SLA cannot deny the rights of IDPs to resettle in HSZ - TNA

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 January 2003, 12:50 GMT]
The United National Front (UNF) government Tuesday gave assurances to the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) that it would take steps to resettle displaced inside the high security zone (HSZ) in Jaffna once the Indian defence expert submits a report on that issue, sources said. TNA stressed that although SLA is empowered by the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to prevent Liberation Tigers (LTTE) from entering the HSZ, SLA cannot deny the rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from resettling in their own homes in their own land, sources said.
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Victims of Tamil Conference '74 remembered

[TamilNet, Friday, 10 January 2003, 16:28 GMT]
Speaking at the 29th year ceremony commemorating the victims of massacre at the International Tamil Research Conference in Jaffna, Rev. Fr. T. Jeyakumar said that some Sinhalese extremists planned the killing when Tamil people showed their love of their language by participating at the conference celebrating Tamil language.


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Equitable distribution of funds for NE schools urged

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 January 2003, 20:51 GMT]
Addressing the concluding session of the three-day education workshop held in Trincomalee on Wednesday, Mr. Arun Master, the deputy head of the Tamil Eelam Educational Development Division (TEEDD), called for equitable distribution of funds for basic facilities to all schools in the North-East.
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LTTE's commitment to Sinhala rights lauded

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 January 2003, 18:37 GMT]
The zonal director of education for Dehiattakandiya, Mr.W.Kodituwakku, on Wednesday lauded the assurance by the head of the LTTE's Educational Development Division, Mr. V. Ilankumaran, that the rights of the Sinhalese living in the Northeastern province would be safeguarded.
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TRO to compensate victims of Trinco 'hartal' violence

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 December 2002, 14:16 GMT]
The Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) will compensate the families of victims of the hartal (general shut down) violence on October 11 in Trincomalee town when three tamil civilians were killed and several injured, sources in the eastern town said.
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'Vihare construction continues in Tamil village despite protests' - TNA

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 December 2002, 13:25 GMT]
Construction of a Buddhist shrine in Vilankulam, a traditional Tamil village, 11 km off west in the eastern port town is continuing despite protests made to the Prime Minister by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader and the Trincomalee district parliamentarian Mr.R.Sampanthan, said TNA Member of Parliament (MP) Mr.K.Thurairetnasingham, Thursday.


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TRO assists Muslim flood victims

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 December 2002, 16:40 GMT]
Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) and its support arm Social Economic Development Organization (SEDO) in Trincomalee Friday commenced distribution of relief items to about fifty-nine refugee families, majority of them Muslims, affected by the recent flood, sources in Trincomalee said.
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AG urged to file appeal against Mylanthanai acquittal

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 December 2002, 13:05 GMT]
A delegation of leading human rights lawyers led by President Counsel Mr.Desmond Fernando requested the Attorney General (AG) to consider filing appeal against the acquittal order by the Colombo High Court in the Mylanthanai massacre case in which eighteen soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army were charged with murder, attempted murder of thirty five Tamils including men, women and fourteen children under twelve years, legal sources in Colombo said.
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Resettlers protest planned colonization of Tamil Village

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 December 2002, 17:01 GMT]
A group of Sinhalese led by a Buddhist priest, assisted by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) are constructing a Buddhist Vihare in a traditional Tamil village Vilankulam, 11 km off west of east port town on the Trincomalee-Kandy road, the East Lanka Peoples' Development Center (ELPDC) Friday said in a memorandum sent to the Minister of Hindu Cultural Affairs Mr. T.Maheswaran, sources said.
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Tamil fishermen attacked in Sandy Cove

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 December 2002, 15:21 GMT]
A group of Sinhalese fishermen Thursday evening attacked Tamil fishermen preventing them from fishing near Sandy Cove in Trincomalee sea claiming that the particular area in the sea belongs to the Sinhala fishermen and that the Tamil fishermen are forbidden from using that area, fisheries sources said.
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'War imminent if federal solution is rejected'- Minister Peiris

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 December 2002, 18:39 GMT]
The United National Front (UNF) government Monday said if the attempt to find a political solution to the ethnic conflict through a federal constitution is rejected then there is high likelihood of war breaking out again. "Instead of amending the clauses of the present constitution, the government has decided to table a new constitution that will embody the new political framework," said Professor G.L.Peiris, Minister of Constitutional Affairs and cabinet spokesman at a press briefing Monday in Colombo.


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LTTE, GOSL reach exploratory agreement

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 December 2002, 12:04 GMT]
The government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam reached an exploratory agreement Thursday to “explore a solution to end the island’s conflict founded on the principle of internal self determination in areas of historical habitation of the Tamil speaking peoples, based on a federal structure within a united Sri Lanka”. “Sri Lanka needs a new constitution that would radically transform its polity," said Chief negotiator of the Liberation Tigers, Mr. Anton Balasingham, addressing a joint press conference Thursday morning at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in downtown Oslo.
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LTTE leader calls for autonomy and self-government for Tamil homeland

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 November 2002, 12:17 GMT]
In a radical move to clarify the policy orientation of his organisation, Mr Velupillai Pirapaharan, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) declared that he would favourably consider a political framework that offers substantial regional autonomy and self-government to the Tamil people on the basis of their right to internal self-determination. The text of Mr. Pirapaharan’s annual Heroes’ Day address was released to the media in an official statement.
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US calls to renounce violence, says ready to play its part

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 November 2002, 21:06 GMT]
Richard Armitage, Deputy Secretary of State, US, the highest ranking American official to visit Sri Lanka since the start of the conflict, said that his country will continue to support programs that promote peace and good governance in his address at the Oslo donor conference, 25 November. He called on the LTTE to renounce violence and secession. The presence of Secretary Armitage during Anton Balasingham's address later in the day sent a strong message of recognition of LTTE's growing legitimacy, analysts said.
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All Sinhala jury acquits Mylanthanai accused

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 November 2002, 16:29 GMT]
All the eighteen accused in the Mylanthanai massacre case were acquitted by the High Court Judge Mr.S.Sriskandarajah when the Sinhalese speaking Jury brought a unanimous verdict of not guilty Monday around eight thirty p.m. In this case the Attorney General had indicted eighteen Sinhala soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army with the murder of thirty-five Tamil civilians including fourteen children in the Mylanthanai village in Batticaloa district on August 9 1992.
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'International support vital to sustain peace' - Ranil

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 November 2002, 12:42 GMT]
Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe, speaking at the opening session of the Oslo support meeting 25 November appealed to the International community to help Sri Lanka rebuild the economy devastated by war. "Without continuing international support and help with resources to build the peace dividend, the momentum for peace could be retarded. With the re-creation of opportunities for growth politicians and negotiators alike will be driven to stabilize and advance the peace," said Mr. Wickremesinghe.
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Peace brigades proposed to defeat saboteurs

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 November 2002, 19:32 GMT]
A senior minister in the United National Front government said Tuesday that peace brigades should be formed to defeat some elements that are actively engaged in sabotaging the peace initiatives commenced in 1994 and 2001.
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Curfew imposed to diffuse ethnic tension in Chilaw

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 November 2002, 17:42 GMT]
A twelve-hour dusk to dawn Police curfew has been imposed in Mundal, Marunthakuli and other eleven villages in the Chilaw division in the North Western Province Monday evening to diffuse tension between Muslims and Sinhalese. The curfew will be lifted Tuesday morning at 6 a.m., police sources said.
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Muslim fishermen complain of attack

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 November 2002, 16:36 GMT]
About seventy five Muslim fishermen entered the conference hall of the Trincomalee district secretariat Monday evening, interrupting the meeting of the District Co-ordinating Committee (DCC) which was in progress, and lodged complaint to the parliamentarians and security officials that they had been assaulted by a group of persons backed by members State armed forces and police personnel in civil uniform, sources said.
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Resettlement should focus on most deserving –Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 November 2002, 19:45 GMT]
Tamil national alliance MP, Mr. R. Sampanthan, Monday strongly objected to moves by Sri Lankan government officials to ignore the most deserving and the most numerous Internally Displaced Persons in Trincomalee and instead to give priority to demographic balance in selecting families for resettlement projects in the district.
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