JVP holds discussions on peace process with allies

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 May 2004, 18:10 GMT]
The leadership of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a main constituent of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), has been holding intensive discussions with the other constituent political parties of the UPFA on the current position of the peace process, as a prelude to announcing its final stand on the Norwegian brokered peace talks between the UPFA government and the LTTE, JVP sources said Friday.


Full story >>

Balasingham's "Viduthalai" to be introduced to Trinco audience

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 May 2004, 17:48 GMT]
The Arts and Cultural Division of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has organized a public meeting in Trincomalee on May 23 to introduce the book " Viduthalai"(Liberation), a compilation of political and philosophical articles written by LTTE theoretician and political strategist Mr.Anton Balasingham, to the Trincomalee audience, sources said
Full story >>

JHU protests 'malicious propaganda' by State media

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 May 2004, 17:41 GMT]
The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) Friday held a demonstration in Colombo against the State electronic and print media for conducting what it said was "malicious propaganda" against the party. A group of Buddhist monks including JHU parliamentarians went in procession from the Wijerama Mawatha to the State run Rupavahini (Television station) Corporation.
Full story >>

Research book on King Ravaneswaran released in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 May 2004, 17:36 GMT]
"Ravaneswaran Inthira Ulah" a research book on the history of King Ravaneswaran written by a leading Tamil scholar Mr.Kandasamy Balasubramaniam of Moolai in Jaffna district was launched in Trincomalee recently under the auspices of Trincomalee Muthamil Valarkalai Mantram. Trincomalee Eelathu Ilakkiacholai published this book as its seventeenth publication, sources said.
Full story >>

Vavuniya Police commended for action against crimes

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 May 2004, 14:22 GMT]
Sri Lanka Police in Vavuniya has arrested fifteen suspects in connection with armed robberies, house-breaks, murders and abductions in Vavuniya town and surrounding areas, and recovered jewelry and cash worth 3 million rupees. The Police are also seeking the arrest of three hardcore criminals involved in the incidents who are currently working with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna, police sources in Vavuniya said Friday.
Full story >>

Military officer gets key peace secretariat post

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 May 2004, 13:20 GMT]
Sri Lanka President Chandrika Kumaratunga Wednesday appointed Brigadier Sanath Karunaratna, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Sri Lanka army's 51 Division in Jaffna as the Director of Operations of the government peace secretariat, the institution in charge of handling Colombo's negotiations with the Liberation Tigers. Brig. Karunaratna served as the SLA spokesman from 23 June 2000 to 15 January 2003.
Full story >>

Tamil MPs protest in Sri Lanka Parliament

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 May 2004, 11:08 GMT]
Tamil MPs carrying placards and wearing black bands on their arms marched to the Sri Lankan Parliament from its main entrance Wednesday in a protest against Police firing on Tamil estate workers in the hill country town of Kandapola last month. “The Sri Lankan Police and army behave like they are Sinhala Police and Sinhala army. They systematically work against the Tamils," said TNA MP, Mr. Suresh Premachandran during the debate on the Kandapola incident in Parliament Wednesday.
Full story >>

Abducted JHU MP tenders resignation

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 May 2004, 17:22 GMT]
Venerable Kataluwe Ratnaseeha Thera, the abducted monk parliamentarian of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Tuesday personally handed over his resignation letter to the Secretary General of the parliament, parliamentary sources said.


Full story >>

Parliament meets Tuesday, one SLMC MP crosses over to govt. bench

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 May 2004, 05:41 GMT]
The second sitting of the first session of the thirteenth parliament of Sri Lanka commenced Tuesday morning around 10 a.m. amid confusion and tension following the cross over of Mr. Hussain Baila, a National List parliamentarian of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), to the government and the alleged abduction of a monk parliamentarian of the Jathika Hela Urumaya Monday night by an unidentified group, parliamentary sources said.
Full story >>

TNA MPs to decide on strategy in parliament

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 22:25 GMT]
The parliamentarians of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) met at the parliament building Monday to discuss the strategy to follow during the election of the Deputy Speaker on Tuesday, but decided to meet again Tuesday morning to take a firm decision, a TNA MP said.


Full story >>

Four new parliamentarians to be sworn in Tuesday

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 17:05 GMT]
Four new parliamentarians are to be sworn in by the Speaker when Sri Lanka's parliament meets Tuesday morning. One of the four is the Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian, Mr.Pakkiaselvam Ariyanenthiran, of Batticaloa district. The other three are from the National List of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), sources said.
Full story >>

Akashi to meet LTTE leadership in Kilinochchi Tuesday

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 14:16 GMT]
The Japanese special peace envoy, Mr.Yasushi Akashi, is to meet the leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Tuesday in Kilinochchi. The Japanese Ambassador in Sri Lanka, Mr.Akio Suda, will accompany Mr. Akashi and two other diplomats to Kilinochchi, sources at the Japanese Embassy in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Kilinochchi athlete wins bronze in Colombo athletic meet

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 13:14 GMT]
Miss. Seevaratnam Tharani, student of Akkarayan Maha Vidiyalayam in Kilinochchi district, won the bronze medal for the Shot Putt event under 16 years of age in the three-day National Junior Schools Athletic Meet held in Colombo Sugathathasa Sports Stadium, which was concluded Sunday. Miss.Tharani was the only competitor who won a place in the meet from the northeast province. She participated in the national level meet as a member of the team nominated by the Kilinochchi District Athletic Association, sources said.
Full story >>

"SLA establishes new checkpoints in Vavuniya, Mannar"- Selvam

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 11:22 GMT]
Vanni electoral district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Mr.Selvam Adaikalanathan Monday sent an urgent letter to Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge that the establishment of new check points of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in the administrative districts of Mannar and Vavuniya is causing serious apprehension in the minds of the people that the security forces are preparing for renewed military action, TNA sources said.


Full story >>

UPFA seeks to ensure majority in parliament

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 05:24 GMT]
The minority United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government has been holding intensive discussions with a few selected leaders of small political parties represented in parliament to ensure majority to elect the Deputy Speaker and the Chairman of Committees when Sri Lanka's parliament is scheduled to meet May 18th morning, political sources said.
Full story >>

Balasingham's book 'Viduthalai' released in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 May 2004, 17:25 GMT]
The launch of 'Viduthalai' (Liberation), collection of articles written by Liberation Tigers' theoretician and political strategist Mr.Anton Balasingham was held in Jaffna University Kailasapathy Auditorium Sunday evening. The book was first released in London six months ago and this was the first time the book was released in the Northeast, sources said.
Full story >>

Tie aid to ISGA progress, Sampanthan tells Akashi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 May 2004, 12:15 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan Sunday told the Japanese special peace envoy Mr.Yasushi Akashi that flow of foreign aid to Sri Lanka should depend on the progress made in establishing the Internal Self Governing Authority (ISGA) in northeast province. Mr.Sampanthan met with Mr. Akashi in the Japanese embassy in Colombo Sunday morning and held more than an hour long discussion on the current political situation in Sri Lanka, TNA sources said.


Full story >>

New Batticaloa MP to take oath

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 May 2004, 11:34 GMT]
Pakiyaselvam Ariyanendran, is expected to take oath as a new Member of Parliament for Batticaloa district for the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) when the Sri Lanka parliament convenes Tuesday, political sources in Batticaloa said. Mr. Ariyanendran obtained the next highest votes in the last general election and following the resignation of Kingsley Rajanayagam earned the coveted spot to represent Batticalao district.
Full story >>

Akashi arrives in Colombo to continue peace mission

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 May 2004, 16:01 GMT]
Mr Yasushi Akashi, Special Representative of the Government of Japan, arrived in Colombo Saturday evening around 7.30 p.m. to continue his peace mission in Sri Lanka.T his is his 7th visit to Sri Lanka since he was appointed as the Special Representative in October 2002 to contribute to the peace process in Sri Lanka and his first visit after the election of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government at the recently concluded General Elections.


Full story >>

Christina Rocca meets TNA delegation

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 May 2004, 11:01 GMT]
"The international community should tell publicly to the Sri Lankan government that it would not prevent Tamils going in their own way to achieve their rights if Sinhala leaders fail to political solution to meet their legitimate aspirations. This will contribute to the success of the current peace process in finding a lasting political solution," Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan Friday appealed to Ms Christina Rocca, US State Department Assistant Secretary for South Asian Affairs Friday, sources said.
Full story >>