Passenger ferry service resumes in May

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 March 1999, 22:07 GMT]
A private passenger ship service under the supervision of Sri Lanka's Commissioner General of Essential Services (CGES) will commence between Jaffna and Trincomalee from May said government sources in Jaffna today.
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President outlines election plans

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 March 1999, 10:15 GMT]
President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumarathunge said that the present government has two more years in office and that an election would be held at the end of this term as scheduled.
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Education ministry charged with discrimination

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 March 1999, 18:20 GMT]
The Ceylon Tamils Teacher's Union (CTTU) has brought to the notice of the President, Chandrika Bandaranayake, and the Minister of Education and Higher Education, Mr. Richard Pathirana, the discrimination shown by the authorities in distributing Tamil text books to Tamil medium schools in the country.
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President acts to restore confidence

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 February 1999, 00:41 GMT]
President Chandrika Bandaranayake Kumarathunge yesterday ordered the Inspector General of Police to immediately take into custody the Gampaha district People's Alliance Praliamentarian, Jinadasa Nandasena, and his son who are both contesting the Western Provincial Council Election, scheduled for April 1, as PA candidates.
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News in Brief

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 February 1999, 13:44 GMT]
Minster's son charged with assault; President to discuss forthcoming elections with opposition leader and UNP plans to censure Government over appointment of new Secretary General of Parliament.
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Court awards damages in fundamental rights case

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 February 1999, 19:28 GMT]
A three-member Bench of the Supreme Court today awarded 350,000 rupees as compensation to Mr.Anura Bandaranaike, UNP Parliamentarian of the National List, stating that the fundamental rights of the petitioner had been violated by the police.
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Committee on amnesties reports finding

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 February 1999, 20:02 GMT]
The Committee, appointed by the President, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumarathunge, to inquire into and report on necessary changes in policy with regard to granting of general amnesties, has recommended that the policy with regard to commutation of death sentences, remissions in respect of unpaid fines and camp remissions should remain unchanged.
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UNP attacks break with convention

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 February 1999, 15:46 GMT]
The main opposition party, the United National Party (UNP) has strongly criticised the President, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge, for appointing a complete outsider as the Secretary-General of Parliament, kicking aside all Parliamentary traditions.
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Navy holds up ferry service

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 February 1999, 22:19 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Navy has refused permission to a private shipping firm to launch a passenger shipping service between Trincomalee and Kankesanthurai. The decision came despite the fact that the International Committee of the Red Cross signed an agreement with the North East Governor and the Commissioner General of Essential Services (CGES), to provide security to the ship when it sails with civilians sources said.
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MP criticises president's development policy

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 February 1999, 20:21 GMT]
The elected representative for the Batticaloa district, Mr.Joseph Pararajasingham, M.P., appealed to the government and the President to allow rehabilitation and reconstruction work funded by the Norwegian government to proceed in all areas of his district. The appeal was made during a debate on the extension of the state of emergency in Parliament today.
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Amnesty welcomes disappearances convictions

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 February 1999, 23:22 GMT]
Amnesty International, the London-based human rights watchdog welcomed today’s convictions of six members of the Sri Lankan security forces and a school principal involved in a notorious ‘disappearance’ case as "another step against impunity".
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Religious leaders meet Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 February 1999, 22:01 GMT]
S.P.Thamilchelvan, the leader of the Liberation Tigers' political wing told a team of religious leaders visiting the Vanni today, that the importance of seeking peace should be impressed on the Sri Lankan government and its security forces, sources in the Vanni said.
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PA ally calls for fresh elections

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 February 1999, 22:29 GMT]
The Leader of the United Lalith Front, Mrs Srimani Athulathmudali in a statement issued today said:"I believe that the President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge would win the confidence of the voters if she were to ask the Governor of the Wayambe to dissolve the newly elected north western provincial council and call for fresh elections".
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Date set for 5 PC polls

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 February 1999, 10:51 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Commissioner of Elections, Mr. Dayanantha Dissanayaka, announced today that the polls to the five provincial councils, which were postponed last year by the PA regime, would be held on April 1. The Sri Lankan government postponed the elections by a special presidential proclamation under the emergency regulations of the Public Security Ordinance.
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'No new evidence' - Koneswary inquiry

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 February 1999, 23:59 GMT]
The Kalmunai Magistrate Mr.Anton Balasingham at the conclusion of the re-opened magisterial inquest proceedings into the death of a mother of four children, Murugesapillai Koneswary of Central Camp, Ampara district, reaffirmed his earlier verdict of homicide.
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New public sector appointments

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 February 1999, 18:38 GMT]
The North-East province Governor has appointed a retired Director of Education as the Commissioner of the newly created Examination Unit in the Provincial Public Service Commission.
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News in Brief:

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 February 1999, 13:25 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Army bans supply of flour to Vadamaradchi east; Police say investigations have revealed that persons detained at TELO's Jaffna camp are being beaten up and over 4500 shortage of Tamil medium teachers in the north-eastern schools.
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Trinco UC chairman boycotts celebrations

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 February 1999, 00:56 GMT]
The Chairman, Trincomalee Urban Council P.Sooriyamoorthy Thursday boycotted the 51st Independent day celebrations held at McHeyzer Stadium, Trincomalee. He stated in a letter to the North East Governor that he had been forced to boycott the celebration as due protocol was not properly adhered to.
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New SLA regulations for ambulances

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 February 1999, 13:21 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Army (SLA) has stipulated new transport regulations for the movement of ambulances from LTTE controlled areas of the Vanni to SLA controlled areas.
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Iridium begins Sri Lanka coverage

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 February 1999, 22:34 GMT]
The Global Mobile Personal Communication System (Iridium) will be introduced to Sri Lanka from this month said Dr. Rohan Samarajeewa, chairman of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission today at a special press conference at his office in Colombo today.
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