The Lanka Academic
 
FEBRUARY 7, 2002 EST, USA
 
A NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED BY LACNET
 
VOL. 2, NO. 307
TLA FEATURE CORNER
Headline Summary
F R E E      C L A S S I F I E D S
T  O  P      H  E  A  D  L  I  N  E
Norwegian delegation to meet President and Prime Minister
Frederica Jansz in Colombo, 4 p.m. SLT Thursday February 7 . The Norwegian peace delegation is due to meet with both President Chandrika Kumaratunge and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe today.

The delegation is scheduled to leave for India tomorrow where they will meet with members of the Indian government to discuss the possibilities of forming an international peace committee that would overlook the peace process in Sri Lanka.

The Norwegian Prime Minister meanwhile told the BBC today that the LTTE may give up its long standing demand for a separate homeland.

The Norwegian premier has expressed optimism that this time the peace process may gather momentum after a ceasefire initiated on Christmas Eve last year has continued to hold.

He says meanwhile that the Sri Lankan government will also need to make a concrete effort to grant equal rights to Tamils living in Sri Lanka in order that a practical and lasting solution to the country's twenty year long conflict is found.
Published: Thu Feb 7 10:02:02 EST 2002

Election 2001 Results How Did We Do? - See how LAcNet election results projection fared.
No Connection Fee! Calls to Sri Lanka, only 39c/m!
O  T  H  E  R      H  E  A  D  L  I  N  E  S
LTTE prepares to join North Eastern Interim Council
 Roy Mendis in Colombo, 7.22 PM SLT Thursday Feb.7,2002. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are preparing to join the Interim Administrative Council,which the new United National Front (UNF) government is pledged to set up in the predominantly Tamil, North Eastern Province... Back to the top
LTTE may give up homeland demand: Norwegian PM
 Times of India, 12:08:01 PM Thursday, February 07, 2002. Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels "appeared to be willing" to give up their long-standing demand for a separate homeland following approaches from peace-broker Norway, the Norwegian Prime Minister said in an interview broadcast on Thursday... Back to the top
`LTTE guarantee on Tamil rights will be in MoU'
 The Hindu (International), 08 February 2002. A guarantee from the LTTE on safeguarding rights of Tamil civilians in northeast Sri Lanka is to be incorporated in a proposed ceasefire agreement, a senior Minister said today... Back to the top
Police chief's extension challenged
 Gulf-News, 08 February 2002. Sri Lanka Police Chief's extension of service has been challenged in courts while the interior minister in charge of the police service, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Attorney General have been issued notice to appear in court... Back to the top
Sri Lanka peace talks deal 'soon'
 BBC South Asia, Thursday, 7 February, 2002, 10:37 GMT . The Sri Lankan Government says it is close to agreeing a wide-ranging pact that paves the way for peace talks with the Tamil Tiger rebels... Back to the top
Good beginning in Sri Lanka: DMK
 The Hindu (Southern States), 08-02-2002 . Describing the coordination between the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam as a ``good beginning'', the DMK president, M... Back to the top
Child conscription reports taken up with LTTE: Govt
 Press Trust of India, Thursday, February 07, 2002. The Sri Lankan government has taken up the issue of alleged conscription of children by the LTTE with the rebels through Norwegian peace facilitators, a Cabinet spokesman said today... Back to the top
Sri Lankan air force officers jailed
 BBC South Asia, Thursday, 7 February, 2002, 15:17 GMT . The High Court in Colombo sentenced each man to nine years in jail for the attack on Iqbal Athas, in which a group of armed men entered his home and threatened him and his seven-year-old daughter... Back to the top
Pakistan to take on Sri Lanka
 Gulf-News, 08 February 2002. Defending champions Pakistan will take on Sri Lanka in the opening match of the CBFS-organised three-nation cricket tournament to be played at the Sharjah Stadium from April 8-17... Back to the top
Norwegians Bring Draft Truce Pact to Sri Lanka
 ABC News, Thursday, 7th Feb, 14:41 GMT. Norwegian diplomats arrived in Sri Lanka on Thursday with a draft agreement that could pave the way for talks to end more than two decades of ethnic strife and a permanent cease-fire monitored by Scandinavian observers... Back to the top
Sri Lankan ministers look for silverware thieves
 MSNBC, Thursday, February 07, 2002. ''Who stole the silverware?'' That's what ministers of Sri Lanka's new government are asking as they move into official residences stripped of cutlery, cars and, in one case, even a power generator... Back to the top
Wickremesinghe to seek U.S. support for peace bid
 Yahoo/IANS, 08 February 2002. Sri Lankan Prime Minster Ranil Wickremesinghe will visit Washington to seek American guarantee of support for his accelerated bid to push peace with Tamil Tiger rebels in his island nation... Back to the top
Shell earns mammoth profits in Solar operations
 LBO, 07 February 2002. Renewable energy arm of the Shell Group in Sri Lanka has netted a mammoth US$ 2.5 mn from its solar operations in rural parts of the country... Back to the top
Norwegian team arrives
 Gulf-News - Sinha Ratnatunga, 08 February 2002. Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidaar Helgeson and Norwegian Special Peace Envoy Eric Solheim have arrived in Colombo to push through the peace process enabling talks between Tamil rebels and the Sri Lankan government as both sides moved towards reaching an agreement on a long term cease-fire... Back to the top
Lankans may become chapatti eaters
 HT, 07 February 2002. With the price of bread made of imported US wheat rsing, Colombo is importing cheaper wheat from India... Back to the top
University dons name child recruits
 Gulf-News- Sinha Ratnatunaga, 07 February 2002. A group of Tamil university dons and academics from northern Jaffna, who have long chronicled human rights abuses by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), have given a string of names of children forcibly recruited by the rebels, some of them as young as 12 years old, raising fears of the Tigers' intentions to push through with the peace process... Back to the top
NTT management agreement with Sri Lanka Telecom terminated
 Nothern Light, Thursday, 7th Feb, 10:16GMT. Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) said it has terminated its management agreement with Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp, giving NTT the mandatory six months notice for such a move... Back to the top
The government considering the Maldives as venue for peace talks
 Waruna Karunatilake in Colombo, 1901 slt 06.02.02. The Sri Lankan government is reported to be considering the Maldives Islands as the venue for peace talks with the tamil rebels, TNL TV reported today... Back to the top
LTTE has abducted 16 Muslims: Lanka Army
 TOI, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 06, 2002 4:23:02 PM . Sri Lankan military officials on Wednesday accused Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels of abducting 16 Muslims for ransom near the eastern town of Muttur... Back to the top
Army, LTTE begin clearing mines in Vanni
 Press Trust of India, Wednesday, February 06, 2002. The Sri Lankan Army and the LTTE today began clearing mines in the northern Vanni region, a spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said today... Back to the top
JVP criticises UNF policies
 Gulf-News, 07 February 2002. The Marxist People's Liberation Front (JVP) launched a major assault on the ruling United National Front (UNF) coalition alleging the government was preparing to sell public utility services at the behest of the IMF and the World Bank... Back to the top
Norway optimistic about Sri Lanka talks
 BBC South Asia, Wednesday, 6 February, 2002, 17:59 GMT . The Norwegian Prime Minister, Kajell Magne Bondevik, has said he is optimistic that the Sri Lankan government and the rebel Tamil Tigers can be brought to the negotiating table for peace talks by the middle of this year... Back to the top
US 7th Fleet Commander to Visit Sri Lanka
 Nothern Light, Wednesday, February 06, 2002 9:43 PM EST . Commander of the United States 7th Fleet Vice Admiral James W... Back to the top
Abortions to be legalised on selective basis?
 Island, 07 February 2002. The Women’s Affairs Ministry plans to explore the possibility of legalising abortions on a selective basis, a senior ministry official said yesterday while expressing the belief that they would be able to convince the opposition and religious groups of the necessity... Back to the top
Sri Lanka eases fishing curbs to push peace bid
 MSNBC, Wednesday, February 06, 2002. Sri Lanka eased some fishing restrictions in its war-torn north on Wednesday, taking another step towards peace talks with separatist Tamil guerrillas, the Defence Ministry said... Back to the top
Sri Lanka opposition chief backs peace bid
 MSNBC, Wednesday, 6th Feb, 09:34 GMT. Sri Lanka's new opposition leader promised on Wednesday to support a Norwegian-brokered peace bid vehemently opposed by his predecessor... Back to the top
LTTE wants Scandinavian monitors for ceasefire
 The Hindu -Nirupama Subramanian , 07-02-2002 . The LTTE has indicated to Norway, which is facilitating the peace process in Sri Lanka, that it would like Scandinavian countries to be included in a committee to monitor a proposed mutual ceasefire, an agreement which is under preparation... Back to the top
A'pura bank robbery : Bank alarm not functioning
 CDN, 07 February 2002. The Police team investigating the Rs. 17 million bank robbery at the People's Bank Regional Branch, Anuradhapura has found that the bank officers have not taken action to repair the alarm bell connected to safe and the Anuradhapura Police for the past two years. Police officers attached to the Anuradhapura Police station had said the alarm bell had not rung on the day of the robbery and added that if is was in order it would have been automatically activated when robbers broke open the padlocks of the bank door... Back to the top
Chandrika damaging peace process: LTTE
 The Hindu NUS, Wednesday, Feb. 6. (PTI). The LTTE has accused Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga of undermining peace process by raising concerns over the alleged conscription of children by the Tamil rebels and claimed that it was only recruiting adult volunteers for both military and civil duties... Back to the top
Sri Lankan Tamil Rebels Reject President's Child Soldier Charge
 Nothern Light, Wednesday, February 06, 2002 2:11 AM EST . Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels rejected on Wednesday President Chandrika Kumaratunga's charge that they were forcibly recruiting child soldiers, saying the accusation was undermining Norwegian-brokered peace process in the country... Back to the top
Sri Lankan factions playing politics with peace
 Asia Times, Wednesday, 06th Feb, 13:08GMT. With Norwegian peace-making facilitators expected in Colombo this week in a fresh bid to move the peace process forward following discussions with Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelan (LTTE) negotiators in London, well-informed sources within the diplomatic community continue to insist that progress is moving faster than anyone expected... Back to the top
© Copyright 2000, 2001 Lanka Academic Network.