மகசின் சிறையில் கைதிகள் ஆர்ப்பாட்டம்.

 

கைதிகளின் கலகத்திற்கு போதைப்பொருள் தடுப்பு நடவடிக்கையே காரணம்; 7.5 மில்லியன் ரூபா இழப்பு

புதன்கிழமை, 25 ஜனவரி 2012 17:47  (சுபுன் டயஸ்)

மகஸின் சிறைச்சாலையில் உணவுப்பொதி மூலம் கைதிகளுக்கு போதைப் பொருட்கள் கொண்டுவரப்படுவதை தடுக்கும் நடவடிக்கையே அச்சிறைச்சாலையில் நேற்று இடம்பெற்ற கலகத்திற்கு பிரதான காரணம் என பொலிஸ் அதிகாரிகள் தெரிவித்துள்ளனர்.

நேற்று செவ்வாய்க்கிழமை இடம்பெற்ற கலகத்தில் பங்குபற்றியோர் , போதைப்பொருள் தொடர்பான குற்றங்களுக்காக விளக்கமறியலில் வைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளவர்கள் என சிறைச்சாலை அதிகாரி ஒருவர் கூறினார்.

விளக்கமறியல் கைதிகளுக்கு வெளியிலிருந்து உணவு கொண்டு

வரப் படுவதற்கு அனுமதி வழங்கப்படுகிறது.

இந்நிலையில் போதைப் பொருள் கொண்டுவரப்படுவதை தடுப்பதற்கான பாரிய நடவடிக்கையை சிறைச்சாலையின் புதிய அத்தியட்சகர் தலைமையிலான அதிகாரிகள் ஆரம்பித்ததுடன், கைதிகளுக்கு குடும்ப அங்கத்தவர்களால் கொண்டுவரப்படும் உணவுப் பொதிகளையும் சோதனையிட்டதாக அவர் கூறினார்.

இந்த கலகத்தினால் 7.5 மில்லியன் ரூபா பெறுமதியான சேதம் ஏற்பட்டுள்ளதாக அவர் கூறினார்.

'மகசின் சிறைச்சாலை கலவரத்தில் தமிழ் அரசியல் கைதிகளுக்கு பாதிப்பு இல்லை'

புதன்கிழமை, 25 ஜனவரி 2012 11:07

'மகசின் சிறைச்சாலையில் நேற்று இடம்பெற்ற கலவரம் கட்டுப்பாட்டிற்கு கொண்டுவரப்பட்டுள்ளதாக கொழும்பு தெற்கு பொலிஸ் அத்யட்சகர் சஞ்சீவ தர்மரட்ண தனக்கு தெரிவித்ததாகவும் மேலும் இக்கலவரத்தில் தமிழ் அரசியல் கைதிகள் சம்பந்தப்படவில்லை எனவும் அவர்களுக்கு எவ்வித பாதிப்பும் இல்லை என தன்னிடம் தெரிவித்ததாகவும்' ஜனநாயக மக்கள் காங்கிரஸ் தலைவரும் கொழும்பு மாவட்ட நாடாளுமன்ற உறுப்பினருமான பிரபா கணேசன் தெரிவித்தார்.

இது தொடர்பில் அவர் விடுத்துள்ள அறிக்கையில் மேலும் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதாவது,

புதிதாக கடமையேற்றிருக்கும் உதவி பொலிஸ் அத்யட்சகர் எழில் ரஞ்சன் தனது கடமைகளை பொறுப்பேற்ற பின் கொழும்பு மகசின் சிறைச்சாலைக்கு வரும் உறவினர்களின் பொதிகளை கடுமையாக சோதனை செய்ததன் விளைவாக ஏற்பட்ட முரண்பாடு காரணமாகவே கைதிகளுக்கும் சிறைச்சாலை அதிகாரிகளுக்கும் கைகலப்பு ஏற்பட்டதாக சிறைச்சாலை புணர்வாழ்வு அமைச்சின் ஆலோசகர் எஸ்.சதீஸ்குமார் தெரிவித்தார்.

பொலிஸ் அத்யட்சகருடன் தொடர்புகளை ஏற்படுத்தி நிலைமைகளை கேட்டறிந்த பொழுது இச்சிறைக் கைதிகளின் தாக்குதலில் எந்த தமிழ் அரசியல் கைதிகளும் சம்பந்தப்படவில்லை எனவும் தெரிவித்தார். இருப்பினும் கண்ணீர்ப் புகைக்குண்டுவீச்சில் தமது இருப்பிடங்களும் பாதிக்கப்பட்டதாக தமிழ் அரசியல் கைதிகள் என்னிடம் தெரிவித்தனர்.

அதேநேரம் தம்மையும் இந்த நடவடிக்கையில் பங்குபற்றுமாறு ஏனைய கைதிகள் அழைத்தும் தாம் அதில் பங்குபற்றவில்லை என தெரிவித்தனர். அதனால் தமக்கு பாதுகாப்பு ஏற்பாடுகள் செய்யுமாறும் வேண்டுகோள் விடுத்தனர். இது சம்பந்தமான ஏற்பாடுகள் செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளன.

தமிழ் அரசியல் கைதிகளின் விடுதலை சம்பந்தமாக முழுமையான முறையிலே நான் ஈடுபட்டுக் கொண்டிருக்கும் பொழுது இப்படியான சட்டவிரோத செயல்களில் இவர்கள் ஈடுபடாமலிருந்தமை பாராட்டக்கூடிய விடயமாகும். ஏற்கனவே பூசா முகாமிலுள்ள 15 தமிழ் கைதிகள் புணர்வாழ்வு நிலையத்திற்கு அனுப்பிவைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளமையும் குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

இதேபோல் ஏனைய கைதிகளின் விடுதலைக்கும் ஏற்பாடுகள் நடைபெற்றுக்கொண்டிருக்கும் பொழுது இவ்வாறான செயல்பாடுகளில் இவர்களை ஈடுபட வேண்டாம் என கேட்டுக்கொள்கின்றேன்' என்று அவ்வறிக்கையில் மேலும் குறிப்பிடப்பட்டுள்ளது.

தமிழ் மிரர் (Daily Mirror)

Hidden hand behind bloody prison riot?

* 26 inmates, 5 jail guards injured

January 24, 2012, 9:14 pm

By Norman Palihawadane

Thirty one including five jail guards and 26 inmates were injured yesterday at the Welikada New Magazine prison in a bloody clash.

The injured had been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital, prison sources said.

Hospital sources described the condition of two of the injured as serious and said that all 19 inmates admitted to the hospital following the clash had suffered injuries below the knee.

According to sources trouble began when a group of inmatesstaged a protest demanding that their rights be granted and some prisons officers be replaced. As more inmates joined the protesters they resorted to hurling bricks and other missiles at the jailers.

Commissioner General of Prisons, P. W. Kodippili said the advancing protesters had not heeded the warnings and the prison officers had fired into the air to stop them. The mob overpowered the jailers and some were hurt.

Police and army had to be summoned to quell the riot. Police used tear gas to disperse mobs of inmates armed with clubs and bricks. However, the inmates who climbed on to the roof continued their protests while some others engaged in hurling brick bats targeting security personnel.

Meanwhile, some inmates set the RC Branch which stored records of the inmates on fire. The fire brigade had to be deployed to douse the fire. Though the fire was doused, most of the records had been destroyed.

The Commissioner General said that copies of those documents could be obtained from court record rooms.

The Baseline Road was closed from Dematagoda station to the Borella Junction.

All LTTE suspects in the Prison had been transferred to other prisons as a security measure, Commissioner General said. A total of 180 LTTE suspects were at the Magazine prison and they had all been transferred after the riot broke out. The inmates were transported in buses escorted under heavy security.

Commissioner General Kodippili said that former Army commander Sarath Fonseka was being held at the Welikada prison and not at the Magazine prison where the riots took place.

Kodippili said that investigations had been commenced to ascertain whether the inmates had any assistance from some prison officials to mount the protest. Separate investigations were being conducted by the intelligence units of the prisons and the police, he said. The process of recording statements from the inmates commenced yesterday itself and prison security was beefed up.

The Island

Magazine prison riots due to crackdown on drugs, Rs.7.5mn

damage

Wednesday, 25 January 2012 15:56

Prison officials said that the main cause for the riots which took place at the Magazine remand prison was due to the crackdown on drugs being smuggled into the prison through meals brought from outside.

Remand prisoners are allowed by prison authorities to get meals from outside. A prison officer of the Magazine remand prison said that prisoners who were involved in the riot on Tuesday were in remand for narcotic related offences.

Under the leadership of the new Superintendent of Prisons (SP) the authorities launched a massive crackdown and even checked their lunch packets brought to them by their family members.

The new Superintendent was brought to the Magazine remand prison for his excellent record during his tenure at the Kalutara Prison.

The damage due to the riots is said to be worth Rs.7.5 million. Meanwhile the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) is conducting investigations into the riots as they had damaged state property. A probe into the clash and the protest has been initiated by the Prisons Department. (Supun Dias)

Daily Mirror

World faces a 600 million jobs challenge, warns ILO

Global Employment Trends 2012: World faces a 600 million jobs challenge, warns ILO


The world faces the “urgent challenge” of creating 600 million productive jobs over the next decade in order to generate sustainable growth and maintain social cohesion, according to the annual report on global employment by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Press release
24 January 2012

GENEVA (ILO News) – The world faces the “urgent challenge” of creating 600 million productive jobs over the next decade in order to generate sustainable growth and maintain social cohesion, according to the annual report on global employment by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

“After three years of continuous crisis conditions in global labour markets and against the prospect of a further deterioration of economic activity, there is a backlog of global unemployment of 200 million,” says the ILO in its annual report titled “Global Employment Trends 2012: Preventing a deeper jobs crisis”. Moreover, the report says more than 400 million new jobs will be needed over the next decade to absorb the estimated 40 million growth of the labour force each year.

The Global Employment Trends Report also said the world faces the additional challenge of creating decent jobs for the estimated 900 million workers living with their families below the US$ 2 a day poverty line, mostly in developing countries.

“Despite strenuous government efforts, the jobs crisis continues unabated, with one in three workers worldwide – or an estimated 1.1 billion people – either unemployed or living in poverty”, said ILO Director-General Juan Somavia. “What is needed is that job creation in the real economy must become our number one priority”.

The report says the recovery that started in 2009 has been short-lived and that there are still 27 million more unemployed workers than at the start of the crisis. The fact that economies are not generating enough employment is reflected in the employment-to-population ratio (the proportion of the working-age population in employment), which suffered the largest decline on record between 2007 (61.2 per cent) and 2010 (60.2 per cent).

At the same time, there are nearly 29 million fewer people in the labour force now than would be expected based on pre-crisis trends. If these discouraged workers1 were counted as unemployed, then global unemployment would swell from the current 197 million to 225 million, and the unemployment rate would rise from 6 per cent to 6.9 per cent.

The report paints three scenarios for the employment situation in the future. The baseline projection shows an additional 3 million unemployed for 2012, rising to 206 million by 2016. If global growth rates fall below 2 per cent, then unemployment would rise to 204 million in 2012. In a more benign scenario, assuming a quick resolution of the euro debt crisis, global unemployment would be around 1 million lower in 2012.

Young people continue to be among the hardest hit by the jobs crisis. Judging by the present course, the report says, there is little hope for a substantial improvement in their near-term employment prospects.

Global Employment Trends 2012 says 74.8 million youth aged 15-24 were unemployed in 2011, an increase of more than 4 million since 2007. It adds that globally, young people are nearly three times as likely as adults to be unemployed. The global youth unemployment rate, at 12.7 per cent, remains a full percentage point above the pre-crisis level.

The report’s main findings also include:

There has been a marked slowdown in the rate of progress in reducing the number of working poor. Nearly 30 per cent of all workers in the world – more than 900 million – were living with their families below the US$2 poverty line in 2011, or about 55 million more than expected on the basis of pre-crisis trends. Of these 900 million working poor, about half were living below the US$1.25 extreme poverty line.

The number of workers in vulnerable employment2 globally in 2011 is estimated at 1.52 billion, an increase of 136 million since 2000 and of nearly 23 million since 2009.

Among women, 50.5 per cent are in vulnerable employment, a rate that exceeds the corresponding share for men (48.2).

Favourable economic conditions pushed job creation rates above labour force growth, thereby supporting domestic demand, in particular in larger emerging economies in Latin America and East Asia.

The labour productivity gap between the developed and the developing world – an important indicator measuring the convergence of income levels across countries – has narrowed over the past two decades, but remains substantial: Output per worker in the Developed Economies and European Union region was US$ 72,900 in 2011 versus an average of US$ 13,600 in developing regions.

“These latest figures reflect the increasing inequality and continuous exclusion that millions of workers and their families are facing”, said Mr. Somavia. “Whether we recover or not from this crisis will depend on how effective government policies ultimately are. And policies will only be effective as long as they have a positive impact on peoples’ lives”.

The report calls for targeted measures to support job growth in the real economy, and warns that additional public support measures alone will not be enough to foster a sustainable recovery.

“Policy-makers must act decisively and in a coordinated fashion to reduce the fear and uncertainty that is hindering private investment so that the private sector can restart the main engine of global job creation”, says the report.

It also warns that in times of faltering demand further stimulus is important and this can be done in a way that does not put the sustainability of public finances at risk. The report calls for fiscal consolidation efforts to be carried out in a socially responsible manner, with growth and employment prospects as guiding principles.
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For more information, please contact the ILO’s Department of Communication and Public Information on +4122/799-7912, communication@ilo.org

1 A person who has decided to stop looking for work because they feel they have no chance at finding a job is considered economically inactive (i.e. outside the labour force) and is therefore not counted among the unemployed. This also applies to young people who choose to remain in schooling longer than they had hoped and wait to seek employment because of the perceived lack of job opportunities.

2 Vulnerable employment is defined as the sum of own-account workers and unpaid family workers.


Tag: employment
Regions and countries covered: Global
Unit responsible: Communication and Public Information
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ILO LINKS:
Global Unemployment Out Look
Global Employment Trends 2012
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IMF: Euro Crisis Could Spark New Global Slump

IMF: Euro Crisis Could Spark New Global Slump
6:26pm UK, Tuesday January 24, 2012

The International Monetary Fund has warned the world faces a new recession this year if the eurozone debt crisis gets worse.

The global economic watchdog has cut its world growth estimate to 3.25% from its previous forecast of 4%.

Forecasts for UK growth were cut by 1% to 0.6% - although the country is still expected to outperform Germany and France.

The IMF predicted the economy to grow 2% in 2013, down from 2.4%, the IMF said, as "intensifying strains" in the euro area affect the rest of the world.

IMF chiefs fear the eurozone debt crisis could worsen during 2012


It said global output will expand by 3.25% this year, a downward revision from 4%, as countries including Italy and Spain see their economies shrink and pull the rest of the single-currency bloc into recession.

The amended forecasts come ahead of the publication on Wednesday of the UK's eagerly-awaited gross domestic product (GDP) figures for the fourth quarter of 2011.

The IMF said the world's greatest economic challenge was putting "an end to the crisis in the euro area by supporting growth" while restoring public finance balance sheets and sustaining economic recovery.


Germany and France will enjoy smaller growth than the UK in 2012 according to the organisation, with projected figures of 0.3% and 0.2% respectively.

Meanwhile, it is forecast the US will grow by 1.8% while Japan will grow by 1.7%.

The downward revision to forecasts in the euro come as the cost of financing sovereign debt surges and eurozone governments try to clamp down on spending, the IMF said.

It warned austerity measures in Japan and the US - or a lack of - posed a threat to the global outlook in the medium term.

Gaddafi supporters seize control of Libyan town

Gaddafi supporters seize control of Libyan town

By Taha Zargoun
Reuters
TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Supporters of ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi seized control of the town of Bani Walid on Monday after clashes with a militia loyal to the new government in which four people were killed, witnesses told Reuters.

A resident of Bani Walid, about 200 km (120 miles) south-east of Tripoli, said the sides fought using heavy weaponry, including 106 mm anti-tank weapons, and that 20 people were wounded.

Another witness told Reuters the fighting had now stopped but that Gaddafi loyalists were in control of the town centre, where they were flying green flags, a symbol of allegiance to the ousted administration.

"They control the town now. They are roaming the town," said the witness, a fighter with the 28th May militia which was fighting the Gaddafi loyalists.

Bani Walid, base of the powerful Warfallah tribe, was one of the last towns in Libya to surrender to the anti-Gaddafi rebellion last year. Many people there oppose the country's new leadership.

The uprising in Bani Walid could not come at a worse time for the ruling National Transitional Council (NTC). It is already reeling from violent protests in the eastern city of Benghazi and the resignation of its second most senior official.

An air force official told Reuters that jets were being mobilised to fly to Bani Walid. In Tripoli, there were signs of security being tightened, Reuters reporters in the city said.

FIGHTERS "MASSACRED"

The violence in Bani Walid was sparked when members of the May 28 militia arrested some Gaddafi loyalists.

That prompted other supporters of the former leader, who was captured and killed in October, to attack the militia's garrison in the town, said the resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"They massacred men at the doors of the militia headquarters," said the resident.

During Libya's nine-month civil war, anti-Gaddafi rebels fought for months to take Bani Walid.

Local tribal elders eventually agreed to let NTC fighters enter the town, but relations have been uneasy since and there have been occasional flare-ups of violence.

In November last year, several people were killed in Bani Walid when a militia group from Tripoli's Souq al-Juma district arrived in the town to try to arrest some local men.

Taking back control of the town will be challenging because it has natural defences. Anyone approaching from the north has to descend into a deep valley and then climb up the other side, giving defenders an advantage.

It was this landscape, in part, that prevented anti-Gaddafi militias from taking the town during the civil war, despite the fact they were heavily armed and had superior numbers.

(Writing by Christian Lowe; Editing by Myra MacDonald)