US should monitor citizen Gotabhaya's conduct - Samaraweera

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 March 2007, 12:49 GMT]
Former Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera alleged Thursday that Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Ghotabhaya Rajapaksa is an American citizen and the US government must monitor his conduct against freedom of media in Sri Lanka.
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JHU decides against submitting proposal to APRC

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 February 2007, 21:25 GMT]
Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), all monks' party said Monday that it will not table its proposals to the All Party Representatives Committee (APRC) to find a political solution to the ethnic conflict, political sources in Colombo said. JHU reasoned that Mahinda Chinthanaya mandates a solution on the basis of unitary concept of constitution and therefore no alternate proposals are necessary.
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Anura Bandaranaike sworn in as minister

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 20:43 GMT]
Anura Bandaranaike, one of the sacked three ministers, was again sworn in as Minister of National Heritage Thursday morning at Temple Trees in the presence of Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse. Minister Dinesh Gunawardene and Western Provincial Governor, Alavi Moulana were present during the swearing-in.
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JHU tells JVP: CFA already dead, meaningless to demand abrogation

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 12:42 GMT]
The ceasefire agreement CFA) signed by Ranil Wickremasinghe, the then Prime Minister and Velupillai Pirapaharan, leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) five years ago on 22 February 2002 had already dead with the capture of Mavilaru by the Sri Lankan security forces last year. "Hence there is no point in demanding the government to abrogate the CFA,"said Venerable Omalpe Sobitha Thera, general secretary of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU).
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Abrogate CFA, JVP demands in SL Parliament

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 06:00 GMT]
Pandemonium prevailed in Sri Lanka's parliament Thursday morning when the ultra nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) removed the Mace from Speakers table demanding an immediate answer from the UPFA-government for not having abrogated the Cease Fire Agreement with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam before the agreement completed fifth year Thursday.
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UNP to launch agitation campaign against UPFA government

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 February 2007, 11:20 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) is to hold a special convention in Colombo to formulate a programme to launch a peoples' agitation campaign through out the Sri Lanka. "The leadership of the party has decided to launch this campaign against the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government as UPFA has failed to fulfill its promises and the expectation of the masses," Gayantha Karunatilake, UNP spokesman told media persons in Colombo.
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UNP demands SLFP to finalize political proposal

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 February 2007, 22:21 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) Tuesday told the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government to table its political package to solve the ethnic conflict before March 15. "UNP will not participate in the All Party Representatives Committee (APRC) or its advisory panel if the SLFP fails to do so within the time frame," a UNP spokesman told media persons in Colombo.
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SL Parliament to meet amid political tension

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 February 2007, 13:12 GMT]
Sri Lanka's parliament is to meet Tuesday again amid political tension in the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government created by the sacking of three ministers by President Mahinda Rajapakse. Parliament met last time amid tension created by the defection of eighteen parliamentarians from the main opposition United National Party (UNP) to government side, sources said.
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Rajapakse, Bandaranayake meet to reconcile

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 February 2007, 01:40 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse and Anura Bandaranayake, one of three ministers sacked last week met Wednesday at Temple Trees and talked for about two hours regarding the current political situation. They explored ways to diffuse the tension in the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) following the dismissal of three ministers.
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JVP to hold public meetings against UPFA government

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 February 2007, 12:31 GMT]
Sri Lanka's extreme Sinhala nationalist, Marxist, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) is to hold a series of meetings southern Sri Lanka condemning the government for abandoning the Mahinda Chinthanaya principles, political sources in Colombo said. The first meeting of this series is to be held on February 15 evening at Nugegoda in Colombo, according to same sources.
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SLFP working committee meets

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 February 2007, 07:17 GMT]
Emergency meeting of the working committee of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government has been summoned by President Mahinda Rajapakse, Saturday, following the sacking of three senior ministers of his cabinet. Anura Bandaranaike and Mangala Samaraweera were cabinet rank ministers and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi was non-cabinet rank minister.
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UNP decides to boycott APRC

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 February 2007, 16:20 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) has decided not to participate in the future deliberations of the All Parties Representatives Committee (APRC). This APRC was appointed by the Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse last year to work out a common programme reaching consensus among southern political parties to find a political solution to the Tamil national question through peaceful means.
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Emergency extended for another month in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 February 2007, 17:48 GMT]
Sri Lankan parliament Wednesday adopted motion to extend the State of Emergency for another month with a majority of 105 votes. 122 parliamentarians voted for the motion and 17 voted against.
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UNP to expel dissident MPs

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 February 2007, 12:18 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) is to take disciplinary action against eighteen dissident parliamentarians for joining the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government and accepting ministries violating UNP party discipline. The 76 member-working committee at its meeting held Tuesday evening in party headquarters "Sri Kotha" took the decision to expel.
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Dissident MPs abstain from UNP Working Committee meeting

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 February 2007, 01:12 GMT]
Dissident parliamentarians of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) who joined the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government led by Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse last week and accepted minister posts, did not attend the 76-member working committee of the UNP held Tuesday evening at party headquarters "Sri Kotha" in Colombo, UNP sources said.
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Commotion over seat allocation in SL Parliament

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 February 2007, 09:50 GMT]
Commotion prevailed in the Sri Lankan parliament when it resumed its sittings on Tuesday morning over the allocation of seats to ministers after the major reshuffle following new political alignment with dissident group of parliamentarians, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), all monks' political party. "Those who worked hard for the victory of President Mahinda Rajapakse in the last presidential election are allocated seats in the back rows and those worked against him are given seats in the first row," charged Wimal Weerawanse, the Propaganda Secretary of the JVP.
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SL parliament to meet Tuesday amid tension

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 February 2007, 02:23 GMT]
Sri Lanka parliament meets Tuesday amid unease among a section of parliamentarians of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government over the allocation of ministries in the cabinet reshuffle that took place last week, parliamentary sources said.


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JVP rebel MP urges Rajapakse to hold snap general election

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 February 2007, 10:32 GMT]
Nandana Gunatilake, rebel parliamentarian of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), has requested Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse to hold a snap general election to parliament. Mr. Gunatilake has been supporting the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government since the party hierarchy removed him from the JVP politburo due to policy differences, media sources said.
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More UNP defections expected this week

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 February 2007, 10:37 GMT]
Ten more United National Party dissident parliamentarians are expected to cross over to the UPFA-government in the coming days, according to informed political sources in Colombo.
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Wickremesinghe returns to lead a depleted opposition

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 February 2007, 03:19 GMT]
Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) returned home Friday morning after a nine-day tour to Nepal and India. "My party will act on principles and on behalf of the masses until it emerges victorious, "said Ranil Wickremasinghe to media persons at Katunayake International airport. 18 UNP dissidents crossed over to join the Rajapakse Government during Mr Wickremesinghe's tour abroad.
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