UNP ready for conditional talks with PA

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 August 2001, 11:21 GMT]
The leader of Sri Lanka’s main opposition party said Thursday that his United National Party (UNP) was prepared to hold discussions with the ruling People's Alliance government to find a solution to the country’s political and economic crises. "However, these discussions should be based on the acceptance of the democratic policies and the concepts of parliamentary majority," Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe stressed in a letter to Sri Lanka’s Prime Minster, Ratnasiri Wickremanayake. The UNP leader has said that proposed talks could commence Friday.
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"National govt. won't solve problems" -Hakeem

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 August 2001, 15:45 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress has appealed to the main opposition United National Party to formulate and implement a strategy that would compel the government to call a new general election early. Mr.Rauff Hakeem, leader of the SLMC and Kandy District Parliamentarian Wednesday said, "some political parties joining in the name of forming a national government of reconciliation will not solve the burning problems of the country."
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PM seeks talks with Opposition Leader

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 21 August 2001, 17:25 GMT]
The Prime Minister Tuesday invited the main opposition United National Party for official talks for the formation of a national reconciliation government, in a fresh bid to bring the present political crisis to an end. "Early talks could be held if the United National Party agreed to the proposals of the People's Alliance Government," said Prime Minister Mr.Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, in a letter to Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, the Leader of the Opposition.
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Senior Minister admits differences with President

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 August 2001, 18:50 GMT]
The General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Mr.S.B.Dissanayake Monday said "difference of opinion has arisen between him and President Chandrika Kumaratunge over fulfilling the aspirations of people". Mr.Dissanayake, the Minister of Samurdhi (Poverty Alleviation), Human Development and Parliamentary Affairs added "however these differences could be sorted out through negotiations." Ms.Chandrika Kumaratunge holds the post of President of Sri Lanka Freedom Party. The SLFP is the major constituent party of the ruling People's Alliance.
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Opposition plans massive rally, urges president's resignation

[TamilNet, Sunday, 19 August 2001, 19:36 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party has launched a campaign to mobilize support of the people for its massive protest rally scheduled to be held in Colombo on August 23 Thursday, opposition party source said. Senior leaders of the UNP have been attending awareness meetings in several towns in the country to get more people to Colombo to attend the proposed rally, organised by The Alliance for Democracy organizes the rally, the sources said.
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SL crisis deepens as majority legislators stake claim

[TamilNet, Friday, 17 August 2001, 12:17 GMT]
The majority of the members of the Sri Lankan Parliamentarian met in the legislature Friday and unanimously resolved to go ahead with the no confidence motion against President Chandrika Kumaratunga's government and defy any attempt by her to suspend Parliament again.
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"Economy in shambles, law and order breakdown"- opposition

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 August 2001, 19:58 GMT]
"The economy is in shambles. There is no law and order. The government has no majority in parliament. The government is not in a position to present the budget," said Dr.Karunasena Kodituwakku, Media Spokesman and parliamentarian of the United National Party (UNP), addressing opposition demonstrators at Kolonnawa, an outer suburb of Colombo, Thursday. The Marxist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) demonstrated against President Kumaratunga's government Thursday in front of the island's central railway station in downtown Colombo, despite reports that the party might help her stay in power.
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Anti-Govt. demonstrations in 70 towns

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 August 2001, 19:04 GMT]
Demonstrations were held in seventy towns throughout the island Monday demanding the resignation of the People's Alliance government and "the installation of an interim government to bring in democratic reforms." The People's Movement for Democracy organized these demonstrations at Galle, Kandy, Ratnapura, Matale, Polonnaruwa, Kurunagala, Kadawatte, and other important towns.
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Joint opposition demands parliament reopens

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 August 2001, 11:05 GMT]
The joint opposition Wednesday asked the Government to reconvene parliament immediately and to cancel the referendum. Leaders of united National Party, Janata Vimukthi Peramuna, Sihala Urumaya, Tamil United Liberation Front, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (Hakeem group) and All Ceylon Tamil Congress met this morning under the leadership of Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, Leader of the Opposition and reviewed the President's decision to postpone the referendum for October 18.
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UNP leader predicts "new govt." after referendum

[TamilNet, Monday, 06 August 2001, 14:57 GMT]
The leader of the United National Party, Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, Sunday night said that all opposition political parties would form a new government soon after the referendum. He was speaking at an anti-referendum meeting held at Ambalantota, a town in the deep south of the country, amidst speculation that the main opposition party and the ruling People's Alliance are moving slowly toward forming a national government.
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Sihala Urumaya brokers 'truce' between PA-UNP

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 August 2001, 06:58 GMT]
The Sihala Urumaya (SU), the hardline Sinhala Buddhist nationalist party has appealed to the main opposition, United National Party to drop the no-confidence and impeachment motions against the People's Alliance government to end the present political crisis. The General Secretary of the SU Mr.Tilak Karunaratne made this request to the leader of the UNP when he met the latter Thursday.
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Opposition slams government over attack

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 July 2001, 22:35 GMT]
Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) and the Marxist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) have appealed to President Chandrika Kumaratunge to reconvene the prorogued parliament immediately. Both parties made this appeal in the wake of Liberation Tigers’ dawn attack on Katunayake airbase in the early hours of Tuesday morning. " The government is in breach of its duty to protect Katunayake international airport," said the UNP leader, Ranil Wickremasinghe, addressing a press conference Tuesday evening.
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Opposition parties condemn attack on demonstrators

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 July 2001, 20:43 GMT]
Sri Lanka's opposition parties condemned the police attack on anti-government demonstrators that left two people dead and about 70 wounded. UNP sources said the police attacked demonstrators led by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe. The UNP Leader escaped unhurt due to the prompt action of his bodyguards. Mr.Wickremesinghe accused the police of trying to assassinate him.
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"Opposition processions illegal" -IGP

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 July 2001, 16:04 GMT]
Sri Lankan police Wednesday banned protest rally by the joint opposition against the prorogation of parliament by President Kumaratunga. The rally had been planned for Thursday in Colombo.
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Impeachment of the President considered

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 July 2001, 18:09 GMT]
The opposition parties Monday decided to bring an impeachment motion against President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge. Briefing the press on Monday, Mr. Ranil Wicremasinghe (UNP), the Leader of the Opposition, said that constitutional experts are studying the charges and an impeachment motion will be filed with the Speaker within two weeks.
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No power to summon parliament -speaker

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 July 2001, 15:49 GMT]
The Speaker announced Sunday that he has no power or authority to inquire into the validity of the prorogation of parliament by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge. "There was no sufficient reasons for me to review the decision of the President to prorogue parliament" Speaker Anura Bandaranaike said in a letter to the Leader of the Opposition Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe.
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PA denies LTTE banned under PTA

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 July 2001, 02:37 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Government categorically stated Monday that “the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was banned under the Emergency Regulations (ER) on January 27, 1998”. The SL Government denied news reports that “LTTE was banned under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA)”. The Peoples Alliance Government argues that if the State of Emergency were allowed to lapse, the ban on the LTTE would automatically be revoked and that the Sri Lankan security forces would be deprived of the legal basis for carrying out their duties in the course of war.
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Demonstrators demand govt's resignation

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 June 2001, 20:25 GMT]
Several hundred supporters of Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) held demonstrations in all 38 electorates of the Western Province, including capital Colombo, Saturday, demanding the resignation of the People's Alliance Government. "The Government has no moral right to be in power anymore as it has lost the confidence of the people. We will force this government out of power with the support of the masses," said Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe addressing picketers at Armour Street junction in Colombo.
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Solheim leaves after meet with President

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 March 2001, 17:16 GMT]
Norwegian peace envoy Mr.Erik Solheim left Sri Lanka Monday evening after meeting Sri Lankan President Chandrika Bandaranaike, Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe, Minister Professor G.L.Peiris and Indian High Commissioner Mr.Gopalkrishna Gandhi, diplomatic sources said.
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Sri Lanka revives devolution package

[TamilNet, Monday, 06 November 2000, 18:14 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ratnasiri Wickremanayake Monday morning met the leader of the opposition and the United National Party, Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe at the Parliamentary Complex and discussed Norway's role in finding a negotiated political solution to the island's protracted ethnic conflict. The talks lasted over ninety minutes, parliamentary sources said.
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