Confrontational politics bane of Sri Lanka – Ranil

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 September 2002, 19:17 GMT]
"The main reason for the present crisis in Sri Lanka is due to the confrontational politics between the two major political groups in the south," said Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe addressing a mammoth rally held Monday evening at Colombo Town Hall. "Both parties to the conflict should participate in the peace talks scheduled to begin in Thailand next week between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam with full confidence," said the Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe.
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Sixth Amendment threat looms over peace talks

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 September 2002, 19:08 GMT]
(Newsfeature) President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s People’s Alliance and the Sinhala nationalist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) vowed Friday to fight the United National Front government for lifting of the ban on the Liberation Tigers. The spokesman for the People’s Alliance Dr. Sarath Amunugama said the party will take legal action and start mass protests against the de-proscription. He was addressing a press conference at the opposition leader’s office in Colombo Friday.
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PA to oppose 19th constitutional amendment

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 September 2002, 18:54 GMT]
The parliamentry group of the Sri Lanka’s main opposition People’s Alliance (PA) Friday decided to oppose the nineteenth constitutional amendment which is to be moved by the United National Front government, restricting the presidential powers to dissolve parliament. However, two leading PA parliamentarians and former ministers Mr.A.H.M.Fowzie and Mr. Richard Pathirana were the notable absentees at the meeting, party sources said.
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TNA tells Chandrika to shun JVP

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 September 2002, 19:28 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance Thursday said that President Chandrika Kumaratunge should not take any decisions regarding the peace process on the guidance of the Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP).”Instead it is essential for her to take decisions in the interests of the country and of finding a permanent and just solution to the ethnic conflict,” said Mr.R.Sampanthan, leader of the TNA parliamentary group in a statement issued Thursday, welcoming the de-proscription of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
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Gazette notification on 19th amendment postponed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 September 2002, 15:26 GMT]
The United National Front government Tuesday decided to postpone the gazette notification on the nineteenth constitutional amendment until Friday to give time for President Chandrika Kumaratunge to submit her response, Prime Minister office sources said.
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Sinhala nationalists protest in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 September 2002, 14:27 GMT]
Thousands of Sinhla nationalists, including hundreds of Buddhist monks took to streets in Capital Colombo, Tuesday, protesting against the government's decision to lift the ban on Liberation Tigers. The protestors were blocked by police as they attempted to march towards the Prime Minister's office.
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UNF said to have power to de-proscribe

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 September 2002, 09:52 GMT]
A leading legal luminary has said that the Defence Minister in the United National Front (UNF) government has the authority to issue gazette notification announcing the de-proscription of the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. "Once the ban on LTTE is lifted the President absolutely has no right to change that decision," said President Counsel Mr. Desmond Fernando referring to the constitutional conflict that has arisen following the President's remarks that she would oppose de-proscription.
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Monks urge President to block de-proscription

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 September 2002, 09:48 GMT]
A deputation of the National Bhikku Front (Jathika Maha Sangha Sammelanaya) Monday night requested President Chandrika Kumaratunge to take control of the Defence Ministry and to use her executive powers to prevent the de-proscription of the LTTE and setting up of an interim administration in the Northeast Province.
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PA parliamentarian for ban removal before talks

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 September 2002, 18:11 GMT]
A leading People’s Alliance parliamentarian Monday openly said that the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam should be lifted before the commencement of Thailand peace talks on September 16. " All peace efforts taken by the United National Front government will be ruined if the ban on the LTTE is not removed before the commencement of Thailand talks," said Mr.A.H.M.Fowzie, a senior minister in the then PA government and a leading member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.
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Chandrika slams UNF government 'without vision'

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 September 2002, 18:32 GMT]
"The United National Front government has no vision nor ability to rule the country," said President Chandrika Kumaratunge Sunday evening at Bogambara grounds, Kandy in the Central province. The President was addressing a large gathering at the fifty first convention of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) which was founded by her father, late Premier S.W.R.D.Bandaranaike in 1951.
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President lays conditions for de-proscription, interim administration

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 September 2002, 12:25 GMT]
President Chandrika Kumaratunge has announced her stand on the removal of ban on the Liberation Tigers in Sri Lanka and setting up of an interim administration in the northeast province. "I will oppose de-proscribing the LTTE before the commencement of direct peace talks. I will also oppose the setting up of interim administration in the northeast before reaching an agreement with the LTTE by the government on the core issues related to the conflict," said the President when addressing a gathering, according to a press release issued by the Presidential Secretariat Sunday.
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SLFP opposes 19th amendment

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 September 2002, 12:16 GMT]
The central working committee of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), the main constituent of the main opposition People's Alliance (PA) Saturday night decided to oppose the proposed nineteenth constitutional amendment restricting the Presidential powers to dissolve parliament.
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Special court in prison to expedite PTA cases

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 August 2002, 18:43 GMT]
The special High Court established in the Welikada prison to hear cases filed under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) is to function from September 15, Judicial Service Commission (JSC) sources said Saturday. This is the first time a special court has been set up in a prison to expedite the disposal of PTA cases, legal sources said.
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Cabinet approves 19th constitutional amendment

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 August 2002, 13:24 GMT]
The United National Front (UNF) government said Friday that it will gazette the nineteenth amendment to the constitution restricting powers to the Executive President to dissolve parliament, on September 3 Tuesday. “The cabinet has approved the proposed amendment and it will be tabled in parliament on September 11. The President can make any statement regarding the constitutional amendment on or before September 3,” said Constitutional Affairs Minister and government media spokesman Mr. G.L.Peiris Friday at a press briefing held at the Department of Information.
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Cabinet approves move to curb President

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 August 2002, 08:13 GMT]
(News Feature) The constitutional standoff between Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga and the government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe deepened this week as state media reported that the cabinet Wednesday adopted the 18th amendment which seeks to curb the powers of the President to dissolve parliament whilst also precluding action against members who vote for same.
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18th amendment draft tabled

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 August 2002, 23:49 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Finance Minister, Mr. K. N. Choksy said Monday that the draft bill of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution would be tabled at the next cabinet meeting, scheduled to be held on Wednesday.
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PA-JVP anti-peace moves criticised

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 August 2002, 23:13 GMT]
"People's Alliance (PA) and the Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) are working together to derail the peace process. Peace loving people of the country should not allow these elements to succeed," said Media Minister Mr.Imtiaz Bakeer Markar when addressing a gathering Friday in Trincomalee, after opening the newly built Rs.112 million Post Office complex.
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UNF decides to limit Executive Presidency powers

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 August 2002, 11:42 GMT]
The United National Front government has decided to bring in amendments to the 1978 Constitution to limit the discretionary powers of the Executive Presidency to dissolve parliament and measures to allow parliamentarians to vote according to their conscience, Constitutional Affairs Minister and Cabinet spokesman Mr. G.L.Peiris said Thursday.
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Mylanthanai massacre commemorated

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 August 2002, 00:08 GMT]
The tenth anniversary of the massacre by Sri Lankan troops of thirty nine men, women and children in the eastern village of Mylanthanai was marked Thursday by survivors who have been living in Kalmadu refugee camp. Meanwhile the Sri Lanka Army held a remembrance ceremony for the Army and Navy officers, whose deaths in a landmine attack on August 8, 1992, triggered the retaliatory massacre.
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Meeting lends ‘fresh cause for optimism’ - paper

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 July 2002, 15:06 GMT]
In the wake of the landmark meeting Saturday between Sri Lankan cabinet Minister Milinda Moragoda and the Liberation Tigers’ chief negotiator, Anton Balasingham, prospects of a meeting later this year between Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and LTTE leader Vellupillai Pirapaharan have been raised, a Tamil expatriate newspaper reported this week.
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