LTTE condemns assassination of senior leader

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 September 2001, 13:09 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in an official statement issued from its headquarters in Vanni Wednesday, strongly condemned the killing of one of its senior leaders, Colonel Shankar. The statement said the LTTE leadership "shares the Tamil people's outrage and treats the killing of a senior leader with utmost gravity."
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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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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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Jaffna undergrads defy EPDP tactics

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 September 2001, 18:51 GMT]
Jaffna University undergraduates Wednesday forced their way into the office of the Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority for the North (RRAN) to protest and argue with officials who refused to grant them travel permits to leave the peninsula. The students protested that they had obtained due permission from the Ministry of Defence to leave Jaffna for their holidays and that the RRAN officials were deliberately refusing to issue them tickets for the ship to Trincomalee at the instigation of the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP).
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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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Mannar Methodist Church farm youth killed

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 September 2001, 16:44 GMT]
The body of a youth shot by the Sri Lanka army on 8 September in Murunkan in Mannar was identified by his father Monday. The SLA claimed that the youth was a member of the Liberation Tigers and that some banned items such as matchboxes and bicycle spare parts were found near his body. However, the boy’s father, Mr. Peduduru Velichchore told the Mannar Hospital authorities that his son, Vincent Roy, 19, had gone to guard their field in the Jeevothayam farm late that night. Mr. Velichchore said he had heard about the shooting over a foreign Tamil radio broadcast.
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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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Tigers say recruitment rising

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 September 2001, 23:27 GMT]
(NEWS FEATURE) The Liberation Tigers' Batticaloa and Amparai district political leader, Mr. Karikalan, said this week that his organisation was drawing large numbers of new volunteers and denied press reports of forcible recruitment. In an interview with Tamil language Uthayan newspaper published Tuesday, Mr.Karikalan said many recruits were coming forward with the support and encouragement of their parents amid active participation from many villages in the LTTE's recruitment drive. "There is a firm belief amongst the people that the struggle will succeed. This has given us a fresh impetus."
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Sri Lanka seeks F-16 jets from Pakistan - report

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 September 2001, 22:51 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga is likely to ask Pakistan's President Musharraf for military planes, including US-built F-16 fighter bombers, helicopters and other military equipment "to meet [Sri Lanka's] urgent defence needs", when she meets Pakistani President General Musharraf during the UN General Assembly session, press reports said Tuesday.
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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 accepts JVP conditions

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 September 2001, 06:44 GMT]
President Chandrika Kumaratunge has been empowered by the government parliamentary group Sunday midnight to cancel the October 18 referendum and reconvene parliament on Thursday. The government parliamentary group Sunday requested the President to implement its decisions with immediate effect.
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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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LTTE rejects government offer as 'calculated ploy'

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 August 2001, 09:06 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers Thursday rejected the Sri Lankan government's offer of a "mutually agreed ceasefire" as "a calculated political duplicity to divert the attention of the people and the world from the deepening crisis in Colombo." Mr. Anton Balasingham, the chief negotiator and political advisor of the LTTE told TamilNet Thursday that "the LTTE is not prepared to enter into negotiation with a corrupt, inefficient, unstable government which does not have a majority in Parliament."
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LTTE denies warning to Tamil MPs

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 August 2001, 18:09 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers Monday denied issuing a note circulating in the Jaffna peninsula warning Tamil MPs to quit the Sri Lankan Parliament and purported to originate from an organisation which the government says is a front of the LTTE. A notice issued by the ‘Sangiliyan Padai’ (Sangiliyan Army) on Saturday said those who refused “would not have an opportunity to regret their action.”
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UNP seeks general elections by December

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 August 2001, 01:07 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s main opposition United National Party (UNP) favours a caretaker government for a maximum of 12 weeks followed by general elections in December a means to end the ongoing political crisis, press reports said Sunday. “The UNP leader has indicated he will not go into a national government with the [ruling] People’s Alliance,” the independent Sunday Leader said.
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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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JVP studies President’s reply

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 August 2001, 11:16 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s President Chandrika Kumaratunge Friday replied to the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) regarding her position in forming a probationary government as suggested by the latter during their two rounds of talks held earlier this month. However, the state-run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), which reported the news did not reveal the contents of the President’s communication.
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PA names team for UNP talks

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 August 2001, 11:04 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s ruling People's Alliance (PA) Friday named its representatives to have political talks with the main opposition United National Party (UNP). The delegation included Ministers D.M.Jayaretna, Mahinda Rajapakse, Mangala Samaraweera, Anuruddha Ratwatte, Nimal Sripala de Silva and Lakshman Kadirgamar.
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