US welcomes Pirapaharan's comments

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 April 2002, 22:36 GMT]
In a statement issued by its embassy in Colombo Friday, the United States welcomed comments by the Liberation Tigers' leader Mr. Vellupillai Pirapaharan expressing his support for the Norwegian peace initiative. Mr. Pirapaharan made his comments at a press conference held Wednesday in Kilinochchi.
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Batticaloa accord rousing welcome to LTTE political group

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 April 2002, 18:20 GMT]
Large numbers gathered to accord a rousing welcome to the eleven-member political group of the Liberation Tigers who entered Batticaloa town in the eastern province Friday. The LTTE group, led by Mr Visu, Mr.Visu, Batticaloa-Ampara district Political Secretary, entered the Sri Lanka Army held town through the Paddiruppu bridge. Mr.Wimalasena, Assistant Superintendent of Police of the Special Task Force (STF) was present at the scene, sources said
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Best hope for permanent peace ever -Ranil

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 April 2002, 18:19 GMT]
The chances for peace are better than ever, said Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Friday. "The hope for permanent peace has been built which is not witnessed before in this country," said the Prime Minister, addressing a conference at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall designed to educate the newly elected heads of local government institutions in the south.
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Pirapaharan commits to peace, self determination

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 April 2002, 09:30 GMT]
(News Feature) It was reportedly the largest media event ever held in the island. The scale of the international and local media interest reflected the impact Mr. Vellupillai Pirapaharan has on Sri Lanka’s politics. His first press conference in over a decade - announced just a week in advance - drew almost six hundred reporters, photographers and cameramen from around the world to the war devastated town of Kilinochchi.
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LTTE political group arrives Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 April 2002, 15:40 GMT]
Four members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam arrived east port town of Trincomalee, Tuesday around noon by sea from Mutur. The LTTE members led by Trincomalee district political administrative secretary Mr.Iynkaran were given an emotional welcome when they landed at the town civilian jetty.
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Tumultuous welcome in Jaffna for Tigers

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 April 2002, 11:58 GMT]
(News Feature) Residents in Jaffna gave the Liberation Tigers who entered the northern town Monday a tumultuous welcome, press reports in the northern peninsula said Tuesday. Over fifty thousand people thronged the Sri Lanka Army held northern side of the Muhamalai crossing point to meet the fifteen cadres from the LTTE’s political section, the Uthayan reported. Violence broke out as troops blocked the crowds from reaching the crossing point, the paper, Jaffna’s largest circulating daily said in a front page report Tuesday.
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LTTE invites CWC, UPF leaders for talks

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 April 2002, 19:03 GMT]
The hill country Tamil political leaders have been invited by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for talks on the peace process. The talks will be held on April 14 in the northern Vanni region, political sources said.
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"NE neglected in educational development"-Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 April 2002, 19:00 GMT]
"Educational development projects which have been funded by the World Bank and other countries are being implemented only in Sinhala areas. No foreign funded educational development program has been implemented in Tamil areas. This is a shameful situation. It is a blatant and disgraceful discrimination of Tamil medium schools and Tamil medium education in this country," said Mr.R.Sampanthan, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader speaking at the committee stage debate on the votes of Ministry of Education in parliament Monday.
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A9 to Jaffna reopens

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 April 2002, 13:22 GMT]
The last closed section of the A9 highway running from Kilinochchi to Jaffna was reopened Monday in a joint ceremony by senior officers from the Sri Lankan military and the Liberation Tigers. Following the opening of the highway at Muhamalai, fifteen cadres from the LTTE's political section entered Army-controlled territory to travel to Jaffna where they are to begin work under the terms of the indefinite ceasefire signed between both sides on February 22. However, the Army prevented hundreds of civilians on both sides from crossing.
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LTTE ban to be lifted on May 1 - minister

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 April 2002, 22:17 GMT]
The proscription of the Liberation Tigers, imposed in 1998 by the former People’s Alliance regime, will be lifted on May 1, according to a minister of Sri Lanka’s United National Front government. Mr. T. Maheswaran, Minister for Hindu Religious Affairs, declared the government’s intent whilst speaking at a conference for Divisional Secretaries at the Jaffna District Secretariat Sunday afternoon.
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Hakeem urges Muslims to support peace process

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 April 2002, 18:18 GMT]
"We should give no room for the accusation that the Muslim sabotaged the peace talks. We should not let this opportune moment for peace be scuttled," said Mr.Rauff Hakeem the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and a Minister in the United National Front (UNF) government, addressing a seminar Sunday at Trincomalee Zahira Maha Vidiyalyam.
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Shortcomings in Vanni schools to be addressed

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 April 2002, 17:42 GMT]
"During the past last ten years no school development work had taken place in Vanni region. No permanent buildings have been provided to majority of the schools. Many schools in the region are understaffed, and acute shortage for furniture prevails in these schools," said Provincial Director of Education Mr.I.M.Issadeen who returned after a four-day visit to the Vanni region, Friday.
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INGOs' concern for Vanni children said hypocrisy laced

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 April 2002, 00:07 GMT]
(News Feature) A flag week to promote awareness about malnutrition among children in the Vanni is currently being observed in the northern region, sources said. Awareness seminars for the public on mother-child nutrition will be held in all parts of the Vanni region during the week, a spokesperson for the largest NGO in the north, the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), said.
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SLA opens road to Trinco's southern interior

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 April 2002, 19:34 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army reopened the main road linking the LTTE held southeastern interior of the Trincomalee district Friday following protests by the public. The main road, which runs close to Mahindapura army camp, was closed down for several years by the Sri Lanka Army. The reopening of this main road now enables thousands of Tamils living in more than ten villages in Eachilampathu area, southeast of Mutur to travel without getting down at Mahindapura army checkpoint from buses and other vehicles and walk through along a muddy track, Mutur sources said.
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NE election postponement to be challenged in court

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 April 2002, 18:50 GMT]
The Marxist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the third largest political party in the parliament Friday announced that it has decided to file case contesting the postponement of local government elections in the northeast province. "Even though the Commissioner of Elections has the authority to postpone the elections he has to state the reasons for such postponement," said Mr. Sunil Yattawella, Legal Advisor of the JVP Friday.
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Pirapaharan to meet Muslim leaders

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 April 2002, 08:29 GMT]
Mr Velupillai Pirapaharan, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) assisted by Mr Anton Balasingham, the organisation’s political strategist and advisor will meet the Muslim leaders soon in Vanni to discuss various issues affecting the Muslim community in the northeast.
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TNA parliamentarians to meet Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 April 2002, 11:49 GMT]
All Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarians have been invited by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for a top-level discussion on the on going peace process . Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, the head of the LTTE's political wing has sent invitations to the TNA parliamentarians.
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Pirapaharan to hold international press conference

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 April 2002, 16:19 GMT]
Mr. Vellupillai Pirapaharan, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), assisted by Mr. Anton Balasingham, the LTTE's chief negotiator and political advisor, will be conducting a press conference on April 10 to discuss current political developments and associated issues, the movement, said in a press release Wednesday.
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Buddhist priest lights lamp at LTTE function

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 April 2002, 12:27 GMT]
Mr. Poovannan, the head of the LTTE's Civil Administration Division, raised the Tiger flag and Rev. Siyambalagaswewa Thero, the chief monk of the Vavuniya's Buddhist temple, lit the ceremonial lamp at the opening of the political office of the Liberation Tigers in the northern border town Wednesday morning. Everyone who was gathered at the function observed two minutes of silence for the LTTE's war dead when the function commenced at 10.30 a.m.
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Indian HC visits Trincomalee oil tank farm

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 April 2002, 17:38 GMT]
The Indian High Commissioner in Colombo Mr.Gopalkrishna Gandhi Monday evening visited the hundred oil tanks farm at Chinabay, accompanied by his Economic and Commercial Counselor Mr.V.Ashok. The tank farm in the strategic eastern port was built by the British. Indian High Commission sources in Colombo said that the Indian government is interested in renting out about ten of the unused oil tanks for the Indian Petroleum Corporation. The Indian HC's visit comes amid media reports and speculation that the US military is looking for basing facilities in Sri Lanka.
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