US Deputy Secretary of State visits Chavakachcheri

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 August 2002, 11:36 GMT]
The United States Deputy Secretary of State, Mr. Richard Armitage, visited Chavakachcheri Urban Council grounds Thursday morning accompanied by Sri Lanka’s Economic Reforms Minister Mr. Milinda Morogoda, Defence Ministry Secretary Mr. Austin Fernando, US Ambassador in Colombo Mr. Ashely Wills and the three heads of the armed forces. While touring the Chavakachcheri area, the visiting US diplomat said, "It reminds me of Vietnam where I served for six years. This shows the urgent need of finding a political solution to Sri Lanka's crisis."
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'Economic recovery depends on permanent solution' -Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 August 2002, 21:35 GMT]
"The economy of the country will be improved only when the interim administration starts functioning with necessary powers to develop the Northeast province following the Thailand peace talks scheduled to be held in mid September," said Mr.R.Sampanthan, leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group when addressing the fifth and final day of the 'Yuga Thekma' industrial exhibition held in Trincomalee esplanade.
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First Sea Movement of LTTE Successful -SLMM

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 August 2002, 15:15 GMT]
The Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, Major General Trond Furuhovde, said Tuesday that the first sea movement of the LTEE members between Mullaithivu and Vaakarai, this weekend has clearly demonstrated the parties’ determination and willingness to find solutions on complicated matters. "The sea movement, as challenging it is, can form the very symbol of commitment and confidence of the Parties," Mr.Furuhovde said in a statment issued by the SLMM, Tuesday.
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High Court discharges accused in PTA cases

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 August 2002, 20:05 GMT]
The Eastern High Court Monday discharged two men indicted by the Attorney General under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) when the Defence counsel submitted that the two key police officials who recorded the confession purported to have been made by the accused had failed to appear on all the trial dates.
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Jaffna cine film distribution to be streamlined

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 August 2002, 17:55 GMT]
All cine and video films screened in the Jaffna district will be censored and distributed with immediate effect. This responsibility has been entrusted with the Jaffna District Cine Films Distributors' Association (JDCFDA) which was inaugurated Monday.
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Sea Tiger convoy sails under SLMM aegis

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 August 2002, 20:25 GMT]
The first Sea Tiger convoy sailing from Mullaitivu under a working agreement between the Sri Lankan Navy and the Liberation Tigers brokered by international ceasefire monitors arrived in Vaakarai Sunday. Two patrol boats of the Sri Lanka Navy provided escort to LTTE boats.
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Peiris to lead Sri Lanka delegation to Thailand

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 August 2002, 18:25 GMT]
"The Thailand peace talks will pave way for permanent peace in Sri Lanka. I will be leading country's delegation to the peace talks scheduled to be held in mid September," said Constitutional Affairs Minister, Professor G.L.Peiris, Sunday. The Minister was addressing after opening the third day of ‘Yuga Thekma’ industrial exhibition in Trincomalee Sunday evening.
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Peace front to be formed in south

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 August 2002, 16:33 GMT]
The United Socialist Party (USP) Sunday announced that it has already taken steps to form a united front comprising political parties in the south, to canvass support for the current peace process. "We met LTTE Jaffna district political head Mr.Ilamparuthi Saturday and Sunday. We have assured the LTTE that our party will not be an obstacle to the liberation of Tamil people in this country," said Mr. Siritunge Jayasiri, General Secretary of the USP at a press briefing held Sunday afternoon around 3 p.m. in Jaffna Town Hall.
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Batticaloa fishermen demand equal rights

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 August 2002, 23:30 GMT]
A large number of Tamil fishermen in Batticaloa district Friday held a protest march demanding the government to lift restrictions on fishing and to provide the same privileges now being enjoyed by fishermen in the South. The fishermen also demanded the government to take immediate steps to stop foreign fishing vessels entering Sri Lankan territorial waters.
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International welcome for talks announcement

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 August 2002, 12:12 GMT]
(News Feature) The United States, Britain and Japan this week welcomed the announcement that the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers will commence direct talks in Thailand in mid-September. The governments also strongly endorsed the Norwegian facilitated peace process and applauded the efforts by all sides to end Sri Lanka’s protracted conflict.
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Ranil hails Oslo agreement

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 August 2002, 18:48 GMT]
"The agreement reached between his government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to fix date for direct talks in September is a watershed in the peace process" said Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe Thursday addressing the ruling United National Front parliamentary group.
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Peace talks in September - Norway

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 August 2002, 16:31 GMT]
Direct talks between the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan government will commence in Thailand with Norwegian facilitation between 12th and 17th of September, an official statement by the Norwegian government said Wednesday.
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SLA opens road following protest

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 August 2002, 14:59 GMT]
The Sri Lanka army opened the main road through Morakkoddanchenai, 26 kilometres north of Batticaloa, after twelve years following a sit in protest by villagers Monday. The protesting crowds surged ahead through soldiers when the SLA commander for Batticaloa, Lt. Col. V. R. L Anthoniz agreed to open an inner road as well.
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SLA troops 'provoking' LTTE, monitors told

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 August 2002, 04:51 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers Sunday protested to international ceasefire monitors and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) commanders that government troops are engaged in provocative acts such as advances from their lines and the establishment of new positions closer to LTTE lines in Jaffna. Senior military commanders from both sides met under the auspices of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), the Voice of Tigers (VoT) radio said.
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Morogoda visits Valikaamam-north, Thenmaradchi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 August 2002, 13:51 GMT]
A senior minister of the United National Front government Saturday evening said in Jaffna that the resettlement of the displaced in Valikaamam north and Nagarkovil area will take place after the commencement of peace talks between the government and the Liberation Tigers (LTTE). Minister of Economic Reforms Mr.Milinda Morogoda told this to Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians during his visit to Jaffna Saturday to look into the prospects of allowing resettlement in high security zones in the peninsula, Tamil sources said.
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Resettlement to commence after demining Thiriyai village

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 August 2002, 09:20 GMT]
Five hundred and thirteen displaced Tamil families are to be resettled in Thiriyai village in the Trincomalee district in the first stage during September after demining is completed. "The Prime Minister has allocated five million rupees for the resettlement in addition to 3.5 million rupees already allocated," said Mr.R.Sampanthan, Trincomalee district parliamentarian addressing a top level conference held Friday evening at the Trincomalee district secretariat. The Government Agent Mr.N.H.K.Nelumdeniya presided.
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Mylanthanai massacre commemorated

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 August 2002, 00:08 GMT]
The tenth anniversary of the massacre by Sri Lankan troops of thirty nine men, women and children in the eastern village of Mylanthanai was marked Thursday by survivors who have been living in Kalmadu refugee camp. Meanwhile the Sri Lanka Army held a remembrance ceremony for the Army and Navy officers, whose deaths in a landmine attack on August 8, 1992, triggered the retaliatory massacre.
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Japanese Ambassador meets Tamilselvan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 August 2002, 18:48 GMT]
The Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mr. Sciichiro 0tsuka, met the head of the Liberation Tigers' political section, Mr. S. P. Tamilselvan, in the Vanni on Tuesday. Mr. Seiichiro Otsuka was accompanied by Ms. Noriko Iseki, First Secretary for Economic Cooperation and Mr. S.A.S. Devotta, Senior Assistant for Political Affairs.
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Six arrested entering Vanni

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 August 2002, 17:09 GMT]
The Tamil Eelam police arrested six people who entered LTTE-held Vanni without permission in two separate incidents on August 4, Tamil press reports said Monday. Among those arrested were three weapon-carrying Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers who attempted to infiltrate into LTTE-held areas.
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Trinco-Batticaloa highway to reopen

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 August 2002, 12:47 GMT]
The A15 highway between Batticaloa and Trincomalee is to be reopened for public use following discussions between representatives of the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers, Tamil press reports said Monday. A significant portion of the 132 km long road is under the control of the LTTE.
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