JVP, JHU boycott Independence Day celebrations

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 February 2005, 18:29 GMT]
Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), the powerful ultra Sinhala nationalist Buddhist monks' party in Sri Lanka's Parliament, boycotted Friday's Independence day celebrations organised by Chandrika Kumaratunga's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, ven. Ellawala Madhananda Thera, the Head of the JHU, told media Friday. Another significant player absent in Friday's celebrations was the marxist extreme Sinhala nationalist party, Janatha Vimukti Peramuna (JVP).
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JVP, JHU object to channeling relief through World Vision

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 January 2005, 14:11 GMT]
Parliamentary group leader of JVP (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna), Mr Wimal Weerawansa, said at a meeting of the national committee on disaster management that his party is deeply concerned about channeling tsunami relief aid through World Vision. The proceeds of one day international cricket match between Asia and the rest of the world, held in Melbourne, Monday, was to be channeled through World Vision, according to sports officials in Melbourne.
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Buddhism bill unconstitutional- Supreme Court

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 January 2005, 01:16 GMT]
The Supreme Court said in its determination that the Bill tabled by Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) seeking to amend the Constitution prohibiting conversion of Buddhists and binding practising Buddhists to bring up their off spring in the same religion should be passed in parliament with two-third majority and also endorsed by the people in the country in a referendum, as some clauses in the Bill are inconsistent with the Constitution, legal sources said.
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Attack on Bollywood show creates political storm in south

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 December 2004, 20:23 GMT]
The grenade attack on Bollywood concert held Saturday in Colombo killing two and injuring several has created a political storm in the south of the country following a speech by President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge at Matara Sunday accusing a parliamentarian of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) and some monks of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) for causing the crime.
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Grenade blast kills two in Colombo Bollywood show

[TamilNet, Saturday, 11 December 2004, 18:48 GMT]
Two people were killed and around 15 others were wounded in a grenade blast in the bollywood "Temptation 2004" show at Horse Race Square, Colombo, according to the Police. The blast occured at 11.30 p.m midnight during the show, which was staged by Bollywood superstar Sharukh Khan. Buddhist Monks were earlier protesting against holding the show on the death anniversary of Ven Gangodawilla Soma Thera.
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Monks protest at Colombo Bollywood show

[TamilNet, Saturday, 11 December 2004, 15:28 GMT]
Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) parliamentarian Ven.Omalpe Sobitha Thera sustained injuries and twelve protesters including monks were arrested at the "Temptation 2004" show at Horse Race Square, Colombo, Saturday, staged by Bollywood superstar Sharukh Khan when protesters turned violent, police sources in Colombo said. Venerable Omalpe Sobitha Thera is warded in the Colombo National Hospital, medical sources said. Buddhist Monks were protesting against holding the entertainment event on the death anniversary of Ven Gangodawilla Soma Thera.
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UPFA budget passed by 105-vote majority

[TamilNet, Friday, 10 December 2004, 18:57 GMT]
Sri Lanka parliament Friday evening adopted the maiden budget for 2005 of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government with a majority of 105 votes at the third reading following the conclusion of committee stage debate, parliamentary sources said.
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Counter proposals not conducive to peace- Vanni MP

[TamilNet, Saturday, 04 December 2004, 17:03 GMT]
"The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) should desist from placing counter proposals before resuming negotiations. GoSL should be prepared to resume talks on the basis of Interim Self-Governing Authority proposals. Any further delay has the potential to lead Sri Lanka into another dark period of war and destruction. I urge the Sinhala parties speak with a unified, consistent voice, and enter peace talks," said Tamil national Alliance (TNA) Vanni District MP Mr Sathasivam Kanagaratnam when TamilNet talked to him Saturday.
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TNA parliamentarians vote against Foreign Ministry votes

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 December 2004, 16:00 GMT]
Nineteen parliamentarians 17 Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and 2 United National Party (UNP) voted against the votes of the Foreign Ministry when it was put to division Friday after a committee stage debate in parliament Friday. However the Foreign Ministry votes was passed with a majority of 93 votes, 112 voted for it, parliamentary sources said.
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"Impending disaster is SL President's own making"- Jaffna daily

[TamilNet, Thursday, 02 December 2004, 12:50 GMT]
''Sri Lanka's President Ms Kumaratunge has brought to the forefront of political influence ultra Sinhala Buddhist elements with the idea of seizing political power at no less a time when the onus of compulsive responsibility of finding solution to the ethnic problem stood cast on the government of Sri Lanka. It is Ms Kumaratunge who will have to singly take the blame if the present peace efforts fail owing to the hysteria unleashed by the chauvinistic forces whom she had elevated to the high plain of political influence,'' said popular Jaffna daily Uthayan in its Thursday editorial.
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Muzzling Parliamentary Speech will further estrangement- Premachandran

[TamilNet, Thursday, 02 December 2004, 12:18 GMT]
''Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MPs participate in the Parliamentary procedures only because of their desire to promote amity between the two polarized peoples in Sri Lanka. But if the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and the opposition United National Party (UNP) members join forces to restrain free speech then it will be another step towards encouraging division of Sri Lanka,'' said Suresh Premachandran responding to attempts to curb privileges of TNA MPs in Sri Lanka's Parliament Wednesday, parliamentary sources in Colombo said.
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UPFA's maiden budget passes

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 November 2004, 17:42 GMT]
Sri Lanka's parliament Saturday evening adopted the maiden budget of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) with a majority of 34 votes, 126 parliamentarians voting for and 92 against it. Only 218 members of 225 were present in parliament at the time of voting, parliamentary sources said.


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Ex UNP minister joins UPFA government

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 November 2004, 13:18 GMT]
Mr. Rohitha Bogollagama, ex United National Party (UNP) minister, crossed over to President Chandrika Kumaratunga's ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Thursday, while the UPFA's maiden budget was being presented in Parliament. He was immediately sworn in as Minister for Advanced Technology and National Enterprises. The cross over of the powerful UNP Parliamentarian from the Kurunagala district has further strengthened the UPFA's position in the Sri Lankan legislature.
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Sri Lanka opposition boycotts Kumaratunga's peace parley

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 November 2004, 14:31 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga addressing the first meeting of the National Advisory Council for Peace and Reconciliation (NACPR) Monday said devolution of power to an extent should be found within the framework of the United Sri Lanka. "Solution to the northeast conflict should not be war,"said President Kumaratunga. Opposition parties, including the largest Tamil party in Sri Lanka's Parliament, boycotted the parley. Tamils charge that the NACPR is a time buying tactic by President Kumaratunga.
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UNP against extension of Presidential term- Prof.Peiris

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 October 2004, 14:41 GMT]
UNP would take every possible step to stop Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumarathunge's move to extend her Presidency through a referendum by extra-constitutional means for another term, said UNP's media spokesman and former Constitutional Affairs Minister Professor G.L. Peiris addressing a press briefing in Colombo Tuesday.
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Parliament debates JHU motion against Norwegian facilitation

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 October 2004, 09:47 GMT]
Sri Lanka's parliament is to debate the motion tabled by the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) demanding the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government to ouster the Norwegian facilitators from the country's peace process. The motion, moved by the Sinhala nationalist party, is to be taken up for debate on November 19th. The motion accuses the presence of the Norwegian facilitators as detrimental to the country.


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Sinhala Buddhists want Norway out

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 October 2004, 01:45 GMT]
Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), the powerful Sinhala Buddhist nationalist party in Sri Lanka's Parliament, Thursday launched an islandwide campaign to get ten million signatures to persuade President Chandrika Kumaratunga to reject peace talks with the Liberation Tigers. The Sinhala nationalist campaign also exhorts Colombo to unequivocally reject the LTTE's proposal for an Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) for the northeast.
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Lay leaders of JHU move to contain damage

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 October 2004, 14:52 GMT]
Lay leaders of Jathika Hela Urumaya(JHU), a key Sinhala Buddhist nationalist party in the Sri Lankan Parliament, agreed Saturday to discuss next week a proposal to completely restructure the organisation. Sources close to the JHU dismissed speculation that Mr.Udaya Gamanpilla, the assistant lay general secretary of the party intended to join the United National Party. "It part of a UNP conspiracy to undermine JHU", the sources said.
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Sinhala nationalist party faces further crises

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 October 2004, 01:34 GMT]
The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), a key Sinhala Buddhist nationalist group in Sri Lanka’s Parliament, said Friday that it had removed the party’s lay general secretary, Mr. Champika Ranawaka. The JHU was plunged in crisis following the resignation of its national organizer earlier in the day. Meanwhile, Mr. Ranawaka said that he was not going to accept the decision by the monks to remove him from the party. The JHU crisis has been further exacerbated by reports that it’s general secretary (clergy), Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka Thero, is supporting the ruling party.


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Leading Buddhist monk MP resigns

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 October 2004, 09:08 GMT]
Ven. Kolannawe Sri Sumangala Thero, MP, the National Organiser of Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), a Sinhala Buddhist nationalist party, resigned his seat in Sri Lanka’s Parliament Friday. Informed sources close to the JHU said long simmering contradictions between the party’s lay leadership and monks who were elected to Parliament led to Ven. Kolannawe Sri Sumangala’s resignation. Mr. Tilak Karunaratna, who led the party when it was known as Sihala Urumaya, left the JHU recently and joined the United National Party earlier this week.


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