Colombo cancels Muhamalai meet

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 December 2005, 14:25 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officials informed the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) representatives who were present at Muhamalai Monday evening that the Sri Lanka's Peace Secretariat in Colombo had declined permission to the SLA Jaffna Commander, Maj. Gen. Sunil Tennakoon, to attend the proposed meeting with the LTTE, sources at the LTTE Peace Secretariat in Kilinochchi told TamilNet.
Full story >>

LTTE, SLA to discuss Jaffna situation

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 December 2005, 04:50 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Commander of Jaffna area Major General Sunil Tennakon, and the Jaffna District Political Head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Mr. C. Ilamparuthi will meet Monday evening in the presence of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) to discuss the deteriorating situation in the Jaffna district, informed sources in Colombo said. The meeting is expected to take place in the no man zone at Muhamalai Monday evening at 4:00 p.m., sources added.
Full story >>

India should insist on Federal solution - Indian Tamil Daily

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 December 2005, 03:32 GMT]
"India should not hesitate to impress on Rajapakse Government that resolution to Sri Lanka’s ethnic problem should be based on a Federal solution,” said Tamil daily Dinamani in a recent editorial commenting on Sri Lanka Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera’s meeting with India’s Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. “India should be cognizant that Tamil national question in Sri Lanka determines the human rights, social justice and political destiny of 3 million Tamils, and that more than 60 million Tamils in TamilNadu have an emotional stake in the issue,” said the daily.
Full story >>

LTTE-Muslim leaders meet to diffuse tension in Muttur

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 December 2005, 16:46 GMT]
A Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) delegation led by Trincomalee district political head Mr.S.Elilan and a delegation of Muslim civil leaders led by Moulavi Careem, President of the Muttur Mosque Federation, met Sunday evening at Kaddaiparichchan in the presence of Mr. Arthur Tveiten, head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and explored ways to diffuse escalating tension in Muttur division following several violent incidents which resulted in the death of five persons from both communities, sources said.
Full story >>

SLMM calls for immediate end to violence

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 December 2005, 12:54 GMT]
Pointing to the "countless attacks" in Jaffna peninsula, Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) warned that "there is a real danger that these disturbances and hostilities can spread and result in irreparable deterioration of security and prevent any real restoration of normalcy in the affected communities," and said that SLMM "stands ready to assist all the Parties and affected communities in bringing an end to these attacks," in a press release issued in Colombo Sunday,
Full story >>

CFA, key to end Rights violations- Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 December 2005, 13:38 GMT]
“Only creating conditions of normalcy will restore the denied human rights to our people. Sincere and committed implementation of the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) is necessary in the post-war situation as CFA can bring normalcy to a people affected by two decades of war that resulted in large scale displacement and destroyed the social and economic infrastructure,” said Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, Head of the LTTE Political Wing in a meeting with Ms. Irene Zubaida Khan, Director, Amnesty International Saturday, 3 December 2005, at the LTTE Peace Secretariat in Kilinochchi.
Full story >>

SL communities at brink of tragedy- Schaffer

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 December 2005, 00:34 GMT]
"The international friends of the SriLankan peace process need to proceed with bracing realism and appeal to the most urgent self-interest on both sides. Without a new commitment to a real cease-fire and a serious dialogue, all of Sri Lanka’s communities stand at the brink of tragedy. The inclusiveness Rajapakse has promised could stand him in good stead, but the key quality he will need is leadership," says former US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Teresita Schaffer.
Full story >>

EPDP vehicle hits civilian auto-rickshaw in Jaffna, five wounded

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 December 2005, 15:28 GMT]
Five civilians including women were severely wounded when a speeding pickup-vehicle belonging to the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) collided with an auto-trishaw at 5:20 p.m. Friday at Pannai bridge which links Jaffna mainland with islets. Tension escalated when villagers shouting against the EPDP cadres were attacked by the Sri Lanka Army soldiers and policemen escorting the EPDP vehicle, civilian sources in Navanthurai said.
Full story >>

Withdraw troops, lift embargo, demands Trinco Civil group

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 December 2005, 12:17 GMT]
Trincomalee District Tamil Peoples' Consortium (TDTPC) Thursday requested Sri Lanka's President Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse to take immediate steps to remove all temporary camps and checkpoints of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) now located in the Trincomalee town following the erection of Buddha statue in the bus stand vicinity on May 15 midnight this year, sources said. The Civil group also demanded that the embargo on essential food and other items to Muttur east be lifted.
Full story >>

India sees "internal processes" producing solution

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 December 2005, 17:51 GMT]
Commenting on Sri Lanka’s conflict and peace process, India said Thursday it "believes that an enduring solution can only emerge essentially through internal political processes." In a joint statement issued by both countries on the occasion of Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera’s visit to Delhi, the Indian government said it “continues to maintain an abiding interest in the security of Sri Lanka and remains committed to its sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Full story >>

SLMM Head meets Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 December 2005, 12:52 GMT]
Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), Mr. Hagrup Haukland, met with Head of Liberation Tigers Political Wing, S.P. Thamilchelvan, in Kilinochchi LTTE Peace Secretariat building Thursday at 2.30 p.m., sources in Kilinochchi said.
Full story >>

ICJ raises concern over ASIO raids in Melbourne

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 November 2005, 03:16 GMT]
International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), an international non-governmental organization devoted to the promotion of the understanding and observance of the rule of law, expressed concern over the raids by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) on the homes of Sri Lankan Tamils and said Sunday that "counter-terrorism laws may ensnare innocent charitable donors in their net, and may be used by foreign governments to pursue their own political agendas," in a media release issued in Sydney.
Full story >>

Clinton meets TRO Executive Director

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 November 2005, 13:20 GMT]
TRO Executive Director Mr. K P Regi told the United Nations Special Envoy President Bill Clinton the problems that have led to the disappointing progress made thus far in Phase III of the Tsunami recovery programme in the NorthEast when he talked to Mr Clinton during the Sri Lankan Civil Society organization meeting in Colombo Tuesday. President Clinton had mentioned to Mr. Regi that he is aware of the problems facing the NorthEast and that he will endeavour to address these issues.
Full story >>

ITRO responds to allegations by SL Highcommission in Australia

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 November 2005, 11:47 GMT]
The International Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation (ITRO London), the representative body of the overseas offices of the Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation, in a letter addressed to Mr. Asoka Girihagama, the deputy high commissioner of Sri Lanka in Australia, requested to provide details of the grounds for his recent allegations in Australian media that the TRO Australia had allocated Tsunami relief and rehabilitation funds to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Full story >>

Colombo to continue to maintain CFA with LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 November 2005, 16:24 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse Monday explained his future peace plans with the Colombo-based diplomatic community where he said that his new government will continue to observe the ceasefire agreement with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. In his address, the Sri Lankan President told the diplomatic community that he welcomed the remarks made by the LTTE leader Mr. V. Pirapaharan in his annual Maveerar Day speech and reiterated his invitation to the Tigers for fresh talks, a statement from the SL President's office said. The statement said Mr. Rajapaske wanted to "review" the "operation" of the ceasefire.
Full story >>

Heroes day celebrations conclude in Trincomalee district

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 November 2005, 01:44 GMT]
Trincomalee district military commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Colonel Sornam, lit the common flame of sacrifice in martyr's mausoleum at Alankulam in Muttur east Sunday evening bringing the Heroes Day celebrations in the district to a conclusion. Parents of LTTE martyrs, Tamil people and LTTE activists in large number participated in the event, sources said.
Full story >>

LTTE to intensify struggle for self-determination if reasonable political solution is not offered soon

[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 November 2005, 12:04 GMT]
The leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), in his annual Heroes’ Day statement made an urgent appeal to the new Sri Lanka Government of Mr Mahinda Rajapakse to offer a reasonable political solution to the ethnic conflict without further delay. The Tamil Tiger leader cautioned the government that his liberation organisation would intensify the struggle for self-determination and political independence if the new regime adopts a hard-line position and fails to resolve the problems of his people.
Full story >>

Rules guide on use of Tamileelam National flag published

[TamilNet, Saturday, 26 November 2005, 21:45 GMT]
The Tiger symbol of Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) created in 1977, was designated as the National Flag of Tamileelam in 1990 without the letters inscribing the movement's name. The civil administration of Tamil Eelam in Vanni Saturday released an updated version of the guide providing instructions and explaining the correct usage of the Tamileelam National Flag. The guide written in Tamil specifies the regulations for flying the flag alone or with national flags of other countries, and for general handling of the flag. The National Flag has four colors, yellow, red, black, and white.
Full story >>

Weather Monitoring Center opens in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Saturday, 26 November 2005, 16:31 GMT]
Tamileelam administrative branch opened a weather monitoring and forecasting center (WMC) in Bharathipuram, Kilinochchi Saturday celebrating the fifty first birthday of Leader of the Liberation Tigers, Velupillai Pirapaharan, sources in Kilinochchi said.
Full story >>

Trinco birthday celebrations include book release

[TamilNet, Saturday, 26 November 2005, 14:43 GMT]
"Kanthal," a compilation of greetings and quotations in Tamil, specially compiled by Muttur Tamil Women Association Consortium to mark the fifty first birthday of Mr.V.Pirapaharan, Tamil national leader was released Friday morning at an event held at Kaddaiparichchan Vipulananda School in Muttur east in Trincomalee district. Ms Santhi Kumarasamy, President of the consortium presided.
Full story >>