaning. Birth, old age, sickness and death are universal. All beings are subject to this unsatisfactoriness. Separation from beloved ones and pleasant conditions, association with unpleasant persons and conditions, and not getting what one desires – these are also sources of suffering and unsatisfactoriness. The Buddha summarises Dukkha in what is known as the Five Grasping Aggregates.

Herein, lies the deeper philosophical meaning of Dukkha for it encompasses the whole state of being or existence.

Our life or the whole process of living is seen as a flux of energy comprising of the Five aggregates, namely the Aggregate of Form or the Physical process, Feeling, Perception, Mental Formation, and Consciousness. These are usually classified as mental and physical processes, which are constantly in a state of flux or change.

When we train our minds to observe the functioning of mental and physical processes we will realise the true nature of our lives. We will see how it is subject to change and unsatisfactoriness. And as such, there is no real substance or entity or Self which we can cling to as ‘I’, ‘my’ or ‘mine’.

When we become aware of the unsatisfactory nature of life, we would naturally want to get out from such a state. It is at this point that we begin to seriously question ourselves about the meaning and purpose of life. This will lead us to seek the Truth with regards to the true nature of existence and the knowledge to overcome unsatisfactoriness.

From the Buddhist point of view, therefore, the purpose of life is to put an end to suffering and all other forms of unsatisfactoriness – to realise peace and real happiness. Such is the significance of the understanding and the realisation of the First Noble Truth.

The Second Noble Truth explains the Origin or Cause of suffering. Tanha or craving is the universal cause of suffering. It includes not only desire for sensual pleasures, wealth and power, but also attachment to ideas’, views, opinions, concepts, and beliefs. It is the lust for flesh, the lust for continued existence (or eternalism) in the sensual realms of existence, as well as the realms of form and the formless realms. And there is also the lust and craving for non-existence (or nihilism). These are all different Forms of selfishness, desiring things for oneself, even at the expense of others.

Not realizing the true nature of one’s Self, one clings to things which are impermanent, changeable and perishable. The failure to satisfy one’s desires through these things; causes disappointment and suffering.

Craving is a powerful mental force present in all of us. It is the root cause of our sufferings. It is this craving which binds us in Samsara – the repeated cycle of birth and` death.

The Third Noble Truth points to the cessation of suffering. Where there is no craving, there is no becoming, no rebirth. Where there is no rebirth, there is no decay. no, old age, no death, hence no suffering. That is how suffering is ended, once and for all.

The Fourth Noble Truth explains the Path or the Way which leads to the cessation of suffering. It is called the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Noble Eightfold path avoids the extremes of self-indulgence on one hand and self-torture on the other. It consists of Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration.

These path factors may be summarised into 3 stages of training, involving morality, mental culture and wisdom.

Morality or good conduct is the avoidance of evil or unwholesome actions — actions which are tainted by greed, hatred and delusion; and the performance of the good or wholesome actions, – actions which are free from greed, hatred and delusion, but motivated by liberality, loving-kindness and wisdom.

The function of good conduct or moral restraint is to free one’s mind from remorse (or guilty conscience). The mind that is free from remorse (or guilt) is naturally calm and tranquil, and ready for concentration with awareness.

The concentrated and cultured mind is a contemplative and analytical mind. It is capable of seeing cause and effect, and the true nature of existence, thus paving the way for wisdom and insight.

Wisdom in the Buddhist context, is the realisation of the fundamental truths of life, basically the Four Noble Truths. The understanding of the Four Noble Truths provide us with a proper sense of purpose and direction in life. They form the basis of problem-solving.

The message of the Buddha stands today as unaffected by time and the expansion of knowledge as when they were first enunciated.

No matter to what lengths increased scientific knowledge can extend man’s mental horizon, there is room for the acceptance and assimilation for further discovery within -the framework of the teachings of the Buddha.

The teaching of the Buddha is open to all to see and judge for themselves. The universality of the teachings of the Buddha has led one of the world’s greatest scientists, Albert Einstein to declare that ‘if there is any religion that could cope with modern scientific needs, it would be Buddhism’

The teaching of the Buddha became a great civilising force wherever it went. It appeals to reason and freedom of thought, recognising the dignity and potentiality of the human mind. It calls for equality, fraternity and understanding, exhorting its followers to avoid evil, to do good and to purify their minds.

Realising the transient nature of life and all worldly phenomena, the Buddha has advised us to work out our deliverance with heedfulness, as ‘heedfulness is the path to the deathless’.

His clear and profound teachings on the cultivation of heedfulness otherwise known as Satipatthana or the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, is the path for the purification of beings – for the overcoming of sorrows and lamentation, for the destruction of all mental and physical sufferings, for the attainment of insight and knowledge and for the realisation of Nibbana. This has been verified by his disciples. It is therefore a path, a technique which may be verified by all irrespective of caste, colour or creed.

- Venerable Mahinda

This week we reminisce soberly a national event of heroic proportions. For starters, it is no partisan triumphalism but a clear need to expunge the last vestiges of the ghastly terror tactics and cold-blooded child recruitment practices of a terror era. We are affirming the need for vigilance that ensures the co-existence of communities striving to live together as one nation .

Tragically the LTTE had rejected the well-proven grievance-solving path to ethnic issues and opted for a short cut by way of the mythical Eelam which they brandished in execution style with its aura of horror. Dovetailing their sights to a higher moral content escaped their grasp.

Dynamics of success

Sri Lanka’s ultimate success against such a barefaced terrorizing outfit was due to an enduring belief that human spirit however badly subverted triumphs eventually when corrective moral force takes the upper hand. It is not a victory over a section of humanity but the very recognition of human failing occurring inexplicably at times that needed to be put on a correction course.

Peace dividend won on May 18, 2009 meant that Sri Lanka will continue to have Indian Ocean as her only border.

The territorial partitioning ploy by a ruthless yet resourceful operative ended ignominiously even after they had gained a near inexhaustible reach militarily, financially, strategically and internationally.

Separatism under various guises had shown its head before. But it had taken a deadly vicious outfit to stir-up the very best from the people to meet it head on and fend off a ruthless enemy. The unerring military strategy by the President and his Defence Chief was beyond reproach.

The Government’s singularity of purpose and precise execution of a military command were exceptionally high. The men and women of the Armed Forces, Navy and Air Force never flinched and left nothing to chance.  They backed those at the helm.

The patriotic citizenry provided the backbone of that effort. The enlistment in the military had reached the highest historical levels. Intense support trickled in and soon turned into a flood that gave the moral backing to the Government’s unstoppable drive against terror.

Stirring the pot for political gain

Peace dividend also signified that those who stirred the pot for their own private ends or partisan rancour were exposed as unpatriotic saboteurs. The naivety of those carving out a CFA under the pretext of pushing for an “international safety network” was easily seen as a superficial attempt to gain political mileage: outlandish enough for everyone to realize that the CFA just made the LTTE stronger without any reciprocal gain to the country. Tigers acquired time getting armed to the teeth talking of peace.

In 2005, the Tigers tested the President’s resolve by cutting off the water supply to thousands of farmers at Mavil Aru. Contrary to expectations the strategically savvy leadership called their bluff smashing the notion of invincibility of the Tiger operatives who looked cagey and coward for the first time. Greater glory ensued and the point of no return had come. We crossed the Rubicon like Caesar had done in times immemorial.

Subversion over courage and panache

Meanwhile, the LTTE proved that the seed bed for separatism could germinate even within docile agrarian environs far removed from radical social surroundings. It was instilled not by a charismatic freedom fighter with an illuminating sense of statecraft or colossal intellect but a common or garden smuggler with a psychotic mindset.

Subversion had replaced courage and panache. Mean-spiritedness posed as ideological thrust. Tiger suicide bombers repulsed discourse and negotiation. They opted for direct action rejecting advocacy. Even conventional warfare was abandoned for vicious kill and torture tactics. That was terrorism at its worst.

The level of poisonous disinformation injected among the Diaspora with mythical Eelam dangled as the bait was high. An Army of minions extracted ransom from thousands threatening their kith and kin still residing back home. It was a carried out through clandestine financial and banking operations using the Internet as a sinister media appendage. The LTTE’s integral tactical gambit flourished.

Iron will to fight back

The path to victory meant the projection of an iron will to dispel any thoughts of giving up the uphill battle and the assemblage of political, military, intelligence and people power of unprecedented nature. In the international arena the LTTE operatives had established beachheads capable of propagating damaging information as thousands of Tiger Diaspora in the US engaged in a telephone blitz calling White House, the Congress and State Department in a last ditch stand to thwart Sri Lanka winning the war trying to throw in the lifeline to Tiger leaders trapped at Nandikadal.

They were pushing for a ceasefire even as the Tiger resistance was coming to an end. Sri Lankans in large number countered that effectively.

The diplomatic staffs in all major Western capitals played a crucial role in galvanizing the patriotic Sri Lankans to fight back LTTE propaganda. They succeeded and the rest is history.

These are brief reflections of a legendary fight to ward off separatism. Democratic elections were held in the North after 30 years recently. That is a celebration we are pleased to note. We cannot afford to forget how precarious that fight to end terror was. To treat it with indifference would diminish the valiant effort of thousands who paid with their lives for a cause.