The Lanka Academic
 
MARCH 28, 2002 EST, USA
 
A NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED BY LACNET
 
VOL. 2, NO. 356
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
'Peace will return to Lanka soon'
Yahoo India, March 29, 6:55 AM. Erik Solheim, a key member of the Norwegian team which brokered a truce between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE, arrived here from Colombo last night on his way back home.Speaking to newsmen on arrival, Solheim said his job had become easier because of the co-operation extended by LTTE leaders Anton Balasingham, V Prabhakaran and the Sri Lankan government. More...
Published: Thu Mar 28 22:43:42 EST 2002
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This session has now ended.

Answers 1-28 now available! The Lanka Academic is delighted to announce the 8th guest in its series of Q & A sessions: Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Leader of the Opposition in the Sri Lankan Parliament. With the recent change in leadership in the Sri Lankan government, the peace process appears to be gaining fresh new momentum. This is your opportunity to ask questions from Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa related to Sri Lankan politics and receive answers by clicking here. The answers will appear here.

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O  T  H  E  R      H  E  A  D  L  I  N  E  S
US 'eyeing base in Sri Lanka'
 The Straits Times, march 28. As rebel fire ceases in Sri Lanka, the United States has been laying the groundwork to deploy its military personnel to the strategically located country in a move that will both aid its campaign in Afghanistan and keep New Delhi's growing influence in check... Back to the top
Key European mission headless
 Ranmali Wijesuriya in Colombo, SLT 9.30 a.m Friday 29 March. Sri Lankan mission in Sweden is without an ambassador for the past six months... Back to the top
Tigers to taste power in May
 Hindustan Times, March 28, 2002. P K Balachandran, Colombo. An unelected Tamil Tiger-controlled interim go-vernment is likely to be established in Sri Lanka s predominantly Tamil northeastern province by May as part of the ongoing peace process... Back to the top
Peace to return to Lanka soon: Solheim
 NDTV/MSNBC, March, 28. Erik Solheim, a key member of the Norwegian team, which brokered a truce between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE, said that peace would return to the island nation very soon... Back to the top
Thailand confirmed as Venue for Talks
 Saroj Pathirana in London, Thursday 28/03/02 1700 GMT. Thailand is set to host the talks between Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers, it is confirmed on Thursday... Back to the top
Thailand looks for Sri Lankan windfall
 Asia Times, March 29, 2002 . [truehits-logo] Thailand's reputation as a neutral player on the global stage strengthens its case as an ideal venue for the first round of imminent peace talks between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tiger rebels... Back to the top
30 foreign diplomats visit Sri Lanka's war-ravaged north
 The Hindustan Times, Beirut, March 28 . Thirty foreign diplomats toured the war-ravaged northern Jaffna on Thursday to assess the impact of the conflict as Tamil rebels and the government move toward resuming peace talks... Back to the top
Sirasa chief appointed Director General of State media
 Saroj Pathirana in London, Thursday 28/03/02 1700 GMT. Former head of the Sirasa Radio and Maharajah Television (MTV) Nimal Lakshapathiarachchi has been appointed as the director general of state controlled television Rupavahini Corporation and the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC)... Back to the top
Lanka agree to take on UAE
 Gulf-news, 29 March 2002. In what could be a trendsetter, the Sri Lankan cricket team will play the UAE national team on April 5 at the Dubai Cricket Council ground number one... Back to the top
Navy steps up coastal surveillance
 Yahoo India, March 28, 7:05 AM. The Indian Navy commenced intensive patrolling of the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu from yesterday due to the arrival of the LTTE’s chief negotiator Anton Balasingham, who landed at the rebel-controlled area of Sri Lanka on March 25, breaking his three-year self-imposed exile... Back to the top
LTTE, Lankan govt to hold direct talks
 NDTV/MSNBC, Thursday, March 28, 2002 . The LTTE and the Sri Lanka government have decided to hold direct talks and the date and venue will be announced after the Tamil new year when the Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helegsen visits Sri Lanka... Back to the top
Sri Lanka opens Jaffna ports
 BBC South Asia, Thursday, 28 March, 2002, 16:20 GMT . The Sri Lankan Trade Minister, Ravi Karunanayake, says two ports on the Jaffna peninsula have been re-opened to international shipping with immediate effect... Back to the top
Norwegian team consulting India on Lankan crisis
 NDTV/MSNBC, Thursday, March 28, 2002 . Eric Solheim, a key member of the Norwegian team, which brokered a truce between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE, has said his team was consulting India on all major steps being taken to resolve the ethnic crisis in the island nation... Back to the top
UNP candidates in Colombo running amok
 Ranmali Wijesuriya in Colombo, SLT 8.00 a.m Thursday March 28. United National Party candidates in Colombo contesting the forthcoming municipal elections are running amok creating fear among the people of Colombo... Back to the top
Lankan President welcomes direct talks with LTTE
 Press Trust of India, 6:29 SLT. Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga today welcomed the government's announcement of direct negotiations with the LTTE, expected to take place in early May... Back to the top
Sri Lanka gets loan for power station
 BBC South Asia, Thursday, 28 March, 2002, 05:39 GMT . The Upper Kotmale power project will be funded by a low-interest loan to be paid back by the Sri Lankan government over 40 years... Back to the top
'Colombo ready to consider all issues'
 The Hindu (International), MARCH 27. . The Sri Lankan Cabinet spokesman and senior Minister, G.L. Peiris, said today that the scheduled visit of the Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister, Vidar Helgesen, on April 17 would "strengthen the preparations already in progress" for peace talks with the LTTE... Back to the top
SriLankan airlines snub the SL government in Berlin
 Ranmali Wijesuriya in Colombo, SLT 11.30 a.m Thursday 28 March. Sri Lankan airlines have snubbed the government of Sri Lanka by refusing to accept the awards presented to them by the Ceylon Tourist board at the International Tourist exhibition held in Berlin recently... Back to the top
Sri Lankan mission in Oslo to be upgraded
 Ranmali Wijesuriya in Colombo, SLT 10.00 a.m Thursday 28 March 02. Sri Lankan consular office in Oslo will be upgraded soon to a fully pledged mission with an appointment of an ambassador foreign ministry sources in Colombo told The Lanka Academic today... Back to the top
TNA raises doubts about Government's commitment to peace process
 Lucien Rajakarunanayake in Colombo, Thursday, March 27, 2002 11:30pm SLT. The most senior Tamil politician in Sri Lanka Mr. T. Sivasithamparam, who is President of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), and also president of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), strongly attacked the Government for its allocation for defence expenditure in its first budget as a being too high... Back to the top
Canada to sell peace effort to Sri Lankan diaspora
 Yahoo India, March 28, 1:01 AM. A Canadian legislator said on Wednesday his country would try to drum up support for Sri Lanka's peace process among a Tamil diaspora whose dollars are almost indispensable to Tamil Tiger rebels... Back to the top
Hopes of early Government - LTTE talks stalled
 Lucien Rajakarunanayake in Colombo, Thursday, March 27, 2002 11:30pm SLT. Although the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Velupillai Pirubaharan has said they were ready for talks with the Government, hopes of early talks have been stalled due to a pre-requisite laid by the LTTE - "lift the ban"... Back to the top
Lanka peace talks to start in May
 Gulf_news, 28 March 2002. Direct talks between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil guerrillas aimed at ending the country's Tamil minority ethnic conflict under a Norwegian-backed peace process will commence in the first week of May, Constitutional Affairs Minister Prof... Back to the top
Polls success proves an agony for UNP
 Lucien Rajakarunanayake in Colombo, Thursday, March 27, 2002 11:30pm SLT. The United National Party (UNP) is virtually plagued with demands for top jobs in local government bodies after its recent victory in 225 of 230 local bodies that went to the polls on March 20 and 25... Back to the top
121 vote in favour of the UNF budget
 Frederica Jansz in Colombo, 11.30 p.m. SLT Wednesday March 27. At the second reading today of the budget proposals presented by K... Back to the top
Another suspect in the Udathalawinna mass murder arrested
 Frederica Jansz in Colombo, 9.30 p.m. SLT Wednesday March 27. Another suspect was remanded today in connection with the murder of ten youth at Udathalawinna on December 5th, last year... Back to the top
Child killed in bomb blast
 Frederica Jansz in Colombo, 10.10 a.m. SLT Wednesday March 27. A child was killed in a bomb blast which took place in a house in the Kurunegala district this morning... Back to the top
Antique anchor raised from Sri Lanka's Galle Harbour
 Yahoo Singapore, March 27, 10:28 AM. A Dutch ship anchor wrecked in Sri Lanka's Galle Harbour 343 years ago has been raised by a team of divers from the Western Australian Maritime Museum, it was revealed here Wednesday... Back to the top
Chandrika hails direct talks with LTTE
 The Hindu NUS, March 27, 2002. Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga today welcomed the Government's announcement of direct negotiations with the LTTE, expected to take place in early May... Back to the top
Canada ready to assist Lankan peace process
 The Hindu NUS, March 28. Canada has offered to play a supportive role in the ongoing peace process to find a just and lasting political solution to Sri Lanka's long-drawn ethnic conflict while hailing Norway's facilitatory role in the island-nation... Back to the top
Sri Lanka to open talks with LTTE in May
 Times of India, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2002 2:24:16 PM . The Sri Lankan government is to hold its first face-to-face talks with Tamil Tiger rebels in the first week of May, Justice Minister G L Peiris said on Wednesday... Back to the top
Sri Lanka suffers trade slump
 BBC South Asia, Wednesday, 27 March, 2002, 11:26 GMT . The central bank said the deficit in January narrowed to $131m (£92m) from $228m a year earlier, as imports dropped and export rose slightly... Back to the top
March 27 (20 :36) Japan helps Sri Lanka harness 6 waterfalls to generate power - COLOMBO
 Kyodo News, March 27 . apan and Sri Lanka on Wednesday exchanged notes finalizing a special yen loan of 33.3 billion yen (about $251 million) to enable Sri Lanka to harness six of its most scenic waterfalls to generate power... Back to the top
Cricket - Pakistan get security approval from Sri Lanka
 Yahoo India, March 27. Sri Lankan cricket chiefs have praised security during their team's recent visit, a major boost for Pakistan before tours by New Zealand and Australia, a Pakistan spokesman said on Wednesday... Back to the top
Thailand mulls hosting Sri Lanka talks with Tiger rebels
 Yahoo, March 27. Thai officials and Sri Lankan diplomats said Wednesday they were discussing a proposal to hold landmark talks between Sri Lanka's government and the Tamil Tiger rebels in Thailand... Back to the top
Precision Wires to explore possibility of making investment in Sri Lanka
 Yahoo India, March 27. Precision Wires India Ltd has informed BSE that the Company is exploring the possibility of making investment in Sri Lanka in the field of its main activity viz... Back to the top
LTTE opens crucial talks with Norway
 Times of India, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2002 2:17:01 AM. COLOMBO: The leader of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels on Tuesday held crucial talks with Norwegian peace brokers aimed at clearing the way for political negotiations with the government, rebel radio said... Back to the top
Sri Lanka set for peace talks with rebels in May
 Reuters/Yahooo, Wednesday March 27, 6:41 PM. Sri Lanka's peace negotiations are expected to begin in the first week of May with the government and Tamil Tiger rebels talking face-to-face for the first time in seven years, the government said on Wednesday... Back to the top
Sri Lanka's war-torn north to get 40 MW of power
 power report, march 26. Sri Lanka's war- weary northern Jaffna will receive additional power to ease regular blackouts more severe than in the rest of the island, a power ministry official said on Tuesday... Back to the top
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