LTTE, Muslim representatives discuss Kinniya crisis

[TamilNet, Sunday, 26 October 2003, 15:02 GMT]
Representatives of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and Jemiyathummal Ulama Council (JUC) in Kinniya Sunday at a discussion held at the office of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Trincomalee agreed to identify elements who are working to derail the peace process and not to relentlessly work together to identify such elements. Both parties further agreed to have continuous dialogue to resolve differences that may arise in future, sources said.


Full story >>

Curfew in Mutur after Muslims attack four Tamils

[TamilNet, Sunday, 26 October 2003, 07:04 GMT]
Police declared curfew in Mutur, south of Trincomalee, from Sunday noon after four Tamils were attacked and injured by Muslim mobs. Superintendent of Police for Trincomalee Mr. Daya Samaraweera told that the curfew would extend till Monday 6 a.m.
Full story >>

SLFP demonstrates against "betrayal of Sinhala nation"

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 October 2003, 14:17 GMT]
Thousands of people participated in the demonstration organized by the main constituent of the opposition People’s Alliance, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), against the United National Front (UNF) government of Sri Lanka Friday in Colombo, saying the UNF has 'betrayed' the 'Sinhala nation,' sources said.
Full story >>

JVP awaits invitation to resume talks with SLFP

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 October 2003, 14:42 GMT]
The Sinhala nationalist cum Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said Wednesday it has not received official invitation from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), chief constituent of the main opposition Peoples Alliance regarding the resumption of failed talks to form a political alliance to oust the present United National Front government from power, political sources said.
Full story >>

Building up the case for war

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 September 2003, 02:11 GMT]
There is a steadily growing body of opinion among the Singhalese that Colombo’s dealings with the Liberation Tigers amount to nothing but a misguided policy of appeasement and plain treachery. The case for going to war with the Tigers again is being argued in different guises – its rhetorical veils are getting thinner as the ranks of those who oppose the peace process swell with each passing week.
Full story >>

Thousands join last leg of JVP foot march against IA

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 August 2003, 18:14 GMT]
The four day 116 km long anti peace foot march which was organized by the Sinhala nationalist cum Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) from Galle on Monday against the establishment of the Interim Administration for the northeast province and demanding the de-merger of the province reached Colombo Lipton circle Thursday around seven in the evening. Thousands of JVP cadres, men and women participated in the last leg of the march from Panadura Thursday morning, sources said.


Full story >>

Sri Lanka's main opposition lays condition for IA

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 May 2003, 16:29 GMT]
The main opposition Peoples Alliance (PA) Friday said that Tokyo donors' conference should be held as scheduled next month with the participation or non-participation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). It further said that the interim administration should be established to facilitate the implementation of the political solution reached at the peace talks now being held between the GOSL and LTTE and with certain conditions, sources in Colombo said.


Full story >>

Sri Lanka hit by worst floods in fifty years

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2003, 00:39 GMT]
At least one hundred thousand families were rendered homeless and about one hundred and fifty people died in flood and earthslip following continuous torrential rain now the country is experiencing. Five districts in the down south of the island Ratnapura, Kalutara, Galle, Hambantota and Matara have been badly affected by the floods, government sources said Sunday.


Full story >>

Sri Lanka's PM leaves for India amid political crisis

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2003, 16:21 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe left Friday morning to Cochin in South India on a private visit while his senior peace negotiators began discussions with the Norwegian delegation led by deputy foreign minister Mr. Vidar Helgessen to explore ways to resolve the present crisis following the temporary withdrawal by the LTTE from peace talks, political sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Forcible occupation of land no basis for harmony - BBC Sinhala service head

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 May 2003, 00:02 GMT]
Speaking at the South Asia Discussion Group of the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London Wednesday, Mr. Priyath Liyanage, head of Sandesiya, the BBC’s Sinhala service, said the “effort to avoid the involvement of the Tamil Tigers” in rehabilitation and development in the north raises the question of the other ulterior agendas by Colombo.
Full story >>

Anti-war protests in Colombo, North-East.

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 March 2003, 20:11 GMT]
Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Colombo, after Friday's Jummah prayers, protesting the US-led war on Iraq. Government and opposition parliamentarians, including those from the Janata Vimukti Peramuna, took part in the protest, sources said.
Full story >>

Opposition parties plan protests against Ceasefire Agreement

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 March 2003, 16:57 GMT]
The Opposition Alliance, formed by the main opposition party in Sri Lanka’s parliament, the Sri Lanka Fredom Party (SLFP), in an alliance with the Jantha Vimukti Peramuna (JVP), the Mahajana Eaksath Peramuna (MEP), the National Unity Alliance (NUA), and the Sri Lanka Mahajana Paksaya (SLMP), said in a press conference in Colombo Thursday that it wants to “save the country” and has planned to conduct massive protests on March 10 against the UNF Government’s Ceasefire agreement with the LTTE and its economic policies of the past year.
Full story >>

HRC on a fact-finding mission to Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 January 2003, 18:47 GMT]
The Chairman of the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission, Dr.Godfrey Gunatilake, with two other commissioners, Ms. Manouri Muttetuwagama and Mr. Ameer Zeinudeen, arrived in Trincomalee Wednesday on a two-day fact finding mission, sources said.
Full story >>

UNF government to hold peace seminar in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 January 2003, 15:40 GMT]
United National Front (UNF) government has begun to conduct a series of seminars to enlighten people on the ongoing peace process as well as on a power sharing system for the country. Such seminars were already were held in Matale and the second one at Ampara. During the weekend several such seminars were held at Kandy, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura, sources said.
Full story >>

Thousands displaced, stranded by floods in Batticaloa-Amparai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 December 2002, 23:23 GMT]
Continuing torrential rain in Batticaloa-Amparai has affected 94549 families, 8577 families have abandoned their homes and sought refuge in schools, temples and public buildings, 1406 homes have been damaged and thousands of acres of paddy fields have been destroyed by flood water, officials in Batticaloa said.


Full story >>

Buddhist monk warns of disruptive forces in Trinco

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 October 2002, 13:26 GMT]
Venerable Dodantuwe Thammanatha Thero of Mahamayapura Buddhist temple in Trincomalee town said that miscreants are bent on instigating clashes in the eastern district by portraying the Liberation Tigers as anti- Singhalese. He was addressing a peace conference at the Trincomalee Police Headquarters to promote reconciliation between all communities in the eastern port town Thursday evening. The Buddhist monk showed the audience a leaflet printed in Sinhala stating that LTTE leader Mr. Pirapaharan considers the Singhalese as his enemies.
Full story >>

Civilians’ funerals to be held Sunday

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 October 2002, 20:33 GMT]
The bodies of the three Tamil civilians killed in Friday’s gun and grenade attacks in Abeypura will be kept at the Trincomalee Hindu Cultural Hall in front of Trincomalee harbour from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. to allow people to pay their respects, sources said Saturday. Parliamentarians from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) are expected to deliver eulogies. The funeral procession will commence at 3 p.m. to the Hindu cemetery.
Full story >>

SLFP to oppose nineteenth amendment

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 September 2002, 22:10 GMT]
Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), the main constituent of the chief opposition People’s Alliance (PA) Monday decided to oppose the nineteenth constitutional amendment brought by the United National Front (UNF) government to restrict the presidential powers in dissolving the parliament. "Disciplinary action will be taken against SLFP parliamentarians who speak in favour of nineteenth amendment to the constitution," said former Minister Mangala Samaraweera, parliamentary whip of the SLFP Monday in a press release.
Full story >>

Constitutional amendment in parliament on September 19

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 September 2002, 20:46 GMT]
The United National Front government Friday said it would table the nineteenth constitutional amendment bill in parliament on September 19. "The debate on the bill which was gazetted last Wednesday midnight will take place in parliament during the second week of October," Constitutional Affairs Minister Professor G.L.Peiris said Friday at a press briefing.
Full story >>

19th amendment will strengthen parliament- PM

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 September 2002, 15:52 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe Wednesday said that the nineteenth constitutional amendment has the sole objective of strengthening parliament and not to curtail powers of any individual. "The nineteenth amendment will be passed in parliament before the presentation of 2003 budget," said Mr.Wickremasinghe addressing the government parliamentary group meeting Wednesday at the parliamentary complex.
Full story >>