UPFA renews attempt to woo CWC support

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 June 2004, 05:30 GMT]
Leaders of the minority United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government Tuesday held talks with Mr.Arumugam Thondaman, leader of the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) in a fresh bid to secure majority in parliament when it is scheduled to meet on July 20, political sources said.
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Sampanthan to address U.S. Tamil meet

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 June 2004, 02:25 GMT]
Secretary General of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Parliamentary Group leader, R.Sampanthan, is scheduled to address the Annual Convention of the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America (FeTNA) at the Carl J. Murphy Fine Arts Center, Morgan State University, in Baltimore during the 4th July weekend, sources said.
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TRO provides computer training to needy students

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 June 2004, 00:12 GMT]
Eighty two students completed computer training conducted by the Social Economic Development Organization (SEDO), a sub-unit of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), and were awarded with certificates at an event held during the weekend in Trincomalee Vipulananda College in Anpuvallipuram, a suburb located about 2 km off the east port town.
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Tamil journalists condemn slander

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 June 2004, 14:59 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance (SLTMA) and the East Lanka Journalists’ Association (ELJA) Tuesday condemned what they described as “attempts in a section of the Colombo to discredit independent Tamil journalists”. Referring to a report in the Tuesday edition of ‘The Island’, an English language daily published from Colombo, a spokesman for the ELJA said, “the paper refers to us as ‘supporters of LTTE leader Pirapaharan’. This is a dangerously mischievous report aimed at discrediting us and thereby justify the intimidation and murder of eastern journalists”.
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Parents naming children in Tamil honoured

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 June 2004, 13:41 GMT]
"Silampam" an organization run by Tamil expatriates in Canada through its northeast branch Sunday evening honoured selected sixty five Tamil parents at a function held in Trincomalee St Joseph's' College for having named their children with 'pure' Tamil names. "Silampam" has been engaged in a campaign to create awareness among Tamils worldwide to safeguard Tamil language.
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Vavuniya Campus strike ends

[TamilNet, Saturday, 26 June 2004, 11:19 GMT]
Five day strike at the Vavuniya campus of Jaffna University ended Saturday after students reached an agreement with the Vice Chancellor Professor S.Mohanadas in the presence of Vavuniya Government Agent k.Ganesh and Vanni district parliamentarian Sivanathan Kishore, sources in Vavuniya said. The University administration gave written assurance to the students that they will immediately begin a program of upgrading the basic student and teacher facilities at the Vavuniya campus.
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Batticaloa turns nightmare for local journalists

[TamilNet, Saturday, 26 June 2004, 10:28 GMT]
A journalist in Batticaloa went into hiding Friday, fearing for his life after persons suspected to be members of a paramilitary group working with the Sri Lankan military intelligence threatened him with death, family members told TamilNet. The journalist, Mr. Thanthiyan Vedanayagam, was working as the Batticaloa correspondent for the independent Tamil daily ‘Thinakkural’. Two journalists fled the eastern town earlier this month after they too were threatened with death by persons suspected to be members of a paramilitary group working with the Sri Lankan military intelligence.
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Opposition leaders to meet Speaker Monday

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 June 2004, 20:17 GMT]
Leaders of opposition parties, United National Party (UNP), Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) and Upcountry Peoples Front (UPF) are to meet the Speaker Mr.W.J.M.Lokkubandara Monday before discussing the strategy to adopt to present a co-ordinated front to the actions of the ruling minority UPFA government when the parliament meets on July 20, sources said.


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Opposition to urge reconvening parliament before PC elections

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 June 2004, 03:59 GMT]
Leaders of opposition parties are scheduled to meet Wednesday in the parliamentary complex to decide on the next course of action taken in regard to safeguard the parliamentary democracy. The Leader of the Opposition and main opposition United National Party (UNP) Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe is to preside over the meet, political sources in Colombo said.
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One accused in Bindunuwewa massacre case acquitted

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 June 2004, 13:37 GMT]
Specially constituted five-member bench of the Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court comprising Justices Asoka de Silva, T.B.Weerasuriya, Nihal Jayasinghe, N.E.Dissanayake and Raja Fernando Monday acquitted the fifth accused Sub-Inspector of Police Mr.Tyronne Roger Ratnayake who was sentenced to death along with Inspector of Police Mr. Senaka Jayampathi Karunasena and three civilians in the Bindunuwewa massacre case, for want of evidence, legal sources said. The inquiry into the appeals of four other accused-appellants is continuing.
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"UPFA government will prove parliamentary majority"- PM

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 June 2004, 05:55 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse Monday declared that his United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government would prove its majority in parliament when it meets on July 20 after elections to six-provicincial councils, scheduled to be held on July 10. "UPFA is prepared to face the challenge of the common opposition if it claimed to have a majority in parliament," said Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse addressing the first election rally in support of UPFA candidates contesting the North Central Provincial Council.
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Tamil cultural activities in Trincomalee to be revived

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 June 2004, 15:10 GMT]
Poet Puthuvai Ratnathurai, Head of the Arts and Cultural Association of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said his leadership is prepared to open a Fine Arts Academy in the Trincomalee district to develop arts and literary activities. As a prelude Mr. Ratnathurai during the weekend at an event held in Trincomalee handed over some carnatic musical equipments to LTTE Trincomalee district political head Mr.S.Elilan.
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Battle lines drawn to prove parliamentary majority

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 June 2004, 14:49 GMT]
Opposition parliamentarians in the Sri Lanka's thirteenth parliament Monday handed over a memorandum to the Speaker Mr.W.J.M.Lokkubandara to safeguard the parliamentary democracy. 114 parliamentarians from the United National Party (UNP), Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and Upcountry Peoples Front (UPF) signed the memorandum, parliamentary sources said.


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"SL President's duplicitous politics threatens peace"- MP

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 June 2004, 03:08 GMT]
Delays in resumption of peace talks due to Sri Lanka President Ms Kumaratunge's continually shifting positions on the peace process, and suspected Sri Lanka Government's complicity in destabilizing the Batticaloa district, portend imminent danger to prevailing peace, said Joseph Pararajasingham, Senior Vice President of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Member of Parliament (MP), talking to TamilNet from Colombo, Sunday morning.
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Senior Tamil Journalist talks to German HR Group

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 June 2004, 17:46 GMT]
Dharmaretnam Sivaram, a Senior Tamil Journalist and an editor of TamilNet, spoke to International Human Rights Association in Germany during his recent trip to Europe. One segment of the interview was recorded after his colleague Mr. Aiyathurai Nadesan was assassinated in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka.
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"LTTE losing confidence in peace process"- UNF

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 June 2004, 02:35 GMT]
"The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) appears to be losing confidence on the peace process because of the contradictory stands taken by President Chandrika Kumaratunge," said the media spokesman of the main opposition, Professor G.L.Peiris, at a press briefing held Friday in Colombo, according to media sources.
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Anti-Conversion Bill to be tabled in Sri Lanka Parliament

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 June 2004, 00:36 GMT]
Based on a proposal submitted by Buddha Sasana Minister Mr.Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government Friday decided to table a draft bill in Sri Lanka Parliament prohibiting forcible conversion of religion, UPFA spokesman Mr. Mangala Samaraweera said at a press briefing.
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Colombo security tightened

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 June 2004, 16:42 GMT]
State armed forces tightened the security of Colombo city following the discovery of a suicide jacket and a bag of explosives Friday early morning by a foot-patrol party of the Police amid allegations by the main opposition United National Front (UNF) Friday evening that the security of Colombo has been weakened, sources said.
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No ISGA outside parliamentary procedure - UPFA govt.

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 June 2004, 16:08 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Media Minister and United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government's new cabinet spokesman Mr. Mangala Samaraweera, Friday rejected reports in a section of the media that the President was exploring the possibility of establishing Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) in the northeast province outside parliamentary procedure as baseless. '' There is absolutely no truth in such reports,'' Mr. Mangala Samaraweera said at the cabinet press briefing.
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Norway persists as stalemate deepens

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 June 2004, 01:04 GMT]
The stalemate in Sri Lanka’s peace process continued this week, and even as Norwegian diplomats vowed to continue their shuttle diplomacy, President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s government hardened its stance on the agenda for talks.


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