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.
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'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."
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NE observes Lt. Col.Thileepan death anniversary

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 September 2002, 23:52 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Sunday commenced commemorating the fifteenth death anniversary of one of its senior commander Lt.Colonel Thileepan throughout the Tamil dominated northeastern province including Sri Lanka Army held areas for the first time. Lt.Col.Thileepan started his fast unto death agitation fifteen years ago on 15th September, 1987 putting forward five demands to be implemented following the signing of Indo-Sri Lanka agreement in a bid to solve the country's ethnic conflict.
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Mankerni residents tell SLA to stop harassment

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 September 2002, 17:15 GMT]
Residents of Mankerni, 47, kilometres north of Batticaloa, said Sunday that the Sri Lanka army should move out its camp from the centre of village and stop harassing them. The village school, the local Roman Catholic Church, nursery, the village library, three shops, ten homes and a privately owned coconut estate are inside the SLA camp in Mankerni.
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Historic peace talks to begin in Thailand

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 September 2002, 15:18 GMT]
The first face-to-face meeting between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) peace delegates is scheduled to take place at Ambassador City Jomtien Hotel, in the Sattahip Naval Base at Chonburi Province in Thailand at 3.00 pm tomorrow. This will be preceded by an opening ceremony at 10.30 am presided by Thailand Permanent Secretary Mr. Tei Bunnang. More than 200 reporters from world media are expected to cover the event.
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Resettling IDPs in Vavuniya discussed

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 September 2002, 20:16 GMT]
The Defence Secretary said Saturday that immediate resettlement of displaced families in areas close to high security zone in Vavuniya district is impossible. However, at the request of Defence Secretary Mr. Austin Fernando, it was agreed at the conference held Saturday at Vavuniya district secretariat that a committee comprising government and security officials and Liberation Tigers leaders should submit a report regarding resettlement within two weeks, after visiting the areas.
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Mannar farmers plight spotlighted

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 September 2002, 18:31 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Saturday brought to the notice of the United National Front government the urgent need to repair the major Giant Tank in Mannar district, which irrigates more than twenty five thousand acres of paddy land.
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SL Navy restricts fishing in Manalkaadu

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 September 2002, 21:12 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Navy has re-imposed draconian restrictions on fishing in the Manalkaadu area on Jaffna's southeastern coast from Thursday, fishermen from the region said. They were also ordered by the SLN to obtain special identity cards and permits for setting out to sea. "The SLN has no legal grounds for imposing restrictions on fishing in this manner," said Mr. M. K Sivajilingam, Tamil National Alliance MP for Jaffna.
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Decision on NE local polls next week

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 September 2002, 20:53 GMT]
The Commissioner of Elections, Mr.Dayananda Dissanayake said Friday that he will announce on September 18th his final decision on holding polls to the local authorities in the northeast province scheduled for September 25. The Commissioner had met with Assistant Returning Officers from the NorthEast at his office earlier on Friday.
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SLA meets LTTE’s Northern Forces Commander

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 September 2002, 17:08 GMT]
(Adds: Photo) The commander of the Northern Front Forces of the Liberation Tigers, Col. Theepan, had discussions with the commander of the Sri Lankan security forces in Jaffna, Major. Gen. Sarath Fonseka, Thursday evening to discuss the opening of the Pt. Pedro – Maruthankerni Road on Jaffna’s east coast and the positioning of Forward Defence Localities in the Nagar Kovil sector.
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STF assaults resettlement program masons

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 September 2002, 18:19 GMT]
Six masons working on a World Bank funded resettlement project in Saakamam, an interior Tamil village on Sri Lanka’s southeastern coast, were assaulted by commandos of the elite Special Task Force, a village official said Wednesday. Work on the site has been halted because the masons are scared to go back to Saakamam, said C. V. P Manikkam, the President of the Rural Development Society of the area.
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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.
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Army strength not reduced – Defence Minister

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 September 2002, 13:08 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Defence Minister said Tuesday that the Army camps removed from areas in the northeast province under the ceasefire agreement with the Liberation Tigers have been relocated close to their original locations and denied the number of soldiers deployed in Tamil areas had been reduced.
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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.
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Saththurukkondaan massacre remembered

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 September 2002, 16:59 GMT]
The twelfth annual remembrance of the Saththurukkondaan massacre was observed Monday at Panichchaiyadi junction near Batticaloa town Monday. Sri Lanka army soldiers and Muslim home guards murdered 186 Tamils, mostly women and children, in the villages of Saththurukkondaan, Panichchaiyadi, Kokkuvil and Pillaiyaradi on the northern outskirts of Batticaloa town on 9 September 1990. A memorial for the victims was unveiled near the scene of the massacre.
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Rebuilding Mutur farmer economy stressed

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 September 2002, 22:54 GMT]
Paddy production in Mutur must be rebuilt, those gathered at the opening of a seed-cleaning centre at Killiveddy, south of Trincomalee, was told Saturday. "Paddy production in the Mutur area, which was once considered a granary of the Trincomalee district was badly affected due to the war as most of the farming families had been displaced, lost their homes and had properties destroyed," said Mr. Rasalingam Thiagalingam, Secretary to North East Provincial Ministry of Lands and Agriculture addressing a gathering, which followed the opening.
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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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Mines, apathy balk temple zone re-settlers

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 September 2002, 19:02 GMT]
Hundreds of families that were driven out of the environs of the historic Thiruketheeswaram temple in Mannar twelve years ago by Sri Lanka army operations are unable to go back to their villages because their paddy fields are mined and homes have been razed to the ground, rehabilitation officials in the district said.
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Special prayers in Trincomalee supporting peace talks

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 September 2002, 19:00 GMT]
Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and Christians in Trincomalee district Friday prayed for the success of peace at special ceremonies held at their respective places of worship. Tamil National Alliance parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan and TNA national list parliamentarian Mr.K.Thurairetnasingham attended prayers at the historic Koneswaram Temple, Jamaliya Mosque and Uppuveli Buddhist Vihare Friday. Trincomalee district UNF parliamentarian Mr.M.A.M.Maharoof attended the special prayer held at Jamaliya Mosque along with TNA parliamentarians.
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Black September remembrance in Batticaloa university

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 September 2002, 21:53 GMT]
Batticaloa marked the beginning of Black September Thursday with a largely attended function at the Eastern University in Vantharumoolai on the 12th anniversary of the massacre of 174 refugees who had sought asylum on the campus during Sri Lanka army operations in the area in 1990.
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