Sri Lanka tightens fishing restrictions under terrorism act

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 June 2002, 05:52 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government has issued a gazette notification retrospectively dated 23 May, 2002 under the Prevention of Terrorism Act specifying areas in the Northeast that have been restricted for fishing. The government will appoint a Competent Authority in charge of the newly demarcated restricted areas under this gazette notification. The new PTA regulation includes punishment for those violating restriction on fishing in the specified areas.
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Vehicle shortage hampers Jaffna development

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 June 2002, 17:53 GMT]
A persistent shortage of official vehicles for civil administrators is hampering rehabilitation and reconstruction work in war-ravaged Jaffna, officials in the northern town said. Four Divisional Secretaries in the Jaffna district have not been provided with vehicles for development work by Colombo. The official vehicle of the Chankanai Divisional Secretary (DS), which was commandeered by the Sri Lanka Army under Emergency Regulations for requisitioning of vehicles and property, is yet to be returned.
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Canadian HC calls on Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 May 2002, 05:01 GMT]
The High Commissioner of Canada in Sri Lanka, Ms. Ruth Archibald, had discussions with Mr. S. P Thamilchelvan on the current state of the island's peace process at the headquarters of the political division of the Liberation Tigers in Kilinochchi Wednesday, according to the Voice of Tigers broadcast from the Vanni. The Canadian High Commissioner conferred with Mr. Thamilchelvan also about development priorities in the war ravaged northern region, the radio said.
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Conditions "not conducive for refugees’ return" - UNHCR

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 May 2002, 02:37 GMT]
Despite the voluntary return of 71,000 internally displaced people [IDP] to their homes this year, the United Nations’ leading refugee agency maintains that “conditions in Sri Lanka are not yet conducive to promote or facilitate large-scale, organised [displaced people’s] return or repatriation of refugees,” a UN working group said this week. The report said that major concerns remain regarding the risk of landmines and unexploded ordinance in both actual and potential areas of return.
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Discussions with LTTE ‘cordial and constructive’ - PM’s office

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 May 2002, 19:30 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Prime Minister’s office said Wednesday that the discussions on Tuesday between officials from the Peace Secretariat and the Liberation Tigers were constructive and held in a cordial atmosphere.
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Sri Lanka govt. peace team meets Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 21 May 2002, 23:21 GMT]
The Chairman of the Sri Lankan government's Peace Secretariat Mr. Bernard Goonatilake Tuesday evening briefed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on the two hours discussion he had with Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan at the headquarters of the LTTE's political division in Kilinochchi earlier in the day, government sources said.
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Maruthankerni, Pallai AGA offices in LTTE held areas opened

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 May 2002, 09:20 GMT]
The offices of the Assistant Government Agents in Maruthankerni and Pallai divisions in the Liberation Tigers held areas have started functioning since Wednesday after an interval of eleven years. Maruthankerni is in the Jaffna district. Pallai is in the Killinochchi district
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Air Force flights are "negating confidence" - LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 May 2002, 10:33 GMT]
In the wake of a series of low-level flights over the Vanni by Sri Lanka Air Force surveillance aircraft which have raised fears amongst residents, the Liberation Tigers Monday lodged a formal protest with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM). The causing of panic amongst civilians by the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is "a negation of the confidence building exercise undertaken by the government of Sri Lanka," the LTTE said in a letter to the SLMM.
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TNA delegation meet Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Saturday, 11 May 2002, 22:07 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers Saturday requested the Tamil National Alliance to pressurise the Sri Lankan government for the speedy implementation of the permanent cease-fire which came into effect on February 23.
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Thamilchelvan says A9 should be open 24 hours, slams SLN

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 May 2002, 06:57 GMT]
"The Liberation Tigers want the A9 road to be open 24 hours, on all days of the week, to ensure the free flow of goods between Jaffna and the other parts of the island," Mr. S. P Thamilchelvan, the head of the LTTE's political division, told TamilNet Thursday.
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Malaria outbreak in Vanni

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 May 2002, 21:23 GMT]
Northeast provincial health authorities Tuesday warned about an outbreak of malaria in the Vanni region. More than 3000 people were treated for Malaria during the past two months at the Killinochchi government hospital alone, medical sources said.
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LTTE slams "grave" truce breach by Navy

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 May 2002, 10:19 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers Sunday accused the Sri Lankan Navy of a “grave and serious violation” of the indefinite ceasefire when gunboats destroyed several civilian fishing vessels and killed two Muslim fishermen in the seas near Vaharai, Batticaloa on Wednesday. The Sri Lankan Navy is “deliberately creating conflictual situations to disrupt the peace process,” the LTTE said. “We call upon the Sri Lanka government to prevail upon the naval authorities to abandon its hostile attitude and strictly follow the peace agreement,” the Tigers said in a statement.
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SLMM rules Sea Tiger convoy did not breach truce

[TamilNet, Thursday, 02 May 2002, 17:01 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission has informed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) leadership that it does not consider the sailing of a Sea Tiger convoy which was intercepted and challenged by Sri Lankan navy gunboats near Trincomalee seas Wednesday last week as a breach of the indefinite ceasefire agreement.
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Navy fire sinks fishing boats

[TamilNet, Thursday, 02 May 2002, 12:49 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Navy Wednesday fired on fishing boats of the coast of Vaakarai, destroying at least two vessels and killing several fishermen, residents in the coastal village said. The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission has been sent a strongly worded protest by the Liberation Tigers, sources in Kilinochchi said Thursday. Reporting the incident Wednesday the Sri Lanka military claimed the boats were LTTE craft and that one had blown itself up.
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Thousands at May Day rallies in Northeastern province

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 May 2002, 19:05 GMT]
More than ten thousand people took part in the May Day rally in Kumarapuram in southern Trincomalee Wednesday afternoon. Thousands also gathered for May Day rallies in Batticaloa, Vavuniya, Mannar, Mullaithivu, Kilinochchi and Jaffna. Mr. Karikalan hoisted the flag of the Liberation Tigers at the rally of more than fifteen thousand in Palugamam, 30 kilometres southwest of Batticaloa.
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Tigers object to COMNORTH declaration

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 April 2002, 05:45 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers have objected to the Northern Navy Commander declaring the islands off the Jaffna peninsula as military zones. The LTTE has sent its objection in writing to the Sri Lanka Peace Monitoring Mission's (SLMM) office in Kilinochchi, sources in the Vanni said Tuesday.
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SLMC leader optimistic over peace prospects

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 April 2002, 18:30 GMT]
The leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Mr.Rauff Hakeem Saturday said that his talks with the leader of the Liberation Tigers, Mr.V.Pirapaharan would certainly facilitate the peace process. "My party would commit itself to help to take the peace process forward," Mr. Hakeem said in an interview to the state run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC).
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Occupation of schools and temples violates cease-fire agreement -TNA

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 April 2002, 22:37 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Thursday brought to the notice of the Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Vidar Helgessen, that the Sri Lanka Army has not vacated temples and schools they occupy in the eastern province and has not completely removed ban on transport of items allowed to LTTE held areas in the eastern province as stipulated in the cease-fire agreement signed between the United National Front Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on February 23.
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Muslims hail SLMC-LTTE agreement

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 April 2002, 22:31 GMT]
(News Feature) Sri Lanka’s Muslim community this week welcomed the landmark agreement signed between the largest Muslim party, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the Liberation Tigers. Mr Vellupillai Pirapaharan, leader of the LTTE, met with Mr Rauf Hakeem, leader of the SLMC last weekend and the two leaders agreed to cooperate closely on affairs related to Sri Lanka's Muslim community.
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Thailand talks after truce implemented

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 April 2002, 14:49 GMT]
Direct talks between the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan government could take place in Thailand in the middle of June following the implementation of the terms and conditions of indefinite cease-fire agreement signed by the two sides in February, LTTE sources said Wednesday. This was suggested in discussions between an LTTE delegation led by the movement's leader, Vellupillai Pirapaharan and a Norwegian delegation headed by Deputy Foreign Minister, Vidar Helgesen.
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