Empty schools in Sinhala colonies to close

[TamilNet, Friday, 31 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The government has decided to close down twenty seven schools in several Sinhala villages on the border of the eastern province. The process will be phased out over a few years as all secondary level students currently studying in these schools leave in due course.
Full story >>

Thousands at Jaffna peace rally

[TamilNet, Friday, 31 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The peace rally in the Jaffna town organised by the Jaffna Diocese Committee for Peace and Justice which began around 4.30 p.m. today drew more than seven thousand people. Sources said this was unprecedented since the SLA moved in two years ago.
Full story >>

Sinhala Budhists launch ultra-nationalist weekly

[TamilNet, Friday, 31 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sinhala Buddhist lobby which is campaigning against the PA's devolution package has brought out a weekly now to exclusively promote their cause. The broad sheet is appropriately called 'Sinhala Jaathiya' (the Sinhala race).
Full story >>

Girl attempts suicide after rape

[TamilNet, Friday, 31 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A girl who was abducted and found the next day near her house tied up and unconscious in Nayanmarkaddu in Jaffna recently was admitted to hospital on Wednesday Oct.29 after attempting to commit suicide by consuming a large quantity of kerosene.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka plans 'non binding' referendum

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Government sources revealed today that plans are afoot to hold the 'non-binding referendum' in March or April next year. The elections to the provincial councils are also due around this time.
Full story >>

Navy thwarts EPDP publicity stunt

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The opening of the Karainagar causeway which was scheduled for Deepavali day tomorrow has been postponed due to objections by the Sri Lanka Navy. Deepavali is an important event in the Hindu calendar.
Full story >>

Jaffna's orphans may turn to crime

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
An official with the social services department of the Jaffna Kachcheri said that there are about twenty thousand children in the Jaffna peninsula today who are orphans or who have lost either parent due to the war.
Full story >>

Jaffna coastal villages no-go areas: SLA

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The citizens committee of Ariyalai in Jaffna made an appeal to the Sri Lankan military to lift the ban on the movement of people in several parts of the area - mainly along the coast.
Full story >>

Jaffna church plans protest rally

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Jaffna Diocese Committee for Peace and Justice will hold a large rally and prayer meeting in Jaffna town on Friday Oct.31, said Catholic church sources in the Jaffna peninsula today.
Full story >>

Wandering Jaffna flight reaches India

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A Lion Air flight to Jaffna lost its bearings today and was lost to the Sri Lankan air traffic control for more than five hours.
Full story >>

40 year old woman raped

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A forty year old woman who had been abducted and raped allegedly by soldiers of the SLA, was admitted to the Manthikai hospital yesterday with injuries and multiple lesions.
Full story >>

Mixed signals from UNP on package

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Sources in the UNP said today that the party is largely in agreement with the PA package which was submitted to Parliament last Friday with the suggestions of the other parties in the PSC as 'riders' except on the question of the unit of devolution.
Full story >>

SLA denies local Tamils access to water

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The people of Suppar Madam in Pt. Pedro are faced severe hardships in finding fresh water for drinking after the SLA recently prohibited them from drawing water from the well in the Hartley College compound.
Full story >>

Paris assassinations remain unsolved

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Last Sunday was the first anniversary of the killings of two Eelam activists in Paris. Mr. Kandiah Perinpanathan, head of the LTTE's financial section and Mr. Kandiah Gajendran, the editor of the Tamil weekly "Eelamurasu" were gunned down in cold blood by an unknown assailant on a busy Paris sidewalk. To date, the investigations have not yielded any publicly known results.
Full story >>

US pulls troops out

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The United States is pulling its troops out of Sri Lanka according to sources in Colombo. The pullout has been prompted by 'security concerns' say the sources. The latest batch of US 'Green Berets' arrived only two weeks ago to train SLA troops.
Full story >>

Tigers probe Omanthai FDLs

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers attacked the SLA's forward defence localities in Omanthai last evening.
Full story >>

Canadian Immigration Law 'undemocratic'

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
On 18 October 1995, Mr. Suresh Manickavasagam was detained by the Canadian Immigration authorities, following the issuance of a security certificate against him. Mr. Manickavasagam, a Tamil refugee, was deemed a person inadmissible into Canada, under the Immigration Law. This controversial law has been criticized as 'undemocratic' and 'draconian' by international human rights and refugee organizations, including Amnesty International and the Canadian council for Refugees.
Full story >>

SLA mines plague Jaffna residents

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The left foot of a school girl called Kalpana Kanagalingam was blown off when she stepped on an anti-personnel pressure mine which was buried in the garden of her house.
Full story >>

SLA bans Jaffna paddy cultivation

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The SLA has banned paddy cultivation in the Palai administrative division of the Jaffna peninsula.
Full story >>

SLA caught in its own trap: LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
"The Sinhala army leadership wants to draw the Tigers widely into battle by opening several fronts simultaneously and thereby destroy their strength of resistance. However, it is caught in its own trap" says the latest issue of the LTTE's official organ 'Viduthalai Pulihal' which is published in the Vanni.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka will not ban LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
"We will not proscribe the Liberation Tigers because we want to keep the doors ajar for negotiations with them" said Prof. G.L Pieris , Sri Lanka's Minister for constitutional affairs and deputy minister for finance, answering questions at a press conference at 11 am. this morning in Colombo.
Full story >>

Households must display list of members: SLA

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The SLA has ordered all residents of Punguduthivu (an island off the Jaffna peninsula) to hang boards outside their houses giving full details of all the residents.
Full story >>

Cordon and search in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan army rounded up a large coastal suburb of the Jaffna town in the early hours of the morning yesterday.
Full story >>

Tamil student dies after ragging

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The first year Tamil engineering student of Peradeniya University who had a kidney failure recently following severe ragging by senior students died last night in a hospital in Colombo.
Full story >>

Tamils demonstrate at CHOGM

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Over a thousand Tamil people demonstrated in Edinburgh on Saturday during the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM), which was attended by the Sri Lankan President. Tamil cultural shows were given at a custom built marquee and a vigil was held outside the conference centre.
Full story >>

AGOTIC President passes away

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Dr. K. Velaythappillai , the president of the Action Group Of Tamils In Colombo (AGOTIC) died late last night of illness in Colombo.
Full story >>

TULF ranks back self determination

[TamilNet, Sunday, 26 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Batticaloa district branch of the TULF passed a unanimous resolution this morning that any solution to the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka should recognise the Tamil people's right to self determination.
Full story >>

Tamil parties unhappy over package

[TamilNet, Sunday, 26 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation today interviewed the leaders of the TULF, PLOTE, SLMC and the EPDP about their stand on the PA’s devolution package.
Full story >>

SLA says Jaffna Tamils funding Tigers

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan army's 51 division issued a press statement yesterday in Jaffna warning people who are giving money to the Liberation Tigers. This follows widespread reports in the peninsula that the Liberation Tigers were receiving money from a large number of people living in the high-security zones of Jaffna.
Full story >>

Government sells Jaffna material aid

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government has decided to sell cement and roofing sheets donated by the Indian government for reconstruction work in Jaffna.
Full story >>

Tigers kill six SLA troops

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers ambushed a Sri Lankan army patrol on the Mannar - Vavuniya road today killing six soldiers and wounding seven according to initial reports from Vavuniya.
Full story >>

News in Brief

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Search operation in Jaffna and bakeries in Vadamaradchi east which have been closed for more than 18months are yet to get wheat flour for making bread.
Full story >>

Biggest ever search operation in Colombo

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A massive combined security forces operation was launched in the city and suburbs of Colombo in the early hours of the morning today. The Sri Lankan army, Navy, Airforce and Police completely sealed all entrances to the city by 1.00 am.
Full story >>

Pararajasingham calls for talks with Tigers

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Mr. Joseph Pararajasingham MP for Batticaloa said today that the international community and the Sri Lankan government have now realised the truth and the reality that no solution to the ethnic problem can be found without the participation of the Liberation Tigers.
Full story >>

Firefights in the Vanni

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Fierce fighting broke out between a commando group of the Sri Lankan army and the Liberation Tigers yesterday at Karapukkuththy. The fighting which began around 9.30 a.m went on for about three hours said sources in Vavuniya.
Full story >>

Trincomalee no safe haven

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Navy has warned ships not to anchor for long at the Trincomalee harbour. The Navy said that it had reliable information that an attack on vessels in the harbour by the Sea Tigers could be imminent.
Full story >>

Package arrives, but not welcomed

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Parliament was adjourned this morning around 10.30 a.m (Sri Lanka time) following a major uproar over the report of the Select Committee on constitutional reform which was submitted today by Sri Lanka's minister for constitutional affairs Prof G.L Pieris.
Full story >>

Wild hares destroy Jaffna crops

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Wild hares have become a major menace to farmers in the Pandatharippu Ilavalai area who are trying to clear and cultivate their lands that have been abandoned for more than two years.
Full story >>

News in Brief

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Puthur hospital functioning and UNICEF warns of SLA landmines
Full story >>

Jaffna told of the latest 'best solution'

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A government - SLA sponsored propaganda meeting was held in a public hall in Kaithady, Jaffna recently. This was part of a series of meetings organised by officials from the ministry of constitutional affairs and members of theSLFP's Sudu Nelum (White Lotus) movement with the SLA assistance to give publicity to the PA's devolution proposals among the Tamils of Jaffna.
Full story >>

Crime thrives under SLA control

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A spokesman of the Jaffna Traders Association speaking on condition of anonymity said today that despite several protests and complaints by the Association about the spate of robberies that is threatening business in the peninsula the SLA is dragging its feet on taking action to catch the thieves. Traders in the heart of Jaffna town closed shop for a day on Oct.16 to protest against the robberies.
Full story >>

Confusion follows SLA claims

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
At the weekly cabinet press briefing this morning Brig. Sarath Munasinghe said that Operations Jayasikurui has completed its second phase now with the capture of the Mankulam Ottisuddan road.
Full story >>

Police grill Batticaloa drivers

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A special police investigation team is in Batticaloa now to independently conduct inquiries about the lorry that was involved in the Galadari bomb blast.
Full story >>

SLA drives Jaffna black market

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The sale of liquor has become rampant in Jaffna as there are no excise restrictions on opening arrack taverns or retail outlets.
Full story >>

News in Brief

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lankan navy captures Tamil refugees and a bus escapes explosion
Full story >>

Destroyed university awaits repairs

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The University of Jaffna has sustained damages amounting to sixty five million Sri Lankan rupees (over one million US dollars) between October 1995 and April 1996 said officials of the university today.
Full story >>

Amnesty for deserters - yet again

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
After threatening to impose dire punishment on deserters who did not rejoin by Friday Oct. 24, the Sri Lankan army decided last evening to extend the amnesty once again to thousands of its men who are still at large in the Sinhala countryside.
Full story >>

Amnesty for deserters called off

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan army announced today that the general amnesty that had been granted last month for the large number of deserters will be withdrawn this Friday Oct 25.
Full story >>

SLA continue to abandon checkpoints in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The large number of Palmyrah logs piled up as bunkers in many parts of Vadamaradchi are being removed by people for firewood as the Sri Lankan army continues to move out of some of its positions in the Jaffna peninsula.
Full story >>

Package to parliament, despite Tamil protests

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 21 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The chairman of Sri Lanka's Parliamentary Select Committee on constitutional reform , Prof. G.L Pieris deputy finance minister and Minister for Constitutional affairs will submit the committee's report to Parliament on Friday October 24.
Full story >>

UNP plans to disrupt package

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 21 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The members of the UNP in the Parliamentary Select Committee issued a statement today regarding the party's position on the government's devolution proposals.
Full story >>

Food supplies to Mullaitivu cut off

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 21 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Officials at the district secretariat in Vavuniya confirmed today that food supplies cannot be sent to the eastern part of the Mullaithivu district, as the Sri Lankan army has stopped all supplies from passing on the Mankulam - Ottisuddan - Mullaithivu road.
Full story >>

Civilians flee SLA shelling

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Reports from Vavuniya said today that a large number of displaced persons who had settled in the eastern sector of the Mullaithivu district following Operation Riviresa in early 1996, have begun moving enmasse to the western areas of the Vanni.
Full story >>

Canada Tamils stage candle light vigil

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Thousands of Canadian Tamils attended a candle light vigil on Saturday, demanding the release of Tamil community activist Mr. Manickavasagam Suresh and condemning the Sri Lankan government's war in the Tamil homelands.
Full story >>

Sri Lankan tourism seen collapsing in '98

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka's tourism industry which was hoping to recover from a very bad year in 1996, might hit an all time low in 1998, according to financial analysts in Colombo.
Full story >>

Tigers sink Sri Lankan gunboat

[TamilNet, Sunday, 19 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Naval units of the Liberation Tigers sank a Dvora gun boat of the Sri Lankan Navy in the sea off Pulmoddai this morning.
Full story >>

EPDP asked to boycott parliament

[TamilNet, Sunday, 19 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Organisation for the guardians of the arrested and missing persons of Jaffna requested the EPDP yesterday to boycott the Sri Lankan parliament until the issued of the disappearances is resolved by the government.
Full story >>

SLA punishes Batticaloa village officers

[TamilNet, Sunday, 19 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Life has become nightmare for village officers in the Batticaloa district as the Sri Lankan army has begun a sinister campaign to intimidate them into not working in the poverty stricken villages of the district's hinterland which is controlled by the LTTE. Many are languishing in prison and at least one may have been murdered.
Full story >>

Mullaitivu faces total blockade

[TamilNet, Sunday, 19 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The supply of food and other essential goods to the Mullaitivu district may soon been cut off sources in Vavuniya said today. This is mainly due to the SLA's shelling of the dirt road from Kilinochchi district to Mullaitivu and the effect of the monsoon showers on the access road into the Vanni through Madhu.
Full story >>

Strained bus service to reach Karainagar

[TamilNet, Saturday, 18 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Repair work on the Ponnalai causeway which links the western edge of the Jaffna peninsula to the Karainagar island is nearing completion, allowing people to travel by bus.
Full story >>

A new SLA division - and a new deadline

[TamilNet, Saturday, 18 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan army raised a new division this week to throw into its operations against the Liberation Tigers in the Vanni jungles.The new unit is Div.56. It is an infantry division.
Full story >>

News In Brief

[TamilNet, Saturday, 18 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Tigers killed 8 Sri Lankan soldiers today. Poor conditions are allowing disease to spread in Thenmaradchi.
Full story >>

Mass arrests of Colombo Tamils

[TamilNet, Saturday, 18 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan police and army continued round up and search operations in Colombo today. Reports said that more than five hundred Tamils have been arrested in the city and its suburbs.
Full story >>

More News In Brief

[TamilNet, Friday, 17 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Muslim policemen refuse to accept Vanni postings and the Sri Lankan foreign ministry visits Jaffna.
Full story >>

SLA pulls out of Muthur

[TamilNet, Friday, 17 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan army closed down eight camps in the Muthur region this week. The main Sri Lankan military base in this large southern sector of the Trincomalee district will be closed either today or tomorrow, depending on the rate of troop pull out that is under way now.
Full story >>

News In Brief

[TamilNet, Friday, 17 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Tigers hit two SLA camps in the east and violent incidents continue in Jaffna.
Full story >>

Poverty driving people to suicide - study

[TamilNet, Friday, 17 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
More than five hundred people who attempted to commit suicide were admitted to the Batticaloa hospital between January and September this year. Of these forty four died upon admission.
Full story >>

President tries to stem panic

[TamilNet, Friday, 17 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
"I will even negotiate with the Devil to end the conflict" said the Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaranatunge Bandaranaike addressing a special press conference convened by her this morning at the Temple Trees, her official residence.
Full story >>

Tigers overrun eastern TELO camp

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A small commando team of Liberation Tigers destroyed the TELO camp in Araipattai, a large village seven kilometers south of the Batticaloa town in the early hours of the morning yesterday.
Full story >>

News In Brief

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Central bank's research has been disrupted by the Colombo bomb. Sri Lankan press reports of US troops being in the blast area prove unfounded and the Tigers have hit a police station in Jaffna.
Full story >>

The Galadari Blast - Fallout

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Financial analysts in Colombo said today that the Galadari hotel blast could cost Sri Lanka more than the Central Bank blast in February last year. Initial estimates put the damage around six billion rupees.
Full story >>

TULF politician helped plan 'Jaya Sikurui' - paper

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
'Thinamurasu' the Tamil weekly tabloid with the largest circulation in Sri Lanka accused a senior Tamil politician today of providing valuable information about a little known, but strategic jungle track to the Sri Lankan army engaged in Operation Jayasikurui.
Full story >>

PLOTE cadres defect to LTTE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Two members of the PLOTE defected to the LTTE in Chenkalady in the Batticaloa district, taking their weapons with them.
Full story >>

LTTE denies responsibility for Colombo blast

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 15 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The LTTE's London based spokesman, Mr. Anton Raja told TamilNet that the LTTE 'categorically deny any involvement' in today's bomb blast.
Full story >>

Massive blast rocks Downtown Colombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 15 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A massive blast rocked Colombo's financial centre, at 7.10 this morning. A suspected truck bomb caused extensive damage to the area. A fire-fight ensued and lasted for 3 hours, as 20 or 30 attackers fought off Sri Lankan security forces who moved into the area. Another explosion and fire-fight occurred near the state press building.
Full story >>

London Tamils plan 'Friendship Train'

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
At the end of October, the Commonwealth heads of state will be meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland. The peoples of the Commonwealth will be exhibiting their diverse cultures during the event. London's Tamils are planning to be amongst them.
Full story >>

Heavy fighting east of Kanakarayan Kulam

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Heavy fighting in the general area east of Kanakarayan Kulam erupted last night when the Liberation Tigers launched a concentrated attack on the Sri Lankan army positions there.
Full story >>

Tigers shell Batticaloa army HQ

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
More than sixteen Sri Lankan soldiers were injured this morning around 7.45 a.m when the Liberation Tigers launched a long range heavy mortar attack on the Third Brigade headquarters in the Batticaloa town.
Full story >>

Complete package delivered to PSC

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The PA government officially presented its complete devolution proposal to the Parliamentary Select Committee this afternoon. The Committee will meet again on Oct.21 to discuss the modality of presenting the document to Parliament.
Full story >>

War main cause of heart attack among Sinhala women

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
One of the main causes of heart attacks among Sinhala women in the southern province of Sri Lanka is the war in the Northeast said Dr. Ruwan Ekanayake of from the Karapitiya hospital in Galle.
Full story >>

News In Brief

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A seventeen year old Tamil girl has been assaulted by Sri Lankan soldiers. Puththur market is seeing a revival after SLA troops pulled out from the area, and Pandaththarippu Co-op is to be repaired by the UNDP.
Full story >>

Reject Separate Muslim Council - Muslim leader

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
"The proposal for a Muslim majority Southeastern regional council should be totally rejected'" says M.H Segu Issadeen, leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Party. The 'Eastern Times', a Tamil fortnightly published from Akkaraippattu in the Ampara district threw open its columns for a debate on the Southeastern Muslim council, in its latest issue out today, with an article by MH Segu Issadeen.
Full story >>

News In Brief

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Trouble erupted at the annual general meeting of the Jaffna branch of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society and the Tigers warn Illicit brewers in Batticaloa.
Full story >>

Tigers Attack Sri Lankan Army in Mannar Again

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers launched an attack on a Sri Lankan army position in Mannar today.
Full story >>

Hartal Brings Vavuniya to Standstill

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Vavuniya town came to a standstill today due to a hartal called by the PLOTE. All shops were closed, the Kachcheri did not function as staff kept away from work, there was no public transport and the morning train from Colombo returned empty soon after it arrived.
Full story >>

EPDP, PLOTE, CWC discuss Package with Peiris

[TamilNet, Sunday, 12 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The PLOTE, EPDP and the Ceylon Workers' Congress will meet Sri Lanka's minister for Constitutional Affairs and deputy minister for Finance, Prof.G.L Peiris tonight at his residence to discuss the government's latest position on the devolution package.
Full story >>

PLOTE's Deputy condemns US action

[TamilNet, Sunday, 12 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Deputy leader of the PLOTE, Manikkam Dasan issued a strong statement in Vavuniya this evening condemning the American government for listing the LTTE as a terrorist organization.
Full story >>

Murungan Police Station Overrun

[TamilNet, Sunday, 12 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Thamil Eelam overran the Murungan Police station in the early hours of morning today while they continue to battle the isolated troops of the 53rd Division at Karuppatta Murippu.
Full story >>

Douglas goes to Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 11 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
EPDP leader Douglas Devananda flew to Jaffna today to supervise and reorganize his group in the peninsula and in Kayts.
Full story >>

News In Brief

[TamilNet, Saturday, 11 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan army leaves its landmines in University grounds. New passports for Jaffna's troublesome citizens while its farmers face a new problem.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka changes stand on referendum

[TamilNet, Saturday, 11 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government's cabinet met this morning to reach a final decision on the devolution package. It was decided at this special meeting that the proposed referendum in the east would not be held until conditions for holding it in the province return to normalcy.
Full story >>

LTTE responds to US terror listing

[TamilNet, Saturday, 11 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The LTTE has formally responded to the US State Department's decision to include it on the list of organizations engaged in terrorism. Expressing both 'deep dismay and displeasure', the LTTE said that the State Department's decision would only serve to escalate the conflict.
Full story >>

JVP resurgence in Yala?

[TamilNet, Saturday, 11 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
An armed group set fire to fifteen buses and other vehicles in the Kadirgamam peoplised transport board last night.
Full story >>

SLA suffers heavy casualties

[TamilNet, Saturday, 11 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Over 500 Sri Lankan soldiers have died in bitter fighting in the Vanni in the past 5 days, the LTTE said today. The Liberation Tigers also say that 3 villages occupied by the SLA have been retaken. A huge quantity of arms and ammunition and several vehicles have been captured.
Full story >>

Norwegian aid faces MoD hurdles

[TamilNet, Saturday, 11 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Norway granted 520 million rupees to the Sri Lankan government to improve the standard of living and the economy of the Batticaloa district.The grant agreement was signed at the Sri Lankan government's treasury last evening (10 Oct).
Full story >>

Military to conduct Jaffna elections

[TamilNet, Saturday, 11 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Local government elections will be held in the Jaffna peninsula in January next year said Sri Lanka's deputy minister for defense, Gen.Anuruddha Ratwatte. He stated that the PA government is making arrangements for the elections with a view to creating a leadership for development work in the peninsula.
Full story >>

Ranil's India visit worries PA

[TamilNet, Friday, 10 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The leader of the UNP Mr.Ranil Wickremesinghe will make an official visit to India on Oct.13. He is scheduled to meet with the Indian Prime minister Inder Kumar Gujral and top officials of India's foreign ministry during the visit.
Full story >>

Bishop Ambalavanar expires in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 10 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Bishop Ambalavanar (retired) of the Church of South India died at 10 a.m today (Oct 10) in the Jaffna hospital of illness.
Full story >>

News In Brief

[TamilNet, Friday, 10 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Heavy fighting is taking place in the Vanni. The Jaffna satyagraha protests are to continue and several Tamil Nadu fishermen have been arrested allegedly for assisting the LTTE. A Sinhala paper says a Buddhist priest raped 4 teenagers.
Full story >>

Upcountry Tamils fear being ignored

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Upcountry People's Front (UPF) will oppose the PA's devolution package if there is no provision in it to resolve the problems of the hill country people said Mr. P.Chandrasekeran, leader of the UPF who is deputy Minister for Public Utilities in the PA government.
Full story >>

LTTE rolls back Sri Lankan advance

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
In two days of heavy fighting, LTTE units have rolled back Sri Lankan army columns to their former positions in the Periyamadu region, just north of the Nedunkerni-Puliyankulam road. However, the Sri Lankan army claims its forces are 'consolidating' captured positions.
Full story >>

Police seek glory amid paranoia

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka Police arrested three persons near Wennapuwa (forty kilometers north of Colombo) with four hundred machetes on Sept.23.
Full story >>

US says LTTE engages in terrorism

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The US Secretary of State, under the authority provided by the Anti-terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, with the concurrence of the US Attorney General and Secretary of the Treasury, has designated 30 armed groups as foreign terrorist organizations, including the LTTE.
Full story >>

Tigers keep up Vanni attacks

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The LTTE said today that they had surrounding Sri Lankan troops at Kara Patta Murippu who had been trapped when the rest of the 53rd SLA division had been forced back by LTTE counterattacks. Sources close to the army also said that the LTTE had launched a massive attack southeast of Kankarayan Kulam.
Full story >>

Sinhalese must unite - paper

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Lankadeepa, the Sri Lankan Sinhala daily with the largest circulation, exhorted the Sinhalese in its editorial today that they should bury their differences and unite to fight the Liberation Tigers.
Full story >>

Troops break up Jaffna protest

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Last evening (Oct 8) Sri Lankan army troops chased out members of the Jaffna mother's Front and the Organization for the Arrested and Missing in Jaffna when they attempted to stage a Satyagraha in front of the Buddhist temple at the Ariyakulam junction in the Jaffna town.
Full story >>

News In Brief

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A Tiger attack in Jaffna forced the Sri Lankan army to use artillery and the a Muslim leader calls for unity between the Tamils and Muslims against Sinhala chauvinism.
Full story >>

Former President ordered assassination

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The commission of inquiry into the assassination of Lalith Athulathmudali, minister for National security in the UNP regime between 1984 and 87 has concluded that former UNP President Premadasa (1988-1993) was directly responsible for the killing.
Full story >>

Crime being encouraged in Jaffna?

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Crime is on the increase in the Jaffna peninsula. A large shop in the Maththiya Maha Viththiyalayam road in the Nelliady town was robbed of several hundred thousand rupees and a large quantity of valuable goods last week.
Full story >>

Unit of devolution revealed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government today officially presented to the Parliamentary Select Committee for the first time its position on the unit of devolution it is proposing to grant the Tamil and Muslim people.
Full story >>

News In Brief

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tiger units in Jaffna have stepped up their attacks whilst in the east, another Sri Lankan detachment was overrun last night.
Full story >>

Heavy fighting continues in Vanni

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Heavy fighting continued today at Kanakarayan Kulam and on the Mankulam Ottisuddan road as the Liberation Tigers stepped up attacks on columns of Sri Lankan army's Div.53.
Full story >>

Sri Lankan depots overrun on Sunday

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The LTTE confirmed today that they had overrun the newly established depots supplying the Sri Lankan army's 53rd division in the Vanni on Sunday night and captured a huge quantity of arms and ammunition.
Full story >>

Human Rights Commission in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The National Human Rights Commission is making its first visit to Jaffna today. The commission's delegation is led by Mr.T Sunderalingam ,a retired Sri Lankan high court judge. Sarvodaya movement leader Dr. Ariyaratne is also in the group.
Full story >>

Kilinochchi unprecedented defeat -UNP

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 October 1997, 22:51 GMT]
The United National Party's (UNP) Parliamentary group met today to discuss the military situation in the north and the government censorship. The meeting was chaired by the UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Full story >>

News In Brief

[TamilNet, Monday, 06 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Tamil refugees in Trincomalee demand to be kept and moved together. Sri Lankan navy further restricts movements of people to islands off Jaffna. Meanwhile, Jaffna's crops are failing and the city's infrastructure, destroyed by Sri Lankan shelling, is in tatters.
Full story >>

JVP seeks Tamil support

[TamilNet, Monday, 06 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The General Secretary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna told the Sinhala press today that his 'party' was going to hold propaganda meetings in the main towns of the northeast to muster Tamil support for the group's campaign against the devolution package proposed by the PA regime. The JVP is a militant left wing Sinhala revolutionary group that led two bloody insurrections to capture state power.
Full story >>

Tigers overran STF camp at Arantalawa

[TamilNet, Monday, 06 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers overran the Special Task Force camp at Arantalawa in the early hours of the morning today.
Full story >>

Tigers rout Sri Lankan advance

[TamilNet, Monday, 06 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Heavy fighting between troops of the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan army which erupted southwest of Mullaithivu at Manavaalan Patta Murippu yesterday (Sunday Oct.5) continues. Although the intensity of the fighting has come down today, the army is expecting a major counter attack by the Liberation Tigers on its hastily organized defenses at Manvaalan Patta Murippu on the Mankulam - Ottisuddan road.
Full story >>

Sinhalese doctors quit over 'army vulnerability'

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Fourteen Sinhalese doctors along with some of their Muslim colleagues working at the Mannar base hospital vacated their posts on Friday. On their way to Colombo, they reported to Sri Lankan military officials in Vavuniya that they were abandoning their posts due to a major threat from the Liberation Tigers which the Sri Lankan security forces were facing in the Mannar island, where the base hospital is located.
Full story >>

Jaffna tense after killing

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Sources in Jaffna said today that the Jaffna town was quite tense today following the killing of the SLFP organizer on Friday night in a high security zone of the Sri Lankan armed forces.
Full story >>

TULF internal rifts emerge

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Trouble brewed in the Tamil United Liberation Front as a section of the party's politburo spoke out strongly today against the leader Mr. M Sivasithamparam, Dr. Neelan Thiruchelvam and Mr. Sampanthan whom it accused of being a 'pro-Chandrika coterie'.
Full story >>

News In Brief

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A PLOTE militant suspected of several murders is organising a satyagraha campaign to aid his election campaign and the LTTE have destroyed two SLA trucks at Omanthai.
Full story >>

News In Brief

[TamilNet, Saturday, 04 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
An MSF delegation visits a hospital in trouble. The Sri Lankan government continues to avoid negotiations with the LTTE and a Muslim delegation returning to Jaffna gets a pleasant surprise.
Full story >>

TULF woos UNP over package

[TamilNet, Saturday, 04 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The TULF met with Sri Lanka's United National Party today to discuss the PA government's devolution package. The TULF delegation went to the meeting with the intention of persuading the UNP leadership, ultimately to agree to the main critical portion of the PA's proposals.
Full story >>

MoD eyewash over Jaffna disappearances

[TamilNet, Saturday, 04 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Association for the Defense of the Arrested and Disappeared has protested about the list of 'disappeared' persons published by the Board of Inquiry of the Ministry of Defense. The Sri Lankan MoD's list is made up mostly of people already released or officially acknowledged to be under arrest.
Full story >>

Elections only after military victory: Ratwatte

[TamilNet, Saturday, 04 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister for Defence General Anuruddha Ratwatte told the Sinhala daily Lankadeepa, today that Provincial council elections to the northeast would be held only after the army succeeds in opening the main road to Jaffna from Vavuniya.
Full story >>

SLFP organiser in Jaffna shot dead

[TamilNet, Saturday, 04 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The SLFP organiser for the Jaffna district, Mr. S.T Tharmalingam was shot dead at his home in Columbuthurai, a suburb of Jaffna town, last night at 8.45 p.m. Sources in Jaffna said that Mr. Tharmalingam was found dead after he was summoned from his house by some unidentified persons.
Full story >>

Wounded soldiers condemn Sri Lanka's war

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Speaking at a public meeting held in the Ampara town hall recently, Commander H.K Dayaratne, president of the association representing the permanently wounded soldiers of the Sri Lankan army, condemned Sinhala politicians for opportunistically seeking political advantage by carrying on with the war in the Tamil homelands.
Full story >>

Former Jaffna GA granted bail

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Legal sources in Colombo said yesterday that Mr. Chellaiah Pathmanathan, the former Government Agent (GA) for Jaffna had been granted bail by the Sri Lankan government's attorney general. Following a bail application by Mr. Pathmanathan's lawyer, the Colombo Fort magistrate directed that he be produced in court today.
Full story >>

EPDP attacks referendum plan

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Douglas Devananda, the leader of the Colombo based Tamil group, the EPDP, lashed out at the government's latest stand on devolution today. Devananda's relationship with the PA leadership has soured in recent times over the question of two renegade MPs who had been members of his organisation for a long time, but had left recently.
Full story >>

News In Brief

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan military is restricting the amount of food allowed into the islands off the Jaffna peninsula. In Trincomalee district, the LTTE has released 12 detainees and the Sri Lankan navy has arrested 98 Tamil fishermen - for fishing.
Full story >>

Britain to fund Jaffna NGOs directly

[TamilNet, Thursday, 02 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The British government will donate funds for minor reconstruction work and small development projects directly to NGOs and other social service organisations in Jaffna, said the British High Commissioner in Colombo. Mr. David Tatham gave an exclusive interview to the Tamil daily 'Virakesari' on Thursday.
Full story >>

Tigers repulse SLA assault

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
In heavy fighting on Tuesday, Tamil Tiger forces drove back a renewed Sri Lankan army assault in the Puliyankulam area. SLA units which had bypassed Puliyankulam were advancing on Kanakarayankulam when LTTE forces counter-attacked, inflicting heavy casualties and capturing a large quantity of weaponry.
Full story >>

Relatives of Jaffna's 'disappeared' protest

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Parents and relatives of Tamil civilians who have 'disappeared' in Sri Lankan army custody staged a protest on Sunday in the premises of Jaffna's St. James Church, and vowed to continue their struggle for justice. Several hundred Tamils have disappeared after being arrested by the Sri Lankan army, which captured the Jaffna peninsula in early 1996.
Full story >>

Buddhist clergy stage protest rally

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The interim report of the Sinhala Commission continued to create powerful reverberations in the Sinhala polity as more than 1500 people, including five hundred Buddhist monks, gathered yesterday to muster public support for the 'Sinhala cause'.
Full story >>