Kfirs bomb Pooneryn

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 November 2007, 17:57 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) fighter jets bombed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled territory in Pooneryn Friday afternoon after circling above Jaffna peninsula around 1:30 p.m and 4:00 p.m, sources in Jaffna said.
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Funeral of media personnel killed in SLAF attack held in Ki'linochchi

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 November 2007, 13:51 GMT]
Hundreds of residents from areas of Vanni paid their last respects to two of the three media personnel of Voice of Tigers (VOT) slain in the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombing of the radio station in Ki'linochchi Tuesday. People paid respects to the remains of Ms.Iasaivili Chempiyan and M. Suresh Limbio rested on flower bed at Ki'linochchi Cultural Hall at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, sources in Ki'linochchi said. Reporters without Borders said the attack which killed eleven persons and wounded fifteen, was a "war crime."
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Two students feared abducted in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 November 2007, 12:29 GMT]
Parents of two students from Velaayutham Vidyalayam in Point Pedro and Vaddukoddai Central College have disappeared in the last two days, parents of the students complained at the Human Rights Commission (HRC) offices in Jaffna, officials at HRC said.
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2 civilians shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 November 2007, 05:43 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen following a youth riding a bicycle from his house Thursday morning at Maasiappiddi, Changkaanai in Valigaamam, opened fire on him causing serious injury. The youth, rushed to Thellippa'lai government hospital, later succumbed to his wounds. Meanwhile, unknown armed men shot and killed an employee of a liquor shop Thursday around 4:30 p.m at Brown Road-Naavalar Road junction, in the centre of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Security Zone (HSZ) in Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said.
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Vanni protest rallies condemn SLA killing of school girls

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 November 2007, 01:26 GMT]
All employees of Government Departments in Vanni wearing black arm bands staged a work stoppage from 9:30 a.m. till 11:00 a.m. Thursday as a mark of protest against the Claymore attack carried out Tuesday morning by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) in which seven female students of Iyankankulam school engaged in rural first aid service were killed.
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SLA, LTTE skirmishes in Northern FDLs

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 November 2007, 00:11 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) attempts to advance in Ki’laali and Mukamaalai north Front Defence Line (FDL) positions Thursday morning were repulsed by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, sources near northern FDL areas said. Meanwhile, SLA Chief, Major. General Sarath Fonseka, visited Palaali SLA Head Quarters (HQ) Thursday, where he met with SLA high command in Jaffna peninsula, and reviewed military plans.
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TRO diligently complied with U.S. laws- President

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 November 2007, 19:09 GMT]
Dr. N. A. Ranjithan, President of TRO-USA, in an opinion column appeared in Cumberland Times-News, says, "As a charity registered in the U.S.A., TRO has diligently and faithfully been complying with the laws and all regulations related to registered charities. TRO-USA reiterates that it is NOT a "front to facilitate fundraising for the Libertarian Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)...I am deeply concerned about the future of Tamils in Sri Lanka, persecuted by their own government and left without many friends in the world. Now that TRO accounts are frozen, I hope and pray that some other organization will step in to fill the void."
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U.S. condemns attacks in Colombo, Ki'linochchi on civilians

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 November 2007, 15:03 GMT]
The Embassy of the United States of America in Colombo, in a press release issued on Thursday, said the Government of United States strongly condemned the deadly attacks on civilians that occurred in a shopping mall, a government office on Wednesday in Colombo and on a bus carrying schoolchildren on Tuesday near Ki'linochchi. "Only a political solution, not a military one, offers a way out of the current cycle of escalating violence," reiterated the U.S. statement.
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Canada condemns attacks on civilians, escalation of violence

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 November 2007, 15:01 GMT]
Maxime Bernier, the Canadian minister of foreign affairs on Wednesday condemned the "escalation of violence in Sri Lanka and, in particular, the killing of civilians, whether targeted or accidental." Our sincere sympathies are with the families and friends of the victims, irrespective of their ethnicity. Canada called on all parties to renounce violence and return to political negotiations.
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32 Tamil civilians arrested in Uddappu, Moneragala

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 November 2007, 14:06 GMT]
Twenty Tamil residents of Uddapu village in Puththa'lam district in the north western province and 12 Tamil civilians in Moneragala town in the north central province were taken into custody in two separate combined cordon and search operations conducted by the Sri Lanka Army and Police since Monday evening. Uddapu is a traditional Tamil village. Moneragala is a Sinhala village.
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"Avoid civilian casualties," EU tells warring parties

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 November 2007, 11:43 GMT]
The European Union on Thursday said it remained "gravely concerned about the welfare of civilians caught up in the Sri Lanka's conflict - in the Wanni, in Colombo or wherever," and said it expected the parties to take the utmost care to avoid civilian casualties in accordance with international humanitarian law. The statement condemned Wednesday's "terrorist attacks in Colombo" and deplored "deliberate targeting of civilians."
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Gunmen shoot dead two Sinhala traders in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 November 2007, 11:31 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen Thursday noon shot and killed two Sinhalese civilians at Iyangkea'ni in Ea'raavoor, Police said. Ea'raavoor is located 12 km northwest Batticaloa.
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FMM deplores SLAF bombing of VoT

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 November 2007, 05:08 GMT]
The Free Media Movement (FMM), in a press release issued Wednesday, deplored the attack by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) on the Voice of Tigers radio station and said: "mindlessly bombing civilian run media infrastructure and killing media personnel in the process simply because one does not agree with what is broadcast is to callously disregard established international humanitarian law." The FMM also strongly condemned the censoring of BBC Sinhala programme “Sandeshaya” by Sri Lanka state radio.
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Sri Lanka borrows heavily from Iran, UK, and ADB

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 November 2007, 03:24 GMT]
Sri Lanka this week borrowed $1.5 billion from Iran reportedly to fund infrastructure projects, including an expansion of the island's only oil refinery, press reports said Wednesday. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is this week providing $65 million “to improve secondary and tertiary education” and on November 16th Colombo borrowed 50 million pounds ($104 million) from the British government “to reconstruct 222 bridges and build two fly-overs around Colombo.” The loans mark the latest in a flurry of fund raising by Sri Lanka including $500 million in 5-year sovereign bonds that Sri Lanka sold in October this year.
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SLAF bombs Jeyanthinagar civilian settlements

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 November 2007, 01:15 GMT]
Three Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir fast attack aircrafts carried out indiscriminate aerial bombardment Wednesday afternoon from 12.25p.m for twenty minutes targeting civilian settlements near Jeyanthinagar, a suburb of Ki’linochchi, sources said.
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South African Tamils commemorate Heroes Day

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 November 2007, 18:49 GMT]
South African Tamils on Tuesday commemorated Tamileelam Heroes Day, paying homage to 19,887 war heroes and listening to Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) leader Velupillai Pirapaharan's speech at the Arudpaa Kazhakam in Durban. Pazha Nedumaran, the veteran Tamil National Movement leader from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, addressing the community leaders, religious dignitaries and supporters of Tamil struggle, called on the Global Tamil Community, to rally behind the Tamil cause for the "dawn of Tamileelam as a free state" and Dasarath Chetty, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kwazulu Natal, a South African Tamil of Indian origin, discussed the viability of Tamileelam.
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Record crowd at London Tamil Remembrance Day

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 November 2007, 17:27 GMT]
Over twenty five thousand expatriate Tamils in Britain gathered Tuesday to mark ‘Tamil Remembrance Day’ to pay their respects to those who had died in the Tamil liberation struggle. The event, organized by Tamil National Remembrance Foundation, an association of families of Tamils who had fallen in the Tamil struggle, was held at London’s ExCel arena. Amid resumed conflict in Sri Lanka, it was the largest attendance at the annual event, despite Tuesday being a working day, organizers said.
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Police arrests 6 Tamil speaking persons in Tangalla

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 November 2007, 17:23 GMT]
Tangalle Police on Tuesday arrested 6 Tamil speaking persons, including 2 Muslims, and detained them on suspicion after some Sinhalese registered their suspicion as the group of persons were seen conversing in Tamil. Tangalla, a coastal town is situated 63 km east of Galle and 37 km west of Hambantota in the Southern Province.
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Police suspects bomb-parcel, Colombo in panic

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 November 2007, 15:10 GMT]
Police located a suspected bomb parcel in Nawinna, 12 km southeast of Colombo Wednesday evening. Nawinna is located 5 km away from Nugegoda where a bomb explosion killed more than 15 persons earlier today. Panic spread across Sri Lanka's capital and the authorities in Colombo have announced that the schools in Western Province will remain closed for the coming two days.
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Bomb explosion in Colombo suburb, 18 killed, 40 wounded

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 November 2007, 12:55 GMT]
A big explosion has been reported in a clothing emporium, No Limit, at Nugegoda, a shopping suburb of Sri Lanka's capital Colombo, Wednesday around 6:00 p.m. Eighteen persons were killed and 40 wounded have been rushed to Kalubowila hospital, according to the police. A parcel bomb, placed inside the counter, has caused the explosion, according to the latest reports by the police.
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EPDP office in Colombo attacked, secretary killed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 November 2007, 03:13 GMT]
A bomb exploded inside the Colombo office of pro-government paramilitary group-cum-political party, EPDP, at Isipathana Mawatta in Colombo-05, Wednesday around 8:30 a.m., seriously wounding three persons, including an EPDP cadre, initial reports said. One of the wounded, a coordinating-secretary, succumbed to injuries at Colombo hospital. Police alleged that the attack was carried out by a female suicide bomber who was blown into pieces in the explosion.
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Airstrike on VoT, a war crime - RSF

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 November 2007, 18:39 GMT]
A Sri Lanka military air strike Tuesday on the Voice of Tigers, the radio station of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE), was a "war crime," Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said. Three of the station's staff, who had not been given any warning, and six other civilians were killed in the bombardment by air force jets, the RSF said.
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Youth shot dead in Vadamaraadchchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 November 2007, 16:55 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen on a motor cycle coming out from the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp in Valveddiththu'rai shot and killed a youth Monday around 10:30 a.m as he was returning home with his sister after being interrogated at the SLA camp, his sister said in her statement. The youth had gone to the SLA camp being summoned by the SLA troops for interrogation after having confiscated his National Identity Card (NIC) in the cordon and search operation held Monday in Kommaantha'rai in Vadamaraadchchi.
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Propping up genocidal Sinhala State counterproductive, International Community should change approach - Pirapaharan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 November 2007, 12:33 GMT]
The leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), V Pirapaharan, in his annual Heroes' Day statement placed a heavy responsibility on the shoulders of the international community for the breakdown of the peace process. He said that the involvement of the international community to resolve the Tamil national question has been unhelpful and added that their failure to condemn unambiguously the military path of the current regime has created the present situation in the island. He asserted that the propping up of the genocidal Sinhala State by the international community through economic aid, military aid and subtle diplomatic efforts will be counterproductive.
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SLAF bombs VoT radio station in Vanni, 11 killed, 15 wounded

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 November 2007, 11:56 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir bombers Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. attacked the Voice of Tigers (VoT) broadcast station located at 155 Mile Post, 3.5 km south of Ki'linochchi. Three editorial staff workers at the station and eight civilians, residents and travelers near the station were killed in the attack. 15 civilians, including four editorial staff, wounded in the attack were admitted to Ki'linochchi hospital. A hostel belonging to World Food Programme (WFP) was fully destroyed. The Vanni office of FORUT and a library of Ki'linochchi Pradeshiya Sabah were damaged in the airstrike. A bomb hit the A9 Road. 17 civilian houses in the vicinity were attacked, 8 houses have sustained heavy damage.
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Tamils mark 25-years of Tiger sacrifice

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 November 2007, 10:11 GMT]
November 27 Heroes Day remembrance events were being held in Vanni since Sunday amid air attacks and Deep Penetration Unit attacks that have been stepped up by the Sri Lankan forces. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has deployed soldiers close to the Heroes cemeteries in SLA controlled areas of NorthEast, including the cemeteries that have been desecrated by the Sri Lankan forces in Batticaloa, Ampaa'rai and Trincomalee. From 27 November 1982, when the first LTTE fighter Lt. Sankar died, until 20 November 2007, a total of 19,877 fighters are declared war heroes by the Tamileelam Heroes Secretariat.
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DPU attack claims lives of 7 school girls, 11 killed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 November 2007, 09:47 GMT]
Seven school girls, riding in a Hiace van engaged in rural first aid service, were killed on the spot at Iyangkea'ni on Kokkaavil - Thu'nukkaay Road in Vanni Tuesday at 11:30 a.m, in a Claymore attack carried out by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Deep Penetration Unit (DPU). The driver of the van and three male volunteers were also killed in the attack, according to Tamileelam Police in Ki'linochchi.
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SLA shoots dead youth in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 November 2007, 17:56 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops shot and killed a youth going home along Amman Veethi in Nalloor, Jaffna Monday and took away his body in their vehicle, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and SLA in Mukamaalai and Nakarkoayil Northern Front Defence Lines (FDL), exchanged artillery fire from Monday 4:00 a.m till evening, the sources added.
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Rajapakse visits Iran for bilateral talks

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 November 2007, 14:29 GMT]
Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported Monday that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad officially welcomed his Sri Lankan counterpart, Mahinda Rajapakse, at the Presidential Office. Earlier IRNA quoting Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mohammad-Ali Hosseini, said that Mr Rajapakse will be "heading a high-ranking political-economic delegation."
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SLAF bombs civilian settlements in Vanni

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 November 2007, 13:54 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers have attacked two densely populated areas in Puthukkudiyiruppu and Ki'linochchi in Vanni on Monday. 13 houses have sustained damages in five rounds of air attacks. The first attack was reported in Puthukkudiyiruppu, 150 meters from the town junction, between 5:00 and 5:20 p.m. 7 houses have sustained heavy damage. No civilian casualties were reported. The second attack was reported between 5:30 and 5:50 p.m. in Jeyanthinakar, a suburb of Ki'linochchi town, where six houses were damaged. An 18-year-old youth was wounded in Jeyanthinakar.
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6 wounded in shelling on Mannaar school

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 November 2007, 13:34 GMT]
Two teachers and four students were wounded when shells hit Mazhuvaraayan Kaddaiyadampan Roman Catholic Tamil Mixed School Monday around 1:20 p.m. Six shells were fired continuously on the temporary huts of the school located in the Sri Lanka Army controlled area. Two of the wounded were in serious condition and transferred to Mannaar district hospital from Murungkan hospital.
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4 Sinhala civilian settlers shot dead near Vilpattu

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 November 2007, 09:26 GMT]
Four Sinhala paddy cultivators, including a female, were shot dead Monday morning around 8:45 in Maha Vilachiya DS division, northwest of Wilpattu wildlife sanctuary, Police said. Maha Vilachiya, situated northwest of Anuradhapura district is bordering the southern part of Mannaar, the Chilavattu'rai area which the SLA brought under its control two months ago. The division also borders the southern part of Vavuniyaa district.
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Youth shot dead in Koappaay, SLA imposes fishing restriction in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 November 2007, 01:28 GMT]
Two unidentified men riding a motor bicycle shot dead a youth riding in a motorbike opposite Heroes Resting place, Koappaay, in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) controlled Jaffna Sunday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. as preparations were being made in heroes resting places in Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled areas to remember war dead heroes.
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DPU intruder killed, weapons seized - LTTE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 November 2007, 19:07 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier was killed and the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) have recovered his dead body after confronting an SLA Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) that infiltrated into LTTE territory in Kaddaiyadampan in Mannar, LTTE military officials in Mannaar told media. Two T-56 assault rifles were also seized by the Tigers.
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Slain Jaffna University Security officer identified

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 November 2007, 14:00 GMT]
The security officer of Jaffna University shot dead Friday night, has been identified as Kanthavanam Ketheesan, 24, a resident of Yaakarai, Karaveddi in Vadamaraadchi, university sources said.
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Abduction fear pervasive, say TNA MPs

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 November 2007, 10:52 GMT]
In a press conference held Friday in the premises of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, R. Sampanthan, leader of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) expressed fear that a number of members of parliament (MPs) might be abducted prior to the voting on the Third Reading of the Budget to be held 14 December, parliamentary sources said.
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2 DPU attacks claim 2 civilian lives, ambulance targeted again in Vanni

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 November 2007, 09:37 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) attackers, in two separate Claymore attacks on Sunday targeted civilians in Oddisuddaan, 22 km southwest of Mullaiththeevu town and Mudkompan, 20 km northwest of Ki'linochchi town in Poonakari (Pooneryn) division Sunday, Tamileelam Police officials said. The Claymore attack in Oddisuddaan claimed the lives two, a student and a business man, around 7:55 a.m. and another attack at Mudkompan targeted an ambulance around 9:50 a.m. The two DPU Claymore attacks during Heroes Day remembrance days in Vanni come two months after a similar attack that claimed the life of Rev. Fr. Nicholaspillai Packiyaranjith who was on a humanitarian mission.
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4 civilians killed, 6 wounded in SLAF bombardment

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 November 2007, 04:51 GMT]
A father and mother with their daughter and a teenage girl were killed, their son and his wife were seriously wounded with four other civilians, Sunday morning, when Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked a civilian settlement twice, between 7:15 and 7:40 a.m., at Tharmapuram 8th Unit, located in Ki'linochchi district. A 4-years-old girl, a teacher and a retired postmaster were among the wounded. The airstrike, using bombs that explode underground, comes as November 27 Heroes Day remembrance events were being observed in Vanni. The explosions have created 6 to 10 meter depth craters.
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SLA soldier loses leg in Naakarkoayil clash - LTTE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 November 2007, 18:20 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) Northern Front Operations Command Saturday said an attempt by a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) unit to advance towards their Forward Defence Line (FDL) positions in Naakarkoayil Friday morning was thwarted before the SLA unit managed to approach the FDL. An SLA soldier lost his leg in the clash. Four Claymore mines were among the military items recovered by the Tigers in the clearing mission inside the no-man zone.
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Civilian shot, seriously injured in Vaazhaichcheanai

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 November 2007, 17:30 GMT]
A group of unidentified armed men forced into the residence of a Muslim man in Akbar Road in Pi'ranthu'raichchaeanai, Vaazhaichcheanai, in Batticaloa district Saturday morning 4:00 a.m., shot the victim after awakening him and fled the scene, sources said.
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Claymore attack kills 2 policemen in Ka'luvaagnchikkudi

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 November 2007, 16:40 GMT]
A Police sub inspector and a constable engaged in a road clearing patrol were killed Saturday morning at 10:00 p.m. when attackers triggered a roadside Claymore mine targeting their motorbike at Ka'luthava'lai in Ka'luvaagnchikkudi. Police have declared curfew and launched a cordon and search operation, following the first Claymore attack in the area after the Sri Lankan forces have brought the entire Batticaloa district under their control, Assistant Superintendent of police (ASP) Ka'luvaagnchikkudi Police division said.
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Magistrate directs police to consider arrest of soldier suspects in Thavasikku'lam killings

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 November 2007, 15:51 GMT]
Vavuniyaa magistrate M. Ilancheliyan Friday directed the police to consider arresting Sri Lanka Army soldiers who were on duty at Veappangku'lam SLA detachment on November 03 between 6:00 and 6:30 p.m. Five young Tamil males who were allegedly arrested by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) that day were found shot dead the following morning at Thavasikku'lam. The parents of the slain youths have told the magistrate that there were many witnesses who saw their sons being arrested and taken by SLA troops. The magistrate has earlier directed that the assault rifles of 49 soldiers, including that of the commander of the detachment, be sent to government analyst department for examination.
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SLAF bombing victim in Mu'rika'ndi succumbs to injuries

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 November 2007, 12:24 GMT]
The 32-year old woman, seriously injured during bombing by Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir fighter jets targeting a civilian settlement in Mu'rika'ndi located close to Ki'linochchi on 16 November morning, succumbed to her injuries Thursday evening, sources in Kilinochchi said. Doctors could not save her seriously injured legs, and the legs were amputated earlier.
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Media groups stage protest rally in Colombo

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 November 2007, 09:29 GMT]
Hundreds of media men and women from five media groups including Free Media Movement (FMM), Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance (SLTMA), and Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA) held a protest rally Friday noon opposite the Fort Railway station condemning the burning of the printing press of the English-language news papers Morning Leader and Sunday Leader, and Irudina Sinhala weekly Wednesday early morning, civil society sources in Colombo said. The rally brought all vehicular traffic to stand still creating serious congestion on all major routes for more than an hour.
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University Security officer, 2 family men shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 November 2007, 08:14 GMT]
Unidentified armed men shot dead a security officer of Jaffna University Friday night, and in two separate shootings, motorcycle gunmen shot dead Friday night and Saturday early morning two family men, one in Ariyaalai and the other in Urumpiraai south, sources in Jaffna said.
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UNP welcomes ban on TRO

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 November 2007, 03:01 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s main opposition United National party (UNP) has welcomed the government’s decision to ban the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), the Daily Mirror reported Friday. The UNP echoed the stance of the ultra-Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Perumana (JVP) with senior UNP official, Lakshman Kiriella, also telling a news conference that the government had failed to pursue the matter with commitment. Earlier this week, there was applause in Sri Lanka’s parliament as the government promised to consider banning the TRO and also the LTTE
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EPDP wants interim administration for North and East

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 November 2007, 02:15 GMT]
The Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), a pro-government paramilitary group-cum-political party, has proposed setting up an Interim Administration for the North and East as the way forward to resolve the ethnic conflict, the Daily Mirror reported. An interim administration for Northeast capable of effecting self-rule, especially towards restoring civil normalcy and the resettlement of hundreds of thousands of displaced people was the primary demand of the LTTE when it began the Norwegian-brokered negotiations with the then UNP government in 2002. The UNP rejected the notion, saying it would encourage then President Chandrika Kumaratunga to sack its Parliamentary government.
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Sri Lanka’s ban on TRO ‘final nail’ in coffin of peace process

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 November 2007, 01:10 GMT]
The Tamils Rehabilitation Organisations (TRO) has condemned the Sri Lankan government’s banning of the charity, saying the Rajapakse regime had done so with the “ulterior motive of unleashing untold hardships on the Tamil people as part of [the government’s] continuing discrimination and oppression of the Tamil people.” The TRO, which has been the largest - and for long periods the sole - NGO assisting the hundreds of thousands of Tamils displaced by the conflict, said in a statement this week “With the banning of the TRO the final nail in the coffin of the peace process has been hammered home.”
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Technical Officer shot dead in Thenmaraadchchi

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 November 2007, 16:20 GMT]
Two unidentified motorcycle gunmen, following behind the Chief Technical Officer of Chaavakachcheari Predeshya Saba on his way home on motorcycle after work Wednesday evening, shot him dead at Yattaa’lai, Va’ra’ni where the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) 52nd Brigade base is located, sources in Kodikaamam said. The officer had moved from his village Yattaalai to Inparuddi in Vadamaraadchchi due to continuous death threats by SLA and SLA-backed paramilitaries, the sources added.
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SLA tortured Jaffna student detained in Police custody

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 November 2007, 14:56 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna arrested a 19-year-old student of Jaffna St. Johns College Wednesday near Chemma’ni bridge check point and handed him Thursday, after severely torturing him, to Jaffna police, civil sources in Jaffna said. The student was admitted to Jaffna Teaching hospital Thursday with several wounds bearing hallmarks of torture, hospital administration said.
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SLA Brigadier shoots wife, mother of two succumbs to wounds

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 November 2007, 14:12 GMT]
Puththa'lam area Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Brigadier Chanda Rupasinghe was arrested by Sapugaskande Police in Kelaniya Police division Friday morning for allegedly shooting his wife and causing her death, Police said.
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Two Tamil civilians reported missing in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 November 2007, 11:43 GMT]
Two Tamil civilians from Ka'n'niyaa in Trincomalee have been reported missing since Monday after they left their home to cut firewood in Wilgam Vihare jungle located along Trincomalee-Anuradhapura road, about 10 km off north of east port city.
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Sea Tigers open fire on coastal sentry in Peasaalai

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 November 2007, 06:32 GMT]
Six gunboats of Sea Tigers, the naval wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE), Friday morning at 7:50 approached Peasaalai in Mannaar and opened fired from their vessels from a close distance of 75 meters, on coastal naval and police sentry posts, Police said. The LTTE claimed to have caused damage to two SLN water jet boats and said there was no Tiger casualties. However, military officials in Colombo, who use to put the Tiger casualty figures high after the Anuradhapura operation and the recent setback in Mukamaalai, claimed that 17 Tigers were killed in the clash.
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Sunday Leader Tamil journalist files FR petition

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 November 2007, 06:02 GMT]
A Tamil journalist, Arthur Wamanan, working in the Sunday Leader English weekly Thursday filed a Fundamental Rights Violation petition in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka seeking the court to declare his arrest and detention on October 24 was illegal. On October 24, Mr. Wamanan was taken into custody by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) personnel, based on a telelphone complaint by the Sri Lankan Minister of Enterprise Development following his article exposing Mr. Wijeratna of misappropriating government funds. The CID, knowing that the journalist was a Tamil, treated the journalilst as a "terrorist suspect," the Sunday Leader accused the CID of racism in its editorial.
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Shanthan granted bail

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 November 2007, 23:19 GMT]
Kingston Crown court has granted Arunachalam Chrishanthakumar, 50, also known as AC Shanthan, bail Thursday afternoon, a BBC report said. Shanthan was arrested on charges under UK Terrorism Act 2000.
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Attackers hurl firebombs at SLFP rebel MP's house

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 November 2007, 15:32 GMT]
Unidentified attackers riding in a motorbike hurled petrol bombs Thursday around 8:00 p.m. at the house of Sripathi Sooriyaarachchi, former minister who broke away from the SLFP. Nobody was wounded in the attack on his residence at Austin Place, Borella in Colombo, Police said. Earlier in the day, the SLFP-breakaway parliamentarian had accused that the SLFP should be held responsible for the loss of former foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. Informed media sources quoted Mr. Sooriyaarachchi as saying that certain SLFP leaders had opposed a move, within the SLFP, to appoint Lakshman Kadirgamar as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka when the JVP proposed his name to the post.
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Heavy fighting in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 November 2007, 13:59 GMT]
Heavy fighting erupted between the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) in Mu'l'likku'lam area in Mannaar Thursday morning around 6:30 a.m. The fighting continued throughout the evening. Seven SLA soldiers wounded in LTTE artillery fire were rushed to Anuradhapura hospital, medical sources said.
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3 STF commandos killed in Ampaa'rai - LTTE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 November 2007, 13:44 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) ambushed a Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) outpost in Bakmitiyawa in Ampaa'rai district Thursday around 5:00 p.m., killing 3 STF commandos stationed at the post, LTTE's Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan said.
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Sri Lankan minister announces cabinet decision to proscribe TRO

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 November 2007, 04:49 GMT]
Leader of the House, and Health Minister in the ruling United People Alliance (UPFA) government of Sri Lanka, Nimal Siripala de Silva, said Thursday morning that a cabinet decision has been taken Wednesday to proscribe the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) in Sri Lanka, parliamentary sources in Colombo said. Mr. Nimal Sripala de Silva was responding to a question raised in the parliament by Wimal Weerawansa, the propaganda secretary of the JVP, on the efforts taken by the Sri Lankan government on restricting the activities of International NGOs inside Liberation Tigers controlled areas.
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Vara'ni resident seeks protection with Jaffna HRC

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 November 2007, 19:19 GMT]
A civilian from Va’ra’ni area in Thenmaraadchchi sought protection with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office due to death threats and attempts of abduction by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and SLA-backed paramilitaries. The main commanding SLA base of the 52nd brigade is located in Vara'ni.
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Sinhala doctors unlikely to accept Jaffna vacancies- Director

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 November 2007, 18:59 GMT]
Although Sri Lanka Health Ministry has appointed 69 newly qualified doctors to Jaffna peninsula to fill the urgent shortage of doctors, the success of this effort is likely to be limited as more than 50 are Sinhalese, and due to the extraordinary situation prevailing in Jaffna peninsula many will decline to accept their positions, Dr. A. Ketheeswaran, Director of Public Health Service (DPH) Jaffna said. Further 24 of the new appointees are assigned to positions in the divisional hospitals, and DPH is finding it difficult to provide proper residential facilities, the director added.
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FORUT funded pre-school opened in Mannaku'lam

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 November 2007, 16:29 GMT]
A pre-school built by Vavuniya Development Rehabilitation Organization (VDRO) using funding from FORUT, a Norwegian Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) working in Vanni, was opened in Mannakulam area in Vavuniya district Wednesday. FORUT's Vanni Director of Planning, Mr. Arnon, cut the ribbon to open the building.
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Tiger angle will be implied in Casablanca remake, says director

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 November 2007, 13:23 GMT]
In the US National Public Radio (NPR), "The World" program interview Tuesday in Trivandram, Kerala, director Rajeev Nath tells David Cohen that in the South Indian remake of the Oscar winning romantic classic "Casablanca" from 1942, in Malayalam retitled "Ezham Mudra," the Liberation Tigers' angle will be implied, not explicit. He says, "I am not touching their politics. I am not saying which is right or which is wrong." Ezham Mudra is expected to hit Indian theaters next spring.
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SLA, LTTE clash in Vavuniyaa-Mannaar border

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 November 2007, 10:41 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) and the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) clashed Wednesday morning around 8:00 a.m. in Thampanai area in Mannaar-Vavuniyaa border where the SLA launched a ground offensive, according to the military spokesman of the LTTE, Irasiah Ilanthirayan.
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Masked men burn Sunday Leader printing press

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 November 2007, 08:03 GMT]
A twelve-member group of masked men, Wednesday early morning around 2:15 forcibly entered the printing press of the English weekly papers Sunday Leader, Morning Leader and Irudina Sinhala weekly and set fire damaging printing machines and copies of newspapers printed ready for distribution. The Free Media Movement (FMM), a Colombo based media watch dog, condemning the act, noted that the Morning Leader editor has been very critical of Asia Tribune website, which according to the editor, works hand in hand with the paramilitary Pillayaan Group. The paper, which has been critical of the government, was scheduled to reveal details of horse-trading to buy off parliamentarians, this week.
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Family man seeks protection with Jaffna HRC, flights to Ratmalana resumed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 November 2007, 04:55 GMT]
A family man from Valikaamam East sought protection with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna Tuesday due to death threats from Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and SLA-backed paramilitaries. Meanwhile, two private firms resumed flights from Jaffna to Colombo which were suspended by SLA Monday due to security reasons, sources in Jaffna said.
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SLA-imposed traffic restrictions hamper Jaffna bus service

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 November 2007, 17:29 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna has imposed new traffic restrictions covering key main roads in the peninsula to facilitate safe passage to SLA convoys, severely impacting revenues of the Northern Sri Lanka Transport Service (NSLTS), transportation officials in Jaffna said. SLA orders all public traffic to stand still, sometimes nearly for three hours, and stops all vehicular traffic in main arteries between Palaly, Jaffna and the Forward Defense Lines (FDLs) in Vadamaraadchy east during movement of convoys.
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Eelaventhan meets Harper, U.S. officials

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 November 2007, 13:32 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian, Mr Eelaventhan, currently visiting Canada and United States met with Canada's ruling Conservative Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, and politicians from other parties during the early part of November, and also met with United States State Department officials on the 14th of November, briefing them on the worsening humanitarian conditions in Tamil areas of North East of Sri Lanka, and the deteriorating ground situation that is leading towards large scale confrontation between Sri Lanka Security forces and Liberation Tigers.
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SLA, SLN conduct war exercise in northern seas

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 November 2007, 12:17 GMT]
Thousand of troops of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) together with a number of Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) shallow water vessels conducted a three hour war rehearsal Monday morning beginning at 6:00a.m. in Araali, Valigaamam, sources in Jaffna said.
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Thileepan statue destroyed in Nalloor, Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 November 2007, 05:23 GMT]
A gang of unidentified men went on rampage Sunday night, during the curfew hours, demolishing the statue of Lt. Col. Thileepan (Rasiah Parthipan) located behind the historic Nalloor Kanthaswamy Koayil on Point Pedro Nalloor road, sources in Jaffna said.
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Sajitharan released, family transported to Colombo

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 November 2007, 13:50 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) on Monday, after the budget voting, secured the release of S. Sajitharan, the son-in-law of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP for Batticaloa district, who had been abducted by the paramilitary Pillayaan Group. Mr. Sajitharan and the remaining members of the family of the TNA parliamentarian T. Kangasabai were transported from Batticaloa to Colombo and handed over to the MP, according to the TNA sources in Colombo. Mr. Kanagasabai, warned by the paramilitary operative Pillayaan not to vote against the budget, was not present in the parliament during the final voting on Sri Lankan budget Monday.
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UPFA budget passed with 16 majority votes

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 November 2007, 11:52 GMT]
Sri Lanka parliament Monday evening adopted the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) budget for 2008, the third budget of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, with a majority of 16 votes. 118 members voted for the budget and 102 voted against, parliamentary sources said.
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Uthayan staffer, family man feared abducted in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 November 2007, 11:13 GMT]
A proof-reader of Uthayan Tamil daily in Jaffna is feared abducted Friday morning on his way home after night duty at Uthayan office, his parents complained at Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office. Meanwhile, a family man from Thumpa’lai, Point Pedro in Vadamaraadchi has gone missing since Friday and a 26-year old youth from Jaffna Monday sought protection to his life with HRC Jaffna due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and SLA-backed paramilitaries, sources in Jaffna said.
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17 Tamil civilians arrested in Puththa'lam

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 November 2007, 10:06 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Police in a cordon and search operation conducted Saturday from dawn to dusk in four Tamil villages in Puththa'lam district took 17 Tamil residents into custody. Four of them are still being detained at Munthal police station and being subjected to interrogation by the Terrorist Intelligence Division as they failed to prove their identity and valid reason for their stay in the location.
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Colombo court releases Tamil youth arrested in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 November 2007, 07:24 GMT]
A Tamil youth arrested by soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army stationed in Kodikaamam on June 27 last year was released by the Colombo Chief Magistrate Friday after 16 months in remand under the Emergency Regulations.
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TNA seeks GoSL response on abduction before budget voting

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 November 2007, 06:31 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader R. Sampanthan Monday morning urged the Speaker in Sri Lankan Parliament to prevail upon the Government of Sri Lanka to take immediate steps to secure the release of S. Sajitharan, the abducted son-in-law of Batticaloa district TNA parliamentarian T. Kanagasabai, enabling the MP and other Batticaloa district TNA parliamentarians to vote on the Budget. Three of four Batticaloa district parliamentarians of the TNA were not present in the parliament Monday morning following threats from Sri Lanka Army (SLA) operated paramilitary, Pillayaan Group.
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Viral fever sweeps across Jaffna peninsula

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 November 2007, 00:34 GMT]
A yet to be identified type of fever is spreading across the peninsula resulting in more than 700 patients being admitted at Jaffna teaching hospital sources close to the office of Director of Public Health services, Jaffna said Sunday. Hospital staff are working round the clock to find hospital beds under limited space and resources to accommodate the growing number of admitted patients, hospital administration officials said.
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TRO denies U.S. accusations, says proscription will harm Tamil people

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 November 2007, 20:23 GMT]
Expressing dismay over U.S. Department of Treasury's action against the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), and reiterating that TRO is NOT a "front to facilitate fundraising and procurement for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)," the TRO, in a press release issued Sunday, stated categorically that "all funds received are utilized according to the wishes of the donor, in line with the stated mission of TRO, to assist the tsunami and war affected populations of the NorthEast. None of these funds are, or have ever been found to have been, misappropriated for use by any other organization or used inappropriately by TRO itself."
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Tamil prisoners end fast in Batticaloa prison

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 November 2007, 17:36 GMT]
28 Tamil prisoners who began a protest fast Saturday morning by climbing on the roof of Batticaloa prison and demanding immediate release, ended the protest Sunday around 7:30 p.m, after talks held with the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) officials who met the protestors in Batticaloa prison, prison officials said.
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TNA sends SOS to foreign diplomats

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 November 2007, 16:00 GMT]
The Parliamentary Group of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has urged the foreign diplomats in Colombo, including the U.S. Embassy, the British High Commission, the Indian High Commission, the Embassy of Japan and the Embassy of Norway, Sunday evening to persuade the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to secure the timely release of the family member of the Batticaloa district TNA parliamentarian T. Kanagasabai, abducted by the paramilitary Sunday in Batticaloa, and to ensure a threat-free environment for the Tamil parliamentarians in exercising the democratic rights of the people they represent in the Sri Lankan parliament.
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Trader shot dead, Hindu priest abducted, tortured in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 November 2007, 12:26 GMT]
A Tamil business man was shot and killed Saturday morning by unidentified armed men, while a Hindu priest, abducted Friday by armed men, was severely tortured, and is fighting for his life, civilian sources said.
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Paramilitary threatens Batticaloa Tamil MPs not to vote against budget, abducts family member

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 November 2007, 11:18 GMT]
Armed paramilitary men from the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) operated Pillayaan Group entered the house of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian T. Kagagasabai and abducted the Batticaloa MP's son-in-law around 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The group has threatened to kill the abductee if Mr. Kanagasabai voted against SL President Mahinda Rajapaksa's budget on Monday. The abduction took place at the police-protected house of the parliamentarian at Ka'luthaava'lai. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Police has withdrawn the security provided to all Batticaloa district TNA MPs residences in Batticaloa on Sunday.
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Halo Trust employee shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 November 2007, 18:56 GMT]
A 23-year old employee of Halo Trust, a British-demining group working in Jaffna, was shot dead inside the High Security Zone (HSZ) in Aathiyadi near Stanley Road, Jaffna Friday night, sources in Jaffna said. The body was taken to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital Friday night, and due to the curfew, was identified by the victim's parents Saturday afternoon.
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TNA MPs condemn US action on TRO

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 November 2007, 18:19 GMT]
"While the Government of Sri Lanka has imposed an effective economic embargo in Vanni, and the sustained bombardments of Sri Lanka Military have made situation difficult for International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) to work amidst the affected local residents in border villages of Tamil areas, United States has made the situation worse for the Tamil people, internally displaced and reeling under economic hardship, by stopping the humanitarian aid from the branches world-wide of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO)," said Kajendran, parliamentarian from the Tamil National Alliance.
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Indian academic doubts IC's understanding of LTTE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 November 2007, 15:14 GMT]
In a recently brought out publication, 'Sri Lanka: Search for Peace', by the New Delhi based Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis, Professor P. Sahadevan, chairperson of the Centre for South Asian studies of the Jawaharlal Nehru University questioned the International Community's understanding of the nature and characteristics of the LTTE. The decision to ban the LTTE by the European Union last year, was a political mistake, Sahadevan writes while contending that the IC is the best bet to bring peace in Sri Lanka.
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Court releases Kadirgamar suspects on bail

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 November 2007, 12:21 GMT]
The Colombo High Court last Thursday allowed bail for the two suspects arrested following the assassination of Lakshman Kadirgamar, the former foreign minister of Sri Lanka, after two and a half years in remand. The suspects were taken into custody alleging that the two suspects from the upcountry had come to Colombo fifteen days before the date of crime and they were taking photograph after the killing, legal sources said.
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Two Tamil young women detained in Anuradhapura

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 November 2007, 11:20 GMT]
Two Tamil young women were arrested in Anuradhapura, capital town of the north central province in two separate incidents by Sri Lanka police and Sri Lanka Army, on Wednesday and Thursday, are now being detained in the Anuradhapura police station for interrogations by the Terrorist Intelligence Unit, police sources said.
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SLA arrests 22 Tamil youths in Chinnakku’lam IDP Centre

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 November 2007, 08:23 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) arrested 22 Tamil youths in Chinnakku’lam Centre for Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in Trincomalee district during a search operation conducted Saturday early morning, according to complaints made by the IDPs to Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian K. Thurairatnasingam. The MP has registered complaints with Sea’runuva’ra police station and informed the matter to Vaakarai SLA Commander Berty Fonseka.
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Civilian seeks protection with Jaffna HRC

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 November 2007, 07:11 GMT]
A 32-year old civilian from Sarasaalai North, Thenmaraadchi sought protection Friday with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna due to death threats from Sri Lanka Army and SLA- backed paramilitaries.
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Muslim home robbed in Oaddamaavadi

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 November 2007, 05:04 GMT]
Unidentified armed men shot and injured a 42-year old Muslim man Friday 2:30 a.m. at his house located on S.M.B.Hadyiar Road within Oaddamaavadi police division in Batticaloa district, during a robbery attempt, and has been admitted to the Batticaloa Teaching hospital, sources in Batticaloa said.
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STF recovers claymore mines, arrests youths in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 November 2007, 02:00 GMT]
Special Task Force (STF) troopers on patrol recovered two claymore mines Thursday morning in Saththurukkondaan and Kaavaththamunai areas in Batticaloa District and arrested two Tamil youths, STF sources said.
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5 Muslim youths abducted in Oaddamaavadi

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 November 2007, 16:54 GMT]
Unidentified armed men in a white van arriving Thursday around 3:00 a.m at a house in Oaddamaavadi 03 area in Batticaloa district abducted five youths who sat in front of the house chatting with each other, according to a complaint made Thursday morning at Vaazhaichcheanai police station.
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Teenage girl abducted, killed in Ea’raavoor

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 November 2007, 15:51 GMT]
Unidentified armed men arriving at the house of a sixteen- year-old girl at Chanthive’li Jeevapuram in Ea’ravvor police division Thursday night forcibly took the girl with them and Friday morning her corpse with stab and knife cut injuries was found near the railway track in Paalaiyadi Thoa’naa area in Jinnaapuram, Chanthive’li, Ea’raavoor police said.
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SLAF Kfirs bomb tsunami settlement in Mu'rika'ndi

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 November 2007, 10:42 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Air Force kfir fighter jets dropped eight bombs in two sorties Friday between 6:15 a.m. and 6:25 a.m. targeting a civilian settlement in Mu’rika'ndi located close to Ki’linochchi, seriously injuring a mother of three children and another civilian besides completely destroying a private boat building yard which makes boats for tsunami affected fishermen, sources in Ki'linochchi said. Five huts of tsunami victims and the house of Mu'rika'ndi Hindu Viththiyaalayam principal were damaged in the bombing.
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Civilian seeks protection with HRC Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 November 2007, 05:46 GMT]
A civilian from Madduvil north in Thenmaraadchi sought protection Thursday with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna due to death threats from Sri Lanka Army and SLA- backed paramilitary men.
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Landmine injures SLA trooper in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 November 2007, 04:08 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) trooper sustained injuries Thursday around 3:00 p.m in Aayiththiyamalai area in Batticaloa district when a landmine exploded during a road patrol, Batticaloa police said.
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'Rajapaksa sustains majority votes' - UPFA minister

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 November 2007, 18:18 GMT]
Addressing a live political discussion programme in the Sri Lankan state-run ITN (Independent Television Network) TV, Thursday night, the Sri Lankan Minister of Education, Susil Premajayantha, assured viewers that the SL President Mahinda Rajapaksa has sustained sufficient number of votes, more than 117, to pass the 2008 budget in the parliament, coming Monday. Mr. Susil Premajayantha, who appeared in the "Thulawa" programme, said that the Rajapaksa government was not dependent on the JVP to pass the budget.
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SLAF helicopter grounded in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 November 2007, 16:17 GMT]
An helicopter gunship of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) was forced to land at Tharavangkoaddai grounds located along Mannaar-Thaazhvuppaadu main road Thursday afternoon around 3:00 p.m. due to engine trouble. A team of mechanics were brought to the site by another SLAF helicopter to repair the helicopter.
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U.S. freezes TRO funds

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 November 2007, 15:10 GMT]
The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Thursday announced that it would freeze the U.S.-held assets of the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO). A press release, issued by the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka charged that the TRO has acted as a front to facilitate fundraising and procurement for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
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Three UNP MPs to support Rajapaksa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 November 2007, 12:44 GMT]
Three opposition United National Party (UNP) parliamentarians have promised Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa to cross over to the ruling alliance UPFA goverment to strengthen the majority of the Rajapaksa goverment, informed political sources in Colombo said. Colombo district UNP MP T. Maheswaran, Gurunagale district MP Gamini Jayawickrama Perera and Mohammed Mahroof, another Colombo district UNP parliamentarian met Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa Thursday extending their support.
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Electricity shortage in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 November 2007, 12:08 GMT]
Due to reduction of generated power in Jaffna by the contrated power generator, KOOL AIR, effective Wednesday, the supply of electricity during night will be reduced by at least one hour throughout the peninsula, Jaffna Government Agent (GA) K.Ganesh announced in a media communiqué issued Wednesday.
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Dilan Perera protests against UNP MP's crossover

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 November 2007, 09:22 GMT]
Dilan Perera, Sri Lanka's Justice Minister without cabinet portfolio and Badulla district parliamentarian of SL President Mahinda Rajapaksa's Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Thursday went and sat in the opposition bench in the Sri Lankan parliament, protesting against Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa for accommodating a United National Party (UNP) opposition parliamentarian who was implicated in the killing of Mr. Dilan Perera's associate, Nalanda Ellawala in 1999. Mahinda Rajapaksa is in discussions with Dilan Perera, amid claims and counter claims by ruling party and opposition of crossovers from both parties before Monday when the budget is to be put to final vote.
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4 civilians seek protection with Jaffna HRC

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 November 2007, 05:37 GMT]
Four civilians in Jaffna peninsula sought protection with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office against death threats from Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and SLA-backed paramilitaries, Wednesday, officials at the Jaffna HRC said.
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Youth shot dead in front of Point Pedro Court

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 November 2007, 04:55 GMT]
Two unidentified gunmen on motorcycle shot dead Wednesday morning a youth, around fifty feet from Point Pedro Divisional Magistrate Court, on his way home after appearing at the courts, sources in Point Pedro said.
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UPFA MP joins opposition in parliament

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 November 2007, 16:19 GMT]
A national list parliamentarian of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), Wijedasa Rajapakse, Wednesday crossed from government side to the opposition when the parliament resumed its sitting to continue the debate of the 2008 Budget proposals presented by the SL President Mahinda Rajapakse for the fourth day, parliamentary sources said. Mr. Wijedasa Rajapakse is the chairman of the COPE, a parliamentary select to probe the malpractices and irregularities in the ministries and statutory boards coming under the government
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SLN restricts Police vehicular access to Colombo harbour

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 November 2007, 15:30 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence (MoD) has issued a directive to the Sri Lankan Police establishment in Colombo to acquire permission from the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) before entering the harbour using Police vehicles.
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Sri Lanka beefs up seacoast security in South

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 November 2007, 15:23 GMT]
The security of the Galle harbour and several fishing jetties in the southern coast of the country has been tightened with effect from Monday following the detection of two fast crafts speeding in the southern sea between Rakawa and Tangalle. Detachments of Sri Lanka Navy located in Galle and Tangalle have put on red alert with Dora gunship patrolling the sea, Colombo media reports said.
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U.S. editorial advocates confederation, urges arms embargo against Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 November 2007, 12:12 GMT]
Advocating arms embargo against Sri Lanka, Boston Globe in an editorial appeared Wednesday, quoted Human Right Watch's letter to members of the U.S. Congress that "there has been a significant jump in abuses by government forces such as indiscriminate shelling, extrajudicial executions, and forced disappearances," recommended that "arms sales to Sri Lanka be conditioned on that government improving its human rights record and accepting a United Nations monitoring mission to protect civilians caught in the conflict," and pointed out "current US policy contradictions," in U.S. donating military hardware to Sri Lanka Navy while urging Sri Lanka to seek a negotiated peace.
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Youth shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 November 2007, 12:09 GMT]
A youth was shot dead by unknown assailants Wednesday morning 4:00 a.m. near Kasturiaar Road inside the Municipal limits of Jaffna town, sources in Jaffna said. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) cordoned off a large area surrounding the site of the incident and are conducting search operations.
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Muslim trader abducted in Vaazhaichcheanai

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 November 2007, 17:13 GMT]
Unidentified armed men way laid and abducted a Muslim trader Monday afternoon in Ki'n'naiyadi area, Vazhaichcheanai in Batticaloa district, Ea'raavoor police said.
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Two civilians shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 November 2007, 12:06 GMT]
A well-known businessman from Chaavakachcheari and a young fisherman from Kurunakar were shot dead in two separate incidents Tuesday noon and Monday night in Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said.
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Bodies of two youths handed over to Mannaar hospital

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 November 2007, 11:53 GMT]
Mannaar Police Tuesday afternoon handed over bodies of two youths with gunshot injuries recovered at Chirunaavatku'lam area in Mannaar division in search operation by the Sri Lankan armed forces after a reported clash between the Sri Lanka Army and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Tuesday dawn around 4:00 a.m.
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Dambulla court releases 22 Tamil youths

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 November 2007, 11:51 GMT]
The Dambulla Magistrate Monday released 22 Tamil youths who were arrested on November 6 when they failed to prove their identity with valid government documents. The Magistrate warned them that they should be armed in future with necessary documents to prove their identity.
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Claymore explosion in Moothoor east, one injured

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 November 2007, 11:49 GMT]
A container vehicle was badly damaged and one of the occupants was seriously injured in a claymore mine explosion that took place on Sunday late night at Vaddavaan, a village in the Moothoor east, Trincomalee district.
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2 youths reported missing with HRC Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 November 2007, 17:22 GMT]
Family members of a student residing at Amman Koayiladi in Kantharmadam in Jaffna town regidtered complaint to Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office about the student gone missing since Friday. Meanwhile, a day labourer from Vara'ni in Thenmaraadchi had gone missing since Saturday, according to a separate complaint made to the HRC . Both complaints were registered Monday.
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SC fixes inquiry into Palaali HSZ case filed by farmers

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 November 2007, 17:11 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Monday fixed the inquiry for March 10 next year into the fundamental rights violation petition filed by a group of farmers seeking the court to make an order allowing them to cultivate their traditional paddy lands now being occupied by the Sri Lanka Army in the name of high security zone in Jaffna district since 1990, legal sources said.
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TamilNadu Police arrests Vaiko, Nedumaran in Chennai

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 November 2007, 16:03 GMT]
Tamil Nadu police arrested Pazha Nedumaaran, the leader of Tamil Nationalist Movement (TMM), Vaiko, the leader of Marumalardchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhakam (MDMK) and several other leaders of parties supporting the Eelam Tamils, including Indian National League, Monday in Chennai when they led a demonstration march condemning Sri Lanka Government (GoSL) for assassinating Brigadier S. P. Tamilchelvan, the Political Head of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), in an aerial bombing on November 02. They were arrested for defying a ban imposed by the Tamil Nadu Government on the rally.
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2 civilians shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 November 2007, 11:50 GMT]
Unidentified armed men on a motor cycle followed a fisherman Monday around 6:00 a.m and shot him dead at Mulavaichchanthi in Raasaavinthoddam area, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, a civilian was shot dead Monday afternoon in Nalloor-Kachcheari road area, according to Jaffna police.
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SLA hands over 5 bodies in Vavuniya, Muslim man shot dead

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 November 2007, 20:18 GMT]
Vavuniyaa Sri Lanka Army (SLA) handed over five bodies Sunday morning to Vavuniyaa General hospital claiming them to be Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres, killed in an attack at Vavuniyaa SLA Front Defence Lines, sources in Vavuniya said.
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Youth shot dead in Nalloor, Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 November 2007, 18:06 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen riding a motorbike shot dead a 22-year old vehicle owner in Kalviyangkaadu, Nalloor, Jaffna inside Jaffna Municipality limits at 9:00 a.m. Sunday morning, sources in Jaffna said.
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Tamil youth shot dead in Seruvila

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 November 2007, 16:23 GMT]
Unidentified armed men Friday night shot dead a Tamil youth, Krishnapillai Amaladas, 25, at Thanganagar located in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) controlled Seruvila division, down south of Trincomalee district. His body was handed over to the Serunuwara government hospital for post-mortem and inquest, Serunuwara police sources said.
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Thousands pay homage to Major Selvam in Vanni

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 November 2007, 14:03 GMT]
Thousands of Ki’linochchi residents, LTTE officials, and LTTE cadres gathered at Ki'linochchi Cultural Hall Saturday morning 10:00a.m.to pay last respects and homage to Major Selvam who succumbed to his wounds Friday after being critically injured along with five political cadres and Brigadier S. P. Tamilchelvan, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Political Head, in the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) aerial bombing on Ki’linochchi on the 2nd of this month.
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Sri Lanka builds police station on Kausalyan’s cemetary

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 November 2007, 13:38 GMT]
Sri Lankan authorities have razed a Tamil Tiger cemetery in the island’s east and built a police station on it, international ceasefire monitors said in a recent report. The Thaandiyadi cemetery, in which large numbers of LTTE cadres, including Mr. E. Kaushalyan, the popular political head of the LTTE in Batticaloa-Amparai district, who was killed by Army-backed paramilitaries whilst traveling through government-controlled territory during the peace process in 2005, has been razed. At least one other LTTE cemetery has had the grave markings razed, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) said.
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SLA shoots dead youth in Vara'ni

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 November 2007, 12:50 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers shot dead a youth riding a motorbike near a sentry point in Iyattalai, Vara'ni in Thenmaraadchi at 2:10 p.m. Sunday. SLA soldiers claimed they recovered a hand grenade in possession of the youth. The identity of the youth has not been established.
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Muslim woman killed in grenade attack in Vaazhaichcheanai

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 November 2007, 10:30 GMT]
Armed men attacked a house in Maavadichcheanai in Vaazhaichcheanai with hand grenade and gunfire Sunday around 4:30 a.m killing a Muslim woman asleep and seriously injuring her two-year-old son, Vaazhzichecheanai Assistant Police Commissioner, Sunil Wijeyasekara said.
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Policy study assesses Sri Lanka conflict

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 November 2007, 01:36 GMT]
A policy report on Sri Lanka conflict by East-West Center, a U.S think-tank based in Washington D.C, suggests "both LTTE terrorism and the ethnocentric nature of the Sri Lankan state, which resorts to its own forms of terrorism when fighting the civil war, need to be overcome if the island is to become a liberal democracy."
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Claymore explosion in Yala amid tightened security

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 November 2007, 20:21 GMT]
At least one construction worker was killed and another wounded in a Claymore mine explosion inside the Yala sanctuary, one of the island's main tourist attractions, Saturday evening around 6:45, Police said. The attack comes in the wake of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa advising his political adviser and brother, Basil Rajapaksa, a national list parliamentarian, to set a Joint Operations Command (JOC) in Thissamaharama. Mr. Basil Rajapaksa led a high-powered delegation to Thisssamaharama earlier in the day and decided to arm Sinhala farmers, in addition to setting up a JOC.
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Decapitated body of youth recovered in Eazhaa'lai

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 November 2007, 18:46 GMT]
A severely mutilated and decapitated body of a youth abducted October 31 st from Power House Road , Chunnakam in Valikaamamn was recovered Saturday from an isolated area in Mayilangkaadu Eazhaa'lai, local residents said. The relatives of the youth had earlier reported his disappearance at the office of Jaffna Human Rights Commission (HRC).
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Aussie doctor pays tribute to Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 November 2007, 12:24 GMT]
Queensland Pediatrician and Director of Townsville Hospital's Neonatal Unit, Dr John Whitehall, who taught in Kilinochchi in 2004, in a recorded statement sent to the Sydney memorial held to mark the death of LTTE Political Head, S.P. Thamilchelvan, said the young Tamil leader reminded him of Nelson Mandela for the absence of "vindictiveness and bitterness," and for Thamilchelvan's "determination and desire for the welfare of all people."
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Fear grips Sri Lanka's southern villages- paper

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 November 2007, 03:22 GMT]
"Villages bordering the Yala sanctuary had been living on the edge since 15 October," reported a Colombo daily, after the Liberation Tigers overran the Thalgasmankada Sri Lanka Army (SLA) unit killing six troopers and injuring many. In the last three weeks, three had gone missing, and bodies of five cattle-herders have been found with cut injuries in Thissemaharama division situated in the constituency of the Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa.
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Laborer abducted, two seek refuge at Jaffna HRC

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 November 2007, 02:53 GMT]
Two civilians sought protection at the offices of the Human Rights Commission in Jaffna Thursday, and Friday, due to threats for their lives from Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and SLA-backed paramilitaries, officials at the HRC said. Meanwhile, a day laborer from Nallur Jaffna was abducted Wednesday, according to complaints by his relatives at the HRC offices.
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British MPs slam Thamilchelvan ‘assassination’

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 November 2007, 01:28 GMT]
Parliamentarians from all of Britain’s main political parties this week condemned as an “assassination of a moderate Tamil leader” the killing of Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan, head of the LTTE’s Politcial Wing, by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) last Friday. The All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils, which earlier this year had urged the UK government to invite Mr. Thamilchelvan to the British Parliament so that he could articulate the LTTE’s perspective, also called for peace talks.
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International community is letting war decide Tamils' fate - paper

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 November 2007, 14:15 GMT]
By allowing the Sri Lankan state free rein and supporting it to wage war, the international community has made any rights the Tamils secure depend entirely on the battlefield outcome, the Tamil Guardian newspaper said this week. "The military has for two years blasted villages, driven hundreds of thousands from their homes and continues to abduct, torture and murder…For all the noise about human rights (and much of that has dissipated now), the state actually wants for nothing. Ironically, the more the international community is convinced the LTTE can be defeated, the freer the hand it will have."
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LTTE political division member succumbs to wounds

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 November 2007, 09:27 GMT]
A Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) political division member who sustained injuries when LTTE's Political Head and Chief Negotiator Brigadier S.P. Thamilchelvan was killed last Friday in a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) targeted bombardment, succumbed to his wounds this Friday, LTTE officials in Ki'linochchi said. The Tigers have conferred Major rank to the political division member Sivalingam Aathavan alias Selvam.
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2 home guards killed in Claymore attack in Ma'nalaa'ru

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 November 2007, 07:47 GMT]
Unidentified persons triggered a Claymore device killing two members of civil defence force (home guards) returning after road patrol Friday morning around 7:00 a.m. at Kambiliweva in Padaviya (Sree pathikkiraamam) in Ma'nalaa'ru region, police sources said. Padaviya settlement is located in Anuradhapura district.
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SLA steps up surveillance in A'pura Tamil suburb

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 November 2007, 20:09 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Police have been frequently conducting cordon and search operation at Neeraaviyadi, a Tamil suburb located 6 km away from Anuradhapura military air base. The surveillance has been stepped up since the assumption of Major General Sarath Karunaratne as the Overall Commander of Anuradhapura district following the recent aerial and land attack on the Anuradhapura military air base by the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE).
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2008 Budget debate to begin Friday

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 November 2007, 19:39 GMT]
The debate on the second reading of the 2008 Budget presented by Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse in the capacity of Minister of Finance in the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government is to begin Friday. The voting on the second reading would take place on November 19, parliamentary sources said.
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Mutilated male body found in Kaaththaankudi lake

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 November 2007, 19:22 GMT]
Kaaththaankudi fishermen recovered the body of a family man believed to be mutilated in crocodile attacks, washed ashore along Kaaththaankudi lagoon in Batticaloa district Thursday noon and handed it over to Kaaththaankudi police.
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SLA deployed to beef up security around Yala sanctuary

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 November 2007, 18:51 GMT]
More than two thousand soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) have been deployed to conduct search operation in the Yala national sanctuary since the recovery of dead bodies of Sinhalese villagers. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camps and eight police sentries have been set up in villages in Tihssamaharama, around the sanctuary.
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U.S. radars and dinghies to fight LTTE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 November 2007, 13:24 GMT]
Radar-based maritime surveillance system and several Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) were donated to Sri Lanka Navy by U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Robert O. Blake in a ceremonial function at Trincomalee on Thursday. Ambassador Blake expressed U.S. Government's hope that the radar system and the inflatable boats would help the Sri Lankan Navy to interdict arms shipments to the LTTE. The donation was part of U.S. programme to assist partner nations to deter global terrorist activity. Mr. Blake also urged Colombo to pursue a negotiated settlement and respect human rights, a press release issued by the U.S. Embassy in Colombo said.
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HRW endorses restrictions on arms sales to Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 November 2007, 12:30 GMT]
In a letter sent to U.S. Representatives Nita M. Lowey and Frank R. Wolf on US foreign operations funding, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Wednesday: "there has also been a significant jump in abuses by government forces, such as indiscriminate shelling, extrajudicial executions, and forced disappearances...despite the creation of various new governmental bodies, there is little evidence that the Sri Lankan government is bringing the perpetrators of serious abuses to justice," and endorsed Senate's proposed conditions on "restricting the sale and transfer of arms to Sri Lanka."
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Thissamaharama Police officer orders mob attack on journalists

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 November 2007, 11:11 GMT]
Officer in Charge (OIC) of Thissemaharama Police Thursday morning ordered a mob to attack two journalists working for Maharaja Television Network, who went ahead with filming dead bodies of the Sinhalese cattle herders recovered in Yala sanctuary area, ignoring the warning of the OIC not to film the dead bodies. The journalists were arguing that they were performing their duty when the OIC gave instructions to the mob to attack them.
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Two more bodies recovered in Thissamaharama

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 November 2007, 10:05 GMT]
Thissemaharama Police has recovered two more dead bodies of Sinhalese cattle herders with cut injuries at Bambarawa in Yala sanctuary in southern Sri Lanka Wednesday night. Earlier on Monday, the police recovered 3 bodies at the same location with cut injuries. Thissemaharama division is situated in the constituency of the Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa.
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Peace keeper's silence regretted - Nadesan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 November 2007, 06:07 GMT]
The official silence of the peace facilitator Norway, in regard to the killing of Thamilchelvan, is viewed with serious concern and is regretted by the Tamil population and the Tigers, said B. Nadesan, the new political head of the LTTE, to TamilNet. The Head of SLMM, Major General Lars Johan Solvberg, was invited by the LTTE to Ki'linochchi to convey this message to the Government of Norway for necessary action, he said after the meeting, Thursday morning. Tamils all over the world closely watch Norway and other members of the International Community for their open responses and for what they are going to openly tell the Sri Lanka government, he further said.
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Police arrest TMVP personnel in Kaaththaankudi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 November 2007, 04:07 GMT]
Kaaththaankuci police arrested a personnel of TMVP paramilitary Tuesday around 5:00 p.m in Kaaththaankudi with the motorcycle he robbed from a Muslim trader, Ibrahim Mohamed Pakeem. The hand grenade the paramilitary man allegedly used to threatenthe trader was found in his possession when he was arrested, Police said.
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TN police arrests protesters picketing SL consulate in Chennai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 November 2007, 21:30 GMT]
Tamil Nadu police arrested several demonstrators at the entrance of the Sri Lanka consulate when hundreds of Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhagam (TPDK) members led by its leader Kulaththoor Mani, marched Tuesday around 11:00 a.m in protest condemning the assassination of S. P. Tamilchelvan, Political Head of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) by Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), to the Sri Lanka Consulate in Chennai. Demonstrators were shouting slogans demanding Indian Government to lift the ban on LTTE and not to provide military assistance to Sri Lanka government.
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Elderly man shot dead in Valikaamam

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 November 2007, 17:15 GMT]
Unidentified armed men shot dead an elderly man Sunday around 7:30 p.m at his house in Koandaavil East in Valikaamam.
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UNP decides to vote against 2008 Budget

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 November 2007, 16:49 GMT]
The parliamentary group of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) Wednesday met after the delivery of the 2008 budget by the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and unanimously decided to vote against the budget. The crucial vote on the 2008 budget is to take place on November 19 amid claims and counter claims by the ruling party and the main opposition party that cross over of parliamentarians from both sides.
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A'pura Magistrate wants full report on airbase attack

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 November 2007, 16:39 GMT]
The Anuradhapura Magistrate Wasantha Jinadasa Tuesday directed the Area Commanding Officer of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) to submit a comprehensive report on the destruction and damage caused to the Anuradhapura airbase due to the pre-dawn land and air attack by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The police told court while making this request that ten aircraft were destroyed and 16 damaged in the recent LTTE attack on the Anuradhapura air base. The buildings and machinery had been extensively damaged in the predawn attack.
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Sri Lanka restricts North East Tamils from visiting Colombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 November 2007, 16:26 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Police has introduced new regulations restricting temporary stay for Tamil civilians visiting Colombo from North and East provinces for urgent needs, civil sources in Colombo said. The visting Tamils are asked to bring letters from Grama Sevakar (village level officers) of their respective areas, stating the reason for their visit to Colombo, and to register their presence. Meanwhile some Divisional Secretaries are reported to have instructed the GS officials in their respective divisions not to issue letters to persons who wish to travel to Colombo.
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Sivaram murder case inquiry fixed for February 11

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 November 2007, 16:22 GMT]
Popular military analyst and TamilNet editorial board member Dharmeratnam Sivaram (Taraki) murder case was taken up for inquiry Monday before the High Court Judge Mr.W.A.D.Ratnayake. The court announced that the inquiry in this case would commence on February 11 next year before a panel of Jury. Attorney General has indicted Arumugam Sriskandarajah for murdering Mr.Sivaram on April 8, 2005, legal sources said.
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Colombo issued diplomatic passport to Karuna- paper

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 November 2007, 15:54 GMT]
Sri Lanka weekly, Morning Leader, in Wednesday edition, alleged that Sri Lanka violated norms of international diplomatic behavior by directing the British Embassy in Colombo to issue a visa in a false diplomatic passport to the leader of TMVP paramilitary group, Karuna, facilitating his escape to the United Kingdom.
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Rajapaksa claims victory in isolating Tigers Internationally

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 November 2007, 14:33 GMT]
Claiming that Sri Lanka has managed to curb overseas operations of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) with the assistance of many countries, the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, presenting the 2008 Budget in the Sri Lankan parliament Wednesday, vowed to "completely eradicate terrorism," if an environment in which a "political solution upholding human rights" in the interest of those who are "still in the grips of terrorists" is to be created. This could not be achieved by taking a divided approach by defaming each other [in the south], by neglecting the needs of the security forces or by ignoring their advise, Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa told the Parliament.
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LTTE Political Head to meet SLMM Head Thursday

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 November 2007, 11:44 GMT]
A meeting has been scheduled between the Head of Mission of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Major General Lars Johan Solvberg and the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) new Political Head P. Nadesan, in Ki'ilinochchi on Thursday, according to informed sources in Vanni. The meeting comes in the wake of targeted air attack that claimed the life of Liberation Tigers Political Head S.P. Thamilchelvan who was the Chief Negotiator of the Norwegian facilitated peace process.
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Canadian MPs pay tribute to Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 November 2007, 03:21 GMT]
Several Members of Parliament (MPs) in Canada expressed their solidarity with the Tamil community in Toronto, taking part in a memorial event Monday night to pay respects to the slain Political Head and Chief Negotiator of the Liberation Tigers, S.P. Thamilselvan. Thousands of Canadian Tamils from Greater Toronto Area (GTA) braving pouring rain gathered in Markham Fair grounds to pay their respects to S. P. Thamilselvan, the public face of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), killed in an air strike by Sri Lankan authorities last Friday.
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Tigers thwart offensive in Jaffna, 23 SLA killed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 November 2007, 02:38 GMT]
Liberation Tigers have repulsed a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) ground operation towards the Northern Forward Defence Line (FDL) positions between Ki'laali and Mukamaalai in the early hours of Wednesday, Irasiah Ilanthirayan, the military spokesman of the Liberation Tigers told TamilNet. The ground operation, launched by the SLA with heavy artillery, Multi Barrel Rocket Fire and with the support of Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) helicopter gunships at 5:20 a.m. was thwarted around 7:30 a.m., after intense fighting, he said claiming that more than 100 SLA troops were wounded and at least 16 killed in the attack. A military source in Jaffna confirmed that 23 soldiers were killed and 150 wounded.
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Hartal observed in Batticaloa Muslim areas

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 November 2007, 02:37 GMT]
Residents of Muslim areas in Batticaloa district observed Tuesday the shut down called by the Federation of Mosques in Batticaloa district demanding the immediate release of a Muslim trader abducted Wednesday in Chiththaandi area, allegedly by Karuna paramilitary group, sources in Batticaloa said. The protesters marched from Oattamaavadi Bazar mosque to Maavadicheanai mosque.
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Explosions rock Pooneryn

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 November 2007, 01:55 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has launched heavy artillery barrage on Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled Poonakari (Ponneryn) region in the Northern Forward Defence Line (FDL) as sources in Jaffna said Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and SLA troops were being deployed, readying for a ground offensive in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
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British Tamils mourn Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 November 2007, 00:41 GMT]
Several thousand British Tamils paid their respects Monday to the political head of the LTTE, Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan and five other LTTE officials killed in a targeted airstrike by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Friday. The event was addressed by parliamentarians of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), local Tamil councilors and community figures.
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Muslim writer shot, injured in Akkaraipattu

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 November 2007, 17:20 GMT]
Unidentified armed person shot and seriously injured a well known Muslim writer Monday evening with a pistol as he was returning from the Mosque near his house in Akkaraipattu police division in Ampaa'rai district, Akkaraipattu police said. The writer was rushed to Akkaraipattu hospital for surgery.
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Emergency extended for another month in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 November 2007, 16:23 GMT]
Sri Lanka's parliament Tuesday adopted a motion moved by the Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wikremanayake on behalf of the government to extend the State of Emergency for another month with a majority of 120 votes. 124 parliamentarians voted for the motion and four against.
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Paramilitary faction attacks Karuna camp

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 November 2007, 10:55 GMT]
The Meenakam house of the main faction of TMVP (Karuna) paramilitary group, guarded by the Sri Lankan Police, was raided by the rival Pillayan faction Monday night, Batticaloa Police said. Three Karuna personnel have been captured by the Pillayaan faction. Special Task Force (STF), the elite counter-insurgency arm of the Sri Lankan police, has been deployed in other Karuna camps in Batticaloa, strengthening security, Police said.
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Police recover 3 civilian dead bodies in Yala

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 November 2007, 09:40 GMT]
Thissemaharama Police has recovered three dead bodies of Sinhalese cattle herders with cut injuries at Bambarawa in Yala sanctuary in southern Sri Lanka Monday evening. Thissemaharama division is situated in the constituency of the Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa.
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SLA obstructs Jaffna residents mourning Tamilchelvan's death

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 November 2007, 05:57 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna deployed large number of troops around Jaffna University Monday morning in an attempt to disturb undergraduates paying homage to S. P. Thamilchelvan, the Political Head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) slain by Sri Lanka Air Force, sources in Jaffna said. The SLA troops also removed the black flags hoisted along streets in the peninsula, and harassed people living in houses close to the places where the black flags were hung, the sources added.
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2 family men abducted, civilian reported missing, in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 November 2007, 05:43 GMT]
Armed men abducted a family man from his residence in Kolumpuththu'rai 28 October around 7:30 p.m and took him away in a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Buffel Armoured Personnel Carrier (BAPC) according to complaints registered with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna Monday. A father of three children was abducted from his house Sunday morning at Eazhaalai east and a family man is reported missing from Kokkuvil West, according to complaints made by relatives to HRC Jaffna.
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Muslim federation calls for hartal, urges Tamil-Muslim unity in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 November 2007, 04:12 GMT]
Federation of Muslim Mosques in Batticaloa district appealed Monday to the residents in Muslim areas in Batticaloa district to join in a shut down Tuesday, demanding the immediate release of a Muslim trader abducted Wednesday in Chiththaandi area, allegedly by a Tamil paramilitary group. The Federation has also released a hand-bill titled, 'Let us safeguard Tamil-Muslim ties,' sources in Batticaloa said.
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Implement even-handed approach, Netherlands politician urges EU, India, US

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 November 2007, 20:46 GMT]
Paul Willms, ex-MP from the Third Chamber of The Netherlands, in a statement issued on Sunday, said the killing of Mr. S.P Thamilchelvan was a provocative act by the Sri Lankan government, and urged the International Community to put in place sanctions on the government of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka for failing to deliver a reasonable proposal to meet the legitimate political aspiration of the Tamil community for three decades, and to improve the deteriorating human rights record.
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Loss of Thamilchelvan, a consequence of International injustice says Poddu Ammaan

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 November 2007, 17:13 GMT]
"We tried our best to convince the International Community of our grievances. We are a small nation, struggling all alone to uphold our rights. But the International Community in an uneven judgement in applying its norms, scaled us with Sri Lankan government abounding with military and economic resources. The scale was not fair. The price we paid for the International Injustice is the life of Thamilchelvan," said Poddu Ammaan, the intelligence wing chief of the Liberation Tigers, in the obituary address of the funeral of Brigadier S.P. Thamilchelvan held in Ki'linochchi on Monday.
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Kanimozhi Karunanidhi: Slaying of Thamilchelvan against the norms of war

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 November 2007, 17:05 GMT]
Thamilchelvan's killing was against the norms of conventional warfare, said Kanimohzi Karunanidhi, the daughter of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi and a Member of Indian Parliament when speaking at a meeting in Thiruvaroor in Tamil Nadu, condemning the killing of the political leader and negotiator of Eelam Tamils, media sources in Chennai said, on Monday.
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Paramilitary member shot dead in Ea'raavoor

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 November 2007, 16:44 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen invading into Chavukkadi refugee camp in Ea'raavoor police division Sunday around 7:30 p.m, shot dead a member of TMVP paramilitary with a pistol and escaped from the site, Ea'raavoor police said. The victim worked in TMVP paramiltary's Chengkaladi office.
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Thamilchelvan killing, a barbaric act- Australian Tamils

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 November 2007, 15:45 GMT]
Australian Federation of Tamil Associations (AFTA), in a media release issued Monday, condemned in the "strongest possible terms, the brutal assassination of the Political Wing leader and the Chief Negotiator of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam by the Sri Lankan airforce," and said AFTA "salutes the Tamil political leader who had won the hearts and minds of all the Tamil people, diplomats in Colombo and many other international dignitaries." AFTA appealed to the "peace loving people of the international community" to "use their influence to persuade the Sri Lankan government to stop all its indiscriminate aerial bombing of civilian targets."
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Thamilchelvan laid to rest, 25 000 attend funeral

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 November 2007, 13:38 GMT]
More than 25,000 people took part in the funeral procession of LTTE's Political Head and Chief Negotiator S.P. Thamilchelvan, despite the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir bombers circling over the Ki'linochchi town. The remains of Brigadier Thamilchelvan were taken in procession from the LTTE Peace Secretariat to Ki'linochchi Cooperative Training Hall Monday morning and kept there for the public to pay their last respects till 4:45 p.m., where Liberation Tigers Intelligence Wing Chief Pottu Amman and the new Political Head, P. Nadesan, addresed the gathering. Mr. Thamilchelvan was laid to rest at Kanakapuram Heroes Cemetery at 7:45 p.m. Monday.
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Swiss Tamils pay tribute to Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 November 2007, 11:20 GMT]
Hundreds of diaspora Tamils took part in an event to pay homage to Brigadier S. P. Thamilchelvan, the slain Political Head and Chief Negotiator of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), in Zurich in Switzerland Sunday around 2:30 p.m, organized by the Switzerland Art and Cultural Society of the Tamils in Switzerland.
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Vaiko condemns India for providing military assistance to Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 November 2007, 10:18 GMT]
Vaiko, the leader of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) in a communique issued Saturday, called upon the international community to strongly condemn the killing of Liberation Tigers Political Head S.P.Thamilchelvan who was slain in a targeted air attack in Ki'linochchi and condemned the Government of India for providing military assistance to Sri Lanka. An array of political leaders from Tamil Nadu, including K. Veeramani, Pandiyan, Ramdoss and Nedumaran have condemned the killing while Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Kalaignar Karunanidhi condoled the demise of Thamilchelvan, passing a subtle message that the Tamils of Sri Lanka haven't gone brotherless.
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American Tamils condemn killing of Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 November 2007, 02:19 GMT]
Describing the death of S.P Thamilchelvan, the political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and its chief negotiator, as "an irreparable loss to both the Tamil nation and the peace process," consortium of Tamil organizations in the U.S., in a press release issued Monday, urged the international community to "charter a new course that guarantees the basic human rights of all individuals and the equality of all nations in the island of Sri Lanka."
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Vavuniyaa Court directs SLA to assist inquiries into Thavasiku'lam killings

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 November 2007, 00:04 GMT]
Vavuniya District Court Magistrate, M. Illancheliyan issued Sunday directives to Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Commander of Vanni region and Commander of the 211st Division to assist the police in the investigation related to five youths shot and killed Saturday night at Thavasiku'lam in Vavuniyaa. The parents of the killed youths told the magistrate that there are many witnesses who saw their sons being arrested and taken by SLA troops.
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Thamilchelvan funeral Monday

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 November 2007, 23:07 GMT]
The state funeral of S. P. Thamilchelvan, the head of the Liberation Tigers’ Political Wing and the movement’s Chief Negotiator, who was killed Friday in a targeted airstrike by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) will be held in Kilinochchi Monday, LTTE officials in Vanni told TamilNet. Tens of thousands of people paid their respects Saturday and Sunday as Mr Thamilchelvan’s body was taken in procession to the twelve sectors (Koaddams) of the LTTE-administered Vanni. In a notice emailed Sunday, LTTE published an email address for condolence messages to be sent.
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Newspaper staffer abducted in Valikaamam

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 November 2007, 21:27 GMT]
A circulation staffer at the Jaffna daily, Yaazh Thinakkural, has been reported missing after taking papers for distribution from Yaazh Thinakkural office in K.K.S Road at 6:00 a.m. Sunday, his wife registered complaint at the Thellippa'lai police. The staffer is feared abducted while attending to his daily duty in Eazhaalai area where a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp is located.
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SLA gunfire injures woman in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 November 2007, 19:33 GMT]
A woman pedestrian was seriously injured when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers opened indiscriminate fire from their sentry point in Kalviangakkaadu in Jaffna district after an unidentified person lobbed a hand grenade into the sentry Sunday around 9:30 a.m, sources in Jaffna said.
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Rajapaksa to deliver budget speech on November 7

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 November 2007, 17:37 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa is to table 2008-Budget in parliament on November 07. This would be his third budget since he assumed presidency in 2005. The Appropriation Bill 2008 was tabled in parliament in the month of October. The parliament will begin the debate on the 2008 budget soon after President leaves after presenting it.
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British parliamentarian Liam Fox to visit Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 November 2007, 16:46 GMT]
British parliamentarian Liam Fox who is the shadow Defence Minister of the main opposition Conservative Party is to arrive in Sri Lanka on November 5 on a three–day tour at the invitation of the government led by President Mahinda Rajapakse. Rohitha Bogollagama, the Sri Lankan foreign minister, has extended the invitation to him, the Sunday Leader reported.
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Bauer pays tributes to Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 November 2007, 15:45 GMT]
Jon Hanssen Bauer, the Norwegian special envoy for the peace process in Sri Lanka, on Saturday paid tributes to Liberation Tigers Political Head and Chief Negotiator S. P. Thamilchelvan. Stating that Mr. Thamilchelvan's role was important not only for Norway, but also for other countries, Mr. Bauer said Thamilchelvan was a patient man in explaining the rightful demands of Tamils and he was a moderate person within the LTTE, one who sought political alternatives.
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Key paramilitary operative wounded in Claymore attack

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 November 2007, 14:51 GMT]
Seven paramilitary personnel with a key TMVP paramilitary operative, Sinnaththamby, were wounded when they were ambushed while riding in a white van at Naavaladi in Oaddamaavadi police division Sunday around 2:30 p.m. Three of the wounded, including the key operative Sinnaththamby, are in critical condition at Polannaruwa hospital, Police said.
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5 corpses of youths found in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 November 2007, 09:27 GMT]
Vavuniya police found five corpses of youths with gun shot wounds lying at Thavasiku'lam in Vavuniyaa Sunday morning and residents of the area told the police that the five youths were brought in a van to Thavasiku'lam Saturday around 10:00 p.m following which rapid gunfire was heard.
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UNP hails Thamilchelvan killing, slams LTTE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 November 2007, 21:25 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s main opposition United National Party (UNP) has hailed the killing of LTTE Political Head and Chief Negotiator, S. P. Thamilchelvan, in a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) airstrike on his official residence Friday as “a victorious moment.” Praising the Air Force, UNP spokesman Lakshman Kireiella said it was not possible to talk peace with the LTTE.
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Sri Lanka Navy arrests 97 Tamil Nadu fishermen

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 November 2007, 20:03 GMT]
Sri Lankan Navy on Friday night arrested 97 Tamil Nadu fishermen along with 17 fishing trawlers allegedly off Kankesanthurai seas, according to police sources in Jaffna. Meanwhile, thousands of fishermen in Rameasvaram and Naakappaddinam in Tamil Nadu state in India abstained from fishing Saturday demanding the state government to trace the whereabouts of the fishermen who had gone missing in the sea. This is the first time that Sri Lankan Navy has arrested a large number of Indian fishermen, sources in Jaffna said.
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'Sinhala nation has killed our dove of peace' - LTTE Leader Pirapaharan

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 November 2007, 17:08 GMT]
The Sinhala nation has taken the life of a political leader "deeply loved by the Tamil speaking world" and "greatly respected by the international community," said Velupillai Pirapaharan, the leader of Liberation Tigers, in a message to the Tamil people on Saturday, following the demise of LTTE's Political Head and Chief Negotiator, Brigadier S. P. Thamilchelvan. "I raised him as a great commander, an unparalleled political head, a diplomat who communicated with the entire world, and a skilled negotiator," Mr. Pirapaharan said. "Buried within his beautiful smile, I recognized, right from the beginning, a thousand profound meanings, his abilities, and his leadership qualities."
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UN Volunteer dies in accident with SLA vehicle

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 November 2007, 16:12 GMT]
A United Nations Volunteer (UNV) working for Colombo UN office was killed when his motorbike collided with a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) vehicle in Cinnamon Garden police area in Colombo 7 Saturday around 12:40 p.m. The victim, Roman Mirceski, is a Macedonian national, Police said.
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Youth's body with gunshot wounds recovered in Kaaththaankudi

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 November 2007, 14:30 GMT]
The body of an unidentified male civilian was recovered Saturday morning 6:30a.m. by Kaaththaankudi police in Magnsamthoduvaay , Batticaloa district, sources in Batticaloa said.
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US Senator expresses concern of Sri Lanka's rights violations

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 November 2007, 13:51 GMT]
Advocating for "international human rights field presence" in Sri Lanka, and asserting "there is no military solution to Sri Lankan conflict," the Democratic Senator from Vermont and Chairman of Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Patrick Leahy, in a statement issued at the Senate sessions on 2nd November said: " We have been increasingly concerned with reports of abuses by Sri Lankan government forces - not from the LTTE or their supporters as some have inaccurately claimed, but from the United Nations, the Department of State, and international human rights organizations."
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Thamilchelvan's assassination a major setback to Sri Lanka - NPC

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 November 2007, 13:03 GMT]
The National Peace Council (NPC), a Colombo based peace group, condemning the air attack assassination of Liberation Tigers Political Head and Chief Negotiator S.P. Thamilchelvan, Saturday said the assassination of the high profile personality, who had to walk a thin line between the LTTE's military interests and political realities, was a major setback to any possibility of a return to the negotiating table. Expressing fear of the danger of retaliation in a like or more severe manner, the NPC said it was dismayed that three decades of bitter experience has not taught the leaders of the country that the military option is a high cost and inhumane one unbefitting of a democratic society.
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Karunanidhi laments the death of Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 November 2007, 11:43 GMT]
Seen as a significant gesture, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and veteran leader of Tamils, M. Karunanidhi, condoled the demise of Thamilchelvan on Saturday. Kalaignar Karunanidhi, quite typical of his style, used the medium of poetry and pun to pass a subtle message that the Tamils of Sri Lanka haven't gone brotherless. The Chief Minister's emotion-filled condolence gains significance in the background of a prevailing impression that the government of India is fully backing the war efforts of the government of Sri Lanka aiming for a military solution to the ethnic crisis in the island.
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Thousands pay homage to slain LTTE political cadres in Vanni

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 November 2007, 09:43 GMT]
Thousands of Kilinochchi residents, and LTTE officials and cadres gathered at Ki'linochchi Cultural Hall Saturday morning to pay their last respects to the five political cadres slain along with Brigadier S. P. Tamilchelvan, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Political Head, in the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) aerial bombing on ki'linochchi Friay. Tamileelam Police Chief P. Nadesan and Senior Commander Col. Balraj paid homage at the event, sources in Ki'linochchi said.
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27 civilians arrested in Pussellawa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 November 2007, 09:00 GMT]
27 civilians were taken into custody at Pussellawa, a town in the Nuwara Eliya district in the upcountry in a cordon and search operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Army Saturday from 4 a.m. till 11 a.m. Majority of them are Tamils and residents of northeast province, civil sources said.
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Erik Solheim concerned for consequences

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 November 2007, 07:01 GMT]
Erik Solheim, the Norwegian International Development Minister and facilitator for the peace process in Sri Lanka, who was apparently uneasy over the killing of Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) Political Head S. P. Thamilchelvan, has said that he was deeply concerned about the consequences of the present escalation of war in Sri Lanka, the NTB news agency of Norway reported Friday. Characterizing the death a big loss, Mr. Erik Solheim further said that Mr. Thamilchelvan was an important contact point between the LTTE and Norway in the facilitation of the peace process.
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LTTE leader pays respects to slain political head

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 November 2007, 18:37 GMT]
Velupillai Pirapaharan, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE), paid his respects to slain Political Head and Chief Negotiator, Brigadier S. P. Thamilchelvan Friday evening.
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56 girls arrested at Galkissa

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 November 2007, 17:45 GMT]
56 girls, majority of them Tamils, were taken into custody in a combined cordon and search operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Friday morning till noon at Galkissa, a town in the Colombo district. Majority of them are residents of northeast province. Some of them are working in businesses establishments, civil sources said.
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SL Supreme Court rejects FR petition by ABC radio network

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 November 2007, 17:39 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Thursday rejected the Fundamental Rights violation petition filed by the Asia Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) news network against the suspension of broadcast by its five radio channels. The Chief Justice Sarath N.Silva presiding the two-member bench with the consent of Justice Nimal Dissanayake dismissed the FR petition at the first instant without taking it for consideration upholding two preliminary objections raised by counsel for respondents, legal sources said.
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Nadesan appointed new Political Head of the LTTE

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 November 2007, 16:10 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) leader V. Pirapaharan has appointed B. Nadesan as the new Political Head following the demise of Brigadier S.P. Thamilchelvan, according to Irasiah Ilanthiryan, LTTE's military spokesman.
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Jubilant Sri Lanka threatens to wipe Tigers out

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 November 2007, 13:27 GMT]
Hailing the Air Force bombing raid Friday which killed the Tamil Tigers chief negotiator and Political Wing head, Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan and five other LTTE officials, Sri Lankan Defence Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa said his government would kill other LTTE leaders ‘one by one’. Sources said he made his comments, quoted by Reuters, at a celebratory meeting at Temple Trees, the official residence of President Mahinda Rajapakse, who is also Mr. Gotabaya’s brother. Meanwhile, the Colombo stock market soared on news of the deaths.
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'Targeted killing of LTTE Chief Negotiator shatters hopes for peace' - TNA

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 November 2007, 11:11 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s largest Tamil political party, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Friday expressed its shock at the killing in a government airstrike of Mr S. P. Thamilchelvan the LTTE’s Chief Negotiator and head of its Political Wing and five other LTTE officials. The TNA said the targeted killing of the LTTE’s Chief Negotiator underlined President Mahinda Rajapakse’s insincerity towards a negotiated solution, the TNA also said.
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6 members of family seek refuge with HRC

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 November 2007, 10:13 GMT]
A 37-year-old father, 27-year-old mother, and four children, all girls with ages between 2 and 10, surrendered Friday at the offices of the Jaffna Human Rights Commissions seeking safety from Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and SLA-backed paramilitaries, civil sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, a 31-year old driver has been reported disappeared since Wednesday, according to complaints at the HRC offices.
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Thamilchelvan killed in SLAF air attack

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 November 2007, 07:27 GMT]
S.P. Thamilchelvan, Liberation Tigers Political Head was killed in Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) aerial bombardment Friday morning in Ki'linochchi. The Head Quarters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) in a press communique said it was conveying the loss of Brigadier Thamilchelvan with profound sadness to the people of Tamil Eelam, the Tamil Diaspora and the Global Community. The Sri Lanka Air Force attack has specifically targeted the residence of the members of the Political Division.
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Tamil detainee files FR petition in Supreme Court

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 November 2007, 02:06 GMT]
A Tamil resident of Wattala in Colombo district has filed a fundamental rights (FR) violation petition in the Sri Lanka' Supreme Court to declare that his arrest and detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) is illegal and to order his release. The petitioner Rajendran Yogaraj, 49, has cited the Director of the Terrorist Intelligence Division of the Sri Lanka Police, Defence Ministry Secretary and Attorney General as respondents.
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Supreme Court dismisses FR petitions filed by 2 Tamil women

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 November 2007, 01:35 GMT]
Three-member bench of the Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Tuesday rejected the Fundamental Rights Violation applications filed by two Tamil women being detained in remand prison since their arrest three months earlier, legal sources in Colombo said.
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Court releases four Tamil youths from Boosa camp

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 November 2007, 00:33 GMT]
The Colombo Chief Magistrate Tuesday ordered the release of four Tamil youths who had been kept in detention in Boosa camp. S.Sujevanendra and J.N.Jeyanesan were released unconditionally. Nadaraja Kamalraj and Devadas Prakash of Jaffna were released on bail with a warning that they should appear in court whenever the Court serves notices, legal sources in Colombo said.
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Pirapaharan decorates LTTE heroes of Anuradhapura

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 November 2007, 19:45 GMT]
Velupillai Pirapaharan, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE), on Thursday conferred Awards of Valour for Tiger cadres who excelled in their performance in the Anuradhapura operation against the Sri Lankan airbase. Four categories of awards, instituted for the first time, were bestowed on this occasion at a special venue organized in Vanni, in the presence of Tiger commanders and cadres, LTTE officials told TamilNet.
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Anuradhapura Magistrate orders remand for 11 Tamil civilians

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 November 2007, 19:24 GMT]
Eleven Tamil civilians including a woman arrested soon after the aerial and land attack of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on Anuradhapura airbase are being held in remand in Anuradhapura prison under heavy security. They are residents of Moothoor, Palaiyootu, Gandhi Nagar, Trincomalee and Vavuniya in the northeast provinces.
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Karuna group member shot, injured in Vaazhaichcheanai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 November 2007, 18:07 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen shot and injured Wednesday around 6:20 p.m a paramilitary member of Karuna group in Vaazhaichcheanai in Batticaloa district. The injured member was rushed to Batticaloa Teaching Hospital, Vaazhaichcheanai police said.
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25 SLA killed in Mannaar clashes - LTTE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 November 2007, 15:26 GMT]
At least 25 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and more than 60 wounded when Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) confronted the ground troops of the SLA on two fronts, at Paalaikkuzhi and at the bund of Kaddukkarai Ku'lam Thursday morning from 5:30 a.m. till 12:30 p.m., field officials of the Tigers told media in Vanni Thursday evening. Tigers said they lost seven cadres in the fighting in Mannaar. Arrangements were underway to hand over a dead body of a SLA trooper, recovered by the Tigers, after thwarting the SLA movement. The LTTE has seized four automatic rifles and ammunitions in the clearing mission, they said.
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Civilian, 6 combatants killed in Mannaar clashes

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 November 2007, 08:28 GMT]
A young mother was killed when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and Special Task Force (STF) commandos in Murungkan, opened fire from their positions around 8:30 a.m. Thursday. The SLA and the LTTE engaged in offensive operations at two different positions. At least three FDL positions of the Sri Lankan forces were destroyed. The SLA has suffered heavy casualties. Military sources put their casualty figures at 3 killed and 32 wounded. Meanwhile, Murungkan Police has handed over 3 dead bodies of LTTE female cadres to Mannaar hospital.
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Armed robberies by Karuna cadres escalate in Ea’raavoor

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 November 2007, 01:44 GMT]
A Muslim youth lodged a complaint at Ea'raavoor police station that his motor bicycle was robbed in Savukkadi area by a Karuna group member, Ea'raavoor police said. Meanwhile, in a separate incident in Kommaathu'rai, also within Ea'raavoor police division, some members of Karuna group robbed school furniture worth 4 lakhs of Rupees from Vinayagar Vidyalayam.
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Jaffna fishermen complain against SLA restriction

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 November 2007, 01:12 GMT]
Fishermen societies in Jaffna submitted Tuesday appeals complaining against severe restrictions enforced by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) on fishing in the Jaffna lagoon, to the Human Rights Commission (HRC), Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) offices in Jaffna, representatives of fishermen societies said.
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Jaffna district lawyers protest against appropriation of premises

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 November 2007, 00:58 GMT]
Jaffna district lawyers, on finding the premises allocated for their exclusive use in the newly opened Jaffna Judicial Complex being appropriated by the Judicial Administration, announced that they will boycott all judicial activities Monday if the said premises are not made available.
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Muslim trader abducted in Maavadicheanai, STF arrests youth in Ka'ruvaakearni

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 November 2007, 00:25 GMT]
Unidentified armed men way laid and abducted a Muslim trader Wednesday morning at Chanthivea'li Main Road in Vazhaichcheanai police division in Batticaloa district, Vaazhaichcheanai police said.
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