Decision on NE local polls next week

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 September 2002, 20:53 GMT]
The Commissioner of Elections, Mr.Dayananda Dissanayake said Friday that he will announce on September 18th his final decision on holding polls to the local authorities in the northeast province scheduled for September 25. The Commissioner had met with Assistant Returning Officers from the NorthEast at his office earlier on Friday.
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Fishermen complain army harassment

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 September 2002, 17:04 GMT]
The Vadamarachchi Fisheries Co-operatives Federation Thursday complained to the Human Rights Commission (HRC) in Jaffna that the Sri Lanka Army is falsely implicating fishermen in the area in connection with incidents that took place during student's agitation on September 2 in Point Pedro town. The complaint was lodged following the third arrest of a fisherman by the Police Thursday.
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TNA urges PM to put off NE local polls

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 September 2002, 16:00 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance Wednesday urged Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to postpone elections to local government bodies in the northeast scheduled to be held on 25 September. The polls were postponed in March this year upon a request by the TNA that the situation was not conducive at the time. The Elections Commission said last week that the polls to the local authorities will have to be held as scheduled unless the law is amended.
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SLA builds new camp in Mirusuvil

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 September 2002, 13:05 GMT]
The Sri Lanka army is building a new camp behind the Mirusuvil hospital, according to residents in the war-scarred town east of Chavakachcheri in Jaffna. The site for the camp is situated along the northern and southern boundaries of the hospital, encompassing lands and homes belonging to the townspeople.
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Rebuilding Mutur farmer economy stressed

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 September 2002, 22:54 GMT]
Paddy production in Mutur must be rebuilt, those gathered at the opening of a seed-cleaning centre at Killiveddy, south of Trincomalee, was told Saturday. "Paddy production in the Mutur area, which was once considered a granary of the Trincomalee district was badly affected due to the war as most of the farming families had been displaced, lost their homes and had properties destroyed," said Mr. Rasalingam Thiagalingam, Secretary to North East Provincial Ministry of Lands and Agriculture addressing a gathering, which followed the opening.
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Sixth Amendment threat looms over peace talks

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 September 2002, 19:08 GMT]
(Newsfeature) President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s People’s Alliance and the Sinhala nationalist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) vowed Friday to fight the United National Front government for lifting of the ban on the Liberation Tigers. The spokesman for the People’s Alliance Dr. Sarath Amunugama said the party will take legal action and start mass protests against the de-proscription. He was addressing a press conference at the opposition leader’s office in Colombo Friday.
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Mines, apathy balk temple zone re-settlers

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 September 2002, 19:02 GMT]
Hundreds of families that were driven out of the environs of the historic Thiruketheeswaram temple in Mannar twelve years ago by Sri Lanka army operations are unable to go back to their villages because their paddy fields are mined and homes have been razed to the ground, rehabilitation officials in the district said.
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Special prayers in Trincomalee supporting peace talks

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 September 2002, 19:00 GMT]
Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and Christians in Trincomalee district Friday prayed for the success of peace at special ceremonies held at their respective places of worship. Tamil National Alliance parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan and TNA national list parliamentarian Mr.K.Thurairetnasingham attended prayers at the historic Koneswaram Temple, Jamaliya Mosque and Uppuveli Buddhist Vihare Friday. Trincomalee district UNF parliamentarian Mr.M.A.M.Maharoof attended the special prayer held at Jamaliya Mosque along with TNA parliamentarians.
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TNA tells Chandrika to shun JVP

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 September 2002, 19:28 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance Thursday said that President Chandrika Kumaratunge should not take any decisions regarding the peace process on the guidance of the Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP).”Instead it is essential for her to take decisions in the interests of the country and of finding a permanent and just solution to the ethnic conflict,” said Mr.R.Sampanthan, leader of the TNA parliamentary group in a statement issued Thursday, welcoming the de-proscription of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
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Jaffna students storm SLA positions

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 September 2002, 14:15 GMT]
(News Feature) Over two thousand protesting Tamil students Monday forced their way into Sri Lanka Army positions and camps in Point Pedro in the northern Jaffna peninsula, destroying barriers, sentry points and checkpoints. Students demanding the withdrawal of troops from public places also blocked the main entrance of the SLA's 52-4 Brigade headquarters. Troops fired tear gars and live rounds and assaulted students, journalists and local officials of the Liberation Tigers' political wing who intervened.
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SLFP opposes 19th amendment

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 September 2002, 12:16 GMT]
The central working committee of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), the main constituent of the main opposition People's Alliance (PA) Saturday night decided to oppose the proposed nineteenth constitutional amendment restricting the Presidential powers to dissolve parliament.
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Vanni artistes highlight detainees' plight

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 August 2002, 05:46 GMT]
A Tamil parliamentarian Thursday called for the repeal of Sri Lanka’s notorious Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) under which hundreds of people continue to be detained. Mr. K. Thurairatnesingham, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) was addressing people assembled at Trincomalee St. Joseph's College auditorium Thursday evening to view the play enacted by the Vanni Teachers' Aesthetic Society, a group of teacher-artistes of Vanni region.
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St John Ambulance National Cadet camp concludes in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 August 2002, 20:50 GMT]
More than eight hundred youths of all communities from north to south of the country attended the five-day National and Cadet Camp for the year 2002 of the St.John Ambulance Association and Brigade held at Trincomalee Vipulananda College.
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TNA meets Armitage

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 August 2002, 09:35 GMT]
"The United States of America should help the Tamils to find an alternate and just political solution to their longstanding problems while reiterating its stand against the division of the country," the delegation of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) told the visiting US Deputy Secretary of State Mr. Richard Armitage when it met the latter at the official residence of the US ambassador in Colombo Thursday evening.
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US Deputy Secretary of State visits Chavakachcheri

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 August 2002, 11:36 GMT]
The United States Deputy Secretary of State, Mr. Richard Armitage, visited Chavakachcheri Urban Council grounds Thursday morning accompanied by Sri Lanka’s Economic Reforms Minister Mr. Milinda Morogoda, Defence Ministry Secretary Mr. Austin Fernando, US Ambassador in Colombo Mr. Ashely Wills and the three heads of the armed forces. While touring the Chavakachcheri area, the visiting US diplomat said, "It reminds me of Vietnam where I served for six years. This shows the urgent need of finding a political solution to Sri Lanka's crisis."
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'Economic recovery depends on permanent solution' -Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 August 2002, 21:35 GMT]
"The economy of the country will be improved only when the interim administration starts functioning with necessary powers to develop the Northeast province following the Thailand peace talks scheduled to be held in mid September," said Mr.R.Sampanthan, leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group when addressing the fifth and final day of the 'Yuga Thekma' industrial exhibition held in Trincomalee esplanade.
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'Released Tamil youths harassed by Police' -Selvam

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 August 2002, 18:21 GMT]
"I wish to bring to the notice of the Defence Minister that the Tamil youths released from prisons are being harassed by the Police. These youths find in difficult to live in peace in their homes due to unwanted interference by the Police," said Vanni district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Mr.Selvam Adaikalanathan, Tuesday, in parliament participating in the second day debate on the no-confidence motion against the Interior Minister moved by the opposition.
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Nimalarajan murder suspects further remanded

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 August 2002, 18:11 GMT]
The Jaffna acting Magistrate Tuesday allowed an application made by the Police seeking permission to send the 9 mm pistol and two spent bullets which had been recovered from the office of the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) to Colombo for forensic examination and report. The Police recovered the pistol and bullets when they raided the EPDP office, August 9.
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TNA accuses 'PA playing dual role'

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 August 2002, 21:46 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Monday accused the main opposition People’s Alliance playing a dual role regarding the present peace process brokered by the Norwegians. "The People’s Alliance should come forward to tell its clear stand on the peace process now being taken forward by the United National Front government," said Mr.R.Sampanthan, leader of the Tamil National Alliance parliamentary group participating in the debate of no confidence motion against the Interior Minister John Amaratunge.
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Naval personnel assault Tamil civilians

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 August 2002, 15:56 GMT]
Seven civilians were assaulted severely by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) personnel at Naranthanai, an islet in the Jaffna district Friday afternoon, according to a complaint made by the Kayts Palmyra and Coconut Development Society to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission ( SLMM ) in the peninsula. Six SLN personnel entered a toddy tavern in the area and assaulted the civilians, around 2.30 p.m. Friday, the complaint further states.
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