TRO abductions, GoSL response may stall Geneva talks - TNA

[TamilNet, Saturday, 04 February 2006, 14:10 GMT]
"We are concerned that the continued deterioration of ground situation in the NorthEast and the abduction of TRO staff members by paramilitaries can potentially prevent Liberation Tigers' participation in Geneva talks," said Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians after a meeting with Head of the LTTE Political Wing, S.P Thamilchelvan at the LTTE Peace Secretariat in Kilinochchi at 11 a.m. Saturday. "Colombo has openly attempted to discredit the LTTE by making misleading statements to the International Community on the recent abductions of TRO staff by the paramilitary cadres," they added. The meeting lasted for more than three hours sources in Kilinochchi said.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka pardons prisoners on Independence Day

[TamilNet, Saturday, 04 February 2006, 10:59 GMT]
None of those arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and the Emergency Regulations (ER) were among the 2042 prisoners who were released on Presidential pardon on Sri Lanka's "Independence Day," Saturday. However, it was the first time some prisoners from the Northeast were released from the Sri Lankan prisons in Jaffna and Batticaloa. Meanwhile, the much-awaited release of Mr.S.B.Dissanayake, a political prisoner of the opposition UNP, did not take place.
Full story >>

Action, not words is needed - paper

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 February 2006, 20:43 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government’s tardy response to the kidnapping of ten aid workers of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) have raised serious doubts about the prospects of peace talks, the Tamil Guardian newspaper said this week. Arguing that “last week’s optimism [about talks] was premature and, as many Tamils now feel, sorely misplaced,” the expatriate publication said “this incident has demonstrated exactly what the future of negotiations with President Rajapakse and his government is likely to be.”
Full story >>

Red Cross hands over fishing boats to tsunami affected

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 February 2006, 12:34 GMT]
One hundred and twenty five fishermen affected by tsunami from Colombo, Matara, Puttalam, Trincomalee and Kalutara districts received fishing boats from through a boat manufacturing project funded by the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS). The handing over of boats to beneficiaries took place in Ratmalana, Colombo Thursday, SLRCS sources said.


Full story >>

Released TRO abductees detained at Batticaloa Police Station

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 February 2006, 04:55 GMT]
The two female staff of Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), who were released on Monday by the abductors, are being held at Batticaloa Police station from 2.00 p.m. Thursday, TRO officials in Colombo said. When the two women, against threats to their safety, went to file a police report at the insistence of Government authorities, they were detained at the Batticaloa Police Station overnight against their wishes, and they are to be held at the Police station until officials of Sri Lanka Criminal Investigation Division (CID) arrive from Colombo, said TRO in a press release issued Friday.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka, India discuss bilateral issues on Palk Bay fishing

[TamilNet, Thursday, 02 February 2006, 04:11 GMT]
The second meeting of the Sri Lanka-India Joint Working Group on fisheries held Tuesday in Colombo explored ways to improve bilateral co-operation in the fisheries sector and to implement mechanisms to resolve fishing disputes that may arise between fishermen of both countries, diplomatic sources said. The discussions took place in a friendly atmosphere in keeping with the close ties of friendship and co-operation between the two countries, said a press release of the Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry issued Thursday.


Full story >>

SLA violates detainees rights- HRC

[TamilNet, Thursday, 02 February 2006, 04:05 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers in Jaffna has grossly violated the fundamental rights of arrested Tamil youths by sending them to the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) in Colombo for interrogation without adhering to proper judicial procedures, said Human Rights Commission (HRC) in Jaffna Wednesday. In the past 45 days five Jaffna youths, presumed disappeared after arrests by the SLA, have been sent to the TID unit in Colombo, according to Jaffna Police.
Full story >>

Tamil diaspora consortium welcomes US statement, calls for urgent action

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 February 2006, 13:13 GMT]
The International Federation of Tamils (IFT), a Geneva based consortium of Tamil diaspora organisations, in a renewed SOS call to the International Community on Wednesday, has warned that Colombo's denial of "any knowledge" of the abudctions of the humanitarian workers in the east, increased the risk of danger to the lives of the victims. The organisation has welcomed the statement issued by the US Embassy in Sri Lanka.
Full story >>

UN agencies call for immediate release of kidnapped TRO staff

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 February 2006, 12:48 GMT]
UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator’s Office in Sri Lanka, on Wednesday, has called for the immediate release of the abducted humanitarian aid workers employed by the Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO). Deploring the reported abuduction, the UN office in Colombo said that the humanitarian aid workers who devote their professional lives to serving those in need, have the right to respect and protection from harm.
Full story >>

NGO Consortium urges immediate action to release kidnapped TRO staff

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 February 2006, 08:08 GMT]
The Consortium of Non Governmental Organisation in Vavuniya, representing 43 NGOs in Vavuniya District, on Tuesday, appealed to the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, the representative of the International Committee for Red Cross in Colombo (ICRC), the Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and the chairperson of the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies in Colombo, to take immediate action to safeguard the lives and to ensure the safe return of NGO workers who have been kidnapped.
Full story >>

TNA MPs walk out of parliament in protest of killings, abduction

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 February 2006, 06:07 GMT]
If Colombo continued to allow provocative incidents take place in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) controlled areas of the NorthEast, the peace talks planned between the Government and the LTTE would be in jeopardy, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has warned the Sri Lankan Parliament Wednesday. "This is a calculated move to disturb the talks to be held in Geneva between the Government and the LTTE. We demand that the Government to act urgently in this matter and take appropriate action to save the dialogue," Mavai Senathirajah, TNA MP for Jaffna District told a press conference after walking out of the Sri Lankan Parliament.
Full story >>

Another five TRO staff reported missing

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 January 2006, 17:17 GMT]
Five persons, four Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) Pre School Education Development Center (PSEDC) personnel, and their driver, have been reported missing in the East, the TRO said in a press release issued Tuesday evening. The team, which was expected to have returned to the Kilinochchi FORUT office Tuesday, had left Valaichchenai, Batticaloa District, Sunday around 7:00 p.m. The PSEDC personnel had gone to Batticaloa to carry out the final assessment of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) funded Temporary Pre School Construction Project for Tsunami Welfare Centers and to evaluate the progress of the construction of Permanent Pre Schools funded by Save the Children in Sri Lanka.
Full story >>

US urges Sri Lanka to investigate kidnapping of TRO staff

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 January 2006, 15:11 GMT]
The US Embassy in Sri Lanka, on Tuesday, expressed concern about the reported January 30 kidnapping of five members of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) at Welikanda in Polonnaruwa District. Urging the relevant authorities to rapidly investigate the allegations of the kidnapping, the US embassy called on all parties to exercise restraint and calm, especially in the run-up to the cease-fire talks in Geneva.
Full story >>

More UNP Pradeshya Sabha members cross over to SLFP

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 January 2006, 12:27 GMT]
United National Party (UNP) members of Pradeshya Sabhas from Navalapitiya and other areas obtained membership in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) in a simple ceremony held at the Temple trees, office of the President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapakse, Tuesday, parliamentary sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Meeting with SLA constructive- Rights officials

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 January 2006, 11:20 GMT]
A delegation human rights activists led by Head of Human Rights Commission in Jaffna, Rohitha Priyatharsana, met with Commanders of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Palaly Military Camp Tuesday at 3.30 p.m. for nearly two hours, sources said. The discussions centered on issues related to increasing numbers of disappearances, arrests, and harassment to civilians caused by frequent cordon and search operations carried out by SLA in populated areas, sources said.
Full story >>

CWC, UPF to jointly contest local elections

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 January 2006, 17:03 GMT]
The Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) and Upcountry Peoples Front (UPF) Monday decided to field candidates in the forthcoming local elections jointly as one group with a common symbol. The second round of talks between CWC delegation led by its President Mr.Armugan Thondaman and UPF delegation led by its President Mr.P.Chandrasekaran was held Monday in Nuwara Eliya. The first round of talks was held on January 26 in Colombo, sources said.
Full story >>

Indian Air Force Chief arrives in Colombo

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 January 2006, 14:04 GMT]
The Indian Air Force (IAF) chief, Air Chief Marshal S.P.Tyagi arrived Monday in Sri Lanka on a five-day official visit, Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) officials in Colombo said. During his stay in Sri Lanka, he is scheduled to meet SL President Mahinda Rajapakse, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapakse, Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Daya Sandagiri and the commanders of the three forces.
Full story >>

CTTU to raise troop presence near schools with Minister

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 January 2006, 15:47 GMT]
Mr.Susil Premajayanth, Minister of Education has invited the Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union (CTTU) for a meeting on February 7 afternoon to discuss its several demands including the demand that soldiers of the State armed forces should be withdrawn fifty meters away from schools in the northeast province, and also to vacate schools now occupied in the high security zones in Jaffna district. The meeting is to be held at the Education Ministry in Colombo, sources said.
Full story >>

Balasingham leaves for UK

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 January 2006, 11:32 GMT]
LTTE's Chief Negotiator and Political Strategist Mr. Anton Balasingham, left Kilinochchi Saturday at 9:30 a.m. to Katunayake in a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) helicopter, facilitated by Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) officials.
Full story >>

EU commends Solheim, welcomes LTTE, GoSL agreement

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 January 2006, 15:39 GMT]
The European Union welcomed the agreement between the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the LTTE to have talks in Geneva, and praised Norway's Minister of International Development, Erik Solheim, for his "longstanding and untiring efforts" for peace in Sri Lanka, in press release issued Friday. The office of Julian Wilson, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Sri Lanka and the Maldives in Colombo, issued the release.


Full story >>