Trinco education project launched for resettled students

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 February 2004, 22:43 GMT]
The Trincomalee Children Welfare Fund (TCWF), with the financial assistance from a group of Trincomalee Tamils domiciled in Canada, has launched a special education development project for students of displaced Tamil families who have been resettled in Tamil villages in the district.
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Southern political forces fear TNA's strength - Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 February 2004, 20:30 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader and the lead candidate of the party in the Trincomalee electoral district, Mr.R.Sampanthan, said that southern political forces are jittery that the TNA would be returned with about twenty seats to the new parliament in the April polls as a kingmaker, addressing TNA activists Sunday morning at the Hindu Cultural Hall in the eastern port town.
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TNA manifesto to be released shortly

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 February 2004, 20:22 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance is to release its election manifesto for the forthcoming general election during this week. It is under preparation, said the TNA leader and the party's lead candidate in the Trincomalee district, Mr.R.Sampanthan, Sunday.
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LTTE official criticizes child rights double standards

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 February 2004, 15:51 GMT]
"More than twenty five thousand Tamil children, from a three month old infant to eighteen years old youth, were killed in massacres and murders during the two decades of war against our people. No one raised their voice against it then. But today the Sri Lankan state and representatives of some foreign organizations are accusing us of violating children’s rights. You should understand the politics behind this crass hypocrisy," said Mr. S. Elilan, the head of the LTTE’s political division in Vavuniya addressing a function Sunday to gift equipment to the school in Othiyamalai in Mullaithivu.
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First incident of election violence in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 February 2004, 12:22 GMT]
Sri Lanka Police Sunday reported the first incident of election violence in the Batticaloa district. Assailants suspected to be supporters of a political party contesting the April polls to Sri Lanka's Parliament shot at a candidate of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's United National Front late Saturday night at his residence in Araiyampathy, a large, densely populated village 6 kilometres south of Batticaloa, Police in the eastern town said.
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US Rights report criticises GoSL and LTTE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 February 2004, 11:23 GMT]
Annual country report on Human Rights Practices for 2003, released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of the Government of United States of America, criticised both the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for human rights abuses. "...the military and police [of GoSL] reportedly tortured, killed and raped detainees...," and the "LTTE was responsible for arbitrary arrest, torture, harassment, disappearances, extortion, and detention," the report said.
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Vavuniya refugees affected by fire receive help

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 February 2004, 16:44 GMT]
More than 115 refugee families from the 6th Unit Poonthoddam camp lost all of their meagre possessions and are being assisted to relocate to empty areas in other parts of the camp, said K.Ganesh, the Government Agent (GA) of Vavuniya.
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Colombo appoints Police officer to deal with election violence

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 February 2004, 16:08 GMT]
Colombo appointed a senior Police officer to deal with election violence for the first time in Sri Lanka’s post independence history as more than 30 persons were reported injured in clashes between supporters and members of political parties campaigning for the 2 April polls to the island’s Parliament. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Mr. Jayantha Wickremaratna has been put in charge of the special desk for election violence at the Sri Lanka Police Headquarters in Colombo. The officer has been appointed in addition to the DIG who is normally in charge of elections.
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Clustered booths near SLA camps for Trinco voters - GA

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 February 2004, 14:26 GMT]
The Trincomalee District Government Agent (GA) and the Returning Officer Mr. Gamini Rodrigo said Saturday that clustered polling booths will be located in the no man zones close to the outer perimeter of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camps at Kattaiparichchan and Mihindupura enabling voters from Liberation Tigers controlled areas of Muttur east and Eachilampathu division in the Trincomalee district to exercise their franchise, sources said.
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Objection against TNA using HOUSE symbol rejected

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 February 2004, 13:38 GMT]
The Commissioner of Elections Mr Dayananda Dissanayake Friday rejected the objection made against the Tamil National Alliance contesting in the name of Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) and its election symbol "HOUSE," as the challenge was made after the closure of the nomination for the April 2nd general election, sources said.
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IGP to deploy Home Guards for NorthEast election duty

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 February 2004, 13:30 GMT]
"Home guards would be deployed to assist the police to maintain law and order during the election period in the northeast province, said the Inspector General of Police Mr.Indra de Silva, according to media sources.
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SLMC to launch election campaign Sunday

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 February 2004, 13:18 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, a constituent of the United National Front (UNF) alliance, is to launch its election campaign Sunday evening with a rally in Sammanthurai, a town in the Amparai district, SLMC sources said. The SLMC leader and a senior minister Mr.Rauff Hakim, is standing against the National Unity Alliance (NUA) leader Ms Ferial Ashraffat the forthcoming general election in Amparai.
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Glowing tribute paid to retiring principal Sister Madutheen

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 February 2004, 13:11 GMT]
Parents, students, leading citizens, educationists, politicians and peoples of all walks of life Saturday assembled at the Vavuniya-Irambaikulam Girls Maha Vidiyalayam to bid farewell to Sister M.M.Jude Madutheen who retired after serving fifteen years as Principal of the institution, sources in Vavuniya said.
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Missing Vadamaradchchi fisherman's body recovered

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 February 2004, 13:02 GMT]
The decomposed body of the missing Vadamarachchi fisherman Mr. Kanagaretnam Ratnam Sivanandam (31) was recovered Saturday morning by fellow fishermen floating in sea close to the Northern coastal area of Inparuty, fishries sources said. Sivanandan was reported missing since last Monday when a group of Indian poachers with swords attacked three Vadamarachchi fishermen while fishing in Sri Lankan waters.
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Tigers seek truce monitors' role to facilitate poll

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 February 2004, 11:43 GMT]
''The question of people from areas held by us voting in the elections involves arrangements by the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan armed forces. This is a ceasefire related matter. Therefore we feel that the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission has a role in working out modalities to help people in our areas vote at the general elections'' said Mr. S. P Thamilchelvan, head of the LTTE's political division speaking to journalists Saturday after meeting with the head of Sri Lanka truce monitoring mission in Kilinochchi.
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Vavuniya refugee camp on fire

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 February 2004, 08:31 GMT]
One of the main refugee camps in Vavuniya caught fire and is burning, Police in the northern border town said Saturday afternoon. The camp in the outer suburb of Poonthottam houses more than five hundred families that were displaced from villages north of Vavuniya due to Sri Lanka army operations.
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Vanni franchise issue awaits resolution

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 February 2004, 02:20 GMT]
91,864 Tamil voters residing in Vavuniya, Mannar and Mullaitivu adminstrative divisions comprising the Vanni electoral district live in areas controlled by Liberation Tigers (LTTE) and face the prospect of being denied their franchise if the Election Commisioner fails to provide a suitable arrangement to locate the polling booths in accessible areas, political sources said.
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Trinco Village level officers briefed on human rights

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 February 2004, 00:55 GMT]
The Legal Aid Foundation (LAF) of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka organized a one-day symposium for the Grama Niladhari (village level) Officers in the Trincomalee district to create awareness on human rights, human values and humanitarian law, civil society sources in Trincomalee The event was held in Krishnathasan Memorial Hall in Trincomalee.
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UNICEF's Chaiban opens Paediatric ward in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 February 2004, 21:44 GMT]
Country Director for UNICEF in Sri Lanka, Mr.Ted Chaiban, Friday opened the Isolation Unit of the Paediatric Ward in Vavuniya Hospital, health officials in Vavuniya said.
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SLMM head to meet LTTE leadership Saturday

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 February 2004, 18:11 GMT]
The head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, Major General (retd.) Trond Furuhovde, is to visit Kilinochchi Saturday to meet the political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan. This will be his first visit to Kilinochchi after he assumed office for the second time on February 1, SLMM sources said.
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Trader said missing in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 February 2004, 17:35 GMT]
Mr. Chandrasekaran Kamalasuthan, 25, a trader from Ilavalai in Jaffna, is reported to be missing since February 17, according to a complaint made by his wife at the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission in Jaffna, civil sources said.
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Human rights workshop for Jaffna police officials

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 February 2004, 17:26 GMT]
The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has been conducting a four-day workshop for police personnel in the Jaffna district on protecting human rights since Thursday. Senior police officials and officers in charge of police stations in the peninsula have been participating in the workshop, sources said.
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"UPFA firmly committed to political dialogue with LTTE"

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 February 2004, 12:39 GMT]
“Within a short time of the formation of the Freedom Alliance government President Kumaratunge will call for the recommencement of the peace talks with the LTTE and also propose time frames for solving the problems concerned," said the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) in a press release issued Friday in Colombo.
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Sri Lanka army donates wheelchairs to Jaffna disabled

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 February 2004, 11:40 GMT]
The Sri Lanka army’s 52-4 Brigade in Pt. Pedro Friday donated eleven wheelchairs to disabled persons in Jaffna. The SLA held a special function at the Vallipuram Temple near Pt. Pedro on Friday morning to mark the occasion. Addressing the function after donating the wheelchairs, Commander of the SLA’s 52-4 Brigade, Col. K. S Ratnayaka, said it was a goodwill gesture by the Sri Lankan military to foster better relations with the Tamil people.
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Tigers will campaign for TNA- Elilan

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 February 2004, 00:02 GMT]
"The Liberation Tigers decided today to campaign for the victory of the Tamil National Alliance. We felt that the 2004 election is a unique opportunity for the Tamil speaking people to express their political aspirations," said Mr. S. Elilan, the head of LTTE's political divison for Vavuniya, addressing the first campaign meeting of the TNA in the northern border town Thursday.
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USAID funds training center for war-affected women

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 February 2004, 16:41 GMT]
Regional Programme Manager of the USAID Ms.Brenda Barrett Thursday declared open a bi-lingual sewing training centre in the Trincomalee Government Technical College to assist war affected girls of three communities to find gainful employment. The project is financed by the USAID at an estimated cost of one million rupees, USAID sources said.
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UNF committed to achieve lasting peace - Wickremesinghe

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 February 2004, 16:09 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe launching the election campaign on behalf of the United National Front (UNF) Thursday evening at Kandy, appealed to the people to vote for the UNF which he said is committed to taking the peace process forward, political sources in Kandy said. Mr Wickremesinghe said that his new government would strengthen the existing ceasefire, rebuild the economy and achieve lasting peace by working towards a fair and just political solution to the ethnic conflict.
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Jaffna Muslims express solidarity with LTTE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 February 2004, 15:48 GMT]
"We accept the leader of Libertion Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Pirapaharan, as our leader. We are not in a position to accept the leadership of Rauf Hakeem from the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress," said Al Aleem Marleen, President of the Jaffna Muslims Peace Consortium speaking to reporters in Jaffna.
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UPFA prepared to talk to LTTE - Kumaratunge

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 February 2004, 13:44 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge Thursday afternoon launching the election campaign of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) at Anuradhapura said she is prepared to commence peace talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), according to an evening news bulletin of the State run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC). She, however, added that such talks should be held in an open manner, the news bulletin said.
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UNICEF assists Vavuniya health sector development

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 February 2004, 11:33 GMT]
UNICEF Resident Representative in Sri Lanka Mr. Ted Chaiban Thursday handed over 1,288,000 rupees worth fourteen motorbikes to the Deputy Provincial Director of Health Services (DPDHS) in the Vavuniya district to increase the mobility of health staff in the Vavuniya north division. These motorbikes would be given to fourteen public health inspectors to provide better health services to the war-affected people in the divisions, sources said.
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SLRC renovates Trinco welfare centres with UNHCR funds

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 February 2004, 17:06 GMT]
Trincomalee district branch of the Sri Lanka Red Cross (SLRC) is renovating four welfare centres in the Trincomalee district with one million rupees allocated by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Sri Lanka. The four welfare centres are located in Jinnah Nagar, Nilaveli, Periya Vilankulam and Namalwatte in the Trincomalee district, SLRC sources said.
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International community should protect Tamils right to vote - TNA

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 February 2004, 15:36 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) will appeal to the international community to exert pressure on the Sri Lankan government to ensure voters in the Liberation Tigers controlled areas in the northeast province to exercise their franchise in the forthcoming general election without any interruption, TNA's leader and former parliamentarian Mr. R.Sampanthan said in a meeting of TNA candidates in Trincomalee, sources said. Mr.Tilak, LTTE Trincomalee district political head also participated in the meeting.
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Protest continues, SLN to help locate missing fisherman

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 February 2004, 15:01 GMT]
Hundreds of Vadamarachchi fishermen did not go fishing for the third day and participated in a protest meeting held in the premises of Sakkottai St. Francis Xavier Church Wednesday morning condemning the recent attack on local fishermen by Indian poachers in the northern waters, fisheries sources said.
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UPFA, UNP to launch election campaign Thursday

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 February 2004, 14:48 GMT]
Two major Sinhala political parties, United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led by President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge and United National Party (UNP) led by Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe are to launch their election campaign with rallies scheduled to be held in Anuradhapura in the north central province and Kandy in central province on February 26 Thursday, political sources said.
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TNA, LTTE begin deliberations on manifesto

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 February 2004, 12:00 GMT]
Party leaders of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Liberation Tigers began deliberations on drafting the election manifesto of the TNA in Kilinochchi Tuesday. The meeting was adjourned in the afternoon for lunch. LTTE and TNA leaders said that the deliberation would continue later in the day and on Thursday.
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Serious consequences if Tamil voters’ rights are denied – Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 February 2004, 07:28 GMT]
"The consequences will be serious if the rights and wishes of our people are denied," said Mr. S.P Thamilchelvan, the head of the political division of the Liberation Tigers, responding to reports Wednesday that the Sri Lanka army will not allow the free movement of voters from areas held by the LTTE for polling on 2 April. "We discussed the matter with the Ambassador of Norway today. And we plan to take up the matter with the European Union too," Mr. Thamilchelvan said, speaking to journalists after meeting Norwegian Ambassador for Sri Lanka, Mr. Hans Brattskar, Wednesday.
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Protest against attack by Indian poachers

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 February 2004, 16:58 GMT]
Fishermen of Vadamaradchchi division in Jaffna district Tuesday did not go fishing in protest to the attack by a group of Indian poachers on local fishermen. Vadamaradchchi north fisheries federation sources said that it is organizing a mass protest against the attack on local fishermen by Indian poachers Wednesday..
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Colombo to decide on clustered booths in Trincomalee - GA

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 February 2004, 16:05 GMT]
Trincomalee District Government Agent and Returning Officer Mr. Gamini Rodrigo said Tuesday that he is considering locating clustered polling booths in no man zones to enable voters in the uncleared areas in the Trincomalee district to exercise their franchise, election officials in Trincomalee said.
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112 candidates from Ten political parties contest Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 February 2004, 15:47 GMT]
Trincomalee electoral district Returning Officer Mr. Gamini Rodrigo Tuesday accepted nomination lists from ten political parties and six independent groups that are presenting candidates to contest the forthcoming general election for four Trincomalee seats, political sources said.
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UNP, UPFA avoid Jaffna district

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 February 2004, 12:27 GMT]
The Returning Officer of the Jaffna electoral district Mr.S.Pathmanathan Tuesday accepted nomination lists from eight political parties and two independent groups to Contest the forthcoming general election fixed for 2 April, election department sources said.
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171 candidates vie for six Vanni seats

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 February 2004, 11:28 GMT]
Ten different registered parties and nine independent groups are presenting 171 candidates for the forthcoming elections in the Vanni district for six seats. In the last elections held in 2001, 207 candidates from 23 groups competed in Vanni, according to Vanni election offiicials.
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"Elections will strengthen LTTE's position" - Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 February 2004, 21:55 GMT]
"We openly state that the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is contesting the forthcoming general election on behalf of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)," said Tamil National Alliance lead candidate in Trincomalee district, Mr.R.Sampanthan, Monday evening when he addressed the first election seminar held at Hindu Cultural hall in the east port town, sources in Trincomalee said.
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Pt.Pedro fisherman attacked by Indian poachers, missing

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 February 2004, 18:32 GMT]
Kanagaretnam Ratnam Sivanandam (31), one of the three Jaffna fishermen who were alleged to have been attacked by a group of Indian poachers with swords in the northern sea Monday morning is reported to be missing. Two other fishermen, Sellathurai Selvarajah (41) and his son Selvarasa Selvamohan (17), have been admitted to the Point Pedro base hospital, fisheries sources said.
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UXO explosion kills one, injures two in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 February 2004, 18:07 GMT]
Vettivel Sivaloganathan, 37, a resident of Gurunagar, died on the spot and two others, Antony Prasanna (22) and S.Johnson (24), also of Gurunagar, sustained grievous injuries when a live artillery shell found abandoned in the Ariyalai-Nedunkulam area in the Jaffna town exploded Monday afternoon at about 12.35 p.m., police said.
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Ten groups compete in elections for Vanni district

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 February 2004, 10:26 GMT]
Vavuniya Government Agent (GA) and Vavuniya election officer, K.Ganesh, accepted nominations papers from three independent groups and seven different political parties for the Vanni electoral district comprising Vavuniya, Mannar and Mullaitivu districts, sources in Vavuniya said.
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TNA submits nomination lists for NE electoral districts

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 February 2004, 08:42 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Monday noon submitted its nominations for the five electoral districts, Jaffna, Vanni, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Amparai, in the Tamil dominated northeast province. TNA fielded its candidates in the name of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) and its election symbol "HOUSE". The ITAK last contested in the 1970 elections under the leadership of late Tamil leader Mr.S.J.V.Chelvanayakam ("Thanthai Chelva"), political sources said.
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"Ceasefire has failed to bring normalcy to Jaffna residents"

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 February 2004, 19:22 GMT]
The Jaffna District Humanitarian Agencies Consortium (JDHAC) Sunday handed over a memorandum to the head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Jaffna stating that normalcy has not returned to the lives of several thousand Tamil people including internally displaced in the peninsula even after two years of ceasefire, civil society sources said.
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SLA bans fishing in Thondamanaaru lagoon

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 February 2004, 19:17 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Sunday banned fishing in the Thondamanaru lagoon in the Jaffna district, fisheries sources said. Hundreds of fisher families residing in Kerudavil, Akkarai and Thondamanaru areas in Vadamaradchchi division have been badly affected by the ban, according to a complaint lodged at the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Jaffna.
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Wickremesinghe appeals for renewed mandate for peace

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 February 2004, 14:39 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremesinghe Sunday addressing the special convention of the United National Party (UNP) held at Colombo New Town hall appealed to the voters to give his coalition a fresh mandate with absolute majority that will enable him to take the peace process forward and to build a new nation in the next six years, political sources in Colombo said.
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Ronnie de Mel changes sides again

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 February 2004, 12:14 GMT]
Mr. Ronnie de Mel, Sri Lanka’s longest serving finance minister, crossed over to the United National Party (UNP) from President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s Sri Lanka Freedom Party, UNP officials in Colombo said Sunday. His wife Mallika de Mel, a former MP from the Matara district, also joined the UNP along with her husband.
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Sri Lanka Elections: News Brief

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 February 2004, 12:06 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) plans to submit nomination papers in the districts of NorthEast at the same time Monday noon, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress is to compete in Jaffna alone, Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission is exploring ways to help people in LTTE controlled areas to exercise their right to vote, EPDP and EPRLF (Varather faction) to contest jointly in Jaffna, and in Nuwara Eliya district Hill country Tamils to fight the elections in four fronts, popular Jaffna dailies Uthayan and Veerakesari reported in their Sunday Edition.
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Call for united vote to TNA in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 February 2004, 00:05 GMT]
The Federation of People’s Organizations (FPO) in Vavuniya, in a statement last week, has asked the public to vote for the policies of the Tamil National Alliance in order to gain maximum parliamentary representation for the Tamil people, to show the international community that the people are behind the TNA’s policies, and ultimately to find a lasting solution to the Tamil national question.
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Jaffna polling cards security issues discussed

[TamilNet, Saturday, 21 February 2004, 18:37 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Post Master General (PMG) Mr.K.A.Senadhira said Saturday that Jaffna district polling cards will be sent from Colombo by air. He made this announcement on his visit to Jaffna Saturday, postal department sources said.
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Gunmen shoot, rob jeweler in Chavakachcheri

[TamilNet, Saturday, 21 February 2004, 14:25 GMT]
Masked gunmen in military fatigues shot and wounded a jeweler in Chavakachcheri Saturday morning. A boy who was on the road at the time was also injured in the firing. Police said the gunmen had robbed the wounded jeweler of a bag of gold jewels he was carrying. The incident took place on Dutch Road in Chavakachcheri, a town heavily garrisoned by the Sri Lankan armed forces in Jaffna. The gunmen got away, Police said.
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Maheswaran nominated UNP candidate in Colombo

[TamilNet, Saturday, 21 February 2004, 14:06 GMT]
Mr. Thiyagarajah Maheswaran, former minister for Hindu Affairs and ex MP for Jaffna, will contest in Colombo as a candidate of the United National Party, sources said. UNP officials said that the ex minister was expected to sign nomination papers for the electoral district of Colombo Saturday evening. Mr. Maheswaran announced last week that he was not contesting the April elections to Sri Lanka’s Parliament in Jaffna and was retiring from politics.
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Sangaree readies to contest in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 21 February 2004, 06:06 GMT]
Tamil United Liberation Front President Mr. Veerasingham Anandasangaree said Saturday he will contest the April elections to Sri Lanka's Parliament in Jaffna. Sources close to him confirmed that he would contest as an independent only in the electoral district of Jaffna. Mr. Anandasangaree cannot contest under the TULF banner as he is involved in a bitter legal wrangle with the party hierarchy. He cannot file nominations on behalf of his party without the approval of secretary general Mr. R. Sampanthan.
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SLMC rank and file in disarray following cross over

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 February 2004, 18:18 GMT]
The rank and file of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) is in disarray following the formation of a new political party, Muslim National Front (MNF) and three former SLMC parliamentarians joining it, political sources said.
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"Sinhala Only" election materials irk NorthEast officials

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 February 2004, 17:54 GMT]
NorthEast officials responsible for conducting the forthcoming elections are irked at their Colombo counterparts for sending instructions and other election materials in "Sinhala only," thereby causing procedural snarl at the NorthEast election offices, officials in Jaffna said. Neither English copies nor Tamil translations accompany the received election material, according the same sources.
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LTTE's Special Motorbike Brigade completes training

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 February 2004, 16:39 GMT]
In an undisclosed location in Vanni, Pirapaharan, leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, participated in the passing out ceremony of a crack Motorbike brigade which completed its special training today, sources in Vanni said.
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JHU Buddhist monks submit Colombo nominations

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 February 2004, 16:00 GMT]
The leading monks of the JHU, Ven. Uduwe Damaloka Thera, Ven. Ellawala Methananda thera, Ven. Athureliye Ratthana Thera, and Ven. Kolannawe Sumangala addressed a press conference in downtown Colombo in connection with the submission of the nomination papers. Speaking at the press conference, Ven. Kolannawe Sumangala, the chief candidate of the JHU in Colombo said he considers the elections as a just war (Dhamma Yuddhaya) to safeguard the Sinhala nation and Buddhism.
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Thousands of Killinochchi IDPs not paid resettlement assistance

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 February 2004, 15:44 GMT]
About 6,596 resettled families in the Killinochchi district have not been paid any resettlement allowances since the signing of the ceasefire agreement by the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Killinochchi district secretariat sources said.
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Mullaitivu fisheries sector struggles for survival

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 February 2004, 15:39 GMT]
Since the signing of ceasefire agreement by the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam fisheries sector in the Mullaitivu district has received no financial or any other assistance to restore the fisheries industry or to improve the living conditions of the fisher families, Mullaitivu fisheries sources said.
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Sivarathiri celebrations in Trinco Konesar Temple

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 February 2004, 14:33 GMT]
As part of the 'Maha Sivarathiri day' (whole night vigil) celebrations, the chief deity of the historic Trincomalee Koneswaram Temple, Lord Konesar and his consort are being taken in a three day-procession in Trincomalee town following the Sivarathiri day. The procession commenced Thursday evening and now continuing second day Friday.
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Sampanthan warns of forces against TNA

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 February 2004, 14:01 GMT]
"Some powerful political forces are working hard to sabotage the attempt of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to win more parliamentary seats in the northeast province. Tamils should be vigilant, identify these elements and foil their actions," said TNA ex-parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan speaking at a meeting held Thursday night in Trincomalee, which was attended by Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers Mr.S.Thilak.
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SLMC Athaullah faction joins SLFP-JVP alliance

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 February 2004, 13:08 GMT]
A key breakaway faction of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, the main partner of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's government said Friday that it is joining the SLFP-JVP alliance to contest the April elections to Sri Lanka's Parliament in Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Digamadulla and Vanni. The announcement by this powerful faction of the SLMC, led by former minister of highways Mr. A.L.M Athaullah is seen as a setback for Mr. Wickremesinghe's coalition.
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Ultra nationalist Sinhala buddhist monks to contest in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 February 2004, 11:07 GMT]
Jathika Hela Urumaya(JHU), an ultra Sinhala nationalist party of Buddhist monks, Friday filed nominations in Jaffna to contest elections to Sri Lanka's Parliament in the northern peninsula. "We will talk to the Tigers only if they accept Sri Lanka as a unitary state and give up their arms", said Ven. Vitharandhenige Methananda, the chief candidate of the JHU for Jaffna, responding to question about the peace process after he had handed in his party's nominations.
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Thamil Eelam sports festival begins in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 February 2004, 09:19 GMT]
The third annual Thamil Eelam national sports festival commenced in Kilinochchi Friday, organizers said. Commander of the Eastern Front Forces of the Liberation Tigers, Col. Soosai, was the chief guest at the inauguration of the festival on the Kilinochchi playground Friday morning. Several senior officials of the LTTE, including the head of the Sports Division, Mr. S. Paappa were present at the inauguration, sources said.
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Tribalist irrationality permeates Sinhala political rhetoric - Uyangoda

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 February 2004, 03:31 GMT]
Unless extremely prudently handled, developments surrounding the forthcoming election may set in a new political process in which "Sri Lanka's future as a nation-state unit might be at a great risk" warns Professor Uyangoda, in a sobering analysis of the political campaign which he says is "likely to be full of rhetoric of the retrograde kind," in an opinion column that appears in the Friday edition of the Daily Mirror.
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TNA candidates for Trincomalee district announced

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 February 2004, 18:32 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance ex-parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan is to lead the TNA list of candidates in the Trincomalee district at the forthcoming general election. This was announced at a meeting of local leaders of four Tamil political parties, constituents of the TNA held Thursday night in Trincomalee town with the participation of the Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Mr.S.Thilak.
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SLA Soldier dies of heart attack in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 February 2004, 16:59 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier who was deployed in a camp located in Kodikamam in Thenmaradchchi division in Jaffna district Thursday died of heart attack. He was attached to the 52-2 Division of the SLA, police said.
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Ruhunu Janatha Party submits nominations in Trinco

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 February 2004, 16:16 GMT]
The Ruhunu Janatha Party (RJP) was the first political party to submit its nomination papers to contest in the Trincomalee electoral district in the forthcoming parliamentary election, which has been fixed for April 2, election department sources said.
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Elections commissioner says no to polling stations in LTTE areas

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 February 2004, 15:34 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s Commissioner of Elections said Thursday he won’t allow polling booths in areas held by the Liberation Tigers where more than two hundred thousand Tamil voters live. The polling stations would instead be clustered in places controlled by the Sri Lankan armed forces he said. Addressing a press conference at his office in Colombo Thursday at his office he said that he decided to do so for reasons of security, transport problems and land mines.
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Protest's against Indian govt. say fasting fishermen

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 February 2004, 12:30 GMT]
"Our protest is against the Government of India because it is not doing anything about our plight. The chief minister of Tamil Nadu Ms. Jeyalalitha should pay attention to our problem. We will not return to India without our boats", said an Indian fisherman who was admitted to the Jaffna teaching Hospital after he fainted while fasting to death in the Sri Lankan government prison in the northern town Thursday.
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Sinhala groups first to file nominations in Jaffna, Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 February 2004, 10:22 GMT]
Ruhunu Janatha Party, a little known party from Sri Lanka's southern province, was the first on Thursday to file nominations to contest elections in Jaffna in April. All candidates of the party on its Jaffna nomination list, including three women are Sinhalese. Meanwhile in Vavuniya, the Ultra nationalist Sinhala Maha Sammatta Bhoomi Putra Part was the first to file nominations at 2.30 p.m. Thursday.
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Last ditch attempt to get 'rising sun' for TNA fails

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 February 2004, 08:18 GMT]
A last ditch attempt by the Tamil United Liberation Front to secure the rising sun symbol for the Tamil National Alliance failed when the Court of Appeal Thursday directed the party's secretary general and senior vice president to make written submissions regarding their appeal to set aside the interim injunction of the Colombo district court preventing them from convening party meetings without the written permission of Mr. V. Ananandasangaree, president of the TULF on 24 February, the last day of nominations for Sri Lanka's general elections in April.
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Six fishermen on hunger strike hospitalized

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 February 2004, 18:03 GMT]
Seven of the sixty seven Indian boatmen who are on fast unto death campaign since Monday were admitted at the Jaffna teaching hospital Wednesday evening as they fell ill due to dehydration, medical sources said.
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Legal wrangle forces TNA to choose "HOUSE" as election symbol

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 February 2004, 15:30 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has made alternate arrangements to hand over nomination papers on the Federal Party ticket with election symbol "HOUSE" if the court order against the Secretary General and Senior Vice President of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) in a law suit filed by the party president Mr.V. Anandasangaree continued beyond Thursday, TNA sources said.
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Donors call for early return to Peace Talks

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 February 2004, 15:12 GMT]
"A return to the peace table, along with strict adherence to the terms of the ceasefire agreement, is essential to sustain the peace process for the benefit of all ethnic communities in Sri Lanka," said the the co-chairs of the Tokyo Conference on Reconstruction and Development of Sri Lanka (the United States, European Union, Japan, and Norway) who met in Washington today, in a press release issued by the US State Department.
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Mano Ganeshan meets with Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 February 2004, 14:18 GMT]
Western Province People's Front (WPPF) leader, Mano Ganeshan, met with Head of LTTE's Political Wing, S.P.Thamilchelvan, in Kilinochchi Wednesday morning sources in Kilinochchi said. "The critical importance of the forthcoming elections lies in the fact the Tamil Nation will use this democratic medium to unequivocally express its aspirations," Mr.Ganeshan told the reporters after his meeting.
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Chandrasekaran meets Thamilchelvan in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 February 2004, 12:53 GMT]
Upcountry People's Front (UPF) leader and Minister in the United National Front (UNF) government, Mr.P.Chandrasekaran, met with Head of LTTE's Political Wing, S.P.Thamilchelvan, in Kilinochchi Wednesday morning and had discussions on ways UPF can forge a common agenda with the NorthEast Tamil parties at the forthcoming elections, sources in Kilinochchi said.
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Sangaree walks out of crucial TULF meet

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 February 2004, 10:25 GMT]
The crucial meeting of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) Wednesday to decide the party's stand on the April elections to the Sri Lankan Parliament ended inconclusively after party president Mr. V Anandasangaree walked out over strong disagreements with his colleagues on the question of nominating candidates. Mr. Anandasangaree refused to accept a common nomination list candidates from the other constituent parties Tamil National Alliance, TULF sources said.
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"Sinhala border villagers fear renewed war"- Provincial Minister

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 February 2004, 20:26 GMT]
"Sinhalese people in border villages of the northeastern province live in fear of a renewed war following Sri Lanka President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge's recent action of taking over the three key ministries and the formation of a political alliance between the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna," said a People's Alliance Provincial Minister Mr.K.B.Tennekon Tuesday at an event held at the United National Party (UNP) headquarters Sri Kotha to mark his joining the UNP, media sources said.
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TNA leaders meet to finalize election strategy

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 February 2004, 20:22 GMT]
The central working committee of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and the nomination board of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) are planning to meet Wednesday (February 18) morning at the headquarters of the TULF in Colombo, party sources said.
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TULF leaders' appeal in Sangaree case to be heard Thursday

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 February 2004, 20:19 GMT]
The appeal filed by the Secretary General and Senior Vice President of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) Mr.R.Sampanthan and Mr.Jospeh Pararajasingham respectively against the interim injunction issued by the Colombo District Court in favour of the TULF President Mr. V.Anandasangaree is listed for inquiry in the Court of Appeal (CA) on Thursday, legal sources said.
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Official acceptance of 13th election's nominations begins

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 February 2004, 16:03 GMT]
District Government Agents who are ex-offico Returning Officers of the Department of Elections Tuesday started accepting nominations from registered political parties and independent groups to contest the Sri Lanka’s thirteenth parliamentary general elections in all twenty electoral districts of Sri Lanka, election officials said.
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Indian boatmen on fast unto death campaign in Jaffna prison

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 February 2004, 15:52 GMT]
Sixty seven Indian boatmen captured in the northern sea when poaching and now being kept in remand in Jaffna prison have started a fast unto death campaign demanding that their cases against them be expedited and those who are not charged be sent back to India immediately, prison sources said.
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NECORD funded Girls' Hostel opens in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 February 2004, 15:40 GMT]
A two-storied girl hostel constructed in Trincomalee Methodist Girls College at a cost of about 5 million rupees allocated by the North East Community Restoration Development (NECORD) project, which is funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) was declared open Monday by the Trincomalee district former parliamentarian Mr.R.Sampanthan.
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Court to hear SLMC rival faction's appeal on holding Key posts

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 February 2004, 15:39 GMT]
The appeal filed by the rival faction of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) on the interim injunction order issued by the Colombo District Court last year restraining it from claiming the key posts of the party was fixed for hearing on May 24, legal sources said.
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SLFP-JVP alliance office bearers announced

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 February 2004, 14:09 GMT]
Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge was appointed President of the United Peoples Freedom Front (UPFA) at the first executive committee meeting of the UPFA held Tuesday at the Presidential secretariat. Presidential advisor Mr Anura Bandaranaike and Opposition Leader Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse were appointed national organizers of the UPFA and Mr.Nandana Gunatilake of the JVP was appointed chairman, the State controlled Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation reported in its evening news bulletin Tuesday.
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Sri Lanka facing instability - PM

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 February 2004, 14:02 GMT]
In a special address to the nation on a private TV station Tuesday night, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that Sri Lanka is facing instability because of the actions of President Chandrika Kumaratunga. The cease-fire agreement is in jeopardy and the economy has suffered because of her action, he said. “We could have brought an impeachment motion against the President. We could have cut off funds to the three ministries taken over by her. Instead we hoped to work with her”, deplored Mr. Wickremesinghe in his TV address.
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Tamils should vote only for policy-Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 February 2004, 09:43 GMT]
"We unanimously decided today that the Tamil people should vote only for policies of the Tamil National Alliance. This is the wish of our leader and our leadership. Tamils should unite under one leadership and one policy for this election," said Mr. S. P Thamilchelvan speaking to the press at the conclusion of a three hour long meeting with leaders of the Tamil National Alliance at the headquarters of Liberation Tigers’ political division in Kilinochchi Tuesday. "The TNA will definitely field Muslim candidates," he stressed.
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European media watchdog slams Kadirgamar

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 February 2004, 03:58 GMT]
Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontiers-RSF), a European media watchdog, condemned the Sri Lankan information and communication minister's decision, announced Monday, to cancel the TV broadcast channel licence that was granted to the Asian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in 1995. The decision, which ABC executives called “politically motivated”, came just as the company was about to launch the channel.
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SLA permits opening of HSZ temples for Sivarathiri celebrations

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 February 2004, 19:40 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has allowed celebrations for Maha Sivarathiri day to be held with some restrictions in three Hindu temples, Murugan Kovil and Valliamman Kovil in Kaithady-Navatkuli area and Thoppur Pilliayar Kovil in Maravanpulo area, which are located in the High Security Zones in Thenamaradchchi division in Jaffna district, security sources said. Maha Sivarathiri day falls on February 18, civil sources said.
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TNA leaders to meet LTTE leadership in Killinochchi

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 February 2004, 18:12 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader Mr.R.Sampanthan said Monday that vital decisions would be taken in consultations with the leadership of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on Tuesday in Killinochchi regarding the forthcoming parliamentary general elections.
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TULF leaders appeal over leadership challenge

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 February 2004, 16:10 GMT]
Tamil United Liberation Front's Secretary General Mr.R.Sampanthan and Senior Vice President Mr.Jospeh Pararajasingham Monday filed a petition in the Court of Appeal, seeking to vacate the interim injunction order issued on them by the Colombo District Judge on an action instituted by the TULF President, Mr. V.Anandasangaree, stating that it was illegal and contrary to the law, legal sources said.
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CA issued notice on Minister Kadirgamar in ABC suit

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 February 2004, 12:30 GMT]
The Court of Appeal (CA) Monday decided to hear the petition filed by the Asia Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) against the decision by the Minister of Information and Daily Communication Mr.Lakshman Kadirgamar to cancel its television permit. ABC obtained license for starting a TV station in November 1995, legal sources said.
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Law and order said deteriorating in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 February 2004, 11:52 GMT]
''We told Maj. Gen. (ret) Furuhovde that the law and order situation is deteriorating in Jaffna and that steps should be taken to arrest this trend. We did our best to cooperate with the Police to arrest the trend in Jaffna. But Police did little to rectify the situation,'' said Mr. S Ilamparithy, the head of the political division of the Liberation Tigers in the northern peninsula after meeting the chief of Sri Lanka's truce monitoring mission Monday afternoon.
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Kadirgamar cancels private media group's TV license

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 February 2004, 06:17 GMT]
Sri Lanka'a Ministry of Information and Daily Communication, which is controlled by President Chandrika Kumaratunga, Monday, cancelled the TV operating license of Asian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), a successful private media group that runs five FM radio stations. No official reason was given for the sudden move to stop ABC from starting its TV channel. ABC will challenge the decision in courts, sources said.
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LSSP, CP agree to join SLFP-JVP alliance

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 February 2004, 17:13 GMT]
Half a century old leftist political parties, Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) and Communist Party (CP) agreed to join the recently formed United Peoples' Freedom Alliance. Leaders of LSSP and CP are to sign the Memorandum of Understanding in this regard with the leaders UPFA on Tuesday, sources said.
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Maheswaran says won’t contest April polls

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 February 2004, 17:11 GMT]
Mr. T. Maheswaran, who was Minister for Hindu Affairs in Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s United National Front (UNF) government, said Sunday he does not intend to contest elections to the Sri Lankan Parliament in April. Mr. Maheswran was the only Tamil from the UNF to be elected from the island’s northern parts in the Parliamentary polls in December 2001. Speaking at the opening of the renovated Karainagar Multi Purpose Co-operative Society Sunday morning, the ex minister said that he plans to retire from politics.
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"Tamil party support needed for stable govt"-UNF minister

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 February 2004, 16:38 GMT]
Senior minister in the United National Front (UNF) government, Dr.Rajitha Senaratne, addressing a meeting in Ratnapura Sunday said that no stable government could be formed after the forthcoming general election without the northeast Tamil parliamentarians and that the United National Party (UNP) is prepared to collaborate with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) after the forthcoming general election, political sources said.
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TNA to meet again to decide on election symbol

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 February 2004, 15:36 GMT]
The leaders of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) will meet again on February 18th to take a final decision regarding the election symbol to contest the forthcoming parliamentary general election, which is to be held on April 2, party sources said. TNA leaders took the decision to this effect at a discussion held Sunday evening at the headquarters of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), main constituent of the TNA.
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Sihala Urumaya to field Buddhist monks

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 February 2004, 14:41 GMT]
The Sinhala nationalist Sihala Urumaya (SU) has decided to contest all the electoral districts in the island in the forthcoming parliamentary general election including northeast province and majority of SU candidates would be selected from the Buddhist clergy, said its Propaganda Secretary Mr.Champika Ranawake.
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SLMM new head to visit Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 February 2004, 12:48 GMT]
The Norwegian head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Major General (retd) Trond Furuhovde is scheduled to visit Jaffna district Monday. This would be his first visit to Jaffna following his assumption of duties as SLMM head on February 1st for the second time after replacing Major General Triggve Teleffsen, sources said
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Sri Lanka Elections: News Brief

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 February 2004, 11:51 GMT]
Key members of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) are likely to join the United National Front, Sri Lanka's Police force's leaves have been suspended, Thamilchelvan returns to Vanni from European trip and Anandasangaree continues to scuttle Tamil National Alliance efforts to formulate a coherent election strategy, according to local media reports.
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Election Commissioner suspends Amparai local polls

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 February 2004, 11:48 GMT]
The Commissioner of Elections, Mr.Dayananda Dissanayake, has instructed election officials in the eastern province to suspend all steps to hold polls to then seven local authorities in the Amparai administrative district, which is scheduled to be held on February 21 until further notice, government sources said.
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SLN takes charge of Indian fishing boats

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 February 2004, 11:18 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) Saturday took charge of five Indian fishing boats, which were captured by Point Pedro fishermen from poachers last week in the northern waters, on the orders of Point Pedro Magistrate Mr.K. Ariyanayakam, legal sources said.
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Marxists reject Sri Lanka's truce with Tigers

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 February 2004, 19:51 GMT]
The SLFP-JVP Alliance will not abide by the cease fire agreement (CFA) between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers, instead it would try to negotiate a new CFA, the powerful propaganda secretary of the JVP, Mr. Wimal Weerawansa, told the latest issue of the Sinhala weekly "Lanka". He charged that the CFA Mr. Ranil Wickremesighe signed with the leader of the LTTE in February 2002 poses a clear threat to national security. Informed Sinhala political analysts say "Lanka" is a paper backed by the JVP.
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NECORD reactivates deep-sea fishing in Jaffna district

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 February 2004, 16:19 GMT]
The North East Community Restoration Development (NECORD) project funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has established a Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) for the provision of fiberglass fishing crafts, nets and motors to fishermen through Jaffna district fisheries co-operative societies to reactivate deep-sea fishing in the northern sea, NECORD Project Director Mr.T.Lankaneson said.
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FSD completes training to deminers in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 February 2004, 07:59 GMT]
The Swiss Demining Federation (FSD), involved in demining in Vavuniya and Mannar districts, has given training to the third batch of 44 deminers in Vavuniya, and a ceremony to award certificates was held Friday at the FSD’s office in Vavuniya, sources said.
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SLMC to go solo in contests for 13 districts

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 February 2004, 00:45 GMT]
The politburo of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) has decided to contest thirteen districts, including Colombo, Kandy, Gampaha and Amparai, without an alliance with other parties in the forthcoming parliamentary general elections, said SLMC general secretary Mr. Hassanaly, according to a news bulletin carried by the State-run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) Friday evening.
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Dengue spreads in Trincomalee town

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 February 2004, 19:48 GMT]
The North East Provincial health department Friday launched an emergency awareness campaign in Trincomalee to educate the residents of the eastern port town against the spread of dengue fever after medical officials detected eleven suspected positive cases in recent days, sources said.
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Sri Lanka’s SC hears case over voters' register

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 February 2004, 16:47 GMT]
The Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court Friday took up the fundmental rights case filed by four Amparai voters over the use of voters' register compiled in 2000 in the local government elections, scheduled for February 21, and ordered the Commissioner of Elections to inform the difficulties he would face if the election were based on the 2002 voters’ register instead, and put off further inquiry for February 17, legal sources said.
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SL soldiers charged in Chavakachcheri for traffic offence

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 February 2004, 16:41 GMT]
The Chavakachcheri Police Friday filed plaint against two soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army in the Magistrate’s court, charging them for causing injuries to a Tamil civilian by hitting him with their field motorbike on January 9th along the Post Office road in Chavakachcheri, legal sources said.
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Poachers to be handed over to Indian Navy

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 February 2004, 12:25 GMT]
Pt. Pedro judge Mr. K. Ariyanayagam ordered that 22 Indian fishermen who were produced in court Friday should be handed over to the Indian Navy through the Sri Lanka Navy in 24 hours. He remanded three Indian boatmen who were produced in court along with the fishermen until 27 February. Fishermen in coastal settlements near Pt. Pedro captured 27 Indians who were poaching in Jaffna’s maritime zone on Wednesday night.
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TNA readies to face poll with ‘house’ or 'lighthouse'

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 February 2004, 09:42 GMT]
General secretary of the Federal Party (FP), Mr. Mavai Senathirajah and general secretary of the TELO, Mr. Indrakumar Prasanna, informed Sri Lanka's Commissioner of Elections their party’s intent to contest following uncertainty over the TULF's legal wrangle, a spokesman for the Tamil National Alliance said Wednesday. If the stand off between the TULF's President and executive central committee is not resolved next week the TNA will have to contest either under the TELO's 'lighthouse' symbol or the FP's 'house' symbol, he said.
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Election should focus on future coexistence and cooperation - NPC

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 February 2004, 08:37 GMT]
Noting that Sri Lanka is facing its third general election in less than four years and the country is plunged into an election when it is faced with acute financial difficulties, the National Peace Council (NPC), a Colombo based Sri Lankan peace group, in a media release issued in Colombo today said that it is "disturbed by the early emergence of negative campaigning by political parties that aim at fanning fears and apprehensions of the people regarding the breakdown of the ceasefire, the division of the country and the threat posed by one community to the other."
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Highest ranking USAID official visits Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 February 2004, 03:19 GMT]
Mr. Mark S.Ward, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the Asia and Near East Bureau, US Agency for International Development (USAID), visited Jaffna Thursday to evaluate the progress of several USAID projects providing development assistance to the people of Jaffna, civil society sources said. Mr. Ward is the highest-ranking USAID official covering South Asia.
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Sri Lanka is in a directionless moment of drift - Prof.Uyangoda

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 February 2004, 02:56 GMT]
Third parliamentary elections in four years indicate that Sri Lanka's "political order is unstable, the polity is acutely fragmented, political forces are divided in hostility and the country is in a directionless moment of drift," writes Professor Uyangoda in the Friday edition of Daily Mirror.
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Cushnahan clarifies discussion with Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 February 2004, 00:01 GMT]
Mr. John Walls Cushnahan, Member of the European Parliament, clarified to TamilNet Wednesday details regarding his discussion with Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan, political leader of the Liberation Tigers, when he met him on February 6, 2004. “I said that I fully understood the dangers of their [LTTE’s] supporters becoming disillusioned with the peace process if it was not perceived to be delivering improvements to the quality of life in the North East and in this regard I appreciated the difficulties caused by the current political stalemate [in Colombo],” Mr. Cushnahan said in his clarification.
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Vadamaradchi civilian shot and wounded by Police

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 February 2004, 16:34 GMT]
Mr. Kanapathy Sivakumar,22, was found in Vallipurakurichchi area in Vadamaradchi division in the Jaffna district with gun shot injuries Thursday. It is alleged that Police had shot him when he was transporting sand from Vallipurakurichchi area Wednesday night without heeding to a signal to stop, sources said.
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Tigers hand over underage members to UNICEF

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 February 2004, 13:49 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers Thursday handed over to the UNICEF in Kilinochchi 15 youth from their ranks who were found to be under eighteen. The youth, all males, were among those listed as underage members of the Tigers by UNICEF.
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SLA troops assault fishermen over Indian poachers

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 February 2004, 11:56 GMT]
Sri Lanka army troops Thursday assaulted fourteen civilians in Viyaparimoolai and Inparutty near Pt. Pedro town for capturing 27 Indian fishermen and 5 trawlers and for coming ashore during ‘prohibited’ hours. Fishermen from the two villages brought ashore Indians who were poaching in the seas off Jaffna’s Vadamaradchi coast Wednesday night. SLA troops assaulted an Indian fisherman for getting off his boat.
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Turmoil cost lucrative Thai trade pact – ex minister

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 February 2004, 09:57 GMT]
Thailand cancelled a lucrative bilateral trade agreement with Sri Lanka, which was scheduled to be signed last Monday, after President Chandrika Kumaratunga dissolved Parliament. Prime Minister Ranil Wicremesinghe cancelled his official visit to Thailand for the signing of the agreement when President Kumaratunga sacked the Parliament at midnight last Saturday. Ex Minister of Plantation Industries, Mr. Lakshman Kiriella who was sacked by President Kumaratunga on Wednesday said Sri Lanka would lose 160 million rupees a year without the trade agreement with Thailand.
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FR case against local polls in Amparai district

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 February 2004, 03:07 GMT]
Four voters of Amparai district Wednesday filed a Fundamental Rights violation case in Sri Lanka's Supreme Court, seeking a stay order against holding elections to seven local government authorities on February 22, legal sources said.
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Protest stops SLA from putting back Chavakachcheri FDL

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 February 2004, 00:55 GMT]
The Sri Lanka army stopped efforts Wednesday to put its forward defence line (FDL) back in its original place in the Chavakachcheri high security zone following protests by families that got back their garrisoned homes from the military last weekend. The SLA pulled back the defence perimeter of its high security zone in two places on the outskirts of Chavakachcheri during the weekend to release about 79 war damaged and destroyed homes, including urban council quarters, to families that were displaced when the military garrisoned the area more than three years ago.
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Polling stations considered in no-man zones

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 February 2004, 00:26 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Commissioner of Elections, Mr.Dayananda Dissanayake, has summoned all District Returning Officers and District Assistant Commissioners of Elections for a top level conference on Saturday at his office in Colombo to finalize locating polling booths for voters in Liberation Tigers-held areas in the Northeast province and also other related matters, authoritative sources said.
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TNA discussions on election strategy to continue

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 February 2004, 00:02 GMT]
The second round of discussions among the leaders of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to map out their election strategy concluded Wednesday night with a decision to meet again for the third round of talks on Sunday evening in Colombo. TNA parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan presided. The first round of talks was held Tuesday evening, TNA sources said.
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Pt. Pedro fishermen bring in poaching Indians

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 February 2004, 17:49 GMT]
Fishermen in Pt. Pedro in Jaffna brought ashore and detained eleven Indians who were poaching in the northern peninsula's maritime zone Wednesday night.
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Kumarapuram massacre victims remembered

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 February 2004, 16:43 GMT]
The seventh death anniversary of twenty-four Tamil civilians, including fourteen children, who were massacred by a group of soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army in Kumarapuram, in the Muttur division of the Trincomalee district, on February 11, 1996, was held Wednesday. In the 1996 massacre, another thirty Tamil civilians were seriously wounded, human rights sources said.
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Moragoda resigns from the UNF cabinet

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 February 2004, 15:52 GMT]
Mr.Milinda Moragoda, a senior minister in the United National Front government of Sri Lanka and a key member of the UNF team in peace talks with the Liberation Tigers, Wednesday submitted his resignation to the Prime Minister, Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, sources said.
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CWC - UNP talks commence on forming alliance

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 February 2004, 14:55 GMT]
The Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) said Wednesday that it has commenced talks with the United National Party to forge an alliance to face the forthcoming general election, which is scheduled to be held on April 2. The CWC is a constituent of the United National Front government.
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SL President dismisses 39 non-cabinet, deputy ministers

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 February 2004, 14:46 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge Wednesday removed 27 non-cabinet ministers and 12 deputy ministers from the United National Front government. She exercised power vested with her under Article 47 of the constitution in issuing the dismissal order, presidential secretariat sources said.
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Sri Lanka President proposes truce committee

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 February 2004, 13:02 GMT]
Sri Lanka President Chandrika Kumaratunga proposed a committee to discuss matters relating to the implementation of the ceasefire agreement with the Liberation Tigers. The President made the proposal during a meeting with the head of the Sri Lanka truce monitoring mission, Maj. Gen. Tronde Furuhovde Wednesday in Colombo.
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Former colleague slams Sri Lanka's President

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 February 2004, 11:46 GMT]
Mr. S. B Dissanayaka, MP, a controversial Minister in Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's cabinet, called Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga an utter liar and fraud, addressing a press conference in Colombo Wednesday.
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Court extends enjoining order on TULF

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 February 2004, 08:51 GMT]
The Colombo district court Wednesday extended the enjoining order preventing the Secretary General and Senior Vice President of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) from convening party meetings without the written permission of TULF President Anandasangaree to 16 March 2004. The extension of the enjoining order would stymie plans by the Tamil National Alliance to contest elections to Sri Lanka’s Parliament on the TULF’s ‘rising sun’ symbol, Tamil legal sources said.
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TEPS calls on people to identify anti-social elements

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 February 2004, 05:42 GMT]
The Tamil Eelam Police Service (TEPS), the police division of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, on Tuesday called on the people of the Jaffna peninsula to identify anti-social elements and root them out, according to the Jaffna-based Tamil language daily, Uthayan.
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Chandrasekaran briefs TNA leaders on alliance

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 February 2004, 18:24 GMT]
Leaders of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) held extensive discussion Tuesday to map out their election strategy to contest the forthcoming general election. The discussion commenced at about 5 p.m. at the Colombo headquarters of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), and was concluded at 10 p.m with a decision to meet again on Wednesday evening to finalize electoral arrangements, TNA sources said.
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Batticaloa organizations appeal for Tamil unity

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 February 2004, 15:16 GMT]
A consortium of civil organizations in Batticaloa, including Tamil renaissance association and Batticaloa People's Forum, made a public appeal yesterday calling upon the tamil people to demonstrate their unity and strength to the international community and others by voting to the 'Rising Sun' symbol in the general elections scheduled to be held on 2 February, civil society sources said.
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SLA soldiers assault two Jaffna youths

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 February 2004, 14:46 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers assaulted two Tamil youths, Mr.N.Partheepan (22) and Mr.C.Kutty (19) of Manipay, Monday night around eight p.m. in Jaffna town inflicting severe injuries to the youths, security sources said. The youths have been admitted to the Jaffna teaching hospital.
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"Will talk to any government with clear authority" – Col. Karuna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 February 2004, 14:17 GMT]
"We are prepared to talk to any government that comes to power in Sri Lanka with clear authority and power. We are ready to negotiate with them to settle the conflict by peaceful means. We are also firmly committed to observing the ceasefire agreement. We urge the Sinhala people to reject obscurantism and chauvinism and to choose political forces that are forward looking for the sake of peace and progress," said Col. Karuna, senior commander of the Liberation Tigers Tuesday.
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ACTC rejects voting for policy, symbol

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 February 2004, 12:40 GMT]
Mr. Appathurai Vinayagamoorthy, the leader of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress, a constituent of the Tamil National Alliance, told TamilNet Tuesday that his party will not agree to contest the forthcoming general elections on the basis of symbol and policy. He said his party will decide whether to join the TNA or not only after Mr. Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, MP who is currently abroad, returns to Colombo later this week.
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Sports activities in Muttur given a boost

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 February 2004, 02:31 GMT]
One hundred and fifty thousand worth of sports gear and other related equipment were distributed to forty one youth service and sports clubs in the Liberation Tigers-held villages in the Muttur east in Trincomalee district during the past weekend. "The supply of sports gear would certainly give a boost to the development of sports activities in rural areas in the Trincomalee and to produce sport persons achieving national level," a sports official said.
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SLA gives back houses in Chavakachcheri

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 February 2004, 00:51 GMT]
The Sri Lanka army vacated seventy nine houses in two suburbs on the outskirts of Chavakachcheri town in Jaffna this weekend. The military pulled back its forward defense line (FDL) 400 meters to free the houses it has been occupying since 2000. Meanwhile in a move to woo Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs) votes in Jaffna for the general elections on 2 April, the EPDP, a paramilitary group operating with the Sri Lankan armed forces in the northeast, Monday claimed responsibility for securing the release of the garrisoned homes in Chavakachcheri’s environs.
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TNA leaders to meet in Colombo over election strategy

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 February 2004, 18:30 GMT]
Leaders of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) are scheduled to meet Tuesday evening at the Colombo office of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) to work out a common election agenda to field candidates at the forthcoming general election.
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New SLMM head begins Northeast evaluation tour

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 February 2004, 17:37 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission head, Major General (retd.) Trond Furuhovde, began his tour of the Northeast province Monday, having assumed office for the second time on February 1st. He arrived in Trincomalee Monday. The aim of his visit is to evaluate the implementation and the functions of the SLMM, sources said.
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Trinco Bishop exhorts people to work for peace

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 February 2004, 17:07 GMT]
The Trincomalee-Batticaloa Bishop, the Rt.Rev.Dr.Joseph Kingsely Swampillai, Sunday said a dangerous situation has arisen in the country when one speaks about his or her language and religion, and lamented that all human values, which are needed for moulding a nation with healthy mind, are being destroyed in the name of language and religion.
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Votes only for policies and symbol - TNA

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 February 2004, 15:00 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance leaders in Trincomalee resolved unanimously on Monday to contest the general elections on 2 April 2004, only on the basis of their coalition and its policies instead of their candidates.
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Dissolution of Sri Lanka Parliament unethical - G.L

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 February 2004, 07:10 GMT]
"The dissolution of Parliament is unethical", said Prof. G.L Pieris, spokesman for Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's care taker government addressing a press conference in Colombo Monday.
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Muttur remote schools get computers, band equipment

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 February 2004, 00:08 GMT]
Four computers with accessories at a cost of about 300,000 rupees were handed over to four schools in Muttur east, Pallikudiruppu Kalaimagal Hindu College, Killiveddy Maha Vidiyalayam, Kattaiparichchan Vipulananda Vidiyalayam and Sampoor Maha Vidiyalayam, at an event held at Pallikudiruppu Kalaimagal Hindu College in the Liberation Tigers-held Muttur east Saturday afternoon. A set of band music equipment valued at about 150,000 rupees was handed over to Kanguveli Agathiyar Vidiyalayam.
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LTTE blames sinhala leaders for lack of political will and vision

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 February 2004, 19:24 GMT]
“The dissolution of the Sri Lankan parliament and the call for a snap election constitutes a grave set-back to the peace process. The decision to seek another mandate from the people clearly demonstrates the fact that the Sinhala political leadership lacks the political will and vision to resolve the country’s burning issue - the Tamil national question,” said Mr Anton Balasingham, the LTTE’s political advisor and theoretician commenting on the current political developments in Colombo.
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UPFA ex-co to work out election strategy

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 February 2004, 16:22 GMT]
The executive committee of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance(UPFA), formed by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the Sinhala nationalist cum Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). will meet Monday to work out the strategy to face the snap general election, which is to be held on April 2nd. Party sources said.
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LTTE comments on Sri Lanka Parliament dissolution

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 February 2004, 16:17 GMT]
''The Tamil people and the Liberation Tigers wish a change of government in Sri Lanka that would provide a permanent political solution to the problems of the Tamils'', said Mr S Elilan, the head of the LTTE's Political divison in Vavuniya Sunday. His comment is the LTTE's first official reaction to the dissolution of the Sri Lankan Parliament Saturday.
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General elections would create more confusion - TNA

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 February 2004, 04:27 GMT]
Commenting on the dissolution of parliament and the scheduled general elections in April, the parliamentary leader of the Tamil National Alliance, Mr. R. Sampanthan, said Sunday that the general elections would lead to more confusion in the country as the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), which clamored for the elections "to salvage the country from the current political uncertainty," have no clear-cut policies to solve the Tamil national question.
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Kadirgamar, Jayaratne appointed ministers

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 February 2004, 00:55 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunge, who Saturday dissolved parliament through an Extraordinary Gazette notification, has appointed two senior parliamentarians of her People's Alliance, Mr.Lakshman Kadirgamar and Mr.D.M.Jayaratne, as ministers with immediate effect, the Presidential Secretariat said in a press release Sunday.
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Sri Lanka PM cancells visit to Thailand

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 February 2004, 18:37 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister, Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe, cancelled his scheduled visit to Thailand on Monday after President Chandrika Kumaratunga dissolved Parliament Saturday midnight.
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Sri Lanka Parliament elections on 2 April

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 February 2004, 17:40 GMT]
The gazette notification dissolving Sri Lanka's Parliament stated that nominations for the elections would be accepted from 17 february to 24 February. Elections to Parliament would be held on 2 April, 2004, according to the gazette notification Saturday midnight.
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ADB gives 30 m rupees to Jaffna fishermen

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 February 2004, 17:24 GMT]
The Asian Development Bank Saturday disbursed thirty million rupees to eighteen fishermen's societies on Jaffna's Vadamaradchi coast. The function to hand over the ADB fund cheques was held Saturday at the office of the Sea Tigers in Maruthankerni, on the peninsula's southeastern coast.
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Sri Lanka Parliament dissolved

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 February 2004, 16:58 GMT]
Sources at the Sri Lanka government printer said that a gazette notification for the dissolution of the Parliament was received from the President's office late night Saturday.
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SLA sergeant commits suicide in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 February 2004, 16:25 GMT]
Mr.N.P. Piyatilake, 42-year-old sergeant of the Sri Lanka Army attached to the Achchelu camp in Jaffna district, committed suicide by shooting himself on Friday afternoon in his room, police said.
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EU assures support to North-East development

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 February 2004, 15:22 GMT]
Mr. John Cushnahan, Member of the European Parliament, Friday assured the visiting delegation of the Liberation Tigers’ political division in Brussels, Belgium, that the European Union would provide support for the rehabilitation and development of the North-East, LTTE sources said.
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USAID assists Thirukovil fishermen

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 February 2004, 06:15 GMT]
The United States Agency for International Aid (USAID) is providing financial assistance to supply fiberglass boats and other fishing gear to the fishermen of Thirukovil in the Amparai district, local press sources in Batticaloa said.
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Railway strike called off in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 February 2004, 17:38 GMT]
The ten day general railway strike in Sri Lanka was called off Friday night after Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government gave an assurance that it will consider reversing the process to run the island’s railways under a semi government authority. More than thirty trade unions in Sri Lanka’s railway system backed by the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna started the strike on 26 January demanding that Colombo should abolish the Railway Authority established under World Bank, IMF conditions six moths ago.
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Marxists, Kumaratunga alliance registered as new party

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 February 2004, 16:58 GMT]
The alliance between President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna was registered as a political party with the Commissioner of Elections Friday. Mr. Nandana Gunathilleka, MP of the JVP has been named President and Mr. Susil Premajayantha, MP, of the SLFP has been nominated the secretary of the new party. A spokesman for the JVP-SLFP alliance said the Commissioner of Elections has approved ‘Butterfly’ as the new party’s symbol.
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Jaffna IDP protest concluded

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 February 2004, 13:12 GMT]
The fast unto death protest in Chavakachcheri and Tellipalai in Jaffna were concluded Friday after assurances by Tamil National Alliance MPs and a senior official from the Prime Minister’s Office in Colombo. However, several internally displaced persons (IDPs) who took part and supported the protest fast criticized TNA MPs for intervening in the protest for political gain.
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Fasting Jaffna farmer's condition said deteriorating

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 February 2004, 09:50 GMT]
The condition of Mr. Sellakili Anandaranjan, the farmer who began fasting to death in Chavakachcheri from Wednesday, is deteriorating, relatives said. The farmer started the fast unto death protest against the Sri Lankan armed forces for occupying the homes and fields of hundreds of farming families in Thenmaradchi South Division of Jaffna. Mr. Anandaranjan has refused to take water, relatives said.
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Jaffna schools said lacking basic facilities

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 February 2004, 00:44 GMT]
Educational International consultant Mr. Iyathurai Rajaguru, who is on a visit to Sri Lanka, described at a discussion held with representatives of the Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union and education officials in Trincomalee, Thursday evening, that he was shocked to see students studying in a school in Chavakachcheri sitting on broken furniture and without a blackboard.
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Tamil national unity forum launched in Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 February 2004, 17:46 GMT]
“The greatest challenge before the Tamil people today is the coming together of Sinhala chauvinist forces bent on denying our rights. The alliance between JVP and President Kumaratunga’s Sri Lanka Freedom Party has gathered all the Sinhala chauvinist forces in strength under one umbrella. There is only one way for the Tamils to face this challenge – we should unite now regardless of our regional differences”, said Mr. Selvam Adaikalanthan, Tamil National Alliance for the Vanni, addressing the first forum to unite all Tamil political parties and groups in Sri Lanka Thursday.
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Rebuilt Trinco Orphanage celebrates golden jubilee

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 February 2004, 17:34 GMT]
The rebuilt Trincomalee Sivananda Thabovanam (Spiritual Orphanage), which has currently given shelter to about two hundred children orphaned due to war in the Trincomalee district, held its golden jubilee celebration Thursday with the opening of a hospital for its inmates, children's playground and other facilities. The orphanage with all its buildings was completely destroyed during an operation by the Sri Lanka army in 1984, sources said.
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Troops assault, detain LTTE political workers

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 February 2004, 09:24 GMT]
Two members of the LTTE's political division in Jaffna were severely assaulted and detained in a camp by Sri Lanka army troops in Tellipalai Thursday morning.
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Fasting farmer says threatened, troops look for flags

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 February 2004, 02:47 GMT]
Mr. Sellakkili Anandaranjan, the Jaffna farmer who began a fast unto death protest Wednesday in Chavakachcheri alleged that some Policemen had threatened with death on Tuesday night. Meanwhile Sri Lanka army troops Wednesday afternoon searched houses on Kachchai Road in Chavakachcheri for lion flags that had been pulled down by unknown persons. No one was arrested and the flags which military had hung along the road to mark Sri Lanka’s Independence Day were not found.
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Black flag protests across Amparai irk STF

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 February 2004, 18:14 GMT]
Tension escalated in Thirukovil and Akkaraipattu areas in Amparai when the Special Task Force (STF) soldiers tried to remove black flags from the roadsides, public buildings and businesses, security sources said.
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Colombo paralyzed by confrontational politics - NPC

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 February 2004, 15:07 GMT]
While saying "...the new alliance provides an opportunity for a common approach to national problem solving if taken forward in a principled manner," National Peace Council (NPC)expressed its disappointment that the alliance has "failed to deal with the central issue of the political solution to the ethnic conflict in a coherent or principled manner...JVP holds to the unitary state and opposes an ethnicity-based solution, the SLFP has proposed the devolution of power to the regions," in a media release issued in Colombo today.
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TNA MPs boycott as Trinco celebrates Sri Lanka's independence

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 February 2004, 12:20 GMT]
"When peace talks resume, I firmly believe that hopes of everyone yearning for a permanent end to conflict by reaching a just and enduring solution will be achieved", said the North East Governor Major General Asoka Jayawardene addressing the country's fifty sixth Independence Day celebration held in Trincomalee Mc Heyzer Stadium Wednesday morning.
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Tires burn in Mannar, A9 blocked in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 February 2004, 11:44 GMT]
Tires were burnt and black flags were flown in several parts of Mannar town Wednesday. Police said that some protestors had pulled down Sri Lanka’s lion flags that were hoisted by the army on the entrance to Mannar town Tuesday night to mark Independence Day. Meanwhile Vavuniya was deserted and buses from this northern border town to other parts of the island were cancelled. Protesters blocked the A9 highway to Jaffna north of Vavuniya town.
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Sri Lanka President, PM at Colombo Independence Day

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 February 2004, 10:45 GMT]
President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe took part in Sri Lanka's Independence Day celebrations in Colombo Wednesday. President Kumaratunga as head of state and the supreme commander of Sri Lanka's armed forces hoisted the lion flag and addressed the nation.
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Protest, shut down in Jaffna on Sri Lanka's Independence Day

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 February 2004, 09:21 GMT]
Jaffna town was deserted Wednesday while Sri Lankan armed forces hoisted lion flags and observed Independence Day amid tight security in many parts of the peninsula. Several civil society groups and public organisations urged the people of Jaffna last week to observe Sri Lanka's Independence Day as a black day. Jaffna University students flew black flags and decorated the campus' main entrance with curry plantain trees. Jaffna Mothers' Front protested in front of the District Secretariat as Police in riot gear stood guard.
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Jaffna IDPs begin fast unto death

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 February 2004, 07:18 GMT]
Two groups of persons demanding that they be allowed to resettle in their villages garrisoned by the Sri Lankan armed forces in Jaffna's Thenmaradchi and Valigamam North Divisions began fasting unto death Wednesday Sri Lanka's Independence Day. Twelve Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) began a fast unto death protest in front of the Valigamam North Divisional Secretary's office in Tellipalai from 8 a.m. Wednesday. A group of displaced farmers began a fast unto death in Chavakachcheri town Wednesday morning.
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Batticaloa deserted on Sri Lanka's Independence Day

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 February 2004, 06:38 GMT]
Batticaloa town was deserted Wednesday in response to a call by local organisations to boycott Sri Lanka’s Independence Day and to observe it as a black day for Tamils. Shops, offices and public buildings were closed. Very few people and vehicles were on the roads in the eastern town.
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PA-UNF committee meets again

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 February 2004, 02:56 GMT]
Amid speculation in political circles that there would be a permanent breakdown of talks between President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge and Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe in arriving at a consensus to end the current political crisis, the committee discussing ways to bring an amicable settlement between the executive and the legislative branches met again Tuesday, political sources said.
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"No agreement on peace process with PM" - Kumaratunge

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 February 2004, 23:06 GMT]
Sri Lanka Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe's insistence to take control of the defense ministry is the main obstacle in concluding an agreement to end the current political impasse, said the Presidential Secretariat in a media release issued Tuesday. Speculation is rife in Colombo that the dissolution of parliament is to be announced at any moment, political sources in Colombo said.
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Indonesian manpower minister visits Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 February 2004, 19:02 GMT]
Indonesian Minister for Manpower and Transmigration, Mr. Jacob Nuwa Wea, and a trade delegation arrived in Colombo on February 2. The Minister held discussions with the Sri Lanka’s Employment and Labour Minister Mr.Mahinda Samarasinghe and officials of the National Chamber of Commerce in Colombo, political officials said..
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Teachers proficient in 'Marine Fishery' needed - MP

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 February 2004, 18:46 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian Mr.K.Thurairetnasingham and North East Provincial Education Ministry Secretary Mr.R.Thiagalingam Tuesday appealed to the Minister of Human Resources Development and Cultural Affairs to recruit Tamil medium teachers who are qualified to teach Marine Resources as a subject in the NorthEast schools, civil society sources said.
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SC confirms death sentence on Krishanthy murder accused

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 February 2004, 18:22 GMT]
The Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court Tuesday confirmed the death sentence on the five Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers who were convicted for the rape and murder of four Tamils including a high school student, Krishanthy Kumarasamy, in 1996 in Jaffna district, legal sources said.
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LTTE medical corps' feats unparalleled - Balakumaran

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 February 2004, 12:42 GMT]
"Committment of cadres of LTTE's medical corps and the ingenious medical evacuation strategies used, paved the way for some of our biggest military successes against the Sri Lanka Army (SLA)," said V.Balakumaran, a senior member of the LTTE speaking at an event commemorating the sixth anniversary of the death of nine members of the LTTE medical division, sources from Vanni said.
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Military readies for Sri Lanka’s Independence Day in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 February 2004, 12:19 GMT]
Sri Lankan armed forces flew lion flags on sentries, bunkers and at army camps in Jaffna Tuesday in preparation for Sri Lanka’s Independence Day. The military urged fishermen in the peninsula’s Vadamaradchi coast not to fly black flags on their boats, homes and union offices on Wednesday. The Sri Lanka army gave lion flags to fishermen and government officials in Jaffna. The sword bearing lion on Sri Lanka’s national flag is considered the eponymous ancestor of the island’s Sinhala Buddhists.
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Pallai school reopens after 8 years

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 February 2004, 11:39 GMT]
Kilinochchi district Government Agent, T.Rasanayagam, reopened Allipallai Government Mixed School in Pallai in its original location after eight years, local media reported. Displaced residents of Allipallai started resettling in their own lands beginning of year 2003, and have been lobbying for opening of their schools.
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NEERP funds hospital construction in Muttur east

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 February 2004, 17:52 GMT]
Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Mr.S.Thilak Monday noon laid the foundation stone for the proposed government hospital complex in Eachilapamathu village in the LTTE held Muttur east in the Trincomalee district. The hospital is to be built at a cost of 20 million rupees allocated by the World Bank funded North East Emergency Reconstruction Project (NEERP).
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NECORD funds new school buildings for Batticaloa district

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 February 2004, 17:13 GMT]
Asian Development Bank funded North East Community Restoration Development (NECORD) project has selected 15 schools from the most backward areas in Batticaloa district for further development, sources said. New buildings to house several additional class rooms are to be built and the required class room equipment and supplies are to be provided under NECORD funding.
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EPDP to support JVP-SLFP alliance from outside

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 February 2004, 15:35 GMT]
Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP), paramilitary group that works with the Sri Lankan armed forces in Sri Lanka’s northeast, said in a Memorandum that it agrees with the policies of the newly formed United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and that it would extend its support to the UPFA, political sources in Colombo said.
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Four Party Leaders sign pact with JVP-SLFP alliance

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 February 2004, 15:22 GMT]
Leaders of four political parties Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP), National United Alliance (NUA), Sri Lanka Mahajana Party (SLMP) and Desha Vimukthi Janatha Peramuna (DVJP) Monday signed a pact with the newly formed United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) at a ceremony held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference hall (BMICH), political sources said.
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Displaced Jaffna farmers boycott SLA meeting

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 February 2004, 08:16 GMT]
Farmers’ associations of garrisoned villages in Jaffna’s Thenmaradchi division Monday boycotted a meeting called by the Sri Lanka army to discuss the possibility of permitting some families to resettle in their homes inside its vast high security zone in the region. The military arranged the meeting to diffuse a crisis brewing over a farmer who wants to fast to death from Wednesday unless the army allows him and other displaced families resettle in their garrisoned villages.
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Workshop on creative writing held in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 February 2004, 00:48 GMT]
Three-day workshop for Tamil medium students in Trincomalee town on "developing the creative writing" organized by the North East Provincial Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs concluded Sunday at the Trincomalee Orr's Hill Vivekananda College, education officials in Trincomalee said. Senior Lecturer at the Eastern University Dr.S.Yogarajah conducted the workshop.
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Protesters to block A9 on Sri Lanka's Independence day

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 February 2004, 00:15 GMT]
Vavuniya North Consortium of Peoples' Organizations called upon all Tamils in Vavuniya to fly black flags and to observe 4 February, the Independence Day of Sri Lanka, as a day of mourning, civil sources said. Consortium also invited people to come forward to block the traffic along A9 to show people from the South that Tamil struggle will continue until fundamental rights of Tamil people are recognized and respected.
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Resettled village honors its good student

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 February 2004, 00:05 GMT]
Parents and students of Kappalthurai, a village with Tamil resettlers, honored Jenitta Vipulanandan, a student of Saraswathie Vidyalayam, for passing the island wide Year- 5 Scholarship examinations. This was the first in the school's twenty-five year history, school teachers said.
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Thampalakamam massacre victims remembered

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 February 2004, 17:23 GMT]
The sixth death anniversary of the killing of eight Tamil civilians including two students by Sri Lankan police on 1st February, 1998, was observed Sunday at Potkerney and Puthukuddiruppu, suburbs of Thampalakamam village in Trincomalee district, sources said. Thampalakamam is located twenty four km off south west of Trincomalee town on Trincomalee-Colombo highway.
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"UNF ready to get fresh mandate for peace"- Wickremesinghe

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 February 2004, 17:18 GMT]
"The ruling United National Front is prepared to face a snap general election to get a fresh mandate for peace," Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe said Sunday addressing a rally at Hali-Ela in Badulla district. The meeting was held to inform the masses on the current political situation since Sri Lanka President's take over of three key ministries from the UNF government, media sources said.
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"No back-door link with LTTE"- Harim Peiris

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 February 2004, 17:13 GMT]
"The President is not trying to establish a back-door link with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam," said Sri Lanka President's spokesperson Mr.Harim Peiris commenting on a report that Defense Ministry Secretary Mr. Cyril Herath has written a letter to LTTE Peace Secretariat head Mr.Pulithevan, media sources said.
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UNDP funds Muttur Milk-collection project

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 February 2004, 15:36 GMT]
At the Trincomalee district secretariat Friday, the United National Development Fund (UNDP) and the Sri Lanka's Agricultural and Livestock Development Ministry signed an agreement to establish a milk collecting system at Palathadichchenai in Muttur, sources said. The estimated cost of the project is US $ 105,485.
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SLMC against postponement of Amparai local elections

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 February 2004, 13:42 GMT]
Leader of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), and Minister in the UNF Government, Rauf Hakim, told a party meeting that under no circumstances the Amparai local council elections scheduled to be held on 22 February should be postponed. "We may be forced to take extreme measures against the Sri Lanka Government if it accedes to request by a few for postponement," Minister Hakim added, political sources said.
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TULF central working committee appoints nomination board

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 February 2004, 13:14 GMT]
The central working committee of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), main constituent of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Sunday appointed a seven-member nomination board to select its parliamentary candidates to face a snap general election, said TULF Administrative Secretary and parliamentarian Mr.N.Raviraj.
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Four political parties to join UPFA

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 February 2004, 12:43 GMT]
Four more political parties, Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP), National Unity Alliance (NUA), Sri Lanka Mahajana Party (SLMP) and Deshiya Jathika Vimukthi Peramuna (DJVP) have expressed willingness to join the recently formed political party United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA). UPFA was formed by the Sri Lanka Freedom party and Sinhala nationalist-Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) with the objective of defeating the ruling United national Front government at the next general elections, political sources said.
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Pirate power supply for army kills elephant

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 February 2004, 04:37 GMT]
A wild elephant was electrocuted by an illegal power supply line to the Kayankerni Sri Lanka army camp, 36 kilometres north of Batticaloa, residents told TamilNet Sunday. Three elephants in a herd were electrocuted by the Kayankerni SLA pirate power line last year, they said.
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World Vision funds Ferry Service, Model Farm

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 February 2004, 00:01 GMT]
Mr.Yu Hua Li, National Director of World Vision International, Friday, inaugurated two projects, a ferry costing Rs.3.5 million in Mandoor, and a new Model farm costing Rs.20m in Thampalavattai, civil sources in Batticaloa said. Both projects were funded by World Vision which is Christian Relief Organization.
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