TNA appeals to India not to harm peace efforts

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 December 2004, 14:33 GMT]
''The prime need in Sri Lanka, today, is the peaceful resolution of the Tamil question. The Tamil people are confident that India will not act in a manner harmful to Tamil interests. The Tamil people appeal to Indian government that the conclusion of the Indo-Sri Lanka defence co-operation agreement, and the commencement of development activities in the North-East with the military dimension be not proceeded with, '' said a press release issued by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Wednesday.
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UNP protests against UPFA's budget

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 December 2004, 11:49 GMT]
Hundreds of supporters of United National Party (UNP) and many of its senior parliamentarians held a protest march against the Sri Lanka's budget, the price increases of essential goods and the increase of an hour in the working day, sources from Colombo said. The protest march started from Rajagiriya junction and moved towards the parliament square.
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Karuna kidnapped ENDLF secretary claims mother

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 November 2004, 16:47 GMT]
The mother of Mr. Pakkiyanathan Rajaratnam, 51, the secretary of the ENDLF, a Sri Lankan Tamil paramilitary based in South India, complained to the Human Rights Commission in Jaffna that her son has allegedly been kidnapped by the 'Karuna Group'. Mr. Rajaratnam alias Mano Master has been reported missing since last Thursday. Police are still investigating his whereabouts.
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Tamil Media Alliance holds award ceremony

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 November 2004, 16:59 GMT]
Former news editor of Virakesari and Sudaroli newspaper Mr. S. Edward won the Senior Journalist award during the annual award ceremony held by Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance (SLTMA) at the Wellwatte Ramakrishna Mission Hall Sunday, sources in Colombo said.
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Court delays Mirusuvil massacre inquiry

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 November 2004, 01:20 GMT]
The Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar inquiry into the Mirusuvil massacre case which was to resume Monday, 22 November, is to be delayed further with the murder of the High Court Judge Mr.Sarath Ambepitiya, legal sources said.


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TNA MP demands return of occupied houses in Vankalai

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 November 2004, 12:14 GMT]
Mr.Selvam Adaikalanathan, Vanni district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian, Sunday wrote to the acting Defence Minister Mr.Ratnasiri Wickremanayake to take immediate steps to hand over houses in Vankalai in Mannar district now being occupied by the Sri Lanka Police to the displaced owners who have returned to their village for resettlement since the signing of the ceasefire agreement.
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TECH donates solar systems to educational institutions

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 November 2004, 01:01 GMT]
As the first phase of a plan to donate 50 solar lighting systems, The Economic Consultancy House (TECH), a Non-Governmental Non-Profit Sharing Organization registered with the Government of Sri Lanka, at its Oddusuddan offices Friday, gave away nine complete systems to community educational establishments that conduct classes at night, sources from Vanni said.
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Sampanthan's son, aide injured in attack by Sinhala group

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 November 2004, 17:31 GMT]
Ramesh Senthooran, youngest son of Mr.R.Sampanthan, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader and his aide Mr.Gopal were injured in an attack by a group of Sinhalese believed to be members of a Sinhala political party, at Srimavopura, a Sinhala settlement located about 2 km off north of east port town in Uppuveli area on Saturday night around 7 p.m. The injured were warded in the Trincomalee general hospital, police said.
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TNA faults SLA for violence in Tamil districts

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 November 2004, 15:53 GMT]
"Unwarranted interference by the armed forces in the lives of the Tamil civilian population in the North-East must be brought to an end," said Mr.R.Sampanthan, leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group in a statement of national public importance tabled in Parliament Saturday in regard to several violent incidents that had taken place in the districts of Jaffna, Mannar, Vavuniya and in Trincomalee during Heroes Day week.
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TNA MPs bring Heroes' Day event to Lanka's parliament

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 November 2004, 15:06 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians Saturday around 6.35 evening (Wanni time) created history in the Sri Lanka's parliament by lighting the flame of sacrifice to mark the conclusion of the Heroes Day (Maveerar Week), parliamentary sources said.
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Sri Lanka Cease Fire becoming irrelevant – Tamil MP

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 November 2004, 10:30 GMT]
The Cease Fire Agreement would become increasingly irrelevant if there is not going to be any progress on the peace process, warned Tamil Parliamentarian Mr. Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam speaking on the on the second reading of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Government’s first (2005) Budget on Saturday. “The Tamil people’s overwhelming desire for peace should not be allowed to be taken for granted. Our repeated recommitment to the ceasefire is being misinterpreted by this government to be a sign of weakness”, the MP said.
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Foundation stone laid for Media Institute

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 November 2004, 16:38 GMT]
Rev. Father Mariyanayagam presided the ceremony marking the laying of foundation stone for a new Media Technology Institute in Ariviyal Nagar, Kilinochchi Friday. Senior Tamil Journalist S Kopalratnam and Head of Liberation Tigers Political Wing, S.P Thamilchelvan, laid the foundation stone for the new building, sources in Vanni said.
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Tamils celebrate Pirapaharan's 50th birthday

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 November 2004, 11:53 GMT]
Tamil people in the NorthEast and countries across the world are celebrating the 50th birthday of the Leader of Liberation Tigers, Velupillai Pirapaharan, Friday, 26 November. There were special prayers in churches and temples. Pirapaharan has led the Tamil struggle through three Eelam wars since he founded Tamil New Tigers in 1972, at the age of 18, and later renamed the organisation as Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 1976.
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Sewing machines donated under self-employment project

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 November 2004, 19:14 GMT]
Trincomalee District Affected Students' Fund Thursday donated three sewing machines, through the Liberation Tigers Women Political Wing in Trincomalee district, to mothers of students who have been affected by the two-decade-old war, to generate self-employment . Colonel Sornam, Trincomalee district military commander of the LTTE handed over the sewing machines to the recipients at an event held in the premises of LTTE Trincomalee district women political wing office located in Chenaiyoor, sources said.
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Sri Lanka Parliament adjourned after Tamil MPs protest

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 November 2004, 12:10 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s Parliament was adjourned Thursday after Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MPs sat in the well of the house in protest against military attacks on civilians in Mannar. The protesting TNA Parliamentarians refused to allow sittings to proceed until their demand that the Sri Lanka army should be withdrawn to barracks in the affected areas was met. The Tamil MPs rejected an explanation by Minister for Trade and Commerce, Mr. Jeyaraj Fernandopillai that the military had no hand in the Mannar troubles.
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“Budget ignores collective will of Tamil Nation”-Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 November 2004, 05:27 GMT]
Mr.R.Sampanthan, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader speaking during the Budget debate in Sri Lanka's parliament Thursday morning, said that it is outrageous that the Finance Minister did not even consult the legitimate representatives of Tamil Nation. "The right to internal self-determination has been consistently denied to the Tamil people. This budget is yet another manifestation of that denial...Nothing can be more humiliating to the Tamil psyche than the non-recognition of their collective will. This situation if continued can have serious repercussions," he said.
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UPFA budget has no relief for Tamils - TNA

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 November 2004, 10:37 GMT]
''The maiden budget of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government has failed to address any remedy for the immediate humanitarian needs of the war-torn people of the northeast province who have suffered immensely for the past two decades of the war,'' said Mr.Joseph Pararajasingham, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) national list parliamentarian speaking on the budget debate in the parliament Wednesday.
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ISGA must be basis for talks- Gajendrakumar

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 November 2004, 00:31 GMT]
Speaking at a seminar on "Power Sharing for a lasting peace" held at the Social and Economic Development Center (SEDEC) in Colombo Saturday, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam said, "Tamil people believe that an interim administration is an essential prerequisite to embarking on talks for a solution to the conflict...and they will not allow the LTTE to give up the right to secession before the parties reach agreements on the outstanding core issues."
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Pandemonium in Parliament over Jaffna incidents

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 November 2004, 10:19 GMT]
Pandemonium reigned in the Sri Lankan Parliament as government MPs attempted to shout down the leader of the Tamil National Alliance, Mr. R. Sampanthan who wanted to make statement on the killings and unrest in Jaffna. Sittings were suspended for several minutes when TNA MPs gathered in the well of the house and shouted slogans agains the Sri Lankan government. "Don't kill Tamils, We will establish Eelam (separate Tamil state), End military occupation of the Tamil homeland", the TNA Parliamentarians chanted standing in the midst of the well.
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Singhalese monopolise Sri Lanka's national wealth - TNA MP

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 November 2004, 00:29 GMT]
“This budget has been made to look after the interests of the Sinhala people. The Tamil people have been totally denied the right to share the national wealth of this country. Under Article 148 of the Sri Lankan constitution public finance is in the full control of this Parliament. This is a Sinhala Buddhist dominated Parliament. It means that the Singhalese have monopoly over national wealth. Hence the Tamil people can never hope to benefit from Sri Lanka’s budget”, said Mr. S. Gajendran, Tamil National Alliance MP for Jaffna, speaking on the budget in Sri Lanka’s Parliament Friday.
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