Trinco Vipulananda holds first prize giving in 56 years

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 May 2003, 19:33 GMT]
Trincomalee Vipulananda College located in the outskirts of east port town held its fifty sixth anniversary and first annual prize giving celebrations Thursday. The school was founded on 7th May 1947 in an abandoned military building left by the Britishers to provide education to the poor children living outside the Trincomalee town, sources said.
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Batticaloa News in brief

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 May 2003, 18:15 GMT]
Batticaloa district Government Agent E. Mounaguruswamy presides the ceremony to award Mahapola scholarships to Batticaloa students and leads a committee looking into the current situation regarding the occupation of public buildings by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Batticaloa district.
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World Bank teams to assess NEIAP projects in northeast

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 May 2003, 17:23 GMT]
Two teams from the World Bank are to conduct field survey tour between 2 June and 6 June in the northeast districts to assess agricultural development and restoration works now being carried out by the North East Irrigated Agricultural Project (NEIAP), NEIAP sources said.
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Body recovered from Valigamam well

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 May 2003, 17:20 GMT]
The body of Arumugam Sivapatham, a fifty-year-old resident of Neerveli in Valigamam east division in Jaffna district was recovered from an agricultural well located at Raja Veethi-Karanthan junction, police sources said.
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LTTE releases two Sri Lankan police constables

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 May 2003, 13:48 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Saturday handed over two Sri Lankan police constables who were in its custody to the Muttur Assistant Superintendent of Police D.Samarakone and Serunuwara Assistant Superintendent of Police Mr.Ajith Rohana near Kattaiparichchan Bridge in the presence of members of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), security sources said.
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Trinco Ladies College celebrates 80th anniversary

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 May 2003, 00:16 GMT]
The Founder’s day and the Eightieth anniversary of the Trincomalee Sri Shanmuga Hindu Ladies College were celebrated Wednesday with the Northeast Provincial Education Ministry Secretary Mr.R.Thiagalingam unveiling the statue of the founder Mrs. Thangamma Shanmugampillai, sources said.
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SLA occupies resident's land to construct new camp

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 May 2003, 17:22 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army has forcibly occupied the private land of Mr.C.Vaikunthavasan, a resident of Point Pedro in the Vadamarachchi division of the Jaffna district, since May 29, according to a complaint that Mr. Vaikunthavasan made on Friday to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka in Jaffna, sources said.
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SLA prevents education officials from entering school in HSZ

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 May 2003, 17:09 GMT]
A group of education officials and officials from the North East Community Restoration Development (NECORD) project were prevented by the soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Friday from entering the Tellipalai Union College, which is located in the high security zone, north of the Jaffna district.
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SLMM searches Vadamarachchi LTTE political office

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 May 2003, 16:37 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Jaffna Friday morning searched the Vadamarachchi political office of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on a complaint by the security forces that they had seen members of the LTTE carrying powerful transmitter equipments in Manalkadu area in the peninsula. However no such items were found in the office after a thorough search, SLMM sources said.
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Sri Lanka's main opposition lays condition for IA

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 May 2003, 16:29 GMT]
The main opposition Peoples Alliance (PA) Friday said that Tokyo donors' conference should be held as scheduled next month with the participation or non-participation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). It further said that the interim administration should be established to facilitate the implementation of the political solution reached at the peace talks now being held between the GOSL and LTTE and with certain conditions, sources in Colombo said.
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Muslim, LTTE delegations meet in Vavunathivu

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 May 2003, 11:04 GMT]
A Muslim delegation and representatives of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) met Thursday morning in Vavunathivu in Batticaloa district, political sources in Batticaloa said.
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LTTE rejects government's new proposals

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 May 2003, 06:55 GMT]
The leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has rejected the new set of proposals submitted by the government of Sri Lanka instituting a development structure for the rehabilitation and development of the Northeast.
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Chinabay oil tank farm modernization to begin

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 May 2003, 00:15 GMT]
Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Mr. Ram Naik Thursday unveiled the foundation stone laid for the modernization of oil tank farm at Chinabay in Trincomalee, which is to be implemented at a cost of three hundred million Sri Lankan rupees. The event took place in the Chinabay Petroleum Corporation complex.
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Valigamam residents picket against new SLA camp

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 May 2003, 15:23 GMT]
Hundreds of residents Thursday held a four hour picketing campaign blocking the main road from Puttur to Chunnakam at Nilavarai junction opposing the construction of a new Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp in Nilavarai- Navakiri area. Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Jaffna district parliamentarian Mr.M.K.Sivajilingam participated in the picketing campaign, sources said.
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SLA occupation must cease for normalcy to return - GA

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 May 2003, 10:53 GMT]
"Normalcy in the day to day lives of residents of Jaffna district will not return until Sri Lanka Army (SLA) vacates from civilian houses and public buildings," said the Jaffna Government Agent (GA) S. Pathamanathan when he met US Embassy head of Political section Chris Long at the Jaffna Beach Hotel yesterday, local press reports said.
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LTTE, SLA commanders meet in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 May 2003, 18:34 GMT]
Commanders of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the Trincomalee district met for the first time Wednesday evening at the no man zone near Kattaiparichchan bridge which separates the LTTE held Muttur east and SLA held area in Muttur division in the presence of the Trincomalee head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), security sources said.
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Indian Oil Corp begins operations in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 May 2003, 13:37 GMT]
Indian petroleum minister Mr. Ram Naik, who arrived on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka, inaugurated the Indian Oil Corporation's operations in the island’s petrol and diesel retail market Wednesday. Mr. Naik launched Lanka IOC (Pvt) Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of IOC, with the inauguration of a petrol station in Colombo Wednesday as part of a chain of 250 retail outlets the state oil firm is taking over in the island nation. He will visit Trincomalee on Thursday, Sri Lankan government officials said.
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Commander Vinothan's eigth anniversary commemorated

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 May 2003, 11:54 GMT]
A memorial ceremony for Commander of Vinothan brigade of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Lt.Col. Vinothan, and eighteen LTTE fighters who died in the attack on Tharavai Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp was held in the 'Meenaham' military grounds in Amparai district 27 May, sources said.
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North-South peace sports festival to be held in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 May 2003, 11:05 GMT]
Preparations are underway to hold the second North-South Peace Sports Festival in the Jaffna district during the first week of September this year, sources close to the chief co-ordinator of the festival, Minister of Lands Mr.Rajitha Senaretna said.
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SLA soldier commits suicide at Thenmaradchchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 May 2003, 11:02 GMT]
Mr.P.S.K.Dissanayake, a twenty five year old soldier of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), Tuesday afternoon committed suicide by exploding a grenade when he was on duty at the forward defence position at Eluthumadduval army camp in Thenmaradchchi in Jaffna district, military sources said.
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Bhikku Front holds demonstration opposing IA

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 May 2003, 10:56 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Bhikkus Front to Safeguard the Nation held a demonstration Tuesday afternoon in Colombo demanding the United National Front (UNF) government to abandon its attempt to appease the LTTE request for a fully empowered interim administration in the northeast province, sources said.
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Committee to hold inquiry into assault on Jaffna journalists

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 May 2003, 00:15 GMT]
The United National Front (UNF) government has appointed a committee to conduct inquiry into the alleged assaults in the past few months on three Tamil journalists by the Police and Security Forces in the Jaffna district, media sources said Tuesday.
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Constitutional crisis on NLB take over deepens

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 May 2003, 16:50 GMT]
The constitutional crisis precipitated by the take over of the National Lotteries Board (NLB) by the Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge from a senior minister of the United National Front government deepened further Tuesday when the President wrote to the Prime Minister stating that she would take drastic action if the government failed to print the concerned gazette notification issued by her, political sources said.
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LTTE team tours Talawakelle, Hatton, Matara

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 May 2003, 11:14 GMT]
"Ruling parties in Sri Lanka have consistently described us as terrorists to the people of the South. We are only fighting to regain our rights, secession is not our main objective," said Anbarasan, head of political section of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) when addressing a meeting held at the Matara district secretariat while handing over the relief supplies brought from Vanni to Minister Mahinda Wijesekera, press reports from Jaffna said.
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Colombo responds to LTTE's request for IA

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2003, 15:56 GMT]
Sri Lanka's United National Front (UNF) government Monday responded to the request of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) that an interim administration (IA) with adequate powers to effectively handle the reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement of the war ravaged northeast province should be established before Tokyo aid summit talks begin next month, sources said. The details are being conveyed to the LTTE by Norwegian envoy, Eric Solheim, on Tuesday, sources added.
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JVP vows to defeat interim administration proposal

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2003, 15:43 GMT]
The Sinhala hardliner Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Monday declared that it would go all out to thwart the attempt by the United National Front (UNF) government to grant interim administration for the north east as demanded by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), sources in Colombo said.
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Jaffna undergrads to agitate for HSZ removal

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2003, 15:04 GMT]
The Jaffna University Students Union Monday decided to hold an upsurge movement in the peninsula, demanding the United National Front (UNF) government to fully implement the ceasefire agreement that the UNF signed with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), sources said.
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De-mining Awareness Exhibition in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2003, 14:31 GMT]
The first De-mining Awareness Exhibition in Jaffna district for school students and public was declared open by UNICEF official Mr.B.Hanock at Chavakachcheri Hindu College in Jaffna district Monday morning. UNICEF and the Save the Children in Sri Lanka sponsored this exhibition organized by the Jaffna Children's Clubs Consortium, sources said.
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Sampanthan writes to PM on interim administration

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2003, 14:28 GMT]
The parliamentary group leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Mr.R.Sampanthan Monday sent a letter to the Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister urging him to act with “adequate clarity and certainty the commitment as stated in his 2001 general election manifesto that an Interim Administration will be set up for the northeast province and such a step will strengthen and consolidate the peace process.”
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Empty development promise keeps old ferry working

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2003, 03:14 GMT]
The Batticaloa district has one of the most underdeveloped road networks in Sri Lanka. Many parts of this network remain disconnected by three lagoons that separate most of the district's large hinterland from the coast due to long years of neglect by successive regimes in Colombo. Tamils say most parts of the northeast were subjected to systematic economic deprivation for many decades since the island's Sinhala majority established firm control over the country's finances with inflexibly unitary constitutions in 1972 and 1978, which, they charge, were made without their endorsement.
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Festival celebrations at Palaiootu St Lourdes Shrine

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 May 2003, 22:17 GMT]
More than a century old St Lourdes’ Mother Shrine in Palaiootu village, about two km. off west of Trincomalee town Sunday celebrated its annual festival. A large number of devotees attended the festival, which commenced on May 16 with flag hoisting ceremony, sources said.
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Villagers in Trinco suffer without medical facilities-TNA MP

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 May 2003, 17:07 GMT]
The remote villages in the Trincomalee district have not been provided with proper medical facilities and people undergo untold hardships in getting prompt medical treatment, said Tamil National Alliance (TNA)parliamentarian Mr.K.Thurairetnasingham in a letter to the Minister of Health, Nutrition and Welfare Mr.P.Dayaratne, sources in Trinco said.
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CWC supports LTTE's interim council proposal

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 May 2003, 17:04 GMT]
The Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), a constituent of the United National Front (UNF) government, Sunday declared that it would wholeheartedly support the interim council proposal put forward by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), CWC said in a press release.
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Hakim leaves for Norway, Solheim arrives in Colombo

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 May 2003, 17:00 GMT]
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader and a minister in the United National Front (UNF) Government Mr.Rauff Hakim Sunday left for Norway. Meanwhile Norwegian special envoy Mr. Erik Solheim arrived in Colombo the same day, government sources said.
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Vadamaradchi youth abducted

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 May 2003, 12:03 GMT]
Sivapalasingham Saravanan (25), son of Valvettithurai Town Grama Sevaka Officer (village level official), was abducted by a group of unidentified persons who came in a Hi-Ace van and in three motorbikes Saturday evening at Polikandy area in Vadamarachchi division, police said.
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SLA suspends construction of new camps in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 May 2003, 11:55 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has suspended its construction work on new camps at Jaffna Fort, Mallakam old railway station and court buildings and at Chunnakam junction, civilian sources in Jaffna said. They added that no army personnel were seen at the sites selected for new camps since Saturday evening and that the heavy machinery used for putting up structures for new camps have been moved from the sites.
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Trinco NGOs' consortium to help flood victims

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 May 2003, 17:19 GMT]
The Consortium of Trincomalee District Non-Governmental Associations Saturday appealed to its member organizations to channel all relief materials collected in the district through it to the victims of recent flood in the south of the country.
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Final death toll in flood, landslide stands at 266

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 May 2003, 17:18 GMT]
The Sri Lanka's National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) said Saturday that two hundred and sixty six persons have died in recent flood and landslides in six southern districts of the country. However, more than five hundred persons have been reported missing but not accounted in the official list, sources said.
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Judge orders remand extension for two LTTE cadres

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 May 2003, 13:08 GMT]
The Trincomalee Magistrate Mr.S.Thiagendran Friday ordered further remand till June 5 for the two members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) arrested on a charge of possessing explosives under the Offensive Weapons Act, legal sources said. The Sri Lanka Navy apprehended the two along with a third LTTE cadre on May 8 in the Trincomalee Sea.
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Normalcy returns to displaced Tamils, Muslims in Muttur

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 May 2003, 12:54 GMT]
Tamil and Muslim residents of Muttur division, south of Trincomalee town who sought refuge in schools, churches and mosques where their security was ensured following the outbreak of violence between the two communities last month, started to return to their own homes this Saturday after one and a half months in the temporary shelters, sources said.
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Economic progress in Northeast lacking - EU's Wilton

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 May 2003, 12:38 GMT]
European Union (EU) resident representative in Sri Lanka Mr.Wouter Wilton concluding his two-day fact finding tour in the Jaffna district announced at a press conference held Saturday that "although in overall the security situation of the country is improved considerably no visible progress is seen in the economic situation of the northeast as in the south."
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Resolving CFA issues focus of SLA, LTTE meet

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2003, 19:48 GMT]
A high level meeting between the commanders of the Sri Lankan Government armed forces and the LTTE in the Trincomalee district has been fixed for May 28 at no man’s zone at Kattaiparichchan in the Mutur division, south of the eastern port town, to resolve existing logistical problems in the implementation of the Cease-Fire Agreement, sources said.
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PA rejects interim administration for Northeast

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2003, 19:30 GMT]
Sri Lanka's main opposition People's Alliance (PA) Friday rejected the proposal for an interim council in the Northeast made by the LTTE, and warned that it would be forced to take constitutional remedies if Prime Minister Ranil Wikcremasinghe agreed to the council “contrary to” the constitution.
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TRO office opened at Thampalakamam

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2003, 18:59 GMT]
The Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) Trincomalee district secretariat Friday opened its second divisional branch at Thampalakamam, 16 km. west of Trincomalee town. The first branch of the TRO was opened at Chenaiyoor in the LTTE held Mutur east. A pre-school also was opened on the same day at Thampalakamam.
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LTTE, Muslim leaders appoint Mutur peace committee

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2003, 18:55 GMT]
The first meeting of the eight-member committee appointed under a four point agreement signed by the Liberation Tigers and Mutur Majlis Al Shura Council last Wednesday to resolve differences between Tamils and Muslims in Mutur area is to be held on May 29 morning at the office of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission in Trincomalee district.
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Canadian Envoy meets LTTE’s Eastern leaders

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2003, 16:43 GMT]
The Canadian High-commissioner in Sri Lanka, Ms. Valerie Raymond, met with a group of LTTE leaders in the Eastern province led by Senior Commander Col. Karuna at the Karadiyanaru guest house on Friday afternoon for more than an hour.
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EU urges LTTE participation in Tokyo aid talks

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2003, 16:19 GMT]
European Union (EU) resident representative in Sri Lanka Mr.Wouter Wilton Friday arrived in Jaffna on a two-day fact-finding visit. Addressing a meeting held at the office of the Consortium of the Jaffna District Humanitarian Agencies (CJDHA) Friday afternoon Mr. Wilton said that the EU is of the view that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) should participate in the Tokyo aid summit to be held next month, sources said.
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SLN soldier in LTTE custody

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2003, 15:38 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) soldier who entered the LTTE controlled Kadawanaikulam area in Trincomalee district with arms is now in the custody of Thamileelam Police, LTTE Trincomalee district political head Mr.S.Thilak told media persons in the east port town Friday. Kadawanaikulam is 16 km off west of east port town along the Trincomalee-Kandy highway, sources said
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SLN soldier escapes from Karainagar detachment

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2003, 13:02 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) soldier Friday morning escaped from the Sri Lanka Navy detachment at Karainagar in Jaffna district and surrendered to the residents of the area. Later he was handed over to Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam officials in Karainagar, military sources said
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Search for Solution Must Include LTTE and Bipartisanship- NPC

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2003, 10:45 GMT]
Noting that, "the history of governmental efforts to resolve the ethnic conflict in the past have foundered on unfulfilled promises and agreements that were not underpinned by an appropriate legal foundation," the National Peace Council in a media release issued in Colombo today said that, "it is important that the government should find a way to establish a legally-based administrative system for the North East that would recognise the equal participation of the LTTE."
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Relief items from North reach flood victims

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2003, 08:27 GMT]
A convoy of trucks containing goods donated by various non-governmental and civil organisations from the North reached affected villages in the South yesterday. The trucks are delivering much needed emergency items to both Tamil and Sinhala villages affected by the recent floods.
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1987 killings still haunt Vakarai residents

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2003, 02:21 GMT]
Nearly sixteen years ago residents of Thonithandamadu village in Vakarai region in Batticaloa district were witness to gruesome killings when soldiers of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) shot, hacked to death and burnt the bodies of ten Tamil civilians. The memory still haunts the relatives of the victims and the residents of the impoverished village.
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Former PS chairman wounded

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 May 2003, 18:36 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen shot and wounded a former chairman of the Vaakarai Pradeshiya Sabha (local government institution), Mr.Samuel Pushparajah (40), around 8.30 p.m., Thursday, at Valaichenai, 32 km. north of Batticaloa.
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Damaged boats keep Indian fishermen trapped in Mannar

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 May 2003, 16:19 GMT]
Four Indian boatmen with their boats damaged during an earlier incident in mid-sea have been languishing in a weaving centre in Mannar for the last three months with no means to travel to South India. They have threatened to commit suicide if the authorities do not find a way to send them home immediately, sources said.
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LTTE’s political division cadre shot dead

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 May 2003, 16:18 GMT]
The body of a member of the Liberation Tigers’ political division in the Amparai district was found in a paddy field with gun shot wounds Thursday afternoon. LTTE officials said that Mr. Poovannan was abducted by unidentified gunmen Wednesday night from Karaithivu, 48 kilometres south of Batticaloa.
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TNA briefs foreign envoys on NE interim administration

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 May 2003, 15:57 GMT]
A delegation of the Tamil National Alliance Thursday told the American Ambassador for Sri Lanka Mr.Ashely Wills the urgency in setting up of an interim administration to rebuild the war ravaged northeast province and to rehabilitate the displaced families in their villages, TNA sources said.
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Flood relief convoy from North arrives Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 May 2003, 14:55 GMT]
A convoy of six lorries loaded with flood relief supplies valued at more than three million rupees sent by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) from north arrived Colombo Thursday, government sources said.
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Security strengthened in Batticaloa following killing

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 May 2003, 11:25 GMT]
Following the shooting death of Kumaraperumal Perinpam (38), alias 'Master,' a former member of Peoples Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), by unidentified gunman in Batticaloa Wednesday, security has been tightened in Batticaloa, military sources said.
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Tigers seek tangible response from Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 May 2003, 07:40 GMT]
“The Liberation Tigers will participate in the Tokyo aid summit scheduled for next month only if the Sri Lankan government response to our suggestions is concrete, trustworthy, honest and not based on verbal pledges regarding our proposal for the establishment of an interim administration in the northeast province” said Mr. S.P. Thamilselvan, head of the LTTE’s political division, addressing a press conference Thursday in Kilinochchi.
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Special Act to call fresh nominations for NE local polls

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 May 2003, 18:58 GMT]
The United National Front government Wednesday tabled a Local Government Elections Special Provision Act bill in parliament empowering the Commissioner General of Elections to call for fresh nominations to the fifty-three local government institutions in the Tamil dominated Northeast province.
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LTTE-Muslim leaders meet in Mutur

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 May 2003, 18:52 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and Mutur Majlis Al Shura Council Wednesday agreed to appoint an eight-member committee to resolve differences that arise between Tamils and Muslims in the Mutur area in future, sources in Mutur said.
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Batticaloa tense amid killing and grenade attacks

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 May 2003, 16:41 GMT]
Batticaloa town was tense Wednesday night as an operative of the Sri Lanka army’s military intelligence was shot dead while a grenade was also lobbed at the residence of Mr. Indrakumar Prasanna, secretary general of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO). The TELO is a constituent of the Tamil National Alliance.
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North to supply relief to flood victims in south

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 May 2003, 15:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has enlisted several Tamil social organizations in the northeast to collect dry ration, food items and other assistance that are deemed necessary to be supplied to victims in flood ravaged areas in the south of the country, government sources said.
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LTTE seeks premier's response on interim administration proposal

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 May 2003, 06:53 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) today called upon the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, to formally respond to proposals by its leader, Mr. Vellupillai Pirapaharan, for an interim administrative set-up in the Northeast. The LTTE’s comments were made in a letter by its chief negotiator, Mr. Anton Balasingham, to the Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Vidar Helgesen.
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Canadian High Commissioner concludes Trincomalee visit

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 May 2003, 06:39 GMT]
The Canadian High Commissioner for Sri Lanka Ms Valerie Raymond Monday commenced her Batticaloa tour, concluding her two-day visit to Trincomalee district Tuesday. She met Tamil and Muslim representatives in Trincomalee at the conclusion of her visit to east port town Tuesday evening held at the office of the Trincomalee District Development Association (TDDA). TDDA organised the discussion.
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SLA agrees to compensate Ketpali victims

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 May 2003, 00:05 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officials of the 55-4 brigade Tuesday agreed to pay compensation to residents of Ketpali village for the damage caused to their possessions by inebriated soldiers who ran amok during Vesak day. This follows an inquiry held by the Jaffna regional co-ordinator of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) of Sri Lanka Tuesday on complaints made by residents of Ketpali, a remote village close to Kilali where 55-4 brigade of the SLA is located, sources said.
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Two killed, thirteen injured in Jaffna vehicle accident

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2003, 20:39 GMT]
Two persons died and thirteen others seriously wounded when a passenger van from Punguduthivu, overturned around 2 p.m, Tuesday, when it was negotiating a bend at the Allaipitty army checkpoint, police said. Punguduthivu is an islet located about 30km from Jaffna town.
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More crimes committed in Jaffna -SSP

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2003, 20:34 GMT]
Jaffna district Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mr. Harold Anthony said at a press conference held Tuesday at his office that crime in the peninsula is on the increase and a special police team has been assigned to arrest the trend. Officers in charge of all police stations in the Jaffna district participated at the press conference, sources said.
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TNA delegation meets LTTE leadership in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2003, 14:30 GMT]
A Tamil National Alliance delegation led by its parliamentary group leader, Mr.R.Sampanthan, Tuesday held discussion with the LTTE’s political head, Mr.S.P.Thamilselvan, regarding the possibility of the resumption of peace talks with the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE.
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Valikamam north IDPs picket demanding resettlement

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2003, 14:24 GMT]
Hundreds of internally displaced families of Valikamam north Tuesday held a two hour picketing campaign in front of the Jaffna district secretariat, demanding that they should be allowed to resettle in their lands occupied by the Sri Lanka Army.
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Jaffna Protesters demand permission to resettle

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2003, 11:08 GMT]
Valikamam North residents should jointly support and participate in the protest to be held today in front of Jaffna secretariat demanding permission to resettle in their homes that lie within the High Security Zone (HSZ) demarcated by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), said Maavai Senathirajah, Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian in an appeal to residents in Jaffna, local press reports said.
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Elderly couple injured in Batticaloa grenade attack

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2003, 02:19 GMT]
Thambipillai Tharmalingam (68) and his wife Kirupairajah Ariyavathi (65) were injured when unknown assailants lobbed a grenade inside their house in Settukudah 2km west of Batticaloa town at 8.40pm Monday, police sources said. Both have been admitted to the Batticaloa Teaching hospital, medical sources said.
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TNA delegation meets Helgessen, Wickremesinghe

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2003, 00:06 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation met with Norwegian deputy foreign minister Mr. Vidar Helgessen and the Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe separately Monday and held discussions regarding resumption of peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), political sources in Colombo said.
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Sri Lanka's Canadian High Commissioner begins Eastern tour

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2003, 16:06 GMT]
In Commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of diplomatic relationships between Sri Lanka and Canada, the Canadian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Ms. Valerie Raymond, arrived in Trincomalee Monday, beginning a six-day tour of the Eastern province, sources said.
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Norwegian Govt. donates Rs.95m to flood relief

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2003, 13:26 GMT]
After accompanying the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on his tour to flood affected Ratnapura and Matara, the Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen and Ambassador Hans Brattskar announced that the Norwegian Government has decided to donate Rs.95m for emergency flood relief, a press release from the Norwegian embassy in Colombo said today.
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German aid for injecting more cash into Jaffna economy

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2003, 10:20 GMT]
The Sri Lankan state run the People’s Bank has launched a programme to make ready cash available to entrepreneurs in the Northern Province with the assistance of German government-supported Rural Banking Innovations Project (RBIP), a press note by German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Monday. Speaking about the project, Mr. Sivapathaviruthayar, Regional Manager of the People’s Bank Jaffna, said: “We all know what the entrepreneurs in Jaffna need most is money to set up their business."
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Paramilitary operative killed in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2003, 09:43 GMT]
A member of Razeek Group, a paramilitary operating with the Sri Lanka army in Batticaloa was shot and mortally wounded by unidentified an unidentified gunman in a suburb of the eastern town Monday around 1 p.m. Police sources said. The Razeek Group operative was at a hairdresser’s saloon in Puthur, a high security zone suburb of Batticaloa when he was shot at, according to them.
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Sri Lanka hit by worst floods in fifty years

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2003, 00:39 GMT]
At least one hundred thousand families were rendered homeless and about one hundred and fifty people died in flood and earthslip following continuous torrential rain now the country is experiencing. Five districts in the down south of the island Ratnapura, Kalutara, Galle, Hambantota and Matara have been badly affected by the floods, government sources said Sunday.
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SLA bike patrols horrify Vadamaradchy residents

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2003, 00:28 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has resumed its ' field bike group ' patrolling in several parts of the Vadamarachchi division in Jaffna district causing fear among Tamil people. The field bike group patrolling of the SLA was stopped with the signing of the ceasefire agreement between the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), civil sources said.
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Death toll in Sri Lanka floods reaches 150

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 May 2003, 19:53 GMT]
Flash floods and mudslides in southern and south-central region of Sri Lanka have killed nearly 150 people, said government officials in Colombo. The flood disaster is the worst seen in more than 50 years since independence, officials added.
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Election alliances harmful to upcountry leadership - UPF

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 May 2003, 14:08 GMT]
"In other parts of the world, ruling governments fear the leaders of labor unions that determine the economic welfare of the country more than they do opposing politicians. In Sri Lanka, since the Upcountry leadership have traditionally worked in consort with the ruling parties upcountry people are denied the respect and power enjoyed by the Muslim or Northeast leadership," said M. Sivalingam, Secretary General of Upcountry Peoples Front (UPF), addressing the opening ceremony at Ragala Labor Union Building, upcountry press reports said.
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Mallakam residents picket against new SLA camps

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 May 2003, 12:18 GMT]
Hundreds of residents of Mallakam area, north of Jaffna district Sunday held a two hour picketing campaign from 9 to 11in the morning protesting against the establishment of two new camps of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), one in the Mallakam court complex and the other in the abandoned railway station building. However, the construction work on the new camps is continuing, sources said.
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Protest against closure of schools in HSZ

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 May 2003, 03:23 GMT]
Students and parents of six schools located in the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) demarcated High Security Zone (HSZ) in the Thenmaradchy in Jaffna peninsula are planning to protest against the closure of their schools, press reports in Jaffna said.
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Vesak Massacre remembered in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 May 2003, 18:19 GMT]
In Aayiththiyamalai, a village in the district’s interior, 16 kilometres west of the eastern town, a special service was held Saturday at the local church for ten orphans who were massacred by Sri Lanka army soldiers and Policemen during the Vesak festival in Batticaloa town three years ago on 17 May. Sri Lankan armed forces, however, celebrated Vesak, the annual Buddhist light festival as usual in Batticaloa this week.
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LTTE, SLA hold discussions in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 May 2003, 17:10 GMT]
A three-hour discussion was held at the office of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Jaffna Saturday afternoon between the representatives of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in the presence of the head of SMM Jaffna, sources said.
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LTTE office escapes damage as grenade fails to explode

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 May 2003, 13:14 GMT]
A grenade was thrown at the main entrance to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) administrative office in Thamaraikerni in Batticaloa district at 2.10pm Saturday. The 15 year old, J.R type grenade, generally used by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), failed to explode and no one was injured, security sources said.
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Helgessen on shuttle diplomacy to end talks impasse

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 May 2003, 12:46 GMT]
Norwegian delegation led by deputy foreign minister Mr. Vidar Helgessen held about two hour talks with the leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Saturday afternoon at Killinochchi peace secretariat. He briefed the LTTE leaders on the outcome of the talks he had with the government peace negotiators about the requests by the LTTE leader Mr.V.Pirapaharan made during the discussion with the Norwegian foreign minister Mr.Jan Petersen, Vanni sources said.
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Sri Lanka's govt. abandons Trinco coal power plant project

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 May 2003, 12:39 GMT]
The United National Front (UNF) Government has abandoned the proposal to construct a thermal coal power plant in Trincomalee following strong protests by environmentalists and the people of Trincomalee. The 300 megawatt plant is now planned for construction in Hambantota, deep south of the island, power and energy ministry sources said.
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Work resumes at port as SLA withdraws trawler restriction

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2003, 16:40 GMT]
Unloading work in the Point Pedro harbour in the Jaffna district returned to normalcy Friday evening when the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) temporarily withdrew its restriction following a boycott campaign launched by the workers, sources said.
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Sri Lanka's PM leaves for India amid political crisis

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2003, 16:21 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe left Friday morning to Cochin in South India on a private visit while his senior peace negotiators began discussions with the Norwegian delegation led by deputy foreign minister Mr. Vidar Helgessen to explore ways to resolve the present crisis following the temporary withdrawal by the LTTE from peace talks, political sources in Colombo said.
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Tamil Education Board opens branch in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2003, 14:03 GMT]
The Jaffna district branch of the Thamileelam Educational Development Board (TEDB) was opened Friday morning at the Jaffna district zonal education office at an event presided over by Professor Shanmugathas of the University of Jaffna, who said that the opening of the TEDB branch was a timely step taken and it would give a boost to the educational development of the peninsula, sources said.
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Colombo launches stopgap measure in north

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2003, 12:34 GMT]
A military officer appointed by Colombo to assess the number of houses and properties occupied by the Sri Lanka army (SLA) in Jaffna began work Friday, according to SLA sources. The officer, Lt. Col. M. G. Ratnayake, who was appointed to the position Wednesday by Colombo, will receive applications from civilians in Jaffna whose homes and lands are still occupied by the military, the sources said. The stopgap measure to get the stalled peace talks back on track by Colombo got lukewarm reception in the northern town.
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CPA holds peace-arts festival in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2003, 11:43 GMT]
A three-day arts festival of the Centre for Performing Arts (CPA) inaugurated in Jaffna Wednesday is to conclude Friday evening. "The arts festival, the first event of its kind to take place in Jaffna, represents a bold, path-breaking move for CPA in its work for peace through creative arts," said a spokesman of the CPA.
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‘SARS patient’ died of pneumonia – state media

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2003, 09:27 GMT]
The suspected SARS patient who died in Jaffna hospital Wednesday morning was suffering from pneumonia, Sri Lankan state media reported Friday. “This patient is believed to have died of a typical pneumonia with secondary infection,” the Daily News quoted a ‘senior health official’ as saying.
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Peace mission brings Gujarati cyclist to Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2003, 01:52 GMT]
S. Kumar Soni (30), an Indian citizen from Gujarat, currently on a world cycle tour promoting peace, arrived in Batticaloa today, sources in Batticaloa said.
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Norwegian FM sees mine menace in Iyakkachchi

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2003, 00:20 GMT]
Norwegian Foreign Minister Mr. Jan Peterson, who visited Kilinochchi Thursday to meet the leader of the Liberation Tigers, held discussions with senior officials of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) about issues hindering the restoration of normalcy in the war torn northeast. Following the brief meeting with TRO officials, the Norwegian FM and his deputy along with diplomats accompanying them visited places in Iyakkachchi a mine infested region in Jaffna’s southern sector held by the LTTE.
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Tigers say Colombo should implement talks’ decisions

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 May 2003, 11:12 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers will not participate in peace negotiations with the Sri Lankan government until Colombo implements decisions taken at six rounds of talks since last year, Mr. Velupillai Pirapaharan, the leader of the LTTE told Norway’s Foreign Minister Mr. Jan Peterson during a crucial meeting in Kilinochchi Thursday. Col. Karuna and Col. Pathuman, the commanders of the LTTE’s Southern Front Forces and the head of the political division Mr. S. P Thamilselvan were associated with Mr. Pirapaharan at the discussion with the Norwegian FM.
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Self-employment training center opened in Vakarai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 May 2003, 01:39 GMT]
"Our senior commander Karuna is determined to organize development projects that would provide immediate self-employment and economic benefits to our people living in war affected areas. This sewing training center is being opened on his direction," said LTTE military commander of Aandan Kulam, V. Regi, opening the Lt. Chandra Training center in Kandaladi, Vakarai, Wednesday, said sources.
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Sri Lanka's deepening constitutional crisis

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 May 2003, 00:19 GMT]
President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge Wednesday rejected a request made by the Prime Minister to reconsider her decision of taking over the Development Lottery Board (DLB), a subject that comes under a senior minister of the United National Front government Mr.Milinda Morogoda, political sources in Colombo said.
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Suspected SARS patient dies in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 May 2003, 00:05 GMT]
A young woman who was suspected to be suffering from symptoms akin to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) died at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital (JTH) Wednesday morning, medical sources in the northern town said.
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Constitutional crisis bound to disturb peace process-Bishops

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 May 2003, 16:38 GMT]
The Catholic Bishop Conference of Sri Lanka in a statement issued Wednesday expressed “profound disappointment” over the present political situation especially about the current standoff between Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister and President over the latter’s decision to take over a ministry amid objections and protests by the ruling party.
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LTTE,TNA spell out basis for Tokyo meet participation

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 May 2003, 10:55 GMT]
“The LTTE is of the view that before it participates in the Tokyo Aid Conference currently fixed for 9th and 10th June, the administrative, financial and other structures with adequate powers need to be established in order to reconstruct the northeast and to rehabilitate and restore normal civilian life in the northeast province”, said the Tamil National Alliance in a press release issued Wednesday on the outcome of the talks its delegation had with the LTTE political leadership on Tuesday in Killinochchi.
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HDU sounds alarm on removal of ‘safety fences’

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 May 2003, 10:01 GMT]
Humanitarian De-mining Unit (HDU) officials in Kilinochchi said Wednesday that an NGO operating in the Vanni had created a dangerous precedent when it recently removed fences demarcating areas infested with mines and unexploded ordnance in Sannaar, on the northern coastal sector of the Mannar district. “The NGO had apparently removed the demarcating fences to show that the Sannar area is safe for rehabilitation work”, the HDU officials said. The HDU is an arm of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO).
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Arrest warrant on SLMC minister

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 May 2003, 02:25 GMT]
The Batticaloa magistrate issued an arrest warrant on Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Mr. Mohideen Abdul Cader, Tuesday for failing to appear in court on four consecutive hearings for a case in which he stands accused of fraud. Mr. Cader is a senior leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), the main coalition partner of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government.
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EPDP's security strengthened

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 May 2003, 00:49 GMT]
The security at the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) office in Batticaloa district has been strengthened with effect from Tuesday, said Batticaloa district EPDP leader, Paraneetharan Pratheepan. Number of Police officers in permanent security duty has been increased from 6 to 8, he added.
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UNICEF donates eye-glasses to Trincomalee students

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 May 2003, 00:29 GMT]
The North East Provincial Ministry of Education with the financial assistance by the UNICEF Tuesday distributed eye-glasses to students with impaired vision at an event held at Trincomalee St.Joseph's College hall Tuesday, sources said. UNICEF Trincomalee representative Ms Gabriella Elroy handed over the eye-glasses to students.
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Tamil journalist receives death threat

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 May 2003, 00:02 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance (SLTMA) has brought to the notice of several world media organizations the death threat issued by an anonymous caller to a former president of SLMTA and senior journalist, Mr.V.Manikavasagam, and appealed for help in ensuring his safety, media sources said.
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SARS suspicion causes panic in Jaffna hospital

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 May 2003, 20:17 GMT]
A young woman suffering from symptoms akin to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome was diagnosed at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital (JTH) Tuesday, medical sources in the northern town said. Dr. Krishnenthiran, a medical officer at the JTH, said that a 22 year old girl from Chavakachcheri who was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the JTH is suspected of being infected with the SARS virus. The matter has not been thoroughly confirmed so far, according to him.
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SLA's night trawler ban provokes protests in Pt.Pedro

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 May 2003, 17:02 GMT]
Unloading of cargo from merchant vessels in Point Pedro harbour came to a standstill on Tuesday due to the boycott by the owners of trawlers. The owners have launched the boycott protesting against the order by the 524 Brigade commander of the Sri Lanka Army that trawlers will not be allowed to anchor in the jetty during nights, sources said.
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US diplomat cancels Trincomalee visit

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 May 2003, 14:27 GMT]
The Assistant Secretary of State in the US government Ms Christina Rocca cancelled her visit to Trincomalee due to inclement weather, diplomatic sources said. On her two-day visit to Sri Lanka, Ms. Rocca was scheduled to visit Trincomalee Tuesday to hold talks with Sri Lanka navy officials in the east port town in addition to a luncheon discussion with selected leading citizens of the area at a tourist resort in Nilaveli, sources said.
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Eight PLOTE cadres injured in grenade attack

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 May 2003, 14:20 GMT]
Eight cadres of the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam, a Tamil paramilitary group, were wounded when unidentified persons lobbed a grenade at them in front of their office in Batticaloa town Tuesday around 6.20 p.m. Sri Lanka Police in the eastern town said.
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Kumaratunge acted contrary to constitution - Peiris

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 May 2003, 13:55 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s United National Front government Tuesday said the taking over of the Development Lottery Board that comes under a minister in the UNF cabinet by President Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunge is contrary to the constitution of Sri Lanka.
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HRC helps owner reclaim boat from SLA

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 May 2003, 11:23 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Monday handed over a fishing boat to its legal owner Ms. Jeyanes Rosemalar in the presence of the Jaffna co-ordinator of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRC) following the intervention by the HRC on behalf of the complainant, sources said.
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Valvettiturai fishermen complain of harassment by SLA

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 May 2003, 02:58 GMT]
Jaffna fisheries federation (JFF) officials Monday accused the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) for concocting stories of recovering fishing boats with explosives in the Valvettithurai seacoast with the intention of harassing Tamil fishermen. Valvettiturai Fisheries Society officials further accused the SLA for launching a mischievous campaign to prevent fishermen from going to sea for their livelihood, security sources said.
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DLB controversy sparks constitutional crisis in Colombo

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2003, 10:52 GMT]
The constitutional crisis between the legislature and the executive branches of the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) regarding the take over of the administration of the Development Lottery Board (DLB) took a new turn Monday when Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge issued a directive to the GoSL Printer Mr. Neville Nanayakkara to print the extra ordinary gazette notification sent by her on Thursday, political sources in Colombo said.
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News in brief

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2003, 10:44 GMT]
Officials complain of school books replete with Spelling, Grammar, factual errors, more than 8,000 Sri Lanka Army soldiers desert their posts and Jaffna TRO contemplates filing rights case against Sri Lanka Government and security forces.
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Shooting in Ampara injures couple

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2003, 01:58 GMT]
Anthony Thevarajah (40) and his wife Francis Catherina of Sorikalmunai village near Kalmunai in Ampara district were injured when unknown assailants fired at them around 9pm Sunday, security sources said. The couple have been admitted to the Batticaloa teaching hospital and are undergoing surgery according to medical sources.
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TRO opens first divisional office in Muttur

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2003, 01:40 GMT]
The Trincomalee district branch of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) Sunday declared open its first divisional office at Chenaiyoor in the LTTE held Muttur east. On the opening day TRO gave Rs10,000 for relatives of each of the three Tamil youths killed in the recent Muttur riot as compensation, sources said.
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Pirapaharan felicitates Kumar's family

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2003, 00:28 GMT]
Velupillai Pirapaharan, leader of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) , awarded the 'Maamanithar' medal to Yogaluxmi Ponnambalam, wife of late Kumar Ponnambalam, in honor of her husband in a special function held in Kilinochchi, Sunday, sources said. Late Kumar's children, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, a lawyer and Tamil National Alliance (TNA)Parliamentarian, and Mirnalini Ponnambalam, a physician, accompanied their mother to the function.
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Colombo's response will determine Talks' future - Pathuman

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2003, 00:17 GMT]
"We will regain hope for peace if the response from the Sri Lanka government to our letter is positive and constructive," said the Trincomalee district commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Colonel Pathuman, Saturday evening at a passing out event held at LTTE controlled Ralkuli village in Muttur division where certificates were awarded to a group of LTTE cadres who qualified as junior officers after arms training, sources said.
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SLN attempts to block MP's visit to Mandativu

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 May 2003, 15:32 GMT]
M.K.Sivajilingam, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian who was on his way to meet residents of Mandativu, an islet close to Jaffna peninsula, was stopped at the Mandativu junction by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) personnel who attempted to prevent the Parliamentarian from proceeding further inland, sources said. After a long argument the SLN allowed the MP on condition that he returns to the Jaffna Peninsula within three hours.
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TNA, LTTE leadership to meet Tuesday

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 May 2003, 14:40 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has invited the parliamentarians of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) for a meeting at the LTTE's political head quarters in Kilinochchi Tuesday 10am, political sources in Vanni said.
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Balasingham ill, leaves for London - VoT

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 May 2003, 14:16 GMT]
Political advisor and leader of the peace delegation for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Mr. Anton Balasingham, suddenly fell ill in Kilinochchi and is on his way to London, Voice of Tigers (VoT) reported in its evening broadcast, Sunday.
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Education of 5000 children affected in Pallai region

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 May 2003, 12:22 GMT]
Three schools in Kilali, Allipallai and Muhamalai areas in Pallai region in Kilinochchi district cannot function in the original premises due to the occupation of school buildings by the Sri Lanka security forces, said Mr. Ariyaratnam, the Kilinochchi district Commissioner of Education.
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More HDU teams complete training

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 May 2003, 05:32 GMT]
A ceremony to mark the completion of training of four new teams of the Humanitarian De-mining Unit (HDU), each consisting of 60 members, was held Friday at the HDU’s headquarters in Paranthan, the HDU said in a press release.
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LTTE should enhance its military power – MP

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 May 2003, 00:09 GMT]
“The Liberation Tigers should enhance their military power. This is the only way to ensure our rights in this country. If war is thrust on us again, every Tamil, regardless of any differences, should join the ranks of the LTTE’s armed forces. That is the only way for us to survive as a people," said Mr. Ariyanayaham Chandra Nehru, Tamil National Alliance MP for Amparai, speaking at a seminar on the future of the peace process, organised by the East Lanka Journalists’ Association in Batticaloa town Saturday.
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Families of Vanni disappeared strapped in poverty

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2003, 10:43 GMT]
Families and relatives of 184 Tamils who disappeared after being arrested by Sri Lanka security forces between 1996 and 1998 while the forces occupied Kilinochchi, have not been given assistance by any Government authorities or any Humanitarian organizations and are living in abject poverty, sources in Kilinochchi said.
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Akashi expresses confidence in LTTE joining aid talks

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2003, 01:16 GMT]
Efforts to resolve the technical issues relating to administering North East Reconstruction Fund and to make the Subcommittee on Immediate Humanitarian and Rehabilitation Needs (SIHRN) more effective are underway to enable resumption of peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), said Japanese special peace envoy Mr.Yasushi Akashi Friday in a press conference in Kilinochchi.
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Chandrika strips lottery board admin responsibility from Morogoda

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2003, 00:49 GMT]
President Chandrika Kumaratunge Friday took over responsibility for the administration of the National Development Lottery Board that functioned under the Minister of Economic Reforms, Science and Technology Mr.Milinda Morogoda, a senior Minister in the United National Front (UNF) government using the executive power vested on her by the presidency, sources said.
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Court orders remand for two LTTE cadres

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2003, 00:27 GMT]
Trincomalee Magistrate Mr.S.Thiagendran Friday ordered remand till May 22 for two Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suspects who were produced on a report under Explosives and Weapons Ordinance by the Trincomalee Harbour Police, legal sources said.
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Pallai Co-op lost millions in year 2000

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 May 2003, 15:54 GMT]
During the war in 2000, the Pallai Multi-Purpose Co-operative Union (MPCU) had losses amounting to Rs. 11.2 million, and the damage to MPCU's headquarters, its wholesale store, associated rural bank and branch stores resulted in an additional loss of Rs. 10.9 million on consumer goods,buildings and furniture, sources said.
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SLRC celebrates World Red Cross day in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 May 2003, 11:23 GMT]
Sri Lanka Red Cross (SLRC) celebrated its work in helping the people affected by two decades of war in Northeast and other parts of Sri Lanka by holding several events in Batticaloa district on the World Red Cross Day, Thursday, sources in Batticaloa said.
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Nambiar delivers HSZ report to Lanka's PM

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 May 2003, 02:23 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremesinghe told parliament Thursday during the special debate in Sri Lanka parliament that the report submitted by a former Indian army official, Satish Nambiar, on high security zones in the northeast has been forwarded to the Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunge, parliamentary sources said.
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UNHCR assists Trincomalee needy through SLRC

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 May 2003, 01:57 GMT]
United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) through the Sri Lanka Red Cross (SLRC) in the Trincomalee district is providing free spectacles and other medical assistance to help the poor, said the officer in charge of the UNHCR in Trincomalee, Ms Rocelle Brown, when addressing an event in connection the World Red Cross Day.
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Forcible occupation of land no basis for harmony - BBC Sinhala service head

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 May 2003, 00:02 GMT]
Speaking at the South Asia Discussion Group of the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London Wednesday, Mr. Priyath Liyanage, head of Sandesiya, the BBC’s Sinhala service, said the “effort to avoid the involvement of the Tamil Tigers” in rehabilitation and development in the north raises the question of the other ulterior agendas by Colombo.
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AI slams US State Department rights report on Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2003, 19:04 GMT]
The Amnesty International Thursday criticised the US state department for putting out a biased human rights report on Sri Lanka for 2002. Mr. Jim McDonald, Sri Lanka Country Specialist, Amnesty International, U.S.A said Thursday that the US state department’s human rights report on Sri Lanka for 2002 made serious omissions relating to human rights violations committed by Sri Lankan armed forces.
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Colombo to take positive steps to resume talks with LTTE-Peiris

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2003, 16:37 GMT]
Sri Lanka's cabinet spokesman, Minister G.L.Peiris, said Thursday that the Sri Lanka government is in the process of taking positive steps to accelerate the resettlement of internally displaced and to strengthen the function of the Subcommittee on Immediate Humanitarian and Rehabilitation Needs(SIHRN) in an attempt to bring the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam back to the negotiating table.
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PA-JVP in final round of talks on agreement

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2003, 12:19 GMT]
The final round of talks between the People’s Alliance (PA) and the Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) are progressing satisfactorily and the parties expect to sign a memorandum of understanding end of the week, Mr. Wimal Weerawanse, the Propaganda Secretary and spokesman of the JVP said Thursday. The JVP says that Cease Fire Agreement and the basis of the peace talks between the Liberation Tigers and Colombo should be radically altered to nullify what it describes as “US new imperialist designs to destabilise India”.
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Norway delegation meets Balasingham, LTTE commanders

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2003, 11:45 GMT]
Norwegian delegation comprising special envoy, Eric Solheim, Norway's ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mr. Hans Brattskar, Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Tryggve Tellefsen, Second Secretary Tomas Stangeland and Advisor in the Foreing Ministry of Norway Ms Lisa Golden met with Mr. Anton Balasingham, Political Advisor and Leader of the Negotiating team of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, S.P. Thamilchelvan, Head of the LTTE political wing, Dr. Jay Maheswaran, LTTE commanders Col. Theepan, Col. Soosai, and Col. Banu this morning at the LTTE political head quarters in Kilinochchi.
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Lanka Parliament debates Wickremesinghe's statement on peace process

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2003, 11:16 GMT]
The special debate on the statement made by Sri Lanka's Prime Minister on the present state of peace process began Thursday morning in Sri Lankn parliament, parliamentary sources said. Mr.Lakshman Kadirgamar, foreign minister in the previous Peoples Alliance (PA) government opening the debate said the United National Front (UNF) government has converted the country as a playground for the foreigners by signing the ceasefire agreement with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, sources added.
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Bodies wash ashore in Mannar

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2003, 10:02 GMT]
Two bodies, suspected to be those of Indian fishermen or returning Tamil refugees, washed ashore in Mannar this week, district court sources in the northwestern island town said Thursday. A Sri Lanka army sentry near the Thallaady military base in Mannar detected one on 6 May and a civilian found the other in Talaimannar Wednesday.
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Akashi meets Pirapaharan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2003, 00:02 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Wednesday told the Japanese peace special envoy Mr Yasushi Akashi that they would consider his request to participate at the Aid Donor conference in Japan seriously if the Government of Sri Lanka took positive steps towards implementing decisions taken at six previous rounds of talks, sources in Vanni said.
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SLA camp relocation in NE premature-Chandrika

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 May 2003, 17:14 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge through her media spokesman Wednesday said she is opposed to the relocation of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camps from the present sites without reaching agreements with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on core issues, sources in Colombo said.
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SLA will relocate 152 military units in NE - Marapone

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 May 2003, 16:56 GMT]
Sri Lanka's defence minister Mr.Tilak Marapone Wednesday said his government has decided to relocate about one hundred fifty two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) units in the northeast province and the relocation would take place in a manner that will not endanger the national security of the country, sources said.
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LTTE's participation in Tokyo meeting crucial for peace process - Solheim

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 May 2003, 12:03 GMT]
“Participation of the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the International Aid conference to be held in Tokyo next month is crucial for obtaining much needed funds to develop both LTTE controlled areas in the Northeast and Sri Lanka south. If the LTTE fails to attend, international community will be reluctant to commit funds. Further, it will also be a setback to the peace process,” said Norway’s special emissary Eric Solheim in Vavuniya today.
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Japanese peace envoy in Killinochchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 May 2003, 10:59 GMT]
The Japanese special peace envoy Mr.Yasushi Akashi arrived Killinochchi Wednesday morning by a special helicopter of the Sri Lanka Air Force to meet leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and was received by deputy political secretary of the LTTE Mr.S.Thangan, sources in Vanni said.
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Rehabilitate Northeast before 'Regaining' Sri Lanka - NGOs

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 May 2003, 00:05 GMT]
The Chairman of the Consortium of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Trincomalee, Mr.T.Thavasilingam, speaking at a discussion held Tuesday in Trincomalee attended by representatives of provincial trade unions, said that there was an urgent need for rehabilitating all infrastructure destroyed in the twenty-year-old war in the northeast province simultaneously with the resettlement of internally displaced persons.
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Lankan PM's statement on peace process to be debated

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 May 2003, 17:10 GMT]
A full day debate on the Sri Lanka's Prime Minister's statement made Tuesday in parliament regarding the current situation of the peace process will be held Thursday from 10 a.m. till 6.30 p.m. This was decided at a conference held Tuesday at the meeting of the leaders of the political parties which are represented in parliament. Speaker Mr.Joseph Michael Perera presided the meeting, sources said.
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General Satish Nambiar arrives in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 May 2003, 17:02 GMT]
Retired Indian army general Satish Nambiar arrived in Colombo Tuesday afternoon from Madurai in South India by Indian Airlines, sources in Colombo said.
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Akashi visits Muttur, Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 May 2003, 10:48 GMT]
Japan’s special envoy to Sri Lanka, Mr. Yashushi Akashi held discussions with Tamils and Muslims in Muttur and with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission and the Peace Committee in Batticaloa Tuesday. The discussions were largely focussed on recent developments in the east affecting the peace process, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) officials in Batticaloa said. SLMC leader, Mr. Rauff Hakeem, accompanied Mr. Akashi.
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Paramilitary operative wounded in grenade blast

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 May 2003, 09:16 GMT]
An operative of the paramilitary, Razeek Group, was wounded in a grenade attack Monday night in Batticaloa town, Police said. The wounded operative is employed as a soldier of the Sri Lanka army’s National Guard (SLNG). Unidentified persons who lobbed the grenade at the soldier had got away, Police said. The Razeek Group worked with the SLA in operations against the Liberation Tigers in the eastern district.
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Gopalapuram LTTE war memorial opened

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 May 2003, 03:19 GMT]
The war memorial constructed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) at Gopalapuram junction in the village of Nilaveli, about sixteen km north of Trincomalee town in memory of LTTE cadres who died in a mid-sea mishap in 1990 was declared open Monday evening, sources said.
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Peace facilitators strive to restart peace talks

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 May 2003, 02:57 GMT]
The political advisor of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Mr.Anton Balasingham arrived Killinochchi Monday via Katunayake international airport after having discussions with Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Vidar Helgessen in Colombo Monday morning, diplomatic sources said.
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Civilians picket garrison work outside Jaffna Fort

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2003, 10:29 GMT]
Hundreds of civilians Monday morning picketed the entrance of Jaffna Fort preventing Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and Police from clearing the area outside the Jaffna fort in preparation for relocating the Jaffna garrison of the SLA. The Jaffna District Peoples Organizations and Jaffna University Students Union organized the picketing campaign, sources said.
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TNA parliamentarians address Muslims in Pulmoddai

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2003, 02:25 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan addressing a meeting at Pulmoddai, a traditional Muslim village about 70km north of Trincomalee district, Saturday said that a lasting political solution could be found for the northeast problem only by ensuring equal rights and privileges to Muslims living in the province.
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Trinco Rotary celebrates 24th Charter Day

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2003, 00:05 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s District Governor and Deputy Secretary to the Treasury of the Sri Lankan government, Mr.N. Pathmanathan appeared as the chief guest at the Trincomalee Rotary Club's twenty fourth Charter Day celebrations. The chief guest described the Trinco Rotary Club as a leader in the rehabilitation, relief, resettlement and reconstruction efforts in the war torn district, sources attending the event said.
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TRO donates clothes to Aligambay resettlers

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 May 2003, 18:58 GMT]
The Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) on Friday donated clothes to the resettled people in the village of Aligambay, in the Thirukovil secretariat division in the Ampara district, TRO officials said.
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Peace talks, security situation to be debated in parliament

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 May 2003, 18:09 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe is to make a special statement on the peace talks and the current security situation of the country in parliament on May 6. A full debate on PM's statement will be followed thereafter, parliamentary sources said.
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GA demands action to improve Kilinochchi postal service

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 May 2003, 15:20 GMT]
Mail is not delivered to a third of the families in the Kilinochchi district, even a half-mile beyond the Kilinochchi town, and immediate action is needed to restore mail delivery, the district’s government agent (GA), Mr. T. Rasanayakam, told Sri Lanka’s Minister for Mass Communication, Mr. Imtiaz Bakeer Markar, at a meeting held at the Vavuniya secretariat, sources said.
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Displaced villagers struggle to revive Thennamaravadi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 May 2003, 11:58 GMT]
A group of displaced Thennamaravadi villagers trekked through jungles Saturday morning to visit their abandoned traditional Tamil village about seventy two km north of Trincomalee district and reported that the entire village had been destroyed and remnants of all civilian homes, school buildings and Pilliayar temple are overgrown with shrub jungles, sources said.
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Norwegian, Japanese peace facilitators arrive in Colombo

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 May 2003, 11:50 GMT]
Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Vidar Helgessen with his special emissary Mr. Erik Solheim and Japanese special peace envoy Mr.Yasushi Akashi arrived Colombo Sunday early morning separately to initiate talks with the leadership of the United National Front (UNF) government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on the resumption of temporarily stalled peace process, political sources said.
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SLMM head meets Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2003, 19:37 GMT]
Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) head Major General (retired) Tryggve Tellefsen met with Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) head of the political section Thamilchelvan saturday afternoon at 2.45pm for three hours on issues related to avoiding future incidents at sea, locating High Security Zones (HSZ) within population centers in Jaffna and other matters, said sources in Vanni.
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Ex-EPDP Chairman shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2003, 17:44 GMT]
Former chairman of the Karaveddy south/west Pradeshiya Sabha (PS) Mr.Tharmarajah Jeyarajah was shot dead Saturday around 6 p.m. at Thumpalai Maniayakaran junction near Point Pedro by unidentified gunmen who came in a motorbike, police sources said.
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Meeting resolves to prevent communal unease in Musali

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2003, 13:07 GMT]
Representatives of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, the Catholic Church, the Liberation Tigers, Sri Lanka Police, several civil society groups and local community leaders met Saturday in Murunkan in the Mannar District to discuss measures to promote and cement Tamil, Muslim amity in the Musali region. Tension prevailed in the area last month following the murder of a Tamil farmer allegedly by a Muslim believed to be an ex home guard. Musali is in the southwestern part of mainland Mannar where Muslim refugees have been resettling and cultivating their lands since last year.
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Jaffna to get daily mail delivery

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2003, 11:42 GMT]
Imtiyaz Bakeer Markar, Minister of Communications, Government of Sri Lanka, is expected to ceremoniously open the Vavuniya Main Post Office renovated at a cost of Rs.3m at 9.30am tomorrow, sources in Vavuniya said. A modern communication center with e-mail, internet, and telephone facilities will also be opened in another event to be attended by the Lankan minister.
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Large peace demo in Mannar town

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2003, 09:40 GMT]
More than 3000 people demonstrated in support of peace in Mannar Saturday, demanding full implementation of the ceasefire agreement between Colombo and the Liberation Tigers. At the conclusion of the meeting, a memorandum was submitted to the additional government agent of Mannar. The memorandum states, among other things, that the Tamils and the LTTE have bitter experiences of being “deceived and hoodwinked in many previous peace talks” and that “in the circumstances it is not unreasonable on their part to adopt a policy of caution."
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Few in Jaffna get resettlement aid

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2003, 04:58 GMT]
Forty thousand families in the Jaffna have applied to the Government Agent for assistance to resettle in their homes in the war ravaged northern peninsula, a senior official said. “Although eight percent of the Jaffna district population is in dire need of material and financial support to rebuild their homes destroyed or damaged in the war, we got funds to make part payments to only to 4112 families after January this year," he said.
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Mannar farmers said facing ruin

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2003, 00:10 GMT]
“Mannar rice farmers are facing ruin for they cannot market their produce. Each farmer will have to lose more than 9000 rupees per acre (92 USD) of paddy if they do not find means to market their rice at reasonable prices”, Mr. Seemanpillai Soundiranayagam, President of the Federation of Farmers’ Associations of Mannar told Tamilnet Friday. The district saw its first good harvest in 13 years this season following the lifting of draconian Sri Lanka army restrictions on fuel, fertilisers, irrigation and transport of rice last year.
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MP denies embezzling legal aid, wants museum in Jaffna Fort

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 May 2003, 11:40 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) take steps to transform the Jaffna fort into a museum, said northern Parliamentarian Mr. M. K Sivajilingam, speaking to the press Friday. He said the TNA will strongly oppose any move by the SLA to build a camp in the Jaffna fort. Mr. Sivajilingam denied reports that he had misused assistance sent by well wishers in England to needy families of Tamil political prisoners in Sri Lanka’s Kalutara prison. Controversy surrounds allegations in the Tamil press that lawyers had embezzled monies collected and sent from UK for the welfare of Kalutara prisoners.
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Balasingham denies ‘irresponsible’ reports on Premier’s letter

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 May 2003, 10:54 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers’ Chief Negotiator and Political Advisor, Mr. Anton Balasingham, Friday flatly denied press reports that he had dismissed Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s response to the LTTE’s letter outlining its reasons for suspending Norwegian facilitated peace talks. Speaking to TamilNet on Friday, Mr. Balasingham described the reports in the Daily Mirror and Gulf News as “irresponsible journalism” based on “pure conjecture.”
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'Hinduism Sri Lanka’s oldest religion' – Ranil

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 May 2003, 08:24 GMT]
Inaugurating the Second World Hindu Conference in Colombo Friday, Prime Minister (PM) Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe said that Hinduism is the oldest religion practiced in Sri Lanka and that it played a great role developing the island’s culture. Hundreds of Hindu and other religious scholars and clergy gathered under the aegis of Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Hindu Affairs for a five day conference on Hinduism.
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Appointing Sinhala staff to Tamil schools must stop-CTTU

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 May 2003, 03:05 GMT]
The Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union (CTTU) Thursday appealed to the government not to post Sinhala principals, teachers and non-academic staff to Tamil medium schools outside the northeast province. A resolution to this effect was adopted at the May Day meeting held Thursday in Trincomalee by the CTTU, sources said.
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PTA-ER detainee discharged

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 May 2003, 02:10 GMT]
The East High Court Judge Mr.S.Paramarajah Wednesday discharged an accused who had been indicted in two cases one under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and another under Emergency Regulation (ER) when the prosecution withdrew the indictments on the instruction of the Attorney General, legal sources said.
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North East celebrates May Day

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 May 2003, 01:05 GMT]
A four page joint statement declaring that a political solution should be found on the basis of a self-rule with self-determination to the Tamil national question was released at the combined May Day rally organized by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union (CTTU), and several civil organizations held in Jaffna Central College grounds Thursday evening, sources in Jaffna said.
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‘Sri Lanka subjugated by US new imperialism’ – JVP

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 May 2003, 00:05 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s opposition Thursday charged that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government was taking away workers’ rights under cover of the peace process. Opposition leader, Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksha, addressing the People’s Alliance May Day rally at Campbell Park in Colombo, said hard won rights of workers in Sri Lanka are being sacrificed to a ‘new-imperialism’. The Janata Vimukthi Peramuna’s (JVP) in its May Day rally in another part of Colombo city accused the ruling United National Front (UNF) of surrendering the country to “western imperialism led by the USA”.
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New HSZ location not compatible with CFA - Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 May 2003, 16:10 GMT]
In a letter addressed to Mr. Austin Fernando, secretary to the Ministry of Defence in Sri Lanka, Mr. S.P. Thamilchelvan, head of the political section of the LTTE, expressed LTTE's dismay at SLA's new proposal to relocate the High Security Zone (HSZ) within Jaffna town. He further requested early action to move the military complexes from densely populated areas.
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Repairs to Giant’s Tank after two decades’ neglect

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 May 2003, 12:33 GMT]
Repair work on the long neglected Giant’s Tank (reservoir) in Mannar began Thursday under the World Bank North East Integrated Agricultural Project (NEIAP). The ancient reservoir feeds 160 minor irrigation tanks in mainland Mannar. The reservoir’s 10 sluice gates were opened Thursday to drain its waters for the repairs.
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Ratwatte security tightened - IGP

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 May 2003, 10:07 GMT]
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr.T.E.Anandarajah, Wednesday informed the Justice Ministry that the security of the former Deputy Defence Minister General Ratwatte has been strengthened following the court instruction, police said.
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World Bank funded NEIAP lauds TRO's contribution

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 May 2003, 09:31 GMT]
In a press release issued Wednesday, officials of the World Bank funded North East Irrigated Agricultural Project (NEIAP) Wednesday commended the contribution of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) in expediting the implementation of agricultural developments projects in Mullaitivu district in the Vanni region of the northeast province.
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Colombo optimistic of LTTE participation in peace talks

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 May 2003, 00:10 GMT]
The United National Front government of Sri Lanka Wednesday expressed optimism that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam would participate in the Aid Donors' Summit, which is scheduled to be held in the first week of June in Tokyo, Japan.
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