Large number of Jaffna displaced may help rigging

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
There are, currently, 472913 people in the peninsula according to an estimate made by the Jaffna Kachcheri on December 20. This population figure for Jaffna was calculated on the basis of the family cards which are issued to each household in the army controlled areas of Jaffna.
Full story >>

Jaffna election duty seen unappealing

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Sources at the Batticaloa Kachcheri election office said that only eight government servants have volunteered thus far to do election duty in Jaffna for the local polls there on January 29.
Full story >>

Tiger checkpoints within SLA zone

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers set up a check point at Sungankerni again this morning. Two bowsers carrying Kerosene which did not stop at the point were shot at.
Full story >>

Three die due to drug shortage

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Three members of a family died in the course of twelve days recently in the Vanni due to a severe shortage of medicines in the region.
Full story >>

Jayasikurui displaces thousand families

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Social workers in the Vanni said that 4481 people belonging to 1081 families have been displaced by the onslaught of the eight month old Operation Jayasikurui of the Sri Lankan army.
Full story >>

Curfew disrupts New Year mass in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Christians in Jaffna were disappointed today that the traditional midnight mass on the eve of 1998 could not be held. The mass will be in the morning tomorrow.
Full story >>

LSSP veteran Bernard Soysa expires

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Mr. Bernard Soysa, Sri Lanka's cabinet minister for Science, Technology and Human Resources Development died this afternoon.
Full story >>

9 people arrested

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A special Sri Lankan Police investigation team took nine persons into custody today from Kaluwanchikudy and Kattankudy in Batticaloa in connection with the vehicle bomb blast in Galle on Sunday. Five of the arrested persons were women said Police sources in Batticaloa. The nine persons have been taken to Colombo they said.
Full story >>

Letter bomb intercepted

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A greeting card bomb addressed to the chief inspector of the Batticaloa Police station was discovered and defused this morning around 10.30 a.m.
Full story >>

Civilian knifed in public brawl

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
An argument between some locals and PLOTE cadres ended up in a fracas at the Bangalawadi junction in Velanai. Reports said that one civilian was knifed and some others injured.
Full story >>

Stabbed man was EPDP candidate

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The EPDP charged today that the PLOTE had grievously wounded one of its candidates in Velanai called Tharmalingam Paramanathan by stabbing him with the jagged edge of a broken bottle.
Full story >>

Unroadworthy buses sent to Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The general manager of the northern regional transport board (NRTB), Mr. S. Sockalingam met members of the press this afternoon. He told them that the secretary of defence had called him on December 19, along with other senior officials to discuss arrangements for the forthcoming Jaffna local government elections on January 29, 1998.
Full story >>

Civilians killed in mine

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Three civilians were killed when the tractor in which they were travelling hit a pressure mine in Vellanai, in Jaffna. The explosion occurred yesterday, around 3.30 p.m., when the tractor was in Munangu area, where Sri Lankan Army vacated its camp sometimes back.
Full story >>

SLA camp attacked - Radio

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Voice of Tigers (VOT) said yesterday that the Liberation Tigers attacked the Sri Lankan army's Jeyanthiyaya camp west of Batticaloa near the Ampara border on the morning of December 27 and brought it under their control after 30 minutes.
Full story >>

SLA to vet election posters

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The commander of the 52-1 brigade in Chavakachcheri, Brigadier. A.S Senivaratna met representatives of all the groups which are contesting the local government elections this morning at 10.30 a.m. for a discussion on security arrangements for the polls due on January 29. The meeting was at the Subash Hotel in Jaffna town.
Full story >>

GA accused of misusing funds

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Two Jaffna MPs K. Rameswaran and K. Ramamoorthy accused the Jaffna Government Agent (G.A) Mr. K. Shanmuganathan today, for mis-using five million rupees (85,000 US $). The funds were allocated for various projects in Jaffna under the decentralised budget for the members of parliament for the year 1997.
Full story >>

MPGA meeting with president inconclusive

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A delegation from Jaffna which met the SriLankan President today told her that torture and disappearances continue in the Waligamam sector of the peninsula and that some of the youths reported missing are being held in army camps as informants.
Full story >>

Breakaway EPDP faction alleges intimidation

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Two Jaffna MPs K. Rameswaran and his brother K. Ramamoorthy who split from the EPDP earlier met yesterday the Sri Lankan army's Jaffna Town commander Brig. Susantha Mendis and discussed problems regarding their security in Jaffna Town and in the islands.
Full story >>

Nine civilians reported missing

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Nine civilians who went recently into Uruthirapuram in Kilinochchi which is ahead of the army's forward defence localities (FDLs) in the area to inspect their houses and lands have been reported missing.
Full story >>

Another ragging victim dies

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Another victim of ragging in Sri Lanka's institutions of higher education, Kelum Thushara Wijetunge died today in hospital.
Full story >>

SLA says attack not major

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankna Army denied any major attack by the Liberation Tigers on the Pulukunavi STF camp today.
Full story >>

Vehicle explodes near Naval detachment

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
An explosion in a canter vehicle killed its driver and two others who were traveling in it today in the early hours in the morning at about 2.30 am, near the Sri Lankan Naval detachment in by the port of Galle. A house nearby was damaged in the explosion.
Full story >>

Tigers attack Pullukunavi STF camp

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers attacked the STF camp in Pullukunavi in the early hours of the morning today around 2 a.m. Initial reports said that 17 STF commandos were killed in the attack. However details of the injured and the exact damage to the STF camp are not yet available.
Full story >>

Jaffna Medical College sees applicant shortfall

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Only 110 students qualified to enter the Jaffna university medical college which has vacancies for 150 students for the 1998 academic year.
Full story >>

Arms recovered from Razeek group - LTTE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers announced in Batticaloa today that they recovered seven assault rifles including one NATO G-3 from the SLA's Razeek group in yesterday's ambush in the Thalavai-Punnaikudah, eight kilometers north of the Batticaloa town.
Full story >>

Father recovers shot sons body

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The father of Yogarajah Ramesh, the school boy who was shot dead by the SLA on Christmas day in Madduvil while reading an election poster, claimed the boys body today from the Jaffna hospital.
Full story >>

TELO harassing civilians in Araippattai

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Civilians in the Araippattai (Aryampathi) market, six kilometers south of Batticaloa, were beaten up by cadres of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO) this morning after one of their colleagues was shot dead by a lone gun man near a tea boutique around 6.10 a.m.
Full story >>

Jaffna Bishop criticizes Tamil Groups

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Jaffna Bishop Rt. Rev. Thomas Savundranayagam told TELO leaders who called on him this morning in connection with the forthcoming elections that it would have been a good thing if the Tamil parties had boycotted the local government elections.
Full story >>

Ten thousand people to return before elections - official

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Commissioner of Elections Mr. Dayananda Dissanyaka told a delegation of the EPRLF which met him yesterday that he will take steps to send home more than ten thousand people who are waiting in Vavuniya, Mannar and Colombo to travel to Jaffna.
Full story >>

Muslim-Tamil ethnic unrest in Matale

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Twenty five Tamil shops were burnt today in the hill country town of Matale as Muslims in the area angered by the death of one of them went on a rampage.
Full story >>

Tigers ambush SLA patrol

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Two soldiers were killed early this morning when the Liberation Tigers attacked a SLA patrol on the main trunk road from Polannaruwa to Batticaloa.
Full story >>

LTTE - SLA clash at Manthivil

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan army clashed at Manthivil, north west of Chavakachcheri around 7.30 a.m. this morning.
Full story >>

Young girls accosted by CID officer

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A young girl, identified as Kandhaiah Amudha of Vidaththalthivu in Mannar, who was allegedly raped by a Sri Lankan Police intelligence operative in vavuniya town yesterday retracted her statement to the Police this afternoon.
Full story >>

Six Razeek group cadres killed

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Razeek group brought back six bodies of their cadres who were killed in a counter ambush by the LTTE today in the Thalavai-Punnaikudah area east of Eravur, eight kilometers north of Batticaloa.
Full story >>

Pro-LTTE tone in TELO campaign

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO) which is contesting all the local government bodies in Jaffna held a press conference today.
Full story >>

Tigers attack Razeek group in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers attacked the Razeek group which had been waiting in ambush for them in the Punnaikudah area east of Eravur town which is about eight kilometers north of Batticaloa this morning around 10.45 a.m.
Full story >>

Jaffna civilians shot dead

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Army shot dead a youth identified as Yogarajah Ramesh, 18, in Madduvil around 1.30 p.m. today. The youth's body was brougt to the Jaffna Hospital by the SLA this evening.
Full story >>

EPRLF to appeal

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
EPRLF sources said that they will appeal in the court against the rejection of five of their nomination papers by the Elections commission.
Full story >>

SLA - LTTE clash in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
There was a confrontation between Sri Lankan Army and the Liberation Tigers at Kaithady - Nunavil junction, at 3.30 p.m., about 17 k.m from Jaffna town. No details of the casualties on either side are known.
Full story >>

No applications for postal voting

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lankan Election Commission sources said that no one has applied yet for postal voting in the Jaffna local government polls on 29 January. Although the commission has called for applications for postal voting on many occasions, there has been absolutely no response they said.
Full story >>

SLA commandeers Jaffna public busses

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Army in Jaffna took away five buses from the main bus terminal in Jaffna Town at 11 a.m. this morning. An emergency situation for the SLA is said to have prompted the requisition of the busses.
Full story >>

Record revenue from Jaffna vehicle registrations

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Registrar of Motor vehicles (RMV) who is causing great problems to vehicle owners in Jaffna by not introducing facilities to obtain driving licenses and other documents, has, however, reported to the Sri Lankan government a massive leap in its revenues this year.
Full story >>

Ruling party to raise 'trusted' guard?

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan President has asked Parliamentarians of her party to provide at least twenty five well trusted persons each for raising a special force of 1500 to protect the city of Colombo. She made this request a few days ago when she met PA MPs for a discussion.
Full story >>

Tigers attack SLA in Vanni - 6 killed

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Six SLA soldiers, including an officer were killed in two separate attacks in the Vanni by the Liberation Tigers last evening.
Full story >>

Malnutrition deaths in Vanni

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Two ten month old infants, Raja Welden Denisla and Sivarajah Thamilini, died of malnutrion in the Gopi settlement in Jeyapuram in the Vanni this week. The children could not be saved as there is a severe scarcity of medicine in the area said NGO sources today.
Full story >>

Sitharthan says PLOTE is confident

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The PLOTE began its election campaign yesterday in Pt. Pedro, for the forth coming election for the local Government bodies. The organisation held several pocket meetings there.
Full story >>

TULF relieved by nomination rejection

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The TULF held a press conference this morning around 9.30 a.m. in Jaffna town at Mrs. Sarojini Yogeswaran's residence at Kailasapillaiyar Koilady.
Full story >>

PLOTE courts TULF voters

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The PLOTE's mayoral candidate for Jaffna, Manikkam Daasan visited Mrs. Sarojini Yogeswaran today to offer her his consolation on the disqualification.
Full story >>

Poster war signals campaign start

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The EPDP began a poster campaign in Jaffna today.
Full story >>

SLA officer killed in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Two soldiers and a major of the SLA were killed yesterday around 4.30 p.m in Mirusuvil, in the Thenmaradchi sector of Jaffna when the Liberation Tigers set off a claymore mine on an army patrol.
Full story >>

Policemen wounded

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers attacked a Sri Lankan police detachment in Mancholai, about forty kilometers north of Batticaloa last night. Police sources in Batticaloa said that two military trained constables were wounded in the attack.
Full story >>

Settlements hit by air strikes, civilians tortured

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Reports from the Vanni said this evening that Kfir jets of the SLAF bombed the Mankulam area this morning, inflicting heavy damage on some civilian settlements there. No details of the casualties were known.
Full story >>

5000 Lion flags sent to Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Salu Sala, the state owned sales firm which promotes the indigenous textile industry has sent five thousand Sri Lankan national flags to Jaffna. The flags will be sold through the Salu Sala outlets which were recently opened in peninsula.
Full story >>

SLFP candidates contest via EPRLF lists

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The EPRLF filed nominations to all the local government bodies in the Jaffna peninsula this morning including the Valvettithurai urban council. Former central committee member of the EROS Kandasamy Balanadarajah (Sinna Bala) is the group's chief candidate for the Waligamam east Pradeshiya Sabha.
Full story >>

Akkarayan hospital issues November figures

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Akkarayan hospital OPD in the Vanni treated 25878 patients during the month of November said hospital sources.
Full story >>

Jaffna election date set

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Elections Commissioner announced today that the local government elections in Jaffna will be held on January 29, 1998.
Full story >>

Tigers attack Kaluwanchikudy STF

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers attacked a group of Special Task Force (STF) and Police personnel near the Kaluwanchikudy STF camp last evening around 5.30 p.m. wounding three seriously. Kaluwanchikudy is about thirty kilometers south of Batticaloa on the Kalmunai road.
Full story >>

Nominations accepted for 3 parties

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The PLOTE, TELO and EPDP will contest the elections in all the Jaffna local government authorities. The nomination papers of the three ex-militant groups for the seventeen local government bodies were accepted this afternoon by the elections commission.
Full story >>

Army informant shot dead

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A youth identified as Krishnapillai Jegatheeswaran 23, was shot dead in Paththiniyar Mahilum Kulam, a suburb of Vavuniya town around 7.30 a.m in the morning yesterday.
Full story >>

TULF nominations rejected

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The elections commission disqualified the TULF from contesting the two local government bodies to which it filed nominations today. The commission rejected the nomination list on legal grounds.
Full story >>

78100 Palmyrah saplings planted in Vanni

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Palmyrah Development board and the TEEDOR, the economic research and planning arm of the Liberation Tigers, together have planted 78100 Palmyrah saplings in the Vanni this year said officials in the Board this week.
Full story >>

Jaffna drivers in a quandry

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Drivers in Jaffna complain that the Sri Lankan traffic Police is making unfair demands of them.
Full story >>

EPDP files nominations

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The EPDP filed nominations for six local government bodies this afternoon at the Jaffna Kachcheri. The group's mayoral candidate for the Jaffna municipality is Velummayilum Kuhendiran who is known as Jegan. He is the EPDP's Jaffna district organiser.
Full story >>

Breakaway EPDP faction files nominations

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
An independedent group filed nominations for the local government elections in Jaffna this morning around 11.30 p.m. at the Jaffna Kachcheri.
Full story >>

Army fires on civilian van

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Four passengers were wounded when the Sri Lankan army fired on a van from Valaichenai to Polannaruwa this morning around 11 a.m. between Ottamavadi and Navalady.
Full story >>

Civilians caught in Army ambush

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Troops of Operation Jayasikurui operating in small groups ahead of their forward positions in Karuppatta Murippu on the Mankulam - Ottisuttan road ambushed on Saturday a group of civilians who went to retrieve goods from their homes in Thanduwan, Maamadu and Palampaasi.
Full story >>

Man shot by TELO cadres

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Members of the TELO working with the Sri Lankan army in the Chenkalady area, 12 kilometers north of Batticaloa town, shot dead a man in division four of the adjacent Eravur town around noon today.
Full story >>

EPRLF, PLOTE file nominations

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
More details of Tamil party nomination lists for the local government elections In Jaffna emerged this evening.
Full story >>

TULF files nominations?

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The TULF did not file nominations this afternoon as reported earlier.
Full story >>

Archbishop Tutu voices support for 'freedom struggle' - paper

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
"The majority Sinhalese are in power and are unwilling to extend the political and social rights they enjoy to the Tamil people" said Archbishop Emeritus The Most Rev. Desmond Tutu in a recent statement issued in Capetown, South Africa, according to the Tamil Guardian newspaper.
Full story >>

Tamil parties fail to reach agreement

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The TULF, TELO, EPRLF, PLOTE and the EPDP which met this morning from 11 a.m. to reach a final decision on boycotting the Jaffna local government elections dispersed around 1.15 p.m. in the afternoon after failing to work out an understanding on anything.
Full story >>

Generator blasted in Akkaraippattu

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The powerful central generator of the Akkaraippattu telephone exchange was destroyed by a bomb which went off in the early hours of the morning today around 1.30 a.m.
Full story >>

LTTE,SLA clash in Varani

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Reports from Jaffna said that there was a confrontation between the Sri Lankan Army and the Liberation Tigers at Karampaikurichi East in Varani, in Jaffna.
Full story >>

Muslim fisherman shot by Police

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A member of the LTTE shot dead in the Batticaloa lagoon off Kattankudy early morning today around 5.15 a.m. turned out to be a poor Muslim fisherman when the body was identified later in the morning by his family. Kattankudy is an economically booming and densely populated Muslim town, four miles south of Batticaloa.
Full story >>

Search operation in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Army cordoned off and searched the Kokuvil area in Jaffna in the early hours of the morning today. Potpathy, Ampatapalam and Kondavil were searched by the SLA.
Full story >>

Election boycotting on the cards?

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
An urgent meeting convened by the EPRLF, TULF, PLOTE and the EPDP is in session at the Jaffna Central College to explore the possibility of completely boycotting the Jaffna local government elections.
Full story >>

London vigil over Kalutara massacre

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
About 400 Tamil people staged a vigil opposite the British Prime Minister's residence today, to protest over the massacre of Tamil political detainees in Kalutara prison on December 12. The vigil was organised by the Tamil Centre for Human Rights (TCHR).
Full story >>

Settlers strip captured town

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Reports from Vavuniya said today that the army and Sinhala settlers in the military colonisation scheme of Manalaaru (renamed as Weli Oya by army) have ransacked the abandoned town of Nedunkerni which was captured in early June during the first phase of Operation Jayasikurui.
Full story >>

Recruitment problems for Elections Commission

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lankan election officials say that at least two thousand government servants are required to undertake election work in Jaffna. But they are yet to find any one in the peninsula ready to take up election duty for the forthcoming local government polls in Jaffna.
Full story >>

Eight SLA troops killed

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Voice of Tigers said this evening that the Liberation Tigers ambushed SLA yesterday evening in Elephant pass area killing 3 soldiers and wounding ten others.
Full story >>

SLFP candidate list ready

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The SLFP branch in Jaffna said today that they had prepared the list of candidates for the Jaffna Local Government elections. The secretary of the SLFP branch in Jaffna is currently in Colombo, to get final approval from the party leadership.
Full story >>

PLOTE cadre shot dead

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
This evening at 6.30pm, a member of the PLOTE riding a motorcycle was shot dead in Soosaipillayar Kulam, a suburb of Vavuniya town. The dead person was identified as Paranth (Rasalingam Nanthakumar).
Full story >>

Tamil groups discuss election boycott

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The four Tamil party meeting in Jaffna town to explore the possibility of all the Tamil parties jointly boycotting the local government elections ended on an inconclusive note this afternoon as the EPDP and the PLOTE were reluctant to give a clear commitment to the others said Tamil party sources in Jaffna.
Full story >>

EPRLF calls for common list

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The EPRLF called on all the Tamil parties today to get together to make a common list for contesting local government elections in Jaffna.
Full story >>

Doubts over Jaffna elections?

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
No one filed nominations to contest in the loacl government elections in Jaffna for the fourth consecutive day today.
Full story >>

More Lion Air flights to Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The private airline, Lion Air, which carries MoD approved civilians to and from Jaffna will increase the number of it's flights to the northern city, said sources in Jaffna today.
Full story >>

More troops sent to Vanni

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Sources in Vavuniya said today that a large number of troops are being sent to the 'Jayasikurui' front from last week. They were, however, not able to ascertain whether the induction of soldiers is connected to the major operation to achieve the link up between the troops of Operation Jayasikurui and the SLA base in Kilinochchi before February 4, 1998, the fiftieth anniversary of Sri Lanka's independence.
Full story >>

Transformers blasted

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Two high power transformers were blasted in the hill country town of Bandarawela 206 km from Colombo in the early hours of the morning today. This is the third set of transformers to be destroyed in the tea growing central province of the island.
Full story >>

Tigers, SLA clash at Alwai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers attacked the Sri Lankan army at Pulavarodai, Alwai in Jaffna this morning at around 8.30am. The fire-fight lasted till about 10.00am said local residents.
Full story >>

Monsoon lashes Vanni

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The monsoon rains have begun lashing the Vanni region again after a lull of more than a week. The Kanakarayan river which runs along some of the forward areas of Operation Jayasikurui such as Karappukkuththi, Katkidangu etc., has been swollen with floods since yesterday, sources in the Vanni said.
Full story >>

Razeek group displays two bodies

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Razeek group which went to Thalavai yesterday returned to their camp in Batticaloa town this afternoon with the bodies of two youths whom the group had shot dead in an ambush in the early hours of the morning today.
Full story >>

1 killed, six injured in blast

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
One civilian was killed and six others wounded on the island of Eluvaithivu this morning around 10.30am, when they tried to open an unidentified object that drifted in from the sea.
Full story >>

PLOTE, EPRLF leaders in Jaffna over elections

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Suresh Premachandran of the EPRLF and Dharmalingam Sidtharthan of the PLOTE arrived in Jaffna today in connection with the local government elections. They are holding discussions with potential candidates and members about preparing lists for all the local government bodies in the peninsula.
Full story >>

Post office staff cancel night shifts

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Batticaloa post office has stopped mail sorting in the night as a consequence of daily interference in their work by personnel from the local military intelligence unit and Tamil informants operating with it.
Full story >>

LTTE denies involvement in Batticaloa explosion

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The LTTE announced today that two of its members, Lt. Col. Kandeepan (Amarasingham Thirunavukkarasu, Akkaraipattu) and 2nd Lt. Maharajah (Kaththamuthu Mahendiran, Batticaloa) were killed in a confrontation in Sinthupuram in Batticaloa on Dec. 15.
Full story >>

SLA demolishes Jaffna houses

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Four houses belonging to civilians were demolished with explosives by the Sri Lankan army today in Alwai in Jaffna.
Full story >>

Razeek group member shot dead

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers shot dead a member of the Razeek group this morning at Thalavai, about fifteen kilometers north of Batticaloa town. The dead youth, identified as M. Kunaratnam 24, was part of fully armed platoon of the Razeek group which had set an ambush on the Liberation Tigers who frequent the Thalavai area from the early hours of the morning.
Full story >>

No nominations so far - officials

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Not a single person had turned up to file nominations at the Jaffna Kachcheri for the second consecutive day, said elections officials there today.
Full story >>

Fire fight in Nagar Kovil

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Reports from Jaffna said today that the Liberation Tigers had attacked the Sri Lankan army in the Nagar Kovil.
Full story >>

Vanni observes MGR's death anniversary

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Voice of Tigers said today that MGR's tenth death anniversary will be observed widely in the Vanni on Dec. 24, 25 and 26.
Full story >>

No nomination till afternoon - Jaffna elections official

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Jaffna Kachcheri officials told TamilNet this afternoon that their elections office had not received a single nomination list from any party or group until 12 noon today, the first day of the period stipulated by the commissioner of elections for nominations to the local government polls in Jaffna.
Full story >>

Token fast in Batticaloa prison

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
More than 250 Tamil prisoners in the Batticaloa jail went on a token fast yesterday to show their solidarity with the Tamil political prisoners in the Kalutara jail.
Full story >>

Amnesty calls for inquiry into Kalutara murders

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Amnesty International today appealed to Sri Lanka's Minister of Justice Professor G.L Peiris, to order a full and impartial inquiry into the killing of three Tamil political detainees on December 12 at Kalutara prison.
Full story >>

TULF announces election plans

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) sources in Jaffna said yesterday that they were planning to contest only Jaffna Municipal Council, Valigamam West, Valigamam East, Valigamam North, Nallur Pradeshiya Sabhas and the Chavachcheri Urban council.
Full story >>

Political maneuvering begins for Jaffna elections

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
At least seven parties are expected to begin filing nominations for the planned Jaffna Local council elections today. The EPDP, PLOTE, TELO, TULF, EPRLF, EROS and the Sri Lanka Progressive Party said that they will file nominations for the Jaffna Municipal Council elections.
Full story >>

Tigers lose two members - radio

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Voice of Tigers (VOT) radio said in its news bulletin this evening that two members of the LTTE were killed in a confrontation with the Sri Lankan Army at Puthuvilankulam yesterday.
Full story >>

Senior Jaffna election official removed

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Assistant commissioner of Elections of the Jaffna district Mr. N.C Arunthvachelvan was removed from his post by the government with immediate effect this morning. He has been recalled to Colombo.
Full story >>

Application to collect Kalutara bodies rejected

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A writ application to take the bodies of the Tamil political prisoners who were killed in the Kalutara prison on December 12 to their homes in the north, was rejected by the Kalutara magistrate today. The writ was filed this morning in the Kalutara courts by the Tamil human rights lawyer, Maheswari Velayutham on behalf of the prisoners' families.
Full story >>

TULF nominates Jaffna candidates

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The TULF's mayoral candidate for Jaffna Mrs. Sarojini Yogeswaran has finalised the nominations list for the elections to the Jaffna municipality, said sources in the TULF today.
Full story >>

Kalutara Tamil prisoners will stay - G.L Pieris

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
It was decided at a high level meeting convened by Prof. G.L Pieris this morning that Tamil political prisoners will not be transferred from the Kalutara jail where three of them were massacred and more than seven wounded on December 12.
Full story >>

Murdered prisoners innocent - Devananda

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Leader of the EPDP Douglas Devananda sent an urgent fax to the Sri Lankan Presdient today claiming that he is personally aware that the two Tamil prisoners from Jaffna killed in the Kalutara prison are innocents and therefore their bodies should be released to their kith and kin for funerals in the peninsula.
Full story >>

Kalutara survivors vow to continue fast unto death

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Tamil political prisoners in Kalutura prison who went on a fast unto death refused to give up their protest when members of the Tamil parties met them today in an attempt to persuade them to stop their fast.
Full story >>

Four Jaffna residents arrested

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Unidentified personnel from the Sri Lankan Army arrested 4 people at their homes in Gurunagar in Jaffna, on two separate occasions, last night and Friday night
Full story >>

MoD 'disappeared' committee's last sitting

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The committee appointed by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence (MoD) to inquire into complaints of disappearances in the peninsula heard evidence from 27 complainants at the Jaffna Kachcheri today. The committee was headed by Brigadier Bandula Kulatunga, who also announced that this would be the committee's last sitting.
Full story >>

Tamil parties to meet in Jaffna over elections

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Minister for local government and provincial councils, Mr. Alavi Moulana is to have discussions with Tamil parties tomorrow about the planned local council elections in Jaffna.
Full story >>

Opposition calls for all party talks

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan opposition leader, Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe said yesterday that it was not enough for the Sri Lankan government, government, the UNP and the LTTE to have discussions to solve the ethnic problem of the country.
Full story >>

Autorickshaw drivers protest over killing

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Autorickshaw drivers in Vavuniya staged a demonstration today to protest against the killing of an autorickshaw driver by Sri Lankan police on 11 December.
Full story >>

Tigers hit 13th Colony STF Camp

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers fired mortars on the Special Task Force (STF) camp in the 13th Colony, about 20 miles south west of Batticaloa near the district border with Ampara in the early hours of the morning today, seriously wounding the Officer In Charge (OIC) of the detachment.
Full story >>

Disappearances committee in Palaly

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The committee appointed by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence (MoD) to inquire into complaints of disappearances in the peninsula under Brigadier Bandula Kulatunga arrived in Jaffna today.
Full story >>

Many Northeastern school teachers said untrained

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
There are more than two thousand seven hundred primary school teachers in the northeastern province who have not received any type of training said officials of the Provincial Council Ministry of Education in Trincomalee.
Full story >>

Six SLA troops killed - radio

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Voice of Tigers (VOT) said in its night news bulletin today that Liberation Tigers ambushed a group of SLA soldiers travelling in a tractor between Olumadu and Keerisudan by blasting a claymore mine around 1.30 p.m yesterday.
Full story >>

Jail attack was planned - survivors

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
"The attack on Tamil political prisoners had a political motive and was quite clearly premeditated" said Mr. Dharmalingam Sidarthan MP for Vavuniya and leader of the PLOTE speaking to the Tamil Net this afternoon after returning from a visit to the Kalutara prison and the Nagoda hospital earlier today.
Full story >>

Military to oversee Jaffna elections

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Informed sources in Jaffna said today that the government has appointed Brigadier Mohan Rockwood to oversee the local government elections in the peninsula which are expected to be held in late February 1998.
Full story >>

Batticaloa police say bomb found in market

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A bomb fixed into a bicycle was found near the Batticaloa market by the lagoon on Lady Manning Drive this morning and was exploded by a Sri Lankan army bomb disposal squad.
Full story >>

Three Tamil prisoners killed by Sinhala inmates

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Reports reaching Colombo today revealed that three Tamil prisoners among those who transferred recently from the Colombo magazine (Welikada) prison to the Kalutara jail were killed today in an attack by Sinhala prisoners allegedly incited by some prison officials. Seven others were injured and have been admitted to the Nagoda hospital in Kalutara.
Full story >>

Four Policemen injured

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A bus carrying a Police contingent from Omanthai was hit by a claymore mine near Thandikkulam farm school premises this morning around 6.45 a.m. Four Policemen were injured in the explosion.
Full story >>

Search operation follows Jaffna attack

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan army cordoned off and searched Navalady, Malusandi, Alwai and Vathiri from the early of this morning until about 11 a.m.
Full story >>

Sentries shoot hospital escapee

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The sentries at the Batticaloa military intelligence camp shot and grievously wounded a mentally disturbed youth who had tried escape from the Batticaloa hospital last night around 8.30 p.m.
Full story >>

Shot youth tried to grab weapon: SLA

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan army handed over to the Jaffna hospital the body of a youth this afternoon claiming that it belonged to a member of the Liberation Tigers. The identity of the youth has not been established.
Full story >>

Explosion in Batticaloa rickshaw

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A bomb went off in an autorickshaw this morning around 10.20 a.m. near the clock tower of the Batticaloa town.
Full story >>

Elephants rampage through village

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A large herd of wild elephants wreaked havoc in the Ottisuddan area, destroying crops and farmers' huts, while trying to retrieve a baby elephant that had fallen into a well.
Full story >>

Jaffna officials refuse election duties

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Election officials at the Jaffna Kachcheri have informed Sri Lanka's commissioner of Elections that they will not be able to undertake any duty in the forthcoming local government elections in the peninsula.
Full story >>

Lone applicant for Jaffna police

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Faced with an increasingly apparent shortage of troops for holding Jaffna, the Sri Lankan government has embarked on an ambitious project to recruit Jaffna girls to its Reserve Police Force.
Full story >>

Navaly temple robbed

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A daring daylight robbery at the Navaly Anthiran Murukamoorthy temple was reported to the Navaly Sri Lankan army camp by the temple's trustee board this week.
Full story >>

Tiger shell Olumadu SLA position

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lankan army sources said this morning that one soldier was killed and four wounded when the Liberation Tigers shelled the Forward Defence Localities of Op. Jayasikurui at Olumadu which is three kilometers east of Mankulam on the road to Mullaithivu through Ottisuddan.
Full story >>

Fire-fight at Vathiri

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers attacked a Sri Lankan army patrol at Irumpu Mathavady in Vathiri, Jaffna around 5.45 p.m. this evening.
Full story >>

Jaffna civilian toll revealed

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
According to Jaffna Kachcheri officials, over eight thousand Jaffna civilians have been killed in the conflict since 1990.
Full story >>

Puthukkudiyiruppu sees malnutrition cases

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Puthukkudiyiruppu hospital in the Mullaithivu district treated 23,671 patients during the month of November.
Full story >>

Batticaloa bomb killed post office messenger

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Police determined the identity of the passenger who was killed when a bomb went off in the autorickshaw in which he was travelling this morning, in the heart of the Batticaloa town.
Full story >>

New doctors set terms for N-E duty

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Seventy five doctors who completed their internship and were posted to hospitals in the northern and eastern provinces have refused to take up duties.
Full story >>

Satyagraha at Nallur temple

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Missing Persons' Guardian Association of Jaffna (MPGA-J)went on its token satyagraha protest at the Nallur Kandasamy temple today.
Full story >>

Elderly woman held over scenic prints

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Sellaiah Thavamanithevi, a sixty year old Tamil woman, was arrested on Dec. 6 at Muthiraichanthi near Jaffna town
Full story >>

Dutch national evicted from Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Mr. Hotze Beresman a Dutch national was asked by the Sri Lankan army in Batticaloa yesterday to leave the area immediately.
Full story >>

Seven Tigers killed in Vanni clashes

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Voice of Tigers said this morning that there were confrontations between the Liberation Tigers and the SLA at Kankarayan Kulam and Karuppatta Murippu yesterday.
Full story >>

Nervous human rights rally in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A rally to mark World Human Rights day was held in Vanthaarumoolai in Batticaloa today. More than a thousand people took part.
Full story >>

Jaffna protest march blocked

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The organisation for the arrested and disappeared issued a statement this afternoon saying that the army has denied them permission for the procession to the Jaffna Kachcheri tomorrow.
Full story >>

Bomb explodes in Batticaloa market

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A powerful bomb exploded in the crowded Batticaloa market this morning at 9.15am. One civilian was killed and seventeen were wounded in the explosion.
Full story >>

Diarrhoea epidemic sweeps Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
An unidentified type of diarrhoea has hit the Thenmaradchi division in Jaffna. Three hundred people have been diagnosed with the disease.
Full story >>

Casualties mount in Batticaloa market explosion

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Latest reports from the Batticaloa hospital said that altogether 53 civilians, 29 males and 24 women were injured in the morning explosion in the Batticaloa market. Four civilians have been killed.
Full story >>

Vanni situation talks inconclusive

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The meeting called by Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister of Defence Gen. Anuruddha Ratwatte today with all the parties in Parliament ended on an inconclusive note, said leaders of Tamil parties which participated in the discussion.
Full story >>

Protest planned over Jaffna disappearances

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The organisation for the arrested and disappeared will hand over a memorandum to the Jaffna Government Agent (GA) and will stage a protest satyagraha at the Nallur Kandasamy temple tomorrow.
Full story >>

Round up in Batticaloa suburbs

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Police cordoned off and searched two suburbs of the Batticaloa soon after the morning explosion in the town's market.
Full story >>

Party leaders to discuss Vanni situation

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister for Defence Gen. Anuruddha Ratwatte called all party leaders in Parliament today for a discussion about the situation in the Vanni.
Full story >>

Round up in Batticaloa town

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Batticaloa market was rounded up last evening around 4.30 p.m. by the Sri Lankan Police and its much feared Counter Subversive Unit (CSU).
Full story >>

Jaffna conditions not conducive for elections: TULF

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
TULF politburo member and former MP Mr. Mavai Senathirarajah who is currently in the peninsula told the TamilNet's Jaffna correspondent today that the government has announced the local government elections to scuttle the peace signal in LTTE leader Prabhaharan's Maveerar day speech.
Full story >>

ICRC to assist Jaffna exam process

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Dept. of Education in Jaffna has made arrangements for GCE. O.L students who had sent in their application from the Vanni, Colombo and some other parts of the island where they had been displaced at that time, to sit for the exam this month in Jaffna.
Full story >>

Tiger fighter killed in Thirukovil

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A confrontation between the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan army was reported near Thirukovil on Friday. The Liberation Tigers announced that one of their members called Sathyaseelan (Kandaswamy Uthayakumar) was killed in the confrontation.
Full story >>

Colombo defences reorgainsed

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The city of Colombo will soon have an unprecedented special security system which will be managed by the army, Navy and Police in a unified command under an Overall Operations Commander, Sri Lankan Defence Ministry sources said today.
Full story >>

Claim of normalcy in Jaffna questionable: VoT

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Voice of Tigers radio service said today in a comment which usually follows its night news bulletin that the Sri Lankan government's claim that there is normalcy in the Jaffna peninsula has now become questionable in the light of the recent Amnesty International report on "disappearances" in Jaffna.
Full story >>

Forced labour on Eastern road

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The people of Kirankulam were again taken by the Special Task Force today for making a by road for its camp at Kurukkalmadam, about fourteen kilometers from Batticaloa town.
Full story >>

Cordon and search operation in Pandatharippu

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan army cordoned off and searched Pandatharippu today. A large area from the local Fatima church to the outskirts of Mathagal was checked by the army said sources.
Full story >>

Shot youth was civilian: inquest

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Police from the detachment at Jayanthipuram which is a suburb of Batticaloa town shot dead a youth identified as Kirupananthan Arulanantham, 19 around 7.30 p.m. last night. The youth was returning home in Punnai Cholai, a village by the lagoon on the outskirts of the Batticaloa town, when the Jayanthipuram Police had shot at him, killing him on the spot.
Full story >>

Heavy rain bursts tank bunds

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Vannerikkulam tank in the western Vanni burst its bunds as rains continue to wreak havoc in the northern jungles regions. People living in Akkarayan, Konavil and Skandapuram have been affected by the floods from the tank which might submerge some inner roads if the rains do not cease soon say residents.
Full story >>

Army informant shot dead

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A retired soldier of the Sri Lankan army was found shot dead in the early hours of the morning about 4 a.m. yesterday in Chulipuram in Jaffna.
Full story >>

Delegation to Vanni - Colombo weekly

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sunday Lankadeepa, the Sinhala weekly with the largest circulation in Sri Lanka, which hit the news stands this afternoon said in its page one lead story that a delegation will soon leave to the Vanni from Colombo to persuade the leader of the Liberation Tigers to let his organisation contest the forthcoming local government elections in Jaffna.
Full story >>

Mannakulam survivors returned

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Sources close to the SLA said today that the Mannakulam counterattack by the LTTE was one of the greatest setbacks for the Sri Lankan army in the island's separatist war for this was the first time so many of its elite commandos have been killed.
Full story >>

LTTE - SLA clash

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers attacked the SLA in Madduvil in Jaffna around 8.30 a.m. this morning. The army claims that it killed one LTTE fighter identified as Seelan in this shootout on the Madduvil Sivan Kovil road.
Full story >>

Tigers list captured weapons

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Voice of Tigers (VOT) said this morning that the Liberation Tigers had captured a massive haul of weapons from the Sri Lankan Army which they attacked on Thursday, December 4, at Mannankkulam.
Full story >>

School teacher shot dead

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A school teacher identified as S. Raveenthiran was shot dead by the SLA in Kaithady in Jaffna last night around 9.30 p.m. The Chavakachcheri Police brought his body to the Jaffna hospital mortuary today claiming that it was that of an LTTE activist.
Full story >>

Pandimadu refugees arrested

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan army in the Valaichenai fishing harbour detachment 20 miles north of the Batticaloa town rounded up all the inmates of the Pandimadu refugee camp which is about two kilometers east of Valaichenai town and herded them, including women and children, to the harbour premises for interrogation.
Full story >>

Norway's ambassador visits Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Norway's ambassador to Sri Lankan John Westborg will return this afternoon after a two day official visit to the Jaffna peninsula. The ambassador went on Wednesday to Jaffna.
Full story >>

Fighting was at close quarters - MoD

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A communique put out by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defense in Colombo tonight (another had been put out at 10.30 a.m.) confirmed doubts cast by informed sources in Vavuniya on the veracity of claims which emanated this morning from certain sections of the military establishment in Colombo, namely that SLA troops who were attacked yesterday by the Liberation Tigers had earlier destroyed an LTTE base along with two 120 mm mortars that had been there.
Full story >>

Grenade attack in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lankan army sources said that there was a grenade attack on one of its positions near the Jaffna railway station around 6.45 p.m this evening.
Full story >>

Heavy casualties in Vanni Battle

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
At least two hundred Sri Lankan army soldiers were confirmed killed and 294 wounded when the Liberation Tigers surrounded and attacked a large SLA force which had tried to advance into LTTE held territory yesterday, as part of the seven month long Operation Jayasikurui.
Full story >>

New SLA thrust repulsed - radio

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Voice of Tigers said this morning that the Liberation Tigers had beaten back a fresh massive two pronged thrust by the Jayasikurui troops yesterday, killing more than one hundred Sri Lankan army soldiers.
Full story >>

300 SLA killed - Tigers

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers said in a press release issued today that 300 Sri Lankan troops were killed when the LTTE launched a counter offensive yesterday against the Jayasikurui troops near Kanakarayankulam. The Tigers said they have lost 35 fighters including 10 women.
Full story >>

Demonstration planned before Parliament

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) will hold a protest demonstration before the Sri Lankan Parliament tomorrow, said a spokesman for the group today.
Full story >>

Tamil groups to contest council elections

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The PLOTE is to contest the Jaffna Municipal council elections. A spokesman of this ex-Tamil militant group said today that its military wing leader Manikkam Daasan will file nominations at the Jaffna Kachcheri as its mayoral candidate. The TULF's politburo will meet on Sunday morning to take a decision about contesting the local polls in the peninsula.
Full story >>

Monsoon rains flood Vanni

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The monsoon rains are continuing to wreak havoc in the Vanni. People, mostly those displaced as refugees, living by tank bunds and spills and rivers have been asked to move towards safer areas as water level in these keeps rising to dangerous levels.
Full story >>

Trincomalee officials in embezzlement probe

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Lankadeepa, the Sinhala daily with the largest circulation in Sri Lanka said today that the the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Sri Lankan Police is grilling seven senior government officials in Trincomalee for embezzling two million rupees from funds claiming that their properties had been destroyed by the Liberation Tigers.
Full story >>

SLA soldier killed in bomb blast

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A soldier from the bomb disposal squad of the Sri Lankan army's Third Brigade HQ in Batticaloa town was killed around 12. 20 a.m. midnight in Kattankudy - the large Muslim town four miles south of Batticaloa.
Full story >>

Tigers say arms captured from SLA bus

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers confirmed in the Vanni today that they had carried out the ambush on Sri Lankan army bus at Kovil Kulam in Murunkan.
Full story >>

Missiles deter SLAF flights

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Sources close to the Sri Lankan army in Batticaloa revealed today that SLAF flights to the eastern town are yet to be resumed because there is reliable intelligence that the Liberation Tigers have deployed surface to air missiles in the eastern areas under their control.
Full story >>

SLFP to contest Jaffna elections

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) will contest the local government elections in Jaffna said party sources in Jaffna today.
Full story >>

Villages empty under artillery fire - Radio

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Voice of Tigers said in its news broadcast tonight that the Jayasikurui troops have maintained a heavy barrage towards several areas west of the Kandy road (A9) since early this morning.
Full story >>

SLA supply lorry intercepted

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers captured a lorry taking food supplies to army camps on Batticaloa - Valaichenai road on Monday (December 1) at Sunkaankerny, 20 miles north of Batticaloa town.
Full story >>

Night long battle at Eluthumattuval

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Heavy fighting was reported between the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan army in the area beyond the SLA's Forward Defence Lines at Eluthumattuval, in the Jaffna peninsula last night.
Full story >>

Plain speaking, but motives unknown - Paper

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
"The Deputy Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Mr.A.L.A.M Hisbullah is speaking realistically about the ethnic problem although he is in the government" said the Eelanatham in its editorial this morning.
Full story >>

Nominations called for local elections in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Commissioner of Elections called nominations for polls to the local government bodies in the Jaffna peninsula. Nominations have to be filed between December 16 and 12 noon December 23.
Full story >>

Tigers, SLA clash at Manthivil

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan army said this evening that the Liberation Tigers had attacked its troops at Manthivil, in Jaffna last night, killing one soldier and wounding six.
Full story >>

Vanni situation deteriorating: UNP

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The UNP today called for an adjournment debate in the Sri Lankan Parliament on what it described as the deteriorating food and medical situation in the Vanni. The UNP had discussions with the Tamil parties in Parliament this afternoon on the matter.
Full story >>

28 hurt in grenade accident

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Twenty five Tamil civilians were wounded when a grenade exploded in a bus on its way from Thirukkovil to Batticaloa around 12.30 p.m. today.There were about eight STF personnel in the bus said sources.
Full story >>

Youth missing after arrests

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The five youth who were arrested by the Police in Kaluwanchikudy yesterday following the shootout in which a policeman was killed and another was wounded, are still reported missing. The parents of the youth say that they have been unable to trace the boys since they were arrested yesterday afternoon.
Full story >>

Lion Air flight aborts Jaffna landing

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Lion Air flight which shuttles between Jaffna and Colombo had to turn back today due to bad monsoon weather conditions in the peninsula.
Full story >>

SLA bus ambushed in Murunkan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Seven Sri Lankan army soldiers were killed and six wounded when the Liberation Tigers attacked an army vehicle in Murunkan, in the Mannar district this morning around 8.15 a.m.
Full story >>

Policemen shot at in Kaluwanchikudy

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
One military trained policeman was shot dead and another wounded by unidentifiedyouths at around 9.00am today in Kaluwanchikudy, 35 kilometers south of Batticaloa town.
Full story >>

Stadium reconstruction started

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Reconstruction work of the Alfred Duraiappa stadium in Jaffna town was officially inaugurated today by the Sri Lankan army's Jaffna town commander Brig. Susantha Mendis.
Full story >>

82 Sri Lankan troops killed in November - Radio

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Tamil Eelam Radio, which is the commercial service of the Voice of Tigers broadcast in the Vanni said in its evening news bulletin at 6.30 p.m. today that the Liberation Tigers had carried out sixteen attacks on the Sri Lankan army in the Jaffna peninsula during the month of November.
Full story >>

SL Govt.'s chance fading: US official

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government may have lost its opportunity to win support amongst the Tamil people according to the US State Dept.'s Director for South Asia, Mr. Steve Mann. He was speaking during discussions at a conference on Sri Lanka held at Harvard University recently.
Full story >>

Ship service resumes as causeway is opened

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Hundred and thirteen civilians set out from the harbour of Kankesanthurai in Jaffna today for Trincomalee. The ship service for transporting people to and from the peninsula was discontinued early this year. However, the people who had secured permission to travel had to wait at KKS from Saturday to embark the vessel 'Lanka Muditha'.
Full story >>