Sixth Amendment threat looms over peace talks

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 September 2002, 19:08 GMT]
(Newsfeature) President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s People’s Alliance and the Sinhala nationalist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) vowed Friday to fight the United National Front government for lifting of the ban on the Liberation Tigers. The spokesman for the People’s Alliance Dr. Sarath Amunugama said the party will take legal action and start mass protests against the de-proscription. He was addressing a press conference at the opposition leader’s office in Colombo Friday.
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Govt. to announce de-proscription

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 September 2002, 16:23 GMT]
A Gazette notification regarding removal of ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka will be issued tonight, government sources said. The de-proscription comes 10 days ahead of the commencement of peace talks between the government and the LTTE in Thailand.
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Gazette notification on 19th amendment postponed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 September 2002, 15:26 GMT]
The United National Front government Tuesday decided to postpone the gazette notification on the nineteenth constitutional amendment until Friday to give time for President Chandrika Kumaratunge to submit her response, Prime Minister office sources said.
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US defence experts to arrive Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 August 2002, 18:49 GMT]
A team of United States defence experts is to arrive Colombo Sunday to assess urgent needs to boost training Sri Lankan security forces, State run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) reported Saturday quoting government sources. "The arrival of US defence experts to Sri Lanka at a time when direct peace talks are scheduled to commence between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam will not hinder the progress of such talks," stressed Constitutional Affairs Minister Professor G.L.Peiris Saturday in clarification.
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PM to meet WB President next month

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 August 2002, 21:54 GMT]
A government delegation led by Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe is to visit several countries seeking foreign aid for the development of the island soon after the first round of direct peace talks commenced at Thailand in mid September, Constitutional Affairs Minister Mr. G.L.Peiris said Friday. During his visit to United States of America, the Prime Minister is to confer with the World Bank President regarding the proposed aid to the country, he said.
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Cabinet approves move to curb President

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 August 2002, 08:13 GMT]
(News Feature) The constitutional standoff between Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga and the government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe deepened this week as state media reported that the cabinet Wednesday adopted the 18th amendment which seeks to curb the powers of the President to dissolve parliament whilst also precluding action against members who vote for same.
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Prime Minister briefs Archbishop on peace process

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 August 2002, 16:40 GMT]
The Archbishop of Colombo, Right Reverend Dr. Oswald Gomes, Tuesday urged Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe to take forward the peace process and find a honourable solution to the ethnic conflict. The Archbishop made the plea when the Prime Minister met him Tuesday afternoon and briefed him on the present status of the Norwegian peace initiative.
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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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UNF to move confidence vote in parliament

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 August 2002, 15:42 GMT]
The United National Front Wednesday decided to move a vote of confidence on the government led by Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe in parliament next week. The motion will be taken up for debate on August 29. A decision to this effect was taken at the meeting of leaders of all political parties represented in parliament, Minister W.M.J. Lokubandara, leader of the House said Wednesday.
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Ranil on Thailand peace talks

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 August 2002, 16:01 GMT]
"We cannot fix a time table for peace talks. We cannot put forward a concrete proposal to start peace talks. First, we must take steps to understand the basic problems of the other side. Thereafter only both sides could continue the peace process. However, the goal is to find a permanent solution to the problem without dividing the country and upholding the democratic ideals," said Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe when addressing the final day deliberations of the United National Party national executive committee meeting held Saturday in Trincomalee Mc Heyzer stadium.
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'Peace vital for economic development' -Ranil

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 August 2002, 23:21 GMT]
"The economic development of the country critically depends on the outcome of the peace talks. We have strengthened the ongoing peace process by laying a firm foundation for the proposed peace talks," said Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, Friday morning, when addressing a gathering which followed the ceremonial inauguration of the first common user multi purpose berth in the port of Trincomalee.
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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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Meetings as troop relocation deadline is missed

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 August 2002, 00:32 GMT]
(News Feature) As the last of the stipulated deadlines for the Sri Lanka military to withdraw from civilian properties passed Thursday without the related terms of the government’s ceasefire agreement with the Liberation Tigers being implemented, international monitors met with senior LTTE officers to discuss the truce while Tamil parliamentarians protested to the Prime Minister.
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Meeting lends ‘fresh cause for optimism’ - paper

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 July 2002, 15:06 GMT]
In the wake of the landmark meeting Saturday between Sri Lankan cabinet Minister Milinda Moragoda and the Liberation Tigers’ chief negotiator, Anton Balasingham, prospects of a meeting later this year between Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and LTTE leader Vellupillai Pirapaharan have been raised, a Tamil expatriate newspaper reported this week.
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TNA to meet Ranil before Vanni visit

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 July 2002, 16:44 GMT]
The Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe has invited Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians for an important discussion about the current state of the peace process. The meeting comes a day ahead of the last deadline mentioned in the Cease-fire Agreement (CFA) between the Liberation Tigers and Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe's government.
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New Colombo Archbishop exhorts national unity

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 July 2002, 16:14 GMT]
"All Sri Lankans should join hands to find a lasting solution to national issues irrespective of communal, religious and other differences," said the newly installed Archbishop of Colombo Most.Rev.Dr. Oswald Gomis. The Canonical installation of the eighth Archbishop took place Saturday at the Cathedral of St.Lucia, Kotehena in Colombo.
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US urges Sri Lanka peace

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 July 2002, 21:14 GMT]
United States' President George Bush offered Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ranil Wickremsinghe American support in efforts to resolve the island's ethnic conflict, a White House spokesman said Wednesday. The two leaders' meeting lasted approximately 15 minutes, the spokesman Ari Fleischer said.
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SLA re-opens Varani road

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 July 2002, 18:05 GMT]
The Sri Lanka army re-opened the main road through Varani in Jaffna this week. The SLA was encamped in the heart of the village, astride the Kodikamam - Pt. Pedro Road, occupying private property in the area, including many homes. Varani residents who were evicted from their homes and properties by the SLA wrote to Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe after he signed the Cease-fire Agreement with the Liberation Tigers, urging him to open the road and return the village centre to them.
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‘Bag-gate’ as minister spots spy camera

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 July 2002, 17:37 GMT]
Acrimony between Sri Lanka’s President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Parliamentary government took a bizarre twist Thursday when a cabinet minister accused her of using a spy camera concealed in her handbag to tape a cabinet meeting.
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President to take on Premier - report

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 July 2002, 10:43 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s President Chandrika Kumaratunga has decided to take the battle to the administration of Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe before it moves to present an impeachment motion against her in Parliament next month, the Daily Mirror reported Wednesday, quoting sources close to the President. The government, meanwhile, is this week expected to publish a report into alleged financial malpractices by the President, weekend press reports said.
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