TNA demands compensation to Tamil victims of police violence

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 January 2003, 19:14 GMT]
Following a request Tuesday by the Tamil National Alliance that the relatives of the dead and injured during police violence should be paid compensation, Sri Lanka's Prime Minister, Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, directed the Interior Ministry to submit a report about the victims of violence that took place at Kanjirankuda in Ampara district, an eastern port town in the outskirts of Trincomalee district, and Nelliayadi in the Jaffna district last year.
Full story >>

TNA protests new Buddhist shrine in Tamil village

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 January 2003, 19:12 GMT]
A Tamil National Alliance delegation, headed by Mr.R.Sampanthan, Tuesday met with the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremasinghe, and protested the construction of a new Buddhist shrine in Vilankulam, a historically Tamil a village, and the ban on renovating the historic Hindu temple at Kanniya, in Trincomalee, which had been destroyed by the war, sources said.
Full story >>

SLA cannot deny the rights of IDPs to resettle in HSZ - TNA

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 January 2003, 12:50 GMT]
The United National Front (UNF) government Tuesday gave assurances to the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) that it would take steps to resettle displaced inside the high security zone (HSZ) in Jaffna once the Indian defence expert submits a report on that issue, sources said. TNA stressed that although SLA is empowered by the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to prevent Liberation Tigers (LTTE) from entering the HSZ, SLA cannot deny the rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from resettling in their own homes in their own land, sources said.
Full story >>

PTA to stay - Defence Minister

[TamilNet, Friday, 10 January 2003, 15:35 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Defence Minister, Mr. Tilak Marapone, said in parliament Friday that a decision on abolishing the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary provisions) Act would be made only after considering all future repercussions of such a removal. The present situation is "not conducive to doing away with the PTA," said Mr. Marapone.


Full story >>

TRO to compensate victims of Trinco 'hartal' violence

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 December 2002, 14:16 GMT]
The Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) will compensate the families of victims of the hartal (general shut down) violence on October 11 in Trincomalee town when three tamil civilians were killed and several injured, sources in the eastern town said.
Full story >>

'Vihare construction continues in Tamil village despite protests' - TNA

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 December 2002, 13:25 GMT]
Construction of a Buddhist shrine in Vilankulam, a traditional Tamil village, 11 km off west in the eastern port town is continuing despite protests made to the Prime Minister by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader and the Trincomalee district parliamentarian Mr.R.Sampanthan, said TNA Member of Parliament (MP) Mr.K.Thurairetnasingham, Thursday.


Full story >>

SLN expands Thiriyai naval base

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 December 2002, 20:14 GMT]
Thiriyai Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) main base, relocated to a new location one mile from the Thiriyai Tamil Vidyalayam in May this year, is now being strengthened as a permanent base, a group of civilians told the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader and the district parliamentarian Mr.R.Sampanthan when he paid a visit Saturday evening to see if any progress has been made by recently resettled farmers, sources said.
Full story >>

SLAF occupation adds to Muthalikulam farmers' woes

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 December 2002, 16:43 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) occupies twelve buildings of the Irrigation Department located at Pankulam and Muthalikulam, 24 km west of Trincomalee town blocking the Engineers from providing water to resettled farmers engaged in paddy cultivation causing severe hardship, rehabilitation agency sources said.
Full story >>

TNA mourns death of veteran Trinco Tamil activist

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 December 2002, 21:21 GMT]
"At a time when we are at the doorstep of finding a just, permanent and lasting solution to the Tamil national question through talks between the United National Front (UNF) government and the Liberation Tigers (LTTE) Trincomalee Tamils have lost a veteran activist who has worked for the political emancipation of his community for about fifty years," said the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan paying Homage to Mr. Subramaniam Gunanayagam Sunday evening.
Full story >>

'Country cannot afford to miss this opportunity for peace'- Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 November 2002, 12:54 GMT]
"We must not lose the present opportunity to achieve permanent peace with a just, fair and lasting political solution to the ethnic conflict," said Mr.Sampanthan, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader addressing the Annual Parents' Day and Oli Vizha of the Trincomalee St.Mary's College Sunday evening. Hundreds of parents attended the function held at College Thresian Auditorium.
Full story >>

Heroes Day celebrations commenced in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 November 2002, 12:40 GMT]
The ‘Maaveerar Naal’ (Heroes Day)celebrations commenced in Trincomalee district Monday. At Sampoor, LTTE district military commander Colonel Pathuman inaugurated the Maaveerar Day celebrations by hoisting the Tamil Eelam national flag while District Political Head Mr.Tilak lighting the flame of sacrifice.
Full story >>

PM's meeting with TNA, EPDP, and PLOTE fail to reach consensus

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 November 2002, 16:33 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe Friday evening held a one hour discussion with delegation of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the leaders of the para military Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) and the Peoples Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) to diffuse the tension now prevails in the Jaffna peninsula following picketing campaign against EPDP presence in Neduntheivu.
Full story >>

TNA meets PM over EPDP cadres in Delft

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 November 2002, 19:41 GMT]
A Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary delegation Monday brought to the notice of the Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe that members of Eelam Democratic party (EPDP) now in Delft island in Jaffna district are armed and are also moving about in naval uniform. The TNA delegation requested the Prime Minister to take stern steps to prevent incidents similar to those that had taken place at Kanchirankuda and Trincomalee last month, in the Delft Island.
Full story >>

TNA abstains from voting to register protest

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 November 2002, 17:54 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians Monday refrained from voting when the Interior Ministry financial allocation in the 2003 budget was put to vote during the committee stage debate. "The TNA parliamentary group decided not to vote for the Interior Ministry financial allocation to register our dissatisfaction to the government for its inaction regarding Kanchirankuda and Trincomalee incidents in which several Tamils were killed," said Mr.R.Sampanthan, TNA parliamentary group leader.


Full story >>

TULF commends Norway, International Community

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 November 2002, 19:21 GMT]
The Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), main constituent of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), while commending Norway and International Community for their support to the peace process, made an appeal to Tamils from making statements that will have adverse impact on the peace process. People who have rarely stood up for the human rights or democratic rights of the Tamil people cannot make any honest contribution to the Tamil question, said the Secretary General of the TULF Mr.R.Sampanthan in a press release at the conclusion of the central committee meeting held Sunday in Colombo.
Full story >>

Parliament approves President votes without cut

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 November 2002, 21:33 GMT]
The parliament Friday evening approved the votes for the offices of the President and Prime Minister without cut. The committee stage budget debate, which began Friday morning, continued for about five hours. The votes were approved without division.
Full story >>

Budget fails to recognize needs of NorthEast -Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 November 2002, 21:15 GMT]
"The budget does not provide any relief to the devastated northeast. To treat the northeast in the same way as the rest of the country would tantamount to a refusal to acknowledge the devastation and deprivation suffered by the people of northeast," said Mr.R.Sampanthan, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) group leader participating in the budget debate Thursday.
Full story >>

Resettlement should focus on most deserving –Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 November 2002, 19:45 GMT]
Tamil national alliance MP, Mr. R. Sampanthan, Monday strongly objected to moves by Sri Lankan government officials to ignore the most deserving and the most numerous Internally Displaced Persons in Trincomalee and instead to give priority to demographic balance in selecting families for resettlement projects in the district.
Full story >>

Kuchchaveli IDPs urge speedy resettlement

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 November 2002, 17:34 GMT]
Hundreds of displaced Tamil families from villages in Kuchchaveli division, 34 km north of the Trincomalee district and now residing in refugee camps elsewhere Sunday said that they should be resettled in their areas without delay and should be provided with necessary facilities. They attended a meeting held Sunday at Kuchchaveli Vivekanandan Maha Vidiyalayam where the resettlement of the displaced and their rehabilitation were discussed.
Full story >>

Tamil poetry 'Towards the path of Peace' released in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 November 2002, 23:12 GMT]
A collection of Tamil poems titled 'Towards the path of Peace' and composed by Poet Sigandithasan was released in Trincomalee Saturday evening. "No one can benefit by derailing the peace process now being taken forward," said the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan addressing the event.
Full story >>