18.08.24 21:23 
Viraj Mendis: A beacon of international solidarity and a pillar in the Eelam-Tamil liberation struggle
Viraj Mendis: A beacon of international solidarity and a pillar in the Eelam-Tamil liberation struggle
Reporting to the world on Tamil Affairs
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Telephone link to Vanni, most of peninsula, cut off[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 January 2007, 20:36 GMT]Telephone lines to Vanni and most of Jaffna have remained cut for more than four days since Saturday 10:55 p.m. Financial transactions in many branches of the banks have been paralyzed, fundamental services such as hospital ambulances, civil services and media, dependent on telephone communication have been severely affected. Vanni, without celluar link, remains completely cut off for communication. A group of Sri Lanka Army soldiers who visited Vavuniya Telecom Saturday evening had instructed the technicians to accompany them towards the communication exchange at Madukanda, 4 km southeast of Vavuniya town, and shut down the telephone link to Vanni. Full story >> Two youths shot dead in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 January 2007, 12:34 GMT]Vavuniya Police recovered two bodies with gunshot wounds Wednesday night in Maharambaikulam in Vavuniya, police sources said. These latest killings bring the total number of homicides in Vavuniya district during the first month of the new year to 59. Full story >> Union: Navy destroyed fishing boats, not Tiger craft[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 January 2007, 11:36 GMT]On Saturday Sri Lanka’s military said it had foiled a Tamil Tiger attack on the Colombo port and that three Sea Tiger boats had been destroyed. The navy said nine people had been arrested in connection with the attack. However, the All Ceylon Fisheries Union (ACFU) Tuesday contradicted the military and said the Navy had fired on fishing boats and arrested fishermen. An alleged black out on news had censored details of an attack said to have destroyed four Sri Lankan vessels in Colombo Harbour last Saturday. A flotilla of five attack boats and four explosions were registered by eyewitnesses. Full story >> SL parliament to meet on February 6 after new political alignment[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 January 2007, 11:31 GMT]Secretary of the Sri Lankan Parliament is in a dilemma to find office accommodation to 52 ministers in the parliamentary complex. Earlier 24 ministers were provided with office facilities in the parliament complex. Late the number was increased to 38. Now the Sri Lankan authorities have been forced to find office accommodation to cabinet rank 53 ministers. Sri Lanka's parliament is to meet on February 6 after the major cabinet reshuffle carried out last Sunday by SL President Mahinda Rajapakse. Full story >> UNP to expel dissident MPs[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 January 2007, 11:19 GMT]Dissident parliamentarians of the main opposition United National party (UNP) will be expelled from the party and removed from parliamentary membership after disciplinary inquiry, UNP general secretary Tissa Attanayake, has told media in Colombo Wednesday. Full story >> SLA trooper killed in bomb blast in Vaharai[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 January 2007, 10:53 GMT]A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) trooper was killed in a bomb blast around 4:00 p.m Tuesday at Kathiraveli in the SLA seized Vaharai area in Batticaloa district during duty time, Batticaloa Senior Superintendent of Police Max Proctor said. Full story >> Acute shortage of newsprint in Jaffna[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 January 2007, 09:51 GMT] International Independent Journalist Organization and Sri Lanka Organization for Freedom of Expression in Jaffna have sent letters to the Ambassadors of donor countries and International media agencies, informing the severe shortage of news print and ink in the Jaffna peninsula. The shortage has forced the publishers of Tamil dailies to reduce the number of pages and the number of copies published, the publishers said.
Full story >> Abducted TRO officials remembered[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 January 2007, 08:40 GMT] The one-year remembrance of the abducted seven employees of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) was observed in front of the TRO head office in Kilinochchi Tuesday. The relatives of the abducted and the employees of TRO gathered around 9:00 a.m. and remembered the persons abducted by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Karuna Group at Welikanda one year ago while they were traveling to Vavuniya from Batticaloa. The President of TRO, V. Sivanadiyar, read a memorandum addressed to the Commissioner of Human Rights for United Nations to secure the release of the persons.
Full story >> 7 policemen, 3 SLA troopers, civilian killed in Claymore attack[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 January 2007, 08:09 GMT]Seven police constables, three army personnel and a civilian were killed and seven army personnel, five policemen and three civilians injured in claymore mine attack in Batticaloa Wednesday around noon. The claymore mine was triggered along the roadside near the Eastern University premises targeting a bus transporting army and police personnel, around 18 km north of Batticaloa city. Full story >> JHU appoints militant leader as parliamentarian[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 January 2007, 06:29 GMT] Sinhala Ultra Nationalist All Monks party, the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), which is opposed to power-sharing and Norwegian facilitation, Wednesday replaced their National List parliamentarian monk Ven. Omalpe Sobhita Thero with a prominent militant leader of the National Movement Against Terrorism (NMAT), Patali Champika Ranawaka, paving way for him to assume a cabinet post this week, when the party with 9 parliamentary seats, is expected to join Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse's UPFA alliance. Full story >> SL new Foreign Minister visits India[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 January 2007, 06:11 GMT]Rohitha Bogollagama, new Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka left Colombo Tuesday on a two-day stay in New Delhi. This is his first official visit after he took over the new ministry Sunday. He would be leaving to Germany after concluding his Indian visit, government sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Eleven civilians arrested in Nugegoda[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 January 2007, 03:31 GMT]Eleven civilians, majority of them Tamil, were arrested in a house-to-house cordon and search operation conducted by the Sri Lankan security forces in Nugegoda, a suburb in Colombo city, Tuesday night, sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Disabled person shot dead in Jaffna[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 January 2007, 00:43 GMT]Unidentified gunmen shot dead a disabled civilian at Rajakiramam, Karaveddy in Vadamarachchy region in Jaffna district around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, sources in Point Pedro said. Pirammiah Tharmaseelan, 32, a family man, was at his home when gunmen approached his house, called him out, shot and escaped. Mr. Tharmaseelan has already lost an arm and a leg in a shell attack earlier. Full story >> Eastern university reopens with VC still held captive[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 January 2007, 21:05 GMT]Even though Prof.S.Raveendranath, former Vice Chancellor(VC) of Batticaloa Eastern University abducted in Dec 15 has not been released, the university reopened on Monday 29 after being closed for more than a month, and lectures resumed in all faculties, campus officials said. University Senate recently made the decision to reopen the campus. M.Pathmananathan, acting Vice Chancellor appealed to all parties to extend their co-operation for the smooth functioning of the university activities. Full story >> Mortar attack prompts search operation in Morawewa[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 January 2007, 18:38 GMT]Soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) with police Tuesday morning conducted a combined cordon and search operation in Morawewa area located about 24 km Northwest of Trincomalee along Trincomalee-Anuradhapura road. The operation followed a mortar attack on the SLAF camp located in Morawewa by LTTE cadres Tuesday early morning, security sources said. Full story >> Court issues summons on Colombo TRO officials[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 January 2007, 17:19 GMT]The Colombo Chief Magistrate Tuesday ordered to issue summons on three key officials of the Colombo office of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) to appear in court on February 7. The court made this order when the case filed against the TRO by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka was taken up for further inquiry Tuesday, legal sources said. Full story >> Jaffna University employee shot dead, youth's body recovered[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 January 2007, 16:47 GMT]Unidentified armed men on motorcycle shot and seriously injured an employee of Jaffna University Monday around 5:30 p.m at Nayanmarkattu in Nallur. The victim was rushed to Jaffna Teaching hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. Meanwhile, Jaffna police recovered the body of a youth around 23, Tuesday morning at Arukaalmadam area in the Jaffna Municipality limits with gunshot injuries. Full story >> Canadian Memorial Stamp issued for late Navaratnam[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 January 2007, 16:17 GMT] A set of Canadian Memorial Stamps and First Day Cover were issued at a memorial
function in Toronto Saturday, honoring the contribution by late V. Navaratnam, a
doyen of Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK), the Federal Party, and who called
upon the Tamil youth to fight for the establishment of a separate self-governing
Tamils State in 1969. Mr Navaratnam urged the youth
to fight, when he left the Federal Party and founded Thamil Suyadchi Kalaham,
the Organisation for Tamil Self-Governance, after witnessing failed negotiations
for power-sharing with Sri Lankan leaders for almost three decades.
Full story >> IFJ mounts campaign to free journalist Parameshwary[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 January 2007, 12:13 GMT] International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and Free Media Movement (FMM) together with other journalists organisations Monday launched an International and national campaign to release journalist Parameshawary who has been detained in Sri Lanka prison for seventy days without trial, civil sources in Colombo said. She was arrested under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism (PTA) act. The authorities have filed no charges and have failed to establish any links with terrorist activity, the letter of appeal says.Full story >> 27 civilians arrested in Colombo north[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 January 2007, 11:07 GMT]27 civilians including three women, majority of them Tamils, were arrested Tuesday in Colombo north police division in the western province during a search operation on vehicles plying to and from Kandy and Colombo, conducted by the police. They have been detained in Gampaha police station and are being interrogated, sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Irate civilians smash travel office in Jaffna[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 January 2007, 10:41 GMT]More than six hundred prospective passengers who were planning to travel out of Jaffna peninsula by private planes and queuing outside the air line office on Stanley Road on Monday, turned angry when they were told that only one hundred would be given tokens for issue of air tickets. The irritated civilians smashed the windows of the air line office and also caused damages to air-line property inside the building, sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> Monks' party to join UPFA government[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 January 2007, 10:36 GMT]The parliamentary group of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), all monks' party in Sri Lanka parliament is to take a decision late Tuesday on a proposal to join the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UNP) government and accept minister post. Full story >> Tamil farmer shot dead in Sambaltivu[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 January 2007, 08:56 GMT]Unidentified persons Tuesday morning shot dead a fifty-year old Tamil farmer at Aathimoddai, a suburb of Sambaltivu village about 9 km off north eastern port town along Trincomalee-Nilaveli Road. Full story >> TRO staffers disappearance reaches one-year anniversary[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 January 2007, 01:07 GMT]Seven staffers of Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), an NGO registered with the Government of Sri Lanka, were abducted on 29th and 30th January 2006, by armed paramilitiaries inside Sri Lanka Army (SLA) controlled area in Polannaruwa. In a press release issued from Colombo offices, the TRO said: "To date the Sri Lanka Police have yet to conduct any meaningful investigation or inquiry into these disappearances. The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka investigated this case and made a report to its head that has never been released." Full story >> Youth shot dead at Anpuvallipuram[TamilNet, Monday, 29 January 2007, 17:01 GMT]Unidentified men shot dead a Tamil youth Monday evening around 5.30 p.m. at Anpuvallipuram junction on Trincomalee-Kandy highway, suburb about 3 km off eastern port city, sources said. The armed men arrived in a motorbike and shot the victim at point blank range, eye witnesses said. Full story >> Youth seeks safety at Jaffna Police station[TamilNet, Monday, 29 January 2007, 16:47 GMT]A youth from Kokuvil west in Jaffna surrendered at the Jaffna police station Monday fearing danger to his life by unknown armed men. The police produced the youth Monday before Jaffna district magistrate Mr. R. T. Wicknarajah who ordered the youth to be placed in Jaffna prison under the protective custody of the courts until February 9, legal sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> Five more arrested in Jaffna for breach of curfew[TamilNet, Monday, 29 January 2007, 16:43 GMT]Sri Lanka Amy (SLA) troopers arrested two civilians from Gurunagar and three from other parts of Jaffna town within Jaffna Municipality Sunday night for violating curfew regulations, and handed them over to Jaffna police. The police produced the five arrested at the Jaffna court before District Magistrate R. T. Vignarajah who ordered them to be placed in Jaffna prison until February 9 and directed the police to conduct inquiry to find out whether they are connected to any criminal activity, legal sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> Jaffna-wide schools boycott begins Monday[TamilNet, Monday, 29 January 2007, 16:15 GMT]The boycott organized by the Vadamaradchy Tamil Students union spread to schools across Jaffna peninsula beginning Monday as two students abducted in Vadamaradchy area earlier, remained captive. Most students in Jaffna district responded to the call by the Students Union to boycott school activities until the abducted students are released. Full story >> US backs Sri Lanka, urges talks and access for humanitarian agencies[TamilNet, Monday, 29 January 2007, 14:23 GMT]The United States, reiterating its strong support for Sri Lanka's efforts "to combat terror," Monday called on Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse's government to also forge a power-sharing proposal as the basis for negotiations with the LTTE. Pointing out development can only take place amid peace, U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Robert Blake told a meeting of Sri Lanka's donor community that 'transparency, good governance, and respect for human rights and the rule of law are essential preconditions for economic development and indispensable prerequisites for ... a lasting peace." He criticised Sri Lanka's blocking of access to humanitarian agencies in the Northeast. Full story >> Development Vision can't exist independent of conflict - World Bank[TamilNet, Monday, 29 January 2007, 11:17 GMT] Sri Lanka's inflation, if continued at the current levels of nearly 20 percent, the year 2007 will not be a good year for the economy of the country, warned World Bank's Vice President for the South Asia Region, Praful Patel, in his opening remarks for the 2007 Sri Lanka Development Forum, held at Galle, Monday, at the invitation of the Government of Sri Lanka. "It is the conflict that constrains the country's development and stands in the way of its tremendous potential," Mr. Patel said stressing that a "development vision" cannot exist independently of the conflict.
Full story >> Tamil youth abducted in Eravur[TamilNet, Monday, 29 January 2007, 10:19 GMT]Unidentified persons who came in a van abducted a seventeen-year-old Tamil youth in Eravur Sunday while he was engaged in tarring a road in the area with several others. Full story >> SL Development Forum begins in Galle under tight security[TamilNet, Monday, 29 January 2007, 10:08 GMT] The first day session of the two-day Sri Lanka Development Forum-2007 began Monday morning at Light House Hotel in Galle town, capital of southern province amid tight security. Several hundred police personnel and troops of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) have been deployed in the town and surrounding the venue of the conference. SL President Mahinda Rajapakse declared open the forum.
Full story >> 9 Tamil civilians arrested in Colombo[TamilNet, Monday, 29 January 2007, 10:03 GMT]Nine Tamil civilians were arrested Sunday evening in a cordon and search conducted in several lodges located in Fort area in Colombo city. All of them are natives of North-East, sources said. Full story >> 9 civilians arrested in Jaffna for curfew violation[TamilNet, Monday, 29 January 2007, 09:03 GMT]Consequence to the announcement by Northern region SLA commander E.A.Chandrasiri on Saturday warning the strict enforcement of curfew in the peninsula, nine civilians were arrested within the municipal council area for curfew violation. The arrested civilians were produced by Jaffna police on Sunday before Jaffna Magistrate E.V.Wickremaraja, who ordered them to be detained until 9 February in Jaffna prison under protective custody. Full story >> Grenade attack in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Monday, 29 January 2007, 05:47 GMT]Two policemen and a civilian were injured when unidenfied men hurled a hand grenade at a police post at Soosaipillaiyar Kulam in Vavuniya, around 10 a.m., Monday, police in the northern town said. Another civilian working in a near by garage was injured when police opened up with retaliatory fire. Full story >> Body found in abandoned well in Jaffna[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 January 2007, 21:46 GMT]Residents of Chankanai found the body of a youth, with hands and legs bound, and with severe bodily injuries, dumped in a derelict well in an abandoned plot of land near Murugamoorthy Temple at Chankanai in Valigamam west. Full story >> Valikamam North displaced to be re-settled[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 January 2007, 20:45 GMT]Consequeny to the recent ruling by the Supreme Court of Sri lanka, civilians displaced from their residences in High Security Zone (HSZ) in Valikamam North would be permitted to return their residences based on certain court- imposed conditions, K.Ganesh, the Government agent of Jaffna said on Friday. Full story >> 7500 flee homes due to SLA attacks in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 January 2007, 18:34 GMT]Within the last four days, 7500 persons belonging to 1400 families have moved into government controlled area from Kiran, Chenkalady and Vavunativu Regional Secreatary divisions in Batticaloa district, Sundaram Arumainayagam, Batticaloa Government Agent (GA) said. Full story >> One SLA trooper killed, two injured in Valvettiturai claymore attack[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 January 2007, 18:32 GMT]Unidentified persons activated a claymore device in front of Valvetti Peoples' Bank, located between Udupiddy and Valvettithurai in Vadamaradchi district around 4:45 p.m Sunday targeting a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) road patrol unit, killing one trooper and injuring two, according to unconfirmed reports from Valvettithurai. Full story >> UNP Chairman tore MoU copy with SLFP into pieces[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 January 2007, 18:21 GMT]Rukman Senanayake, Chairman of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) at a news briefing held Sunday afternoon publicly tore a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the UNP with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government. He said the MoU with the SLFP is no more in operation. Full story >> Number of Cabinet rank ministers swells to 52[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 January 2007, 17:19 GMT] The number of cabinet rank ministers in United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Government of Sri Lanka rose to fifty-two with the swearing in of Amarasiri Dodangoda who took oaths as Minister of Justice before Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse Sunday afternoon, political sources in Colombo said. Fifty-one cabinet rank ministers took oaths Sunday morning in the Presidential Secretariat. 38 parliamentarians have been appointed non-cabinet ministers and 16 deputy ministers. Including the cabinet rank ministers, total number of ministers and deputies in the UPFA government is 103.
Full story >> International Community's flawed approach assists Colombo- Thamilchelvan[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 January 2007, 15:07 GMT] Liberation Tigers Political Head S. P. Thamilchelvan, in an Interview to TamilNet Sunday, said the passive stance adopted by the International Community, which he characterized as “unconstructive engagement,” is encouraging Colombo to pursue its power-centric politics and aggressive military agenda. The International Community, while making statements that a military solution is not possible, is either unable to, or unwilling to, exert its formidable muscle to force Colombo out of the current military path, despite the patience shown by the Tigers, he said.Full story >> SLA to strictly enforce curfew in Jaffna[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 January 2007, 11:16 GMT]The high command of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA ) from Palaly announced in a media communiqué issued Saturday that the night curfew already in place in the peninsula from 7:00 pm till 4:00am will be very strictly imposed effective immediately. Along main roads in Jaffna, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) vehicles using loudspeakers announced violators of curfew hours will be arrested and subjected to legal action. Full story >> Defections annul MoU with SLFP- UNP[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 January 2007, 10:16 GMT]Rukman Senanayake, Chairman of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) has informed the government that the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government will come to end with the accommodation of party dissident group in the cabinet. Full story >> UNP dissidents, SLMC join UPFA government, appointed ministers[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 January 2007, 09:28 GMT] The first major cabinet reshuffle of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government took place Sunday morning in the Sri Lankan Presidential Secretariat. Dissident parliamentarians of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) joined the Sri Lankan government. The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) led by Rauff Hakeem also joined the government. UNP dissident Karu Jayasuriya becomes Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister, Milinda Moragoda, the new Minister of Tourism and G.L.Peiris, Minister of Export Promotion and International trade. Mangala Samaraweera loses his Foreign Ministry portfolio. Rohitha Bogollagama has been appointed new Foreign Minister.Full story >> 18 Tamil civilians arrested in Moratuwa[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 January 2007, 09:27 GMT]Eighteen Tamils, including 11 women were arrested by the Police during a cordon and search operation conducted in houses and lodges at Soysapuram in Moratuwa from 10:00 p.m Saturday until 5:00 a.m Sunday. They are detained in Moratuwa and Galkisse police stations and are being interrogated. Full story >> White van abductors kill youth, leave body in Kantharodai[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 January 2007, 00:10 GMT]The body of an unidentified youth with deep cut wounds was recovered in Valikamam, in Kantharodai area in Chunnakam on Saturday. The victim was abducted earlier from some other area of the peninsula, brought to Chunnakam area by unidentified armed men in a white van at about 5:00 pm and dumped outside Kantharodai Vidyalayam, civilian sources said .The seriously injured youth was fighting for his life when the attackers left him but witnessing residents fearing for their own lives did not come forward to assist the victim. Full story >> Confusion amidst harbour attack black out[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 January 2007, 20:29 GMT]Conflicting details are emerging about the attack off the seas of Colombo harbour, Saturday morning. An informed source told TamilNet Saturday evening that four vessels were destroyed by the attackers, while the SLN authorities said they have destroyed 3 “suspicious boats”. SLN sources said Saturday evening that they have captured 9 "suspects" who were "fleeing" from the Harbour area. Full story >> Sri Lanka Cabinet reshuffle expected Sunday[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 January 2007, 17:04 GMT]Major cabinet reshuffle of Rajapakse government is scheduled to take place Sunday morning, presidential secretariat media unit said Saturday evening. Number of dissident parliamentarians of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) are to be offered w cabinet rank portfolios and non-cabinet minister posts in the reshuffle, sources said. Full story >> Tamil youth killed in STF attack in Murunkan[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 January 2007, 16:55 GMT]One cadre of Liberation Tigers was killed during retaliatory gunfire by the Special Task Force (STF) soldiers on a group of LTTE cadres who attacked the STF camp located in Murunkan area Saturday early morning, Murunkan Police said. The Police handed over the body of the unidentified Tamil youth, estimated to be 20-years old, to the Mannar base hospital Saturday afternoon. Full story >> Man shot dead in Nelliady[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 January 2007, 13:25 GMT]A 43-year old man was shot dead by unknown gunmen in front of Nelliady Madhya Maha Vidyalayam along Nelliady-Vathiri road in Vadamaradchy at 4:00 p.m. Saturday, sources in Point Pedro said. Gunmen brought the victim in a motor-bike to the area, and shot him dead at point blank range before escaping. Unconfirmed reports said that the victim was an intelligence operative working with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA). Full story >> 8 STF commandos killed in Thirukkovil ambush[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 January 2007, 11:18 GMT]Eight Sri Lankan Special Task Force commandos were killed and 12 wounded at Thangavelauthapuram in Thirukkovil division of Amparai district where a STF vehicle was ambushed, Saturday around 9:30 a.m. with Claymore attack and gunfire. Full story >> FMM condemns prolonged detention of woman journalist[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 January 2007, 02:34 GMT] Questioning the Court's decision to prolong journalist Mawnasamy Parameswary's detention by a further 90 days without any charges against her, the Free Media Movement (FMM), in a press release Wednesday, condemned the continued custody as "deeply disturbing" and "an example of the flagrant violation of fundamental rights in an increasingly militaristic state." Parameswary has already been in custody for 60 days.Full story >> Attack boats enter Harbour of Colombo, SLN claims destroying 3 boats[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 January 2007, 02:24 GMT]Three to five attack boats Saturday morning entered the outer harbour waters of Colombo Harbour and launched attacks on Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) vessels. Big explosions were heard, according to the crew members of a cargo ship. SLN claimed to have attacked and destroyed 3 "suspicious boats" moving towards restricted waters off Colombo, around 5:40 a.m. Shock waves from the explosion slightly damaged a Panama registered container vessel PELOPONESIAN PRIDE, approaching the harbour. A search operation was launched by the Sri Lanka Navy and the Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) after the explosions, that comes 3 months after an attack on Galle Harbour. Full story >> Reopening of Jaffna University scheduled for mid February[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 January 2007, 01:14 GMT]Acting Vice Chancellor (VC) of University of Jaffna Prof K.Kumaravadivel announced on Friday that preliminary arrangements have been completed for the reopening of the university in mid February, administrative officials at the Jaffna campus said. Full story >> Abducted man found dead, youth missing, three arrested in Jaffna[TamilNet, Friday, 26 January 2007, 20:56 GMT]Police recovered the body of the building contractor reported missing since Monday in Pannakam area, with hands bound and with cut wounds, Friday morning, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, in two separate complaints made to the Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna, a youth from Kachcheri-Nallur road was reported missing by his parents, and three youths from a house on the same road were reported arrested by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers, sources close to HRC said. Full story >> 38 persons arrested in Hambantota[TamilNet, Friday, 26 January 2007, 17:34 GMT]Thirty-eight persons, majority of them natives of North-East, were arrested in a combined cordon and search operation conducted in Hambantota town in the southern province by the three Sri Lanka armed forces and Police, Friday. Full story >> Detained journalist files FR application[TamilNet, Friday, 26 January 2007, 17:32 GMT]Journalist Mounasamy Parameswary working in a Mawbima, Sinhala weekly newspaper Friday filed a Fundamental Rights application in the Supreme Court against her arrest and detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). She in her petition said that her arrest is illegal and violating her fundamental rights. Full story >> Indian Envoy's help sought in resettling displaced civilians[TamilNet, Friday, 26 January 2007, 09:25 GMT]A delegation of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians met the Indian High Commissioner for Sri Lanka Alok Prasad and his deputy Manickam in Colombo at 10:00 am Thursday morning at the official residence of the envoy and appealed to him for help in resettling the recently displaced Tamil civilians in East, TNA sources in Colombo said, Full story >> Police arrest 5 upcountry Tamil youths[TamilNet, Friday, 26 January 2007, 09:10 GMT]Mathugama police arrested three upcountry Tamil youths who had come to Mathugama from Galle to their relatives' house Thursday, while Wenapuwa police arrested two upcountry Tamil youths from Maskeliya at Wenapuwa bus stand Thursday morning, sources in Maskeliya said. The five youths were arrested on suspicion of assisting Liberation Tigers, and are detained for investigation. Full story >> Kinniya Urban Council Tamil member assassinated[TamilNet, Friday, 26 January 2007, 08:30 GMT]The only Tamil member of the Urban Council of Kinniya, Thangarajah Ithayarajah, a Tamil National Alliance Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) member, was shot and killed Friday around 10:30 a.m. while he was on his way to Kinniya from his village, Alankerni. A friend of Mr. Ithayarajah was wounded. The assassins who shot and fled the area, came in a motorbike. The assasination comes three months after the assassination of the only Tamil TNA member of the Sinhala dominated Seruvila Pradeshaia Saba in the district. Meanwhile, 10 Tamil members who had won the Trincomalee Urban Council have received death threats, Thurairatnasingham MP said. Full story >> Gunfire ambush kills Sub-Inspector in Mannar, civilian killed in Police fire[TamilNet, Friday, 26 January 2007, 06:29 GMT]A 19-year-old Sinhala bus passenger was killed when Sri Lankan police opened fire after a group of attackers launched a gunfire-ambush killing a Sub-Inspector of Police at a police post, 27 km southeast of Mannar town, along the Mannar Madawachchi Road around 8:15 a.m. Friday. Two civilians, seated in the Mannar Colombo bus, were wounded. Full story >> Vadamaradchy schools boycott enters fifth day[TamilNet, Friday, 26 January 2007, 01:12 GMT]The boycott of classes by more than 12000 students in Vadamaradchy demanding immediate release of two students from Point Pedro Hartley College and Velayutham Maha Vidyalaym abducted recently entered fifth day Friday, student leaders in Point Pedro said. Full story >> Jaffna magistrate issues directive to curb hoarding[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 January 2007, 22:16 GMT]Jaffna district magistrate T. Vignarajah ordered Thursday all traders in the Jaffna peninsula to issue receipts for all goods they sell and to display the price list of all goods sold. The magistrate's order comes in the wake of the current acute shortage of essential goods and the rampant black marketing in the Jaffna peninsula, sources from Jaffna said. Full story >> Postman shot dead in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 January 2007, 21:33 GMT]Unidentified gunmen shot dead a postman at Pathinipuram along Trincomalee Kandy road in Trincomalee district around 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Full story >> Abducted man's body recovered in Jaffna[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 January 2007, 21:05 GMT]Kopay police recovered Thursday morning the body of a man abducted from Inuvil east Wednesday by unidentified armed men in a white van. The family man is from Inuvil east in Valigamam, near Inuvil Illanthali Amman Temple and his body was found near Urumpirai Temple area Thursday morning, nearly 4 km away from the place of abduction Full story >> Gunmen fire on SLN sailors in Mannar[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 January 2007, 13:20 GMT]A Sri Lanka Navy sailor was injured when unidentified attackers, who were waiting in two boats, fired at the Sri Lanka Navy in Thalvupadu in Mannar district Thursday early morning. Police charged that the attackers were Sea Tigers. A SLN sailor was wounded and rushed to Mannar hospital. Full story >> Wickremasinghe leaves for Nepal, India[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 January 2007, 12:36 GMT]Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), leaves Thursday on a nine-day tour to two countries, Nepal and India amid speculation in Colombo political circles that a group of dissident UNP parliamentarians are expected to be sworn in as ministers in President Mahinda Rajapakse cabinet during the weekend, media sources said. Full story >> 41 missing in 3 weeks in Vavuniya - HRC[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 January 2007, 12:22 GMT]Human Rights Commission (HRC) Vavuniya said that complaints related to disappearances of 41 civilians have been reported in the last three weeks at their office. 104 total complaints have been filed that include threats to life, intimidation, and arrests, officials further said. Full story >> Terminate CFA, Buddhist monks demand[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 January 2007, 12:09 GMT]Sri Lanka Buddhist Monks' Front Thursday decided to submit a memorandum to Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse demanding termination of the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) signed on 22 February 2002 by then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe and V. Pirapaharan, leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) before it completes five year-term. Full story >> 116 Tamil civilians held in Boosa detention camp[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 January 2007, 11:51 GMT]116 Tamil civilians including eight women are being detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in the Boosa Detention Camp located in Galle. The detainees were arrested in Colombo and other parts of the country during cordon and search operations. Majority of them are natives of North-East. Full story >> 11 Tamils arrested in Dehiwela[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 January 2007, 09:23 GMT]Eleven Tamil civilians were taken into custody by Sri Lanka Police in a cordon and search operations conducted in Dehiwela in Colombo city from Wednesday midnight till dawn Thursday. Most of those arrested are aged between 25 and 40, and have been staying in Dehiwela with their relatives and friends, and are natives of districts in North-East. Full story >> Tamil woman passenger arrested in Colombo[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 January 2007, 00:51 GMT]Sri Lanka Police took a Tamil woman passenger into custody during a search operation conducted in train bound for Galle from Fort Station in Colombo Tuesday evening on a tip off that explosives were hidden in a compartment, sources said. Full story >> Five Tamil civilians beaten-up in Matale[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 January 2007, 00:04 GMT]Five upcountry Tamil civilian passengers were injured when a group of Sinhalese hoodlums attacked a State owned passenger bus in Udathanna in Matale Monday evening, while the funeral of a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier killed in Vaharai military operation against the LTTE was taking place, sources in Matale said. Full story >> SLA troops shoot dead youth in Jaffna[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 January 2007, 17:21 GMT]An unidentified youth was shot dead during a confrontation with Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops Tuesday morning at about 10:30 a.m in Ilukanawaththa, Ellankulam area in Uduppidy in Vadamaradchchy. The youth is alleged to have lobbed a grenade at the troops patrolling in the area resulting in an exchange of fire between the troops and the youth. Full story >> Youth surrenders at the Jaffna Rights Group office[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 January 2007, 15:18 GMT]A youth from Vadamaradchy surrendered at the Jaffna office of the Sri Lanka Human Rights office on Wednesday bringing the total number of civilians surrendered since Aug.11, to 42, rights officials said. Full story >> 6 reported missing in Chavakachcheri, SLA bans bikes in town[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 January 2007, 15:14 GMT]Six Tamil youths who were in Chavakachcheri town Tuesday were reported missing after Sri Lanka Army troopers launched an extensive search and cordon operation in the town Tuesday, arresting and releasing more than one hundred youths, after a bomb attack that killed an SLA soldier and 2 civilians. Full story >> Journalists call for media freedom[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 January 2007, 12:50 GMT] The journalists in Sri Lanka staged a demonstration in front of the Fort Railway Station, Colombo around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, condemning the intimidation of media persons and media institution and stressing the freedom of expression.
Full story >> Demonstration held in Colombo against spiralling cost of living[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 January 2007, 11:59 GMT] "Cost of living has escalated and that is driving the poor even poorer, and people are undergoing immense hardship," said Anurakumara Dissanayake, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) parliamentarian and one of the coordinators of United Front For The Protection in of Motherland, during the protest demonstration held in front of Fort Railway Station in Colombo around 4:00 p.m Tuesday, media sources in Colombo said.
Full story >> Tsunami affected Maruthamunai residents discontinue protest[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 January 2007, 03:46 GMT] The protest organized by the residents of predominantly Muslim village of Maruthamunai to draw attention to the lack of commitment by the Government officials to help rebuild their homes destroyed by 2004 tsunami, was suspended after assurances given by the Government Agent (GA) of Amparai that he will expedite efforts to help the families, civil society sources in Batticaloa said. The protest continued for three days from Saturday until Monday.Full story >> 2 young men abducted, killed in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 January 2007, 22:08 GMT]Eravur Police recovered bullet-riddled bodies of two Tamil young men dumped in the bushes in Savukkady, Thalavai in Batticaloa district around 4:00 p.m. Tuesday. Full story >> SLA releases Ottamavadi "missing" men[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 January 2007, 17:45 GMT]Four Muslim family men missing since January 15 from Omadiamadu jungle in Valaichenai police division in Batticaloa where they had gone to collect firewood, returned home Monday night. The men were held at the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) head quarters in Welikanda. Full story >> Paramilitaries abduct three civilians in East[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 January 2007, 16:59 GMT]Three civilians were abducted by Karuna group paramilitary personnel driving in white vans in two separate incidents in Kaluwanchikudy in Batticaloa district, and in Thirukovil area in Ampara district. Full story >> 12 Tamil youths arrested in Colombo sent to Boosa camp[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 January 2007, 10:04 GMT]Twelve of Tamil youths arrested on suspicion and detained in four police stations in Colombo were suddenly transferred to Boosa Detention Camp in Galle in the southern province Monday. They were among several Tamil civilians, majority of them natives of Jaffna and upcountry Tamil plantations arrested by government security forces in Colombo and its suburbs during several cordon and search operations conducted recently, and detained in several police stations in the capital city, media sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Three Tamil youths arrested in Kandy[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 January 2007, 10:01 GMT]Kandy Police arrested three Tamil youths who are natives of Jaffna district when they were traveling in a three-wheeler Sunday night, sources in Kandy said. The Police took the youths and the three-wheeler into custody. The youths are being detained in Kandy police station. Full story >> 3 abducted, 4 injured in shooting incident in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 January 2007, 04:52 GMT]Unknown gunmen shot and injured four employees of the Road Development Authority (RDA) in Vavuniya, and abducted three workers at Ulukkulam around 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, while the workers were on their way to Vavuniya in a private van, sources in Vavuniya said. Full story >> Police cordon, search Eastern villages[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 January 2007, 04:42 GMT]Sri Lanka Police and members of Special Task Force (STF) jointly cordoned off and conducted a door-to-door search operation in Kirankulam village located in Kaththankudy Police division along the Batticaloa- Kalmunai road around 6:00 a.m. Monday, sources in Batticaloa said. The Police detained nearly 50 persons but released them after intensive interrogation. Full story >> SLA soldier, 3 civilians killed, 20 injured in Jaffna bomb explosions[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 January 2007, 04:19 GMT]Three civilians, including an elderly woman was killed and twenty civilians injured, seven seriously, in two incidents of bomb explosions in Chavakachcheri and Manipay, Tuesday morning, sources in Jaffna said. A Sri Lanka Army soldier succumbed to his wounds and three other troopers were wounded in Chavakachcheri explosion, SLA sources in Jaffna said. Tension prevails in Jaffna after the suspicious bomb attacks inflicting civilian casualties during the rush hours near Chavakachcheri New Market and in Manipay. Full story >> Vavuniya Transport Board manager shot dead[TamilNet, Monday, 22 January 2007, 17:32 GMT]Manager of the Vavuniya Peoplised Transport Board and former member of the People's Liberation Orginisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) , Tharmakulasingham (46), alias 'Thambi', was shot dead by unidentified armed person, around 5 p.m., Monday. Full story >> Vadamaradchy-wide student boycott begins[TamilNet, Monday, 22 January 2007, 16:06 GMT]More than 15000 students of the schools in Vadamaradchy district began an indefinite boycott of classes on Monday demanding immediate release of two students from Point Pedro Hartley College and Velayutham Maha Vidyalaym abducted recently, student leaders at schools said. Full story >> SLAF bombs Kadavanaikulam, southwest of Trincomalee[TamilNet, Monday, 22 January 2007, 14:30 GMT]Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir jets bombed Kadavanaikulam area, 20 km southwest of Trincomalee, located near Thampalakamam Monday around 4:00 p.m., according to initial reports from the area. Full story >> 2 Police, 2 civilians killed in Vavuniya shootings[TamilNet, Monday, 22 January 2007, 12:39 GMT]Unidentified armed men opened fire on Sri Lanka Police on security duty Sunday night at Kulumattu junction in Vavuniya killing one policeman and injuring two. Three civilians were injured when the police returned fire. One of the injured policemen and one of the injured civilians succumbed to injuries Monday, sources in Vavuniya said. Full story >> Bodies of two youths recovered in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Monday, 22 January 2007, 11:59 GMT]Vavuniya police recovered two unidentified bodies, hands bound with cloth, with bullet wounds in Thavasikulam area in Vavuniya, Monday evening. The Police said the bodies were found in the same spot where bodies of three Tamil civilans were found on Friday, and speculated revenge may have been the motive behind the crime. Full story >> Abducted man found dead, two civilians abducted in Jaffna[TamilNet, Monday, 22 January 2007, 11:44 GMT]The body of disabled Daniel Santharupan, 30, who was abducted allegedly by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers in broad day light at Thettkiyalady in Chunnakam, Valigamam, Tuesday 11:00 a.m, was found with severe cut wounds near the same area Monday, sources said. Meanwhile, two civilians were abducted during the curfew hours between 12:00 midnight and 2:00 a.m. Monday early morning by Sinhala speaking armed men and SLA soldiers, according to complaints filed by relatives at the Jaffna offices of Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (HRC), civil sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> Five Tamils arrested in Dehiwala detained under PTA[TamilNet, Monday, 22 January 2007, 09:59 GMT]Sri Lanka Police arrested five Tamil civilians in a cordon and search operation conducted in Dehiwala and its coastal areas from Saturday night till dawn of Sunday. The Tamil youths who are natives of Jaffna district have been detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and being interrogated. Full story >> Tigers locate 2 SLA bodies, seize arms in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Monday, 22 January 2007, 07:30 GMT]Two Sri Lanka Army soldiers were killed and four troopers were seriously wounded when Tigers counter-attacked the soldiers who attempted to breach the line of Tiger defence at Vavunathivu, Sunday night, Batticaloa district LTTE Deputy Political Head S. Seeralan told media Monday. Two bodies of soldiers, machine guns, communication equipment and ammunition were also seized by the Tigers. Full story >> SLA shelling kills mother, wounds children in Pt. Pedro[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 January 2007, 18:18 GMT]A 34-year-old mother was killed on the spot and her two children were wounded in indiscriminate artillery shelling from Sri Lanka Army base in Palaly and Pallappai camp towards Vadmaradchi north in the wake of the clash between Sea Tigers and Sri Lankan military in the Point Pedro harbour Sunday. Full story >> Protesters demand release of abducted trader in Kathankudy[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 January 2007, 13:58 GMT]Residents of Kathankudy protested in front of the Regional Secretariat in Kathankudy Sunday, demanding the immediate release of a supporter of Raub Mowlavi, a leader of the Sufi sect, who was abducted allegedly by one of the Muslim armed groups operating in Kathankudy, around 12:00 noon Saturday at Methaipalli road, Kathankudy. Full story >> House owner shot dead in Jaffna during curfew hours[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 January 2007, 13:35 GMT]More than eight unidentified armed robbers shot dead the owner of a house in Poothavarayar temple at Thirunelveli east near Jaffna town Saturday around 11:00 p.m during Sri Lanka Army (SLA) imposed curfew hours. The armed men opened fire, when the neighbours rushed to apprehend the robbers on hearing shouts from house owners, eye witnesses said. Full story >> Wickremasinghe to meet Indian leaders next week in New Delhi[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 January 2007, 11:51 GMT]The leader of the Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party, Ranil Wickremasinghe, is scheduled to visit India by the end of this week and to hold talks with Indian government leaders regarding the current political and security situation in Sri Lanka. Wickremasinghe is likely to meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Indian Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, leader of the main opposition Barathiya Janatha Party (BJP) during his stay in New Delhi, UNP sources said. Full story >> Sea Tiger boats enter Point Pedro harbour[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 January 2007, 11:22 GMT]Sri Lanka Army troopers started firing artillery air-shots into Point Pedro sea as a number of Sea Tiger boats were observed Sunday evening in the harbour around 4:00 p.m., according to the residents in Point Pedro. A cargo ship, CITY OF LIVERPOOL, which is used for bringing supplies to Sri Lanka government troops and civilians in northern Jaffna peninsula, was leaving Pt.Pedro harbour when the firing began. The ship was surrounded by the Sea Tiger boats from 3:45 p.m. till 5:45 p.m. SLN boats approached the site after the Sea Tiger vessels returned. Full story >> Tamil civilian killed in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 January 2007, 10:58 GMT]A Tamil civilian who was shot and seriously injured by unidentified armed men, Sunday morning, succumbed to injuries at the Trincomalee hospital, in the afternoon. Full story >> TNA parlimentarians meet Jafna University VC[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 January 2007, 09:28 GMT]T.Srikantha, the recently appointed Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian together with fellow Member of Parliament Shivajilingam met with the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Jaffna. Prof.K.Kumaravadivel on Saturday in an attempt to find a solution for the delay in re-opening the University of Jaffna that remains closed for more than five months. Full story >> Trapped Jaffna residents demand transport facilities[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 January 2007, 22:46 GMT]More than 500 civilians waiting to travel to areas outside Jaffna peninsula protested outside the Jaffna office of Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (SLHRC) on Saturday morning demanding that immediate arrangements are made to facilitate their travel needs, civil society sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> UNP dissidents firm in joining SL government- Jayasuriya[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 January 2007, 22:24 GMT]Mr.Karu Jayasuriya, dissident leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), told media persons in Colombo that there is no change in the decision to cross over to the government side by a group of dissident UNP parliamentarians. He added that he would meet Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe on Monday in Colombo at the latter's invitation, sources said. Full story >> Farmer shot dead in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 January 2007, 22:00 GMT]Unidentified gunmen shot dead a farmer at Irakkandy in Trincomalee around 12:30 p.m Saturday. The victim was identified as Packiyasothy Jeevankumar, 24, a resident of Ward no. 6, Kumpurupitty in Irakkandy. Full story >> "Majority Report" authors commended[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 January 2007, 19:33 GMT]A group of Sri Lankan academics and civil activists in a letter sent to the members of the Experts Panel on Constitutional Reform Friday, said that the "Majority Report provides a reasonably compromised and remarkably consensual road map for effecting the necessary constitutional changes towards a political resolution," and added that "the onus is now on [Sri Lanka's] President Rajapakse and the leaders of the SLFP and the UNP to take the lead and act on these recommendations." Full story >> Paramilitary abducts IDP boys as more flee Vaharai[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 January 2007, 15:44 GMT] Two boys, displaced from Vaharai to Kannankiramam village in Valaichenai, were abducted by armed paramilitary men at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. On Thursday, 3 youths belonging to IDP families were abducted by the paramilitary. Residents fear increased abductions as 4700 persons from Vaharai region crossed over the entry point at Kajuwatte, 5 km north of Mankerni, Friday and Saturday, and around 1200 civilians reached Singapura area through Kattumurivu. Abductions of underage youth, taking place almost on a daily basis, are no longer complained to Police following threats from paramilitary. Full story >> Tiger artillery fire kills 4 SLA soldiers at Panichchankerni[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 January 2007, 15:05 GMT]Four Sri Lanka Army soldiers were killed and three wounded in LTTE artillery fire at Panichchankerni Saturday afternoon, military sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Court orders release of arrested refugees[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 January 2007, 10:19 GMT]Twenty-four Sri Lankan Tamils refugees, including men, women and children, who were arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) when they were returning from Tamilnadu were produced in Mannar magistrate's court Saturday morning. Additional Magistrate Mr.T.J.Pirapaharan ordered them to be released. Full story >> 145 persons arrested in Puttalam district[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 January 2007, 10:06 GMT]145 persons were arrested during a combined cordon and search operation by the Sri Lanka Army and Police in Puttalam, Anamaduwa and Vannathivillu in the North Western Province, from Thursday night till dawn of Friday. Majority of arrested are Tamils, sources said. Full story >> Four SLA soldiers killed in Eachchilampathu[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 January 2007, 10:00 GMT]Four Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and 3 injured in a mortar attack launched by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Friday evening at Eachchilampathu, south of Trincomalee district, military sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Sri Lanka allocates oil exploration in Mannar[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 January 2007, 06:05 GMT]Sri Lanka has given one of eight blocks to explore for oil in Mannar to India and another to China, reports said this week. Sri Lanka is planning to allocate the rest of the six blocks in three months. A Norway-based company was originally handling the exploration process, but the Sri Lankan government has bought the information off it and passed it to an Australian firm for interpretation instead, the reports said. Colombo has already sold two sets of the available data to India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and British Gas. Full story >> "Anyone can join or leave SLFP"-Rajapakse[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 January 2007, 00:27 GMT]"Every one has the right to join or leave the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). I will not object to any one leaving the party or joining it," said Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse addressing the meetings of SLFP executive committee and all island working committee held Friday at Temple Trees. Full story >> Four civilians abducted in Jaffna, students continue boycott[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 January 2007, 00:13 GMT]Two civilians transporting goods in a tractor were abducted on Friday morning at 8:00 am at Pallakkadu junction in Anaicottai area near Jaffna municipal area. The abduction was carried out in broad day light in the presence of public by unidentified men who arrived in a white van. Two more civilians were also abducted, one in Kalviyankadu and the other in Irupalai in two separate incidents Thursday and Wednesday. Meanwhile, the students of Point Pedro Hartley College and Velayutham Maha Vidyalayam continued their demonstration for the fourth day demanding the release of abducted students from their school. Full story >> Forty civilians arrested in Wattala[TamilNet, Friday, 19 January 2007, 18:38 GMT]In a cordon and search operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Police from Thursday night till early morning Friday in Wattala in Colombo city, forty civilians, majority of them Tamils, were taken in for questioning. Full story >> Sinhala youth shot dead in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Friday, 19 January 2007, 13:07 GMT]Unidentified armed men shot dead a youth with pistols at Thekawatte area in Vavuniya around 1:30 p.m Friday, Vavuniya police said. The victim has not been identified yet, Officer-in-charge of Vavuniya police, Kumara Chanthanayake said. Full story >> Protest against curbs on media to be held Tuesday[TamilNet, Friday, 19 January 2007, 12:57 GMT]Several Media associations are jointly to hold a public protest in front of the Fort Railway station on Tuesday from 12:30 p.m as part of a campaign for media freedom and safety of journalists in Sri Lanka, a leaflet issued by the joint group said Friday. Full story >> Tiger ambush kills 11 STF personnel in Amparai[TamilNet, Friday, 19 January 2007, 12:53 GMT]An elite guerilla unit of the Liberation Tigers in Amparai district carried out an ambush on Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) convoy Friday morning, killing at least 11 Sri Lankan commandos and wounding more than 11 at Bakmitiyawa, 30 km southwest of Amparai town, LTTE Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan told TamilNet. Full story >> SLA troops enter vacated Vaharai hospital[TamilNet, Friday, 19 January 2007, 12:23 GMT]Sri Lanka Army sources in Colombo claimed Friday afternoon that their troops have entered the Vaharai hospital without facing any resistance from the Tigers. Liberation Tigers Military Spokesman, verifying that the Tigers had relocated their positions in Panichchankerni where the SLA had obstructed the land route to Vaharai village, said LTTE had no combatants in Vaharai village where the hospital is located. Meanwhile, thousands of civilians who crossed through Kadjuwatte exit and entry point were escorted to Mankerni Catholic school and provided midday meal. Full story >> Grenade attack, gunfire on SLA camp in Jaffna[TamilNet, Friday, 19 January 2007, 11:01 GMT]Armed men fired at the soldiers stationed in the Sri Lanka Army camp at Navindil in Vadamaradchi sector of Jaffna peninsula Friday around 7:00 a.m. Residents fled the area following the clash that lasted for 15 minutes. 6 SLA soldiers were wounded according to anonymous SLA sources. Full story >> Four more bodies found dumped in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Friday, 19 January 2007, 06:54 GMT]Four more bodies found dumped in the suburbs of Vavuniya, were handed over to the hospital mortuary, Friday morning, police in the northern town said. The victims are yet to be identified, hospital sources said. Full story >> SLA shelling on Vaharai hospital triggers exodus[TamilNet, Friday, 19 January 2007, 06:02 GMT]Sri Lanka Army stepped up shelling on Vaharai hospital Thursday night forcing 15,000 civilians to flee the Vaharai hospital area. 9000 Tamil civilians, denied basic needs, were forced to flee towards Kajuwatte entry and exit point Friday early morning, according to Vaharai Divisional Secretary, S. Giritharan. 200 tractors with fleeing civilians have reached Kajuwatte. Many women and children were fleeing on foot and bicycles. The only doctor at the hospital, T. Varatharajan, said the civilian IDPs who had sought refuge in the hospital area, were forced to flee as heavy shelling was stepped up during the early hours on Friday. Six civilians were injured Thursday night. Full story >> Armed robberies on the rise during curfew hours in Jaffna[TamilNet, Friday, 19 January 2007, 04:43 GMT]Jaffna Traders Association Thursday urged the Government Agent in Jaffna to take measures against the escalating late-night robberies, by white-van squad, during the curfew hours targeting the business establishments in the Peninsula. In a letter to the GA, the association has expressed concern as more than 40 million rupees worth of cash, jewels and clothes were robbed in many shops in Jaffna town, Nallur, Chundikkuli and Chunnaham within a week. Full story >> One SLA trooper killed, two injured in Vadamaradchi[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 January 2007, 19:14 GMT]Unknown gunmen attacked two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camps, located at Vathiry Road in Udupiddy and David Camp in Navindil area, both in Vadamaradchi, Thursday, injuring two in David camp, sources from Jaffna said. Meanwhile, unconfirmed media reports in Jaffna said that a SLA trooper at Nagarkovil SLA front defence line in Vadamaradchi east was killed in Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) artillery attack while SLA sources said one trooper was killed in Tiger sniper fire Thursday evening. It is not known whether both reports referred to the same trooper. Full story >> SLA shells Vaharai hospital, 5 civilians wounded[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 January 2007, 17:37 GMT]Sri Lanka army stationed at Mankerny and Kajuwatta camps have been continuously pounding the besieged Vaharai area with artillery shells from Thursday morning. SLA fired shells targeted Vaharai hospital area in the morning and in the evening and wounded five persons. Despite an urgent message passed to ICRC notifying the attack, after the SLA shelling Thursday morning between 6:00 and 10:00 a.m., the hopsital vicinty was attacked again in the evening at 5:15 p.m. wounding four civilians seriously. Targeting of medical facilities is a serious breach of the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) that applies to both internal and international armed conflicts. Full story >> Subdued Pongu Tamil celebrations held in Jaffna[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 January 2007, 15:25 GMT] Sixth anniversary celebrations commemorating Pongu Tamil event was celebrated in a simple ceremony held on Wednesday in Jafna university premises near the University library, student union officials in Jaffna campus said..In the function attended by a large number of undergraduates, a number of academics including heads of departments and Deans of the various faculties lit the flame of sacrifice, and placed floral wreaths near the sign board containing Pongu Tamil declaration.
Full story >> Arson destroys book shop in Kathankudy[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 January 2007, 13:54 GMT]Unidentified persons set fire to the book shop belonging to a Muslim trader in kathankudy Town, and completely destroying the building, at Kathankudy Thursday around 3:00 a.m, Kathankudy police said. Officer-in-charge of Kathankudy police, I. P. Samaraweera, said that the arson was the result of the intra-Muslim religious conflicts prevailing within in Kathankudy. Full story >> JVP will agitate if government takes in UNP MPs - Vijith Herath[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 January 2007, 12:12 GMT]"We will gather people and agitate on the streets against the government if it takes in United National Party (UNP) parliamentarians who are against 'Mahintha Chinthanaya,' and this may even lead to the downfall of the government," Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) parliamentarian for Gampaha district, Vijith Hearath said, commenting on the reported likely cross-over of 18 UNP parliamentarians to the government, political sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Remains of Eelanatham Journalist cremated in Kilinochchi[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 January 2007, 11:43 GMT] The event paying final tribute to 'Patriot' Late V. Aruljothinathan, the senior most journalist of Eelanatham Tamil daily, was held at Eelanatham office at Jeyanthinagar in Kilinochchi Wednesday around 2:00 p.m, presided by V. Sudarmani, deputy head of Eelanatham.
Full story >> SLA killed pastor in Jaffna, removed identification, says Christian body[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 January 2007, 09:58 GMT]National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL) Wednesday said that Sri Lanka Army, on 13 Jaunuary, shot and killed Nallathamby Gnanaseelan, the head of Tamil Mission Church in Jaffna and removed the identification documents and the Bible, hiding vital evidence for the identification of the victim, in an attempt to depict the victim as an unidentified attacker. Full story >> Sinhala civilian slain, Tamils threatened in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 January 2007, 07:42 GMT]Sri Lanka Army troopers and police personnel Thursday morning threatened Tamil civilians at Mathavadikulam, a suburb located 3 km south of Vavuniya town, after a gang shot and killed a Sinhala civilian Wednesday night. The SLA soldiers warned Tamil residents that they would be chased away from the area, residents complained. The killing follows the slaying of 6 Tamil civilians Tuesday night in Vavuniya. Tension prevails in Mathavadikulam and Moonrumurippu. Full story >> SLFP agrees to offer cabinet portfolios to UNP dissidents[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 January 2007, 05:56 GMT]Sixty-one member central working committee of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UNP) government Wednesday night unanimously decided to accommodate dissident parliamentarians of the main United National Party (UNP) in the cabinet reshuffling expected to take place shortly, party sources said. Full story >> Kohona assumes duties as Sri Lanka's Foreign Secretary[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 January 2007, 23:19 GMT]Dr. Palitha Kohona, the current Secretary General of Sri Lanka Government's Secretariat for Co-ordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP), assumed duties as Sri Lanka's new Foreign Ministry Secretary Wednesday. Mr. Mangala Samaraweera, Foreign Minister, did not attend the function held at the Foreign Ministry Wednesday morning. Full story >> Two more youths surrender to Jaffna Human Rights group[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 January 2007, 19:51 GMT]Two more youths sought protection with the Jaffna Humarn Rights Commission (HRC) group on Wednesday, adding to the 39 civilians already surrendered at the Jaffna office of the HRC, sources in Jaffna said. The youths complained of serious threats and intimidation by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers. Full story >> Wife appeals for release of Eastern University VC[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 January 2007, 19:43 GMT] R.Jegatheswary, wife of Professor Sivasubramaniam
Raveendranath, the Vice Chancellor of the Eastern
University of Sri Lanka (EUSL), issued an
appeal on Tuesday to the media seeking their
help in obtaining the release of her husband
abducted on Dec 15th in Colombo in High Security area in Bauddhaloka Mawatte.
Full story >> SL Appeal Court to decide on CFA inquiry[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 January 2007, 17:19 GMT]Sri Lanka's Court of Appeal Wednesday fixed the inquiry for 06 March into the petitions by the Sinhala extreme nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna party and the Buddhist nationalist all monks Jathika Hela Urumaya seeking the Sri Lanka judiciary to declare that the Ceasefire Agreement, signed on 22 February 2002, is null and void on the basis that it contravened the constitution of the country. Full story >> White van squad abducts disabled man in Jaffna[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 January 2007, 15:20 GMT]Unidentified armed men arriving in a white van abducted a disabled man in broad day light at Thettkiyalady in Chunnakam, Valigamam, Tuesday around 11:00 a.m, as he was riding his bicycle along Kankesanthurai road where Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers were present, the family members said. Full story >> Hartley College student disappears[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 January 2007, 13:48 GMT]An advanced level student at Hartley College, Point Pedro has been missing from Monday amidst escalating number of disappearances in Jaffna district. Murugananthan Paramananthan, 19, from Northern coastal town of Viyaparimoolai was on his way to Nelliyadi, 3km south of his home town to attend to personal errands, when he disappeared, the parents said in a complaint filed at the Jaffna offices of the Human Rights Commission (HRC). Full story >> Mannar civilian blindfolded and killed[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 January 2007, 12:14 GMT]A highly decomposed body of a young father of two children was located at Kallikaddaikadu, 13 km southeast of Mannar town, Tuesday evening. The victim, Anthonipillai Sagayanathan, a mason, has been missing since eyewitnesses saw him Friday when Sri Lanka Army soldiers had stopped and interrogated him. Full story >> SLA hands over 7 LTTE bodies to ICRC[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 January 2007, 11:35 GMT]Sri Lanka Army officials handed over 7 dead bodies of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres, killed in Panichchankerni, south of Vaharai, to the ICRC in Valaichenai Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. Full story >> STF commandos leave behind dead paramilitary - Seeralan[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 January 2007, 10:35 GMT]An elite commando unit of the Special Task Force personnel who penetrated into Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam controlled territory at 39th Colony in Vellavely, 3 km north of Batticaloa Amparai district border, were repulsed in a counter-attack by the Tigers Tuesday evening. The STF commandos, during their retreat, left behind a dead body of a paramilitary cadre with his arms and ammunition, said S. Seeralan, LTTE's Batticaloa district deputy political head. Full story >> Six civilians killed in Vavuniya, 2 abducted[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 January 2007, 06:05 GMT]Six persons, including a woman and a driver attached to Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) were shot and killed, and two young men riding in a three-wheeler were killed, in two separate incidents in Vavuniya, Tuesday night. Four of the victims were killed at a house in Kurumankadu, 2 km west of Vavuniya town, 200 meters from a Police post, and the other two victims, riding in a three-wheeler on Rice Mill Road were shot dead. One of the victims was burnt inside the three-wheeler, Police said. Full story >> Col. Kittu remembered in Kilinochchi[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 January 2007, 05:02 GMT] The 14th anniversary remembrance of Colonel Kittu and other fighters were remembered at the statue of late Lt. Colonel Kuttisri in Paranthan junction, Kilinochchi around 8:45 a.m. Tuesday. Colonel Kittu and nine other LTTE members who died exploding an LTTE vessel, when the Indian Navy cordoned off the vessel in which they were sailing to Sri Lanka on 16 January 1993. Kittu was the head of the LTTE's International Secretariat at the time of his death.
Full story >> Senior journalist passes away in Vanni[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 January 2007, 02:05 GMT] A senior journalist in Vanni, Vallipuram Aruljothinathan, 56, of Kanagapuram, Kilinochchi, passed away at Kilinochchi General Hospital around 3:00 a.m. Tuesday. Mr Aruljothinathan started his career in 1993 at ‘Eelanatham,’ a Tamil newspaper published in Vanni, from the day of the inception of its weekly edition.
Full story >> Tutory owner shot dead in Chavakachcheri[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 January 2007, 01:24 GMT]Unidentified armed persons shot dead the owner of a private tuition center in Chavakachcheri town in Jaffna district around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> High school student disappears in Jaffna[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 January 2007, 00:44 GMT]Students of Point Pedro Velayutham Boys’ School boycotted classes Tuesday demanding the release of the student who went on missing while on his way to attend tuition classes in a bicycle last Friday evening, sources in Point Pedro said. Full story >> Family seeks protection with Rights Group[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 January 2007, 00:05 GMT]An elderly couple from 15th mile post in Udupiddy, aged 56 and 54, together with their 15-year old daughter surrendered themselves on Tuesday at the Jaffna office of the Sri Lanka Human rights Commission (SLHRC) seeking protection from the Sri Lanka army (SLA) troops. HRC has obtained a court order to place the family in protective custody at the Jaffna prison. Full story >> Two youths arrested near Thondaman residence[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 January 2007, 18:02 GMT]Two youths were taken into custody by the Police Monday on a complaint that they had allegedly used a telescope to monitor the Dimbulagala residence of Minister Arumugan Thondaman. The suspects were arrested on receipt of information from the security officials of Mr.Thondaman. Full story >> Reopening of Jaffna University delayed[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 January 2007, 17:35 GMT]Acting Vice Chancellor (VC) of University of Jaffna Prof K.Kumaravadivel, in a communiqué issued to the media on Tuesday announced that due to administrative difficulties the reopening of the university originally scheduled for January 22 is being postponed by few more weeks. Full story >> Sivaram murder trial before Sinhala speaking Jury[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 January 2007, 16:38 GMT]The Colombo High Court Tuesday fixed the inquiry into the murder of political analyst and a senior editor of TamilNet, Sivaram Dharmeratnam, before a Sinhalese speaking Jury. Judge W.A.D.Ratnayake allowed the application made by the sole suspect, an alleged member of an ex-militant turned paramilitary, that he should be tried before a Sinhala speaking jury, legal sources said. Full story >> 16 UNP MPs to join UPFA government - SL Minister[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 January 2007, 16:14 GMT]Sixteen parliamentarians of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) are to join the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, media reports in Colombo said Tuesday evening quoting a senior Sri Lankan Minister D.Jayaraetne, the general secretary of the Peoples Alliance (PA), a constituent of the UPFA government. Full story >> SLA commander transfers paramilitary personnel in Arayampathy[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 January 2007, 15:57 GMT]Sri Lanka Army 23-3 Brigade Commander Colonel Subasinghe, in an attempt to calm down the objections from the Muslims who oppose the armed passage of Karuna paramilitary personnel via Kathankudy Muslim town, after the recent violence in Arayampathy Kathankudy border, has transferred a key paramilitary operative and fellow personnel to the camps elsewhere. New paramilitary personnel have been posted the house attached to the STF camp in Arayampathy, according to Muslim representatives in Kaththankudy. Full story >> 5 SLA troopers killed in Claymore attack in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 January 2007, 15:24 GMT]Five Sri Lanka Army soldiers were killed and three wounded in a Claymore attack in on Mannar road around 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, Vavuniya Police said. Full story >> Decapitated body found in Kathankudy[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 January 2007, 15:14 GMT]The decapitated body of a youth with cut wounds was recovered by Kathankudy police on Tuesday morning at 10:00 am in Manchanthoduvai area along old Kalmunai road in Kathankudy police division in Batticaloa district. Full story >> Sri Lanka steps up offensive on Vaharai[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 January 2007, 08:35 GMT]Heavy casualties were reported in fresh fighting as Sri Lankan armed forces launched a three pronged ground offensive towards Panichchankerni, south of Vaharai, towards Eachilampattu and Uppooral in the north. 12 Tiger fighters were killed and 7 wounded according to LTTE Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan who also claimed more than 40 SLA troopers were killed. Meanwhile Sri Lankan military sources in Colombo claiming to have inflicted a heavy casualty, more than 30, on the Tigers said 4 Sri Lankan troopers were killed, inclduing an officer and 20 wounded. Full story >> Two policemen killed in Vavuniya claymore attack[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 January 2007, 05:49 GMT]Two Sri Lanka Policemen were killed in a claymore attack inside the Vavuniya Kachcheri premises, around 8:10 a.m., Tuesday. Full story >> SLA shoots dead 2 young men in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Monday, 15 January 2007, 21:41 GMT]Sri Lankan Army (SLA) soldiers shot dead two young men around 9:30 p.m. Sunday in an ambush in Mavadi Vembu in Eravur Police division in Batticaloa district, sources said. Full story >> Teacher shot dead in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Monday, 15 January 2007, 21:31 GMT]Unidentified gunmen shot dead a teacher in Thuraineeelavanai in Kaluwanchikkudy Police division in Batticaloa district around 11:00 a.m. Monday, sources in Batticaloa said. Full story >> Trader knifed to death in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Monday, 15 January 2007, 21:23 GMT]Batticaloa Police recovered the mutilated body of a petty trader with several stab wounds, and tied with a big stone, in the Batticaloa lagoon in Seththukkudah area within the municipal limits, around 10:30 a.m Monday, sources in Batticaloa said. Full story >> Sinhalese police officer arrested in Matara[TamilNet, Monday, 15 January 2007, 18:26 GMT]A former officer in-charge of the Trincomalee Harbour Police was arrested Monday with a suspect, allegedly belonging to Liberation Tigers, in possession of 4.5 million rupees inside a hotel in Matara in the southern province, media sources in Colombo said quoting security forces. Full story >> Tamil youth shot dead in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Monday, 15 January 2007, 16:09 GMT]Unidentified armed man shot dead a Tamil youth Monday evening around 6:00 p.m. in the heart of Trincomalee town, sources in the east port town said. Full story >> SLMC to join UPFA government[TamilNet, Monday, 15 January 2007, 11:03 GMT]The leadership of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) is completing formalities towards joining the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government led by President Mahinda Rajapakse, SLMC general secretary, M.T.Hassan Ali told media persons in Colombo Sunday. Full story >> 2 masons killed, 1 wounded in Akkaraipattu[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 January 2007, 12:59 GMT]Four armed men riding in two motorbikes shot and killed two Tamil mason workers at Kannakipuram in Alayadyvembu in Akkaraipattu Sunday around 1:30 p.m., Police said. The victims, former LTTE cadres, had left from Special Task Force camp located 300 meters, after presenting themselves as required by the STF. Full story >> Muslim man shot dead in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 January 2007, 11:35 GMT]The body of an young Muslim man was found near a mosque along Ganesh Lane in Palaiyootu, 3 km. southwest of Trincomalee town, police said. Full story >> Heavy exchange of artillery fire at Thenmaradchi FDLs[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 January 2007, 11:12 GMT]Exchange of heavy artillery and rocket fire in the Forward Defence Line (FDL) positions at Muhamalai and other areas in Thenmaradchi between the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) continued from Saturday evening until Sunday early morning, sources in Jaffna said. Small fire arms too were used in the clashes Sunday which lasted for more than an hour. No information on casualties is available. Full story >> Halo Trust employee feared abducted in Jaffna[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 January 2007, 11:11 GMT]The driver of 'Halo Trust,' a humanitarian de-mining international non-governmental organization in Jaffna peninsula, has been missing since Tuseday 7:30 a.m after he left his house at Kellner Road in Nallur and reported for work at Halo Trust office, sources in Jaffna said. Nine employees from 'Halo Trust' have been either killed or abducted and disappeared in Jaffna Peninsula and the missing driver is the tenth victim. Full story >> One killed, two more bodies found dumped in Jaffna[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 January 2007, 09:13 GMT]The bodies of two young men with gun shot injuries were found dumped in two different locations in Inuvil in Jaffna, Sunday morning. Meanwhile, a 46-year old man was shot dead at Kondavil, around 12:30 p.m., Saturday. Full story >> Mosque leaders urge Muslim Tamil unity, blame paramilitary for violence[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 January 2007, 08:34 GMT]Representatives of the Federation of Mosques in Kathankudy, Saturday, in a bid to calm down tension between communities in the border settlements between Kathankudy Muslim and Arayampathy Tamil areas, urged the civilians not to fall prey to the forces seeking to damage Muslim Tamil harmony, after Karuna paramilitary personnel attached to the Sri Lankan counter-insurgency Special Task Force (STF) camp in Arayampathy had attacked Muslim travellers Friday, causing the victims to seek refuge in Kathankudy Mosque. Paramilitary violence and threats posed by armed "Jihad" men against Tamils have ceased and normalcy was reported in the area Sunday. Full story >> Two killed, one injured in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 January 2007, 07:21 GMT]Two men were shot dead, including a former member of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO), and another was injured by unidentified armed men at Maharambaikkulam in Vavuniya, around 9 p.m., Saturday, police said. Full story >> More than 250 Tamils arrested in South, taken for questioning[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 January 2007, 19:35 GMT]Sri Lanka Security forces assisted by Police arrested 209 youths in Gampaha, 36 in Nittambuwa, 22 in Minuwangoda, and 7 in Borelesgamuwa Friday and Saturday during separate cordon and search operations, sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Wickremesinghe to meet Rajapakse amid speculation of party split[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 January 2007, 19:26 GMT]Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), is to meet Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse next week amid speculation that a group of UNP parliamentarians are likely to cross over to the government side and will accept new positions as ministers with cabinet rank, political sources in Colombo said. Full story >> British forensic officers study Raviraj exhibits[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 January 2007, 15:48 GMT] A team of Britain’s Scotland Yard has left Sri Lanka after ten days of forensic and telephone analysis work with police investigating the assassination of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP Nadarajah Raviraj in November. The British police are taking a number of exhibits back with them for further forensic tests, a statement by the UK High Commission in Colombo said Saturday.
Full story >> SLA claims trooper's death in Ariyalai, suicide[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 January 2007, 13:21 GMT]A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier who was found dead after sounds of gunfire at the 513-brigade camp in Ariyalai in Jaffna Friday night, committed suicide, officials at the camp said. However, Jaffna Acting District Court Judge, Mr M Thirunavukkarasu, who visited the crime scene, found suspicious evidence contradicting the Camp officials' assertions, and directed further investigations into the trooper's death, sources said. Full story >> SLA shoots dead youth in Jaffna[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 January 2007, 13:09 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers shot dead a youth along First Cross Street near Vembadi High School and Jaffna Central College, inside the high security zone of Jaffna town at 11:15 a.m. Saturday, sources in Jaffna said. SLA soldiers allege that the youth was trying to flee from the area after attacking them when they shot him dead. The unidentified youth had a grenade inside his clothes, according to the soldiers. Full story >> Two brothers shot dead in Mannar[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 January 2007, 09:26 GMT]The bodies of the two young men found with gun shot injuries at Nanattan-Eruvittan in Mannar district Friday afternoon have been identified as Rajasankar (23) and his brother Theivendran (21). Police recovered the bodies with their hands tied behind, around 3:30 p.m., Friday . Full story >> GS shot dead in Thonadamanaru[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 January 2007, 09:02 GMT]A 'Grama Sevaka' (village level administration officer) was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at his office located in front of the historic Sellasannithi Murugan Temple in Thonadamanaru, around 4:30 p.m., Friday, police said. Four village level officers have been shot dead in Jaffna during the past 6 months. Full story >> Northeast, Anuradhapura Bishops meet Rajapakse[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 January 2007, 03:21 GMT] Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapksa met with Jaffna Bishop Rev.Thomas Saundranayagam, Mannar Bishop Rev.Rayappu Joseph, and Anuradhapura Bishop Rev.Norbert Andradi at Temple Trees Friday afternoon. The discussions centered on the hardships faced by civilians in the Northeast and steps that can be taken to alleviate the suffering, sources in Colombo said.Full story >> Another abducted student released in Jaffna[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 January 2007, 00:22 GMT]Former student of Jaffna Hindu College, Kanthiyalahan Srisanath, 21, abducted from his home at Navalar Road in Jaffna on Sunday, allegedly by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and collaborating paramilitaries, was released by his captors Friday early morning in front of his house, sources from Jaffna said. Full story >> Jafffna Army Commander orders registration of motorcycles[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 January 2007, 00:14 GMT]In a special announcement made on Friday, the Head office of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) command in the North issued strict orders directing residents to register all motor cycles and scooters including the light vehicles used by women in Jaffna peninsula, before Saturday at the SLA camps in their areas, and to obtain permits to operate the vehicles. Failure to register these vehicles will result in the arrest of the owner and confiscation of their vehicle, the announcement warned. Full story >> Tamil suspects detained at Boosa camp[TamilNet, Friday, 12 January 2007, 23:08 GMT]Tamil civilians arrested by the Sri Lanka's forces under the newly introduced Prevention of Terrorism (PTA) Act are now sent to Boosa detention camp located in Galle in the south of the island due to lack of space in Colombo jails. About sixty Tamils taken into custody in Colombo recently are likely to be sent to Boosa detention camp shortly, sources in Colombo said. Full story >> 15 people die in landslide in upcountry[TamilNet, Friday, 12 January 2007, 17:17 GMT]At least 15 people were killed in a landslide in Walapane in Sri Lankas Central Province, Friday, caused by heavy rains. About 1000 families have been displaced, local police officials said. Full story >> Two family men shot injured in Jaffna[TamilNet, Friday, 12 January 2007, 14:53 GMT]Two unidentified armed men on a motorcycle, followed a tailor going along the road at Pandiyanthalvu in Kolumbuthurai Jaffna, shot and seriously injured him Thursday evening, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, another family man was shot and seriously wounded at Karavetty by two unidentified armed men on motorcycle Friday morning. Full story >> Relatives appeal for release of Eastern University Vice Chancellor[TamilNet, Friday, 12 January 2007, 13:59 GMT] Dr.Malaravan, son-in-law of Professor Sivasubramaniam Raveendranath, the Vice Chancellor of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka (EUSL) who was abducted on Dec 15th in Colombo in High Security area in the Bauddhaloka Mawatte, issued a second urgent appeal to the abductors to release his uncle. Dr Malaravan said that the members of Raveendranath's family will ensure that the Professor will resign his post of Vice Chancellor at the Eastern University. From the time Dr.Raveendranath was abducted, all
activities at the Eastern University have been at a complete stand still.
Full story >> Media watchdog condemns paramilitary ban on papers[TamilNet, Friday, 12 January 2007, 11:52 GMT]Free Media Movement, a Colombo based media watchdog, Friday said it noted with deep concern the alleged ban imposed by the Karuna paramilitary group on the sale of Colombo Tamil dailies Virakesari, Thinakkural and Sudar Oli in the East. The paramilitary group, operated by the Sri Lanka Army, had banned the sale of the Tamil papers, except the EPDP paramilitary owned Thinamurasu and the Sri Lanka Government owned Thinakaran in Sri Lanka Army controlled areas of Batticaloa district. The group has issued death threats to news agents in Trincomalee in an attempt to block the distribution of independent Tamil papers in the district. Full story >> Hairdresser shot dead in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Friday, 12 January 2007, 09:03 GMT]Unidentified armed men shot dead a hairdresser at Poovarasankulam in Vavuniya on his way to work Friday around 8:00 a.m, Vavuniya police said. Full story >> 2 policemen killed, one injured in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Friday, 12 January 2007, 08:56 GMT]Unidentified persons activated a claymore device at Paalamaikal sector in Vavuniya killing two policemen on the spot and injuring one, Friday around 10:30 a.m, Vavuniya police said. Full story >> 10 Tamils abducted in 5 days in Colombo, Puttalam[TamilNet, Friday, 12 January 2007, 08:27 GMT]Eight Tamils have been abuducted in Colombo and two in Puttalam within the last five days. The abductors had released one of the victims after keeping him blindfolded for a full day. Nine of the victims are still reported missing, Civil Monitoring Commission reported Friday. The fate of Professor S. Raveendranath, the Vice Chancellor of Eastern University, abucted in Colombo's High Security area, is not known for almost a month since December 15. Full story >> NorthEast demerger, breach of International Treaty- Sampanthan[TamilNet, Friday, 12 January 2007, 06:53 GMT] “Not only the Tamil speaking people but also the International Community are unhappy with the de-merger of NorthEastern province. Though the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka told that former President J. R. Jayewardene’s step was defective and invalid, the Sri Lanka's President Mr. Rajapakse who wants to share no powers with Tamils, seized the opportunity quickly and declared the de-merger amidst the opposition from many of his own cabinet ministers and Members of parliament. Mr Rajapakse has not only betrayed the Tamil people, but also breached an international treaty, R. Sampanthan told in the Sri Lankan Parliament Wednesday.
Full story >> Food prices in Jaffna drop after arrival of Indian goods[TamilNet, Friday, 12 January 2007, 03:51 GMT]When the essential food items arrived from India entered the open Market Thursday, the prices of potatoes, Tomatoes, chilies and other itmes dropped dramatically, some reaching the normal prices that existed before the closure of A9 on 11 August, sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> SLA extends curfew hours, restricts use of motorbikes in Jaffna[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 January 2007, 20:37 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) announced over its Palaly based radio Thursday that the 9:00 p.m to 4:00 am curfew in Jaffna peninsula was extended two hours from 7:00 p.m to 4:00 a.m with effect from Thursday night. Meanwhile, the SLA high command in Jaffna banned the use of all lightweight motor cycles in Jaffna peninsula from Wednesday, sources from Jaffna said. Full story >> Fishmonger shot dead in Valvettithurai[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 January 2007, 17:04 GMT]Unidentified armed men waylaid a fishmonger behind Valvettithurai hospital in Vadamaradchi and shot him dead, Thursday around 8:30 a.m. The victim's dead body, recovered by Valvettithurari police, was transferred to the Valvettithurai government hospital, the police said. Full story >> Muthur Tamil youth released[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 January 2007, 16:57 GMT]Muthur Magistrate Manickavasagar Ganesharajah Thursday discharged a Tamil youth who was accused of having links with LTTE for lack of evidence, legal sources in Trincomalee said. The prosecuting police officer told court that he has no evidence that implicates him on the alleged offense. Full story >> Supreme Court setting policy of SL Government- Kiriyella[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 January 2007, 12:02 GMT]"Tamils did not demand a separate state in 1956. They only demanded their language rights but we denied their rights then. The Sri Lankan governments since independence in 1948 have not seriously attempted to solving this problem," Laxman Kiriyella, the United National Party (UNP) parliamentarian for Kandy district, said in Parliament Wednesday, speaking on the present state of affairs in the Northeast, parliamentary sources from Colombo said. "This government is reluctant to express its stand in important policy matters but uses the supreme court as a cover. Effectively, the Supreme Court is determining the policy of the government," he added. Full story >> Three SLA troopers injured by rocket fire in Vavunativu[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 January 2007, 11:52 GMT]Three Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers from Vavunativu camp were seriously injured in rocket fire launched by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on Vavunativu area in Batticaloa Wednesday around 7:00 p.m, SLA sources said. The attack continued through Wednesday night. Full story >> Two claymore attacks on SLA in Jaffna[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 January 2007, 02:51 GMT]In a claymore attack on Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers in Maravankulam area in Chundikuli inside the Jaffna Municipal area at 7:15 a.m Thursday two SLA soldiers were injured, one seriously, sources in Jaffna said. In another claymore attack on a SLA road patrol in Vathiri, Thikkam Road in Vadamaradchy at 6:30 a.m., unconfirmed reports said that SLA suffered casualties. Military sources did not reveal any details on this incident. Full story >> "White van" squad abducts two Tamil youths in Puttalam[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 January 2007, 01:14 GMT]Six unidentified armed men in a white van abducted two Tamil youths Tuesday around 8:45 p.m from the house their house at Kampawathe area in Puthalam, according to a complaint made with the Puthalam police. Full story >> SLA intimidates Jaffna media- TNA MP[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 January 2007, 00:07 GMT]“Sri Lankan Army (SLA) soldiers Tuesday night entered three Jaffna based Tamil newspaper offices, threatened the staff, and took away at gun point the press communiqué from Jaffna University Students Union (JUSU) waiting to be published," said Kirushnan Sivanesan, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian for Jaffna district Wednesday. Full story >> 44 Tamils arrested in Colombo[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 January 2007, 22:26 GMT]Forty four Tamils were arrested in a sudden cordon and search operation conducted jointly by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and Police personnel in Mount Lavinia, Colombo, from Tuesday night 10:00 pm until Wednesday early morning 4:00 a.m, sources in Colombo said. Most of the arrested were from NorthEast and Hill country areas. More than 100 security personnel were involved in this operation. Full story >> 49 Tamil youths arrested in Kalutara, Chilaw[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 January 2007, 19:39 GMT]Forty-nine Tamil youths were taken into custody in two cordon and search operations separately conducted by the combined State security forces in the western and northwestern provinces Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Full story >> SLA, LTTE exchange rocket fire at Muhamalai FDL[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 January 2007, 19:14 GMT]Sri Lanka Army soldiers and LTTE fighters exchanged artillery and rocket fire in Muhamalai sector on the Thenmaradchi division of the Jaffna peninsula, Wednesday. Eight SLA troopers who were injured in Wednesday's shelling were admitted at the Palaly military base hospital. Full story >> Paramilitary office attacked in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 January 2007, 18:58 GMT] Armed men launched an attack on the office of paramilitary Karuna Group, located at Kallady, inside the High Security area of Sri Lanka Army at 11:20 p.m. Wednesday. Reports said one paramilitary personnel was killed and eight others injured. The attack lasted for more than an hour damaging the office. Kallady is located 3 km south of Batticaloa town.Full story >> Karuna group "bans" Tamil dailies in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 January 2007, 14:55 GMT]Karuna paramilitary group imposed a "ban" to sell Thinakural, Sudaroli and other newspapers in Trincomalee district, the proprietors of the news papers said. The News agents were summoned by the Karuna group in Trincomalee Tuesday and threatened they would be shot to death if they fail to comply, according to sources. Full story >> Abducted Jaffna undergrad released after torture[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 January 2007, 12:46 GMT]Arunakirinathan Niruparaj, the third year science student at the Jaffna campus who was abducted from Kokuvil area on 3rd January, allegedly by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and collaborating paramilitaries, was released by his captors Wednesday early morning 2:00 a.m in front of his residence, sources in Jaffna said. Niruparaj has been subjected to severe torture, can hardly speak, and has been admitted to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital. Full story >> SL President must offer solution, truce - paper[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 January 2007, 12:28 GMT]Warning Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse that a military solution to the ethnic question, “will be a long and arduous task that will take a long time,” The Morning Leader newspaper urged him instead to “forward [to the LTTE] a viable set of proposals and at least call for a temporary cessation of hostilities.” Full story >> 2 Muslims shot injured in Kathankudy[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 January 2007, 09:49 GMT]Karuna paramilitary members arriving on motorcycles shot and seriously injured two Muslim civilians standing along Kathankudy Dean Road around 8:05 p.m Tuesday, Kathankudy sources said. The paramilitary personnel have also severely attacked two more civilians and the attacks have caused the Tamils and Muslims living on Kathankudy boarder to move to safer places. Full story >> One Karuna group member killed, another injured in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 January 2007, 08:41 GMT]Unidentified gunmen opened fire on two Karuna group paramilitary personnel at Mahiloor in Kalavanchikudy in Batticaloa district, killing one and seriously injuring the other, around 11:00 a.m Tuesday. The assailants, following the two victims riding on a motorcycle, shot at them and escaped from the site, Batticaloa sources said. Full story >> India, US should keepout of Sri Lanka- JVP[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 January 2007, 04:48 GMT]“India while seeking a military solution to Kashmir conflict has no right to tell Sri Lanka to solve the North East problem without military action,” Bimal Ratnayake, a Member of Parliament of Jantha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), an ultra nationalist Sinhala Party, said in the Sri Lankan Parliament Tuesday morning while speaking on the bill of extending the Emergency Regulations. Full story >> Stormy sea returns ship back to KKS harbour[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 January 2007, 04:47 GMT]Rough seas and stormy weather forced a ship leaving from Kankesanthurai to Trincomalee to return back to Kankesanthurai harbour Tuesday. Meanwhile, hundreds of inhabitants on the coastal belt from Point Pedro Munai to Point Pedro harbour in Vadamaradchi north, spent Tuesday night in interior villages away fearing dangers from stormy waters, sources from Point Pedro said. Full story >> Shelters in schools affect education in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 January 2007, 02:42 GMT]Education activities of children in Trincomalee district are badly affected due 17 government schools being used as temporary shelters for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), educational sources said. Full story >> General shut down in East continues for second day[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 January 2007, 02:01 GMT] The general shut down organized by the public in Batticaloa and Amparai on Monday condemning the Sri Lankan Government’s decision to de-merge North and East continued on Tuesday , bringing the normal activities in the two districts to a stand still, sources in Amparai said.
Full story >> Four civilians disappear in Jaffna[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 January 2007, 20:14 GMT]Four civilians including two youths have gone missing within the 48 hour period beginning Sunday, sources in Jaffna peninsula said, quoting complaints lodged with the HumanRights office in Jaffna. Two of the four are alleged to have been forcefully abducted at night by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers traveling in a white van, according to the relatives. Full story >> Paramilitary installations attacked in Valaichenai[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 January 2007, 16:35 GMT]Two paramilitary installations have been attacked in Valaichenai in Batticaloa district around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. At least 10 paramilitary members were killed and four wounded, according to initial reports. A house at Puthukudiyiruppu and another at Vinayagapuram, both located in distance of 400 meters, were ambushed by armed men who came in three wheelers, Police sources said. Full story >> SLA trooper injured in claymore attack in Jaffna[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 January 2007, 14:54 GMT]Unidentified persons triggered a claymore device near Osmania Muslim College in Jaffna around 1:45 p.m Tuesday seriously injuring a member of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) street patrol unit. Full story >> Mob led by SL Minister attack Journalists at UPM event[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 January 2007, 14:43 GMT] An armed mob led by Sri Lankan Deputy Minister of Labour, Mervin Silva, arrived at the open air stage at Super Market Square in Nugegoda, the site of the first public event organised by the newly established United People's Movement (UPM), and attacked the journalists who were present at the site to cover the event which was about to commence at 3:00 p.m. Tuesday. The UPM is a political platform that seeks to establish consensus among especially the Southern polity on a Federal System of Governance, as against war and any other undemocratic, non-negotiable conclusion to the on going NorthEast conflict.
Full story >> US urges south to form basis for renewed talks[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 January 2007, 12:57 GMT]"Attacks that deliberately target civilians are clear acts of terrorism," said US Embassy in a press statement Tuesday, condemning the attacks on civilian buses and stated that the "on going violence in Vakarai" has caused significant hardship to civilians. The US has urged the SLFP, UNP and the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) to "accelerate their concentration of the power sharing proposal" that can form the basis for renewed peace talks. Full story >> 40 Tamils arrested in Colombo suburbs[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 January 2007, 11:28 GMT]More than 40 Tamils were arrested Tuesday in a cordon and search operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Sri Lanka Police from Monday night until morning Tuesday in areas of Minuwangoda, Negombo, Wattala and Gampaha in the western province following the explosion in Wattala Monday morning of a transformer supplying electricity to the area. Full story >> Emergency extended, SL Parliament to debate de-merger of NorthEast[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 January 2007, 11:21 GMT]The state of Emergency was passed for another month in Sri Lanka's Parliament Tuesday by a majority of 79 votes with 88 voting for and 9 against the motion. The motion, opposed by the Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians. UNP, JVP and JHU supported the motion. A debate on the de-merger of NorthEast would take place Wednesday. Full story >> JUSU requests assurance of students' safety[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 January 2007, 11:02 GMT]Jaffna University Student Union (JUSU) in a statement to media Tuesday, made an urgent request to the authorities and to the international community to ensure the safety of students of Jaffna district, and to create a safe, free and conducive atmosphere for educational activities in Jaffna district, sources in Jaffna said. The statement also urged the authorities to take steps to investigate the whereabouts of those who had been abducted and found missing. "Until these requests are fulfilled, the student community of the peninsula will boycott all educational activities will begin a widespread agitation campaign from Wednesday," the statement further said. Full story >> 2 Tiger cadres shot dead in Vavuniya - SLA[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 January 2007, 10:58 GMT]Sri Lanka Army officials in Vavuniya said their troopers had shot dead two Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam cadres in Karuvelapuliyankulam area in Vavuniya, in a gunfight Tuesday, when SLA troopers tried to surround six LTTE cadres who had entered into Karuvelapuliyankulam jungle hills, crossing Atamasgada road. One SLA trooper was injured in the fight. Full story >> SLA shelling kills 2 civilians, wounds 9 in Verugal[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 January 2007, 07:57 GMT]Two Internally Displaced Persons were killed and 9 others including two children were wounded in artillery fire by the Sri Lanka Army towards Verugal Tuesday morning, LTTE officials in Verugal told media. The civilian victims were fleeing northwards after the artillery barrage towards Vaharai Monday. Full story >> SLA soldiers shoot dead civilian in Mannar[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 January 2007, 06:43 GMT]A young man who went to purchase panadol tablets for a sick child in his neighbourhood Tuesday at 1:15 a.m. was killed by Sri Lanka Army soldiers who opened fire on him, killing him on the spot and seriously wounding another man, while the victims were returning from a local shop 200 meters away with the medicine. The incident has taken place at Aththikuly village in Nanaddan DS division, 22 km southeast of Mannar town. Full story >> Four grenade attacks on SLA troopers in Vadamaradchi[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 January 2007, 01:04 GMT]Four hand grenade attacks were targetted towards Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers at four different places in Vadamaradchi Monday, sources in Point Pedro said. No SLA soldiers were injured in the attacks. However, SLA sources said that in one of the attacks at Alayady are in Polikandy, a member of the Liberation Tigers was killed. Full story >> General shut down in East against dividing NorthEast[TamilNet, Monday, 08 January 2007, 20:51 GMT] People of Batticaloa and Amparai district staged a general shut down Monday condemning the Sri Lankan Government's decision of dividing North and East and demanding the immediate stoppage of killing civilians and carrying out aerial bombing and other attacks on civilians by Sri Lankan Forces.
Full story >> ICRC transports Vaharai wounded, 1 succumbs to wounds[TamilNet, Monday, 08 January 2007, 20:20 GMT]One of the four civilians who were critically injured in the Sri Lanka Army’s artillery attack on Vaharai Government hospital succumbed to her injuries at Valaichchenai District hospital after the ICRC officials brought them in boats from besieged Vaharai to Sri Lanka Army controlled Valaichchenai around 4:00 p.m. Monday. Full story >> Long queues in Jaffna for ration supplies[TamilNet, Monday, 08 January 2007, 20:19 GMT]Residents of Jaffna peninsula stood Sunday in long queues in front of retail co-operative stores day long, to buy rationed quantities of soaps and potatoes, while the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and its armed forces in Jaffna peninsula kept maintaining that stocks of food, medicine and other essential commodities are available in plenty in the peninsula of Jaffna. This was the first time these commodities were brought into Jaffna peninsula since the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) closure of the A9 route five months ago. Full story >> JVP demands SL government to declare war against the Tigers[TamilNet, Monday, 08 January 2007, 19:41 GMT]The Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Sunday demanded the Government of Sri Lanka led by President Mahinda Rajapakse to declare full scale war on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) openly after proscribing it. The JVP politburo made the demand in a statement issued Sunday. Full story >> Two young men abducted in Mannar[TamilNet, Monday, 08 January 2007, 19:34 GMT]Unidentified persons abducted a father of two children and his young friend 10 days ago in Mannar, their relatives lodged complaint at Mannar Police Monday. Full story >> TRO urges GoSL to guarantee security of humanitarian workers[TamilNet, Monday, 08 January 2007, 16:22 GMT]The Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation, which has been subjected to Sri Lankan Police raids and paramilitary attacks, has urged the Government of Sri Lanka to guarantee security of the humanitarian staff of the organistion. The Trincomalee office of the TRO was attacked Saturday and Sunday nights by armed men, believed to be paramilitary members operated by the Sri Lanka Army. The attack on Trinomcalee TRO office comes after Sri Lankan police raid on Friday. Full story >> Fire fight at Omathai FDL[TamilNet, Monday, 08 January 2007, 16:22 GMT]A member of the Liberation Tigers was killed and two Sri Lanka Army soldiers were injured and in a confrontation near Sri Lanka Army's Forward Defence Lines (FDL) in Omanthai, north of Vavuniya, around 10:10 a.m., Monday, police in the northern town said. Full story >> 5 Tamil youths detained by Eravur police[TamilNet, Monday, 08 January 2007, 13:25 GMT]Seventy civilians were arrested in a search operation launched by Eravur police and the Special Task Force (STF) at Savukkady in the Earvur police division in Batticaloa district Monday from 6:00 a.m until 11:30 a.m. Five Tamil youths among the arrested were detained while the rest were released after interrogation, Eravur police said. Full story >> SLA beefs up troops around Jaffna schools[TamilNet, Monday, 08 January 2007, 13:20 GMT]Tension prevailed in Jaffna Monday when Sri Lanka Army beefed up troop deployment near schools and colleges in the town as 80% of the students of Jaffna Hindu College, Hindu Ladies College, and the Hindu Primary vacated the school premises after a student mob burned a Sri Lanka Transport Board owned bus on Kastooriyar Road Monday morning at 8:00. The incident comes in the wake of a warning issued by the Jaffna District Tamil Students Uniton Friday, calling the students to agitate against the forced disappearances of students in Jaffna. Full story >> SLN re-imposes ban on fishing in Jaffna[TamilNet, Monday, 08 January 2007, 13:19 GMT]Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) has again imposed a ban on fishing along the coasts of Jaffna with effect from January 1st, the President of Northern Province Fisheries Society, T. Thavaratnam said. The ban which prohibits fishing night and day has pushed the families, which depend entirely on fishing for their living. Full story >> Funeral held for Agricultural Department officials killed in DPU attack[TamilNet, Monday, 08 January 2007, 12:36 GMT] The funeral of two Agricultural Department officials who were killed in a claymore attack by Deep Penetration Unit of the Sri Lankan Government forces in Nedunkerni was held in Vavuniya, Monday. Nedunkerny is in the area held by the Liberation Tigers, 37 km northeast of Vavuniya, Full story >> 3 STF personnel injured in LTTE retaliation[TamilNet, Monday, 08 January 2007, 11:33 GMT]Three Special Task Force (STF) personnel were injured in an retaliation attack by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) when the STF and police tried to penetrate into LTTE held Kanchikudicharu in Amparai district Sunday around 5:00 p.m, Police said. Full story >> UN calls for protection of civilians, says Vaharai demands urgent response[TamilNet, Monday, 08 January 2007, 10:08 GMT]The United Nations office in Colombo has condemned the deliberate targeting of civilians and called for the protection of all civilians throughout the island. A statement by the UN office that deplored the latest incidents involving two buses which resulted in the deaths of 20 innocent civilians, quoted Amin Awad, the acting resident and humanitarian coordinator, as stating that the civilians in Vaharai are the "most vulnerable of the vulnerable." The UN agencies stood ready to assist the civilians, but said there has been no access to Vaharai for humanitarian agencies. The last convoy, after repeated protests, was allowed on 29 November with humanitarian supplies for two weeks. Full story >> SLA artillery barrage kills 3 civilians, wounds 11 in Vaharai refuge[TamilNet, Monday, 08 January 2007, 09:05 GMT] 3 civilians were killed Monday morning when Sri Lanka Army stepped up artillery fire on Vaharai, including the civilian refuge comprising Vaharai hospital where thousands of Internally Displaced Persons were staying, initial reports from Vaharai said.Full story >> Curfew clamped on Thenmaradchi[TamilNet, Monday, 08 January 2007, 08:31 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Jaffna High Command announced a curfew from Sunday 6:00 p.m until further notice on Kodikamam police division area close to its Front Defence Line (FDL) in Thenmaradchi, over its official radio located at Palaly military base. Full story >> Negotiate a new ceasefire, UNP tells Rajapakse government[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 January 2007, 22:43 GMT]The main opposition United National Party (UNP) Sunday appealed to the government of Mahinda Rajapakse to work out a fresh ceasefire agreement with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake made the request at a press briefing held Sunday. Full story >> Fisherman's body found with gunshot injuries in Eravur[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 January 2007, 21:53 GMT]Eravur police recovered the body of a young fisherman with gunshot injuries in a jungle area in Savukkady, a coastal hamlet in the Eravur police division in Batticaloa, around 5 p.m., Sunday. Full story >> SOS from Vaharai[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 January 2007, 13:49 GMT] Tamils Rehabilitation Organization, in an urgent press release has said that 15,000 Internally Displaced Persons, denied food by the Sri Lanka Army obstruction of the transport of food to Vaharai, are on the verge of death due to starvation. Full story >> Two youths strangled to death in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 January 2007, 11:34 GMT]Vavuniya police recovered Sunday the dead bodies of two youths at Pandarikulam area in Vavuniya. The two youths had been strangled to death, the police said. Full story >> One youth killed, two SLA troopers seriously injured in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 January 2007, 11:30 GMT]Unidentified persons triggered a claymore device Sunday at Maharambaikulam in Vavuniya seriously injuring two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers, Vavuniya police said. The police also claimed that a youth who is said to have triggered the claymore device died when a hand grenade he had on him exploded after having escaped from the site of the claymore attack. Full story >> Six civilians injured in bomb blast in Amparai[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 January 2007, 10:42 GMT]Six civilians were seriously injured in a bomb explosion Sunday around 10:30 a.m in the Central camp area in Amparai district near a shop which sells agricultural products and chicken feed, Amparai police said. The bomb had been hidden near the shop targeting the Special Task Force (STF) road patrol unit in Amparai Central camp area, the police added. Full story >> Three policemen seriously injured in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 January 2007, 18:02 GMT]Unidentified armed men opened fire Saturday around 10:00 a.m on a police jeep at Savukkady in Thalavai in the Eravur police division in Batticaloa, seriously injuring three policemen in it, Eravur police said. The injured policemen were rushed to Eravur Base hospital and later transferred to Polanaruwa hospital for further treatment. Full story >> SLN cancels ship transport, clashes erupt in the seas off Nagarkovil[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 January 2007, 12:43 GMT]A Sri Lanka military ship scheduled to transport civilians and military personnel to Trincomalee from KKS Harbour Saturday has cancelled the trip as clashes erupted in the seas off Nagarkovil in Vadamaradchi East Saturday evening around 3:45 p.m. Around 350 civilians who were transported to KKS High Security Zone from Jaffna were sent back. Full story >> Claymore blast kills 3 SLA soldiers, civilian in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 January 2007, 10:37 GMT]Three Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed when a civilian vehicle which the troopers at Varikkuddiyar SLA camp have comandeered to transport soldiers was hit by a claymore mine blast at Thaddankulam, about 15 km. west of Vavuniya, around 8:30 a.m., Saturday. A civilian was killed and another injured in the blast, sources said. Full story >> Second bus bomb kills 15 in South, 40 wounded[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 January 2007, 09:35 GMT] Another bus explosion was reported in South, claiming 15 lives, on Galle Road, at Seenigama in Meetiyagoda Police area in Galle District, 88 km southeast of Colombo Saturday around 2:20 p.m. More than forty civilians were wounded in the second explosion reported within 24 hours, according to Karapitiya hospital sources. Military officials in Colombo blamed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for the bomb attacks in buses Friday and Saturday. LTTE Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthiryan denied the accusation as baseless accusations. Full story >> SL Police raids TRO Colombo office[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 January 2007, 08:26 GMT]Sri Lankan Police, without producing any warrant, raided the Colombo office of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation Saturday morning and searched the office, NGO officials at the TRO office in Colombo told media. The raid on Colombo office by the CID, follows after the raids on Vavuniya and Trincomalee offices Friday. "The continuous harassment of TRO is having a tremendously negative impact on the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the affected people of the NorthEast," the TRO, the only organization working in some of the most severely affected parts of the NorthEast, said in a press statement Saturday. Full story >> SLA soldier, civilian killed in blasts in Jaffna[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 January 2007, 07:54 GMT]A Sri Lanka Army soldier was killed in a claymore mine attack near Uduvil SLA camp, around 9 a.m., Saturday. The claymore was placed in front of a canteen run by the SLA, inside military high security zone, sources said. The Uduvil camp serves as the nerve center for SLA's intelligence operation in Jaffna district. Full story >> Three Tamils shot dead in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 January 2007, 07:41 GMT]Three civilians were found shot dead in Trincomalee Friday night. Their bodies were found Saturday morning with gunshot injuries, one at Chelvanayakapuram, about 2 km north of eastern port town and the other two at Allesgarden, where two Sri Lanka Navy sailors were wounded in a claymore attack Saturday. Uppuveli Police, conducting investigations into the killings said the victims, between the ages 19 and 30, were Tamils. Full story >> Jaffna students threaten protests[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 January 2007, 00:23 GMT]The Tamil Students Federation, Jaffna district branch, in a press communique issued in Jaffna Friday, warned that continuing arrests and attacks on students by Sri Lankan Forces will lead to their taking action to disrupt civil administration in Jaffna peninsula, sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> Youths seek safety through Jaffna SLHRC[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 January 2007, 00:03 GMT]Two brothers of a youth abducted from his Kokuvil residence by armed men alleged to be Sri Lanka Army troopers and Tamil paramilitary members Tuesday midnight, surrendered Friday at the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (SLHRC) Jaffna office, fearing for their lives, sources close to SLHRC Jaffna said. The youths were placed in protective custody of Jaffna prison. Full story >> One more ‘Halo Trust’ employee abducted in Jaffna[TamilNet, Friday, 05 January 2007, 23:32 GMT]Unidentified gunmen traveling in white van abducted one more employee from the humanitarian de-mining organization of ‘Halo Trust’, an international non-governmental organization functions in Jaffna peninsula, Thursday night. Full story >> Two SLN sailors injured in claymore ambush in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Friday, 05 January 2007, 17:49 GMT]Two sailors of the Sri Lanka Navy were injured in a claymore mine attack Friday morning at Allesgarden area along Trincomalee-Nilaveli road. The truck transporting SLN personnel who were returning home on leave hit the claymore mine kept along the roadside. Allesgarden is located about three km off north of east port city. Full story >> 6 killed, many wounded, bus explodes in Western Province[TamilNet, Friday, 05 January 2007, 13:37 GMT]Six persons were killed in an explosion inside a bus at Kalapittiya near Nittambuwa, 36 km northeast of Colombo, Friday around 6:30 p.m. Around fifty passengers were wounded, as the bus, on its way to Giriulla from Nittambuwa, took fire following the explosion, Police said. 10 persons were seriously wounded. Police has clamped a curfew in the area til Saturday morning 6:00 a.m. Full story >> One killed, another injured in Jaffna shootings[TamilNet, Friday, 05 January 2007, 12:47 GMT]Gunmen riding a motorbike shot and killed a 27-year old man in Adiyapatham Road in Kokuvil at 7:45 a.m. Friday. A group known as Ellalan Padai has claimed responsibility for the killing. In the same incident, another youth who was standing by the street was injured, sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> STF, Police storm TRO offices in Trinco, Vavuniya[TamilNet, Friday, 05 January 2007, 09:07 GMT]Sri Lankan Special Task Force personnel and the Police simultaneously stormed the regional offices of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation in Trincomalee and Vavuniya, and interrogated the NGO officials who were present at the offices seizing all the documents. Four TRO workers were taken by the STF and the police from the Vavuniya office located at Kurumankadu Friday around 11:30 a.m. Full story >> Policeman killed, one seriously injured in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Friday, 05 January 2007, 08:58 GMT]Unidentified armed men opened fire Friday around 10:45 a.m at Sector 3, Thalikulam on Mannar road in Vavuniya on policemen staying in a temporary camp, killing one policeman on the spot and seriously injuring another, Officer-in-charge of Vavuniya police, Kumara Chanthanayake said. The injured policeman was rushed to Vavuniya hospital and later transferred to Anuradapura hospital for further treatment. Full story >> 2 killed, 2 wounded in DPU claymore explosion[TamilNet, Friday, 05 January 2007, 04:24 GMT] Two Agriculture Department officials were killed and 2 wounded Friday morning when a vehicle belonging to the department, transporting fruit plants, was hit by a Sri Lankan Deep Penetration Unit Claymore mine blast around 8:45 in Nedunkerni, 37 km northeast of Vavuniya. One of the two Claymore mines, triggered by the DPU attackers, exploded. Sri Lanka Army launched an artillery attack, firing around 25 shells towards the attack site, after the Claymore explosion. Full story >> SLAF bombs tsunami resettlement village in Mullaithivu[TamilNet, Friday, 05 January 2007, 03:13 GMT] Seven civilians were injured, two critically, when Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir jets bombed the tsunami resettlement village situated at 6th Mile Post, Alampil in Mullaithivu district around 7:15 a.m. Thursday, sources in Mullaithivu said. SLAF bombers have been targeting coastal areas in Mullaithivu for the third day. Full story >> Remains of Padahuthurai victims laid to rest[TamilNet, Friday, 05 January 2007, 01:02 GMT] Hundreds of civilians, religious leaders and civil representatives bade farewell to 13 of the 16 civilian victims killed Tuesday in Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombardment at the Mother Velankanni Church at Nochchikuda, Wednesday, sources in Mannar said.
Full story >> Police arrests two Muslims in Welikanda[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 January 2007, 20:33 GMT]Welikanda police said they recovered Thursday around 6:30 a.m two claymore devices in a house near a police sentry post in Senapura-Kattuvanvila area in Welikanda police division, on a tip received from local residents, and that they have arrested two persons on suspicion. Full story >> First shipment of essential food items expected from Tamilnadu[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 January 2007, 17:46 GMT]A ship containing food provisions from Chennai is expected to reach Kankesanthurai port Thursday night, the first of its kind in the plan envisaged by Colombo to transport essential food items directly from Tamilnadu to Jaffna peninsula, sources from Colombo said. The goods, imported through a private person will be distributed to the residents of Jaffna district by the Government Agent (GA) Jaffna. Full story >> Jaffna university final year student feared abducted[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 January 2007, 16:42 GMT]Family members of a final year science faculty student missing since Wednesday, from Kokuvil East Jaffna, registered a complaint with the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (SLHRC) Jaffna office Thursday that they suspect the student has been abducted. In a separate incident, unidentified armed men in a white van abducted a youth, employed in the postal department, from his house on Chemani road at Nallur Thursday around 9:00 a.m. Full story >> Student abducted in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 January 2007, 14:24 GMT]Unidentified armed men abducted Wednesday around 4:00 p.m a student at Pethalai in Valaichenai police division in Batticaloa, according to complaints made Thursday morning at Valaichenai police station. He was abducted, near a shop at Pethalai Ramanan junction, on his way to attend some personal errand. Full story >> Sri Lanka military vows to ‘annihilate’ LTTE in east then north[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 January 2007, 14:02 GMT] After taking control of the eastern province in the next two months, Sri Lanka’s military will recapture the areas held by the Liberation Tigers in the north of the island, the Army (SLA) Chief said this week.Full story >> MP urges UN to persuade Colombo on safe-haven[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 January 2007, 06:57 GMT] Batticaloa district Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian, S. Jeyanandamoorthy, has urged Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary General, to prevail upon the Sri Lankan Government to declare a safe-haven in the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) besieged Vaharai region, for the protection of the civilians from artillery, multi-barrel rocket attacks, and aerial bombardment from the Sri Lankan forces. Government of Sri Lanka has earlier rejected the call to declare a humanitarian zone encompassing the Vaharai hospital and the surrounding areas for the protection of the civilians in Vaharai.
Full story >> SLA soldier killed in Vavuniya claymore attack[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 January 2007, 06:31 GMT]A Sri Lanka Army soldier was killed and two wounded when a group of attackers triggered a claymore mine targeting a SLA vehicle in Pirappumadu, a predominant sinhala settlement, 11 km northeast of Vavuniya town, Thursday around 10:30 a.m., Vavuniya Police said. Full story >> Attacks against SLA in Jaffna continue[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 January 2007, 23:18 GMT]Unidentified persons lobbed a hand grenade Tuesday around 7:30 p.m on the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) sentry post located near Arasady junction in Nallur, Jaffna, and in a separate incident Wednesday unidentified armed men opened fire on the SLA camp near Udupiddy junction in Vadamaradchi at 6:00 p.m, sources in Jaffna said. Information on SLA injuries are not available. Full story >> Outstation undergrads demand safe travel to Jaffna[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 January 2007, 23:16 GMT]The special meeting, presided by the Jaffna University Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. K. Kumaravadivelu and attended by faculty heads and lecturers held Wednesday at Jaffna campus to explore ways to provide safe travel arrangements to the outstation students back to Jaffna, when the Jaffna University reopens January 22, ended without inconclusively, according to University sources. The Jaffna campus was closed indefinitely when clashes erupted between the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on August 11. Full story >> One killed, three injured, three missing in Jaffna[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 January 2007, 22:48 GMT]Unidentified gunmen shot dead a young woman around 7:00 a.m. Wednesday at Pt. Pedro, sources in Vadamaradchy said. In three other separate incidents in Jaffna three civilians were seriously injured in gunfire and knife attacks by unknown gunmen. Three youths were also reported missing in Kulappitty junction after being questioned by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers. Full story >> Tamil mother, daughter arrested in Maskeliya[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 January 2007, 20:10 GMT]A Tamil mother and her daughter were arrested Wednesday morning by the Maskeliya Police in the central province on receipt of information that they had taken photographs of the Mousakelle reservoir located in the high security zone, sources said. Full story >> Kokupadaiyan villagers flee fearing air-strike[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 January 2007, 20:06 GMT]The entire population of Kokupadaiyan village in Musali divisional secretariat division in Mannar district Wednesday sought refuge in adjacent villages due to fear following the aerial strike on Padahuthurai in Ilupakadaivai by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) on Tuesday, sources in Mannar said. Kokupadaiyan village is located in the area controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Ilupakadaivai fishing village is also located in the LTTE area. Full story >> Death toll rises to 16 in Padahuthurai bombardment[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 January 2007, 14:26 GMT]A young mother of a child victim Uthayakumar Malini, seriously wounded in the Sri Lanka Air Force bombardment on Padahuthurai coastal hamlet in Iluppaikadavai Tuesday morning, succumbed to her wounds at Kilnochchi hospital Wednesday. Her 18 months old baby girl, Uthayakumar Tharsika, died Tuesday night at Kilinochchi hospital. Full story >> 9 Vaharai patients arrive in Batticaloa by boat[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 January 2007, 12:49 GMT]Nine patients from besieged Vaharai in the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam controlled Batticaloa district were sent to Valaichchenai by boats for further treatment around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dr. T. Varatharajah, the sole physician serving at Vaharai Government hospital, said. Full story >> Prices soar as stocks dwindle in Jaffna[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 January 2007, 12:24 GMT]Prices of essentials such as fuel, food, medicine and other agricultural products have sky-rocketed in the Jaffna peninsula as remaining stocks have dwindled, despite assurances given by Maj. Gen. Chandarasiri Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Commander for Jaffna, to the Government Agent (GA) Jaffna Saturday at a meeting held in Kankesanthurai that there is sufficient stock of food and fuel, and that arrangements are being made to distribute them to residents across Jaffna, civil society sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> SLAF Kfir jets bomb Verugal[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 January 2007, 12:11 GMT]Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir jets bombed Verugal areas in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) territory in Trincomalee district Wednesday around 10:00 a.m. SLAF claimed that identified LTTE targets were bombed. Casualty information was not released. Full story >> UN deeply concerned at civilian casualties in Sri Lankan bombardment[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 January 2007, 06:52 GMT] United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Margareta Wahlström, in a statement issued Tuesday, said the aerial bombardment on Iluppaikadavai in Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam controlled Mannar district, by the Sri Lanka Air Force, killing civilians including children, was a "source of deepest concern." The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also remained concerned about deteriorating livelihoods on the Jaffna Peninsula in northern Sri Lanka as well as all those who have been displaced in the country, the statement said. Full story >> Vaharai residents celebrate New Year[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 January 2007, 03:31 GMT]The Federation of People's Organisations in Vaharai with the assistance of Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), organised on the New Year day, a volleyball tournament, to bring cheer to the people remaining in besieged Vaharai, civil sources said. Some participating teams were formed from people displaced in August . Full story >> Jaffna education hit by A9 closure[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 January 2007, 02:19 GMT]Scarcity of text books, writing implements, exercise books, and shortage of school uniform materials marked the dismal predicament of Jaffna students on the first school day as schools gates opened after New Year 2007, Tuesday, civil society sources in Jaffna said. Unlike their counterparts in the rest of Sri Lanka, students in Jaffna have been deprived of educational supplies due to closure of A9 highway by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA). Full story >> JVP prepares to face to snap election[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 January 2007, 20:26 GMT]Somawanse Amerasinghe, leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has alerted the party's politburo to face a snap general election at any time. He cautioned the members of the JVP politburo that the announcement of several popular measures and development projects by the government led by Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse should be considered as an indication for a snap parliamentary election, media sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Irresponsible statements jeopardize MoU- UNP[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 January 2007, 17:43 GMT]The main opposition United National Party (UNP) has appealed to President Mahinda Rajapakse not to jeopardize the smooth implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the UNP and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, by making irresponsible statements, media sources in Colombo said. Full story >> 29 Batticaloa schools not re-opened, occupied by IDPs[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 January 2007, 17:39 GMT]Twenty-four Tamil medium schools in the district of Batticaloa have not reopened for the current academic year 2007 Tuesday as they are occupied by hundreds of internally displaced families from Vaharai division as temporary shelters. These schools are located in the government-controlled areas in the education zones of Batticaloa, Kalkudah, provincial education ministry sources said. Full story >> SLA launches artillery attack on LTTE territory in Vavunathivu[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 January 2007, 12:22 GMT]Soldiers from Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Vavunathivu camp fired mortar and artillery shells from 5:10 a.m Tuesday on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held areas in Vavunathivu in Batticaloa, sources from Batticaloa said. SLA spokesperson Prasath Samarasinghe said the attack was retaliation to the LTTE artillery fire on Vavunathivu SLA camp areas from 5:45 a.m to 6:45 a.m Tuesday. He added that one SLA trooper was injured in the LTTE attack. Full story >> Kfirs bomb in Vaharai[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 January 2007, 12:20 GMT]Sri Lanka Air Force Kfir jets bombed Panichchenkerny area in Vaharai region in Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled Batticaloa district around 10:40 a.m. Tuesday, sources in the east said. Full story >> Aerial attack on Padahuthurai, a crime against humanity - Bishop[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 January 2007, 10:22 GMT] The Bishop of Mannar Diocese, Rt Rev Rayappu Joseph, who visited Padahuthurai hamlet, which was completely destroyed by indiscriminate aerial bombardment by the Sri Lanka Air Force Tuesday morning, has condemned the bombardment and said the attack had destroyed the settlement of the Internally Displaced persons. There was no military installation of the LTTE in the area, the Bishop told media. The Bishop, calling the bombardment "a crime against humanity," urged the International Community to send independent observers to NorthEast. Death toll has risen to 15, including 7 children below age nine , a pregnant woman, her child and husband.
Full story >> Two police officers seriously injured in claymore attack in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 January 2007, 09:23 GMT]Unidentified persons triggered a claymore device Tuesday around 9:30 a.m at Thonikal area in Vavuniya, seriously injuring two police constables in an attack, targeting a police road patrol unit, Vavuniya police said. The injured were rushed to Vavuniya hospital first and then transferred to Anuradapura hospital for further treatment. Full story >> 14 civilians killed, 35 wounded in aerial bombardment[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 January 2007, 05:29 GMT] Sri Lanka Air Force bombers Tuesday morning bombed more than 25 houses, killing at least 14 civilians, including 6 children, and seriously wounding 35 civilians at the coastal hamlet of Padahuthurai in Iluppaikadavai, 24 km northwest of Mannar town. Medical staff at two local hospitals in the area, Mulankavil and Pallamadu, were struggling to transport the seriously wounded, as an ambulance rushed from Mannar hospital, was blocked by Sri Lanka Army soldiers manning the Uyilankulam entry point.Full story >> 4 civilians killed in Amparai[TamilNet, Monday, 01 January 2007, 23:45 GMT]Four bullet ridden bodies of abducted civilians, two in the nearby jungle area and two near the Post Office, were recovered by Police Monday evening in Damana in Amparai district, sources in Amparai said. Full story >> UNP to submit fifth proposal to APRC[TamilNet, Monday, 01 January 2007, 17:57 GMT]The main opposition United National Party (UNP) is expected to submit its own political proposals to the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) when it meets on January 8 in the parliamentary complex, political source in Colombo said. This is in response to a decision taken by the Experts Committee of the APRC on Thursday to stop all further discussions on its recommendations until all political parties participating in the APRC submit their political proposals to end the ethnic conflict. Full story >> 3 attacks in Vadamaradchy stun SLA troops[TamilNet, Monday, 01 January 2007, 16:23 GMT]Three separate incidents of attacks on Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers were reported from Vadamaradchy Monday. SLA foot patrols were attacked by unknown gunmen in Thikkam, and in Navindil in Vadamaradchy. In a third incident in a claymore attack in Inparutty, one SLA soldier was killed and four soldiers injured. Full story >> Tamileelam National Registry of Persons established[TamilNet, Monday, 01 January 2007, 13:59 GMT] The Civil Administration in Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) administered regions in NorthEast has launched Tamileelam National Registry of Persons on Monday, January 01. The programme was inaugurated by the Commissioner of Tamil Eelam Department of Registration of Persons, S Jeyenthiran, by issuing the first national identity card to LTTE leader Velupillai Pirapaharan. The card will function similar to the Social Security Number (SSN) used in many western democracies, where the number uniquely identifies an individual.Full story >> Three youths shot dead in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Monday, 01 January 2007, 11:32 GMT]Unidentified armed men abducted three youths from a house at Kiran in Valaichenai police division in Batticaloa district Sunday evening and shot them dead around 7:30 p.m. inside the Christian cemetery on Vishnu Temple road in Kiran. Valaichenai police recovered the bodies blindfolded and hand tieds behind back, and handed them over to Valaichenai District hospital for inquest. Full story >> Claymore blast kills SLA soldier, injures another[TamilNet, Monday, 01 January 2007, 08:12 GMT]A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier was killed and another injured in a claymore mine attack at Naavalady in the coastal village of Inparuddy in Vadamaradchi north, on the Jaffna peninsula, around 7:30 a.m., Monday, SLA authorities said. Full story >> India, International community must act to deliver peace- Bishop[TamilNet, Monday, 01 January 2007, 00:01 GMT] Rt. Rev. Thomas Soundaranayagam, the Bishop of Jaffna, in his New Year message, said that the International Community, in the dawn of the New Year, should, with India's active participation, positively assert itself with new vigor and put forward a just and fair solution to resolve the ethnic conflict. "This is the only New Year request I am placing in front of the International Community, when war clouds gather over Tamil areas, starvation threatens to engulf the Tamil people, spectre of infectious deceases spreading amidst shortage of medicines looms in the horizon, and fear and anxiety grips the Tamil people as they live day-to-day," the Bishop said.
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