Special police team to investigate Trincomalee attack

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 October 2002, 10:35 GMT]
A special team comprising senior police officers will be sent to Trincomalee to conduct full scale investigation into the gun and grenade attack on Tamil civilians on October 11 that killed three Tamil civilians and injuring about fifty. Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe took this decision after meeting with Mr. Sampanthan, Tamil National Alliance (TNA)parliamentarian for the Trincomalee district, Tuesday, said sources. Interior Minister Mr. John Amaratunge also participated in the talks.
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Norwegian government team meets Opposition leader

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 October 2002, 16:51 GMT]
The Norwegian government delegation Monday morning held wide ranging discussions with the Leader of the Opposition Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse regarding the second round of peace talks between the United National Front (UNF) government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) which is scheduled to commence on October 31 at Sattahip in Thailand. In the afternoon the Norwegian team met with the leader of government's peace delegation, Professor G.L. Peiris, ruling party sources said.


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Premier to act after 3 Tamil civilian deaths

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 October 2002, 09:01 GMT]
Three Tamil civilians were killed and about twenty others were wounded, eight critically, in Trincomalee Friday in firing and grenade attacks blamed on Sri Lankan police and Sinhala paramilitaries. The killings occurred amid calls for a general shut down (hartal) in the east port town condemning the killings Wednesday of seven Tamil demonstrators by Special Task Force commandos in Ampara district.
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TNA presses PM for immediate action on prisoner release

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 October 2002, 17:24 GMT]
The adjournment motion moved by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in parliament regarding the hunger strike of Tamil political prisoners that has entered eighth day would be taken up for debate pending on the outcome of the top-level talks the TNA parliamentarians are scheduled to have Wednesday with the Prime Minister (PM) and the Attorney General, sources said. Tamil political prisoners detained at Welikada, Kalutara and other prisons are on hunger strike since October 1 demanding their immediate release.
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Premier returns after US visit

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 September 2002, 18:00 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister, Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe, returned to Colombo Sunday after a ten-day high profile visit to United States of America. The Prime Minister undertook the tour while the historic peace talks between his government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam commenced in Sattahip, a port town in Thailand last week.
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UNP politician opens LTTE office

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 September 2002, 23:33 GMT]
The ruling United National Party organiser in Trincomalee and a former parliamentarian of the district, Mr. Sunil Shantha Ranaweera, unveiled the name board of the Tampalakamam political office of the Liberation Tigers during the opening ceremony this Wednesday. Tampalakamam is a traditional Tamil agricultural village in the district twenty-seven km northwest of Trincomalee town.
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Prime Minister leaves to US

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 September 2002, 20:50 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe Friday left for United States of America on an official visit. "The main purpose of his visit is to brief world leaders on the ongoing peace process and seek more foreign investment," said Cabinet spokesman Minister Mr. G.L.Peiris at press briefing Friday.
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19th amendment will strengthen parliament- PM

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 September 2002, 15:52 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe Wednesday said that the nineteenth constitutional amendment has the sole objective of strengthening parliament and not to curtail powers of any individual. "The nineteenth amendment will be passed in parliament before the presentation of 2003 budget," said Mr.Wickremasinghe addressing the government parliamentary group meeting Wednesday at the parliamentary complex.
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Confrontational politics bane of Sri Lanka – Ranil

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 September 2002, 19:17 GMT]
"The main reason for the present crisis in Sri Lanka is due to the confrontational politics between the two major political groups in the south," said Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe addressing a mammoth rally held Monday evening at Colombo Town Hall. "Both parties to the conflict should participate in the peace talks scheduled to begin in Thailand next week between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam with full confidence," said the Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe.
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Govt. to announce de-proscription

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 September 2002, 16:23 GMT]
A Gazette notification regarding removal of ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka will be issued tonight, government sources said. The de-proscription comes 10 days ahead of the commencement of peace talks between the government and the LTTE in Thailand.
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Gazette notification on 19th amendment postponed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 September 2002, 15:26 GMT]
The United National Front government Tuesday decided to postpone the gazette notification on the nineteenth constitutional amendment until Friday to give time for President Chandrika Kumaratunge to submit her response, Prime Minister office sources said.
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US defence experts to arrive Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 August 2002, 18:49 GMT]
A team of United States defence experts is to arrive Colombo Sunday to assess urgent needs to boost training Sri Lankan security forces, State run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) reported Saturday quoting government sources. "The arrival of US defence experts to Sri Lanka at a time when direct peace talks are scheduled to commence between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam will not hinder the progress of such talks," stressed Constitutional Affairs Minister Professor G.L.Peiris Saturday in clarification.
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PM to meet WB President next month

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 August 2002, 21:54 GMT]
A government delegation led by Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe is to visit several countries seeking foreign aid for the development of the island soon after the first round of direct peace talks commenced at Thailand in mid September, Constitutional Affairs Minister Mr. G.L.Peiris said Friday. During his visit to United States of America, the Prime Minister is to confer with the World Bank President regarding the proposed aid to the country, he said.
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Prime Minister briefs Archbishop on peace process

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 August 2002, 16:40 GMT]
The Archbishop of Colombo, Right Reverend Dr. Oswald Gomes, Tuesday urged Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe to take forward the peace process and find a honourable solution to the ethnic conflict. The Archbishop made the plea when the Prime Minister met him Tuesday afternoon and briefed him on the present status of the Norwegian peace initiative.
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US Deputy Secretary of State visits Chavakachcheri

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 August 2002, 11:36 GMT]
The United States Deputy Secretary of State, Mr. Richard Armitage, visited Chavakachcheri Urban Council grounds Thursday morning accompanied by Sri Lanka’s Economic Reforms Minister Mr. Milinda Morogoda, Defence Ministry Secretary Mr. Austin Fernando, US Ambassador in Colombo Mr. Ashely Wills and the three heads of the armed forces. While touring the Chavakachcheri area, the visiting US diplomat said, "It reminds me of Vietnam where I served for six years. This shows the urgent need of finding a political solution to Sri Lanka's crisis."
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UNF to move confidence vote in parliament

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 August 2002, 15:42 GMT]
The United National Front Wednesday decided to move a vote of confidence on the government led by Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe in parliament next week. The motion will be taken up for debate on August 29. A decision to this effect was taken at the meeting of leaders of all political parties represented in parliament, Minister W.M.J. Lokubandara, leader of the House said Wednesday.
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Ranil on Thailand peace talks

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 August 2002, 16:01 GMT]
"We cannot fix a time table for peace talks. We cannot put forward a concrete proposal to start peace talks. First, we must take steps to understand the basic problems of the other side. Thereafter only both sides could continue the peace process. However, the goal is to find a permanent solution to the problem without dividing the country and upholding the democratic ideals," said Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe when addressing the final day deliberations of the United National Party national executive committee meeting held Saturday in Trincomalee Mc Heyzer stadium.
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'Peace vital for economic development' -Ranil

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 August 2002, 23:21 GMT]
"The economic development of the country critically depends on the outcome of the peace talks. We have strengthened the ongoing peace process by laying a firm foundation for the proposed peace talks," said Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, Friday morning, when addressing a gathering which followed the ceremonial inauguration of the first common user multi purpose berth in the port of Trincomalee.
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Ranil hails Oslo agreement

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 August 2002, 18:48 GMT]
"The agreement reached between his government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to fix date for direct talks in September is a watershed in the peace process" said Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe Thursday addressing the ruling United National Front parliamentary group.
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TNA to meet Ranil before Vanni visit

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 July 2002, 16:44 GMT]
The Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe has invited Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians for an important discussion about the current state of the peace process. The meeting comes a day ahead of the last deadline mentioned in the Cease-fire Agreement (CFA) between the Liberation Tigers and Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe's government.
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