General shut down paralyses Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 October 2004, 07:52 GMT]
The entire Trincomalee town except few settlements where Sinhalese live in majority was paralysed Friday when Tamils and Muslims observed a general shut down (‘hartal’) responding to the call of the Trincomalee Tamil People’s Forum (TTPF). The ‘hartal’ is organised to express opposition to construction of new Buddhist shrines (vihares) and Sinhala settlements in traditional Tamil villages in the Trincomalee district after the ceasefire came into operation about two and half years ago and chauvinist elements making Trincomalee a centre for their racist activities, organisers said.
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Tamil Women's Uprising Day celebrations begin in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 October 2004, 01:35 GMT]
Tamil Womens' Uprising Day celebrations and 17th year memorial of 2nd Lt Malathy began at 9am Wednesday at the Kilinochchi Central play grounds, sources in Vanni said. Deputy Director of Heros Memorial, Ms Thamil Arasi, presided the event.
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Sri Lanka ID card symbol of Tamils’ humiliations – TNA MP

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 October 2004, 12:57 GMT]
“The national identity card is a symbol of enslavement for the Tamils. It is a symbol of the humiliations to which they were subjected by the Sinhala state. What is the guarantee that the two main Sinhala parties won’t unite in the future to deny Tamils their voting right by making voter identity cards issued under this law invalid in the northeast? These parties get together only to disfranchise Tamils or to deny their legitimate rights”, said Mr. Selvarajah Gajendran, Tamil National Alliance MP for Jaffna, speaking on the election identity card bill in Sri Lanka’s Parliament Thursday.
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Trincomalee to observe general shut down Friday

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 October 2004, 00:15 GMT]
Trincomalee Tamil Peoples' Forum (TTPF) Wednesday issued a statement appealing to Tamil speaking people of the port district to observe general shutdown (hartal) on Friday, 8 October, in support of the Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) proposals of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and to urge the international community including United States of America (USA) to exert pressure on the Sinhala political parties to take steps to restart the peace process.


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UNF, TNA, JHU boycott SL President's Council on Peace

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 October 2004, 01:58 GMT]
United National Front (UNF), Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) boycotted the event as Sri Lanka President Chandrika Kumaratunga inaugurated the National Advisory Council on Peace and Reconciliation (NACPR) Monday afternoon in Colombo. NAC has been publicized by the Sri Lanka Government as a mechanism to seek "wide spectrum of views" to resolve the ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka.
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Women's "Coming Together" event held in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 October 2004, 11:27 GMT]
A "Confluence" of Tamil Eelam Women Associations, Sangamam, was held in Kilinochchi Cultural Hall Thursday where more than 650 women activists from all regions of Kilinochchi took part, sources in Vanni said. Kilinochchi district LTTE Head of Women's Political Wing, Poovili presided the event.
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First LTTE medical service in SLA held area

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 October 2004, 13:54 GMT]
The medical services of the Liberation Tigers conducted free mobile clinics for civilians for the first time in areas controlled by the Sri Lanka military Friday. The program was inaugurated in Vavuniya by LTTE’s Thileepan medical services. Fifteen doctors led by Dr. Ezhumathi Karikalan provided medical services and advice to hundreds of people at the refugee camp in Poonthottam in the morning and later in Maharampaikulam in Vavuniya.


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Advisory Council, ploy to delay peace talks- Prof.Peiris

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 October 2004, 00:10 GMT]
"United National Party will not participate in the All Political Party Advisory Council proposed by Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunge since we believe that involving a multiparty council would lead to inordinate delays in peace talks. Instead, Ms.Kumaratunge should take a firm stand against JVP's opposition to talks and strive to move peace process forward," said UNP Member of Parliament and former Minister Prof. G.L Peiris in a press conference Thursday at the opposition party office in Colombo.
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Veteran Sinhala actor Gamini Fonseka dies

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 September 2004, 14:19 GMT]
Mr.Gamini Fonseka, the well known Sinhala cinema actor turned politician died Thursday. He was 68. Mr. Fonseka played the leading role Gamperaliya, the first Sinhala film to win an international award. His film on the 1958 anti Tamil pogrom, Sarungalay, was well acclaimed. Mr. Fonseka was elected as an MP of the United National Party and served as the Governor of the Northeastern Province (1995 - 1998). His stardom and his fame remain unmatched in Sinhala cinema.
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UNP rejects council, urges talks on ISGA

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 September 2004, 07:30 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s main opposition this weekend declined to join President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s ruling alliance in a ‘National Advisory Council’ on the Norwegian backed peace process, instead urging the government to resume talks with the Liberation Tigers on the basis of the latter’s interim administration proposals.
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Northern Muslims support talks based on ISGA

[TamilNet, Sunday, 26 September 2004, 11:41 GMT]
"Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge should take immediate steps to commence peace talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on the basis of the Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) proposals submitted by the LTTE," said Moulavi. M.Subiyan, Secretary of the Association to Protect Rights of Northern Muslims, when TamilNet asked him to comment on the current peace stalemate. M.Subiyan is also the President of Killinochchi District Muslims' Secretariat.
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TNA criticizes SL President's UN speech

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 September 2004, 01:11 GMT]
Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunge's speech at the United Nations General Assembly "does not reflect true factual position...We urge the President to refrain from making rhetorical statements and focus on resolute action that would enable the recommencement of talks and meaningful consensus-building that would ensure the success of the negotiations," said parliamentarians from Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in a press statement released Thursday.
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IOM assists refugees returning from India

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 September 2004, 01:56 GMT]
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) with the financial support of AUSAID of the Australian Government commenced Monday in Trincomalee the distribution of livelihood development assistance to Tamil refugees returning from India, civil sources in Trincomalee said.
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Use new understanding to recommence peace talks - NPC

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 21 September 2004, 11:19 GMT]
Referring to the assurance of support given by the main opposition party UNP, to the Sri Lanka Government if it commences peace talks on the basis of LTTE's ISGA proposals, the National Peace Council in a Press Release issued on Monday, urged the Sri Lanka government to "build upon this implicit understanding with the opposition to take the peace process forward by engaging in peace talks with the LTTE".
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President's intentions not translated into action - LTTE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 19 September 2004, 12:45 GMT]
LTTE Political Wing in a press release Sunday accused the President Chandrika Kumaratunga of being responsible for the delay in restarting the peace process. The intentions of the President who "expressed her interest in restarting the peace process", were "not translated into action" said the Press Release. The recent statement of the President is "far from the truth and is totally disappointing" said the Press Release.
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Solheim meets Sri Lanka's Opposition Leader

[TamilNet, Saturday, 18 September 2004, 03:10 GMT]
Norwegian special peace envoy Mr. Erik Solheim met with the Opposition Leader and former Prime Minister, Mr.Ranil Wickremesinghe, at the latter's official residence Friday evening, on the eve of his departure after a five day stay in Sri Lanka, sources said.
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Sri Lanka President welcomes Norway's role

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 September 2004, 17:11 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunge welcomed Norway's role in the peace process and accused the LTTE of ''indecision over commencement of talks,'' in a press release issued today after discussions with Norwegian Peace Envoy, Eric Solheim at the President's House in Colombo.
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ISGA must form basis for talks- UNP

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 September 2004, 14:44 GMT]
Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) Thursday reiterated its stand that the future talks between the United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA) the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) should commence on the basis of the Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA), said UNP's media spokesman and former minister Professor G.L.Peiris addressing a press briefing in Colombo.
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LTTE says ISGA proposals not final, open to discussion

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 September 2004, 00:28 GMT]
The LTTE said its interim administration proposals were not rigid or final and it was ready to negotiate the issue but it saw the lack of clarity on the part of the government as the main stumbling block, for the resumption of peace talks, the Daily Mirror reported Wednesday, quoting LTTE political wing leader, Mr S. P. Thamilchelvan.
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Solheim to meet Thamilchelvan Thursday

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 15 September 2004, 17:52 GMT]
Norwegian special peace envoy Mr. Erik Solheim is scheduled to meet Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, Political Head of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Thursday morning at 10 a.m. in the Killinochchi Peace Secretariat, sources said
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