UNF, TNA, JHU boycott SL President's Council on Peace

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 October 2004, 01:58 GMT]
United National Front (UNF), Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) boycotted the event as Sri Lanka President Chandrika Kumaratunga inaugurated the National Advisory Council on Peace and Reconciliation (NACPR) Monday afternoon in Colombo. NAC has been publicized by the Sri Lanka Government as a mechanism to seek "wide spectrum of views" to resolve the ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka.
Full story >>

TNA rejects joining SL President's Advisory Council for Peace

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 October 2004, 10:42 GMT]
"It is our considered view that if the government takes clear and courageous action to recommence the negotiations, which the Government's has hitherto to failed do, the peace process can be taken forward... We would strongly urge you to implement what you enunciated at the meeting with the TNA parliamentary group on 10th June," Mr.R.Sampanthan, Tamil National Alliance parliamentary group leader said in a letter to Sri Lanka's President Ms Kumaratunge officially informing the TNA's decision of rejecting her invitation to attend the National Advisory Council for Peace and Reconciliation.
Full story >>

JHU launches signature campaign to oust Norway

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 September 2004, 10:31 GMT]
Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), the party of ultra Sinhala nationalist Buddhist monks, launched a signature campaign Tuesday in Kandy vowing to collect five million signatures against the Norwegian facilitation in the Peace Process. Venerable Omalpe Sobhitha Thera, the Deputy Leader of the JHU, addressing a meeting at the Central Market in Kandy, vowed that he personally would be campaigning for three days in Colombo, Kandy, Gampaha, Galle, Matara and Polannaruwa districts, sources said.
Full story >>

Monks demand SL Govt to declare Buddhism as 'state religion'

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 September 2004, 06:32 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s hardline monks took another step towards creating their ideal of a Buddhist state this week with their parliamentary party calling for a Constitutional change to make Buddhism the state religion.
Full story >>

"UPFA will form a peace consultative committee"- Minister

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 September 2004, 10:59 GMT]
"When peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the Liberation Tigers resume, the GoSL will form a consultative committee which will include representatives from all political parties. Sri Lanka's President will assume full responsibility for all political decisions regarding the peace process," said Leader of the House and General Secretary of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Minister Maithiripala Sirisena, in the parliament today.
Full story >>

SC to convey its determination on Anti-Conversion Bill

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 August 2004, 17:26 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court (SC) Tuesday said that it would convey its determination on the constitutionality of the private member bill titled "Prohibition of Forcible Conversion of Religion Act No. of 2004" published in the Gazette on 28th May, 2004 to the President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge and the Speaker Mr.W.J.M.Lokkubandara Wednesday, legal sources said.
Full story >>

Court to decide on constitutionality of anti-conversion bill

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 July 2004, 01:19 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court, this Friday 6 August, will conduct the inquiry into the forty-seven petitions filed in support and against the bill "Prohibition of Conversions through Unethical Means" which was presented in parliament last week and included in the order paper of the House. The Speaker referred the Bill to the Supreme Court to determine the bill's constitutionality, legal sources said.


Full story >>

No date fixed for parliamentary debate on ISGA

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 July 2004, 17:12 GMT]
No date has been fixed for the proposed three day debate on the Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) proposal of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during the fourth session of the parliament which is scheduled to begin Tuesday amid confusion and controversy as the minority United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government is still struggling to secure parliamentary majority, political sources said.
Full story >>

PTA was big blunder by Tamil politicians - TNA MP

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 July 2004, 16:46 GMT]
“Tamil Parliamentarians committed a great blunder by not opposing the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). It was wrong on our part for not objecting or raising our voices against the draconian bill”, said Mr. Nadarajah Raviraj, Tamil National Alliance MP for Jaffna, speaking Monday at a public meeting in Colombo to mark the 25th anniversary of the PTA and to launch a campaign for its repeal. The meeting was organised at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in Colombo jointly by the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and the Centre for Human Rights and Development (CHRD).
Full story >>

Bubulla Vihare Chief Incumbent injured in grenade attack

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 July 2004, 17:12 GMT]
Venerable Lendigele Sudassi, Chief Incumbent of the Bodhirukkaharamaya Temple in Bubulla in Hingurakgoda where last Tuesday midnight the Hingurakgoda Police arrested fourteen suspected Karuna faction Tamil youths with automatic weapons, was seriously injured in a grenade attack that took place Thursday around 7.30 p.m., police said.
Full story >>

Opposition leaders to meet Prime Minister

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 July 2004, 20:14 GMT]
Leaders of joint opposition parties are scheduled to meet the Prime Minister Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse of the minority ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government Thursday to discuss the possibility of advancing the date of next session of the parliament, which is scheduled for 20 July, political sources said.
Full story >>

Armed Tamil youth arrested in Buddhist temple

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 July 2004, 18:36 GMT]
Hingurakgoda Police said Tuesday morning that the arrested youth had in their possession three T- 56, three T - 84 type assault rifles and a T - 81 special assault rifle. They also had six hand grenades. A van and a car in which they had traveled were also seized from the Bubula temple, Police said.
Full story >>

UPFA renews attempt to woo CWC support

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 June 2004, 05:30 GMT]
Leaders of the minority United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government Tuesday held talks with Mr.Arumugam Thondaman, leader of the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) in a fresh bid to secure majority in parliament when it is scheduled to meet on July 20, political sources said.
Full story >>

Monks urge Sinhala unity over Karuna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 June 2004, 11:19 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s hardline monks’ party, Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), has called on the Sri Lankan government and opposition to work together in supporting the renegade LTTE commander, Karuna, “in the interests of national security.”
Full story >>

Opposition leaders to meet Speaker Monday

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 June 2004, 20:17 GMT]
Leaders of opposition parties, United National Party (UNP), Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) and Upcountry Peoples Front (UPF) are to meet the Speaker Mr.W.J.M.Lokkubandara Monday before discussing the strategy to adopt to present a co-ordinated front to the actions of the ruling minority UPFA government when the parliament meets on July 20, sources said.


Full story >>

Opposition to urge reconvening parliament before PC elections

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 June 2004, 03:59 GMT]
Leaders of opposition parties are scheduled to meet Wednesday in the parliamentary complex to decide on the next course of action taken in regard to safeguard the parliamentary democracy. The Leader of the Opposition and main opposition United National Party (UNP) Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe is to preside over the meet, political sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

"UPFA government will prove parliamentary majority"- PM

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 June 2004, 05:55 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse Monday declared that his United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government would prove its majority in parliament when it meets on July 20 after elections to six-provicincial councils, scheduled to be held on July 10. "UPFA is prepared to face the challenge of the common opposition if it claimed to have a majority in parliament," said Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse addressing the first election rally in support of UPFA candidates contesting the North Central Provincial Council.
Full story >>

Battle lines drawn to prove parliamentary majority

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 June 2004, 14:49 GMT]
Opposition parliamentarians in the Sri Lanka's thirteenth parliament Monday handed over a memorandum to the Speaker Mr.W.J.M.Lokkubandara to safeguard the parliamentary democracy. 114 parliamentarians from the United National Party (UNP), Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and Upcountry Peoples Front (UPF) signed the memorandum, parliamentary sources said.


Full story >>

Anti-Conversion Bill to be tabled in Sri Lanka Parliament

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 June 2004, 00:36 GMT]
Based on a proposal submitted by Buddha Sasana Minister Mr.Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government Friday decided to table a draft bill in Sri Lanka Parliament prohibiting forcible conversion of religion, UPFA spokesman Mr. Mangala Samaraweera said at a press briefing.
Full story >>

SL President to give televised address

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 June 2004, 16:11 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge is to address the people of Sri Lanka on Saturday 8.30 p.m. through state television and electronic media, ruling party sources said Friday evening.
Full story >>