'War imminent if federal solution is rejected'- Minister Peiris

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 December 2002, 18:39 GMT]
The United National Front (UNF) government Monday said if the attempt to find a political solution to the ethnic conflict through a federal constitution is rejected then there is high likelihood of war breaking out again. "Instead of amending the clauses of the present constitution, the government has decided to table a new constitution that will embody the new political framework," said Professor G.L.Peiris, Minister of Constitutional Affairs and cabinet spokesman at a press briefing Monday in Colombo.


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Hakim canvasses Tamil support to defeat party saboteurs

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 December 2002, 23:53 GMT]
The leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Mr.Rauff Hakim said Friday that Muslims should be allowed to enjoy the same rights and privileges provided to Tamils in the merged northeast province when a political solution is found to the ethnic conflict. Mr.Rauff Hakim was given a rousing welcome in Mutur town in the Trincomalee district Friday when he paid his first visit after he regained the leadership of the SLMC on the order of the Colombo District Court Thursday.
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CTTU leads Rights Conference in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 December 2002, 17:51 GMT]
"Human rights abuses in Sri Lanka abound because people refuse to accept other people's views. If every community develops the mindset to listen and understand views of others, there would be no war and destruction," said Mr. K. Velayutham, the Badulla district member of parliament (MP), speaking at a conference on "Human Rights and Democracy" in Batticaloa today.
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LTTE police stations 'not a new phenomena' - Balasingham

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 December 2002, 15:26 GMT]
The LTTE's Police and law and order systems would not extend into areas controlled by the Sri Lankan government while continuing to maintain law and order in Tiger-controlled areas, Mr. Anton Balasingham, the movement's Chief Negotiator and political advisor told reporters in Oslo Tuesday. He was speaking at a press conference held during lunch on the second day of the third round of peace talks between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government.
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TNA mourns death of veteran Trinco Tamil activist

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 December 2002, 21:21 GMT]
"At a time when we are at the doorstep of finding a just, permanent and lasting solution to the Tamil national question through talks between the United National Front (UNF) government and the Liberation Tigers (LTTE) Trincomalee Tamils have lost a veteran activist who has worked for the political emancipation of his community for about fifty years," said the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan paying Homage to Mr. Subramaniam Gunanayagam Sunday evening.
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Bishop exhorts Tamils to work with confidence

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 December 2002, 17:22 GMT]
"Tamils in northeast province now live in a transitional period expecting a constitutional change to find a just and lasting political solution to their problems. We should work towards this with utmost confidence," said Rt.Rev. Dr.Kingsely Swampillai, Bishop of Trincomalee-Batticaloa Diocese, addressing the annual prize-giving day of the Trincomalee St.Joseph's College as Chief Guest Saturday.


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Veteran Tamil activist Gunanayagam passes away in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 November 2002, 10:52 GMT]
A veteran Tamil social worker and a politician in Trincomalee district Mr. Subramaniam Gunanayagam passed away Thursday at the age of seventy after a brief illness.
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LTTE leader calls for autonomy and self-government for Tamil homeland

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 November 2002, 12:17 GMT]
In a radical move to clarify the policy orientation of his organisation, Mr Velupillai Pirapaharan, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) declared that he would favourably consider a political framework that offers substantial regional autonomy and self-government to the Tamil people on the basis of their right to internal self-determination. The text of Mr. Pirapaharan’s annual Heroes’ Day address was released to the media in an official statement.
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CID submits confidential report on Chemmani mass graves

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 November 2002, 10:43 GMT]
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) submitted its confidential report on the Chemmani mass graves' exhumation to the Colombo Chief Magistrate Tuesday afternoon, legal sources said. Further inquiry in regard to the Chemmani mass grave continues, CID officials told the Chief Magistrate.
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US calls to renounce violence, says ready to play its part

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 November 2002, 21:06 GMT]
Richard Armitage, Deputy Secretary of State, US, the highest ranking American official to visit Sri Lanka since the start of the conflict, said that his country will continue to support programs that promote peace and good governance in his address at the Oslo donor conference, 25 November. He called on the LTTE to renounce violence and secession. The presence of Secretary Armitage during Anton Balasingham's address later in the day sent a strong message of recognition of LTTE's growing legitimacy, analysts said.
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'We are sincerely and firmly committed to peace' - Balasingham

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 November 2002, 18:26 GMT]
"We urge the international governments to offer substantial financial assistance for the resettlement and rehabilitation of the war affected people in the northeast..On our part, we can assure the international community that our organisation is sincerely and firmly committed to peace and negotiated political settlement..we will not resort to war or violence. We fervently hope that the Sri Lankan armed forces will also abide by that commitment," said Mr. Anton Balasingham, the advisor and theoretician to Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in his address to the Oslo aid conference 25 November.
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'Country cannot afford to miss this opportunity for peace'- Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 November 2002, 12:54 GMT]
"We must not lose the present opportunity to achieve permanent peace with a just, fair and lasting political solution to the ethnic conflict," said Mr.Sampanthan, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader addressing the Annual Parents' Day and Oli Vizha of the Trincomalee St.Mary's College Sunday evening. Hundreds of parents attended the function held at College Thresian Auditorium.
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Heroes Day celebrations commenced in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 November 2002, 12:40 GMT]
The ‘Maaveerar Naal’ (Heroes Day)celebrations commenced in Trincomalee district Monday. At Sampoor, LTTE district military commander Colonel Pathuman inaugurated the Maaveerar Day celebrations by hoisting the Tamil Eelam national flag while District Political Head Mr.Tilak lighting the flame of sacrifice.
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UNHCR help sought to resettle refugees in TamilNadu

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 November 2002, 02:10 GMT]
When officials of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Commission on Human Security met Mr. S. P. Thamilselvan, head of the Liberation Tiger's (LTTE's) Political wing in Kilinochchi Friday, Thamilselvan requested the UNHCR to take action as soon as possible to resettle Tamil refugees from NorthEast currently living in refugee camps in Tamil Nadu, India, sources said.
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Peace brigades proposed to defeat saboteurs

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 November 2002, 19:32 GMT]
A senior minister in the United National Front government said Tuesday that peace brigades should be formed to defeat some elements that are actively engaged in sabotaging the peace initiatives commenced in 1994 and 2001.
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TNA abstains from voting to register protest

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 November 2002, 17:54 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians Monday refrained from voting when the Interior Ministry financial allocation in the 2003 budget was put to vote during the committee stage debate. "The TNA parliamentary group decided not to vote for the Interior Ministry financial allocation to register our dissatisfaction to the government for its inaction regarding Kanchirankuda and Trincomalee incidents in which several Tamils were killed," said Mr.R.Sampanthan, TNA parliamentary group leader.


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Secretariat formed to manage NE development

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 November 2002, 17:46 GMT]
Setting up of a Secretariat to manage the rehabilitation and development to start functioning on 15 December was discussed at the first meeting of the Sub-Committee on Immediate Humanitarian and Rehabilitation Needs of North East (SIHRN) comprising delegations of the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held Monday, 18 November, at the Killinochchi District Secretariat auditorium.
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TULF commends Norway, International Community

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 November 2002, 19:21 GMT]
The Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), main constituent of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), while commending Norway and International Community for their support to the peace process, made an appeal to Tamils from making statements that will have adverse impact on the peace process. People who have rarely stood up for the human rights or democratic rights of the Tamil people cannot make any honest contribution to the Tamil question, said the Secretary General of the TULF Mr.R.Sampanthan in a press release at the conclusion of the central committee meeting held Sunday in Colombo.
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Budget fails to recognize needs of NorthEast -Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 November 2002, 21:15 GMT]
"The budget does not provide any relief to the devastated northeast. To treat the northeast in the same way as the rest of the country would tantamount to a refusal to acknowledge the devastation and deprivation suffered by the people of northeast," said Mr.R.Sampanthan, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) group leader participating in the budget debate Thursday.
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Muslim fishermen complain of attack

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 November 2002, 16:36 GMT]
About seventy five Muslim fishermen entered the conference hall of the Trincomalee district secretariat Monday evening, interrupting the meeting of the District Co-ordinating Committee (DCC) which was in progress, and lodged complaint to the parliamentarians and security officials that they had been assaulted by a group of persons backed by members State armed forces and police personnel in civil uniform, sources said.
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