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SLN fortifies Point Pedro harbour area[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 February 2007, 21:17 GMT]Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) is constructing a large guard post at Point Pedro Munai area near the light house with the aim to reopen Point Pedro harbour which remains closed after the attack on 'City of Liverpool' ship. Myliddy waterfront serves as a temporary unloading wharf but is incapable of handling many vessels simultaneously. The new SLN guard post, while guarding ships unloading at Point Pedro harbour, is also meant to obstruct any Sea Tiger attacks. Full story >> Police arrest Tamil teacher in Maskeliya, 4 Tamils in Kandy[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 February 2007, 18:09 GMT]A Tamil teacher working in Maskeliya in Nuwara Eliya district in the central province was arrested Tuesday in a search operation by the police. Hatton Magistrate remanded him till March 16 when he was produced in courts Wednesday. Full story >> STF kills 3 youths in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 February 2007, 17:58 GMT]Special Task force (STF) personnel shot dead three Tamil youths Wednesday around 1:15 a.m near the Kallady camp in Batticaloa, Kathankudy police, said. The Police recovered the bodies and handed them over to Batticaloa Teaching Hospital. The bodies remain unidentified, according to hospital sources. Full story >> TNA urges India not to provide warship to Sri Lanka[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 February 2007, 16:04 GMT]The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has urged the Government of India to desist from providing lethal military assistance to Sri Lanka. Referring to recent media reports that the Indian Government is to either grant or lease a large warship to the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN), the Parliamentary group of the TNA in a press release issued Wednesday observed that these reports have come against the backdrop of repeated assurances given by the Indian leadership, including the Indian Premier Dr. Manmohan Singh, that the India, as a matter of policy, will not provide any lethal weapons to Sri Lanka. Full story >> SLA shoots dead civilian in Chavakachcheri[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 February 2007, 12:08 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers on a foot patrol along A9 highway, 300 meters from Chavakachcheri town in Thenmaradchy, shot dead a civilian at 6:00 a.m. Wednesday, sources said. The soldiers panicked and opened fire when the man suddenly emerged from a lavatory adjoining his house, relatives said. Full story >> Christian family wounded in DPU attack in Madu[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 February 2007, 09:33 GMT]A 4-year-old girl, 15-year-old boy and their parents riding in a motorbike to Madu church from Andankulam through parappukandanthan road were wounded in a Sri Lanka Army Deep Penetration Unit Claymore attack Wednesday around 10:00 a.m., 6 km away from the church. This is the second DPU attack on civilians inside Liberation Tigers territory within the last 24 hours. Full story >> SLN destroys suspicious boat in the seas off Matara[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 February 2007, 04:49 GMT]Sri Lankan military officials in Colombo have claimed that the Sri Lanka Navy destroyed a suspicious boat 230 nautical miles off Matara on Sri Lanka's southern coast around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. Sri Lankan officials later said that the incident occurred 180 nautical miles from Dondra Point. Full story >> Prisoners call off protest[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 February 2007, 00:15 GMT]The Tamil political prisoners at Magazine Prison, Colombo, who started a fast-to-death campaign on 21 February demanding their release, called off their action temporarily on Monday following assurances given by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarians to assist them, sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Family man recovered dead in Eravur[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 February 2007, 21:21 GMT]Eravur Police recovered the body of a young mason with gunshot wounds by the Thalavai-Punnaikkudah road in Eravur Police area in Batticaloa district Tuesday morning. Full story >> Sinhalese suspect found dead at Police headquarters[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 February 2007, 17:09 GMT]A Sinhalese man, arrested at Valaichenai in Batticaloa district on suspicion for working closely with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in November 2006 and held in custody at Police Headquarters in Colombo, was found dead in the toilet Tuesday morning, Colombo police said. Full story >> SLA search, act of reprisal, students say[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 February 2007, 16:32 GMT]Several student organisations in Jaffna peninsula including Tamil Student Union strongly accused Sri Lanka Army's (SLA) cordoning off and searching Jaffna Hindu College and surrounding areas Tuesday morning as reprisal against the student community and a preplanned measure to disrupt their educational activities. Full story >> DPU ambush kills School Principal in LTTE territory[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 February 2007, 12:43 GMT]A newly appointed principal who was on his way to Vilathikulam from the Zonal Education Office in Madhu was killed, and an Divisional Education Officer was wounded and rushed to Kilinochchi hospital for treatment Tuesday morning following a Claymore ambush by the Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of the Sri Lanka Army, said N. Selvy, Liberation Tigers Human Rights Spokesperson. Full story >> SLA cordons, searches Jaffna Hindu College[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 February 2007, 11:30 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers cordoned off Jaffna Hindu College and surrounding areas, asked the students and staff to assemble at the School play ground, before conducting search of the school premises, administrative officials of the school said. The SLA ordered school closed and sent the students home after the search. Local residents said that they heard sounds of gunfire near the school Monday night, and this may have triggered the SLA search. Full story >> Muslim civilian found dead in Akkaraipattu[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 February 2007, 08:30 GMT]A Muslim civilian was found dead Tuesday around 6:00 a.m at Akkaraipattu in Amparai district with injuries on the body caused by beating. Full story >> LTTE condemns GoSL for endangering the lives of foreign diplomats[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 February 2007, 05:31 GMT] Military Spokesman of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Irasiah Ilanthirayan, expressing deep regret for the injuries caused to the foreign diplomats who landed in the military airfield of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) in Batticaloa and the Weber Stadium where 23-3 Brigade Commander's military headquarters is located, condemned the Government of Sri Lanka for having endangered the lives of foreign diplomats bringing them into the artillery launchpads inside the military zone without following diplomatic procedures.
Full story >> U.S., Italian Ambassadors wounded in shell fire in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 February 2007, 05:13 GMT]U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Richard O'Blake, and the Italian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Pio Mariani, were slightley injuried by shrapnel of shells fired at Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) airfield in eastern Batticaloa, around 8:40 a.m, Tuesday. Reports said the diplomats were getting off a helicopter in which around 15 diplomats and senior officials flew to the eastern town when the shells hit the air field. Meanwhile, 2 SLAF helicopters that landed in Weber Stadium in Batticatoa city carrying Sri Lankan Disaster Management Minister narrowly escaped from 122 mm shell fire, according to military sources in Colombo. Full story >> Arrests of Tamils in upcountry areas escalate[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 February 2007, 00:15 GMT]Sri Lanka police arrested 11 Tamils in during a search operation at 4:00 a.m Monday at Lunugala Upper Division in Poonagala, Bandarawella, while Karantheniya police arrested 4 youths returning in a lorry from Galle, sources in Bandarawela said. Meanwhile, Koswathe and Karruvakadu police each arrested one plantation Tamil youth Monday, sources said. Full story >> SL anti-terror officials detain Sinhala paper director[TamilNet, Monday, 26 February 2007, 22:10 GMT]The Financial Director of the Sinhala language weekly "Mawbima", Dushantha Basnayake, has been detained by the Sri Lankan Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) Monday evening at his workplace in Colombo. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, in a televised address, Saturday had charged that the weekly was "pro LTTE." The paper is owned by Tiran Alles, a close confidante of Mangala Samaraweera, the former SL Foreign Minister who was recently sacked by Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse. Mr. Tiran Alles was also removed from Sri Lanka's Civil Aviation Authority this month. Full story >> Abducted teenage students released in Jaffna[TamilNet, Monday, 26 February 2007, 21:58 GMT]The two teenagers of Uduppiddy American Mission College, who were abducted last Saturday while on their way to attend tuition classes at Uduppiddy in Vadamaradchy region, were returned home safely Monday morning. The abductors brought both the 15 years old boys in a white van, blind folded, and left them at somewhere in the Uduppiddy area in the early morning. The lads waited at the same place until the sunrise and then returned home. Full story >> JHU decides against submitting proposal to APRC[TamilNet, Monday, 26 February 2007, 21:25 GMT]Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), all monks' party said Monday that it will not table its proposals to the All Party Representatives Committee (APRC) to find a political solution to the ethnic conflict, political sources in Colombo said. JHU reasoned that Mahinda Chinthanaya mandates a solution on the basis of unitary concept of constitution and therefore no alternate proposals are necessary. Full story >> Eastern university scheduled to reopen on March 19[TamilNet, Monday, 26 February 2007, 21:09 GMT]The decision to reopen the Eastern University of Sri Lanka (EUSL) on March 19 was taken at a meeting held on Monday at 10:30 a.m. in Kallady, Batticaloa Vipulantha College of Aesthetic Studies of the university campus, Acting Vice chancellor S.Pathmanathan said. Full story >> STF camp attacked in Amparai[TamilNet, Monday, 26 February 2007, 17:56 GMT]Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) launched an attack using small arms on Thangavelauthapuram Special Task Force (STF) camp located on the top of Sangermalai, Thirukovil in Amparai district Sunday around 10:30 p.m, sources in Thirukovil said. Full story >> 2 Police constables shot dead in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Monday, 26 February 2007, 17:50 GMT]Unidentified armed men on motorbike shot dead two police constables Monday around 7:40 p.m. at Muthalikkulam in Vavuniya district. The police handed the bodies of the two victims to Vavuniya hospital around 10:00 p.m. Full story >> Hoax bomb call causes panic at Vavuniya banks[TamilNet, Monday, 26 February 2007, 12:05 GMT]Hoax caller warning of bombs placed inside premises of the Peoples Bank and Bank of Ceylon branches in Vavuniya town at 9:45 a.m. Monday caused panic among the staff and customers as they vacated the buildings, sources in Vavuniya said. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and Police cordoned off the area and searched the buildings. No bombs were found inside the bank buildings. Full story >> American Tamils call for Recognition of Tamil Sovereignty for NorthEast Sri Lanka[TamilNet, Monday, 26 February 2007, 11:46 GMT]Pleading to the international community that "the just aspirations of the Tamils should not be held hostage by fictitious claims of protecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of a failed state," a consortium of Tamil organizations in the US, in a press release issued Monday, urged the International Community to "recognize the current de-facto Tamil state should their authentic representatives exercise the right to external self-determination," and called upon fellow Americans "to stand with the Tamil Americans in support of the inalienable right of self-determination." Full story >> Youth shot dead in Amparai[TamilNet, Monday, 26 February 2007, 08:24 GMT]Unidentified armed men following a youth riding his bicycle to purchase goods shot him dead Sunday around 8:00 p.m at Veeramunai in Sammanthurai police division in Amparai district. Sammanthurai police recovered the dead body Monday morning and handed it over to Sammanthurai hospital for inquest into death. Full story >> SL President leaves for China on 7-day official visit[TamilNet, Monday, 26 February 2007, 03:11 GMT]Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse around midnight on Sunday left Colombo on a seven-day official visit to China leading a delegation of about fifteen ministers. Several business leaders and officials of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries in the districts of Kandy, Galle, Matara and Kegalle also joined the President's delegation, sources said. Full story >> Eastern Tamils oppose merger of Universities[TamilNet, Monday, 26 February 2007, 00:32 GMT]The initiative of the Deputy Minister of Higher Education, 'Myown' Mustafa to amalgamate the Eastern University of Sri Lanka (EUSL) with the Muslim-dominated South Eastern University, faces stiff resistance from Tamils and Muslims living Batticaloa district, sources in Batticaloa said. Full story >> Two teenage students reported missing in Vadamaradchy[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 February 2007, 19:40 GMT]Two 15 year old students of Udupiddy American Mission College are reported missing since Saturday 1:30 p.m at Udupiddy, Vadamaradchy, while they were riding bicycles to attend class at a local private education centre, according to complaints made by family members at Valvetithurai police and Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office. Full story >> India donates second warship to Sri Lanka[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 February 2007, 19:24 GMT] India is to grant the Sri Lanka Navy another ocean-going warship as part of greater cooperation between the two countries, media reports in Colombo said Sunday.Full story >> Ship expected to bring Jaffna mail from Trincomalee[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 February 2007, 13:38 GMT]A part of the backlog of ordinary letters to Jaffna lying in Trincomalee Main Post Office is expected to arrive in Jaffna Monday by ship, Jaffna Postal sources said. Besides thousands of mail bags accumulating in Trincomalee, 5000 parcels, many containing medicines and food, destined for addresses in Jaffna district are also lying undelivered. Full story >> Jaffna faces shortage of critical medicines[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 February 2007, 13:19 GMT]Jaffna Teaching Hospital, Manthikai Government hospital in Point Pedro and other hospitals in Jaffna district are unable to perform surgeries as stocks of saline drip and other essential medicines have depleted, medical sources in Jaffna said. Government supplies of medicines earmarked for the first quarter of year 2007 has not been shipped from Colombo to Jaffna, hospital sources said. Residents of Jaffna peninsula requiring critical medicines are forced to pay up sometimes up to ten times the normal market value from private traders who have small amount of stocks left, according to Jaffna residents. Full story >> Tamil youth shot, critically injured in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 February 2007, 10:12 GMT]A twenty three year old Tamil youth was critically injured when unidentified armed men riding in a motorbike fired at him Saturday evening at Thulasipuram, a suburb about one km off north of Trincomalee town. He was shot while he was walking along the road, police said. Full story >> Three Tamils abducted in Mannar[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 February 2007, 08:00 GMT]Unidentified persons abducted three Tamils in Mannar in two separate incidents when they were traveling along Mannar-Talaimannar main road, Tuesday afternoon, according to complaints made by their relatives with the regional office of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL). Full story >> SLA intensifies attack on LTTE territory in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 February 2007, 21:35 GMT]Batticaloa district plunged into darkness due to interruption of electricity supply following a 15 minute heavy artillery and Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) barrage by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) from Batticaloa Brigade camp and Mylambaveli SLA camp on Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held territories , Saturday from 6:30 p.m., sources in Batticaloa said. Full story >> SLA alleges discovery of arms at Kopay Training College[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 February 2007, 18:28 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) at Palaly announced Saturday that troopers conducting a sudden search in the premises of Kopay Training college on Friday found a T-56 type rifle concealed in the roof of the students hostel. Last week the troops claimed that telecommunication equipment and hand grenades were found in a room in a catholic church near the residence of Bishop of Jaffna. Civil society sources, however, suspect that the claims are without substance, and intended to silence the dissenting voices of the Catholic clergy and the Education officials in Jaffna. Full story >> Two youths abducted in Jaffna[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 February 2007, 18:27 GMT]Two youths have been abducted by unidentified armed men operating from a white van within the 12 hour period between Friday night and Saturday early morning according to complaints lodged by the relatives at the Jaffna office of Human Rights Commission (HRC). Full story >> SLA imposes day time travel restrictions in Jaffna[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 February 2007, 18:26 GMT]The high command of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) from Palaly announced Friday that in addition to the 11 hour night time curfew already in place, there will be further restrictions of civilian movement during day time. SLA directed general public to avoid certain roads during a three and a half hour period, morning between 10:00 a.m. and 12.00 noon and again between 3:00 pm- and 4:30 pm in the afternoon, sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> Three Plantation Tamils arrested[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 February 2007, 16:05 GMT]Several plantation Tamils were taken into custody in cordon and search operations conducted Friday morning by Sri Lanka security forces in Talawakelle, Pundoloya and Lindula in the central province. All were released after their identities were checked except three Tamils who are being detained in police stations and being questioned, sources said. Full story >> Civilians from Valaichchenai arrested in Hatton[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 February 2007, 16:00 GMT]Nine Tamil civilians from Valaichchenai in Batticaloa district in the eastern province were arrested by the Sri Lanka security forces in a cordon and search operation conducted in Hatton in Nuwara Eliya district in the central province Saturday morning, sources said. Full story >> SLA strips bare houses in Vaharai, Sampoor - MP[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 February 2007, 15:45 GMT] Batticaloa District Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian S. Jeyanandamoorthy charged Saturday that Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers are dismantling civilians homes and stripping them of furniture and equipments in the recently captured Vaharai area. The internally displaced people (IDPs) who fled Vaharai before the SLA entered the area, have been prevented from entering the area by the soldiers guarding the entry points, the parliamentarian said. Meanwhile, the refugees from Sampoor had complained that the roofs of their houses have also been removed by the SLA.
Full story >> 20 Tamil detainees on fast unto death campaign in Colombo[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 February 2007, 14:29 GMT]Twenty Tamil detainees, taken into custody by the Sri Lankan police and military since 2003 and detained in the Magazine prison in Colombo, are on a fast-unto-death campaign for the fourth day Saturday, urging the Sri Lankan authorities to expedite the investigations against them or release them if there were no charges against them. The health condition of five of the fasting detainees has worsened, according to Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians who visited the prison Saturday. Full story >> SLA shells Kumburupiddy jungle[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 February 2007, 12:27 GMT]Sri Lanka Army soldiers fired artillery and multi-barrel rockets towards jungle areas of Kumburupiddy, about 22 km. north of Trincomalee town, from its camps at Monkey Bridge, Morawewa and other surrounding areas, Saturday morning, local residents said. Full story >> SLA cordons, searches Kondavil, Tellipallai areas[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 February 2007, 11:37 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers cordoned off and searched Kondavil, Mallakam, and Tellipallai areas located north of Jaffna town Saturday morning starting at 6:00 a.m soon after the expiration of the overnight curfew, local residents said. Full story >> TNA appeals to international community to back Tamil self-determination[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 February 2007, 11:09 GMT] Sri Lanka’s ongoing military campaign leaves Tamils with no option but to seek self-determination and self-rule, the country’s largest Tamil party said Friday. In a statement to mark the fifth anniversary of the Ceasefire Agreement between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) called on the international community to recognise the Tamil struggle pointing out that in the past five years, “the Sri Lankan government has utterly failed to alleviate the sufferings of the Tamil people. Neither has it contributed meaningfully to a lasting solution to the national conflict.”Full story >> Body found dumped in Vavuniya suburb[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 February 2007, 08:12 GMT]A body of a young man with gun shot injuries on his head was found dumped at 8th lane in Vepankulam in Vavuniya, Saturday morning, police said. Full story >> SLA intensifies artillery attacks from FDL positions in Thenmaradchy[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 February 2007, 00:39 GMT]The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) stationed at Thenmaradchy Forward Defence Lines (FDL) in Muhamalai and adjoining areas unleashed a barrage of artillery fire and Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) shells towards Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held areas Thursday night. The artillery fire continued throughout Friday until dusk, sources in Thenmaradchy said. Full story >> UN delegation discusses Rights violation with Jaffna magistrate[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 February 2007, 00:36 GMT]Legal Advisor to UN Geneva office, Cordula Droege, and Mariko Kushima, the newly appointed ICRC Jaffna Delegate, met Jaffna District Magistrate Mr. R. T. Vignarajah Friday at the Jaffna Courts office to find out in detail the situation in Jaffna peninsula concerning continuing arrests, abductions, killings, harrassment and other human rights violation, sources close to Jaffna courts said. Full story >> Tamil civilian stabbed to death in Mihinthupura[TamilNet, Friday, 23 February 2007, 22:57 GMT]Unidentified persons stabbed a Tamil civilian to death on Wednesday evening at Kandiah Road in Mihinthupura along Trincomalee-Anuradhapura Road. The victim was identified as Kathiravelu Paramananthan aged 56 and a retired watcher of a state bank branch in Trincomalee town. Mihinthupura is located about four km off north along Trincomalee-Anuradhapura Road from the east port city. Full story >> GA attends to Mannar farmers' transport woes[TamilNet, Friday, 23 February 2007, 12:43 GMT]Hundreds of farmers in LTTE held territory in Mannar district cultivating subsidiary food crops and paddy have been undergoing severe difficulties to sell their produce at good price in the government controlled areas or to buy seed materials and other needed materials needed for their cultivation after the closure of Uyilankulam army check point in August last year, sources said. Mannar Government Agent (GA) V.Visuvalingam is making efforts to arrange transportation to affected farmers, sources said. Full story >> Three wheeler driver shot dead in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Friday, 23 February 2007, 12:31 GMT]Unidentified gunmen shot dead a three-wheeler driver Friday around 1:30 p.m at Palayoothu in Trincomalee, sources in Trincomalee said. The victim was identified as Stanley Robert, 42, a resident of Annai Velankanny Road in Trincomalee. Full story >> Displaced Jaffna youth knifed to death in Mannar[TamilNet, Friday, 23 February 2007, 12:23 GMT]The body of a Tamil youth, residing in Parapankandal in Mannar district with his family after being displaced from Jaffna, was recovered Friday early morning at Palaikudi Junction in Nanattan division with severe cut injuries. The victim has been identified as 26-year-old Mariyathas Girithas by his relatives, sources in Mannar said. Full story >> SLMM closes Vavuniya office[TamilNet, Friday, 23 February 2007, 12:10 GMT]Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) has closed its offices in Vairavarpuliyankulam in Vavuniya Thursday, and has recalled the employees at the Vavuniya office to outstations citing security reasons, sources in Vavuniya said. Additional information on SLMM's sudden action is not available. Full story >> Youths to remain in congested prison in Jaffna[TamilNet, Friday, 23 February 2007, 09:33 GMT]Jaffna district Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Commander Maj. Gen. Chandrasiri informed that due to lack of security arrangements, the Rehabilitation Centre at Tellipalai cannot be reopened to accommodate the 40 youths placed under the protective custody in the Jaffna prison, legal sources in Jaffna said. The SLA commander was responding to the application filed by Jaffna police Thursday in the Jaffna District Court before Jaffna District Magistrate R. T. Vignarajah, legal society sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> Karuna group member shot dead in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Friday, 23 February 2007, 09:10 GMT]Unidentified armed men shot dead a member of paramilitary Karuna group Friday morning in Kaluvanchikudy on his way to market. Full story >> Oxfam funds construction of rice-mills in Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi[TamilNet, Friday, 23 February 2007, 03:59 GMT]Two small scale rice-mills funded by Oxfam were opened for operation in Sevanagar in Mullaitivu, and Selvapuram in Kilinochchi during the first half of February. The Economic Consultancy House (TECH), an NGO registered with the Government of Sri Lanka, and operating in the NorthEast, is the implementing agency for the mills, TECH officials said. Full story >> 5 Jaffna civilians missing, feared abducted by SLA[TamilNet, Friday, 23 February 2007, 02:41 GMT]Five civilians were reported missing on Tuesday from Jaffna Municipal area and Atchuvely area in Jaffna peninsula according to complaints made at the Jaffna office of the Human Rights Commission (HRC). Two of the persons were missing on their way to Jaffna town while three were arrested by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers driving a white van, family members of the missing persons said. Full story >> Anura Bandaranaike sworn in as minister[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 20:43 GMT]Anura Bandaranaike, one of the sacked three ministers, was again sworn in as Minister of National Heritage Thursday morning at Temple Trees in the presence of Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse. Minister Dinesh Gunawardene and Western Provincial Governor, Alavi Moulana were present during the swearing-in. Full story >> Body with gunshot wounds recovered in Puthur[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 20:40 GMT]Atchuvely police recovered an unidentified dead body of a male around 30 years bearing gun shot wounds, from a shrub land close to a civilian settlement at Vatharavathai, Puthur East in Valigamam East Thursday morning, sources in Jaffna said. Police handed over the body to Jaffna Teaching Hospital Thursday afternoon for postmortem examinations. Full story >> Sacked ministers register complaint with Rights body[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 20:26 GMT]Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi, two of the three sacked ministers by Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse on February 9 Thursday lodged complaints with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) of the death threats they received after they addressed a press briefing in parliament following their expulsion from the cabinet and the reduction of government provided security staff. Full story >> 15 Tamil civilians released from Boosa camp[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 20:22 GMT]Fifteen Tamil civilians, majority of them residents of northeast and Colombo, including a woman, were released from Boosa detention camp in the Galle district in the southern province Thursday after about one month detention, Full story >> Marginalisation of CFA compells Tamils to resume freedom struggle - LTTE[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 16:54 GMT]The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, in a statement marking five years since the signing of 22 February 2002 Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) with the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL), said the CFA formulated with the full support of the international community, had transcended the parameters of Sri Lanka’s majoritarian constitution, recognizing Tamil Eelam’s de facto existence and the balance of power between the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the LTTE. However, the international community’s insistence on a solution that does not infringe on the "territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka," is deeply frustrating for the Tamil people, the statement said. Full story >> JHU tells JVP: CFA already dead, meaningless to demand abrogation[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 12:42 GMT]The ceasefire agreement CFA) signed by Ranil Wickremasinghe, the then Prime Minister and Velupillai Pirapaharan, leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) five years ago on 22 February 2002 had already dead with the capture of Mavilaru by the Sri Lankan security forces last year. "Hence there is no point in demanding the government to abrogate the CFA,"said Venerable Omalpe Sobitha Thera, general secretary of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU). Full story >> SLA conducts house-to-house search in Bogowantalawa[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 12:39 GMT]A house-to-house search was conducted by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers with the assistance of local police in Bogowantalawa town in the central province Thursday morning from dawn to noon. Majority of residents of Bogowantalawa are Tamils of Indian origin from upcountry. Police took several residents, majority of them Tamils into custody for interrogation, sources said. Full story >> Killing of Muslim councillor raises tension in Minuwangoda[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 12:36 GMT]Additional troops and police have been deployed in Minuwangoda area in the western province to quell any racial disturbance following the killing of a former Muslim councillor of the Minuwangoda Pradesya Sabha Wednesday evening. Tension prevails in the area between two communities Sinhalese and Muslims, sources said. Full story >> 8 fishermen missing in Kalpity[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 10:37 GMT]Eight fishermen who left from Kalpity for fishing in their boats Wednesday evening are reported missing. Relatives of the missing fishermen have made complaints to the Kalpity police, sources said. Full story >> SLA re-imposes peninsula-wide fishing ban[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 10:32 GMT]Sri Lankan Military high command in Palaly in Jaffna district reintroduced the complete fishing ban in the seas in the Peninsula from Tuesday until further notice, Fisheries Society sources said. 7,375 individuals from 1925 families in Thalayadi, Aaliyavalai, and other coastal hamlets in Liberation Tigers controlled areas in Vadamaradchy east, and 65,834 individuals from 14,774 fisher families in Sri Lanka Government controlled areas of Jaffna district will suffer severe economic difficulties, fisheries sources added. Full story >> Why Rajapakse sibling is acting as FM, asks UNP parliamentarian[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 10:30 GMT]Ravi Karunanayake, United National Party (UNP) Member of Parliament for Colombo District, addressing the parliament on Wednesday over a motion of adjournment concerning the responsibilities of the Government, said that since the assumption of power by Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse at least 3800 people have been killed, parliamentary sources said. He also questioned why Basil Rajapakse, presidential advisor and brother of the President is assuming Sri Lanka Foreign Minister's functions. Full story >> 3 civilians shot dead in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 10:15 GMT]Unidentified armed persons shot dead three civilians, two men and a woman, in three separate places in Trincomalee district Wednesday, one in Thampalakamam 24 km from Trincomalee town and the other two in the suburbs of Trincomalee town, sources in Trincomalee said. Full story >> 4000 killed in 15 months - SLMM[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 09:54 GMT]Nearly 4000 people have lost their lives during the past 15 months in contrast to less than 130 deaths during the first 3 years following the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) of 22 February 2002, between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the truce monitors said Thursday in a statement marking the fifth year of the signing of the CFA between the GoSL and the LTTE. Full story >> SLA trooper shot dead in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 08:56 GMT]Unidentified armed men lying in ambush opened fire on Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers posted at Chenkalady public market area in Eravur police division in Batticaloa, killing a SLA trooper, around 8:30 a.m. Thursday, police said. SLA troopers fired at random and more troopers were deployed at the site of the killing. A cordon and search was launched though no one was arrested. Full story >> Three killed in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 06:03 GMT]A young man was shot dead by unidentified men at Ukulankulam in Vavuniya, Wednesday night. Meanwhile, police said that they have received information from public about two bodies dumped at Rasenthirakulam and Mamadhu in Vavuniya. Full story >> Abrogate CFA, JVP demands in SL Parliament[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 06:00 GMT]Pandemonium prevailed in Sri Lanka's parliament Thursday morning when the ultra nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) removed the Mace from Speakers table demanding an immediate answer from the UPFA-government for not having abrogated the Cease Fire Agreement with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam before the agreement completed fifth year Thursday. Full story >> Teacher, 5 students injured in bomb explosion in Jaffna[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 February 2007, 16:33 GMT]Five students including two girls, and a teacher were injured in a bomb explosion around 4:15 p.m Wednesday, in front of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) sentry post, which guards the Main Office of Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) in the old Srithar theatre, located in the High Security Zone (HSZ) in Jaffna town. SLA said that a hand grenade lobbed into the sentry, missed its mark, landed in front of the sentry and exploded. Eyewitnesses and the injured, however, said that no one had lobbed the hand grenade into the SLA sentry post. Full story >> Police officer, 2 civilians killed, 14 injured in bomb blast in Valaichenai[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 February 2007, 15:19 GMT]Unidentified persons detonated a cycle bomb killing a police inspector and two civilians, and injuring fourteen persons including 5 Police officers at Trincomalee main street, Ottamavadi in Valaichenai police division in Batticaloa around 5:05 p.m. Wednesday. The attack was targetted towards a jeep carrying a police team which had come to relieve the group of constables stationed there, Valaichenai police said. Full story >> UNP to launch agitation campaign against UPFA government[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 February 2007, 11:20 GMT]The main opposition United National Party (UNP) is to hold a special convention in Colombo to formulate a programme to launch a peoples' agitation campaign through out the Sri Lanka. "The leadership of the party has decided to launch this campaign against the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government as UPFA has failed to fulfill its promises and the expectation of the masses," Gayantha Karunatilake, UNP spokesman told media persons in Colombo. Full story >> Three bodies with cut wounds recovered in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 February 2007, 11:08 GMT]Vavuniya police recovered bodies of three youths with several cut wounds to their neck and chest, inflicted by sharp instruments, near Pandarikulam Amman temple in Vavuniya Tuesday, sources from Vavuniya said. Local residents informed the Vavuniya Police of the abandoned bodies lying in the area. Full story >> Armed men abduct two youths in Kalmunai[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 February 2007, 10:50 GMT]Armed men on motor cycles, alleged to be members of Karuna paramilitary group, abducted two youths at gun-point at Temple road in Kalmunai in Amparai district Tuesday around 11:30 p.m. Full story >> Armed robbers shoot dead two civilians in Eravur[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 February 2007, 09:04 GMT]A group of armed men, obstructed from robbing a house at Arumugathankudirippu area in Eravur police division in Batticaloa, shot dead two civilians who tried to prevent the robbery, around 10:30 p.m Tuesday. Full story >> SLA moves military hardware to Thenmaradchy FDLs[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 February 2007, 03:15 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were seen moving heavy military hardware, including more than fifteen T-54 type tanks and Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) along Point-Pedro Kodikamam road towards Thenmaradchy Forward Defence Lines (FDLs) Monday night, residents in Varani area said. With the fifth year anniversary of the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) approaching on 22 Februrary, the increased military movements have further fuelled speculations of renewed war in Jaffna, civil sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> Jaffna youth seeks protection with HRC[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 February 2007, 01:16 GMT]One more Tamil civilian sought protection from the Jaffna branch of the Human rights Commission (HRC) Tuesday, HRC officials said. The 24-year old youth is from Allaippiddy in Jaffna islets and was staying as an internally displaced person at the IDP camp in Our Lady of Rosary (OLR) church when he sought safety with the HRC, officials added. Full story >> 24 Tamils arrested in Hatton, Bogowantalawa[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 February 2007, 00:18 GMT]Nine Tamil civilians including seven from Vaharai in the Batticaloa district were arrested at Norwood in Hatton Police Division in the central province Monday morning in a cordon and search operation conducted by Sri Lanka government security forces. The arrested are being detained in Hatton police station and being interrogated, civil society source in upcountry said. Full story >> SL Government has no deals with LTTE- Prime Minister[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 February 2007, 22:44 GMT]Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, Prime Minister, Monday refuted the allegation that the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) has a secret understanding with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). He was answering a question by Joseph Michael Perera, parliamentarian of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) citing ousted minister Sripathi Sooriyarachchi in parliament Tuesday. Full story >> UNP demands SLFP to finalize political proposal[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 February 2007, 22:21 GMT]The main opposition United National Party (UNP) Tuesday told the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government to table its political package to solve the ethnic conflict before March 15. "UNP will not participate in the All Party Representatives Committee (APRC) or its advisory panel if the SLFP fails to do so within the time frame," a UNP spokesman told media persons in Colombo. Full story >> Jaffna undergrads boycott classes protesting SLA killing of student[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 February 2007, 21:46 GMT]Jaffna University students are boycotting educational activities Tuesday and Wednesday to protest against the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) killing of Krishnan Kamalathas, a final year Art Faculty student Sunday close to the SLA 52-4 Brigade Head Quarters near his house in Thenmaradchi. Meanwhile SLA troopers forcibly removed the black flags hoisted by the students Monday evening and Tuesday morning at the entrance of Jaffna University. Full story >> Fisherman shot dead in Point Pedro[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 February 2007, 17:16 GMT]Two unidentified armed men on motor cycle chased a fisherman riding motor bike along Thumpalai road in Point Pedro area in Vadamaradchi and shot him dead around 8:30 a.m Tuesday, sources in Point Pedro said. The victim was shot dead ten minutes after returning from the Sri Lanka Army 524 Brigade camp close to his house where he had been to obtain permission to hold his sister's wedding. Full story >> Hospital vehicle, passenger bus escape DPU attacks in Vanni[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 February 2007, 05:03 GMT]A van belonging to Nedunkerni hospital narrowly escaped from a Claymore explosion, triggered by Sri Lanka Army deep penetration unit ambushmen at Manavalanpaddamurippu village, 32 km southwest of Mullaithivu town around 7:15 a.m. Tuesday. An hour later, a civilian vehicle on Nedunkeni Periyakulam route narrowly escaped from another Claymore mine, according to Tamileelam Police officials. Full story >> SLAF airstrike kills 2 in Vanni[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 February 2007, 04:35 GMT]Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir bombers attacked Parasankulam village 16 km northeast of Vavuniya, killing 2 civilians and wounding one, Tuesday around 7:30 a.m. Two hours later, the bombers dropped 12 bombs in another location, at Karipaddamurippu where a civilian house narrowly escaped, according to Tamileelam Police. As airstrikes were stepped up Tuesday, Deep Penetration Unit of Sri Lanka Army was also engaged in Claymore attacks. Full story >> SL Minister's threats condemned by media associations[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 February 2007, 02:44 GMT] Sri Lanka's Minister of Minister for Environment and Natural Resources, Champika Ranawaka's statement in Ravaya "advocating brutal suppression of democratic dissent," and call for the "elimination of those the JHU and NMAT perceive to be aiding and abetting the cause of the LTTE, including all pro-peace civil society activists and media activists," was condemned by a group of media associations in a press release issued Monday.
Full story >> Dissident UNP parliamentarians go to court[TamilNet, Monday, 19 February 2007, 16:00 GMT]The Colombo District Court Monday issued two enjoining orders restraining Ranil Wickremasinghe and Mr. Tissa Attanayake, leader and general secretary of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) respectively, from taking disciplinary action against the eighteen UNP parliamentarians who have defected to the government side during the first week of February. The inquiry into these petitions was fixed for March 5 . Full story >> 30 Tamil civilians arrested in Kandy[TamilNet, Monday, 19 February 2007, 15:58 GMT]Thirty Tamil civilians were arrested in Kandy and Teldeniya in the central province Monday morning in a cordon and search operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police. Most of the arrested are natives of North East and Colombo. Government security forces on a tip off blocked all roads and searched all vehicles. Full story >> Pakistan’s military assistance endangers regional security -TNA[TamilNet, Monday, 19 February 2007, 15:54 GMT]Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians Mavai Senathirajah of Jaffna district and Thurairatnasingham of Trincomalle district speaking to media on Monday condemned Pakistan’s offer to provide military assistance to Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL). The MPs made the comment when asked about the announcement of arms purchase from Pakistan by Rohitha Bogallama, Minister of foreign affairs on Sunday. Full story >> Fisherman's body washed ashore in Mullaithivu, one missing[TamilNet, Monday, 19 February 2007, 14:49 GMT]The dead body of a fisherman who was reported missing with another fisherman in Mullathivu since Saturday, washed ashore at Koriyadi in Vetrilaikeni in Vadamaradchi east Monday morning.. Sri Lanka Navy gunboats had fired at the fishermen around 2:30 a.m. Saturday in the seas off Mullaithivu. Full story >> Remove Tissa Vitarane from cabinet- JVP[TamilNet, Monday, 19 February 2007, 11:51 GMT]The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), marxist, extreme Sinhala nationalist party, said Minister Tissa Vitarane who advocates devolution of power contrary to the provisions in the "Mahinda Chinthanaya" should be removed from the cabinet first if Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse is sincere in preserving law and order, media sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Post office refuses sending food parcels, medicine to Jaffna[TamilNet, Monday, 19 February 2007, 11:45 GMT]Sri Lanka's Post Master General (PMG) directed all post offices not to accept parcels containing medicine more than one kilogram or parcels containing food materials addressed to Jaffna district residents until further notice, media sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Fire destroys four houses, vehicle in Mannar[TamilNet, Monday, 19 February 2007, 11:39 GMT]Houses of four fisher families were gutted by fire and a two million rupee valued vehicle used for transporting fish was also destroyed completely in a fire Monday morning around 11.30 a.m. at Vankalaipaddu in Mannar district, sources said. Full story >> Student shot dead in Jaffna, tension prevails[TamilNet, Monday, 19 February 2007, 11:29 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers shot dead a final year Art faculty student of Jaffna University Sunday around 6:30 p.m close to the SLA 52-4 Brigade Head Quarters and near his house in Iyattalai in Varani in Thenmaradchi region. Black flags were flown in the Jaffna University which was reopened Monday for studies after nearly six months. SLA soldiers were deployed around the University premises as the students observed a remembrance event paying homage to the dead student at Kailasapthy stadium in the Jaffna University. Full story >> Elderly man shot, injured in Amparai[TamilNet, Monday, 19 February 2007, 11:27 GMT]Unidentified armed men shot and seriously injured an elderly man at Central Camp in Amparai Sunday around 10:20 p.m, Central Camp police said. Full story >> Security tightened in southern province[TamilNet, Monday, 19 February 2007, 11:17 GMT]Security has been tightened in Kataragama, Hambantota, Ambalantota, Hungama, Tissamaharagama, Lunugamvehera, Sooriyawewa and Tangalle, all police divisions in Galle district in southern province that come under Superintendent of Police in Tangalle in Galle district, Police said. Full story >> Police fire kills one, injures one in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Monday, 19 February 2007, 00:12 GMT]A Muslim civilian was killed and a Tamil man was injured when Police fired indiscriminately following a grenade attack by unknown armed men at Chenkalady Police Post in Eravur Police division in Batticaloa district at 5:10 p.m. Sunday, sources in Batticaloa said. Full story >> NPM urges Rajapakse to nullify CFA with LTTE[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 February 2007, 18:37 GMT]The National Patriotic Movement (NPM) Sunday made an urgent appeal to Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse to nullify the ceasefire agreement (CFA) signed by Ranil Wickremasinghe, the then Prime Minister and Velupillai Pirapaharan, leader of LTTE, before the CFA completes five-year period on February 22, sources in Colombo said. Full story >> SLN soldier killed, 19 injured in Kantalai accident[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 February 2007, 18:34 GMT]A sailor of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) was killed and nineteen others were injured when the bus transporting a group of SLA sailors from Habarana to Trincomalee town met with an accident at Kantalai Sunday afternoon around 3.30 p.m. Kantalai is located along Trincomalee Kandy road about 39 km off southwest of east port city, sources said. Full story >> SL Parliament to meet amid political tension[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 February 2007, 13:12 GMT]Sri Lanka's parliament is to meet Tuesday again amid political tension in the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government created by the sacking of three ministers by President Mahinda Rajapakse. Parliament met last time amid tension created by the defection of eighteen parliamentarians from the main opposition United National Party (UNP) to government side, sources said. Full story >> Mail service to Jaffna breaks down[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 February 2007, 12:25 GMT]Mail services between Jaffna peninsula and other parts of Sri Lanka are disrupted since January 14, according to residents in Jaffna. More than six hundred mailbags and 5537 bags of parcels including food items have been lying in the Trincomalee main post office for the past 30 days waiting to be transported to Jaffna by sea, postal sources said. Full story >> Civilians arrested in Kandy still under detention[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 February 2007, 18:04 GMT]Fourteen civilians including nine Tamils, three Muslims and a Sinhalese arrested in a cordon and search operation conducted by the army and police covering Kandy bus stand area following a bomb scare on Friday evening are still being detained in Kandy police station and being interrogated by a special police team, sources said. Full story >> SLA fire kills one, injures two in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 February 2007, 14:02 GMT]One civilian was killed and two were injured when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) opened fire in Kumankulam in Vavuniya at 12:00 noon Saturday, local residents in the area said. Vavuniya Police said they have received no information on the incident. Meanwhile, unknown assailants triggered a claymore mine in Pandarikulam at 9:40 a.m. Saturday. No injuries to SLA soldiers or Police officers were reported. Full story >> Man shot dead in Uppuveli identified[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 February 2007, 12:02 GMT]The body of a male person with gunshot injuries recovered from Uppuveli, a suburb about two km north of Trincomalee town, Saturday morning around 10.30 am by the Uppuveli Police was identifed as belonging to Sivalingam Senthooran of Aathimoddai village along Trincomalee-Nilaveli road, sources in Trincomalee said. He was shot dead by unidentified persons earlier, civil sources in the area. Full story >> TNA condemns threats against Tamil journalists[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 February 2007, 09:06 GMT]"We condemn in the strongest terms the killing of the President of Tamil News and Information Centre (TNIC) Mr. Gananathan the very next day an indirect threat to his life was made in the Sri Lanka National Radio on the 31st of January," said a communique issued by Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians Friday in Colombo. "We also condemn the unlawful incursion of the Sri Lanka Military Intelligence personnel into the office of the TNIC on the 9th of February and their attempt to seize information and photographs of its Media Coordinator and International Media Coordinator," the communique signed by the parliamentarians said. Full story >> SLN arrests two fishermen in Vadamaradchy East seas[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 February 2007, 09:02 GMT]Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) Friday attacked two fishermen, fishing in deep seas from Vadamaradchy east coast, and arrested both with their boats, the fisheries union officials in Mullaitivu said. The officials added that two other fishermen had witnessed the incident and had fled to safety. Full story >> 2 SLA soldiers killed, 12 wounded in Claymore attack in Jaffna[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 February 2007, 08:00 GMT]Two Sri Lanka Army soldiers of the 51-2 brigade were killed and 12 troopers wounded in a road side Claymore ambush along the A9 road inside SLA High Security Zone, 300 meters from Jaffna District Secretariat in Jaffna city Saturday around 12:10 p.m. A child, believed to be around 5 years, was rushed to Jaffna Hospital with shrapnel wounds, but died at the hospital. SLA soldiers opened fire, cordoned off the area and launched a search operation. Three civilians were wounded. Full story >> Prayer campaign to force CFA abrogation[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 February 2007, 06:13 GMT]A special prayer is to be held at Kandy Dalada Maligawa Saturday in support of the demand that the government should abrogate the ceasefire agreement signed on 22 February 2002 before it completes five-year period next week. Buddhist monks in large numbers are expected to participate in the prayer campaign, sources in Kandy said. Full story >> Abrogate CFA before February 22, demands Bhikku Front[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 February 2007, 02:16 GMT]The Sri Lanka National Bhikku Front (SLNBF) is considering intensifying agitation if the government fails to abrogate the ceasefire agreement (CFA) before 22nd February, Venerable Dambara Amila Thera, President of the SLNBF told media persons Friday evening at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo where Buddhist priests have been fasting on rotation. Full story >> Kandy police arrest 14 civilians[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 February 2007, 00:30 GMT]Kandy Police and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers arrested 14 civilians, majority of them Tamils, in a cordon and search operation conducted Friday evening following a tip off that a bomb had been placed in the Kandy bus stand, sources in Kandy said. Kandy general hospital was also put on alert to meet any emergencies. Full story >> Decapitated body washed ashore in Mannar[TamilNet, Friday, 16 February 2007, 17:12 GMT]A decapitated body, washed ashore at Nadukkudah in Mannar Thursday, was handed over to Mannar General Hospital Friday morning by Thalaimannar Police. The fishermen in Pesalai, since Wednesday, have witnessed more than four dead bodies, packed inside polypropylene fertilizer bags, floating in the sea. More than 10 persons are reported missing in Pesalai area within the last 20 days, according to the Human Rights Commission sources in Mannar. Full story >> International Community needs reassurance from Sri Lanka - British FM[TamilNet, Friday, 16 February 2007, 16:11 GMT] The international community needs to be reassured that the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is committed to a peaceful solution, said Dr Kim Howells, British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who left Sri Lanka Friday concluding his two day visit. Dr. Howells met Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse, Sri Lankan Minister for Disaster Management and Human Rights and representatives of opposition political parties Thursday after visiting Amparai district Wednesday. Full story >> SLA intensifies shelling from Muhamalai, Manalaru[TamilNet, Friday, 16 February 2007, 15:22 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) stepped up its artillery barrage on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held areas in two separate Front Line positions Friday evening, one from SLA Northern Front Defence Line (FDL) towards Muhamalai, Kilali and Vadamaradchi east and the other from Manalaru SLA camp in Mullaitivu district towards LTTE held areas, sources from Kilinochchi said. Full story >> Lack of spares threatens bus service in Jaffna[TamilNet, Friday, 16 February 2007, 13:04 GMT]The public transport service run by the Ceylon Transport Board (CTB) will come to a halt by the end of February if tyres and other spare parts to maintain a fleet of 66 buses do not arrive in the next few days, said Northern Region Commissioner of Transport services, S Kanesapillai Friday. Full story >> SL Police arrests three Tamil teachers in Nuwara Eliya[TamilNet, Friday, 16 February 2007, 10:48 GMT]Special police team of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested three Tamil teachers in Ragala in Nuwara Eliya district in the central province Wednesday night, and has taken them to Colombo Thursday for interrogation, upcountry sources said. Police said the three were arrested on information from one of the three Sinhala journalists, arrested earlier in Colombo, on charges of having received arms training from Liberation Tigers. Full story >> Jaffna Court blocks attempts to send Jaffna youths to South[TamilNet, Friday, 16 February 2007, 10:35 GMT]The attempt by Jaffna Police to send the 14 youths who surrendered to Sri Lanka Police fearing for their lives from Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and paramilitaries working with SLA, to rehabilitation centres in South, was stopped by the intervention by the Jaffna District Judge, R. T. Vignarajah, legal sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> Journalist reported missing in Jaffna[TamilNet, Friday, 16 February 2007, 09:28 GMT] A journalist working for two Tamil dailies, Thinakural and Valampuri, as correspondent of Vadamaradchi region, is reported missing since Thursday night, according to a complaint lodged with Nelliyady police by the journalist's family. The journalist, Subramaniam Ramachandran, 37, a father of two, was last seen at his private tuition centre Thursday evening.
Full story >> LTTE appoints Human Rights spokesperson[TamilNet, Friday, 16 February 2007, 08:27 GMT] Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Friday appointed a spokesperson for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs. Ms. N. Selvy, who earlier served as a Peace Secretariat official has been appointed to the post, LTTE officials in Kilinochchi said.
Full story >> SLAF bombs Muhamalai, heavy artillery barrage in Northern Front[TamilNet, Friday, 16 February 2007, 06:34 GMT]Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked Muhamalai, Kilali and Vadamaradchi East areas as Sri Lanka Army launched a heavy artiilery barrage using Multi Barrel Rocket Launchers (MBRL) Friday morning in the Northern Front. Full story >> Chavakacheri courts orders action against SLA officers[TamilNet, Friday, 16 February 2007, 04:49 GMT]In a historic ruling, Chavakacheri courts, said Thursday that there is sufficient evidence of direct involvement of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officers in the disappearance of a number of youths in Thenmaradchchy area in 1996, and issued orders that further action be taken by Jaffna High Courts, legal sources in Jaffna said. The case against the accused officers of SLA was being heard at Chavakacheri courts since Monday, 12 February. Full story >> SLFP dissidents urge Colombo to prevent Rights abuses[TamilNet, Friday, 16 February 2007, 04:19 GMT] Former Sri Lanka's Foreign minister, Mangala Samaraweera, and former Port Development Minister, Sripathi Sooriyaarachchi, on Thursday accused the Mahinda Rajapakse government of alleged human rights violations, and warned that Sri Lanka faced international isolation unless steps were taken to stem the tide of disappearances and extra judicial killings, sources in Colombo said. Addressing a press conference at the Parliamentary complex, Mr. Samaraweera said his concern about the growing human rights violations in Sri Lanka was one of the main reasons that he was sacked by Mr Rajapakse.
Full story >> Damage to Vaharai schools extensive, says Education official[TamilNet, Friday, 16 February 2007, 00:51 GMT]An inspection team appointed by the Department of Education, led by R Gogularamanan and accompanied by two other technical officials visited Vaharai Thursday to view the damaged schools, Vaharai regional education officer N.Gunalingam said. "Most of the schools in Vaharai have suffered extensive damages. The team will detail the damages in a comprehensive report to the Ministry of Education," Gunalingam said. Full story >> Colombo court orders release of 18 Tamil civilians[TamilNet, Friday, 16 February 2007, 00:20 GMT]The Colombo Chief Magistrate Thursday ordered release of 18 Tamil civilians arrested on February 9 in a cordon and search operation conducted in Borella and Mirihana in Colombo police division. The Magistrate made the order when the police told the court there was no evidence to implicate the said suspects with any offence. Full story >> UNP condemns abductions[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 February 2007, 21:41 GMT]Tamils who have no connections with war and terrorism are being abducted in Colombo and other areas in the country, said Lakshman Kiriella, Kandy district United National Party parliamentarian addressing a press briefing held Thursday at the office of the Leader of the Opposition. Full story >> White van armed men abduct 5 youths in Amparai[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 February 2007, 15:26 GMT]Armed men in white van, alleged to be members of Karuna group, abducted five youths from the Central camp in Amparai, located about 10 km west of Kalmunai on February 13 and 14. Full story >> FMM accuses Rajapakse of favoritism, urging self-censorship of NorthEast news[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 February 2007, 12:29 GMT]Free Media Movement (FMM), a media watchdog based in Colombo, condemned Sri Lanka's President statement that he provided TV licences to JVP for the political support in the presidential election campaign. "Clearly, this nepotism and political favouritism is detrimental to the development of free media," the FMM said in the press release issued Wednesday. FMM also expressed consternation over Mr Rajapakse's criticisms of "Sinhala language weekly Mawbima newspaper for publishing articles that featured interviews with leaders of the LTTE, highlighting the humanitarian crisis in the North and East of Sri Lanka and exposing corruption." Full story >> Bogollagama to visit Pakistan[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 February 2007, 12:17 GMT]Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister, Rohitha Bogollagama, is scheduled to visit Pakistan Friday at the invitation of Pakistan Foreign Minister Kurshid Kasuri, a press release issued by the Sri Lanka Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday. Full story >> SL Police arrests 19 Tamil civilians in Moratuwa[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 February 2007, 11:31 GMT]Moratuwa Police took into custody 19 Tamils, all of them from areas of NorthEast, Thursday morning in a midnight to dawn cordon and search operation conducted by the government security forces in the Soysapura Flat area in Moratuwa police division, sources from Colombo said. The arrested are being detained and interrogated in Moratuwa police station. Full story >> 12 missing, 35 arrested in two weeks in Vavuniya - HRC[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 February 2007, 11:30 GMT]Twelve civilians have disappeared and 35 have been arrested in Vavuniya district in the past two weeks, Vavuniya Human Rights Commission (HRC) said. Full story >> SLN imposes ban on night fishing in Delft[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 February 2007, 11:24 GMT]Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) in Delft, an islet of Jaffna, issued a directive Wednesday banning fishing and using boats on the Delft sea from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., fisheries society representatives in Delft said. Ninety percent of the total 7000 population of Delft depend on fishing for their livelihood, and are seriously affected by this ban on fishing. Full story >> Jaffna journalists fearful amid threats, killings[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 February 2007, 02:27 GMT] The campaign of intimidation backed up by deadly violence has compelled Sri Lankan journalists of all ethnicities to flee Sri Lanka. But unlike their southern colleagues, journalists in the Jaffna have no easy escape and media institutions in the northern peninsula are appealing for international support in the face of threats by Army-backed paramilitaries.
Full story >> Rajapakse, Bandaranayake meet to reconcile[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 February 2007, 01:40 GMT] Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse and Anura Bandaranayake, one of three ministers sacked last week met Wednesday at Temple Trees and talked for about
two hours regarding the current political situation. They explored ways to
diffuse the tension in the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) following the dismissal of three ministers.
Full story >> 3 LTTE cadres, Home guard killed in Amparai[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 February 2007, 01:30 GMT]Three Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) cadres and a Home Guard were killed, and two other Home Guards wounded in a firefight at a remote boarder village in Amparai district, around 5:00 a.m. Police sources said. Full story >> SLA conducts search operation in Vankalai[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 February 2007, 01:25 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Wednesday morning conducted a cordon and search operation in Vankalai village in Mannar district following the attack on the sentry point Tuesday night around 8.30 p.m., sources in Mannar said. The sentry was attacked with small arms by an unidentified group of three persons who came in a boat by sea, according to Mannar sources. Full story >> Tamil youth shot dead in Anpuvallipuram[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 February 2007, 01:20 GMT]Unidentified armed men shot dead Tamil youth in Anpuvallipuram, a suburb off about 3 km from Trincomalee town in the Uppuveli Police division Wednesday afternoon. The victim has been identified as Somapala Wijepalan, sources said. Full story >> GoSL’s Rights team visits to assess Jaffna situation[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 February 2007, 15:36 GMT]"Normalcy is yet to return to Jaffna. The residents are deprived of the freedom of movement, and continue to experience restrictions and difficulties in getting the essential commodities since the closure of the A9 six months ago," said Rt. Rev. Thomas Soundaranayagm, the Bishop of Jaffna, participating in a meeting Wednesday, convened by a team from Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL from Colombo, held in the High Security Zone area in Jaffna town. Minister of Human Rights and Disaster Management, Mr Mahinda Samarasinghe, who led the team said their mandate is to explore means of restoring normalcy to Jaffna and remedy the short comings in the supply of essential commodities. Full story >> Jaffna students end boycott[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 February 2007, 14:54 GMT]High School and Secondary school students in Jaffna peninsula returned to their classes on Wednesday, in response to the communiqué issued by Jaffna Students Union calling for an end to the two weeks-old boycott of classes. However, attendence was low at Hartley College, Point Pedro and Velauththam MahaVidyalayam, the schools where two abducted on 17 January were attending classes. Full story >> LTTE shells Meesalai camp, 10 SLA troopers injured[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 February 2007, 12:40 GMT]Ten Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were injured when more than forty shells fired by Liberation Tigers hit the SLA camp located in Meesalai area along A9-high way between 11:30 am and 12:00 noon Wednesday, sources in Jaffna said. SLA command has not released official details of the attack and casualties. Full story >> Armed paramilitaries rob bus in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 February 2007, 11:53 GMT]Karuna group armed paramilitaries in military fatigues waylaid a Colombo bound civilian bus from Kathankudy in Batticaloa on Sithandy main road in Eravur police division Tuesday around 8:20 p.m., and robbed Rs. 1,500,000 rupees, several national identity cards, 15 hand phones and jewellery from the passengers, according to complaints made to Eravur police. Full story >> Body found in Pulmoddai beach[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 February 2007, 11:50 GMT]Pulmoddai Police recovered the body of a Tamil person along the sea beach in Pulmoddai village located about 65 km north of Trincomalee town Friday morning, sources in Trincomalee said. Police said injuries were found in the body but did not reveal the exact cause of death. The body has been transferred to Pulmoddai Hospital for postmortem examinations. Full story >> LTTE responds to UN report on Children and Armed Conflict[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 February 2007, 11:34 GMT]Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), in a report issued by the Peace Secretariat in Kilinochchi, Wednesday stated that the LTTE which runs a civil administration with "extensive civil services," in which it's members take part, was entitled as a "functioning defacto-state" to recruit those above the age of 17. The Tigers were prepared to observe the minimum age of 18 when this practice has been accepted as an international standard by all the states, the LTTE statement said. The statement is the LTTE's response to the report made following the mission of Allan Rock, Special Adviser to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict on Sri Lanka. Full story >> AG orders formation of vigilante groups in Jaffna[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 February 2007, 01:33 GMT]The Attorney General (AG) of Sri Lanka issued a special order to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to take steps to facilitate formation of vigilante groups in the villages of Jaffna Peninsula to include civil leaders as a mechanism to prevent robberies, abductions and killings taking place in nights during the curfew hours. The Special order was issued due to highlight the urgency to the local Police which has been unresponsive to AG's earlier call on the same matter, legal sources said. Full story >> Body found in Vaharai well[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 February 2007, 00:25 GMT]Sri Lanka Police recovered a decomposed body of a male in a well in Vaharai around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Police sources said. The body was bound inside a sack. Police transferred the body to the Valaichchenai District Hospital for autopsy and identification. Full story >> Two civilians seek protection at Jaffna HRC[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 February 2007, 22:08 GMT]Two family men, one aged 34, from Kalvayal in Chavakacheri in Thenmaradchi, and the other aged 32, from Kokuvil area in Jaffna, fearing threat to their lives from Sri Lanka (SL) armed forces and allied paramilitaries sought safety at the Human Rights Commission (HRC) in Jaffna Tuesday, civil society sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> UK Minister arrives in Colombo[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 February 2007, 15:34 GMT]Dr Kim Howells, British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, arrived in Colombo Tuesday evening on a three day-visit. He is to visit Amparai district Wednesday morning, sources said. Full story >> JVP to hold public meetings against UPFA government[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 February 2007, 12:31 GMT]Sri Lanka's extreme Sinhala nationalist, Marxist, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) is to hold a series of meetings southern Sri Lanka condemning the government for abandoning the Mahinda Chinthanaya principles, political sources in Colombo said. The first meeting of this series is to be held on February 15 evening at Nugegoda in Colombo, according to same sources. Full story >> 6 STF troopers injured in mortar fire in Vavunativu[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 February 2007, 12:05 GMT]Six troopers were injured in a mortar attack launched on Vavunativu Special Task Force (STF) camp Tuesday from 6:30 a.m until 7:20 a.m by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) from the no-man zone, Batticaloa police head quarter said. The STF retaliated the attack but information on LTTE casualties were not released by the police. Full story >> Two shot dead in Thenamradchi[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 February 2007, 12:00 GMT]Unidentified armed men on a motor cycle chased a youth and shot him dead Tuesday around 9:30 a.m as he was returning from Kodikamam town to Kachchai along the road behind Kodikamam police station in Thenmaradchi. Meanwhile, unknown gunmen shot dead the owner driving his tractor along the Navatkuli-Kerativu road, one hundred metres from the Navatkuli Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp in Thenmaradchi, around 1:30 p.m Tuesday. Full story >> UNP Municipal Councillor shot dead in Colombo suburb[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 February 2007, 09:26 GMT]Unidentified gunmen shot and killed a Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council member of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) inside his office in Dehiwela, a suburb of Colombo Tuesday around 10:00 a.m. Full story >> Owners demand protection to cargo vessels[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 February 2007, 02:26 GMT]The owners of cargo ships leased to the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to transport of essential food items from Trincomalee harbour to Point Pedro have requested Commissioner of Essential Services assurance of protection by security forces, sources said. Safety of vessels in northern water has become a contentious issue after the attack on “City of Liverpool" at Point Pedro Harbour on 21 January. Full story >> Two youths seek protection at Jaffna HRC[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 February 2007, 01:01 GMT]Two youths from Sirupiddy area in Valigamam east, fearing threat to their lives from Sri Lanka (SL) armed forces and allied paramilitaries, sought safety at the Human Rights Commission (HRC) in Jaffna, civil society sources in Jaffna said. The youths were placed under the protective custody in Jaffna prison, raising the total of persons kept there under protective custody to 59, HRC sources said. Full story >> SLA re-opens Uyilankulam entry point[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 February 2007, 00:11 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Monday morning around 11.30 a.m. opened the entry point at Uyilankulam to enter areas controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). SLA closed the Uyilankulam entry point following artillery attack on a SLA sentry located near the Uyilankulam sentry point Sunday night. Full story >> NGO worker reported "missing" in Jaffna[TamilNet, Monday, 12 February 2007, 22:12 GMT]A local employee of the international humanitarian de-mining organization, Halo Trust, has been reported "missing" in Jaffna since last Friday. Eleven Halo Trust workers have been either reported "missing" or killed during the past 6 months. Full story >> Buddhist monks demand abolition of CFA[TamilNet, Monday, 12 February 2007, 22:10 GMT] The National Bhikku Front, an organization of Buddhist monks, started an indefinite sit on protest in front of Viharamadevi Park around 11:00 a.m. Monday demanding the immediate abolition of the
Norwegian brokered Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) signed by the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on 22 February 2002. More than 50 monks were present at the start of the protest ceremoniously by chanting of hymns praising Lord Buddha. Seven
monks joined the sit-in.
Full story >> Two bodies found in Colombo[TamilNet, Monday, 12 February 2007, 21:27 GMT]Bodies of two unidentified men were recovered by police at two different locations in Colombo. One body was found at Kettarama bridge area and the other at Galkissa seashore, according to the police. Full story >> Two youths shot dead in Chavakacheri[TamilNet, Monday, 12 February 2007, 14:16 GMT]Two unidentified gun men pretending as customers entered a meat stall in Chavakacheri Modern public market Monday around 10:00 a.m. and shot rapidly with pistols killing an employee on the spot and seriously injuring another employee caught in the firing. The injured youth, while being rushed to Jaffna Teaching hospital in an ambulance, succumbed to his wounds on the way, at Navatkuli. Full story >> SL Government troops conduct search operation in Kuchchaveli[TamilNet, Monday, 12 February 2007, 12:41 GMT]Sri Lanka government security forces Monday morning launched combined cordon and search operation covering fishing hamlets, Kallaruwa, Pudavaikattu, Pulmoddai and other coastal areas of Kuchchaveli divisional secretariat division north of Trincomalee town, sources said. Full story >> Military victory unlikely to produce lasting solution - British Minister[TamilNet, Monday, 12 February 2007, 11:36 GMT]"A military victory for one side is very unlikely to produce a lasting political solution," says British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Dr Kim Howells, who is visiting Sri Lanka Tuesday to assess the impact of recent fighting on the civilian population and will hold a series of meetings with the Sri Lankan government, diplomatic and civil society representatives in Colombo.Full story >> SLAF steps up aerial bombardment in Vanni[TamilNet, Monday, 12 February 2007, 07:16 GMT]Six Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir bombers Monday morning dropped 18 bombs in Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled Visvamadu in Mullaithivu district in Vanni. Full story >> Food shortage looms in Jaffna peninsula[TamilNet, Monday, 12 February 2007, 02:15 GMT]The supply of essential food items has once again reached low levels in the north prompting K.Ganesh, Government Agent (GA) of Jaffna to announce new measures to deal with the situation to avert a serious crisis, sources in Jaffna said. At a special meeting held on Sunday at the Jaffna secretariat the GA issued instructions to the secretaries of the various regions to formulate plans regarding distribution of food items to the public in their administrative areas based on the availability of the various food items. Full story >> Samaraweera returns from Singapore[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 February 2007, 22:17 GMT]Mangala Samaraweera who lost his Ministry portfolio when President Mahinda Rajapakse sacked three ministers in his cabinet last Friday, returned Colombo Sunday evening from Singapore, political sources in Colombo said. Mangala Samaraweera was in Singapore when Mr. Rajapakse sacked the dissident ministers who were critical of the Government. Full story >> Buddhist monks to fast demanding abrogation of CFA[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 February 2007, 22:09 GMT]Sri Lanka's National Bhikku Front (NBF), an organization of Buddhist monks, is to launch a fasting campaign Monday in Colombo demanding the Sri Lanka President to abrogate the ceasefire agreement (CFA) signed by the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe and Velupillai Pirapaharan, leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Auto driver shot dead in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 February 2007, 12:55 GMT]Unidentified armed persons shot dead the driver of an auto near Vipulananda School in Pandarikulam, after hiring the auto to travel to Pandarikulam, Vavuniya around 11:45 a.m Sunday, Vavuniya Police said. Full story >> Two civilians abducted in Jaffna Sunday[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 February 2007, 12:45 GMT]Two more civilians were abducted early morning Sunday in Chunnakam and Ariyalai areas by armed men riding in white vans, Jaffna Branch of Human Rights Commission (HRC) officials said citing complaints registered at their offices by victims' relatives. The escalation in abductions has continued amidst the visit to Jaffna of a special Human Rights group under the direction of UN Secretary General Saturday, civil society sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> Trader shot dead in Eravur[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 February 2007, 12:33 GMT]Unidentified armed men shot dead a trader at Aiyankerny in Eravur police division in Batticaloa around 8:15 p.m Saturday. The killers called the victim out as he was having dinner at his house saying they wanted to buy phone card and shot at him. He was rushed to Eravur hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. Full story >> Sri Lanka President leaves for Maldives[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 February 2007, 12:26 GMT]Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse left Sunday morning on a three-day official visit to Maldives amid speculation that he would appoint new ministers to fill the vacancies created by the sacking of Anura Bandaranaike, Mangala Samaraweera, Susil Premayanthand Sripathi Sooriyarachchi on his return, sources said. Full story >> Civilians arrested in Kandy, Chilaw police divisions[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 February 2007, 12:19 GMT]Sri Lanka Government security forces in a combined cordon and search operation arrested three upcountry Tamil youths who were waiting Saturday night at 8.30 p.m.at Kandy railway station to travel to Colombo, sources said. More than 45 civilians were arrested in Chilaw in a similar operation. Full story >> Two bodies recovered in Nilaavarai bear signs of torture[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 February 2007, 06:14 GMT]Sri Lanka Police recovered bodies of two men with gunshot wounds and bearing torture marks in Valikamam East along Puttur-Chunnakam road close to Nilaavarai junction Sunday morning, sources in Jaffna said. The victims were said to have been abducted from their homes in Siruppiddy by armed men driving a white van half and hour earlier before being killed, according to residents in Siruppiddy. Full story >> Eight "white van" abductions in Jaffna in 3 days[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 February 2007, 01:10 GMT]Eight Tamil male civilians have been abducted by unidentified armed men in white vans within seventy two hour period beginning Wednesday, Jaffna branch of Human Rights Commission (HRC) officials said. According to complaints registered at the HRC office by the victims relatives, three men were abducted on Wednesday and five on Friday. Full story >> SLA extends curfew hours in Jaffna[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 February 2007, 00:01 GMT]Palaly military command announced Friday over radio broadcast from Palaly base that curfew hours in Jaffna peninsula have been extended by an hour to ten hours effective Friday. The new curfew hours begin at 6:00 pm and will last till 4:00 am the following day early morning. Full story >> SLFP working committee meets[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 February 2007, 07:17 GMT]Emergency meeting of the working committee of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government has been summoned by President Mahinda Rajapakse, Saturday, following the sacking of three senior ministers of his cabinet. Anura Bandaranaike and Mangala Samaraweera were cabinet rank ministers and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi was non-cabinet rank minister. Full story >> Tamil teacher shot dead in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 February 2007, 01:55 GMT]Unknown gunmen shot dead a male teacher in Pattanichchur Puliyankulam area in Vavuniya Friday evening at 7:40 p.m., Vavuniya Police said. The killing brings the number of homicides by armed men in Vavuniya in February to 6, sources in Vavuniya said. Full story >> Family man abducted in Eravur[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 February 2007, 01:06 GMT]Unidentified armed men abducted a married man from Kuruchi Four Tamil village in Eravur division in Batticaloa Tuesday, according to the complaint made by his wife Friday at Earavur police, civil sources in Batticaloa said. Full story >> Man shot dead in Madduvil[TamilNet, Friday, 09 February 2007, 17:10 GMT]A Tamil youth, who had recently returned from working abroad, was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Madduvil North in Thenmaradchi at 10:00 a.m. Friday, Kodikamam Police said. The gunmen stopped the victim riding his motor-bike, shot him dead in point blank range, and absconded on the abducted bike. Full story >> UNP decides to boycott APRC[TamilNet, Friday, 09 February 2007, 16:20 GMT]The main opposition United National Party (UNP) has decided not to participate in the future deliberations of the All Parties Representatives Committee (APRC). This APRC was appointed by the Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse last year to work out a common programme reaching consensus among southern political parties to find a political solution to the Tamil national question through peaceful means. Full story >> Rajapakse sacks dissenting SLFP ministers[TamilNet, Friday, 09 February 2007, 15:29 GMT]Shortly after rumblings of discontent amongst the ranks of the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) over the recent admission of opposition MPS into his mammoth cabinet, President Mahinda Rajapakse sacked three of the most vocal dissenters on Friday, Presidential Secretariat officials said. SLFP stalwarts Anura Bandaranaike, Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Suriyarachchi were stripped of their portfolios Friday soon after their criticism of the government become public and vocal. Full story >> Fisherman shot dead in Eravur[TamilNet, Friday, 09 February 2007, 14:23 GMT]Unidentified armed men abducted a fisherman Thursday early morning at Santhiveli in Eravur and shot him dead the same day around 8:30 p.m. near his house, sources in Santhiveli said. Full story >> UN urged not to ignore Rajapakse regime[TamilNet, Friday, 09 February 2007, 12:58 GMT] The UN security council working group which is set to study underage recruitment in Sri Lanka later Friday should not ignore the practice of Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse’s regime in the practice, a senior columnist with The Guardian newspaper wrote in Friday’s edition on Guardian's 'Comment is Free' section. And condemning political movements for the violence they turn to, “whilst ignoring their complaints and the degree of support they command leads only to political stalemate and more bloodshed,” Jonathan Steele said in his column. He criticised President Rajapakse for destroying the 2002 truce by trying to reoccupy the areas recognised as under Tiger control.
Full story >> Two SLA troopers injured in Vavuniya attack[TamilNet, Friday, 09 February 2007, 12:06 GMT]Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were injured when unknown gunmen fired at a SLA foot patrol in Nellukulam area in Vavuniya around 12:00 noon Friday, Police sources in Vavuniya said. Full story >> 11 Tamil civilians arrested in Chilaw[TamilNet, Friday, 09 February 2007, 12:00 GMT]Sri Lanka Government security forces arrested eleven Tamil civilians during cordon and search operations in Munthal, Uddapu and Munneswaram areas in Chilaw district located in the northwestern province Friday. The arrested are being held in Chilaw police station and are being interrogated, sources said. Full story >> Bomb scare halts train service in Colombo[TamilNet, Friday, 09 February 2007, 10:59 GMT]The train service between Dematagoda and Maradana in Colombo came to a halt on Friday morning for about several hours following a tip off to the authorities concerned that an anonymous parcel had been lying on the rail track between these stations, Maligawatte Police said. Full story >> Locals flock to witness St.Mary statue miracle in Jaffna[TamilNet, Friday, 09 February 2007, 06:35 GMT] Hundreds of people lined up infront of a residence near Hospital Road in Jaffna town Thursday where statue of St.Mary had shed 'blood of tears' from her eyes, residents in Jaffna said. The statue was moved to the nearby St.John's Baptist Church under the custody of its pastor when it became difficult to control the increasing number of people curious to witness the "miracle," sources in Jaffna said.Full story >> Heavy SLA casualties feared in Jaffna ambush[TamilNet, Friday, 09 February 2007, 04:10 GMT]Several Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers have been feared killed in a claymore attack on a bus carrying SLA soldiers along Palaly Road, less than 50 meters from Urelu SLA camp at 10:30 p.m. during curfew hours Thursday night, sources in Jaffna said. The Palaly military command has not released official details on the attack. Full story >> Three seek protection at Jaffna HRC[TamilNet, Friday, 09 February 2007, 00:30 GMT]Three civilians, fearing threat to their lives from Sri Lankan armed forces and allied paramilitaries, took refuge with the Jaffna branch of Human Rights Commission (HRC) in the last two days, civil society sources in Jaffna said. HRC officials handed them over to the Jaffna prison officials to be kept under protective custody. Full story >> 1300 Jaffna passengers arrive in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 February 2007, 18:04 GMT]About one thousand three hundred civilians from Jaffna arrived in Trincomalee port Thursday evening in two vessels "Jetliner" and "Green Ocean". Jeliner carried nearly one thousand passengers and Green Ocean about three hundred, sources said. Full story >> 2 shot, injured in Jaffna[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 February 2007, 12:03 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers of the field motorcycle unit opened fire on a young farmer around 4:00 p.m Wednesday at Mirusuvil in Thenmaradchi seriously injuring him, sources in Mirusuvil said. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) marines shot and seriously injured a man driving a tractor in Ward 4 at Velanai east around 3:00 p.m Wednesday allegedly for not giving way to the SLN marines who were on a motorcycle behind the tractor. The SLN, however, said that the firing was a warning shot and was not intended to harm the driver. Full story >> 7 STF troopers, 3 civilians injured in mortar fire on Vavunathivu SLA camp[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 February 2007, 11:51 GMT]Seven Special Task Force (STF) troopers and three civilians were injured in a mortar attack launched from Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held areas Thursday around 9:40 a.m on the Vavunathivu Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp, where a new STF camp was being constructed, SLA sources said. The SLA fired mortars back in retaliation. Full story >> Civilian body found in Kuchchaveli beach[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 February 2007, 11:49 GMT]The body of an unidentified male person was found washed ashore in the Salaipaiaru seacoast in Kuchchaveli police division, north of Trincomalee town Wednesday evening. The Kuchchaveli Police removed the body and handed it over to the Trincomalee general hospital. Full story >> Six more Tamil youths arrested in Dankotuwa[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 February 2007, 11:23 GMT]Six Tamil youths were arrested in Dankotuwa, 40 km northeast of Colombo, in the northwestern province, in a cordon and search operation by the Sri Lankan forces Wednesday night. They are being detained in police station in the area and are being questioned. Full story >> No confidence on Police inquiry - SL Minister[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 February 2007, 10:49 GMT] Anura Bandaranaike, the Sri Lankan Minister of National Heritage, in a Question of Privilege, raised in the Sri Lankan Parliament Thursday, charged that there were "forces within the government," surrounding the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, conspiring against Bandaranaike family. Mr. Bandaranaike, who did not directly point the finger at the Sri Lankan President, said some persons close to Mr. Rajapakse, with "American passports" were behind the death threats issued against him and Mangala Samaraweera, the minister of ports and aviation. He further told the Lankan parliament that he had no confidence that the police would hold proper inquiry into his complaint.
Full story >> Priest killed in Santhiveli[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 February 2007, 08:08 GMT] A Hindu priest who had been forcefully taken to Vaharai from Santhiveli by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) to garland the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse during his visit to Vaharai last Saturday, was shot and killed by armed men who are allegedly attached to SLA military intelligence, Wednesday around 8:15 p.m. near his house a few meters away from the SLA camp at Santhiveli, 36 km south of Vaharai. Full story >> Three persons killed in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 February 2007, 07:35 GMT]A man and his wife were shot dead in Maharambaikkulam in Vavuniya, in the early hours of Thursday, police said. Separetley, an auto-rikshaw driver was shot dead at Kooman kulam, around 6:45 p.m., Wednesday. Full story >> Shell explodes in Velanai[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 February 2007, 01:22 GMT]A shell exploded in near the Navalar Community Development Centre in Velanai, a village on the island of Kayts off the Jaffna peninsula, at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday forcing the villagers to scatter in panic, residents in the islets said. No one was injured in the explosion. Some of the buildings nearby sustained minor damages, sources said. Full story >> Three civilians abducted in Mannar[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 February 2007, 00:31 GMT]Unidentified persons abducted three Tamil civilians in Mannar Tuesday afternoon in two separate incidents along Mannar-Talaimannar main road, according to complaints lodged with the regional office of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) by the relatives. Full story >> Trapped Vanni school teachers to be employed in Jaffna[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 February 2007, 00:02 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Commander for Jaffna, Major Gen. G. S. Chandrasri, told the teachers of Vanni schools, trapped in Jaffna peninsula due to SLA closure of the A9 route in August 2006, that they will receive temporary assignments to teach peninsula schools. Major Gen Chandrasri met with nearly half of the 700 stranded teachers at a special centre at Kattuvan, located close to Palaly Military Base, around 7:00 p.m Monday, education officials in Jaffna said. Full story >> 3 persons abducted in Jaffna[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 February 2007, 22:00 GMT]Armed person believed to be members of the Sri Lankan armed forces abducted three youths from their homes in Jaffna Peninsula in the last three days, civil society sources from Jaffna said. Relatives of the youths have lodged complaints with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna branch. Full story >> 1300 Jaffna civilians to be transported by cargo ship[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 February 2007, 21:38 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) announced Wednesday that a group of civilians wishing to travel out of Jaffna peninsula will be first taken to Kankesanturai Harbour prior to being taken to Trincomalee. Consequence to the announcement from Palaly Military base, SLA troops arrived on Wednesday at Jaffna Sinhala Maha Vidayalayam and selected 1300 passengers to be allowed to travel from KKS harbour by a cargo ship. Full story >> Emergency extended for another month in Sri Lanka[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 February 2007, 17:48 GMT]Sri Lankan parliament Wednesday adopted motion to extend the State of Emergency for another month with a majority of 105 votes. 122 parliamentarians voted for the motion and 17 voted against. Full story >> SC fixes inquiry into FR petition by Tamil journalist[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 February 2007, 17:37 GMT]Sri Lanka's Supreme Court by a majority decision, Wednesday, granted leave to proceed with the Fundamental Rights petition filed by a Tamil journalist Mounasamy Parameswary against the State for violating her fundamental rights by detaining her "illegally without any charges under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA)." She is being held in detention since her arrest. Full story >> UNP to expel dissident MPs[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 February 2007, 12:18 GMT]The main opposition United National Party (UNP) is to take disciplinary action against eighteen dissident parliamentarians for joining the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government and accepting ministries violating UNP party discipline. The 76 member-working committee at its meeting held Tuesday evening in party headquarters "Sri Kotha" took the decision to expel. Full story >> Anura Bandaranaike receives death threat[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 February 2007, 12:13 GMT]Anura Bandaranaike, the Sri Lankan minister of National Heritage, and the brother of former SL President Chandrika Kumaratunga, has complained to law enforcement authorities in Colombo that he has received telephone death threats from anonymous callers. The threats are reported amidst speculation that relationship between Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and Anura Bandaranaike has been severely strained since the latest cabinet reshuffle when Mr. Bandaranaike lost his Tourism Ministry portfolio. Full story >> SLA restrictions cause hardship to Jaffna travellers[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 February 2007, 10:49 GMT] Sri Lanka Army (SLA) announced Tuesday that persons wishing to travel out of Jaffna peninsula cannot stay overnight to queue for ship tickets in areas near the Jaffna Sinhala Maha Vidyalayam where the tickets are issued, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, Jaffna Government Agent (GA) Mr. K. Ganesh informed Tuesday that registering the names of those wishing to travel in the ship from Kankesanthurai to Trincomalee at the District Secretariat has been temporarily suspended.Full story >> SL parliament debates emergency extension motion[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 February 2007, 10:11 GMT]Sri Lanka's parliament began Wednesday morning debating the motion of extending the State of Emergency for another month. Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, the Sri Lankan Prime Minister tabled a motion for extending the State of Emergency for eighteenth time, said soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) were being killed and 181 were injured in the month of January in the war front. Full story >> SLA shoots dead youth in Vadamaradchi[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 February 2007, 09:23 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers lying in ambush along an interior road in Thatchanthoppu Pillayar temple area at Karaveddy in Vadamaradchi opened fire on a youth, killing him at the spot Wednesday at 5.45 a.m., Karaveddy residents said. However, military sources in Colombo said SLA killed a youth who had attempted to hurl a hand grenade at the troopers. Full story >> Two youths shot dead in Kathankudy[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 February 2007, 08:35 GMT]Unidentified armed men shot dead two youths Tuesday around 2:30 p.m in Kankeyan Odai area in Kathankudy police division in Batticaloa. Preliminary police investigations revealed that the two youths had been abducted and killed. Full story >> Normalcy to return to Vaharai soon– Minister[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 February 2007, 02:15 GMT]Vaharai Regional secretariat and Vaharai regional council presently relocated to Valaichenai will begin functioning at their original locations beginning Wednesday. Displaced civilians from the nine Grama Sevaka divisions will be resettled within the next four weeks, Mr.M.S.S.Amir Ali, Minister for Disaster Management and Rehabilitation announced in a meeting held at Ottamvady regional secretariat building, Tuesday 9:00 a.m. sources said. Full story >> Dissident MPs abstain from UNP Working Committee meeting[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 February 2007, 01:12 GMT]Dissident parliamentarians of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) who joined the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government led by Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse last week and accepted minister posts, did not attend the 76-member working committee of the UNP held Tuesday evening at party headquarters "Sri Kotha" in Colombo, UNP sources said. Full story >> Youth shot dead in Kinniya[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 February 2007, 00:14 GMT]The Sri Lankan Army (SLA) soldiers shot dead a Tamil youth in Maniarasankulam in Kinniya divisional secretariat division in Trincomalee district Sunday night around 10 p.m. Security sources claimed that the victim was an LTTE cadre. Full story >> 13 upcountry Tamil youths arrested in Dankotuwa[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 February 2007, 12:01 GMT]Thirteen upcountry Tamil youths were arrested Monday evening in Dankotuwa, 40 km northeast of Colombo, in the northwestern province, in a cordon and search operation by the Sri Lankan forces. Full story >> 18 wounded as STF hand grenade explodes in Colombo exhibition[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 February 2007, 10:42 GMT]A hand grenade exploded, wounding 18 persons including children, females and monks, at a military exhibition at the the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo Tuesday around 3:45 p.m. when a Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) person was demonstrating to the public on how to throw the hand grenade. Two Special Task Force (STF) personnel, 2 Buddhist monks, 4 females and 2 children were among the wounded. Full story >> SLAF helicopters fire rockets in Trincomalee north[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 February 2007, 10:39 GMT]Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) MI-12 helicopters Tuesday morning fired rockets in Kadawanaikulam and Morawewa areas in the north of Trincomalee town for more than 30 minutes. The sounds of explosions were heard in the east port city, sources said. Full story >> Jaffna-wide schools boycott enters second week[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 February 2007, 10:33 GMT]The boycott organized by Vadamaradchy Tamil Students union throughout Jaffna peninsula entered its second week on Monday, with no information received about the whereabouts of the two students abducted in Vadamaradchy three weeks ago. 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 >> Phone service to Jaffna reactivated[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 February 2007, 10:32 GMT]More than 6,000 telephone land-line connections to the Jaffna peninsula and to Vanni which had been severed for more than a week began functioning from 5:00 p.m Monday, sources from Jaffna said. Calls from Jaffna peninsula to Kilinochchi using 228 area-code also resumed functioning. Full story >> Commotion over seat allocation in SL Parliament[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 February 2007, 09:50 GMT]Commotion prevailed in the Sri Lankan parliament when it resumed its sittings on Tuesday morning over the allocation of seats to ministers after the major reshuffle following new political alignment with dissident group of parliamentarians, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), all monks' political party. "Those who worked hard for the victory of President Mahinda Rajapakse in the last presidential election are allocated seats in the back rows and those worked against him are given seats in the first row," charged Wimal Weerawanse, the Propaganda Secretary of the JVP. Full story >> Ranil: SLFP-UNP pact over, dark times ahead[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 February 2007, 09:39 GMT] Addressing the new session of Parliament, leader of the opposition United National Party (UNP), Ranil Wickremsinghe, slammed President Mahinda Rajapakse for accepting the cross over of 19 UNP lawmakers to government ranks. Mr. Wickremsinghe said the move had led to the “dissolution” of the Memorandum of Understanding between the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the UNP. “The UNP thus finds it impossible to work with the government in finding a solution to the issues referred to in the MOU,” he said. Among the issues are a bi-partisan approach to ending Sri Lanka’s civil war.Full story >> 3 Sinhala leftist journalists, activists abducted[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 February 2007, 06:40 GMT] A former journalist with the leftist Hiru paper, Lalith Seneviratne, was abducted at his home Monday night. Meanwhile, a trade union activist and editor of the monthly Akuna (Thunder), Sisira Priyankara, was reported missing from his work at an electrical workshop and another activist Nihal Serasinghe, who worked with the monthly was also abducted Monday evening. Leftist activists have alleged that the three friends were kidnapped by an abduction squad operated by the Sri Lankan military.
Full story >> Home Guard trooper killed in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 February 2007, 05:40 GMT]A Sri Lanka Home Guard trooper was killed in an attack on a guardpost at Kurumankadu in Vavuniya, around 8:35 p.m., Monday, police in the northern town said. Full story >> SL parliament to meet Tuesday amid tension[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 February 2007, 02:23 GMT]Sri Lanka parliament meets Tuesday amid unease among a section of parliamentarians of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government over the allocation of ministries in the cabinet reshuffle that took place last week, parliamentary sources said. Full story >> Five schools in Eravur relocated[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 February 2007, 02:10 GMT]Five schools in Chenkaldy educational zone in Eravur region in Batticaloa District have been temporarily relocated to alternate locations due to internal displacement of civilians, zonal education officer A.Sugumaran announced Monday. Full story >> Two killed, civilian injured in Batticaloa firefight[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 February 2007, 02:08 GMT]Two unindentified youths were killed and one civilian critically injured when Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) cadres and members of Karuna group engaged in a firefight in Kaluthavalai in Kaluwanchikkudy Police division in Batticaloa district around 6:00 p.m. Monday. Full story >> Youth shot dead in Trincomalee suburb[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 February 2007, 01:11 GMT]A Tamil youth was shot dead by unidentified armed men riding a motorbike near the victims house in Thuwarakandu area in Chelvanayakapuram, a suburb in Trincomalee Sunday afternoon, sources in Trincomalee said. Full story >> SLN soldier injured in Pesalai grenade attack[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 February 2007, 00:06 GMT]A sailor of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) was seriously injured in grenade attack by unknown assailants on a group of Navy soldiers on security duty Monday afternoon around 3.30 p.m. at Pesalai in Mannar district, sources in Mannar said. Full story >> Tamil youth shot dead in Kantalai railway station[TamilNet, Monday, 05 February 2007, 19:47 GMT]Unidentified armed men Monday afternoon shot dead a Tamil youth at the Kantalai railway station. The youth is said to be a resident of Killiveddy in Serunuwara police division in Trincomalee district. Full story >> 42 Tamil civilians arrested in Kohuwela[TamilNet, Monday, 05 February 2007, 19:44 GMT]The Sri Lanka Government security forces in a cordon and search operation conducted Sunday night in Kohuwela in Colombo arrested 42 Tamil civilians including girl students, sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Ratnapura attacks spark strike by plantation workers[TamilNet, Monday, 05 February 2007, 14:02 GMT] Seven housing units belonging to Tamil plantation workers in Farm Garden Estate in Ratnapura were destroyed by fire Friday night at 8:30 p.m. when a group of unidentified gangsters, allegedly from the neighboring Sinhala village of Navanagara, armed with hand bombs set ablaze more than fifty housing units. The mob kicked the doors open, removed valuables from the units, splashed accelerants before setting fire to the units. The workers at the Farm Garden Estate went on strike Sunday to protest against the violence, and the lethargic response shown by the Estate Management, spokesperson for the workers said. Full story >> Decomposed body of youth recovered in Amparai[TamilNet, Monday, 05 February 2007, 13:01 GMT]Samanthurai police recovered the washed ashore decomposed dead body of a youth at Karaithivu beach in Samanthurai police division in Amparai district Monday around 7:00 a.m. on information given by local people. The dead body which showed gunshot wounds also had its hands tied behind and its throat tightly bound by rope, the police added. Full story >> SLA officer killed, four troopers injured in Vavuniya in two separate attacks[TamilNet, Monday, 05 February 2007, 11:44 GMT] Unidentified armed persons attacked a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) road patrol unit at Pandarikulam road in Vepankulam, Vavuniya Monday around 11:05 a.m. killing an officer and injuring a trooper, sources in Vavuniya said. Meanwhile, SLA said that three troopers were injured in an attack by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Monday early morning at Macanar road in Sector 5, Vavuniya.
Full story >> JVP rebel MP urges Rajapakse to hold snap general election[TamilNet, Monday, 05 February 2007, 10:32 GMT]Nandana Gunatilake, rebel parliamentarian of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), has requested Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse to hold a snap general election to parliament. Mr. Gunatilake has been supporting the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government since the party hierarchy removed him from the JVP politburo due to policy differences, media sources said. Full story >> Four commuters arrested in Trinco-Colombo train[TamilNet, Monday, 05 February 2007, 10:31 GMT]Four civilian commuters traveling in Trincomalee bound Colombo train were taken into custody Sunday during a search operation conducted by the Sri Lanka security forces in the train, sources from Trincomalee said. Full story >> Rajapakse to visit Maldives[TamilNet, Monday, 05 February 2007, 10:30 GMT]Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse is to pay a two-day official visit to Maldives this week. He is expected to leave for Maldives on February 10 or 11, government sources said. Full story >> Colombo arrested to be sent to Boosa camp[TamilNet, Monday, 05 February 2007, 10:26 GMT]The Colombo Magistrate Monday allowed an application by the police to send Tamil civilians arrested in cordon and search operations conducted in Fort and Pettah areas in Colombo on Saturday and Sunday to Boosa detention camp located in the southern province, sources said. Full story >> SLA cordon, search Jaffna University environs for missing Sri Lankan flag[TamilNet, Monday, 05 February 2007, 09:37 GMT]More than five hundred Sri Lankan troopers Monday morning cordoned off the area surrounding the University of Jaffna in Thriunelvely, 4 km north of Jaffna town and launched a search operation after a group of persons who entered the premises of Jaffna University and removed the Sri Lankan Lion flag Monday morning. Full story >> Police constable injured in Vavuniya grenade attack[TamilNet, Monday, 05 February 2007, 02:31 GMT]A Sri Lanka Police constable sustained serious injuries when unknown armed men hurled hand grenades at the Police sentry point in Thonikkal area in Vavuniya at 8:45 p.m. Sunday, Police sources in Vavuniya said. The injured officer was first taken to Vavuniya Teaching Hospital and later transferred to Anuradhapura Hospital, hospital sources said. Full story >> Tamil Americans pay tribute to Anton Balasingham[TamilNet, Monday, 05 February 2007, 01:29 GMT] Several hundred Tamil Americans braved the weather to pay tribute to the later Anton Balasingham, theoretician and political advisor of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), at a memorial event held in Manmouth Middle School in New Jersey, 5:00 p.m. Saturday. Mr Balasingham was diagnosed with bile duct cancer in the middle of November, and passed away on 14 December 2006.Full story >> Bread shortage looms in Jaffna[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 February 2007, 19:55 GMT]Shortage of wheat flour in Jaffna will soon force the bakery owners in Jaffna peninsula to cease baking bread, civil society sources in Jaffna said. The stock of wheat flour at the Jaffna Secretariat had reached dangerously low levels while shipment of flour into the peninsula has been completely suspended, officials close to flour distribution in Jaffna Secretariat said. Full story >> Body found in Trincomalee drain[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 February 2007, 19:42 GMT]An unidentified body of a male person was found in a road-side drain along Green Road in the center of Trincomalee town Sunday afternoon. The body with injuries was covered with dried coconut leaves, sources said. No other details of the circumstances of the killing, and how long the body has been lying in the drain, are not available. Full story >> Police commandos, Tigers exchange gunfire in Murunkan[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 February 2007, 18:01 GMT]Murunkan Police reported exchange of gunfire between a road patrol of Police commandos and a group of Liberation Tigers Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m. at Pannavedduvan, 32 km southeast of Mannar. Police said that a Tiger cadre was killed and that the Tigers had taken the body of their dead cadre, but clamied to have located a T-56 automatic rifle after the clash. Five hours later, at 3:00 a.m. Sri Lanka Army fired artillery shells towards LTTE controlled Arippu, 20 km northwest of Pannavedduvan. Full story >> SLA, LTTE exchange mortar fire near Muhamalai FDL[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 February 2007, 17:54 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers and the Liberation Tigers exchanged artillery and mortar fire near Thenmaradchy Forward Defence Lines (FDLs) near Muhamalai from Sunday morning, residents living close to the area in Mirusuvil and in Usan said. Two shells fell within the SLA camp at Usan located behind the Forward Defence Line (FDL) positions, residents said. A shell fired by the Liberation Tigers exploded in areas close to Usan and Mirusuvil Camps of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Sunday, causing minor injuries to two civilians, sources close to SLA said Full story >> 15 Tamil youths arrested in Wennapuwa[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 February 2007, 17:47 GMT]Fifteen Tamil youths were arrested in Wennapuwa, coastal town in the western province Saturday night during a cordon and search operation by the government security forces. Most of the arrested are natives of Batticaloa district who have found employment in the area, media sources said. Full story >> Civilian shot dead in Eravur[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 February 2007, 13:42 GMT]An unidentified armed person, shot dead a family man at his mother's house at Aiyankerni in Earavur police division in Batticaloa, Saturday around 8:10 p.m, Eravur police said. Full story >> More UNP defections expected this week[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 February 2007, 10:37 GMT]Ten more United National Party dissident parliamentarians are expected to cross over to the UPFA-government in the coming days, according to informed political sources in Colombo. Full story >> Jaffna at standstill on SL Independence Day[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 February 2007, 08:18 GMT]Sri Lanka Army troopers fired mortar and artillery shells from Muhamalai Forward Defence Line (FDL) Sunday from 7:30 a.m. towards Iyakkachchi, Palai, Pooneryn and Vadamaradchi East villages in Liberation Tigers controlled areas as Jaffna stood at standstill and the people remained indoors. Roads were empty and silence prevailed in Jaffna. Even the cellular phones didn't ring in the peninsula as the mobile phone link to Jaffna was cut by the military at Palaly. SLA troopers were busy in the morning removing black flags from the environs of the University of Jaffna. Full story >> Colombo under tight security on Independence Day[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 February 2007, 03:56 GMT]Security has been stepped up further in Colombo city Sunday for the Independence day celebrations. Several hundreds of troops of three armed forces and police personnel have been deployed in Galle Face Green where the 59th Independence Day celebration is to be held Sunday morning, sources said. Full story >> 300 Tamils arrested in Colombo ahead of Independence Day celebrations[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 February 2007, 03:04 GMT]More than 300 persons, majority of them Tamils, were arrested during a combined cordon and search operation conducted by Sri Lanka security forces in Fort and Pettah areas in Colombo, Sunday morning. Full story >> Chirac highlights civilian suffering on Sri Lanka's Independence Day[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 February 2007, 01:35 GMT] France's President Jacques Chirac, in a message to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse on the occasion of the Sri Lanka's Independence Day on February 04, said he wished that a dialogue would start again and that a political solution to the conflict that is tearing Sri Lanka apart would be found. In his message to Mr. Rajapakse, Mr. Chirac noted that "numerous civilians are suffering in a very difficult humanitarian situation," since the fighting resumed beween the Sri Lankan military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).Full story >> Rajapakse visits Vaharai[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 February 2007, 10:39 GMT] Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse Saturday morning visited Vaharai region together with his Commanders and the Defence Secretary, his brother, Gotabhaya Rajapakse. All the mobile phone links in Batticaloa district were disconnected before SLAF helicopters carrying Mr. Rajapakse and his commanders reached Vaharai. The visit, which comes a day before the Sri Lankan Independence Day on Sunday, is to be showcased as a symbol of military victory, before the celebrations in South, that target military recruitment. Full story >> Auto-rickshaw driver shot dead in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 February 2007, 09:26 GMT]A young auto-rickshaw driver was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at Kulumadu junction in Vavuniya, around noon, Saturday, police said. Full story >> 266 Tamils arrested in search operation in Colombo[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 February 2007, 07:57 GMT]Sri Lanka Police said 266 Tamils, including 53 women, were arrested in a dawn to noon house-to-house search operation, conducted by hundreds of police and armed troops in Fort area and its suburbs in Colombo city, Saturday. They are detained in Fort Police Station and are being interrogated by specially appointed police investigation teams, the police said. The police said the arrested are permanent residents of Jaffna district. Full story >> Wickremesinghe returns to lead a depleted opposition[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 February 2007, 03:19 GMT]Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) returned home Friday morning after a nine-day tour to Nepal and India. "My party will act on principles and on behalf of the masses until it emerges victorious, "said Ranil Wickremasinghe to media persons at Katunayake International airport. 18 UNP dissidents crossed over to join the Rajapakse Government during Mr Wickremesinghe's tour abroad. Full story >> TE Law College releases book on 'Family Law'[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 February 2007, 02:25 GMT] "We are very proud that even after the Tamil community has been subjected to unprecedented hardships, people have held onto their strong cultural values. In the last 12 to 13 years only 154 families have sought separation or divorce in Vanni region. It is a remarkable statistic in a society that has been struggling for social changes for many years," K. V. Balakumaran, senior member of Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) said Wednesday.
Full story >> Jaffna MPCS officials protest, seek assurance of safety[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 February 2007, 01:22 GMT]The officials of the board of directors of Jaffna Multi Purpose Co-Operative Society (MPCS) began a protest campaign Thursday afternoon, threatening to boycott their work indefinitely unless authorities assure their safety, civil sources in Jaffna said. Assassination of S.T.Gananathan, the president of the Jaffna MPCS on Thursday, has created a general feeling of fear and insecurity among the MPCS workers, the protesters said. Many MPCS officials have already notified their superiors of their intention to resign from their positions. Full story >> Release East undergraduates immediately- TNA MP[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 February 2007, 00:27 GMT] “Successive Sri Lanka Governments have been using education as a tool to punish the Tamil community as part of their campaign to subjugate the Tamils. The recent abductions and harassment of Northeast student community by the Sri Lankan Forces aimed at disrupting the education and instilling fear among the student population should be stopped immediately,” said S. Jeyananthamoorthy, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian for Batticaloa district, Friday.
Full story >> Civilian found dead in Pulmoddai[TamilNet, Friday, 02 February 2007, 21:50 GMT]The Police Friday morning recovered the body of an elderly Tamil man along the sea beach in Pulmoddai village located about 65 km north of Trincomalee town, sources in Trincomalee said. Full story >> Fishing hamlet fears backlash after Navy arrests[TamilNet, Friday, 02 February 2007, 12:40 GMT] Residents of a fishing hamlet north of Colombo say their community has been dangerously stigmatised after the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) last Saturday blew up one of their boats, seized two others and arrested nine people alleging complicity in a Sea Tiger attack on Colombo port. Munnakkarai is a mixed ethnicity fishing community of around 5000 people, located 1 km southwest of Negombo.Full story >> 107 ministers, deputy ministers in SL cabinet[TamilNet, Friday, 02 February 2007, 10:34 GMT]The number of cabinet rank, non-cabinet and deputy ministers in the Sri Lankan government has swelled to 107 with one more non-cabinet minister and a deputy minister took oaths in the presence of President Mahinda Rajapakse at Temple Trees Thursday. The UPFA-government now has 121 members in the 225 seat parliament. Full story >> SLA assaults Human Rights Advisor, SLHRC coordinator receives death threats[TamilNet, Friday, 02 February 2007, 10:24 GMT]The Legal Advisor of the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (SL-HRC) Jaffna office, Mudiyapu Remedias, an Attorney-at-law, registered a complaint Friday with the Jaffna Commanding Officer of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) that he was assaulted severely by a group of SLA soldiers near Stanley Road in Jaffna Town, Friday morning, when he was on duty. Meanwhile, S. Surenthirarajah, the Co-ordinating Officer of the organisation, also registered a complaint with the Jaffna police that he has been subjected to continuous threats to his life. Full story >> 56 Tamil civilians arrested in Uppuveli[TamilNet, Friday, 02 February 2007, 08:46 GMT]Fifty six Tamil civilians including two women were arrested in a combined cordon and search operation conducted by Sri Lanka forces in Uppuveli division, about three km off north of east port town in Trincomalee district Thursday evening. Full story >> More flee LTTE areas fearing SLA offensive in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Friday, 02 February 2007, 02:22 GMT]More than three thousand people have moved out of Liberation Tigers (LTTE) held areas in Batticaloa west and northwest regions into government controlled areas, within the last few days due to continuous mortar and artillery attacks by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), sources in Batticaloa said. The displaced are given temporary shelters or are staying at the houses of friends and relatives. Full story >> Batticaloa GA visits Vaharai[TamilNet, Friday, 02 February 2007, 00:44 GMT]"Vaharai residents displaced due to the offensive of Sri Lanka army (SLA) will be resettled very soon, and displaced residents of Trincomalee district will follow soon after," said Sundaram Arumainayagam, the Government agent (GA) of Batticaloa district speaking to the press Thursday. Full story >> "White van" armed men abduct two men in Colombo[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 February 2007, 20:11 GMT]Unidentified armed men in white van abducted two persons in the City of Colombo in two separate places Wednesday night, sources from Colombo said. Full story >> 55 arrested after claymore attack near Eastern campus[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 February 2007, 18:07 GMT]Fifty five people including 25 undergraduates and university employees were arrested Wednesday by Eravur police after the claymore bomb blast outside the premises of Eastern university located at Vantharoomoolai, Batticaloa, M.Pathmanathan, the acting Vice Chancellor told media. The arrested, including three female undergraduates, are being detained at Eravur police station for further questioning. Full story >> SLA soldier killed, two police men injured in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 February 2007, 17:51 GMT]Two Sri Lanka Police men were injured in a grenade attack on a police post at Pandarikkulam in Vavuniya, around 7 p.m., Thursday. Separateley, a Sri Lanka Army soldier was killed when a SLA foot patrol was hit by clay more mine attack at Maharambaikkulam, around 9:50 a.m., Thursday. Full story >> JHU minister takes oath[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 February 2007, 17:47 GMT] Patali Champika Ranawake, political advisor of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), all monks' party, Thursday took oaths as Minister for Environment in the presence of Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse. With him the number
of cabinet rank ministers in the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government has swelled to 53.
Full story >> Body of unidentified person recovered in Upparu[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 February 2007, 16:00 GMT]The Chinabay Police recovered the body of an unidentified male person with gunshot injuries Thursday morning at Kandalayweduwan in Upparu village located in Kinniya divisional secretariat division in Trincomalee district. Full story >> Abducted youth found dead in Jaffna[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 February 2007, 12:02 GMT]Kopay police recovered Thursday morning the body of a youth, near LTTE's Heroes Cemetery in Rasaveethy, Kopay, sources in Jaffna said. The youth's family members had earlier complained to Human Rights Commission (HRC) in Jaffna that the youth was abducted by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers Tuesday while he was riding on his motor cycle near Nallur temple. The body bears signs of torture and gunshot injuries, Jaffna Teaching Hospital sources said. Full story >> Jaffna MPCS President assassinated[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 February 2007, 06:59 GMT]President of the Jaffna Multi Pupose Co-Operative Society (MPCS) and an active social worker in the Jaffna Peninsula, S. T. Gananathan, 64, was shot dead near Mampalam junction Sri Lanka Army camp in Ariyalai, a suburb of Jaffna, around 6:30 a.m., Thursday. Full story >> Youth's body with torture marks found in Jaffna[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 February 2007, 01:01 GMT]The body of a 30- year old civilian discovered in Arukalmadam Tuesday morning has been identified On Wednesday morning as Gunaratnam Gajendran of Suthumalai North, Manipay by relatives at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, hospital sources said. Full story >> Seven youths arrested by SLA, reported missing in Jaffna[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 February 2007, 00:05 GMT]Seven youths arrested by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers and collaborating paramilitaries in Jaffna since Sunday, have been reported as missing by their relatives with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna offices, civil sources said. Three youths were arrested in Vadamaradchy Sunday, three youths on Tuesday and another on Monday from other parts of peninsula are listed as missing at the HRC. Full story >>
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