The Tibetan and the Buddhist community are outraged at a California-based company for promoting a range of shoes with the Lord Buddha's images. Tibetans and Bhutanese Buddhists have written to the company, Icon Shoes, to express their disgust. They have flooded the company's Facebook page with protest notes.

There was no immediate reaction from Icon Shoes. "Unfortunately, it is a basic Buddhist tradition to treat images of Buddhist deities with reverence. Having the images on shoes is disrespect to the Buddhists," wrote Bhuchung Tsering form International Campaign for Tibet.

"Could you kindly consider this and withdraw the shoes from your catalogue," the Tibetan leader demanded. The North American member of the Tibetan Parliament, Tashi Namgyal, wrote a protest letter to Icon Shoe.

"I came across shoes with image of Lord Buddha on it, manufactured by your company. I was totally shocked and dismayed at being so insensitive," wrote Namgyal.

"Lord Buddha is worshipped by millions of people around the world including the writer of this letter... Therefore, I would like to strongly urge your company to recall every merchandise sold with Buddha's image and stop not only selling such merchandises but manufacture of such products. Above all, I want you to tender unqualified apology posted on your website," Tashi demanded.

Based out of Palm Desert, California, ICON was launched in 1999 by a Hollywood filmmaker and art collector.

"Icon is for the art lover and the woman who loves shoes and handbags. We support artists by paying royalty for the use of their art," the company says on its Facebook page.

"I really think you should stop manufacturing the shoes with Buddha's imprint... It is totally against Buddhist sentiment," wrote one Tshewant Gyeltshen on the company�s Facebook page.

"I am Buddhist. Your idea of putting Lord Buddha's image on footwear is unethical," said one Yoezer Gempo.

"Why do they have to put Lord Buddha's image on shoes? Among Buddhist we don't even let our shadow fall on His image. It cannot be ignorance since they had the guts to run a company and even call the pattern 'Thangka of the Buddha'," wrote an angry Passang Tshering on his blog.

-(PTI)-

Two navy personnel had fallen off a small Sri Lanka Navy vessel which was involved in an accident during the Victory day Parade at the Galle Face Green this morning. The boat had capsized during the parade causing both sailors to fall overboard. One of them has been rescued while the other sailor is reported missing at sea. Approximately 170 officers and 2700 sailors of the Sri Lanka Navy had taken part in the Humanitarian Victory Day Parade 2013, which marks the fourth anniversary of ending of terrorism. The Naval Contingent comprised of Naval Forces from the Western Naval Command, the Southern Naval Command, the Wanni Naval Command, the Eastern Naval Command and the Northern Naval Command.

Mrs Ananthi Sasitharan, who personally witnessed Sri Lanka military taking away her husband, Mr Elilan, a political leader of the LTTE, at the end the Vanni War in May 2009, speaks out her experience from a civilian point of view and as a mother caring for her children during the war and the genocidal onslaught. Still living in Vanni, at Ki'linochchi, the 46-year-old mother of three is also running an organization that seeks to establish what had happened to their beloved ones. The SL State is still refusing to reveal the fate of those who were filtered away from the civilians and taken into buses to undisclosed detention camps. The narration of the survivor of the genocidal massacre, told with courage from Ki'linochchi, brings out the spirit and courage of a people who stood with their liberation fighters until the last moment. TamilNet brings out a 40-minute recount by Mrs Sasitharan.

A group of persons including two leaders of the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) have been arrested by Mannar Police today over a commemoration ceremony. The General Secretary of the TNPF, S. Gajendran and National Organizer, S. Manivannan are said to be among the group of around 15 party members arrested. They were arrested regarding a ceremony organized today to commemorate the deaths of Tamils during the war in Sri Lanka, TNPF leader and former MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam told Ada Derana. He stated that the arrests were made at around 4.00pm today (18) and that they are currently in Mannar Police custody.

Impeached Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayke who appeared before the Bribery Commission issued a lengthy statement denying the charges levelled against her. Sources close to Dr. Bandaranayake said she gave a detailed explanation on how she obtained each and every asset she possessed. She spoke for some three and a half hours giving details of her bank accounts and how she came to own her other properties. She emphasised that she had accumulated her assets in a legitimate way. Dr. Bandaranayake was asked to appear before the commission once again at 9.00 a.m. on Monday. The charges include the non-declaration of assets and liabilities annually and about some 20 bank accounts she held in various banks including nine accounts in the National Development Bank (NDB).

President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the Victory Day at the colourful ceremony held at Galle Face Green reiterated that the cruel terrorist war was ended four years ago and there will be no more wars and blood bath in the country. He said the country had been united as one nation and the people were free from terror and fear. The President recalled that the entire world warned not to engage the ruthless LTTE but to offer what the terrorists wanted. 'Our brave armed forces displayed that a ruthless terrorist outfit like the LTTE could be defeated though the world had second thoughts',the President said.

UNP MP Ravi Karunanayaka says that the former media spokesperson of the LTTE Daya master had asked to compete from the UNP to the NPC polls but the party did not allow it. He further stated that for the UPFA which considers previous terrorist activities as a qualification for the politics has accepted Daya Master to their list. MP Karunanayaka made this remark at a media briefing held yesterday (17) at the National plantation workers union hall at Rajagiriya. HE said that not only Daya Master, Tamilini, even the former friend of the LTTE leader Prabhakaran Gunasundaram Jayasundaram too will contest to the NPC from UPFA.

President of the National Trade Union Centre (NTUC), K.D. Lal Kantha, alleged the electricity bill of Minister of Mass Media and Information, Keheliya Rambukwella, was Rs 121,114 for the month of March. "This is the bill for his private home. These private bills are paid by his ministry to the CEB. Why can't the President and the Cabinet, as a start, enact a law, to prevent the use of the public money to pay the bills of the ministers?" he questioned. The people of the country must fight to totally abolish the electricity tariff hike in the coming days, without limiting themselves to the reversal of the new electricity tariff plan. He expressed these views addressing the media in Colombo, at a convention organized by the Coordination Committee for the National Trade Union Alliance (NTUA), in response to the remarks made by President of the Federation of University Teachers' Associations (FUTA), Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri, regarding the essential role played by electricity in the daily lives of the masses.

Sri Lanka this morning staged an extravagant military parade at the Galle Face Green in Colombo to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the monumental victory over the terrorist war waged by the Tamil Tiger rebels for three decades. Sri Lankan President as Commander in Chief was the Chief Guest at the occasion where over 13,000 Security Forces personnel of the Three Armed Forces, the Special Task Force (STF) and the Civil Defense Force took part in a grand parade. Also, took part in the parade were 50 naval craft in the sea off the Galle Face and 30 air craft including fighter craft from the sky. The commemoration ceremony was inaugurated with a 21-gun salute by the Artillery unit of Sri Lanka Army. The National War Hero Ceremony will be conducted in front of the statue of the Gallant Soldier at Sri Jayewardenepura, Kotte at 4 pm today and the President will lay a wreath to pay tribute to the over 20,000 soldiers who perished in the three-decade long battle.

Any organisation or individual will not be allowed to venerate a terrorist organisation. Anyone participating in a commemoration ceremony for LTTE cadres will be arrested, Vanni Commander Major General Boniface Perera said. 'There is only one military in a country. Any citizen has the right to commemorate their loved ones but no one can commemorate terrorists who were disloyal to the government. If persons are planning to remember LTTE members it is treason. We will arrest whoever is involved in this,' Major General Perera said. He was responding to a query about reports in some newspapers including the Udayan published in the North, that relatives of those who died during the last phase of the war in Vellamullivaikkal and Pudumathalan were planning to organise a commemoration day in Vavuniya today when the government was celebrating Victory Day.

The Tamil Eelam freedom charter will be promulgated on the 18th May 2013 at an International Conference under the auspices of TGTE in Lancaster Pennyslavania - U.S.A. TGTE under the dynamic leadership of Mr.V.Rudrakumaran Prime Minister, was born out of dire necessity and not by compulsion. The justification for an independent state of Tamil Eelam in the traditional homelands of Tamils in the north and east is accepted and endorsed by Tamil Diaspora supported by numerous International scholars and eminent persons.

The British Tamil Forum's (BTF) call for a mass rally in London on Saturday, remembering the 2009 Mu'l'li-vaaykkaal genocidal massacre, focuses on urging Britain and the Commonwealth to boycott the Sri Lanka CHOGM meet in November. Earlier this month, the British Prime Minister David Cameron has announced his decision to attend the meet. 'It is ridiculous as well as painful to find that Cameron has decided to attend CHOGM in Sri Lanka,' said a BTF statement on Thursday, adding that the meet, leading to Sri Lanka chairing the Commonwealth for the next two years, 'will not only be disgraceful to the Commonwealth and Britain, but will also create a permanent blot in their history.'

43rd Chief justice in Sri Lanka Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake reappeared before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption today as notified. The Commission had recently notified Dr. Bandaranayake to submit verbal answers with regards to allegations of having maintained irregular assets. Appearing with her attorneys Dr. Bandaranayake had made her verbal submission before the Commission. Subsequently the Commission had notified Dr. Bandaranayake to reappear before it on the 20th of this month.

Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) will seek the opinions and views of the public on the draft constitution being prepared by the party. UNP parliamentarian Wijedasa Rajapakse said the draft constitution would be made public on the 29th of this month. He said the UNP would also have a discussion with party leaders in the parliament regarding the draft. He explained that the UNP's draft constitution would limit the powers of the executive presidency and the president will also be liable and responsible when making decisions. The draft constitution also proposes that a person would have to end his\her political career and be independent once elected as the president and would not be able to hold any Cabinet portfolios.

Saudia Arabia has long been a beacon of hope for many Sri Lankans who flock there to pursue a higher salary and a better life than they would otherwise get at home. About 1.8 million Sri Lankans live and work abroad, and about 90 percent of them do so in the Middle East - accounting for foreign exchange income of US$5.2 billion last year. For many economic migrants, though, the promise of a brighter future does not materialize. Mary Margaret, 32, spent six years in the Middle East as a housemaid, dreaming of earning enough money to build a home for her three children. 'I chose to go abroad as a housemaid because we had no other way of earning money. I laid a foundation for a new house six years before but could do nothing thereafter,' she said.

Minister Wasudewa Nanayakkara has stated that if the government intends to hold an independent and fair election all military personnel in North must be limited to their respective camps. In an interview to ' Ravaya' newspaper he has stated that if the security forces are deployed all over the Northern Province the government will not be able to declare an independent and fair election to the international. Responding to the Minister's statement Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has told ' Ravaya' that the military personal will not be evicted if it affects the security of the Northern Province. The security forces will only be involved in development process, he said.

Concerned over reports of Sri Lankan government considering removal of land and police powers from the provinces prior to the elections in the Northern Province, India today asked it not to take any step against their own commitments relating to the 13th Amendment. India's External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid telephoned his Sri Lankan counterpart G L Peiris and also raised the issue of 26 Indian fishermen who are in detention in his country while seeking their early release. According to official sources, the conversation also focused on the elections that are to be held in the Northern Province with Khurshid expressing his concerns regarding media reports referring to some consideration being given to removal of land and police powers from the provinces prior to the polls.

The main opposition UNP yesterday said it had rejected a request made by Velayutham Dayanithi alias Daya Master and his supporters to contest the Northern Provincial Council on the UNP ticket. UNP Colombo District MP Ravi Karunanayake told a news conference that the group met the UNP leaders during their recent visit to the North. The UNP MP made this point referring to a statement by Daya Master that former LTTE cadres should be allowed to contest elections. He said the party informed them that the UNP had decided to keep away from LTTE associates as various allegations had been levelled against the party linking it with Tamil Terrorists.

A woman attempted to commit suicide by jumping into a well with her 3 children in Vavuniya this morning. Neighbors had managed to rescue the mother, however the three children had already perished by then, police said. The woman's three daughters -aged 1, 3 and 4, had drowned inside the well. The mother of three, a resident of Thandikulam in Vavuniya, has been arrested while Vavuniya Police is conducting further investigations.

A stock of explosives was recovered inside an abandoned house at Palaminmadu, Batticaloa. The explosives included 29 Agasthi hand grenades,16 type 82/2 hand grenades and 11 Anti personal mines. Batticaloa Police is conducting further investigation into the incident.

The controversial Buddhist organization in Sri Lanka, the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) has called for a non-commercial Vesak celebration in the country. The organization has called on the government to ensure that Vesak celebrations are not commercialized. General Secretary of the BBS, Ven. Galagodaththe Gnanasara Thero has cited an example of the commercialization of Vesak by saying that it has become the norm for the conducting of "dansal" as a mean of extorting money from the public for personal use by the organizers of such events. The Thero promised that the BBS would make drastic changes in the way the country celebrates Vesak from next year.