Category: Politics

June 22, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s government Thursday remained non-committal to demands that a failing ceasefire agreement be amended so as not to restrict truce monitoring to Nordic nations.“There have been no discussions on this issue,” said Media Minister Anura Yapa, adding, though, that a request by the Tamil Tigers to remove monitors from […]

June 22, 2006 (AFP) – A breakaway faction of Tamil Tiger rebels has increased the recruiting of child soldiers, with 30 cases being reported in the past week alone, the UN Children’s Fund said Thursday.The agency called for the Sri Lankan government to take immediate action to halt the abduction and forced enlistment of children […]

June 22, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka Thursday labelled as “impractical” a demand by Tamil Tiger rebels that European Union truce monitors on the troubled island be replaced within a month, saying more time was needed.“We are concerned that the LTTE has informed the Norwegian facilitator that the change…should be effected within one month, instead […]

June 21, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers Wednesday told peace broker Norway that European Union ceasefire monitors must go following the EU’s outlawing of the rebels, as the country slid further towards war.Norway’s ambassador Hans Brattskar was told by Tiger leaders that monitors from Denmark, Finland and Sweden must go soon and that […]

June 20, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka Tuesday accused Tamil Tiger rebels of attacking a historic Buddhist temple in the island’s east amid fresh moves by peace broker Norway to save their collapsing ceasefire.The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fired small arms towards the Somawathi Buddhist shrine in the district of Polononaruwa on […]

June 20, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to a truce despite surging violence, but said the future of ceasefire monitors from Denmark, Finland and Sweden is still in the balance.The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said they would discuss the issue of ceasefire observers from European […]

June 19, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka Monday invited Tamil Tiger rebels to negotiate peace and save their collapsing ceasefire as two more soldiers were killed in a weekend of violence that left over 50 people dead. Defence officials said security forces Monday found the bodies of two soldiers shot dead by Tamil Tiger guerrillas […]

June 18, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s army chief Sarath Fonseka who survived a suicide bomb assassination attempt two months ago has been flown to Singapore for medical treatment, military officials said Sunday. Lieutenant General Fonseka, who was critically wounded in the bomb attack carried out inside the tightly-guarded army headquarters here on April 25, […]

June 18, 2006 (AFP) – A mine attack blamed on Tamil Tiger rebels killed three Sri Lankan police Sunday following a day of fierce land and sea battles that left more than 50 people dead.Peace broker Norway last week failed to arrange face-to-face talks between the Colombo government and the LTTE in Oslo. The constables […]

June 18, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lankan police Sunday were investigating a new type of improvised sea mine developed by Tamil Tiger rebels to target naval craft, police chief Chandra Fernando said Sunday. Police have questioned four of five men arrested Saturday while laying the mines, which are similar to limpet mines. They stick magnetically […]

June 17, 2006 (AFP) – At least 15 Sri Lankan naval troops, 30 Tamil Tiger rebels and six civilians were killed in major sea and land battles along the island’s northwestern coast Saturday, officials said.Helicopter gunships were pressed in to defend naval patrol craft which came under attack off the northwestern coast, the defence ministry […]