Chandrika says will win war soon

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 May 2000, 20:40 GMT]
"The government has decided to win the war as soon as possible" said the Sri Lankan President today in an address to the nation. She claimed that the draconian regulations promulgated by her government last week under the Public Security Ordinance was only a temporary measure and would be put into effect only in extreme situations.
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UNP protest blocked

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 May 2000, 18:16 GMT]
A group of about thirty United National Party MPs were blocked by the Sri Lankan Police from staging a protest this morning at Independent Square near down town Colombo against the promulgation of the draconian regulations under the Public Security Ordinance.
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Indian assistance not possible - President

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 May 2000, 11:14 GMT]
The Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunge, said today that she did not think that it was possible to obtain military assistance from India to alleviate the military situation in the northern Jaffna peninsula, according to an MP of the ruling People's Alliance who attended a meeting of the party's Parliamentary Group Wednesday between 10 and 12.30pm.
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Chandrika, Ranil to discuss crisis

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 April 2000, 14:05 GMT]
The Sri Lankan President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga invited the leader of the opposition Mr.Ranil Wickremesinghe today for talks on the military crisis in the north. The talks are scheduled for May 3 at the President's official residence in Colombo.
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Profit plans stymie passage to Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 April 2000, 09:08 GMT]
The private operators of the passenger ship service to the north are quoting more than four thousand rupees (58 USD) for a return ticket to Jaffna from Trincomalee said a Jaffna Kachcheri official when contacted this morning by TamilNet over the continuing delay in obtaining the consent of the ICRC to escort such vessels. The official said "this ticket price structure is unfair". He added it could further compound the problem because the ICRC has no mandate, as far as he was aware, to escort a profit making passenger ship service.
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Court unseats controversial opposition MP

[TamilNet, Friday, 31 March 2000, 13:48 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Court of Appeal held today that controversial opposition Member of Parliament Dr.Rajitha Senaratne has no right to hold office as Member of Parliament, to sit or to vote in Parliament in the case filed by Deputy Minister for Justice Dilan Perera charging that the opposition politician was engaged in business with a government institution in contravention of the law at the time he was sworn as an MP.
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Leave temple sacred - TULF request

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 March 2000, 20:13 GMT]
Tamil United Liberation Front General Secretary R. Sampanthan has requested President Chandrika Kumaratunge to preserve the Thiruketheeswaram temple and its environs as a neutral peace Zone.
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TULF meets President

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 March 2000, 20:24 GMT]
A six member delegation of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) held discussions with the Sri Lankan President after waiting more than five hours to meet her. The TULF delegation had urged President Chandrika Kumaratunga to resettle people in Waligamam north in Jaffna, restore Thirukketheeswaram, the temple of Shiva in Mannar, allow a Norwegian aid program in Batticaloa and to upgrade the Kalmunai Divisional Secretariat.
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Youth missing since Salli rampage

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 21 March 2000, 23:28 GMT]
A Tamil youth, Vairamuthu Jayakili, who was arrested by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) personnel on 25 February has been reported missing since February 24. He was arrested at Pigeon island at Salli village in Trincomalee district.
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Electoral reforms stir apprehensions

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 March 2000, 12:46 GMT]
Leftist coalition partners of Sri Lanka's ruling People's Alliance and minority parties in the country's Parliament said today that they will not fully support the reforms to the island's electoral system which the government of Chandrika Kumaratunga plans to introduce in May this year. Leftists are apprehensive that their representation in the national legislature will virtually be wiped out by the proposed changes.
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UNP, PA press release

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 March 2000, 12:24 GMT]
A joint communique was issued after the second round of talks held on Thursday between the delegations from the People's Alliance (PA) and the United National Party (UNP). President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge chaired the discussion.
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UNP to talk despite accusations

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 15 March 2000, 20:49 GMT]
The General Secretary of the United National Party (UNP) said that the UNP would participate in second round of talks scheduled for tomorrow with the Government despite allegations made by President Chandrika that the main opposition party was working hand in glove with the LTTE.
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Appeal against Batticaloa pass

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 15 March 2000, 20:33 GMT]
An urgent appeal has been made to President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge not to implement the proposed unpopular pass system in the Batticaloa district.
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Norway "did not seek permission"

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 March 2000, 17:43 GMT]
The Norwegian Foreign Ministry today confirmed that Anton Balasingham, the Liberation Tigers' theoretician and political advisor had undergone treatment in Oslo and refuted comments by Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunge that Norway had sought her permission first.
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'Keep us informed on the peace talks' - UNP

[TamilNet, Friday, 10 March 2000, 00:22 GMT]
"We have also been informed by the Government of Norway that the Government of Sri Lanka asked for discussions with the LTTE and we are also being informed of certain other developments and I thought I should be briefed on that matter before we start talks," said Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the Sri Lankan opposition, United National Party, according to the communique» on today's meeting between the Government and UNP, issued jointly by both parties this evening.
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UNP, PA meeting-"talks on Talks"

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 March 2000, 09:10 GMT]
"Both side survived and we will meet again this month" said Sri Lanka's Opposition Leader Mr.Ranil Wickremesinghe coming from a two hour meeting with the President Chandrika Kumaratunga and seven of her senior cabinet ministers this afternoon around 1.30 a.m. "The first meeting went off well" he added.
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Ten Tigers killed in sea battle -VoT

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 March 2000, 21:48 GMT]
The Voice of Tigers (VoT) said in its night news broadcast that 10 Liberation Tigers including five Sea Tigers were killed in the sea battle with the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
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President supports Sports Minister

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 March 2000, 21:47 GMT]
In a significant reiteration of the controversial statement by Minister for Sports, Mr.S.B.Dissanayaka, President Chandrika Kumaratunga Bandaranaike said that her government would place its proposals for constitutional change before Parliament even if it cannot secure the two thirds majority needed to ratify new system.
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UNP gearing up to meet President

[TamilNet, Saturday, 04 March 2000, 18:08 GMT]
The Executive Committee and the Parliamentary Group of the United National Party (UNP) will meet on March 6 to decide on final preparations for discussions with President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge on March 9.
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Opposition leader declines President's invitation

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 February 2000, 14:56 GMT]
Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe, Leader of the United National Party has declined to participate at tomorrow's discussions with President Chandrika Kumaratunge, on the proposed constitutional reforms. He has informed President Chandrika today by a letter that the best possible course of action open to her is to immediately present in Parliament the proposals tabled in October 1997.
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