Washington residents ship relief supplies

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 January 2005, 23:35 GMT]
Braving inclement weather, a group of expatriate Tamils in Washington Metropolitan area sent a 3200 cubic foot container with medicines, tents, toys and clothings to the warehouse at the Norfolk, Virginia shipyard, destined for Tamils Rehabilitation Organization's (TRO's) Colombo office for distribution to disaster victims in Sri Lanka. "What started as a small scale effort soon expanded as families and organizations called in to contribute their donations and to offer their services for free," organizers of the effort told TamilNet.
Full story >>

NEPC to hold Tsunami drawing competition, exhibition

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 January 2005, 18:25 GMT]
North East Provincial Education, Cultural Affairs, Sports and Youth Affairs Ministry is to conduct a drawing competition and hold an exhibition on Tsunami disaster on February 26 to mark the second month remembrance of the natural disaster. The exhibition will be held in Batticaloa, Provincial Education Ministry Mr.Thiagalinkam said.
Full story >>

GTZ to rebuild six schools in Vadamaradchchi east

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 January 2005, 15:54 GMT]
GTZ, a German non-governmental organization has agreed to rebuild six schools destroyed by Tsunami in the LTTE controlled Vadamaradchchi east division in the Jaffna district. This decision was taken at a conference held in the Ministry of Education in Colombo, Jaffna education sources said.
Full story >>

Trinco railway workers protest over tsunami relief

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 January 2005, 12:26 GMT]
About two hundred family members of about sixty employees of the Government Railway in Trincomalee held a demonstration condemning the government's failure to provide relief since the Tsunami hit their quarters and demanding immediate relief and other assistance any further delay. They sat across the rail track blocking the morning Colombo bound passenger train from leaving Trincomalee railway station, sources said.
Full story >>

Peoples Bank launches microfinance website with German support

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 January 2005, 11:17 GMT]
The People’s Bank, through its German-supported Rural Banking Innovations Project (RBIP), has launched a website on sustainable microfinance for rehabilitation of tsunami affected areas, said a press release issued by the Colombo office of the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ). The website, which can be accessed at www.microfinance.lk is intended to be a bridge between microfinance practitioners and donors, who need to work in unison in order to support the affected regions and their entrepreneurs, the Press Release noted.
Full story >>

Finnish Foreign Minister to visit Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 January 2005, 11:07 GMT]
The Finnish Foreign minister Erkki Tuomioja is expected to arrive in Colombo Saturday 5 February to meet with the Sri Lanka Government officials to discuss long-term reconstruction and development programs, Sri Lanka Foreign ministry sources said.
Full story >>

Tigers walk out in protest against JVP

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 January 2005, 10:04 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Monday walked out of a meeting for setting up a committee for assisting Tsunami victims at the Thirukkovil Divisional Secretary’s (DS) office in protest against a JVP Parliamentarian who had come uninvited for the conference. “We welcome everyone who comes to help our people. But this JVP politician used Tsunami assistance as a pretext to sow political hatred and Sinhala chauvinism. We walked out, objecting to his cheap political tactics”, said Mr. E. Kousalyan, head of the LTTE’s political division for the Batticaloa-Amparai district.
Full story >>

TRO supplies relief to Trinco railway employees

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 January 2005, 19:30 GMT]
Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) Sunday afternoon distributed relief materials to the families of about fifty eight-government railway workers comprising all three communities who are working in the Trincomalee railway station. TRO came to the rescue of these families on representation made to it that the government authority concerned in Trincomalee had refused to provide them with relief since Tsunami hit their quarters on December 26, trade union sources said.
Full story >>

Catamaran fishing to recommence in northern sea Monday

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 January 2005, 17:42 GMT]
Fishing using traditional craft "catamaran" is to start again in Jaffna northern sea Monday after a month since Tsunami hit the coastal areas. Most of traditional fishing crafts had been damaged in the natural disaster but the balance would be put in use this week, fisheries sources said. The word catamaran is of Tamil origin. The Tamil word 'Kattumaram' means logs bound together which, pronounced in English, transforms into Catamaran.
Full story >>

Navy harassment adds to fishermen's woes

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 January 2005, 11:44 GMT]
"NorthEast fishermen, already struggling to make a living after the decimation of the fishing industry by the tsunami disaster, also have to endure harassment by the Sri Lanka Navy soldiers who have imposed a pass system to restrict fishermen's freedom of movement in seas," complained representatives from Jaffna fisheries societies to the visiting fishery officials from Colombo Sunday during a conference organised in Jaffna by the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR).
Full story >>

Ratwatte to give evidence in election massacre case

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 January 2005, 17:19 GMT]
General Anurudha Ratwatte, former deputy defence minister in the then People Alliance (PA) government and one of the accused in Udathalawinne massacre case on February 3 in the Trial at Bar. In this case General Ratwatte, his two sons Lohan Ratwatte and Chanuka Ratwatte and thirteen others are indicted on 72 counts including murder of ten Muslim youths and threatening valid voters to prevent them from exercising their franchise in 2001 December 10th general election, legal sources said.
Full story >>

Dissanayake's Rights violated, UNP to petition UN

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 January 2005, 15:51 GMT]
"Mr. S.B.Dissanayake is entitled to his salary as a parliamentarian and according to the section 89 of the constitution. The sentence of the courts does not deprive him of the seat in Parliament. The judgement is undemocratic and illegal," said Prof G L Peiris, United National Party (UNP) parliamentarian and former Minister of Constitutional Affairs, addressing a media conference held Friday at the opposition leader's office. Prof Peiris added that they were preparing a petition to be submitted to the UN regarding Mr. Dissanayake's violation of freedom of expression.
Full story >>

Ranil Wickremasinghe leaves for Norway

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 January 2005, 15:35 GMT]
Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the opposition and the United National Party (UNP) Saturday evening left for Norway. Mr.Milinda Morogoda and Mr.T.Maheswaran, former ministers in the then United National Front (UNF) government accompanied him, UNP sources said.
Full story >>

TCF assists Eachchilampathu tsunami victims

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 January 2005, 14:01 GMT]
Trincomalee Children Fund (TCF) funded by a group of Trincomalee Tamils domiciled in Canada Friday distributed a consignment of cooking utensils, mats and other relief items to hundreds of tsunami victims in the LTTE held Eeachilampathu division, down south of the Trincomalee district. Mr.S.Umamaheswaran, Eeachilampathu Divisional Secretary inaugurated the distribution at his office, sources said.
Full story >>

WHO aids CHC with medical supplies towards relief efforts

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 January 2005, 11:55 GMT]
The Centre for Health Care (CHC), an NGO based in Kilinochchi, said that the World Health Organization (WHO) has come forward with donations of medical supplies to CHC relief efforts towards the Tsunami affected victims on Saturday. Dr. Kan Tun, the WHO Representative to Sri Lanka, presenting the donations to representatives of CHC Saturday at the CHC Head office in Kilinochchi has assured CHC that the WHO would consider aiding the training programme for psycho-social counsellors conducted by the centre, sources in Kilinochchi told TamilNet.
Full story >>

US to complete withdrawal of Marines from Sri Lanka by Feb.15

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 January 2005, 10:05 GMT]
The Bush Administration has decided to complete the withdrawal of US Marines, arrived in Sri Lanka aftermath of the tsunami disaster, by February 15, with the US assistance program to Sri Lanka shifting from a combined military-civil relief effort to rehabilitation and reconstruction work to be carried out by civil organisations. Brigadier General Frank A. Panter Jr, said at a press conference at Taj Sumudra hotel in Colombo on Saturday that the CSG-SL has served over 1.5 million tsunami-affected Sri Lankans in nine districts, including Jaffna, Hambantota, Galle and Amparai.
Full story >>

Tigers meet Muslim refugees in Ullai

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 January 2005, 06:22 GMT]
A group of Liberation Tigers led by head of the LTTE’s political division for the Batticaloa-Ampara District, Mr. E. Kousalyan, Friday visited Tsunami affected Muslim refugees in the marooned Ullai-Panama region, to discuss their rehabilitation needs. The LTTE team traveled through the jungle and muddy rivers to the area, which is accessible only by boat after the Tsunami knocked down the ramp and approach road to the Arugambay Bridge last month. The refugees at the Aathimunai Welfare Centre, a mound amidst marshland and paddyfields behind Ullai told Mr. Kouslayan that their main concern is about getting a new settlement.
Full story >>

Japanese, Dutch Foreign Ministers to visit Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 January 2005, 20:10 GMT]
Mr. Shuzen Tanigawa, Senior Vice Foreign Affairs Minister of the Government of Japan is to arrive in Colombo Saturday evening on a three-day visit and Mr.Bernard Bot, Netherlands Foreign Affairs Minister will arrive in Colombo February 3rd, diplomatic sources said.
Full story >>

Tsunami victims in Batticaloa ignored by the Government - School principal

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 January 2005, 14:20 GMT]
Government has not provided food or any other relief for the entire month since the tsunami to the refugees housed at the Batticaloa St. Michael's College welfare centre, said the Principal of the College, Rev. Bro James Pieris, while speaking to the media on Thursday.
Full story >>

"Colombo bent on blocking aid reaching NorthEast"- Balasingham

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 January 2005, 10:43 GMT]
"The Sinhala government is bent on diverting foreign aid, meant for the tsunami affected people, to strengthen its military apparatus and also to stabilize its political power. Our leadership is taking all possible efforts at international level and with the Government of Sri Lanka to ensure an equitable distribution of funds to the affected people in all areas. The funds for NorthEast will be immmediately used for rehabilitation and and to improve the living standard of our people," said Mr. Balasingham speaking to a group of tsunami victims in Mullaithivu Thursday.
Full story >>

Eastern LTTE Commanders in Kilinochchi to consult with Pirapaharan

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 January 2005, 08:34 GMT]
LTTE's Special Commanders from Trincomalee and Batticaloa, Col. Sornam and Col. Banu arrived in Kilinochchi Friday morning for consultations with the LTTE leader Mr. V. Pirapaharan, sources in Kilinochchi told TamilNet. Commander Nagesh also accompanied Col Banu for the Kilinochchi discussions, sources added.
Full story >>

LTTE opens Children's home in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 January 2005, 08:27 GMT]
A branch of the Kantharoopan children's home was opened by LTTE in Palukamam, 20 km south-west of Batticaloa on Wednesday. Ten children, 8 girls and 2 boys, aged 7 to 16 are the first to be cared for in the new home, LTTE sources said.
Full story >>

Pirapaharan's top priority is reconstruction, not politics, says Anton Balasingham

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 January 2005, 07:45 GMT]
"This is not the time to engage in political haggling and our National Leader has prioritised rehabilitation and reconstruction of the devastated Tamil Homeland and thereby give you all a better life, creating the right conditions that would redeem you from the state of dependency attached to a displaced life" quoted LTTE Peace Secretariat website Mr. Anton Balasingham, LTTE Political Advisor, as saying while addressing a group of Tsunami displaced people in the welfare centre at Mulliyawalai, Mullaithivu Friday.
Full story >>

Protest in Mannar against Colombo

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 January 2005, 07:36 GMT]
More than four thousand people marched in Mannar town Friday in protest against the Sri Lankan government for denying equitable distribution of Tsunami aid to Northeast. The march and brief rally were led by Vanni district MPs and civil society groups in Mannar.
Full story >>

Another Tsunami panic in east

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 January 2005, 07:14 GMT]
Rumours of another massive Tsunami spread panic in the coastal parts of Baticaloa Friday morning. Radio stations quickly scotched the rumours.
Full story >>

Tsunami relief to northeast inadequate- Chandrasekaran

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 January 2005, 03:46 GMT]
"The distribution of relief to Vanni region by the Sri Lanka government is not satisfactory and urgent needs of the Tsunami affected people are not being met adequately. No responsible government official has visited Jaffna, Vanni and other affected districts in the NorthEast after Tsunami disaster to see the ground situation there," said Mr.P.Chandrasekaran, leader of the Upcountry Peoples Front (UPF) and Nuwara Eliya district parliamentarian addressing the National Mourning Day meeting in Trincomalee esplanade held Wednesday evening.
Full story >>

Rebuilding Trinco fishing industry discussed

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 January 2005, 03:09 GMT]
"International community has understood the need for an administrative authority to channel foreign aid to the Tsunami devastated northeast province. Foreign funds are likely to be available for the reconstruction of northeast through an authority or for the implementation of identified specific projects. Hence we can expect an equitable proportion of foreign aid to Tsunami destroyed northeast province," said Mr.R.Sampanthan, Trincomalee district parliamentarian and the parliamentary group leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) addressing a conference on rebuilding Tsunami destroyed fishing industry in Trincomalee district, sources said.
Full story >>

HRCSL to monitor post-tsunami Rights violations

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 January 2005, 18:15 GMT]
The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has established Disaster Relief Monitoring Unit (DRMU)) to ensure human rights protection during the post-tsunami reconstruction phase with Mr.Lionel Fernando as its chairman, civil rights sources said.
Full story >>

PAFFREL to monitor Tsunami relief fund distribution

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 January 2005, 14:46 GMT]
PAFFREL, a non-governmental organization specialised in monitoring elections is to deploy five thousand volunteers to monitor the distribution of relief supply and foreign aid to Tsunami affected districts in the island. The monitoring will commence on February 1, said PAFFREL Chairman Mr.Kingsely Rodrigo Thursday at a press briefing held in Colombo.
Full story >>

Navy soldiers assault fishermen in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 January 2005, 11:25 GMT]
Two fishermen Wednesday lodged complaints with the Jaffna regional office of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) that they were assaulted by soldiers of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) while fishing in Pannai Sea Wednesday afternoon around 2 p.m., close to Jaffna town, sources said.
Full story >>

Tamil plantation sector flood victims neglected for two years

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 January 2005, 10:35 GMT]
Tamil plantation workers in the Sabaragamuwa Province were ignored in the flood relief assistance given to the people affected by the floods in 2003 and have not received any assistance during the last two years, said estate sources Thursday. The plantation workers continue to live in crowded tents for the last two years.
Full story >>

Tree planting, shramadana campaign mark remembrance day

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 January 2005, 03:58 GMT]
Members of Trincomalee District Women Organizations and officials of the provincial ministry of education, provincial department of education and zonal education office Wednesday organized a shramadana campaign to clean the surrounding of Tsunami welfare centre located in the village of Sambaltivu, about five km north of Trincomalee district to mark the first month remembrance of people died on December 26 in the natural disaster, sources said.
Full story >>

Trinco remembers tsunami victims

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 January 2005, 22:48 GMT]
Religious dignitaries of all faiths and communities participated in the national mourning day held in Trincomalee playgrounds Wednesday evening and paid respect to the dead in the December 26 Tsunami which devastated the coastal villages in the Trincomalee district. The Trincomalee Tamil Peoples' Forum and Federation of Trincomalee Tamil Fisheries Societies organized the event, sources said.
Full story >>

All foreign assistance should be directed through state, says Harim Peiris

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 January 2005, 17:26 GMT]
''The government has a policy that all foreign assistance should be directed through the state and not through any non-state actor'', said Mr.Harim Peiris, Presidential media spokesman and an advisor to Ministry of Refugees Resettlement and Rehabilitation responding to a question at a press briefing held at the Center for National Operations (CNO) in Colombo Wednesday. ''As far as the government is concerned, the policy still remains the same'', he said. ''This [the negotiation process] is totally different from the political peace process, this is not about political peace but about humanitarian peace,'' he said claiming that the talks with the LTTE is ''progressing and advancing''.
Full story >>

Thai shrine drifts to Vakarai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 January 2005, 13:23 GMT]
A Southeast Asian Buddhist shrine made of wood that had drifted in the sea was found on the Vakarai beach Wednesday. Crowds from the Tsunami devastated village flocked to see the curious floating shrine. The decorated structure was borne by the tide through the estuary of the Vakarai lagoon and beached in the early hours of the morning Wednesday.
Full story >>

National Day of Mourning observed in NorthEast

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 January 2005, 12:54 GMT]
Amid cries among those attending the various ceremonies, a highly emotional day of mourning was observed throughout the Northeast Wednesday on the 31st annivesary day of the Tsunami that devastated the Northeast on 26th of December. A wall-clock, which stopped at 8.50 a.m. on December 26 at Mullaitivu Kallapaddu Maha Vidiyalayam following Tsunami disaster was again made to tick into operation on Wednesday at 8.50 a.m. symbolizing the return of life. Tamils observe 31st day of death with special ceremonies.
Full story >>

STF incites trouble in Mandaanai welfare camp

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 January 2005, 04:04 GMT]
Special Task Force (STF) soldiers had assembled the tsunami refugees in the Mandaanai camp in Amparai district Tuesday morning and had told them that relief supplies the STF was planning to deliver to the camp will not be given as the LTTE had intimated that shelter residents do not like to receive hand outs from the STF. LTTE sources said STF personnel's calculated efforts to undermine the relief efforts by the LTTE is escalating tension in welfare centers in Amparai district.
Full story >>

Kuchchaveli welfare centers short of relief supplies

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 January 2005, 01:21 GMT]
Several hundreds of Tamil and Muslim families from coastal villages of Vellore, Veerancholai, Irrakakandy, Iranaikerni, Kumburupiddy, Salli Munai, Kuchchaveli along the north of Trincomalee district, displaced by the tsunami disaster and now sheltered in welfare centres complain of inadequate relief supplies reaching them. These villages are administered as part of the Kuchchaveli divisional secretariat division in Trincomalee district.
Full story >>

"Opportunities exist to strengthen peace process"- Donor co-chairs

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 January 2005, 21:36 GMT]
In a joint press statement issued by the co-chairs after the Brussels meeting Tuesday, the Sri Lanka Donors ''welcomed the ongoing effective response by the GoSL and the LTTE in distributing humanitarian aid'' and urged the donors to ''ensure [that] the implementation of Tsunami assistance is sensitive to and strengthens the Peace Process.''
Full story >>

Doctors protest against recognizing RMOs

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 January 2005, 18:27 GMT]
The government medical officers Association (GMOA) held a one day strike Tuesday in all hospitals expect those in tsunami-affected areas to protest the recognition given by the Srilanka medical council to Registered Medical Officers (RMOs) and Assistant Medical Officers (AMOs).
Full story >>

Religious observance held in Jaffna for tsunami victims

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 January 2005, 17:39 GMT]
As the northeast province is getting ready to observe a day of mourning Wednesday to mark the end of one month after Tsunami disaster that killed about thirty thousand people, special religious observance was held Tuesday evening in Jaffna St Mary's Cathedral led by Jaffna Bishop Rt.Rev. Thomas Soundaranayagam, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

STF harassment increases in Amparai, says Kuyilinpan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 January 2005, 13:08 GMT]
Political Head of the LTTE in Amparai, Mr. Kuyilinpan, told TamilNet Tuesday that the Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) soldiers have stepped up their harassment against the LTTE workers who are assisting the Tsunami victims in Thirukkovil and Kalmuni areas. Civilians also have been harassed by the STF, Kuyilipan added.
Full story >>

UPFA Government dishonest to NorthEast citizens, says UNP Parliamentarian

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 January 2005, 11:56 GMT]
Charging that the Sri Lanka Government has failed to send adequate relief supplies to people in NorthEast affected by the tsunami, Dr. Rajitha Seneratne, United National Party (UNP) parliamentarian told Sinhala media at the Opposition Leaders office Monday that "people living in LTTE-controlled areas are also our brothers and sisters and they too are citizens of this country, and so, we should share our responsibility to look after them. If we let them down at this critical period when they are facing a monumental tragedy, it will reinforce their conviction to part ways."
Full story >>

Indian medical team completes Trinco mission

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 January 2005, 03:43 GMT]
Indian navy medical team, which served in Kuchchaveli government hospital in the north of Trincomalee district since December 28 two days after Tsunami disaster completed its mission and was entertained at a farewell function at the hospital Monday morning. Captain Muralitharan Nair, Commanding Officer of the INS Jamuna and Rear Admiral Upali Ranaweera, Commander, Eastern Naval Area of the Sri Lanka Navy participated as chief guests, sources said.
Full story >>

Tamil youth shot, injured in Wellawatte

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 January 2005, 17:40 GMT]
A Tamil youth identified as Jegan (32), has been shot and injured near 33rd Lane in Wellawatte, Colombo 06 on Monday night by unknown gunmen, security sources said.
Full story >>

Temporarily fixed Eastcoast causeway reopens

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 January 2005, 13:42 GMT]
Transport on the main coastal road between Kalmunai and Batticaloa resumed Monday, almost a month after the Tsunami ripped off sections of two causeways in Kallar, 28 kilometres south of the eastern town. The main gap in the Ondaatchi Madam-koddaikallar Causeway was spanned by a temporary bridge by the Road Development Authority (RDA). “The Sri Lankan government has to come up with big money to really repair this causeway. Otherwise this vital part of our district’s infrastructure would be damaged permanently”, an RDA engineer in Batticaloa told TamilNet.
Full story >>

Amparai undergrads receive financial support

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 January 2005, 12:30 GMT]
Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) provided financial aid to fifty nine undergraduate students from Amparai district attending Peradeniya, Jaffna and Eastern Universities who were affected by the tsunami disasater in an event held at TRO officies in Thirukovil Monday 10 am, sources from the eastern district said.
Full story >>

Tamil absent in tsunami relief forms sent to Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 January 2005, 12:30 GMT]
The tsunami affected people along the Jaffna coastline have been forced to search for translators to fill the form issued by the Sri Lankan Social Services Department, said sources in Vadamadchi. Although the entire population along this coastline is Tamil speaking, the forms sent by the ministry to collect information about the tsunami affected people are in Sinhala and English only.
Full story >>

Don't include LTTE in post-tsunami rebuilding effort - JVP

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 January 2005, 05:36 GMT]
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a major coalition partner of President Chandrika Kumaratunga's Freedom Alliance government and a self styled radical marxist party that draws on Sinhala nationalist sentiments to augment its popularity, has expressed its strong opposition to the government's bid to include the Liberation Tigers in the post-tsunami relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation process using the outpouring international aid resources.
Full story >>

LTTE declares January 26 as National Day of Mourning

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 January 2005, 16:42 GMT]
"Liberation Tigers declare 26th January as a National Day of Mourning to remember those who lost their lives in the Tsunami disaster in Tamil Homelands and in other regions of South Asia. Let us all participate in the grief and sorrow of all who have lost their loved ones on this day," said Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in a press release issued from its Kilinochchi political offices Sunday.
Full story >>

Environmental officials visit Jaffna coastal areas

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 January 2005, 16:38 GMT]
A team of the Central Environmental Authority Saturday visited Jaffna district and held discussion with representatives of fisheries co-operative officials regarding strengthening the coastal areas by constructing buffer zones following Tsunami disaster, sources said.
Full story >>

"Colombo will mislead the world on aid distribution"- Kilinochchi paper

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 January 2005, 15:11 GMT]
The Tamil daily Eelanatham, published in Killinochchi, warned in its Sunday editorial that Chandrika Kumaratunge's government will again mislead the world on distribution of the aid received for tsunami relief. The paper called on the donors to also set up mechanisms and procedures to ensure an equitable distribution of aid to all those affected, among them two thirds are from the NorthEast of Sri Lanka.
Full story >>

IFT urges Donors to support NorthEast apex mechanism

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 January 2005, 15:03 GMT]
The Geneva based International Federation of Tamils (IFT), a consortium of more than 150 expatriate Tamil organizations, has called on the co-chairs of Tokyo Doner conference (Sri Lanka) to express support for an effective aid distibution apex mechanism to Northeastern region of Sri Lanka. IFT called the attention of the International Community and the Co-Chairs to examine the current post -Tsunami situation in northeastern region. Tokyo Conference on Reconstruction and Development of Sri Lanka is scheduled to be held in Brussels in January 2005.
Full story >>

Pace of relief operations in East slow- UNP

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 January 2005, 21:10 GMT]
United National party (UNP) Deputy leader and Gampha District Parliamentarian Karu Jayasuriya, after visiting the south eastern coastal areas, said Friday, "Though several thousands of lives have been lost in the disaster it is creditable that rescue operations have been almost completed in the South. However I am concerned and distressed to note, having seen at first hand, that in the east we have yet some way to go before we complete the rescue and clearing efforts."
Full story >>

Frustration of affected people growing high - Norwegian Minister

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 January 2005, 18:32 GMT]
Emphasizing on the need for wider co-operation between President Chandrika Kumaratunga's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) visiting Minister of International Development of Norway, Ms. Hilde F. Johnson said on Saturday night in Colombo that the frustration of the tsunami affected people was growing high as a result of their needs not being met by authorities.
Full story >>

Earth tremor in Mannar evokes fears of tsunami

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 January 2005, 13:39 GMT]
An earth tremor in Muthariputhurai village, located 15 km north west of Murungan in Mannar, forced 1800 residents to move to safer areas of Potkerni, Sirukandal and Pariharikandal to spend the night Friday, sources in Mannar said. Offical Sri Lanka Government agencies have not yet acknowledge the incident in Muthariputhurai, sources added.
Full story >>

Norwegian parliamentarians visit tsunami hit South

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 January 2005, 12:43 GMT]
Three Norwegian parliamentarians Julie Christensen of Conservative Party, Morten Holkend of Process Party and Bjorn Jacobson of Socialist Left Party visited five schools destroyed by the tsunami in Tangalee, south of Sri Lanka Friday evening, sources from Colombo said. The damaged schools are being rebuilt by Plan International with Norwegian aid.
Full story >>

Equitable aid distribution, focus of Pirapaharan, Norway meet

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 January 2005, 11:39 GMT]
Leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Saturday requested the Norwegian government delegation led by its Foreign Minister Mr.Jan Petersen to ensure that the northeast region received equitable proportion of the international aid Sri Lanka is expected to receive in the aftermath of tsunami disaster. In the NorthEast region about seventy five thousand families have been affected and around 25,000 have lost their lives, the Norwegian delegation was told, Vanni sources said.
Full story >>

Government's call for unity is an empty ballyhoo, says JVP

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 January 2005, 05:40 GMT]
Mounting an all-out attack against President Chandrika Kumaratunga's leadership, major coalition partner of her Freedom Alliance government, radical Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has said on Friday that the call by the government leadership for national unity was an "empty ballyhoo".
Full story >>

Norwegian Ministers visit to Kilinochchi delayed

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 January 2005, 04:56 GMT]
The much awaited visit by Norwegian ministers to meet with the LTTE leadership in Kilinochchi is delayed as the Norwegian team was forced to take A9 land route from Anuradhapura instead of the scheduled helicopter route to Kilinochchi due to cloudy weather conditions, sources in Kilinochchi said.
Full story >>

Trauma counselling for Tsunami victims emphasized

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 January 2005, 16:57 GMT]
Two persons took their lives and few have been rescued from committing suicide in depressed state of mind following deaths of their loved ones in Tsunami that hit the coastal areas of the Jaffna district and more are found to be suffering from mental disorders, said the Trauma Counselling Group (TCG) briefing the media in Jaffna Friday, sources said.
Full story >>

Need 10,000 high-grade tents, says TRO Colombo

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 January 2005, 15:46 GMT]
The co-ordinating Colombo office of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), an NGO registered with Government of Sri Lanka and working exclusively in the NorthEast, told TamilNet that they need up to 10,000 tents that can hold a family of five to temporarily house displaced people in different areas of North East, and urgently need 200 tents within the next few days. “TRO offices in the United States are working to fulfill this need,” Chandru Pararajasingham, director of TRO Colombo office told TamilNet.
Full story >>

Trinco TECH purifying wells in Tsunami hit areas

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 January 2005, 15:12 GMT]
The Economic Consultancy House (TECH) of the Trincomalee district funded by the Australian TECH has launched a project purifying all wells in Tsunami hit coastal areas in the district from salinity. Most of the wells in the coastal areas in the Divisional Secretariat divisions of Kuchchaveli, Kinniya, Eeachilampathu and Muttur were flooded with seawater, sources said.
Full story >>

Norway delegation meets SL President

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 January 2005, 14:00 GMT]
Norway's Ministers of Foreign Affairs and International Development Mr. Jan Peterson and Ms. Hilde F. Johnson met with Sri Lanka's President Ms Kumaratunge at President's House in Colombo Friday, a press release issued by Sri Lanka Government said.
Full story >>

Kadaloor victims receive expatriate help

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 January 2005, 03:34 GMT]
Trincomalee Tamils domiciled in Canada distributed a consignment of cooking utensils through Trincomalee Children Fund (TCF) to about seventy eight displaced families from Kadaloor, a Tamil fishing hamlet in the Kinniya division, about 10 km northwest of the Trincomalee town, sources said.
Full story >>

Foreign aid going to South, not North- Col. Soosai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 January 2005, 18:04 GMT]
''Two third of the loss of lives and properties caused by Tsunami disaster has been in Tamil areas in the northeast province. But the Sri Lanka government is channelling vast sums of foreign aid to the south,'' said Colonel Soosai, Special Commander of Sea Tigers addressing a special discussion held in Maruthankerni in the LTTE controlled Vadamaradchchi east division in Jaffna district.
Full story >>

Seruvila Tamil villages overlooked in relief distribution

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 January 2005, 16:05 GMT]
About 450 families numbering around 1000 persons in Upooral and Cheenanveli, two remote Tamil coastal villages in the Sinhala dominated Seruvila division in the Trincomalee district are not provided with dry rations and other relief by the Sri Lanka government and the World Food Programme since Tsunami hit the areas. These two villages are in the LTTE controlled areas, NGO sources said.
Full story >>

Kumaratunga's stand undemocratic and opportunistic, says UNP

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 January 2005, 11:59 GMT]
President Kumaratunga, seizing the tsunami disaster as an opportunity to extend her presidential term, is behaving in an undemocratic and opportunistic manner, charged the main oppostion United National Party (UNP) Parliamentarian Prof. G.L.Peiris at a press conference held in Sinhala at the Oppositon Leader's residence Thursday. Stating that there is no change in UNP's stand that the Presidential election should be held December 2005, he said relief work need to be carried out independently with full transparency according to workplans agreed with involvement of all parties.
Full story >>

No elections for next five years, says President Kumaratunga

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 January 2005, 07:06 GMT]
Stirring yet another political calamity in the South, Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga, has said in Hambantota on Wednesday that there would be no elections for the next five years and therefore all political forces should sink their party differences and work towards rebuilding the tsunami-devastated country. President Kumaratunga has made these remarks on Wednesday while addressing the gathering after ceremonially launching the post-tsunami rebuilding plan in Kajuwatta in the Southern Hambantota district.
Full story >>

Dire need for long-term psychological counseling- Fr.Karunaratnam

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 January 2005, 03:18 GMT]
Rev.Fr.M.X. Karunaratnam, head of the NorthEast Secretariat on Human Rights (NESOHR), was recently appointed as chairman to lead an effort to provide psychological support for those in the NorthEast affected by the tsunami. Father Karunaratnam spoke to TamilNet in detail of the task at hand and about the group they have assembled to carryout this task that requires social sensitivity, and a coordinated plan for long-term care and follow-up.
Full story >>

EPDP walks out from Jaffna relief meet

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 January 2005, 16:27 GMT]
Mr.T.Mathanarajah of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP), a constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government walked out of the Jaffna District Task Force (DTF) meeting Wednesday evening protesting the participation of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), district secretariat sources said.
Full story >>

Sea Black Tiger died in Tsunami remembered

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 January 2005, 16:01 GMT]
The remembrance event of Major Elilarasan (Nagendran Amuthan), a Sea Black Tiger of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who died in Mullaitivu in December 26 Tsunami disaster was held in his native place in LTTE held Eachchilampathu and later his photograph was taken in a procession through the government controlled area via Mahindapura army check point, Killiveddi and Kaddaiparichchan army camp to LTTE controlled Muttur east. At the conclusion a memorial plaque was laid in Sampoor war cemetery, sources said.
Full story >>

Relocation of Tsunami victims in Vadamaradchchi east discussed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 January 2005, 15:59 GMT]
Colonel Soosai, Sea Tiger Commander Wednesday presided a conference held in Maruthankerni common hall which is located in LTTE controlled Vadamaradchchi east and discussed the question of relocating Tsunami victims of villages, Mamunai, Sempianpattu, Thalaiyadi, Maruthankerni and Uduthurai in safer areas, sources said.
Full story >>

Ex-PoW brings relief supplies to Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 January 2005, 14:55 GMT]
Former Captain of Sri Lanka naval ship "Sagarawardene," Captain Ajith Boyagoda, brought relief supplies on behalf of the President of Ceylinco Corporation Dr.Lalith Kotalawela to Kilinochchi Wednesday, sources in Kilinochchi said.
Full story >>

NPC urges Colombo to adopt a socially legitimate public policy

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 January 2005, 11:32 GMT]
Pointing out that the Sri Lanka Government's attempts to "isolate LTTE-held areas and indeed the Tamil people from the international system," is straining the relationship between the parties and the "centralization of governmental decision making" is another unfortunate feature of post-tsunami situation, the National Peace Council (NPC) in a media release issued on wednesday advocated the need for a "sound public policy of social and economic recovery that is participatory, inclusive and socially legitimate."
Full story >>

Balasingham to join Norwegian meet in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 January 2005, 11:30 GMT]
Liberation Tigers’ Political Strategist and Chief Negotiator, Mr. Anton Balasingham, and his wife Adele are scheduled to arrive in Kilinochchi on Friday, sources close to the LTTE told TamilNet. He is expected to participate in the meeting of LTTE leaders with Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen and Minister of International Development Hilde F. Johnson who are scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka on Thursday on a four-day visit to assess the damage and the needs of the people of Sri Lanka in the aftermath of tsunami disaster.
Full story >>

Army vehicle knocks down cyclist

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 January 2005, 21:03 GMT]
Mr.Vairavan Nadesu aged 52 of Mirusuvil north in Thenmaradchchi division in Jaffna district died on the spot when he was run over by a heavy vehicle of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) on Monday night, police said.
Full story >>

US medical team functions in Point Pedro hospital

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 January 2005, 16:24 GMT]
Twenty - member US medical team commenced its services at Point Pedro government base hospital in Jaffna district Monday. Dr. Ton Davis, Head of the US medical team addressing a press briefing Tuesday said his team would be in Jaffna for two weeks, sources said.
Full story >>

TNA MPs pay homage to Eelathunathan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 January 2005, 16:22 GMT]
Mr.R.Sampanthan, Mr.K.Thurairatnasingham, Mr.Mavai Senathirajah and Mr N. N.Raviraj, Jaffna District Tamil National Alliance (TNA) paid homage to the departed veteran Tamil activist late Mr.S.Pathmanathan, also known as Eelathunathan, who died last Wednesday in Colombo after a brief illness and funeral was held Sunday evening amid large crowd at the Trincomalee Hindu Cemetery, family sources said.
Full story >>

ER, militarizing relief jeopardize peace prospects- paper

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 January 2005, 15:00 GMT]
Questioning the timing of the introduction of Emergency Regulations (ER)in several districts and the motives for unilaterally enforcing ER without coming to an agreement with the Liberation Tigers, the popular daily Uthayan in Tuesday’s editorial said that the Government of Sri Lanka is further worsening the mistrust between the parties and jeopardizing the peace process by its actions.
Full story >>

Rain soaked tents add to refugees' woes

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 January 2005, 14:02 GMT]
Tents sheltering hundreds of thousands of Tsunami victims in the east of Sri Lanka are inundated with rainwater following heavy down pour since Monday night. Women, children and elders sheltered in these tents are undergoing untold hardships in preparing meals and sleep during nights, NGO sources said
Full story >>

22 Mullaitivu schools used as Welfare Centers- GA

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 January 2005, 12:26 GMT]
Out of the twenty three welfare centers in Mullaitivu district, all except one are located in schools in areas unaffected by the tsunmai, and there is an urgent need to relocate these centers to allow schools to function normally, said Emelda Sukumar, Government Agent of Mullaitivu district when TamilNet talked to her Tuesday.
Full story >>

Dutch Ambassador, EU official meet Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 January 2005, 12:07 GMT]
Ms. Susan Blankhart, H.E. The Ambassador for The Netherlands and European Commission’s Charge d’Affaires Mr. Wouter Wilton expressed their condolences and their "solidarity to the people of the region in distress and bereavement" when they met with the Liberation Tigers' Head of the Political Division, Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan at the Peace Secretariat Tuesday morning, sources from Vanni said.
Full story >>

Estate workers down tools to protest misuse of tsunami funds

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 January 2005, 11:54 GMT]
Around 500 workers of the Doleswala Estate in the Ratnapura District are on strike since last Thursday protesting against the refusal of the Estate management to refund moneys contributed by them from their wages in aid of Tsunami victims, Ratnapura District Doleswela Estate sources said.
Full story >>

Japanese MP to visit Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 January 2005, 17:49 GMT]
Japanese member of Parliament, Ms.Shinako Tsuchiya, is to visit Srilanka, to discuss the current situation in tsunami affected areas, said Embassy of Japan in a press release issued in Colombo Monday.
Full story >>

Pirapaharan meets disaster management planners

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 January 2005, 16:03 GMT]
Leader of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Mr. V. Pirapaharan, met with disaster management planners who are currently participating in relief and reconstruction planning and praised them for their services to the people of NorthEast. Pirapaharan told the planners that all resources available have to be utilized to ensure a swift and sustained recovery from the tsunami disaster that has brought destruction and grief to the community. The meeting took place in Kilinochchi Monday.
Full story >>

Canadian PM meets with TNA, TRO delegations

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 January 2005, 14:30 GMT]
Mr. Paul Martin, Prime Minister of Canada, met with delegations of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) Monday at Colombo Hilton Hotel at 2.30 PM. The TNA delegation urged that all international aid, including Canadian aid, to be channeled through International Non-Governmental Organizations till a proper mechanism is set up to deal with the post Tsunami situation in the Northeast. The TNA told the Canadian Prime Minister that there was total centralization of all rehabilitation, resettlement, reconstruction and development activities in Colombo, and that this was totally inconsistent with the wishes expressed by the people of Northeast.
Full story >>

Colonel Kittu remembered in Jaffna, Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 January 2005, 14:14 GMT]
Twelfth death anniversary of Colonel Kittu, senior commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and nine other cadres was observed in Jaffna and Trincomalee Sunday. They committed suicide when the Indian Navy seized the ship they travelled in January 1993.
Full story >>

Fourth anniversary of Pongu Thamil Declaration held in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 January 2005, 11:26 GMT]
An event to mark the fourth anniversary of the first Tamil Resurgence Movement (Pongu Tamil) was held Monday morning in the Jaffna University premises amid large crowd. A public meeting was also held in the Kailasapathy Auditorium. Mr.C. Ilamparithi, Jaffna district political head of the LTTE delivered the keynote address, sources said.
Full story >>

US Marines will not stay any longer than wanted, says US Defence Secretary

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 January 2005, 10:03 GMT]
Visiting Deputy Defence Secretary of the United States of America, Paul Wolfowitz said in Colombo on Monday morning that the US Marine troops would not stay in Sri Lanka any longer than they were wanted. "We don't want to stay any longer than we are needed, most certainly not longer than we are wanted," he told both foreign and local reporters at a press conference at Ceylon Continental Hotel on Monday, before completing his short review visit to Sri Lanka.
Full story >>

Canadian Red Cross visit Trincomalee Tsunami victims

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 January 2005, 06:19 GMT]
Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Red Cross, Dr.Pierre Duplessis, and Ms.Sherine Xavier, Programme Manager of the organisation visited Trincomalee Sunday and met with Tsunami victims sheltered in welfare centres which are located in Adambodai, Periyakulam and Nilaveli, north of the district and saw the destruction caused to coastal villages, Vellore and Nilaveli in the natural disaster.
Full story >>

UN Envoy Wahlstrom visits Jaffna district

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 January 2005, 17:15 GMT]
Ms. Margareta Wahlstrom, United Nations Secretary General's Special Envoy Sunday visited Jaffna district, UN sources said. Accompanied by Ms. Miguel Bermieo, UNDP Country Director UN and representatives of Fisheries Co-operative Societies she visited Tsunami destroyed coastal areas from Point Pedro to Valvettithurai.
Full story >>

Police disrupts Kittu death anniversary in Mannar, Pesalai

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 January 2005, 16:11 GMT]
At least 15 civilians were injured in Mannar when the Police opened fire in air and assaulted several Tamil people when they attempted to hoist Thamileelam flag in the Pesalai town Sunday morning in preparation to hold a commemoration meeting to mark the 12th death anniversary of Colonel Kittu, senior commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and nine other LTTE cadres. Tension prevailed in Pesalai town and transport services came to halt, sources said.
Full story >>

Canadian PM arrives in Colombo to support tsunami relief

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 January 2005, 14:23 GMT]
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin arrived in Colombo on Sunday evening for a two day visit to the country. Sri Lanka's Deputy Foreign Minister Lakshman Kiriella welcomed him at the Katunayake international airport. Officials from the Foreign ministry were also present at the welcome, sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka to sign USD 150 million arms deal with Iran

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 January 2005, 11:34 GMT]
Sri Lanka is to buy over USD 150 million of arms from Iran, the Sunday Times reported this week. A high-powered Sri Lankan military delegation led by Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shantha Kottegoda has left for Tehran this week to conclude the deal which was outlined when President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga went to Iran in November last year, the paper said.
Full story >>

Top US defence official on a review visit to Colombo

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 January 2005, 10:22 GMT]
Deputy Defence Secretary of the United States of America, Paul Wolfowitz is scheduled to arrive in Colombo Monday morning on a short review visit to meet Sri Lankan government officials and tour to tsunami-affected areas in the Southern Galle district.
Full story >>

WFP Executive Director meets with Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 January 2005, 09:48 GMT]
Executive Director of World Food Programme (WFP), Mr.James T. Morris, met with the LTTE's Political Head Mr. S.P.Thamilchelvan and expressed encouragement by the timely engagement of LTTE and the TRO in feeding displaced people, according to a news release issued by the LTTE Peace Secretariat.
Full story >>

Centralization, control by armed forces, and equitable aid are incompatible, TNA tells ADB president

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 January 2005, 06:58 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation met the president of Asia Development Bank (ADB), Mr. Tadao Chino, on Sunday and highlighted the context and the developments in the country that are detrimental to the equitable distribution of tsunami relief. The TNA, which has 22 of the 31 parliamentary seats from the northeast, told the president of ADB that the present activities of the government did not represent the democratic will of the people of the northeast and urged the ADB president to ensure that international aid was equitably distributed.
Full story >>

Acute shortage of medical facilities in Muttur-TNA MP

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 January 2005, 23:07 GMT]
Tsunami victims staying in welfare centres located in Muttur and other Trincomalee district villages, and others staying with their relatives and friends are undergoing immense hardship in obtaining proper medical attention due to acute shortage of drugs, ambulances and staff in rural hospitals, stated Trincomalee district parliamentarian Mr.K.Thurairatnasingham in a letter faxed to Health Minister Mr.Nimal Sripala de Silva, sources in Trincomalee said.
Full story >>

Kofi Annan's Special Envoy visits Mullaithivu

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 January 2005, 21:19 GMT]
Margareta Wahlstrom, UN Secretary General's Special Envoy on Relief Operations, met with the Head of the LTTE's Political Wing, Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan Saturday and expressed condolences and solidarity to the Tamil people affected by the tsunami on behalf of the UN Secretary General, sources said. Urging the UN not to allow political considerations to deter its participation in the rebuilding efforts in the Tamil homeland, Mr. Thamilchelvan told UN Envoy that the Sri Lanka government has "acted in bad faith" by bringing the military into the humanitarian equation.
Full story >>

Two bodies retrieved after 19 days

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 January 2005, 17:30 GMT]
The bodies a mother and her daughter were retrieved from debris on Saturday in Manatkadu village, which is located in the government controlled coastal areas of Jaffna district, civil sources said.
Full story >>

Delays in relief worsen woes of Batticaloa affected- MP

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 January 2005, 14:17 GMT]
Senior Parliamentarian of Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Joseph Pararajasingham talking to TamilNet Saturday charged that the reconstruction and relief in the Batticaloa district are being carried out at "Snail's Pace"' despite the presence of deputy minister of relief' reconstruction and rehabilitation D.M. Dassanayake in the area.
Full story >>

ADB President visits Trincomalee, meets Tsunami victims

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 January 2005, 14:07 GMT]
Mr.Tadao Chino, President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Saturday visited Trincomalee and witnessed the destruction to coastal areas in Tsunami disaster and met with victims sheltered in welfare centres. Mr.Y.Kanzaki, Chief Advisor, Mr.K.Senga, Director General, Mr.Alessandro A.Pio, Country Director and Mr.Lan A Gill of ADB accompanied him. Sri Lanka's Treasury Secretary Mr.S.B.Jeyasundara and his Deputy Mr.S.B.Divaratne also came with the ADB team.
Full story >>

Norwegian ministers to visit Hambantota and Mullaithivu next week

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 January 2005, 09:42 GMT]
Foreign Minister Jan Petersen and Minister of International Development Ms Hilde Frafjord Johnson will visit Hambantota and Mullaithivu to study the ground situation and to gain a first hand impression of how the relief work is proceeding for the people struck by the natural disaster, according to a press release issued by the Norwegian Embassy. Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen and Special Envoy Erik Solheim will also take part in the visit, it added.
Full story >>

Mullaithivu, a model for structuring relief efforts- Rotary DG

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 January 2005, 06:18 GMT]
Mr. Lucky Peiris, Governor of Rotary District 3220 Sri Lanka, speaking to journalists in Trincomalee Friday evening, praised the commitment and devotion shown in the Mullaitivu district in providing relief to the Tsunami victims. LTTE cadres got into action and cleared debris to assist affected people within minutes after tsunami struck Mullaithivu district. This efficiency is urgently needed in other parts of the country, he added.
Full story >>

Canadian parliamentarian meets Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 January 2005, 17:20 GMT]
“All Canadian aid for Tsunami relief would be channelled through our own organisations and equitable distribution is the bottom line of our humanitarian aid for relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction” said Hon. Jim Karygiannis, P.C., M.P., and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport in a meeting with the head of the Political Division Mr. S.P.Thamilchelvan, LTTE's peace secretariat reported.
Full story >>

Indian medical team serves in Kuchchaveli

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 January 2005, 17:06 GMT]
Five-member team of the Medicines Sans Frontier (MSF) of France left Trincomalee Friday when a fifty member medical team of the Indian Navy took charge of the Kuchchaveli government hospital located about thirty km north of east Trincomalee to serve the people of the area affected by Tsunami disaster, health authority sources said.
Full story >>

Two soldiers die in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 January 2005, 17:02 GMT]
The government security establishment Friday informed the Jaffna Police that two soldiers one from the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and the other from the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN)navy had died suddenly in their stations. Police teams from Manipay and Kayts Friday handed over the bodies of the two soldiers to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, Jaffna Police said.
Full story >>

Eelathunathan demise irreparable loss to Tamil nation- Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 January 2005, 16:45 GMT]
The sudden death of Mr.S.Pathmanathan also known as Eelathunathan, President of the Trincomalee district branch of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and a member of the central working committee of the TULF has come as a great shock to Tamils of the country, said Mr.R.Sampanthan, Secretary General of the TULF and parliamentary group leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in a condolence message issued Saturday.
Full story >>

ADB President to visit Trinco Saturday

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 January 2005, 16:21 GMT]
Mr. Tado Chino, President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is to pay a one day visit to Trincomalee Saturday to witness the destruction caused to coastal areas hit by Tsunami and visit welfare centres sheltering victims of the natural disaster, sources said.
Full story >>

Army begins search operation for buried weapons in Tsunami

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 January 2005, 15:45 GMT]
The government security establishment has deployed its men to salvage weapons buried in the coastal areas of Vadamaradchchi east from Manatkadu to Kudathanai when the Tsunami deadly waves destroyed its naval and army bases last month, sources said.
Full story >>

Avoid politicisation of relief efforts, cautions EU

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 January 2005, 15:31 GMT]
Calling upon President Chandrika Kumaratunga's United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, all political parties and the LTTE to actively promote a fair distribution of relief assistance to the tsunami victims, Colombo-based Heads of Missions of the European Union on Friday cautioned that there should be no politicisation of relief efforts. In an apparent reaction to the government's decision to deploy its military to handle the relief assistance, the member countries of the EU have also urged all parties to refrain from any actions during the distribution of humanitarian aid that might have a potentially negative impact on the peace process.
Full story >>

Canadian Parliamentarian meets with TRO leadership

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 January 2005, 13:18 GMT]
Mr.Jim Karygiannis, Canadian Liberal MP for Scarborough-Agincourt visited Tamil’s Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) Head Office in Kilinochchi Friday. He was received by Mr.K.P.Regi, Executive Director of TRO, and Mr.Lawrence Christy, Planning Director of TRO.
Full story >>

UNHCR deputy head to visit Sri Lanka next week

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 January 2005, 12:34 GMT]
Deputy head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Mr. Kamel Morjane, will be visiting Sri Lanka next week from Tuesday to review UNHCR's work on the ground behalf of people displaced by the tsunami and the conflict.
Full story >>

LTTE denies UNICEF ‘child recruitment’ charge

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 January 2005, 10:46 GMT]
The grandmother of two children alleged by UNICEF to have been recruited and released by the Liberation Tigers rejected the accusation Friday, saying the youngsters were about to be taken into care by a orphanage as their mother was abroad and their father had abandoned the family and she (grandmother) was unable to look after them after being displaced by the Asian tsunami.
Full story >>

SLMM facilitates meeting between STF and TRO in Ampara

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 January 2005, 09:44 GMT]
Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission facilitated a meeting between the Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation and Sri Lanka Special Task Force representatives in Ampara Thursday, SLMM said in a media release Friday.
Full story >>

UNP demands transparency in relief distribution

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 January 2005, 03:29 GMT]
Amidst growing concern over charges that the tsunami aid operation is not being properly handled, opposition United National Party (UNP) leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe met SriLanka's President Chandrika Kumarathunga to discuss his party's plan for the re-building of Srilanka, an officials said.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka unique in deploying armed forces at welfare centers- SLMM

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 January 2005, 00:21 GMT]
"Sri Lanka is the only country to deploy armed forces to manage refugee welfare centres in the aftermath of Tsunami catestrophy," said Major General (retd) Trond Furuhovde, Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) when he met with the LTTE's Trincomalee district military commander Colonel Sornam and the district political head Mr.Elilan in Sampoor in the LTTE held Muttur east, down south of Trincomalee.
Full story >>

Colombo in regular touch with LTTE, says Jayantha Dhanapala

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 January 2005, 19:07 GMT]
The head of the Government's Secretariat for Coordinating Peace Process (SCOPP) Mr. Jayanda Dhanapala said Thursday that the arrangements are in place to be in regular touch with the LTTE for the purpose of coordinating disaster relief operation and to develop a 'positive partnership' in recovering from the common adversity. Stating that these arrangements were made by the Norwegian facilitators, he said that a hotline has also been established to maintain the regular contact with the LTTE. Mr. Dhanapala was addressing a press conference in Colombo at the Board of Investment (BOI) auditorium on the Government's Recovery program aftermath the tsunami.
Full story >>

Colombo restricting aid flow to LTTE areas- Col. Sornam

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 January 2005, 17:58 GMT]
Colonel Sornam, Trincomalee district military commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Thursday told the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) that the Government of Sri Lanka is restricting the flow of foreign aid under the tsunami relief operations to the LTTE controlled areas. Colonel Sornam Thursday morning held discussions with Major General (retd) Trond Furuhovde for the first time since he took over the LTTE military command of the Trincomalee district last year, sources said.
Full story >>

SLMM head witnesses army harassing Elilan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 January 2005, 14:32 GMT]
Monitors of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) led by their head Major General (Retd) Trond Furuhovde personally came to the rescue of LTTE Trincomalee district political head Mr.S.Elilan when the latter was stopped by the Sri Lanka military police at Kaddaiparichchan army camp Thursday around noon for about thirty minutes for failing to get down from his vehicle and showed his identity and his baggage at the checkpoint. This incident took place after about one hour Mr.Elilan complained to SLMM head about the harassment by army during the talks SLMM head held with LTTE Trincomalee district military commander Colonel Sornam, sources said.
Full story >>

World Bank, ADB officials meet Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 January 2005, 11:11 GMT]
Worldbank Country Director, Peter Harold, in a meeting with Head of LTTE Political Wing, S.P.Thamilchelvan, in Kilinochchi Friday, expressed his condolences to people over the loss of their loved ones and added, "the institutions we represent, would continue extending solidarity in the reconstruction efforts,” said the LTTE's peace secretariat website.
Full story >>

Trauma counselling stepped up in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 January 2005, 22:10 GMT]
Following a report that a tsunami victim had attempted to commit suicide by setting fire to him as he was depressed due to the death of his two year old son on December 26, the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) in Trincomalee district has stepped up its trauma counselling programme for Tsunami victims, sources said.
Full story >>

Veteran Tamil activist dies in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 January 2005, 20:55 GMT]
Mr.S.Pathmanathan, veteran Tamil activist and fondly called as " Eelathunathan" in the northeast Tamil political circles passed away Wednesday evening in Colombo hospital after brief illness. He was sixty at that time of death, family sources said.
Full story >>

UNP MP says Government cashes in on victims' misery

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 January 2005, 20:18 GMT]
"Sri Lankan Government is trying to implement its own plan under the guise of tsunami victims relief," said Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, a senior parliamentarian of the United National Party (UNP). "Government has lost its credibility in the eyes of the world. UN decision to directly audit foreign aid to Sri Lanka shows that it has no confidence in the financial management of the government," he said speaking at a press conference held in the office of the opposition leader in Colombo on Wednesday.
Full story >>

HRCSL appoints task force to monitor aid distribution

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 January 2005, 19:49 GMT]
The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) Wednesday decided to set up a Special Task Force to monitor all relief and rehabilitation works to Tsunami victims in the country to ensure equal distribution to all affected parties. A decision to this effect was taken at top-level meeting held at the headquarters of the HRCSL presided by its Chairperson ms Radhika Cumaraswamy, sources said.
Full story >>

Canadian parliamentarian visits Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 January 2005, 19:04 GMT]
Mr.Jim Karygiannis, Canadian parliamentarian, arrived in Jaffna with a team to witness the destruction caused by Tsunami of December 26 and console the victims. They visited the coastal areas of Valvettithurai, Athikovilady villages and welfare centres sheltering tsunami victims. He met with Mr.C.Ilamparithi, Jaffna district LTTE political head and visited the office of the Jaffna District Task Force, which is co-ordinating all relief and rehabilitation works in the district in Nelliyady.
Full story >>

Singapore Red Cross conducts medical camp in Nilaveli

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 January 2005, 18:52 GMT]
Fifteen-member medical team of the Singapore Red Cross Society (SRCS) has been conducting a medical camp in the Tsunami victim welfare centre, which is located in Nilaveli Mosque premises, north of Trincomalee district since last week. The services will be provided till 28th of January, said Mr.Leong Seong Kwok, Manager of SRCS Services Division.
Full story >>

Damage to Northeast hospitals yet to be assessed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 January 2005, 14:53 GMT]
No estimate has yet been carried out about the damages caused by the tsunami to hospitals at Velvetithurai, Mullaitivu, Ninthavur, and Pothuvil and the rural hospitals at Chalamimadu and Kuchchaveli. Sources at the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medicine of the Northeast said that four district hospitals, six rural health centres, one rural hospital and two terminal health units have been destroyed in the tsunami disaster in the east.
Full story >>

Indian returnees in Trinco protest demanding Tsunami relief

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 January 2005, 13:48 GMT]
Hundreds of Tamil refugee families who returned from South India some years ago and currently sheltered in a welfare centre at Alles Garden, north of Trincomalee, demonstrated in front of their camp Wednesday morning till noon, demanding that they should also be provided with relief and permanent shelters as the recent Tsunami had destroyed part of their camp and their livelihood, sources said.
Full story >>

Singapore Education Minister visits Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 January 2005, 13:46 GMT]
Mr.Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister of Education in the Government of Singapore Wednesday paid a visit to Trincomalee district and witnessed the destruction of coastal areas in the north of east port town caused by Tsunami and consoled victims sheltered in welfare centres located in Nilaveli Mosque and Adambodai village.
Full story >>

SLBC News Director removed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 January 2005, 11:58 GMT]
Mr. Raja Katukampola, News Director of the Government owned Sri Lankan Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) has been removed from the duty, media sources said. Katukampola's duties are replaced by Mr.Somapala Perara, the sources added.
Full story >>

UN brings top US firm to audit tsunami relief aid

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 January 2005, 09:33 GMT]
Amidst widespread allegations of mishandling of tsunami aid operation, the United Nations have Tuesday called in a top US audit firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers, to monitor and ensure the pledged international post-tsunami relief support reaches the right people.
Full story >>

Military intimidation of relief workers escalate in Amparai, Batticaloa - TRO

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 January 2005, 08:26 GMT]
The Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) in an urgent press statement issued on Wednesday morning said that the intimidation of relief workers by the Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) has been escalating in several welfare centres in Batticaloa and Amparai. "The positive relief efforts coordinated by the TRO after the recent devastation are being severely disrupted due to recent STF intervention in the East" said the press release. The organisation said it is in the process of documenting incident reports as they continue to arise.
Full story >>

Norwegian Red Cross hospital commences its services in Eachchilampathu

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 January 2005, 19:33 GMT]
Twenty member of medical team of the Norwegian Red Cross Society Tuesday commenced its services in its temporary hospital put up in Eachchilampathu village which is in the LTTE controlled area down south of the Trincomalee district under the co-ordination of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC). This temporary hospital is to function for about three months till the medical services in the area improves, sources said.
Full story >>

Indian High Commissioner visits Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 January 2005, 19:32 GMT]
Ms Nirupama Sen, Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Tuesday visited northern town of Jaffna. She arrived in Palaly by a special aircraft. Thereafter she was taken in a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) helicopter and showed the coastal area destruction in Manatkadu and Kudathanai, sources said.
Full story >>

Seven abducted tsunami children survivors rescued

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 January 2005, 17:07 GMT]
Seven tsunami children survivors in age ranging from 6 to 12 years were found in a house in Karuveppankerni, 2 km north of Batticaloa, Police said. Police investigations have disclosed that the children have been in the custody at the house since 01st of January.
Full story >>

Government submits estimates to donor countries

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 January 2005, 14:46 GMT]
Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) has submitted a special report to donor countries outlining plans and estimates for tsunami relief work. The report's estimated total for tsunami relief work is Rs. 1.5 billion. Report was prepared by the Department of National Planning within the ministry of Finance and Planning.
Full story >>

TRO distributes relief to Trinco Tsunami Muslim victims

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 January 2005, 14:13 GMT]
Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) has distributed several thousand rupees worth relief materials to hundreds of Tsunami Muslim victims in the district. TRO Trincomalee district team led by its Director Mr.Jeha visited Kinniya Central College and handed over several packages of relief items to the management of the Kinniya Jamiethul Ulama Council (KJUC).
Full story >>

JVP, JHU object to channeling relief through World Vision

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 January 2005, 14:11 GMT]
Parliamentary group leader of JVP (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna), Mr Wimal Weerawansa, said at a meeting of the national committee on disaster management that his party is deeply concerned about channeling tsunami relief aid through World Vision. The proceeds of one day international cricket match between Asia and the rest of the world, held in Melbourne, Monday, was to be channeled through World Vision, according to sports officials in Melbourne.
Full story >>

Counseling coordinators to start public awareness campaign

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 January 2005, 14:10 GMT]
Importance of urgently starting a public awareness campaign on the counseling needs for the survivors of tsunami disaster was discussed in a coordinating meeting of representatives of humanitarian organisations held Tuesday 2 pm at the North East Secretariat on Human Rights (NESOHR) located at Karadipokku in Kilinochchi, sources in Kilinochchi said.
Full story >>

USAID funds SLRCS tsunami relief project

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 January 2005, 12:46 GMT]
The US Agency for International AID & Development (USAID) has granted US$ 350,000 to Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) for a Relief and Assistance Project for those affected by the recent Tsunami disaster. This project will focus on four components -Cleaning the environment and removal of debris, distribution of Non Food Relief Items (NFRI), Increase Health Awareness regarding water and vector borne diseases and re-establishment of livelihood, states Mr Harasha Gunawardene, Director Communications of the SLRC.
Full story >>

SLMM head to meet Col. Sornam

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 January 2005, 02:37 GMT]
Major General (retd) Trond Furuhovde, Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), is scheduled to meet Colonel Sornam, Trincomalee district military commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ( LTTE ), on Thursday January 13th, sources said.
Full story >>

Kumaratunga appoints EPDP to tsunami Task Force

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 January 2005, 02:23 GMT]
Representatives of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) have been appointed to the District Task Force (DTF) established in Jaffna, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Amparai districts to coordinate relief and rehabilitation of tsunami victims who are sheltered in welfare centers, on a directive from Sri Lanka’s President, Ms.Chandrika Kumaratunga, civil sources said.
Full story >>

Canadians mourn tsunami victims at Tamil vigil

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 January 2005, 23:24 GMT]
Thousands of Canadians from all walks of life braved chilling temperatures to show solidarity with the victims of the Asian Tsunami disaster at a vigil at Nathan Phillips Square at the Toronto City Hall organized by the Canadian Tamil Congress on Saturday, sources in Canada said.
Full story >>

UNICEF to support education of tsunami-affected children

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 January 2005, 23:01 GMT]
Some of the undamaged schools in the tsunami devastated regions reopened on Monday together with the rest of the schools in the country after the New Year break. Most of the children affected by the tsunami will be starting their lessons with the "school-in-a-box" kits provided by UNICEF. This is the first phase of a comprehensive programme planned by UNICEF together with the ministry of education to get all the children affected by the tsunami back into schools as soon as possible.
Full story >>

USS Duluth arrives in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 January 2005, 22:59 GMT]
The United States Ship Duluth arrived off the coast of Galle on Sunday evening, carrying equipment and personnel to aid in the U.S. government's humanitarian relief operations in the tsunami-affected areas of the island.
Full story >>

TNA parliamentarians boycott Governor's Jaffna visit

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 January 2005, 14:54 GMT]
Jaffna district Tamil National Parliamentarians Monday boycotted the first official visit of Mr.Tyronne Fernando, Governor of the Northeast Province in protest to the government's refusal to allow Mr.Koffi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations to visit Tsunami destroyed Northern coastal areas, including Mullaitivu district, TNA sources said.
Full story >>

International Red Cross President meets Prime Minister

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 January 2005, 11:11 GMT]
Mr.Juan Manuel Suarez Del Toro Rivero, President of International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) Monday paid courtesy call on Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse at the latter's official residence Temple Trees. Mr.Juan Manuel Suarez del Toro Rivero who is currently in the island meeting with Red Cross officials and reviewing ongoing Tsunami relief and assistance programmes.
Full story >>

Shankar Raji dies

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 January 2005, 03:04 GMT]
Mr. Thirunesan alias Shankar Raji (54), a leader of a minor breakaway faction of EROS died of a heart attack Monday morning, sources said. Shankara Raji is a close assosicate of Mr. Douglas Devananda.
Full story >>

Colombo tries to shift blame on mishandling Annan's itinerary

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 January 2005, 23:47 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry in a statement issued on Sunday tried to shift the blame on mishandling itinerary of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's visit, which sparked controversy that Colombo blocked him from visiting LTTE-controlled areas in the Northeast to witness the devastating tsunami destruction. The Foreign Ministry said that the final itinerary was drawn only after the government authorities and UNDP's Resident Representative's Office reached an agreement in Colombo.
Full story >>

Civilians protest outside Jaffna UN office

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 January 2005, 18:21 GMT]


About two hundred members of the Jaffna District Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies, Jaffna University Student Union and the Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union Sunday held a protest in front of the UNHCR office in Jaffna town against the decision of the government not to allow the UN Secretary General Mr.Koffi Annan to visit the Tsunami affected north, sources said.
Full story >>

VVT civil leader assaulted by Police

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 January 2005, 16:13 GMT]
Mr.Rajadurai Inthirarasa (41), a leading social worker in Valvettithurai (VVT) was criticially injured following alleged assault by the Officer-in Charge of the VVT Police Saturday night when he protested against harassment of inmates of the Tsunami welfare centre located at Chidambara College, civil sources said.
Full story >>

TRO Executive meets with UN Secretary General

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 January 2005, 13:43 GMT]
The Executive Director of the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), Mr. K. P. Regi, met with United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, at a meeting Sunday convened for a selected group of civil society representatives, sources in Colombo said. Mr. Regi handed over an appeal to the Secretary General. Some of the participants expressed the view that the centralised set-up planned by the Government of Sri Lanka is not effective, contains many bureaucratic bottlenecks and not sufficiently transparent to direct an equitable distribution of relief.
Full story >>

Bishop praises TRO, Tamil expatriate relief efforts

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 January 2005, 13:37 GMT]
Bishop Joseph Kingsley Swampillai, bishop of Batticaloa-Amparai district, expressed his appreciation for the relief efforts carried out by the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) and the support given by the Tamil diaspora in meeting the immediate and urgent needs of the victims of disaster, in an interview with TamilNet Sunday.
Full story >>

Annan wants to come back to visit entire country

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 January 2005, 11:24 GMT]
Diplomatically ducking a question whether he regretted that he could not visit the LTTE-controlled areas, visiting Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, said in Colombo today he was "hoping to be able to come back and visit all parts of Sri Lanka, not just to visit but to celebrate peace." Visibly frustrated with his itinerary set by the government of Sri Lanka that banned him from seeing the enormous devastation caused by tsunami terror waves in the LTTE-held areas, he said that the UN was not a "one man show" and there were number of people attached to the UN agencies working in parts of the country, including the LTTE-held areas.
Full story >>

Center for Healthcare (CHC) calls for Coordination of Medical Teams

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 January 2005, 09:19 GMT]
Center for Healthcare (CHC) a nationally registered and Kilinochchi based NGO in Sri Lanka has called for all visiting medical teams to coordinate their services to maximize their efficiency in regions of need. A visiting Australian Medical Team has successfully established a model for screening all patients in specific camps with individual healthcare cards issued to each patient / family so that all medical interventions are documented. The organisation is keen to continue to extend this model to all remaining camps in the region, CHC sources said.
Full story >>

Australian Medical Team Services Multiple Camps in Ampara District

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 January 2005, 09:10 GMT]
The visiting medical team from Australia has now formally taken over the medical services for 3 camps housing nearly 5000 individuals in the Alaiyampadivembu division in Akkaraipattu in the eastern Ampara district. A total lack of coordination and interest by the local authorities led to the medical team approaching the DPDHS, head of the health services, for the region and formally requesting to go in and start servicing these camps. This was welcomed by the DPDHS.
Full story >>

Three die in grenade attack on Batticaloa funeral house

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 January 2005, 08:56 GMT]
Three persons were killed and thirty eight persons were injured in a grenade attack on a tsunami funeral house in Vahaneri. The incident took place Saturday night around 9 PM when several people were gathered to attend a funeral of tsunami victims. An eight year old boy was among the three people who were killed, sources said.
Full story >>

Annan hails LTTE-led relief efforts

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 January 2005, 05:41 GMT]
UN Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Annan, hailed the relief efforts led by the Liberation Tigers in the wake of the Asian tsunami of December 26th and expressed his disappointment over the Sri Lankan governments veto of his plans to visit LTTE held areas devastated by the waves, when he met Tamil parliamentarians Sunday.
Full story >>

Vasudeva criticises army take over of Tsunami welfare centres

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 January 2005, 19:44 GMT]
"Take over of the management of welfare centres sheltering Tsunami victims by the State armed forces is a blatant violation of fundamental rights of refugees," Mr.Vasudeva Nanayakkara, General Secretary of the Nava Samaja Party and a former parliamentarian told TamilNet correspondent in Jaffna Saturday.
Full story >>

Kofi Annan consoles Trinco Tamil, Muslim Tsunami victims

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 January 2005, 19:37 GMT]
Mr.Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations Saturday evening paid a thirty-minute visit to Trincomalee. He consoled Tsunami affected Tamil refugees at Alankerni Tamil School and Muslim victims sheltered in Kinniya Central College. UN officials cancelled the inspection of the Tsunami destroyed Kinniya government hospital site at last minute.
Full story >>

World Bank chief says tsunami assistance could go upto USD one billion

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 January 2005, 19:15 GMT]
Reserving over USD 100 million to Sri Lanka from the existing projects for immediate recovery work and to rebuild the devastated homes and spectrum of livelihood, visiting World Bank chief D. Wolfensohn hinted in Colombo Saturday that the post tsunami relief assistance of the Bank to rebuild the devastated region could well go upto the mammoth USD one billion mark. He said in addition to the already released USD 10 million to Sri Lanka, an emergency credit of not less than USD 75 million, of which 40 percent would be a grant, would be made available to enable the government to begin recovery work.
Full story >>

Civil organizations in northeast submit their pleas to Kofi Annan

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 January 2005, 16:51 GMT]
Civil organization representatives in northeast accompanied by a large crowd met Ms Penny Brune, UNICEF representative for Vanni, in Killinochchi on Friday and handed her written appeals from civil organizations. The appeals urged the visiting UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, to visit Vadamaradchi East and Mullaithivu areas that have been devastated by the tsunami attack. Ms Penny Brune after receiving the appeals said that she will ensure that all the appeals reach the UN Secretary General the same day.
Full story >>

Colombo blocks Kofi Annan from touring LTTE held areas - UN officials

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 January 2005, 10:46 GMT]
Sri Lanka's government has stopped visiting U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan from touring tsunami-ravaged areas controlled by the LTTE, despite his requests, a Reuters report filed from Hambantota said. Annan was quoted as saying: "I am here on a humanitarian mission. I would like to visit all the areas, but as you know I am here as a guest of the government and they set the itinerary". UN officials told Reuters that they had been striving to convince the government, but to no avail. "It is a relief visit, not a political one. The secretary general wanted to go, but it just didn't happen," said one official on condition of anonymity to Reuters.
Full story >>

LTTE slams state media speculation

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 January 2005, 08:19 GMT]
Referring to a news item broadcasted by the Government owned Sri Lankan Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) Saturday morning, quoting Vice Admiral Daya Sandagiri as the source person, that the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Intelligence Chief of the organisation are among the dead or reported missing consequent to the Tsunami tidal wave attack, the LTTE in a press release said that it "strongly protested against the mischievous act of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, stooping down to such low level of broadcasting news that are fabricated by interested parties". This is not the time for gossip mongering and malicious propaganda, the LTTE press release said.
Full story >>

Tsunami ravaged community in northeast pleads with UN Secretary General

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 January 2005, 15:50 GMT]
Civil organizations and churches in the northeast have appealed to the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to visit the tsunami hit regions in the LTTE controlled areas as he reached Colombo Friday 6.10 PM. Rt.Rev. Dr.Thomas Soundaranayagam, Bishop of Jaffna, Rt.Rev.Dr. J. Kingsley Swampillai, Bishop of Trincomalee-Batticaloa and Rt. Rev. Rayappu Joseph, Bishop of Mannar urged The Secretary General to visit Mullaithivu and meet LTTE leaders and discuss with them about the future rehabilitation of the Tsunami victims. Most of the appeals have highlighted the positive effects of his visit to LTTE controlled areas in promoting peace through negotiations.
Full story >>

Denmark donates water purification units to TRO

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 January 2005, 14:30 GMT]
Mr.Michael Sternberg, Ambassador of Denmark who is on a two day visit to Trincomalee district Thursday donated ten water purification units to the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) to clean all wells in the Tsunami affected coastal villages. The Government of Denmark also provided four technicians to train about ten volunteers of the TRO in handling the water purification units, sources said.
Full story >>

Expatriate Tamils urge Kofi Annan to visit Mullaithivu

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 January 2005, 12:16 GMT]
International Federation of Tamils (IFT), a consortium of expatriate Tamil organizations based in Geneva Switzerland has appealed to the United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, to include in his itinerary a visit to the tsunami ravaged region of Mullaithivu in NorthEast of Sri Lanka, in a letter sent to the UN offices through the UNDP office in Colombo.
Full story >>

US military presence will not affect Peace Process - Colin Powell

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 January 2005, 11:40 GMT]
Pledging USD 25 million for immediate relief and reconstruction of Sri Lanka, US Secretaryof State Colin Powell said in a press briefing held at the runway at the Katunayake Air Force Base, Colombo, that US military presence will not affect the ongoing peace process. Responding to a question about how long the US military would stay, he said they would remain long as it is required by the Sri lankan government and would ensure that the reconstruction and rehabilitation work is complete.
Full story >>

Powell and Lee see damages in the South

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 January 2005, 08:38 GMT]
US Secretary of State Colin Powell and South Korean Prime Minister Lee Hae-Chan arrived in Sri Lanka Friday morning and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is reaching Sri Lanka Friday afternoon. Colin Powell, upon his arrival, boarded on a helicopter to tsunami ravaged Southern harbour city Galle where US marines are stationed, a US embassy official said. Powell will be meeting President Chandrika Kumaratunga Friday. Powell is scheduled to leave to Nairobi later on Friday, sources said.
Full story >>

"Tamil people will resist SLA takeover of Welfare Centers" -Colonel Soosai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 January 2005, 19:32 GMT]
''Our people will not accept the directive issued by Sri Lanka's President to hand over the management of Tsunami welfare centres in the government controlled areas in the northeast to the Sri Lanka Army,'' a defiant Colonel Soosai, Special Commander of the Sea Tigers, said at a conference held Thursday at the relief co-ordination office at Puththukattu junction area, sources said.
Full story >>

Government claimed credit for relief supplies sent by CWC - Sellachamy

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 January 2005, 17:52 GMT]
In the meeting called by the Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunge for all the parliamentarian in the Government coalition, held Wednesday at the Presidential Secretariat, Mr M S Selachamy, Deputy Minister for Social Development and Estate Infrastructure said, "I have received the details about relief supplies that had been sent by the Government to northeast. Government is accused of not sending relief supplies to northeast even five days after the tsunami disaster. Affected people have told me that Government had claimed credit for relief supplies sent by the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) and used this for their propaganda."
Full story >>

Tsunami victims flee as SLA moves into Trinco welfare centres

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 January 2005, 16:19 GMT]
Hundreds of Tsunami victims fled from welfare centres in the Sri Lanka government controlled areas in the Trincomalee district when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers carrying weapons entered the welfare centres to take over the management Thursday on a directive by Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge, several volunteers said.
Full story >>

USD 1.5 billion needed for post-tsunami reconstruction - President's aide

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 January 2005, 15:36 GMT]
Head of Sri Lanka's newly appointed Task Force to Rebuild the Nation (TAFREN), Mr. Mano Tittawella, who is also one of the close confidante and senior advisors to President Kumaratunga, said at a press conference in Colombo Thursday that according to the initial assessment, the country needed at least USD 1.5 billion to rebuild the tsunami-hit coastal belts of Sri Lanka. He said that the international donor countries and agencies have already pledged approximately USD one billion, of which most of them were grants.
Full story >>

Inquiry fixed in HC applications against army officials

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 January 2005, 14:06 GMT]
Corporal Somaretna Rajapakse of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) who was sentenced to death in the Krishanthy Cumaraswamy rape and murder case submitted his objection in the Jaffna High Court Wednesday in several Habeas Corpus (HC) applications regarding missing persons after the arrest by army soldiers during the period 1996-1997. Corporal Somaretna Rajapakse is the first respondent in these HC applications and other respondents are former army commander Lionel Balagalle and SLA officials.
Full story >>

TRO initiates trauma counseling project for tsunami affected

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 January 2005, 14:02 GMT]
Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) in collaboration with the North East Provincial Ministry of Education, Cultural Affairs, Sports and Youth Affairs has launched a project to provide trauma counseling to students and others who are affected by the Tsunami disaster, TRO sources in Kilinochchi said.
Full story >>

Joint action to ensure safety of Tsunami affected children

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 January 2005, 11:11 GMT]
The Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL), United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and Save the Children Sri Lanka (SCiSL) are working together to ensure safety for children who survived last week Tsunami disaster, from violence, exploitation and abuse, said in a joint press release issued by UNICEF and SCiSL Thursday.
Full story >>

Vanni TNA MPs oppose army take over of refugee camps

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 January 2005, 11:00 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Vanni district parliamentarians vehemently protested against the directive of the President to hand over the management of welfare centres where Tsunami victims are sheltered to the State armed forces at a conference held at the Vavuniya district secretariat Thursday with Mr.Tyronne Fernando, North east Provincial Governor in the chair, sources said.
Full story >>

US Senators visit tsunami-hit areas in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 January 2005, 08:40 GMT]
Two US Senators arrived in Colombo Thursday on the part of the ongoing international assistance to Sri Lanka and undertook visits to tsunami-hit areas in the Southern and Eastern provinces.
Full story >>

Buddhism bill unconstitutional- Supreme Court

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 January 2005, 01:16 GMT]
The Supreme Court said in its determination that the Bill tabled by Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) seeking to amend the Constitution prohibiting conversion of Buddhists and binding practising Buddhists to bring up their off spring in the same religion should be passed in parliament with two-third majority and also endorsed by the people in the country in a referendum, as some clauses in the Bill are inconsistent with the Constitution, legal sources said.
Full story >>

Security Forces continue to obstruct NorthEast relief effort- TRO

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 January 2005, 20:42 GMT]
"The Government of Sri Lanka has permitted Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) to engage in rehabilitation and reconstruction work in LTTE controlled as well as military controlled areas of the northeast. But the Special Task Force (STF) is acting as an obstacle to our mission. In Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Thirukovil, the STF personnel grabbed relief supplies from us and diverted them to other refugee camps of their choice," said Mr. K P Reggie, Executive Director of TRO, at the press conference in Colombo on Wednesday evening.
Full story >>

Norwegian Red Cross medical team arrives in Eachchilampathu

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 January 2005, 17:41 GMT]
Norwegian Red Cross Society has sent a medical team comprising 20 members at the request of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRC) to serve in Trincomalee district. The team which includes a surgeon, gynaecologist, paediatrician, psychiatrist, physician, water sanitation engineer and nurses arrived in the LTTE controlled Eachchilampathu division, down south of the Trincomalee district Tuesday.
Full story >>

TNA decries SLA's taking over of NorthEast Welfare camps

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 January 2005, 16:09 GMT]
"The Armed Forces taking over the management of the Welfare Camps in the Northeast would be counterproductive and would destabilize all arrangements hitherto made at the district level in the Northeast to address the several consequences of the calamity," said Mr. Sampanthan, Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian in a letter addressed to the Sri Lanka President requesting her to rescind the order given to the Armed Forces to take over the management of the Welfare Camps in the Northeast.
Full story >>

"Inaccuracy in reporting damaging humanitarian delivery" - LTTE

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 January 2005, 13:27 GMT]
The LTTE issued an urgent appeal to the National and International Media to scrupulously verify ground information before reporting, and to avoid bias and inaccuracy in filing stories on post-Tsunami disaster situation in the North-East and the humanitarian delivery to the displaced, on Tuesday.
Full story >>

Kofi Annan to visit Mullaitivu and other affected areas

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 January 2005, 10:58 GMT]
United Nation's Secretary General Koffi Annan will visit 'some of the hardest hit areas' in Sri Lanka when he visits the country on Friday, UN sources said Wednesday. Foreign ministry sources said Koffi Annan will visit Ampara, Galle, Hambantatota and Mullaitivu, areas worst hit by the tsunami waves on December 26.
Full story >>

Ranil visits Tsunami affected areas in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 January 2005, 09:50 GMT]
Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, former Prime Minister and the leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) paid a visit to Jaffna and witnessed the destruction caused to several coastal villages in the last year Tsunami. He held discussion with local leaders at the office of the Tsunami Disaster Rehabilitation Task Force in Vadamaradchchi division Wednesday afternoon around 1 pm.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka Armed Forces take over refuges, harass TRO

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 January 2005, 07:30 GMT]
In a sudden move, the Sri Lankan Armed Forces are manning the refugee camps in Amparai, Batticaloa and Trincomalee since Tuesday. The Special Task Force (STF) in Thirukovil, Amparai have hijacked two tractors of TRO relief supplies and distributed them after removing the TRO labels. "The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Special Task Force (STF) have stepped up their harassment of workers of the Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO)", Mr.K.P.Reggie, Executive Director of the TRO, told TamilNet on Wednesday. The TRO has called for an urgent Press Conference today at 6pm at its Colombo office.
Full story >>

Papal delegate visits Tsunami affected Jaffna coastal villages

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 January 2005, 03:29 GMT]
Apostolic Nuncio His Excellency Mario Zenari, Papal Delegate in Sri Lanka Tuesday paid a visit to Jaffna district and witnessed the destruction caused to coastal villages in the district due to Tsunami and shared the shock and grief with the victims, civil sources said
Full story >>

Welfare of Displaced poses new challenges- TRO

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 January 2005, 02:34 GMT]
Most of the residents from coastal villages who have been affected by Tsunami on 26 December are now in Welfare Centres setup in schools, temples, churches and other public places. The Government of Sri Lanka and other International donor community should urgently assess the future needs of the newly displaced and provide the assistance necessary to look after the welfare of the displaced, officials of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) said.
Full story >>

100,000 Children distressed, 3000 orphaned- TRO

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 January 2005, 01:22 GMT]
Out of the 100,000 or more families from the villages destroyed in the North and East by the Tsunami disaster, 3000 children have lost one or both parents, TRO officials said.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka's death toll rises to 30,229 amidst pouring relief assistance

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 January 2005, 18:16 GMT]
Sri Lanka's official death toll aftermath of the tsunami disaster today rose to 30,229 with over 3,500 people still missing, amidst pouring international relief and rescue assistance in terms of man and materials. According to the Social Services Ministry statistics, Amparai district was the worst hit area with 10436 deaths.
Full story >>

PDS gears for phase two & three of tsunami relief in Northeast

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 January 2005, 16:45 GMT]
"The LTTE with its quick deployment ability and the Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) with generous assistance from the Tamil Diaspora and the international NGOs, are tackling the immediate Tsunami relief needs, the first phase of the relief efforts. The Liberation Tigers are calling for international assistance to meet phase two and three of the relief effort", LTTE's Political Head Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan told TamilNet following a conference with Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mr Hans Brattskar, in Killinochchi where they discussed the proper channeling of aid to northeast for phase two and three of Tsunami relief as being planned by PDS.
Full story >>

TRO to provide Specialized Maintenance Centers

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 January 2005, 15:18 GMT]
Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), an NGO registered with Government of Sri Lanka and working exclusively in the NorthEast, is preparing to provide specialized centres to cater to the unique needs of the various groups- injured, frail, expectant or nursing mothers, emotionally traumatized and children under 5 years. A special maintenance centre will be provided as and when a need arises, TRO spokesperson said.
Full story >>

Thamilchelvan calls for end to fraudulent reports

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 January 2005, 13:47 GMT]
Denying rumours that the LTTE had burnt refuges or that aid had been stolen or incorrectly distributed, the head of the Liberation Tigers political wing, Mr S.P. Thamilchelvan, called on all media organisations to visit the affected areas and verify the fact for themselves before publishing unverified stories.
Full story >>

PDS sends Australian and Korean doctors to the East

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 January 2005, 12:46 GMT]
Two teams of doctors who arrived in Kilinochchi on Monday from Australia and Korea have set off to the East. On Monday, Tamil Eelam Health Service (TEHS) in the East issued an urgent warning as heavy rains in Batticaloa-Amparai have increased the danger of infectious diseases. The medical teams were briefed by the Planning and Development Secretariat (PDS) on the ground situation in the East.
Full story >>

Resettling Tsunami victims in Vadamaradchchi commences

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 January 2005, 12:45 GMT]
Resettling the dislocated families from Vadamaradchchi coastal villages in Jaffna district due to Tsunami disaster has commenced Monday night. Displaced residents of coastal villages located between Katkovalam and Thondamannaru in Vadamaradchchi north division are being transported from the present welfare centres to the selected thirteen schools and places of worships close to their previous residences, civil sources said.
Full story >>

Project to resurrect Mullaitivu fishing industry planned

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 January 2005, 11:27 GMT]
The Economic Consultancy House (TECH), a Non Governmental Organization that promotes socio-economic and technological development, and registered with the Government of Srilanka, has issued a project plan costing nearly Rs2 billion, to assist the more than 5700 fishing families in Mullaitivu district affected by the tsunami disaster to return to their traditional trade, TECH officials told TamilNet.
Full story >>

Thamilchelvan receives first consignment of Italian relief

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 January 2005, 09:02 GMT]
Italian Foreign Ministry Tuesday handed over a consignment of medical equipments, medicines and tents for temporary shelters to Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan to be distributed through the rescue and relief mechanism that have been set up in Tamil areas. Thanking the Italian government and the Italian people for the kind gesture of humanitarian at a time of distress, Thamilchelvan explained to the officials how the rescue and relief operations are being conducted.
Full story >>

LTTE urges aid for Amparai as fighters conduct relief operations

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 January 2005, 07:24 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers‚ warned Monday that the recent heavy flooding in the Amparai district has exacerbated the risk of disease by dislodging bodies of victims of the Asian tsunami disaster. The Tigers' top commander in the region, Col. Banu, who crossed into Sri Lanka Army controlled territory with a section of of LTTE troops, is coordinating rescue and relief efforts in the multi-ethnic region, the LTTE's Centre for Emergency Assessment in Kalavanchykuddy said in press release Monday.
Full story >>

PDS sets in motion the needs assessment for tsunami relief

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 January 2005, 06:39 GMT]
The Planning and Development Secretariat (PDS) of the Liberation Tigers has already set in motion the needs assessment process for Tsunami Relief in the northeast, Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan, Head of the LTTE's Political Wing told TamilNet Tuesday.
Full story >>

LTTE should handle relief operation in its territory - Ranil

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 January 2005, 05:54 GMT]
Leader of the Main Opposition United National Front (UNF), Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, has said that the Liberation Tigers should handle the tsunami relief operation in the LTTE-held areas as they were the ones who handled the immediate rescue operation in those areas. Mr. Wickremesinghe, who is scheduled to visit the tsunami-wrecked areas in the Northern province Wednesday, has made these comments Monday in an exclusive interview with the Colombo-based Tamil daily, Sudar Oli.
Full story >>

Donate liberally towards the relief efforts in the Northeast- CHC

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 January 2005, 23:34 GMT]
The Centre for Health Care (CHC), an NGO based in Kilinochchi, said that sufficient professionals, needed by the organisation for the moment, have already arrived in Northeast. Sources at CHC told TamilNet that they have urged the International community to donate liberally towards the relief efforts. More health professionals will be needed later when communicable diseases tend to break, the sources added. CHC have urged other medical professionals who wish to come to the North-East from around the world to arrive during the later part of next month.
Full story >>

Rescue workers find more bodies in Mullaitivu, Vadamaradchy East

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 January 2005, 22:53 GMT]
Rescue workers in Mullaitivu and Vadamaradchy East areas discovered ten more bodies on Sunday, officials in Vanni said. Five of the bodies were cremated immediately as they were badly decomposed and the other five were taken to a storage facility for identification.
Full story >>

Medical clinics for Tsunami victims in NE to be streamlined

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 January 2005, 18:19 GMT]
Medical teams visiting from other parts of the country, and conducting medical clinics for very short time in refugee camps in the Tsunami affected coastal areas in the Northeast province is causing problems for the health authorities, medical sources said. "This haphazard way of conducting such medical clinics without proper co-ordination would create more problems to the health of the patients than curing their diseases," provincial health authorities said.
Full story >>

NLF decries induction of foreign troops

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 January 2005, 18:17 GMT]
The New Left Front (NLF), a vocal leftist group, in statement signed by the group's leader Dr. Vickramabahu Karunarathne and issued in Colombo Monday, condemned the induction of foreign troops into Sri Lanka in the guise of helping the tsunami victims. In a strongly worded statement the New Left Front said 'it is totally unnecessary to commit troops' for relief work and accused the US of having its own agenda of gaining a foothold with designs to suppress the LTTE and control the Tamil liberation struggle on behalf of local capitalist rulers."
Full story >>

UK naval ship also arrives in Colombo for tsunami relief

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 January 2005, 14:20 GMT]
A naval ship of the British naval fleet, HMS Chatham, has arrived in Colombo harbour Monday evening with a group a sailors and two light helicopters. The ship has been sent to Sri Lanka following a request made by the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government led by President Chandrika Kumaratunga, defence sources said.
Full story >>

Counselling programme for Tsunami Trincomalee victims

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 January 2005, 14:12 GMT]
Dr.T.Kadambanathan, a leading specialist in psychiatry currently serving in the mental heath division of the Ratnapura government hospital in the south Sunday held a pilot study visiting various refugee camps in Nilaveli, Adambodai and Kinniya in Trincomalee district among Tsunami victims to prepare an integrated psychological counselling programme for immediate implementation on parallel with relief efforts.
Full story >>

Urgent need for heavy machinery in Jaffna- Ilamparithy

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 January 2005, 11:24 GMT]
Jaffna District Leader of LTTE Political Wing, S Ilamparithy, talking to TamilNet correspondent in Jaffna said that assistance from Sri Lanka Government in supplying heavy machinery required for removal of debris and to reconstruct badly damaged rural and coastal roads have not reached areas of devastation in Jaffna. This has impeded relief supplies reaching many coastal communities and has stalled speedy recovery from the tsunami disaster, he added.
Full story >>

UNICEF official meets TRO, children in Mullaitivu

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 January 2005, 10:35 GMT]
Ms Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), travelled to Kilinochchi Monday morning around 8.30 a.m., where she met with children from Senthalir Illam who had escaped death and Mr. Reggie, Executive Director of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO).
Full story >>

Pakistan Navy to assist tsunami-hit Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 January 2005, 07:09 GMT]
Pakistan has decided to send two ships from its Naval fleet, two helicopters along with 400 military personnel to join the international bandwagon in assisting Sri Lankan government to carry out the tsunami relief and rescue operation, Pakistan Embassy sources said. Pakistan has taken this decision on the request made by the government of Sri Lanka, led by President Chandrika Kumaratunga. A 150-member team of Engineering Task Force (ETF) of the Pakistan army is also scheduled to come to Colombo soon for the urgent reconstruction work. The Frigate is expected in Colombo before Friday evening, sources added.
Full story >>

TNA to brief international community on northeast devastation

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 January 2005, 15:49 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) will soon brief the international community about the massive needs of the north-east that suffered the worst in December 26 Tsunami disaster, TNA sources said Sunday.
Full story >>

UN Special Envoy meets Sri Lanka Red Cross President

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 January 2005, 13:46 GMT]
Margareta Wahlstrom, United Nations Secretary General's Special Envoy on Relief Operations is on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka. She met with Mr.Jagath Abeyasinghe, President of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) Sunday to update her on the relief operations now being carried out in the Tsunami hit coastal districts of the island, SLRC sources said.
Full story >>

SLA accused of burning refuge

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 January 2005, 13:41 GMT]
A hut at a refuge sheltering 67 families displaced by the tsunami to Kudathanai, Vadamaradchi, Jaffna, was burnt and all the males assaulted in an attack that has been blamed on soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army. Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian Mr. M. K. Sivajilingam had accused local Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers of being responsible for the attack, which left at least three people hospitalized and forced all 67 families to seek new shelter.
Full story >>

Search for missing persons to resume in Vadamaradchchi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 January 2005, 13:02 GMT]
Search for missing persons in last week Tsunami is to resume Sunday in the fishing hamlets of Munai, and Katkovalam in the Vadamaradchchi North division following the retrieval of two bodies, one of an old woman and another of a boy by a group of volunteers of Danish De-mining Group (DDG) Saturday.
Full story >>

Relief supplies hijacked and relabelled in Moratuwa - Colombo paper

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 January 2005, 10:39 GMT]
The radical Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a major coalition partner in the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government of President Chandrika Kumaratunga, has been accused of hijacking relief supplies sent to welfare camps and re-distributing them as supplies from the JVP, reported The Sunday Leader, a Colombo based English weekly in its latest issue.
Full story >>

TRO provides relief supply to Sinhala victims in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 January 2005, 02:21 GMT]
Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) provided relief to victims in two Sinhala settlements in Trincomalee town, which were badly hit by last week Tsunami. 23 families numbering 95 members in one settlement, Koriyawatte located close to Trincomalee bus stand and to 75 families numbering 328 members in another area. Division No 10 were provided with rice, sugar, flour, dhal and tea, TRO sources said.
Full story >>

CTTU to contribute to Tsunami relief fund

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 January 2005, 16:40 GMT]
Twenty thousand member strong Ceylon Tamil Teachers' Union (CTTU) Saturday appealed to its members to donate one month's salary or the salary increase of Rs: 2,500 from December last year to the relief fund of the Tsunami victims in the northeast province. The CTTU launched a special relief fund to assist Tsunami victims, said CTTU general secretary Mr.T. Mahasivam.
Full story >>

UN provides relief worth millions to Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 January 2005, 16:40 GMT]
United Nations Country Team in Sri Lanka has provided relief assistance worth several millions of rupees including direct cash grants, materials such as food and non-food items, medicine and technical support since last Sunday when the devastating tsunami struck the island, United Nations Information Centre in a press release issued Saturday said.
Full story >>

Teams of expatriate Tamil doctors to arrive in NorthEast

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 January 2005, 16:29 GMT]
Fifteen doctors, including reputed practising surgeons, arrived from London tonight to serve in the tsunami hit Mullaitivu, the worst affected district in the Sunday disaster, said a Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) spokesperson in Colombo. "More doctors are coming. Medical professionals from U.S, Canada, and Europe are also due to arrive to work in the NorthEast areas at planned intervals," the spokesperson added.
Full story >>

Advisory issued against seafood consumption in NorthEast

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 January 2005, 13:21 GMT]
The Thamileelam Health Services Department Saturday advised the people of the North East province not to eat seafood until further notice as the sea is highly polluted after Tsunami, which hit the coastal areas of the island from northeast and south. Tsunami killed about thirty thousand people and about six thousand are still missing.
Full story >>

1500 U.S Marines to arrive in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 January 2005, 11:24 GMT]
U.S Ambassador to Sri Lanka , Jeffrey Lunstead, U.S Commander of U.S Disaster Response Assessment Team (DRAT), Colonel Thomas Collins, and a USAID representative said in a press conference held at Hotel Galladhari in Colombo Saturday afternoon that 1300 U.S Marines are to arrive in Colombo in a U.S Wasp class amphibious assault ship, USS Bon Homme Richard, equipped with a helipad and supporting five helicopters on board.
Full story >>

Trinco veteran Muslim parliamentarian dies

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 January 2005, 09:41 GMT]
Mr.M.E.H.Mohamed Ali, veteran Muslim politician and a former parliamentarian of the Trincomalee district passed away Friday night at his residence in the east port town peacefully at the age of 77. His funeral was held Saturday morning around 11 a.m. in the Muslim cemetery in the midst of leading citizens, government officials, civil leaders and friends of all communities, family sources said.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka mourns

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 January 2005, 08:37 GMT]
Sri Lanka observed Friday as a national mourning day to express shock and grief to the deaths due to Sunday's Tsunami that hit the coastal areas in the northeast and the south killing about 30, 000 and rendering around one million homeless. Sri Lanka's National Flag was flown half-mast on government buildings and Thamileelam National Flag was flown half-mast on all political secretariat offices of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the North East, sources said.
Full story >>

Relief stalls as Tsunami victims battle flood waters

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 January 2005, 08:09 GMT]
Relief supply to hundreds of thousands of Tsunami victims in the districts of Amparai and Batticaloa has been hampered due to flood caused by torrential rain since Friday. Several hundreds of victims have been evacuated from camps now under flood to safer areas Lorries transporting relief materials to these districts are unable to proceed to their destinations as main roads are under flood at several places.
Full story >>

Idling monitoring equipment proves ineffective during quake, tsunami

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 January 2005, 04:25 GMT]
Prof. Kapila Dahanayake of the Department of Geology, Peradeniya University, told the media Thursday that Rs. 30 million worth of earthquake-monitoring equipment provided by the Japanese Jeyha Institute to the Geology Department has remained dysfunctional for the last 3 months. The equipment was supplied about a year and a half ago, Mr Dahanayake added.
Full story >>

Trincomalee Tsunami victims face health hazard in camps

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 January 2005, 02:18 GMT]
"Sunday's Tsunami has killed lot of our children and mothers. Our national leader Mr.Pirapaharan has issued a clear instruction to us that we should not lose our children anymore in the future. He fears that our children are facing danger of being succumbed to epidemic after Tsunami devastation,"said Mr.Thooyavan, Head of LTTE Planning Department addressing representatives of international and national non-governmental organizations in Trincomalee district now engaged in relief works in Tsunami affected coastal areas.
Full story >>

Tsunami victims of Vakarai division suffer without basic facilities

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 January 2005, 00:08 GMT]
Tsunami victims in several villages in the Vakarai divisional secretariat division in the Batticaloa district, now being cut off with their mainland as the Panichchankery Bridge collapsed in Sunday's calamity, suffer without adequate food supply and other essential items such as dry ration, kitchen utensils, milk food, feeding bottles and good drinking water, civil sources said.
Full story >>