Army tightens security in Mutur

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 January 2002, 09:26 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army and Police have tightened security at sentry points at Kaddaiparichchan and Mahindapura and civilians were thoroughly searched before they were being allowed to enter government held region in the Trincomalee district, said sources.
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Two SLA soldiers killed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 December 2001, 14:43 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed in a counter-ambush by the Liberation Tigers near Mahindapura SLA camp in Serunuwara division, south of Trincomalee district, around 7.30 a.m. Tuesday morning, security sources said.
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Wickremesinghe appoints cabinet of 25

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 December 2001, 11:57 GMT]
The cabinet of ministers of the United National Front government was sworn in Wednesday afternoon in Colombo. The Prime Minister Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe kept only the Ministry of Policy Planning to himself contrary to the practice of former heads of Sri Lankan governments to hold key several portfolios such as defence. The UNP MP for Jaffna was appointed a Minister for Hindu Affairs sans cabinet rank. The Minister of Defence is former attorney general Mr. Tilak Marapone. The leader of the Ceylon Workers' Congress Mr. Arumugam Thondaman was appointed Housing and Plantation Infrastructure.
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Tamils in Trincomalee score high

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 December 2001, 08:57 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance scored 56119 votes in the Trincomalee district. The Tamil United Liberation Front, Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation and the All Ceylon Tamil Congress, the main constituents of the TNA, were able to garner only 19110 votes between them at the general elections in October 2000. Polling was very high in the Tamil strongholds of the eastern district Wednesday. There are four seats in Trincomalee. The UNP, SLMC coalition got two seats by scoring 62, 915 votes here. If the UNP and the SLMC had contested separately them the TNA would have got the bonus seat for the district, officials said. The massive surge in support for the TNA in Trincomalee was largely due to the stand it took on the Liberation Tigers and the war. The EPDP was ignominiously routed despite offering jobs and cash to thousands of voters.
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Rigging feared in 'clustered' polling centres

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 December 2001, 13:24 GMT]
Journalists, civil society leaders and politicians in the north and eastern regions of Sri Lanka island told independent and European Union polls observers to pay special attention to 'clustered' polling booths where thousands of Tamil voters in areas held by the Liberation Tigers will have to cast their ballots Wednesday.
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14,000 Tamils in Mutur denied booths

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 November 2001, 22:43 GMT]
The Returning Officer for Trincomalee district has turned down a request by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to set up clustered polling booths in Mutur south, enabling about 14,000 voters in the area to cast their votes on 5 December election. Instead, an additional bus service will be provided to the Tamil voters living in the region to travel to clustered polling stations set up near Mahindapura Sri Lanka Army camp and Muttur Al Hidaya School, he said.
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Clustered booths enable rigging -TULF

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 October 2001, 19:33 GMT]
The Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) has complained to the Commissioner of Elections that adequate attention has not been paid to the difficulties of Tamil voters when deciding upon polling stations in the Trincomalee district. Several polling stations are to be clustered near Mahindapura Sri Lanka Army camp and at Muttur Al Hidaya Maha Vidyalayam (school) for about 14,000 Tamil voters, said Mr.R.Sampanthan, the party's Secretary General.
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S.L govt. faces collapse as more desert

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 October 2001, 06:19 GMT]
The Peopleís Alliance regime was plunged into crisis as eight government MPs crossed over to the opposition in the Sri Lankan parliament Wednesday morning. The government may not have the required number of votes to defeat the no confidence motion against it by the opposition Thursday, sources said. The government members who crossed over today are: former cabinet ministers Prof. G.L Pieris, Mr. Mahinda Wijesekera and S. B Dissanayaka and Wijepala Mendis, Ananda Munasingha, Ediriweera Premaratna, Jeyasundara Wijekon and Bandula Nanayakkara. The desertion has reduced the PA-JVP alliance to 111 in the 225 member Parliament. A ruling party MP crossed over Tuesday.
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Government MP crosses over to opposition

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 October 2001, 06:33 GMT]
A coalition MP of the Sri Lankan government Tuesday crossed over to the opposition in the Parliament. Mr. Bandula Gunawardena, MP, is a member of the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP), a Sinhala nationalist party, charged that the President is surrounded by a coterie of ministers who are misguiding her. In an address to the house Tuesday morning, Mr. Gunawardena said that the PA is conspiring with the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna to destabilise the country. The MP is the brother of the Mr. Dinesh Gunawardena, the leader of the MEP, is a senior cabinet minister.
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PA govt. faces no-confidence threat afresh

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 September 2001, 23:34 GMT]
The Sri Lanka's People's Alliance government said Saturday that the no-confidence motion which is expected to be submitted by opposition parties next week afresh would be defeated with the support of the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna.
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Ministers' resignation poses new threat to PA govt.

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 September 2001, 20:10 GMT]
The political crisis in Sri Lanka's ruling People's Alliance (PA) government took a dramatic turn Thursday with the sudden resignation of four senior ministers. The resignation of these ministers came under severe scrutiny at a discussion held between President and Prime Minister Thursday evening, ruling party sources said.
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Two killed in Vavuniya FDL skirmishes

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 September 2001, 10:08 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka army soldiers were killed and three were wounded in attacks by the Liberation Tigers in the Forward Defence Localities north of Vavuniya Thursday and Friday, military sources in Vavuniya said. The SLA shelled a forward defence locality in Pampaimadu Thursday morning, having observed a group of Tigers in the area. Three soldiers were wounded when the Tigers ambushed an SLA unit that was sent to clear the locality subsequently.
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Parliament reconvened

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 September 2001, 10:38 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Parliament, which was prorogued by President Chandrika Kumaratunge on 10 July commenced its sittings Thursday morning. The Secretary General of Parliament, Dhammika Kitulugoda read out the proclamation reconvening the parliament. Thereafter the Speaker Anura Bandaranaike informed the House that the ruling People's Alliance and Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) have formed a coalition to end the political instability in the country.
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PA names team for UNP talks

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 August 2001, 11:04 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s ruling People's Alliance (PA) Friday named its representatives to have political talks with the main opposition United National Party (UNP). The delegation included Ministers D.M.Jayaretna, Mahinda Rajapakse, Mangala Samaraweera, Anuruddha Ratwatte, Nimal Sripala de Silva and Lakshman Kadirgamar.
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Senior Minister admits differences with President

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 August 2001, 18:50 GMT]
The General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Mr.S.B.Dissanayake Monday said "difference of opinion has arisen between him and President Chandrika Kumaratunge over fulfilling the aspirations of people". Mr.Dissanayake, the Minister of Samurdhi (Poverty Alleviation), Human Development and Parliamentary Affairs added "however these differences could be sorted out through negotiations." Ms.Chandrika Kumaratunge holds the post of President of Sri Lanka Freedom Party. The SLFP is the major constituent party of the ruling People's Alliance.
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Anti-Govt. demonstrations in 70 towns

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 August 2001, 19:04 GMT]
Demonstrations were held in seventy towns throughout the island Monday demanding the resignation of the People's Alliance government and "the installation of an interim government to bring in democratic reforms." The People's Movement for Democracy organized these demonstrations at Galle, Kandy, Ratnapura, Matale, Polonnaruwa, Kurunagala, Kadawatte, and other important towns.
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Two SLA soldiers wounded

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 July 2001, 16:02 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army soldiers were wounded and another was reported missing when the Liberation Tigers attacked an army detachment at Mahindapura, at about 10.30 a.m. Wednesday morning, local army sources said.
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No division in cabinet - media minister

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 July 2001, 16:13 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government Thursday refuted media reports that the cabinet was divided over the proroguing of Parliament and the referendum. Mr.Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, Minister of Media and Information said in a press release, "no minister walked out of the Cabinet meeting held Wednesday, in protest against the President's decision to prorogue parliament and to hold a referendum on August 21.
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Joint opposition wants debate on July 18

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 July 2001, 09:47 GMT]
The no-confidence motion against the People's Alliance (PA) Government is likely to be taken up for debate on July 18. This is in consequent of the written request by 115 opposition parliamentarians submitted Tuesday to the Secretary of the Speaker. "The entire opposition has requested the Speaker that the no confidence be taken up for debate on July 18. A certified copy the request was also handed over to the Secretary General of the parliament," Mr.Mahinda Samarasinghe, a UNP parliamentarian said.
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PA sees 'capitalist conspiracy' in no-faith motion

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 July 2001, 11:36 GMT]
Hundreds of workers of pro-government trade unions demonstrated at the Lipton's circus roundabout near downtown Colombo Wednesday. "The working classes have confidence in the PA government. Businessmen and millionaires cannot be allowed to overthrow the present government which came to power with the support of working community", demonstrators told state media units covering the protest.
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