Self employment help benefits low income Mutur residents

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 December 2002, 01:03 GMT]
Low income residents of Mutur living below poverty line were given bicycles, sewing machines and water pumps that enhanced their income earning potential, in a function held at Chenaiyoor Central College in Muttur east Thursday as part of the World Bank funded North East Integrated Agricultural Project (NEIAP), sources said.


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SLFP questions UNF approach to peace

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 December 2002, 14:29 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) the main constituent of the Sri Lanka opposition the People's Alliance (PA), demanded in a press release that the ruling United National Front (UNF) government should explain to Sri Lankan people different concepts and terms included in the Oslo statement which embodied the agreement between Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
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Fishermen demand removal of Kaluwankerni SLA camp

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 December 2002, 17:52 GMT]
The Fishermen's union of Kaluwankerni, a village located 24 km northeast of Batticaloa town, has demanded that the Sri Lankan Army encamped at the ice production factory at the village be withdrawn, in a letter to the Sri Lankan Armed Forces officers, sources in Batticaloa said.
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Sri Lanka Police arrests four LTTE cadres

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 December 2002, 17:08 GMT]
Four Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres including two women tigers were arrested by Sri Lanka police at the checkpoint in Uthayapuram in Ampara district today, sources in Ampara said.
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LTTE officials study Swiss Federalism

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 December 2002, 17:41 GMT]
A top level delegation of the Liberation Tigers this week visited Switzerland at the invitation of the government there to study the country’s federal system, officials said. In a packed schedule, the Tiger delegation met with senior officials of the Swiss government, but squeezed in time to take a guided tour of Bern, they said.
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Police attack injures fifteen anti-EPDP picketers

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 December 2002, 11:56 GMT]
At least fifteen civilians were injured Tuesday afternoon in Nelliady, 30km northeast of Jaffna, when Police used tear gas and opened fire with rubber bullets on the picketers in front of the local office of Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP). In a subsequent grenade attack eight persons, were seriously wounded including journalist Mr.V.Thavachelvan. All have been warded in the Point Pedro base hospital, medical sources said.


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Varathan Group attack injures two civilians

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 December 2002, 11:42 GMT]
Ex-militants of Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) currently part of Varathan Group working closely with the Special Task Force (STF) in Araiyampathi, Batticaloa district, attacked and seriously injured two civilians near Mariamman Kovil road Sunday 6.45 pm sources in Batticaloa said.
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EPDP, PLOTE, EPRLF meet SLA officers in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 December 2002, 20:38 GMT]
The paramilitary EPDP, PLOTE and EPRLF(V) groups met with officers of the Sri Lanka armed forces at the headquarters of the 23-3 brigade of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Batticaloa today to discuss their own security, sources said.
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'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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SLN expands Thiriyai naval base

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 December 2002, 20:14 GMT]
Thiriyai Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) main base, relocated to a new location one mile from the Thiriyai Tamil Vidyalayam in May this year, is now being strengthened as a permanent base, a group of civilians told the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader and the district parliamentarian Mr.R.Sampanthan when he paid a visit Saturday evening to see if any progress has been made by recently resettled farmers, sources said.
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SLAF occupation adds to Muthalikulam farmers' woes

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 December 2002, 16:43 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) occupies twelve buildings of the Irrigation Department located at Pankulam and Muthalikulam, 24 km west of Trincomalee town blocking the Engineers from providing water to resettled farmers engaged in paddy cultivation causing severe hardship, rehabilitation agency sources said.
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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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US, UK welcome Tamil Federal solution

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 December 2002, 16:17 GMT]
The United States and United Kingdom Thursday applauded the agreement reached between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to work towards a Federal model. The historic breakthrough was made at the third round of peace talks held in Oslo this week.
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Jeevan memorial unveiled in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 December 2002, 15:10 GMT]
Memorial for Lt.Colonel Jeevan and seven LTTE cadres who died in a confrontation with Sri Lanka Army (SLA) last year was ceremoniously opened in Illuppadichenai juntion today at 10.30 am on the day of the first anniversary of their death, sources in Batticaloa said.
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LTTE denies involvement in abduction

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 December 2002, 17:07 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Thursday categorically denied any involvement in the alleged abduction of three members of para military Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) in the Batticaloa district, sources said.
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People of Vaakarai demand basic telephone facilities

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 December 2002, 16:25 GMT]
Government employees and residents of Vaakarai, located 64 km north of Batticaloa, have demanded that the SL Telecom should provide basic telephone facilities to the area.
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LTTE, GOSL reach exploratory agreement

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 December 2002, 12:04 GMT]
The government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam reached an exploratory agreement Thursday to “explore a solution to end the island’s conflict founded on the principle of internal self determination in areas of historical habitation of the Tamil speaking peoples, based on a federal structure within a united Sri Lanka”. “Sri Lanka needs a new constitution that would radically transform its polity," said Chief negotiator of the Liberation Tigers, Mr. Anton Balasingham, addressing a joint press conference Thursday morning at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in downtown Oslo.
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LTTE, GOSL discuss framework for political solution

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 December 2002, 15:01 GMT]
The negotiating teams of the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers (LTTE) continued discussions on a framework for a political solution in Oslo Wednesday.
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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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