“The Consulate General of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in Los Angeles, Sri Lankan Consulate is pleased to announce the inaugural Focus Sri Lanka 2007 Expo and Cultural Show, ‘Focus Sri Lanka on May 28. 29, 2007 at the California Market Center in downtown Los Angeles. The Focus Sri Lanka experience includes a ‘cash and carry’ exhibit hall preview on Monday May 28th beginning at 1pm, followed by a vibrant cultural show in the evening, which commences at 7pm. The next day, Tuesday May 29th, Focus Sri Lanka’s diverse exhibits will be open to trades people and wholesale buyers, from 10AM – 6PM. Registration/Info available online at: http://www.FocusSriLanka.com . With almost two full days of opportunity to view and explore, Focus Sri Lanka’s exhibits spotlight exotic and marketable Sri Lankan imports, including; Apparel, Ayurvedic Spa products, the World’s best Ceylon tea, decorative accessories, gifts, gem & jewelry, homewares, handmade recycle paper, natural and organic products, spices, and more. Sri Lanka’s rapidly growing tourism industry will also be represented including action/adventure travel, ecotourism, and luxury resorts. The event includes many special attractions, designed to demonstrate the often surprising variety this beautiful country has to offer: A screening of the Bollywood smash film ‘Water,’ and a chance to meet its young Sri Lankan star, Sarala; appearances by Sri Lankan all-star Cricket players; a ‘Cooking with Tea’ demonstration by celebrity chef Robert Wemischner; a pottery wheel demonstration and a tea queen beauty pageant.”

“Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister, Rohitha Bogollagama, told the U.S. Attorney General, Alberto R. Gonzales, that the capability of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the United States to raise funds in the guise of collecting for bogus charities is hampering Sri Lanka’s peace process. Raising the point about a recent California U.S. District court verdict, the minister said it is helping the terrorist group through its front organizations to collect money purportedly for charitable purposes. But the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister said the money finally ends up in terrorist coffers to procure weapons… The Minister was referring to a U.S. District Court verdict in California, of Judge Audrey B. Collins, that declared terrorist groups like the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam could raise funds ‘for lawful non-violent activities.’ Department of Justice sources said there is a similar concern about the verdict on their part and the verdict will be appealed against by the Department of Justice at an appropriate time. Writing a strongly worded editorial, the Washington Times newspaper, in December 2006 said, ‘It would be terribly wrong-headed to think that charity for terrorists is permissible if the purported intention is humanitarian.’