18.08.24 21:23 
Viraj Mendis: A beacon of international solidarity and a pillar in the Eelam-Tamil liberation struggle
Viraj Mendis: A beacon of international solidarity and a pillar in the Eelam-Tamil liberation struggle
Reporting to the world on Tamil Affairs
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Tsunami hit Southern Muslims allege discrimination in relief[TamilNet, Monday, 28 February 2005, 18:11 GMT]Officials of the Hambantota Dharma Kabir Mosque administration told a group of Jaffna journalists last weekend that more Muslim civilians had died in tsunami and the figures disclosed by the Sri Lanka government authorities are not reflecting the actual deaths of Muslims in the Hambantota district. A twenty-member team of Jaffna journalists visited Hambantota as a goodwill gesture to see the sufferings of the tsunami affected Muslim people in the south, sources said. Full story >> Man shot dead in Batticaloa town[TamilNet, Monday, 28 February 2005, 17:19 GMT]A man was shot dead in Batticaloa town Monday night around 8.45 by unidentified gunmen, Police said. He was identified as 'Thayanithi', of Thiruchendur Kovil Road, a coastal part of Batticaloa town. Full story >> Senior LTTE political official shot[TamilNet, Monday, 28 February 2005, 13:54 GMT] A senior political official and two of her colleagues were shot and seriously wounded around 6 p.m.Monday near Akkaraipattu by gunmen suspected to be from a paramilitary working with the Sri Lankan armed forces, LTTE sources in Batticaloa said. Ms. Kuveni, head of LTTE's political division (women) for Batticaloa-Amparai was traveling in a auto rickshaw with two of her colleagues in Thambattai, about six kilometres south of Akkaraipattu when gunmen riding a motorbike opened fire on them, LTTE sources said. "This could not have happened without the knowledge of the Sri Lankan armed forces in that area", charged an LTTE commander in Batticaloa. Full story >> Prince Charles arrives in Sri Lanka, visits Batticaloa[TamilNet, Monday, 28 February 2005, 05:39 GMT] Britain's Prince Charles arrived in Colombo on Monday morning on a six-hour brief visit amidst tight security. Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, Power and Energy Minister Susil Premajayanth and Deputy Foreign Minister Prof. Viswa Warnapala received the Prince at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) amidst tight security. From the international airport, Charles flew to the Eastern Batticaloa district in a special military helicopter and visited Navalady and Thiruchendoor, two coastal suburbs of Batticaloa town, which were completely devastated by the Tsunami. Full story >> Canadian Tamils provide education support to Trinco villages[TamilNet, Monday, 28 February 2005, 04:32 GMT] Socio-Economic Development Organization of Trincomalee (SEDOT) with financial help from Trincomalee Welfare Association (TWA) in Canada has embarked on a scheme to assist students and teachers in resettled Tamil villages of Thiriyai, Nochchikulam and Adambodai in the Trincomalee district to uplift the standard of education, civil sources in Trincomalee said. The scheme supports salaries to additional volunteer and pre-school teachers in the three villages.Full story >> Second model village opened in Amparai[TamilNet, Monday, 28 February 2005, 01:00 GMT] A second model village in Kavadapaddi, a village located in Aalaiyadivembu Division, Amparai district, containing 51 houses, a preschool, a small health office and amenities for establishing small scale businesses was ceremonially opened Saturday 4.30 pm presided by Director of Amparai district Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), an NGO registered with Government of Sri Lanka and working exclusively in the NorthEast, sources said.Full story >> US Church, TRO pay $7,000 taxes to clear water purifiers from Sri Lanka Customs[TamilNet, Monday, 28 February 2005, 00:10 GMT]Five water purifiers donated by the Holy Redeemer Church in Baltimore Maryland, USA, to the people of NorthEast and addressed to Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO)-Colombo were held by Colombo customs from 27 January due to officials demanding payment of import taxes recently introduced by the Finance Ministry of Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) on relief supplies. TRO sources in Colombo said that the purifiers were finally cleared Saturday after a payment of $7,000 to the Government of Sri Lanka Customs. Full story >> India to reconstruct three tsunami hit hospitals[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 February 2005, 17:48 GMT] Indian Health Ministry officials led by Ms Bhavani Tyagarajan, Director
General of Indian Health Service, Sunday morning visited Trincomalee general
hospital and requested its Medical Superintendent Dr.Ms Gowshi Gnanagunalan
to submit a concept paper on the reconstruction and development of the
institution under the tsunami reconstruction programme. The Government of
India has agreed to reconstruct three tsunami-affected hospitals
including Trincomalee. The other two are Point Pedro base hospital in
Jaffna district and Hambantota hospital in the south, Ms Bhavani Tyagarajan
said later addressing a conference, sources said.Full story >> Tsunami victims remembered in Vadamaradchchi[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 February 2005, 17:01 GMT]Special prayer remembering the dead in tsunami disaster in the coastal areas in Vadamaradchchi division in Jaffna district was held Sunday evening at Thumpalai Nesaham Methodist Church in Point Pedro division. Rev.Fr V.Alagarajah, Parish Priest of Kaddaiveli Methodist Church presided, sources said. Full story >> NE Governor affirms language rights[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 February 2005, 15:56 GMT] "I agree that every citizen of the country should be given the right to communicate with the government institutions in their mother tongue," said Mr.Tyronne Fernando, Governor of the North East Province at a discussion held with the members of the Trincomalee District Bar Association in the Trincomalee Court Complex during the weekend. He made this remark in response to the speech by Mr.K.Sivapalan, President of the TDBA that most of the problems would not have arisen if the constitutional amendments in
regard to the language rights of minorities were implemented.Full story >> SLA prevents deepening tsunami affected jetties in north[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 February 2005, 15:52 GMT]A conference has been summoned for Tuesday to settle the dispute between the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Vadamaradchchi fisheries societies over the deepening about twenty-one fisheries jetties affected from Thondamannaru in the Vadamaradchchi north to Munai point in Point Pedro coast affected by tsunami. Monitors of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission in Jaffna district and the Government Agent have been invited for the conference, fisheries sources said. Full story >> SLN rescues twelve Tamil refugees from midsea[TamilNet, Saturday, 26 February 2005, 15:23 GMT]Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) rescued 12 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, five children, three women and four men men, returning from South India from a sandbank in the midsea between Thanushkodi and Rameswaram Thursday, and handed them over to Talaimannar Police, security sources said. Full story >> Indian envoy visits Jaffna, discusses developing Pt.Pedro hospital[TamilNet, Saturday, 26 February 2005, 14:39 GMT] A delegation led by Ms Nirupama Rao, Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Saturday arrived in Palaly military air base Jaffna by a special aircraft and held discussions at the Point Pedro base hospital regarding its development with the funds allocated by the Government of India, health ministry sources said.
Full story >> Solheim meets LTTE in east[TamilNet, Saturday, 26 February 2005, 14:16 GMT] Norway’s special peace envoy for Sri Lanka, Mr. Eric Solheim Saturday met head of LTTE’s political division for Batticaloa-Amparai district, Mr. Irasaiah Ilanthirayan for discussions on post Tsunami work and the political-security situation in the region. On an invitation by Mr. Ilanthirayan, the Norwegian peace envoy and his team visited the Tsunami devastated coastal areas of Paandiruppu, a densely populated Tamil village, 38 kilometres south of Batticaloa. Mr. Ilanthirayan and other regional LTTE officers accompanied Mr. Solheim. Full story >> Japan donates Rs 8.9 million to upgrade Thellipalai hospital[TamilNet, Friday, 25 February 2005, 22:26 GMT]The Government of Japan today donated a sum of USD 90,204 (approximately Rs. 8.9 million) towards the "Project for Emergency Rehabilitation of Water Supply and Sewerage Systems at Thellipalai Hospital" in the Jaffna peninsula as a part of its continuous efforts in improving the emergency health care needs in areas where access to health facilities and services are insufficient. Full story >> Kumaratunga says no paramilitaries with Sri Lanka army[TamilNet, Friday, 25 February 2005, 07:17 GMT]Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga told Norwegian special peace envoy Mr. Eric Solheim that there aren’t any paramilitaries working with the Sri Lankan armed forces, according to a press release by the Presidential Secretariat Friday. The Liberation Tigers say that Colombo had committed to disarm paramilitaries working with the Sri Lankan armed forces in the island’s northeast under the terms of the cease fire agreement (CFA) it signed with them three years ago. The statement said that Mr. Solheim conveyed to Ms Kumaratunge LTTE’s concern regarding the implementation of Article 1.8 of the CFA in relation to disarming of paramilitary groups when he met her Thursday in Colombo. Full story >> Oxfam, EI to reconstruct tsunami hit schools[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 February 2005, 17:59 GMT]Education International (EI) and Oxfam-Netherlands Thursday signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Central Ministry of Education for reconstructing fourteen schools which were destroyed in December 26 tsunami in the northeast and south of Sri Lanka. Mr.Fred van Leeuwen, General Secretary of the Education International, Ms Sylvia Borren, General Director of the Oxfam-Netherlands and Dr Ms. Tara De Mel, Secretary to the Ministry of Education signed the MoU, education Ministry sources said Full story >> Two Tamil ministers of Kumaratunga govt. submit resignations[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 February 2005, 15:07 GMT]A minister and a deputy minister of President Kumaratunga's coalition government submitted their resignations Thursday. The ministers, Mr. Muthu Sivalingam MP and Mr. M. S Sellasamy belong to the Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC), a key coalition partner of President Kumaratunga's government which represents workers in Sri Lanka's large plantation sector. Full story >> Lankan soldiers violate CFA by attempting to intrude into FDLs - LTTE[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 February 2005, 14:01 GMT]The Political Division of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has said in a statement on Thursday that the attempt by the Sri Lankan military soldiers near Kilali lagoon in the Jaffna peninsula to intrude with fire-arms well into the Forward Defence Lines (FDLs) of the LTTE was a clear violation of the Ceasefire Agreement and the attack on them was only a defensive action. According to the LTTE statement, LTTE took defensive action against the Sri Lankan military personnel when they were seen moving with weapons and telescopes towards the LTTE FDLs. Full story >> JVP demands UPFA Government to withdraw statement on interim administration[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 February 2005, 12:53 GMT]The radical Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a major coalition partner of the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) on Thursday demanded the government to withdraw immediately its statement - that it was ready to resume peace talks with the LTTE firstly to set up an interim administrative structure in the NorthEast region - as it goes against the stance of the coalition government. The government Information Department said in a statement on Wednesday that the government was prepared to resume talks to set up first an interim arrangement to handle the urgent humanitarian needs of the people and then proceed to discuss the final solution to the prolonged ethnic crisis. Full story >> Tamil MPs protest march in Sri Lanka Parliament[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 February 2005, 08:26 GMT] Tamil National Alliance MP marched on the driveway to the Sri Lankan Parliament carrying placards condemning Colombo for failing to avail itself of the cease fire with the Liberation Tigers signed three years ago. “Do not buy weapons with Tsunami aid”, “Disarm the paramilitaries”, “Don’t divide the Muslims and Tamils”, read some of the placards. The march and demo were led by senior Tamil Parliamentarians Mr. R. Sampanthan, Mr. Joseph Pararajasingham, Mr. Mavai Senathirajah and Mr. Selvam Adaikalanathan. Full story >> Kumaratunga ally threatens to quit if talks resume[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 February 2005, 06:48 GMT] The Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the main coalition partner of President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s government Thursday threatened to pull out of the ruling alliance if the long stalled talks between Colombo and the Liberation Tigers on setting up an interim administration to address the immediate humanitarian needs of the war torn Northeast of Sri Lanka are resumed. In a hard hitting statement issued Thursday, JVP slammed President Kumaratunga’s government for neither consulting nor informing them about the announcement Wednesday that Colombo is ready to restart talks with the Tigers on the basis of a proposal for establishing an interim administration. Full story >> SC quashes death sentence, Tamil youth released after 15 years[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 February 2005, 16:57 GMT]Mr.Shanmugam Ragupathi, a Tamil youth of Jaffna was released Monday after fifteen years in Welikada jail when the Supreme Court quashed the death sentence imposed on him by the Colombo High Court in a case in which he was indicted by the Attorney General for causing deaths of several soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in an attack on the Karainagar army base in the year 1990, legal sources said. Full story >> North preschool teachers killed in Tsunami remembered[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 February 2005, 16:34 GMT] Sixtieth day remembrance of pre-school teachers and children died in the tsunami disaster in the coastal areas of Vadamaradchchi east division in the districts of Jaffna and Mullaitivu and the distribution of bicycles to tsunami affected pre-school teachers were held in the Mullaitivu district office of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) sponsored by the TRO and funded by Norway TRO under the auspices of the North East Pre-School Development Centre (NEPSDC) Wednesday morning, sources said.
Full story >> SLA troopers shot in Kilali no go zone[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 February 2005, 15:26 GMT]A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) trooper was reported killed and another was injured when the Liberation Tigers fired on them in the no man's zone when the SLA soldiers had advanced to within 40 meters of the LTTE Forward Defence line in the lagoon between the SLA held Kilali, Jaffna and the LTTE controlled mainland around 5 p.m. Wednesday. LTTE women cadres in the forward defence line opened fire when they spotted SLA soldiers taking aim at them, sources in Kilinochchi said. A similar incident took place at the same location in February 2003. Full story >> German Minister meets with TRO officials[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 February 2005, 06:15 GMT] German Economic Cooperation and Development Minister Ms. Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul who is currently in Sri Lanka on a fact finding visit to see the tsunami damages met with Director of Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) Colombo office, Mr Chandru Pararajasingham, at the Pan Asia Hotel, Monday, TRO officials in Colombo said. TRO is an NGO registered with Government of Sri Lanka and works exclusively in the NorthEast.Full story >> No Tamil Unit in Central Education Ministry[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 February 2005, 03:59 GMT] Tamil and Muslim educationists have expressed serious concern that despite assurances given by Education Ministry Secretary, Dr.Tara de Mel, a separate Tamil Administration Unit has not been established in the Central Ministry of Education. Development of Tamil medium education has been severely hampered by the absence of this unit, the educationists complained.Full story >> Asian Football Federation officials visit Kilinochchi[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 February 2005, 03:36 GMT] Officials of the Asian Football (Soccer) Federation led by its Vice President Manilal Fernando visited Kilinochchi Monday and had an hour long discussions with Head of the Liberation Tigers Sports Wing, K. Pappa at the Planning and Development Secretariat (PDS) offices Monday, LTTE sources from Kilinochchi said.Full story >> Tsunami relief generators missing in Trinco[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 February 2005, 03:16 GMT]Mr.Nimal Dissanayake, Assistant Land Commissioner of the Trincomalee District Secretariat (Government Agent office) Tuesday made a complaint to the Trincomalee Police that six of the several generators donated by the Government of India to distribute to welfare centres where hundreds of tsunami victims are sheltered are missing from the store of the government land department, which is located in the Fort Frederick, police said. Full story >> Chemmani medical reports with Attorney General[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 February 2005, 03:10 GMT]Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Sri Lanka Police has informed the Colombo Chief Magistrate Ms. Sarojini Kusala Jayawardene that forensic reports about the twenty-one human skeletons exhumed from Chemmani graveyard in Jaffna with the Attorney General, legal sources said. Full story >> Thambattai showcases model resettlement village[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 February 2005, 20:52 GMT] A model village in Thambattai in Amparai district, providing temporary accomodation for the families displaced by the tsunami, built by the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), an NGO registered with Government of Sri Lanka and working exclusively in the NorthEast, was ceremonially opened Monday by the President of consortium of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Mr Manickavasagam, sources in Amparai said. Full story >> German minister gifts boats, engines, nets[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 February 2005, 19:39 GMT] German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Ms. Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, visited Manalkaadu, a Tsunami devastated fishing village on Jaffna's southeastern coast Tuesday. She gave fifteen boats and out board motors to fishermen who lost their homes and all belongings. Fishermen refused to receive the boats and equipment from the German Minister in the presence of Sri Lanka army officers from the Manalkaadu garrison.Full story >> CFA has failed to foster trust – Batticaloa VC[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 February 2005, 17:41 GMT] “What has the cease fire agreement achieved if it has not been able to foster enough trust to form a joint body to deliver aid to the Tsunami hit people of the northeast? We can asses the status of the cease fire agreement from the simple fact that the Sri Lankan government is protesting to the UN over a condolence message for Kousalyan. Why should anyone protest over an expression of condolence? This is the situation in which we Tamils find ourselves today even after three years of cease fire”, said Dr. S. Raveendranath, Vice Chancellor designate of the Eastern University speaking at a seminar to mark third year of the cease fire agreement in Batticaloa Tuesday.Full story >> UPF commends Norwegian role in Sri Lank's peace process[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 February 2005, 16:28 GMT]Mr.Periyasamy Chandrasekaran, leader of the Upcountry Peoples Front (UPF) and an elected member of Sri Lanka parliament, appealed to the Norwegian government, in a statement issued Tuesday, to continue its facilitator role in the peace process in Sri Lanka without succumbing to pressures by "chauvinistic elements" attempting to derail the peace process. Full story >> Colombo should stop covert war - Thamilchelvan[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 February 2005, 16:27 GMT] "The Sri Lankan military has formed new paramilitaries to wage a covert war on the Liberation Tigers and our people. This covert war should be stopped immediately. We pointed out during the discussion that the cease fire and peace would fall apart if this covert war against us continues. The cease fire agreement (CFA) can be sustained if the Sri Lankan government abides by the provisions it promised to honour by signing the CFA with us", said Mr. S. P Thamilchelvan, head of the LTTE’s political division, speaking to the press after meeting Norway’s special peace envoy, Mr. Eric Solheim in Kilinochchi Tuesday. The Liberation Tigers and Colombo signed a CFA on 22 February 2002.Full story >> Foreign education officials visit tsunami hit Jaffna, Mullaitivu[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 February 2005, 15:48 GMT]Mr.Fred van Leeuwen, General Secretary of the Education International (EI) and Mr.Aloysius Mathews, Chief Co-ordinator of the EI, Asia Pacific region accompanied by Mr.T.Mahasivam, General Secretary of the Ceylon Tamil Teachers' Union (CTTU) Monday visited the tsunami hit coastal areas in the districts of Jaffna and Mullaitivu, sources said. Full story >> US Tamils call for an end to East violence[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 February 2005, 12:00 GMT]Condemning the recent killing of LTTE's Political Head of Batticaloa-Amparai Mr Kausalyan and others in the East, a group of expatriate Tamil organizations in the US called upon Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga "to suspend immediately the military officers who were in charge of Welikanda and Punnai, where this inhuman act took place...[and to take] swift actions and measures to prevent similar atrocities in the future," in a press release issued Tuesday. Full story >> Stalled Peace talks strains Ceasefire, says SLMM chief[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 February 2005, 08:44 GMT]The Scandinavian truce monitors, monitoring the ceasefire agreement between the government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) since the day it came into operation on Feb 22, 2002, cautioned on Tuesday that the prolonging stalemate in the peace talks causes serious strain on the very existence of the ceasefire. Full story >> Ranil calls for unity to safeguard ceasefire[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 February 2005, 08:31 GMT] "Parties with vested interest would like to go back to war. But the reality is, this country cannot face another war. We will all be destroyed by the fight", leader of the opposition and former Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, on Tuesday said noting that the Ceasefire Agreement, which is entering into the fourth year, "is under threat" and called for unity to safeguard the ceasefire agreement and to achieve a lasting peace in Sri Lanka. Mr. Wickremesinghe has made these observations this morning while making a statement before the electronic media on the third anniversary of entering into ceasefire agreement with the LTTE, which brought to an end the two-decade long war.Full story >> Arrest further suffering of Tamil people, IFT urges International Community[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 February 2005, 08:03 GMT]"It is sad observe that even the devastation caused by the Tsunami calamity has failed to draw the sympathy of the Sri Lankan government towards the Tamils", noted the Geneva based International Federation of Tamils (IFT), a consortium of more than 150 expatriate Tamil organizations, in a media statement released on the third anniversary of the Oslo-facilitated Cease-Fire Agreement (CFA) and called upon the International Community to recognise the "prevalence of suffering of the Tamil people" and to address immediate measures to prevent "further neglect, deterioration, trauma and suffering under a callous state". Full story >> Solheim in Sri Lanka, 3rd anniversary of CFA[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 February 2005, 06:25 GMT]Norwegian Special Peace Envoy Mr. Erik Solheim and Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Mr. Hans Brattskar arrived in Kilinochchi Tuesday morning to meet with the LTTE's Head of Political Division, Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan. The LTTE and the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) signed the Oslo-facilitated Cease-Fire Agreement (CFA) 3 years ago, on 22 Feb. 2002. Full story >> TNA meets with German Minister[TamilNet, Monday, 21 February 2005, 17:34 GMT]A delegation of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) compring TNA Parliamentary Group Leader, Mr. R.Sampathan, and parliamentarians Mr. Joseph Pararajasingham, Mr. Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, and Mrs. Padmini Sithambaranathan, met with German Economic Cooperation and Development Minister Ms. Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul at the German Embassy in Colombo, Monday, political sources in Colombo said.Full story >> Civil groups demand action against sex assaults[TamilNet, Monday, 21 February 2005, 15:16 GMT]Citizens Committee, Justice and Peace Commission, Peoples Forum and Traders Association of Mannar district Monday appealed to Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge to take stern action against errand policemen who are involved in sexual assaults on students and women in Mannar, sources said. Full story >> Mannar Court orders release of Indian trawlers[TamilNet, Monday, 21 February 2005, 15:06 GMT]Mannar Magistrate Mr.N.M.M.Abdullah Monday ordered the release of seven Indian trawlers seized by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) last year when poaching in the territorial waters of Sri Lanka on an application made by the South Indian Fisheries Federation (SIFF). Talaimannar Police did not object to the application, legal sources said. Full story >> ER can arbitrarily deny Personal Liberty, Rights- NESOHR[TamilNet, Monday, 21 February 2005, 12:42 GMT]The Northeast Secretariat on Human Rights (NESOHR) in a media release issued Monday said that it "views with serious concern recently declared Emergency Regulations (ER) under the Public Security Ordinance," and pointed out that "people of Northeast of the island [Sri Lanka] have valid fear that these regulations may be applied against them arbitrarily to deny their personal liberties and property rights." Full story >> SLA stops post-tsunami project on Jaffna coast[TamilNet, Monday, 21 February 2005, 11:28 GMT]Sri Lanka army Monday stopped a ten million rupee project to clear Jaffna's Vadamaradchi coast of coral rocks ripped off the seabed by the Tsunami. Since the Tsunami hit Jaffna fishermen on this coast have been urging Sri Lankan government authorities and NGOs to help them remove the coral debris and make mooring points for their boats. Full story >> Clinton expresses hope on joint mechanism for Tsunami reconstruction[TamilNet, Monday, 21 February 2005, 10:37 GMT] Expressing hope on a joint mechanism for reconstruction of Sri Lanka's tsunami-shattered coastal areas, US ex-president Bill Clinton Monday said that he was informed Sunday night that the Liberation Tigers (LTTE) and the Sri Lanka Government were working together to create such a mechanism for tsunami relief. "My experience is, whether it is Middle East or Northern Ireland, whenever people work together on specific issues, it helps to resolve the differences," media sources said Clinton as saying. The ex-US presidents met with Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga Sunday night.Full story >> Protest against Thaalvupaadu Police sexual assault[TamilNet, Monday, 21 February 2005, 07:12 GMT]Hundreds of protestors carrying placards stood near Mannar courts Monday demanding stern action against a Sri Lanka Police constable accused of sexually assaulting and grievously wounding a schoolboy in Thaalvupaadu, a coastal village five kilometres from Mannar town. The accused Policeman was produced in court Monday for an identification parade. Full story >> Grenade explosion in Embilipitiya Court kills three, prisoners escape[TamilNet, Monday, 21 February 2005, 07:02 GMT]Three people were killed and more than 50 people were injured in a grenade explosion in Embilipitiya Court Monday. 24 prisoners including 19 accused as hardcore criminals and brought for their cases to the court, escaped from the scene, according to a prison-officer. Embilipitiya is a city located in Sabaragamuva Province in the South. Full story >> Police should remove language barriers, says Trinco Bar President[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 February 2005, 16:13 GMT] Mr.Kasinather Sivapalan, newly elected President of the Trincomalee
District Bar Association (TDBA) said he would request the police to appoint
Tamil speaking personnel in all police stations in the Trincomalee district
to record complaints in Tamil language and also to submit reports in courts
of law at least with Tamil translation.
Full story >> Paramilitary ambushed in Polannaruwa, one killed[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 February 2005, 13:25 GMT]A paramilitary cadre was killed and another wounded when gunmen ambushed them near the Batticaloa-Polannaruwa district border Sunday around 11.45 a.m. Sri Lanka Police in Welikanda said. The two men, both cadres of the Karuna Group, were traveling on a motorbike from Karapola to Muththukkal, villages in the interior of Polannaruwa District, about 65 kilometres northwest of Batticaloa, when they were ambushed. The injured cadre identified as Mr. Vinayagamoorthy Jeganathan (Suthaharan) was admitted to Polannaruwa Base Hospital. Full story >> Indian soldiers help reconstruct Arugam Bay bridge[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 February 2005, 12:03 GMT] Soldiers of the Indian Army contingent that arrived in Sri Lanka in the aftermath of tsunami disaster have started construction of temporary spans over the partially but heavily damaged Arugam Bay bridge in Amparai district. Multiple spans of a total of 150 feet were destroyed of the 350 feet bridge when the wave struck, engineering sources in Amparai said.Full story >> Former US Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W.Bush arrive in Sri Lanka[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 February 2005, 10:35 GMT] Former US Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W.Bush arrived in Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake, Sunday evening at 4.12 PM as part of their tour of tsunami-hit countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia. Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Mr. Lakshman Kadirgamar, Media Minister Mr. Mangala Samaraweera, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Vishva Warnapala and Interior Ministry Secretary Mr.Tilak Ranaviraja were present at the Airport to receive the two former US presidents. US President George W Bush appointed the ex-presidents to lead private fundraising efforts in the wake of the tsunami.
Full story >> Paramilitary cadre injured in shooting[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 February 2005, 08:40 GMT]A young person was shot and injured by unidentified gunmen Saturday night around 10.15 in Oddamavady, 34 kilometres north of Batticaloa, Police said. The man, Mr. Vadivel Ravichandran, 22, of Kiran, told Police he was a member of the paramilitary Karuna Group. Full story >> US Seventh Fleet flagship Blue Ridge on a visit to Colombo[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 February 2005, 08:06 GMT] Barely a few hours before the grand and maiden arrival of the US former Presidents, Bill Clinton and H.W. Bush to Sri Lanka, the flagship of the US Seventh Fleet, USS Blue Ridge, arrived in Colombo harbour this morning on what is described as "a brief goodwill visit". According to a press release from the US embassy, USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19), which was commissioned on November 14, 1970, at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard as the most sophisticated command and control platform in the Navy, has been forward deployed from Yokosuka, Japan as the flagship of Commander Seventh Fleet since October 1979.Full story >> 17 SLA recruits hospitalized, force fed plastic explosives[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 February 2005, 03:20 GMT]Seventeen Sri Lanka Army (SLA) new recruits were transported to the Anuradhapura General Hospital by special helicopter after being admitted to the Vavuniya Hospital emergency ward with suspected food positioning, medical sources said. The soldiers are from the Kokkoveli army camp in Vavuniya district. Full story >> Mullaitivu Institute targets producing skilled workers[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 February 2005, 17:41 GMT] The Economic Consultancy House (TECH), a Non-Governmental Non-Profit Sharing Organization registered with the Government of Sri Lanka, is building a new Technical Institute in Mullaitivu to train Masons, Carpenters, Electricians, Fitters, Machine operators and other skilled workers to fulfil the current need of workers for building of houses and infrastructure in theTsunami affected areas. Training will also include outboard motor repair and fibre glass boat repair, TECH officials said.
Full story >> Provincial Ministry holds workshop on ‘Personality Development’[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 February 2005, 14:20 GMT]Ms Anoja Weerasinghe, veteran Sinhala film actress of Abihina Foundation held a three-day workshop on ‘Personality Development’ for 70 youths in in Trincomalee who were affected by tsunami. North East Provincial Education and Cultural Affairs Ministry conducted the workshop in collaboration with the Christian Children Fund (CCF) in the Trincomalee Town Hall of the Urban Council. Full story >> Mannar Bishop writes to LTTE over shooting at sea[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 February 2005, 13:24 GMT]Mannar Bishop, Rt. Rev. Rayappu Joseph, wrote to the Liberation Tigers Saturday regarding the incident at sea near Vidathaltheevu in which armed persons believed to be Sea Tigers fired on the boats of fishermen from Pallimunai, a coastal suburb of Mannar town, damaging the boats. Angered by the incident, a group fishermen from Pallimunai attacked and damaged the LTTE's political office in Mannar town Friday. Full story >> Physical fitness center opened in Kilinochchi[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 February 2005, 12:13 GMT] NorthEast's first physical fitness center for public, built as part of the Kilinochchi Central Sports Ground facilities and named after Vaithiyalingam Sornalingam (nom de guerre Colonel Sankar), was ceremonially opened Saturday 3 pm, sources from Kilinochchi said. Tamil Eelam Sports Wing of the Liberation Tigers built the facility after pledges from the Ministry of Sports of Government of Sri Lanka to build such facility failed to materialize, LTTE sources said.Full story >> Sri Lanka blasts Annan’s statement[TamilNet, Friday, 18 February 2005, 13:37 GMT]Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar has officially registered his government’s strong objections with the United Nations over Secretary General Kofi Annan’s condemnation of the assassinations on February 7 of E. Kousalyan, head of LTTE's Political Wing in Batticaloa-Amparai district, and his team in a Sri Lanka government-controlled area of the Eastern province, political sources said Friday. Full story >> LTTE political office attacked[TamilNet, Friday, 18 February 2005, 05:43 GMT]The political office of the Liberation Tigers in Mannar was attacked by group of persons Friday around 11 a.m. A unit of riot Police that was training in the vicinity arrested some of the attackers but released them soon after, according to neighbours. The group had come from Pallimunai, a coastal suburb of Mannar. Full story >> Swedish minister visits Batticaloa[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 February 2005, 16:52 GMT] Sweden's Minister for
International Development Co-operation visited Batticaloa Thursday to see Tsunami relief operations in the eastern district. The Swedish Minister, Ms. Carin Jamtin, met Sri Lankan government officials at the District Secretariat in the old Dutch Fort in Batticaloa town for a discussion on the current state of post Tsunami aid and rehabilitation work in Batticaloa.
Full story >> Protest march against Government discrimination continues in Jaffna[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 February 2005, 14:30 GMT]Jaffna district Thursday witnessed another protest march in a series of such agitations held against the discrimination shown by the government in providing relief to tsunami victims and condemning the killing of LTTE senior political leader Mr.Koushalyan on February between two Sri Lanka Army camps in the Pollonnorawa district in the north central province. The Federation of District Fisheries Co-operative Societies, Displaced Persons Welfare Societies, and several other civil groups jointly organized Thursday agitation, sources said. Full story >> UNICEF, GTZ assist to restore education in tsunami hit Trincomalee[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 February 2005, 14:29 GMT]German Technical Co-operation (GTZ) on behalf of the German Government and UNICEF Thursday inaugurated a project to provide learning and teaching materials to a total of 21,500 students in 95 schools in the Trincomalee district as a part of the joint effort to restore education for children in the tsunami affected areas. The event was held at the Nilaveli Tamil Maha Vidiyalayam, a school that lost 32 students in the tsunami disaster in the Trincomalee district, sources said. Full story >> Mannar court disallows application for release of Indian trawlers[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 February 2005, 14:27 GMT]Mannar Magistrate Mr.N.M.M.Abdullah Thursday disallowed the application seeking the release of all Indian fishing trawlers captured by the Sri Lanka Navy when poaching in Sri Lankan territorial waters and are currently kept in their custody at the naval camps in Kayts, Pallimunai and Talaimannar, legal sources said. Full story >> Thamilchelvan visits tsunami affected Vaakarai[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 February 2005, 12:03 GMT]Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan, Head of Political Division of the LTTE, on Thursday visited Tsunami affected coastal areas in Vaakarai, the main village south of the Verugal River, 65 km to the north of Batticaloa town, and discussed post-tsunami relief and resettlement efforts with the affected people and relief workers, sources said. Full story >> Coconut frond thatches produce cooler shelters[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 February 2005, 11:51 GMT] Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), an NGO registered with Government of Sri Lanka and working exclusively in the NorthEast, has introduced shelters made of thatched roofs from coconut fronds in Vaththirayan and other coastal towns affected by Tsunamai much to the relief of the displaced seeking refuge in shelters. The new constructions are cooler and provide natural ventilation suitable for the hot and humid climate in most of Sri Lanka's NorthEast coastal villages.Full story >> UN top official to visit Lanka to move recovery effort forward[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 February 2005, 10:02 GMT]UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, Hafiz Pasha, begins his Asian trip in Sri Lanka on Thursday, where he will travel to tsunami-devastated coastal areas, and meet with senior government officials, a UN statement said on Thursday. "Seven weeks after the tsunami, it is now necessary to take stock of the humanitarian response and more clearly define the transitional stage into recovery and long-term reconstruction," Mr. Pasha has been quoted as saying. Full story >> NEHRP increases housing grant to conflict affected in NorthEast[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 February 2005, 03:00 GMT] Under the North East Housing Reconstruction Program (NEHRP) funded by the World Bank 46,000 houses will be built for poor conflict-affected families in the NorthEast, said a press release issued by the Worldbank in Colombo Wednesday. Cash grant was increased to Rs.250,000 to "meet the needs equitably" between the conflict and tsunami affected people, the release referred to Peter Harrold, World Bank's Country Director for Sri Lanka, as saying. Full story >> Vocational Training Center opened in Muttur[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 February 2005, 02:42 GMT] The Social Development Centre (SDC) headquartered in
Killinochchi, opened the first vocational training centre (VTC) at
Navaratnapuram, Sampoor in the Liberation Tigers controlled Muttur east, south of the Trincomalee district with the assistance of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) Wednesday morning. Colonel Sornam, Trincomalee district military commander ceremonially declared open the main building of VTC, sources in Muttur said.
Full story >> Bhikku Front protests against Annan's statement on Kousalyan[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 February 2005, 19:21 GMT] Hundreds of saffron-robed Buddhist Monks belonging to the
National Bhikku Front (NBF) on Wednesday launched a protest rally opposite the United Nations office in Colombo to condemn the recent statement by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan over the slaying of Head of LTTE's Political Wing in Batticaloa-Amparai district, E.Kousalyan and his team in the Sri Lanka government-controlled areas in the Eastern province.Full story >> US Ex-Presidents Clinton, Bush to visit Sri Lanka[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 February 2005, 18:14 GMT]Former Presidents of the United States, Bill Clinton (1993-2001) and George H.W.Bush(1989-1993) are expected to arrive in Sri Lanka during the weekend as part of their tour of South Asian nations hit by Tsunami, diplomatic sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Thamilchelvan arrives in Sampoor on three-day visit[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 February 2005, 16:02 GMT] Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, Political Head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE) Wednesday evening around 4 p.m. arrived from Batticaloa to Sampoor Maha Vidiyalayam
grounds in the LTTE controlled Muttur east, south of Trincomalee
district by a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) special helicopter, sources in Trincomalee said. Colonel Sornam,
Trincomalee district military commander and Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee
district political head received him on his arrival, sources said. Full story >> Employees of CWE demand pay increase[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 February 2005, 12:03 GMT] Employees of all Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE) outlets held islandwide demonstrations between 10 am and 12 pm Wednesday opposite their respective Retail Outlets demanding an increase of their salaries. Mr S Charles, an employee at the CWE Vauvuniya said: "With diminishing stocks in our outlet employees are concerned about their future and the Government of Sri Lanka is ignoring our plight."
Full story >> CEB workers strike against privatization[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 February 2005, 11:18 GMT]Employees of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) held a one-day strike and a protest demonstration from 8 a.m. from 4.30 p.m Wednesday opposite the CEB Headquarters condemning moves by the Government of Sri Lanka to privatize the CEB, sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Chandrika appoints new secretary to JVP's Fisheries Ministry[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 February 2005, 09:52 GMT]President Chandrika Kumaratunga on Tuesday has appointed a new Secretary to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, one of the three ministries under the JVP control. Mr. E. Jinadasa, a senior officer in the Sri Lanka Administrative Service has been appointed as the new Secretary to the Ministry, replacing the former Secretary, Nandasena Bambaravanage. Full story >> Haukland to head SLMM till Gen. Furuhovde recovers[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 February 2005, 09:48 GMT]Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jan Petersen, on Wednesday has appointed former Chief of Staff, of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), Hagrup Haukland, as temporary Head of Mission. The appointment is coming to an immediate effect with Mr. Haukland assuming his new duties Wednesday. Full story >> Baby Abilash and parents reunite, visit tsunami destroyed home village[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 February 2005, 05:52 GMT] Baby Abilash, popularly known as Baby 81, was handed over to his mother Mrs. Jenita Jeyarajah and father Mr. Jeyarajah in a joyful reunion Wednesday morning at Kalmunai District Court. Mr. M. S. M. Nazeer, Registrar of the Court, received the barely 4 months old baby from Kalmunai Base Hospital Doctor Gopal Muhunthan. The District Court Magistrate, Mr. M. P. Mohideen read out 22 pages long report. The family, after praying at the temple close to the hospital and thanking the doctors and the staff at the hospital, visited their native place at Kalmunai-1, Beach Road. The village was completely destroyed by the giant waves of the December 26 Tsunami.
Full story >> Jaffna civil groups hold protest march[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 February 2005, 16:58 GMT]Jaffna district co-operative sector, Jaffna District Confederation of Women Organizations, Jaffna Women Cultural Centres, Federation of Community Centres and social groups Tuesday held a protest march from Muththiraisanthi in Nallur to the office of the Jaffna office of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) condemning Sri Lanka Government's discriminatory practices in the delivery of relief to tsunami victims in the coastal areas, and the killings of LTTE senior political leader Mr.Kousalyan, former TNA parliamentarian Mr.Chandra Nehru and four others during last week, sources said. Full story >> LTTE denies murdered man was member[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 February 2005, 13:28 GMT]A man identified as Mr.Sambunathan Sasikaran, 22, was shot dead Monday night around 8.45 in Kommathurai, 17 kilometres north of Baaticaloa. Sri Lanka army spokesman claimed the man was a member of Liberation Tigers. Mr. Sasikaran was riding a motorbike with a friend in Railway Colony in Kommathurai when he was gunned down by two men who came on a motorbike. However, a senior official of the Liberation Tigers said Mr. Sasikaran had nothing to with the LTTE. Full story >> "Tiger flag is Tamil nation’s flag" – Mannar Bishop[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 February 2005, 11:39 GMT] "There is nothing wrong in the Tamil nation raising its national flag. The Tamil national flag is not the Tigers’ flag but it is the Tamil people’s flag. Hoisting it is not against peace. Many who shout against it are silent over the recent killings. It is very deplorable that such murders are committed even amidst the great human tragedy caused by the Tsunami. These killings are provocations to war", said Mannar Bishop Rt. Rev. Rayappu Joseph, addressing a rally in Mannar town Tuesday to condemn the killing of LTTE political leader, Mr. Kousalyan, the bombing of LTTE’s political office and sexual assault of a student by Police. Full story >> Paramilitaries, lack of aid agreement blocking talks - Balasingham[TamilNet, Monday, 14 February 2005, 20:50 GMT] The Liberation Tigers’ political strategist and chief negotiator, Mr. Anton Balasingham, told Norwegian facilitators Monday that the Sri Lankan government had to take steps to restore confidence in the peace process, in particular by disarming paramilitaries working alongside its armed forces and establish a joint mechanism with the LTTE for post-tsunami aid, sources said.Full story >> Tigers meet Muslim leaders in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Monday, 14 February 2005, 14:24 GMT] “First they divided us. Then they divided you. Sinhala leaders will always deny our rights. Tamil Muslim unity should be the foundation of your liberation struggle”, said Mr. I.M Ibrahim, secretary of the Mosque Federations of Amparai District, addressing senior Liberation Tiger leaders at a meeting between LTTE Muslim community leaders of Batticaloa and Amparai districts Monday in Kokkaddicholai, 15 kilometres southwest of Batticaloa town. “There are still problems, fears and doubts between us. We cannot gloss over them. We should grapple with them and build our unity at the grass roots level”, Mr. Thamilchelvan told the Muslims in his address.Full story >> German agency delivers relief supplies to Muslim villages[TamilNet, Monday, 14 February 2005, 13:03 GMT]The Director of Asian German Sports Exchange Programme (AGSEP) Dr. Dietmar Doering Recently handed over 10 container loads of emergency medical relief supplies, which included school books, toys for mentally traumatized children, blankets, clothing and cooking utensils to be distributed to tsunami affected families in Ninthavur, Kalmunai, Maruthamunai, Katthankudi, Mutur and Kinniya areas in the eastern province, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) said Sunday. Full story >> Jaffna transport sector holds protest march[TamilNet, Monday, 14 February 2005, 11:18 GMT] Convoy of vehicles joined the Jaffna district transport sector protest march Monday condemning the discrimination shown by the government in providing relief to tsunami victims in coastal areas and the recent killings of LTTE Batticaloa Amparai district political head Mr.Kousalyan and former TNA parliamentarians Mr.A. Chandra Nehru, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >> Jeyarajah couple found biological parents of Baby 81[TamilNet, Monday, 14 February 2005, 06:55 GMT] DNA test results that reached Kalmunai District Magistrate Court Monday revealed that Mr. Jeyarajah and Mrs. Jenita Jeyarajah, the only couple to appear before the court, as biological parents of the baby, according Mr. M. S. M. Nazeer, Registrar of the court. The District Court has informed the results to the hospital, he added. The parents who are looking forward to reunite with the baby said that the baby, named Abilash, was born on 19th of October 2004 at Kalmunai Base Hospital. Full story >> Workshop on conflict sensitive relief work held for INGOs[TamilNet, Monday, 14 February 2005, 02:09 GMT] One-day workshop for representatives of international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) currently engaged in
post tsunami relief and rehabilitation programmes in the Trincomalee district on how to conduct relief work without disturbing the currently prevailing ground situation was held in Trincomalee Sunday under the auspices of Performance Improvement Project (PIP) of the German Technical Co-operation (GTZ) in the North East Provincial Council (NEPC) guest house which is located in Uppuveli, a suburb of the east port town.
Full story >> Sri Lanka President warns main coalition partner[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 February 2005, 16:07 GMT] Sri Lanka’s President Chandrika Kumaratunga Sunday warned her main coalition partner that it can leave her government if it continues to obstruct her politically. In a hard hitting speech at the opening of a Multi Purpose Co-operative Society in Attanagalla, her home electorate in Sri Lanka’s western province, she warned the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP): "If they want to leave, let them leave. I cannot rule like this. They threaten to leave the government even over paltry issues. They are more interested in getting rid of me than doing away with Pirapaharan". Full story >> Jaffna to protest discrimination in relief delivery[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 February 2005, 14:31 GMT]Several civil groups in the Jaffna district Sunday decided to launch a series of agitation campaigns condemning discrimination shown in providing relief and other assistance to tsunami hit coastal areas in the Jaffna district, the killing of LTTE senior leader Mr.Koushalyan and others, and Sri Lanka government's lethargic attitude towards the formation of a joint mechanism to take forward the reconstruction and rehabilitation projects in the northeast, civil sources said. Full story >> SLN's inaction keeps released Indian fishermen stranded[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 February 2005, 14:23 GMT]Ten Indian fishermen who were released by the Mallakam Magistrate's Court on the instruction of the Attorney General are still stranded in the Jaffna prison for about a month as the Sri Lanka Navy authorities have failed to take steps to hand over them to Indian Navy, sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> Nehru, a fearless Human Rights campaigner- NESOHR[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 February 2005, 13:43 GMT] Eulogizing Mr. A. Chandra Nehru, founder member of NorthEast Secretariat on Human Rights (NESOHR), as a champion of peoples rights and as one "who steered through the highly militarized and inhospitable environment that prevails in the NorthEast to defend and protect the Human Rights of those who were voiceless and helpless..," Rev Father Karunaratnam, Chairman of NESOHR, said in a press release issued Sunday that Nehru's tragic death "is an irreparable loss for NESOHR, the HR fraternity, both local and International, and the down trodden and helpless citizenry of the NorthEast."Full story >> Grenade attack on Mannar LTTE political office, one dead[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 February 2005, 14:54 GMT]Two civilians and an LTTE political worker were wounded when unidentified persons lobbed a grenade at the Liberation Tigers' political office in Mannar town Saturday night around 7.45 PM. Mannar hospital sources said one civilian identified as M. Callister (32) who was admitted at the Mannar Hospital succumbed to wounds. Full story >> Youths burn SLA post, Police retaliate in Thenmaradchy[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 February 2005, 14:14 GMT] A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) post at Meesalai-Puttur junction in Thenmaradchchi was set alight by protesting youth provoked by SLA soldiers who attempted to remove roadblocks protesters setup as part of hartal. Police retaliated by ransacking a community center. Tension spread to Kodikamam when a Police vehicle injured a civilian while the vehilce was negotiating a roadblock during Saturday's hartal and protest, civil sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> Ship begins medical work under SLN restrictions[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 February 2005, 14:11 GMT] Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) permitted the Greek Hospital ship to start providing medical services Saturday morning with conditions imposed on number of patients treated per day and mandatory use of a temporary shelter where patients are to be transported before batches of maximim six patients are taken inside the ship for treatment, medical sources in Trincomalee said.Full story >> Pirapaharan honours slain TNA MP[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 February 2005, 12:39 GMT] Leader of the Liberation Tigers, Mr. Velupillai Pirapaharan Saturday posthumously honoured Mr. Ariyanayagam Chandra Nehru as Maamanithar, the highest honour granted by the LTTE. The citation signed by the LTTE leader was given to Mr. Nehru's widow and son at a special ceremony in Pavattah, in the interior of Sri Lanka's southeast coast. Nehru's body, draped in the LTTE flag was taken from Thirukkovil to the LTTE conference centre in Pavattah, in the Kannjikudichcha Aaru region which is controlled by the Tigers.Full story >> Jaffna, Vavuniya shut down in hartal, protesters clash with SLA[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 February 2005, 10:05 GMT] The entire districts of Jaffna and Vavuniya Saturday came to a standstill following a general shut down, condemning the killings of Mr.Kousalyan, LTTE political head for Batticaloa Amparai district, his colleagues and Mr.Chandra Nehru, former Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian for Amparai district. In several areas civilians blocked roads and burnt tyres. Clashes took place at the junctions of Puttur and Kaithady in Thenmaradchchi division in Jaffna district Saturday afternoon between groups of civilians and soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army when the latter attempted to remove the roadblocks. Soldiers fled from their sentry points when the angered civilians threw stones at them. Full story >> Killing of Kousalyan has poisoned ceasefire - Akashi[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 February 2005, 07:50 GMT] The killing of Kousalyan and his colleagues has "poisoned the cease fire atmosphere" in Sri Lanka, said Mr. Yasushi Akashi, Japan's Special Peace Envoy, speaking to the press after meeting the Liberation Tigers in Solaiyaham, near Kokkaddicholai Saturday. Referring to the distribution of Tsunami aid in Sri Lanka, Mr. Akashi said the "needs in East are probably biggest". Full story >> Sri Lanka imposes Duty on Tsunami relief supplies[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 February 2005, 02:30 GMT] Government of Sri Lanka has imposed taxes at current commercial rates on donated relief supplies including water purification tablets arriving in Colombo addressed to Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) including Tamil Rehabilitiation Organization (TRO), civil sources in Colombo said. Only medicine and infant milk formula are exempt from taxes, according to TRO office in Colombo.Full story >> Colombo should disarm all unauthorized armed groups- NPC[TamilNet, Friday, 11 February 2005, 17:55 GMT]The National Peace Council in a media release issued Friday in Colombo said that "there needs to be confidence building and positive action at this time is imperative in view of consistent accusations by the LTTE of alleged military connivance in the activities of the Karuna group. We call on the government to ensure that all unauthorised armed groups are disarmed as required by the Ceasefire Agreement." Full story >> Police sexual assault on student sparks protest in Mannar[TamilNet, Friday, 11 February 2005, 15:17 GMT]Hundreds of people protested against Sri Lanka Police in Thaalvupaadu, a coastal village near Mannar town Friday evening, demanding action against constables who had sexually assaulted and grievously injured a school boy. The seriously injured student was admitted to Mannar hospital and then rushed to Vavuniya as his condition was serious. Full story >> Violence endangering CFA stability, TNA tells Akashi[TamilNet, Friday, 11 February 2005, 15:10 GMT] "The violence unleashed against senior LTTE cadres and others on Monday the 7th in government controlled territory situated between two Army Camps, and in an area which has a strong armed forces presence, has raised grave questions in regard to the continued stability of the ceasefire," the Tamil National Alliance delegation led by its parliamentary group leader Mr Sampanthan told Mr Yasushi Akashi, the special envoy of the Japanese Government, when they met him Friday, a press release issued by the TNA in Colombo said.Full story >> LTTE names Marshall political head for Batti-Amparai[TamilNet, Friday, 11 February 2005, 14:39 GMT] Liberation Tigers said Friday that Mr. Irasaiah Marshall has been appointed as the head of their political division for Batticaoa-Amparai District. Mr. Marshall who takes Mr. Kousalyan's place, was in charge of the Headquarters Secretariat of the LTTE for Batticaloa-Amparai. He was also in charge of project planning for post Tsunami reconstruction in the region.
Full story >> NorthEast Governor visits Kokkilai[TamilNet, Friday, 11 February 2005, 11:27 GMT] Governor of NorthEast Province, Mr Tyronne Fernando arrived Thursday morning in Kokkilai, a village resettled with Sinhala families from Negombo, to see the devastation caused by the tsunami, security sources said. Full story >> IOM opens shelter for tsunami victims in Muttur[TamilNet, Friday, 11 February 2005, 10:51 GMT] Transitional shelter complex comprising forty-five units constructed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) with the funding of the Government of Japan at a cost of 3.2 million rupees was opened Thursday in Naduthivu in Muttur division, south of Trincomalee district, sources said. One hundred eighty families with one thousand persons displaced from Habeeb Nagar who were sheltered in Annahaar Maha Vidiyalayam since December 26 have been shifted to the transitional shelter complex Thursday, IOM sources said.
Full story >> Akashi to meet Thamilchelvan in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Friday, 11 February 2005, 09:55 GMT]Japan's special peace envoy to Sri Lanka, Mr. Yasushi Akashi, will meet head of Liberation Tigers' politicial division, Mr. S. P Thamilchelvan, Saturday in Kokkaddicholai, 15 kilometres southwest of Batticaloa town, Japanese sources in Colombo said. Mr. Akashi will discuss Tsunami relief work and aid in the northeast and the current state of the island's long stalled peace process when he meets Mr. Thamilchelvan in the LTTE held region. Full story >> Government's ability to prevent killings limited, says Mangala Samaraweera[TamilNet, Friday, 11 February 2005, 07:46 GMT]Cabinet Spokesman of President Chandrika Kumaratunga's Freedom Alliance government Minister Mangala Samaraweera said Friday that although the government was taking all steps to prevent killings in the future, there was a limit to which it can prevent them. The killings took place between Sri Lanka army garrisons at Welikanda and Punanai on the Pollonnorawa-Batticaloa road Monday. Full story >> Emergency is prelude to war - Vanni MP[TamilNet, Friday, 11 February 2005, 06:07 GMT] “You are reintroducing Emergency Regulations (ER) to wage on the Tamil people so that you can cling on to power. The emergency is not for the south. It is for oppressing the Tamil people in the northeast with an iron fist as you did in the past. You need war to stay in power. It is the only way for you to deal with the political and economic crisis in which you are engulfed today. You killed Kousalyan to provoke the Tigers to war. You expect the Tigers to rise to the bait”, said Mr. Selvam Adaikalanathan, Tamil National Alliance MP for Vanni, addressing President Kumaratunga’s government during the debate on Emergency in Parliament Friday. Full story >> Sri Lanka in danger of losing Tsunami Aid- Prof. Peiris[TamilNet, Friday, 11 February 2005, 03:00 GMT] Failure to reach consensus with the Liberation Tigers in setting up a mechanism that will ensure equitable distribution of aid will lead to Sri Lanka losing large amount of aid pledged by the International community, said Prof G L Peiris, United National Party (UNP) parliamentarian and former Minister of Constitutional Affairs, addressing a press conference held Thursday at the opposition leader's office.Full story >> Jaffna to observe hartal Saturday[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 February 2005, 19:41 GMT]University Students Union, Students Federation and Tamil Resurgence Movement of Jaffna district have called for a general shut down (Hartal) on Saturday condemning the killings of Mr. E. Kousalyan, LTTE Political Head for Batticaloa and Amparai districts, Mr.Ariyanayagam Nehru, former parliamentarian, and four others on February 7 at Welikanda in the North Central Province, sources said. Full story >> Thamilchelvan slams Colombo for Kousalyan's slaying[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 February 2005, 14:35 GMT] "The cowardly act of the Sri Lankan government has taken away Kousalyan and his colleagues from us. Kousalyan came back to Batticaloa with many dreams. He came back with ambitious plans to rebuild this land, devastated by the Tsunami and impoverished by the war imposed by the Sinhala chauvinist state", said Mr. S. P Thamilchelvan, head of LTTE's political division on Thursday, speaking at the funeral of Mr. E. Kousalyan, at Thandiyadi Martyr's Memorial in Batticaloa.
Full story >> Kousalyan, a symbol of Tamil unity - IFT[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 February 2005, 12:53 GMT]The Geneva based International Federation of Tamils (IFT) recalling Mr. Kousalyan's address to thousands of Tamils from the Tamil diaspora in front of the United Nations Building last year, said in a press statement issued Thursday that Kausalyan was a symbol of Tamil unity. IFT appealed to International governments and donors to act decisively to prevent escalation of hostilities as it feared that continued "covert operations" will "wane the mutual trust, goodwill and confidence" between the Liberation Tigers and the Government of Sri Lanka. IFT called upon the countries giving Sri Lanka military assistance to desist from doing so and instead to pressure them to seek a peaceful solution. Full story >> Report details Jaffna tsunami damage[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 February 2005, 11:54 GMT]Latest report released by the Jaffna secretariat reveals that 47195 people from 12669 families were either displaced or severely affected economically by the tsunami waves in Jaffna peninsula. Out of these 9663 people from 2660 families still continue to be refugee camps. A further 30393 persons belonging to 7934 families are staying with friends and relations, the report said. Full story >> SL President declares State of Emergency again[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 February 2005, 11:40 GMT]Sri Lanka Government has declared a State of Emergency in Tsunami affected Districts again, political sources in Colombo said. Sri Lanka Parliament was informed that Ms Kumaratunge had by Gazette notification published on 3rd February re-declared the State of Emergency for a period of 1 month. The Parliament is scheduled to debate the Emergency declaration on Friday, 11 February, sources said. Full story >> Cortege of slain Tigers in Batticaloa, Kiran[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 February 2005, 08:44 GMT] Slain LTTE political leader, Mr. Kousalyan’s body was taken to Kiran, 28 kilometres north of Batticaloa, Wednesday afternoon for the people of the village to pay their last respects to him and his colleagues who were killed by gunmen suspected to working with the Sri Lanka military. Hundreds of people filed past the Tiger flag draped coffins which lay at Kiran Government School. “The Sri Lankan government is fully responsible for this heinous crime. Murdering these men who were working for people affected by the Tsunami is an unpardonable act. It reveals the true face of the racist Sinhala regime”, said Mr. Nadarajah Raviraj, Tamil National Alliance MP, addressing the mourners.
Full story >> LTTE leaders visit Kousalyan's wife, mother[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 February 2005, 16:54 GMT] Head of LTTE Political Wing, Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan, LTTE's Special Commander for Batticaloa, Col. Banu, Head of LTTE's Finance Division, Mr. S. Thamilenthi, LTTE Senior Member Mr. K. V. Balakumaran, and LTTE military commander Mr. S. Nagesh arrived in Karadiyanaru Maha Vithiyalam grounds in Batticaloa 5 PM Wednesday in a SLAF Helicopter facilitated by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM). LTTE leaders visited Mr. Kousalyan's wife Pushpa in Ampilanthurai, Kokkadicholai and Kousalyan's mother and three sisters in Pandariyaveli in LTTE controlled area, LTTE sources said. Kousalyan was married in 22 March 2004, and Pushpa is 7 months pregnant, sources said.Full story >> Prince Charles to visit Sri Lanka[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 February 2005, 14:47 GMT] The Prince of Wales will visit Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the tsunami disaster, Clarence House announced Tuesday. The Prince is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka on 28th February 2005, according to the website of the Prince of Wales on Tuesday. In the wake of the tsunami tragedy, The Prince has been anxious to do what he can to help, quoted the website a spokesman as saying. The exact region The Prince will visit has yet to be decided.Full story >> New offer no match for HSZ lands, say Jaffna Displaced[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 February 2005, 12:37 GMT]Mr N Ganesh, president of the displaced people welfare association in Jaffna said that the displaced people of Valikamam North Military High Security Zones categorically reject Sri Lankan governments recently announced offer of alternative lands in place of the lands occupied by the Sri Lankan armed forces in High Security Zones in Valikamam north, sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> Colombo cannot disclaim responsibility for Kausalyan killing- TNA[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 February 2005, 11:41 GMT]The killings of LTTE Political Head for Batticaloa and Amparai districts Mr.E.Koushalyan, TNA former parliamentarian Mr.A. Chandra Nehru and four others on February 7 raise question as to "how such an attack was carried in an area, which has a strong Armed Forces presence. The question also arises as to who could have carried out such an attack without being deterred by the strong presence of Armed Forces," said Mr.R.Sampanthan, TNA parliamentary group leader in a statement made in parliament Wednesday morning, parliamentary sources said. Full story >> STF bars mourners, assault LTTE activist[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 February 2005, 10:45 GMT]Commandos of the Special Task Force (STF) Wednesday assaulted an LTTE political worker who was putting up black flags in Komari to mourn Mr. Kousalyan, slain by gunmen suspected to be working with the Sri Lankan military. Komari is Tsunami devastated Tamil village on Sri Lanka’s remote southeast coast. STF, the elite counter insurgency arm of the Sri Lankan armed forces, prohibited black flags in the village. In Mandaanai, north of Komari, Tsunami refugees protested against the STF Wednesday for preventing them from mourning the slain LTTE political leader. Full story >> Baby 81 DNA results out in one week[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 February 2005, 09:57 GMT] Baby 81 with a nurse, two maidens and two armed policemen left Kalmunai Tuesday 10 PM in an ambulance reached Colombo National Hospital early morning 6 AM on Wednesday. After a short stay at the Hospital, the baby was taken to Genetech lab in Borella at 10 AM for DNA tests, medical sources in Colombo said.Full story >> Batticaloa shuts down for Kousalyan, funeral Thursday[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 February 2005, 09:33 GMT]A total shutdown was observed in the Batticaloa district and the coastal areas of the Amparai district Wednesday to mourn the death of Mr. Kousalyan. LTTE officials in Batticaloa said that his funeral would take place Thursday afternoon and that he would be buried at the martyr’s memorial in Thandiyadi, about ten kilometers west Batticaloa town. Muslim towns in the region were also shutdown. Mr. S. P Thamilchelvan, head of the LTTE’s political division and Col. Bhanu, commander of the LTTE’s military forces in Batticaloa-Amparai are expected to arrive in the eastern district Wednesday afternoon. Full story >> UN Secretary-General condemns the killings of Kousalyan and colleagues[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 February 2005, 06:18 GMT]The UN Secretary-General on Tuesday condemned the killings of Mr. E. Kaushalyan, a senior political leader of the LTTE Eastern Province Division, and several colleagues traveling with him, said a UN statement extending Kofi Annan's sincere condolences and deepest sympathies to the families of all the victims. The Secretary-General urged all parties to exercise calm and restraint so as to avoid actions that could disrupt the Cease-fire Agreement of February 2002 or the long-term interest of peace in Sri Lanka. Full story >> Trinco shuts down in protest of Kausalyan killing[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 February 2005, 05:11 GMT] Trincomalee district Wednesday shutdown completely as members of all communities responded to the call of general shut down (hartal) condemning the killings of Mr.E.Kousalyan, LTTE Political head for Batticaloa-Amparai district, Mr. Ariyanayakam Chandra Nehru former Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian and four others including three LTTE cadres Monday night at Pilaiyarady in Pollonnorawa district in the North Central Province, sources said.
Full story >> Restrictions hinder revival of Jaffna fishing[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 February 2005, 03:30 GMT]President of Fishermen Association, Valigamam North, Mr Pius Logathas, talking to TamilNet on the predicament of displaced fisher families of his district said that for the families to rebuild their lives, the Sri Lanka Government, in addition to providing compensation to buy boats, nets and other tools of trade, should also stop harassment by the Security Forces, remove restrictions on fishing time and allow deep sea fishing. Full story >> Hellenic Red Cross donates relief items to tsunami victims[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 February 2005, 16:46 GMT]Hellenic Aid Red Cross Society Tuesday donated a consignment of rice, flour, milk food and toys to the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society. Dr.E.G.Gnanagunalan, President, SLRCS Trincomalee district branch accepted the donation from Mr. Nick Orfanous, Chief of Hellenic Red Cross mission who came in the Greek floating hospital now anchored in the Trincomalee harbour, sources said. Full story >> Tigers mourn, cancel crucial donor meeting[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 February 2005, 15:20 GMT]Liberation Tigers Tuesday cancelled a crucial meeting with the World Bank and the Asian Deveopment in Kilinochchi as their leadership had emergency consultations on the implications of Mr. Kousalyan's killing. The Tiger flag was flown at half mast at all LTTE institutions and buildings in Kilinochchi. White flags were flown and in Batticaloa town and in the LTTE held areas of the east. Full story >> Sri Lanka condemns killing of Kousalyan, ex-MP Nehru at Welikanda[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 February 2005, 14:51 GMT]The government of Sri Lanka in a statement today condemned the killing six personnel, including Mr. E. Kousalyan, head of the LTTE Batticaloa-Amparai political division and former parliamentarian of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Mr. Ariyanayagam Chandra Nehru and said that it was a violation of the ceasefire agreement. Full story >> Kousalyan killing serious setback to relief efforts, peace process- LTTE[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 February 2005, 14:37 GMT]"We fear that these killings would have a serious impact on the humanitarian relief work undertaken now and for the recommencement of peace talks. The Tamil people world over, humanitarian workers and the international community should now recognise the elements that are working hard to weaken Tamil unity," said the Political Wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in a press release issued Tuesday. Full story >> Akashi to visit Sri Lanka[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 February 2005, 12:30 GMT]Special Representative of the Government of the Japan and Peace Envoy Mr Yasushi Akashi is scheduled to visit Srilanka to "discuss the current situation of the peace process after the tsunami disaster," a press release from the Embassy of Japan said Tuesday. Full story >> Kousalyan’s body released after 19 hour delay[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 February 2005, 11:42 GMT]Polannaruwa magistrate Tuesday evening instructed hospital authorities to send Mr. Kousalyan’s body to Batticaloa hospital for autopsy after a delay of more than 19 hours. LTTE officials from Batticaloa who went to take over the body early Tuesday morning said that it had been disfigured by the assassins. The Liberation Tigers strongly objected to the delay in releasing Mr. Kousalyan’s body and a move by the Polannaruwa base hospital authorities to transfer Mr. Kousalyan’s body to Colombo for autopsy. Full story >> Greek Hospital ship idles as SLN blocks patients[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 February 2005, 11:24 GMT] The Greek floating hospital has been idling in Trincomalee harbour since it arrived Saturday morning following the restriction by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) allowing patients from the Trincomalee general hospital to the vessel citing security reasons. The passenger ship OCEAN MONARCH converted into a hospital with modern operating theatre and laboratories with a team of seventy member medical team is now anchored in the Ashraff Jetty awaiting instruction from Colombo government authorities to begin its mission, sources said.
Full story >> JVP says will boycott Tsunami debate[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 February 2005, 06:40 GMT]In the first clear signal of a rift with President Kumaratunga, her main coalition partner, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), said Tuesday that it will not take part in the debate on the Tsunami devastation in Sri Lanka’s Parliament on Wednesday and Thursday. With thirty nine MPs, the JVP calls the shots in the ruling coalition. If the party pulls out of the Kumaratunga led alliance, Sri Lanka’s President has to go for another general election or seek the support of her rival, Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, to run the government. Full story >> Wounded ex-TNA MP dies[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 February 2005, 05:07 GMT] Mr. Ariyanayagam Chandra Nehru, ex-Tamil National Alliance MP for Amparai district, succumbed to his wounds Tuesday morning in Colombo. He was seriously injured when gunmen suspected to be working with the Sri Lanka army shot dead senior Liberation Tigers official, Mr. E. Kousalyan and three members of the LTTE who were traveling with Mr. Nehru in his van to Batticaloa Monday night. Mr. Nehru was elected to Parliament at the general elections in December 2001. Mr. Nehru is the eldest son of one of the most senior leaders of the Tamil rights movement on the east coast, Mr. Arappor Ariyanayagam.Full story >> NE Athletic Federation formed[TamilNet, Monday, 07 February 2005, 21:14 GMT]The Athletic Federation of North East Province was inaugurated Saturday in Killinochchi. Representatives from eight District Athletic Association attended the inaugural meeting with Mr.K.Paapa, Head of the Tamileelam Sports Department as the chief guest. Federations for Football, Netball, Karate and Cricket Council for the North East Province would also be formed before the end of February, Mr.Paapa said at the event, sources said. Full story >> Kousalyan killed in ambush[TamilNet, Monday, 07 February 2005, 16:08 GMT] Mr. E. Kousalyan, head of the Liberation Tigers' political division for Batticaloa-Amparai district was killed in an ambush on the highway to Batticaloa Monday night around 7.45, Sri Lanka military sources said. Three persons who were travelling with him were killed and four were injured including two policemen in the attack which took place between Sri Lanka army garrisons at Welikanda and Punanai, northwest of Battialoa, according to the SLA. Mr. Kousalyan was traveling with Mr. Ariyanayagam Chandra Nehru, former TNA MP for Amparai district, who was seriously injured in the ambush.Full story >> Study spotlights plight of Jaffna widows[TamilNet, Monday, 07 February 2005, 12:26 GMT]A study conducted by the Federation of NGOs revealed that 26,745 women have become widows due to the two decades of war and other reasons in Jaffna district, and the children growing up in widowed families suffer from severe malnutrition. These families continue to be economically backward, the study further said. Full story >> Sri Lanka Navy rescues abandoned refugees[TamilNet, Monday, 07 February 2005, 11:53 GMT]Seventeen refugees rescued by Sri Lanka Navy from a sandbank at mid sea were produced in the Mannar court Monday. Indian refugee runners who had promised to illegally ferry them to Mannar abandoned them on one of the shifting sandbanks of the Adam’s Bridge in the early hours of Saturday morning. Mannar magistrate released the refugees. Full story >> Country Reps of WB, ADB, JBIC, UN to meet LTTE[TamilNet, Monday, 07 February 2005, 11:36 GMT]Sri Lanka's Country Representatives of the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Japan Bank for International Co-operation (JBIC) and the United Nations (UN) are visiting to Kilinochchi on Tuesday to meet LTTE's Head of Political Wing, Mr. S.P. Thamilselvan to discuss the post-tsunami rebuilding process. This was revealed at a joint press briefing held at the Trans Asia Hotel in Colombo on Monday. Full story >> TNA boycotts Tsunami reconstruction meeting[TamilNet, Monday, 07 February 2005, 11:09 GMT]The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) boycotted a meeting convened by Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge to discuss the question oTsunami reconstruction, held at 11 a.m. today at the Presidential Secretariat, political sources in Colombo said. Full story >> European Parliament MP opens free English centre in Jaffna[TamilNet, Monday, 07 February 2005, 01:20 GMT] Mr. Robert Evans, MP of European Parliament declared open a free English resource and language centre in Jaffna Sunday evening. The MP is on a fact finding mission to Sri Lanka regarding the equitable distribution of international Tsunami aid in the country. The centre, managed by Tamil Information Technology Association (TITA ), will offer free courses for underprivileged children in Jaffna. Mr. C. Ilamparithy, head of Liberation Tigers political division for Jaffna, opened the centre’s multimedia lab and the lecture hall.
Full story >> Sea waves bring tsunami debris to Trincomalee shore[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 February 2005, 21:08 GMT] Sea waves are daily carrying logs of wood and coconuts, which are said to be tsunami debris from other countries to the shore of Trincomalee coastal villages, from Manaiyaweli to Salli north of east port town. Two decomposed bodies of women were also washed ashore in the Trincomalee beach near Pallathoddam Saturday evening.Full story >> Vadamaradchi fishermen fear serious damage to coral reefs[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 February 2005, 18:57 GMT]Fishermen who setout out for fishing on 15 traditional "catamaran" fishing boats without outboard engines from the affected coastal villages from Thondamanaru to Point Pedro Munai in the Northen sea on Saturday, upon their return expressed fear that the coral reefs have been severely damaged by the tsunami devastation and the debris. They said this could affect the fishing in the region for a long time. Tsunami devastation has worsened fishermen's predicament from the already imposed restrictions on fishing in deep waters by the Sri Lankan Navy (SLN), said sources from the Federation of the Fishermen's Union. Full story >> Jaffna youth reported missing found dead[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 February 2005, 15:30 GMT]Mr. Cumaraswamy Thirukumaran (26) of Puttur east in the Achchuveli police division reported missing since January 29 was found dead Saturday and his body was recovered from a bush near Kottuthanai. Jaffna Police immediately commenced investigation to find how the youth met his death, sources said. Full story >> NRC to rebuild majority tsunami-destroyed schools in NE[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 February 2005, 11:18 GMT] Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has undertaken the rebuilding of 65 schools of 122, which have been destroyed or badly damaged in the tsunami disaster in the northeast province. 16 schools in Batticaloa, 20 in Amparai, 17 in Trincomalee, 9 in Mullaitivu and 3 in Jaffna is the district-wise breakdown said Ms. Bente Sandal-Aasen, Education Advisor and Co-ordinator of the NRC in Sri Lanka during her stay in Trincomalee Saturday.Full story >> Greek floating hospital to help Trinco tsunami victims[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 February 2005, 19:44 GMT] A Greek passenger ship converted into a floating hospital arrived in Trincomalee harbour around 9 a.m., Saturday morning with a 70 member medical team. The ship will remain in the eastern port town till 31 March, said Mr.Efstathios Lozos, Ambassador of Greece to Sri Lanka, addressing journalists on board.Full story >> "Peace for War"- paper[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 February 2005, 15:23 GMT]Pointing out the recent efforts by the Sri Lanka Government to strengthen its military apparatus, and the failure to demonstrate political will and capacity to setup a joint institutional mechanism with the Liberation Tigers to obtain aid to assist the tsunami devastated people, the popular daily Uthayan in Saturday's editiorial said, Sri Lanka's President is making use of Peace to prepare for war. Full story >> Institutional Decay perpetuated ethnic conflict- Don[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 February 2005, 13:36 GMT]Noting that from 1950s Sri Lanka's politicians resorted to ethnic outbidding to attain power and in doing so systematically marginalised the country's minority Tamils, Dr Neil Devotta from Hartwick College New York, in an article published in Nations and Nationalism, argues that "institutional decay. which was produced by the dialectic between majority rule and ethnic outbidding, was what led to Tamil mobilisation and an ethnic conflict that has killed nearly 70.000 people over the past twenty years." Full story >> Colombo dragging feet on joint mechanism, says Thamilchelvan[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 February 2005, 12:11 GMT] "The Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) is still dragging its feet over the establishment of a joint mechanism to take forward the reconstruction and rehabilitation of tsunami destroyed Tamil coastal areas in the northeast province," said Mr S P Thamilchelvan, Political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) addressing a press conference following his two hour- talks with Mr Hans Brattskar, Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka held Saturday morning in LTTE Peace Secretariat in Killinochchi, sources said.
Full story >> Dua prayers for Tsunami Muslim victims held in Trinco[TamilNet, Friday, 04 February 2005, 18:41 GMT]40th day Dua prayer meeting for Muslim victims of tsunami disaster, organized by leading local Muslim leaders of the east port town was held in Trincomalee Zahira Muslim Maha Vidiyalayam Thursday night immediately after Luhar prayers. Mr.Rasik Fareed, President of the Young Thakkia Sports Club presided. Full story >> JVP, JHU boycott Independence Day celebrations[TamilNet, Friday, 04 February 2005, 18:29 GMT]Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), the powerful ultra Sinhala nationalist Buddhist monks' party in Sri Lanka's Parliament, boycotted Friday's Independence day celebrations organised by Chandrika Kumaratunga's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, ven. Ellawala Madhananda Thera, the Head of the JHU, told media Friday. Another significant player absent in Friday's celebrations was the marxist extreme Sinhala nationalist party, Janatha Vimukti Peramuna (JVP). Full story >> LTTE official shot dead in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Friday, 04 February 2005, 15:56 GMT]An official of the Liberation Tigers was shot dead by gunmen suspected to be members of a paramilitary working with the Sri Lanka army intelligence Friday morning in Kiran, 28 kilometres north of Batticaloa. The slain official was identified as Mr. Sinnathurai Thevathas, 28, who is charge of LTTE’s Forest Conservation Division for Batticaloa. Full story >> Rural electrification given boost with SEDB's credit scheme[TamilNet, Friday, 04 February 2005, 15:16 GMT] The Socio Economic Development Bank (SEDB)headquartered in
Killinochchi
Friday inaugurated a rural electrification project in NorthEast villages by providing Solar Home systems (SHSs) on credit
basis to consumers. SEDB's Visuvamadu branch at the inaugural event distributed
15 SHSs to fifteen residents of Udaiyarkattu village. The SEDB is run by the Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO).Full story >> Muslims demonstrate against Tsunami aid discrimination[TamilNet, Friday, 04 February 2005, 15:12 GMT] Thousands of Muslims demonstrated in the main coastal towns of the Amparai Friday against the Sri Lankan government for denying them Tsunami aid. Protestors poured out of Mosques in Sainthamaruthu, Maalikaikaddu, Ninthavur and Kalmunaikudi and Maruthamunai after Friday afternoon prayers, carrying placards and shouting slogans against the President Kumaratunga's government.
Full story >> Netherlands calls for 'conflict sensitivity assurance' in allocation of rebuilding aid[TamilNet, Friday, 04 February 2005, 14:42 GMT]Expressing its belief that the government of Sri Lanka would effectively and efficiently channel the international support to all Sri Lankan citizens in need, irrespective of their ethnic and religious affiliations, the government of Netherlands on Friday called for conflict sensitivity assurance in disbursing the international post-tsunami assistance for relief and reconstruction effort. Full story >> Incidents of typhoid increase in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Friday, 04 February 2005, 12:06 GMT]Vavuniya district Deputy Commissioner of Health Services, A Ketheeswaran, has warned the residents of the district to take precautions against spread of typhoid in the district. He disclosed that there were positive identification of 14 cases in November, 20 in December and a three fold increase to 72 in December, civil sources in Vavuniya said. Full story >> Trinco tsunami hit hospitals get medical equipments[TamilNet, Friday, 04 February 2005, 11:22 GMT] Franco-Sri Lanka Business Council in Colombo has donated a consignment of medical equipments to North East Provincial Health Department to strengthen its medical services in tsunami-hit areas such as Sampoor, and Eachchilampathu in Trincomalee district and Vakarai in the Batticaloa district, sources said.Full story >> CNO function to be taken over by new body[TamilNet, Friday, 04 February 2005, 11:13 GMT]The operation of the Centre for National Operations (CNO) established by Sri Lanka President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge following December 26 tsunami devastation brought to an end Thursday and its functions have been handed over to Line Ministries and provincial authorities, said Mr.Dhammika Hewapathirana, Manager of the CNO at a press briefing. Full story >> Independence day massacre in Killinochchi remembered[TamilNet, Friday, 04 February 2005, 11:09 GMT]14th death anniversary of nine innocent Tamil civilians who died in aerial bombing by the Sri Lanka Air Force on 4th February, 1991 at Koolavadi, Uruththirapuram in Killinochchi district was observed Friday, Vanni sources said. Full story >> Sri Lanka parliament to debate post tsunami activities[TamilNet, Friday, 04 February 2005, 09:01 GMT]Sri Lanka's parliament is to debate tsunami disaster that hit the coastal areas in the northeast province and the south of the country on December 26 leaving about thirty thousand dead and several thousand homeless. A decision to this effect was taken at the meeting of party leaders held with the Speaker Mr.W.M.J.Lokkubandara in the chair, sources said. Full story >> Black flags flown in Northeast on Sri Lanka's Independence Day[TamilNet, Friday, 04 February 2005, 06:10 GMT]Black flags were hoisted in many parts of the Sri Lanka's northeast in protest against the country's independence day. Jaffna University students flew black flags and decorated University's main entrance with curry plantain trees which are used by Tamils at funerals. Sri Lanka army soldiers were deployed in the area, as the military beefed up security in many parts of the northern peninsula. Sri Lankan Army and the Police were seen removing black flags in Vavuniya town. Full story >> Jaffna Civil groups call for Independence Day boycott[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 February 2005, 21:48 GMT]Jaffna District Civil Groups Forum (JDCGF) Wednesday called upon the residents of Jaffna district to observe February 4 as a day of mourning. The 57th Independence Day of Sri Lanka falls on February 4. Full story >> Germans give boats, engines, bicycles[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 February 2005, 17:41 GMT]Humedica, a german NGO helping Tsunami victims in the north, Thursday gave fifteen boats, out board motors (OBMs) and bicycles to fishermen in three villages on Jaffna's Vadamaradchi coast. Officials of Humedica, Liberation Tigers, local fisheries societies took part in ceremonies to handover the boats. Full story >> Police security tightened at Kalmunai hospital[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 February 2005, 16:43 GMT]Judge M.P.Mohideen has ordered the Kalmunai Police to tighten the security provided to Baby 81 at the Kalmunai Base Hospital after Wednesdays incident. The judge has ordered the Police to provide security also during the DNA test which is scheduled to be conducted on 9th of February in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo, sources at the hospital said. Full story >> SLN stops school building construction in HSZ[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 February 2005, 16:23 GMT]Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) refused permission to transport building material for the construction of a new building in Ponnalai Varathajaperumal Vidiyalayam effectively halting the construction work, civil society sources in Jaffna said. The school is located in the high security zone. Full story >> Underage youths handed over to NESOHR[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 February 2005, 15:32 GMT]Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) handed over 23 underage youths who had enlisted with the LTTE to the NorthEast Secretariat on Human Rights (NESOHR) Chairperson Rev.Fr.Karunaratnam Thursday, the Peace Secretariat website said. Full story >> Radical decentralization of relief work needed, TNA tells Dutch FM[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 February 2005, 12:49 GMT] A delegation of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) told the Foreign Minister of the Netherlands, Mr. Bernard Bot, when they met him Thursday that Colombo's attempt to centralize the rehabilitation work has not worked as experience from the last six
six weeks clearly show that hardly any progress has been made in the restoration of the lives of the affected people. "The continuance of the present method of functioning could only result in further deterioration, and that it was imperative that the government urgently set up the required mechanism in the Northeast." the TNA delegation further told the visiting Netherland FM.Full story >> Sri Lanka needs USD 1.5 billion for tsunami recovery, say Donor Agencies[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 February 2005, 01:23 GMT]Sri Lanka's three key international donor agencies, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and the World Bank said Wednesday that preliminary need assessment survey indicates that the tsunami-devastated Sri Lanka would need not less than USD 1.5 billion to rebuild the country. Full story >> "Hung upside down, beaten in genitals"- torture victim[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 February 2005, 01:03 GMT]Sivakumaran Sahinthan (27) from Suthumalai, Manipay in Jaffna, giving evidence in trial before the Jaffna High court Tuesday, stated that in October 2001 officers attached to Jaffna Police suspended him from a high beam with toes fastened and repeatedly assaulted him, local media reported. As a result of the beatings that continued for five days he suffered injuries and was hospitalized for 27 days. Full story >> "Disaster Relief" used to bolster Colombo's air-transport capability[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 February 2005, 00:12 GMT] Sri Lanka has asked the USA to speed shipment of parts required to return one C-130K to flight and to review a 2004 request to obtain at least one additional aircraft from excess US stocks, Flight International, a UK based magazine covering aerospace industry news, in its Defence column of the February 1st 2005 issue, quoted Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) commander Donald Perera as saying. SLAF's two C-130Ks have been grounded for the last two months according to the report. Full story >> 70% of Sri Lanka's tsunami victims still without relief assistance[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 February 2005, 14:41 GMT]Commissioner General of Essential Services of Sri Lanka, Tilak Ranavirajah, Wednesday admitted that at least 70% of the country's tsunami survivors living in the government-controlled areas are yet to receive the relief assistance of the government, despite the outpouring of the international aid. He said that only 30 percent of the 9,60,000 tsunami victims living in the government held areas have received the government assistance so far and said it was due to the bureaucratic incompetence as well as the ignorance of tsunami survivors. Full story >> SLA-LTTE delegations meet in Jaffna[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 February 2005, 14:22 GMT]Delegations of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Wednesday morning met at the Jaffna office of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and discussed several issues including restoring normalcy in the lives of tsunami affected people and the fishing industry, sources said. Full story >> School building collapses in Jaffna, fifteen students injured[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 February 2005, 13:29 GMT] About fifteen students of Grade Three of the Suthumalai Sinmaya Barathi Vidiyalayam in Valigamam division in Jaffna district were injured when the tiled roof of a dilapidated building collapsed while classes were in session Wednesday morning. Injured students were admitted at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, education sources said.Full story >> Lack of tents, military meddling trouble Mankerni refugees[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 February 2005, 09:51 GMT] “There are thousand seven hundred persons belonging to four hundred and eighty one families in this refugee camp. But we have only hundred and ninety eight tents to house them. Hundred and forty five tents were given by UNHCR and ICRC. The government gave us only forty eight tents. It is very difficult for the refugees. But we have asked them to cope”, Mr. Kandasamy Mahtikaran, village officer for Mankerni told TamilNet, describing the travails of this Tsunami devastated coastal settlement about 48 kilometres north of Batticaloa. Full story >> Kalmunai District Court orders DNA test for "Baby 81"[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 February 2005, 08:47 GMT] The Kalmunai District Judge Wednesday ordered DNA test for Mrs Jenita Jeyarajah who claimed to be the biological mother and the baby, popularly called "Baby 81" by the admission number to the Hospital on the Boxing Day. Mrs. Jenita Jeyarajah together with her husband Mr. Jeyarajah were the only couple to appear before the court on Wednesday. The couple were later arrested by the Police together with two of their supporters who stormed the hospital and attacked the employees in an attempt to bring the baby under their custody.
Full story >> TNA slams NE Governor’s visit to Vavuniya[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 February 2005, 07:20 GMT] Tamil National Alliance Wednesday boycotted a meeting with Governor of the Northeast Province, Mr. Tyronne Fernando, at the Vavuniya district secretariat in protest against what the TNA described as “gross discrimination by the Sri Lankan state in delivering Tsunami aid to Tamil and Muslim areas affected by the disaster”. At the meeting, Government Agents for Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu informed the Governor that no heavy machinery for clearing Tsunami destruction was sent to their districts. Full story >> Probe NGO links with the LTTE, JVP tells President Kumaratunga[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 February 2005, 06:25 GMT]Describing the field hospitals, ambulances and generators as "war-like materials brought in by the NGOs for the LTTE", the Marxist extreme Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a major coalition partner of the ruling Freedom Alliance government, has urged President Chandrika Kumaratunga in a letter Tuesday to probe "into the activities of foreign NGOs, their staff and foreign volunteers" working in Sri Lanka's tsunami-hit areas. The JVP's letter has come as an apparent bid to divert the public attention from their widening rift with President Kumaratunga, who according to reports, was getting ready to retaliate the JVP for its recent remarks against her. Full story >> Muttur displaced to get transit camp with modern facilities[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 February 2005, 04:15 GMT] International Organization for Migrants (IOM) is proceeding with the construction of 45-unit transit camp for Tsunami affected families in Muttur division, sources in the East said. Each unit in the building will provide shelter to four families and the camp will contain a common recreational center and a Children play area. The families will use the camp as temporary residence till they are provided with own houses, IOM sources said.
Full story >> EPDP's relief effort draws protest in Vadamaradchy[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 February 2005, 03:57 GMT]Large number of people Tuesday morning held a demonstration in front of Vadamaradchchi office of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) located in Manthikai against distributing relief materials to Tsunami victims for political gain. Protesters collected relief materials distributed to several people and burnt them in public, sources said. Manthikai is a residential town located 3 km South of Point Pedro. Full story >> Two die in accident in Thondamannaru[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 February 2005, 18:21 GMT]Eight-year-old student E.Thanushyan of Puloly died on the spot when a motorcycle and a van collided in a head on clash Tuesday morning at Thondamanaru-Kerudavil area in Vadamaradchchi division in Jaffna district. Mr.Kandiah Nandakumar (21) of Varani was pronounced dead on admission at the Jaffna teaching hospital, police said. Full story >> Staff shortage impacts tsunami relief work in Vadamaradchy[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 February 2005, 12:46 GMT]Relief and rehabilitation work in tsunami hit coastal areas in Jaffna district have been affected due to shortage of public servants in divisional offices, civil society sources said. Public servants transferred out to these offices located in affected areas in Vadamaradchy East have not reported for duty causing severe hardships to the tsunami-affected people, sources said. Full story >> JVP, SLFP discord widens[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 February 2005, 12:33 GMT]Relations between the two main constituent parties of the United people front Alliance (UPFA) government worsened with the Janatha Vimukthy Peremuna (JVP), the Marxist extreme Sinhala nationalist party expressing its displeasure over the Sri Lanka government's failure to involve JVP in the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in the North and East, JVP sources said. Full story >> 2862 children orphaned in NorthEast due to tsunami[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 February 2005, 12:29 GMT]About 2862 children have been orphaned in the northeast province due to December 26 tsunami, states Ms N.R.Ranjini, Director, Provincial Department of Social Services and Child Care, in a report sent to the Chairman of the National Child Protection Authority Tuesday, sources said. Full story >> Japan to provide tsunami early-warning system to Sri Lanka[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 February 2005, 10:58 GMT]The government of Japan, the largest donor country to Sri Lanka, has agreed to a request made by President Chandrika Kumaratunga to provide with the technical assistance to set up a tsunami early-warning system here as soon as possible. Visiting Senior Vice-Minister Foreign Minister for Japan, Shuzen Tanigawa, reveled this at a press conference held at the Hilton Hotel on Tuesday at the end of his fact finding mission in Sri Lanka. "President Chandrika Kumaratunga has asked for Japanese assistance to set up a tsunami early-warning system. But it depends on the government of Sri Lanka's ability to absorb it," Minister Tanigawa said. Full story >>
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