SLMM Head visits Sea Tiger base in Mullaithivu

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 May 2006, 23:56 GMT]
"Unless the SLMM is present in LTTE vessels, the monitors would not be able to make clear judgements on the disputes that may arise between the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) in the seas," Col. Soosai, the special commander of the LTTE told Maj. Gen. Ulf Henricsson, who was on a familiarising trip to LTTE controlled areas this week. The Sea Tiger Special Commander received the Head of Mission in Mullaithivu on Wednesday.
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Policeman shot dead in Kallady, Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 May 2006, 22:58 GMT]
Unidentified gunman shot dead policeman Shanmugam Kannathasan, 38, attached to Batticaloa police station Wednesday evening around 7.10 p.m, fifty meters from the Kallady bridge on the Kalmunai-Batticaloa road police check post in Batticaloa town, said Batticaloa police.
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Families flee from Batticaloa border villages

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 May 2006, 17:40 GMT]
Batticaloa Government Agent (GA) Mr. S. Punniyamoorthy said Wednesday that more than 65 families fleeing from the border villages of Batticaloa district have been placed in the Kirimichchai school building in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam controlled (LTTE) region.
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Gunmen fire at Batticaloa STF post killing home guard

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 May 2006, 17:23 GMT]
Unknown gunmen opened fire at the Special Task Force (STF) sentry post at the 25th mile post in Maha oya - Mangalagama border area of Batticaloa, on Wednesday 12:45 am killing a home guard, Shantha Bandara, who was on sentry duties at the post, said Bakiella police.
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SLA officer killed in Nelliady firefight

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 May 2006, 12:21 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officer, Lance Corporal Chandraratne, 41, was killed during a firefight between SLA group on foot patrol and unknown gunmen along the Jaffna Point-Pedro road, between Nelliady junction and Malisanthai junction at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, sources from Jaffna said.
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Security fears force Mannar farmers to abandon Yala cultivation

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 May 2006, 10:48 GMT]
Mannar district Farmers who cultivate paddy under the Kattukarai Tank have decided not to carry out Yala (2006) cultivation because of current tense security situation. The decision was taken at a meeting of Management Committee of Kattukarai Tank held recently at Murunkan-Semman Tivu area in Mannar district, sources said.
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Body of unidentified youth found in Mannar

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 May 2006, 10:19 GMT]
The body of an unidentified youth aged about 25 was found in a fertilizer bag along Keery sea beach in Mannar town Wednesday morning around 8 a.m. by members of public, Mannar Police said.
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Female body found in Akkaraipattu

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 May 2006, 10:18 GMT]
The dead body of a woman 30 to 35 years of age, suspected as that of a Muslim woman, was found on Oluvil beach in Akkaraipattu Batticaloa Tuesday around 5.30 p.m by local residents, said Akkaripattu police.
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Tamil families flee Muttur town

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 May 2006, 09:28 GMT]
Tamil families in the government controlled Muttur town in the Trincomalee district have started moving out to safer areas due to the escalation in number of killings of young men, sources said. About ten Tamil families left Muttur town by ferry to Trincomalee town Tuesday morning.
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Manthuvil parents to file habeas corpus petition against Varani SLA

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 May 2006, 03:53 GMT]
Lawyers representing the parents of the eight civilians who disappeared from the Manthuvil East Seerani Kelakkai temple on the night of May 6 will file habeas corpus petitions in Jaffna High Court against the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) commanding officers stationed in the 52-4 Brigade headquarters in Varany, legal sources in Jaffna said. The parents are accusing the SLA soldiers from the Varany camp, located 3 km from the Kelakkai temple, of complicity in the disappearance of their sons.
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Fighting breaks out near Nagarkovil FDL

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 May 2006, 02:03 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and Liberation Tigers exchanged mortar and artillery fire near the Nagarkovil Forward Defence Line (FDL) in Vadamaradchy east from 5:55 a.m. till about 8:00 a.m., Wednesday, sources in Jaffna said. LTTE has advanced significant distance towards the SLA's FDL and, SLA has been forced to move back from their FDLs, sources said.
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One soldier killed, three injured in Batticaloa claymore attack

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 May 2006, 18:10 GMT]
One Sri Lanka Army (SLA) trooper was killed and three soldiers were injured in a side charger type Claymore attack at Jeyanthapuram, 1.5 Kilometers north of Batticaloa on Monday at 7:45 p.m., police sources said.
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Ex-LTTE cadre shot dead in Peythalai

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 May 2006, 17:59 GMT]
Masked gun men shot dead Thankaraja Rajanikanth, 26, a labourer who had left the LTTE several years ago, on Monday at 12:15 AM in Peythalai-Karungkalicholai within Valaichchenai police division in Batticaloa, Valaichchenai police said.
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Two SLA troopers injured in Chullipuram attack

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 May 2006, 15:40 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were seriously injured when a group of five unidentified gunmen fired at soldiers working in a compound near Chulipuram junction in Valligamam Tuesday 12:00 noon, sources in Jaffna said. The soldiers were cutting trees to reinforce the SLA camp located near Chullipuram Victoria College when the attack took place.
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Mannar, Jaffna Bishops meet SL President

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 May 2006, 11:46 GMT]
Rev. Fr. Rayappu Joseph, Bishop of Mannar, and Rev. Fr. Thomas Saundaranayagam, Bishop of Jaffna, met Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse Tuesday in Colombo, and discussed the ground situation in the Northeast, sources in Colombo said.
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Captured Karuna cadres meet SLMM, ICRC

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 May 2006, 11:02 GMT]
Two cadres of Karuna paramilitary group who were captured by the fighters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on May 26th briefed the representatives of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) and the media Tuesday morning at the Trincomalee district political secretariat in Sampoor located in Muttur east. Mr.S.Elilan, LTTE district political secretariat was also present at the briefing, LTTE sources said.
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U.S. Assistant Secretary of State to visit Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 May 2006, 10:50 GMT]
The U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Ambassador Richard A. Boucher, will visit Sri Lanka on June 1, 2006 after attending the meeting of Tokyo donors co-chairs group, a press release issued by the US Embassy in Colombo Tuesday said. Mr. Boucher will meet with Sri Lankan government officials and businessmen to discuss the current political and economic climate in the country, as well as review the state of bilateral relations, the release added.
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Sri Lankan Government must make dramatic political changes - Co-chairs

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 May 2006, 09:05 GMT]
The Government of Sri Lanka must show that it will address the legitamate grievances of the Tamils and the Tamil Tigers must re-enter the negotiating process, renounce terrorism and violence, said Co-Chairs of the Tokyo Donor Conference. Colombo must immediately prevent groups based in its territory from carrying out violence and acts of terrorism. It must protect the rights and security of Tamils, ensure violators are prosecuted and must show that it is ready to make the dramatic political changes to bring about a new system of governance. The international community will support such steps; failure to take such steps will diminish international support, said the strong worded statement.
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Omadiyamadu massacre, a planned act to discredit Tigers - LTTE

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 May 2006, 08:11 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Media Coordinator, Daya Master, on Tuesday, charged that the forces seeking to discredit Tigers, were behind the massacre of the Sinhalese workers who were settled in Omadiyamadu for Irrigation project work. The forces seeking to marginalise the Tigers, after the EU ban, have "designed and executed" the killings in the border village of Omadiyamadu, which was once used by the paramilitary Karuna Group, Daya master said.
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Toronto protest draws the largest crowd despite a transit strike

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 May 2006, 07:09 GMT]
Tens of thousands of Canadian Tamils thronged Mel Lastman Square in Toronto Canada Monday inspite of a transit strike in the city to protest against the human rights abuses committed by the Government of Sri Lanka against their relatives in the North and East. The rally in Toronto was the largest of in worldwide demonstrations that were held simultaneously from New Zealand to Canada. The larger venue overflowed and the people stayed on adjoining streets.
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13 Sinhalese settlers killed in Omadiyamadu, Welikanda

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 May 2006, 06:02 GMT]
Unknown attackers who entered the Sinhala settlement village of Rantharathenna in Omadiyamadu, around 10 km north of Welikanda in Polonnaruwa, Batticaloa border Monday night shot and cut to death 13 Sinhala settlers. Welikanda Police said 2 persons were admitted to Polonnaruwa and Welikanda hospitals. The attack on the village took place around 8:30 p.m. Monday, the Police said. Additional Sri Lanka Army soldiers were rushed to the village Tuesday morning. Omadiyamdu village was once used as a base for paramilitary Karuna Group.
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Canadian Tamils join global protest against EU ban

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 May 2006, 02:56 GMT]
On the Tamil Diaspora's day of solidarity around the world, more than 4,000 Canadian Tamils stood in front of the federal parliament in Ottawa Monday to protest against the European Union ban of Liberation Tigers, and to condemn the killing of Tamil civilians by the Sri Lanka security forces. Four parliamentarians addressed the crowd, including a member of the governing party. All parliamentarians expressed their solidarity with the Tamil cause, and one of them promised to raise the Tamil issue in the House.
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South African Tamils join protest against EU ban

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 May 2006, 21:49 GMT]
Hundreds of Tamils braved the cold winter evening in Durban South Africa to joined in solidarity with fellow Tamils across the world Monday to voice their objection to the impending ban of Liberation Tigers by the European Union. The protest demonstration was held at the Magazine Barracks Temple, Durban was organized by the Tamil Co-ordinating committee of South Africa.
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EU bans LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 May 2006, 20:39 GMT]
The European Union (EU) ministers Monday evening listed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in EU's list of "terrorist organizations" while Tamil diaspora was holding worldwide protests including in several European capitols against the ban. The decision, widely expected to have an adverse affect on the already tenuous peace process, has been officially approved, agency reports from Brussels said.
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3000 Tamils rally in Bern, Switzerland, braving rain

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 May 2006, 18:08 GMT]
The European Union (EU) move to ban Liberation Tigers, despite the continued killings of Tamil activists and civilians, is unjust, said Julia Jean Marie, a French professor, addressing the Tamil rally held in front of the Swiss Parliament in Bern. "Tamil struggle has overcome many hurdles. The NorthEast has matured into a state, and with its able leadership will succeed in overcoming all obstacles standing in their way to achieve their goal of right to self-rule," said Professor Julia Jean Marie, in fluent Tamil, in Bern where more than 3000 Tamils gathered from 13:45 p.m till 15:35 p.m., Monday.
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Dutch Tamils protest in Hague

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 May 2006, 17:44 GMT]
More than 600 Tamils from across Netherlands gathered in front of the Twedekamer, the Netherlands parliament, in the Hague, the political capital of the Netherlands from 11:45 a.m. till 2:00 p.m. Monday. The leader of the Tamil - Dutch soiidarity group, Savarimuttu Mahendran, talking to media said the Netherlands, once a colonial ruler of Tamil kingdom in the island of Sri Lanka, having a historic knowledge of Tamils sovereign rights, and ruled the Tamil kingdom separately as a nation, should come forward to help the Tamils re-establish their rights.
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Tamils protest in Denmark, Sweden, 2500 march in Oslo

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 May 2006, 17:03 GMT]
More than 2500 Norwegian Tamils assembled at juni plassen Victoria Terrasse Monday 2.00 p.m in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), the facilitator's main office in Oslo, and marched to the Norwegian parliament, the Stortinget. Protest rallies were also held in Denmark and Sweden.
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Two SLA troopers injured in Valaichenai attack

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 May 2006, 15:44 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen opened fire on Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers of the Kalkuda Army camp on Monday afternoon around 2.45 p.m. on the Pethalai road in the Valaichenai police division, injuring two SLA troopers, Valaichenai police said. Wijeyasekara, 34, and Jakath, 38, the two injured troopers, were rushed to Valaichenai hospital where they are being treated, added the source.
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Two Araly fishermen found murdered, SLN complicity suspected

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 May 2006, 14:28 GMT]
Two fishermen who went to fish in Araly West seas in Valigamam were found murdered, and their bodies recovered from shrub jungles close to the Araly coast Monday morning, sources from Jaffna said. Residents of Araly allege complicity of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) soldiers in the murder of the two fishermen, according to sources.
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Peace activists rally in Colombo

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 May 2006, 13:23 GMT]
More than one thousand peace activists from National Peace Council (NPC), representatives from its branches in all districts, and members from organizations that advocate, peace, democracy and human rights, belonging to all ethnic communities protested against the killing of innocents in a deteriorating situation in Sri Lanka that is leading towards war, at Lipton Circle Monday between 11:00 a.m. and 01:00 p.m, sources in Colombo said.
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Curbing diaspora support counter-productive, say Finnish Tamils

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 May 2006, 13:11 GMT]
The representatives of the Tamil organisations in Finland, who met the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials, after marching 2 km from the Helsinki EU office to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Merikasarminkatu Monday noon, told media that Norway which skillfully executed the facilitator role during the challenging internal opposition from the Sinhala extreme nationalist parties, was now being alienated by the external factors arising from the EU's move to ban the LTTE. More than 170 Tamils took part in Finland where a 250 Tamils live.
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Civilian killed in Claymore attack in LTTE controlled territory

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 May 2006, 13:06 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers who penetrated 4 kilometers into the LTTE controlled Vilathikulam from the SLA camp in Iranai Iuppaikkulam, 20 km northwest of Vavuniya, exploded a Claymore mine killing a civilian who was cycling Monday morning, LTTE officials in Vavuniya said.
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Civilian, EPDP member killed in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 May 2006, 12:47 GMT]
Two civilians were killed in Jaffna district Monday in the continuing violence that has gripped the Peninsula, sources in Jaffna said. In Erlalai North near the border of Palaly High Security Zone, Subramaniam Thevaraj (alias Ranjan) was killed by unknown gunmen at 10:30 a.m. In Navanthurai inside the Municipal district, Michael Johnson was shot dead by unknown gunmen in front of St.Nicholas Church at 12:30 p.m. Monday, sources said.
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Muttur youth missing after arrest by SLA

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 May 2006, 11:54 GMT]
A Tamil youth arrested nearly a month earlier in Iruthayapuram in the SL Government controlled Muttur division by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) during a cordon and search operation has not been produced in court yet, legal sources said. Mr.K.Thurairatnasingham, Trincomalee district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Monday requested the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) for Eastern Region to urgently inquiry into the whereabouts of the youth, sources said.
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Australian Tamils call for an end to military occupation in Tamil homeland

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 May 2006, 06:46 GMT]
Over 1200 Tamils from across Australia gathered in front of their national parliament on Monday, May 29, to raise the voices in concert with the global protest campaign organised by the Tamil Diaspora. Parliamentarians from all sides of Australian politics, religious dignitaries, people who had been to the homelands and others addressed the protesters between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. The parliamentarians expressed their conviction that the gathering had conveyed the level of support amongst the Diaspora for the Tamil cause. Some parliamentarians undertook to convey this message of support to the rest of the politicians.
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New Zealand MP, HR activists address fasting Tamils

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 May 2006, 06:16 GMT]
A New Zealand Parliamentarian, Keith Locke, pledged continued support to Tamil rights, and a Human Rights activist, Marie Leadbeater, addressing the Tamils who held a fasting protest Monday at Aotea Square in Auckland city, hightlighted the significance of Tamils right to self-determination, said the organisors of the campaign, the Consortium of Tamil Associations in New Zealand (CONTAZ).
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US Tamils call for stop to extra-judicial killings

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 May 2006, 02:48 GMT]
Pointing out that "Scandinavian Cease Fire Monitors have declared that members of GOSL forces and paramilitaries are involved in extra-judicial killings," a joint press release issued by Tamil organizations in the US Sunday warned, "If the CFA and the peace process are to be saved, extra -judicial killings and other violations of human rights of Tamils must end and those responsible be punished, and paramilitaries be disarmed," and called on the US Administration to "ensure that these are implemented immediately by the Government of Sri Lanka."
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LTTE protests appointment of military officer as Trincomalee GA

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 May 2006, 16:35 GMT]
S.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Sunday protested to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in the east port town, the appointment of a retired Major General of the Sri Lanka Army as the Government Agent of the Trincomalee district by the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL), LTTE sources said. Elilan said that the civil administration of the district will be militarized by the appointment.
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Two SLA soldiers injured in Thenmaradchy firefight

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 May 2006, 13:49 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were seriously injured in a firefight in Kovilakandy in Thenmaradchy SouthWest inside the High Security Zone (HSZ) when unknown gunmen attacked a SLA foot patrol which was returning to the camp at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, sources in Thenamaradchy said. Firefight followed by grenade attack lasted for more than 10 minutes, sources added.
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Trader shot dead in Vaddukkoddai

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 May 2006, 12:48 GMT]
The owner of a communications center located in Moolai road in Vaddukkodai, Valigamam, Jaffna was shot dead and a friend of his seriously injured by gunshot wounds at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, sources in Jaffna said. Gunmen, alleged to be belonging to paramiitaries working with Sri Lanka Army (SLA) intelligence, bound the hands of the two, took them to an area behind the shop, and sprayed the men with bullets from short range, sources said.
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Jaffna Rights official receives death threats

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 May 2006, 09:39 GMT]
Rohitha Priyadharshana, co-ordinator at the Human Rights Commission (HRC) in Jaffna, received a letter Friday threatening his life if he does not vacate his post, officials in the HRC said. A man believed to be a paramilitary working with Sri Lanka Military Intelligence, gave the letter, written in Tamil, through an employee at the HRC office, according to officials. The letter included Priyadharshana has been leading the investigation in several landmark cases where Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers of Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) were blamed for killing civilians, civil society sources said.
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Tamil youth shot dead in Muttur town

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 May 2006, 09:28 GMT]
A Tamil youth was shot dead Saturday night around 8:30 p.m. along Church Road in the government controlled Muttur town by unidentified men. The youth is not identified yet, Police sources said.
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Bauer discusses refugees' plight with TRO officials

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 May 2006, 21:15 GMT]
Norwegian Special Peace Envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer and members of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) met with Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) officials at the TRO Secretariat Saturday 10:00 a.m. and discussed the escalating number of refugees and the ground situation in Jaffna and in the affected parts of Trincomalee, TRO sources in Kilinochchi said.
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Repatriation of refugees stopped by UNHCR intervention

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 May 2006, 18:33 GMT]
Intervention by officials of the UNHCR in Sri Lanka and representatives from the Norway Refugee Council has stopped temporarily efforts by the Puttalam District Secretariat officials to force 114 refugees from 29 families who were displaced from Thambalagamam in Trincomalee to Udappu in Selvapuram Puttalam to return to their villages, civil society sources in Puttalam said. Families fled their native Thambalagamam due to fear for their lives, artillery attacks by the security forces and escalating levels of violence in Trincomalee.
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Vehicle blast in Wilpattu national park, 8 feared dead

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 May 2006, 16:51 GMT]
A tourist vehicle with eight persons on board was feared blown in a bomb blast Saturday noon, northwest of Willpattu national park, fellow tourists from Colombo have complained to Nochchiyagama Police. Wilpattu, the largest national park and a refuge for elephants and leopards, was re-opened after the 2002 Ceasefire agreement. Sri Lanka Army sources in Colombo, confirmed the blast, and said casualty details were not known.
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Two young boys killed in SLA attack on civilian tractor

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 May 2006, 15:14 GMT]
A 12 and a 15-year-old boys were killed when Sri Lanka Army soldiers, who had moved into Thikiliveddai, an LTTE controlled border area, beyond the Kinnayadi lagoon, Saturday afternoon at 3:00 p.m., ambushed a tractor with farmers. Three civilians were wounded, Daya Mohan, Head of Batticaloa Political Wing of the LTTE said.
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Tamil auxiliary, SLA penetration team clash in Madhu, 1 dead

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 May 2006, 14:32 GMT]
One Tamil auxiliary cadre was killed and another rushed to Kilinochchi hospital when Tamil auxiliary cadres who were on a road clearing mission in Madhu area on Parappukadanthan Road confronted a group of 15 Sri Lanka Army personnel who were hiding with a Claymore mine attached to a tree in the area, Mannar Political Wing Head of the Tigers, S. Iniyavan said. The penetration group, spotted by the auxiliary cadres of the road clearing patrol around 3:30 p.m., Saturday, exploded the Claymore and fled the scene after exchanging gunfire with the auxiliary cadres. The clash was reported inside the holy zone of the historic Madu church, Mr. Iniyavan further said.
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Tamil youth abducted in Muttur

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 May 2006, 10:55 GMT]
Mr.Mathavarajah Sathananthan, 26, of Kadatkaraichchenai in Muttur east was abducted Saturday morning around 9:00 a.m. by a group of unidentified persons in a white-coloured van from the Muttur jetty when he was waiting to travel to Trincomalee town by ferry with his wife. This incident was witnessed by several members of the public who were present at the site, civil sources said.
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LTTE to reconsider CFA if EU bans the movement

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 May 2006, 10:18 GMT]
Liberation Tigers will be forced to reconsider the relevance of the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) to the peace process, and LTTE's committment and adherence to the CFA, if the European Union carries out its threat of proscribing the LTTE, S.P. Thamilchelvan, Head of LTTE's Political Wing, told TamilNet after meeting Norwegian Special Peace Envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer in Kilinochchi on Saturday.
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SLA cordons, searches Jaffna Teaching Hospital building

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 May 2006, 09:48 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and Police cordoned off and searched the cafeteria area functioning inside the Jaffna Teaching Hospital premises for more than an hour from 12:30 p.m., Saturday, sources said. One cafeteria employee was taken to Jaffna Police station for further inquries according to sources.
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Colombo imposes embargo on cement, steel, limits fuel supply to North

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 May 2006, 09:44 GMT]
Sri Lankan defense authorities, on Friday, banned the transportation of cement and steel to North. Government Agents (GAs) in Jaffna and Vavuniya have been informed of the decision by the Defense Ministry in contravention of the provisions in the February 2002 Ceasefire Agreement, political sources said. More than 20 lorries loaded with cement have been stopped at Omanthai checkpost Friday and are being held at the checkpost awaiting instructions from Defense Ministry, sources said.
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Shelling reported at Batticaloa north entry point

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 May 2006, 04:18 GMT]
Shelling and gunfire was reported across Kinnaiyadi lagoon in LTTE, SLA FDL posts located in Kinnaiyadi, nortwest of Batticaloa, civilian sources said. The gunfire was continuing for more than 30 minutes from morning 8:30. Civilians near the SLA sentry posts were moving towards Karuvakerny and Valaichenai areas. Kinnaiyadi is located 26 km northwest of Batticaloa.
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Tamil man shot dead in Akkaraipattu

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 May 2006, 03:53 GMT]
Two motorbike-riding gunmen shot and killed a Tamil man near Ayesha Balika Maha Vidyalayam in Akkaraipattu, 58 km south of Batticaloa around 10:30 p.m. Friday, Police said.
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Trader shot dead in Achchuveli, relative wounded

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 May 2006, 03:33 GMT]
A grocery shop owner was shot and killed at his residence around 9:00 p.m. Saturday in Achchuveli, close to the Sri Lanka Army High Security Zone in Valikamam in Jaffna district. A relative who attempted to rescue the victim from the gunfire, was seriously wounded. Fear has gripped Achcuveli, Puttur and Neerveli areas where killings were escalating during the recent days.
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Trader shot dead in Ariyalai

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 May 2006, 03:12 GMT]
Two motorbike-riding gunmen shot and killed a video rental shop owner on Ponnambalam Road in Ariyalai around 7:45 p.m. Friday, Police said. Residents in the area alleged that the gunmen who followed the victim were Sri Lanka Army operated gunmen.
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Local elections candidate shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 May 2006, 02:46 GMT]
A local elections candidate, representing Tamil National Alliance party ITAK in Achchuveli, Mr. Mather Sellathurai, 75, was shot and killed by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) operated gunmen around 9:00 p.m. Friday at his residence in SLA controlled Achchuveli South in Valikamam division, Jaffna district.
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SLA Commander wants fleeing Trinco refugees sent back

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 May 2006, 02:27 GMT]
Maj. Gen. Munasinghe, the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) 21-2 Brigade in Mannar has directed Mannar Divisional Secretary Ms. Stanley de Mel Friday morning to advise the Tamil refugees from Trincomalee, arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) in the TalaiMannar seas while fleeing to Tamil Nadu, to return to their homes in Trincomalee, said sources from Mannar. The Tamil refugees were fleeing for safety from aerial bombardment and artillery fire from Sri Lanka Security forces in several areas of Trincomalee, civil society sources said.
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Trader shot dead in Neervely, Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 May 2006, 01:49 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen shot and killed L. Yasotharan, 35, a trader in front of his shop located in Neervely on the Jaffna-Point Pedro road, Friday evening around 5.00 p.m, said sources from Jaffna. Yasotharan, seriously injured was immediately rushed to Jaffna Teaching hospital but later succumbed to his gunshot wounds at the hospital, hospital sources said.
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Policeman injured in grenade attack in Murungan

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 May 2006, 21:56 GMT]
A Sri Lankan Policeman was seriously injured when unidentified men lobbed a grenade and opened fire at police post at Isaimalai Thalvu in Murungan on the Mannar-Madawachchi road, around 9.30 p.m., Thursday. The injured policeman was identified as S. B. Suthath 40, said, Murungan police said.
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Solheim meets SL President Rajapakse

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 May 2006, 18:34 GMT]
Mr. Erik Solheim, Norwegian International Development Minister, arrived at Katunayake International Airport Friday 6. a.m and met with Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse at 11:00 a.m,. Mr. Solheim proceeded to India Friday around 6 p.m, where he will be meeting the Secretary of the Foreign Ministry, sources in Colombo.
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Diaspora Tamils to hold protests worldwide

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 May 2006, 11:03 GMT]
Sri Lanka Tamil diaspora organisations in Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and in Scandinavian countries, are to hold rallies voicing protest Monday, 29th May, against the expected proscription of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) by the European Union next week, organizers of the protests said. Protesters will conduct peaceful demonstrations in front of the Parliaments in their respective countries, said leaflets calling expatriate Sri Lanka Tamils to join the protests.
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NEIAP Deputy Project Director assassinated in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 May 2006, 10:19 GMT]
Duputy Project Director (DPD) of the World Bank assisted North East Irrigated Agriculture Project (NEIAP), Ratnam Ratnarajah, 48, was shot and killed by paramilitary cadres near his residence in Sri Lanka Army controlled Kalviyankadu, north of Batticaloa town at 14:15 p.m. Informed officers close to the slain NEIAP official, said, Mr. Ratnarajah, a disciplined and committed Director, was receiving a series of threatening phone calls allegedly from paramilitary operatives, asking the Director to employ Karuna group paramilitary Markan's relatives in NEIAP clerical positions.
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Claymore blast targets SLA bowser in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 May 2006, 09:23 GMT]
Unidentified attackers attacked a Sri Lanka Army bowser at Urani on Batticaloa - Trincomalee Road around 12:10 p.m. Friday. No one was wounded and the bowser sustained only minor damage, SLA officials said.
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Ex-EPDP cadre shot in Kayts

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 May 2006, 08:38 GMT]
unidentified gunmen shot and wounded an ex-EPDP member at Puliyankoodal in Urkavathurai (Kayts) islet in Jaffna. The incident took place near Inthan Pillayar temple around 11:30 a.m. Friday, Police sources said.
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SLA soldiers gun down two youths in Nallur, Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 May 2006, 08:31 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers shot and killed two youths riding in a motorbike at Aadiyapatham junction, around 12:20 p.m. Friday. SLA sources in Jaffna claimed that their troopers shot at attackers who were fleeing after firing on a Police post. However, eyewitnesses said that the soldiers stationed at the junction aimed at the motorbike approaching the juntion. The nearest police post is 400 meters away from the Adiyapatham junction.
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3 paramilitary cadres killed, 2 captured in Trincomalee - LTTE

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 May 2006, 08:23 GMT]
A counter-ambush commando unit of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), killed 3 Karuna group paramilitary cadres and captured two cadres alive Friday morning around 7.30 a.m. when it launched an attack on the infiltrating five-member paramilitary group from the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp located in Pattiaddy, about 200 meters into the no-man zone from the SLA controlled area in the Trincomalee district, LTTE officials in Sampoor said.
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STF orders shops closed in Batticaloa as punishment

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 May 2006, 22:55 GMT]
"Special Task Force (STF) troopers went around the markets in Arayampathy and Kalavanchikudy areas in Batticaloa district Thursday around 12.30 p.m, assaulting many traders and forcing them to close their shops for five additional days, as punishment for their current two day voluntary shop shut down as a mark of respect for Col. Ramanan, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Deputy Commander of Batticaloa district, who was killed on Sunday" said Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian P. Ariyanenthiran.
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Rising number of displaced makes CFA meaningless - Elilan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 May 2006, 21:14 GMT]
"It is meaningless to say that we live in a peaceful period with the signing of a ceasefire agreement when increasing numbers of Tamil people are being displaced and forced to live under tree shades and culverts to save their lives from aerial bombardment and artillery attacks," said Mr.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) addressing a condolence meeting held at Pattalipuram Tamil School mourning the death of Mr.Oppilamany Sankaran, a member of LTTE auxiliary force.
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Policeman shot dead in Kallady, Battticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 May 2006, 18:10 GMT]
An unidentified gunman shot dead a police constable Arokiam Prasanna 40, attached to Batticaloa police station Thursday afternoon around 3.45 p.m., close to Kallady Pillayar temple, located 2 km south of Batticaloa town, said Batticaloa police.
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SLA soldier, civilian killed in Claymore attack

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 May 2006, 15:59 GMT]
Unidentified attackers exploded a side charger Claymore mine, killing an SLA soldier and a civilian, on Kokkuvil- Anaikoddai Road, 300 meters from Kokkuvil Junction, around 6:00 p.m. Thursday. The wounded trooper and the dead body of the soldier, were taken to Palaly military base hospital, Police said.
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SLA detains two youths in Karaveddy

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 May 2006, 13:33 GMT]
Two youths who were waiting at a bus stop at Puraporukki along Jaffna Point-Pedro road in Karaveddy were arrested by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers during a search operation Thursday, local residents said. The youths were immediatley flown to Palaly military base. The SLA authorities in Jaffna said the troops launched a search in the area after they recovered a claymore mine on Jaffna- Pt.Pedro main road, around 10 a.m., Thursday.
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Mannar Dialog telecom users under SL Military surveillance

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 May 2006, 11:39 GMT]
A Special Telecommunication technical team from Sri Lanka Security forces Thursday morning was seen upgrading Base Transceiver Station (BTS) equipment belonging to Dialog Telecom located under the telecom-tower in Mannar, sources from Mannar said. The work was carried under heavy security and was believed to facilitate closer monitoring of a section of cellular users.
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LTTE FDL commander dies in accidental explosion

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 May 2006, 11:17 GMT]
Lt. Col. Veeramani, a former Commander of the Charles Antony Regiment of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and later a field commanding official, responsible for the Nagarkovil Forward Defence Line (FDL) points, Wednesday night succumbed to his wounds from an accidental explosion, LTTE officials in Kilinochchi said. Lt. Col. Veeramani, who recovered from earlier wounds in the battlefield, has been in charge of FDL points in Nagarkovil.
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Home guard shot, injured in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 May 2006, 11:01 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen who came riding a motorbike Thursday morning around 10:00 a.m. shot and seriously injured a home guard at Palaiyootu, a suburb of Trincomalee town, police sources said. The home guard was immediately taken to Anuradhapura hospital where he was operated. Earlier report said he was killed in the incident.
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Ambush kills LTTE member in Madhu

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 May 2006, 10:32 GMT]
A member of the Liberation Tigers was killed and a civilian driver was seriously injured when the Sri Lanka Army soldiers who had advanced in to LTTE held area, set off a mine targetting a tractor that was transporting food to LTTE'S forward defence lines (FDL) in Madhu, LTTE sources in Mannar said. The ambush occured around 9.50 p.m., Wednesday, the sources said.
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Ramanan, an accomplished Planning Commander- Balraj, Pottu

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 May 2006, 08:10 GMT]
Senior LTTE Commander Col. Balraj, addressing the people gathered in Kilinochchi Wednesday to pay respects to Tiger Senior Commander Col. Ramanan said Ramanan was a gifted planning Commander skilled in handling information. Meanwhile, the Tiger Intelligence Chief Pottu, in an interview to the National Television of Tamil Eelam (NTT), on Wednesday revealed that Ramanan was a key brain behind the weakening of the Razeek paramilitary group in Batticaloa, sources from Kilinochchi said.
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Claymore blast kills 4 policemen in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 May 2006, 07:30 GMT]
Four policemen were killed and another wounded when the vehicle in which they were travelling was hit by a claymore blast, at Sea Street in Kattankudy, 5 k.m. south of Batticaloa town, around 7 a.m., Saturday, accoring to police in the eastern town.
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SLMM told of STF harassment in Amparai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 May 2006, 01:46 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Head of Amparai District Political Wing, Mr. Jeya, registered a complaint with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) detailing the harassment caused by the Kanchirankuda Sri Lanka Special Task Force (STF) to the residents of Amparai district, sources in Amparai said. The complaint was made during a meeting with SLMM Amparai District representatives Tuesday 10.00 a.m at the LTTE political wing office at Pavatta in Amparai district, sources from Amparai said.
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Col. Ramanan's remains buried with military honours in Thandiyady

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 May 2006, 01:18 GMT]
The remains of Col. Ramanan, the Deputy Head of the LTTE Military wing, assassinated by a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) sniper at Vavunativu Forward Defence Line (FDL) Sunday the 21st May 2006 was buried with military honour at the Thandiyady Martyrs Resting Home Wednesday evening around 6.00 p.m, attended by several leading citizens, LTTE cadres and residents of Amparai and Batticaloa districts, sources in Batticaloa said.
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SLA mounts mortar attacks on Vavunathivu LTTE FDLs

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 May 2006, 22:37 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army ( SLA) soldiers launched morter attacks on Liberation Tigers controlled Vavunathivu Forward Defence Lines (FDL) in Batticaloa and surrounding areas from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. Thursday, sources from the east said. LTTE officials have confirmed that there were no irjuries or damages to property in the attacks.
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Refugee bodies washed ashore at Nedunthivu

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 May 2006, 21:02 GMT]
Two severely decomposed bodies that washed ashore Wednesday at Nedunthivu coast have been handed over to the Jaffna Teaching hospital mortuary by Urkavatthurai police. It is feared the bodies, one male and the other female, may be that of the refugees who drowned after their boat capsized en route to Rameswaram from Mannar Saturday morning.
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Magistrate orders for police report on Tamil civilian killing

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 May 2006, 18:37 GMT]
Muttur Magistrate Mr.Manickavasagar Ganesharajah Wednesday ordered the Muttur Police to submit a full report on the killing of Mr.T.Chandran of Pallikudiruppu. The Magistrate further directed the police to record statements of persons in the army sentry located along Pallikudiruppu-Thoppur road as the body of the dead civilian was found in front of the army sentry, legal sources said.
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SLA troopers cordon, search Trincomalee town

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 May 2006, 18:26 GMT]
Sri Lankan armed forces and policemen launched a lightning cordon and search operation in the heart of east port Trincomalee town covering Main Street and Central Road with the assistance of sniffer dogs on a tip off that an explosive had been concealed in a house. No explosives were found during the search and no one was arrested in the search operation, police sources said.
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SLA post ambushed in Thondamanaru, Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 May 2006, 17:57 GMT]
Unknown gunmen lobbed grenades and opened fire at a sentry post attached to 52-4 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp at Kerudavil near Thondamanaru in Vadamaradchi around 7:50 p.m. Wednesday. There are casualties, according to SLA sources.
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Peace sacrificed for counter insurgency by Colombo - Col. Jeyam

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 May 2006, 17:42 GMT]
“The Sri Lankan government and its forces, obsessed with the idea of destroying our movement, has, without realising the strategic advantages of making peace, used various counter insurgency tactics throughout the peace process to kill our cadres,” said Colonel Jeyam, a top commander of the LTTE, addressing crowds gathered in Mullaitivu to pay their respects to Colonel Ramanan, who was assassinated Sunday by a Sri Lanka Army sniper.
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SLA arrests son taking coffin to father's funeral

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 May 2006, 16:05 GMT]
Mr. Thavithu Robinson, 27, of Iranaithivu-Pooneryn was arrested by soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Wednesday around 11 a.m. at Uyilankulam checkpoint located on the border of SLA and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled areas in Mannar district when he was transporting coffin for the funeral of his father Mr.Madutheen Thaveathu (David), 57, who died Tuesday in his home village Iranaimathanagar in Mulankavil. He was taken into custody by the army for allegedly possessing a T-56 live bullet, security sources said.
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Tamil civilian killed in Thoppur

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 May 2006, 16:02 GMT]
T. Chandran, a Tamil civilian, was found dead with gunshot injuries in paddy field near a sentry point of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Pallikudiruppu-Thoppur road in the government controlled area Wednesday morning. He had been reported missing from Tuesday since he left Liberation Tigers held Pallikudiruppu to Thoppur in the government controlled area in bicycle to sell fish, civil sources said.
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SLA artillery fire kills LTTE cadre in Kinniya

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 May 2006, 15:57 GMT]
A member of the Liberation Tigers' auxilliary force was killed during an artillery attack launched by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) from SLA camp in Kandalady in Eeachantivu in Kinniya division towards Liberation Tigers held Upparu village Wednesday morning around 9.45 a.m., LTTE sources in Sampoor said.
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Tamils cannot depend on SL Government for security- TNA

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 May 2006, 15:02 GMT]
"Killings of Tamil civilians continue unabated in the NorthEast. Thousands have fled and many are fleeing their villages fearing safety to their lives due to harassment of security forces, and instead of taking constructive steps to allay fears of Tamil people, the Government of Sri Lanka is taking steps harmful to the welfare of Tamil people," said the leader of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group R. Sampanthan during a press briefing held at the Sri Lanka Parliament building Wednesday noon, sources said.
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US funded Anti-corruption training for SL officials begins

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 May 2006, 13:27 GMT]
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is funding a training program for Sri Lankan officials and civil society directors to strengthen measures to combat corruption and monitor the spending of tsunami-related assistance, a press release from the US Embassy in Colombo said Wednesday. The program opened officially today at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall at a ceremony attended by USAID Mission Director Dr. Carol Becker.
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Claymore attack on SLA vehicle in Jaffna, policeman wounded

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 May 2006, 11:05 GMT]
Unidentified attackers exploded a Claymore mine targeting a Sri Lanka Army vehicle on Nallur Temple Road in Jaffna Wednesday afternoon. A policeman was wounded, SLA sources said. The SLA troopers opened fire and cordoned off the area for search operation. The Claymore mine was attached to a bicycle that was parked along the road, SLA officials said.
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Trincomalee refugees flee to Rameswaram

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 May 2006, 11:03 GMT]
More than 120 civilians belonging to 31 families reached Rameswaram in South India by boats from Mannar Wednesday, as numbers of refugees fleeing Trincomalee to South India escaleated, sources in Rameswaram said. Another 234 refugees had arrived in South India's coast Tuesday night. Civil society sources in Mannar said that around 1000 refugees from Sri Lanka Army (SLA) controlled areas of Thirukadaloor, Padukkai, Nilaveli and Kinniya in Trincomalee had come to Mannar and Talaimannar to flee the island, since the Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) bombing and the recent escalation of violence in Trincomalee.
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SLAF flies spy missions over LTTE controlled areas in Amparai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 May 2006, 10:50 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Amparai political head Mr. Jeya registered a complaint Wednesday with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) against the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) for employing low flying aircrafts in reconnaisance missions over LTTE territory in Amparai district, LTTE sources said. An aircraft was seen circling over Wednesday from 10 a.m to 12.00 p.m, said LTTE sources in Amparai.
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Two SLA soldiers, policeman killed in Claymore attack in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 May 2006, 07:22 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army troopers and a policeman riding in a tractor were killed in a Claymore explosion at Thandikulam, 4 km northwest of Vavuniya town, around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Police said.
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Tamil civilian shot and killed in Kalmunai

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 May 2006, 17:30 GMT]
Two motorbike-riding gunmen shot and killed a motor mechanic Tuesday around 7:00 p.m. at Manalchenai, a village in Kalmunai Police division, Police said.
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One killed, another injured in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 May 2006, 17:25 GMT]
The body of a young man with his throat cut, and hands and legs tied togetherwas found behind a church near Mallakam junction, north of Jaffna town, sources said. He was identified as Sivagnananam Sanjeevan, 25. The body is lying at the Jaffna hospital morgue, the police said.
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Kohona: paramilitary link with "lowest rank" of SL forces

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 May 2006, 16:50 GMT]
Amidst increasing accusations against Colombo of Sri Lankan troopers alleged involvement in extra-judicial killings and the terror-campaign let loose on Jaffna islets, Dr. Palitha Kohona, the Head of Sri Lanka Peace Secretariat, on Tuesday said that he suspects there might be contacts with the paramilitary cadres and the lower rank Sri Lankan troops.
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Armed men abduct four Batticaloa students, release three

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 May 2006, 16:37 GMT]
Unidentified armed men in a white van abducted a student riding a bicycle near Vantharumoolai University Tuesday around 4.10 p.m. At around 4.50 p.m the van tried to abduct five students standing near the Pethalai Sivan Temple in Valaichenai, but two of the students managed to escape, said sources in Batticaloa. The van with four abducted students sped away in the direction of Welikanda along the Colombo trunk road, in Batticaloa district, sources further said.
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Youth shot dead by SLA in Chenkalady

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 May 2006, 16:30 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers shot dead a Tamil youth in a location between Chenkalady Black Bridge and Kumaraveliyar village in Eravur police division in Batticaloa district Tuesday around 5.45 p.m, sources said. The shooting followed an attack on the SLA patrol unit on the Badula road near the Black Bridge, said sources in Batticaloa. The SLA retaliated with mortar attack and gunfire for 20 minutes, added the sources.
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Tamil schools receive circulars, official communications in Sinhala

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 May 2006, 14:08 GMT]
Tamil medium schools in Sri Lanka have been receiving circulars and other official documents from the Central Ministry of Education in Colombo in Sinhalese language only. No translation is provided because 99% of clerks in all eighteen branches of the Ministry of Education are Sinhalese, a senior ministry official said.
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Brattskar meets Thamilchelvan in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 May 2006, 11:58 GMT]
Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Hans Brattskar met with S. P. Thamilchelvan, Political Head of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Tuesday around 9.00 a.m at the LTTE Peace Secretariat in Kilinochchi, and discussed the forthcoming visit of Erik Solheim, Norwegian Minister and peace envoy, and the present critical situation in Sri Lanka, said sources in Kilinochchi. Brattskar arrived in Kilinochchi after visiting the site of Allapiddy killings on Monday.
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SLA builds new camp in Navatkuli

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 May 2006, 11:15 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) is building a new camp in Navatkuli Jaffna as part of a wider effort of expanding SLA positions in the Thenmaradchi sector of the Jaffna peninsula, sources from Jaffna said. About 300 troops from the 52-1 Brigade are putting up fences and building sentries between Navatkuli junction and Navatkuli bridge, civilian sources said.
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SLN arrests Tamil refugees in Mannar Sea

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 May 2006, 10:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) soldiers Monday night arrested seventeen Trincomalee Tamil families in Mannar seas when they werebeing taken in two boats to South India from Pesalai coast in Mannar district. The SLN later handed them to the Talaimannar Police, sources said.
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SLA soldier shot dead at Omanthai FDL

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 May 2006, 10:54 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier deployed at the Omanthai, Vavuniya Forward Defence Line (FDL) on security duty was shot and gravely injured at 4:00 a.m., Tuesday, sources in Vavuniya said. He died in the intensive care unit at the Vavuniya Hospital, according to sources.
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White Pigeon donates tri-wheeler bikes with UNICEF help

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 May 2006, 09:51 GMT]
White Pigeon Prosthesis Institute, with the financial assistance of UNICEF, has donated tri-wheeler bikes to 10 disabled persons in Killinochchi Monday.
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Decomposed body with gunshot wounds recovered in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 May 2006, 06:58 GMT]
Valaichenai ploice recovered a body of a male in semi-decomposed state with guns shot wounds at Pandimadu in Valaichenai police division Sunday 21st May on receiving information fro Pandimadu residents, said the police. At the inquest held by Additional Magistrate Mr. Ushan, the dead man's uncle S. Nagarajah, identified the body as belonging to Mahalingam Vijayakumar, a textile trader from Tamil Nadu, police added.
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Tamils to rally in front of Bern Parliament

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 May 2006, 03:14 GMT]
Expatriate Tamils from across countries in Europe are to stage a rally in front of Swiss parliament in Bern on the 29 May Monday at 1:00 p.m., leaflets distributed by the organizing officials said. The rally will urge the European countries to assist Tamils in achieving their self-determination rights or to recognize Tamils' right to secede, organizers said.
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Vigneswaran remembered in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 May 2006, 00:48 GMT]
Forty fifth day remembrance of late Mr.V.Vigneswaran, founder President of the Trincomalee District Tamil Peoples Forum was held at Trincomalee Town Hall Sunday. Mr.Vigneswaran was gunned down in the first week of April by unidentified armed men inside the premises of the Trincomalee main branch of the Bank of Ceylon along Dockyard Road in the security zone, sources said.
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Sri Lanka Inner Wheel District Chairman appointed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 May 2006, 00:04 GMT]
Mrs. Mangales Pathmanathan took office as the District Chairman of the Inner Wheel District 322 - Sri Lanka for the current year 2006-2007 at the 22nd District Assembly held at Galadari Hotel in Colombo Sunday. Mrs. Vinitha Gunaratne, outgoing District Chairman installed the new District Chairman.
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Batticaloa, Amparai districts mourn Ramanan's death

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 May 2006, 21:21 GMT]
Residents of Amparai and Batticaloa districts mourned the the death of Ramanan, a Senior Commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the East and the Deputy Head of the LTTE Military wing of the Batticaloa district, Monday sources in Batticaloa said.
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UN, US condemn attacks on humanitarian workers

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 May 2006, 14:07 GMT]
United Nations Resident Co-ordinator Colombo, and the Embassy of the United States in separate press releases issued Monday, condemned the grenade attack on international non-governmental organizations in Muttur, Trincomalee that resulted in injuries to local and international staffers.
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TNA appeals for an even-handed approach

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 May 2006, 13:48 GMT]
Pointing out that the "primary cause of the current violence has been due to the refusal of the Sri Lankan State to implement key provisions of the CFA that obligates the State to disarm and dismantle Paramilitary armed groups in the Northeast of Sri Lanka," the Tamil National Alliance in a press release issued Monday, urged "that no action be taken which casts the blame on one side," cautioning that "such a step can irretrievably harm the legitimate interests of the long-suffering Tamil people," and appealed to the European Union and the International Community for a "more even-handed approach."
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TRO condemns grenade attack, appeals for safety of NGO staffers

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 May 2006, 12:19 GMT]
Condemning the grenade attack on the NGOs in Trincomalee on Sunday, the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) expressed concern over the negative impact the attack will have on humanitarian work, and appealed to the Government of Sri Lanka to "fully investigate this violence and ensure the safety of all humanitarian workers," in a press release issued Monday.
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Sri Lanka government can still avert new war - LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 May 2006, 11:39 GMT]
"The objective conditions for an outbreak of war are developing. Yet, there is still a space in which meaningful steps could be taken by the Sri Lankan Government to contain the violence of the paramilitaries and the excesses of the armed forces and create a congenial environment for de-escalation,” the Liberation Tigers’ theoretician and chief negotiator, Mr. Anton Balasingham said this week in an extensive interview with the Sunday Times newspaper.
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LTTE blames SLA for grenade attack on Muttur INGO offices

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 May 2006, 10:36 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Monday blamed the Sri Lanka Army(SLA) for the grenade attack at the offices of three international non-governmental organizations, Inter-SOS, ZOA and Non-Violent Peace Force located in the government controlled Muttur town in the Trincomalee district on Sunday afternoon. "We vehemently deny the accusation made by the SLA spokesman that LTTE was responsible the grenade attack. We categorically state that the SLA has carried out this attack," said Mr.Elilan, LTTE Trincomalee district political head in a statement.
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Technical college student shot dead in Batticaloa town

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 May 2006, 10:35 GMT]
Two unidentified gunmen riding a motorbike shot and killed Ignitious Rasman Lanthilad 20, of Kallady Dutchbar Batticaloa Monday noon around 12.00 p.m at Gnanasooriaym Square in Batticaloa town, said Batticaloa police. The dead body was taken to Batticaloa hospital for autopsy and inquiries into death, police added. The gunmen escaped immediately after the shooting. The victim is a student of technical college in Batticaloa.
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Brattskar visits Allaipiddy

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 May 2006, 10:30 GMT]
Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Hans Brattsakar, arrived at the Palaly military airport Monday morning in a special Sri Lanka AirForce flight for discussions with Jaffna administrative officials, Sri Lanka Military officials and also with families affected by recent violence in Manthuvil, and Allapiddy, sources in Jaffna said.
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Student, companion killed in SLA Claymore attack in Madhu

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 May 2006, 09:25 GMT]
A 15 year old student and his companion were killed in a Claymore attack by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled jungle in Periya Pandivirichan at Madhu in the Mannar district Sunday, reported Voice of Tigers (VoT) Radio. The youths were out hunting when they were killed, according to VoT.
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Two men shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 May 2006, 05:21 GMT]
A young man was shot dead by unidentified men in Kopay North, in Jaffna, around 9 a.m., Monday. He is yet to be identified, police said. In a seperate incident, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers shot and killed a young man at Vidathalpallai near Muhamalai, around 5 p.m, Sunday. He was identified as Arunachalam Suresh Gunapalan,42, father of three.
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Durban Tamils demonstrate against Sri Lanka's rights violations

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 May 2006, 00:23 GMT]
More than 500 Tamil activists participated in a demonstration held Sunday in Durban, South Africa organized by the Tamil Co-ordinating Committee of South Africa, protesting against the killings of Tamil civilians in the NorthEast of Sri Lanka, sources in Durban said. Placards carried by the protesters accused the Government of Sri Lanka for the complicity of Sri Lanka security forces and paramilitaries in several killings, including the recent murders of eight residents of Allaipiddy in Jaffna islets, sources added.
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ITAK wins six seats in Kalmunai MC

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 May 2006, 17:18 GMT]
Mr. Henry Mahendran, leader of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchchi (ITAK) thanked the Tamil voters of the Kalmunai Municipal Council area for extending their wholehearted support for the ITAK at the election held on Saturday, sources said.
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Tamil civilian shot dead in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 May 2006, 17:15 GMT]
Unidentified men shot dead a Tamil trader Mr.Gopal Balasubramaniam at Mullipottanai in Thampalakamam division in Trincomalee district Sunday afternoon around 12.15 p.m. when he was coming out of shop, Thampalakamam Police sources said.
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TRO provides facilities to Allaipiddy refugees in Vanni

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 May 2006, 17:13 GMT]
Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) is providing temporary dwellings, food and transport facilities to the growing number of refugees moving into Vanni from Jaffna islets in the wake of the Allaipiddy assassinations, said TRO sources in Vanni. More than 40 families consisting of 200 members are yet to recover from fear and shock after the murders believed to be carried by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and the collaborating paramilitaries.
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LTTE Senior Commander Ramanan assassinated

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 May 2006, 17:04 GMT]
A Senior Commander of the Liberation Tigers in the East, Commander Ramanan, the Deputy Head of the LTTE Military wing of the Batticaloa district, was assassinated by a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) sniper at Vavunathivu Forward Defence Line (FDL), 5 km southwest of Batticaloa, Sunday around 5:30 p.m., sources in Batticaloa said.
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More families flee from SLN controlled Jaffna islets

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 May 2006, 12:56 GMT]
Following the Allaipiddy assassinations and the consequent evacuation of the village by its entire population, more than ten families from its neighbouring villages Velanai and Suruvil fled Sunday in fear seeking refuge in schools and churches in Jaffna, said sources in Jaffna. The Jaffna islets are under the total control of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN).
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SLA forces attack LTTE camp- Elilan

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 May 2006, 12:09 GMT]
Mr.S.Elilan, LTTE Trincomalee district political head Sunday complained to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Commission based in east port town that a group of soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) had entered the LTTE controlled area, Aathiamankerni, a village in Serunuwara division and destroyed LTTE camp. This incident took place Sunday around 10.30 a.m., Mr.Elilan said.
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Grenade attack on INGO offices in Muttur

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 May 2006, 12:01 GMT]
Unidentified persons lobbed grenades at the offices of three international non-governmental organizations, Inter SOS, ZOA and Non-Violent Peace Force located along Market Road in government controlled Muttur town Sunday afternoon around three p.m. Two persons, one a foreign representative of the Non-Violent Peace Force and a local worker were injured in the grenade attacks, sources in Muttur said.
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12 year old student shot dead in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 May 2006, 11:45 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen shot dead Selvarajah Ravichandran 12, a student of Valaichenai Hindu College, Saturday night around 8.30 p.m, said Eravur Police. Ravichandran was standing in front of his grandmother's house in Mavadivembu, a village in the Eravur police division, when he was shot.
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Local election results strengthen SLMC- Rauff Hakeem

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 May 2006, 10:45 GMT]
"Every time moves are made to weaken us, we emerge stronger. This time too the election results prove that the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) is the undisputed representative of the Muslims in Sri Lanka. In the local elections held Saturday for twenty council the SLMC consolidated its position as the principal Muslim party in Sri Lanka by capturing power in six out of the 20 local councils," said Mr.Rauff Hakeem, leader of the SLMC Sunday in a press release.
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Claymore explosion kills a SLA soldier in Serunuwara

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 May 2006, 09:29 GMT]
A Sri Lankan Army (SLA) trooper died and another injured in a claymore explosion Sunday morning around 8:00 a.m., at Left Bank Channel 3 in Lingapuram in Serunuwara police division in Trincomalee district, police sources said.
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SLA soldier killed, one wounded in pressure mine explosion

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 May 2006, 08:18 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) trooper was killed instantly Sunday morning when the soldiers hit a pressure mine at Iranai Iluppaikulam, 20 km northwest of Vavuniya, Vavuniya Police said.
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UPFA wins 5 councils, UNP 4 in local polls

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 May 2006, 05:59 GMT]
The ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) won five councils and the main opposition United National Party (UNP) four in the elections held Saturday for twenty local government authorities located in the Western, Southern, Central and Eastern provinces, election department sources said.
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SLMC captures Kalmunai MC, ITAK one PS in Amparai district

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 May 2006, 05:55 GMT]


The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) captured four local authorities including the Kalmunai Municipal Council and three Pradesiya Sabahs in the Amparai district. The Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchchi (ITAK) won one PS and the Muslim National Congress one PS.
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UNP-backed group wins Colombo Municipal Council

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 May 2006, 02:42 GMT]
United National Party (UNP) contesting under the symbol of eye-glasses as an Independence group obtained the majority in the Colombo Municipal Council election obtaining 23 seats polling 82,850 votes, election office announced. The polling concluded at 4:00 p.m., Saturday.
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Mini cyclone hits Amparai, Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 May 2006, 18:37 GMT]
150 houses were damaged when a mini cyclone swept over Thirukkovil, Thambiluvil and Pottuvil areas around 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Around 50 houses were damaged in Arayampathi, Thalankudah and Kirankulam, sources in Batticaloa said.
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Senior PLOTE operative 'Farook' talks to media in Vanni

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 May 2006, 16:01 GMT]
A senior People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) operative, Sinnathamby Ganeshalingam, alias Farook, who was reported missing in December last year in Vavuniya, talked to the media this week in an undisclosed remote village in Vanni. Ganeshalingam claimed that he has begun a settled peaceful life in Liberation Tigers controlled Vanni with his wife Shantha, and refuted earlier reports that he was abducted by the Tigers. He said he left the paramilitary group after PLOTE leadership began to develop close relationships with the hardline elements in Sri Lankan military and extreme nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP).
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Allaipiddy families vacate village

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 May 2006, 12:19 GMT]
Eighty families which remained in Allaipiddy, the islet village where 13 civilians were massacred by Sri Lanka Navy last week, completely vacated the village Saturday in fifteen lorries, sources from Jaffna said. 42 families have sought shelter in St.Michael's church in Navanthurai. 38 families in six lorries proceeded towards Liberation Tigers controlled areas but two lorries were stopped by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers manning the Muhamalai checkpoint saying the checkpoint was closed for the day, sources said.
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EU ban 'obstacle to just and lasting solution' - LTTE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 May 2006, 09:45 GMT]
"The resolution of the European Union Parliament imposing punitive measures and harshly censuring our liberation organisation is unfair, untimely and utterly biased. This EU intervention will thus emerge as a serious impediment to reaching a just and lasting solution to Sri Lanka’s conflict," the LTTE’s chief negotiator and political ideologue, Mr. Anton Balasingham, said Saturday when asked by TamilNet for his response to the move by the EU Parliament to proscribe the movement.
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EU bans LTTE as terrorists - Times

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 May 2006, 06:53 GMT]
The European Union has agreed to blacklist the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as a terrorist group, despite warnings that this could lead to full-blown civil war in Sri Lanka, the Times newspaper reported Saturday. Quoting EU diplomats, the London daily said Britain and other countries persuaded Sweden, Denmark and Finland to overcome their reservations and that pressure from the United States was also a factor.
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Clash erupts again at Nagarkovil, A9 partly closed

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 May 2006, 04:02 GMT]
Clashes erupted between the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers and the Liberation Tigers fighters, Friday night and Saturday morning, on both the sides of A9, in east and west of Muhamalai entry point. The civilian traffic from Jaffna to Kilinochchi via A9 entry point remained closed Saturday morning. However, the traffic in the opposite direction was flowing, travellers said. Mortar fire and artillery fire was reported in the area.
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South African Tamils protest against Sri Lanka's rights violations

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 May 2006, 22:58 GMT]
Representatives of the South African Tamil Federation, Dravidians for Peace and Justice, Tamil Co-ordinating Committee, supporters of human rights in South Africa, and concerned Tamils staged a peaceful demonstration in front of the United Nations building in Pretoria, South Africa, Friday, protesting the human rights violations of the Sri Lanka Government against Tamil civilians, sources in South Africa said.
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20 local authorities go to polls Saturday

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 May 2006, 19:02 GMT]
Four Municipal Councils, Colombo and Gampaha in the Western Province, Galle in Southern Province and Kalmunai in the Eastern Province along with three urban councils and thirteen Pradesiya Saba in the country, altogether twenty local government institutions, will go to polls Saturday. About 1.1 million voters are qualified to cast their franchise in this poll to elect 312 councilors, election department sources said.
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Student forum appeals to international community

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 May 2006, 18:59 GMT]
"We still believe that the international community would take into serious consideration the violence unleashed on the Tamil people by the Government of Sri Lanka through its armed forces," said Mr.Puratchi, Trincomalee district head of the Thamileelam Students Forum addressing representatives of several social service organizations Thursday evening in Verugal, in the Eachchilampathu division in Trincomalee district.
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SLA trooper injured in accidental firing in Jaffna town

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 May 2006, 18:46 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) trooper was injured when his gun accidentallyfired near Kasthuriar Road in Jaffna town Friday around 10.30 a.m causing panic among traders and shoppers, said sources in Jaffna.
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ITAK contests Kalmunai MC, two PS in Amparai district

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 May 2006, 18:20 GMT]
Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchchi (ITAK) is contesting three local government institutions of six which go to polls Saturday in the Amparai district. ITAK has fielded candidates for the Kalmunai Municipal Council (MC), Navithanveli PS and Pottuvil PS, sources said.
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Attack on SLA troopers in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 May 2006, 18:12 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen opened fire on Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers Friday morning around 7.00 a.m at Sangiliyan Road in Muthirai Chanthi Jaffna, said sources from Jaffna.
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Two dead bodies found in Katankudy

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 May 2006, 18:11 GMT]
Katankuddy police, on information from the public, recovered two dead bodies Friday around 6.15 p.m at the edge of Navalkuda lake in their division, one with gunshot wounds and the other with assault injuries.
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SLN bans deep sea fishing in Vadamaradchy

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 May 2006, 17:53 GMT]
More than a thousand fishermen of Vadamaradchy north, affected by the ban imposed by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) Friday prohibiting deep sea fishing on the coast line from Thondaimanaru to Point Pedro Munai, registered complaints with the Jaffna Government Agent and the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Jaffna that they will lose their only livelihood, said fisheries sources from Point Pedro.
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Magistrate wants police report on Muttur killings

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 May 2006, 13:06 GMT]
Muttur Magistrate Mr.Manickavasagar Ganesharajah instructed the Police to file a full report on the murders that took place recently in the Muttur police division. The Magistrate informed at a discussion held Thursday afternoon with a police team comprised Trincomalee Police Headquarters Inspector, Trincomalee Harbor Police Inspector and Trincomalee Assistant Superintendent of Police that no evidence has been submitted to court regarding the identity of persons who were behind these killings, legal sources said.
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Allaipiddy injured implicate SLN in killings

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 May 2006, 11:17 GMT]
Two local residents seriously injured during Allaipiddy killings and receiving treatment in Jaffna Hospital told the Kayts Magistrate, Mr. Jeyaraman Trotsky, in a deposition that Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) soldiers were present during the killlings and that they will be able to identify the SLN soldiers who took part in the killings, legal sources in Jaffna said.
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SLA soldiers cordon, search Kokuvil East

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 May 2006, 11:04 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers cordoned off and searched KKS road, Aadiapatham Road and Sabapathy Road in Kokuvil east Grama Sevaka division in Jaffna Friday morning between 5:00 a.m., and 8:30 a.m., sources in Jaffna said. The operation was carried out in the wake of several grenade attacks against the SLA camp located in Sabapathy road in Thalaiyali, security sources said.
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IFJ welcomes LTTE assurances on media freedom

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 May 2006, 10:43 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers were not behind a warning issued to Tamil journalists employed in Sri Lankan state media, Political Head of the Liberation Tigers, Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan, told a group of representatives from media watchdogs, trade unions and organisations from South, this week. The meeting was organised after a warning appeared on some Tamil websites in the name of a hitherto unknown group, "Ravana Battalion," after attacks against against Tamil media workers. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said it "welcomes the LTTE assurances on media independence," in a press release issued Friday.
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LTTE cadre shot dead in Mankerny

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 May 2006, 10:05 GMT]
Neelan, 23, a member of LTTE Political Wing and resident of Mankerny, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen on Thursday night at 8 pm at Mankeny and Panichankerny border in Batticaloa, sources said.
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UNICEF's indifference to Children's killings, regrettable- Sithamparanathan

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 May 2006, 03:06 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian for Jaffna district, Ms Pathmini Sithamparanathan Friday accused the UNICEF Colombo office for issuing a irresponsibly crafted, perfunctory press release that avoided even mentioning the names of the child victims of Allapiddy extrajudicial killings, said sources in Jaffna. Amnesty International had said it received credible reports that Sri Lanka Navy personnel and armed cadres affiliated with Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), were present at the massacre site on Kayts islet.
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Jaffna GA, NGOs unable to guarantee safety to Allaipiddy refugees

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 May 2006, 18:28 GMT]
Meeting between Jaffna Government Agent (GA), representatives of the non-Governmental Orgnizations, and Allaipiddy refugees Thursday afternoon around 3 p.m at the Allaipiddy St. Philips church, ended inconclusively with the GA and NGOs unable to provide guarantees of safety to the Allaipiddy displaced, sources said. Families from the islets have sought refuge in the Church following the 13th Saturday Allaipiddy assassinations alleged to have been carried out by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and its paramilitary men,.
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Stop violence, enter talks, Anti-war group tells GoSL, LTTE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 May 2006, 11:29 GMT]
Condemning the increasing levels of violence committed by Liberation Tigers and by the "armed groups and forces within and outside" Sri Lanka's Military, Kumar Rupesinghe, chairman of National Anti War Front, in a press release issued Thursday in Colombo urged the LTTE and the Government of Sri Lanka to "implement the agreements reached in the High Table in Geneva," and to "immediately resume the talks which were initiated in Geneva."
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TNA candidate, companion shot dead in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 May 2006, 11:08 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen shot dead a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) candidate contesting the forthcoming Navithanveli Predeshya Sabha polls, and his companion riding with him in a motorbike on the Kalmunai Central Camp Road, Thursday noon around 1.30 p.m, said sources in Kalmunai. The shooting occured in a location about 300 meters from the police sentry post at Central Camp 11th village in Kalmunai.
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GTZ training will benefit 400 NE Administrators

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 May 2006, 10:56 GMT]
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) has initiated a modern training program for developing English Language and professional skills in governance and development for public servants attached to the NorthEast Provinicial council, a press release issued by the GTZ Thursday said.
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‘EU proscription will seriously damage peace process’ - Balasingham

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 May 2006, 08:34 GMT]
Further international proscriptions of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) will seriously impact negatively on the already weakened peace process in Sri Lanka, the LTTE’s Chief Negotiator and Political Strategist Anton Balasingham said Thursday. Asked by TamilNet for his comments to press reports that the European Union (EU) would ban the LTTE this week, Mr. Balasingham warned that “the hardliners in the south are urgently seeking the international isolation of the LTTE as a prelude to taking up the military option in earnest.”
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2 LTTE posts in Muhamalai, SLA post in Vavuniya attacked

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 May 2006, 04:12 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers Wednesday night moved into the no-go zone in Muhamalai close to A9 Road and attacked two Forward Defenece Line (FDL) posts of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), sources in Kilinochchi said. No casualties were reported. The Tigers said they repulsed the attacking Lankan troopers. Meanwhile, sources in Vavuniya said an SLA FDL post in Mamadu, 8 km northeast of Vavuniya was attacked and destroyed Wednesday evening.
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Two SLA soldiers injured in grenade attack in Uduppiddy

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 May 2006, 18:52 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were injured in a grenade attack at Uduppiddy, in the Vadamaradchi sector of the Jaffna peninsula, around 7 p.m., Wednesday. The injured troops were transported to Palaly military base hospital in a Buffel APC, sources in the area said.
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Religious heads protest in Kilinochchi against civilian killings

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 May 2006, 18:17 GMT]
"International community and Human Rights agencies including UNHCR, UNICEF are keeping silent while Tamil men, women and children are being killed daily in NorthEast of Sri Lanka," said Janab. S. M. Shaheel, Islamic religious leader, participating in a non-violent sit-in demonstration staged in front of the UNHCR office in Kilinochchi Wednesday from 8.45 a.m to 1:00 p.m., said sources in Kilinochchi.
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Police instructed to provide security to Muttur displaced

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 May 2006, 17:17 GMT]
Muttur Magistrate Mr.Manickavasagar Ganesharajah instructed the police to provide adequate security to displaced families sheltered in churches and common hall in the government controlled Muttur town . Mr.Ganesharajah last Monday evening visited the St.Antony Church, Methodist Church and Ashraff Hall where about three hundred displaced families sought refuge following spate of violence, civil sources said.
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Two soldiers injured in Nagarkovil firefight

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 May 2006, 15:50 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers were seriously injured in a firefight with Liberation Tigers (LTTE) cadres near Kandalkadu, located near Eluthumadduval between Nagarkovil and Muhamalai, Wednesday afternoon, sources in Jaffna said. The injured troopers have been air lifted to Palaly Military Hospital, according to sources.
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Batticaloa protests against civilian killings, lorry burnt

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 May 2006, 12:34 GMT]
Batticaloa district on Wednesday observed a general shut down against the recent spate of killings in Northeast. Schools, private businesses and public offices were closed and few vehicles plyed on the streets. Protesting youths set fire to a private lorry at Karvakerny around 9:20 a.m. Wednesday, Eravur Police said.
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SLA sentry in Welikanda ambushed, two killed, one wounded

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 May 2006, 12:14 GMT]
Unidentified men ambushed a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) sentry post with Claymore attack, killing two soldiers and wounding one at Sooriyaweva in Welikanda in Batticaloa - Polannaruwa border, Wedesday morning at 10:35, Police said.
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Murunkan Police OIC kills sergeant

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 May 2006, 12:01 GMT]
Mannar Magistrate Mr.N.M.M.Abdulla Wednesday ordered for the arrest of the Officer-in-Charge of the Murunkan Police Sector who is alleged to have shot dead a police sergeant Shantha Premakumara (42) on Tuesday evening 5.30 p.m., legal sources said.
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Prisoners protest in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 May 2006, 10:54 GMT]
The remand prisoners of the Jaffna prison located on the Jaffna Main street embarked in a protest demonstration within the prison demanding their cases be taken to trial without delay, and against the lack of basic necessities, from Wednesday morning , said prison sources. Police and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops, deployed in large numbers, blocked traffic on all the streets around the prison and searched passers by, said the sources.
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Private tutor shot dead at the Central Jaffna Bus stand

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 May 2006, 09:28 GMT]
An unidentified gunman shot dead Selvarasa Kirithas, 35, a displaced resident from Ilavalai, Wednesday morning around 8.45 a.m near Poobalasingham Book Depot at the Jaffna Central Bus stand, said police sources. The gunman, who shot Kirithas while he was drinking tea in front of a tea stall fled from the site in a blue color motorbike, civilians at the site said. The victim was a private tution teacher, the sources said.
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SL Navy, EPDP cadres present at massacre site - Amnesty International

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 May 2006, 08:13 GMT]
The Amnesty International has slammed the Government of Sri Lanka as having a record of "disturbing pattern of incomplete or ineffective investigations" of the extrajudicial killings and said it has received credible reports that Sri Lanka Navy personnel and armed cadres affiliated with Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), were present at the massacre site on Kayts islet. Thirteen civilians were massacred in three spots on the Kayts islet controlled by the Sri Lanka Navy Saturday night. The EPDP, a paramilitary and a political party in the ruling UPFA alliance of the SL President Mahinda Rajapakse, had exercised tight control of the Jaffna islets before the Ceasefire Agreement.
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LTTE report details 174 killings by SL forces, paramilitaries

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 May 2006, 07:17 GMT]
174 Tamil civilians have been killed, since Geneva talks on 24 February till 15 May, 2006, by the Sri Lankan armed forces and their paramilitaries, according to a 16-page report, with statistics, issued by the Political Head Quarters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), on Tuesday. The report said unless the Scandinavian truce monitors become more proactive in ruling extrajudicial killings for what they are, a heavy burden will be on SLMM shoulders and on the shoulders of the International Community for failing to stop the slaughter of Tamil civilians by the Sri Lankan Armed forces. The report details the pattern of paramilitary and Sri Lankan forces extrajudicial killings.
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General shut down paralyses Tamil areas in Ampara

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 May 2006, 06:32 GMT]
General shut down was observed in the Ampara district Wednesday in response to the call by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), condemning the extra judicial killings of Tamil speaking civilians in the Northeast province. Normal life in Kalmunai, a major town and several villages, Thirukovil, Thambiluvil, Alaiyadivembu, Akkaraipattu, Karaitivu, and Paandiruppu in the district was completed disrupted, TamilNet sources said.
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Claymore blast kills STF elite trooper in Thirukovil

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 May 2006, 06:22 GMT]
A Special Task Force (STF) elite trooper was killed when a claymore mine targetted on the STF foot patrol exploded around 8.30 a.m. along the Main Street in Thirukovil around 8:30 a.m., Wednesday, Kalmunai Police sources said.
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Grenade explosion kills Tamil woman in Thampalakamam

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 May 2006, 03:55 GMT]
Ms Jeyamalar Sakthikumar, 31, of Thamplakamam was killed Wednesday early morning around 1 a.m. when unidentified persons lobbed a grenade into their house located at Kovilady near the historic Aathi Koneswaram Temple, said Thampalakamam police sources.
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Examination centre shifted from Muttur east for student safety

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 May 2006, 17:44 GMT]
The Department of Examination Tuesday decided to locate a new centre in the Eachchilampathu Sri Sembaga Maha Vidiyalayam for students from the LTTE held Muttur east villages to sit for the GCE Advanced Level Examination this year. Earlier GCE A/L students had been asked to sit for the examination in the centre usually located in Chenaiyoor Central College in the Muttur east. GCE A/L examination is to commence on May 22 through out the island, sources said.
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Vavuniya UC, PS elections postponed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 May 2006, 17:38 GMT]
The Commissioner of Elections Tuesday at a conference announced that elections to two local bodies, Vavuniya Urban Council (UC) and Vavuniya South Pradesiya Sabah (PS-Sinhala division) have been postponed for a period of four months, as the current security situation in the Vavuniya district is not conducive to hold such poll, sources said.
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Potkerni families flee army harassment

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 May 2006, 17:26 GMT]
Large number of resettled war-affected families in Potkerni, a hamlet in the Thampalakamam division Tuesday started fleeing after a group of soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and home guards had entered their houses ransacking the property, Tuesday, civil sources said.
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SLA fire injures Muttur east woman

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 May 2006, 17:22 GMT]
Ms. Alageswary Sivagnanam, 50, of Chenaiyoor was injured badly in one her eyes when soldiers manning the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp at Alimsenai, in the government controlled Muttur division suddenly started firing indiscriminately towards the villages in the LTTE held Muttur east Tuesday evening around 6.30 p.m., sources said.
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Hartal in Batticaloa, Amparai against extra-judicial killings

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 May 2006, 17:19 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians of the districts of Batticaloa and Amparai have appealed for a general shut down on Wednesday condemning the extra judicial killings of Tamil civilians in the North and East and the genocidal military operation now launched by the State armed forces against the Tamil people in the country, TNA sources said.
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Elilan turns down talks with Muslim civil leaders

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 May 2006, 16:51 GMT]
Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), turned down a request made by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) for a meeting between the LTTE and a delegation of Muslim civil leaders in Muttur to take steps to diffuse tension between the two communities, LTTE sources said. Elilan accused the Muslim leaders for serving their own self interests, and for not raising their voices against killing in Muttur east by the Sri Lanka military, sources added.
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One LTTE cadre killed, 2 LTTE, 4 SLA troopers wounded

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 May 2006, 13:01 GMT]
A Liberation Tigers woman cadre, Yalisai, was killed when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers who moved beyond the no-man zone at Palamodai, north of Vavuniya, attacked an LTTE Forward Defence Line (FDL) around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. Later, two LTTE cadres were wounded in Jaffna district when SLA soldiers attacked the FDL of the Tigers at Kandalkadu, located near Eluthumadduval between Nagarkovil and Muhamalai in Jaffna district, around 5:45 p.m., according to LTTE sources in Kilinochchi. Direct clash between the SLA troops and the Tigers erupted after the incident. Four SLA soldiers were wounded, according to SLA sources in Jaffna.
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Protests in Kilinochchi against extra-judicial killings

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 May 2006, 10:49 GMT]
Demonstrations were held in Killinochchi town and Visuvamadu Tuesday morning condemning the extra-judicial killings of Tamil civilians in the North East by the Sri Lankan government troops. Protesters condemned the inaction of the international organizations to stop the massacres and appealed to the international community to intervene without delay to safeguard innocent Tamils from the attack by the Sri Lankan government troops and collaborating paramilitaries, civil sources said.
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Claymore explosion in Trinco injures SLA soldier

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 May 2006, 10:43 GMT]
One soldier of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) lost one of his legs in a claymore explosion that took place Tuesday morning around 8.30 a.m. in Puliyankulam area in Uppuveli Police division in Trincomalee district. This incident took place when a group of SLA soldiers were engaged in road clearing patrol, according to Uppuveli Police.
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3 SLA troopers, 3 civilians injured in grenade attacks, gunfire

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 May 2006, 10:18 GMT]
In several incidents of continuing grenade attacks against Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers in Jaffna district three SLA soldiers received serious injuries in the last 24 hours, sources said. In the indiscriminate fire by the SLA soldiers after the explosions three civilians also were injured and have been admitted to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, according to sources.
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UPFA, SLMC supporters clash, grenade lobbed in Oddamavady

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 May 2006, 06:46 GMT]
The house of a Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) supporter and a former Provincial Council member, Sinnalebbe Mohammed Hanifa, was attacked with grenade Tuesday early morning around 3:30 a.m., Valaichenai Police said. A quarrel between SLMC supporters and the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Muslim supporters engaged in local election campaign, ended in clash where the chief candidate of the UPFA alliance, M.H. Lebbe Hajjiar and two others were wounded Monday evening.
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International silence is encouraging killings - paper

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 May 2006, 06:38 GMT]
The international community's continuing reluctance to criticise Sri Lanka’s leadership is encouraging atrocities against Tamil civilians, the Tamil Guardian newspaper said this week. “Emboldened by the manifest reluctance of international ceasefire monitors, leading members of the international community and southern liberals to condemn its actions, Sri Lanka’s military is now readily killing Tamil civilians with abandon,” the expatriate newspaper said in its editorial.
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Home guards, Tamil woman injured

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 May 2006, 05:04 GMT]
At least three home guards were injured in a claymore mine explosion on the Trincomalee-Colombo main road, around 7 a.m, Tuesday, police sources said. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers who rushed to the blast site fired at random, injuring a 48 year old Tamil woman in Potkerni, a resettled Tamil hamlet in Thampalakamam division, civil sources said.
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Emerging pattern of agenda in attacks on TNA MP offices - Batticaloa MP

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 May 2006, 18:01 GMT]
"The office of Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), belonging to Vanni District Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian Selvam Adaikalanathan, was attacked on May 13, 2006. Then the office of the Jaffna MP, S. Kajendran's located in the International Students Association(ISATE) complex was attacked.These attacks could not be explained as arbitrary "acts of violence" by the Head of Sri Lankan Military, the Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse himself or anyone in the government," slammed Batticaloa MP of Tamil National Alliance (TNA), S. Jeyanandamoorthy Monday.
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SLN arrests Trinco refugees in Mannar Sea

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 May 2006, 17:56 GMT]
Eighteen Tamil refugees from Trincomalee, including women and children who were arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy, Saturday night, in Mannar sea when fleeing in two boats to South India were produced before Mannar Additional Magistrate Mr.D.J.Pirapaharan, Monday afternoon by Talaimannar Police, legal sources said.
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Blast injures 9 Muslims in Akkaraipattu

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 May 2006, 17:31 GMT]
Nine Muslims were injured in a grenade attack at Pattiadiputty in Akkaraipattu police division when unidentified persons who came in a motorbike lobbed a grenade at them, around 7 p.m, Monday, police in the southeastern town said. The attack comes as preparations are underway to hold elections to several local government bodies in the Amparai district. Civil sources suggested political rivalry might have been the reason behind the attack.
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American Mission Jaffna Dictionary 1842, released in Colombo

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 May 2006, 16:38 GMT]
"The republishing of the 'Jaffna Dictionary' published 163 years ago by the American Mission Press in 1842 is a welcome gesture at a time when even books published in 1950 are no more to be seen," said Professor K. Sivathamby at the Book release event held at the Sangarapillai Hall in Colombo Tamil Sangam (CTS) in Rudra Mawatte, Sunday around 4. 30 p.m, presided by Mr. Kumaraswamy Somasundaram, President of CTS, said sources in Colombo.
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Six members of Meesalai family injured in SLA attack

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 May 2006, 16:25 GMT]
Six members of the same family in Kerniyady, Meesalai, Jaffna district wereseriously injured in an attack by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and collaborating paramilitary cadres who broke into the house of the family Sundaynight around 9.00 p.m, said sources from Meesalai. They were rushed to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital and conditions of some members of the family are serious, said hospital sources.
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Gunmen attack STF water bowser in Komari, one wounded

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 May 2006, 13:48 GMT]
A Special Task Force (STF) trooper was wounded and rushed to Amparai hospital after gunmen attacked a water tanker of the elite counter insurgency wing of the Sri Lankan armed forces, the STF, in Komari, Police said. The bowser was tranporting water to soldiers in the newly constructed STF camp, located one kilometer away from the tsunami destroyed old camp.
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Paramilitary cadres shot at Batticaloa Hospital, one dead

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 May 2006, 13:09 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen who entered the Batticaloa Hospital at 4:40 p.m. Monday shot two paramilitary Karuna Group cadres, one of them undergoing treatment for his wounds sustained on April 30 in the Tiger commando attack in Welikanda. A paramilitary cadre guarding the wounded cadre, was killed and the wounded cadre was seriously injured in the gunfire and transferred to Colombo Hospital, medial sources said. Liberation Tigers elite commando unit launched an attack on paramilitary camps located in Sri Lanka Army protected Kasankulam, close to Thibulana, located 7 km east of Welikanda in Polannaruwa - Batticaloa border.
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BBC ‘supporting Tamil terrorists’ - protest

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 May 2006, 12:37 GMT]
An estimated two hundred Sinhala expatriates demonstrated outside BBC headquarters in London Monday, protesting what they described as the organisation’s bias towards the Liberation Tigers. The protest, organised by a hitherto unknown group, Sri Lankans Against Terrorism (SLAT), drew together members of other Sinhala organisations and, in defiance of President Mahinda Rajapakse’s instructions, members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) also.
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The remains of Sea Tigers laid to rest in Vanni Martyrs Homes

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 May 2006, 11:05 GMT]
"The Thalayady sea battle in which four of our Sea Tigers sacrificed their lives is of great significance at a time when our people are being blatantly victimised in an undeclared war by the Sri Lanka Government (GoSL) armed forces and the paramilitaries. Though the loss of these four able Sea Tigers cause us deep grief, the Thalayady sea battle is crucial as an open declaration of the determination of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in asserting our sovereign rights to seas which had been recaptured at the cost of the lives of thousands of Tigers," said K. V. Balakumaran, a prominent senior member of the LTTE, Sunday evening in Puthukudirrupu.
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Senior US Official visits Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 May 2006, 10:48 GMT]
U.S. State Department's Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, Mr. Donald Camp, is currently on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka, May 15 and 16, 2006, a press release issued by the US Embassy in Colombo Monday said.
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2 civilians wounded in Claymore attack in LTTE controlled Vavuniya North

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 May 2006, 09:12 GMT]
Sri Lankan troopers who penetrated into LTTE contolled area in Semamadu, north of Vavuniya, exploded a Claymore mine towards a tractor with two youths. Two youths were wounded in the attack, one was seriously injured, Tamileelam Police sources said. The attack has taken place around 9:30 a.m. Monday.
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Two traders feared killed in Nilavarai in Puthur, Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 May 2006, 08:14 GMT]
A restaurant owner and a grocery shop owner at Nilavarai, located in Valikamam sector of Jaffna district, are feared killed Sunday night near the tourist site of Nilavarai well in Navakkiri village where they were operating their businesses. Blood trace and scattered remains of flesh are found inside the shop and the restaurant. Villagers who heard gunshots around 8:30 p.m., Sunday, and registered vehicular movement during the night in the area, fear that the traders were killed and their bodies removed from the spot by the Sri Lanka Army troopers or their paramilitary cadres. Jaffna has been terrorized with killings on Sunday.
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Claymore blast injures 2 SLA soldiers in Nelliyadi

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 May 2006, 05:15 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were injured in a Claymore attack that targetted a road clearing patrol at Nelliyadi in the Vadamaradchi sector of the Jaffna peninsula, around 9 a.m., Monday, Police sources said. Seven youths, traveling in two auto-rikshaw vehicles from the nearby Raja Village, were shot and killed by the Sri Lanka Army troopers on May 04 after a grenade attack on a SLA camp in the area.
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MP saddened by UNICEF, UNHCR's silence on Children's killing

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 May 2006, 02:35 GMT]
"I am deeply concerned and saddened by the silence of the premier world organizations that advocate rights of children, the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) and the UNHCR, on the escalating number of children being killed in the NorthEast in Sri Lanka by the State's security forces," said Pathmini Sithamparanathan, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian for Jaffna, speaking to the press Monday.
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Preschool teacher training held in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 May 2006, 01:39 GMT]
The last day of a three-day training program for more than 50 pre-school teachers held at the non Governmental Organization (NGOS) builiding in Kilinochchi was completed Saturday. The concluding event was held at 3:30 p.m., sources in Kilinochchi said. The Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) and PreSchool Educational Development ConsortiumPSEDC) in Kilinochchi jointly organized the training program.
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No relief supplies yet for Muttur displaced

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 May 2006, 18:57 GMT]
Thousands of Tamil families, displaced due to bombing raids by Sri Lanka Air Force, and artillery attack by ground, naval wings of the State armed forces on April 24 and 25 on coastal villages in the Liberation Tigers controlled Muttur east in the Trincomalee district, have not been provided with dry ration relief as promised by the Government of Sri Lanka even after two weeks, civil society sources said. The displaced families are now sheltered in schools and welfare centers in Muttur east and Eachchilampathu division, Mr.K.Thurairatnasingham, Trincomalee district parliamentarian said Sunday.
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SLA soldier arraigned on friendly fire killing released on bail

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 May 2006, 18:46 GMT]
"I heard sounds of some one hiding behind bushes in front of my sentry point. I thought a LTTE cadre was hiding to attack us. I fired four times at the bush due to security reasons. But later I found the dead was my fellow soldier who had gone to bring food for me," said Lance Corporal Nimal Heart of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) at the magisterial inquest held Friday in Vavuniya Magistrate's Court into the killing of Lance Corporal Gamini Wasantha Dassanayake, legal sources said.
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SLMM's delay in publicizing evidence aiding killing spree- Ilamparithi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 May 2006, 17:01 GMT]
"Though the injured victims, the relatives of the killed and our Political office have submitted concrete evidence to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Jaffna proving the killings of innocent civilians in the Jaffna peninsula after the Geneva talks by security forces and paramilitaries, the evidence has not been made public by the SLMM. Unfortunately, this delay has resulted in marked escalation in killings," said Ilamparithi, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Jaffna district political wing head, giving particulars of his urgent complaint to the Chief of SLMM, Jaffna district, Sunday.
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SLFP stopped from joining protest against BBC

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 May 2006, 16:36 GMT]
Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse has sent a directive to the London based Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) officials not to participate in the Monday demonstration in front of the BBC world service offices in UK, party officials said. Sri Lanka media had previously accused BBC of biased coverage, for inflating the number of refugees displaced by the bombing campaign by Sri Lanka Air Force in Sampoor area on the 25 and 26th of April.
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SLA kills youth in Kopay, another youth shot dead in Avarangal

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 May 2006, 14:13 GMT]
During a cordon and search operation following two grenade explosions which injured one Sri Lanka Army (SLA) trooper in Kopay area, SLA soldiers shot dead a youth in Kopay at 1:45 p.m., Sunday, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, another youth was shot dead by unidentified gunmen who came in a motorbike in Avarangal area on Jaffna Point-Pedro road, Sunday morning, sources in Jaffna said.
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Youth shot dead in Atchuveli

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 May 2006, 12:49 GMT]
A 23-years-old youth was shot dead by unidentified gunmen who came in a motorbike at Pathameni Junction in Atchuveli, Jaffna at 8:00 a.m, Sunday, sources said. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers were on road patrol when the youth was gunned down.
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Seven civilians injured in SLA shelling in Eravur

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 May 2006, 11:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) opened fire and launched shells on Ward 5, a thickly populated Tamil residential area in Eravur in Baticaloa district around 11:45 p.m Saturday night wounding seven civilians. Two of them, seriously injured, were rushed to the Eravur hospital, said sources from Eravur. This attack on civilians followed a mortar attack on the police sentry post located behind Eravur police station by unidentified men on the same night around 11.15 p.m. Shells were fired by the SLA and police for more than thirty minutes, injuring civilians and damaging six houses.
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Private lorry hijacked at gun point in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 May 2006, 11:52 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen hijacked a private owned Tipper lorry returning from Vaharai to Oddamavadi after business transactions, near the Oddamavadi bridge, an area under Valaichenai police in Batticaloa, Sunday evening, Police said.
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Two more Tamil youths shot dead in Muttur

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 May 2006, 07:37 GMT]
Two Tamil youths who were traveling in a two-wheel tractor were shot dead by unidentified armed men at Periyapalam, a village in the Sri Lanka Government controlled territory in Muttur town, around 10 a.m., Sunday, according to police.
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Gunmen kill 4 more civilians, islets terrorized

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 May 2006, 06:31 GMT]
Three civilians belonging to same family were massacred at their home in Puliyankoodal in Kayts by Sri Lanka Navy operated paramilitary gunmen, around 10:30 p.m. Saturday. A tea-shop owner was also found shot dead near Velanai junction. A petrol station was attacked. Meanwhile, armed men who came in a vehicle set fire to several shops and blasted a transformer at Puliyankoodal junction in Kayts, Saturday night, civilian sources said. Villagers blame Sri Lankan forces for the attacks in the Jaffna islets. On Saturday alone, 13 civilians have been killed in Sri Lanka Navy controlled Jaffna islets. EPDP paramilitary was in control of the Jaffna islets before the signing of CFA in 2002.
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Wickremesinghe addresses Boston Tamils

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 May 2006, 03:12 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Leader of Opposition and former Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is completing a two-week fellowship at MIT's Center for International Studies (CIS) this week, addressed expatriate Tamils at the Boston Tamil Center on Friday at 6.30 pm, sources attending the event said.
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SLN bans fishing along Vadamaradchy coasts

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 May 2006, 00:56 GMT]
Following the attack on Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) convoy east of Vettilaikerni seas by the Liberation Tigers Thursday, the SLN command in the Northern peninsula has banned fishing along the Vadamaradchy northern coastal areas stretching from Thondamannar, Valvettiturai to Munai, Katkovalam effective from Thursday, fisheries officials from Jaffna said.
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Paramilitary cadre shot dead, 2 civilians wounded in Kattankudy

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 May 2006, 17:02 GMT]
Two unidentified gunmen shot and killed a paramilitary Karuna cadre who was riding in a motorbike. A T-56 rifle and a 9 mm gun was recovered by the Police from the site. The incident took place in front of Kattankudy bus stand on Batticaloa Kalmunai main street around 8:00 p.m. Saturday. Two civilians
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Three SLA soldiers injured in Jaffna grenade attack

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 May 2006, 16:20 GMT]
Three Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were seriously wounded when unknown assailants threw hand grenades at the SLA foot patrol near the Post Office Junction along Jaffna-Palaly Road at 7.30 p.m., Saturday, sources from Jaffna said.
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Baby of four months, 4-year-old child, among 9 killed by SL Navy in Jaffna islet

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 May 2006, 16:10 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) troopers from Mandaithivu Sri Lanka Navy camp surrounded a civilian house in Allaipiddy in Mandaithivu islet, west of Jaffna, around 8:30 p.m. Saturday and opened fire killing 8 civilians, including a four months baby and a four year old son, and their parents on the spot. Three persons with serious wounds were rushed to Jaffna hospital after Jaffna district magistrate ordered the Police to provide security to an ambulance from Jaffna hospital, medical sources said. One of the wounded succumbed to his wounds at Jaffna hospital. 13 civilians were killed in Jaffna islets on Saturday alone.
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SLMM temporarily suspends Sea monitoring

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 May 2006, 15:15 GMT]
Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Saturday evening suspended sea monitoring missions, according to informed media sources in Colombo. The presence of one SLMM monitor on board a ship charted by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) to transport SLN sailors, caught in the middle of a clash between the Sea Tiger Fast Attack Crafts and the SLN Dvoras Thursday, saved the lives of at least 700 SLN personnel in the seas off Vadamaradchi East, sources from Kilinochchi said.
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2000 books, 40 computers lost in Student office fire - Jaffna MP

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 May 2006, 12:12 GMT]
A total of six and a half million Rupees worth of books, computer equipment and property were damaged in the lastest attack on the International Students Association of Tamileelam (ISATE) building and the office of the Jaffna MP Mr. S. Kajendran, in the fifth attack of this kind on the same building, the MP wrote in a letter to the Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Major General Ulf Henricsson.
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Father, daughter shot, injured in Kayts

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 May 2006, 11:32 GMT]
Two civilians from Mankumban, 5th District area, in Kayts were seriously injured when four unidenfied gunmen entered their house scaling the perimeter wall, and fired indiscriminately inside the house Friday at 11.45 p.m., police sources said.
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SLA trooper shot dead in Jaffna town

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 May 2006, 03:57 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier on road patrol was shot dead by an unknown gunman on Jaffna Main Street near Chundukili Girls School at 9.10 a.m. Saturday morning, sources in Jaffna said.
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Self-defense training to Mannar civilians

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 May 2006, 03:45 GMT]
Cadres of Liberation Tigers are providing two week-self defense training to about 270 Tamil civilians in Arippu in the LTTE controlled territory in the Mannar district, sources from Mannar said. The training which began on May 3rd is to conclude on May 18, according to sources.
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Soosai reiterates sovereign right to seas bordering Tamil Homeland

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 May 2006, 02:15 GMT]
"We have openly established our control, and have unequivocally asserted our rights to maritime waters adjoining our homeland, in the same way we recovered and control large areas of northeast. We are not prepared to relinquish sovereign rights to the seas which we have won with the sacrifice of our people," said Col.Soosai when he met the press soon after the confrontation with the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) in the seas off the northeastern cost of Jaffna Friday.
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SLA sets Students Association Jaffna building, office of Jaffna MP on fire

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 May 2006, 01:55 GMT]
The International Students Association of Tamileelam (ISATE) building which also contains the office of Tamil NationalAlliance (TNA) parliamentarian Mr Gajendran located close to Parameswara College in Jaffna Palaly Road was set on fire Friday night at 11.30 p.m., according to sources from Jaffna.
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Youth shot at Valaichenai Church

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 May 2006, 17:06 GMT]
Two motorbike riding gunmen shot and wounded a 25-year-old youth at the entrance of Valaichenai Church Friday at 7:00 p.m., Police said.
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Stutter in ‘native tongue’ at Lord’s

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 May 2006, 13:47 GMT]
As Sri Lanka’s cricketers took to the pitch at Lord’s this week with the Sinhala Lion emblazoned on their uniforms, any notion that sport bridges the island’s ethnic divide is being unwittingly challenged, ironically, by a British effort at recognizing diversity: public announcements at the famous grounds are being made in English – and Sinhala.
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Body of disappeared youth found in Karainagar

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 May 2006, 11:49 GMT]
The body of Rasan Santhakumar 26, a fisherman from Karainagar, Jaffna was recovered from a fresh grave found in the vicinity of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) camp in Karainagar area Friday afternoon, said sources from Karainagar. Santhaumar went missing Wednesday after he went out with his bike, relatives said. Kayts police recovered the body and had handed it to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital for postmortem examinations, hospital sources said.
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Six Jaffna youths abducted by SLA

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 May 2006, 11:18 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers abducted six youths, all below 25 years, Thursday afternoon around 5.30 p.m from a restaurant at Kalady junction near Jaffna University, sources in Jaffna said. The youths, two from Point Pedro and four residents of Jaffna town, were standing in front of the restaurant when they were rounded by SLA soldiers who arrived in motor bikes. The students were blind folded and were taken to the Atchelu SLA camp, witnesses said.
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Hair dresser shot dead in Atchuveli

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 May 2006, 10:56 GMT]
Two gunmen on a motor bike shot and killed Mr. Gnanam, 45, owner of a hair dressing saloon at Thambalai junction in Atchuveli north in Valigamam east, Friday morning around 8. a.m as he was opening his saloon, said sources from Atchuveli. Meanwhile, a relative of another disappeared saloon owner was held in Atchuvely checkpoint by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers, tortured and threatened with death, sources said.
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SLMM has no mandate to rule on Tamils sovereign rights - Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 May 2006, 09:09 GMT]
"We entered the peace process based on a status-quo achieved in the battlefield in our territory. Nobody has the right to pass judgement on the sovereign rights of our access to the adjacent sea and airspace of our homeland," told LTTE's Political Head S.P.Thamilchelvan after having an urgent meeting with the Head of the Scandinavian truce monitors on Friday. The ceasefire and the entire peace process between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is a process based on parity of status and military power of balance. The SLMM statement issued on Thursday was a serious statement affecting this framework, LTTE's Political Head told media.
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Elilan alleges SL army-Jihad nexus in killing Muttur Tamil youths

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 May 2006, 06:40 GMT]
Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Friday made complaint to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Trincomalee that government troops in connivance with an armed Muslim Jihad group have been killing Tamil youths in Muttur to create rift and enmity between Tamil and Muslim community currently live in amity and harmony, sources said.
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Tamil student shot dead in Muttur town

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 May 2006, 06:33 GMT]
Seventeen-year-old student Balakumar was shot dead Friday morning around 8.45 a.m. along the Church Road in Muttur town by unidentified persons who came on pedal cycles. Another Tamil student seriously injured in the attack is now warded in the Muttur hospital. The deceased student has been studying in a school in Trincomalee town and had gone home in Muttur for weekend vacation, Police sources said.
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SLA trooper injured in grenade attack in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 May 2006, 04:30 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) trooper was seriously injured in a hand grenade attack on the SLA street patrol unit by an unidentified person at Urikadu on the Valvettiturai- Thondaimanaru road in Jaffna Thursday around 12 noon, sources in Jaffna said. The injured soldier was rushed to Palaly military hospital, said sources from Valvettithurai.
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LTTE refutes SLMM's controversial statement

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 May 2006, 20:26 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Political Head, S. P. Thamilchelvan, in a letter to Major General Henricsson, the Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Thursday said that the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission's statement issued earlier Thursday, stating that the Tigers have no rights at sea, was in contradiction to SLMM's earlier stand, as expressed in a Press Release on 25 April 2003. Sea Tigers existed prior to CFA and it contributed to the balance of power that resulted in the CFA. The LTTE statement attached three letters sent to SLMM explicitly asking the SLMM to stop boarding Sri Lankan naval vessels as the Lankan vessels have come very close to the shores of LTTE area firing at their naval bases.
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General shut down called off to observe Wesak Day in Trinco

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 May 2006, 14:41 GMT]
The three-day general shut down organized by the Pongu Tamil Forum (PTF) of Trincomalee district was called off after first day following the discussion held at the office of the Foundation of Co-Existence between the organizers and a delegation of Sinhala Buddhist representatives Thursday evening. The PTF officials agreed to a request by the Sinhala Buddhist delegation to call off the general shut down for the rest two days, Friday and Saturday to facilitate Buddhists to observe the Wesak Day and to participate in religious events to be held in Buddhist Vihares in Trincomalee town, sources said.
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SLA uses Mannar civilians human shield to avoid claymore attack

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 May 2006, 14:30 GMT]
Civilians who are traveling by road from Nanattan to Mannar via Vankalai are forcibly taken by soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army on foot as human shield to avoid claymore attacks on their way to army camps. Civilians who use transport services between Nanattan-Mannar Road are asked to get down at Vankalai by soldiers and to join them on foot till they reach their two-army camps located in Naravalikulam and Pasthipuram along Nanattan-Vankalai road, civilian sources said.
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SL army launches artillery fire towards Muttur east

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 May 2006, 13:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army Thursday evening around 5.45 p.m. started artillery attack from its Monkey Bridge military installation towards LTTE controlled Muttur east villages following a confrontation between Sri Lanka Navy and LTTE. Monkey Bridge SLA military installation is located along Trincomalee-Colombo road about fifteen km off southwest of east port town, sources said.
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Two SLN Dvora boats destroyed, ship moved to international waters

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 May 2006, 13:26 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) ship with around 700 sailors on board got trapped in the clashes that erupted between the Sri Lanka Navy boats and the Sea Tigers boats in seas off Vadamaradchi East, Sri Lankan defence sources said. Two Dvora Fast Attack Crafts (FAC) were reportedly destroyed. The ship, Perl Cruise, has safely arrived in the Indian waters, sources in Colombo said. At least fifteen SLN sailors are reported missing in the clash. Four Sea Tigers died defending the Sea Tiger boats, the Tigers said. The ship was a few miles away from the attack site, according to Sea Tiger sources.
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LTTE has no rights at sea - SLMM

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 May 2006, 13:02 GMT]
Following the escalating violence in the sea Thursday, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) said that the "sea surrounding Sri Lanka is a Government Controlled area. Non-state actors cannot rule open sea waters or airspace. The LTTE has therefore no rights at sea." Meanwhile, the Tigers have repeatedly urged the truce monitors to stay away from the Sri Lankan Navy vessels during the past few weeks, LTTE sources in Kilinochchi said.
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SLAF Kfir Jets bomb Kilinochchi suburbs

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 May 2006, 12:25 GMT]
Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) Kfir jets have bombed Vanni at least 8 times from 5:15 p.m. till 6:45 p.m. Thursday, sources in Kilinchchi town said. Karuppaddamurippu, between Mankulam and Oddusuddan. Many civilians have fled the areas. Casualty details were not available at the moment.
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SLN vessel destroyed in Vadamaradchi East

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 May 2006, 11:44 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) Dvora Fast Attack Craft was destroyed in Vetrilaikerny in a naval fight between the Sea Tigers in LTTE controlled Nagarkovil and SLN vessels. Heavy shelling by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) was reported towards Nagarkovil, sources said.
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Gunfire reported in Muttur east seas, tension high

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 May 2006, 11:13 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) boats entered the Liberation Tigers controlled coastal area in Muttur east Thursday around 1:30 p.m.where ten boats of LTTE's naval wing was engaged in training exercises. Despite the warnings issued by the Tigers, the naval boats with Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) officials on board, had approached the LTTE controlled area in Muttur east and reports indicate sounds of mortar and gun in the seas were heard from the seas. Tension has escalated in the coastal areas, sources from Muttur east said.
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Furuhovde's peace mission, an exemplary service - Pirapaharan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 May 2006, 10:31 GMT]
Major-General Trond Furuhovde, with passionate commitment to peace, performed his task with stunning efficiency, adhering to the noble principles of objective neutrality and social justice, said Mr. V. Pirapaharan, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), in his condolence message sent to the family on Thursday. Furuhovde's exemplary service will always be appreciated with gratitude, Mr. Pirapaharan said. The Norwegian Major General passed away on Wednesday. Maj. Gen (retd) Trond Furuhovde twice undertook the most difficult task of the Head of Mission in Sri Lanka.
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Three-day general shut down begins in Trinco

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 May 2006, 09:58 GMT]
Three-day general shut down began in Trincomalee town and its suburbs Thursday in response to the call made by Pongu Tamil Forum (PTF) of Trincomalee district condemning the genocide and extra-judicial killings of Tamil civilians in the North East and the recent three-pronged air, sea and ground attack on Muttur east killing fourteen Tamil civilians including children, sources said.
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Trond Furuhovde passes away

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 May 2006, 05:40 GMT]
Retired Major-General of Norwegian army and the first chief of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), Trond Furuhovde, has passed away at 67, in Norway on Wednesday. Maj. Gen. Furuhovde made an outstanding contribution to the establishment of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and gave leadership to the monitoring mission through its crucial first year of operations.
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Youth shot by Karuna group gunmen dies

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 May 2006, 01:53 GMT]
Seenithamby Yogeswaran of Panichankerny, shot by Karuna group gunmen Tuesday around 10.30 a.m near Kayankerny Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp, succumbed to bullet wounds Tuesday night at Colombo hospital, medical sources said. Yogeswaran was transferred from Batticaloa hospital to Colombo Hospital Tuesday, his relatives said.
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Court directs action towards Jaffna HSZ resettlement

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 May 2006, 15:50 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court ordered the Jaffna District Government Agent to prepare a preliminary report and submit to court on July 24 on the question of resettling about seven thousand displaced families in the Palaly high security zone in the Jaffna district giving priority to the displaced sheltered in refugee camps and welfare centers when the Fundamental Rights Violation applications filed by Mr.Kasipillai Yogeswaran, a farmer and Mr.Mavai Senathirajah, Jaffna district parliamentarian in this regard came up for inquiry Monday, legal sources said.
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Two students reported missing in Mannar

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 May 2006, 15:46 GMT]
Mothers of two students Wednesday lodged separate complaints with the Mannar Citizen Committee about the disappearance of their sons. Ms L.Thangarasa (44) of Kallimoddai in Murunkan in her complaint said that her son Johnson (13) a student who went for school on April 14 this year did not return thereafter.
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Direct negotiations necessary to contain violence - Akashi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 May 2006, 15:21 GMT]
"It is important to have direct negotiations to de-escalate violence which have come very far", Japan's peace envoy to Sri Lanka Yasushi Akashi said Wednesday, speaking to journalists in Colombo before leaving to New Delhi. Meanwhile the Liberation Tigers have told the Japanese envoy that Colombo should cease all extra-judicial killings and stop deliberately creating obstacles to conduct a safe travel of their Eastern commanders.
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Manthuvil families protest in front of SLA Varani base

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 May 2006, 09:25 GMT]
Hundreds of families from Manthuvil region gathered in front of the Sri Lanka Army 52-4 Brigade Head Quarters located on the Point Pedro - Kodikamam road in Varani Wednesday morning, protesting against the disappearance and alleged SLA killing of eight youths from their area on Saturday the 7th May, said sources from Point Pedro.
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Talks on conscription meaningless while children die in military attack-LTTE

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 May 2006, 09:13 GMT]
Trincomalee District Political Secretariat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said in a statement released Tuesday from Sampoor that LTTE is not prepared to hold talks on the child recruitment issue with the so-called child welfare organizations that are not showing any interest in providing security for children from the attack by the Sri Lankan government troops, sources said.
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Wild elephants on rampage in Trinco village

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 May 2006, 09:10 GMT]
Wild elephants are reported on rampage in the deserted village Kappalthurai destroying houses and other plantations and cultivations with the displacement of entire families due to the violence and killings, which erupted in Trincomalee town on April 12 with the bomb explosion and followed by arson. Kappalthurai located along Trincomalee-Kandy about 10 km off southwest of Trincomalee town is a resettled village fled in the 1985 disturbances, sources said.
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PS condemns air, sea, ground attack on Muttur area

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 May 2006, 09:05 GMT]
The Muttur Pradesiya Sabah (PS) in its first meeting held Monday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the three-pronged attack by the State armed forces on Muttur villages last month, which killed fourteen civilians and wounded 47. About fifty-four civilian houses and thirty schools were damaged. About forty thousand were displaced. Schools and hospitals in the affected area are not functioning since then, sources said.
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Claymore attack in Jaffna islet, 2 SLN troopers wounded

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 May 2006, 07:59 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) troopers were seriously wounded in a Claymore attack in the Jaffna Islet of Velanai Wednesday at 9:10 a.m., Sri Lankan military sources said. SLN conducted a large scale cordon and search operation between 9.30 a.m. and 2 p.m. in Velani Vangalavadi area where the explosion took place, and have arrested an elderly civilian, according to sources.
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Protest condemning SLA atrocities cripples Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 May 2006, 02:28 GMT]
All government institutions, shops, schools and other institutions remained closed in the Jaffna peninsula Tuesday in response to the call made by the Jaffna district Consortium of public organisations to stage a mass 'Refrain from Duty' protest condemning the atrocities of Sri Lanka government (GoSL) and its armed forces and paramilitaries in the form of abductions, assassinations of innocent civilians and harassment's and restrictions in the Jaffna peninsula, said sources from Jaffna.
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Student travelling abroad reported missing in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 May 2006, 19:18 GMT]
A Jaffna student, on his way abroad, was reported missing together with his driver and the vehicle after reaching Omanthai Sri Lanka Army (SLA) checkpost on 06th May. The disappearance has taken place around 2:30 p.m., parents of the missing persons has complained to the authorities and Human Rights bodies in Vavuniya.
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Gunmen abduct Pt.Pedro traders

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 May 2006, 18:50 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen who came in a white Hiace van abducted two traders in Pt.Pedro town, in Sri Lanka Army's (SLA) high security zone, in the Vadamaradchi sector of the Jaffna peninsula, around 5.30 p.m., Tuesday, sources in Jaffna said.
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Rights group finds blood stains, empty shells at crime site

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 May 2006, 17:37 GMT]
A special investigating team of the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (SLHRC) in Jaffna led by Mr. M. Remedias, Attorney-at-law and Legal Advisor, and Coordinator Mr. Rohitha Piriyadarshana, inspected Tuesday around 11.30 a.m the Manthuvil site where the bodies of eight civilians allegedly killed by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) were said to be lying, after officially visiting Kodikamam police, said residents of Manthuvil East in Thenmaradchy.
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Youth shot, injured in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 May 2006, 13:35 GMT]
Seenithamby Logeswaran, 25, of Panichankerny, riding towards Valaichenai with a friend on his motorbike, was seriously injured when he was fired at by gunmen allegedly belonging to Karuna group in Kayankerny Tuesday around 10.45 a.m., sourcessaid. Logeswaran received serious injuries to his head and was rushed to the Batticaloa Teaching hospital. He was later transferred to Batticaloa hospital for additional treatment, said medical sources.
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Two Forestry workers found dead in Mankulam jungle

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 May 2006, 11:14 GMT]
Two civilian employees of Forestry Resources Protection unit attached to the civil administration in Vanni, were found shot dead in Panikkankulam jungle, 5 km west of A9 road northwest of Mankulam Tuesday. The employees who went to the jungle Tuesday, 02 May, were reported missing on 05 May, Tamileelam Police official of Mankulam Thunukkai area, Mr. Vijayakumar said. The decomposed bodies had bullet wounds. The police found four empty cases from the location.
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SLA destroys Nadeswara College fences

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 May 2006, 10:34 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers destroyed the wire fences constructed around the temporary building functioning as Nadeswara College, had entered the premises Sunday night and threatened the watcher to abstain from night time duties, civil sources in Jaffna said. The building is located in front of Tellipalai Durga Amman Temple and 75m from SLA camp.
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SLN bars Karainagar fishermen from going out to sea

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 May 2006, 10:19 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) has barred Karainagar fishermen from carrying out their trade forcing more than 250 fisher families to struggle to make a living, sources said. Karainagar, Uriyan area Fisheries Union has registered a complaint with the Jaffna Human Rights Commission of their plight, civil society sources in Jaffna said.
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TNA to decide its next step Wednesday

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 May 2006, 09:20 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians called off their sit-in-protest in front of the Sri Lanka parliament complex Tuesday evening around four p.m. They launched the campaign Tuesday morning around 11 a.m. protesting against the extra-judicial killings of Tamil civilians in the North East, sources said.
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Relatives await abducted youth’s release

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 May 2006, 06:51 GMT]
Kirubairatnam Suthahiri 22, a building contractor in Kinnaiady in the Valaichenai police division was abducted along with his motorbike by unidentified gunmen on 28th April 2006 around 7 p.m. near the Mankerny Sri Lanka Army (SLA) check point while returning from Pannichankerny. Although abductors have indicated through third party that they will release Sutharhiri, the victim has not been released yet, sources said.
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TNA MPs launch sit-in-protest in front of SL Parliament

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 May 2006, 06:32 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians on Tuesday walked out from the well of the Sri Lankan parliament and launched a sit-in-protest after making a statement condemning the extra-judicial killings of Tamil civilians in the North-East.
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Dead body with knife wounds recovered in Eravur, Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 May 2006, 12:54 GMT]
The dead body with knife cuts, of fisherman Sinnamuthu Sivalingam 43 from Kaluvankerny in Batticaloa was recovered Monday around 7.30 a.m on the Eravur Punnaikuda beach by Eravur police, said the police.
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Large SLA troop movements towards Nagarkovil FDL

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 May 2006, 12:24 GMT]
Hundreds of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops are moving towards Forward Defense Lines (FDLs) in Nagarkovil in Vadamaradchy east, and surrounding villages of Manatkaadu and Kudathanai, in vehicle convoys from Palaly Military base continuously from 12.00 midnight till 12 noon Monday, at nearly 15 minute interval, sources from Jaffna said.
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No bodies found- SLMM

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 May 2006, 10:44 GMT]
Members of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Monday morning after visiting the site where the bodies were said to be lying, said that they could not locate any bodies. Hundreds of local residents are still gathered at the Seerani Kelakkai temple in Manthuvil East to find out the fate of eight youths who disappeared Sunday morning, sources said.
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Colombo, LTTE friction intensifies after Thenmaradchy killings

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 May 2006, 10:09 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP) in a message forwarded to the Liberation Tigers has informed that the A9 Road will be open "as soon as LTTE refrains the general public of Jaffna from agitating," indicating increasingly confrontational position being taken by the Government of Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the killings in Thenmaradchy, sources in Kilinochchi said. of eight civilians allegedly by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA).
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Homage paid to journalist Jeyaseelan in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 May 2006, 09:31 GMT]
"Kanagaratnam Jeyaseelan was a young and dedicated journalist who strove untiringly for the cause of liberation even in the face of threats to his life. His death comes as another blow to us in a time when Tamil journalists are being targeted and killed by paramilitary groups guided and assisted by the Sri Lanka government," said Vellinatham Editor Sri Indrakumar paying homage to Jeyaseelan, Sub-Editor Vellinatham, the weekly edition of Eelanatham daily published in Vanni, at an event held Saturday around 11.30 a.m in the Eelanatham office in Kilinochchi presided by Sudarmany of Eelanatham, said sources from Vanni.
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Elilan warns of retaliatory attack

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 May 2006, 08:46 GMT]
"We would be forced to attack the Kaddaiparichchan camp of the Sri Lanka Army if the paramilitaries and government troops continue their attack on LTTE forward defense line in Kaddaiparichchan," Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Monday informed the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in the east port town, LTTE sources in Sampoor said.
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SLMM yet to inspect the crime site, Jaffna TNA MP complains

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 May 2006, 06:53 GMT]
"Almost 30 hours have passed since a crime against humanity has taken place at a temple site. The truce monitors from the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission in Jaffna are yet to visit the crime site or approach the area where the bodies are said to be found," accused S. Gajendran, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP for Jaffna district. The SLMM officials have explained that the delay was caused due to the lack of resources. There was no translator or driver available for the SLMM to visit the sites, according to the Director of the Peace Secretariat of the Liberation Tigers, Mr. S. Puleedevan, who said the SLMM delay was "too late."
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Military curfew renders Jaffna streets bare

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 May 2006, 06:06 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army imposed curfew has rendered Jaffna a dead city with the hospital staff remaining inside the hospital and a few civilians caught unaware of the curfew going out into the Jaffna streets Monday early morning are detained at SLA check points. Fishermen, who went to sea before the curfew, returning Monday dawn from their night's fishing in the waters around the Jaffna peninsula, were being subjected to harassment by the SLA troopers for "disobeying" the curfew imposed.
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Colombo shuts down entry points in Mannar

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 May 2006, 04:57 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army Monday morning closed down Uyilankulam and Madhu entry points to the Liberation Tigers controlled territory in the Mannar district.
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SLA closes A9 highway to Vanni, Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 May 2006, 03:25 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers have closed the A9 entrypoints at Omanthai Monday morning. Muhamalai entry point also remained closed as SLA has imposed a curfew after the bodies of eight civilians killed at Seerani Amman temple in Kelakkai in Thenmaradchi in Jaffna, were reportedly found in Kapputhu, Vadamaradchi. Villagers allege that the SLA was attempting to cover up the killings allegedly carried out by their soldiers at the temple observing Kumbabishekam festival in Manthuvil East, around 7 km northeast of Chavakachcheri.
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12 Police officers injured in Batticaloa hand grenade attack

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 May 2006, 20:21 GMT]
Twelve police cadres including a police woman, and two civilians were seriously injured in a hand grenade attack by unidentified men riding in a motorbike Sunday around 7.30 p.m, in front of Batticlaoa police head office, said police sources.
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Jaffna Bishop appeals for urgent intervention of International Community

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 May 2006, 19:12 GMT]
"Tamil people are gripped with fear and insecurity due to the alarming escalation in Killings and abductions in NorthEast, including Jaffna, and in the South. People are scared of a major war exploding at any time. I appeal to the International Community to urgently intervene to pressure the parties involved to reduce the threat of war. In particular, the warring parties should be pressured to a implement the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) as agreed by both parties in Geneva," said Bishop of Jaffna, Rev. Fr Thomas Soundaranayagam, speaking to press in Colombo, Sunday.
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Thenmaradchy bodies reported found, SLA clamps curfew

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 May 2006, 15:45 GMT]
Amidst reports that the bodies of eight youths disappeared from Manthuvil in Thenmaradchy Sunday morning have been found in the shrub jungles near Kapputhu in Vadamaradchy, the Palaly Military Command via its local radio broadcasts announced that Sri Lanka Defense Ministry has imposed a curfew in Jaffna district from 12 midnight Sunday to 4 p.m. Monday, sources said. Tension prevails in Thenmaradchy as residents are shocked and alarmed by the killings, sources added.
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Displaced Muttur east families languish in shelters

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 May 2006, 15:36 GMT]
Tamil families displaced from their houses in the Liberation Tigers held Muttur east in the Trincomalee district following Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), Army (SLA) and Navy (SLN) attacks on April 24 have not returned to their villages through fear, civil society sources said. The displaced families are still staying in temporary shelters and Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) and other local social organizations in the area are providing their day-to-day livelihood assistance, sources said.
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Youth shot dead in Thirunelvely

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 May 2006, 14:13 GMT]
Unknown gunmen shot dead a youth in Thirunelvely, Jaffna at 5.30 p.m., Sunday, sources in Jaffna said. The youth was walking along Palaly road towards Thirunelvely junction when he was shot in close range by the gunmen who escaped from the scene.
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Holding GCE (A.L) examination in North East is in doubt

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 May 2006, 13:48 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Department of Examinations raised doubts about conducting the GCE Advanced Level Examination in the North East, especially in Liberation Tigers held areas, Education offiicals said. The examination is scheduled to commence island wide in the second week of May. Normality in the North East has been disrupted due to continued violence and killing of Tamil civilians and attacks on security forces in the North East.
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Mannar villagers seek safety from SLA deep penetration unit

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 May 2006, 13:12 GMT]
Fear of armed members of Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) are forcing residents of Silavthurai, Arippu and Mullikulam in the Mannar district to leave their houses by dusk and return after dawn, civil society sources in Mannar said. Residents are alarmed at the grenade attack on a house at Savariarpuram in Silavthurai on Tuesday night by a group of armed persons believed to be belonging to the DPU, sources in Mannar said.
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Colombo adopting Machiavellian approach to Karuna, inevitable- SLMM Head

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 May 2006, 12:33 GMT]
On Colombo disarming Karuna Group as agreed in the Geneva-I talks, the Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), Ulf Henricsson asked, "Well, I think they (Security Forces) will have a lot of problems, if they do it [disarm Karuna]. Further I don't see any reason for the government to do it. To be honest. If you have a warring faction against you and if your enemy is split why should you try to stop that. Have you read Machiavelli?," in an interview appeared in the latest edition of Sunday Observer.
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SLA shells Vavunathivu

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 May 2006, 11:40 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) mounted artillery and mortar attacks on Liberation Tigers' controlled Vavunathivu, Batticaloa and surrounding areas from 6 a.m. Sunday morning for 30 minutes, sources from the east said. Although reports from the area indicated that no one was injured, LTTE officials have not confirmed that there were no injuries or damages to property.
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Eight civilians feared killed in Thenmaradchi, blood trace, clothes found

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 May 2006, 06:36 GMT]
Villagers who went searching for eight missing youths in Manthuvil East in Thenmaradchi, Jaffna, found blood trace, pieces of clothes, 3 identity cards and at least 6 empty cases of bullets Sunday morning. Eight young men who went to Seerani Kelakkai temple in Manthuvil East, around 7 km northeast of Chavakachcheri are reported missing. A teacher and general secretary of the temple trustee board, and four students were among the victims who are feared dead. Fear has gripped the entire Kelakkai village.
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Tamil woman journalist released on bail

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 May 2006, 01:34 GMT]
The Colombo Additional Magistrate Mr.Vishantha Dassanayake on Friday ordered the release of Ms Sivaramya Sivanathan, relief-announcer of the State controlled Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) on personal bail when the Police told court that there was no evidence against her to file plaint, legal sources said. The Police arrested Ms Sivaramya Sivanathan last week when she was about to enter the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) to attend the first day proceeding of the World Press Freedom Day.
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NGOs provide food items to Kanniya resettled families

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 May 2006, 17:04 GMT]
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) with the support of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) and Trincomalee Methodist Church (TMC) Friday distributed about six hundred thousand rupees worth essential food items and other materials to about 234 resettled Tamil families in Kanniya village, who have lost their livelihood due to the recent disturbances and staying in their houses without fleeing to other areas, sources said.
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Cordon, search operation in Mannar town

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 May 2006, 15:20 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Sri Lanka Police conducted combined cordon and search operation in Mannar town Saturday twice, first in the morning and again after 12 noon. All business establishments were searched and employees were subjected to severe interrogation, civil sources said.
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Indian de-mining group suspends operation in Mannar

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 May 2006, 15:13 GMT]
"Horizon," an Indian de-mining group, has left Vankalai in Mannar district citing security and escalating violence in the North East, civil society sources said. Horizon has been engaged in de-mining activities in three suburbs, Thomaspuri, Swarnapuri and Rathinapuri in Vankalai area for the last two years enabling resettlement of hundreds of displaced families after several years, civil sources said.
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Swiss Tamil children hone language skills

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 May 2006, 12:27 GMT]
3349 Tamil children sat for proficiency tests in Tamil and religion in 17 of the 23 cantons in Switzerland Saturday conducted by the Swiss Tamil Educational Service (TES), a volunteer organization administered by expatriate Tamils, sources said. The examinations are being conducted for the 12th consecutive year, according to TES officials.
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Two Jaffna youths missing

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 May 2006, 11:24 GMT]
Two youths who had travelled to Jaffna town from Point Pedro to buy provisions for their carpentry business Friday have been reported missing, according to complaints made by their relatives at the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission offices in Jaffna, civil society sources in Jaffna said.
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Eastern Muslims hold demonstrations, general shut down

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 May 2006, 10:38 GMT]
General shut down was observed Friday in Ninthavur, Maruthamunai, Addalaichchenai, Akkaraipattu and Sainthamaruthu and Kalmunai, predominantly Muslim towns in the eastern province and demonstrations were held after Jumma prayers condemning the attempted murder of Dr.A.G.Hussain Ismail, Vice Chancellor of the South Eastern University, sources said.
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Journalist dies in motorbike accident in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 May 2006, 09:56 GMT]
Kanakaratnam Jeyaseelan, Sub-Editor of Vellinatham, the weekly edition of the daily Eelanatham published from Kilinochchi, succumbed to his wounds from a fatal motorbike accident Friday. Mr. Kanakaratnam Jeyaseelan, a young journalist and editor, pen named Seelan, has served the paper for almost 10 years, according to Eelanatham officials.
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SLA ransacks LTTE's Jaffna political offices

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 May 2006, 09:46 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers damaged the building which functioned as the political office of the Liberation Tigers at Kokkuvil in Jaffna, in the early hours of Saturday, according to civilians in the area. The troops entered the building at Potpathy road around 12.30 a.m. and smashed doors and windows, they said.
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Gunmen fire on SLA troopers in Jaffna, 2 soldiers wounded

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 May 2006, 07:56 GMT]
An unidentified attacker, armed with a handgun, fired on Sri Lanka Army soldier who was guarding policemen providing security to Uthayan newspaper office located on Kasthuriar Road in Jaffna. The incident took place around 12:15 p.m. Saturday. Meanwhile, another gunman in Vadamaradchi, shot and wounded an SLA soldier around 1:00 p.m.
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UNP loses legal battle to contest CMC in party's name

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 May 2006, 02:12 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) Friday lost the legal battle to contest the election for the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) under UNP banner. The UNP has now been forced to contest the election through an independent group, which was accepted by the Returning Officer on the nomination day. The election to the CMC is fixed for May 20 with other twenty local councils, legal sources said.
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Sri Lanka seeks cluster bombs, MBRLs, sea mines - report

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 May 2006, 00:48 GMT]
Sri Lanka has placed orders with Pakistan for cluster bombs, deep penetration bombs and rockets and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), the Indian Express newspaper reported Saturday. Sri Lanka has turned to Pakistan for “a comprehensive list of weapons and other military hardware it wants to procure after India kept it waiting,” the paper said.
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SLA soldiers deployed around Jaffna daily Eelanadu, gunshots fired

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 May 2006, 15:55 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) deployed soldiers around the Jaffna based daily, Namathu Eelanadu, located on Navalar Road around 7:00 p.m., Friday. Around fifteen gunshots were heard in front of the paper office, according to the staff.
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Tamil youth shot dead in Kantalai

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 May 2006, 15:13 GMT]
Unidentified men who came in motor bike shot dead a Tamil youth, Sivagnanam Theepan, in Kantalai Friday evening around 4 p.m. The dead youth worked in sand mining and transportation of sand for the construction industry. Kantalai is located about 39 km off southwest of Trincomalee town along Trincomalee-Colombo highway.
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Colombo version of Nelliady killings false, says TNA

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 May 2006, 14:19 GMT]
The Parliamentary group of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in a letter sent to all foreign missions in Sri Lanka said that the Sri Lanka Government's version of the killings of seven youths in Nelliady, that the youths were "cadres belonging to the LTTE, and were killed in retaliatory fire immediately after the attack on the Military Camp," was false as there is evidence that youths were in bar during the time of the grenade attack on the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp.
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Kilinochchi relief organizaton urges immediate release of TRO workers

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 May 2006, 12:46 GMT]
Killinochchi East Rehabilitation Organization (KERO), in a memorandum issued Friday, appealed to the Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse to take immediate steps to release the abducted Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) workers from the custody of the para-militaries of the Sri Lankan Army (SLA). During a military operation on April 30 at Welikanda by LTTE against the paramilitary camp two TRO vehicles used by TRO workers at the time of abduction were recovered. SLA, paramilitaries and government media that they were not involved in the abduction, the memorandum pointed out.
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Tamil farmer arrested by SLA, reported missing

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 May 2006, 11:51 GMT]
Mr.Visanthy Aloysius, a Tamil farmer of Vellalarkaddu in Nanattan division in Mannar district is now reported missing after being arrested by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) on April 29. He was arrested by a group of soldiers when he was going to Sooriyakaddaikadu to sell vegetables. Several villagers witnessed the arrest. Now, SLA officials are denying arresting the farmer, said Mr.Selvam Adaikalanathan and Mr.S.Noharathalingam, Wanni district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians in a letter sent Friday to the Sri Lanka President Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse.
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International Community should protect Tamil media - TMF

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 May 2006, 11:04 GMT]
"The threats, attacks, and killings of Tamil journalists carried out by the Sri Lanka Security Forces and the collaborating paramilitary have reached unprecedented levels. The entire Tamil media is being targeted and intimidated by Security Forces," said the Tamil Media Forum in its memorandum to Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse handed over to Killinochchi Government Agent (GA) Mr. T. Rasanayagam Thursday at 11.30 a.m, said sources from Kilinochchi.
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Policeman shot dead in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 May 2006, 10:58 GMT]
Unidentified gunman shot and killed a policeman M. Vajisiri, 39, of Batticaloa police station Friday around 11.35 in an attack on the 3 policemen posted near Batticaloa Hindu College playground. The seriously injured policeman succumbed to his wounds while being rushed to the Batticaloa hospital, said the police.
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Three attacks in Jaffna, policeman, SLA soldier killed

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 May 2006, 10:39 GMT]
One Pollice constable was killed on the spot and two police officers seriously injured in a claymore explosion along Point Pedro, Jaffna Road in Puraporukki in Vadamaradchy district at 3.45 p.m.Friday, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, in Urikadu, Valvettiturai (VVT) one Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier has been reported killed, one soldier and a policeman were wounded, in a grenade attack around 12 noon by unknown men. Another attack on SLA troopers was reported at 4:45 p.m. at Maruthanarmadam in Valikamam.
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Indiscriminate Attacks strengthen case for Tamil self-rule- Aussie MP

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 May 2006, 10:10 GMT]
"Whatever the provocation, targeting Tamil civilians by the Sri Lankan Government clearly demonstrates that it does not regard the Tamil people to be part of its population. It thus strengthens, in my view, the Tamil people's case for self determination," said Australian parliamentarion John Murphy, Member for the Federal State of Lowe, in a media release issued Friday.
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SLN sinks boat off Kalpitti

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 May 2006, 08:29 GMT]
A suspicious boat that came under gunfire from a Sri Lanka Navy vessel in the seas off Kalpitti between the Kuthiraimalai shore and Vathalankunru islet, took fire and sank, according to police sources in Puttalam. The incident took place around 9:20 a.m. Friday. Meanwhile, military sources in Colombo said SLN attack vessels had destroyed an LTTE boat in Palugahathurai in Bathalangunduwa in Kalpitti lagoon
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3 policemen, 3 civilians wounded in Claymore attack in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 May 2006, 08:08 GMT]
Three policemen and three civilians including an eight year old girl were injured Friday around 1.20 p.m at Station Road Vairavapulliyankulam in Vavuniya in a Claymore attack targeting the vehicle taking lunch to the police cadres, said Vavuniya police.
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SLA, Police cordon, search Trincomalee town

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 May 2006, 21:39 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and Police conducted combined cordon and search operation Thursday morning in the predominantly Tamil areas of the Trincomalee town. Security forces took sniffer dog to detect any explosives and claymore mines concealed in houses. However no explosives were found and no suspects were arrested during the operation, Trincomalee police sources said.
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TRO opens Pubic Hall in Mallavi, distributes ADB loans

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 May 2006, 21:02 GMT]
Mr. S. Gajendran, Pandiyankulam Village Coordinator presided over the opening ceremony of the newly constructed Public hall built by Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation, at Thirunagar in the Malavi region in Mullaitivu district, held Wednesday around 10.30 a.m, said sources from Vanni.
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Sri Lanka arms Serunuwara Sinhala residents for "self-defense"

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 May 2006, 17:04 GMT]
Several hundred Tamil families displaced from their villages in the Serunuwara police division in the Trincomalee district and sought refuge in Liberation Tigers held Muttur east have expressed fear to return as Sinhala villagers surrounding their area have been provided with arms by the Seri Lanka government's security establishment for "self-defense," sources said.
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Tamil female journalist arrested at UNESCO Freedom event

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 May 2006, 11:03 GMT]
Sivaramya Sivanathan, a Tamil female journalist attached to state owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Cooperation (SLBC) as a relief announcer, was questioned by the Sri Lanka police at the entrance of the conference and arrested despite her producing her identity card given by the SLBC, a media release issued by the Free Media Movement (FMM) said. The FMM urged the Sri Lanka government to "instruct the police to speed up the investigations and release Ms. Sivaramya Sivanathan if she is proved innocent."
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Hand grenade lobbed into police sentry point in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 May 2006, 10:59 GMT]
Two helmeted men on a motor bicycle passing the Sri Lanka police sentry point on the Batticaloa-Trincomalee main road in Batticaloa, lobbed a hand grenade into the sentry point Wednesday around 7 p.m, injuring Mr. Bandara who was rushed to the Batticaloa Teaching hospital, said the police.
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Police, SLA cordon, search in Batticaloa villages

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 May 2006, 10:58 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Police rounded up and searched Kallady, Kallady Velore, Thiruchenthur and Dutchbar in Kathankuddy police division in Batticaloa from 5.30 a.m to 12 p.m Thursday morning, taking 10 persons to the Kathankuddy police station for further inquiries, said the police.
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Attempt to abduct SLA troopers in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 May 2006, 10:56 GMT]
Sri Lanka security sources said two SLA troopers were seriously injured in an attack launched on their patrol team in Inuvil, a village located between Kankesanthurai and Jaffna, Thursday around 7 a.m. Unconfirmed reports said that there was firefight when unidentified attackers attempted to abduct the SLA troopers.
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Jaffna pays last respects to Uthayan victims

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 May 2006, 10:52 GMT]
Normal activities in Jaffna peninsula came to a halt Thursday, as Jaffna residents participated in the protest hartal organised by the Jaffna University Student Union (JUSU), condemning Uthayan killings and the escalating killings of civilians by the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and its paramilitaries in the Jaffna peninsula, said student organisers.
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Seven innocent youths killed in Vadamaradchi, Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 May 2006, 10:29 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army soldiers opened fire and attacked with Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) launchers two three-wheelers with 7 youths inside, killing all of them on the spot. The attack took place inside a lane near SLA Intelligence Camp in Navindil, 300 meters from Nelliyadi junction in Vadamaradchi, Jaffna, around 2:15 p.m. Thursday. The victims, who were on their way to attend a birthday party, were attacked by the SLA men in retaliation to a grenade attack that took place behind their Intelligence camp where 3 SLA personnel, including an officer, were wounded.
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2 killed, Claymore mines target homeguards in Vavuniya settlement

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 May 2006, 09:34 GMT]
Two home guards were killed and four injured Thursday around 8.55 a.m., when a chain of Claymore mines exploded one by one targeting a group of 9 Sri Lankan homeguard troopers, in Avaranthulava, a Sinhala settlement located 15 km northwest of Vavuniya.
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Grenade attack wounds 2 policemen, 5 civilians wounded in retaliation fire

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 May 2006, 09:30 GMT]
Five civilians were rushed to Vavuniya hospital with gunshot wounds when Sri Lankan troopers opened fire after a grenade attack at the heart of Vavuniya town Thursday noon. Two policemen were wounded in the grenade attack and transferred to Anuradhapura hospital with serious wounds.
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CPJ condemns killing of Tamil-Language daily staffers

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 May 2006, 23:33 GMT]
Condemning the killing of two journalists at Tamil Language daily Uthayan, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), in a media release issued Tuesday, called on Government of Sri Lanka to "fully investigate the attack and take measures to ensure the security of all media workers as more attacks undermine the increasingly unstable truce since planned peace talks faltered in April."
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Youths charged in Uthayan killings released on bail

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 May 2006, 21:21 GMT]
Four students and two traders arrested by the Sri Lanka security forces Tuesday as suspects in the Uthayan killings and produced Wednesday at the Jaffna Courts were released on bail by Jaffna Additional Magistrate Ms. Sirinithi Nandasegaran after being subjected to an identification parade held in the presence of the magistrate, said sources from Jaffna.
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Woman shoots policeman, companion in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 May 2006, 16:54 GMT]
A woman opened fire on a police officer and a civilian riding a motor bicycle Wednesday around 6 p.m at Rambaikulam in Vavuniya, said Vavuniya police. The injured men were rushed to the Vavuniya general hospital and are being treated for gunshot wounds, according to sources.
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Fifty passengers escape Claymore blast in Vanni

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 May 2006, 14:48 GMT]
A bus carrying around 50 passengers from Puliyankulam northwards in LTTE controlled area in Periyakulam in Vavuniya North narrowly escaped a Claymore blast around 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, Tamileelam Police sources in Kilinochchi said. Deep Penetration Unit of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) is blamed for targeting civilian passengers in LTTE controlled areas recently.
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CTTU condemns attack on "Uthayan" newspaper

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 May 2006, 14:41 GMT]
The Ceylon Tamil Teachers' Union (CTTU) condemned the attack on "Uthayan" a leading Tamil daily in the Jaffna district in a statement issued Wednesday.
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LTTE complains to SLMM of SLA's deep penetration attack

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 May 2006, 14:39 GMT]
Mr.S.Iniyavan, Mannar District Political Head of the LTTE complained to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) at a discussion held at LTTE district political secretariat located in Karukkaikulam Wednesday of escaling attacks by the deep penetration unit (DPU) of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in the LTTE held territory in Mannar district, sources said.
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SLTMA extends plea to save Tamil Journalists on Press Freedom Day

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 May 2006, 12:10 GMT]
"The killings of the two Uthayan staffs and the extensive damage to the Uthayan office and equipments by paramilitary cadres directed by the Sri Lanka government (GOSL), pose serious threat to the media in Sri Lanka," said the Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance (SLTMA) in its statement released Tuesday. The GoSL conducts "customary eyewash inquiries," into the killings of several Tamil journalists, the statement added.
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Innocent students charged in Uthayan killings

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 May 2006, 12:04 GMT]
Amid propaganda by Sri Lanka Defense Ministry and the Sri Lanka Security forces that they have arrested four suspects in the killings at the Uthayan offices Tuesday, civil society members registered complaints with the the Jaffna Human Rights Commission (JHRC) offices that the four arrested are innocent students from the east, who were temporarily living in Jaffna to complete their Advanced Level education and examinations, sources in Jaffna said.
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IATJ raises concerns for Tamil Journalists' safety

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 May 2006, 11:08 GMT]
The International Association of Tamil Journalists (IATJ), based in London, called upon the International Community, Media and Human Rights Organisations of the world to focus their attention to the fast deteriorating safety of the Tamil journalists in Sri Lanka and to urge the Government of Sri Lanka to adopt internationally accepted standards in the treatment of the media and its journalists in Sri Lanka.
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SLMM issuing clarifications under pressure, disturbing- LTTE

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 May 2006, 10:56 GMT]
Liberation Tigers in a letter to Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) chief General Henricsson sent Wednesday regarding the clarifications on a previous statement that confirmed complicity of Government in extra-judicial killings in NorthEast, said: "We assume that the SLMM still stands by the above conclusions...and that the clarification only refers to the generalization of SLMM's conclusions."
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Tamil Canadians declare "Tamil solidarity week"

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 May 2006, 01:28 GMT]
The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) an organization which represents the interest of expatriate Tamil Canadians, held a press conference Monday in Toronto to declare May 8th through the 14th as "Tamil Solidarity Week for Peace." This week will bring together Tamil Canadians and other peace-loving Canadians to express their solidarity and support for finding lasting peace in Sri Lanka," said Mr. David Poobalapillai a spokesperson for the CTC.
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Gun recovered at attack site of Jaffna Daily

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 May 2006, 22:25 GMT]
Jaffna Additional Magistrate, Mrs.Srinithi Nanthasekaran, who visited the crime site at the Jaffna daily Uthayan offices, ordered police protection to the Uthayan office, and directed the Police to investigate into the armed attack on the paper office Tuesday night. Police said they have recovered a gun from the attack site.
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SE University teachers, non-academic staff begin boycott campaign

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 May 2006, 19:29 GMT]
Members of Teachers Union and Non-Academic Staff Union of the South Eastern University in Amparai district Tuesday morning began a boycott campaign till 5th of May condemning the attack by unidentified gunmen on the life of Mr. A.G.Hussein Ismail, Vice Chancellor of the South Eastern University on April 28 when he was on his way to his office from Addalaichchenai where is official residence is located. The vice-chancellor and his security guards escaped unhurt in that attack, sources said.
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Abducted Vaharai Co-op lorry drivers released

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 May 2006, 19:02 GMT]
Thevarajah 45 and Kanagasundram 53, lorry drivers of Vaharai Multi-purpose society in Batticaloa, abducted by armed cadres of Karuna paramilitary group on the 25th April at Palainagar on the Batticaloa-Colombo road, were released Tuesday, said sources from Batticaloa.
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Paramilitary gunmen attack Jaffna daily, 2 killed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 May 2006, 14:25 GMT]
Five armed paramilitary gunmen who entered the main office of the Jaffna daily Uthayan Tuesday night around 7:45 p.m., opened fire on editorial staff, killing at least two staffers, including the daily's marketing manager and wounding two, according to initial reports. At least 40 gunshots were heard, residents said.
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Woman farmer killed, 2 wounded in SLA Penetration Group's gunfire in Madu

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 May 2006, 12:15 GMT]
A group of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers who penetrated into Liberation Tigers controlled Madu division, shot and killed a 50-year old woman farmer. A 60-year old man and another 50-year old woman were wounded. The shooting incident took place at Chinnavalayankattu in Mannar district Tuesday around 4:00 p.m., Tamileelam Police sources in Madu said.
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SL Police abandons Sivaram murder investigation- RSF

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 May 2006, 12:14 GMT]
"Violence between Tamil factions, sometimes manipulated by the security forces, has had particularly bloody results. The renowned Tamil journalist Dharmeratnam Sivaram "Taraki", head of the news website TamilNet and editorialist on the Daily Mirror, was gunned down in Colombo in April. After arresting one suspect, police abandoned the investigation," said Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in its annual report for 2006 on Sri Lanka, issued Tuesday.
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LTTE retaliates SLA artillery fire - Elilan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 May 2006, 11:10 GMT]
Sri Lankan Army (SLA) launched artillery fire on a forward defense line of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) located at Navalady in Muttur area Tuesday morning around 9.30 a.m. The LTTE cadres successfully retaliated the attack, said Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the LTTE. Navalady is located between Muttur east to Ralkuli, a territory controlled by the LTTE.
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Gajendrakumar complains of threat to life

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 May 2006, 10:54 GMT]
Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, Tamil National Alliance parlimentarian for Jaffna district, in a letter to Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse Tuesday, complained of harassment and death threats to domestic staff at his Jaffna residence. His residence in 3rd Cross street is located close to two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camps, one at the 2nd Cross street-Main street junction and the other at the 4th Cross street.
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Auto-rickshaw driver shot dead in Thenmaradchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 May 2006, 10:26 GMT]
Armed men in a motorbike shot and killed a young auto-rickshaw driver in Kodikamam in Thenmaradchi division, Jaffna, Tuesday around 10:30 a.m. The victim, Selvaratnam Mathiseelan, 22, is the 8th auto driver to be gunned down in Jaffna.
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Two traders shot in Jaffna, one dead

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 May 2006, 08:26 GMT]
Armed men riding in a motorbike entered a hairdressing saloon near Thirunelvely junction and shot a client, a trader from nearby public market seriously wounding the trader and saloon owner. The trader succumbed to his wounds at Jaffna hospital. Eyewitnesses at the site, a high security area manned by Sri Lanka Army soldiers 24 hours a day, alleged that the SLA had withdrawn it's soldiers from the nearby posts, 10 minutes prior to the shooting incident, which took place 50 meters close to the junction, on Adiyapatham Road. Thirunelveli remains tense.
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May Day observed as a day of mourning in Vanni

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 May 2006, 02:22 GMT]
Hundreds of people in the Vanni wearing black bands, observed the International Workers' Day as a day of mourning, starting in a demonstration march from the Kilinochchi public playground Monday morning around 10 a.m, carrying effigies of Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse, Wimal Weerawansa, Propaganda secretary of JVP, and other Southern Sinhala extremist political leaders, and marching toward a public meeting held at the Cultural Hall in Kilinochchi, sources said. The meeting ended with the burning of the effigies.
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SLA cordons, searches Chenkalady

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 May 2006, 15:52 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Police cordoned off and searched Chenkalady public market area in the Earvur police division Batticaloa Monday between 9 a.m and 12 a.m, arresting 16 persons, said Eravur police.
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Allaipitti man shot by SLN, dies without medical help

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 May 2006, 11:49 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) soldiers Allaipitti area in Kayts within High Security Zone (HSZ) shot and killed a 74-year old civilian in his home at 8 p.m. Sunday, sources in Jaffna said.
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Pesalai Tamil youths released

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 May 2006, 11:28 GMT]
Mannar Additional Magistrate Mr.D.J.Pirapaharan Monday released three of eight Tamil civilians on surety bail for Rs. 10,000 each and put off further inquiry for May 8. The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) in a search operation conducted in the Pesalai refugee camp located along Talaimannar-Mannar road Sunday morning earlier had taken eight persons into custody, legal sources said.
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Three SLA soldiers injured in Jaffna grenade attacks

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 May 2006, 10:58 GMT]
Three incidents of hand grenade attacks on Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers in Arasady junction, Iyanar Kovildady and A9 near Puttur junction marked the May day in Jaffna district Monday, sources in Jaffna said. No processions or meetings were held during the May day in Jaffna according to Jaffna residents.
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SLA troopers on paramilitary rescue mission killed

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 May 2006, 09:46 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers commando unit that returned to LTTE Forward Defence Line (FDL) Sunday after completing the attack on three paramilitary camps in Welikande area, has claimed that 5 Sri Lanka Army troopers, including a Captain rank officer, who took part in a paramilitary rescue operation, were killed in confrontation with the Tigers. Informed defence circles in Colombo said that the SLA deaths were not revealed to avoid reports of SLA complicity in paramilitary issue.
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Explosion kills 6, injures 5 in Trincomalee town

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 May 2006, 06:14 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) soldiers and four Tamil civilians were killed in an explosion in Trincomalee town, around 9.45 a.m, Monday. Three SLN personnel and 2 civilians were wounded in the explosion, that occured at Vidiyalayam Road, Trincomalee police said.
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Woman shot dead in Velanai

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 May 2006, 03:17 GMT]
A 29-year old woman, shot and seriously injured by unknown gunmen near the old bus-stand in the Jaffna Islet of Velanai Sunday evening at 6 p.m., succumbed to her injuries at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, sources in Jaffna said.
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