Parliament to debate cease-fire agreement

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 May 2002, 22:50 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s government Wednesday agreed to hold a full day debate in Parliament with the main opposition People’s Alliance (PA) on the ceasefire agreement with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), officials said. The debate will be held Thursday from 10 a.m. till 4.30 p.m.
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Islet residents protest military zone to SLMM

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 May 2002, 15:26 GMT]
A community group representing residents in the islets off Jaffna has appealed to the ceasefire monitors to allow Tamil Tiger cadres there and to put an end to harassment by the Sri Lanka Navy stationed into the area. The Jaffna based Tamil daily Uthayan said the residents’ two demands are detailed in a report the islanders were to hand present to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in a meeting Tuesday.
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More LTTE offices open in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 May 2002, 15:12 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers Monday opened an office in Vathiri in the Vadamaradchchi sector of the Jaffna peninsula, local press reports said. Another LTTE office to serve the Thenmaradchi sector was scheduled to open in Sangaththanai Tuesday. These and other LTTE offices are being set up in Sri Lankan government controlled territory under the terms of the permanent ceasefire signed between the two sides in February.
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More LTTE activists in Trinco

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 May 2002, 05:52 GMT]
The second group of Liberation Tigers authorised to engage in political activities in government held areas under the permanent ceasefire agreement arrived in Trincomalee by sea from Mutur on Monday. The group comprising twelve LTTE members, including four women, was headed by District Political Secretary Mr.A.Ruban.
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Pilots picked Balasingham’s flight path

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 May 2002, 12:20 GMT]
Mr. Anton Balasingham, the LTTE’s chief negotiator and political advisor, Sunday denied reports in sections of the Colombo press that he had violated the terms of the ceasefire agreement between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government by directing his seaplane over the Trincomalee seas on April 24 during a tense standoff between Sri Lanka Navy gunboats and Sea Tiger craft.
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LTTE slams "grave" truce breach by Navy

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 May 2002, 10:19 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers Sunday accused the Sri Lankan Navy of a “grave and serious violation” of the indefinite ceasefire when gunboats destroyed several civilian fishing vessels and killed two Muslim fishermen in the seas near Vaharai, Batticaloa on Wednesday. The Sri Lankan Navy is “deliberately creating conflictual situations to disrupt the peace process,” the LTTE said. “We call upon the Sri Lanka government to prevail upon the naval authorities to abandon its hostile attitude and strictly follow the peace agreement,” the Tigers said in a statement.
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'Hartal' in Mutur condemning Navy atrocities

[TamilNet, Saturday, 04 May 2002, 21:06 GMT]
More than fifteen thousand people took part in demonstrations and public rallies held Saturday in Mutur east, south and west protesting against the shooting incident by the Sri Lanka Navy in Nilaveli, about 14 km north of Trincomalee town, wounding two Tamil women on April 29th night. A 'hartal' (general shut down of shops and other institutions) was also observed Saturday in the Mutur and Eechilampattai divisions covering LTTE held areas and army controlled areas, sources said.
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Shun terrorism epithet says UNF minister

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 May 2002, 23:00 GMT]
"We must work hard to remove the word 'terrorism' from the dictionary. We should avoid using the word 'terrorism' in this atmosphere of peace", said Minister for Fisheries Mr. Mahinda Wijesekara, addressing fishermen in the Trincomalee Urban Council hall Friday. Minister Mahinda Wijesekara said he was able to visit Trincomalee without any security because of the cease-fire between the government and the Liberation Tigers.
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Truce poses threat to country, President tells Maha Sangha

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 May 2002, 10:55 GMT]
President Chandrika Kumaratunga this week swore to Sri Lanka's powerful Buddhist clergy that she would protect the country’s unity and territorial integrity. In a letter responding to the Maha Sangha's concerns about matters related to the Norwegian peace initiative, Kumaratunga said terms of the indefinite ceasefire signed in February posed a threat to Sri Lanka’s security. She also accused the Sri Lankan government of conspiring to suppress opposition to the peace process.
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SLA concedes on cyanide capsules

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 May 2002, 00:48 GMT]
Twenty-eight Liberation Tigers entered Jaffna last Monday under the terms of the permanent ceasefire, but only after disagreements with Sri Lanka soldiers manning the checkpoint at Muhamalai over body searches, press reports said this week. Following a heated argument over the LTTE cadres’ cyanide capsules, the Army commander has reportedly accepted that the carrying of these was henceforth not to be opposed.
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SLMM rules Sea Tiger convoy did not breach truce

[TamilNet, Thursday, 02 May 2002, 17:01 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission has informed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) leadership that it does not consider the sailing of a Sea Tiger convoy which was intercepted and challenged by Sri Lankan navy gunboats near Trincomalee seas Wednesday last week as a breach of the indefinite ceasefire agreement.
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More LTTE cadres arrive in Vavuniya, Mannar

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 May 2002, 14:53 GMT]
Twenty-four cadres from the Liberation Tigers' political section entered the government-controlled towns of Mannar and Vavuniya Tuesday to begin work under the terms of the indefinite ceasefire which began on February 23, reports said. They are part of the 100 cadres scheduled to enter government controlled territory 60 days after the truce began, in addition to the fifty who assumed duties a month ago.
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SLMC condemns Ashraff over ‘collaboration’

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 April 2002, 02:19 GMT]
A section of Sri Lanka’s largest Muslim party Friday condemned the leader of a breakaway faction for siding with Sinhala chauvinists by speaking at an anti-peace rally organised to condemn the indefinite ceasefire between the government and the Liberation Tigers, press reports said. The Eravur sections of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) criticised Mrs Farial Ashraff, the widow of its former leader, for siding with Sinhala chauvinists and addressing the event in Colombo in her capacity as leader of the National United Alliance.
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Navy commander declares islands ‘military zones’

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 April 2002, 02:01 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Navy is defending its denial of access to the Liberation Tigers’ political cadres from the islets around the Jaffna peninsula, press reports said Saturday. In a letter to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), a senior SLN commander declared the islets, which are home to many Tamil civilians, as military zones and hence off limits to the LTTE’s political cadres, the Virakesari newspaper reported.
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Sinhala nationalists plan more protests

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 April 2002, 14:21 GMT]
(News Feature) Efforts by Sinhala nationalists to mobilise public opposition to the Norwegian peace initiative are continuing with three opposition parties planning a joint protest campaign against Oslo's efforts and the division of the country, press reports said Thursday.
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Jaffna SLMM discusses complaints over military action

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 April 2002, 13:26 GMT]
The head of the international peace-monitoring mission promised Wednesday to bring the tension prevailing in the islets around Jaffna to the attention of the Sri Lankan government, press reports in the northern peninsula said Thursday. Norwegian General (Retd) Trond Fuhrhovde made his comments at a meeting of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) officials in Jaffna, the Uthayan reported.
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War not over until normalcy returns - JCC

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 April 2002, 19:03 GMT]
In the view of the people on the peninsula, the war is not over, the Jaffna Chamber of Commerce (JCC) told a group of Colombo businessmen Tuesday. The JCC stressed that until life returned to normal for Jaffna civilians, entrepreneurs from other parts of the island should not rush to exploit the lack of facilities on the peninsula.
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Buddhist monk opens Annai Poopathi hall

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 April 2002, 22:45 GMT]
At an event attended by more than twenty five thousand people, Venerable Kurunagala Maha Galkadavela Punniyasara Thera Friday afternoon declared open the Annai Poopathi Memorial Hall constructed at Navalady in Batticaloa. Four other Buddhist monks from Kurunagala also participated at the fourteenth anniversary memorial services of Annai Poopathi held in the eastern town Friday.
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Occupation of schools and temples violates cease-fire agreement -TNA

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 April 2002, 22:37 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Thursday brought to the notice of the Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Vidar Helgessen, that the Sri Lanka Army has not vacated temples and schools they occupy in the eastern province and has not completely removed ban on transport of items allowed to LTTE held areas in the eastern province as stipulated in the cease-fire agreement signed between the United National Front Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on February 23.
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Muslims hail SLMC-LTTE agreement

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 April 2002, 22:31 GMT]
(News Feature) Sri Lanka’s Muslim community this week welcomed the landmark agreement signed between the largest Muslim party, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the Liberation Tigers. Mr Vellupillai Pirapaharan, leader of the LTTE, met with Mr Rauf Hakeem, leader of the SLMC last weekend and the two leaders agreed to cooperate closely on affairs related to Sri Lanka's Muslim community.
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