UNP, SLMC councilors boycott EPC first sitting

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 June 2008, 00:32 GMT]
Fifteen councilors elected to the 35 member Eastern Provincial Council on the main opposition United National Party (UNP) ticket Wednesday boycotted the first sitting of the council convened on the instruction by the East Provincial Governor Mohan Wijewickrema, sources in Trincomalee said. Eighteen councilors elected on the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and sole member of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and of the Democratic National Tamil Alliance (DNTA) participated.
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Court refuses police motion against UNP demonstration

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 June 2008, 19:55 GMT]
The Colombo Chief Magistrate Tuesday rejected a motion filed by Welikada Police seeking the court to issue restraining order on the main United National Party (UNP) from holding demonstration against the increase of fuel price in the Colombo and other areas in the district. The court gave the reason for the rejection that the motion was against the Freedom of Expression enshrined in the Constitution under Section 14, legal sources said.
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Protest will continue despite arrests- Wickremasinghe

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2008, 08:33 GMT]
Ranil Wickremasinge, United National Party (UNP) head and the Leader of Opposition accompanied by UNP parliamentarians inspected the place where UNP protestors were arrested Wednesday morning in front of the Election Department in Rajakiriya, Colombo, for demanding removal of arms from paramilitary groups including Pillayan group before the Eastern Provincial Council election. Two garbage carriers of Jayawardnepura Kotte Municipal Council littered their contents at the site, prompting Wickremasinghe’s visit, sources in Colombo said.
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Opposition leader's helicopter makes emergency landing

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2008, 18:00 GMT]
Ranil Wickremasinghe, opposition leader and the leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), Monday was provided with a helicopter to attend election rally in Batticaloa district. However, the helicopter developed engine trouble on Wickremesinghe's return trip back to Colombo Monday evening, and landed at Mahiyangana in the south.
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We will restore democracy to Eastern province – Wickremesinghe

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2008, 13:58 GMT]
“United National Party (UNP), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) alliance will restore democracy to the East by putting an end to the domination by paramilitary groups,” Ranil Wickremasinghe, the Leader of the Opposition and UNP head said Sunday addressing a SLMC party conference held in Kaaththaankudi attended by more than 10,000 Muslims from the north, east provinces, sources in Batticaloa said.
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UNP cancels May Day rally citing security reasons

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 April 2008, 02:07 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) has cancelled its main May Day rally and public meeting citing current volatile security situation, according to its general secretary Tissa Attanayake, party sources in Colombo said. The UNP earlier decided to hold its official May Day rally and public meeting at Kurunagala town in the northwestern province.
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SLMC to go alone in Eastern PC election

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 March 2008, 07:46 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Wednesday at a discussion with the leadership of main opposition United National Party (UNP) expressed its stand that it would contest the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) election alone to preserve its identity, but with some understanding with the UNP. The SLMC, however, would not forge any alliance with the ruling party, according to media reports quoting SLMC general secretary Mr. Hassan Ali.
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UNP to contest Eastern PC election

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 March 2008, 06:31 GMT]
Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) Tuesday decided at its executive committee meeting to contest the forthcoming Eastern Provincial Council election which is to be held on May 10. Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, the leader of the UNP has been empowered by the party committee to hold talks with other political parties to form an alliance in this regard, UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake told media.
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Memorial services for Maheswaran held in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 February 2008, 14:12 GMT]
A number of memorial services, alms giving and blood donation events were organized Friday throughout Jaffna peninsula to pay homage to the slain former parliamentarian and cabinet minister Thiyagarajah Maheswaran. The various events to mark the 45th day of his death was held in a number of Hindu temples in the peninsula including all Hindu temples in his birth place Kaarainakar.
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Sooriyaarachi to be laid to rest Wednesday

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 February 2008, 21:51 GMT]
The remains of former Port Development Minister and Sri Lanka Freedom Party-Mahayana Wing (SLFP) (M) Coordinator Sripathi Sooriyarachchi, who was killed in a car accident Saturday at Thambuththegama, Anuradhapura was kept in Jayaratne Funeral Parlour in Borella Sunday morning for viewing by public to pay their homage, and was later taken to his residence in Kandana, sources in Colombo said.
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UNP decides to boycott Batticaloa local elections

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 January 2008, 11:22 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) Wednesday decided not to contest the elections to nine local authorities in the Batticaloa district in the eastern province. The Political Affairs Committee of the UNP met Wednesday with Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe in the chair and decided that the ground security situation in the Batticaloa district is not safe to conduct a free and fair election, party general secretary Mr.Tissa Attanayake said.
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Maheswaran’s remains cremated in Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 January 2008, 18:58 GMT]
United National Party (UNP) parliamentarians took over the casket containing Maheswaran’s remains from his family Thursday around 2:30 p.m. at his residence in Wellawatte and the cortege, and the funeral procession went along Galle Road and several areas in Colombo to reach Kanaththai cremation grounds in Borella. Homage was paid to the Tamil parliamentarian, who was assassinated while worshiping in Colombo Ponnampala Vaa'neasvarar temple on New Year Day, before the body was cremated.
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Wickremasinghe shortens New Delhi visit

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 January 2008, 15:37 GMT]
Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party, meeting with Indian leaders in New Delhi has cut short his visit and is expected to return to Colombo Wednesday morning following the murder of fellow UNP parliamentarian Mr.Maheswaran in Colombo Tuesday morning in a Hindu temple, media sources said.
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SL Supreme Court fixes inquiry into petitions challenging the CFA

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 December 2007, 13:08 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Friday fixed the inquiry for March 10 next year into the petitions filed by the Sinhala extreme nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and Sinhala Jathika Sangamaya (SJS) challenging the legality of the ceasefire agreement signed by the then Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremasinghe and Velupillai Pirapaharan, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on 22 February 2002.
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UNP decides to vote against 2008 Budget

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 November 2007, 16:49 GMT]
The parliamentary group of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) Wednesday met after the delivery of the 2008 budget by the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and unanimously decided to vote against the budget. The crucial vote on the 2008 budget is to take place on November 19 amid claims and counter claims by the ruling party and the main opposition party that cross over of parliamentarians from both sides.
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British parliamentarian Liam Fox to visit Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 November 2007, 16:46 GMT]
British parliamentarian Liam Fox who is the shadow Defence Minister of the main opposition Conservative Party is to arrive in Sri Lanka on November 5 on a three–day tour at the invitation of the government led by President Mahinda Rajapakse. Rohitha Bogollagama, the Sri Lankan foreign minister, has extended the invitation to him, the Sunday Leader reported.
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UNP Kandy Declaration calls for immediate general election

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 September 2007, 17:55 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) at its special convention held at Getambe Stadium in Kandy, capital of the central province Sunday afternoon, adopted the "Kandy Declaration" calling for the immediate general election to save the Sri Lanka from anarchy and corruption. Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the UNP presided.
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Wickremasinghe to visit India

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 September 2007, 12:51 GMT]
Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), is to visit India to hold vital talks with Indian leaders. This follows the visit to India of Sri Lanka Government three-member delegation headed by Mr.Lalith Weeratunge, Secretary to President Mahinda Rajapakse, accompanied by two Rajapakse brothers, Defence Secretary Mr.Gothabaya Rajapakse and Presidential senior advisor Mr.Basil Rajapakse, media reports said.
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UNP to move no-confidence motion on Rajapakse government

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 September 2007, 12:22 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) is to submit a no-confidence motion against government headed by Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse when parliament meets on Tuesday, parliamentary sources in Colombo said. The political affairs committee of the UNP took this decision at a meeting held on Wednesday following one-to-one talks between former president Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge, and Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, UNP leader.


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Kurankupaanchaan IDPs to be resettled

[TamilNet, Saturday, 18 August 2007, 02:49 GMT]
Nearly three hundred families displaced from Kurankupaanchaan, a hamlet in Kinniya division in Trincomalee district in 1990, are to be resettled. A team of Sri Lanka government officials led by the Kinniya Divisional Secretary is to pay a visit to Kurankupaanchaan village during the weekend to see the ground situation before making arrangement for the resettlement, civil society sources said.
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