Repeal PTA, release political prisoners -CHRD

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 September 2002, 06:49 GMT]
The Centre for Human Rights and Development (CHRD) Sunday held a one-day seminar in Trincomalee Town Hall to mobilize the support of the people for an agitation campaign demanding the repeal of the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and the release of all Tamil political prisoners now being held in various prisons in the south.
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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.
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Education said central to Tamil cause

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 September 2002, 16:35 GMT]
“The National Institute of Education (NIE) discriminates against Tamil medium education, distorts the island’s history taught in schools and is dominated by Singhalese. We can develop and improve our education system when the interim administration for the Northeast is established,” said Mr. Ilankumaran, head of the Education Division of the Liberation Tigers, addressing the inaugural meeting of the Jaffna Education Development Society (EDS) Sunday.
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LTTE condemns Mannar anti-Muslim leaflet

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 September 2002, 13:40 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers issued a statement Saturday condemning ‘disruptive forces’ behind a leaflet ordering Muslims to leave Mannar. The leaflet, issued surreptitiously in Mannar by a group called ‘Elalan Force’ last week, threatened that rivers of blood would flow if Muslim schools in the district do not shut down before end of September.
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Vanni MPs slam SLA for blocking resettlement

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 September 2002, 22:54 GMT]
"If Mannar and Vavuniya districts are to be developed the Sri Lanka armed forces have to vacate our homes, and agricultural lands. We are not asking for houses or buildings in Anuradhapura and Madawachchiya. We are only asking permission to go back to our homes, to the lands of our forefathers," said the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Vanni district parliamentarian Mr.Sivasakthi Anandan addressing a conference held Friday at the Mannar district secretariat on resettlement.
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Police arrest ten Point Pedro fishermen

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 September 2002, 15:40 GMT]
The Point Pedro Police in Jaffna district took ten Tamil fishermen for questioning Thursday in connection with the loss of a T-56 rifle belonged to a police constable.
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LTTE committed to peace -Pathuman

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 September 2002, 02:51 GMT]
"We are firmly committed to peace. But keeping a strong, well trained military force is essential for achieving legitimate aspirations of the Tamils, said Pathuman addressing a gathering Thursday evening at Chenaiyoor Central College grounds south of the eastern port town of Trincomalee after taking salute at the passing out parade for new LTTE recruits.
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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.
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SLA says no to IDP resettlement in Vavuniya north

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 September 2002, 02:42 GMT]
A team comprising government officials, officers of the Sri Lanka Army, officials of Liberation Tigers and civilians Tuesday visited Iranai Illupaikulam and Kalmadu in the Vavuniya district to make an assessment for resettling of internally displaced persons and to recommence paddy cultivation in fields in the region abandoned due to military operations.


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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.
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ICRC releases half-year activity report

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 September 2002, 20:50 GMT]
"The government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have not sought the assistance of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) up to now in opening the A9 highway for twenty hours," said ICRC Information Officer Mr. William Sukumar Rockwood addressing a press conference held Wednesday evening in Trincomalee. "If such a request is made by both parties the ICRC will consider it," said Mr. Rockwood in reply to a question.
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Tigers demand 'substantial autonomy, self government'

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 September 2002, 17:56 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers said Wednesday that they are seeking “substantial autonomy and self government in the Tamil homeland and expressed optimism that a solution to Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict could be worked out by negotiation. Addressing a press conference in Sittahip, Thailand, after the first round of direct Norwegian facilitated talks with the Sri Lankan government, the Chief Negotiator of the LTTE, Mr. Anton Balasingham said the LTTE would only seek an independent state “as a last resort” if the Tamil demand for “regional autonomy is rejected and conditions of oppression continue.”
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Preliminary steps towards interim administration agreed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 September 2002, 17:53 GMT]
Preliminary steps towards an interim administration for the Tamil areas of the island were agreed as part of the first direct Norwegian facilitated talks between the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan government, the chief negotiators of both sides told a press conference in Sittahip, Thailand Wednesday.
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Norway hails promising start, practical steps

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 September 2002, 11:33 GMT]
Wrapping up the first round of direct talks between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers in seven years, the Norwegian government, acting as facilitator said Wednesday that three future rounds have been scheduled. In a statement, Norway also said two joint committees comprising LTTE and Sri Lankan officials are to be established – one to entrench the permanent ceasefire signed in February and the other to implement humanitarian and reconstruction activities.
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Stable cease-fire between armies of GOSL, LTTE must for peace- Balasingham

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 September 2002, 09:18 GMT]
Addressing a press conference at the Sattahip naval base in Thailand Wednesday after the conclusion of the three-day peace talks between the government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers, the head of the LTTE’s team, Mr. Anton Balasingham said that a stable cease-fire between the standing armies and naval forces of the LTTE and the GOSL is important for laying a firm foundation for peace. “The LTTE is very happy with the proceedings and we have taken a few decisions,” he said.
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SLA restores Anagarika’s propaganda vehicle

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 September 2002, 15:02 GMT]
The Sri Lanka army said Tuesday that soldiers of its Electrical and Mechanical Engineer Regiment (SLEME) restored the propaganda vehicle used by the Sinhala Buddhist revivalist and nationalist, Anagarika Dharmapala, to “its pristine glory” upon a request by Buddhist clergy. Many Sri Lankan social historians say that Anagarika Dharmapala was the main architect of militant Sinhala Buddhism in Sri Lanka, of the idea that the Singhalese are the only rightful owners of the whole island.
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NE local government polls postponed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 September 2002, 14:57 GMT]
The Commissioner of Elections Tuesday announced that the local government polls in the Northeast province scheduled for 25 September has been postponed for the second time in a year. According to the notification issued by the Commissioner Mr.Dayananda Dissanayake Tuesday, the elections to Northeast local authorities will be held on 25 June, 2003.
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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.’
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Islanders complain navy harassment

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 September 2002, 22:16 GMT]
The Island Peoples’ Welfare Society (IPWS) Monday complained to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission and Human Right Commission in Jaffna district that people living in islets are once again subjected to severe checking and harassment at the hands naval personnel stationed at Allaipitty and Ponnalai SLN camps. The SLN camps at Allaipitty and Ponnalai have re-introduced stringent checking earlier withdrawn with the signing of a cease-fire agreement between the United National Front government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, society sources said.
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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.
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