Sinhala nationalists step up campaign against talks

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 October 2002, 20:21 GMT]
The Sinhala Nationalist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP, People’s Liberation Front) vowed Tuesday to bring down Prime Minister Ranil Wicremesinghe’s government and defeat its peace negotiations with the Liberation Tigers. The JVP launched a campaign last week to convince Sinhalese that the peace process is a ruse to divide the island.
Full story >>

Premier to act after 3 Tamil civilian deaths

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 October 2002, 09:01 GMT]
Three Tamil civilians were killed and about twenty others were wounded, eight critically, in Trincomalee Friday in firing and grenade attacks blamed on Sri Lankan police and Sinhala paramilitaries. The killings occurred amid calls for a general shut down (hartal) in the east port town condemning the killings Wednesday of seven Tamil demonstrators by Special Task Force commandos in Ampara district.
Full story >>

TNA presses PM for immediate action on prisoner release

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 October 2002, 17:24 GMT]
The adjournment motion moved by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in parliament regarding the hunger strike of Tamil political prisoners that has entered eighth day would be taken up for debate pending on the outcome of the top-level talks the TNA parliamentarians are scheduled to have Wednesday with the Prime Minister (PM) and the Attorney General, sources said. Tamil political prisoners detained at Welikada, Kalutara and other prisons are on hunger strike since October 1 demanding their immediate release.
Full story >>

Bishop pleads for Tamil political prisoners' release

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 October 2002, 20:33 GMT]
Rt. Rev. Dr. Rayappu Joseph Bishop of Mannar made an urgent appeal to Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe Monday immediate action is required to save fasting Tamil political prisoners from death. The Bishop said that he visited the Kalutara prison Sunday and that condition of the fasting prisoners is deteriorating rapidly. “Fourteen have become unconscious, forty seven have vomited blood and the rest I saw sitting or lying, most of them senseless”, the Mannar Bishop said.
Full story >>

JVP denounces US action against Iraq

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 October 2002, 14:25 GMT]
The Janata Vimukthi Peramuna, the main Sinhala nationalist party in Sri Lanka’s Parliament, demonstrated Monday near the American Embassy in Colombo against US plans to attack Iraq. Police prevented the demonstrators from getting too close to the US Embassy premises. Sinhala and Muslim members of the JVP led by its MPs Mr. Bimal Ratnayaka, Ms. Anjaan Umma and Mr. Vijitha Herath carried placards and shouted slogans denouncing US actions against Iraq. The JVP has been closely linked to President Saddam Hussein’s Baath Socialist Party.
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 >>

President alleges Premier is corrupt

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 October 2002, 09:31 GMT]
The acrimony between Sri Lanka’s President and Prime Minister, who are bitter political rivals from opposing parties, deepened this week as the former accused the latter of taking bribes when he was education minister. The United National Front (UNF) cabinet is to hold a special meeting to discuss the practicalities of working with her amid repeated accusations against the Premier and several ministers, press reports said.
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 >>

Premier returns after US visit

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 September 2002, 18:00 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister, Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe, returned to Colombo Sunday after a ten-day high profile visit to United States of America. The Prime Minister undertook the tour while the historic peace talks between his government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam commenced in Sattahip, a port town in Thailand last week.
Full story >>

Chinese Ambassador meets Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 September 2002, 23:00 GMT]
The Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mr. Jiang Qinzheng, met the head of the Liberation Tigers’ Political Wing, Mr. S. P. Tamilchelvan Thursday, sources said. The discussions were held at the LTTE’s political headquarters in Kilinochchi.
Full story >>

US, UK hail successful talks

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 September 2002, 15:25 GMT]
(News Feature) The United States and Britain Thursday welcomed the successful conclusion of the first round of talks between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers in Thailand this week. Comments by both governments are the latest in a series of supporting statements by several countries including China, South Africa and Iran. The negotiations which took place with Norwegian facilitation at a Thai naval base in Sittahip lasted Monday through Wednesday.
Full story >>

UNP politician opens LTTE office

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 September 2002, 23:33 GMT]
The ruling United National Party organiser in Trincomalee and a former parliamentarian of the district, Mr. Sunil Shantha Ranaweera, unveiled the name board of the Tampalakamam political office of the Liberation Tigers during the opening ceremony this Wednesday. Tampalakamam is a traditional Tamil agricultural village in the district twenty-seven km northwest of Trincomalee town.
Full story >>

People's predicament first says LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 September 2002, 22:19 GMT]
(Feature) The first round of formal peace talks between the Liberation Tigers of Thamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) began Monday in the Sattahip Thai Naval base on a positive note though the head of Colombo’s negotiating team laid down in his opening speech non-negotiable elements which, according to him, should be constant in “determining the parameters of the negotiations." The Liberation Tigers, however, desisted from any reference to ‘irreducible principles.’
Full story >>

Norway urges funds for peace building

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 September 2002, 09:24 GMT]
Addressing the opening session of the first round of formal peace talks between the Liberation Tigers and the Government of Sri Lanka Monday, Mr. Vidar Helgesen, State Secretary, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reiterated the need for tangible financial support from the international community to make peace a reality in the daily lives of people.
Full story >>

Can't wish away suspicion, antipathy overnight - G. L

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 September 2002, 06:46 GMT]
"A reservoir of suspicion and antipathy, which has filled to the brim over extended periods, can scarcely be wished away overnight," said Prof G. L Peiris, head of the Sri Lankan government delegation, addressing the inaugural session of the peace talks between the Liberation Tigers and the Government of Sri Lanka in the Thai naval base Sattahip Monday.
Full story >>

'We are optimistic' - Balasingham

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 September 2002, 06:17 GMT]
Addressing the opening ceremony of the first round of formal talks between the Liberation Tigers and the Government of Sri Lanka in Thailand Monday, Mr. Anton Balasingham, the political advisor of the LTTE said "We are optimistic that the peace talks will succeed because Mr. Velupillai Pirapaharan, the leader of the LTTE and Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, have genuine will and firm determination to resolve the conflict through the process of dialogue."
Full story >>

Prime Minister leaves to US

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 September 2002, 20:50 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe Friday left for United States of America on an official visit. "The main purpose of his visit is to brief world leaders on the ongoing peace process and seek more foreign investment," said Cabinet spokesman Minister Mr. G.L.Peiris at press briefing Friday.
Full story >>

TNA urges PM to put off NE local polls

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 September 2002, 16:00 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance Wednesday urged Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to postpone elections to local government bodies in the northeast scheduled to be held on 25 September. The polls were postponed in March this year upon a request by the TNA that the situation was not conducive at the time. The Elections Commission said last week that the polls to the local authorities will have to be held as scheduled unless the law is amended.
Full story >>

19th amendment will strengthen parliament- PM

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 September 2002, 15:52 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe Wednesday said that the nineteenth constitutional amendment has the sole objective of strengthening parliament and not to curtail powers of any individual. "The nineteenth amendment will be passed in parliament before the presentation of 2003 budget," said Mr.Wickremasinghe addressing the government parliamentary group meeting Wednesday at the parliamentary complex.
Full story >>

Confrontational politics bane of Sri Lanka – Ranil

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 September 2002, 19:17 GMT]
"The main reason for the present crisis in Sri Lanka is due to the confrontational politics between the two major political groups in the south," said Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe addressing a mammoth rally held Monday evening at Colombo Town Hall. "Both parties to the conflict should participate in the peace talks scheduled to begin in Thailand next week between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam with full confidence," said the Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe.
Full story >>