UNP to contest as UNF with elephant symbol

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 October 2001, 21:51 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) will contest the forthcoming general election scheduled to be held on 5 December under the name of the United National Front (UNF). However the election symbol will be 'elephant'. A motion to this effect was unanimously approved at the special convention of the UNP held Sunday at Colombo Town Hall.
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Parties seek allies for December polls

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 October 2001, 19:58 GMT]
Main political parties in Sri Lanka are having talks to form alliances to contest the December 5 general election. The group of ruling People's Alliance dissidents who crossed over to the opposition has already signed a memorandum of understanding with the main opposition United National Party to contest the forthcoming general election.
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Parliament will not be dissolved says SLFP

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 October 2001, 17:30 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party, the main constituent of the Sri Lanka's ruling People's Alliance has categorically declared that parliament would not be dissolved before the no-confidence submitted by the main opposition United National Party against the government is taken up for debate on Thursday as scheduled.
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PA to discuss no-faith motion on Wednesday

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 September 2001, 12:51 GMT]
The leaders of constituent parties of the ruling People's Alliance (PA) are scheduled to meet next Wednesday to discuss the present political situation following the submission of a no-confidence motion afresh against the government in parliament by opposition United National Party. Meanwhile opposition leaders are scheduled to meet the Speaker on October 8 to fix the date for debating the no-confidence motion. The parliament is due to meet on October 9.
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TULF undecided on no-confidence motion

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 September 2001, 19:38 GMT]
The Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) has not yet signed the no-confidence motion against the People's Alliance government which is likely to be submitted afresh by main opposition, United National Party this week. "The central working committee of the TULF would meet shortly to take a decision whether to sign the no-confidence motion or not," said a leader of the party.
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Marxists look for gains from bailout

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 September 2001, 11:38 GMT]
The Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna Tuesday announced it would defeat the no-confidence motion against the PA government when it is tabled in parliament.
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UNP for General Election

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 August 2001, 14:24 GMT]
"Following the failure of talks between PA and UNP, now it seems the only way to get out from the present political crisis is to hold a general election to elect a new parliament," said Sri Lanka's opposition leader Mr.Ranil Wickremesinghe, addressing a gathering of business magnates, politicians and academics at Hotel Taj Samudra in Colombo, Wednesday night.
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Speaker invites opposition parties to unity conference

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 August 2001, 15:24 GMT]
The Speaker Mr.Anura Bandaranaike has invited leaders of all political parties represented in parliament for a crucial conference Monday, 3 September. "This is to ensure that the request to re-summon parliament is backed by a majority of parliamentarians - at least 115 MPs -if the government prorogues parliament again on 7 September" authoritative sources said.
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PA-UNP talks end in failure

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 August 2001, 20:50 GMT]
The final round of talks between the ruling People's Alliance and the main opposition United National Party, which commenced Tuesday afternoon around 3 p.m. continued till late in the night. The talks which centered on forming a national reconciliation government, have finally failed to reach an agreement as both parties were adamant in their stand about sharing power in the proposed national or caretaker government, party sources said.
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PA-UNP talks conclude Tuesday

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 August 2001, 00:27 GMT]
The final round of talks between the ruling People's Alliance and the Main opposition United National Party would take place Tuesday, said a joint communiqué released after the second round of talks lasting four hours that ended Monday. Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar of the PA and Parliamentarian Mr.K.N.Choksy of UNP signed the joint communiqué.
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UNP seeks general elections by December

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 August 2001, 01:07 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s main opposition United National Party (UNP) favours a caretaker government for a maximum of 12 weeks followed by general elections in December a means to end the ongoing political crisis, press reports said Sunday. “The UNP leader has indicated he will not go into a national government with the [ruling] People’s Alliance,” the independent Sunday Leader said.
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PA names team for UNP talks

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 August 2001, 11:04 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s ruling People's Alliance (PA) Friday named its representatives to have political talks with the main opposition United National Party (UNP). The delegation included Ministers D.M.Jayaretna, Mahinda Rajapakse, Mangala Samaraweera, Anuruddha Ratwatte, Nimal Sripala de Silva and Lakshman Kadirgamar.
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UNP digs in over parliament

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 August 2001, 19:36 GMT]
Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, Leader of the Opposition said Thursday that the fate of the present government will be decided on September 7 when parliament is reconvened. Addressing the protest rally organized by the Alliance for Democracy at the Town Hall in Colombo, Mr.Wickremasinghe said, "my party is not prepared to give a new lease of life to the People's Alliance government which is now on the verge of collapse due to its bad governance."
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UNP ready for conditional talks with PA

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 August 2001, 11:21 GMT]
The leader of Sri Lanka’s main opposition party said Thursday that his United National Party (UNP) was prepared to hold discussions with the ruling People's Alliance government to find a solution to the country’s political and economic crises. "However, these discussions should be based on the acceptance of the democratic policies and the concepts of parliamentary majority," Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe stressed in a letter to Sri Lanka’s Prime Minster, Ratnasiri Wickremanayake. The UNP leader has said that proposed talks could commence Friday.
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"National govt. won't solve problems" -Hakeem

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 August 2001, 15:45 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress has appealed to the main opposition United National Party to formulate and implement a strategy that would compel the government to call a new general election early. Mr.Rauff Hakeem, leader of the SLMC and Kandy District Parliamentarian Wednesday said, "some political parties joining in the name of forming a national government of reconciliation will not solve the burning problems of the country."
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PM seeks talks with Opposition Leader

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 21 August 2001, 17:25 GMT]
The Prime Minister Tuesday invited the main opposition United National Party for official talks for the formation of a national reconciliation government, in a fresh bid to bring the present political crisis to an end. "Early talks could be held if the United National Party agreed to the proposals of the People's Alliance Government," said Prime Minister Mr.Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, in a letter to Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, the Leader of the Opposition.
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Senior Minister admits differences with President

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 August 2001, 18:50 GMT]
The General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Mr.S.B.Dissanayake Monday said "difference of opinion has arisen between him and President Chandrika Kumaratunge over fulfilling the aspirations of people". Mr.Dissanayake, the Minister of Samurdhi (Poverty Alleviation), Human Development and Parliamentary Affairs added "however these differences could be sorted out through negotiations." Ms.Chandrika Kumaratunge holds the post of President of Sri Lanka Freedom Party. The SLFP is the major constituent party of the ruling People's Alliance.
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Opposition plans massive rally, urges president's resignation

[TamilNet, Sunday, 19 August 2001, 19:36 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party has launched a campaign to mobilize support of the people for its massive protest rally scheduled to be held in Colombo on August 23 Thursday, opposition party source said. Senior leaders of the UNP have been attending awareness meetings in several towns in the country to get more people to Colombo to attend the proposed rally, organised by The Alliance for Democracy organizes the rally, the sources said.
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Controversial weapon meant for genocide alleges MP

[TamilNet, Friday, 17 August 2001, 14:26 GMT]
"The Sri Lankan government is going to deploy chemical weapons against the Tamils in the island's north and east. The aim is to annihilate them totally. The use of this dangerous chemical weapon against the Tamil people should be strongly condemned," said Mr. Joseph Pararajasingham, Tamil United Liberation Front MP for Batticaloa, addressing legislators who gathered Friday in the Sri Lankan Parliament and decided to press ahead with the no confidence motion against President Kumaratunga's government.
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SL crisis deepens as majority legislators stake claim

[TamilNet, Friday, 17 August 2001, 12:17 GMT]
The majority of the members of the Sri Lankan Parliamentarian met in the legislature Friday and unanimously resolved to go ahead with the no confidence motion against President Chandrika Kumaratunga's government and defy any attempt by her to suspend Parliament again.
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