Norway persists as stalemate deepens

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 June 2004, 01:04 GMT]
The stalemate in Sri Lanka’s peace process continued this week, and even as Norwegian diplomats vowed to continue their shuttle diplomacy, President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s government hardened its stance on the agenda for talks.


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Establish ISGA, appeals Jaffna Peoples Forum

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 June 2004, 00:40 GMT]
Tamil Speaking Peoples Forum for Human Rights and Development based in Jaffna Wednesday appealed to the President Ms.Chandrika Kumaratunge to initiate bold step of recommencing negotiations with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to establish the Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) which could handle all development and reconstruction projects in the northeast province.
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Black Sea Tiger Major Puhalini remembered

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 June 2004, 00:10 GMT]
Major Puhalini, member of the Black Sea Tiger wing of the Liberation Tigers, who died on 30 July, 2003 in a boat mishap in international waters, was remembered Sunday evening in Muttur east in Trincomalee district. Her mother Ms Vadivelu unveiled the memorial plaque constructed at Alankulam Heroes Cemetary, sources said.
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Tigers lambast Kumaratunge's political duplicity

[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 June 2004, 02:56 GMT]
Blaming Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunge for "linking ISGA with permanent poltical solution," as a "manipulative strategy to take forward the peace process for a while and then to abort it," the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam called upon the International community to recognize Ms.Kumaratunge's political duplicity and to "bring pressure on her government to be principled and honest in political negotiations," in a statement published in the Peace Secretariat website.
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Kumaratunge on private visit to London

[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 June 2004, 02:16 GMT]
Sri Lanka President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge left for London on a private visit Saturday night. She will be away for a week, government sources said. Ms. Kumaratunge left the country when her recorded address to the nation was being relayed through the state television and electronic media.
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Kumaratunga hints at "an effective compromise" with the LTTE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 June 2004, 15:00 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s President Chandrika Kumaratunga, in a prime-time TV address, has indicated that she is "seeking an effective compromise" to overcome the dragging differences with the LTTE that delay peace talks. The LTTE has been insisting on negotiating its interim administration proposals first, while the government wanted to have parallel talks on the final solution to the conflict. In her nation-wide telecast Saturday night Kumaratunga hinted at her readiness to "prioritise" the LTTE demand while not openly abandoning the government's position to have parallel talks on the final settlement.
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SL President to give televised address

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 June 2004, 16:11 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge is to address the people of Sri Lanka on Saturday 8.30 p.m. through state television and electronic media, ruling party sources said Friday evening.
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Sri Lanka President urged to establish ISGA immediately

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 June 2004, 20:33 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Thursday told Sri Lanka President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge that Tamils couldn't depend any more on the Sinhala political leadership to enjoy their rights. ''The Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) should be established in the northeast without delay so that Tamils could enjoy self rule in their homeland,'' Mr.R.Sampanthan, leader of the TNA parliamentary group, told the President during a discussion held Thursday night in the Presidential House at the latter's invitation, TNA sources said.
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Sri Lanka President invites TNA for discusssion

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 June 2004, 13:13 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge Wednesday invited the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) for discussion. The TNA parliamentary group, which met Wednesday afternoon decided to accept the invitation. The discussion between the President and Tamil National Alliance have been fixed for Thursday night 8 p.m., TNA sources said.
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Jaffna civil organizations to hold protest march

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 June 2004, 21:55 GMT]
Jaffna District Consortium of Civil Organizations Tuesday decided to hold a protest march in Jaffna town Friday demanding the Government of Sri Lanka to restore normalcy in the lives of Tamil people and stop killing in the east and attacks on plantation Tamils, sources said.
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TNA MPs to meet LTTE political leadership Saturday

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 June 2004, 00:40 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians are scheduled to the meet Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Saturday to discuss the current political situation in the south and the latest developments in reviving the peace talks through Norwegian facilitation, sources said.
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CWC said still undecided on support to UPFA

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 June 2004, 14:57 GMT]
The Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), a constituent of the main opposition United National Front (UNF), is still undecided on extending support to the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance, sources in Colombo said. Meanwhile, the Presidential Secretariat Friday denied media reports that talks were held Thursday between the President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunge, and CWC leader Mr. Arumugam Thondaman. The media reports said that the talks had ended in failure.
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'Committee to sort out differences in UPFA'

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 June 2004, 18:31 GMT]
The leaders of Sri Lanka Freedom party (SLFP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the two major constituents of ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), Tuesday night agreed at a discussion to appoint a committee to sort out the differences that have arisen in implementing the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two parties, sources said.
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IDPs urge re-opening of Vadamarachchi-Nagarkovil road

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 May 2004, 17:09 GMT]
The Association of Nagarkovil Internally Displaced Families (ANIDF) in Jaffna district Saturday appealed to Sri Lanka's President Ms.Chandrika Kumaratunge to take steps to re-open the Vadamarachchi-Nagarkovil main road for civilian movement, sources said.


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FAO honours SL President with Ceres award

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 May 2004, 17:22 GMT]
The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations Friday honoured Sri Lanka's President, Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge, with the presentation of the Ceres medal at an event held at the Ceylon Intercontinental Hotel. FAO Director General, Dr.Jacques Diuof, delivered the award to Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunge, sources said.
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Solheim meets Rajapakse, Hakeem

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 May 2004, 16:42 GMT]
Norwegian special peace envoy, Mr.Erik Solheim, Friday met with the Prime Minister, Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse, and the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Mr.Rauff Hakeem, and discussed the latest developments that have arisen in finding a consensus in resuming the stalled peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, political sources said.
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HSZ in Jaffna illegal - JDHAC

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 May 2004, 16:05 GMT]
"The retention of the high security zones in the Jaffna district after the expiry of the State of Emergency in the country is considered illegal," said the Jaffna District Humanitarian Agencies' Consortium (JDHAC) in a memorandum to Sri Lanka's President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunge, Friday.
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Solheim meets Kumaratunge, sides no closer to agreement

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 May 2004, 01:42 GMT]
Sri Lanka President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge Thursday evening held two hour long discussion with the visiting Norwegian special peace envoy Mr. Erik Solheim on the prospects of holding peace talks. Sri Lanka Government and the Liberation Tigers are not close to an agreement on the time and modality of resuming the peace process, political sources in Colombo said.
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Harim Peiris holds discussions with TRO officials

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 May 2004, 16:40 GMT]
Mr.Harim Peiris, the spokesman for Sri Lanka's President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunge, Thursday visited Liberation Tigers-held Kilinochchi and held discussions with the Government Agent, heads of Sri Lanka government departments and representatives of the Tamils' Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), sources said.
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SL President appoints deputy ministers for foreign affairs, defense

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 May 2004, 08:35 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge in a surprise move Wednesday appointed Professor Visva Warnapala Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs. Mr.Ratnasiri Wickremanayake was also given the additional post as the Deputy Minister of Defense as already speculated in the political circles, sources in Colombo said.
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