Tamils nominate lawyer, express reservations on council

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 October 2001, 07:25 GMT]
The three opposition Tamil parties in the Sri Lankan Parliament Thursday night unanimously elected Mr. R. I. Thambiratnam, a leading lawyer, to represent the Tamil people of northeast province in the constitutional council. However, Mr. 'Selvam' Adaikalanathan, MP for the Vanni and the leader of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO) said, "The constitutional council and the independent commissions on Police, elections, judicial services and public service are clearly aimed at clipping the powers of the executive presidency. They are intended to make the unitary state machine run more efficaciously. But the unitary state is the root cause of Tamil grievances. The council and the commissions would ensure more democracy for the Sinhala people but not the Tamils. One would have no illusions about this when one considers how these Sinhala parties which united to pass the 17th amendment dumped the equal opportunities bill."
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TULF undecided on no-confidence motion

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 September 2001, 19:38 GMT]
The Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) has not yet signed the no-confidence motion against the People's Alliance government which is likely to be submitted afresh by main opposition, United National Party this week. "The central working committee of the TULF would meet shortly to take a decision whether to sign the no-confidence motion or not," said a leader of the party.
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Tamil MPs walk out in protest

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 September 2001, 08:53 GMT]
The MPs of Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO) and the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) walked out in protest when the bill on the 17th amendment to Sri Lanka's constitution was presented by the Prime Minister in the Parliament Monday morning. Tamil parties are protesting that the government is rushing the 17th amendment according to the dictates of the Marxist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna by ditching the effort to find a solution to the ethnic problem. "For more than fifty years you did not take any interest in solving the Tamil question. If you continue to ignore our problem in this manner, a united Sri Lanka would soon be a thing of the past," said Selvam A. Adaikalanathan, MP for Vanni, addressing the house before walking out with other Tamil MPs.
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TULF to boycott 17th amendment debate

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 September 2001, 18:17 GMT]
The Tamil United Liberation Front has decided to boycott the debate on 17 th amendment to constitution scheduled for Monday in parliament.A decision to this effect was taken Sunday at the central working committee of the TULF. "The TULF is of view that the proposals presented do not ensure the effective representation of the minority nationalities on the constitutional council, so as to guarantee an adequate and genuine participation on behalf of the minority nationalities in the deliberations and decision making processes of the council", said the Secretary General of the TULF Mr.R.Sampanthan in a statement issued at the conclusion of the central working committee of the TULF held Sunday evening.
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PA govt. faces no-confidence threat afresh

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 September 2001, 23:34 GMT]
The Sri Lanka's People's Alliance government said Saturday that the no-confidence motion which is expected to be submitted by opposition parties next week afresh would be defeated with the support of the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna.
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Govt-opposition agree for debate on 17th amendment

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 September 2001, 17:17 GMT]
Leaders of all political parties Friday unanimously agreed to debate the 17th amendment to the constitution Monday. At a meeting held at parliamentary complex chaired by the Speaker Mr.Anura Bandaranaike, parliamentarian Mr.Wimal Weerawanse of the Janata Vimukthi Peramuna moved that the 17th amendment should be taken up on Monday and be debated to a finish the same day. Leaders of other political parties attended the meeting agreed to this suggestion, parliamentary sources said.
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TULF divided on 17 th amendment

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 September 2001, 10:44 GMT]
The central working committee of the Tamil United Liberation Front is scheduled to meet on Sunday to decide on whether to support the 17th amendment to the constitution when the ruling People's Alliance and Marxist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna jointly table the draft bill in parliament September 24. The rank and file of the TULF is reported to have divided on this issue, party sources said.
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UNP to oppose PA-JVP sponsored 17th amendment

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 September 2001, 15:28 GMT]
The Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party said Wednesday that it would not support the 17th amendment to constitution drafted jointly by the ruling People's Alliance and Marxist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna. "Several vital clauses included in the draft 17th amendment prepared by the UNP led joint opposition including the JVP earlier have not been incorporated in the present draft bill. Therefore my party is not in a position to support the PA-JVP sponsored draft bill," said Mr.Karu Jayasuriya, Deputy Leader of the UNP and Colombo district parliamentarian.
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Seventeenth amendment proving difficult

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 September 2001, 19:15 GMT]
The first meeting of Sri Lanka's newly sworn in Cabinet, described in political circles as crucial in the context of the proposed 17th amendment to the constitution, is scheduled for Tuesday. The urgency has been attributed to the disagreement brewing between the ruling People's Alliance and main opposition United National Party over the proposed amendment.
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Ministers' resignation poses new threat to PA govt.

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 September 2001, 20:10 GMT]
The political crisis in Sri Lanka's ruling People's Alliance (PA) government took a dramatic turn Thursday with the sudden resignation of four senior ministers. The resignation of these ministers came under severe scrutiny at a discussion held between President and Prime Minister Thursday evening, ruling party sources said.
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PA - JVP pact is a serious blow to peace - LTTE

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 September 2001, 06:50 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers said Monday that the formation of a probationary government with an alliance between the People's Alliance (PA) regime and the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) effected a serious blow to the peace process in Sri Lanka. Commenting on the current political developments in Colombo, Mr. Anton Balasingham, the LTTE's chief negotiator and political advisor told the Tamil Guardian newspaper that one of the clauses of the 'Memorandum of Understanding' reached between the PA and the JVP strictly forbids any discussions on proposals relating to the solution to the Tamil national question.
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Parliament reconvened

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 September 2001, 10:38 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Parliament, which was prorogued by President Chandrika Kumaratunge on 10 July commenced its sittings Thursday morning. The Secretary General of Parliament, Dhammika Kitulugoda read out the proclamation reconvening the parliament. Thereafter the Speaker Anura Bandaranaike informed the House that the ruling People's Alliance and Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) have formed a coalition to end the political instability in the country.
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No election for two years -President

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 September 2001, 18:32 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunge said Tuesday there wouldn't be any general election this year or next year. "Government officials should not think about a change of government in the near future. They must be prepared to implement all development projects already finalized in their areas," President Kumaratunge told a group of government officials working in the North-Central Province. The meeting was held at President's House.
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Marxists look for gains from bailout

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 September 2001, 11:38 GMT]
The Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna Tuesday announced it would defeat the no-confidence motion against the PA government when it is tabled in parliament.
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Referendum cancelled, Parliament meets on Sept. 6

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 September 2001, 10:38 GMT]
President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge Monday issued proclamations cancelling the referendum fixed for October 18 and reconvening prorogued parliament on Thursday, a day earlier of the scheduled date. Meanwhile a top-level discussion is now in progress between the ruling People's Alliance and the Janata Vimukthi Peramuna at the Prime Minister's official residence, government sources said.
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PA to sign agreement with Marxists

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 September 2001, 07:18 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government said Saturday that it intends to sign an agreement with the Marxist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna to form an interim coalition to run the country for an year. The signing of the agreement, however, will be subject to approval by the parliamentary group of the People's Alliance, according to Prime Minister, Ratnasiri Wickremanayaka. The JVP's General Secretary, Mr. Tilvin Silva, said that his party will sit in the opposition and extend conditional support to the PA to run the government during the 'probation period'. The JVP is against peace talks with the Liberation Tigers to end the island¹s conflict. The party is also strongly opposed to economic reforms recommended by the IMF and the World Bank.
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PA-JVP talks continue

[TamilNet, Friday, 31 August 2001, 18:22 GMT]
The first round of crucial talks between President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge and senior leaders of the Marxist-Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) which began Friday around 3 p.m. concluded late in the evening. JVP's Propaganda Secretary and Parliamentarian Mr.Wimal Weerawansa said another round of talks between them and the President is now being held at President's House.
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Speaker invites opposition parties to unity conference

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 August 2001, 15:24 GMT]
The Speaker Mr.Anura Bandaranaike has invited leaders of all political parties represented in parliament for a crucial conference Monday, 3 September. "This is to ensure that the request to re-summon parliament is backed by a majority of parliamentarians - at least 115 MPs -if the government prorogues parliament again on 7 September" authoritative sources said.
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SLMC Urges Govt. to hold General Election

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 August 2001, 11:56 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Monday cautioned the Government that it would have to face dire consequences if Parliament is prorogued for second time. Mr.Rauff Hakeem, Leader of the SLMC and Kandy District Parliamentarian Monday said that the ruling People's Alliance was now holding talks with the main opposition United National Party and Janata Vimukthi Peramuna not to solve the present political crisis, but to continue in power for the rest of the period.
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JVP ultimatum to Kumaratunga

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 August 2001, 00:42 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Saturday evening issued an ultimatum to President Chandrika Kumaratunge to decide on their proposal for a 'probationary government' to resolve the present political crisis. "The delegation of the JVP told President Chandrika at a discussion held Saturday evening that they should arrive at a decision regarding the formation of a probationary government on or before August 31 Friday", party spokesman said.
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