Jaffna journalists protest over killing of Sivaram

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 April 2005, 16:41 GMT]
A large number of civilians and journalists protested in Jaffna town, Saturday morning, demanding the Government of Sri Lanka to ensure safety to Tamil media persons.
Full story >>

Pirapaharan confers "Maamanithar" title to Sivaram

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 April 2005, 16:07 GMT]
“Death never destroys great men who had lived for lofty ideals,” said V Pirapaharan in a message released from Vanni Saturday conferring the "Maamanithar (Great Humanbeing)"award on journalist Dharmeratnam Sivaram. Mr Sivaram, a senior editorial board member of TamilNet, was abducted and murdered by unidentified persons Thursday evening 10.30pm.
Full story >>

"NorthEast is very close to India's heart"- Foreign Secretary

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 April 2005, 14:21 GMT]
"India is committed to assisting in the development of Sri Lanka's NorthEast through economic and technical assistance. The welfare and well-being of the people living in the NorthEast is very close to India's heart," Mr.Shyam Saran, Indian Foreign Secretary said Saturday in Trincomalee handing over a consignment of materials worth about five million rupees donated by the Government of India to the Government Technical College located in Mihindupura, a suburb of the east port town.
Full story >>

Indian Foreign Secretary arrives in Colombo

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 April 2005, 12:58 GMT]
Mr.Shyam Saran, Indian Foreign Secretary arrived in Colombo on a four-day visit Friday. He is scheduled to meet the Sri Lanka Prime Minister Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse, Foreign Minister Mr.Lakshman Kadirgamar and several Sri Lankan government officials. Ms Neelan Deo, Joint Secretary of the Indian Foreign Ministry and several officials also accompanied him, diplomatic sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka President must be answerable for the murder - IFT

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 April 2005, 07:14 GMT]
International Federation of Tamils (IFT) The purported murder was committed in a High Security Zone which is under the constant and vigilant protection of the Security Forces of the Sri Lankan government. As supreme commander of the armed forces, the Executive President of Sri Lanka, Chandrika Bandaranaiake Kumaratunge should be held responsible and made answerable for the murder. Several Tamil journalists and human rights activists, including Nimal Rajan in Jaffna, G.Nadesan in Batticaloa, Kumar Ponnambalam in Colombo and Chandra Nehru in Batticaloa, have been murdered, all in High Security Zones, during the present President’s tenure.
Full story >>

LTTE accuses SLA Intelligence, para-militaries for Sivaram's murder

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 April 2005, 00:16 GMT]
Accusing Sri Lanka military intelligence, and para-militaries collaborating with security forces as responsible for murdering Taraki D Sivaram, the Political Wing of the Liberation Tigers in a press release issued from Vanni Friday said, "Forces that cannot stand up to Sivaram's resoluteness, his firm conviction on issues, and depth and brilliance in broad range of skills, have abducted and murdered him to silence his voice."
Full story >>

CPJ condemns ‘brazen abduction and execution’

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 April 2005, 18:25 GMT]
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned the murder on Friday of leading military analyst and political commentator, Dharmeratnam Sivaram, saying “the brazen abduction and execution of a veteran journalist sends a chilling message to others in the Tamil media.”
Full story >>

Sivaram's loss, a true tragedy- Teresita Schaffer

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 April 2005, 17:54 GMT]
"I am so distressed by this. I knew Sivaram as one of the best political analysts in Sri Lanka, and someone who valued and defended his independence of thought and action. Sri Lanka and the Tamil community need people like him. His loss is a true tragedy, and whoever killed him has done great harm to the country and the community," said Ambassador Teresita Schaffer in a message sent to TamilNet Friday.
Full story >>

Tamil Media Alliance condemns Sivaram's murder

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 April 2005, 14:12 GMT]
Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance (SLTA) Friday condemned the murder of journalist Dharmeratnam Sivaram and said that the death threatens media freedom in Sri Lanka. "Especially the discovery of the body in a high security zone closer to the symbol of democracy, the Sri Lanka parliament, sends a chilling message to the journalists who are already working in an atmosphere of fear," the statement added.
Full story >>

NESOHR: Yet another blow to press freedom in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 April 2005, 12:49 GMT]
Pointing out that none of the cases of journalist murders in Sri Lanka for the past two decades have been solved, North East Secretariat on Human Rights (NESOHR) said: "Abduction and murder of well known journalist Dhramaratnam Sivaram in the capital city Colombo on Thursday April 29th 2005 is yet another blow to the non-existing press freedom in Sri Lanka and yet another nail on the coffin of the dying democracy in Sri Lanka. It is a telling symbolism that he was abducted in front of a police station in Colombo and his body was found only 500 meters behind the parliamentary complex."
Full story >>

Batticaloa burial planned for slain journalist

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 April 2005, 12:48 GMT]
Sivaram's body will be buried according to Sivaram's wishes in Batticaloa, at the family burial grounds where his parents' bodies lie in rest, a relative organizing the funeral arrangements said. Viewing is to be held in Colombo at Sivaram's residence in Ratmalana and the body is to be taken to Batticaloa Sunday for Monday's funeral,
Full story >>

FCA condemns Sivaram slaying

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 April 2005, 12:37 GMT]
Foreign Correspondents' Association of Sri Lanka (FCA) condemned the abduction and killing of Mr. D. Sivaram (Taraki) and said: "to gun down an unarmed man is pure cowardice; to gun down a journalist is to attack freedom of speech."
Full story >>

Embassy of Japan condemns the abduction and killing of Sivaram

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 April 2005, 12:23 GMT]
Condemning the abduction and killing of Journalist Sivaram, Mr. Akio Suda, Ambassador of Japan said that the murder of Mr. Sivaram is a blatant attack on democracy and the freedom of speech.
Full story >>

RSF ‘revolted’ at Sivaram’s murder

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 April 2005, 12:19 GMT]
Reporters Sans Frontières (Reporters Without Borders) Friday said it was revolted at the brutal killing of well known journalist and military analyst Dharmeratnam Sivaram who was abducted in front of a Colombo police stations Thursday night. Describing Mr. Sivaram as a “brilliant journalist”, RSF said he was targeted because of his “uncompromising coverage of the political and military situation” in Sri Lanka.
Full story >>

Journalist Sivaram murdered

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 April 2005, 02:37 GMT]
The body of abducted journalist Mr Dharmeratnam Sivaram was found with severe head injuries in Himbulala, a Sinhala suburb between Jayawardhenapura hospital and the Parliament building in Colombo Friday morning. The location is about 500 meters behind the parliamentary complex and lies inside a high security zone. Mr Sivaram, a senior editorial board member of TamilNet, was abducted Thursday evening around 10.30 PM by unidentified persons in front of the Bambalapitya Police Station in Colombo.
Full story >>

CHC conducts eye, dental clinics

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 April 2005, 02:04 GMT]
The Centre for Health Care (CHC), a Non Governmental Organization head quartered in Kilinochchi, that offers medical services, is conducting eye clinics in the refugee camps along the coastal areas of Amparai and Batticaloa districts, and dental clinics in Tsunami affected areas and underprivileged distant villages in Amparai district, officials of CHC said.
Full story >>

Journalist Sivaram abducted

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 April 2005, 18:31 GMT]
Mr. Sivaram Dharmeratnam, 46, a senior editorial board member of TamilNet was abducted at around 10.30 PM by a group of unidentified men in front of a restaurant in Bambalapitiya, Colombo, according to reliable media persons in Colombo. A Sinhala journalist who has been in touch with the HIRU newspaper said that four unidentified persons, who were standing in front of the Bambalapitya Police Station, got into an ash coloured Toyota SUV type of vehicle and pulled Mr. Sivaram into the vehicle and drove off. 9.30pm was the last time Mr. Sivaram was in touch with TamilNet.
Full story >>

Norwegian funded boat repair yard opened in Salli

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 April 2005, 15:37 GMT]
Under the Tsunami Boat Rehabilitation Project funded by the Kystaksjonen of Norway, a boat repairing yard was opened Thursday morning in Salli, a fishing hamlet about eleven km north of Trincomalee under the auspices of Trincomalee Division Fisheries Co-operative Societies Union (TDFCSU). This was the twelfth of the fourteen boats repairing yards scheduled to be opened in the northeast by Kystaksjonen of Norway.
Full story >>

Muttur residents protest against cement ban

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 April 2005, 13:45 GMT]
A large number of Tamil civilians including men, women and children Thursday morning held a protest march from Ganeshapuram junction in the LTTE held Muttur east villages to the Sri Lanka Army held Kaddaiparichchan area in the Trincomalee district demanding that the ban imposed on the transportation of cement and other related building materials should be withdrawn immediately enabling the non-governmental organizations to continue the rebuilding of houses destroyed in tsunami disaster. The Muttur East Peoples' Union (MEPU) organized the protest, sources said.
Full story >>

Another killing in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 April 2005, 13:15 GMT]
A paramilitary cadre was shot dead Thursday around 5.35 p.m. in Kallady, a suburb of Batticaloa town. He was gunned down near the Manning Bridge. The gunman who shot him got away.
Full story >>

President Kumaratunga's top aide calls for establishment of Joint Mechanism

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 April 2005, 11:04 GMT]
President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s Senior Economic Advisor, Mano Tittawella, who is also the head of the Presidential Task Force For Rebuilding the Nation (TAFREN) said Thursday that the establishment of a Joint Mechanism was necessary to "equitably distribute the tsunami relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction" to the affected people living in the areas that are not coming under the writ of the Government.
Full story >>

Kiran methodist parish home bombed

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 April 2005, 05:19 GMT]
The parish residence of the Methodist Church in Kiran, 28 kilometres north of Batticaloa, was damaged in a grenade attack Wednesday night around 11.30. The pastor, Rev. N. Arulnathan and his family were away when unidentified persons lobbed a grenade at the parish home. The parish care taker was not injured in the blast.
Full story >>

SLA ban on cement spotlighted at Trinco tsunami event

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 April 2005, 01:18 GMT]
Speaking at a cultural event Wednesday organized by the Provincial Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs to mark the fourth month after tsunami disaster, Mr.Puratchi, Head of the Trincomalee District Students Front of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), said that Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has imposed ban on transporting cement, sand and other building materials to the LTTE controlled areas to rebuild houses destroyed in tsunami. NorthEast Province Governor, Mr.Tyronne Fernando, attended the event held in Trincomalee St.Joseph's College auditorium.
Full story >>

Marksmen compete in Elephant Pass celebrations

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 April 2005, 00:10 GMT]
100 meter sharpshooting competitions marked the fourth day of events celebrating the fifth anniversary of the fall of Sri Lanka Army's (SLA's) Elephant Pass garrison with Liberation Tigers' Northern Region Commander, Col Theepan, supervising the day's events at the LTTE Military Academy, sources from Vanni said. The fall of Elephant Pass in 22 April 2000 established the Tigers as the world's only non-state military force capable of complex manoeuvre war fighting.
Full story >>

Protest at Sri Lanka truce monitors’ HQ

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 April 2005, 13:49 GMT]
An organization calling itself ‘National Fortress for Safeguarding Military Intelligence Officers’ protested in front the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) headquarters in Colombo Wednesday accusing the Nordic truce monitors of impartiality. Five protestors who were allowed into the SLMM office handed over a letter to the truce monitors urging them to secure the release of Inspector Jeyaratnam, the senior Sri Lankan Police intelligence officer allegedly abducted by the Liberation Tigers last week. The protestors shouted at the truce monitors, calling them ‘white tigers’.
Full story >>

Police sleuth gunned down in Chenkalady

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 April 2005, 12:48 GMT]
Unidentified gunman riding a motorbike shot a Sri Lanka Police intelligence operative in Chenkalady, 16 kilometres north of Batticaloa Wednesday around 5.30 p.m. He died on admission to Eravur Hospital, Police said. The Policeman was shot near the Chenkalady market, a high security zone area between Sri Lanka army garrison in Kommathurai and the Black Bridge checkpoint. The gunmen got away, Police said. Earlier in the day around 8.30 a.m. gunmen shot and wounded an EPDP cadre in the same area.
Full story >>

Buddhist monks say joint mechanism only over their dead bodies

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 April 2005, 11:58 GMT]
Norway’s special peace envoy, Mr. Eric Solheim and US Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca have no right to ask the Government of Sri Lanka to set up a joint mechanism with the Liberation Tigers for distributing Tsunami aid in the northeast, said Ven. Kalawalgale Chandaloka Thero, general secretary of the National Bikkhu Front, an ultra Sinhala nationalist organization of Buddhist monks, addressing a press conference in Colombo Wednesday. “The joint mechanism can be established only over our dead bodies”, he declared. The National Bikkhu Front (NBF) said it will launch a campaign from Thursday to collect signatures from the public against the joint mechanism.
Full story >>

Train hits bus: Death toll reaches 49

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 April 2005, 04:07 GMT]
27 mutilated bodies were recovered from the wreckage of the train collision that occured with a bus east of Colombo Wednesday morning around 8.30 AM, Hospital sources in Colombo said. 22 died on admission to hospitals in Colombo, Kurunagela and Polgahawela. The accident took place at a railway crossing between Polgahawela and Alawwa. 10 of 45 wounded persons were brought to Colombo Hospital.
Full story >>

Joint mechanism will give new life to ISGA- JVP

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 April 2005, 15:14 GMT]
Mr.Somawanse Amerasinghe, leader of the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a major constituent of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government said Tuesday at a press briefing in Colombo that the proposed Joint Mechanism (JM) with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) will be a stepping-stone for the Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) for NorthEast, sources said.
Full story >>

Constitutionality questioned over WPC suspension

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 April 2005, 14:58 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) said Tuesday that a provincial governor under 13th amendment to the constitution has no power to suspend the functions of a provincial council. Instead he has power to dissolve or extend the term of the council. "We are contemplating to move a no confidence motion on the Governor Mr Alavi Mowlana for his undemocratic action by suspending the WPC till May 17," said Mr.Lakshman Abeyaratne, UNP group leader.
Full story >>

"Thanthai" Chelva death anniversary observed in NorthEast

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 April 2005, 13:24 GMT]
Twenty eighth-death anniversary of late Mr.S.J.V. Chelvanayakam (1898-1977), prominent leader of the Tamil people for more than three decades of his life and fondly called as "Thanthai (Father)" was observed in Trincomalee, Jaffna and several parts of the northeast province Tuesday, sources said.
Full story >>

Governor suspends WPC to avert UPFA crisis

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 April 2005, 10:23 GMT]
Mr.Alavi Mowlana, Governor of Western Province Tuesday by extra ordinary gazette notification suspended the functions of the Western Provincial Council (WPC) till May 17th to avert a major political crisis between the constituent political parties, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, political sources said.
Full story >>

Human Rights congress concludes in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 April 2005, 01:42 GMT]
Three-day Human Rights Congress held in Trincomalee town since Friday concluded Sunday night with the cultural programme of district delegations from Jaffna, Batticaloa, Mannar, Vavuniya, Puttalam, and Amparai. About one hundred seventy five human rights activists participated in the Congress organized by the National Protection and Durable Solution for IDPs' Project of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), sources said.
Full story >>

Paramilitary cadre killed, associate abducted

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 April 2005, 18:33 GMT]
A cadre of the paramilitary ‘Karuna Group’ was killed and his Singhalese colleague was abducted by gunmen in Karapola, an interior Tamil village in Polannaruwa district close to Batticaloa border, around 4.30 p.m. Monday. Police sources in the area said that the gunmen had fired on the victims who were in a house in Karapola. The Karuna Group cadre, who was seriously injured, died on admission to the Polannaruwa Base Hospital, according to Police.
Full story >>

Minister says no administrative power to LTTE in joint mechanism

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 April 2005, 14:36 GMT]
Mr.Nimal Sripala de Silva, a senior Minister in the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, said that the proposed joint mechanism would not confer any administrative powers to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). "Sinhala people need not get perturbed over the propaganda that such mechanism would undermine the sovereignty and integrity of Sri Lanka," he said addressing a meeting in Galle Sunday evening sources said.
Full story >>

JHU joins anti joint mechanism fray

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 April 2005, 14:11 GMT]
Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), an ultra Sinhala nationalist party in Sri Lanka's Parliament, Monday vowed to oppose the proposed joint mechanism between the Liberation Tigers and Colombo to distribute Tsunami aid in the island's northeast. Addressing a press conference in Colombo Monday, Mr. Champika Ranawaka, propaganda secretary of the JHU said that his party was ready to join hands with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) to campaign against the joint mechanism proposal. He said that there are many politicians in the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the opposition United National Party who are against the joint mechanism for Tsunami aid.
Full story >>

‘SLFP campaign a time buying tactic’ – Gajendrakumar

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 April 2005, 13:09 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Monday dismissed the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) campaign to explain the Joint Mechanism for distributing Tsunami aid in the northeast as “a time buying tactic to gloss over the fact that it cannot overcome JVP’s strident opposition”. SLFP General Secretary Mr. Maithripala Sirisena said this weekend his party will hold a series of seminars to educate its membership about the proposed joint mechanism. “These seminars are the way out for the SLFP leadership which wants to show donor countries that it is committed to a joint mechanism with the Tamils while saving its alliance with the JVP”, Mr. Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam TNA MP for Jaffna told TamilNet.
Full story >>

LTTE complains against STF, firing on EPDP camp

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 April 2005, 11:35 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Monday lodged a complaint with Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission that commandos of the Special Task Force (STF), the elite counter insurgency arm of the Sri Lankan armed forces, had forcibly entered the LTTE political office in Navithanveli, about 36 kilometres southwest of Batticaloa. The STF men were drunk and had caused damage to the office close to midnight Sunday, LTTE said. Meanwhile, unidentified persons opened fire towards the EPDP camp in Valaichenai Monday around noon, Police said.
Full story >>

ORCHARD aims to bring children's homes under one administration

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 April 2005, 10:20 GMT]
Organization for Restructuring Children Homes And (their) Rehabilitation and Development (ORCHARD), an arm of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) in the northeast province held its second annual general meeting in Trincomalee Anbu Illam hall Saturday with Rev.Fr.Francis Xavier, President of the ORCHARD in the chair, sources said. Mr.R.Sampanthan, Trincomalee district parliamentarian and the leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) was the chief guest.
Full story >>

JVP says will campaign against joint tsunami aid mechanism

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 April 2005, 05:22 GMT]
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s main coalition partner, said Monday it will launch a massive campaign to oppose the proposed Joint Mechanism between the Liberation Tigers and Colombo for distributing Tsunami aid in the island’s northeast. “The campaign will start from the capital and will be held in all major provincial towns to educate the people about the dangers the Joint Mechanism poses to the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”, a party spokesman said. JVP’s opposition to the Joint Mechanism will be the central theme of the huge May Day rally the Marxist party is preparing to hold in Colombo, according to him.
Full story >>

GTZ assists psychosocial counselling in NE schools

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 April 2005, 02:40 GMT]
The German Agency for Technical Co-operation (GTZ) of the German Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development has donated about 3.1 million rupees worth of playing tools, building blocks, musical toys, puzzles, chess boards and sport equipments to support psycho social counselling in schools in five education zones, Akkaraipattu, Batticaloa, Kalmunai, Mullaitivu and Vadamaradchchi in the northeast province, sources said.
Full story >>

Tigers postpone crucial press meet

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 April 2005, 17:36 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers said Sunday they are indefinitely postponing a crucial press conference scheduled for Tuesday in Kilinochchi. Informed sources said that the press meet was intended to explain the LTTE’s stand on the proposed Joint Mechanism for Tsunami reconstruction in the island’s northeast province. The indefinite postponement of the press conference added fuel to speculation in Colombo that a compromise on the Joint Mechanism is floundering on strident opposition by President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s main coalition partner Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna.
Full story >>

SLFP launches campaign to promote Joint Mechanism

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 April 2005, 14:26 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, Sunday launched a two day-awareness campaign in Sri Lanka's South explaining the positive aspects of the proposed joint mechanism expected to be signed with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to disburse funds provided by several international aid agencies and foreign governments to reconstruct tsunami affected areas in the northeast, sources said.
Full story >>

Four injured in Batticaloa shooting

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 April 2005, 06:47 GMT]
A man said to be a former Sri Lanka military intelligence informant was seriously wounded when a gunman opened fire on him in Batticaloa town Sunday morning around 10.50. A Batticaloa jail employee and two children were also wounded in the firing. Police said the seriously wounded man is an ordinary civilian. The gunmen got away, according to Police.
Full story >>

NGOs fund new boat yard and pre-school in Muttur East

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 April 2005, 03:06 GMT]
Cooperazione Internazionale Sud-Sud (CISS), an Italian Non-Governmental Organization, is providing financial support for the construction of a new boat building yard in Eachchilampathu division to supply fibre glass boats to tsunami affected fishermen. The project was initiated by the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) Saturday with Mr.K.Thurairatnasingham, Trincomalee district parliamentarian, laying the foundation stone, sources said.
Full story >>

Discussion on making documentary on Vali North IDPs

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 April 2005, 15:38 GMT]
A discussion was held at the Tellipalai Divisional Secretary’s office in Jaffna Saturday to prepare a documentary on the plight of the thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Valigamam North division of the northern peninsula. The IDPs homes, villages and entire towns in the division were garrisoned by the Sri Lankan armed forces fifteen years ago. “The documentary will be aimed at drawing the world’s attention to the long suffering of IDPs who lost their homes to the Sri Lankan military”, Mr. T. Ganesh, President of Valigamam North public organizations told TamilNet.
Full story >>

Elephant Pass Fall fifth anniversary celebrated

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 April 2005, 13:17 GMT]
Fifth anniversary of the fall of Sri Lanka Army's (SLA's) Elephant Pass garrison is being celebrated from the 22nd to 25th April in Vanni with long distance running competitions among different military divisions of Liberation Tigers followed by a day of cultural events, sources from Vanni said. The fall of Elephant Pass, described as "impregnable" by a US army officer who visited the garrison months before the fall, established the Tigers as the only non-state military force in the world today capable of complex manoeuvre war fighting.
Full story >>

Human Rights Congress on IDPs begins

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 April 2005, 12:43 GMT]
Three day Human Rights Animators Congress-2005 of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) began in Trincomalee Ehambaram Play Ground Friday night. About one hundred seventy five HR activists from the districts of Jaffna, Mannar, Vavuniya, Puttalam, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Anuradhapura are participating in the Congress which is being held under the auspices of the National Protection and Durable Solution for IDPs (Internally Displaced People) Project (NPDIP) of the HRCSL, sources said.
Full story >>

Book on ethnic conflict released in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 April 2005, 11:53 GMT]
A Tamil book written by well-known political analyst, Mr. C.A.Jothilingam, titled "Ethnic Conflict and Proposals for Political Solution" was released and introduced to the Trincomalee audience at an event held Friday evening in Trincomalee Town Hall. Mr.K.Sivapalan, Human Rights activist, presided the event.
Full story >>

UNESCO donates bus to Jaffna Municipal Library

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 April 2005, 19:10 GMT]
UNESCO Friday donated a bus for the mobile library service of the Jaffna Municipal Council at an event held at the municipal library premises. Mr.R.P.Perera, Sri Lanka's representative of the UNESCO handed over the keys of the bus to Dr.K.Gunarasa, Jaffna Municipal Commissioner. Three Photostat machines were also handed over to Mr.S.Thanabalasingham, Chief Librarian of the Municipal Library, sources said.
Full story >>

SLA bans transport of torch batteries to Muttur east

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 April 2005, 19:06 GMT]
Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Friday lodged a complaint with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Trincomalee that soldiers in the Kaddaiparichchan Sri Lanka Army are preventing people taking torch batteries to and from LTTE controlled Muttur east villages. Kaddaiparichchan SLA camp is located on the border of the SLA and LTTE controlled areas in the Muttur division, sources said.
Full story >>

Senior Sri Lanka Police sleuth said missing

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 April 2005, 15:45 GMT]
A very senior Police sleuth has gone missing in Colombo since Wednesday, Sri Lanka's Inspector General of Police said Friday night. Mr.T. Jeyaratnam was a senior investigator of the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) of the Sri Lanka Police. He was the most experienced officer in investigations against the Liberation Tigers. Police said Mr. Jeyaratnam may have been abducted.
Full story >>

Workshop on tsunami reconstruction begins in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 April 2005, 10:34 GMT]
Three-day workshop for workers of Social Mobilization Unit (SMU) of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) began in Trincomalee Friday morning on the topic "Implementation of 3rd Phase of Tsunami Relief Programme." Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese from districts of Amparai, Batticaloa and Trincomalee are participating in the workshop. Similar workshops were held earlier in Jaffna, Killinochchi and Vavuniya for SMU staff working in those districts, sources said.
Full story >>

Embrace reforms, End conflict, Rocca tells Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 April 2005, 18:22 GMT]
United States Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Christina Rocca, urged Sri Lanka to continue to embrace economic reforms and to take advantage of the Millennium Challenge opportunity to enhance growth and reduce poverty, in a speech at the American Center in Colombo April 19.
Full story >>

Demonstrations in Velanai, Sandilipay demand Joint Mechanism

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 April 2005, 17:02 GMT]
Large number of civilians participated in two protest marches held in Sandilipay in Valigamam division and Velanai in Kayts Division in the Jaffna district Thursday morning separately putting forward four demands including the establishment of the Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) and the Joint Mechanism to implement tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation programme in the northeast. Other demands were the resettlement of displaced families due to war in their own houses and lands and to bring to halt the killings of LTTE cadres, members of public and journalists, sources said.
Full story >>

SLMM and Elilan discuss Trincomalee situation

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 April 2005, 16:53 GMT]
Ms Helene Fors, acting head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Trincomalee Thursday evening held discussions with Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), about the recent incidents affecting the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) in the district, SLMM sources said.
Full story >>

"Courageous" renamed "Samudura"

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 April 2005, 16:35 GMT]
"Courageous" naval vessel donated by the US government to Sri Lanka was renamed "Samudra" at an event held Thursday in Colombo harbour with Mr.Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, acting Defence Minister, as the chief guest. Mr.Wickremanayake, Minister of Buddhist Affairs, is holding the acting Defence Minister post in the absence of President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge. Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge who is currently abroad.
Full story >>

Tigers say Vattamadu attack report psy ops

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 April 2005, 10:31 GMT]
Sri Lanka army claimed Thursday that five Liberation Tigers were killed and seven wounded when a paramilitary attacked their positions in Vattamadu on the island's southeast coast. A senior commander of the LTTE's armed forces in the Batticaloa-Amparai region said that two men had opened fire in the direction of their forward defence positions on the outskirts of the Kanjikudichcha Aaru region Thursday morning. "There were neither casualties nor damage on our side", the LTTE commander said. He dismissed the SLA statement as "routine psy ops".
Full story >>

Karuna Group cadre shot dead in Valaichenai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 April 2005, 07:02 GMT]
A youth believed to be a Karuna Group cadre was killed by an unidentified gunman Thursday around 11.30 a.m. in Valaichenai, 32 kilometres north of Batticaloa. He was gunned down on the Valaichenai Kalkudah road, according Police.
Full story >>

Rocca assures TNA delegation US support for Joint Mechanism

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 April 2005, 06:30 GMT]
Ms Christina Rocca, US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Wednesday assured the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary delegation that the US Government would support the establishment of the Joint Mechanism in disbursing foreign aid to tsunami-hit coastal areas in the northeast province, TNA sources said. TNA delegation that comprised Mr.R.Sampanthan and Mr.Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam met with Ms Christina Rocca Wednesday at the US Embassy in Colombo.
Full story >>

Nilaveli families receive relief from Michigan, ARC

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 April 2005, 01:45 GMT]
About five hundred tsunami hit families residing in temporary shelters and welfare centres in coastal areas of Nilaveli division in the Trincomalee district last weekend received six hundred thousand rupees worth milk food, medicine, household materials purchased from the funds collected by Sri Lankan Tamils residing in the state of Michigan, U.S, by holding variety entertainment events. The distribution took place under the direction of Dr.S.Arulkumaran, Medical Officer of Health of Kuchchaveli Division.
Full story >>

Explosion injures three in Colombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 April 2005, 18:40 GMT]
A bomb exploded in a jeep Wednesday night in Colpetty, Colombo, injuring three, Police said. The bomb went off near an Indian restaurant. Police denied initial reports that one of its officers was among the injured.
Full story >>

Christina Rocca meets JVP delegation

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 April 2005, 16:16 GMT]
The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Sinhala Marxist Nationalist Party and a major constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, Wednesday told Ms Christina Rocca, the visiting US Assistant Secretary of State, that JVP is opposed to the joint mechanism which was proposed to enable the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to disburse funds from foreign governments and international aid agencies to assist tsunami rehabilitation and reconstruction programme in the northeast, sources said.
Full story >>

Solheim expresses hope for agreement on Joint Mechanism

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 April 2005, 10:22 GMT]
Mr. Erik Solheim, the Norwegian Special Peace Envoy to Sri Lanka, said Wednesday that the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers are close to enter into an agreement on the long awaited Joint Mechanism to distribute international aid for post-tsunami rebuilding effort in the NorthEast. However, Mr. Solheim said that there were still some issues that need to be resolved before signing the document.
Full story >>

Nedunkerni schools receive free Solar Lighting Systems

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 April 2005, 10:07 GMT]
The Economic Consultancy House (TECH), a Sri Lanka Government registered NGO working exclusively in the NorthEast, provided eight schools without electricity in Nedunkerni region, Photo Voltaic (PV) lighting systems using funding from its US branch at an event held at Nedunkerni Maha Vidyalayam Monday, sources in Vanni said.
Full story >>

Thamilchelvan meets Solheim in Colombo, returns to Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 April 2005, 09:04 GMT]
Visiting Norwegian Special Peace Envoy, Mr. Erik Solheim, on Wednesday met Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, Political Head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who was returning to Kilinochchi concluding an almost 40 days long diplomatic mission to Europe and to South Africa. Mr. Thamilchelvan during his mission to Europe had held discussions with government leaders of more than twelve countries regarding the current state of the stalled peace process and the hindrance on the part of the Government of Sri Lanka in establishing a Joint Mechanism to implement a tsunami relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction programme in the northeast.
Full story >>

Joint Mechanism means end of UPFA, warns JVP

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 April 2005, 05:02 GMT]
At a time when the Norwegian facilitators indicated that the Government and the LTTE are coming close to enter into an agreement on the proposed Joint Mechanism for post-tsunami aid distribution in the North-East, the marxist extreme Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a major ally of the ruling UPFA coalition, warned on Tuesday that such a deal would mean the end of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government.
Full story >>

Short stories on war suffering released in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 April 2005, 00:18 GMT]
"Thoorathu Kodaikala Iravukal" (Distant Summer Nights), a collection of short stories by a young writer Miss Maathumai Sivasubramaniam, a law student from Trincomalee, was released during a weekend event held at Trincomalee St.Mary's Girls College with Rev.Sister Theresa Ranee, former Principal of the institution as the chief guest.
Full story >>

Rocca goes to Kalmunai, Karaithivu

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 April 2005, 15:02 GMT]
US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Ms. Christina Rocca, Tuesday met Tsunami refugees at a transit camp in Karaithivu, a large Tamil village 45 kilometres south of Batticaloa.
Full story >>

Sewing training centres opened in Vadamaradchi east

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 April 2005, 14:53 GMT]
Working Women Development Organization (WWDO) and Rural Rehabilitation Development Organization (RRDO) of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) Tuesday inaugurated two sewing training centres for tsunami affected women at Chempianpattu and Kaddaikadu-Mullian villages in the Vadamaradchi east division in the Jaffna district.
Full story >>

Tsunami affected Kinniya women receive sewing machines

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 April 2005, 14:42 GMT]
Ms Nazirah Hussein, High Commissioner of Malaysia in Sri Lanka Tuesday morning visited Kinniya, predominant Muslim town in the Trincomalee district and inaugurated the distribution of eighty sewing machines to tsunami-affected women at the Kinniya Al-Aqsa College.
Full story >>

Annai Poopathi death anniversary observed in NorthEast

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 April 2005, 14:20 GMT]
Seventeenth death anniversary of Annai Poopathi, who fasted unto death on 19 April 1988 after placing five demands to the Government of India, was observed in the NorthEast province Tuesday. Several hundreds of students, men and women participated in token fast held separately in the five divisions of the Jaffna district Tuesday, organizers said.
Full story >>

Rocca to meet Solheim in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 April 2005, 12:33 GMT]
Visiting US Assistant Secretary of State, Christina Rocca, is scheduled to meet visiting Norwegian special peace envoy, Erik Soheim, in Colombo on Wednesday to discuss issues concerning Sri Lanka's stalled peace process and the proposed Joint Mechanism for post-tsunami relief effort, diplomatic sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

"Can trust only when Joint Mechanism comes" - Col. Bhanu

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 April 2005, 08:39 GMT]
“We can talk about having faith in this process only when the Joint Mechanism for Tsunami Reconstruction is implemented. The suffering of Tamils and Muslims who were affected by the Tsunami in Batticaloa/Amparai is immense. Some of them say they should have died in the Tsunami than face the privations to which they are subjected today as refugees. We explained to the Norwegians the urgent need for a joint mechanism to help these people”, said Col. Bhanu, special commander of LTTE’s armed forces in Batticaloa/Amparai, speaking to journalists after meeting Mr. Eric Solheim, special Norwegian peace envoy who visited Batticaloa Tuesday.
Full story >>

Christina Rocca arrives in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 April 2005, 05:18 GMT]
Ms Christina Rocca, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State arrived in Colombo Monday night on a two day visit to survey United States-funded tsunami reconstruction efforts and meet with Sri Lankan government officials. She is scheduled to tour the tsunami devastated coastal areas in the districts of Amparai and Batticaloa.
Full story >>

Joint-mechanism with LTTE only way out, says Kumar Rupasinghe

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 April 2005, 05:09 GMT]
Dr. Kumar Rupasinghe, a leading peace activist in Sri Lanka, said Tuesday that the proposed joint-mechanism between the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE is the only way out in the decision making process to carryout the much-needed rebuilding and resettlement program for tsunami-affected people in the worst-hit North-East region.
Full story >>

Tamil Women Confluence held in Thampalakamam

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 April 2005, 17:47 GMT]
About eight hundred Tamil women participated in a Women Confluence ('Penngal Sangamam') Monday held at Thampalakamam, a traditional Tamil village in the Trincomalee district Monday in connection with the seventeenth death anniversary of Annai Poopathi, which falls on Tuesday (April 19), sources said.
Full story >>

Solheim meets Govt. Peace Secretariat head

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 April 2005, 17:24 GMT]
Mr.Erik Solheim, Norwegian special peace envoy Monday met with the Head of the Government Peace Secretariat, Dr Jayantha Dhanapala, and discussed in detail about resolving issues confronting the formation of the joint mechanism between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The joint mechanism is proposed to take forward the tsunami relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction programme in the northeast province, sources said.
Full story >>

LTTE sentry in Muttur attacked by SLA- Elilan

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 April 2005, 17:19 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Monday lodged a complaint with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission in Trincomalee that one of their sentry points in the LTTE-controlled Muttur east had been attacked by a group of soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army Sunday night around 7.10 p.m.
Full story >>

UPenn calls for Tamil volunteers for language research

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 April 2005, 14:24 GMT]
Christopher Glenn of University of Pennsylvania (UPenn)is seeking Tamil speakers domiciled in the US to register for a research study called LVDID – Language, Variety and Dialect Identification, a new multi-language telephone speech study supporting linguistic research, technology development and education, text of an e-mail posted in TamilNation website said.
Full story >>

TECH offers loan scheme for Solar home systems

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 April 2005, 19:47 GMT]
As part of the inaugural phase of a new loan scheme, The Economic Consultancy House (TECH), a Sri Lanka Government registered NGO exclusively operating in the NorthEast, provided ten Chinese manufactured Solar Home Systems (SHS) to Kilinochchi residents last week, sources said.
Full story >>

Solheim arrives in Colombo, visits Puttalam

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 April 2005, 14:37 GMT]
Mr.Erik Solheim, Norwegian special peace envoy arrived in Colombo Sunday on a five day visit to Sri Lanka amid expectation that he would seal an agreement between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) that would establish a joint mechanism to take forward the post-tsunami relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation programme in the northeast province, sources said.
Full story >>

Canada rejects Sri Lanka's diplomatic nominee- paper

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 April 2005, 21:41 GMT]
"Canadian Government has signalled the Sri Lanka Government that it will not be able to accept Mr. [Chandrananda] de Silva as Sri Lanka's next High Commissioner to Ottawa because under the provisions of the Immigration Act of that country, Mr. de Silva as the one-time holder of office as Secretary of Defence is a person, in respect of whom, if there are any allegations of human rights abuses whether proved or not, would be regarded as an inadmissible person to that country," the weekend Sunday Times said quoting diplomatic sources.
Full story >>

High Court acquits PTA accused

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 April 2005, 18:13 GMT]
The Colombo High Court last week acquitted Tamil youth John Mariyaseelan, indicted under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) with the possession of a suicide jacket and a hand grenade, due to lack of evidence against the accused, legal sources said.
Full story >>

LTTE meets with MEP in Dublin

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 April 2005, 11:06 GMT]
Current LTTE mission to Europe is to communicate to the international community ground realities of the humanitarian crisis created by the tsunami and to expose the lack of progress towards establishing a Joint Mechanism to undertake post-tsunami reconstruction in an equitable manner, Head of LTTE Political Wing, S.P.Thamilchelvan, told the Mr.Eoin Ryan, Member of European Parliament (MEP) and Committee on Economic & Monetary Affairs, Committee on Development when the LTTE delegation met him in the Irish Parliamentary complex Saturday, LTTE sources said.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka army soldier guns down major, two corporals

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 April 2005, 09:48 GMT]
A Sri Lanka army private shot dead a major and two lance corporals in a dispute over leave Saturday morning around 10.40 at the 7 Sinha Regiment camp in Nunavil in Jaffna. The major was second in command of the camp, Sri Lanka military sources said. The soldier was angry with his superiors for not granting him leave to go home for the Sinhala New Year, Police sources said. He was arrested and handed over to Chavakachcheri Police. The murder weapon was seized from him.
Full story >>

Muslim Council, TRO jointly build shelters in Kinniya

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 April 2005, 02:03 GMT]
Kinniya Muslim Theologian Council (Jamiethul Ulama Sabah- JUS) and Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) are jointly building 207 temporary shelters in the Muslim dominated Kinniya division for the tsunami affected families, civil sources said. The District Task Force assigned 207 shelters for Kinniya division, out of which TRO handed over construction of 100 units to JUS.
Full story >>

"All Mullaitivu tsunami affected are in transit camps"- Maaran

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 April 2005, 01:12 GMT]
"Of the 5905 families displaced by tsunami in Mullaitivu district, all 2124 families which needed a place to live have been transferred to transit camps [from welfare centers] and the rest are living with friends and relatives in a temporary setting. We are waiting for funds to start our third phase of resettling the families in permanent state land," said Mr Maaran, Head of Mullaitivu district Emergency Task Force (ETF), when TamilNet spoke to him recently in his offices in Mullaitivu.
Full story >>

Thirukkovil Divisional Secretary shot dead

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 April 2005, 16:17 GMT]
Divisional Secretary for Thirukkovil, Mr. A. K Thavarajah, was shot dead Friday night around 6.45 p.m. He was riding a motorbike near the Special Task Force camp in Thirukkovil when a gunman opened fire on him, residents said. He was shot four times at close range, according to Police in Thirukkovil, 76 kilometres south of Batticaloa. Mr. Thavarajah figured in a controversy recently over a portrait of the LTTE leader which was hung in his office.
Full story >>

Polannaruwa magistrate visits Karuna Group / ENDLF camp

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 April 2005, 13:31 GMT]
Acting magistrate for Polannaruwa visited the place where the Karuna Group/ENDLF camps were attacked in the early hours of Friday morning. She inspected the five bodies, including that of a man identified as 'Vijayan', which were in huts in Vannaanthuraiyadi in the general area of Aralanganwila. However Informed sources in Sorivil said there were nine bodies in Vannaanthuraiyadi early Friday morning. Police said the attackers got away. ENDLF is a paramilitary based in South India.
Full story >>

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State to visit Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 April 2005, 13:27 GMT]
"U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christina B. Rocca will visit Sri Lanka next Tuesday and Wednesday, April 19 and 20, to survey United States-funded tsunami reconstruction efforts and meet with Sri Lankan government officials," a press release issued by the United States Embassy in Colombo Friday said.
Full story >>

Erik Solheim to visit Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 April 2005, 12:17 GMT]
Mr. Erik Solheim, the Norwegian Special Envoy will visit Sri Lanka 17th - 21st April, the Royal Norwegian Embassy in a press release said Friday. Mr. Solheim will discuss the "possible joint-mechanism for post-tsunami reconstruction" with the LTTE and the Government of Sri Lanka, the press release said.
Full story >>

Nine killed in attack on paramilitary camp

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 April 2005, 02:22 GMT]
At least nine were killed in an attack on the camps of a paramilitary group in Sorivil in the Welikanda area, 80 kilometres northwest of Batticaloa Thursday morning, civilians in the area said. "We can neither confirm nor deny the reports of the attack", a senior military officer in the east said. The bodies of nine paramilitary cadres who were killed in the assault were lying near a river in Sorivil (Soruwila in Sinhala), an interior village in the Polannaruwa district. The ENDLF/Karuna Group set up five camps in the area recently, according to civilians in the area. Three paramilitary camps in Vannathuraiyadi near Sorivil were attacked. The other camps had supplies, according to villagers.
Full story >>

LTTE delegation in Dublin: Thamilchelvan meets Irish Minister Conor Lenihan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 April 2005, 23:24 GMT]
Lack of consensus in Colombo, even in sharing resources to meet a natural disaster, has confounded the already existing humanitarian crisis, Mr. S.P. Thamilchelvan told Mr. Conor Lenihan T.D, Minister of State in Ireland with Special Responsibility for Overseas Development & Human Rights. Colombo is yet to respond to the Joint Mechanism proposals.
Full story >>

LTTE conducted clearing operation in its area-Elilan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 April 2005, 17:04 GMT]
Responding to a complaint with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) that LTTE cadres had fired towards the SLA Mahindapura army camp which is located down south of Muttur area in the Trincomalee district Wednesday night, Mr.S.Elilan, LTTE Trincomalee district political head said " Our cadres conducted a clearing operation on receipt of information that armed cadres of an unidentified group had entered from the side of army camp into the no-man zone".
Full story >>

Wickremesinghe spends New Year Day with tsunami victims

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 April 2005, 14:10 GMT]
Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka and leader of the opposition, Thursday visited Tangalle, a town in Sri Lanka's South and met with tsunami-affected people, party sources said. Tangalle is one of the coastal areas destroyed by last year December tsunami.
Full story >>

SC holds State responsible for two disappeared youths

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 April 2005, 12:01 GMT]
TSri Lanka's Supreme Court (SC) held last week that the State was responsible for the disappearance of two Tamil youths who were brothers after their arrest by soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army fifteen years ago on 6th July, 1990 in Trincomalee, legal sources said. The three member bench of the Supreme Court ordered the State to pay the petitioner who is the father of the two youths a sum of Rupees 300,000/= as compensation. The SC directed the State to pay the compensation within three months before the end of June, legal sources added.
Full story >>

IDPs, tsunami victims celebrate New Year in camps, tents

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 April 2005, 10:59 GMT]
Hundreds of thousands of internally displaced Tamil families affected by tsnunami and two decade old war Thursday celebrated another New Year in camps, welfare centres and make-shift structures as their own houses and agricultural lands in the Jaffna district are occupied by soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), civil society sources said.
Full story >>

Fishermen appeal to lift fishing ban on Kerativu sea

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 April 2005, 10:48 GMT]
Fisheries societies in Thenmaradchchi division in Jaffna district appealed to the Divisional Secretary (DS) that they should be allowed fishing in Chavakachcheri-Kerativu sea twenty four hours a day. Otherwise they Sri Lanka Government should resume the relief that has been suspended by the authorities, in a memorandum handed over to the DS Wednesday evening, sources said.
Full story >>

Joint Mechanism a must for NorthEast reconstruction- Hindu Congress

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 April 2005, 10:41 GMT]
The All Ceylon Hindu Congress (ACHC) in its New Year message said that the proposed Joint Mechanism is a must for the effective implementation of a relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction programme in the tsunami +destroyed coastal areas in the northeast province. It further expressed confidence that all efforts taken in regard to the establishment of a Joint Mechanism would prove fruitful with the dawn of the Tamil New Year " Paarthipa".
Full story >>

Trinco fishermen receive boats, engines

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 April 2005, 02:29 GMT]
Mercy Ships International with other international non-government organizations, Education For Service (EFS) and Peace and Hope Trust (UK) distributed six fishing boats and outboard motor engines to tsunami affected fishermen of Pallathoddam, Nilaveli, Selvanayakapuram and Sambalthivu, coastal suburbs of the east port town. Pastor Rajan Singarajah of Jesus Blesses Full Gospel Church in Alles Garden organized the event held Tuesday on the beach of Alles Garden, Trincomalee.
Full story >>

Rights body studies tsunami refugee complaints

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 April 2005, 16:43 GMT]
Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has taken steps to verify if relief and other related assistance are equitably distributed to victims of war and tsunami disaster sheltered in several welfare centres in the Jaffna district, civil society sources said. To accomplish this task HRCSL recently sent a team of officials to conduct a survey by visiting these camps and centres.
Full story >>

TECH assists tsunami affected Muttur east, Vaakarai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 April 2005, 16:22 GMT]
Trincomalee Economic Consultancy House (TECH) in collaboration with a non-governmental organization "SUSTAIN-United Kingdom" distributed ten sewing machines to women who lost their husbands in the tsunami disaster in the Muttur east villages. The donation was channelled through the Muttur East Women Development Association, TECH co-ordinator Mr.N.Kalaisangar said.
Full story >>

"Mortar training confined to our area" - LTTE

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 April 2005, 15:13 GMT]
Responding to Sri Lanka Army (SLA) statement that pieces of artillery shells fired by LTTE fell on the army controlled area where Thoppur army camp is located, Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said Wednesday, "LTTE cadres conducted normal military training in our controlled area in the Muttur east in the Trincomalee district on Tuesday morning," sources said.
Full story >>

Man shot in Batticaloa suburb

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 April 2005, 11:17 GMT]
A man was shot and critically injured in Thiraimadu Colony, an outer suburb of Batticaloa town Tuesday close to midnight, Police said. He was identified as Mr. Selvamani Yogeswaran, 36. ‘The cause for the shooting is not clear but could be paramilitary related’, according to Police sources in Batticaloa. Two men who went to his house Tuesday night had called Mr. Selvamani out and shot him.
Full story >>

Thamilchelvan meets Archbishop Desmond Tutu in South Africa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 April 2005, 07:40 GMT]
LTTE Political Head Mr. S.P.Thamilchelvan and his delegation met Tuesday Human rights activist, Nobel laureate and Retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa in Cape Town. The LTTE Political Head, who briefed the Nobel laureate on the current state of the CFA and post-tsunami humanitarian situation of the NorthEast, said that international engagement is significant for the proposed Joint Mechanism to become a reality. Desmond Tutu, who appreciated the LTTE for its commitment to the Norwegian facilitated Ceasefire Agreement (CFA), expressed his desire to visit NorthEast and see the plight of Tamil people, LTTE sources said.
Full story >>

Trinco tsunami victims hold protest campaign

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 April 2005, 05:00 GMT]
About three hundred members of sixty four Tamil families in Salli, a fishing hamlet, eleven km off north of Trincomalee town Tuesday morning held a protest that the Sri Lanka government has not provided any relief after tsunami destroyed their fishing boats and houses. Protestors including men, women and children prevented vehicular movement from Sambaltivu village to Trincomalee, sources said.
Full story >>

Politically motivated focus on child soldiers said detrimental to peace

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 April 2005, 19:41 GMT]
Addressing the 61st Session of UN Commission on Human Rights (CHR 61), Ms. Karen Parker, J.D., a human rights lawyer and chief delegate for International Educational Development - Humanitarian Law Project, an NGO accredited by the United Nations Economic and Social Council, warned Monday that politically motivated focus on child soldiers without genuine consideration for the children themselves is detrimental to peace. Ms. Parker urged the UN Commission to give full support to Sri Lankan peace process facilitated by the Norwegian Government.
Full story >>

Sinhala nationalists urge crack down on Muslim groups

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 April 2005, 17:32 GMT]
Sinhala Buddhist nationalists Tuesday protested in Colombo, urging the Government of Sri Lanka to crack down on Islamic groups that are opposing the construction of Buddha’s statues in some Muslim towns and villages on the island’s southeast coast. Hundreds of Buddhist monks and their lay supporters marched to the Ministry of Buddha Sasana to condemn the “anti Buddhist activities of Muslim extremists”. The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and several civil society groups have opposed the construction of Buddha’s statues in Muslim areas on the southeast coast.
Full story >>

Danish Red Cross provides psycho-socioalsupport to Trinco tsunami victims

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 April 2005, 16:54 GMT]
The Danish Red Cross (DRC) has been actively engaged in the Trincomalee district providing psycho-social support to tsunami-affected people to recover, empower them and increase their capacity to help themselves. DRC, funded by European Community Humanitarian Organization (ECHO) sent a psychosocial delegation to Sri Lanka in January this year following December 26 tsunami disaster, DRC sources said.
Full story >>

Media watchdog says JVP inciting violence against journalists

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 April 2005, 16:20 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s main press watchdog, Free Media Movement FMM, Tuesday expressed grave concern that a speech by Mr. Wimal Weerawansa, the powerful propaganda secretary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), could incite violence against journalists and media institutions. In a letter addressed to the Patriotic National Movement, a JVP affiliate which organized the meeting where Mr. Weerawansa spoke, FMM said “stop this hate campaign your organisation has launched against journalists and media institutions and to keep criticisms within the limits of democratic freedoms."
Full story >>

Thenmaradchchi residents demand Joint Mechanism

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 April 2005, 14:53 GMT]
Several hundred residents of Thenmaradchchi division in Jaffna district held a protest march Monday morning demanding the establishment of Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) for the northeast and joint mechanism for implementing relief and rehabilitation programme for tsunami affected people, the restoration of normalcy in the lives of internally displaced families now sheltered in welfare centres and to stop attack on LTTE cadres by the government security forces, civil groups' sources said.
Full story >>

Kilinochchi protest condemns delay in Joint Mechanism, ISGA

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 April 2005, 09:38 GMT]
Large number of Tamil civilians participated in the protest march held Monday morning in Killinochchi condemning the Government of Sri Lanka for its delay in establishing the joint mechanism to provide relief and rehabilitation to tsunami affected people and for the delay in setting up the interim self governing authority (ISGA) in the northeast. It also condemned the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) for carrying out a shadow war in the east, sources said.
Full story >>

Koneswaram water-cutting festival held

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 April 2005, 00:11 GMT]
The water-cutting (Theertham) festival of historic Trincomalee Koneswaram Temple was held Monday morning in the Papanasachunai holy well located inside Fort Frederick and surrounded by barracks of the Gajaba Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army. The SLA Monday allowed the temple authorities to open the holy well to conduct the Theertham festival to conclude the annual festival of the Koneswaram Temple. The fire brigade of the Sri Lanka Navy sprayed water from the holy well on thousands of devotees gathered at the site, sources said.
Full story >>

LTTE Political Head meets South African Deputy President

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 April 2005, 19:29 GMT]
Mr Thamilchelvan, head of LTTE political wing, told South African Deputy President Mr.Jacob Zuma that LTTE is committed to the CeaseFire Agreement and has expressed its readiness to recommence negotiations on the basis of the proposals submitted for the formation of an interim administration, when they met in Durban Monday, sources close to the LTTE said.
Full story >>

Kumaratunga urged to organise ship service for Tamil returnees from India

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 April 2005, 15:07 GMT]
Mr.Selvam Adaikalanathan, Vanni district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian appealed Monday to Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunge to take immediate steps to arrange a ship for the transportation of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees from South India to Sri Lanka. The refugees frequently risk their lives by illegal travel from Thanushkodi in South India to Talaimannar in Sri Lanka- a stretch of 18 km sea- in their anxiety to return to their motherland, the MP said.
Full story >>

Killings in Kalmunai, Trinco

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 April 2005, 09:23 GMT]
A man said to be a member of the EPDP was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Trincomalee town Monday around 10.30 a.m. Police searched the Huskision Road area immediately but arrested no one. Meanwhile, in Kalmunai Police found the body of a man who was shot dead Sunday night around 10.30. “The reason for the killing is not clear although it appears to be linked to the current ‘shadow war’ in the east”, said the Police officer investigating the shooting.
Full story >>

Thousands march in Vavuniya for peace

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 April 2005, 08:35 GMT]
More than three thousand people marched through Vavuniya town Monday demanding that the government of Sri Lanka restart the long stalled peace talks with the Liberation Tigers, set up a joint mechanism for Tsunami relief in the island's northeast and stop using its paramilitaries to attack LTTE activists . A public rally was held on the Vavuniya Urban Council grounds at the conclusion of the march. The march and rally were organised by 84 civil society groups in Vavuniya.
Full story >>

Koneswaram temple Chariot festival held

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 April 2005, 23:15 GMT]
Chariot (THER) festival of the historic Trincomalee Koneswaram Temple was held Sunday morning with Lord Konesar and his consort Maathumai Ambal being taken in a chariot while deities Pillaiyar and Murugan with his two consorts Valli and Theivayanai taken ahead in two other chariots. Large number of devotees from several parts of the country participated in the festival, sources attending the event said.
Full story >>

ICRC escorts injured LTTE cadre to Trinco hospital

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 April 2005, 17:05 GMT]
Injured cadre of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Friday's dawn attack on the LTTE sentry point in Poonagar by an unidentified group in army uniforms was admitted to the Trincomalee general hospital Sunday afternoon for further treatment as his condition is reported critical. He was taken to the hospital by road from Kaddaiparichchan army sentry by representatives of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) on a request by the LTTE Trincomalee district political head Mr.S.Elilan, sources said.
Full story >>

SLMM official: ‘Government must disarm Karuna Group’

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 April 2005, 17:03 GMT]
The Sunday Times this week published transcripts from the Presidential Commission into the killings of LTTE officials and supporters in Sri Lanka’s restive east, in which the head of the international ceasefire monitors in Batticaloa, Mr. Steen Joergensen, confirmed the presence of anti-LTTE paramilitaries in government-held areas. However, the Sri Lanka Army's senior most officer in Batticaloa, Brigadier Laksiri Amaratunge, denied the charge.
Full story >>

Work on ancient history of Batticaloa released

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 April 2005, 13:26 GMT]
“We should write the people’s history of the northeast. It is important to discover and publish old palm leaf manuscripts such as ‘Mattakkalappu Poorva Sariththiram’ (Ancient History of Batticaloa) to bring out the history of the communities that live in this region. We have to search and preserve valuable primary sources of our history”, said Prof. S. Mounaguru, former dean of fine arts at the Eastern University, speaking Sunday at the release of a work that relates the settling and history of Batticaloa from pre-Christian times to the eighteenth century.
Full story >>

JVP assists Sinhala fishermen migrate to Kalkuda

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 April 2005, 12:44 GMT]
Mr.S. Jeyanandamoorthy, Batticaloa district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian has brought to the notice of Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge that cadres of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a key member of the coalition government, assisted by Sri Lanka security forces, have been helping Sinhala fishermen from other districts to move to Kalkuda, an area which is completely destroyed by the tsunami tidal wave, sources said.
Full story >>

LTTE releases captured SLA soldier

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 April 2005, 10:13 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier, who was arrested by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eealm (LTTE) on Saturday, was handed over Sunday evening to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) officials. The handing over event took place at the LTTE Trincomalee Political Secretariat which is located in Sampoor.
Full story >>

Kumaratunga off to London for New Year holidays

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 April 2005, 10:03 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga left for London on Saturday night to spend the forthcoming New Year holidays with her children, Yashoda and Vimukthi. According to reports, Ms Kumaratunge before undertaking her private trip to UK has appointed her close confidante, Ratnasiri Wickremenayake, as the Minister of Defence and Dinesh Gunawardene as the Minister of Education until she returns back to Sri Lanka.
Full story >>

SLMM says LTTE violated CFA

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 April 2005, 12:24 GMT]
The LTTE has violated article 1.2 of the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) which states “neither party shall engage in any offensive military operation," BBC Sinhala service quoted Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) spokeswoman Helen Maria Olafdottir as saying, referring to a recent incident where the Liberation Tigers were accused of firing a Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) patrol boat with an SLMM member on board in Trincomalee Bay off Upparu on 5 April 2005.
Full story >>

SLMM monitors meet Elilan

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 April 2005, 11:53 GMT]
Members of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Trincomalee Saturday morning met with Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and discussed ways to curb events detrimental to peace, such as those which had recently in the district, SLMM sources said.
Full story >>

SLA soldier captured in LTTE controlled Muttur village

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 April 2005, 10:43 GMT]
A soldier of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), armed with a rifle and a compass, was arrested Saturday morning around 11 AM by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The arrest took place in the village of Thanganagar in Muttur east, an LTTE controlled area south of the Trincomalee district.
Full story >>

Police arrest man with T- 56 in Eravur

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 April 2005, 10:07 GMT]
Sri Lanka Police Saturday arrested a Muslim man with a T-56 assault rifle in Eravur, 14 kilometres north of Batticaloa. Two magazines and fifty nine rounds of T-56 ammunition were also found in the man's possession when Police searched his home in Mitsui Nagar, a suburb of Eravur, Saturday morning.
Full story >>

LTTE delegation arrives in South Africa

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 April 2005, 19:35 GMT]
The LTTE Head of Political Division, Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan and his delegation arrived in Pretoria, South Africa on Friday. Senior Advisor to Vice President, Mr. Ibrahim Ibrahim received the delegation, according to soures in Pretoria.
Full story >>

Truce monitors saw Karuna cadres in Army area - report

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 April 2005, 18:02 GMT]
The head of the international ceasefire monitors supervising Sri Lanka’s three year old ceasefire told a President Commission investigating deadly attacks on members and supporters LTTE that cadres of an anti-LTTE paramilitary group had been seen operating in a government-held area, a Reuters report said Friday.
Full story >>

SLA soldier shot, injured in Seruvila

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 April 2005, 14:10 GMT]
An unidentified group of four men shot at a soldier of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Friday afternoon in Sri Mangalapura area in the Seruvila division, south of Muttur in Trincomalee district. The injured soldier was admitted at the Kantalai Base Hospital, police said.
Full story >>

Netherlands urged to send fact finding mission to NorthEast

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 April 2005, 13:36 GMT]
Expressing collective Tamil concern over Colombo's handling of the post-tsunami humanitarian crises in the war ravaged NorthEast, Mr. S.P.Thamilchelvan, LTTE's Political Head who is leading an LTTE delegation to Europe on a diplomatic mission, invited Thursday Netherland's Foreign Ministry to send a fact finding mission to the tsunami devastated NorthEast. The LTTE team met with Netherlands Foreign Ministry's Deputy Director-General for Political Affairs, Mr. Herman A Schaper on Thursday, sources close to the LTTE said.
Full story >>

Two paramilitary cadres shot in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 April 2005, 07:51 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen opened fire on two paramilitary cadres in Nagar Iluppaikulam, about 8 kilometres southwest of Vavuniya, Friday around 12.30 p.m. One of them was admitted Vavuniya hospital with five gun shot wounds. The other is missing, Police said. Both are cadres of the EPRLF (Varathar Group), a paramilitary that operates with Sri Lankan armed forces in the island's northeast.
Full story >>

LTTE sentry in Muttur attacked, one killed

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 April 2005, 07:03 GMT]
A helper of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was killed and another injured in an attack on a LTTE sentry by an unidentified group Friday early morning around four a.m within the LTTE controlled area, about five hundred meters from the Mahindapura sentry of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), down south of Trincomalee district along Muttur-Batticaloa highway, sources said.
Full story >>

Ex-Razeek Group cadre shot dead in Kattankudy

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 April 2005, 05:21 GMT]
An ex member of the Razeek Group was gunned down by an unidentified gunman in Kattankudy, 5 kilometres south of Batticaloa, Friday morning around 7 a.m. The man was traveling in a bus from Batticaloa to Kalmunai when he was shot dead with a 9 mm pistol, Kattankudy Police said. Many cadres of the paramilitary Razeek Group were absorbed regular soldiers into the Sri Lanka army’s National Guard Battalion since 2000. Others work as informants with the Sri Lanka military intelligence.
Full story >>

STF hampering Tsunami relief work, Tigers tell SLMM

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 April 2005, 16:56 GMT]
The Special Task Force (STF), the elite counter insurgency arm of the Sri Lankan armed forces, is blocking the Liberation Tigers from delivering Tsunami aid in many areas of the Batticaloa-Amparai district, LTTE leaders told Nordic truce monitors during a meeting in the eastern district Thursday. Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) officials urged the Tigers to resume meetings with Sri Lankan armed forces in the east during the meeting. LTTE leaders had, however, pointed out that such meetings had been futile in the past.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka army, Police cordon, search in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 April 2005, 16:30 GMT]
Sri Lanka army (SLA) and Police Thursday searched some parts of Batticaloa town and its outer suburbs. No one was arrested, Police said. SLA and Police also cordoned off and searched Aarumuhaththaan Kudiyiruppu, 12 kilometres north of Batticaloa for more than three hours Thursday morning from eight. Sri Lankan armed forces have increased checks and searches in Batticaloa in recent months. Checkpoints and roadblocks that made daily life tedious during the war have reappeared in this eastern district.
Full story >>

Jaffna roads to be widened

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 April 2005, 14:26 GMT]
Six major roads in Jaffna district are to be widened to accommodate two way traffic to reduce number of accidents, according to a decision taken at a conference held in the Jaffna district secretariat Thursday morning with the Government Agent Mr.K.Ganesh in the chair, sources said.
Full story >>

Hindu Congress assists tsunami victims in Trinco

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 April 2005, 11:11 GMT]
The All Ceylon Hindu Congress (ACHC) Wednesday started distributing relief materials worth five hundred thousand rupees to tsunami affected families in the coastal areas of the Trincomalee district. The inaugural event of the distribution was held at Thirukadaloor Namagal Vidiyalayam, a suburb in the east port town Wednesday morning. The distribution is being done through the Trincomalee District Young Men Hindu Federation (TDYMHA), sources said
Full story >>

Jaffna protest demands withdrawal of state troops

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 April 2005, 10:24 GMT]
Large number of Tamil civilians participated in a protest march held in Jaffna town Wednesday demanding the withdrawal of State armed forces enabling the resettlement of hundreds of thousands of internally displaced families in their own lands and houses now being occupied by Sri Lanka government soldiers and restore normalcy in the peninsula, sources said.
Full story >>

Grenades lobbed at liquor dealer's house in Chenkalady

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 April 2005, 07:46 GMT]
Six grenades were lobbed at the home of a liquor dealer in Chenkalady, 16 kilometres north of Batticaloa, Wednesday night around 9.45, Police said. The house and a vehicle were damaged in the blasts. No one was injured. The liquor dealer's house is in a high security zone.
Full story >>

Pirapaharan sends condolence message to Vatican

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 April 2005, 15:00 GMT]
In message of condolence on the death of Pope John Paul II sent to the Head of Cardinal Congregation in Vatican, Rome, Leader of Liberation Tigers, Mr. V. Pirapaharan, said: "The extra-ordinary life , work and preaching of the Holy Father will be cherished in the hearts of all human beings who believe in the noble values of freedom, liberty and equality."
Full story >>

SLA yet to allow mechanized fishing in Ariyalai Sea

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 April 2005, 14:58 GMT]
Fisheries societies sources said that even after elapse of three years from the signing of a ceasefire agreement (CFA) between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of tamil Eelam (LTTE), the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) stationed in the Jaffna district have yet to allow fishermen of Ariyalai area, a suburb of Jaffna town, to use fishing crafts fitted with outboard engines.
Full story >>

Not even twenty percent support for federalism - JVP

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 April 2005, 12:51 GMT]
"A federal system as a political solution to Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict would not even get twenty percent support from the people at a referendum", said Mr. Somawansa Amarasingha, leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), President Chandrika Kumaratunga's main Marxist coalition partner, addressing a meeting Tuesday in Anuradhapura to commemorate the thousands of party activists who were killed in April 1971 when Colombo brutally crushed an armed uprising by the JVP to establish communist rule in the island. Mr. Amarasingha was one of the young JVP leaders who led the 71’ insurrection.
Full story >>

Policeman shot dead in Kalmunai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 April 2005, 05:23 GMT]
A Police constable was killed and another wounded when a group of unidentified men open fire on them around 4.15 Wednesday morning in Kalmunai, 40 kiometres south of Batticaloa. The two Policemen were guarding a store in Kalmunaikudi, a densely populated Muslim suburb, when a group of eght armed men attacked them, Police said. The assailants went off with the Policemen's T- 56 assault rifles.
Full story >>

Congressman concludes visit to Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 April 2005, 04:14 GMT]
Democratic Congressman from Chicago, Illinois, Danny K Davis arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport Tuesday morning 11.45am after his visit to Tsunami affected areas in NorthEast of Sri Lanka. He was received at the airport by members of the Tamil community in Washington Area.
Full story >>

NESHOR delegation meets UN officials in Geneva

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 April 2005, 19:05 GMT]
A delegation of the North East Secretariat on Human Rights (NESOHR) led by its Deputy Chairman Mr.K.Sivapalan met with Mr.Miloon Kothari, United Nations Commission on Human Rights and Special Rapporteur to Adequate Housing at the UN headquarters in Geneva Monday, sources in Geneva said.
Full story >>

Ex EPRLF cadre gunned down in Akkaraipattu

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 April 2005, 13:49 GMT]
An ex cadre of the EPRLF was shot dead in Akkaraipattu, 64 kilometres south of Batticaloa, Tuesday around 5.30 p.m., Police said. He was cycling on the Akkaraipattu-Saahamam road when he was gunned down by an unidentified person. EPRLF is a paramilitary that operates with the Sri Lankan armed forces.
Full story >>

Trinco tsunami hit micro entrepreneurs receive assistance

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 April 2005, 13:23 GMT]
The Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Trincomalee District (CCITD) has launched a project to assist tsunami affected micro entrepreneurs of the district. It distributed about one hundred thousand rupees worth materials and equipments as a first phase of its Micro Credit Scheme with the funding of Rotary Club of Colombo Metropolis at an event held during the weekend at its head office, sources said.
Full story >>

Ex EPDP cadre shot in Batticaloa cinema

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 April 2005, 10:37 GMT]
An ex EPDP cadre was shot and seriously wounded in a movie theatre in Batticaloa town Tuesday afternoon around 2.40, Police said. A gunman shot Mr. Arumugam Ambikaipahan, 22, at point blank range with a 9 m.m. pistol at Vijaya Theatre, Police said.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka navy says patrol boat fired on

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 April 2005, 08:26 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy complained to Nordic truce monitors Tuesday that one of its patrol boats in Trincomalee harbour had come under fire in the Uppaaru area. A member of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission was on board the SLN patrol boat at the time of the incident Tuesday morning around 10.30. No one was injured in the firing, truce monitors in Trincomalee said. SLN accused the Liberation Tigers.
Full story >>

Grenade attack on Karaithivu EPDP

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 April 2005, 02:43 GMT]
Unidentified persons lobbed a grenade on the EPDP office in Karaithivu, 45 kilometres south of Batticaloa Monday night around 8, Police said. The building, which is located by the Special Task Force (STF) camp at Karaithivu Junction, was slightly damaged in the explosion, according to EPDP sources. EPDP is a close ally of Sri Lanka’s President Chandrika Kumaratunga.
Full story >>

Vadamaradchchi fishermen receive boats, fishing gear

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 April 2005, 15:39 GMT]
Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), a Sri Lanka Government registered NGO working exclusively in the NorthEast, under its integrated development programme with the funding of Norwegian TRO Monday morning handed over fishing crafts with outboard engines and fishing gear including nets and other accessories to 35 beneficiaries. Each fishing boat is estimated at about Rs.400,000, sources said.
Full story >>

SLN rescues Tamil refugees from Mannar sandbank

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 April 2005, 11:44 GMT]
Mannar Magistrate Mr.N.M.M.Abdullah Monday ordered the civil authorities to send twenty three Sri Lankan Tamil refugees to their own villages when they were produced in court on a report that Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) had rescued them from a sandbank in midsea off Talaimannar Sunday around noon, legal sources said.
Full story >>

Prayers mourning death of Pope John Paul II held in NorthEast

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 April 2005, 10:53 GMT]
Thousands of people wept, prayed and said goodbye Sunday packing chapels and towns across NorthEast and the rest of Sri Lanka to remember the life of Pope John Paul II, the priest from Krakow who lead the resurgence of the Roman Catholic Church in Poland and the world.
Full story >>

Douglas' ministry official shot dead in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 April 2005, 08:48 GMT]
A senior official from the Ministry Vocational Education was shot dead Monday around 12.40 p.m.in Batticaloa. The official, Mr.T. Kailainathan, an assistant director for vocational education, was at theGovernment Technical College when he was gunned down by an unidentified gunman, Police said. Mr. Douglas Devananda, MP, leader of EPDP and a close ally of President Chandrika Kumaratunga, is the Minister for Vocational Education.
Full story >>

Self-employment project launched for Trinco war, tsunami victims

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 April 2005, 19:59 GMT]
Trincomalee Sri Satya Seva Samithi Centre (SSSSC) has launched a self employment-generating project for people affected by the two-decade-old war and tsunami in the Trincomalee district. In the first phase the centre handed over fishing gear, sewing machines, water pumps and school uniforms to the value of 1.1 million rupees.
Full story >>

Thousands of Tsunami refugees stranded in rains

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 April 2005, 19:19 GMT]
Thousands of tents in which Tamil and Muslim Tsunami refugees are sheltered in the Batticaloa-Amparai districts were flooded following non-seasonal rains in the region Sunday. Tsunami refugees in several camps on the eastern and southeastern coast said that they have no place to sleep tonight because of the rains. “The tent floors are wet or flooded. Mats and sheets on which refugee children sleep have got soggy with the unexpected rains”, said Mr. A. K Thavarajah, Divisional Secretary for Thirukkovil, speaking about the situation in Mandaanai, the largest Tsunami refugee camp in the Amparai district.
Full story >>

SLA allows IDPs to settle in no-man's land near HSZ

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 April 2005, 13:34 GMT]
Jaffna area command of the Sri Lanka Army has given permission to the Jaffna district secretariat to relocate a section of the internally displaced families (IDPs) in an area located close to northeast of Palaly High Security Zone (HSZ) following threats by the Valigamam north fisheries societies that they would launch an agitation campaign if their demand were not met, secretariat sources said.
Full story >>

East undergrads condemn STF

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 April 2005, 12:46 GMT]
Eastern University Students' Union (EUSU) Sunday condemned the Special Task Force (STF) of the Sri Lanka Police for unleashing terror in the east by intimidating political activists of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). "We also condemn the Sri Lanka government the delay in resuming peace talks with the LTTE." EUSU said in its press statement issued Sunday.
Full story >>

Another suspected heroin carrier remanded in Mannar

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 April 2005, 12:00 GMT]
Mannar magistrate Sunday remanded a man who had arrived with a group of refugees from India for allegedly possessing fifty grams of heroin. He had arrived in Thalaimannar with a group of nine refugees on Saturday. Liberation Tigers and Sri Lankan Police say that Mannar has become a major transit point for heroin trafficking from India to Colombo.
Full story >>

Colombo waging shadow war, says LTTE's official organ

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 April 2005, 07:48 GMT]
"The Sinhala government should come forward immediately to stop waging the shadow war against the Liberation Tigers. Otherwise nothing can prevent it from turning into a real war", said the LTTE’s official organ 'Viduthalai Pulihal' in its latest issue. "The sacrificial lambs of this shadow war are penned in Sri Lankan army camps. Weapons for murder are given to them by the Sri Lankan military. The Sinhala regime is not interested in the peace process and it has no faith in a political settlement (to the ethnic conflict). It has interest and faith only in war", the paper said in its lead story.
Full story >>

Health volunteers suspend hunger protest

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 April 2005, 14:50 GMT]
Fifty-three health volunteers working in several government medical institutions in Kalkuda electorate in the Batticaloa district suspended their hunger protest Saturday on an assurance by the Provincial Governor Mr.Tyronne Fernando that they would be made permanent before the end of June this year. These volunteers began their protest Wednesday in front of the office of the Provincial Ministry of Health demanding their permanency, sources said.
Full story >>

NE co-op employees get salary increase

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 April 2005, 14:48 GMT]
North East Provincial Co-operative Employees Commission Saturday instructed all co-operative societies under its purview to pay a salary increase of 2,500 rupees per month to all employees with effect from April 1st, Commission Secretary Mr.S.Amirthalingam said.
Full story >>

Crowd sets fire to army motorbike in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 April 2005, 13:45 GMT]
An angry crowd set fire to a Sri Lanka army motorbike Saturday afternoon around 4.30 after it knocked down a girl in Sangarathanai, near Chavakachcheri town in Jaffna. Police rushed to the scene and dispersed the crowd following a tense stand off at Puliyadi on the A 9 road. The injured girl was admitted to Chavakachcheri Hospital and was later transferred to Jaffna Teaching Hospital.
Full story >>

NorthEast co-op employees get salary increase

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 April 2005, 10:36 GMT]
North East Provincial Co-operative Employees Commission Saturday instructed all co-operative societies under its purview to pay a salary increase of 2,500 rupees per month to all employees with effect from April 1st, Commission Secretary Mr.S.Amirthalingam said
Full story >>

US Congressman visits Kilinochchi, meets with LTTE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 April 2005, 10:00 GMT]
Mr. Danny K. Davis, Democratic Congressman from Chicago, Illinois and his Director of Services, Mr. Danny F. Cantrell, visited the LTTE's Political Headquarters in Kilinochchi on Saturday and met with Mr. P. Nadesan, Head of Thamil Eelam Police, sources in Kilinochchi said.
Full story >>

TRO supplies tents to 120 Muslim families

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 April 2005, 08:13 GMT]
Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) in Trincomalee Friday handed over tents to about 120 Muslim families affected by December 26 tsunami in the Jamaliya coastal suburb of the eastern port town. These families have been living in temporary makeshift structures, sources said.
Full story >>

Workshop helps landowners without legal papers

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 April 2005, 07:39 GMT]
The second phase of the four-day workshop on finding solution to problems confronting the victims of two-decade-old war and tsunami in the northeast province in proving their land ownership to obtain financial assistance and other related compensation from World Bank (WB) funded North East Housing Reconstruction Programme (NEHRP) to rebuild their houses concluded Saturday in Trincomalee, NEHRP sources said.
Full story >>

LTTE Political Head meets with Director General of Italian Foreign Ministry

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 April 2005, 07:27 GMT]
Exploring the framework of the Joint Mechanism draft as accepted by the LTTE, in a meeting with Mr. Claudio Pacifico, the Director General of the Italian Foreign Ministry in Rome on Friday, Political Head of the LTTE Mr. S.P. Thamilchelvan noted that the inclusive and coordinated mechanism involving International NGOs, local civilian based organizations and the district level Government officials was key to the success of the internationally praised relief operations led by the LTTE initiated Task Force after the December 26 tsunami.
Full story >>

EPDP cadre shot dead in Kommathurai

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 April 2005, 17:41 GMT]
A person believed to be close to the EPDP was shot dead in Kommathurai, 17 kilometres north of Batticaloa, Friday evening around 6.30 by unidentified gunmen. The man identified as Mr. Puththirasihamani Kuhathasan, 23, was walking along Uma Mill Road in Kommathurai when he was gunned down, Police said. Kommathurai is a village garrisoned by the Sri Lanka army.
Full story >>

British Foreign Office suspends working holiday visas

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 April 2005, 17:03 GMT]
The British Home Office said Friday that it’s High Commission in Sri Lanka will cease to accept working holidaymaker visa applications until further notice from 2 April. The same will apply to Malaysia, Botswana and Namibia. The British High Commission in Colombo said that the service is being suspended in these countries because a “significant and unprecedented” rise in the number of applications has resulted in demand outstripping capacity, which has adversely affected the wider visa operations.
Full story >>

Mother-Child Care centre new building opened in Akkarayan

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 April 2005, 16:15 GMT]
New building for the Maternity and Child Care Centre was declared open on Wednesday at Akkarayan, which is, located about 20 km off from Killinochchi at eighth milepost. The TRO of Killinochchi district with the funding Norwegian TRO constructed the newly opened building, sources said.
Full story >>

Security Forces' harassment of civilians on the rise, SLMM told

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 April 2005, 14:16 GMT]
Citing a recent incident where a navy soldier had entered the house of a Tamil civilian and harassed and intimidated him under the pretext of holding inquiry, Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Friday requested the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in the east port town to take immediate steps to stop the intimidation and harassment of Tamil civilians by members of government security forces, sources in Trincomalee said.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka army makes another offer to deserters

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 April 2005, 11:11 GMT]
Sri Lanka army Friday made a fresh offer to de-list thousands of soldiers who deserted from service. SLA says that more than fifty five thousand deserters are still at large. This is the fifth offer by the Sri Lanka army to de-list deserters.
Full story >>

Thanthai Chelva remembered on his 107th birthday

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 April 2005, 10:43 GMT]
Mr. S.J.V.Chelva-nayakam, founder of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) and fondly called by Tamils as "Thanthai" (father) was remembered on his 107th birthday in Jaffna and Vavuniya Thursday. Jaffna Bishop of South Indian Diocese Rt Rev.Jebanesan in the capacity of Thanthai Chelva Trustee garlanded the statue of late leader Mr.Chelvanayakam which is located in the Chelva mausoleum in Jaffna town. Parliamentarian and the current President of ITAK Mr.Mavai Senathirajah and parliamentarian Mr.M.K.Sivajilingam also garlanded the statue, sources said.
Full story >>

Jaffna court inquires Habeas Corpus applications

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 April 2005, 10:38 GMT]
Habeas Corpus Applications filed by relatives of four Tamil youths, Chandrasekaran, Nanthakumar, Jatheeswaran and Suthakaran of Ariyalai in Jaffna town who were reported missing after the arrest by the Sri Lanka Army during 1996-1997 period came up for inquiry before the Jaffna Additional Magistrate Ms Srinithi Nanthasekaran Thursday, legal sources said.
Full story >>

NESOHR delegation meets UN Rapporteur on education

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 April 2005, 10:25 GMT]
A delegation of the North East Secretariat On Human Rights (NESOHR) led by its Vice President Mr. K. Sivapalan (Attorney-at-Law), met with Mr. Vermor Munoz Villalobos, the Special Rapporteur on Rights to Education of the UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) on Wednesday in Geneva. Mr. T. Mahasivam, member of the NESOHR also participated. The NESOHR delegation submitted a detailed report about the discrimination shown to Tamils and Muslims students in Sri Lanka in the sphere of education.
Full story >>

North Carolina medical relief still held by Lanka customs

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 April 2005, 05:33 GMT]
Officials of the North Carolinians for Peace (NCFP) told TamilNet Thursday that they still await resolution to clearing the 54 boxes of medical supplies held by the Sri Lanka customs. "We had good response from the offices of Congressmen Bob Etheridge and David Price, and Senator Richard Burr. They have contacted the US Embassy in Colombo and the US State Department in Washington DC. Our Chair of NCFP Relief operations has also sent a letter to the Sri Lankan Ambassador in DC," Elias Jeyarajah, President of NCFP, told TamilNet.
Full story >>

Best local authorities in NE commended

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 April 2005, 05:10 GMT]
Mr.Tyronne Fernando, North East Governor, Thursday, in a event held at the auditorium of the NEPC Chief Secretariat, presented shields and certificates to best Municipal Council (MC), Urban Council (UC) and Predesiya Sabah (PS) in the northeast province elected in a competition conducted by the Provincial Local Government Department last year. Three MCs, seven UCs and 61 PSs participated in the competition. Altogether 71 local authorities are functioning in the NorthEast.
Full story >>