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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Historic meeting between LTTE and Sri Lankan PM

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 November 2002, 19:27 GMT]
The historic hour long discussion between Anton Balasingham, Chief Negotiator of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe, took place today at the Holmenkollen Park hotel situated in Oslo. The discussion was arranged by Norwegian facilitators ahead of the 19 country Donor meeting in Oslo Monday being convened as part of the Norway-led peace process to find a negotiated solution to Sri Lanka's civil war.
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First Heroes' Day Celebrations in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 November 2002, 19:00 GMT]
The 'Maaveerar Naal' (Heroes Day) celebrations to occur for the first time in the eastern port town of Trincomalee will commence Monday 25, November morning at the Cultural Hall venue, with the hoisting of Tamil Eelam national flag and the lighting the flame of sacrifice remembering the LTTE martyrs, sources said.
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Wickremesinghe and Balasingam to meet Sunday

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 November 2002, 01:43 GMT]
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Chief Negotiator of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Mr. Anton Balasingam, will meet for the first time at Holmenkollen Park Hotel in Oslo Sunday 24, said Royal ministry of Foreign Affairs of Government of Norway in a press release.
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Joint appeal for funds before Oslo Donor meeting

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 November 2002, 19:16 GMT]
The Sub-Committee for Immediate Humanitarian and Rehabilitation Needs in the North and East (SIHRN) formed after the second round of peace talks in Thailand sent out an appeal to the international community for support to rebuild NorthEast.


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Tamil Eelam Courts opened in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 November 2002, 18:03 GMT]
"We open our police stations and law courts in our areas only and not in areas held by the government to maintain law and order as mandated by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) leadership," said the head of the Tamil Eelam Judicial Service Mr.Para addressing gathering after he declared open the law courts for the Batticaloa-Ampara district in Arasadithivu Saturday.
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STF withdrawal, Muslim farming discussed in Ampara Meeting

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 November 2002, 17:42 GMT]
After the meeting of the Amparai district committee of the Sub Committee on De-escalation and Normalization, the Defence Secretary Mr.Austin Fernando who led the government delegation and Mr.Kausalyan, LTTE political head for the Batticaloa Amparai district told the press an agreement was reached to implement a phased withdrawal of Special Task Force (STF) camps now located in schools, houses and public buildings.
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Residents call for removal of Malwatte STF camp

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 November 2002, 14:18 GMT]
Residents of Malwattai in Ampara district has appealed in a Memorandum signed by 142 residents sent to the Ampara Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) to remove the Special Task Force (STF) camp from their village, sources in Ampara said.
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PM's meeting with TNA, EPDP, and PLOTE fail to reach consensus

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 November 2002, 16:33 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe Friday evening held a one hour discussion with delegation of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the leaders of the para military Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) and the Peoples Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) to diffuse the tension now prevails in the Jaffna peninsula following picketing campaign against EPDP presence in Neduntheivu.
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Maveerar Day celebrations for the first time in Batticaloa town

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 November 2002, 16:12 GMT]
The ‘Maveerar Naal’ (Heroes Day) will be observed in Batticaloa town for the first time this year. The Mahajana College, where the LTTE leader V. Pirapaharan had his primary education (1960-63), has been chosen as the venue for the observance, LTTE sources said.
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No decision on re-opening Nagarkovil-Point Pedro road

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 November 2002, 20:00 GMT]
The conference held Thursday at the office of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Jaffna to discuss the opening of the Nagarkovil-Point Pedro road ended without a decision. The matter will be taken up for discussion at the meeting of the Sub Committee on De-escalation and Normalization, which is scheduled to be held on December 14, conference sources said.
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De-escalation, normalisation district committee meets in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 November 2002, 19:27 GMT]
The first meeting of the Trincomalee District Sub Committee on De-escalation and Normalisation (TDCSDN) was held Thursday at the office of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in the eastern port town. The three hour discussion, observed by the head of the SLMM in Trincomalee, Mr. Jan Ledang, centred on high security zones, resettlement of displaced people and opening of roads now closed for security reasons, sources said.
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Swedish Ambassador meets Thamilselvan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 November 2002, 18:52 GMT]
Ambassador to Sri Lanka from Sweden, Ms. Ann Marie Fallenius, met with Thamilselvan, Head of Political Section of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), on Wednesday morning in Kilinochchi and held discussions regarding rehabilitation and development activities of North East, 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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‘Col. Karuna’s approach very positive’ -Maj. Gen. Kottegoda

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 November 2002, 13:25 GMT]
“I think Col. Karuna’s approach is very positive. If we continue in this manner we should be able to sort out a lot of issues pertaining to de-escalation and normalisation,” said Maj. Gen. Shantha Kottegoda of the Sri Lanka army, speaking to the press Wednesday at the conclusion of the meeting of the Batticaloa District Committee of the Sub-Committee on De-escalation and Normalisation held in Vavunathivu, 5 kilometres southwest of Batticaloa, near the line of control.
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Tensions high in Delft over EPDP presence

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 November 2002, 20:02 GMT]
Tensions in Delft remained high today as the residents continued their protests demanding that the EPDP make a complete withdrawal from Delft. EPDP cadres have agreed to vacate early morning tomorrow, as the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) is attempting to bring the situation under control sources said.
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Palugamam police records 135 complaints

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 November 2002, 15:25 GMT]
Recently opened Police station by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Palugamam has recorded 135 complaints from the residentsof the surrounding villages in the last two weeks, sources close the security division of the LTTE said.
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Limited progress reported in Omanthai meet

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 November 2002, 13:05 GMT]
The meeting between the Liberation Tigers (LTTE) and the Officers of Security forces to discuss problems arising from High Security Zones (HSZ) in Vavuniya, Mannar and Mullaitivu districts, conducted in Omanthai no-mans land concluded with decision taken to continue discussions at the forthcoming sub-committee meeting, sources said. The meeting started Monday morning at 9.30am and lasted for 5 hours.
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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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