Prelates stress need for patience

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 October 2002, 18:05 GMT]
The prelates of Malwatte and Asgiriya chapters Thursday appealed that every one should act with patience at a time when the United National Front government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were seriously involved in negotiations to restore peace in the island.
Full story >>

Saddened that he didn’t join LTTE says PA MP

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 October 2002, 15:04 GMT]
Mr. V. Puththirasihamani, a leading Tamil trade union leader and MP of President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s People’s Alliance said Wednesday that he was saddened that hadn’t joined the Liberation Tigers yet after seeing the violence perpetrated on Jaffna. He was addressing a meeting between the parents and relatives of missing persons in the peninsula and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Human Rights at the Jaffna District Secretariat, Thursday morning.
Full story >>

LTTE demands release of Tamil political detainees

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 October 2002, 12:21 GMT]
The political wing of the Liberation Tigers Thursday called on the Sri Lankan government of Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe to “take urgent and immediate steps” to secure the release of Tamil political detainees who have undertaken a fast unto death since October 1 over their continued incarceration. In a statement issued by its political headquarters in Kilinochchi, the LTTE said the release of the detainees would boost the prevailing atmosphere of peace and goodwill and urged Tamil MPs and human rights groups to take measures to bring this about.
Full story >>

Chamber of Commerce to strengthen Trinco entrepreneurs

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 October 2002, 20:29 GMT]
"The entrepreneurs in Trincomalee district suffered immensely for the last twenty years. Local industrialists were left to struggle on their own. Banks refused to give financial assistance. After the cease-fire agreement came into force for the first time in its 54 year old history, the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka has come forward to assist the local entrepreneurs of the district," said Mr.K.Thurairajah, the newly elected President of Trincomalee District Chamber of Commerce, addressing the inaugural meeting.
Full story >>

SLN personnel assault two fishermen

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 October 2002, 17:55 GMT]
Two fishermen were severely assaulted by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) personnel Tuesday night when rough sea forced them to drift towards the high security zone of the Kankesanthurai harbour. Anandasivam Sivakaran (24) and Gopalasingham Ravikumar (24) of Supparmadam, Point Pedro, Wednesday morning complained to the Fisheries Co-operative Federation and to Valvettithurai office of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) about the assault.
Full story >>

LTTE releases one SLA soldier in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 October 2002, 15:11 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Wednesday evening released one of the seven soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army at Kumburupiddy, 22 km north of Trincomalee. The seven SLA soldiers were arrested by the LTTE inside the security zone between two LTTE camps in Kumburupitty last week.
Full story >>

Demonstrators seek free access to Valaichenai intersection

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 October 2002, 11:20 GMT]
More than a thousand protestors demanding the opening of the Valaichenai junction on the Batticaloa-Colombo highway Tuesday smashed road barriers and damaged a Police jeep when Sri Lankan security forces occupying the key intersection declined to accede to their request.
Full story >>

LTTE, GOSL exchange detainees of war

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 September 2002, 15:46 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers said Saturday that President Chandrika Kumaratunga's government was responsible for delaying the release of the last batch of Sri Lankan army and Navy personnel in their custody by not acting on the matter with "prudent and humanitarian consideration." The LTTE and the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's government exchanged prisoners of war as part of the peace building process to end the island's ethnic conflict Saturday in Omanthai, on the southern border of the Vanni region.
Full story >>

Polio immunisation targets northeast

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 September 2002, 13:27 GMT]
More than three hundred thousand children under five years of age in Sri Lanka’s northeast province were immunized against Polio Saturday, health officials said.
Full story >>

ULF supports autonomous region demand

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 September 2002, 13:15 GMT]
"The division of the country is inevitable if the majority Sinhalese fail to accept the concept of an autonomous region for Tamils," said the President of the United Left Front (ULF) Dr.Wickremabahu Karunaratne in an interview with the state run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) Saturday.


Full story >>

"Muslims rights should be respected" - Karuna

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 September 2002, 17:15 GMT]
"We must respect the rights of Muslims. We will create an environment where the three communities who live in our area can live in unity. We are not warmongers. We have come forward openly to achieve the legitimate aspirations of Tamils through peaceful negotiations," said a senior commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Colonel Karuna Amman, addressing a large gathering at the concluding event of the fifteenth death anniversary of late LTTE senior commander Lt.Colonel Thileepan Thursday evening held at Vellaveli in the Batticaloa district.


Full story >>

UK envoy holds discussion with Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 September 2002, 15:14 GMT]
The British High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Mr. Stephen Evans, Friday met the political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Mr.S.P.Thamilselvan at Killinochchi and discussed issues related to development of northeast. A team of officials including Mr. Nicholas Brewer, Director General of Programme, Department of International Development, accompanied the UK envoy.


Full story >>

Disabled Tigers return overland to Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 September 2002, 09:26 GMT]
Seven wounded and disabled Liberation Tigers recuperating at a rehabilitation centre in Mullaitivu Wednesday travelled through Sri Lanka Army controlled territory to meet relatives in Batticaloa, Tamil press reports said Friday.
Full story >>

LTTE protests Jaffna cadres' harassment

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 September 2002, 08:11 GMT]
Political activists of the Liberation Tigers working in the islands off the Jaffna peninsula under the terms of the ceasefire agreement with the Sri Lanka government say they are being harassed by Navy personnel in the region, Tamil press reports said.
Full story >>

Westborg meets Thamilchelvan in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 September 2002, 20:37 GMT]
Norwegian Ambassador to Colombo, Mr. Jon Westborg held discussions with the Political Wing leader of the Liberation Tigers, Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan in Kilinochchi Wednesday. Sources said the discussions centred around setting up of LTTE Peace Secretariat in the Northeastern Province.
Full story >>

Lt.Col Thileepan death anniversary concludes in NE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 September 2002, 20:10 GMT]
"The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have begun peace negotiations with the United National Front government sincerely and with confidence that we can achieve full autonomy based on Tamil nationality, Tamil homeland and the right of self determination" said the Head of the LTTE's Judiciary Mr. Pararajasingham addressing the concluding ceremony of the week long observance in honour of the Tiger martyr Lt.Colonel Thileepan in Poonthottam, Vavuniya Thursday morning.
Full story >>

Twenty-two PTA cases withdrawn in four days

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 September 2002, 18:06 GMT]
Twenty-two cases filed under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) have been withdrawn in the Eastern High Court held at Trincomalee since Monday till Thursday on the advice of the Attorney General. On Thursday alone the State Counsel withdrew seven PTA cases. The HC Judge Mr.J.Visvanathan discharged the accused in all the cases.
Full story >>

SLA soldiers in LTTE security zone arrested

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 September 2002, 11:47 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Wednesday morning took seven soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army into custody when they entered a security zone between two LTTE camps at Kumburupiddy, 22 km north of Trincomalee town, Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission sources said. “All steps are being taken to release the soldiers in view of the prevailing goodwill between both sides,” an LTTE official in Kilinochchi said.
Full story >>

SL Minister slates island military

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 September 2002, 19:26 GMT]
“The Sri Lanka army is treating the people of Mandatheevu like slaves,” charged Mr. T. Maheswaran, Sri Lanka’s minister for Hindu Affairs who visited the island south of Jaffna town Wednesday. He said that the SLA has blocked more than three hundred IDPs who came back to resettle in the island from reclaiming their homes and lands.
Full story >>

SLN blocks Delft islanders at sea

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 September 2002, 19:11 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Navy stopped civilians travelling in seven boats from the island of delft in Jaffna to the island of Eluvaitheevu off Jaffna Wednesday afternoon around 4 p.m. The civilians were on their way to attend the remembrance day celebrations of Lt.Col Thileepan who fasted unto death in September 1987. The SLN attempted to board the boats and tried to force the civilians to return back to Delft, press sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>