SLA provoking LTTE for another war, says Elilan

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 March 2006, 11:09 GMT]
"The attack by soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army with the connivance of paramilitary cadres on our Forward Defense Line in Poonagar in Eachchilampathu division is aimed to create another war situation by provoking LTTE," said Mr.S.Elilan, LTTE Trincomalee district political head in a complaint lodged with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Trincomalee Friday.
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Sinhala nationalist extremists obstacle to peace – Balasingham

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 March 2006, 20:21 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers will view any further attacks by military-backed paramilitaries as an act of war and may postpone next month’s talks in Geneva unless the state fulfils the Ceasefire Agreement and disarms them, the LTTE’s Political Strategist and Chief Negotiator, Mr. Anton Balasingham said Tuesday. In an interview to Reuters at his London home, Mr. Balasingham also said President Mahinda Rajapakse should dump his Sinhala nationalist allies and seek support from the main opposition UNP party which led a government that held six rounds of talks with the LTTE in 2002-3.
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Paramilitary issue raised in Congressional Hearing

[TamilNet, Friday, 17 March 2006, 02:19 GMT]
Congressman James A Leach, Chairman, Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, and Donald Camp, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, during a House Committee on International Relations, Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific Hearing on Recent Developments in Nepal held on 15 March 2006, mentioned the presence of armed paramilitary groups as one of the impediments to peace.
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Aussie minister visits Mannar, assesses ground situation

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 March 2006, 18:35 GMT]
Australian Minister of Emigration and Multi-Culture, Ms.Amanda Vanstone, accompanied by Dr. Greg French, Australian envoy in Colombo, Thursday visited Mannar and held discussions with top officials of civil authority and military regarding the ground situation. She arrived in Sri Lanka Navy base in Talaimannar by a special helicopter of the Sri Lanka Air Force Thursday morning around 9 a.m. where Mr.A.Neekilaspillai, Additional Government and Mr. Stanley de Mel, Mannar Divisional Secretary, received her, sources said.
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2005, a black year for Tamil media journalists in Sri Lanka- SLTMA

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 March 2006, 18:33 GMT]


The Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance (SLTMA) in its annual report said 2005 was a black year for Tamil media journalists in the country. "We lost three Tamil media persons including Mr.D.Sivaram, a reputed journalist and military analyst," the annual report said. The annual general meeting of the SLTMA was held last Sunday evening at Hotel Ranmuthu in Colpetty in Colombo. Mr.S.Rajkumar was elected President, Mr.R.Barati General re-elected Secretary and Mr.S.Sri Gajan, re-elected Treasurer for the year 2006, sources said.
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SLMM repudiates SL minister's claim on paramilitaries

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 15 March 2006, 09:53 GMT]
Sri Lanka Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera on being interviewed by BBC in London, told that Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) report had proved there were no armed groups operating in government controlled areas, reported Daily Mirror, a Sri Lanka English daily Tuesday. The minister's claim was rejected by the SLMM, added the daily.
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"Accusations, not negotiations" in Geneva - Nadesan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 March 2006, 22:22 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s delegation to the Geneva talks had no understanding of negotiation and set about hurling accusations at the Liberation Tigers rather than contributing to a constructive discussion that could lead to a resolution of the prevailing problems, Thamileelam Police Chief B. Nadesan said Tuesday in an extensive interview with TamilNet. He also discussed the multi-functionary expansion of the Thamileelam Police, including the use of DNA forensics. The Tamil Eelam Police Chief also said that the detention of three Sri Lankan police had been deliberately portrayed as arbitrary arrests by the LTTE but was based on specific intelligence on the individuals.
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Geneva peace talks in grave danger – Balasingham

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 March 2006, 11:16 GMT]
"The Geneva peace talks will face grave danger if the Sri Lanka government refuses to disarm Tamil paramilitary organisations and continues allowing them to launch offensive military operations against our military positions in Batticaloa district," warned Mr Anton Balasingham, the chief negotiator and political strategist of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Commenting on the current situation Mr Balasingham told TamilNet that the LTTE leadership would be compelled to review its decision to participate in the next round of talks, to be held in Geneva on 19 April, if Colombo fails to fulfil the pledges agreed in the joint statement issued after the first session of talks in Geneva.
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EPDP, Karuna Group and PLOTE amongst paramilitaries - US State Dept

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 March 2006, 01:32 GMT]
Commenting, amongst other abuses, on the numerous killings in Sri Lanka’s northeast last year, the US State Department’s 2006 annual human rights report blamed “paramilitary forces” as well as the Liberation Tigers for “politically motivated killings” and singled out three paramilitary groups – the Karuna Group, EPDP and PLOTE – for criticism. The State Department said many of those killed by the LTTE were members of the anti-LTTE paramilitary groups and informants for the security forces.
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Sea Tigers launch Deep-Sea Ops training to Auxiliary Flotilla

[TamilNet, Sunday, 12 March 2006, 12:33 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Special Commander of Sea Tigers, Col. Soosai, on Friday launched Deep-Sea Operations training for selected naval auxiliarists from the recently trained flotillas of Thamileelam Naval Auxiliary Force, Sea Tiger sources in Mullaithivu said. The auxiliary naval flotilla, named after Lt. Col. Oscar of the Sea Tigers, is the first auxiliary flotilla to be trained in assisting the Tigers in offensive operations in the sea, sources added.
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Kanniya resettled families celebrate Women's Day

[TamilNet, Friday, 10 March 2006, 00:29 GMT]
Traditional Tamil village of Kanniya in Trincomalee town celebrated the International Women's Day Thursday evening with the support of the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), sources in Trincomalee said. Several hundred families from Peeliaydi, Managaiootu and Kanniya, resettled since the signing of the Ceasefire Agreement in the year 2002, participated in the celebrations.
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Act upon Geneva commitment, NPC urges GoSL

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 March 2006, 17:25 GMT]
The National Peace Council (NPC), a Colombo based peace group, on Tuesday urged the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to apprehend and deal with the armed groups that were responsible for continued attacks on Liberation Tigers. "The attack on an LTTE security point within the LTTE-controlled territory that has left two LTTE cadres dead is a serious cause for concern as it threatens the credibility of the commitment made by the Government of Sri Lanka, the NPC said in a press release. "If those responsible are not immediately apprehended and dealt with, it is likely this will set a precedent for further attacks that would completely undermine the Geneva agreement," NPC statement said.
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LTTE delegation returns from Geneva

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 March 2006, 10:55 GMT]
Members of the Liberation Tigers delegation which took part in the Geneva talks held on 22-23rd February returned to Kilinochchi at 3 p.pm. Tuesday on a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) helicopter, media sources in Kilinochchi said. Head of LTTE Political Wing, S.P.Thamilchelvan, Head of Tamileelam Police P Nadesan, Col Jeyam and LTTE Peace Secretariat's Ilanthirayan were flown to Kilinochchi while the other members will be taking the land route accompanied by members of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) sources added.
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SLN fires at fishermen inside LTTE areas- Elilan

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 March 2006, 15:52 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Trincomalee district political Head, Elilan, registered a complaint with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Sunday that Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) soldiers had entered the LTTE held coastal areas from Ilakanthai to Mankerni in the Muttur east division and fired at a group of fishermen, violating the CeaseFire Agreement (CFA), sources said. Sixteen fishermen in eight fishing boats in Koddadi near Ilakanthai were fishing within 200 meters of the shore line when SLN fired at them, according to LTTE political office.
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Sri Lanka peace delegation head meets JHU leadership

[TamilNet, Saturday, 04 March 2006, 00:39 GMT]
Mr.Nimal Sripala de Silva, senior minister and the leader of the Sri Lanka Government peace delegation Thursday evening met with Mr.Champika Ranawake, Secretary of the Policy Formulation of Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) to clarify the outcome of the Geneva peace talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held last month and also to urge JHU to soften the criticism against the government for accepting the ceasefire agreement, political sources said.
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Colombo should demonstrate CFA obligations - Thamilchelvan in Oslo

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 March 2006, 18:48 GMT]
"It is time for Colombo to prove demonstrated commitment to February 2002 Ceasefire Agreement," said LTTE's Political Head S. P. Thamilchelvan, who met Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jonas Gahre in Oslo Friday. Speaking to TamilNet following his meeting with the Norwegian FM, Political Head of the LTTE expressed dismay over the controversial statements made by Sri Lanka peace delegation seeking to weaken the the Ceasefire Agreement, the sole foundation of continued peace- engagement.
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Japan provides US$185m development loan to Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Thursday, 02 March 2006, 11:58 GMT]
Japanese Government Thursday announced a new package of loan of US$185 million (Yen 21,560m) for three projects, Galle Port Development (US$125m)), Infrastructure Development of Eastern Province (US$38m), and Tourism Resources Improvement (US$22m). This 37th yen brings the total loan provided by Japan to Sri Lanka in the last 14 months to $370m.
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LTTE protest to Sri Lanka Government over amendment issue

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 March 2006, 11:18 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTE) has registered its strong protest, expressing deep displeasure to Sri Lankan President Rajapakse administration over the stand taken by members of the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) negotiating team claiming that the Ceasefire Agreement has been amended. Mr. Anton Balasingham, LTTE’s chief negotiator and political ideologue, told the TamilNet that a message expressing serious concern and disapproval was conveyed to the Government of Sri Lanka through the Norwegian facilitators Wednesday.
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Appeal Court to hear petition against CFA

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 March 2006, 10:58 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Court of Appeal fixed the inquiry for 29 March into the petition filed by the Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and all monks' party Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) seeking the court to nullify the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) entered into between the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The JVP and JHU argue that the CFA is against the Constitution of Sri Lanka and illegal. The GoSL and the LTTE renewed their commitment to respect and uphold the Ceasefire Agreement of February 2002 in Geneva last week.
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NPC welcomes Geneva agreement, requests space for civil society during talks

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 February 2006, 12:53 GMT]
The National Peace Council (NPC) congratulates the Sri Lanka government and LTTE delegations for reaching agreement to "uphold the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA), and thereby to ensure an end to all violence, and to meet again to take the peace process forward," and requests the parties "to provide space at future peace talks for civic groups to be observers of the formal peace talks."
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