NEIAP assists Kappalthurai resettled families

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 May 2004, 15:51 GMT]
The World Bank funded North East Integrated Agricultural Project (NEIAP) last weekend opened a grinding mill in the resettled village Kappalthurai which is located about 8 km off Trincomalee town, as an income generating measure and distributed sewing machines and push bicycles under the Life Support Activities (LSA) scheme for resettled families to earn for their livelihood, sources said.
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Nadesan's funeral to be held in Nelliyady Wednesday

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 May 2004, 14:42 GMT]
The funeral of Tamil journalist, Mr. Iyathurai Nadesan, shot dead by unidentified assailants Monday morning, is to be held Wednesday evening in his hometown Nelliady in Vadamarachchi division, 25km northeast of Jaffna town, media sources in Batticaloa said.
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LTTE condemns Nadesan's killing, warns SL security forces

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 May 2004, 13:50 GMT]
While expressing sympathy to the members of Mr.Nadesan's family, the Political Wing of the Liberation Tigers, in a press release issued today from Kilinochchi, warned the Sri Lanka security forces and the militants assisting them that unless killings stop, people of Sri Lanka have to face a calamitous period.
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Batticaloa journalist shot dead

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 May 2004, 08:31 GMT]
Mr. Aiyathurai Nadesan, a leading Tamil journalist in Sri Lanka, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen Monday morning around eight a.m. when he was going to work in a motorbike. The assailants came in a motorbike in front and fired at him, Batticaloa Police said.
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Ruling Alliance facing crisis?

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 May 2004, 03:14 GMT]
Media reports from Colombo indicated cracks appearing within the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), as the marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), one of the mainconstituents of UPFA, sent a written communique to Sri Lanka's President Ms Kumaratunge accusing her of violating the MoU signed between the JVP and SLFP.
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Minority Rights workshop held in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 May 2004, 01:22 GMT]
A Two day workshop on 'Minority Rights and Good Governance' for selected representatives of government departments, non-governmental and humanitarian organizations, held in the Trincomalee office of the Consortium of the Humanitarian Agencies (CHA), concluded Saturday evening. The workshop was organized by the CHA Trincomalee district office and the Trincomalee District Community Protection Network (CPN), sources said.
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CWC to join ruling UPFA

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 May 2004, 17:46 GMT]
The Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), a constituent of the main opposition United national Front (UNF), is likely to join the ruling minority United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA). The party high command is waiting for the arrival of its President Mr.Arumugan Thondaman Wednesday who is now India to finalize the talks between the CWC and UPFA, CWC sources said.
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SLMC high command sacks three parliamentarians

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 May 2004, 17:29 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) High Command Sunday evening expelled four of its leading members including three dissident parliamentarians Messrs Risard Badiudin, Najeeb Abdul Majeed and Hussain Baila from the ordinary membership of the party with immediate effect for working against party policies and its leadership, SLMC in a press release said.
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SL Government suspends dry ration relief to Amparai IDPs

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 May 2004, 17:14 GMT]
Sri Lanka Government has suspended giving free dry rations to more than one thousand resettled internally displaced families residing in villages Sagamam, Kanchikudicharu, Thangavelauthapuram, Thandiyady and Kanchirankuda in the Thirukovil division in the Amparai district, forcing many families close to starvation, civil groups said.
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SLA, LTTE to discuss Eastern killings

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 May 2004, 06:28 GMT]
Major General Shantha Kottegoda, Sri Lanka Army’s newly appointed Overall Operational Commander (OOC) for the eastern province, is scheduled to lead the SLA team to a meeting with the politico-military leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the east, arranged by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM). The purpose of the meeting is to find ways and means to arrest the continuing killings in the east by unknown gunmen, SLMM sources said.
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Roy wins 2004 Sydney Peace Prize

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 May 2004, 20:41 GMT]
Human Rights campaigner and Indian novelist, Arundhati Roy, received the Sydney Peace Foundation's 2004 award, reports in Australian media said.
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SL Govt. fails to implement State language policy- Minister

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 May 2004, 17:27 GMT]
"In the sixty thousand-member strong Sri Lanka Police force only about 1600 are Tamil speaking. Several ministries and government departments are not implementing the official language policy of the 1978 constitution. I will make my ministry as a model to other ministries in this regard," said the Sri Lanka's new Constitutional Affairs Minister Mr.D.E.W.Gunasekara after assuming duties at his ministry office in Kollupitya Friday.
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IDPs urge re-opening of Vadamarachchi-Nagarkovil road

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 May 2004, 17:09 GMT]
The Association of Nagarkovil Internally Displaced Families (ANIDF) in Jaffna district Saturday appealed to Sri Lanka's President Ms.Chandrika Kumaratunge to take steps to re-open the Vadamarachchi-Nagarkovil main road for civilian movement, sources said.
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Dissident SLMC parliamentarians reject charges

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 May 2004, 14:42 GMT]
Three dissident parliamentarians of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Risard Badiudin, Najeeb Abdul Majeed and Hussain Baila, Saturday rejected allegations leveled against them by the party disciplinary committee for carrying out anti-party activities, political sources said. Mr.Inamullah, a leading party activist also denied that he was involved in anti-party activities.
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Trinco Tamil youth shot dead in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 May 2004, 13:11 GMT]
Mr.Arulananthan Arulparath, a 32-year-old Tamil youth was shot dead Saturday morning around 10 a.m. in Kurumankadu area in Vavuniya town. The deceased was a native of Orr's Hill area in Trincomalee, Vavuniya Police said.
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Six provincial councils go for poll, JHU stays out

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 May 2004, 12:14 GMT]
Elections to six Sinhalese dominated provincial councils, Southern, Western, Sabragamuwa, Uva, Central and North Central will be held on July 10th Saturday. About 3200 candidates are in the fray, Elections Commissioner Mr.Dayananda Dissanayake said.
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Kandapola affected to get compensation

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 May 2004, 10:50 GMT]
Sixty five persons from Kandapola who were injured or whose properties suffered damages during the ethnic violence in Kandapola, Nuwara Eliya district on the 28 August 2004, when Sri Lanka police opened fire, are to be compensated by the Sri Lanka Government, local media reported.
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Poaching by Indian fishermen discussed at conference

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 May 2004, 17:48 GMT]
Fishermen from the North-East met with their counterparts from South India at a two-day conference in Colombo on Thursday and Friday to discuss the poaching by Indian fishermen and other problems faced by them. The National Fishermen’s Cooperative Council of Sri Lanka organized the conference.
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FAO honours SL President with Ceres award

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 May 2004, 17:22 GMT]
The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations Friday honoured Sri Lanka's President, Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge, with the presentation of the Ceres medal at an event held at the Ceylon Intercontinental Hotel. FAO Director General, Dr.Jacques Diuof, delivered the award to Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunge, sources said.
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Solheim meets Rajapakse, Hakeem

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 May 2004, 16:42 GMT]
Norwegian special peace envoy, Mr.Erik Solheim, Friday met with the Prime Minister, Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse, and the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Mr.Rauff Hakeem, and discussed the latest developments that have arisen in finding a consensus in resuming the stalled peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, political sources said.
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HSZ in Jaffna illegal - JDHAC

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 May 2004, 16:05 GMT]
"The retention of the high security zones in the Jaffna district after the expiry of the State of Emergency in the country is considered illegal," said the Jaffna District Humanitarian Agencies' Consortium (JDHAC) in a memorandum to Sri Lanka's President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunge, Friday.
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LTTE, SLA discuss issues affecting Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 May 2004, 14:36 GMT]
Jaffna district political head of LTTE, Mr.C.Ilamparithi, and Jaffna district General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Sri Lanka Army, Major General Susil Chandrapala, held a two-hour long discussion at the office of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Jaffna Friday morning, on problems affecting the normal life of the people of the Jaffna district, sources said.
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US to host multinational peacekeeping training in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 May 2004, 11:23 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army's first Multinational Platoon Exercise (MPE) on UN Peace Support Operations Training, orientated to achieve effective inter operability among participating countries is to be ceremoniously launched at the newly established campsite at Kukuleganga on June 12. The Kukuleganga campsite will be renamed as the Institute of Peace Support Operations Training Sri Lanka (IPSOTSL), Sri Lanka Defense Ministry said in a press release.
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Solheim meets Kumaratunge, sides no closer to agreement

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 May 2004, 01:42 GMT]
Sri Lanka President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge Thursday evening held two hour long discussion with the visiting Norwegian special peace envoy Mr. Erik Solheim on the prospects of holding peace talks. Sri Lanka Government and the Liberation Tigers are not close to an agreement on the time and modality of resuming the peace process, political sources in Colombo said.
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Kalutara Tamil prisoners put off fasting campaign

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 May 2004, 22:04 GMT]
Mr. Sivanathan Kishore, the Tamil National Alliance Member of Parliament from the Vanni, who visited the Kalutara prison Thursday, said that the Tamil youths at the prison have put off their planned fasting campaign, following assurances that the TNA would take up their plight with Sri Lanka’s Attorney General and the Minister of Justice. Arrested under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), many youths have been languishing in jails for several years without their cases being brought to court.
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Harim Peiris holds discussions with TRO officials

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 May 2004, 16:40 GMT]
Mr.Harim Peiris, the spokesman for Sri Lanka's President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunge, Thursday visited Liberation Tigers-held Kilinochchi and held discussions with the Government Agent, heads of Sri Lanka government departments and representatives of the Tamils' Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), sources said.
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German Non-profit sponsors CTTU seminar

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 May 2004, 16:09 GMT]
Ms. Astrid Becker, Sri Lanka's Resident Representative of the Frederick Ebert Stiftung (FES), a German non-profit organization, Thursday morning inaugurated a two-day seminar on "Vision and Mission of a Trade Union" in the conference hall of the Jaffna Zonal Education Office. The seminar is being organized by the Ceylon Tamil Teachers' Union (CTTU) in collaboration with Education International (EI) and FES.
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Two SLA soldiers reported missing in Weli Oya

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 May 2004, 16:04 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Thursday complained to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) that two of its soldiers serving in Weli Oya camp, north of Trincomalee district are reported to be missing since Wednesday evening, military sources said.
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Thambaiah's funeral held in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 May 2004, 10:42 GMT]
The body of Mr. Kumaravel Thambaiah, a senior lecturer in the Eastern University who was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at his home in Batticaloa town around 4.30 p.m. Monday was brought to his home village of Aasikulam in Vavuniya on Tuesday and was cremated on Wednesday, sources in Vavuniya said. Vavuniya North Education Commissioner, S.Pathmanathan, presided over the memorial meeting after the funeral ceremony.
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International community's role in Sri Lanka's peace discussed in Berlin

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 May 2004, 00:05 GMT]
Representatives of the Sri Lankan Government, the Liberation Tigers and the International Donor Community participated in a conference titled, 'New perspectives in the Sri Lankan Peace Process - the current political situation and the role of the International community,' organised by the Berghof Foundation for Conflict Studies and Transformation in Berlin Wednesday, sources said.
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Trinco Tamil School holds prize giving day

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 May 2004, 19:50 GMT]
Trincomalee Vigneswara Maha Vidiyalayan, founded by the Methodist Church in 1823, held its annual prize giving Wednesday evening day with the Trincomalee district parliamentarians, Mr.R.Sampanthan and Mr.K.Thurairatnasingham as the chief guest and special guest respectively.
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SL President's media spokesman visits Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 May 2004, 17:48 GMT]
Sri Lanka President's media spokesman and the Director General of the Northern Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Reconciliation Ministry, Mr.Harim Peiris, Wednesday arrived in Jaffna and held discussions with government officials and the Sri Lanka Army Commander in Jaffna, Major General Susil Chandrapala, at the Jaffna district secretariat.
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SL President appoints deputy ministers for foreign affairs, defense

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 May 2004, 08:35 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge in a surprise move Wednesday appointed Professor Visva Warnapala Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs. Mr.Ratnasiri Wickremanayake was also given the additional post as the Deputy Minister of Defense as already speculated in the political circles, sources in Colombo said.
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"Institutionalize ISGA, core issues can be discussed later " - LTTE

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 May 2004, 08:28 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Wednesday categorically told the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government through Norwegian facilitators that the institutionalization of the Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) in the northeast province should take place first and that the core issues can be discussed later.
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East campus convocation to be held in June

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 May 2004, 01:51 GMT]
Convocation for the graduates from the class of 2003 of the Eastern Campus which was postponed several times during 2003 will have their convocation on 5th June, local media reports said.
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New building opened at Trinco Technical Institute

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 May 2004, 00:01 GMT]
Mr. Lei Brouns, South Asia Director of the Netherlands based Terre Des Hommes(TDH), Tuesday declared open the new building of the Trincomalee St. Jospeh Technical Institute, constructed at a cost of about nine million rupees and funded by TDH.
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Muslim families allowed to resettle in Thenmaradchchi HSZ

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 May 2004, 19:25 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army Monday allowed five internally displaced Muslim families to resettle in their houses located in the high security zones in Thenmaradchchi in Jaffna district. SLA officials of the 53rd Brigade handed over the keys of the five houses to the legal Muslim owners in the presence of Thenmaradchchi Division Secretariat officials, sources said.
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Solheim's meeting with SL President rescheduled

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 May 2004, 18:49 GMT]
The Norwegian special peace envoy, Mr. Erik Solheim, is to meet Sri Lanka's President, Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge, after holding talks with the leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Kilinochchi Wednesday, State controlled Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) reported in its night news broadcast Tuesday.
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Protest forces Deputy Minister to cancel Jaffna meetings

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 May 2004, 15:03 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Deputy Media Minister, Mr. M.S.Cegu Issadeen, Tuesday cancelled his meeting with Jaffna based journalists and a planned discussion with Sri Lanka government officials at the Jaffna district secretariat in the afternoon because of a protest by members of Jaffna district civil groups and Jaffna University students, sources said.
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India ready to assist NE if welcomed - Sen

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 May 2004, 13:05 GMT]
"Our rehabilitation and assistance is for the people of Sri Lanka irrespective of where they live, whether in the South, Upcountry areas or in the cleared or uncleared areas of the North East. There is no question of Government of India engaging the LTTE, but our public and private sector companies would be happy to work wherever they are welcome," said Mr. Nirupam Sen, Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, at an event held at the Indian Cultural Centre Tuesday, sources said.
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LTTE demands SLMM inquiry into academic's murder

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 May 2004, 04:26 GMT]
Mr. E. Kausalyan, the political head of the Liberation Tigers in Batticaloa, Tuesday condemned the murder of the Eastern University academic, Mr. Kumaravel Thambaiah, and demanded a full and independent inquiry by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, sources in the Eastern town said.
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SLMM urged to assist IDPs to resettle in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 May 2004, 03:25 GMT]
The Jaffna District Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (JDCHA) Monday handed over a memorandum to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Jaffna with copies of complaints made by two internally displaced families who have not been allowed by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) to resettle in their houses. The JDCHA urged the SLMM to take urgent steps to assist the IDPs to resettle in their houses and lands which are located outside restricted areas, sources said.
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Supreme Court asks MOD to submit report on Jaffna HSZ

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 May 2004, 03:18 GMT]
The Supreme Court (SC) Monday directed the Secretary of the Ministry of Defense (MoD) to submit a report on the question of maintaining high security zones (HSZs) in the Jaffna district. A three-member bench of the Court made the order on Fundamental Rights violation applications filed by five Tamil farmers and Mr. Mavai Senathirajah, Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian, in the Jaffna district, legal sources said.
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SL govt. denies relief to majority of IDPs in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 May 2004, 03:13 GMT]
Mr.S.Pathmanathan, the Jaffna District Government Agent, said Monday that recipient families of dry ration relief in Jaffna peninsula would be reduced to 17,541. This accounts for about 27 percent of the total recipient families that benefited under the relief scheme. Between 1996 and January, 2004, about 71,000 families benefited under this relief scheme, Jaffna district secretariat sources said.
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Solheim arrives in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 May 2004, 03:11 GMT]
Norwegian special peace envoy Mr. Erik Solheim arrived in Colombo Monday night on a five-day visit. He is scheduled to meet Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge and Prime Minister Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse Tuesday before leaving to Kilinochchi Wednesday to meet the leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), political sources said.
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Normal life returning to Oddusuddan

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 May 2004, 21:41 GMT]
Normal life is gradually returning in the Oddusuddan region in the Mullaithivu district, an area devastated during the war that is currently under the control of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, according to Tamil press reports from the North.
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Solheim to visit Colombo

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 May 2004, 17:01 GMT]
The Norwegian special peace envoy to Sri Lanka, Mr. Erik Solheim, is scheduled to arrive in Colombo on May 24. He is expected to hold talks with the President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunge, and Prime Minister, Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse, the same day regarding peace process, Colombo media sources said.
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ADB Vice President to visit Jaffna Thursday

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 May 2004, 14:18 GMT]
The Vice President (Operations) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Mr.Liqun Jin, is to pay a one-day visit to Jaffna district on May 27 and will participate in events related to three development projects launched by the ADB funded North East Community Restoration Development (NECORD) project. He will also visit land mine sites in Jaffna district, sources said.
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Batticaloa youth arrested for possession of firearms

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 May 2004, 13:51 GMT]
Mr. Theivanayagam Sutharsan of Mamangam in Batticaloa was arrested by Sri Lanka police and produced before the Magistrate, Mr. A.H.M. Ajmeer, on Monday, for illegal possession of firearms. The Magistrate remanded the youth till June 7, sources in Batticaloa said.
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Eastern university don shot dead

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 May 2004, 12:18 GMT]
Mr. Kumaravel Thambaiah, a senior lecturer in the Eastern University was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at his home in Batticaloa town around 4.30 p.m. Monday. Mr.Thambaiah, 48, the head of the economics department of the Eastern University, is from the village of Aasikulam north of Vavuniya.
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Major Sooriyan's memorial opened in Kopay

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 May 2004, 10:42 GMT]
Memorial stone for Major Sooriyan, Navendran Kamalendran of Columbuthurai, Jaffna, who died due to injuries suffered during an incident at Mullativu seas on 1st May 2002, was ceremonially opened at the Kopay Heroes cemetary Sunday at 5.30pm, local media reported.
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Divided Sinhala leadership poses danger to peace process- TNA

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 May 2004, 23:25 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Sunday expressed pessimism that it would be difficult to find a lasting political solution to the ethnic conflict through negotiations as the Sinhala political leadership is sharply divided on the question of resuming peace talks on the basis of Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) put forward by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
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"Viduthalai" released in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 May 2004, 22:51 GMT]
Viduthalai" (Liberation), a compilation of articles written by Liberation Tigers theoretician and political strategist, Mr.Anton Balasingham, on politics and other related subjects which were earlier serialized in "Velichcham" magazine was introduced to Trincomalee audience Sunday evening at an event held at theTrincomalee Town Hall. Hindu and Christian priests attended the event, sources said.
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India should reconsider decision to extend ban- Adaikalanathan

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 May 2004, 13:40 GMT]
"We urge the Government of India to reconsider its decision to extend the ban on Liberation Tigers for another two years under the Unlawful Activities (prevention) Act," said Selvam Adaikalanathan, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP for Vanni in a request sent to New Delhi, sources in Vanni said.
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US condition to LTTE to lay down arms unacceptable - Sinhala journalist

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 May 2004, 07:45 GMT]
''The condition laid by the US government for the LTTE to lay down arms is not acceptable. The question of handing over arms would cease automatically when an acceptable political solution to the Tamil people is found through talks, accepting the self determination of Tamils and their traditional homeland concept,'' said Mr.Ranath Kumarasinghe, Feature Editor of Haraya, a Sinhala political paper, addressing a seminar on Peace and Media Saturday evening held at Trincomalee Town Hall.
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Colombo conference to decide on poaching in northern sea

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 May 2004, 07:43 GMT]
A top level conference is scheduled to be held in Colombo in the office of Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources on May 27th and 28th to explore the possibilities of stopping poaching in Sri Lankan northern territorial waters. Earlier this conference was to be held in Jaffna but later it has been shifted to Colombo, fisheries sources said.
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Tamil Nadu leaders urged to raise Sri Lanka Tamil issue

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 May 2004, 20:08 GMT]
"Tamil Nadu political leaders should pressure Delhi to take active interest in Sri Lanka Tamil problem and also to deproscribe the Liberation Tigers," said Leader of the Upcountry People’s Front (UPF) and Member of Parliament, Mr. Periyannan Chandrasekaran, speaking to Canadian Tamil radio after his recent visit to Tamil Nadu to meet with political leaders.
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PAFFREL to set up citizens committees in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 May 2004, 18:23 GMT]
People's Action for Free and Fair Election (PAFFREL), a Colombo based election monitoring group said it plans to start citizens committees in Jaffna-Manipay, Pt. Pedro-Karaveddy and Kopay for addressing local social problems and issues.
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SLA behind Aalankulam killing- LTTE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 May 2004, 12:48 GMT]
Thursday night attack in Aalankulam on Liberation Tigers in which an LTTE cadre, Markandu Punithalingam (alias Rohithan or Kohilan), was killed was carried out with the support of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), said E.Kausalyan, Batticaloa-Amparai Head of the LTTE political wing, according to sources in Batticaloa.
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Nedunthivu residents without proper transport to mainland

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 May 2004, 10:13 GMT]
Residents of Nedunthivu, one of the islets in the Jaffna peninsula have been agitating for a better passenger boat service for travelling to the Jaffna mainland as the "Kumudhini" mechanized boat has gone out of order for the last eight months. Privately owned two small boats now plying between Nedunthivu and the mainland could not stand up to the rough sea following the change of monsoon, civil sources said.
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JVP holds discussions on peace process with allies

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 May 2004, 18:10 GMT]
The leadership of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a main constituent of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), has been holding intensive discussions with the other constituent political parties of the UPFA on the current position of the peace process, as a prelude to announcing its final stand on the Norwegian brokered peace talks between the UPFA government and the LTTE, JVP sources said Friday.
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Balasingham's "Viduthalai" to be introduced to Trinco audience

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 May 2004, 17:48 GMT]
The Arts and Cultural Division of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has organized a public meeting in Trincomalee on May 23 to introduce the book " Viduthalai"(Liberation), a compilation of political and philosophical articles written by LTTE theoretician and political strategist Mr.Anton Balasingham, to the Trincomalee audience, sources said
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JHU protests 'malicious propaganda' by State media

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 May 2004, 17:41 GMT]
The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) Friday held a demonstration in Colombo against the State electronic and print media for conducting what it said was "malicious propaganda" against the party. A group of Buddhist monks including JHU parliamentarians went in procession from the Wijerama Mawatha to the State run Rupavahini (Television station) Corporation.
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Research book on King Ravaneswaran released in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 May 2004, 17:36 GMT]
"Ravaneswaran Inthira Ulah" a research book on the history of King Ravaneswaran written by a leading Tamil scholar Mr.Kandasamy Balasubramaniam of Moolai in Jaffna district was launched in Trincomalee recently under the auspices of Trincomalee Muthamil Valarkalai Mantram. Trincomalee Eelathu Ilakkiacholai published this book as its seventeenth publication, sources said.
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Sri Lanka's BOI seeks investors for North-East

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 May 2004, 15:14 GMT]
Sri Lanka Board of Investment (BOI) has established a Regional Economic Development Office (REDO) in Trincomalee town. The main objective of the REDO is to lure people from overseas, especially Sri Lankan expatriates, to invest in the eight districts of the northeast province, REDO's Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Terrence Suntharam, told journalists Thursday.
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Vavuniya Police commended for action against crimes

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 May 2004, 14:22 GMT]
Sri Lanka Police in Vavuniya has arrested fifteen suspects in connection with armed robberies, house-breaks, murders and abductions in Vavuniya town and surrounding areas, and recovered jewelry and cash worth 3 million rupees. The Police are also seeking the arrest of three hardcore criminals involved in the incidents who are currently working with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna, police sources in Vavuniya said Friday.
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SL President urged not to stop relief to IDPs in Jaffna district

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 May 2004, 14:20 GMT]
The Federation of Jaffna District Civil Organizations (FJDCO) Friday condemned the decision of the Government of Sri lanka to curtail the distribution of dry ration relief given to hundreds of thousands of families, a majority of whom are displaced and languishing in refugee camps and welfare centres without employment. The FJDCO has sent an urgent message to Sri lanka's President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunge, to order that all IDPs and those affected by the war be issued dry ration relief as usual without any reduction, sources said.
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Explosion kills LTTE cadre in east

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 May 2004, 06:44 GMT]
A member of the Liberation Tigers was killed in an explosion in Aalankerni, 42 kilometres north of Batticaloa, Thursday night, LTTE sources in the eastern town said. Aalankerni is close to the Batticaloa-Polannaruwa Road which is controlled by the Sri Lanka Army.
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'UPFA’s peace talk plans do not violate SLFP-JVP agreement' - JVP

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 May 2004, 19:39 GMT]
The peace talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, being considered by the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), do not violate the agreement reached by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna before the two parties joined to form the UPFA, said Mr. Wimal Weerawansa, the propaganda secretary of the JVP, speaking to journalists Thursday evening in Colombo.
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SL President urged to hand over Mannar saltern to co-op

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 May 2004, 18:00 GMT]
Mr.Selvam Adaikalanathan, Vanni district parliamentarian, Thursday made an urgent appeal to Sri Lanka's President, Ms.Chandrika Kumaratunge, to take immediate steps to hand over the defunct Mannar saltern to the Mannar Fisheries Co-operative Society to reactivate it. The Mannar saltern has now been under the purview of the Ministry of Enterprises, and Investment Promotion, sources said.
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Mannar GA declines to send back jailed Indians by sea

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 May 2004, 17:39 GMT]
The Mannar government agent Thursday declined a directive by the district magistrate to send back by sea three Indian fishermen jailed for illegally ferrying Tamil refugees and for smuggling explosives to the island's northwestern coast last year.
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Solheim to visit Colombo next week

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 May 2004, 12:20 GMT]
Norwegian special peace envoy Mr. Erik Solheim is scheduled to arrive in Colombo on May 24. He is expected to hold talks with the President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge and Prime Minister Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse the same day regarding peace process, Colombo media sources said.
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Foot pilgrimage From Jaffna to Kathirgamam

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 May 2004, 01:38 GMT]
More than thirty hindu devotees have registered to begin a pilgrimage from Sannithi Murugan Temple in Jaffna to the Kathirgamam Murugan Temple in the South of Sri Lanka by foot Friday, local reports said. The pilgrimage was a regular annual event that got suspended more than a decade ago due to war.
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Elilan meets SLA's Trinco commander

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 May 2004, 21:26 GMT]
Mr.S.Elilan, newly appointed political head of the Liberation Tigers in the Trincomalee district, met with the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Sri Lanka Army in the district, Major General Sunil Tennekon, Wednesday afternoon in the Trincomalee office of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Commission (SLMM), and discussed the ground situation in the district in detail, sources said.
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SLMC suspends three MPs over opposition to Hakeem

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 May 2004, 18:55 GMT]
The rank and file of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) is in disarray following the decision of its politburo Wednesday to suspend three of its parliamentatarians and a member of the party for opposing the leadership of Mr.Rauff Hakeem, sources said.
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SLA soldiers threaten LTTE cadre released to parents

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 May 2004, 15:50 GMT]
Parents of Mr.Nadaraja Tharasingham of Point Pedro Wednesday lodged a complaint at the Jaffna regional office of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) that his son who was handed over to them by the LTTE in the presence of HRCSL officials recently is being intimidated by the soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) for being in the LTTE, civil rights sources said.
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"ISGA the base for future peace talks" - Akashi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 May 2004, 15:29 GMT]
"The future peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam will be based on the Interim Self Governing Authority proposals submitted by the LTTE," said the Japanese special peace envoy, Mr.Yasushi Akashi, addressing a press conference Wednesday afternoon at the Colombo Hilton Hotel concluding his five-day visit to Sri Lanka.
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LTTE team completes assessment of development in East

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 May 2004, 15:20 GMT]
The team of political and administrative heads of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, led by the deputy head of the political division, Mr. S. Thangan, which visited the Batticaloa-Amparai district to assess development needs and activities, completed its assessment and returned to the Vanni Wednesday morning, sources said.
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Sinister elements behind killing of police constable - Kausalyan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 May 2004, 14:59 GMT]
Mr. E. Kausalyan, the political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Batticaloa, told TamilNet Wednesday that the LTTE has nothing to do with the killing of a police intelligence operative by unidentified gunmen Wednesday morning at a sub-post office in Batticaloa town.
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Military officer gets key peace secretariat post

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 May 2004, 13:20 GMT]
Sri Lanka President Chandrika Kumaratunga Wednesday appointed Brigadier Sanath Karunaratna, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Sri Lanka army's 51 Division in Jaffna as the Director of Operations of the government peace secretariat, the institution in charge of handling Colombo's negotiations with the Liberation Tigers. Brig. Karunaratna served as the SLA spokesman from 23 June 2000 to 15 January 2003.
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Tamil MPs protest in Sri Lanka Parliament

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 May 2004, 11:08 GMT]
Tamil MPs carrying placards and wearing black bands on their arms marched to the Sri Lankan Parliament from its main entrance Wednesday in a protest against Police firing on Tamil estate workers in the hill country town of Kandapola last month. “The Sri Lankan Police and army behave like they are Sinhala Police and Sinhala army. They systematically work against the Tamils," said TNA MP, Mr. Suresh Premachandran during the debate on the Kandapola incident in Parliament Wednesday.
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Police intelligence operative shot dead in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 May 2004, 06:49 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Police intelligence operative was shot dead by an unidentified gunman Wednesday about 11.30 a.m at a sub-post office in Batticaloa town. The Reserve Police Constable of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the Directorate of Internal Intelligence identified as Mr. Dassanayaka succumbed to his wounds after he was rushed to the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital. The RPC was buying stamps at the post office near the hospital when he was shot, Police said.
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Abducted JHU MP tenders resignation

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 May 2004, 17:22 GMT]
Venerable Kataluwe Ratnaseeha Thera, the abducted monk parliamentarian of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Tuesday personally handed over his resignation letter to the Secretary General of the parliament, parliamentary sources said.
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Tamil parliamentarians to debate Kandapola incident with black bands

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 May 2004, 11:32 GMT]
Tamil parliamentarians irrespective of party affiliations would attend parliament wearing black bands on their arms when the adjournment motion on the Kandapola incident is debated Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Two were killed and several wounded when Police opened fire on Tamil estate workers in the hill country town last month.
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Akashi meets Thamilchelvan in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 May 2004, 11:29 GMT]
Japanese special envoy Mr.Yasushi Akashi had discussions with Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, head of the LTTE's political divison, on issues related to the planned resumption of the long stalled peace talks between the Tigers and Colombo Tuesday morning in Killinochchi. The hour-long discussion also centred on reconstruction and development in the northeast, LTTE officials said. The meeting took place at the LTTE's peace secretariat in Kilinochchi.
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LTTE team assesses Batticaloa development needs, meets UNICEF

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 May 2004, 10:49 GMT]
A team led by Deputy Leader of Liberation Tigers Political Wing, S. Thangan, is visiting Batticaloa district on a fact finding mission to examine the needs in the district in the areas of rehabilitation, administration and economic development, sources in Batticaloa said.
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Norwegian Ambassador's house stoned on national day

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 May 2004, 10:41 GMT]
Unidentified persons threw stones at the house of the Norwegian Ambassador in Sri Lanka, Mr. Hans Brattskar on 17th May, the national day of Norway, according to a news report published by the online edition of the Verdens Gang, a leading Norwegian daily.
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Parliament elects UPFA Deputy Speaker

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 May 2004, 07:27 GMT]
The Sri Lanka's Parliament Tuesday unanimously elected Mr.Geethanjana Gunawardene of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) as Deputy Speaker and Mr. Murugan Sachchithanandan of the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) Deputy Chairman of Committees at its second sitting of the first session held Tuesday morning.
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Parliament meets Tuesday, one SLMC MP crosses over to govt. bench

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 May 2004, 05:41 GMT]
The second sitting of the first session of the thirteenth parliament of Sri Lanka commenced Tuesday morning around 10 a.m. amid confusion and tension following the cross over of Mr. Hussain Baila, a National List parliamentarian of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), to the government and the alleged abduction of a monk parliamentarian of the Jathika Hela Urumaya Monday night by an unidentified group, parliamentary sources said.
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Batti schools criticized over merit admissions to universities

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 May 2004, 00:02 GMT]
Though the Eastern University has been making efforts to increase the number of students from the Batticaloa district who would be admitted on merit, the University has not received the cooperation it needs from schools, teachers and parents, said the Vice Chancellor of the university, Dr. S. Ravindranath, speaking at a function organized by the Batticaloa Educational Development Committee at the Methodist Central College hall Sunday evening.
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TNA MPs to decide on strategy in parliament

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 22:25 GMT]
The parliamentarians of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) met at the parliament building Monday to discuss the strategy to follow during the election of the Deputy Speaker on Tuesday, but decided to meet again Tuesday morning to take a firm decision, a TNA MP said.
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Suspect in Nimalarajan murder allowed reduced bail

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 17:27 GMT]
The Jaffna Magistrate, Mr.R.T.Viknarajah, on the orders of the Court of Appeal on Monday allowed the fourth suspect, Mr.Balachchandran Uthayapavan, in the Jaffna Journalist Mylvaganam Nimalarajan' murder case, on bond signed by two sureties, who should be government servants, for one hundred thousand rupees each. The suspect is a member of a Tamil paramilitary group, the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), legal sources said.
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Four new parliamentarians to be sworn in Tuesday

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 17:05 GMT]
Four new parliamentarians are to be sworn in by the Speaker when Sri Lanka's parliament meets Tuesday morning. One of the four is the Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian, Mr.Pakkiaselvam Ariyanenthiran, of Batticaloa district. The other three are from the National List of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), sources said.
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Parliamentarians to debate Kandapola incident Wednesday

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 14:27 GMT]
A three-hour debate on the Kandapola incident in which two Tamil plantation workers were killed due to police firing will take place in the Sri Lanka's parliament Wednesday according to a decision taken at the first meeting of the leaders of political parties represented in the new parliament, which was held Monday in the Speaker's Chamber, parliamentary sources said.
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Akashi to meet LTTE leadership in Kilinochchi Tuesday

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 14:16 GMT]
The Japanese special peace envoy, Mr.Yasushi Akashi, is to meet the leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Tuesday in Kilinochchi. The Japanese Ambassador in Sri Lanka, Mr.Akio Suda, will accompany Mr. Akashi and two other diplomats to Kilinochchi, sources at the Japanese Embassy in Colombo said.
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Kilinochchi athlete wins bronze in Colombo athletic meet

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 13:14 GMT]
Miss. Seevaratnam Tharani, student of Akkarayan Maha Vidiyalayam in Kilinochchi district, won the bronze medal for the Shot Putt event under 16 years of age in the three-day National Junior Schools Athletic Meet held in Colombo Sugathathasa Sports Stadium, which was concluded Sunday. Miss.Tharani was the only competitor who won a place in the meet from the northeast province. She participated in the national level meet as a member of the team nominated by the Kilinochchi District Athletic Association, sources said.
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"SLA establishes new checkpoints in Vavuniya, Mannar"- Selvam

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 11:22 GMT]
Vanni electoral district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Mr.Selvam Adaikalanathan Monday sent an urgent letter to Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge that the establishment of new check points of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in the administrative districts of Mannar and Vavuniya is causing serious apprehension in the minds of the people that the security forces are preparing for renewed military action, TNA sources said.
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UPFA seeks to ensure majority in parliament

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 05:24 GMT]
The minority United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government has been holding intensive discussions with a few selected leaders of small political parties represented in parliament to ensure majority to elect the Deputy Speaker and the Chairman of Committees when Sri Lanka's parliament is scheduled to meet May 18th morning, political sources said.
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Operation-USA, TRO donate medical equipment to NE hospitals

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 May 2004, 18:24 GMT]
"Operation USA" and the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) donated Rs.10,000,000 rupees worth of medical equipment to the Government Agents of the eight districts in the northeast province to be distributed to state medical institutions in their health divisions, health officials said. Handing over event was held Thursday evening in the Vavuniya district secretariat presided by Vavuniya Government Agent Mr. R.Ganesh, TRO sources said.
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Balasingham's book 'Viduthalai' released in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 May 2004, 17:25 GMT]
The launch of 'Viduthalai' (Liberation), collection of articles written by Liberation Tigers' theoretician and political strategist Mr.Anton Balasingham was held in Jaffna University Kailasapathy Auditorium Sunday evening. The book was first released in London six months ago and this was the first time the book was released in the Northeast, sources said.
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Ellalan Army kills youth in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 May 2004, 16:42 GMT]
Police found the body of a person identified as Subramaniam Chandralalith, 22, shot dead in Jaffna town in the early hours of Sunday morning. He was abducted in a van by unknown persons the day before, Police sources in the northern town said. In a note found near his body, a group calling itself Ellalan Army claimed that it had killed Chandralalith and punished five others for criminal activities including robbery, rape, abduction, extortion, fraud and child molestation.
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Tie aid to ISGA progress, Sampanthan tells Akashi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 May 2004, 12:15 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan Sunday told the Japanese special peace envoy Mr.Yasushi Akashi that flow of foreign aid to Sri Lanka should depend on the progress made in establishing the Internal Self Governing Authority (ISGA) in northeast province. Mr.Sampanthan met with Mr. Akashi in the Japanese embassy in Colombo Sunday morning and held more than an hour long discussion on the current political situation in Sri Lanka, TNA sources said.
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New Batticaloa MP to take oath

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 May 2004, 11:34 GMT]
Pakiyaselvam Ariyanendran, is expected to take oath as a new Member of Parliament for Batticaloa district for the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) when the Sri Lanka parliament convenes Tuesday, political sources in Batticaloa said. Mr. Ariyanendran obtained the next highest votes in the last general election and following the resignation of Kingsley Rajanayagam earned the coveted spot to represent Batticalao district.
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Dutch delegation visits Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 May 2004, 11:08 GMT]
A delegation of Dutch diplomats led by First Secretary of the Embassy of Netherland in Colombo, Mr.D.R.S.Jan Hugskes, visited Batticaloa district Saturday to review development and rehabilitation work being carried out in the district and discuss matters related to granting future aid, sources said.
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Trincomalee fishermen demonstrate to preserve sea resource

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 May 2004, 04:35 GMT]
Hundreds of fishermen of Trincomalee district from all communities under one wing Saturday held a one hour demonstration in the round-about of the Clock Tower junction in the heart of Trincomalee town demanding that the Fisheries Ordinance of the Ministry of Fisheries that prohibits dynamiting fish and using prohibited nets should be implemented to safeguard the sea resources of the district, sources said.
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US urged to pressure Sri Lankan government for peace

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 May 2004, 03:02 GMT]
Students undergoing training on Non-violent Communication Skills for Youths in the Trincomalee campus of the Eastern University, with the financial support of the USAID, Saturday told the visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs, Ms. Christina Rocca, in clear terms that the US government should exert pressure on the government in power in Sri Lanka to find a permanent peaceful solution to the ethnic conflict without anymore foot-dragging.
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USAID assists fishermen in Kasthurinagar

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 May 2004, 17:30 GMT]
The visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Ms Christina Rocca handed over fishing boats and gear, under a project funded by United State Agency for International Development (USAID), to the Kasthurinagar Fisheries Co-operative Society in Trincomalee town Saturday afternoon by the at an event held at the Children's Park located in front of the Trincomalee harbour, sources said. The project was .
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Akashi arrives in Colombo to continue peace mission

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 May 2004, 16:01 GMT]
Mr Yasushi Akashi, Special Representative of the Government of Japan, arrived in Colombo Saturday evening around 7.30 p.m. to continue his peace mission in Sri Lanka.T his is his 7th visit to Sri Lanka since he was appointed as the Special Representative in October 2002 to contribute to the peace process in Sri Lanka and his first visit after the election of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government at the recently concluded General Elections.
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Christina Rocca visits Trincomalee, assures development aid

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 May 2004, 15:06 GMT]
US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Ms Christina Rocca Saturday morning met with the Trincomalee Government Agent and District Secretary Mr. Gamini Rodrigo at the latter's office located inside the Fort Frederick and discussed about the development of the district, sources said. fter the discussion Mr. Rodrigo told local journalists that Ms Christina Rocca has promised US assistance to develop and strengthen the agro and fisheries industries in the district.
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'TamilNation' website reactivated

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 May 2004, 14:39 GMT]
TamilNation.org, a widely popular website, which covers topics related to Tamil National struggle and Tamil culture, has been reactivated. The site which first appeared in 1998, was closed for undisclosed reasons on 30th June 2001. The site is run by Nadesan Satyendra, a prominent attorney, well known for his intellectual and legal contributions to the Tamil struggle.
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Ayurvedic Hospital staff draws MP's attention to lack of facilities

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 May 2004, 11:24 GMT]
Director of Vavuniya Ayurvedic Hospital, Dr.Varnakulendran, urged Vanni Parliamentarian Selvam Adaikalanathan to take the necessary action to improve the inadequate medical and residential facilites that are currently adversely impacting the dispensation of effective medical services to general public, health officials in Vavuniya said.
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Failure to Gazette delays establishment of East Medical Faculty

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 May 2004, 10:58 GMT]
Although the United National Front Government (UNF) authorized establishment of a Medical Faculty for the Eastern Campus, the absence of Gazette notification has delayed even starting the construction of the buildings for the new faculty, said educational sources in Batticaloa.
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Grenade attack on SLA in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 May 2004, 00:32 GMT]
Three Sri Lanka Army soldiers and a policeman were injured in a hand grenade attack when they were traveling on Vinyagar road, Sethukudah, 3 km from the Batticaloa town center, at 12:30 a.m. Saturday, sources said.
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Batticaloa squatters asked to leave Water Board’s lands

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 May 2004, 22:00 GMT]
About two hundred families who have been staying in lands belonging to the Water Supply and Sewage Board in Kallady in the Batticaloa district for the last two years will be asked to leave, according to a decision made at a meeting of the Batticaloa district secretariat.
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HR cases put off for want of competent translator

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 May 2004, 17:26 GMT]
The Chavakachcheri Magistrate Friday informed the Attorney General that he was not in a position to hold preliminary inquiries into twenty-two Habeas Corpus applications referred to him by the Jaffna High Court due to want of permanent competent translators, legal sources said.
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More vacancies in NEPC administration - Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 May 2004, 16:34 GMT]
The Trincomalee district parliamentarian, Mr.R.Sampanthan, has brought to the notice of the North-East Provincial Governor that several vacancies exist in the permanent cadre of the North East Provincial Council (NEPC) administration. Meanwhile several workers have been employed in the council on casual and adhoc basis without any prospect for claiming permanency.
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Rocca: "Ending conflict is the key to prosperity in Sri Lanka"

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 May 2004, 15:43 GMT]
" Peace, prosperity- and, of course, stability are married to each other, here in Sri Lanka no less than elsewhere," said Ms Christina Rocca, US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs, said Friday in a press release.
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Speaker summons first party leaders’ meeting

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 May 2004, 12:03 GMT]
The new Speaker of the Sri Lanka Parliament Mr.W.J.M.Lokkubandara has officially summoned the first meeting of leaders of political parties represented in the parliament Monday 17th noon, political sources in Colombo said.
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Christina Rocca meets TNA delegation

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 May 2004, 11:01 GMT]
"The international community should tell publicly to the Sri Lankan government that it would not prevent Tamils going in their own way to achieve their rights if Sinhala leaders fail to political solution to meet their legitimate aspirations. This will contribute to the success of the current peace process in finding a lasting political solution," Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan Friday appealed to Ms Christina Rocca, US State Department Assistant Secretary for South Asian Affairs Friday, sources said.
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LTTE’s political advisor heads to London

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 May 2004, 07:18 GMT]
Mr. Anton Balasingham, political advisor to the Liberation Tigers, left Kilinochchi Friday morning after concluding extensive consultations with Mr. Velupillai Pirapaharan and senior officials of the LTTE regarding the resumption and continuation of peace talks with the Government of Sri Lanka. He will leave for London Friday evening, LTTE officials in Kilinochchi said.
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Youth shot dead in vavuniya

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 May 2004, 00:01 GMT]
Mr. Kalimuthu Santhakumar, 28, in Marambaikulam, Vavuniya, was shot dead on Thursday night at 9:30 p.m. by a group of unidentified men. The attackers escaped after stabbing another villager, Sabaratnam Jayanthan (24), who went out to check after hearing the gunshot, police said.
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U.S. embassy holds workshop for Sri Lankan journalists

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 May 2004, 18:15 GMT]
The US Embassy in Colombo has been conducting a series of workshops to enhance the knowledge of local journalists in Sri Lanka. Four workshops were held in Galle, Trincomalee, Kandy and Colombo on May 6,10,12 and 13th May respectively. The fifth workshop is to be held in Jaffna on May 18 and the final will be held again in Colombo on May 20th, embassy sources said.
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CWC, SLMC to decide their future with UNF this weekend

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 May 2004, 17:58 GMT]
The Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), major constituents in the United National Front (UNF), are likely to decide their future with the main opposition UNF before May 18th, political sources said
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Human Rights Commission to issue report on HSZ

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 May 2004, 15:27 GMT]
"The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) is to release a report shortly in regard to the alleged violation of human rights of internally displaced families due to the continuous maintenance of High Security Zones in the Jaffna peninsula by the Sri Lanka Army", said Mr. Senaka Dissanayake, HRCSL co-ordinator in the Project for the Humanitarian Assistance to IDPs and Returnees addressing a seminar in Jaffna Thursday.
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UNP will not support UPFA sham peace effort -Peiris

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 May 2004, 15:25 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) Thursday announced that it would not support the sham peace efforts of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government ." UPFA leaders make contradicting statements on their peace efforts. It clearly shows that they are insincere in their peace moves. Hence the UNP will not support the sham peace efforts of the UPFA government," said UNP senior leader and a former minister in the then UNF government Professor G.L.Peiris at a press briefing held Thursday in Colombo.
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US diplomat Rocca arrives in Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 May 2004, 12:36 GMT]
Ms Christina Rocca, US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs arrived in Colombo Thursday around 4.30 p.m. on a four day visit to hold talks with the President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge and government leaders on issues ranging from the peace process, aid and investments, US embassy sources said.
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Japanese peace envoy Akashi to visit Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 May 2004, 07:58 GMT]
Mr.Yasushi Akashi, special envoy of the Government of Japan is to pay a five-day visit to Sri Lanka commencing from Saturday 15th May to follow up his continued peace mission, said the Japanese Embassy in a press release Thursday.
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‘Talks announcement in a day or two’ – Balasingham

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 May 2004, 06:53 GMT]
Mr. Anton Balasingham, political advisor to the Liberation Tigers, said Thursday that the LTTE and the Government of Sri Lanka have agreed on most of the fundamental issues related to the resumption of peace talks. Speaking to journalists at the conclusion of a two-hour discussion with Mr. Vidar Helgesen, Norway’s deputy foreign minister, Mr. Balasingham said the LTTE and Colombo would reach a decision in “a day or two” on the time and place for restarting the peace talks. He said Norway would make an announcement about the consensus reached by the two parties in “one or two days”.
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Kadirgamar: "ISGA, blue print for a future separate state"

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 May 2004, 01:25 GMT]
Interim Self-Governing Authority (ISGA) proposal is a blue print for a future separate State and it will be difficult for a sovereign government to accept the proposal, said Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar, during a talk he gave at the Brookings Institute in Washington D.C Wednesday afternoon. Mr.Kadirgamar is on an official visit to the United States where he met with U.S Secretary of State, Colin Powell and other U.S Government officials.
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Action demanded on shortage of teachers in North-East

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 May 2004, 18:05 GMT]
The Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union (CTTU) Wednesday urged the North East Provincial Governor, Major General Asoka Jayawardene, to take immediate steps to appoint three thousand Tamil medium teachers to northeast schools which have been affected by acute teacher shortage. Currently about 6000 vacancies for Tamil medium teachers in the northeast schools are not filled. Mr.T.Mahasivam, General Secretary of the CTTU, told the Governor at a discussion held Wednesday at the latter's office Wednesday, sources said.
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US diplomat Rocca to visit Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 May 2004, 17:27 GMT]
Ms. Christina Rocca, US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs, is scheduled to arrive in Colombo on a four-day visit Thursday. A visit to Trincomalee is also included in her itinerary, sources at the US Embassy in Colombo said Wednesday.
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LTTE's Financial Division announces relief measures

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 May 2004, 16:04 GMT]
The Financial Division of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Wednesday announced several measures offering relief to consumers and fishermen in the northeast province. The current 10 percent tax imposed on outboard motor engines and fishing gear brought to Thamileelam has been completely removed as an incentive to the development of the fisheries industry, said Mr. S.Thamilenthi, head of the Financial Division, at a press briefing held Wednesday at the Revenue Secretariat of the LTTE, sources said.
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Snag over TNA MP's resignation removed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 May 2004, 15:54 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Parliament Secretary General, Ms Priyani Wijesekara, said Wednesday she had forwarded the resignation letter of Batticaloa district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian, Mr. Kingsely Rasanayakam, to the Commissioner of Elections for necessary action, after Mr. Rasanayakam tendered his resignation letter direct to her, parliamentary sources said.
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JVP vows street revolution against UNF

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 May 2004, 15:48 GMT]
The Marxist and Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Wednesday warned that it would launch a street revolution with the backing of masses if the main opposition United National Front (UNF) attempted to defeat the progressive policies of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance government in the parliament.
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NECORD funds new school building in Kanniya

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 May 2004, 10:14 GMT]
Students of resettled families of Kanniya, a traditional Tamil village which is located along Trincomalee-Anuradhapura highway, about eight km off northwest of east port town Tuesday moved into a new school building constructed at a cost of 1.3 million rupees by the North East Community Restoration Development (NECORD) funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), sources said.
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SLMC to offer conditional support to minority UPFA government

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 May 2004, 10:09 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) politburo has decided to extend its support to the ruling minority United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government on two conditions-one is to accommodate a Muslim delegation as a separate entity at the upcoming peace talks with the Liberation Tigers and the other is not to abolish the executive presidency as proposed, SLMC general sectary Mr.M.T.Hassan Ali said.
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Japanese envoy visits Jaffna, Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 May 2004, 18:21 GMT]
Jaffna district intelligentsia Tuesday made an appeal to the Japanese government not to grant any aid to Sri Lankan government until a permanent political solution is found for the Tamil national question. A delegation of academics led by Jaffna University Vice Chancellor, Professor C.Mohanadas, Tuesday told the visiting Japanese ambassador in Sri Lanka, Mr.Akisuda, that Tamils in the northeast province have not been allowed by the government in power to enjoy the benefits of the ceasefire now holding in the country since February 22, 2002.
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Consultation with GOSL, LTTE to continue - Norway

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 May 2004, 14:32 GMT]
“The Government of Norway will continue to consult with the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the coming weeks as some issues need to be discussed further before negotiations can start,” said the Norwegian Embassy in Sri Lanka in a press release issued Tuesday evening.
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‘Let’s discuss ISGA first’, LTTE tells Kumaratunga

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 May 2004, 13:12 GMT]
Mr. Anton Balasingham, political advisor to the Liberation Tigers said Tuesday that the LTTE have suggested that their proposal for an Interim Self Governing Authority should be taken up for negotiations first, responding to a suggestion by the Sri Lankan President conveyed through the Norwegian foreign minister to the LTTE leadership Tuesday that there should be parallel talks towards a permanent settlement to the island’s ethnic conflict. He said that President Kumaratunga has accepted the LTTE as the sole representatives of the Tamil people.
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Mullaitivu fishermen struggle without a lighthouse

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 May 2004, 11:05 GMT]
Selvam Adaikalanathan, Tamil National Alliance MP for Vanni, has written a letter to Sri Lanka's President Ms.Kumaratunge, explaining the plight of Mullaitivu fishermen and the urgent need for a lighthouse to facilitate fishermen returning to shore during times of bad weather and bad visibility, said sources.
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SLA, LTTE agree to develop procedures to prevent killings in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 May 2004, 10:30 GMT]
The Sri Lanka army and the Liberation Tigers Tuesday agreed in Batticaloa to “develop mechanisms to ensure information sharing and quick reaction procedures to prevent serious crimes and to ensure proper procedures to apprehend individuals perpetrating serious crimes”. The meeting was arranged amidst killings that threatened to jeopardize the cease-fire agreement between LTTE and Colombo. Col. Thambirajah Ramesh, led the LTTE delegation to the meeting with the SLA at the Vavunathivu divisional secretariat, 5 kilometres, northwest of Batticaloa town.
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Norwegian foreign minister meets Pirapaharan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 May 2004, 07:32 GMT]
Norway’s Foreign Minister Jan Petersen met Mr. Velupillai Pirapaharan, the leader of the Liberation Tigers and his political advisor, Mr. Anton Balasingham in Kilinochchi Tuesday to discuss issues relating to the resumption of peace talks with the Government of Sri Lanka. The Norwegian foreign minister was accompanied by his deputy Mr. Vidar Helgesen and Norway’s ambassador for Sri Lanka, Mr. Hans Brattskar.
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Vattrapalai temple braces for high devotee turnout

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 May 2004, 03:07 GMT]
Thousands of hindu devotees from different parts of Northeast are expected to attend the annual Pongal festival at Vattrapalai Kannaki Amman temple in Mullaitivu district on the 31st of this month, local media said quoting temple sources.
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Petersen to meet Pirapaharan in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 May 2004, 02:47 GMT]
The Norwegian Foreign Minister, Mr.Jan Petersen, and his deputy, Mr. Vidar Helgesen, are scheduled to leave Colombo for Kilinochchi Tuesday morning to meet the LTTE leadership for discussions on issues related to resuming the suspended peace talks, Presidential secretariat sources said.
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Balasingham's book to be released in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 May 2004, 17:18 GMT]
"Viduthalai (Liberation)," a collection of articles authored by the theoretician and political strategist of the Liberation Tigers, Mr.Anton Balasingham, is to be released at an event scheduled to be held on May 16 at the Jaffna University Kailasapathy Auditorium, sources said.
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CWC MP tipped for Deputy Speaker post

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 May 2004, 17:15 GMT]
Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) parliamentarian, Mr.Muthu Sivalingam, is tipped to be the common candidate for the post of Deputy Speaker of Sri Lanka's Parliament when it meets on May 18, political sources said.
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JVP opposed to UPFA’s decision to talk only with LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 May 2004, 16:58 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s United People’s Freedom Alliance, led by President Chandrika Kumaratunge, in a statement Sunday said that the UPFA government would hold peace talks only with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, thus conceding the LTTE’s demand to be recognized as the ‘sole representatives’ of the Tamil people, according to wire reports. The Marxist and ultra-nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, one of the main constituents of the UPFA, has however announced it is opposed to the decision, Tamil press reports said.
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Norwegian Foreign Minister arrives in Colombo

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 May 2004, 14:51 GMT]
Norwegian Foreign Minister Mr.Jan Peterson with his deputy Mr. Vidar Helgessen arrived in Colombo Monday afternoon to hold discussions with Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge and the leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to work out modalities to resume the stalled peace talks, political sources said.
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Gnanavel appointed Head of LTTE's Vavuniya Political Wing

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 May 2004, 10:38 GMT]
Liberation Tigers appointed Gnanavel as their new Head of Polltical section for Vavuniya district, sources in Vavuniya said. Outgoing Vavuniya head, Elilan, introduced Gnanavel to the security forces commanders and to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) at the Vavuniya SLMM's office Monday.
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"ISGA needed as confidence building measure for final solution" - Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 May 2004, 17:09 GMT]
"The establishment of the Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) in the northeast province is urgently needed as a confidence building measure to take forward the peace process to achieve a final and lasting political solution to the Tamil national question," said the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader and Trincomalee district parliamentarian Mr.R.Sampanthan addressing a public meeting attended by Tamil people of Kanthalai.
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Elilan meets Sri Lanka Security Forces Commanders

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 May 2004, 14:43 GMT]
Mr.C. Elilan, new Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Sunday morning held discussion with the Trincomalee heads of Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and the Sri Lanka Police in the office of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Trincomalee, security sources said.
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SLA intelligence operative shot dead in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 May 2004, 09:28 GMT]
Mr. Vasantha Colombage, a member of the Sri Lanka Army intelligence unit was shot dead Sunday morning around 10 a.m. inside a private passenger bus when he was returning for duty in Batticaloa from Polonnaruwa, Batticaloa Police said.
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Batticaloa Tamil youth shot dead in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 May 2004, 06:31 GMT]
Mr. Selvarasa Gunaseelan (28) of School Lane in Kiran in Batticaloa district was shot dead Saturday night around midnight at Paththinipuram, a resettled village in Thampalakamam division, which is located about seventeen km off Trincomalee town along Trincomalee-Kandy highway, Kantalai Police said.
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Fire destroys computers worth Rs.4m at Hartley College

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 May 2004, 18:10 GMT]
Computer center Hartley College, Point Pedro, a leading educational institution in the Jaffna district, housing computer equipment estimated to be worth nearly Rs.4 million was completely destroyed by fire Saturday, school officials said. The school is located inside the High Security Zone around the harbor area in Point Pedro.
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EU funds project to assist fishermen in Vanni, Jaffna Islets

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 May 2004, 18:07 GMT]
The Human Development Center (HUDEC) in Jaffna district is to implement a project funded by the European Union to improve the living standards and employment opportunities of fishermen in Vanni region and Jaffna peninsula, HUDEC Director Fr.R.Jeyakumar said. Restrictions and ban imposed by the Sri Lanka military in many parts of Northeastern coastal areas severely affected the livelihood of many fishermen during the two decades old war.
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LTTE Trincomalee new political head assumes duties

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 May 2004, 17:26 GMT]
Mr.C. Elilan, new Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Saturday night met with the Tamil media personnel in the Trincomalee district, sources in Trincomalee said. Elilan was introduced to media persons by the outgoing district political head Mr.S.Thilak.
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Peace Process, MoU at grave risk- LTTE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 May 2004, 13:00 GMT]
"It is apparent that the killers have all the assistance from the SLA and we request of you to advise the [Sri Lanka] government that if the SLA continues to act in this manner the entire peace process and the cease fire agreement are being placed in heavy risk and dire consequence have to be faced," said Leader of the Political Wing of the LTTE in a letter to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), pointing out to the recent murders of two LTTE cadres in Batticaloa district.
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Norwegian doctors hold workshop in East Campus

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 May 2004, 11:46 GMT]
Doctors from the Medical Faculty and Teaching Hospital in Tromsø, Norway, led by Tromsø University Planning Commissioner Mr.Eriksel, began a two day workshop on Medical education in the Nursing Education center at the Eastern University campus at 8.30 am Saturday, education officials said.
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Police compound fishermen's woes in Vankalai

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 May 2004, 10:53 GMT]
Vanni Parliamentarian S.Noharathalingam has requested Mannar Deputy Inspector General of Police M.P.Baddewela to make arrangements to provide safe areas in the high ground for Mannar fishermen in Vankalai region to park their boats, sources said.
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Security strengthened for Batticaloa TNA parliamentarian

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 May 2004, 10:39 GMT]
More than ten Police officers and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers are providing security to Batticaloa district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian, Ms.Thangeswary Kathirgaman, at her Nalliah Road residence in Batticaloa, security sources said.
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Hand-grenade explosion injures STF soldier in Batticaloa camp

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 May 2004, 10:22 GMT]
Explosion of a hand grenade Friday evening inside a Special Task Force (STF) camp near the main bus stand in Batticaloa town injured soldier Champika Kumara, security sources said. The injured soldier has been admitted to the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital and receiving treatment for his injuries, according to hospital sources.
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SLA bans cultivation in lands outside Palaly HSZ

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 May 2004, 18:09 GMT]
Inspite of repeated assurances by the Jaffna command of the Sri Lanka Army that internally displaced families will be allowed to resettle and do their cultivation in their lands located six hundred meters away from the forward defence line of the Palaly high security zone, soldiers manning checkpoints are putting obstacles for the resettled farmers to prepare their lands for cultivation, resettled families complained to TamilNet Friday.
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Kattankudy police arrests man with weapons

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 May 2004, 16:50 GMT]
The Kattankudy Police Friday arrested Mr. Nagoor Faisool Ameen with a pistol and an AK 47 gun. The Batticaloa acting Magistrate, Mr.S.Sinniah, ordered remand for the suspect till May 20th when he was produced in court Friday, legal sources in the eastern town said.
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CWC said mulling support to UPFA

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 May 2004, 16:40 GMT]
The Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), one of the constituents of the main opposition United National Front (UNF), is expected to make a final decision on the question of extending its support to the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government on or before Sri Lanka's parliament meets on May 18, reliable CWC sources said Friday.
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India should lift ban on LTTE-TNA

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 May 2004, 13:39 GMT]
"The Indian government should lift the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as a first step to win the hearts of Tamils in northeast province and to facilitate the peace process brokered by Norway," the Tamil National Alliance Jaffna district parliamentarian, Mr.N.Raviraj, told TamilNet Friday
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Magazine prison Tamil detainees allege murder plot

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 May 2004, 11:24 GMT]
Tamil political detainees from the high security Magazine prison in Colombo have written a letter to Vanni Parliamentarian, Mr. Sivanathan Kishore, that there are secret plans to murder them and that Tamil parliamentarians should take immediate action to urge the prison authorities to transfer the Tamil detainees to Welikada prison, sources said.
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Balasingham arrives in Kilinochchi, meets Pirapaharan

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 May 2004, 05:45 GMT]
Mr. Anton Balasingham, political advisor to the Liberation Tigers, arrived in Kilinochchi Friday morning around 8 a.m. for consultations with Mr. Velupillai Pirapaharan on resuming peace talks with the Government of Sri Lanka. He was received by the head of the LTTE’s political division, Mr. S. P Thamilchelvan, Mr. B. Nadesan, chief of the Tamil Eelam Police Service and head of the Thamil Eelam Judiciary, Mr. E. Pararajasingham.
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Anton Balasingham arrives in Colombo

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 May 2004, 04:07 GMT]
Mr.Anton Balasingham, The Liberation Tigers' theoretician and political strategist, arrived in Colombo Friday morning around 5.30 a.m. and he was received by the Sri Lanka's Norwegian ambassador, Mr. Hans Brattskar, at the Katunayake international airport, Colombo media sources said.
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Sri Lanka parliament to debate Kandapola shooting

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 May 2004, 00:38 GMT]
Sri Lanka Parliament Speaker, Mr.W.J.M.Lokkubandara, Thursday agreed to allocate time for a debate in the parliament on the Kandapola incident last week in which two Tamil youths were killed when the police opened fire on a group of upcountry Tamils, political sources in Colombo said.
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EU urged to suspend aid until ISGA is established

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 May 2004, 00:24 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Thursday appealed to the member countries of the European Union to release their aid to the Sri Lanka government only after the establishment of the Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) in the northeast province, sources said.
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Eastern University to hold convocation on June 5

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 May 2004, 21:06 GMT]
The Eastern University’s annual convocation will be held at the Swami Vipulananda School for Music and Dance on June 5, according to Mr. A.D. Harris, the Registrar of the university.
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NE Village Officers Union to get headquarters in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 May 2004, 20:55 GMT]
The Vavuniya Government Agent, Mr. K. Ganesh, has agreed to allocate land for the headquarters of the North-East Village Officers’ (Grama Sevakas) Union (NEVOU), according to the Union’s General Secretary, Mr. K. Vamadevan.
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Thavadi residents foil attempted rape by SLA soldier

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 May 2004, 17:37 GMT]
Residents of Thavadi village in the Valigamam division of the Jaffna district Wednesday night rescued a Tamil girl from being sexually assaulted by a soldier of the Sri Lanka Army. The suspect soldier is one of the army personnel manning a checkpoint close to the victim’s house, civil sources said.
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Eastern public complain of wood smuggling

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 May 2004, 16:48 GMT]
A large number of valuable trees in Vakaneri, Poththanai, Poonaakaadu and Kaaradipaththy areas of the Batticaloa district are being felled and smuggled out illegally during the past few weeks, thus robbing valuable forest resources, residents complained to TamilNet Thursday.
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Two LTTE activists shot dead in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 May 2004, 13:48 GMT]
Mr.Sivanathan Murali alias Pahalavan and Mr.Vathanan, two unarmed political activists of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), were shot dead Thursday afternoon around 2 p.m. at Thannamunai, located 9 kilometers northwest of Batticaloa town in the Sri Lanka Army-controlled area. At the time of the incident the Sri Lanka Army was patrolling the area, sources said.
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CWDR celebrates second year of women’s training

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 May 2004, 03:05 GMT]
The women’s training centre, sponsored by the Centre for Women’s Development and Rehabilitation (CWDR) has completed its second year of training, and a function to mark the event and distribute certificates was held in Kilinochchi Wednesday, sources in the Vanni said.
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LTTE appoints new political heads for Trinco, Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 May 2004, 17:58 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has made changes in its district administrative structure in the Trincomalee and Vavuniya districts. Mr.S.Thilak, currently the Trincomalee district political head, has been transferred to Kilinochchi, and Mr.S. Elilan, the current Vavuniya district political head, will be the new political head in Trincomalee, LTTE sources in Trincomalee said.
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Solheim briefs Wickremasinghe

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 May 2004, 14:13 GMT]
Mr. Erik Solheim, the Norwegian peace envoy, Wednesday met with the Leader of the Opposition in Sri Lanka's parliament, Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, and briefed him on the outcome of the talks he has had with the President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunge, political leadership of the Liberation Tigers, leaders of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and the Tamil National Alliance since he arrived in Colombo Saturday, political sources said.
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Norwegian FM to visit Sri Lanka next week

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 May 2004, 09:02 GMT]
Norway’s Foreign Minister, Mr. Jan Petersen, will visit Sri Lanka on 10 and 11 May 2004 to explore ways of bringing the peace process forward, said the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press statement issued on Tuesday. Mr. Petersen will be accompanied by Deputy Minister Vidar Helgesen. The Norwegian Foreign Minister will have meetings with President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Mr. Velupillai Pirapaharan, leader of the LTTE, according to the press release.
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Foreign NGOs’ projects in NE do not benefit people – Thooyavan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 May 2004, 03:48 GMT]
“Many foreign NGOs [Non-Governmental Organizations] are claiming in international forums that they are engaged in development work in the North-East, but the reality on the ground is that no development of benefit to the people has been completed,” said Mr. S. K. Thooyavan, the director of the Liberation Tigers’ development secretariat, speaking at a conference at the Jaffna district secretariat Tuesday, according to Uthayan, the Jaffna-based Tamil daily.
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Norwegian peace envoy meets TNA delegation

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 May 2004, 20:05 GMT]
"Peace talks between the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) should be held on the basis of the Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) proposal. The UPFA government should not use the opportunity of holding peace talks as a device to strengthen its position in the parliament and to obtain foreign aid," the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation told the visiting Norwegian special peace envoy Mr. Erik Solheim during a discussion held Tuesday evening at the Norwegian embassy in Colombo, TNA sources said.
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RSF fears for safety of Tamil journalist

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 May 2004, 16:18 GMT]
The Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières) in a letter to Sri Lanka's minister of home affairs, Mr. Amarasiri Dodangoda, on Tuesday expressed its fears for the safety of Tamil journalist Mr. Dharmeratnam Sivaram ("Taraki"), whose home in Colombo was searched by Sri Lanka police Monday.
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SLN bans transport of camera equipment to Jaffna islets

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 May 2004, 15:30 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) has totally banned the transport of video cameras and other photographic equipment to the islets in the Jaffna peninsula from the Jaffna mainland. This ban has come into effect from Monday as a "security measure," SLN sources said.
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Tamil media Alliance slams raid on journalist's home

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 May 2004, 13:07 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance (SLTMA) said Tuesday it strongly condemns the Police raid on journalist Sivaram Dharmeratnam’s home in Colombo on World Press Freedom Day. “The Sri Lankan government and its armed forces have long attempted to portray Tamil journalists as supporters of armed violence with a view to destroying their professional credibility. We consider the raid on Mr. Sivaram’s home as a continuation of this policy," the SLTMA said in a statement Tuesday.
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Balasingham to visit Vanni

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 May 2004, 10:36 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers’ theoretician and political strategist, Mr. Anton Balasingham, will travel to Vanni this week to meet the movement’s leader, Mr. Vellupillai Pirapaharan, to map out its strategy for future peace talks, TamilNet learns.
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Police raid Tamil journalist’s home on Press Freedom Day

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 May 2004, 01:50 GMT]
Sri Lanka Police raided a Tamil journalist’s home in Colombo Monday night. During the raid by a large group of Police personnel, the journalist, Mr. Sivaram Dharmeratnam (‘Taraki’), a political affairs columnist for English and Tamil papers published from Colombo and a member of TamilNet's editorial board, was away in Batticaloa in connection with the World Press Freedom Day on Monday, 3 May. The journalist’s family said that the raid was intimidating. Mr. Dharmeratnam was threatened and intimidated several times in the past for his comments and reporting on Tamil issues.
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'Liberation struggle has weathered several crises’ –Kousalyan

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 May 2004, 22:06 GMT]
“In the history of the Tamil liberation struggle, we have faced several crises, and it is as a result of weathering all those crises that the Liberation Tigers are today powerful militarily and politically,” said Mr.E. Kousalyan, the political head of the Liberation Tigers in Batticaloa-Amapai, speaking at the May Day organized jointly by the LTTE, trade unions and public organizations in the East and held at the Kaluthavalai public playgrounds Saturday, according to the Tuesday edition of Uthayan, the Tamil newspaper based in Jaffna.
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Plantation workers on strike over police shootings

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 May 2004, 14:00 GMT]
Hundreds of thousands of plantation workers in the central province Monday went on a token strike, protesting against the killing of two Tamil youths, Mr.Weerasamy Jeyarajan and Alagan Wimalanathan, last Wednesday in Kandapola, when police opened fire following a traffic accident, sources said.
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LTTE ready to resume talks based on ISGA- Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 May 2004, 09:47 GMT]
Ambassador for Norway in Colombo, Mr. Hans Brattskar, Norway's special peace envoy, Mr. Eric Solheim, and Second Secretary of the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo, Ms. Kjersti Thomsdal, met with Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan, Head of the LTTE Political Wing at the LTTE Peace Secretariat in Kilinochchi. The talks, started at 10.45 a.m. lasted for more than two hours and focused on the resumption of stalled peace talks and about preparing the agenda for the talks between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL), sources in Vanni said.
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Youth shot dead in Arayampathi

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 May 2004, 02:06 GMT]
Ponniah Jeevaratnam, from Arayampathi in Batticaloa district, was shot dead at the 5th mile post junction in Batticaloa-Manmunai road at 6.40 pm Sunday by an unknown gunman, Jaffna's daily Uthayan reported.
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Sri Lanka's bona fides critical to peace talks- TNA

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 May 2004, 19:21 GMT]
“We are militarily and politically strong that no Sri Lanka Government will be able to deceive the Liberation Tigers (LTTE) or the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) with cosmetic gestures or by engaging us in disingenous peace talks. Our future attitude towards having a constructive dialogue with the Sri Lanka Government depends on its next move towards the peace process," said the TNA parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan addressing a large gathering of TNA activists and local leaders held at Trincomalee Hindu Cultural Hall Sunday morning.
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Norwegian facilitators meet Sri Lanka's President

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 May 2004, 17:13 GMT]
Norwegian peace delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Vidar Helgessen Sunday morning met with Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge at the President House in Nuwara Eliya in the Central Province on the latter's invitation. Special peace envoy Mr. Erik Solheim and Norwegian Ambassador in Colombo Mr. Hans Brattskar also participated in the talks, Sri Lanka government sources said.
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Vanni Development Directors head to Philipines for training

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 May 2004, 13:30 GMT]
A five member group from Kilinochchi Non-Governmental Organizations left for Manila, Philipines Sunday to undergo three weeks training in Rural Development funded by the Worldbank, sources from Kilinochi said.
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3 SLA soldiers charged in December shooting incident

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 May 2004, 10:21 GMT]
Police has filed papers in Jaffna District Courts against three Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers, Nagoda Witharna, Ranjith Samarakoon and Sunil Rohana for attempted murder of a newspaper vendor in Jaffna bus stand on December 9 of last year, local media reported.
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Trinco May Day rally spotlights discrimination against Tamil workers

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 May 2004, 15:00 GMT]
"Tamil speaking workers are not given all the rights that are enjoyed by the majority community workers in the country," said Mr. S.Thandayuthapani, President of the Ceylon Tamil Teachers' Union (CTTU), presiding over the May Day meeting held in Trincomalee Vigneswara Maha Vidiyalayam Saturday.
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Norwegian Tamils hold May Day in major cities of Norway

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 May 2004, 14:50 GMT]
About two thousand Tamils in Oslo gathered on saturday in their biggest May Day gathering in Oslo ever, carrying Tamil Eelam national flags and banners urging the international community to recognize the Tamil people's right to self-determination. Hundreds of Tamils in other major cities like Bergen and Stavanger also gathered for May Day, sources in Oslo said.
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LTTE fighter killed in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 May 2004, 11:58 GMT]
A Liberation Tigers fighter was killed in Batticaloa in a claymore mine blast Saturday around 11.30 a.m, sources said.
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Ex-PM tipped to be Deputy Defense Minister

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 May 2004, 11:25 GMT]
A former Prime Minister and a Sinhala hardliner in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Mr.Ratnasiri Wickremanayake is tipped to be appointed as Minister for Buddhasasana Affairs and the Deputy Minister for Defense next week, government sources said.
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Norwegian peace delegation arrives in Colombo

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 May 2004, 10:38 GMT]
A high level Norwegian peace delegation led by Norways's Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Vidar Helgessen, arrived in Colombo Saturday early morning in a bid to resume the peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on an invitation extended by Sri Lanka’s President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge, sources said.
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CWC observes May Day as day of mourning

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 May 2004, 08:41 GMT]
The Ceylon Workers' Congress, the largest Tamil trade union in Sri Lanka's tea and rubber plantatons said Saturday it was observing May Day as a day of mourning and as a black day in protest against the Police shooting in Kandapola. More than ten thousand estate workers took part in the CWC rally in Bandarawela Saturday. Mr. Arumugam Thondaman MP, the leader of the CWC said that workers would go on strike on 3 May in protest against the Police shooting and the attack in Tamils in Kandapola.
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Jaffna poll monitors say not paid

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 May 2004, 08:39 GMT]
The consortium of NGOs in Jaffna said Saturday that PAFFREL, a leading elections monitoring group in Sri Lanka, has not paid four hundred and sixteen persons whom it hired to monitor polls on 2 April in Jaffna. The consortium wrote on Friday to PAFFREL seeking the fees it promised to pay the persons it hired in Jaffna. The polls monitoring body hired persons at 150 rupees (1.52 USD) for monitoring work on 2 April. Polls Independent monitoring of the 2 April general elections was funded by several international donor agencies.
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