President promises to consult Maha Sangha

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 September 2000, 21:10 GMT]
President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge has assured a group of Buddhist priests that in future she would consult the Maha Sangha before taking any decisions regarding important national problems.
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Attanagala disabled get free land

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 September 2000, 14:44 GMT]
At the commencement of a function held at Temple trees for the disabled soldiers on Friday, President Chandrika Kumaratunge Bandaranaike distributed deeds of lands to disabled soldiers and families in the Attanagala area. Attanagala is the hometown of Bandaranaike family, about 33 km. northeast of capital Colombo.
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President toughens stand on war, reforms

[TamilNet, Thursday, 31 August 2000, 05:53 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunge said Wednesday that her government was prepared to talk to the Liberation Tigers if they laid down their arms, and would eradicate with every means at its disposal if they refused. She was addressing a rally of her Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) at Wellawaya in the deep south of the island.
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SLMC to stand alone

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 August 2000, 16:02 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) decided Wednesday to contest the forthcoming general election under the National Unity Alliance (NUA). Nomination lists of the SLMC would be submitted by Friday, SLMC sources said. A decision to this effect was made at the party convention held today in Colombo.
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Ashraff on pilgrimage, resignation stands

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 August 2000, 17:51 GMT]
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader and Sri Lanka's Ports minister M.H.M.Ashraff left for Mecca in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday on a three-day pilgrimage to perform religious rites called UMRA.
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SLMC split over election ticket

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 August 2000, 12:47 GMT]
The rank and file of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) is sharply divided over the question of contesting the forthcoming general election under the Peoples Alliance banner, SLMC Leader and minister M.H.M.Ashraff said after meeting President Chandrika Kumaratunge on Monday morning at Temple Trees. SLFP General Secretary S.B.Dissanayake and National Organizer General Anuruddha Ratwatte were present during the discussion.
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PA to contest in northeast

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 August 2000, 12:53 GMT]
The ruling People's Alliance (PA) has decided to field candidates in all districts, including northeast of the island in the next parliamentary elections, Mr.D.M.Jayaretna General Secretary of the PA said Sunday.
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President asks SLMC to stand with PA

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 August 2000, 10:33 GMT]
M.H.M.Ashraff, Leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), says that his party would on whether to contest the forthcoming general election under the People's Alliance (PA) banner or on the SLMC ticket island wide decide after meeting President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge on Monday over a breakfast discussion. Minister Ashraff made this statement in an interview with State Television"Rupavahini" Saturday morning.
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New SLA Commander

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 August 2000, 15:48 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army's Chief of Staff Major General Lionel Balagalle will assume duties as the new SLA Commander on 25 August. President Chandrika Kumaratunge has confirmed this appointment.
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UNP first to seek Norway's help - Bondevik

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 August 2000, 19:03 GMT]
The United National Party was the first to seek Norway's assistance in the effort to find a political settlement to the ethnic conflict on the island when it was in power in 1990 according to Mr.Kjell Magne Bondevik, former Norwegian Prime Minister. he made this statement when delivering the keynote address at the commemoration meeting to mark the first death anniversary of veteran foreign minister A.C.S.Hameed, held at Colombo Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall Thursday evening.
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Plea to President: help find my husband

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 August 2000, 16:10 GMT]
A mother of five children has appealed to President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge to help her to trace her husband who was last seen by her when being questioned by some Sri Lanka Navy personnel on the morning of August 11.
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Dissnayake is General Secretary of SLFP

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 August 2000, 16:09 GMT]
Mr.S.B.Dissanayake, Minister of Sports, Youth Affairs and Samurdhi has been elected new General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), the major constituent political group of the ruling People's Alliance.
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Former Norwegian PM will not speak to leaders

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 August 2000, 12:50 GMT]
Former Norwegian Prime Minister Mr.Kjell Magne Bondevik will not hold talks with President Chandrika Kumaratunge, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe as scheduled, the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Colombo said Thursday.
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Former Norwegian PM visits Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 August 2000, 21:45 GMT]
Former Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik will arrive in Colombo on a two day visit Wednesday afternoon. During his stay in Colombo he will have talks with President Chandrika Kumaratunge, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe.
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New constitution with simple majority - President

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 August 2000, 18:23 GMT]
New Parliament will be converted into a Constituent Assembly and the new constitution bill would be passed with a simple majority, declared President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge. The President said that the new Constitution Bill would be approved after the next general election, and added that she was optimistic that the new Constitution will be implemented before January next year.
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Prime Minister retires

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 August 2000, 06:42 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Sirima Bandaranaike,84, retired from office Thursday. Minister for Public Administration, Home Affairs and Plantation Industries Ratnasiri Wickramanayake has been appointed by the President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge as the new Prime Minister.
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Constitutional meeting postponed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 July 2000, 15:45 GMT]
The talks on the proposed constitutional reforms scheduled to be held Thursday between the delegations of the ruling Peoples Alliance and the United National Party has been put off until the return of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge who is in London at present, government sources said.
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More UNP politicians join SLFP

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 July 2000, 17:09 GMT]
More activists of the United National Party, including a parliamentarian are due to receive membership of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), a major constituent of the ruling Peoples' Alliance, at a ceremony to be chaired by the President Ms Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge, SLFP sources said.
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Numbers game bodes ill for package

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 July 2000, 23:45 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunge told the Tamil parties she met Friday for discussions on constitutional reforms aimed at resolving the ethnic conflict in the island that she will try to persuade the main opposition party, the United National Party (UNP), to consider their demands. If the UNP's response is not positive she would try to arrange a tripartite meeting between the government, the Tamil parties and the UNP to further discuss the points of disagreement the President told Tamil politicians who met her Friday afternoon.
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"US should support all options"

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 July 2000, 06:40 GMT]
"US should make clear that we would support all options including secession to be discussed in the negotiating process," said Benjamin Gilman, Chairman of the Committee on International Relations, Congress of the United States, in a letter addressed to Hon Madeleine Albright, the US Secretary of State.
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