AHRC fears "major breakdown of law and order"

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 May 2005, 21:59 GMT]
Saying it was shocked by the assassination Tuesday of a high ranking Sri Lankan military intelligence officer, Major Nisam Muthaliff, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) said it was concerned at the escalation of violence, saying Sri Lanka is "heading towards a major breakdown of law and order."
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Economic embargo imposed in Batticaloa, Vaharai residents protest

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 May 2005, 17:14 GMT]
Large number of residents of Vaharai division in the Batticaloa district Tuesday morning staged a peaceful protest march demanding the withdrawal of economic embargo imposed recently by the Sri Lankan military, sources said. Last several days soldiers manning checkpoints in Batticaloa have been blocking civilians from transporting cement, building materials, fuel and other essential materials to the villages of Panichchankerni, Paalchenai, Kathiraveli, Kandalady, Uriyankattu and Mankerni which are located in LTTE controlled Vaharai division.
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One dead, three injured in explosion in Kachchai

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 May 2005, 16:28 GMT]
Mr.Kandasamy Kandeepan aged 22 was killed and three others injured Tuesday evening around 6.30 p.m. in Kachchai, a village located 7 km east of Chavakachcheri in Thenmaradchchi division in Jaffna district when an artillery shell found in an abandoned well exploded. The injured were identified as Mr.Apputhurai Pakkiarajah (21), Mr.Sellathurai Saiyoo (20) and Ms Gunasekaram Rajitha (07), all from Kachchai, Police said.
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Buddha statue installed in Omanthai Pillayar temple grounds

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 May 2005, 13:24 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers in Omanthai camp has erected a three foot statue of Buddha in the grounds of Omanthai Pillayar temple in Vavuniya last March, according to local residents. The custodian priest of the Pillaiyar temple fled the area after the soldiers harassed him to hand over the land deeds, residents further said. All residents living close to the temple have been forcibly photographed by the SLA and have been warned against tampering with the statue. Residents say that no one goes near the statue out of fear of the soldiers.
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Senior Military Intelligence officer shot dead in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 May 2005, 08:14 GMT]
A high ranking Sri Lankan Military Intelligence Corps (MIC) Commanding Officer, Major Thuwan Nizam Muthaliff, 39, was shot and killed Tuesday morning around 8.00 AM by unidentified gunmen at Polhengoda Junction in Narehenpitya, Colombo. The gunmen following him in a motorbike shot him at point-blank range while his car stopped at the Wijaya Kumarathunga signal crossing along the Baseline Highway. Muthaliff is the highest ranking Sri Lankan Military Intelligence officer to be killed since the signing of Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in February 2002.
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US Senate calls for equitable distribution of tsunami aid

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 May 2005, 03:27 GMT]
The Committee of Appropriations of the United States Senate said, in a report that accompanied H.R 1268 emergency supplemental appropriations act, that the tsunami relief programs "adhere to basic principles of equity, transparency and accountability," and that the assistance be "distributed on equitable basis," referring to Sri Lanka and Tamils.
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NorthEast rural hospitals receive ambulances from NECORD

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 May 2005, 02:56 GMT]
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded North East Community Restoration Development (NECORD) donated nine ambulances worth about 30 million rupees to the North East Provincial Council (NEPC) to strengthen the health and medical services in rural hospitals. The handing over event took place at the NEPC Chief Secretariat premises Monday afternoon, sources said.
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Red Cross to construct 1000 houses in Trinco district

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 May 2005, 02:16 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) supported by the Japanese Red Cross Society is to construct one thousand permanent houses to tsunami-hit families in the Trincomalee district. The government has already identified two sites, one in Kinniya division and other in Trincomalee to construct about 245 houses, SLRCS sources said.
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Mercy Corps donates cycles to Trinco students

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 May 2005, 17:31 GMT]
Mercy Corps, a non-governmental organization headquartered in United States of America (USA), Monday, donated about eighty bicycles to students affected by tsunami in the Trincomalee district. Mr.R.Thiakalingam, Provincial Education Ministry Secretary inaugurated the distribution to selected students in the Trincomalee education zone, sources in Trincomalee said.
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World Bank team to assess housing reconstruction in east

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 May 2005, 17:30 GMT]
A World Bank (WB) team is scheduled to visit the districts of Trincomalee and Batticaloa on June 1st and 2nd to assess the progress made in the reconstruction of houses in war and tsunami affected areas under the North East Housing Reconstruction Programme (NEHRP), sources in Colombo said.
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Ministry to discuss NorthEast education issues

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 May 2005, 17:28 GMT]
A top-level conference to discuss problems confronting the education development in the northeast province is to be held at the office of the Ministry of Education in Colombo Tuesday morning with the Ministry Secretary Dr Tara de Mel in the chair. Ms Ferial Ashraff, Minister of Education Development in the East and Minister Mr.Douglas Devananda, Minister for North Education Development are to attend the conference, ministry sources said.
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Jaffna officials discuss district development

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 May 2005, 14:25 GMT]
A conference on Jaffna develpment was held at the Jaffna Secretariat between 10 am and 12 noon Monday presided by Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) senior parliamentarian Maavia Senathirajah, TNA sources in Jaffna said.
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Military blocks LTTE commanders’ return

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 May 2005, 14:17 GMT]
Amid the continuing cycle of violence in Sri Lanka’s eastern province, hopes of improving trust between the Sri Lankan military and the Liberation Tigers are being undermined by Colombo’s refusal to provide safe passage to senior LTTE commanders and other cadres across Army-controlled areas, officials said. In the wake of the massacre of an LTTE political leader and his team when travelling by road through Army-controlled roads, there are accusations the use of helicopters is being denied to expose LTTE officials to paramilitary attack.
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Muslim van driver shot dead in Kalmunai

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 May 2005, 12:21 GMT]
Mr. Mohammed Fowzan (31), a Muslim van driver from Ibbagamuva, Kurunagalle, was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen in Veeramuanai close to Kattumedu junction in the early hours of Monday. Mr. Fowzan is the driver of Free Media Movement (FMM) Spokesperson Sunanda Deshapriya, sources in Colombo said. A friend of Mr. Fowzan, Mr. Mohammed Nazar (32) who was a passenger in the front seat, was admitted to the Sammanthurai hospital with two gunshot wounds, hospital sources said.
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Bindunuwewa massacre will not be the last - AHRC

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 May 2005, 11:24 GMT]
Condemning the Sri Lankan state’s failure punish those responsible for the 2000 massacre of Tamils held at the Bindunuwewa detention facility, the Asian Human Rights Commission Tuesday said “Sri Lankan system of justice is guilty of ensuring immunity for offenders.” As a consequence, the Hong Kong based group warned: “this massacre was not the first of its kind, and will certainly not be the last.”
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Drive against unlicensed liquor in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 May 2005, 11:19 GMT]
A drive against the sale of alcohol from unlicensed premises continued this week in the Tamil Tiger controlled areas of the Batticaloa district, residents said. The consumption of liquor and related anti-social behaviour had fallen drastically since the Thamil Eelam Police began a clampdown two weeks ago , they said.
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ADB vows to ensure aid reaches LTTE areas - paper

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 May 2005, 02:56 GMT]
As international donors continue to urge Sri Lanka to sign a joint mechanism with the Liberation Tigers, to ensure tsunami-related aid is distributed equitably to where it is needed, the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) top official said his organisation would ensure humanitarian assistance would reach LTTE-controlled areas in any case.
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UNP in major drive for activists - paper

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 May 2005, 02:51 GMT]
Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP), which is gradually building up its campaign for the next presidential election, has launched a major campaign to mobilize a 150,000 strong activist force to bolster its vote base, Sunday Times reported this week.
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Meetings with US officials cordial, constructive and positive- Gajendrakumar

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 May 2005, 15:15 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Member of Parliament (MP) for Jaffna district, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, who concluded Saturday his three week tour of the United States meeting several officials of the United States Government and Think Tanks, said he was pleased with the exchanges, and the meetings were "cordial, constructive and positive."
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Two die in boat mishap in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 May 2005, 14:52 GMT]
Mr.S.Rajanikanth (26), a young Attorney-at-Law of Trincomalee and Mr.S. Sanjeevan (34), a Hatton National Bank employee Sunday morning died in a boat mishap in Periyakulam tank which is located about fourteen km north off Trincomalee town. This incident took place when they went to Periyakulam tank for a dip, police said.
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Journalists wear blackband, remember slain colleague

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 May 2005, 14:01 GMT]
More one hundred media personnel, covering their mouths with black bands and carrying August flowers in their hands, gathered Sunday in front of the Parliament building at 3.00 PM despite heavy showers to show their respect to murdered military analyst and popular journalist Dharmeratnam Sivaram who was killed a month ago, sources said.
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20,000 quit SLA since truce - General

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 May 2005, 13:56 GMT]
Revealing that over 20,000 soldiers had quit the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) since the February 2002 ceasefire, a top general blamed lack of appreciation of the military by the public and other departments of the state as key reasons for soldiers deserting their posts in the army, press reports in Colombo said. Officers also blamed poor infrastructure in camps and difficulties in obtaining home leave from duties in forward defence areas also as contributing to low morale.
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UNICEF says underage recruitment "very low"

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 May 2005, 13:43 GMT]
Saying UNICEF had seen a "very low level" of underage recruitment by the Liberation Tigers in recent months, the organisation’s outgoing top official in Sri Lanka, Ted Chaiban, Sunday welcomed the development and urged the continuation of "this positive trend." Mr. Chaiban met Sunday LTTE's Head of Political Division, Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan, his deputy, Mr. S. Thangan and the Director General of the Peace Secretariat, Mr. S. Pulidevan at LTTE's Peace Secretariat in Kilinochchi and discussed the improvement of the lives of people, particularly children, in Sri Lanka's former warzones.
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Kumaratunge rejects UNP plea to pardon Dissanayake

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 May 2005, 13:39 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunge Friday rejected an appeal by main Opposition United National Party (UNP) to pardon and release the party's jailed National Organiser and former minister S.B Dissanayake, sources said. Mr Dissanayake was one-time Ms Kumaratunge's close confidante and champion minister.
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Grenade attack kills one, wounds three in Eravur

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 May 2005, 02:40 GMT]
Mr. Abdul Kadir Jauffer Hussain (23) was killed and three others were wounded in a grenade attack Saturday night 8.00 PM in Eravur Shaikh Road, 15 kiliometres north of Batticaloa. One of the wounded persons is in critical state, according to Batticaloa Hospital sources. Eravur Police conducting investigations said they suspect a personal dispute to be the motive behind the incident.
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Media colleagues pay tribute to Sivaram

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 May 2005, 02:02 GMT]
Several colleagues from Colombo media, friends and relatives attended the memorial service held Saturday in honor of Dharmeratnam Sivaram, popular military analyst and senior member of TamilNet editorial board who was abducted and killed 28 April. The event was held at the St. Andrew's Scots Kirk Church in Colpetty, Colombo.
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Japanese Red Cross to rehabilitate two hospitals

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 May 2005, 01:34 GMT]
Mr. Tadateru Konoe, President of the Japanese Red Cross (JRC) who arrived in Colombo Friday on a five-day visit to Sri Lanka signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) Friday evening to rehabilitate and reconstruct two government base hospitals, Kantalai in the Trincomalee district and Chilaw in the Puttalam district. Mr.Jagath Abeyasinghe signed the MoU on behalf of the SLRCS, sources said.
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TRO donates computer to Muslim council

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 May 2005, 00:41 GMT]
Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) Saturday donated a computer and printer to the Kinniya Jamiethul Ulama (Muslim Theologian) Council to strengthen its administrative capacity in supporting tsunami rehabilitation and reconstruction activities, sources said. The Muslim dominated Kinniya divisional secretariat division is the worst affected in tsunami disaster in the Trincomalee district.
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Clinton urges Sri Lankan political parties to support Joint Mechanism

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 May 2005, 18:34 GMT]
Meeting the local and foreign media personnel in Colombo at the end of his tightly-scheduled two-day visit, Clinton said that he fully backs the proposed Joint Mechanism‚ as it could also lead to peace and reconciliation. Former US President Bill Clinton, who is also the UN special envoy for co-ordinating tsunami rebuilding process, on Saturday urged the political parties in the South to extend their support for the establishment of such a mechanism "to build a common future for everyone". Appreciating the ceasefire which is continuing for the past three years, Clinton said that Norway was facilitating and all the Sri Lankans should support the peace process.
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Clinton meets TRO Director in Colombo

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 May 2005, 15:24 GMT]
Mr. K.P. Regi, Executive Director of the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), met with former US President Bill Clinton at a meeting of the UN agencies and Civil Society organisations working in Sri Lanka Saturday, sources in Colombo said. The meeting took place at Trans Asia Hotel at 4.30 PM in Colombo.
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Batticaloa Police Sub-Inspector shot and killed

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 May 2005, 13:50 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen shot and killed Batticaloa Police Sub-Inspector, Mr. Jude Felix Thiyagarajah (42) Saturday. The incident took place at 6.30 PM in Batticaloa Main Road close to a book depot, 100 meters from the Head Quarters of the 223 Brigade of the Sri Lanka Army.
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Clinton expresses support for Joint Mechanism

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 May 2005, 11:05 GMT]
Expressing shock at the scale of damage caused by tsunami devastation, visiting UN's Special Envoy on tsunami relief, former US President Bill Clinton expressed support for the urgent need for a Joint Mechanism on Saturday when he met with North East Provincial Governor Mr.Tyronne Fernando, Ministers, Government officials and the representatives from local and foreign NGOs at Carmel Fatima College in Kalmunai. Security measures were tightened in Kalmunai. Dialog Cellphone links were cut off in Kalmunai from 19.00 PM Friday till 2 PM Saturday in Kalmunai, Police sources told TamilNet.
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Clinton visits Kalmunai to inspect tsunami reconstruction

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 May 2005, 06:48 GMT]
Former US President Bill Clinton arrived in Sri Lanka on Friday in a special aircraft from India to inspect the tsunami reconstruction process in his capacity as the UN Special envoy for tsunami reconstruction. On Saturday morning, Mr. Clinton flew to Kalmunai in the Eastern Batticaloa district to personally inspect the reconstruction activities and is expected to meet the community leaders there, sources from Kalmunai said.
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SLMM acting head meets with paramilitary officials in East

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 May 2005, 15:45 GMT]
Mr. Hagrup Haukland, the acting head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) met on Friday with officials from the paramilitary EPDP, PLOTE and EPRLF (V) groups in the East. The meeting took place in SLMM District office located at Lake Road, Batticaloa between 13.10 PM and 14.10 PM.
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Sri Lanka can arm but LTTE cannot – SLMM chief

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 May 2005, 14:56 GMT]
Asked how the reported acquisition of one or two aircraft by the Liberation Tigers could be deemed a violation of the ceasefire agreement, when the massive acquisition of weaponry by the Sri Lankan state was not counted as a violation, the head of the international truce monitors in Sri Lanka, Hagrup Haukland, said Thursday that the Sri Lankan government had a legitimate right to arm itself, while the LTTE did not.
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Thikkam distillery workers strike demanding wage increase

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 May 2005, 11:27 GMT]
More than fifty workers at the Thikkam, Jaffna distillery went on token strike and picketing today demanding immediate action on the promised increase of Rs 2500 in monthly wages, sources from Jaffna said. Thikkam is a coastal village in the northern coast of Jaffna peninsula, located 25km north of Jaffna town.
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Village Development discussions held in Sinnadampan

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 May 2005, 11:11 GMT]
Village development discussion organized by Vavuniya North Pre-School Development Organization and Nedunkerni Development and Rehabilitation Organization was held Thursday at 2 pm at the Sinnadampan Common Hall, sources said. Pre School teachers, Director of Social Welfare and other officials visited several households in Sinnadampan to discuss issues specific to the households between 8.30 am and noon before the general meeting.
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JVP proposals ‘do not reflect ground realities’

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 May 2005, 10:46 GMT]
The ultra-nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Perumana (JVP)’s proposals for an alternative to a joint mechanism with the Liberation Tigers to distributed international tsunami-related aid were not acceptable to Sri Lanka’s President Chandrika Kumaratunga, as they did not reflect the ground realities in the Northeast, the Daily Mirror reported Friday.
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Mines clearing worker injured in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 May 2005, 10:34 GMT]
Vethanayagam Lenin (22), a worker belonging to Halo's Trust, engaged in clearing mine in Urumpirai, a village located 8 km from Jaffna town was injured when a mine exploded in the 250 square meter area that was being cleared and has been admitted to Jaffna teaching hospital, hospital sources said.
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All accused in Bindunuwewa massacre case discharged

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 May 2005, 10:25 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court (SC) Friday acquitted all the remaining four accused who had been sentenced to death in the Bindunuwewa rehabilitation massacre case, stating that there was no direct evidence to implicate them with the crime. Five- member bench of the SC comprised Justices T.B.Weerasuriya, Nihal Jayasinghe, N.K.Udalagama, N.E.Dissanayake and Raja Fernando delivered the order acquitting the accused-appellants, Sepala Dissanayake, M.A.Sammy, R.M.Premananda and Senaka Jayampathy Karunaratne, former officer-in-charge of the Bindunuwewa Police, legal sources said.
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SLA troops attacked in Nelliady

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 May 2005, 10:22 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army sergeant was injured when a group of people threw stones at troops in Nelliady in Jaffna Thursday night, the SLA said. A petrol bomb was thrown at another Army detachment in the area earlier in the evening, the Army said.
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Arrested Home Guards produced in Kokkaddicholai Courts

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 May 2005, 10:18 GMT]
Thamil Eelam Police on Friday produced three suspected Sri Lankan homeguards in Thamil Eelam District Court in Kokkaddicholai. The Home Guards were arrested by the Liberation Tigers on Tuesday in LTTE held Poraithivu, 35 km southwest of Batticaloa, according to police reports. The judge, refusing bail, has ordered remand till 10th of June. Officials from Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and parents were allowed to meet with the arrested persons, sources in Kokkadicholai said.
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Memorial service for Sivaram to be held in Colombo

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 May 2005, 09:48 GMT]
A thanksgiving service for late Dharmeratnam Sivaram (11 August 1959 - 28 April 2005), popular military analyst and senior member of TamilNet editorial board, who was abducted and killed on 28 April, is to be held on Saturday at St.Andrews Scots Kirk (church) located in Colpetty, Colombo, family members said.
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Elilan appeals to Trinco residents to remain calm

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 May 2005, 17:15 GMT]
Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Thursday appealed to all Tamil civil groups in the district and elsewhere in the northeast province to be calm and to maintain patience. He further urged them not to stage general shut down till June 2 as the government authorities have given positive assurance in regard to the controversial Buddha statue issue, sources said.
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New group to agitate for return of Thenmaradchi HSZ lands

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 May 2005, 10:46 GMT]
Jaffna district residents formed a Special Action Committee (SAC) to work for the release of agricultural lands and houses now being occupied by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and located inside the high security zone from Eluthumaduval to Kilali in Thenmaradchchi division in Jaffna district, sources said.
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SLN denies basic rights to Mandaitivu residents- Civil Group

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 May 2005, 10:11 GMT]
Resettled displaced families in Mandaithivu area, a suburb of Jaffna town have been deprived of their basic rights by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and are also subjected to severe harassment, according to complaints lodged by the civil groups to security authorities. After the ceasefire agreement came into operation about one thousand displaced people are resettled in Mandaithivu, district secretariat sources said.
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Muttur residents protest against SLA's embargo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 May 2005, 05:53 GMT]
A large number of Tamil civilians participated in protest marches held Wednesday in areas of LTTE controlled Muttur east and Eachchilampathu division in the sourthern Trincomalee district, demanding the immediate removal of ban on transporting cement, building materials and fuel through Sri Lanka Army (SLA) checkpoints at Kaddaiparichchan and Mahindapura, sources said.
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India to refit Navy flagship at no cost

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 May 2005, 21:06 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) said an Indian naval delegation consisting of top engineers and architects is visiting the island to discuss the refitting of the SLN flagship ‘Sayura.’ The ship is to be refitted in a naval dockyard in India, the SLN said.
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Attorney General to join Trinco fray

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 May 2005, 20:57 GMT]
The support of the Attorney General should be sought by the Special Commissioner of the Trincomalee Urban Council (UC) to implement a court order to temporarily remove a controversial Buddha statue and other unlawful religious structures in the eastern port town, officials decided Wednesday. The reason for the AG’s involvement was not clear, sources said.
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Sri Lanka blames ‘outside forces, extremists’ for Trinco tension

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 May 2005, 20:46 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government Wednesday expressed its concern over the tense situation in Trincomalee due to the controversial Buddha statue and stated that it is “committed to arriving at a solution that would be just and fair by all concerned and in conformity of the law.” The government blamed “outside forces” and “extremist elements” for the tension.
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‘Joint mechanism, trust fund part of peace process’

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 May 2005, 20:37 GMT]
The proposed Joint Mechanism and the Trust Fund for post-tsunami management are part of efforts to resume the Sri Lankan peace process, the European Union’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mr. Wouter Wilton, said Wednesday when he met with the Liberation Tigers in Kilinochi.
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LTTE urges UNHCR over refugees in India

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 May 2005, 20:31 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers Wednesday urged the UN's Refugee Agency to take steps to ensure the safe passage of Tamil refugees in India seeking repatriation to their homes in Sri Lanka. The matter was discussed when the Head of the LTTE Political Wing, Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, met with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative in Sri Lanka, Mr. Rajiv Kapur, in Kilinochchi on Wednesday.
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Court reaffirms order on Buddha statue case

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 May 2005, 18:10 GMT]
Mr.M.Ganesharajah Trincomalee Magistrate and Additional District Judge Wednesday reaffirmed his earlier judgement on the controversial Buddha statue in Trincomalee bus stand and directed that the Police should continue its effort with the co-operation of the Urban Council administration in regard to the temporary removal of the statue and against unlawful structures of other faiths, legal sources said.
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Trinco former UC Chairman Suriyamoorthy dies

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 May 2005, 04:47 GMT]
Mr.Periyapodi Suriyamoorthy, former Chairman of the Trincomalee Urban Council Wednesday early morning around 5.30 a.m. succumbed to gunshot injuries in the Colombo national hospital exactly after a week he was shot at on May 18 Wednesday night by unidentified gunmen in his Trincomalee residence, family sources said.
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Aid money stuck in Sri Lanka – World Bank

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 May 2005, 04:46 GMT]
Aid money given to rebuild Sri Lanka after December's devastating tsunami is getting held up on the ground, to the frustration of governments and donors, World Bank Vice President Praful Patel told Reuters in an interview this week.
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Karuna Group cadres remanded in Puttalam

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 May 2005, 04:42 GMT]
Four armed members of the Karuna Group and their driver who were arrested by Sri Lanka police last Sunday in Saliyaveva region of Amparai district were remanded in custody until 8 June by Acting Magistrate for Puttalam, Tamil press reports said.
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Army intelligence not to be questioned in Sivaram killing

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 May 2005, 23:03 GMT]
The senior police officer tasked with investigating the abduction and murder last month of Tamil political columnist and military analyst, Dharmeratnam Sivaram, said Tuesday that he would not interview military officials simply on the basis of allegations. Senior Superintendent of Police, Crime Division, Sarath Lugoda, was apathetic over the high profile murder, listeners to his interview by the BBC (Sinhala) service said.
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Fears for safety of Veerakesari associate editor

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 May 2005, 18:24 GMT]
Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF) said Tuesday it is “extremely concerned” about the safety of Vediwel Thevaraj, associate editor of the Tamil daily Veerakesari, who has received death threats.
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Civil group warns of humanitarian crisis in Trinco

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 May 2005, 17:28 GMT]
Community Empowerment Network of Trincomalee (CENT) Tuesday made an urgent appeal to authorities concerned to take immediate remedial action to restore normalcy and ensure peace in Trincomalee to continue humanitarian assistance to the victims of war and tsunami. " Trincomalee is on the verge of a humanitarian crisis if the current tense situation persists," said CENT in its appeal.
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Trinco LTTE political activists threatened by soldiers- Elilan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 May 2005, 17:20 GMT]
Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Tuesday lodged a complaint with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission in the Trincomalee district that a group of soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) had threatened two cadres of the LTTE when they were engaged in political activities in Orr's Hill area, a suburb in the east port town Tuesday afternoon, sources said.
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BBC South Asia services disrupted

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 May 2005, 11:00 GMT]
The BBC’s South Asia services were amongst those hit as staff at the Corporation, protesting job cuts and privatisation plans, went on strike Monday severely disrupting several TV and radio networks. The BBC’s Tamil service provided almost normal service despite employees joining the protest as senior staff crossed the picket lines of what was described as the “most successful strike in BBC history,” sources said.
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Tellipallai Cancer Hospital to be reopened

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 May 2005, 10:18 GMT]
Cancer Hospital located within the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) demarcated High Security Zone (HSZ) in Tellipallai, Jaffna, is to be reopened on 27 May, Hospital sources said. For the past several years the SLA refused permission for the hospital to function nand cancer patients in Jaffna often had to travel to Colombo to obtain life saving treatment in Maharagama.
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Shop employee shot dead in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 May 2005, 10:01 GMT]
Nagappan Sivarajah (25), a father of three, who was employed at a tea shop in Mannampity, 72 km northwest of Batticaloa town was shot dead by three unidentified men Monday evening, Police said.
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Sri Lanka builds ten Dvoras with German engines

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 May 2005, 18:18 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Navy is building ten new Israeli-designed Dvora gunboats using German-built engines, Tamil press reports said this week. But allegations of kickbacks being received in the purchase of the engines have surfaced recently, the Virakesari reported last week.
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New Navy base on Jaffna coast

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 May 2005, 17:58 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) has started preliminary work on a new naval base at Thiruvadinilai beach in Chulipuram, on the Jaffna peninsula’s western coast, reports said this week.
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Five member SC bench to hear dissident SLMC MPs' petitions

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 May 2005, 17:23 GMT]
Five-member bench of the Supreme Court will hear the petitions filed by dissident Sri Lankan Muslim Congress (SLMC) parliamentarians Mr.Ameer Ali, Mr.Rishard Badiudin, Mr.Najeeb Abdul Majeed and Mr.Mohamed Hussein Baila against their expulsion from the SLMC. The inquiry into these petitions has been fixed for May 30th and 31st, legal sources said.
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Cultural Centre to be established for Nilaveli children

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 May 2005, 12:44 GMT]
An Inter-Cultural Sports Centre for children affected by the tsunami is to be established in Nilaveli, north of Trincomalee district. This will be the first in the a series of such centres to be set up in several parts of Sri Lanka under a Tsunami Relief Programme for affected children organized and implemented by the Asian German Sports Exchange Programme (AGSEP) and sponsored by the Peace Village International, sources said.
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Children's home conducts annual sports event

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 May 2005, 09:42 GMT]
Kalaimagal Children's Home located in the Thorangandal village in Thunukai region held its annual sports event for more than 150 children being looked after during the day in the children's home Saturday, officials said. The Children's home is funded by the Switzerland based expatriate Tamil Rehabilitation Organization and administered by the Village Upliftment Project.
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Security beefed up as Trinco prepares for Vesak celebrations

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 May 2005, 16:23 GMT]
The Trincomalee District Tamil Peoples' Forum (TDTPF) suspended the Hartal (General shutdown) as Trincomalee town Sunday struggled towards normalcy after tension-filled five days triggered by the erection of controversial Buddha statue. As Trincomalee residents await the final decision from Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge on the statue removal issue, the temporary normaly facilitates the Buddhists in the east port town to observe Vesak celebration Monday and Tuesday in a peaceful atmosphere, sources said.
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Trinco Youth organization seeks Police protection

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 May 2005, 15:37 GMT]
Police has provided security to the office of the Trincomalee District Youth Development Aham (TDYDA), a local non-governmental organization which is located along Trincomalee-Kanniya at Mihindupura, after Sinhala groups hurled abuse and injured officials serving in the organization's Trinco offices, security sources said.
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Attempt to erect another Buddha statue foiled

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 May 2005, 15:05 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army and Police Sunday morning around 11 a.m. jointly removed the Buddha statue that was erected overnight Saturday on the roadside along Ehambaram Street in Kerniyady, a suburb in Trincomalee town, Police said. Building materials left behind by unidentified persons to build a shrine were also removed by the Police. Kerniyady is situated about one km off north of Trincomalee-Uppuveli road in close proximity of Sinnathoduvai Pillaiyar Kovil and Trincomalee Railway Station.
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‘No-war, no-peace’ film scoops Cannes award

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 May 2005, 14:05 GMT]
A Sinhala director’s film has been selected for an award at the Cannes film festival. Vimukthi Jayasundara’s ‘Sulanga Enu Pinisa’ (The Forsaken Land), the joint winner of the Caméra d'Or award on Saturday, explores the difficulties of people’s lives in a ‘no-war-no peace’ climate.
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Sri Lanka’s commanders report on Trinco

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 May 2005, 13:16 GMT]
Senior commanders of Sri Lanka’s security forces met Sunday with President Chandrika Kumaratunga to discuss the communal tension in Trincomalee, officials said. The Defense Secretary, the three Service Commanders and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) had visited the Trincomalee district Saturday at the request of the President and briefed her on the civil unrest there.
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Technical Institute opened in Mullaitivu

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 May 2005, 12:12 GMT]
A Technical Institute in Mullaitivu with courses designed to prepare skilled workforce for the immediate and future needs for large scale needs for NorthEast development was opened Saturday morning, sources from Mullaitivu said. Classes that were ceremonially started at the institute during the opening day included Outboard motor repairs, Aluminum sheet metal engineering, Electrical wiring technology, and sawing machine repairs, officials of the institute said.
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JVP in Japan

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 May 2005, 11:52 GMT]
Leaders of the ultra-nationalist-cum Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Perumana (JVP) have arrived in Tokyo at the invitation of the Japanese government to study its economic and local governance policies, press reports said. It is the JVP’s first official visit abroad. But the party is expected to consolidate its support amongst the Sinhala community at the same time.
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Woman's skeleton found in Kudathanai

[TamilNet, Saturday, 21 May 2005, 18:28 GMT]
Skeletal remains of a middle-aged woman was recovered by workers when they were removing sand in an area located near an abandoned Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp in Kudathanai village in Vadamaradchchi east Division in Jaffna district Friday, Police said.
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Methodist Church donates boats to tsunami-hit fishermen

[TamilNet, Saturday, 21 May 2005, 18:17 GMT]
The Methodist Church of Sri Lanka handed over four fishing boats with engines and fishing gear to tsunami affected fishermen in Kallady and Verugal Muhathuwaram in the Eachchilampathu division in the down south of Trincomalee district.
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SLA to hold Vesak celebration in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 21 May 2005, 18:09 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army in Jaffna is making elaborate arrangements to conduct Vesak celebration in in the northern town, next week. Vesak is a festival of lights celebrated by Buddhists to mark the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha.
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Woman killed in Grenade attack on LTTE Batticaloa office

[TamilNet, Saturday, 21 May 2005, 17:11 GMT]
Mrs. Sinnathamby Annapillai (65) was killed Saturday 7.15 pm when unidentified men lobbed a grenade at the Periyakallaru LTTE political office located 500 metres from Special Task Force (STF) camp in Periyakallaru. There were no LTTE officials in the office at the time of the attack, sources said.
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Trinco hartal suspended pending President's decision

[TamilNet, Saturday, 21 May 2005, 13:51 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge will make a decision on the demand to remove the controversial Buddha statue which was erected overnight on May 15 in a land close to the Trincomalee bus stand and used for parking three wheelers, said Major General (retd) Asoka Jayawardene, Defence Ministry Secretary at the conclusion of four hours of discussions he held with several representatives of civil groups in the Sri Lanka naval headquarters located inside Trincomalee Dockyard, sources said.
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Sri Lanka's future in peril, Jaffna editorials say

[TamilNet, Saturday, 21 May 2005, 13:32 GMT]
Saturday editorials in Jaffna's popular dailies, Uthayan, Namathu Eelanaadu and Valamapuri, carried ominious messages reflecting an unpredictable and potentially explosive future facing the Tamil people as well as Sri Lanka. Quoting LTTE Head of Political Wing, Thamilchelvan who said recently, "If Sinhala leadership continues to impose majoritarian hegemony on Tamil people without pursuing peaceful solutions to satsify Tamil aspirations, there will soon be an end to this state of affairs," Eelanaadu editorial Saturday said.
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JVP again blasts joint mechanism, JHU warns - paper

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 May 2005, 14:55 GMT]
The Janatha Vimukthi Perumana (JVP) strongly and totally rejected the joint mechanism between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE - charging it would be unconstitutional, undemocratic and create chaos not only in the country but in the whole South Asian region, the Daily Mirror reported. The hardline monks party, the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), has “vowed to do everything possible to stop the government from signing the joint mechanism,” the paper said.
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Trincomalee tense

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 May 2005, 10:37 GMT]
Tensions escalated in Trincomalee after one person was injured Friday at 12.30pm following an explosion close to the vegetable near the site where the controversial Buddha statue stands and at least three persons were admitted to the Trincomalee general hospital with cut injuries Friday in incidents that took place in the suburbs of the town, security sources in Trincomalee said.
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Child soldier figures wrongly quoted- Save the Children

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 May 2005, 07:48 GMT]
Mike Aaronson, Director General of Save the Children UK, in a letter to LTTE's Head of Political Wing, Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan, expressed regret that the figures for child soldiers including girl soldiers have been "wrongly quoted" in a recent report released by the UK based organisation. The report stated that 50 000 child soldiers, including 21,500 girl soldiers are involved in the conflict in Sri Lanka.
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Registering with SLA a must, Jaffna traders told

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 May 2005, 22:05 GMT]
Owners of all business establishments in Jaffna district including eating houses, lodges and restaurants have been instructed to register with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA). SLA personnel have begun distributing necessary registration forms to these institutions, traders' sources said.
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Body of missing soldier found in Kilali

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 May 2005, 18:02 GMT]
A soldier of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) who was reported missing Tuesday during training in the forward defence line in Kilali high security zone in Thenmaradchchi division along Jaffna-Kandy highway was recovered Wednesday from nearby shrub jungle by fellow army men, security sources said.
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Japan to give US$90m loan assistance

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 May 2005, 16:07 GMT]
Japan is to provide Sri Lanka a US$90 million for infrastructure rehabilitation and small business revival of tsumani affected areas, a press release from Japanese embassey issued in Colombo Thursday said.
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SLA troops arrest youth

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 May 2005, 14:43 GMT]
A Tamil youth was arrested “on suspicion” by troops during a search in the general area of Matkeliya junction, Trincomalee Wednesday around 7.55 p.m, the Sri Lanka Army said. Without elaborating the Army claimed unarmed youths tried to attack the soldiers “using some paraphernalia.”
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LTTE officer’s funeral in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 May 2005, 14:42 GMT]
The body of Tamil Tiger officer killed in an accident in Vanni on Sunday was brought for funeral rites to his home village in Jaffna on Wednesday , the Sri Lanka Army said. The remains of Lt. Senthalan (Thurairajah Selvakumar) were taken to Arugalmadam at Lotus Road in Jaffna through the frontline checkpoint at Muhamalai.
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SLN arrests 7 Tamils in Kachchativu Island

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 May 2005, 13:42 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy Wednesday night took into custody seven Sri Lankan Tamils, four women and three men when they were waiting in Kachchativu Island for an Indian boat to take them to Tamilnadu shore in South India. Mannar Magistrate Mr.N.M.M.Abdullah Thursday ordered them to be remanded till Friday, legal sources said.
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Competition for SriLankan, new Katunayake runway mulled

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 May 2005, 13:39 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government is set to allow local private airlines to operate international flights using its air service agreements with other countries and thereby competing with the national carrier SriLankan Airlines, press reports quoted the aviation minister as saying. Sri Lanka is mulling adding another runway to its sole international airport, Katunayake. Meanwhile Indian officials may be drafted in to break a strike by air traffic controllers.
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STF trooper wounded in landmine blast

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 May 2005, 12:25 GMT]
A trooper of the elite Special Task Force (STF) was injured when the vehicle he was driving was hit by a claymore land mine which detonated at around 9.30am near the 9th milepost on the Monaragala-Ampara Road, police sources said. The blast might have been linked to the presence of Karuna Group cadres in the following vehicle, which the STF was escorting, Police and the Army said.
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Checkpoints extend opening times for Vattrapalai festival

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 May 2005, 10:51 GMT]
Sri Lanka security forces have agreed to keep open the Omanthai and Muhamalai checkpoints from 4 am till 10.30 pm on the 22nd and 23rd of this month to reduce transport difficulties of devotees during the annual Vattrapalai Kannaki Amman temple Pongal festival. Thousands of devotees from different parts of Sri Lanka are expected to be arriving at Mullaitivu for the festival, organizers said.
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Missing SLA soldier's remains found near Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 May 2005, 10:31 GMT]
The body of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) corporal Sunderadagage Wickremesinghe, who disappeared from Kokuveli Vavuniya SLA camp on 2 Februaray 2005, was discovered in a decomposed state in Notchchimoddai jungles, security sources in Vavuniya said Thursday.
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General shut down continues in Trinco

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 May 2005, 10:04 GMT]
General shut down observed by Tamil people in Trincomalee town since Tuesday entered third day Thursday, demanding the removal of Buddha statue erected in the land which is close to the bus stand and also used to park three wheelers. Trincomalee District Tamil Peoples Forum (TDTPF) has organized this hartal, sources said.
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Monks disrupt Parliament over Trinco statue

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 May 2005, 08:00 GMT]
The hardline monks’ party, the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) Thursday condemned a Magistrate’s judgement ordering police to temporarily remove the controversial Buddha statue erected in Trincomalee town bus stand.
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Suriyamoorthy in critical condition

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 May 2005, 07:59 GMT]
Mr. P. Suriyamoorthy, former Chairman of the Trincomalee Urban Council, who was shot and seriously wounded Wednesday was airlifted to Colombo, Thursday morning as his condition became critical, hospital sources said. Mr. Suriyamoorthy is now undergoing an emergency operation in Colombo general hospital, sources said.
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Henrik Ibsen play in Sinhala

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 May 2005, 17:07 GMT]
Norwegian author Henrik Ibsen’s famous play ‘The Master Builder’ is now being staged for the first time ever in Sinhala, while translations into Sinhala and Tamil of three of Ibsen’s most well-known plays, ‘The Master Builder’, ‘Hedda Gabler’ and ‘Pillars of Society’ will be launched this week, the Norwegian Embassy said this week.
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Trinco UC former Chairman shot, injured

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 May 2005, 17:03 GMT]
Mr.Periyapodi Suriyamoorthy, former Chairman of the Trincomalee Urban Council was shot by unidentified persons Wednesday night around 9.30 p.m. He was admitted to the Trincomalee General Hospital, police said.
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Balasingham urges action on aid

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 May 2005, 16:37 GMT]
Norwegian diplomats met on Wednesday with the Liberation Tigers’ Chief Negotiator and political advisor, Mr. Anton Balasingham, to discuss current developments in Oslo’s peace initiative in Sri Lanka, sources close to the LTTE in London said. Mr. Balasingham had welcomed the donor community’s commitment to a joint mechanism between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE for aid distribution, but called for an agreement to be finalised and signed, they said.
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SL parliament to hold one-day debate on peace process

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 May 2005, 15:59 GMT]
Leaders of political parties represented in Sri Lanka's parliament, during a meetging held Monday in the Speaker's Chamber,decided to hold a full day debate on the stalled peace process on Friday on a request made by Mr.R.Sampanthan, leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), parliamentary sources in Colombo said. Mr.Sampanthan will open the debate.
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Court orders temporary removal of Buddha statue

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 May 2005, 13:18 GMT]
Mr.M. Ganesharajah, Trincomalee Magistrate and Additional District Judge Wednesday instructed the Police to take all possible steps to temporarily remove the controversial Buddha statue erected near the bus stand by having direct talks with the parties concerned. Long term solution to the matter can be found by legal action by the Urban Council, the magistrate said, according to legal sources.
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EPDP member shot dead

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 May 2005, 10:23 GMT]
Arumugampilai Alias Mohan (35), a paramilitary cadre of Eelam People's Democratic Part (EPDP) was shot dead at Batticaloa market in high security zone at 9.20am Wednesday, security sources said. Mohan worked at the EPDP's Batticaloa officee.
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Man dies under police torture, family threatened - AHRC

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 May 2005, 17:11 GMT]
A Sinhala man died during police torture on April 18, 2005 at Rakwana Police Station, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) said Tuesday. Helwala Langachcharige Susantha Kulatung, a father of four, was taken into custody by five officers from the Rakwana Police. “The officers allegedly began torturing the victim during his arrest and continued to do so after he was taken to their station,” AHRC said.
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AHRC fears return to 80’s style terror

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 May 2005, 17:11 GMT]
Saying that a recent increase in death threats and intimidation to activists and journalists in Sri Lanka is “alarming,” the Asian Human Rights Commission Tuesday said “there is concern that the situation may degenerate into that similar to the terror of the late 1980s.”
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NorthEast Housing Project workshop to be held in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 May 2005, 16:06 GMT]
The Project Launching Workshop of the World Bank funded North East Housing Reconstruction Programme (NEHRP) is to be held on May 19 at Mahaweli Centre in Colombo under the patronage of the Provincial Governor Mr.Tyronne Fernando, Sources said. The purpose of the workshop is to create awareness of the project's mission and objectives among all those who are involved in the project implementation, NEHRP sources said.
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Veteran Tamil journalist felicitated

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 May 2005, 15:53 GMT]
Mr.K.Velautham, 88-year-old veteran journalist from Tampalakamam, a traditional Tamil village in Trincomalee district was felicitated for his services for more than half a century. The event was held during the weekend in Tampalakamam Kulakottan Tamil Vidiyalayam. Mr Velautham has been reporting to Tamil daily newspaper Virakesari and writing novels and articles on topics of local interest.
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Grenade explosion kills one, curfew imposed in Trinco

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 May 2005, 14:08 GMT]
Police imposed curfew in Trincomalee town from Tuesday evening to Wednesday morning following several explosions in which one died and three others injured. The incident took place Tuesday afternoon when an unidentified person threw a grenade targeting a shop in the Madathady junction in the east port town while the general shut down (hartal) was in progress, police said.
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New Buddha statue evokes protest in Trinco

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 May 2005, 11:14 GMT]
Normal life in Trincomalee town was disrupted Tuesday when Tamil residents, responding to call made by the Trincomalee District Tamil Peoples Forum (TDTPF), observed a general shut down Tuesday to protest the unauthorized erection of a Buddha statue close to the Trincomalee bus stand. TDTPF has been demanding the removal of the Buddha statue, sources said
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Indo-Lanka naval cooperation vital - Kadirgamar

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 May 2005, 10:13 GMT]
Operational relations between the navies of the India and Sri Lanka countries were vital to the national security of both countries, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar said this week.
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Trinco fishermen receive canoes, mechanized boats

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 May 2005, 00:25 GMT]
Fishermen Relief Trust Fund (FRTF) of the National Development Bank (NDB) handed over twenty five canoes and ten mechanised fibreglass boats to fishermen in Trincomalee affected by the December tsunami disaster during an event held Saturday at the Dutch Bay sea beach in Trincomalee town, sources said.
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Workshop on school library development begins in Trinco

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 May 2005, 16:25 GMT]
Three-day workshop for Principals on school library development in the northeast province began Sunday in Trincomalee Human Resources Development Centre. "In some schools in the province libraries are used as stores and staff rooms. This practice should be stopped. Principals must ensure that libraries are used by students to enhance their knowledge in addition to textbook education," said Mr.R.Thiakalingam, Secretary to the Provincial Ministry of Education, Cultural Affairs and Sports inaugurating the workshop.
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Auto-rickshaw driver shot and killed in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 May 2005, 14:44 GMT]
Two unidentified persons shot and killed Mr. Vishvalingam Arunkumar (23) at Thandavanveli in Arunagiri lane, Batticaloa town. The incident took place 50 m from a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) checkpoint at 6.20 PM on Monday. The attackers were speeding in a motorbike, sources said.
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RSF slams Colombo’s ‘lack of will’ on journalists’ murder

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 May 2005, 13:48 GMT]
Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) has written to participants at the Sri Lankan Development Forum (SLDF) meeting in Kandy urging them to put pressure on the Sri Lankan government to conduct a serious investigation into the 29 April murder of Tamil journalist Dharmeratnam Sivaram (Taraki).
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Donors meet in Kandy

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 May 2005, 11:44 GMT]
International donors met Monday at a key conference to discuss post-tsunami and post-conflict assistance for Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan Development Forum (SLDF), meeting in central hill country town of Kandy will deliberate for two days.
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Commitment to shed political divisions, prerequisite for peace- NPC

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 May 2005, 16:52 GMT]
Commenting on the forthcoming donor forum meeting in Kandy, National Peace Council (NPC), in a press release issued in Colombo Sunday said, "...there is little the donor community could do for us in ensuring recovery from the tsunami, long term sustainable economic growth and a political solution to the ethnic conflict in the absence of internal commitment to shedding political divisions in rebuilding the country for the common good."
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Seven Tamil refugees die in Mannar Sea, seven escape

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 May 2005, 16:47 GMT]
Seven Sri Lankan Tamil refugees of fourteen returning from Ramanathapuram coast in South India to Talaimannar died when their boat capsized in sea due to rough weather Saturday early morning. However seven other refugees escaped by swimming to a nearby sandbank in the Sri Lanka territorial waters. All fourteen left by a boat from Ramanathapuram Friday night around 11 p.m., Mannar legal sources said.
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SLA corporal killed by fellow soldier in Kilali

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 May 2005, 15:15 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army Corporal T.R.M.Bandara of Puttalam was shot dead by a fellow soldier during an altercation Sunday morning around 10 a.m. in Kilali camp located in the high security zone in Kilali in Jaffna district, security sources said.
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TNA kept out of Development Forum

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 May 2005, 15:06 GMT]
"The programme formulated for the Sri Lanka Development Forum (SLDF) which is to be held in Kandy on May 16th and 17th seeks to marginalize the North East and fails to recognise diversity, and respect the democratic verdict of the people of the North East," said Mr R Sampanthan, Leader of the parliamentary group of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), in a letter he wrote to the Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Sarath Amunugama, Sunday, TNA sources in Colombo said.
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Buddhist Congress protests against aid deal

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 May 2005, 13:58 GMT]
Hundreds of Buddhist monks belonging to Jathika Sangha Sammelanaya (JSS National Buddhist Congress) held a protest march Sunday against any deal with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for a Joint Mechanism to facilitate post-tsunami reconstruction in the NorthEast, sources in Colombo said. The protesters marched to the office of Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr Mahinda Rajapakshe and handed over a memorandum.
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Foundation laid for Thamileelam National hospital

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 May 2005, 10:13 GMT]
Foundation stone for the Tamil Eelam National Hospital was laid at Iranaimadu in Kilinochchi, Sunday morning. Dr.Gangatharan laid the first foundation stone followed by Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, the Head of the Political Wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
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Norway funds Mannar Educational Resource Center

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 May 2005, 03:00 GMT]
An Educational Resource Center built under Operation Day's Work (ODW) project supported by Develpment funds from the Norwegian Government, was opened in Aandankulam Roman Catholic School in Mannar Friday, sources in Mannar said. ODW project is administered by the Rural Economic, Education Research and Development Organization (REERDO) branch of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization, an NGO registered with the Government of Sri Lanka.
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Breakdown in JM negotiations will be a major blow- Akashi

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 May 2005, 21:15 GMT]
Expressing Japan's frustration in the delay in forging permanent peace in Sri Lanka, Japanese peace envoy Yakushi Akashi, turning his attention the aid deal for post-tsunami development said, "The breakdown of negotiations on the Joint Mechanism will be a major blow to all concerned specially to Sri Lankan people who have every right to expect...assistance from abroad...but we must find alternative means for aid delivery." Mr Akashi talked to the reporter in Colombo after meeting S P Thamilchelvan, Head of LTTE political wing Saturday morning.
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Krishanthy murder convict complains of death threat

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 May 2005, 16:39 GMT]
Lance Corporal Somaretna Rajapakse of the Sri Lanka Army who is serving death sentence in Krishanthy Cumaraswamy rape and murder case and a key witness in the several habeas Corpus applications currently under inquiry last week complained to the Jaffna Additional Magistrate that his life is in danger in the Bogambara prison, legal sources said.
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New HC bench to hear Mirusuvil massacre case

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 May 2005, 16:12 GMT]
The Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar (TAB) inquiry into the Mirusuvil massacre case has been fixed before a newly constituted three member-bench comprising Judges Mr.Upali Abeyaratne, Mr.D Wijesunthara and Mr.Sunil Rajapakse for July 25. Earlier the inquiry was scheduled to resume on 22 Monday, 2004. However the inquiry was put off indefinitely with the murder of Judge Mr.Sarath Ambepitya who was the chairman of the three-member bench, legal sources said.
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Boat massacre victims to be remembered in Nedunthivu

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 May 2005, 12:31 GMT]
Nedunthivu based National Resurgence Consortium is organizing a memorial event to remember the killing, 20 years ago on 15 May, of thirty eight Tamil passengers, including a two year old child, travelling in boat called ‘Kumudhini’ from the island of Delft to the Kurikkatuvan Jetty on the island of Punguduthivu were hacked to death at sea by armed persons suspected to be Sri Lanka Navy personnel, sources in Jaffna said.
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Akashi meets Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 May 2005, 10:01 GMT]
The Japanese special peace envoy Mr.Yasushi Akashi met with the Head of the Political Wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) S.P. Thamilchelvan at LTTE's Peace Secretariat building in Kilinochchi, Saturday.
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CPJ alarmed at death threats to Sri Lanka journalists

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 May 2005, 18:03 GMT]
"We are alarmed by the rising threats against our colleagues, and call on authorities to find those responsible for these crimes. All sides of this conflict must respect the rights of journalists and help safeguard the free flow of information in Sri Lanka," Executive Director of Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Ann Cooper said in a news alert issued at CPJ's website Thursday.
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Humedica distributes boats to Vadamaradchy fishermen

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 May 2005, 11:43 GMT]
Humedica, a non-governmental organization Friday handed over thirty one fishing boats to tsunami-affected fishermen of Vadamaradchchi east division in the Jaffna district. Mr.M. Thangavelu, President of the Vadamaradchchi Fishermen Co-operative Societies Federation presided over the event, sources said.
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Sri Lanka Red Cross wins Spanish award

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 May 2005, 10:54 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) was awarded the prestigious Spanish Red Cross Society Gold medal for 2005 in recognition of its outstanding work towards the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Mr. Jagath Abeyasinghe, President of SLRCS received the award on behalf of thousands of SLRCS volunteers at the ceremony chaired by Her Majestic Queen Sofia of Spain in Madrid on the 10th of May, SLRCS sources said.
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Body found in Eastern University grounds

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 May 2005, 08:46 GMT]
The body of a man shot in the head was found dumped in grounds of the Eastern University at Vanthaarumoolai, 18 kilometres north of Batticaloa town around 7 a.m. Friday morning, Police said. A note left behind by the assassins stated that he was a LTTE member from Uppuveli in the Trincomalee district, they said.
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American NGO repairs sewing machines

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 May 2005, 06:25 GMT]
Mercy Corps, a non-governmental organization headquartered in the USA has been implementing a three- month project in the Trincomalee district to repair sewing machines. Several women in the district lost their livelihood because of their sewing machines were damaged by tsunami waves, last year. The project has been formulated to assist these women to restart their income generating activities, Mercy Corps officials said.
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Bureaucracy delays aid at Colombo port – paper

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 May 2005, 17:26 GMT]
Five months after the Indian ocean tsunami disaster, many hundreds of containers of aid are stranded at ports in Sri Lanka because of bureaucratic bungling and missing paperwork, the Financial Times reported Thursday.
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BBC Tamil, Sinhala services face interruption

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 May 2005, 14:42 GMT]
The BBC’s Tamil and Sinhala services may not broadcast on May 23, May 31 and June 1 as staff may join colleagues across the Corporation in industrial action against proposed job cuts and plans to privatise some functions, sources said.
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CARE funds JVP projects

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 May 2005, 14:32 GMT]
The ultra-nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Perumana’s (JVP), inspite of its hostility towards foreign NGOs, has accepted financial donations from them. According to the JVP, CARE International is one of the institutional and private donors from whom the ultra-nationalist party has received well over Rs100 million for its own post-tsunami reconstruction activities.
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Four policemen wounded in Valaichenai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 May 2005, 13:42 GMT]
Four policemen were wounded when unidentified gunmen opened fire and lobbed grenade at vehicles in which a local leader of the paramilitary Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), Mr. S. Sivanandan and seven of his men were travelling, sources said. The attack took place at Valaichenai, 30 kilometers north of Batticaloa.
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USAID gives $3m for Sri Lanka tourism

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 May 2005, 12:42 GMT]
US Agency for International AID & Development (USAID) announced a US$ 3 million funding to attract more tourists to visit Sri Lanka as part of its overall post-tsunami recovery initiative, the Daily Mirror reported Wednesday.
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Brattskar visits Norwegian projects in Jaffna, Mullaitivu

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 May 2005, 12:39 GMT]
Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar is visiting Tsunami affected areas in Jaffna and Mullaitivu districts Thursday to see some of the Norwegian supported boat and engine repair stations in Point Pedro, Munai and Aaliawalay, an embassy press release said. During his visit, Mr. Brattskar will also have discussions with LTTE in Killinochchi, it said.
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Jaffna protesters urge SLMM action on Santhiveli

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 May 2005, 10:38 GMT]
A demonstration was held in Jaffna town Thursday condemning the firing protesting civilians at Santhiveli by Sri Lankan security forces on Monday. An elderly person was killed and several others, including schoolchildren were wounded.
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Joint Mechanism concerns linger as Donor Group readies for Kandy meet

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 May 2005, 17:51 GMT]
Sri Lanka Development Forum (SLDF), the aid review meeting where multilateral lenders and officials Sri Lanka Government meet to firm up on aid pledges, "will focus on the post-tsunami recovery and reconstruction process and the overall method and development strategies of Sri Lanka," said Dr.Sarath Amunugama, Minister of Finance and Planning in the invitation to participants to the Forum. Leaders of political parties represented in parliament have also been invited for the inaugural session, which is to be held on May 16 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
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Muttur Tamils protest against SLA embargo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 May 2005, 16:58 GMT]
About five thousand Tamil civilians Wednesday held a protest march from Poonagar in the LTTE controlled Eachchilampathu division in the Muttur area to the Mahindapura Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp demanding the removal of ban on the transportation of cement, building materials, petrol and diesel urgently needed for tsunami reconstruction work and agricultural purposes, sources said.
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Mobile library service launched to assist tsunami affected students

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 May 2005, 16:29 GMT]
Foundation for Co-Existence (FCE), with financial support from the People in Need (PIN), a non-governmental organization headquartered in Czech Republic, started a mobile library service in Trincomalee district to assist tsunami-affected students and others who have no access to libraries and reading rooms, sources said.
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Community Centre opened in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 May 2005, 15:24 GMT]
The Trincomalee district branch of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) supported by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) organized several humanitarian activities in its twenty-two units in the district to mark the World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day. Shramadana campaigns ,and medical clinics were conducted, and essential food items were supplied to the needy in the welfare centres, sources said.
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Civil Group advocates changes to US Terrorism Laws

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 May 2005, 14:48 GMT]
Drawing from the experience gained in watching victims of tsunami suffer without adequate help in the east of Sri Lanka, Staff Attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, Mr Ahilan Arulanantham, during a testimony 10 May 2005 before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime Terrorism and Homeland Security, argued for amending material support laws in USA PATRIOT Act and Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act to allow vital humanitarian work to go unimpeded without undermining US's safety.
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Convincing donors, Kumaratunge's goal- Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 May 2005, 00:45 GMT]
Accusing Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunge for not taking constructive steps to establish the Joint Mechanism for post-tsunami reconstruction of NorthEast, Head of the Political Wing of Liberation Tigers (LTTE), S.P Thamilchelvan, in a recent interview with TamilNet, dismissed Ms Kumaratunge's positive statements on the Joint Mechanism as a mere tactic to influence the donors in the forthcoming aid conference to take decisions in her favor, and to attract international assistance.
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SL President to visit India

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 May 2005, 17:49 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge is expected to pay a two-day official visit to India from Saturday May 14th. She will hold talks with leaders of the Indian government on the proposed joint mechanism with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), government sources said.
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JVP vows to scuttle aid deal

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 May 2005, 17:14 GMT]
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s main coalition partner, held a massive rally at the Colombo Municipal Council Ground Tuesday, against the Government entering into any agreement with the Liberation Tigers (LTTE) to handle post-tsunami reconstruction in the east, sources in Colombo said.
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LTTE ‘no threat to India’ - Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 May 2005, 16:34 GMT]
Any capability acquired by the Liberation Tigers is solely for the protection of the Tamil people and not a threat to India or any other country, the head of the LTTE’s political wing, Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan, said this week in response to concern expressed by Indian officials over the movement’s naval force and reports it had acquired aircraft
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Vanni journalists protest Sivaram killing

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 May 2005, 12:32 GMT]
A large number of journalists and several Vavuniya residents took part in a demonstration Tuesday organised by Vanni Journalists Association, condemning the abduction and murder of Tamil political columnist and military analysts, Mr. Dharmeratnam Sivaram in Colombo on 29 April. Vanni District Parliamentarians Sivanathan Kishore, Sivasakthi Aananthan, Selvam Adikalanathan and Vino Nokarathalingam, also participated.
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RSF urges SLMM probe into Sivaram murder

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 May 2005, 11:04 GMT]
Reporters San Frontiers (RSF) Tuesday urged international monitors supervising Sri Lanka’s ceasefire to carry out their own investigations into the abduction and murder two weeks ago of political columnist and military analyst Dharmeratnam Sivaram.
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Northeast shuts down over checkpoint gunfire

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 May 2005, 10:59 GMT]
The normal life was disrupted in several parts of the districts of Jaffna, Mannar, Vavuniya, Killinochchi, Mullaitivu, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Amparai, in the Northeast province Tuesday following a hartal (general shut down) condemning the attack on protesting civilians by Sri Lankan security forces at Santhiveli in Batticaloa, Monday, in which one person was killed and more than 15 others, including 5 school children were injured.
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Jaffna fishermen oppose SLA issued ID cards

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 May 2005, 17:42 GMT]
Ten thousand member strong Jaffna District Fishermen Co-operative Unions' Federation (JDFCUF) in a memorandum to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) protested against Sri Lanka Army's (SLA's) decision to issue special identity cards to their members. The JDFCUF urged its members to refrain from obtaining special identity cards from the SLA, sources said.
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SLA, LTTE discuss Trincomalee ground situation

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 May 2005, 16:30 GMT]
Officials of the Sri Lanka Government security forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the Trincomalee district met for discussions on the ground situation and to review complaints made by both parties to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) over recent firing incidents, sources said. The hour long meeting was held at the SLMM Trincomalee office in the presence of Mr.Jan Ledang, Trincomalee head of the SLMM.
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Akashi to visit Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 May 2005, 11:55 GMT]
Japanese peace envoy, Mr Yasushi Akashi, is arriving in Sri Lanka on Wednesday for a seven day visit to discuss matters related to the peace process and post-tsunami development, a press release the Japanese Embassy in Colombo issued Monday said.
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Troops fire on Valaichenai protestors, 1 killed

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 May 2005, 10:51 GMT]
A 65 year old man was killed and at least 15 other civilians were wounded when Sri Lankan security forces opened fire on large crowds of people protesting Monday, demanding removal of new Army checkpoints set up near a school in the Batticaloa district. Five women were among those wounded when soldiers and police fired assault rifles for over 10 minutes at Santhiveli, 27 km. north of Batticaloa on the Valaichenai road, sources said. International ceasefire monitors and reporters witnessed the incident, they said.
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German NGO to fund Anbu Illam rehabilitation

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 May 2005, 16:21 GMT]
Malteser, a German non-governmental organization (NGO) has agreed to provide US $30K for the rehabilitation of "Anbu Illam (House of Love)," a children's home in Trincomalee that gives shelterto children who lost their parents in the war, sources in Trincomalee said.
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Trinco Children's Home receives 100 beds

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 May 2005, 14:58 GMT]
The Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA) in Sri Lanka supported by the American Refugee Committee (ARC) International has donated 100 beds for children affected by tsunami.
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SLA embargo on cement, fuel to Muttur east still continues -Elilan

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 May 2005, 14:45 GMT]
"It is meaningless to speak of a negotiated political solution and the proposed joint mechanism at a time when the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) is still continuing the embargo on the transportation of cement, fuel and building materials to the LTTE held Muttur east in the Trincomalee district to rebuild tsunami destroyed coastal villages," said Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
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UNP to reveal its position after UPFA approves Joint Mechanism

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 May 2005, 14:23 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) will make public its position on the Joint Mechanism proposal for a working arrangement with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for post-tsunami rehabilitation of northeast only after United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government approves it with one voice, said Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the UNP and the former Prime Minister addressing a series of meetings in Sri Lanka's South Saturday, sources said. "The UNP will have to carefully study the final JM proposal before taking a public position," he added.
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‘Sivaram’s phone still ringing, but where?’

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 May 2005, 13:44 GMT]
More than a week after he was abducted and murdered, the mobile phone of one of Sri Lanka’s best known political columnists continues to ring, weekend press reports said. And despite the technology which can allow law enforcement agencies to pinpoint a cellular phone’s location using its relative proximity to local base stations, Sri Lanka’s police claim they have no idea where Mr. Sivaram’s phone might be.
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Military Academy's 10th anniversary celebrated

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 May 2005, 11:39 GMT]
Liberation Tigers (LTTE) celebrated the 10th anniversary of one of its military training academy by organizing a 60 km bike race from Paranthan Junction in A9 to Mullaitivu town Sunday 6.00am, according to sources from Kilinochchi.
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Batticaloa to hold festival for tsunami affected children

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 May 2005, 17:42 GMT]
A children's festival involving about three thousand tsunami affected children and youths from the four divisions of the Batticaloa district will be held Sunday May 8. The fun-filled day will start with a parade of children living in tsunami relief camps beginning around 9 a.m. at Gandhi Square in Batticaloa town and will conclude at Hindu College, NGO officials organizing the event said.
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Two LTTE cadres killed

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 May 2005, 17:02 GMT]
Two bullet ridden bodies found in Pollonnorawa police division near the border of Batticaloa District were identified as Capt.Suban (Arasaretnam Vigneswaran of Valaththapitty) and Lt.Nilavarasan (Rasalingam Shankar of Kaluwankerny), both from political wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), sources from Vanni said.
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NorthEast pre-school teachers compete for honors

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 May 2005, 12:55 GMT]
Pre-school teachers from five regions in the NorthEast province vied for honors in general knowledge test conducted by the Pre-School Development Organization to mark its 10th anniversary since its establishment with a mission of improving the education standards of pre-school children in NorthEast, sources from Kilinochchi said. Pre-school development falls under the administration of Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), an NGO registered with the Government of Sri Lanka which works exclusively in the NorthEast.
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UN petitioned to pressure GoSL for murder inquiry

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 May 2005, 11:16 GMT]
Speakers at a memorial event held in Temple Hall, Paris, condemned the murder of Tamil journalist, Mr Dharmeratnam Sivaram, and urged the United Nation's (UN's) Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression,Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on human rights defenders to pressure the Government of Sri Lanka to conduct an independent inquiry into the killing, a press release issued Friday in France by Tamil Center for Human Rights (TCHR) said.
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Jaffna journalists, academics protest against Sivaram murder

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 May 2005, 10:56 GMT]
Hundreds of Jaffna journalists, university academicians, priests and heads of non-governmental organizations Saturday morning held a demonstration in front of the Jaffna regional office of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) condemning the brutal killing of senior journalist Mr.Dharmeratnam Sivaram in Colombo. sources said.
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Donors can't dictate dates to finalize aid deal- Kadirgamar

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 May 2005, 05:47 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister, Mr Lakshman Kadirgamar said after a meeting with donor community in Geneva Friday that President Chandrika Kumaratunga has been holding "intensive" talks with religious and political leaders ahead of a meeting with Liberation Tigers on May 15 th and 16th, and that Sri Lanka "could not accept any dictation by the donor community about dates," according to an AFP report.
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Wickremesinghe declines SL President's invitation for talks

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 May 2005, 02:00 GMT]
Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) declined the invitation extended by Sri Lanka's President MsChandrika Kumaratunge for a discussion on national issues on Monday. "There is no necessity for such discussion at present," said Mr Wickremasinghe in reply to Ms Kumaratunge, reported the State run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) in its Saturday morning news bulletin.
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World Bank will support Joint Mechanism- Peter Harrold

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 May 2005, 17:12 GMT]
Mr.Peter Harrold, World Bank Country Representative in Sri Lanka, Friday said in Puttalam, a Muslim dominated town in the north of Western Province, that the World Bank extends its full support to the implementation of the Joint Mechanism proposed by the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for tsunami rehabilitation in the northeast.
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VVT fishermen to launch street protest

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 May 2005, 16:33 GMT]
Fisheries Co-operative Societies in the Valvettithurai division in Jaffna district Friday warned the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) that their members would launch a street protest from next week with damaged boats in tsunami if they are not provided with new boats and fishing gear, sources.
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Civil Groups appeal to reopen Nagarkovil Road

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 May 2005, 14:39 GMT]
Nagarkovil Civil Groups Consortium in Vadamaradchchi east division in the Jaffna district Friday sent a memorandum to Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge to take immediate steps to open the Nagarkovil Road located in the high security zone (HSZ), sources said. The road is currently closed for public use.
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SLA fire damages Muttur east LTTE sentry point- Elilan

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 May 2005, 14:10 GMT]
Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Friday morning lodged a complaint with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in the east port town that the Sri Lanka Army soldiers located in Kaddaiparichchan camp had fired at the LTTE sentry in the LTTE controlled Muttur east. LTTE sentry point was damaged in the attack, Mr.Elilan said.
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Pre-school opened in Paranthan-Puliyankulam

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 May 2005, 13:44 GMT]
Nedunkerni Development and Rehabilitation Organization (NDRO) Thursday opened a pre-school at Paranthan Puliyankulam village in Nedunkerni division in the Vavuniya district with the financial assistance provided by the FORUT.
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Vocational Training Centre opened in Maruthankerni

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 May 2005, 13:39 GMT]
Six-month vocational training course organized by the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and Rural Economic Research and Development Organization (REERDO) was declared open Thursday in Maruthankerni village in Vadamaradchchi east division of the Jaffna district.
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NECORD provides loans to assist small businesses

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 May 2005, 11:49 GMT]
Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded North East Community Restoration Development (NECORD) awarded loans under the Social Development scheme to increase the earning potential of small scale entrepreneurs at an event held at the Kovil Vayal village in Pachchilaipalli district in Kilinochchi Thursday at 3.30 pm sources from Kilinochchi said. Kvoil Vayal is located 2 km from the Iyakachchi junction on A9 highway.
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Tsunami hit Vadamaradchchi east fishermen appeal for assistance

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 May 2005, 11:30 GMT]
Vadamaradchchi East Fishermen Co-operative Societies Union (VEFCSU) has requested the World Vision, an international non-governmental organization, to provide at least 100 catamarans and fishing nets to fisher families who are affected by tsunami. State agencies continue to neglect Vadamarachy east fishermen in providing assistance for their rehabilitation, sources said.
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Editor seeks protection after JVP threats

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 May 2005, 11:07 GMT]
Mr. Lasantha Wickramatunga, Editor of Colombo based newspaper Sunday Leader, informed of imminent risk to his life and sought protection from Inspector General of Police, Mr Chandra Fernado, after threatening statements were made by Mr Wimal Weerawansa, a government-party MP and leader of the parliamentary group of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) during a meeting held at Maharagama by JVP's front, the ultra-nationalist Patriotic National Movement (PNM).
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TNA demands international commission to probe Sivaram murder

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 May 2005, 10:16 GMT]
Mr.R.Sampanthan, parliamentary group leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Friday demanded in Sri Lanka's parliament that the government should take steps to constitute an international commission of inquiry comprising of impartial and qualified persons from the countries in the SAARC region, like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and from the Commonwealth countries like Australia, New Zealand and canto to investigate all aspects of the murder of journalist Mr.D.Sivaram.
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Father of four found dead with cut injuries in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 May 2005, 09:12 GMT]
Mr. Kandiah Sritharan alias Mahalingam, a 55 year-old father of four children was found dead with cut injuries on his neck Friday morning around 7.30 a.m in Vaarikutiyoor, a village about 13 km west of Vavuniya.
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Empty fire engines standby as fire destroys Jaffna shops

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 May 2005, 21:12 GMT]
Four shops at the Old Park road- Kandy road junction, near Jaffna Kachcheri were were destroyed by fire which broke out around 7 p.m. TamilNet correspondent in the northern town said.
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‘Sivaram killing a blow against peace’ – US don

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 May 2005, 17:46 GMT]
The abduction and murder last Thursday of political columnist and military analyst, Dharmeratnam Sivaram by suspected Sri Lankan state agents “will hinder peace and promote war” in Sri Lanka, writes Prof. Tom Plate, Director of Asia Pacific Media Network, in a op-ed published Thursday in the Korean Times. “The anguish felt worldwide perhaps surprised the morally suspect government of President Chandrika Kumaratunga,” Prof. Plate, who is with the University of California, Los Angeles, wrote.
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NorthEast Governor visits Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 May 2005, 16:10 GMT]
Governor of NorthEast, Mr.Tyronne Fernando, Thursday arrived in Jaffna by air on an official visit and attended a conference held in Jaffna Library Auditorium. A group of Tamil civilians held a protest against his visit in front of the venue holding black flags, sources said.
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CEB workers begin work-to-rule protest

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 May 2005, 15:30 GMT]
About 14000 workers of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Thursday afternoon around 3 p.m.began work-to rule in protest to the cabinet decision of restructuring the CEB to make it a profitable body. Ministers representing the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a major constituent of the UPFA government walked of the cabinet meeting when the proposal was tabled citing short notice was given to them.
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JVP politburo meets amid political uncertainty

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 May 2005, 14:05 GMT]
The politburo of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a major constituent of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government is scheduled to meet Thursday night to take several important decisions regarding the latest political development following the walk out of the Cabinet meeting by JVP ministers Wednesday night, political sources said.
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Batticaloa detainees fast in protest

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 May 2005, 10:44 GMT]
Five Tamil youths detained in Batticaloa prison for more than 6 months, Thursday, began protest fast on the roof of the prison demanding that the Sri Lankan government should either expedite legal action against them or release them on bail. The youths were arrested by police in the eastern Sri Lanka on 4 different incidents, legal sources said.
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Engine drivers' strike disrupts SL train service

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 May 2005, 10:22 GMT]
The train service in Sri Lanka came to a standstill Thursday with the strike of engine drivers entering the second day. No passenger or goods train left from Fort Railway Station in Colombo Thursday morning. The strike began Wednesday night after the Transport Minister failed to provide satisfactory response to the demand for a new salary scheme and a name change for engine drivers, trade union sources said.
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Four soldiers injured, artillery gun destroyed in SLA armoury explosion

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 May 2005, 03:41 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has launched a full-scale investigation into the sudden explosion in its armoury located in Thanankilappu in Thenmaradchchi division in the Jaffna district Wednesday morning around 11 a.m where four SLA soldiers were seriously injured and an artillery gun was destroyed, the State run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) and private electronic media reported in news bulletins quoting army spokesman Brigadier Daya Ratnayake.
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‘Taraki died defending the Tamil cause’- paper

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 May 2005, 03:26 GMT]
Condemning the abduction and murder last week of political columnist and military analyst Dharmeratnam Sivaram, the Tamil Guardian newspaper this week reproached those who sought to rationalise his killing on the basis of his support for the Tamil struggle. “Yes, he was a Tamil patriot. [But] in a field laden with hyperbole and zeal, Taraki’s writing compelled prevailing understandings to be questioned rather than simply foist his own views on readers. His death will sadden those on all sides prepared to listen to rational, even if contrary, arguments,” the paper said.
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‘Discipline collapsing in police force’ - AHRC

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 May 2005, 17:13 GMT]
Discipline is breaking down in Sri Lanka’s police force, the Asian Human Rights Commission warned Wednesday, citing assaults and shootings of civilians by officers. “The cause of this collapse in discipline [is] the politicisation of the police force,” the Hong Kong-based group said. The AHRC also condemned Sri Lanka’s Police Chief for apparently condoning his officers’ use of excessive force against civilians.
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Petroleum unions give ultimatum on privatization, CEB unions contemplate future action

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 May 2005, 16:54 GMT]
Joint Trade Unions' Federation (JTUF) of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Wednesday issued an ultimatum to the United Peoples Freedom Alliance government to openly give an assurance before 31st May on the question of privatising the CPC according to conditions laid down by the international lenders, trade union sources said.
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UPFA announces domestic fuel price hike

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 May 2005, 16:03 GMT]
The United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government increased domestic fuel prices, petrol by six rupees, and diesel by four rupees and kerosene by three rupees, the increase coming into effect from midnight Wednesday, Mr.Jaliya Medagama, Chairman of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) said.
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SL Parliament approves Tsunami Bills

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 May 2005, 15:09 GMT]
Sri Lanka's parliament Wednesday adopted the Tsunami (Special Provisions) Bill and the Disaster Management Bill. Mr.John Seneviratne, Minister of Justice and Judicial Reforms and Ms Sumedha Jeyasena, Minister for Social Services and Women Affairs moved the Tsunami (Special provisions) Bill and Disaster Management Bill respectively, parliamentary sources said.
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Tsunami hit Soodaikuda villagers to get new houses

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 May 2005, 10:53 GMT]
The Social Development Centre (SDC), headquartered in Killinochchi signed an agreement with the Assembly of God (AG) to construct 76 houses for tsunami-affected families in Soodaikuda, a remote village in the Muttur east in the Trincomalee district. The Fida International of Finland through the AG is providing the financial support for the project, sources said.
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Electricity, Petroleum employees strike

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 May 2005, 10:42 GMT]
Employees of Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Wednesday went on token strike and picketing in protest against the government's reported move of restructuring the CEB and to divest thirty percent share of CPC to an Indian company, trade union sources said. Alleged statement by Sri Lanka's Finance Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama,describing the employees as rogues also had angered the workers, according to sources.
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SL President says will establish JM despite opposition

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 May 2005, 10:19 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge Tuesday said an excellent opportunity has arisen to achieve peace in the island by establishing a Joint Mechanism (JM) with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to reconstruct the tsunami destroyed coastal areas in the northeast. Despite opposition and risk to her presidency, she is prepared to implement the JM proposal to bring peace to Sri Lanka, she said addressing a meeting of the National Council for Peace and Reconciliation attended by leaders of all faiths held Tuesday, the State run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation reported in its evening news bulletin.
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SL Parliament to debate on Sivaram murder

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 May 2005, 09:17 GMT]
Leaders of political parties represented in the Sri Lanka Parliament Wednesday decided to hold a special debate on the killing of a senior journalist Mr.D.Sivaram, Speaker Mr.W.M.J.Lokkubandara announced.
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CEB workers to launch token strike

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 May 2005, 06:08 GMT]
The Joint Trade Unions Federation of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Tuesday announced that its members would launch a four-hour strike from Wednesday noon in protest of a fresh attempt by the Government to divest one-third share of the CPC to a private sector, sources said.
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TNA MPs protest, demand inquiry into Sivaram’s murder

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 May 2005, 05:47 GMT]
Tamil Nation Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians held a demonstration at Jeyanthipura Junction and marched to the Parliament Ground, Wednesday, protesting aginst the abduction and murder of leading Tamil journalist Mr.D.Sivaram, last week. The MPs demanded Sri Lanka’s President to hold an impartial inquiry to identify the killers.
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Rights Group warns of Sri Lanka's collapsing rule of law

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 May 2005, 00:05 GMT]
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) condemned the murder of journalist Dharmeratnam Sivaram and faulted the Government of Sri Lanka for its inability to arrest the "collapsing rule of law" across Sri Lanka and for creating a culture of impunity where "anyone can get away with murder," in a media release issued on 3 May 2005.
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LTTE leader opens new building for paralized women fighters

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 May 2005, 17:55 GMT]
LTTE leader V Pirapaharan ceremonially declared open a new building for Mayori Illam in Vanni Tuesday, LTTE sources said. The Mayori Illam is a rehabilitation centre for paralized women fighters of the LTTE.
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India, Sri Lanka foreign office consultations held

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 May 2005, 17:06 GMT]
Indian participation in post-tsunami construction, bilateral trade, economic cooperation and Sethusamudram project are some among the issues discussed Monday during the Foreign Office consultations between the Governments of Sri Lanka and India, a joint press release issued in Colombo said.
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UNESCO: Sivaram killing ‘shameful crime’

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 May 2005, 16:46 GMT]
UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura Tuesday condemned the murder of political columnist and military analyst, Dharmeratnam Sivaram, as a “shameful crime” and his death “a great loss for Sri Lankan journalism and for UNESCO.”
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Protests mark Press Freedom Day

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 May 2005, 11:02 GMT]
Marking the World Press Freedom day, hundreds of journalists of print and electronic media demonstrated carrying placards with photos of Mr Sivaram and shouting slogans demanding freedom of expression, in front of the Fort railway station in Colombo Tuesday, sources said.
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Australian Tamils condemn journalist's murder

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 May 2005, 10:52 GMT]
The Australian Federation of Tamil Associations, in a press release issued Tuesday condemned the murder of Dharmeratnam Sivaram and said, "This murder is the latest in a series of brutal slayings of Tamil journalists which includeBBC journalist, Mr Mylvaganam Nimalarajan and Mr Nadesan...We call upon the Australian Government and the Australian Media in particular to condemn this brutal and premeditated murder. AFTA is outraged that the Sri Lankan politicalestablishment should continue silencing the voice of Tamils despite the cease-fire."
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SC rules Tsunami Bill Constitutional

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 May 2005, 10:20 GMT]
The Supreme Court has communicated to the Speaker of the parliament that the Tsunami (Special Provisions) Bill is consistent with the Constitution of Sri Lanka. Mr.W.M.J.Lokkubandara informed the determination of the Supreme Court to the parliament when it met Tuesday morning, legal sources said.
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'Sivaram was a terrorist journalist' - JHU

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 May 2005, 00:02 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s hardline monks party, the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) this week denounced Mr. Dharmeratnam Sivaram, the Tamil political columnist and military analyst who was murdered on Friday, as a “terrorist journalist” working for the LTTE. Saying Mr. Sivaram was akin to “Hitler’s Goebbels” a statement issued by the JHU's General Secretary, Omalpe Sobitha Thera, said he had “undermined the morale of the armed forces who were fighting the fascist Tigers.” Saying Sivaram should have been arrested according to the laws of Sri Lanka, the JHU urged the government to take stern action against others working in support of the Tigers.
Full story >>

Sivaram an inspiration to Tamil journalists - Uthayan

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 May 2005, 20:33 GMT]
Saluting the work of Dharmaretnam Sivaram, the Tamil columnist abducted and murdered in Sri Lanka’s capital on Friday, the popular Jaffna Tamil daily, Uthayan, said in its editorial Monday that he would remain an “inspiration to Tamil journalists with love for the nation and their people.”
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Sivaram: ‘Don’t raise false hopes amongst our people’

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 May 2005, 18:35 GMT]
The last article published by Mr. Dharmeratnam Sivaram, the political columnist and military analyst abducted and murdered on Friday, was an appeal to his colleagues in the Tamil media. Urging them not to hype up the chances of a positive outcome with regards to the joint mechanism until it actually happens, Mr. Sivaram argued that the media has a duty to not to raise false hopes amongst the Tamil people and to keep the Sri Lankan state’s determination not to meet Tamil expectations in sight.The article, written in Tamil for the Colombo-based Virakesari newspaper appeared in its edition of Sunday April 24.
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India's Foreign Secretary to meet President Chandrika

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 May 2005, 16:55 GMT]
Mr.Shyam Saran, Indian Foreign Secretary Monday met with Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse and discussed in detail bilateral issues including commercial, political, post-tsunami rehabilitation, Indian financial assistance and credit lines, parliamentary sources in Colombo said. Mr.Saran is scheduled to meet President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge Tuesday, sources said.
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Norway Tamils celebrate May Day

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 May 2005, 16:07 GMT]
Several hundred Tamils in Norway, carrying Tamil Eelam national flags and banners urging the international community to recognize the Tamil people's right to self-determination, participated in May Day rallies held in capital Oslo and other major cities, organised by Confederation of Trade Unions, sources in Norway said. The participants also carried large photographs of murdered journalist Mr.D.Sivaram and banners condemning the killing.
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FMM to hold demonstration in Colombo condemning Sivaram murder

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 May 2005, 15:55 GMT]
Free Media Movement (FMM) is planning to hold a demonstration Tuesday evening in front of the Fort Railway Station in Colombo condemning the brutal killing of journalist Mr.D.Sivaram and demanding the Government to conduct impartial inquiry to identify the assassins, sources said.
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Peace Process has brought nothing tangible, TNA tells India's Foreign Secretary

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 May 2005, 13:42 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA)MPs told India's Foreign Secretary Mr. Shyam Saran during a meeting in Colombo that nothing tangible had occurred to further the Peace Process, that even the post Tsunami Mechanism had not reached fruition, and that the situation of drift and stalemate was very harmful, said a press release issued by the TNA in Colombo Monday.
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Funeral of Sivaram held in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 May 2005, 10:13 GMT]
Murdered Tamil journalist Mr D Sivaram's funeral rites began at his family home in Lady Manning Drive, Batticaloa Monday afternoon after his body was taken to LTTE controlled Karadiyan Aaru earlier in the day. The body of Mr.Sivaram is now being taken to the cemetery in Aalayadichcholai, which lies in a High Security Zone of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF). The funeral procession is escorted by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and Police. Representatives of the SLMM are also following, TamilNet correspondent in the eastern town said.
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Govt. of Sri Lanka is accountable for journalist's murder- US Tamils

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 May 2005, 00:48 GMT]
"Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is accountable for the murder of journalist Mr D Sivaram," said a press release issued by a group of US Tamil Organizations, Sunday. "Sadly, the murder of Mr. Sivaram is not an aberration; it is consistent with a long history of state-sponsored murders of journalists and political opponents, and general contempt for freedom, democracy and the rule of law which have become the norm for Sri-Lanka," the release further said.
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Sivaram funeral cortege leaves Colombo

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 May 2005, 17:19 GMT]
The body of murdered Tamil journalist Sivaram Dharmeratnam was taken from his residence in Colombo at 10pm local time to Batticaloa where his funeral will take place on Monday. The skies opened up momentarily around No.15/4 Mahindarama Road, Ratmalana from where the cortege left with Police escort. The cortege is expected to reach Batticaloa in the early hours of Monday
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Resettled families in Thiriyai receive houses

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 May 2005, 17:19 GMT]
Twenty houses constructed in Thiriyai, a predominantly Tamil village, about 42 km north of Trincomalee district were handed to resettled families at an event held Friday evening. The World Bank funded North East Housing Reconstruction Programme (NEHRP) allocated one hundred thousand five hundred rupees for each house and the balance money was borne by the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO).
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Trade unions hold May Day rallies in Jaffna, Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 May 2005, 13:59 GMT]
Tamil speaking trade unions under one wing held May rallies followed by processions in Jaffna and Trincomalee Sunday with large number of trade union activists participating. Marchers carried photograph of journalist Mr.D.Sivaram who was brutally killed in Colombo last Thursday.
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Heavy security marks May day rallies in Colombo

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 May 2005, 11:37 GMT]
Thousands of supporters of major political parties in southern Sri Lanka joined the May day rallies being held in capital Colombo, amidst heavy security measures. The ruling United People’s Front Alliance (UPFA) is holding a rally at the Galle Face Green, under the patronage of Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunge. Several government Ministers, Parliamentarians and UPFA leaders are taking part in the rally, sources in capital said.
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