Appeal Court dismisses petitions challenging CFA

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 10:34 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Court of Appeal Tuesday rejected three petitions, one by the Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and the other two by all monks' party Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), challenging the legal validity of the Ceasefire agreement signed on 22 February 2002 by Ranil Wickremasinghe, then Prime Minister of the United National Party (UNP) government of Sri Lanka and Velupillai Pirapaharan, leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), legal sources in Colombo said.
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UNP to launch campaign against abduction, killings, HR violations

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 March 2007, 21:36 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) is to launch a mass protest campaign across Sri Lanka against the increased number of abduction, killings and other human rights violations. The campaign will begin in April led by Ranil Wickremasinghe, opposition leader, said S.B.Dissanayake, national organizer of the UNP.
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One family show must end- Sooriyarachchi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 17:41 GMT]
"There is a large number of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) members, including 25 members of the parliament, who will likely support Mangala Samaraweera's and my stand, for our ideological struggle within the party and our advocacy for good governance. We also have a responsibility to bring the one family show of Rajapakses' to an end," said former Port Development Minister Sripathi Sooriyarachchi in an interview with Lankadeepa, a Sinhala weekend newspaper, Sunday.
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Marginalisation of CFA compells Tamils to resume freedom struggle - LTTE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 16:54 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, in a statement marking five years since the signing of 22 February 2002 Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) with the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL), said the CFA formulated with the full support of the international community, had transcended the parameters of Sri Lanka’s majoritarian constitution, recognizing Tamil Eelam’s de facto existence and the balance of power between the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the LTTE. However, the international community’s insistence on a solution that does not infringe on the "territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka," is deeply frustrating for the Tamil people, the statement said.
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JHU tells JVP: CFA already dead, meaningless to demand abrogation

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 12:42 GMT]
The ceasefire agreement CFA) signed by Ranil Wickremasinghe, the then Prime Minister and Velupillai Pirapaharan, leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) five years ago on 22 February 2002 had already dead with the capture of Mavilaru by the Sri Lankan security forces last year. "Hence there is no point in demanding the government to abrogate the CFA,"said Venerable Omalpe Sobitha Thera, general secretary of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU).
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SL Government has no deals with LTTE- Prime Minister

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 February 2007, 22:44 GMT]
Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, Prime Minister, Monday refuted the allegation that the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) has a secret understanding with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). He was answering a question by Joseph Michael Perera, parliamentarian of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) citing ousted minister Sripathi Sooriyarachchi in parliament Tuesday.
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UNP demands SLFP to finalize political proposal

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 February 2007, 22:21 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) Tuesday told the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government to table its political package to solve the ethnic conflict before March 15. "UNP will not participate in the All Party Representatives Committee (APRC) or its advisory panel if the SLFP fails to do so within the time frame," a UNP spokesman told media persons in Colombo.
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Dissident UNP parliamentarians go to court

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 February 2007, 16:00 GMT]
The Colombo District Court Monday issued two enjoining orders restraining Ranil Wickremasinghe and Mr. Tissa Attanayake, leader and general secretary of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) respectively, from taking disciplinary action against the eighteen UNP parliamentarians who have defected to the government side during the first week of February. The inquiry into these petitions was fixed for March 5 .
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NPM urges Rajapakse to nullify CFA with LTTE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 February 2007, 18:37 GMT]
The National Patriotic Movement (NPM) Sunday made an urgent appeal to Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse to nullify the ceasefire agreement (CFA) signed by Ranil Wickremasinghe, the then Prime Minister and Velupillai Pirapaharan, leader of LTTE, before the CFA completes five-year period on February 22, sources in Colombo said.
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Abrogate CFA before February 22, demands Bhikku Front

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 February 2007, 02:16 GMT]
The Sri Lanka National Bhikku Front (SLNBF) is considering intensifying agitation if the government fails to abrogate the ceasefire agreement (CFA) before 22nd February, Venerable Dambara Amila Thera, President of the SLNBF told media persons Friday evening at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo where Buddhist priests have been fasting on rotation.
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Buddhist monks to fast demanding abrogation of CFA

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 February 2007, 22:09 GMT]
Sri Lanka's National Bhikku Front (NBF), an organization of Buddhist monks, is to launch a fasting campaign Monday in Colombo demanding the Sri Lanka President to abrogate the ceasefire agreement (CFA) signed by the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe and Velupillai Pirapaharan, leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), sources in Colombo said.
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Dissident MPs abstain from UNP Working Committee meeting

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 February 2007, 01:12 GMT]
Dissident parliamentarians of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) who joined the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government led by Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse last week and accepted minister posts, did not attend the 76-member working committee of the UNP held Tuesday evening at party headquarters "Sri Kotha" in Colombo, UNP sources said.
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SL parliament to meet Tuesday amid tension

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 February 2007, 02:23 GMT]
Sri Lanka parliament meets Tuesday amid unease among a section of parliamentarians of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government over the allocation of ministries in the cabinet reshuffle that took place last week, parliamentary sources said.


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Wickremesinghe returns to lead a depleted opposition

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 February 2007, 03:19 GMT]
Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) returned home Friday morning after a nine-day tour to Nepal and India. "My party will act on principles and on behalf of the masses until it emerges victorious, "said Ranil Wickremasinghe to media persons at Katunayake International airport. 18 UNP dissidents crossed over to join the Rajapakse Government during Mr Wickremesinghe's tour abroad.
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UNP Chairman tore MoU copy with SLFP into pieces

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 January 2007, 18:21 GMT]
Rukman Senanayake, Chairman of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) at a news briefing held Sunday afternoon publicly tore a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the UNP with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government. He said the MoU with the SLFP is no more in operation.
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Defections annul MoU with SLFP- UNP

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 January 2007, 10:16 GMT]
Rukman Senanayake, Chairman of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) has informed the government that the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government will come to end with the accommodation of party dissident group in the cabinet.
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Wickremasinghe leaves for Nepal, India

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 January 2007, 12:36 GMT]
Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), leaves Thursday on a nine-day tour to two countries, Nepal and India amid speculation in Colombo political circles that a group of dissident UNP parliamentarians are expected to be sworn in as ministers in President Mahinda Rajapakse cabinet during the weekend, media sources said.
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Terminate CFA, Buddhist monks demand

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 January 2007, 12:09 GMT]
Sri Lanka Buddhist Monks' Front Thursday decided to submit a memorandum to Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse demanding termination of the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) signed on 22 February 2002 by then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe and V. Pirapaharan, leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) before it completes five year-term.
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Wickremasinghe to meet Indian leaders next week in New Delhi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 January 2007, 11:51 GMT]
The leader of the Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party, Ranil Wickremasinghe, is scheduled to visit India by the end of this week and to hold talks with Indian government leaders regarding the current political and security situation in Sri Lanka. Wickremasinghe is likely to meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Indian Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, leader of the main opposition Barathiya Janatha Party (BJP) during his stay in New Delhi, UNP sources said.
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UNP dissidents firm in joining SL government- Jayasuriya

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 January 2007, 22:24 GMT]
Mr.Karu Jayasuriya, dissident leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), told media persons in Colombo that there is no change in the decision to cross over to the government side by a group of dissident UNP parliamentarians. He added that he would meet Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe on Monday in Colombo at the latter's invitation, sources said.
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