TRO compensates victims of hartal violence

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 December 2002, 17:58 GMT]
Trincomalee district secretariat of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) Friday distributed one hundred and seventy seven thousand rupees to the victims of the October 11 hartal violence. Each family of the dead was given ten thousand rupees and the wounded forty-nine persons were given three thousand rupees per head as compensation, sources said.
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Minister says majority support federal concept

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 December 2002, 18:27 GMT]
Health Minister in the United National Front government (UNF), Mr.P.Dayaratne, addressing a public meeting at Kurunagala Sunday said, "Majority of the people in south are supporting the federal concept. Only few communal elements are against a political solution to the ethnic problem based on federal constitution," sources in Kurunagala said.


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Irrigation tanks overflow, A9 repaired

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 December 2002, 15:53 GMT]
Transport on the A-9 highway was interrupted Wednesday morning as heavy rainfall worsened the conditions of the already damaged highway between Umaiyalpuram and the Chemical factory in Paranthan. The Tamil Eelam Administrative Service, The Tamil Eelam Police Service and the Tamil Eelam Traffic Police jointly repaired the road and transport was restored to normal by Wednesday night, the Voice of Tigers radio said in its news broadcast.
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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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'Eschew communal politics'- UNF minister

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 December 2002, 17:16 GMT]
"Peaceful environment has dawned in the island after a brutal war for over a period of twenty years. To consolidate the present peace process all should work together irrespective of party politics and other differences. This is not the time for singing old communal songs," said the United National Front (UNF) Minister of School Education Development Mr.Suranimala Rajapakse, addressing a conference held Friday at the Trincomalee district secretariat.
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Sri Lanka Opposition decries Government's fiscal policies

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 December 2002, 04:30 GMT]
The second budget of the United National Front (UNF) government passed in parliament Tuesday night with a majority of thirty-six votes with one hundred and twenty one parliamentarians voting for the 2003 budget and ninety one voting against, parliamentary sources said.
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People of Vaakarai demand basic telephone facilities

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 December 2002, 16:25 GMT]
Government employees and residents of Vaakarai, located 64 km north of Batticaloa, have demanded that the SL Telecom should provide basic telephone facilities to the area.
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LTTE, GOSL reach exploratory agreement

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 December 2002, 12:04 GMT]
The government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam reached an exploratory agreement Thursday to “explore a solution to end the island’s conflict founded on the principle of internal self determination in areas of historical habitation of the Tamil speaking peoples, based on a federal structure within a united Sri Lanka”. “Sri Lanka needs a new constitution that would radically transform its polity," said Chief negotiator of the Liberation Tigers, Mr. Anton Balasingham, addressing a joint press conference Thursday morning at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in downtown Oslo.
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Third round of peace talks open in Oslo

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 December 2002, 16:32 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) began the third round of peace talks to end Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict at the Radisson SAS Plaza Hotel in downtown Oslo Monday afternoon.
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North East celebrates Heroes Day

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 November 2002, 10:44 GMT]
Towns, villages, remotest hamlets in the northeast province held by government forces and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam are gaily decorated with yellow and red flags and cut outs depicting the Tamil liberation struggle observing the final day of the 'Maaveerar Naal' (Heroes Day) celebrations Wednesday. Jaffna, Batticaloa, Vavuniya and Mannar Maveerar Naal final day celebrations are being held on a grad scale.
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EU promises substantial contribution, says will engage Tamil Diaspora

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 November 2002, 04:35 GMT]
Petter Hansen from Denmark addressing the Oslo peace support conference on behalf of the European Union (EU) said that "EU stands ready to support the peace process and is committed to delivering a substantial contribution to the post-conflict rehabilitation of Sri Lanka." He added that "the EU will strengthen its engagement in the peace process" and introduced a new perspective to the support effort by asserting EU "will also engage the Tamil Diaspora to support the process."
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US calls to renounce violence, says ready to play its part

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 November 2002, 21:06 GMT]
Richard Armitage, Deputy Secretary of State, US, the highest ranking American official to visit Sri Lanka since the start of the conflict, said that his country will continue to support programs that promote peace and good governance in his address at the Oslo donor conference, 25 November. He called on the LTTE to renounce violence and secession. The presence of Secretary Armitage during Anton Balasingham's address later in the day sent a strong message of recognition of LTTE's growing legitimacy, analysts said.
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'International support vital to sustain peace' - Ranil

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 November 2002, 12:42 GMT]
Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe, speaking at the opening session of the Oslo support meeting 25 November appealed to the International community to help Sri Lanka rebuild the economy devastated by war. "Without continuing international support and help with resources to build the peace dividend, the momentum for peace could be retarded. With the re-creation of opportunities for growth politicians and negotiators alike will be driven to stabilize and advance the peace," said Mr. Wickremesinghe.
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Peace brigades proposed to defeat saboteurs

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 November 2002, 19:32 GMT]
A senior minister in the United National Front government said Tuesday that peace brigades should be formed to defeat some elements that are actively engaged in sabotaging the peace initiatives commenced in 1994 and 2001.
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TRO assesses Kumburupiddy resettlement needs

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 November 2002, 16:55 GMT]
The Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) Tuesday conducted a need assessment programme in Kumburupiddy, 22 km north of Trincomalee district where hundreds of displaced Tamil families who have returned from Vanni after the signing of the ceasefire agreement struggle for survival with little rehabilitation assistance.
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Tensions high in Delft over EPDP presence

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 November 2002, 20:02 GMT]
Tensions in Delft remained high today as the residents continued their protests demanding that the EPDP make a complete withdrawal from Delft. EPDP cadres have agreed to vacate early morning tomorrow, as the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) is attempting to bring the situation under control sources said.
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TNA abstains from voting to register protest

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 November 2002, 17:54 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians Monday refrained from voting when the Interior Ministry financial allocation in the 2003 budget was put to vote during the committee stage debate. "The TNA parliamentary group decided not to vote for the Interior Ministry financial allocation to register our dissatisfaction to the government for its inaction regarding Kanchirankuda and Trincomalee incidents in which several Tamils were killed," said Mr.R.Sampanthan, TNA parliamentary group leader.


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TULF commends Norway, International Community

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 November 2002, 19:21 GMT]
The Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), main constituent of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), while commending Norway and International Community for their support to the peace process, made an appeal to Tamils from making statements that will have adverse impact on the peace process. People who have rarely stood up for the human rights or democratic rights of the Tamil people cannot make any honest contribution to the Tamil question, said the Secretary General of the TULF Mr.R.Sampanthan in a press release at the conclusion of the central committee meeting held Sunday in Colombo.
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Parliament adopts UNF second budget

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 November 2002, 07:49 GMT]
The second budget of the United National Front government was passed Thursday in parliament by a majority of thirty-six votes. One hundred twenty nine parliamentarians voted for the budget and ninety three voted against. Parliamentarians of the main opposition People's Alliance (PA), Sinhala hardliner party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the National Unity Alliance (NUA), the breakaway group of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress voted against the budget.
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Muslim fishermen complain of attack

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 November 2002, 16:36 GMT]
About seventy five Muslim fishermen entered the conference hall of the Trincomalee district secretariat Monday evening, interrupting the meeting of the District Co-ordinating Committee (DCC) which was in progress, and lodged complaint to the parliamentarians and security officials that they had been assaulted by a group of persons backed by members State armed forces and police personnel in civil uniform, sources said.
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