News in Brief:

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 January 1999, 19:38 GMT]
A Japanese delegation will arrive in Sri Lankan tomorrow; Sri Lankan state radio said that the courts in Jaffna resumed functioning and postal voting for the North-Western Provincial Council begins on January 8.

Japaneese delegation visits Colombo

A high level 13 member Japanese delegation, including 5 members of the Japanese Parliament, will arrive on the island tomorrow on a four day visit, said sources in Colombo.

The delegation will be led by the former Minister of Labour, M. Murakami.

They will call on President Chandrika Bandaranayake Kumarathunga and several senior Ministers for discussions on future co-operation and economical and cultural activities between the two countries, the sources added.

Their visit to Sri Lanka has been arranged by the International Friendship, Educational, Cultural and Social Services Association.

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Conflicting Claims Over Jaffna Courts

The Sri Lankan state radio, the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Cooperation (SLBC), said in its news bulletin today that the courts in Jaffna have resumed functioning from today.

Courts in Jaffna, Mallakam, Point Pedro and Chavakachcherie have resumed today, according to the radio.

The radio went on to say that on resumption of judicial functions the acting judge of the Jaffna district courts granted bail to four suspects who had been held in custody.

However, sources in Jaffna said that there was no change in the functioning of the courts on the peninsula.

Court houses and offices remain closed, the sources went on to say.

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Early postal votes in North-western polls

Postal voting for the forthcoming North western Provincial Council election will be conducted on January 8, said sources.

Election officials said that postal voters who are unable to cast their votes on the 8th could also cast their vote on the following day.

The elections are scheduled for January 25.

The election campaign has been marked by a series of violent incidents.

The Sri Lankan Police have said that they have set up a special team to prevent election related violence.

The recent transfer of police officers with links to the SLFP, the majority party in the Government, into the North - western Province has undermined confidence in the Police's ability to control election violence.