SLFP appoints main organizer for North

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 December 2009, 02:56 GMT]
Thilagakumara Udagama, being appointed as the main Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) organizer for Jaffna and Vanni districts in the North by the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), is presently in Jaffna actively engaged in election campaign in support of Mahinda Rajapakse, sources in Jaffna said. He said that eleven Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) campaign offices have been opened in Jaffna peninsula and that local persons will go from house to house canvasing votes for Mahinda Rajapakse in the presidential election.
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Fonseka’s comment could restrict aid to Sri Lanka - Minister Peiris

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 December 2009, 12:36 GMT]
G.L.Peiris, a senior minister in the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, said Monday to Colombo media that the comments made by Sarath Fonseka about the final stages of the war may make it difficult for some officers to travel overseas for training and medical treatment while there could be restrictions on the aid provided to Sri Lanka. Minister G.L.Peiris said that the comments made by Gen (retd) Sarath Fonseka have far reaching consequences including the possibility of some of the military officers being questioned on the events and action being taken against them.
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23 candidates file nominations in Sri Lankan presidential race

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 December 2009, 07:42 GMT]
23 candidates including the incumbent Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa (UPFA), retired General Sarath Fonseka (New Democratic Party), Wickramabahu Karunaratne (Left Front), Siritunga Jayasuriya (United Socialist Party), Sarath Manamendra (Nawa Sihala Urumaya), M.B. Thaminimulla (Okkoma Wasiyo, Okkoma Rajawaru) and Battaramulla Seelaratne Thera (Ana Setha Peramuna) will be among the 18 political parties’ candidates that filed the nomination papers Thursday morning at the Sri Lankan Election Secretariat in Rajagiriya. Meanwhile, one person has filed objections against General Fonseka stating that he is a citizen of the United States of America, but it was overruled by the Commissioner.
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Rajapaksa awards defected UNP MPs with ministerial portfolios

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 December 2009, 14:55 GMT]
Two parliamentarians who resigned from the main opposition United National Party (UNP) Wednesday morning were appointed minister and deputy minister in the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government led by the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the evening.
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2 UNP MPs cross over to UPFA

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 December 2009, 13:36 GMT]
Two parliamentarians from the main opposition United national Party (UNP) Wednesday extended their support to the ruling Mahinda Rajapaksa government, a day ahead of nominations for the up coming presidential elections to be held on January 26. Krunegala District MPs Johnston Fernando and Indika Bandaranayake made their intentions known at a joint press conference held in Colombo on Wednesday afternoon.
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SLA, police extort money from passengers to Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 December 2009, 02:34 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and police personnel manning the bus terminal at Vavuniyaa demand money from the people travelling to Jaffna, who have to report for checking before travel, sources in Vavuniyaa said. The bus travel being the cheapest, people choose it rather than ship or flight which are run by agencies of prominent persons of the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA). The demand for bribe from passengers at Vavuniyaa appears to be a ploy to divert them to travel by ship or planes, the sources further said.
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HR Day observed in Jaffna after 3 years

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 December 2009, 07:28 GMT]
Thousands of persons whose family members had gone missing after abduction or arrest by Sri Lanka Armed forces and paramilitary men participated in an event organized by Jaffna Human Rights Commission (HRC) in Jaffna Veersingham Hall Thursday around 10:00 a.m to mark the 61st International Human Rights Day. Representatives of various Tamil political parties and human rights activists participated in the event which ended around 2:00 p.m. The day’s events concluded with the torch festival held in Aariyaku’lam in Jaffna after a procession which highlighted human rights, source in Jaffna said.
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Emergency extended for another month in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 December 2009, 11:39 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s parliament Tuesday evening adopted a motion moved by the Prime Minister Ratnasri Wickremanayake seeking the approval to extend the State of Emergency for another month by a majority of seventy four votes. Ninety five parliamentarians from the ruling party United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and its allies voted for the motion. Twenty one parliamentarians of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the main opposition United National Party (UNP), present in the House voted against.
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Attacks on JVP political offices continue, A’pura office ransacked

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 December 2009, 11:26 GMT]
Supporters of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) are on the rampage in several areas in the south attacking offices of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) since the latter extended its full support to General Sarath Fonseka, who is to contest as the common opposition candidate in the forthcoming presidential election. Submission of nominations by registered political parties is to begin on December 17 and the election is fixed for January 26.
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Government supporters attack JVP activists

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 November 2009, 04:55 GMT]
A group of supporters said to be from the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Saturday morning attacked a group of activists of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) when the latter were putting up posters in connection with the rally supporting the opposition common presidential candidate General Sarath Fonseka in Maradana in Colombo, according to a press release by the JVP.
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SL Government will decide later which election to be held first – President Rajapakse

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 November 2009, 15:44 GMT]
President Mahinda Rajapakse did not announce which election would take place first, presidential or parliamentary, while addressing the national convention of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), Sunday evening despite wide speculation that he would announce the date for early presidential election. The convention was held at Kettarama Stadium in Colombo.
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TNA members boycott initial ceremonies of first JMC session

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 October 2009, 17:48 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) members of Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) who kept away from the initial ceremonies which preceded the inauguration of the first session of JMC Wednesday said that the vain ceremonies held by the ruling United People’s Front Alliance (UPFA) and allied political parties as propaganda is deplorable while the Vanni IDPs are suffering in the internment camps. “We will not allow exploitation of JMC and its activities for propaganda purposes of political parties, the leader of TNA opposition in JMC, Mudiyappu Remedias said.
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No signs of resettlement of IDPs in KKS

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 October 2009, 07:20 GMT]
Sri Lanka Government has announced its intention of opening Kaangkeasanthu’rai (KKS) Road for public in view of the reopening of KKS cement factory located in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Security Zone (HSZ). Mere opening of KKS road is meaningless while more than 100,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) evacuated from their residences 20 years ago are still languishing in camps and in relatives’ houses without being resettled, IDP Welfare Organizations in Jaffna said.
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SLA denies permission to Thirumavalavan to meet public in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 October 2009, 07:26 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) authorities in Jaffna turned down the request of Thol. Thirumavalavan, Tamil Nadu Parliamentarian and leader of Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Kadchi (VCK) Party, to meet the public in Jaffna when the delegation of Tamil Nadu MPs was taken to Jaffna Public Library for a meeting Sunday, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, Jaffna University Students expressed their strong protest against India for having let down the Eezham Tamils and for deceiving them continually, when the MPs met students in Jaffna University Sunday, the sources added.
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Emergency extended in Sri Lanka for another month

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 October 2009, 17:54 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s parliament Thursday adopted a motion to extend the State of Emergency by another month with a majority of seventy votes. Eighty-two parliamentarians from the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and the National Freedom Front (NFF), the rebel group of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) voted in favor of the motion. Twelve Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians who were present at that time voted against the motion. The main opposition United National Party (UNP) abstained from voting. Parliamentarians of the JVP were not present in the House at that time of voting. The State of Emergency is being extended by the parliament monthly since August, 2005.
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JMC mayor, deputy to take oath before President

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 October 2009, 16:32 GMT]
Eealm People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) sources in Jaffna said that the successful candidates of the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) proposed to hold office as Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) will take the oath 12 October in front of Sri Lanka President, Mahinda Rajapakse at his official residence, Temple Trees, in Colombo. Tamil National Alliance (TNA) members of JMC had already taken the oath while the UPFA members will be taking the oath in front of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor after 12 October, the sources added.
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UNP leaders attacked in Deniyaya by ruling party supporters

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 October 2009, 09:04 GMT]
Supporters of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) led by its parliamentarians Mr.Tissa Attanayake , the general secretary of the party and Mr. Ravi Karunanayake, including media personnel were attacked in Deniyaya Sunday morning while they were on their way to inspect the alleged Presidential palace under construction in the area.
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JVP supporters harassed in Hambantota

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 September 2009, 15:23 GMT]
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), one time ally of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, Tuesday claimed that two of its supporters were abducted by the bodyguards of a cabinet minister. They were putting up posters about an upcoming meeting when the minister who was passing by stopped and ordered his bodyguards to take the two men away, JVP sources said.
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Ruling party candidate arrested in Galle

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 September 2009, 11:00 GMT]
Galle Police Monday morning took a candidate of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Nishantha Muthuhettigama into custody for a number of charges, including unlawful assembly and damaging of property. Meanwhile, a special team appointed by the Inspector General of Police, Jayantha Wickremaratne, rushed to Galle to investigate into the credibility of the accusation made by Nishantha Muthuhettigama to media against the police and the Presidential Security Division (PSD), Police Spokesman Senior DIG Nimal Mediwake told media.
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JVP offices burnt down in Galle, Matara

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 September 2009, 07:27 GMT]
Two election offices of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) located in Seenipella and Kiriveldeniya in Galle and Matara districts were set on fire Thursday night by unidentified gang suspected to be ruling UPFA supporters. JVP member of the Mulatiyana Pradeshiya Sabha and Matara district provincial election candidate Ajantha Gammedda complained to the police that the furniture and several banners in the two offices were destroyed by the fire.
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