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- 24. Juli 2005
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Solheim given important ministry
Norwegian peace mediator for Sri Lanka, Erik Solheim, was named minister of development aid in the newly formed center-left coalition government.
Solheim helped broker a February 2002 cease-fire between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tigers.
The incoming Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, has visited King Harald to present his cabinet of ten men and nine women. Mr Stoltenberg said the list contained a broad range of experience.
The job of foreign minister has been given to Jonas Gahr Stoere from the Labour Party, while Kristin Halvorsen of the Socialist Left Party will be finance minister.
The coalition (known as the Red-Green coalition) of the Labour, Socialist Left and Centre parties won a majority in the Norwegian Parliament in last month's election, promising to increase spending on welfare and to put up taxes
Business for Peace Alliance meets in Jaffna
THE Business for Peace Alliance (BPA) held its 17th meeting in Jaffna recently. The Jaffna Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Yalpanam and the Jaffna Chamber of Small and Micro Industries jointly hosted the meetings at the newly reopened Jaffna Public Library.
Similar meeting were earlier held in Vavuniya and Killinochchi hosted by the Vavuniya District Chamber of Commerce and Industries and the Killinochchi District Chamber of Commerce, respectively.
Fourteen Chambers representing all regions of the country participated in these meetings. The chambers discussed pressing issues in the North with local leaders from business, civil society and academia.
The topics discussed at the Jaffna meeting included; security issues and their effect on timely movement of goods into and out of the Northern Province, empowerment of regional business through chamber-to-chamber interaction, and private sector approaches to assisting tsunami and war affected regions, the BPA said in a news release.
The meetings also provided an opportunity for business to re-establish relations between the South and North and to discuss common challenges relating to peace and development. For many Southern chamber representatives, these meetings constituted the first opportunities to visit the Northern region.
Importantly, these meetings allowed chambers from around Sri Lanka to understand the business and peace-building challenges facing the region. Field visits included trips to a tyre and boat factory as well as to Jaffna town and its historic fort.
Formed in 2002, the BPA is an alliance of 17 regional chambers of commerce from across the country whose aim is to promote reconciliation and to encourage peace and regional development.
The BPA convenes regularly in all areas of the country so that they may develop effective responses to the business and peace-building needs of Sri Lanka.
Through its network of chambers the BPA coordinates Peace Visits between regional chambers in an effort to promote regional business ties and foster reconciliation.
LTTE says campaign subject to permission
COLOMBO: The LTTE said that candidates contesting the upcoming presidential elections were free to campaign in rebel controlled areas provided they obtained prior permission from the rebel political leadership. However LTTE sources told the Daily Mirror that so far there has not been such a request thus dismissing reports that Eksath Lanka Podujana Party Presidential candidate Victor Hettigoda was set to become the first Presidential Candidate to campaign in rebel territory.
"None of the candidates contesting the election has asked us permission to campaign in our areas. But if they make a request it will be considered," the sources said.
The official said, as there was an accepted requirement to get prior permission to campaign in government controlled areas it was also a requirement to get permission to campaign in rebel territory.
The LTTE stand was also expressed by the rebel political head S. P. Thamilchelvam to visiting Norwegian special envoy Mr. Trond Furhovde when the two met in Killinochchi last week.
Mahinda can solve national problem
Mr. Anura Bandaranayake, Minister of Foreign Affairs challenged the Leader of the Opposition to put forward the programme to bring down the prices of essential commodities.
He made this challenge in a rally held at Mirigama. Mr. Bandaranayke said the most powerful president in the world could not bring down the price of fuel and asked how it could be done in Sri Lanka.
The President acted to find a solution to the ethnic problem within a unitary state. But she failed to do so. Now this task has been presented to Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse. Mr. Bandaranayeke said he believed that Mr.Rajapakse will be able to fulfill this.
http://infolanka.com/news/
Norwegian peace mediator for Sri Lanka, Erik Solheim, was named minister of development aid in the newly formed center-left coalition government.
Solheim helped broker a February 2002 cease-fire between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tigers.
The incoming Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, has visited King Harald to present his cabinet of ten men and nine women. Mr Stoltenberg said the list contained a broad range of experience.
The job of foreign minister has been given to Jonas Gahr Stoere from the Labour Party, while Kristin Halvorsen of the Socialist Left Party will be finance minister.
The coalition (known as the Red-Green coalition) of the Labour, Socialist Left and Centre parties won a majority in the Norwegian Parliament in last month's election, promising to increase spending on welfare and to put up taxes
Business for Peace Alliance meets in Jaffna
THE Business for Peace Alliance (BPA) held its 17th meeting in Jaffna recently. The Jaffna Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Yalpanam and the Jaffna Chamber of Small and Micro Industries jointly hosted the meetings at the newly reopened Jaffna Public Library.
Similar meeting were earlier held in Vavuniya and Killinochchi hosted by the Vavuniya District Chamber of Commerce and Industries and the Killinochchi District Chamber of Commerce, respectively.
Fourteen Chambers representing all regions of the country participated in these meetings. The chambers discussed pressing issues in the North with local leaders from business, civil society and academia.
The topics discussed at the Jaffna meeting included; security issues and their effect on timely movement of goods into and out of the Northern Province, empowerment of regional business through chamber-to-chamber interaction, and private sector approaches to assisting tsunami and war affected regions, the BPA said in a news release.
The meetings also provided an opportunity for business to re-establish relations between the South and North and to discuss common challenges relating to peace and development. For many Southern chamber representatives, these meetings constituted the first opportunities to visit the Northern region.
Importantly, these meetings allowed chambers from around Sri Lanka to understand the business and peace-building challenges facing the region. Field visits included trips to a tyre and boat factory as well as to Jaffna town and its historic fort.
Formed in 2002, the BPA is an alliance of 17 regional chambers of commerce from across the country whose aim is to promote reconciliation and to encourage peace and regional development.
The BPA convenes regularly in all areas of the country so that they may develop effective responses to the business and peace-building needs of Sri Lanka.
Through its network of chambers the BPA coordinates Peace Visits between regional chambers in an effort to promote regional business ties and foster reconciliation.
LTTE says campaign subject to permission
COLOMBO: The LTTE said that candidates contesting the upcoming presidential elections were free to campaign in rebel controlled areas provided they obtained prior permission from the rebel political leadership. However LTTE sources told the Daily Mirror that so far there has not been such a request thus dismissing reports that Eksath Lanka Podujana Party Presidential candidate Victor Hettigoda was set to become the first Presidential Candidate to campaign in rebel territory.
"None of the candidates contesting the election has asked us permission to campaign in our areas. But if they make a request it will be considered," the sources said.
The official said, as there was an accepted requirement to get prior permission to campaign in government controlled areas it was also a requirement to get permission to campaign in rebel territory.
The LTTE stand was also expressed by the rebel political head S. P. Thamilchelvam to visiting Norwegian special envoy Mr. Trond Furhovde when the two met in Killinochchi last week.
Mahinda can solve national problem
Mr. Anura Bandaranayake, Minister of Foreign Affairs challenged the Leader of the Opposition to put forward the programme to bring down the prices of essential commodities.
He made this challenge in a rally held at Mirigama. Mr. Bandaranayke said the most powerful president in the world could not bring down the price of fuel and asked how it could be done in Sri Lanka.
The President acted to find a solution to the ethnic problem within a unitary state. But she failed to do so. Now this task has been presented to Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse. Mr. Bandaranayeke said he believed that Mr.Rajapakse will be able to fulfill this.
http://infolanka.com/news/