Colombo, July 11: A Sri Lankan court has ordered a state-run newspaper to publish the summons on Tamil Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran directing him to appear before it after the company earlier refused to print the advertisement. The order was given by the court of appeal yesterday to the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited. Five months ago, the court ordered Prabhakaran, a fugitive at home and abroad, to present himself for a hearing on May 19 over the Norwegian backed ceasefire agreement he signed with Colombo in February.


The truce is valid because Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe signed the pact with Prabhakaran, 48, who at the time represented a banned organisation. The premier himself is the first respondent in the case while the state attorney general has also been cited as a party to the court action aimed at obtaining a ruling on the validity of the truce.

Bureau Report