Japanese peace envoy praises LTTE's sincerity

[TamilNet, Sunday, 19 January 2003, 18:49 GMT]
Mr.Yasushi Akashi, Japanese special peace envoy said Saturday that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) participates in the peace talks with dedication, sincerity and with open heart.
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'Federalism will unite divided Sri Lanka' – Jaffna don

[TamilNet, Sunday, 19 January 2003, 12:48 GMT]
“This country is already divided. This is the ground reality. The Sinhalese people have to be told this. There is no point in talking about history now. The Indo-Lanka Accord, the Banda-Chelva Pact and the Dudley Chelva Pact have recognized the separate distinct identity of the Tamils in the past. The Sinhalese have to be told that the divided country can be united by granting a federal solution," said Prof. S. K Sittampalam, a senior historian, speaking at a seminar on ‘Federalizing the Sri Lankan State’ in the University of Jaffna Sunday.


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'We want our land' - Second Pongu Thamil theme

[TamilNet, Saturday, 18 January 2003, 12:25 GMT]
The first year anniversary celebrations of Pongu Thamil (Tamil Resurgence) movement in northeast province which was held at the Jaffna University grounds Friday concluded with the declaration of the theme "We want our land," sources in Jaffna said.


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Pirapaharan welcomes Japanese envoy, President cancels meeting

[TamilNet, Friday, 17 January 2003, 12:07 GMT]
Leader of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Velupillai Pirapaharan, sent his greetings through LTTE's political head, ThamilChelvan, to the visiting World bank Vice president, Ms Meiko Nishimizu, Special peace envoy of the Government of Japan, Mr.Yasushi Akashi, World Bank Country Director Mr. Peter Harold and other delegates to the meeting of the Sub Committee on Immediate Humanitarian and Rehabilitation (SIHRN) which met in Kilinochchi, Voice of Tigers (VoT), reported in its late night broadcast yesterday.


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Colonel Kittu's tenth anniversary commemorated

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 January 2003, 22:54 GMT]
The tenth death anniversary of Colonel Kittu, a senior commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was observed in northeastern province Thursday. Colonel Kittu and nine other LTTE members committed suicide when the Indian Navy cordoned off the boat in which they were sailing to Sri Lanka. Kittu was the head of the LTTE's International Secretariat at the time of his death.
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SIHRN identifies 11 projects for immediate implementation in NE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 January 2003, 10:31 GMT]
Mr.Yasushi Akashi, special peace envoy of the Government of Japan and Ms Mieko Nishimizu, World Bank Vice President for South Asia participated at the second day meeting of the Sub Committee on Immediate Humanitarian and Rehabilitation Needs in the North and East (SIHRN) held Thursday at Killinochchi. Eleven projects have been identified for immediate implementation in the north and east at the SIHRN meeting after eleven hour discussion, said a press release issued at the conclusion of the meeting.
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SIHRN discusses resettlement, rehabilitation

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 15 January 2003, 16:18 GMT]
In the meeting of the Sub Committee on Immediate Humanitarian and Rehabilitation Needs (SIHRN) held Wednesday at Killinochchi, a decision was taken to appoint a twenty-one member committee to take steps regarding the resettlement of displaced in Jaffna peninsula, sources said.
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Immediate steps to develop education in NE urged

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 January 2003, 20:28 GMT]
Speaking at the conclusion of an education workshop held at Killinochchi Maha Vidiyalyam on Monday, the head of the Thamileelam Educational Development Council (TEEDC), Mr.V.Ilankumaran, said that Tamils should not hesitate to fight for their educational rights, but they needed to take immediate steps to develop education in the North-East with available funds and other resources, without waiting until more money for education becomes available.
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Workshop charts educational development for NorthEast

[TamilNet, Sunday, 12 January 2003, 19:50 GMT]
Three-day workshop to give final shape to educational development projects to be implemented in the northern province in the year 2003 commenced Sunday at Killinochchi Maha Vidiyalayam in the Wanni region. Twelve zonal directors of education and their deputies in the northern province including Professor A.Shanmugathas of the Jaffna University participated, education sources said.


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'Archaeological finds should be safeguarded' -Ilankumaran

[TamilNet, Sunday, 12 January 2003, 19:47 GMT]
Faculty of Archaeology should be established in universities in the northeast to ensure better security to the archaeological finds of our land, said Mr.V.Ilankumaran, head of the Thamileelam Educational Development Division addressing a meeting of Trincomalee writers and critics Saturday evening at Trincomalee Sri Koneswara Hindu College.
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Court extends remand for SLA soldier

[TamilNet, Saturday, 11 January 2003, 03:18 GMT]
The Killinochchi Thamileelam court Friday rejected the bail application made on behalf of a soldier of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) arrested by Tiger cadres for straying into the LTTE territory at Manalaru on December 24 last year and ordered remand for another fourteen days, court sources said.


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Political solution in Sri Lanka said constitutionally impossible

[TamilNet, Monday, 06 January 2003, 23:09 GMT]
“The nationhood of Tamils and their right to self-determination are non-negotiable. Any political solution that might emerge out of the ongoing peace process cannot go below these. The territory of Northeast is part of the identity of the Tamils of this country. We don't need historical proof for this. We don't need anyone's recognition or consent to exercise our right of self-determination. It is the birthright of each and every nation,” said Mr.V.T.Thamilmaran, senior lecturer in law in the University of Colombo, delivering the third Kumar Ponnambalam Memorial Speech in Jaffna Sunday.
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VoT expands broadcast to mark Kittu memorial day

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 January 2003, 20:07 GMT]
Voice of Tigers (VoT) announced in its daily nightly broadcast today that it will increase its broadcast time and distance from 16 January marking the tenth memorial anniversary of Colonel Kittu, said sources in Vanni.
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Film release celebrates Sea Tigers' tenth anniversary

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 December 2002, 17:43 GMT]
“Nitharsanam” TV unit of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Tuesday released the film “ Kadaloorakatru” (A wind along the coast) produced after the ceasefire agreement between the government and LTTE came into force, simultaneously in six districts in the northeast province celebrating the tenth anniversary of Sea Tigers, sources said.
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Public urged to safeguard Jaffna's antiques

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 December 2002, 16:33 GMT]
The Head of Tamil Department of the Jaffna University, Professor K.Shanmugathas, Saturday made an appeal to all citizens to take immediate measures to safeguard antiques found in Hindu temples and other public places from being smuggled out of Jaffna peninsula, sources in Jaffna said.
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LTTE's help sought to trace Jaffna missing

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 December 2002, 16:24 GMT]
The Jaffna Missing Persons Guardian Association (MPGA) Saturday appealed to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) seeking its assistance to trace their loved ones disappeared during 1996 and 1997 after arrest by Sri Lanka's State armed forces, sources said.
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Pomp and Pageantry mark start of NE Tamil Festival

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 December 2002, 12:22 GMT]
The three-day North East Provincial Tamil Literary Festival commenced in Trincomalee Saturday with pomp and pageantry with a two km long cultural pageant depicting Tamil literary values progressed from the office of the provincial ministry of education to the venue of the festival Trincomalee St.Joseph's College through main street and Thirugnanasampanthar Street. A statue of Tamil Annai (Mother Tamil) lead the cultural pageant, sources said.
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LTTE's Television unit releases film in NE

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 December 2002, 14:22 GMT]
"Nitharsanam" television unit of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for the first time is to release a film called "Kadaloorakkatrukkal" (A wind along the coast) in all the eight districts of the northeast province simultaneously on December 31. "The film depicts the sufferings of people of the northeast coast and traces the history of Tamil freedom struggle," said Mr.Veera, a Nitharsanam official at an event held at Trincomalee New Silver Star Hotel Thursday evening.
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Rehabilitation, Development discussed in Trinco conference

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 December 2002, 05:27 GMT]
The political section of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) organized a conference Sunday to discuss proposed development and rehabilitation work in Trincomalee district and to establish a framework for the Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that promotes close coordination to avoid duplication of effort while facilitating the NGOs to function without any obstacles, sources in Trincomalee said.
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Norwegian envoy encouraged by discussions in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 December 2002, 20:53 GMT]
The Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mr. Jon Westborg, told journalists today that he is encouraged by discussions held in Kilinochchi on matters related to the resettlement of people affected by the war in the North-East.
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