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| Sunday, 5 December 2004 |
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Of warnings, hartals & conspiracies Tamil Press by S. Selvakumar Tamil dailies which were full of stories connected to LTTE's Heroes' day celebrations the previous week, reverted back to the ISGA and the government's official rejection and the tension in Trincomalee and hartal in Vavuniya and Mannar later in the week. Tamil National Alliance leaders urged the government to commence peace talks early and warned otherwise the government would be responsible should the war resume, the Virakesari screamed in its head lines on Monday. Quoting a senior Cabinet minister without naming him, the paper said that he was happy that LTTE leader Prabhakaran has not deviated from his stand to resume the peace talks. Elsewhere, Virakesari quoted Anton Balasingham and said the Heroes' day speech of Prabhakaran was a warning that this would be the last occasion for inviting the government for talks based on he ISGA proposals. In another front page story, it said the LTTE would inform Erik Solheim, expected here next week, their latest position on resuming the talks. The Sudaroli published the UNP's warning of extreme consequences if talks were not resumed immediately with the LTTE. In its lead story, the paper quoted Balasingham and said Prabhakaran was ready for war and all depended in the hands of the President. Posters were seen in the city of Trichchy in South India praising the LTTE leader on his birthday. In another story, the paper said steps would be taken for a joint training operation by the Sri Lankan and Indian Navies. All Tamil dailies on Tuesday led with stories connected to the hartal in Trincomalee and the unrest there which ended with the killing of one person. The Thinakkural said that the President was in consultation with her senior advisors on Prabhakaran's Heroes' day speech. Elsewhere, the paper quoted JVP Minister K.D. Lalkantha and said in the event of Ranil Wickremasinghe assuming the country's Presidency, it would be equal to Prabhakaran becoming the President. Curfew was reimposed in the Trincomalee District from 4 p.m. on Wednesday as a precautionary measure despite the absence of any incidents, the Virakesari said on Wednesday. However, it said there was tension in the district. In another front page story, the paper said former UNP Parliamentarian Tyronne Fernando would be sworn in as Governor for the North East within the next few days. The Sudaroli in its lead story said there was a coup by the government, the UNP and JHU to make amendments to Standing Orders and oust the TNA from Parliament. Norway's special envoy Erik Solheim on Wednesday met with LTTE theoretician Anton Balasingham at the latter's residence in London. |
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