War not over until normalcy returns - JCC

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 April 2002, 19:03 GMT]
In the view of the people on the peninsula, the war is not over, the Jaffna Chamber of Commerce (JCC) told a group of Colombo businessmen Tuesday. The JCC stressed that until life returned to normal for Jaffna civilians, entrepreneurs from other parts of the island should not rush to exploit the lack of facilities on the peninsula.
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Monks protest against peace deal

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 April 2002, 19:29 GMT]
Hundreds of Buddhist monks protested against peace talks between Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's government and the Liberation Tigers in downtown Colombo Monday. "The interim administration is a ploy to hand over the northeast to the Tigers. The United National Front government is betraying the Sinhalese", said a spokes person for the protesting monks.
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Peace march to Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 April 2002, 23:17 GMT]
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe inaugurated a peace march from Kataragama to Jaffna, which set off Sunday afternoon. The 20-day, 560 km peace march began after religious ceremonies at a Buddhist temple in Kataragama, a pilgrim town in the deep south, about 160 km south-east of Colombo. The twenty-day peace march is taking the pinnacle to the newly built Chaithiya at a Buddhist temple in Jaffna.
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Peace efforts “moving faster than expected” - Helgessen

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 April 2002, 18:49 GMT]
Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Vidar Helgessen said Saturday that efforts to end the conflict in Sri Lanka are moving more quickly than expected. The state run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) Saturday quoted Mr. Helgessen as saying that he was upbeat about his meetings with the Prime Minister, President and the LTTE leader aimed at setting an agenda for the peace talks expected to take place in mid-June in Thailand.
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SLMC leader optimistic over peace prospects

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 April 2002, 18:30 GMT]
The leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Mr.Rauff Hakeem Saturday said that his talks with the leader of the Liberation Tigers, Mr.V.Pirapaharan would certainly facilitate the peace process. "My party would commit itself to help to take the peace process forward," Mr. Hakeem said in an interview to the state run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC).
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Norwegians discuss LTTE ban with Kumaratunga

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 April 2002, 23:43 GMT]
(News Feature) The Norwegian peace delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Vidar Helgessen, Friday met Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga and discussed at length matters related to Oslo's peace initiative, including the ban on the Liberation Tigers. President Kumaratunga, an opponent of lifting the proscription of the LTTE appeared to soften her stance earlier this week, but insisted on a time frame for talks in exchange, which the Tigers have in the past refused to accept.
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Buddhist monk opens Annai Poopathi hall

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 April 2002, 22:45 GMT]
At an event attended by more than twenty five thousand people, Venerable Kurunagala Maha Galkadavela Punniyasara Thera Friday afternoon declared open the Annai Poopathi Memorial Hall constructed at Navalady in Batticaloa. Four other Buddhist monks from Kurunagala also participated at the fourteenth anniversary memorial services of Annai Poopathi held in the eastern town Friday.
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Occupation of schools and temples violates cease-fire agreement -TNA

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 April 2002, 22:37 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Thursday brought to the notice of the Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Vidar Helgessen, that the Sri Lanka Army has not vacated temples and schools they occupy in the eastern province and has not completely removed ban on transport of items allowed to LTTE held areas in the eastern province as stipulated in the cease-fire agreement signed between the United National Front Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on February 23.
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Muslims hail SLMC-LTTE agreement

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 April 2002, 22:31 GMT]
(News Feature) Sri Lanka’s Muslim community this week welcomed the landmark agreement signed between the largest Muslim party, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the Liberation Tigers. Mr Vellupillai Pirapaharan, leader of the LTTE, met with Mr Rauf Hakeem, leader of the SLMC last weekend and the two leaders agreed to cooperate closely on affairs related to Sri Lanka's Muslim community.
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Massive 'Pongu Thamil' rally in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 April 2002, 14:55 GMT]
Over sixty thousand people attended 'Pongu Thamil' (Upsurge) rally held at Jaffna University medical faculty grounds Wednesday afternoon, journalists in the northern peninsula said. Processions from Nallur Kandasamy Temple premises, Kokuvil Hindu College premises and Saththiram junction commenced around 2 p.m. and reached the venue of the rally around four p.m. Most of the roads in the Jaffna peninsula were gaily decorated with red and yellow flags.
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Thailand talks after truce implemented

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 April 2002, 14:49 GMT]
Direct talks between the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan government could take place in Thailand in the middle of June following the implementation of the terms and conditions of indefinite cease-fire agreement signed by the two sides in February, LTTE sources said Wednesday. This was suggested in discussions between an LTTE delegation led by the movement's leader, Vellupillai Pirapaharan and a Norwegian delegation headed by Deputy Foreign Minister, Vidar Helgesen.
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Kumaratunga softens opposition to lifting ban

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 April 2002, 14:26 GMT]
Bowing to international pressure not to impede the Norwegian peace initiative in Sri Lanka, President Chandrika Kumaratunga Wednesday tempered her long-standing opposition to the de-proscription of the Liberation Tigers, saying careful consideration should be given to it.
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A-9 barred for PTA suspects' transport

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 April 2002, 22:01 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army and the Police have refused permission for the Prison officials to transport suspects who are detained under the Prevention of terrorism Act (PTA) to Vavuniya High Court through A-9 highway from Jaffna.
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LTTE opens Jaffna district political office

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 April 2002, 18:01 GMT]
The Government Agent, Mr.N.Shanmuganthan Monday declared open the Jaffna District Political Secretariat of the Liberation Tigers at Potpathi Road in Kokuvil. Hundreds of people participated in the opening ceremony, sources said.
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Tamil political prisoners on hunger strike

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 April 2002, 17:49 GMT]
More detainees held under the Prevention of terrorism Act (PTA) in the Kalutara prison, south of Colombo Monday joined in a hunger strike launched by one hundred forty seven Tamil suspects this weekend. The Tamil detainees begun this hunger strike Sunday demanding that the cases against them should be expedited or they be transferred to prisons closer to their home villages, prison sources said.
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Norway-Sri Lanka exchange views on Thailand talks

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 April 2002, 17:41 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe and Norway's Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Vidar Helgessen Monday afternoon exchanged views on the agenda for peace talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which is scheduled to take place in Thailand in May or June, sources said.
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CWC supports self-determination demand -Thondaman

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 April 2002, 14:42 GMT]
"The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) have come to an understanding to work together for the resolution of the Tamil national question", said Mr.Arumugam Thondaman, a UNF government minister Sunday. Mr.Thondaman, CWC leader met reporters at the Katunayake International Airport lounge Sunday afternoon on his return from LTTE held town of Killinochchi in the Vanni region.
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Large crowd at Koneswaram temple water-cutting festival

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 April 2002, 14:13 GMT]
The water-cutting ('Theertha Thiruvilah') festival of the historic Koneswaram Temple in the eastern port town of Trincomalee was held Sunday - the Tamil new year day- at the holy well 'Papanasachunai' (spring of evil destruction) which is in the custody of the Sri Lanka Army's Gajaba Regiment stationed in the Fort Frederick. The Sri Lanka Army, however, allowed devotees to use the holy well Sunday.
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SLMC, LTTE sign agreement, plan more meetings

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 April 2002, 19:26 GMT]
(News Feature) Muslim leaders and the Liberation Tigers have signed an agreement to cooperate on affairs related to Sri Lanka's Muslim community, the head of the largest Muslim party told a press conference Saturday. Mr. Rauf Hakeem, leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and a delegation from his party flew to the LTTE-held town of Kilinochchi on Saturday morning for discussions with an LTTE delegation headed by the movement's leader, Mr. Vellupillai Pirapaharan.
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"LTTE-TNA decide to work united"-Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 April 2002, 18:47 GMT]
"The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) have accepted the need to work unitedly,"said Mr.R.Sampanthan, leader of the TNA parliamentary group Saturday evening in a statement on his return to Colombo from Vanni. Mr.Sampanthan told Tamilnet that the three and a half hour meeting with the LTTE leader was a historic event.
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