Probe NGO links with the LTTE, JVP tells President Kumaratunga

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 February 2005, 06:25 GMT]
Describing the field hospitals, ambulances and generators as "war-like materials brought in by the NGOs for the LTTE", the Marxist extreme Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a major coalition partner of the ruling Freedom Alliance government, has urged President Chandrika Kumaratunga in a letter Tuesday to probe "into the activities of foreign NGOs, their staff and foreign volunteers" working in Sri Lanka's tsunami-hit areas. The JVP's letter has come as an apparent bid to divert the public attention from their widening rift with President Kumaratunga, who according to reports, was getting ready to retaliate the JVP for its recent remarks against her.
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Japan to provide tsunami early-warning system to Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 February 2005, 10:58 GMT]
The government of Japan, the largest donor country to Sri Lanka, has agreed to a request made by President Chandrika Kumaratunga to provide with the technical assistance to set up a tsunami early-warning system here as soon as possible. Visiting Senior Vice-Minister Foreign Minister for Japan, Shuzen Tanigawa, reveled this at a press conference held at the Hilton Hotel on Tuesday at the end of his fact finding mission in Sri Lanka. "President Chandrika Kumaratunga has asked for Japanese assistance to set up a tsunami early-warning system. But it depends on the government of Sri Lanka's ability to absorb it," Minister Tanigawa said.
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Japanese, Dutch Foreign Ministers to visit Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 January 2005, 20:10 GMT]
Mr. Shuzen Tanigawa, Senior Vice Foreign Affairs Minister of the Government of Japan is to arrive in Colombo Saturday evening on a three-day visit and Mr.Bernard Bot, Netherlands Foreign Affairs Minister will arrive in Colombo February 3rd, diplomatic sources said.
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"Colombo bent on blocking aid reaching NorthEast"- Balasingham

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 January 2005, 10:43 GMT]
"The Sinhala government is bent on diverting foreign aid, meant for the tsunami affected people, to strengthen its military apparatus and also to stabilize its political power. Our leadership is taking all possible efforts at international level and with the Government of Sri Lanka to ensure an equitable distribution of funds to the affected people in all areas. The funds for NorthEast will be immmediately used for rehabilitation and and to improve the living standard of our people," said Mr. Balasingham speaking to a group of tsunami victims in Mullaithivu Thursday.
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Don't include LTTE in post-tsunami rebuilding effort - JVP

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 January 2005, 05:36 GMT]
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a major coalition partner of President Chandrika Kumaratunga's Freedom Alliance government and a self styled radical marxist party that draws on Sinhala nationalist sentiments to augment its popularity, has expressed its strong opposition to the government's bid to include the Liberation Tigers in the post-tsunami relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation process using the outpouring international aid resources.
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"Colombo will mislead the world on aid distribution"- Kilinochchi paper

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 January 2005, 15:11 GMT]
The Tamil daily Eelanatham, published in Killinochchi, warned in its Sunday editorial that Chandrika Kumaratunge's government will again mislead the world on distribution of the aid received for tsunami relief. The paper called on the donors to also set up mechanisms and procedures to ensure an equitable distribution of aid to all those affected, among them two thirds are from the NorthEast of Sri Lanka.
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IFT urges Donors to support NorthEast apex mechanism

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 January 2005, 15:03 GMT]
The Geneva based International Federation of Tamils (IFT), a consortium of more than 150 expatriate Tamil organizations, has called on the co-chairs of Tokyo Doner conference (Sri Lanka) to express support for an effective aid distibution apex mechanism to Northeastern region of Sri Lanka. IFT called the attention of the International Community and the Co-Chairs to examine the current post -Tsunami situation in northeastern region. Tokyo Conference on Reconstruction and Development of Sri Lanka is scheduled to be held in Brussels in January 2005.
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Colombo’s post tsunami development blueprint assailed

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 January 2005, 03:03 GMT]
Plan drawn up as a blueprint for post-tsunami development by the “Task force to Rebuild the Nation” (TAFREN), one of the three committees comprising the Center for National Operations (CNO) set up by Sri Lanka’s President Chandrika Kumaratunge, announced Monday, is assailed as being immoral, hastily produced, too centralized and conceived without adequate consultation with organizations whose support is vital for the plan's successful execution.
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Frustration of affected people growing high - Norwegian Minister

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 January 2005, 18:32 GMT]
Emphasizing on the need for wider co-operation between President Chandrika Kumaratunga's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) visiting Minister of International Development of Norway, Ms. Hilde F. Johnson said on Saturday night in Colombo that the frustration of the tsunami affected people was growing high as a result of their needs not being met by authorities.
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Earth tremor in Mannar evokes fears of tsunami

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 January 2005, 13:39 GMT]
An earth tremor in Muthariputhurai village, located 15 km north west of Murungan in Mannar, forced 1800 residents to move to safer areas of Potkerni, Sirukandal and Pariharikandal to spend the night Friday, sources in Mannar said. Offical Sri Lanka Government agencies have not yet acknowledge the incident in Muthariputhurai, sources added.
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Government's call for unity is an empty ballyhoo, says JVP

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 January 2005, 05:40 GMT]
Mounting an all-out attack against President Chandrika Kumaratunga's leadership, major coalition partner of her Freedom Alliance government, radical Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has said on Friday that the call by the government leadership for national unity was an "empty ballyhoo".
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No elections for next five years, says President Kumaratunga

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 January 2005, 07:06 GMT]
Stirring yet another political calamity in the South, Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga, has said in Hambantota on Wednesday that there would be no elections for the next five years and therefore all political forces should sink their party differences and work towards rebuilding the tsunami-devastated country. President Kumaratunga has made these remarks on Wednesday while addressing the gathering after ceremonially launching the post-tsunami rebuilding plan in Kajuwatta in the Southern Hambantota district.
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EPDP walks out from Jaffna relief meet

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 January 2005, 16:27 GMT]
Mr.T.Mathanarajah of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP), a constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government walked out of the Jaffna District Task Force (DTF) meeting Wednesday evening protesting the participation of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), district secretariat sources said.


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Canadian PM arrives in Colombo to support tsunami relief

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 January 2005, 14:23 GMT]
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin arrived in Colombo on Sunday evening for a two day visit to the country. Sri Lanka's Deputy Foreign Minister Lakshman Kiriella welcomed him at the Katunayake international airport. Officials from the Foreign ministry were also present at the welcome, sources in Colombo said.
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Sri Lanka to sign USD 150 million arms deal with Iran

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 January 2005, 11:34 GMT]
Sri Lanka is to buy over USD 150 million of arms from Iran, the Sunday Times reported this week. A high-powered Sri Lankan military delegation led by Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shantha Kottegoda has left for Tehran this week to conclude the deal which was outlined when President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga went to Iran in November last year, the paper said.
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Avoid politicisation of relief efforts, cautions EU

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 January 2005, 15:31 GMT]
Calling upon President Chandrika Kumaratunga's United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, all political parties and the LTTE to actively promote a fair distribution of relief assistance to the tsunami victims, Colombo-based Heads of Missions of the European Union on Friday cautioned that there should be no politicisation of relief efforts. In an apparent reaction to the government's decision to deploy its military to handle the relief assistance, the member countries of the EU have also urged all parties to refrain from any actions during the distribution of humanitarian aid that might have a potentially negative impact on the peace process.
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UNHCR deputy head to visit Sri Lanka next week

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 January 2005, 12:34 GMT]
Deputy head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Mr. Kamel Morjane, will be visiting Sri Lanka next week from Tuesday to review UNHCR's work on the ground behalf of people displaced by the tsunami and the conflict.
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UNP demands transparency in relief distribution

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 January 2005, 03:29 GMT]
Amidst growing concern over charges that the tsunami aid operation is not being properly handled, opposition United National Party (UNP) leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe met SriLanka's President Chandrika Kumarathunga to discuss his party's plan for the re-building of Srilanka, an officials said.


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Military intimidation of relief workers escalate in Amparai, Batticaloa - TRO

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 January 2005, 08:26 GMT]
The Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) in an urgent press statement issued on Wednesday morning said that the intimidation of relief workers by the Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) has been escalating in several welfare centres in Batticaloa and Amparai. "The positive relief efforts coordinated by the TRO after the recent devastation are being severely disrupted due to recent STF intervention in the East" said the press release. The organisation said it is in the process of documenting incident reports as they continue to arise.
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JVP, JHU object to channeling relief through World Vision

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 January 2005, 14:11 GMT]
Parliamentary group leader of JVP (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna), Mr Wimal Weerawansa, said at a meeting of the national committee on disaster management that his party is deeply concerned about channeling tsunami relief aid through World Vision. The proceeds of one day international cricket match between Asia and the rest of the world, held in Melbourne, Monday, was to be channeled through World Vision, according to sports officials in Melbourne.
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