Tamil MPs protest in Sri Lanka Parliament

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 May 2004, 11:08 GMT]
Tamil MPs carrying placards and wearing black bands on their arms marched to the Sri Lankan Parliament from its main entrance Wednesday in a protest against Police firing on Tamil estate workers in the hill country town of Kandapola last month. “The Sri Lankan Police and army behave like they are Sinhala Police and Sinhala army. They systematically work against the Tamils," said TNA MP, Mr. Suresh Premachandran during the debate on the Kandapola incident in Parliament Wednesday.
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Tamil parliamentarians to debate Kandapola incident with black bands

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 May 2004, 11:32 GMT]
Tamil parliamentarians irrespective of party affiliations would attend parliament wearing black bands on their arms when the adjournment motion on the Kandapola incident is debated Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Two were killed and several wounded when Police opened fire on Tamil estate workers in the hill country town last month.
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Akashi meets Thamilchelvan in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 May 2004, 11:29 GMT]
Japanese special envoy Mr.Yasushi Akashi had discussions with Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, head of the LTTE's political divison, on issues related to the planned resumption of the long stalled peace talks between the Tigers and Colombo Tuesday morning in Killinochchi. The hour-long discussion also centred on reconstruction and development in the northeast, LTTE officials said. The meeting took place at the LTTE's peace secretariat in Kilinochchi.
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LTTE team assesses Batticaloa development needs, meets UNICEF

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 May 2004, 10:49 GMT]
A team led by Deputy Leader of Liberation Tigers Political Wing, S. Thangan, is visiting Batticaloa district on a fact finding mission to examine the needs in the district in the areas of rehabilitation, administration and economic development, sources in Batticaloa said.
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Parliament meets Tuesday, one SLMC MP crosses over to govt. bench

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 May 2004, 05:41 GMT]
The second sitting of the first session of the thirteenth parliament of Sri Lanka commenced Tuesday morning around 10 a.m. amid confusion and tension following the cross over of Mr. Hussain Baila, a National List parliamentarian of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), to the government and the alleged abduction of a monk parliamentarian of the Jathika Hela Urumaya Monday night by an unidentified group, parliamentary sources said.
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TNA MPs to decide on strategy in parliament

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 22:25 GMT]
The parliamentarians of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) met at the parliament building Monday to discuss the strategy to follow during the election of the Deputy Speaker on Tuesday, but decided to meet again Tuesday morning to take a firm decision, a TNA MP said.


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Suspect in Nimalarajan murder allowed reduced bail

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 17:27 GMT]
The Jaffna Magistrate, Mr.R.T.Viknarajah, on the orders of the Court of Appeal on Monday allowed the fourth suspect, Mr.Balachchandran Uthayapavan, in the Jaffna Journalist Mylvaganam Nimalarajan' murder case, on bond signed by two sureties, who should be government servants, for one hundred thousand rupees each. The suspect is a member of a Tamil paramilitary group, the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), legal sources said.
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Four new parliamentarians to be sworn in Tuesday

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 17:05 GMT]
Four new parliamentarians are to be sworn in by the Speaker when Sri Lanka's parliament meets Tuesday morning. One of the four is the Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian, Mr.Pakkiaselvam Ariyanenthiran, of Batticaloa district. The other three are from the National List of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), sources said.
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Parliamentarians to debate Kandapola incident Wednesday

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 14:27 GMT]
A three-hour debate on the Kandapola incident in which two Tamil plantation workers were killed due to police firing will take place in the Sri Lanka's parliament Wednesday according to a decision taken at the first meeting of the leaders of political parties represented in the new parliament, which was held Monday in the Speaker's Chamber, parliamentary sources said.
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Akashi to meet LTTE leadership in Kilinochchi Tuesday

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 14:16 GMT]
The Japanese special peace envoy, Mr.Yasushi Akashi, is to meet the leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Tuesday in Kilinochchi. The Japanese Ambassador in Sri Lanka, Mr.Akio Suda, will accompany Mr. Akashi and two other diplomats to Kilinochchi, sources at the Japanese Embassy in Colombo said.
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"SLA establishes new checkpoints in Vavuniya, Mannar"- Selvam

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 11:22 GMT]
Vanni electoral district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Mr.Selvam Adaikalanathan Monday sent an urgent letter to Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge that the establishment of new check points of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in the administrative districts of Mannar and Vavuniya is causing serious apprehension in the minds of the people that the security forces are preparing for renewed military action, TNA sources said.


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UPFA seeks to ensure majority in parliament

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 05:24 GMT]
The minority United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government has been holding intensive discussions with a few selected leaders of small political parties represented in parliament to ensure majority to elect the Deputy Speaker and the Chairman of Committees when Sri Lanka's parliament is scheduled to meet May 18th morning, political sources said.
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Operation-USA, TRO donate medical equipment to NE hospitals

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 May 2004, 18:24 GMT]
"Operation USA" and the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) donated Rs.10,000,000 rupees worth of medical equipment to the Government Agents of the eight districts in the northeast province to be distributed to state medical institutions in their health divisions, health officials said. Handing over event was held Thursday evening in the Vavuniya district secretariat presided by Vavuniya Government Agent Mr. R.Ganesh, TRO sources said.


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Balasingham's book 'Viduthalai' released in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 May 2004, 17:25 GMT]
The launch of 'Viduthalai' (Liberation), collection of articles written by Liberation Tigers' theoretician and political strategist Mr.Anton Balasingham was held in Jaffna University Kailasapathy Auditorium Sunday evening. The book was first released in London six months ago and this was the first time the book was released in the Northeast, sources said.
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Tie aid to ISGA progress, Sampanthan tells Akashi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 May 2004, 12:15 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan Sunday told the Japanese special peace envoy Mr.Yasushi Akashi that flow of foreign aid to Sri Lanka should depend on the progress made in establishing the Internal Self Governing Authority (ISGA) in northeast province. Mr.Sampanthan met with Mr. Akashi in the Japanese embassy in Colombo Sunday morning and held more than an hour long discussion on the current political situation in Sri Lanka, TNA sources said.


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New Batticaloa MP to take oath

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 May 2004, 11:34 GMT]
Pakiyaselvam Ariyanendran, is expected to take oath as a new Member of Parliament for Batticaloa district for the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) when the Sri Lanka parliament convenes Tuesday, political sources in Batticaloa said. Mr. Ariyanendran obtained the next highest votes in the last general election and following the resignation of Kingsley Rajanayagam earned the coveted spot to represent Batticalao district.
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Trincomalee fishermen demonstrate to preserve sea resource

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 May 2004, 04:35 GMT]
Hundreds of fishermen of Trincomalee district from all communities under one wing Saturday held a one hour demonstration in the round-about of the Clock Tower junction in the heart of Trincomalee town demanding that the Fisheries Ordinance of the Ministry of Fisheries that prohibits dynamiting fish and using prohibited nets should be implemented to safeguard the sea resources of the district, sources said.
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USAID assists fishermen in Kasthurinagar

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 May 2004, 17:30 GMT]
The visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Ms Christina Rocca handed over fishing boats and gear, under a project funded by United State Agency for International Development (USAID), to the Kasthurinagar Fisheries Co-operative Society in Trincomalee town Saturday afternoon by the at an event held at the Children's Park located in front of the Trincomalee harbour, sources said. The project was .
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Akashi arrives in Colombo to continue peace mission

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 May 2004, 16:01 GMT]
Mr Yasushi Akashi, Special Representative of the Government of Japan, arrived in Colombo Saturday evening around 7.30 p.m. to continue his peace mission in Sri Lanka.T his is his 7th visit to Sri Lanka since he was appointed as the Special Representative in October 2002 to contribute to the peace process in Sri Lanka and his first visit after the election of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government at the recently concluded General Elections.


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'TamilNation' website reactivated

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 May 2004, 14:39 GMT]
TamilNation.org, a widely popular website, which covers topics related to Tamil National struggle and Tamil culture, has been reactivated. The site which first appeared in 1998, was closed for undisclosed reasons on 30th June 2001. The site is run by Nadesan Satyendra, a prominent attorney, well known for his intellectual and legal contributions to the Tamil struggle.
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