TNA delegation meets LTTE leadership in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2003, 14:30 GMT]
A Tamil National Alliance delegation led by its parliamentary group leader, Mr.R.Sampanthan, Tuesday held discussion with the LTTE’s political head, Mr.S.P.Thamilselvan, regarding the possibility of the resumption of peace talks with the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE.
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Jaffna Protesters demand permission to resettle

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2003, 11:08 GMT]
Valikamam North residents should jointly support and participate in the protest to be held today in front of Jaffna secretariat demanding permission to resettle in their homes that lie within the High Security Zone (HSZ) demarcated by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), said Maavai Senathirajah, Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian in an appeal to residents in Jaffna, local press reports said.


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TNA delegation meets Helgessen, Wickremesinghe

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2003, 00:06 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation met with Norwegian deputy foreign minister Mr. Vidar Helgessen and the Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe separately Monday and held discussions regarding resumption of peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), political sources in Colombo said.
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Norwegian Govt. donates Rs.95m to flood relief

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2003, 13:26 GMT]
After accompanying the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on his tour to flood affected Ratnapura and Matara, the Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen and Ambassador Hans Brattskar announced that the Norwegian Government has decided to donate Rs.95m for emergency flood relief, a press release from the Norwegian embassy in Colombo said today.
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Sri Lanka hit by worst floods in fifty years

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2003, 00:39 GMT]
At least one hundred thousand families were rendered homeless and about one hundred and fifty people died in flood and earthslip following continuous torrential rain now the country is experiencing. Five districts in the down south of the island Ratnapura, Kalutara, Galle, Hambantota and Matara have been badly affected by the floods, government sources said Sunday.


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Death toll in Sri Lanka floods reaches 150

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 May 2003, 19:53 GMT]
Flash floods and mudslides in southern and south-central region of Sri Lanka have killed nearly 150 people, said government officials in Colombo. The flood disaster is the worst seen in more than 50 years since independence, officials added.
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Colombo launches stopgap measure in north

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2003, 12:34 GMT]
A military officer appointed by Colombo to assess the number of houses and properties occupied by the Sri Lanka army (SLA) in Jaffna began work Friday, according to SLA sources. The officer, Lt. Col. M. G. Ratnayake, who was appointed to the position Wednesday by Colombo, will receive applications from civilians in Jaffna whose homes and lands are still occupied by the military, the sources said. The stopgap measure to get the stalled peace talks back on track by Colombo got lukewarm reception in the northern town.
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LTTE,TNA spell out basis for Tokyo meet participation

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 May 2003, 10:55 GMT]
“The LTTE is of the view that before it participates in the Tokyo Aid Conference currently fixed for 9th and 10th June, the administrative, financial and other structures with adequate powers need to be established in order to reconstruct the northeast and to rehabilitate and restore normal civilian life in the northeast province”, said the Tamil National Alliance in a press release issued Wednesday on the outcome of the talks its delegation had with the LTTE political leadership on Tuesday in Killinochchi.
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UNICEF donates eye-glasses to Trincomalee students

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 May 2003, 00:29 GMT]
The North East Provincial Ministry of Education with the financial assistance by the UNICEF Tuesday distributed eye-glasses to students with impaired vision at an event held at Trincomalee St.Joseph's College hall Tuesday, sources said. UNICEF Trincomalee representative Ms Gabriella Elroy handed over the eye-glasses to students.
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News in brief

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2003, 10:44 GMT]
Officials complain of school books replete with Spelling, Grammar, factual errors, more than 8,000 Sri Lanka Army soldiers desert their posts and Jaffna TRO contemplates filing rights case against Sri Lanka Government and security forces.


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TRO opens first divisional office in Muttur

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2003, 01:40 GMT]
The Trincomalee district branch of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) Sunday declared open its first divisional office at Chenaiyoor in the LTTE held Muttur east. On the opening day TRO gave Rs10,000 for relatives of each of the three Tamil youths killed in the recent Muttur riot as compensation, sources said.
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Pirapaharan felicitates Kumar's family

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2003, 00:28 GMT]
Velupillai Pirapaharan, leader of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) , awarded the 'Maamanithar' medal to Yogaluxmi Ponnambalam, wife of late Kumar Ponnambalam, in honor of her husband in a special function held in Kilinochchi, Sunday, sources said. Late Kumar's children, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, a lawyer and Tamil National Alliance (TNA)Parliamentarian, and Mirnalini Ponnambalam, a physician, accompanied their mother to the function.
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Colombo's response will determine Talks' future - Pathuman

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2003, 00:17 GMT]
"We will regain hope for peace if the response from the Sri Lanka government to our letter is positive and constructive," said the Trincomalee district commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Colonel Pathuman, Saturday evening at a passing out event held at LTTE controlled Ralkuli village in Muttur division where certificates were awarded to a group of LTTE cadres who qualified as junior officers after arms training, sources said.


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SLN attempts to block MP's visit to Mandativu

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 May 2003, 15:32 GMT]
M.K.Sivajilingam, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian who was on his way to meet residents of Mandativu, an islet close to Jaffna peninsula, was stopped at the Mandativu junction by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) personnel who attempted to prevent the Parliamentarian from proceeding further inland, sources said. After a long argument the SLN allowed the MP on condition that he returns to the Jaffna Peninsula within three hours.


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TNA, LTTE leadership to meet Tuesday

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 May 2003, 14:40 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has invited the parliamentarians of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) for a meeting at the LTTE's political head quarters in Kilinochchi Tuesday 10am, political sources in Vanni said.
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Education of 5000 children affected in Pallai region

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 May 2003, 12:22 GMT]
Three schools in Kilali, Allipallai and Muhamalai areas in Pallai region in Kilinochchi district cannot function in the original premises due to the occupation of school buildings by the Sri Lanka security forces, said Mr. Ariyaratnam, the Kilinochchi district Commissioner of Education.


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LTTE should enhance its military power – MP

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 May 2003, 00:09 GMT]
“The Liberation Tigers should enhance their military power. This is the only way to ensure our rights in this country. If war is thrust on us again, every Tamil, regardless of any differences, should join the ranks of the LTTE’s armed forces. That is the only way for us to survive as a people," said Mr. Ariyanayaham Chandra Nehru, Tamil National Alliance MP for Amparai, speaking at a seminar on the future of the peace process, organised by the East Lanka Journalists’ Association in Batticaloa town Saturday.


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Court orders remand for two LTTE cadres

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2003, 00:27 GMT]
Trincomalee Magistrate Mr.S.Thiagendran Friday ordered remand till May 22 for two Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suspects who were produced on a report under Explosives and Weapons Ordinance by the Trincomalee Harbour Police, legal sources said.


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Nambiar delivers HSZ report to Lanka's PM

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 May 2003, 02:23 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremesinghe told parliament Thursday during the special debate in Sri Lanka parliament that the report submitted by a former Indian army official, Satish Nambiar, on high security zones in the northeast has been forwarded to the Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunge, parliamentary sources said.


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Lanka Parliament debates Wickremesinghe's statement on peace process

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2003, 11:16 GMT]
The special debate on the statement made by Sri Lanka's Prime Minister on the present state of peace process began Thursday morning in Sri Lankn parliament, parliamentary sources said. Mr.Lakshman Kadirgamar, foreign minister in the previous Peoples Alliance (PA) government opening the debate said the United National Front (UNF) government has converted the country as a playground for the foreigners by signing the ceasefire agreement with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, sources added.
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