Tamil Tigers will launch freedom struggle if peace talks are further delayed - LTTE leader

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 November 2004, 12:39 GMT]
The leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Mr Velupillai Pirapaharan, in his annual statement marking Heroes’ Day, cautioned the Sri Lanka government that his organisation would be compelled to launch the freedom struggle of the Tamil nation if peace talks were further delayed and the suffering of his people continued. In an urgent appeal the LTTE leader called upon the Government of Sri Lanka to resume the peace talks, without conditions, on the basis of the Interim Self-Governing Authority as proposed by his organisation.
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LTTE Commanders speak on Pirapaharan's 50th

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 November 2004, 05:06 GMT]
Senior Commanders of the Liberation Tigers (LTTE) and Senior members of LTTE's Political Wing, sent congratulatory messages to the Leader of LTTE Velupillai Pirapaharan on reaching 50 years, France-based Tamil Television Network (TTN) reported.
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Tamils celebrate Pirapaharan's 50th birthday

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 November 2004, 11:53 GMT]
Tamil people in the NorthEast and countries across the world are celebrating the 50th birthday of the Leader of Liberation Tigers, Velupillai Pirapaharan, Friday, 26 November. There were special prayers in churches and temples. Pirapaharan has led the Tamil struggle through three Eelam wars since he founded Tamil New Tigers in 1972, at the age of 18, and later renamed the organisation as Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 1976.
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Arafat was force of inspiration for all oppressed masses- Pirapaharan

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 November 2004, 16:46 GMT]
“Arafat was the source and force of inspiration, not only for the Palestinian people but for all the oppressed masses of the world," said leader of Liberation Tigers, Velupillai Pirapaharan in his condolence letter to the Palestinian people and their leadership.
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Norwegian Foreign Minister begins talks with Pirapaharan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 November 2004, 07:20 GMT]
Norwegian Foreign Minister, Jan Peterson, began discussions with leader of the Liberation Tigers, Mr. Velupillai Pirapaharan, late on Thursday morning in Kilinochchi. The talks are expected to cover the current state of Sri Lanka’s peace process and efforts to further stabilize the ceasefire between the LTTE and Colombo. The LTTE leader was assisted by Mr. Balasingham at the discussions with the Norwegian Foreign Minister.


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Upcountry Tamils face "dismal prospect" - UPF

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 November 2004, 19:14 GMT]
Upcountry Tamils, many of whom still live in lands owned and controlled by their employers, face "dismal prospect" of being thrown out of their lands within the next decade as a result of the "menacing rise of racism" in the country, Mr. M. Sivalingam, Secretary General of the Upcountry People’s Front (UPF), said speaking at a book launching ceremony held at Samimalai, Bogawanthalawa in Hatton district Tuesday.
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Norwegian FM to meet Sri Lanka's President Wednesday

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 November 2004, 02:03 GMT]
Norwegian Foreign Minister Mr.Jan Peterson accompanied by his deputy Mr.Vidar Helgessen and special envoy Mr.Erik Solheim is due to hold talks with Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge Wednesday evening regarding the resumption of peace talks with Liberation Tigers of Tamil Liberation (LTTE), Presidential secretariat sources said.
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Balasingham arrives in Kilinochchi for consultations

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 November 2004, 05:53 GMT]
Political advisor of the Liberation Tigers, Mr. Anton Balasingham, arrived in Kilinochchi Tuesday morning around 11 in a Sri Lankan Air Force Helicopter. He was accompanied by his wife Ms. Adele Balasingham. Mr. Balasingham was welcomed by Col. Soosai, Commander of the Sea Tigers and Mr. S. P Thamilchelvan, head of the LTTE’s political division. He will hold consultations with the leader of the Liberation Tigers, Mr. Velupillai Pirapaharan regarding the current state of the peace process in Sri Lanka, LTTE officials said.
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NESOHR chair addresses US event

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 November 2004, 19:15 GMT]
Rev Father Karunaratnam, Chairman of the NorthEast Secretariat on Human Rights (NESOHR), delivered the key note address at the the Annual General Meeting of Ilankai Tamil Sangam (ITS), USA held in New York Saturday. He urged expatriate Tamils in the US to become politically more active to raise the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils in the US political fora. He described the human rights situation in the NorthEast and the efforts of the NESOHR to address rights issues. Two books related to Tamil struggle were also released at the event.
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Balasingham Vanni bound to attend Norwegian FM meet

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 November 2004, 20:22 GMT]
Liberation Tigers’ Political Strategist and Chief Negotiator, Mr. Anton Balasingham, and his wife Adele are scheduled to arrive in Colombo Tuesday morning and will travel to Kilinochchi in Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) helicopter the same day afternoon, sources close to the LTTE told TamilNet.
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Jaffna Court orders inquiry into habeas corpus application

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 October 2004, 16:12 GMT]
Jaffna High Court Judge Mr.K.P.S.Varatharajah Monday referred the Habeas Corpus application filed by Mr.Kanapathipillai Velupillai seeking the production of his son Mr.Velupillai Uthayakumar who was reported disappeared after the arrest by Sri Lanka Army soldiers during 1996 period to the Chavakachcheri Magistrate for preliminary and report, legal sources said.


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"Weakening LTTE, main aim of SL Govt"- Balakumaran

[TamilNet, Sunday, 12 September 2004, 13:57 GMT]
"Absolutely nothing fundamental has changed on the ground. There can be absence of war, there can be prospects of peace talks, or involvement of the International community, or there can be press releases issued by Chandrika Kumaratunge. But, precious little has changed in the feelings or nationalistic thinking of our people. War has not ended yet," said K.V.Balakumaran, a Senior Leader of the Liberation Tigers, in an interview with the Sydney Tamil Radio Thamil Muzhakkam's "Mannin Mainthargal" program during his recent visit to European countries.
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Jaffna court postpones Habeas Corpus inquiry

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 August 2004, 02:04 GMT]
The Jaffna High Court Judge, Mr.K.P.S.Varatharajah, Monday put off the inquiry into a Habeas Corpus application filed by the father of a disappeared youth, after being arrested by the Sri Lanka Army in 1997, for October 18 as the defense submitted that the accused, Lieutenant Colonel Mahindaretna of the Sri Lanka Army, has been warded in the military hospital for kidney operation, legal sources said.
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Army officials' committee holds inquiry into Tamil journalist's complaint

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 August 2004, 13:39 GMT]
A three-member committee comprising military officials of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) commenced inquiry Tuesday into the complaint made by journalist Mr.Velupillai Thavachelvam that he had been threatened with death by a military officer when he was covering the visit of a leading Buddhist prelate to Jaffna during the early part of this year.
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Passing out parade held for LTTE's special RPG Force units

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 August 2004, 20:24 GMT]
''Liberation Tigers were the first to use Rocket Propelled Grenade launchers (RPG) in the island. Sri Lankan armed forces obtained RPGs after they saw us using the launchers in battles. I created the LTTE's RPG force when I realised that armour was going to be a key component of Op. Jeya Sikurui. Our RPG units were very successful in fighting enemy armour'', said Mr. Velupillai Pirapaharan, leader of the LTTE, addressing the passing out of Special RPG Force units at the Tigers' Military Training College in the Vanni Friday.
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SLA officer says he arrested missing Jaffna youth

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 July 2004, 09:43 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s Attorney General (AG) Thursday informed the Jaffna High Court that Lt. Col. T. M Mahindarathne, a Sri Lanka army officer who is the first respondent in a habeas corpus application, has written to the AG’s department acknowledging that he had indeed taken into custody Mr. Velupillai Uthayakumar on 17 June 1997 in Kodikamam, a town in the northern peninsula. Mr. Uthayakumar is among more than 600 Tamil persons who went missing after they were arrested by the Sri Lanka army in 1996-97.
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Petersen says ‘too early’ to predict talks

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 July 2004, 12:09 GMT]
It is "too early" to say when the peace talks between the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers would start again, Norway's Foreign Minister, Jan Petersen, said last week in an interview to The Hindu newspaper. Mr. Petersen expressed confidence that the two year old cease-fire would continue to hold but said “it would probably be unrealistic to think that we will not have any more incidents.”


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Trinco readies to celebrate Black Tigers Day

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 July 2004, 02:24 GMT]
Arrangements are being made to celebrate Black Tigers Day in the Trincomalee district on July 05. Main event will be held on Monday morning at Chenaiyoor Central College in Liberation Tigers controlled Muttur east and in the evening at Sivan Kovil grounds in Trincomalee town, organizers said.
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Vavuniya celebrates Students Resurgence Day

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 June 2004, 15:48 GMT]
Large number of Vavuniya students and residents participated in different processions to celebrate the Students Resurgence Day Sunday carrying cut outs of student martyr Pon.Sivakumaran and Leader of the Liberation Tigers, Velupillai Pirapaharan, sources in Vavuniya said.
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Pirapaharan opens new home for elderly

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 June 2004, 13:20 GMT]
Leader of the Liberation Tigers (LTTE), Velupillai Pirapaharan, attended the opening ceremony of a new building in the Home for the Elderly, 'Anpucholai,' in Kilinochchi and awarded prizes of faith to many older parents of LTTE war heroes, sources from Vanni said.
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