In some ways, the silence is deceptive. Periodically, the capital has been rocked by Tiger suicide bomb blasts, including one that partially blinded Kumaratunga at a political rally in December. The next blast could come at any time, and everyone in Colombo knows it. There are army bunkers on every corner and endless traffic jams caused by security-related detours. More... Published: Sun May 28 19:44:56 EDT 2000

The military accused the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelamof violating their own truce by attacking military defence lines at Columbuthurai and Chavakachcheri in the northern Jaffna peninsula throughout Saturday.

The spokesman said the guerrillas were under mounting pressure as the military poured new weapons into Jaffna. The army has deployed multi-barrelled rocket launchers it did not previously possess, he said.

In a statement issued late Saturday, the government accused the LTTE of trying to assume a "pseudo bravado" among civilians in the Jaffna peninsula. More... Published: Sun May 28 19:08:26 EDT 2000

The contradiction between India's stated position in favour of a united Sri Lanka, and its perceived ``passive'' role in the current military crisis, is coming under question here, with dubious motives being attributed to New Delhi's offer of humanitarian assistance. ``Should India keep mum when the existence of a democratically-elected Government is threatened by a terrorist group,'' asked a columnist in today's Sunday Times newspaper. More... Published: Sun May 28 19:05:55 EDT 2000

A statement issued by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) here said hundreds of civilians moved out of the Thenmarachchi division during Saturday's ceasefire. But contrary to the LTTE's wishes that they move south into the Vanni mainland controlled by it, most of the fleeing civilians seemed to have preferred to move into Government- controlled areas.

The UNHCR said 400 families had arrived at Mulli, and had moved towards Point Pedro. Another 60 families had arrived at Karaveddy. ``In both locations, the people arriving stated that other civilians were moving out of the area of hostilities,'' it said. More... Published: Sun May 28 19:04:19 EDT 2000

Reflecting the Government's optimism in the face of the grim situation in the peninsula, the State-run Sunday Observer newspaper today reported that the peace moves, being sought from India and the US and initiated by Norway, was expected to gather pace with Pickering's visit to the island nation. More... Published: Sun May 28 19:01:21 EDT 2000

At any rate, the LTTE itself did not observe what was purported to be a unilateral ceasefire. According to a release from government’s Special Media Information Centre today, there was sporadic artillery and mortar shelling by the LTTE in the Columbuthurai and Chavakacheri areas on Saturday and that the government troops had replied in kind.

Brig Fernando told The Hindustan Times that the LTTE had two interests in mind. One was to get a clear line of fire and the other was to trigger an exodus to the Wanni, an area in its control, so that it could trumpet the exodus as a grave humanitarian crisis and secure the sympathy of the international community. More... Published: Sun May 28 18:59:18 EDT 2000

President Chandrika Kumaratunga earlier this month invoked the public security ordinance -- a law last used under British colonial rule during World War II -- imposing censorship and suspending some civil liberties in response to a potential humiliating defeat by secessionist Tamil rebels.

The Sunday Times, a paper not identified with any of the leading political parties, submitted its article on the Jaffna campaign to the censor. It was returned with the following instruction: "This article, picture/map are censored and are not to be published." More... Published: Sun May 28 18:55:13 EDT 2000

MDMK general secretary Vaiko, an ardent supporter of the banned Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), would lead the rally from Valluvar Kottam to Panagal park, a party release said on Sunday. More... Published: Sun May 28 18:52:24 EDT 2000

Tiger rebels fired artillery and mortar shells at government defense posts in Colombuthurai and Chavakachcheri during the 12-hour cease-fire which the Tamil separatists had called, the government said in a statement.

Government troops reinforced with new military hardware continued to bomb rebel positions on Saturday, paying no heed to the truce announced by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) secretariat in London, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry said. More... Published: Sun May 28 18:47:44 EDT 2000

The celebrations, to be held in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, are being organized by the World Tamil Movement and the Federation of Associations of Canadian Tamils (FACT). The events are being advertised in local Tamil papers and on the groups' Web sites.

The advertisements in ethnic Tamil papers feature the Tamil Tiger flag and a photo inset of LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran. The Ottawa event is advertised as "a celebration to mark the unstoppable 'Unceasing Waves,'" as the current rebel offensive is codenamed.

More... Published: Sun May 28 18:46:28 EDT 2000

More... Published: Sun May 28 12:21:57 EDT 2000

Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan government Saturday ordered the local newspaper in Colombo to black out a statement by one of its senior minister made here. The Sri Lankan fisheries minister, Mahinda Rajapakse, had said that Sri Lankans do not trust the Norwegians as impartial mediators between the government and the LTTE.

Rajapakse said that the mistrust was based on the past experience of Sri Lankans. ``We know it because we have been ruled by Portuguese, the Dutch and the British in the past. We have had very bad experiences with western countries,'' Rajapakse told reporters.

The statement has embarrassed Colombo, which is pinning its hopes on the Norwegian initiative. President Chandrika Kumaratunga has thrown her weight behind the Norwegian efforts to bring the rebels to the negotiating table. She recently reiterated her offer for talks following the visit of Norway's deputy foreign minister Raymond Johanson. More... Published: Sun May 28 11:07:31 EDT 2000

Aid workers said the area near Jaffna city appeared quiet yesterday Saturday, and there was no sign that many people had left. More.. Published: Sun May 28 03:23:25 EDT 2000

''The evacuation of an estimated 15,000 civilians from the embattled Chavakachcheri sector failed Saturday, as heavy shelling by the Sri Lankan army prevented them moving to designated points where the UNHCR officials were waiting,'' the LTTE said in a statement released in London.

The government dismissed the LTTE statement as propaganda aimed at unnerving the people on Jaffna and lowering morale in its forces. More.. Published: Sun May 28 03:08:08 EDT 2000

''Some powerful countries which want to get foothold in the region are helping the Tamil rebels in its fight against us,`` Mr Rajpaksa told PTI.

He, however, did not divulge the names of such countries saying ''I would not be able to pinpoint those countries but definitely some powerful countries are there. Otherwise they (LTTE) would not have been able to sustain their offensive against a full- fledged army.`` More.. Published: Sat May 27 18:13:52 EDT 2000

Cricket has been quite low key, with the practice of both hosts Bangladesh and defending champions Sri Lankans -- both of whom are to clash in the opener tomorrow -- being severely curtailed.

''The rains have certainly hampered our practice,`` admitted Sri Lankan skipper Sanath Jayasuriya. The Lankans haven`t had any cricket since their historic Test and one-day series wins over Pakistan in Pakistan in January-February earlier this year and so they certainly could have done with more practice here. More.. Published: Sat May 27 18:13:53 EDT 2000

A senior military official, when contacted for the reaction to the LTTE's offer, said: ''I can't comment on an LTTE statement, which appeared on Internet. Definitely, they (LTTE) have not informed the army. Even if they are willing to hold a cease-fire, there are certain procedures. They army has to be informed. Then we will have to discuss about the offer.'' More.. Published: Sat May 27 18:00:49 EDT 2000

Analysts feel that if such indecisiveness continues, India could eventually find itself eased out of the arena altogether with imponderable consequences for its own security and position as the regional power. More.. Published: Sat May 27 17:53:48 EDT 2000

Sri Lankan Minister for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development, Mahinda Rajapaksa, told reporters in the northern hill resort of Dehradun that Sri Lankans were unlikely to accept the Norwegians as impartial peacemakers More.. Published: Sat May 27 17:47:59 EDT 2000

The government accused the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of a propaganda war in the face of heavy counter attacks by government forces in Jaffna. More.. Published: Sat May 27 17:42:45 EDT 2000

The chief of the formidable Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam set a noon GMT Friday deadline for the Sri Lankan government troops to surrender their weapons. Prabhakaran asked some 37,000 Sri Lankan soldiers to give up their weapons and, within 24 hours, the solders would be handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The Sri Lankan government rejected a similar offer made by the LTTE a week ago. This time the government did not bother to respond to the announcement. Instead, it armed its troops with more sophisticated weapons and claimed that the soldiers stalled the rebels' advance toward Jaffna. More.. Published: Sat May 27 17:39:01 EDT 2000

"Prabhakaran is the most determined and ruthless man I have met. And his foresight is amazing. He sees today what his opponents do years later." More.. Published: Sat May 27 17:33:07 EDT 2000

a 'canard` which has no response from the soldiers or civilians in Jaffna. More... Published: Sat May 27 13:55:53 EDT 2000

More... Published: Sat May 27 13:55:53 EDT 2000

guerillas in Colombuthurai on Friday. Five guerillas were killed in isolated clashes elsewhere, a situation report issued by the government's information department on Saturday

morning said. It did not mention the unilateral ceasefire offered by

the LTTE for 12 hours on Saturday. More... Published: Sat May 27 13:53:01 EDT 2000

The Tamil Tigers, described as one of the ruthless terrorist organization in the world on Saturday morning ordered the civilians either to leave the battle-scarred areas or dig bunkers to save themselves.

Orders went out; just an hour after the LTTE clandestine radio, the Voice of Tigers (VOT) in its news bulletin gave government troops in northern Jaffna peninsula just 12 hours to pack-off or face consequences.

Tamil Tigers first ordered the troops to withdraw by Friday, but extended the deadline as troops provided with newly purchased standoff weapons dug new bunker lines to prevent any onslaught by Tiger rebels, now on the doorstep of Jaffna peninsula.

A military official said here that troops were determined to hold on to Jaffna and under no circumstances would withdraw. In support of military official's statement, the Sri Lankan foreign minister Lakshman Kadiragamar in an interview with a weekly English newspaper The Weekend Express said, "army will take all necessary steps to see an end to terrorism in Jaffna peninsula".

Kadiragamar, told the newspaper further that although, the troops suffered setbacks, and they were determined to hit back at the LTTE.

"One cannot at this point of time be actually sure of the reasons for the setbacks the army has suffered, but notwithstanding these setbacks, the army is determined to acquit itself in the battles that lie ahead", the minister told the newspaper.

Meanwhile, the government said here that in the ongoing battles that commenced on April 27, at least 750 LTTE cadres have been killed and over 1,000 wounded. The army estimates that at least 400 soldiers had been killed in the ongoing fighting. Published: Sat May 27 11:20:06 EDT 2000

"I hope India will co-operate with us. Most people of Sri Lanka feel that India can settle this problem forever by bringing the LTTE to the table," Rajapaska, who is in Uttar Pradesh for the inauguration of a post-graduate diploma course in human rights at the Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra, open for SAARC countries, told reporters last evening More... Published: Sat May 27 11:02:37 EDT 2000

Army spokesman Brig Palitha Fernando said the troops would continue their fight to liberate certain areas in Jaffna occupied by the LTTE, irrespective of the unilateral cease-fire declared by them. More... Published: Sat May 27 10:56:44 EDT 2000

However, there was no independent confirmation of the ceasefire. Reports from Colombo said the Sri Lankan Army stepped up ground attacks on various rebel positions, killing 13 Tamil guerrillas as the LTTE deadline asking the besieged 30,000 troops to withdraw from Jaffna expired at 6 pm on Friday. More.. Published: Sat May 27 04:06:09 EDT 2000

Since hydro reservoir levels of the country continue to deteriorate, there is a possibility of a power crisis arising as a consequence and remedial measures should be immediately taken to conserve electricity in order to overcome the situation, Arijun Deraniyagala, Chairman of CEB, said at a press conference organized by the Ministry of Irrigation and Power. More.. Published: Sat May 27 04:02:47 EDT 2000