PA divided over national govt. formation

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 December 2001, 23:21 GMT]
A major split in the main opposition People's Alliance (PA) became evident Saturday when the State run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) reported in its night news bulletin that a group of twenty three parliamentarians including several former ministers of the PA has decided to support the proposal of forming a national government. The Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe of the ruling United National Front (UNF) has put forward this proposal to all political parties represented in the new parliament.
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New parliament convenes on December 17

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 December 2001, 19:42 GMT]
President Chandrika Kumaratunge has decided to convene the 12th parliament on December 17 at 10 a.m., the Presidential Secretariat said in a news release Monday. Earlier, the date of convening the new parliament had been fixed for January 01, 2002. The decision to advance the date of the inaugural session of 12th parliament was taken under article 70 of the Constitution, following representations made by the Marxist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna, the press release added.
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Sampanthan tells new PM to fulfil TNA demands

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 December 2001, 22:04 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Sunday told the new Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe that it would stick to its demands defined in its election manifesto in evolving a just and durable solution to the Tamil national question.
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EPDP fires on women's march, four injured

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 December 2001, 10:51 GMT]
Four supporters of the Tamil National Alliance were wounded when gunmen from the Eelam People's Democratic Party opened fire on a march by more than a thousand women at Vinayagapuram, 78 kilometres south of Batticaloa, on the island's southeastern coast Saturday afternoon. People in the villages of Thirukkovil, Thambiluvil, Vinayagapuram, angered by the attack, burnt tires across the main road and smashed an EPDP campaign auto rickshaw. The wounded persons were admitted to the Thirukkovil hospital. The march was organised by a women's group in support of the TNA.
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Deputy Minister's detention extended

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 November 2001, 22:42 GMT]
The Gampaha Magistrate Thursday extended the remand order on the Deputy Minister Mr. Reggie Ranatunge till November 20. Mr. Ranatunge is in remand custody at the Colombo National Hospital in connection with the death in Minuwangoda of a supporter of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), Lionel Rodrigo.
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Presidential guard organised Ponnambalam murder - paper

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 November 2001, 23:21 GMT]
A former member of Sri Lanka's Presidential Security Division found shot dead earlier this month was involved in orchestrating the assassination of former Tamil politician, Kumar Ponnambalam, the Sunday Leader newspaper reported this week. The paper also named the assassin, said to be a former Police constable.
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4160 candidates contest parliamentary elections

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 October 2001, 10:08 GMT]
4610 candidates are contesting the forthcoming general elections scheduled to be held on 5 December to elect Sri Lanka's 12th parliament. Of them 3196 candidates have been fielded by registered political parties in the twenty-two electoral districts in the country. The rest are candidates nominated by independent groups, the Election Secretariat said Sunday.
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CWC,UPF to contest under UNP's symbol

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 October 2001, 13:35 GMT]
The Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) and Upcountry People's Front (UPF) Tuesday decided to contest the forthcoming general election in alliance with the main opposition United National Party (UNP). "Candidates of both parties would contest under the UNP's election symbol 'Elephant', CWC and UPF sources said.
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UNP to contest as UNF with elephant symbol

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 October 2001, 21:51 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) will contest the forthcoming general election scheduled to be held on 5 December under the name of the United National Front (UNF). However the election symbol will be 'elephant'. A motion to this effect was unanimously approved at the special convention of the UNP held Sunday at Colombo Town Hall.
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Parties seek allies for December polls

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 October 2001, 19:58 GMT]
Main political parties in Sri Lanka are having talks to form alliances to contest the December 5 general election. The group of ruling People's Alliance dissidents who crossed over to the opposition has already signed a memorandum of understanding with the main opposition United National Party to contest the forthcoming general election.
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Parliament will not be dissolved says SLFP

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 October 2001, 17:30 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party, the main constituent of the Sri Lanka's ruling People's Alliance has categorically declared that parliament would not be dissolved before the no-confidence submitted by the main opposition United National Party against the government is taken up for debate on Thursday as scheduled.
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PA to discuss no-faith motion on Wednesday

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 September 2001, 12:51 GMT]
The leaders of constituent parties of the ruling People's Alliance (PA) are scheduled to meet next Wednesday to discuss the present political situation following the submission of a no-confidence motion afresh against the government in parliament by opposition United National Party. Meanwhile opposition leaders are scheduled to meet the Speaker on October 8 to fix the date for debating the no-confidence motion. The parliament is due to meet on October 9.
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TULF undecided on no-confidence motion

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 September 2001, 19:38 GMT]
The Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) has not yet signed the no-confidence motion against the People's Alliance government which is likely to be submitted afresh by main opposition, United National Party this week. "The central working committee of the TULF would meet shortly to take a decision whether to sign the no-confidence motion or not," said a leader of the party.
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Marxists look for gains from bailout

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 September 2001, 11:38 GMT]
The Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna Tuesday announced it would defeat the no-confidence motion against the PA government when it is tabled in parliament.
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UNP for General Election

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 August 2001, 14:24 GMT]
"Following the failure of talks between PA and UNP, now it seems the only way to get out from the present political crisis is to hold a general election to elect a new parliament," said Sri Lanka's opposition leader Mr.Ranil Wickremesinghe, addressing a gathering of business magnates, politicians and academics at Hotel Taj Samudra in Colombo, Wednesday night.
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Speaker invites opposition parties to unity conference

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 August 2001, 15:24 GMT]
The Speaker Mr.Anura Bandaranaike has invited leaders of all political parties represented in parliament for a crucial conference Monday, 3 September. "This is to ensure that the request to re-summon parliament is backed by a majority of parliamentarians - at least 115 MPs -if the government prorogues parliament again on 7 September" authoritative sources said.
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PA-UNP talks end in failure

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 August 2001, 20:50 GMT]
The final round of talks between the ruling People's Alliance and the main opposition United National Party, which commenced Tuesday afternoon around 3 p.m. continued till late in the night. The talks which centered on forming a national reconciliation government, have finally failed to reach an agreement as both parties were adamant in their stand about sharing power in the proposed national or caretaker government, party sources said.
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PA-UNP talks conclude Tuesday

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 August 2001, 00:27 GMT]
The final round of talks between the ruling People's Alliance and the Main opposition United National Party would take place Tuesday, said a joint communiqué released after the second round of talks lasting four hours that ended Monday. Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar of the PA and Parliamentarian Mr.K.N.Choksy of UNP signed the joint communiqué.
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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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UNP digs in over parliament

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 August 2001, 19:36 GMT]
Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, Leader of the Opposition said Thursday that the fate of the present government will be decided on September 7 when parliament is reconvened. Addressing the protest rally organized by the Alliance for Democracy at the Town Hall in Colombo, Mr.Wickremasinghe said, "my party is not prepared to give a new lease of life to the People's Alliance government which is now on the verge of collapse due to its bad governance."
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