Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister visits Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 March 2003, 09:06 GMT]
The Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Vidar Helgesen, is visiting Sri Lanka today to hold meetings with the Presidient, Prime Minister and the LTTE leadership. Mr. Vidar Helgesen will after his visit to Sri Lanka travel to Japan to take part in the next session of Peace Talks in Hakone 18-21 March.
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'We are committed to peace' - Balasingham

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 March 2003, 00:22 GMT]
The political advisor of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Mr.Anton Balasingham said that the LTTE will not allow the peace process to become a trap to weaken the Liberation Tigers. "Despite provocations and attacks on us we are determined to participate constructively in the peace process. We want to convince the world, particularly the Sinhala people, that we are committed to peace," said Mr.Balasingham addressing a gathering, which followed the opening of the main court complex of the Thamileelam judiciary in Killinochchi Tuesday morning, sources said.


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Norwegian Foreign Minister postpones Sri Lanka visit

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 March 2003, 17:12 GMT]
Jan Pettersen's scheduled visit to Sri Lanka today has been postponed indefinitely, reports Norsk Riks Kringkasting (NRK).
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US Ambassador visits Jaffna, meets civil group leaders

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 March 2003, 17:02 GMT]
The Ambassador for United States of America in Colombo, Mr.Ashely Wills, paid a one-day visit to Jaffna Tuesday and held discussions with representatives of Jaffna civil groups and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians, sources said.
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LTTE vehemently condemns sinking of merchant vessel in International Waters

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 March 2003, 14:23 GMT]
The leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam condemned the sinking by the Sri Lanka Navy of an LTTE merchant vessel in international waters, 220 nautical miles off Trincomalee, today. In a letter to Sri Lankan Defence Minister Tilak Marapane, the head of the LTTE’s Political Wing, Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan, condemned the attack in which eleven LTTE cadres were killed as “a grave violation of the ceasefire agreement.”


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Opposition holds peaceful demonstration against peace process

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 March 2003, 11:51 GMT]
The joint opposition demonstration with hundreds of thousands of people wearing red caps, buddhist monks, and front line leaders of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) and the National Unity Alliance (NUA) participating, commenced around two p.m. from Campbell place in Colombo and arrived at the Town Hall by five p.m. without any incidents. The Police provided tight security along the route of the demonstration, sources said.
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Appeal Court releases six LTTE cadres on bail

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 March 2003, 11:43 GMT]
The Court of Appeals comprising of judges Rajah Fernando (President) and E.W. Edusuriya Monday ordered bail for the six cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who are now in remand in connection with the alleged transporting of landmines by sea, legal sources said.


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Colombo put on red alert to face opposition demonstration

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 March 2003, 18:22 GMT]
The city of Colombo has been put on red alert from Sunday and more than two thousand armed police personnel have been deployed at strategic junctions and near key buildings to thwart any disturbances when the joint opposition procession comprising the Sri Lanka freedom party (SLFP), Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) and, National Unity Alliance (NUA) is scheduled to commence Monday around 1 p.m., sources in Colombo said.
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Tamil leader Kumar Ponnambalam remembered

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 March 2003, 18:07 GMT]
Tamils should join hands irrespective of party politics to defeat the forces that are now rallying round in the south against the peace process, said a political activist of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Mr.Vennilavan addressing the third death anniversary of late All Ceylon Tamil Congress leader Mr. Kumar Ponnambalam at Nelliyady Rajaledchumi Theatre Sunday.
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Minister addresses Security forces in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 March 2003, 13:54 GMT]
"Our government is committed to and working hard to finding a political solution through peace talks. Every citizen of this country should be able to live with dignity and freedom and enjoy equality of status. Based on this premise, we are engaged in talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, to find a solution that provides extensive devolution of political powers within a united Sri Lanka," said Prof. G.L.Peiris, Minister of Political Affairs, Government of SriLanka, while addressing security forces in Vavuniya, Sunday, sources said.
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Modern equipment assists Swiss Organization to demine NE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 March 2003, 12:41 GMT]
The Swiss Demining Federation (FSD) is currently clearing mines in Thallaimannar and in Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled areas surrounding villages of Pallamadu, Paapamoddai, and Periya Madhu, with a view of preparing these areas ready for resettlement, said a spokesperson for FSD, a Switzerland-based organization currently involved in demining operations in different war affected areas of NorthEast.
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Foundation stone laid for Kilinochchi hospital building

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 March 2003, 05:39 GMT]
Mr. Tadoa Chino, the president of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), laid the foundation stone for a new hospital building in Kilinochchi Friday during a ceremony organized by the Government Agent (GA) of Kilinochchi, T. Rasanayagam and the Sub-Committee on Immediate Humanitarian and Rehabilitation Needs in the North and East (SIHRN), sources said.
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Film on Women's sacrifice to Tamil struggle released

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 March 2003, 18:02 GMT]
In commemoration of the International Women Day, the Nitharsanam women film unit of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) released a film named “Uppil Uraintha Uthirangal” (Blood stained sea) in all the districts of northeast province Saturday evening . Ms Kuyili who produced the film released the first copy at the event held at Trincomalee Koneswara Hindu College Saturday evening, sources said.
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Resettlement to begin in Omanthai-Thandikulam HSZ

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 March 2003, 16:44 GMT]
In a meeting at the Government Secretariat presided by the Vavuniya Government Agent (GA), K. Ganesh, it was decided to resettle former residents of selected areas within the High Security Zone (HSZ) between Thandikulam and Omanthai centered around the A9 highway in Vavuniya district, starting from coming Monday, sources in Vavuniya said.


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GOSL, LTTE gender issues meeting said constructive

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 March 2003, 12:00 GMT]
The Sub-Committee on Gender Issues (SGI), established by agreement between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE during the third round of negotiations in December 2002, held its first stage of meetings on Wednesday and Thursday in Kilinochchi, and in positive and constructive talks between delegates from both parties, agreed to secure“ active participation of women and the effective inclusion of gender issues in the peace process,” said a press release by the Sub-Committee.
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SLA commander refuses refugees to resettle in Mylanthanai

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 March 2003, 02:12 GMT]
Commander of the 23rd division of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Minneri, Batticaloa, A.R. Balasuriya, refused permission to allow resettlement in the border village of Mylanthanai, sources in Batticaloa said. Former residents who went to their village to resettle had to turn back to their refugee camp in Valaichenai, according to sources.


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Tamil women's contribution to liberation struggle lauded

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 March 2003, 01:14 GMT]
The women's wing leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Ms Thamilini, addressing a workshop on women rights held Friday at Nallur Young Artists' Forum(Ilankalaignar Mantram) in Jaffna said that Tamil women have proved that they are not second to men in contributing to the armed liberation struggle, sources in Jaffna said.
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NE Education officials meet LTTE in Vakarai

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 March 2003, 01:10 GMT]
Officials from the NorthEast Provincial Education Department met with members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam political division, Friday morning, in Pannichangkerni School, Vakarai, Batticaloa district for detailed discussions related to educational development in the Vakarai region, sources said.
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LTTE-TNA agree to take forward peace process

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 March 2003, 18:22 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Tamil National Alliance Friday agreed to work jointly to take forward the present peace process strengthening the relationship between Tamils and Muslims, TNA sources said.
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ADB President visits Killinochchi, holds talks with LTTE

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 March 2003, 18:21 GMT]
The President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Mr.Tadao Chino, Friday reaffirmed ADB's commitment to supporting the peace process with rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance, during a meeting with representatives of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Killinochchi, northern Sri Lanka, a press release issued by the Sri Lanka Resident Mission of the ADB said.
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