Protest held in Colombo against abductions

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 March 2007, 12:45 GMT]
The Committee for Finding the Disappeared Persons of New Democratic Front (NDF) held a protest campaign at Company Street Junction in Colombo around 4:00 p.m. Thursday demanding the immediate stop to human rights violations and disappearances. More than hundred activists including the relatives of the disappeared participated in the one-hour long event. More than ten children carried the portraits of their disappeared fathers, sources in Colombo said.
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SL Police chief admits Sri Lanka forces involved in abductions

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 12:03 GMT]
Sri Lankan security forces are involved in abductions of civilians for ransom, the country’s Police Chief admitted Monday, saying a ‘large number’ of officers and troops had been arrested on charges of abduction and extortion. However the Inspector General of Police, Victor Perera also asserted that “organised groups” were conducting abductions and killings “to embarrass the government.”


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SLA readies for Manalaru offensive, Tigers warn of bloodbath

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 March 2007, 12:07 GMT]
"We are aware that the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has amassed military hardware close to Manalaru in preparation for a major offensive towards Mullaitivu area. Consequence of this offensive will be a catastrophic bloodbath across Sri Lanka," said Mr. Thamilchelvan, Head of LTTE Political Wing, speaking to TamilNet after meeting the Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Hans Brattskar and Norwegian Embassy official Erik Nuremberg, in Kilinochchi Monday.


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SLFP ponders expelling dissidents, as intra-party turmoil worsens

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 12:55 GMT]
Speculation is rife in political circles in Colombo that two dissident Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) parliamentarians, Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi, the sacked ministers, are to be expelled from the party, after Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse returns from his seven-day official visit to China on Sunday evening. The SLFP is the main constituent of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, sources said.
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Acrimony flares, US says diplomats not LTTE’s target

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 00:13 GMT]
Amid growing acrimony within the Sri Lankan government over the LTTE mortar attack Tuesday on military helicopters carrying foreign ambassadors and UN officials to Batticaloa district, the American ambassador to Sri Lanka, Robert O. Blake, contradicted Colombo’s assertion that the Tigers had tried to assassinate the diplomats. Meanwhile Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary says the diplomats should share the blame for the near-disaster for asking to visit Batticaloa. He slammed as “interference” attempts by foreign dignitaries and NGOs to visit the war torn Northeast.


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SL anti-terror officials detain Sinhala paper director

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 February 2007, 22:10 GMT]
The Financial Director of the Sinhala language weekly "Mawbima", Dushantha Basnayake, has been detained by the Sri Lankan Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) Monday evening at his workplace in Colombo. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, in a televised address, Saturday had charged that the weekly was "pro LTTE." The paper is owned by Tiran Alles, a close confidante of Mangala Samaraweera, the former SL Foreign Minister who was recently sacked by Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse. Mr. Tiran Alles was also removed from Sri Lanka's Civil Aviation Authority this month.
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JHU decides against submitting proposal to APRC

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 February 2007, 21:25 GMT]
Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), all monks' party said Monday that it will not table its proposals to the All Party Representatives Committee (APRC) to find a political solution to the ethnic conflict, political sources in Colombo said. JHU reasoned that Mahinda Chinthanaya mandates a solution on the basis of unitary concept of constitution and therefore no alternate proposals are necessary.
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SL President leaves for China on 7-day official visit

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 February 2007, 03:11 GMT]
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse around midnight on Sunday left Colombo on a seven-day official visit to China leading a delegation of about fifteen ministers. Several business leaders and officials of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries in the districts of Kandy, Galle, Matara and Kegalle also joined the President's delegation, sources said.
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Ship expected to bring Jaffna mail from Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 February 2007, 13:38 GMT]
A part of the backlog of ordinary letters to Jaffna lying in Trincomalee Main Post Office is expected to arrive in Jaffna Monday by ship, Jaffna Postal sources said. Besides thousands of mail bags accumulating in Trincomalee, 5000 parcels, many containing medicines and food, destined for addresses in Jaffna district are also lying undelivered.
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Offensive aftermath

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 February 2007, 01:01 GMT]
More than 200 civilians were killed and hundreds of others injured in the five-month long Sri Lanka military offensive carried out in sea, air and land on Vaharai and adjoining coastal hamlets. Nearly 40,000 IDPs stay in 49 temporary shelters and with friends and relatives elsewhere in the military controlled part of Batticaloa district. The Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Vaharai and neighboring Trincomalee district express resentment over the inequity in reimbursing relief and compensation by Sri Lanka Government authorities.
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Anura Bandaranaike sworn in as minister

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 20:43 GMT]
Anura Bandaranaike, one of the sacked three ministers, was again sworn in as Minister of National Heritage Thursday morning at Temple Trees in the presence of Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse. Minister Dinesh Gunawardene and Western Provincial Governor, Alavi Moulana were present during the swearing-in.
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Sacked ministers register complaint with Rights body

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 20:26 GMT]
Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi, two of the three sacked ministers by Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse on February 9 Thursday lodged complaints with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) of the death threats they received after they addressed a press briefing in parliament following their expulsion from the cabinet and the reduction of government provided security staff.
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Marginalisation of CFA compells Tamils to resume freedom struggle - LTTE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 16:54 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, in a statement marking five years since the signing of 22 February 2002 Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) with the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL), said the CFA formulated with the full support of the international community, had transcended the parameters of Sri Lanka’s majoritarian constitution, recognizing Tamil Eelam’s de facto existence and the balance of power between the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the LTTE. However, the international community’s insistence on a solution that does not infringe on the "territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka," is deeply frustrating for the Tamil people, the statement said.
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Why Rajapakse sibling is acting as FM, asks UNP parliamentarian

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 10:30 GMT]
Ravi Karunanayake, United National Party (UNP) Member of Parliament for Colombo District, addressing the parliament on Wednesday over a motion of adjournment concerning the responsibilities of the Government, said that since the assumption of power by Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse at least 3800 people have been killed, parliamentary sources said. He also questioned why Basil Rajapakse, presidential advisor and brother of the President is assuming Sri Lanka Foreign Minister's functions.
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SLA moves military hardware to Thenmaradchy FDLs

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 February 2007, 03:15 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were seen moving heavy military hardware, including more than fifteen T-54 type tanks and Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) along Point-Pedro Kodikamam road towards Thenmaradchy Forward Defence Lines (FDLs) Monday night, residents in Varani area said. With the fifth year anniversary of the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) approaching on 22 Februrary, the increased military movements have further fuelled speculations of renewed war in Jaffna, civil sources in Jaffna said.
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SL Government has no deals with LTTE- Prime Minister

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 February 2007, 22:44 GMT]
Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, Prime Minister, Monday refuted the allegation that the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) has a secret understanding with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). He was answering a question by Joseph Michael Perera, parliamentarian of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) citing ousted minister Sripathi Sooriyarachchi in parliament Tuesday.
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Remove Tissa Vitarane from cabinet- JVP

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 February 2007, 11:51 GMT]
The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), marxist, extreme Sinhala nationalist party, said Minister Tissa Vitarane who advocates devolution of power contrary to the provisions in the "Mahinda Chinthanaya" should be removed from the cabinet first if Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse is sincere in preserving law and order, media sources in Colombo said.
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NPM urges Rajapakse to nullify CFA with LTTE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 February 2007, 18:37 GMT]
The National Patriotic Movement (NPM) Sunday made an urgent appeal to Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse to nullify the ceasefire agreement (CFA) signed by Ranil Wickremasinghe, the then Prime Minister and Velupillai Pirapaharan, leader of LTTE, before the CFA completes five-year period on February 22, sources in Colombo said.
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SL Parliament to meet amid political tension

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 February 2007, 13:12 GMT]
Sri Lanka's parliament is to meet Tuesday again amid political tension in the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government created by the sacking of three ministers by President Mahinda Rajapakse. Parliament met last time amid tension created by the defection of eighteen parliamentarians from the main opposition United National Party (UNP) to government side, sources said.
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International Community needs reassurance from Sri Lanka - British FM

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 February 2007, 16:11 GMT]
The international community needs to be reassured that the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is committed to a peaceful solution, said Dr Kim Howells, British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who left Sri Lanka Friday concluding his two day visit. Dr. Howells met Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse, Sri Lankan Minister for Disaster Management and Human Rights and representatives of opposition political parties Thursday after visiting Amparai district Wednesday.
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