PA parliamentary group meets after Ranil-Chandrika talks

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 January 2003, 19:39 GMT]
President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge convened an urgent meeting of the parliamentary group of the main opposition Peoples Alliance (PA) Saturday afternoon following a discussion between her and the Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe held Friday at the Presidential Secretariat. "The President will consult the United National Front (UNF) government before making any public statement on the peace process," said a statement issued by the Presidential media unit Sunday.
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'Sri Lanka is at a crucial stage' - PM

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 January 2003, 17:50 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe Sunday in his evening address to people of Sri Lanka said, "arguments over security matters should not be allowed to derail the momentum of the peace negotiation. The country has entered a stage that would decide the future of Sri Lanka."
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UNF confirms Hakim participation in Thailand peace talks

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 January 2003, 16:31 GMT]
The participation of Mr.Rauff Hakim, Minister and the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress at the forthcoming peace talks scheduled to begin in Thailand on Monday has been confirmed by the United National Front government Friday.
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Hakim awaits PM decision to attend peace talks

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 January 2003, 17:08 GMT]
Leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Mr.Rauff Hakim, Wednesday said he is not concerned about the accusation that he (Hakim) is not a credible representative of the Muslims to participate in the forthcoming peace talks. "The Prime Minister will take a correct decision at the correct time in this regard," Minister Rauff Hakim told media persons Wednesday.
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Parliamentary debate on Oslo talks scheduled

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 December 2002, 17:20 GMT]
The parliamentarians of the ruling United National Front (UNF) government in a meeting held today agreed to a demand by the opposition leader Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse to hold a parliamentary debate on the peace talks held in Oslo between the LTTE and the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL), and the debate will be held on January 14 at 9 pm, UNF sources said.
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Hakim to represent Muslims at peace talks

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 December 2002, 19:07 GMT]
Minister and the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Mr.Rauff Hakim said Wednesday that he has been given permission by the party's supreme council and politburo to attend peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and Liberation Tigers (LTTE) as the sole representative of the Muslims.


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'Vihare construction continues in Tamil village despite protests' - TNA

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 December 2002, 13:25 GMT]
Construction of a Buddhist shrine in Vilankulam, a traditional Tamil village, 11 km off west in the eastern port town is continuing despite protests made to the Prime Minister by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader and the Trincomalee district parliamentarian Mr.R.Sampanthan, said TNA Member of Parliament (MP) Mr.K.Thurairetnasingham, Thursday.


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“Intelligentsia must represent Muslims at peace talks”- Athaullah faction

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 December 2002, 13:06 GMT]
Athaullah faction of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) held its eighteenth annual convention Wednesday at Akkaraipattu where delegates unanimously adopted a resolution that expressed the need for sending a group of independent Muslim intelligentsia to represent Muslims in the peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), said sources.
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Minister urges UNP-PA to work together for peace

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 December 2002, 17:36 GMT]
Minister of Fisheries, Mr.Mahinda Wijesekara, addressing a seminar Sunday at Devinuwara, a town in deep South, appealed to the United National Front (UNF) government and the main opposition People's Alliance ( PA ) to bury their differences and work together to find a lasting political solution to the ethnic conflict.
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Muslims rights will be safeguarded - Prime Minister

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 December 2002, 17:00 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe Sunday assured the Muslim community that his government would do everything in its power to safeguard the rights of Muslims in the eastern province when finding a negotiated political solution to the ethnic conflict in the peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and would never let down Muslims at any stage of the peace talks, when he addressed the gathering in Madwela, Kandy, sources said.
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Govt. agrees for parliamentary debate on Oslo peace talks

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 December 2002, 15:07 GMT]
The ruling United National Front (UNF) Tuesday agreed for a two-day debate on the peace talks now being held abroad between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). This decision was taken at a meeting of the leaders of political parties represented in Sri Lanka parliament presided by the Speaker Mr.Joseph Michael Perera, sources said.
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EU promises substantial contribution, says will engage Tamil Diaspora

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 November 2002, 04:35 GMT]
Petter Hansen from Denmark addressing the Oslo peace support conference on behalf of the European Union (EU) said that "EU stands ready to support the peace process and is committed to delivering a substantial contribution to the post-conflict rehabilitation of Sri Lanka." He added that "the EU will strengthen its engagement in the peace process" and introduced a new perspective to the support effort by asserting EU "will also engage the Tamil Diaspora to support the process."
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Ranil leaves for Oslo

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 November 2002, 08:39 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe Saturday morning left for Norway to attend the Oslo aid conference, which is scheduled to begin on November 25. The Prime Minister's party left around 3 a.m. Saturday from Katunayake international airport on its first leg of the tour to London. From London they will fly to Oslo, government sources said.
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PM's meeting with TNA, EPDP, and PLOTE fail to reach consensus

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 November 2002, 16:33 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe Friday evening held a one hour discussion with delegation of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the leaders of the para military Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) and the Peoples Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) to diffuse the tension now prevails in the Jaffna peninsula following picketing campaign against EPDP presence in Neduntheivu.
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TNA meets PM over EPDP cadres in Delft

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 November 2002, 19:41 GMT]
A Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary delegation Monday brought to the notice of the Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe that members of Eelam Democratic party (EPDP) now in Delft island in Jaffna district are armed and are also moving about in naval uniform. The TNA delegation requested the Prime Minister to take stern steps to prevent incidents similar to those that had taken place at Kanchirankuda and Trincomalee last month, in the Delft Island.
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Multi-community sportsmeet in Kalutara

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 November 2002, 14:50 GMT]
Seven hundred sportsmen and women and officials from the North travelled to Kalutara to participate in a sportsmeet for peace being held in Matara starting from today. The participants departed from Vavuniya yesterday by a special train, sources said. Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremasinghe, will be the chief guest at the prize giving ceremony on the last day of the meet, sources said.


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Parliament approves President votes without cut

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 November 2002, 21:33 GMT]
The parliament Friday evening approved the votes for the offices of the President and Prime Minister without cut. The committee stage budget debate, which began Friday morning, continued for about five hours. The votes were approved without division.
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NE Resettlement, Relief Oslo talk focus- Peiris

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 November 2002, 19:39 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government Thursday announced that it would submit a white paper regarding the issues that are to be taken up for discussion which is scheduled to be held on November 25 at Oslo, Norway. "Priority will be given to resettlement of displaced and relief to the people in the war torn northeast province in the island at the Oslo aid talks," said Minister G.L.Peiris at the weekly cabinet briefing held Thursday.
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MP gives up boycott after meeting SLA commanders

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 November 2002, 14:22 GMT]
Mr. Gnanamuthu Krishnapillai, Member of Parliament (MP) of Batticaloa district agreed to give up his boycotting of parliament after meeting commanders of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Thursday morning. The MP met with Brigadier S.R. Balasuriya, commander of 23rd division in Minneriya and Colonel R. de Silva, commander of 23-3 Brigade in Batticalo at the MP's residence in Kaluwanchikudi on instructions from Joint Chief of Staff, Lionel Balagalle.
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Curfew re-imposed in Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 31 October 2002, 18:12 GMT]
Colombo north and central areas were again placed under curfew to quell further violence between the Sinhalese and Muslims, which has left one killed and at least a dozen wounded, police sources said. Muslims who took part in the funeral of the Muslim person who was killed in Thursday's clashes, attacked a Buddhist monk Friday. Another Muslim man was wounded when the Police opened fire to disperse the crowd.
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