India cannot be a card in Colombo’s oppressive politics game - Vaiko

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 December 2005, 12:59 GMT]
Indian Defence Minister Mr Pranab Muhkerjee assured the Tamil Nadu Politician Mr. Vaiko Monday that he will investigate the press reports on the reconstruction efforts of Palaly airstrip in the main Sri Lankan military base in Jaffna. “Earlier Indian political leaders had acted with great care, and had declined to enter into a defence treaty or airbase reconstruction projects when I have brought the Tamil concerns to the Indian leadership’s notice,” Vaiko said.
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Colombo blocks Akashi from visiting Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 December 2005, 22:04 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government has prevented Japanese Special Peace Envoy, Yasushi Akashi, from visiting Kilinochchi to meet the political wing leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to discuss matters related to peace process. Denying media reports in Colombo that Japan wanted to become partner of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), Akashi said Japan has no intention of becoming a partner to the SLMM and applauded the Scandinavian countries for their effective work.
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India, Sri Lanka to begin joint naval exercise

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 December 2005, 15:27 GMT]
Indian Navy and the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) will stage a joint naval exercise on Tuesday, 13 December, in Lankan waters.This is the first joint Naval exercise between the two countries to exchange the naval stategies in combatting common threats faced by the two countries territorial waters close to India and Sri Lanka, Naval sources said. Vice Admiral Suresh Mehta of the Eastern Command of the Indian Navy, the second high ranking Indian Defence official to visit Sri Lanka in one week, will be in Sri lanka today to oversee the joint exercise.


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LTTE's Human Rights engagement on constructive track - Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 December 2005, 11:21 GMT]
“While Colombo has been increasingly engaged in portraying Tamils’ struggle for self-determination as ‘terrorism’ in international fora taking advantage of the changed political climate following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and the consequent war on terrorism, Liberation Tigers have exhibited genuine desire to adhere to the international human rights standards by closely engaging with UN agencies,” said Political Head of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) , S.P. Thamilchelvan, during his keynote address on Human Rights day event organized by the NorthEast Secretariat On Human Rights (NESOHR) in Kilinochchi Saturday.
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CID to interrogate LTTE cadres in Colombo

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 December 2005, 13:49 GMT]
Mannar Magistrate Thursday agreed to an application by Police to send the five alleged LTTE cadres arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) on Tuesday evening to Colombo for further investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The five, including two women, were arrested in Pallimunai Sea in Mannar district when they were traveling in a boat, police said.
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Colombo to build Naval base in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 December 2005, 17:11 GMT]
Preparations by the Sri Lanka Government to set-up the first naval base in Batticaloa district close to Eravur was revealed in a meeting between the Police officers of the Batticaloa district, a Muslim Minister and Muslim representatives in Eravur. The special meeting which took place at Eravur Ummah Mosque Friday noon also discussed special security arrangements for Muslims in Eravur. Punnaikudah beach 4 km northeast of Saddam Hussain Village was identified as the location for the first Sri Lankan naval base in Batticaloa district, Muslim attendees to the meeting told TamilNet.
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Exert pressure to curb military violence, IFT urges International Community

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 December 2005, 14:53 GMT]
The Geneva based International Federation of Tamils (IFT), a consortium of more than 150 expatriate Tamil organizations, in a media statement released on Friday appealed to the International Community to exert its influence on the Government of Sri Lanka to help bring normalcy in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) controlled areas in the Northeast.
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CFA has to be revived says Lankan Chief of Defence

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 December 2005, 13:22 GMT]
Sri Lanka Chief of Defence Staff, Daya Sandagiri, during a press meet in Colombo Friday ruled out Sri Lanka armed forces going to war but said that they will be prepared to meet any military situation that may arise. He said that the military leadership has submitted a report to SL President Mahinda Rajapakse concluding that the Cease Fire Agreement has to be revived and that Mr Rajapakse will make the final decision on this matter.
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CFA, Muslim Tamil amity, key to peace - Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 December 2005, 11:31 GMT]
Pointing out that the recent escalation of violence is due to military aggression and sabotage activities of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) supported paramilitaries, LTTE's Political Head Mr. S.P.Thamilchelvan stressed the urgent need for effective implementation of the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) and the critical need to maintain Muslim, Tamil amity to maintain peace, when he addressed the media following a meeting with the Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar Friday morning. The meeting that began at 9:30 a.m. lasted for one and a half hours at the LTTE's Peace Secretariat in Kilinochchi.
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Brattskar visits tsunami transit camps in Mullaitivu

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 December 2005, 03:37 GMT]
Norwegian Ambassador in Colombo, Hans Brattskar, toured tsunami affected Mullaitivu area and visited transit centers housing tsunamil refugees to directly witness their living conditions. Ambassador Brattsker arrived in Mullaitivu at 2.30 p.m. Sunday after travelling overland from Jaffna via A9 highway, sources said.
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Clause 1.8 key to saving truce - paper

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 December 2005, 15:34 GMT]
Arguing that “a period of mutual de-escalation and confidence building is a sine quo non if a meaningful peace process is to resume,” the Tamil Guardian newspaper said this week “[this] must begin with an end to the Army’s covert onslaught,” in reference to the ongoing shadow war by Army-backed paramilitaries against LTTE members and supporters. Despite the recent sharp rise in violence, fears of an imminent war are overstated, the Diaspora newspaper argued, noting that this is not the first time incidents involving heavy loss of life have occurred since the February 2002 ceasefire.
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SLMM head meets Elilan in Sampoor

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 December 2005, 18:20 GMT]
Mr.Hagrup Haukland, Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), Wednesday 2 p.m. held a two hour discussion with Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee district head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), at the LTTE political secretariat located in Sampoor in LTTE held Muttur east.


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Rajapakse invites Norway to continue as Sri Lanka peace facilitator

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 December 2005, 13:43 GMT]
Sri Lankan President Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse Wednesday invited the Royal Norwegian Government to continue its role as facilitator to the Peace Process in Sri Lanka. Mr. Rajapakse met with the representatives of the four Co-chairs, US, EU, Japan and Norway Wednesday afternoon to discuss the preparatory work required for the continuation of the peace process, according to a media release issued by the Information Department in Colombo.
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Reopen channels for direct dialogue at local level - SLMM

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 December 2005, 07:48 GMT]
Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission on Tuesday urged the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to reopen the channels for direct dialogue at the local level to diffuse the situation in the NorthEast. The attacks that have taken place over the last few days must stop immediately if the peace process is to move forward, the SLMM statement said. Colombo, on Monday, declined permission to the Jaffna commander of the Sri Lanka Army to proceed with the SLMM facilitated meeting in Muhamalai no man zone with the LTTE's political head in Jaffna.
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SL Military commanders visit Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 December 2005, 02:24 GMT]
Cheif of Defence Staff Admiral Daya Sandagiri, the newly appointed Commander of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka, Commander of the SL Navy Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda and Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force Air Marshal G D Perera visited Palaly Military base Tuesday evening and discussed security situation in Jaffna, sources in Colombo said. Lt Gen Fonseka's Jaffna visit is the first major visit the General has undertaken after he was appointed to the top military job.
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Sinhala-Only for President

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 December 2005, 22:22 GMT]
President Mahinda Rajapakse declared last week that as a matter of policy he will address all important events in Sinhala, the Sunday Times reported this week. He pointed out that “Sinhala was his Mother tongue” the paper said.
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Gnanakone released

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 December 2005, 13:14 GMT]
Mr. Charles Gnanakone who was detained for the past two months on alleged charges of involvement in the assassination of late SL Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, was released by the Colombo High Court Monday. Gnanakone, a leading bussinessman from Australia, was taken into custody by the Criminal Investigation Department for "misleading" the late Mr. Kadirgamar with regard to his security and safety.
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Akashi to visit Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 December 2005, 13:01 GMT]
Embassy of Japan in Colombo said in a press release issued Tuesday that Mr. Yasushi Akashi, representative of the Government of Japan for Peace-building, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction in Sri Lanka, will visit Sri Lanka from Wednesday to Sunday to discuss the current situation with the Sri Lankan government and other parties concerned.
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British Minister to visit Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 December 2005, 11:58 GMT]
British Cabinet Minister, Ms. Tessa Jowell MP, Minister for Culture, Media and Sport, will visit Sri Lanka on 8 and 9 December as part of a five-day visit which also included India and Thailand. Ms Jowell will be the first British Minister to visit Sri Lanka since President Rajapakse was elected.


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Place Sri Lanka on war alert, JHU tells Rajapakse

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 December 2005, 15:33 GMT]
Ven. Ellawala Medananda Thero, the leader of Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), the all monks Buddhist nationalist party, Monday demanded the Sri Lankan Government to place the country on war alert. Warning that Colombo urgently needs to go on war footing, the Monk urged the SL government to adopt urgent measures to ensure security in Colombo and in southern Sri Lanka.
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