Complicit in silence- Kumar David

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 May 2008, 22:38 GMT]
Pointing out that Rajapakse regime's "human rights record renders it undeserving of a seat on the UNHR Council," Prof. Kumar David, in a column in Lakbima, notes that a more worrying side to this state of affairs is that "significant majority of Sinhalese people are willing to look aside and allow human rights violations to proliferate, so long as the victims are Tamils, or persons suspected of LTTE sympathy, or journalists who expose military setbacks and lies, or as tit-for-tat replies to LTTE bomb blasts...the complicity of silence, on the part of a people in the crimes of its regime, the decay that will eventually corrode the fabric of that whole nation will be hideous."
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Sakthi TV journalist released by CID

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 May 2008, 16:17 GMT]
The TV Journalist from Sakthi Television for Ka'luvaagnchikkudi area, Batticaola district arrested by Criminal Investigation Unit (CID) police Saturday morning was released the same afternoon 3:00 p.m., sources in Batticaloa said.
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2 killed, 8 injured in Wellawatte blast

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 May 2008, 16:13 GMT]
Two have been killed and more than 8 injured due to a grenade blast near a bus stop in Rajasinghe Mawatte on Galle Road close to Richard Peries supermarket at 9:00 p.m. Saturday night, according to Wellawatte police.
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Tamil youth shot dead in Serunuwara

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 May 2008, 12:15 GMT]
Yogarajah Kaliappu, 23, a Tamil married youth and a father of one child, was shot dead by unidentified armed persons while being warded in the Serunuwara government hospital in Trincomalee district Saturday around 1:00 p.m., civil society sources said.
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Tamil youth reported missing in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 May 2008, 11:44 GMT]
27 year old Alagiah Muthulingam, a father of two children, who left Puthukkuddiyiruppu in Mullaiththeevu district on May 12 to meet relatives in Vavuniyaa is reported missing, according to complaints lodged by his wife with the Vavuniyaa Police and the regional office of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka Friday, reports from Vavuniyaa said.
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Rajapakse leaves for Italy

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 May 2008, 11:40 GMT]
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse left Thursday to Italy to address the summit of Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) scheduled to be held on June 2 and 3 in Rome. Rajapakse is scheduled to address the summit on June 3, presidential secretariat sources said.
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16 civilians arrested in Wellawatte

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 May 2008, 11:35 GMT]


Wellawatte police arrested sixteen civilians who failed to prove their identity during a cordon and search operation conducted in the area on Thursday night. Suspects were from several parts of Northeast and upcountry, police said.
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Parliamentarian Reggie Ranatunge passes away

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 May 2008, 10:05 GMT]
Reggie Ranatunge, senior parliamentarian of the Sri Lanka's ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) passed away Saturday morning at the age of 71 after a brief illness. He is the father of Arjuna Ranatunge, former captain of the Sri Lanka Cricket team that won the World Cup in 1996 and currently a parliamentarian.
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Buddhist priest arrested with explosives in Galle

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 May 2008, 07:47 GMT]
The chief priest of a Buddhist Vihare in Baddegama police division in Galle district was arrested Thursday afternoon with a haul of explosives weighing about 60 kg on receipt of information conveyed by some members of the public. Police team recovered 43 kilos of dynamite, 223 kilos of ammonium nitrate, 22 kilos of black gun powder and 233 detonators and cash of about Rs:29,000 from the Vihare, police sources said.
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Gunmen open fire at homeguards in Moneragala

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 May 2008, 06:18 GMT]
Two Sri Lankan Civil Defence Force (CDF) carders were injured when a group of around twenty men opened fire at them at Ethimale, in Monaragala District Friday around 1.00 p.m., Police said.
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Couple, homeguard shot dead in Vilpattu

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 May 2008, 06:01 GMT]
Unidentified attackers Friday evening opened fire at villagers at Rajanganaya Zone 18, a settlement bordering Vilpattu national park in the North Central Province, killing a couple and a Civil Defence Force cadre.
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Court discharges Tamil undergraduate in Jeyaraj murder inquiry

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 May 2008, 04:37 GMT]
A twenty nine year old Tamil undergraduate arrested along with his father and mother in connection with the killing of Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle was discharged on Thursday by the Mount Lavinia Magistrate when the police informed court that they had no evidence to associate the student in the killing, legal sources in Colombo said. His mother was later granted bail. However his father is still being kept on detention orders, legal sources added.
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Colombo's contradictory positions on media freedom promotes impunity - NPC

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 May 2008, 01:30 GMT]
Urging Sri Lanka Government to adopt a unified policy on media freedom, National Peace Council (NPC) in a media release issued Friday, condemned the killing of Jaffna journalist Devakumar, and the assault of senior journalist Keith Noyahr, and expressed concern on statements by Defense Ministry officials that staff of State controlled media have no right to criticize the State armed forces. The release also reiterated NPC's concern on the "continued incarceration of senior journalist J S Tissaianayagam, whose arrest and detention now continues into its third month without charges being made against him in a court of law."
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Home guard shot dead in Seruvila

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 May 2008, 00:50 GMT]
A home guard was shot at Neelapola in Serunuwara police division in the Trincomalee district Friday night by unidentified armed persons. Seruvila division came into existence with the implementation of state aided colonization scheme by the successive governments since the independence of the country.
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28 SLA killed, 52 wounded in Mannaar, Vavuniyaa - LTTE

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 May 2008, 20:56 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) officials on Friday said they confronted Sri Lanka Army in Mannaar and Vavuniyaa fronts throughout the day thwarting the repeated attempts by the SLA to advance into LTTE territory. A ground movement by the SLA from Ma'likaiththidal towards Theanudaiyaan in Mannaar, launched at 5:30 a.m. Friday was defeated around 12:40 p.m. 25 SLA soldiers were killed when they again launched the move at 1:00 p.m. 47 SLA soldiers were wounded in the confrontation that lasted till 6:15 p.m. when the SLA was pushed back, the Tigers said. Meanwhile, 3 SLA soldiers were killed in a confrontation that lasted for 90 minutes from 4:10 p.m.
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3 SLA troops killed, 7 injured in clashes in Vavuniyaa FDL

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 May 2008, 16:52 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fighters repulsed more than eight attempts by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops to advance into LTTE held areas in Paalamoaddai and Kunchchukkulam areas in Vavuniyaa Front Defence Line (FDL) positions from Friday 3:00 a.m until evening, LTTE Vavuniyaa Field Command said. 3 SLA troops were killed and 4 seriously injured in clashes at Kunchchukku’lam between 4:00 p.m and 5:30 p.m, while 3 troops lost their legs in the combat Friday early morning at Paalamoaddai between 3:00 a.m and 3:30 a.m, the source added.
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Halo Trust staffer’s sister abducted in Maanippaay

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 May 2008, 15:48 GMT]
Unidentified persons, arriving at the house of a ‘Halo Trust’ demining Non-governmental Organization staffer in Maanippaay 23 May in a three-wheeler, forcibly abducted his sister after blind folding her and tightly binding her mouth, according to complaint lodged with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office.
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23 Muslim detainees released in Ea’ravoor

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 May 2008, 14:04 GMT]
Two of the 25 Muslims arrested and interrogated by the Sri Lanka Special Task Force (STF) following the STF firing on Muslim protesters 26 May in Ea’raavoor are continued to be held in detention while the rest have been released Thursday, sources in Ea’raavoor said.
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TMVP member injured in gun mishap in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 May 2008, 13:31 GMT]
The fire arm of a member of the paramilitary-cum-political party, Pillayan group (Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal, TMVP) accidentally went off Friday around 9:00 a.m., injuring him while he was working in the Thampaanam TMVP Office located on Badulla Road in Batticaloa district, Ka’radiyanaa’ru police said.
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3 police personnel injured in Vavuniyaa claymore attack

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 May 2008, 10:57 GMT]
Three police personnel including a sub-inspector of the Intelligence Unit of the Vavuniyaa were injured in a claymore attack Thursday morning when they were proceeding in two jeeps to conduct inquiry into the killing of a Tamil woman Mary Josephine Baskaran at Selvanahar in Checkadipulavu Wednesday night. The jeep in which the injured police personnel were traveling was damaged in the explosion, reports said.
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Vavuniyaa Court directs army, police to trace missing civilian

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 May 2008, 03:54 GMT]
Vavuniyaa District Judge and Magistrate M.Ilanchelziayan Thursday directed the Officer Commanding of 211 Division of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Senior Superintendent of Police to take appropriate steps to trace the missing person Sivalingam Sivananthan, legal sources in Vavuniyaa said. According to complaints lodged with the Vavuniyaa Police and magistrate court by the victim's relatives, Sivananthan had been abducted by groups of persons who arrived in auto and motor bikes while he was waiting at Poonthoddam junction in Vavuniya on May 19 Monday night, reports said.
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Sixth civilian dies in shelling after LTTE raid

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 May 2008, 17:13 GMT]
The husband of the woman and the father of two sons killed in Thursday early morning shelling launched on the coastal villages of Jaffna, succumbed to his wounds in Jaffna Teaching Hospital Thursday afternoon. The number of casualties in the shelling has risen to six with his death.
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Labourer shot dead in Point Pedro after SLA interrogation

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 May 2008, 16:47 GMT]
Two unidentified armed men on motorcycle following a labourer, returning home after being interrogated at the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp in Point Pedro, shot and killed him Thursday morning on Point Pedro-Chaavakachcheari road, 200 m from Manthikai hospital, sources in Point Pedro said. SLA troops had confiscated his National Identity Card (NIC) Wednesday in Point Pedro and had asked him to report at the SLA camp for interrogation Thursday morning, sources added.
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Court denies bail for journalist Tissanayagam

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 May 2008, 11:14 GMT]
Journalist J.S.Tissanayagam, Vettivel Yaseeharan and Vadivel Valarmathi were produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate Nishantha Kapuarachchi Wednesday for the first time after their arrest. They were ordered further detention with the Terrorist Investigation Unit (TID) till June 6 on an application made the TID that the inquiry conducted so far against the suspects had revealed that the suspects were involved in LTTE activities and that the TID needed more time to conduct further investigations, legal sources said.
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Tamil woman shot dead in Chelvanakar

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 May 2008, 11:10 GMT]
Fifty year-old Tamil woman was shot dead by unidentified armed persons on Wednesday night in Chelvanakar in Vavuniyaa. She has been identified as Ms. Mary Baskaran. Her husband was shot dead four weeks earlier by unidentified persons, civil sources said.
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3 Tamil passengers arrested in Dickwella

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 May 2008, 11:07 GMT]
Three Tamil civilians, including two females, were arrested by police at Dickwella check point while traveling in a private bus from Colombo to Kathirkaamam Wednesday afternoon. The arrested are being held at the Dickwella police station for further inquiry.
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Tamil civilian shot dead in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 May 2008, 11:05 GMT]
A Tamil youth was shot dead by unidentified armed men in Ganesh Lane, a suburb in Trincomalee town Wednesday night around 8.40 p.m. in his house. He had been a resident of Vaazhaichcheanai in Batticaloa district and was employed as a conductor in a private sector passenger bus plying between Batticaloa-Trincomalee, civil sources said.
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Jaffna dailies face closure following slaying of Journalist

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 May 2008, 09:16 GMT]
The killing of the Jaffna correspondent of Sakthi TV Station, Paranirupasingham Thevakumar, has raised fear for their lives of the remaining journalists, the media report released Thursday by North Ceylon Journalists’ Association (NCJA) said. The dailies in Jaffna, faced with the lack of journalists and editors, are being forced to close down, the report warned.
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Compensation paid to Dehiwala bomb blast victims

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 May 2008, 05:18 GMT]
Rehabilitation and Disaster Relief Minister, Rizad Badudeen, awarded compensations to the victims in the Monday train bomb blast in Dehiwala at Kalubovila hospital Wednesday. The families of the nine killed and the 74 injured were paid compensation, sources in Colombo said.
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5 Tamils held in Dehiwala train blast

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 May 2008, 04:21 GMT]
Five Tamil civilians, including one person who returned from Canada, are being detained in Dehiwala police station in connection with the Dehiwala train blast that killed ten and injured about 70 persons. The police and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers conducted several cordon and search operations from Tuesday till Wednesday evening, detaining twenty Tamil civilians for questioning, police sources said.
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White van armed men abduct family man in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 May 2008, 03:41 GMT]
Unidentified armed men in a white van forcibly abducted Thursday morning a family man in Oaddumadam in Jaffna when he went to buy provisions in a shop near his home, according to the complaint made by his wife to Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office Thursday.
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US accused student wins top MBA award at Canadian University

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 May 2008, 01:56 GMT]
Called role model by Professors and peers, Suresh Sriskandarajah, an MBA student at Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada who is facing charges of "terrorism and links to Liberation Tigers," won a prestigious "entrepreneurial student" award which carries a monetary value of $5000. The criteria for selection includes academic performance and student need, the campus newspaper CordWeekly said.
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5 Civilians killed in shelling after LTTE raid

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 May 2008, 01:32 GMT]
Five civilians, including children and a couple, were killed and 13 persons were wounded when shells hit the coastal villages Kurunakar, Kozhumpuththu'rai, Paasaiyoor and the areas close to Jaffna Fort, Thuraiappa Stadium and the Sri Lanka Telecommunication building in the early hours of Thursday, following the LTTE raid at Chi'ruththeevu islet close to Jaffna.
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CAFFE: East elections "not Free and Fair"

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 May 2008, 01:12 GMT]
Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE), an election monitoring organization accredited under the Election Commissioner, in the final report issued this week said that during the 10 May elections the dominance of violence overtook the dominance of rule of law, and there were "gross violations of election rules," leading the CAFFE to observe that the eastern Provincial Elections were "not at all free and fair."
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SLTMA condemns assassination of Tamil Journalist

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 May 2008, 00:34 GMT]
Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance (SLTMA) in a statement issued Wednesday condemned the killing of Jaffna based journalist P.Thevakumar and his friend by armed men, and said that such killings have diminished the ability of general public to have access to information and had raised questions on media democracy.
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Sea Tigers raid SLN camp close to Jaffna city

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 May 2008, 22:02 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) Sea Tigers naval wing launched a raid in the early hours of Thursday on the Sri Lanka Navy camp located at Chi'ruththeevu islet, close to Ma'ndaitheevu island and Jaffna city, LTTE officials in Vanni told TamilNet. At least 13 Sri Lanka Navy personnel were killed and many sailors wounded in the raid carried out by a special marine wing of the Sea Tigers, the Tiger officials said adding that they have seized weapons including a 50-caliber machine gun, a mortar, two LMGs and military equipments including a radar from the strategic SLN camp situated at the islet facing Jaffna. 3 SLN bodies were also recovered by the Tigers and they identified one sailor.
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Teacher shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 May 2008, 14:57 GMT]
Unidentified armed men, following a teacher who was riding on his motorcycle towards Jaffna Railway Station through a small lane near Aariyaku’lam in Jaffna town, gunned him down Wednesday around 1:00 p.m and escaped from the area, sources in Jaffna said. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops were present only hundred meters at the main base of SLA 512 Division.
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Journalist slain in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 May 2008, 14:29 GMT]
Jaffna correspondent of Sakthi TV station, Paranirupasingam Thevakumar, 34, was abducted while he was returning to his residence in Vaddukkoaddai and hacked to death in Kaakkaitheevu, a barren land, Wednesday around 4:00 p.m., initial reports from Jaffna said. A friend of him was seriously injured and succumbed to the injuries at Jaffna hospital.
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Gotabhaya 'warns' activists of state-owned media

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 May 2008, 11:52 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Defence Secretary and the brother of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday invited two media activists Poddala Jayantha of Working Journalists' Association and Sanath Balasooriya, the secretary of the organization, both employed in the state-owned Lake House, and had cautioned them that their activities are bringing disrepute to State armed forces, and that the Government will not bear responsibility if any harm befalls on them from 'patriotic citizens' who support the military, informed sources from Colombo said. on Wednesday, SL Minister Keheliya Rambukwella confimed the meeting and reiterated that state employees should abide by rules of their employer organization.
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Five suspects discharged in Kadirgamar murder case

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 May 2008, 11:33 GMT]
The Colombo Chief Magistrate, Nishantha Kapuarachchi, discharged the five suspects arrested and remanded in connection with the murder of Lakshman Kadirgamar, former Foreign Minister on 12th August 2005 in Colombo, legal sources in Colombo said. The court made the order on the instruction of the Attorney General when four of the five suspects were produced in court Monday from Welikada prison.
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Disarm Pillaiyan group- NMC

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 May 2008, 11:31 GMT]
The National Muslim Council (NMC) in a statement to media said Pillaiyan group should be first disarmed to create normalcy in the east. The Sri Lanka government has not been taking any concrete steps to stop killings and abduction of Muslims by Pillaiyan group, NMC accused.
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JVP to launch trade union action next month

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 May 2008, 11:29 GMT]
The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) at its fifth national convention held in Colombo Tuesday declared that its trade unions would launch a struggle demanding salary increase to public and private sector employees from the month of June. Parliamentarian K.D.Lal Kantha, the leader of the National Trade Union Federation of the JVP trade unions, said at the convention that people had been suffering immensely due to the increase of food and other essential items.
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Youth shot dead in Nelukulam identified

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 May 2008, 11:27 GMT]
A youth shot dead at Nelukulam in Vavuniyaa on Monday has been identified as S.Mohamed Ali, 24, of Matheena Nagar in Maha Irrambaikullam. His hands were tied and blindfolded with gunshot injuries on his head when his body was recovered Tuesday morning by the police near Nelukulam Kalaimagal Vidiyalayam, reports from Vavuniyaa said.
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300 families displaced in Ea'raavoor

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 May 2008, 10:32 GMT]
More than 300 families have temporarily displaced from the Tami - Musim border villages in Ea'raavoor. Although normalcy is returning, tension prevails in the border villages and the Sri Lankan armed forces are deployed along the main road and the traffic was restored, according to the Police. Several Tamil families who have sought refuge at Thannaamunai Church are yet to return. The Church was assisting the displaced families and there has been no government assistance, the refugees complained.
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Tamil lodge owner shot dead in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 May 2008, 23:14 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen riding a motorbike shot dead a lodge owner in Kathireasan Road in Pettah, Colombo, Tuesday at 8:30 p.m., sources in Colombo said. The victim was standing in front of the lodge facing the road when the gunmen fired at him.
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Restrictions imposed on foot pilgrimage to Kathirkaamam Murugan Temple

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 May 2008, 21:23 GMT]
Religious institutions and volunteer organizations will not be allowed to provide water, food and medical facilities to devotees who enter Yala sanctuary in their final phase of foot pilgrimage through villages in eastern province to attend Murugan temple festival in Kathirkaamam this year, civil society sources said. Government security forces are to escort the devotees from the entrance of the Yala sanctuary to the Murugan Temple. Security forces will also monitor the activities of the devotees and ensure their security when they walk through the Yala National Sanctuary, sources added.
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2 seek protection with HRC, laborer reported missing in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 May 2008, 18:01 GMT]
A shop assistant from Thenmaraadchi and a family man from Kuppi’laan sought protection with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office Tuesday due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries, HRC Investigation Officer said. Meanwhile, a laborer from Sarasaalai in Thenmaraadchi has been reported missing since Sunday, after having left home for work, according to complaint made by his family members to HRC Jaffna.
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JVP appoints new parliamentary group leader, propaganda secretary

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 May 2008, 17:09 GMT]
The Central Working Committee of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Tuesday appointed parliamentarian Vijitha Herat as the Propaganda Secretary of the Janatha Vimukthi and Anura Kumara Dissanayake as the parliamentary group leader of the party. Both positions were earlier held by Wimal Weerawanse before the split of the JVP. The new appointments to the party hierarchy were later ratified by the fifth national convention of the JVP held Tuesday at Sugathathasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo, political sources said.
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SLA soldier injured in grenade attack in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 May 2008, 14:09 GMT]
Unidentified persons lobbed a hand grenade Monday around 7:00 p.m on a major Sri Lanka Army (SLA) sentry post located at Hospital Road-Temple Road junction, seriously injuring a SLA soldier.
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Curfew extended in Ea'raavoor

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 May 2008, 12:56 GMT]
The curfew imposed in Ea'raavoor from Monday afternoon till Tuesday morning has been extended further from 10:00 am Tuesday until Wednesday 5:00 a.m. due to the continuing tension in the area, Batticaloa district police said
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STF interrogates 25 Ea'raavoor Muslims, curfew extended

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 May 2008, 10:44 GMT]
25 Muslim youths were arrested and interrogated by the STF after the elite commando unit opened fire on the protesters, killing a mother and wounding a youth, on Monday at Ea'raavoor. Two policemen were wounded in the episode, Police said stating that the STF opened fire only after they were shot by armed men among the protesters. Meanwhile, Muslim representatives alleged that at least 14 of the arrested youth have been subjected to torture as the police was attempting to get forced written statements from the youth.
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Fishing ban in Trinco harbor due to LTTE infiltration-Minister

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 May 2008, 10:38 GMT]
Minister of Fisheries Neomal Fernando Tuesday said that the ban on fishing in Trincomalee Harbour area has been imposed on confirmed reports that LTTE cadres had infiltrated. This has come to light with the sinking of a vessel belonged to the Sri Lanka Navy on May 10, according to reports from Colombo.
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Intelligence official shoots dead 2 policemen, attempts suicide

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 May 2008, 08:52 GMT]
An intelligence official at Maha Oya police station in Ampaa'rai district shot and killed two policemen Tuesday around 8:50 a.m in his office with his pistol and then tried shoot himself to death, Mahaoya police said. Fellow police officers prevented the intelligence official from killing himself and had him admitted to Kandy hospital. Maha Oya is situated 44 km northwest of Ampaa'rai town.
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Police arrests Jaffna youth in Dehiwela bombing

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 May 2008, 02:40 GMT]
One Jaffna Tamil youth was arrested Monday evening in connection with the Dehiwala train bomb attack, and several others have been taken in for questioning, reports from Colombo said. The Jaffna youth arrested is now being interrogated by the Terrorist Intelligence Division, reports added.
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Fein: Hold referendum to test support for Tamil Statehood

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2008, 18:15 GMT]
Bruce Fein, Attorney for a US-based Tamil Activist Group, in responding to a statement by Ambassador Robert Blake to Sunday Observer saying that from his discussions with Tamils he knows that "over 95 percent of them [Tamils] support a solution within a framework of a united Sri Lanka," challenged the Ambassador to hold a referendum to prove his assertion of percentage Tamil support, and added that "[i]f statehood prevails, the Ambassador should be the first to concede Prabhakaran’s superiority in discerning the political aspirations of the Tamil people."
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Court suspends distribution of tsunami houses to Ampaa'rai Muslims

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2008, 16:05 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Monday issued interim injunction stopping the distribution of three hundred houses constructed in Deegavapi area in Ampaa'rai district for tsunami affected Muslim families affected tsunami until the inquiry into the petition filed by the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) parliamentary group leader Venerable Ellawela Methanananda Thera and six others from Deegavapi Buddhist Restoration Association is completed, legal sources said.
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Moothoor fishermen protest against fishing ban

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2008, 15:57 GMT]
Fishermen of Moothoor town and its suburbs Monday held a demonstration in front of the office of the Moothoor Divisional Secretariat against the restriction imposed on fishing in south of Trincomalee harbor. The protesters handed over a memorandum to the Divisional Secretary to take immediate steps to lift the restriction, Moothoor sources said.
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Severe rice, sugar shortage hits Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2008, 15:33 GMT]
Residents of Jaffna peninsula are experiencing acute shortage of rice and sugar as stocks of these essential food items have dwindled in shops and co-operative retail stores despite Jaffna Government Agent’s (GA) assertion that Jaffna peninsula has enough stocks to last three months, civil society sources in Jaffna said. Trade society representatives in Jaffna said that the ineffective handling by the Jaffna Secretariat officials to facilitate shipments through Commissioner of Essential Services (CES) in Colombo, was the main reason for the shortage.
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STF opens fire on Muslim protestors, mother killed, youth wounded

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2008, 15:17 GMT]
Sri Lanka Special Task Force (STF) commandos in Ea'raavor opened fire on Muslim civilians who protested against the abduction of two Muslim youths by the TMVP paramilitary by blocking the Vaazhaichcheani Batticaloa main road Monday around 5:00 p.m., killing a mother and wounding a 24-year-old youth, according to initial reports. The protests intensified as another Muslim from Ea'raavoor, was abducted Monday by the paramilitary and subjected to torture inside a Coconut farm in Thannaamunai. He was freed by the Sri Lankan forces. Around 300 families of both the communities have displaced from the border areas. A police curfew was imposed at 6:00 p.m.
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IDP youth abducted in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2008, 12:24 GMT]
Unidentified men operating from a white van abducted a youth residing in a refugee camp located in Saththurkko’ndaan within Batticaloa police division first week of May, the victim’s relatives stated in a complaint lodged at the offices of Human Rights Commission (HRC) and International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), sources said.
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Women Tigers documentary producers win award for new film

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2008, 12:22 GMT]
Sabiha Sumar's "Dinner with the President: A Nation's Journey," which she made with her husband, political columnist Sachithanandam Sathananthan, won the highest award in the international documentary competition in the United Arab Emirates on Friday. Sri Lanka born Dr Sathananthan, currently in self-exile in India, and his Pakistani wife Sabiha Sumar, produced a 1996 documentary "Suicide Warriors" based on the lives of women cadre amongst the LTTE's women's brigade, some of whom belong to the elite Black Tigers.
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Bomb blast inside train, 9 killed, 70 wounded

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2008, 11:54 GMT]
Nine civilian commuters were killed and more than 70 wounded in a bomb blast around 4:45 p.m. Monday at Dehiwela railway station in Colombo inside a packed compartment of a train bound from Maradana to Panandura. A parcel bomb has went off inside the 5th compartment of the train, according to the police. The attack comes in the wake of the detection and deactivation of powerful bombs in two separate incidents on Saturday.
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Third member of same family abducted in Vadamarraadchi

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2008, 11:53 GMT]
Unidentified armed men in a white van forcibly abducted Thursday the 19-year-old son of the couple who were abducted 14 May during curfew hours from their house in Karaveddi West in Vadamaraadchi following the large scale cordon and search operation conducted in Vadamaraadchi by Sri Lanka Army (SLA), according to the complaint made Monday by the relatives of the abductees to Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office.
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Abductees not released, Ea’raavoor shut down continues

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2008, 10:14 GMT]
The general shut down observed in the Muslim town Ea’ravvor in Batticaloa district demanding the release of the two Muslims abducted Thursday allegedly by TMVP Pillayan paramilitary group continued Monday with all shops, schools, banks, public and private institutions closed, sources in Ea’raavoor said. Though TMVP had promised to release the abductees earlier, they have not been released, Eastern Province Council member and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Eastern Province President, Baseer Seku Dawood, said.
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Wikramanayaka stops one-day service to obtain NIC

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2008, 09:36 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayaka has directed the Commissioner of Registration of Persons to stop immediately issuing national identity card (NIC) in one-day to those who lost their NIC and make application for renewal. Prime Minister said he has issued this directive to stop undesirables using this facility to commit crime and terrorist activity, media reports said.
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Trincomalee put on red alert-EPC to meet on June 4

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2008, 09:30 GMT]
Trincomalee town and its suburb have been put on red alert with the announcement of the augural session of the newly elected East Provincial Council (EPC) which is scheduled to be held on June 4 morning. Police and SLA soldiers in large numbers have been guarding all roads lead to the area surrounding the East Chief Secretariat complex where the Assembly Hall of the EPC is located along the Inner Harbour Road which leads to the Sri Lanka Naval Headquarters, sources from east port town said. The East Chief Secretariat complex was used earlier as the North East Chief Secretariat before the de-merger of two provinces.
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14 civilians arrested in Katunayake HSZ

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2008, 09:25 GMT]
Fourteen civilians including eight women, majority of them Tamils, were taken into custody in a joint cordon and search conducted by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) and police on Sunday in the high security zone of Katunayake.
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JVP to hold national convention

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2008, 04:17 GMT]
The fifth national convention of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), third largest political party in the current parliament, is to be held Tuesday, May 27, at Sugathathasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo, political sources in Colombo said. This will be the first convention of the JVP after, party propaganda secretary, Wimal Weerawanse, split from the party and formed a new political group called National Freedom Front (NFF).
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SLAF takes control of Ki'n'niyaa security

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2008, 02:13 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) airmen are setting up new camps in Ki'n'niyaa town as the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) hands over control of security to SLAF, civil society sources in Trincomalee said. Ki'n'niyaa is the second largest town in the Trincomalee district.
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Anandalingam appointed Dean of Maryland Business School

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2008, 02:11 GMT]
Professor Anandalingam, Senior associate dean and Ralph J. Tyser Professor of Management Science in the Robert H. Smith School of Business, has been appointed dean of the school, Provost Nariman Farvardin announced this week. "Dean Anandalingam takes over the Smith School at a time when strong leadership and vision are needed to implement the university's bold new strategic plan, which charts a course for Maryland to be one of the world's best universities within 10 years," Farvardin said according to the University website.
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Ex-paramilitary shot, injured in Akkaraipattu

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 May 2008, 18:21 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen riding on a motorbike shot and seriously injured a former Muslim member of paramilitary Karuna group, Sunday around 7:10 p.m, at Fiscal Road in Akkaraipattu police division in Ampaa’rai district, sources in Ampaa'rai said.
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Ea'raavoor tense, 9 wounded, Police imposes curfew

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 May 2008, 10:46 GMT]
Muslims in Ea'raavoor on Sunday alleged that two more Muslims were abducted as they launched a shut-down protest against the paramilitary-cum-political party, the TMVP, that had promised to release two Muslims who were abducted on Thursday, when the group attacked Muslims after a key paramilitary operative of the group was gunned down in the Muslim town of Kaaththaankudi. Ea'raavor Police has clamped down a curfew from 2:00 p.m. Sunday till 5:00 a.m. Monday. Seven passengers and two conductors were wounded when Muslim youths stoned three Sri Lanka Transport Board buses in Ea'raavoor. Residents of Tamil village Iyangkea'ni in Ea'raavoor were seen fleeing.
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Pillayan group supporters attack Muslim traders in Thaazhangkudaa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 May 2008, 07:40 GMT]
Supporters of Shanthan, the key TMVP Pillayan group operative killed Thursday in Kaaththankudi, attacked Saturday around 1:00 p.m Muslim traders from Kaththaankudi at Thazhalngkuda area in Kaaththaankudi police division in Batticaloa district, sources in Batticaloa said. Meanwhile, Ea’raavoor police had chased a group of Muslim youths who tried to attack the Tamils who had gone to Ea’ravvoor for purchase provisions Saturday, the sources added. Tension prevails both in Batticaloa and Ea’raavoor following these incidents.
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Consecration of Deputy Bishop held in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 May 2008, 00:46 GMT]
The Episcopal Ordination of the Bishop-elect Msgr. Joseph Ponniah was held Saturday afternoon at St. Mary's Co-Cathedral, Batticaloa by His Lordship Most Rev. Dr. Kinglsey Swampillai, the Bishop of Trincomalee-Batticaloa, sources in Batticaloa said.
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Kaaththaankudi returns to normalcy

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 May 2008, 00:25 GMT]
The turbulent town of Kaaththaankudi in Batticaloa district is slowly returning to normalcy since the violent clashes and killings on Thursday and the business establishments and the markets in the area have once again started functioning, sources said.
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DPU attack victims laid to rest in Ki'linochchi

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 May 2008, 21:00 GMT]
The bodies of 16 civilians including 5 children, three girls and two boys, killed Friday afternoon in Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled Vanni during the claymore attack by the Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) were laid to rest Saturday afternoon 5:20 p.m. in Baarathypuram General Cemetery.
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SLA compels students, public to attend Jaffna tamasha

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 May 2008, 17:31 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) authorities summoned government officials and departmental heads to SLA Palaali Military Head Quarters, prior to the SLA organized three-day Veasak Carnival that began Friday in Jaffna Duraippaah Stadium, and directed them to compel students, traders and the public attend the above carnival, Jaffna Secretariat sources said. Students from schools in Jaffna peninsula were transported in buses to attend the carnival where all entrants were subjected to rigorous body check before entering the heavily guarded carnival grounds, sources in Jaffna said.
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JVP trade unions to ignore Rajapakse invitation

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 May 2008, 15:49 GMT]
The National Trade Union Centre (NTUC) which has the backing of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the third largest political party in the current parliament decided not to attend the conference of trade unions summoned by President Mahinda Rajapakse on Wednesday to discuss the impact of the price increase of fuel. NTUC claims that 634 JVP backed trade unions in the country are its members, political sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Abducted female students produced in Vaazhaicheanai courts

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 May 2008, 14:25 GMT]
Two teenage female students of Naamakal Viththiyaalayam, Kalkudaa in Batticaloa district, abducted early march by paramilitary operatives in white van and released on 15 May, were produced by police Friday in Vaazhaicheanai courts, legal sources in Batticaloa said.
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Court remands 3 Tamil women arrested in Puththa'lam

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 May 2008, 11:52 GMT]
Puththa'lam Magistrate Friday ordered remand till June 4 for the three Tamil women arrested in a cordon and search conducted in Selvapuram, a village in Udappu police division by the Sri Lanka Army on Tuesday. Asantha J.Jothy Fernando, 60, Josephine Kanimolzhi Fernando, 42, and Mariampillai Rita Fernando, 45, residents of Mattakuliya in Colombo were first taken in for questioning while they were staying in a house of their relative in Selvapuram.
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4 youths arrested in Gampaha

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 May 2008, 11:48 GMT]
Four youths, one Tamil and three Sinhalese, were arrested in cordon and search operations conducted in the Gampaha police division from Wednesday evening till Thursday morning around 8 a.m. Police said they were being detained and interrogated as they failed to prove their identity and to give valid reason for their visit to Gampaha from outstations, media reports said.
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Southern fishermen told to register their crafts

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 May 2008, 08:18 GMT]
Sinhalese fishermen in the south have been directed by the Department of Fisheries to register their fishing crafts before venturing in fishing. This is to enable the Sri Lanka Navy to identify illegal crafts in the southern sea to curb terrorist activity, media reports said.
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Senior U.S. Human Rights official visits Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 May 2008, 07:54 GMT]
Barks-Ruggles, a key official of the U.S. Foreign Service, who earlier served in the U.S. Embassy in Oslo, where her portfolio included peace negotiations in Sri Lanka, visited Colombo on Thursday and met with several senior government officials, political and civil society leaders to address the concerns of the U.S. and others on Human Rights and to emphasize the importance of 'continuing the dialogue' between the U.S. and Sri Lanka, which have enjoyed '60 years of unbroken friendship,' according to a press statement issued by the U.S. Embassy in Colombo Saturday.
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8 Tamil civilians arrested in Chilaapam

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 May 2008, 02:35 GMT]
Eight Tamil civilians, majority of them are from upcountry or NorthEast were taken into custody by the police in a cordon and search operation conducted from Friday night till Saturday morning in Chilaapam (Chilaw) area in northwestern province, media reports said.
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Brigadier Balraj's body laid to rest in Mu'l'liyava'lai

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 May 2008, 01:29 GMT]
The remains of Brigadier Balaraj, senior commander Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who passed away due to a sudden heart attack Tuesday, was laid to rest 6.30 pm Friday with full military honours in Mu'l'liyava'lai Heroes Cemetery the presence of thousands of public and hundreds of LTTE cadres.
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Two Muslim youths abducted in Kalladi, tension prevails in Kaaththaankudi, Aaraiyampathi

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 May 2008, 00:19 GMT]
Paramilitary personnel of Pillayan group abducted two Muslim youths Thursday afternoon 1:00 p.m. in Kalladi area, within Batticaloa police division. The victims, residents of Ea’raavoor had gone to Kalladi to pay electricity bills when they were abducted.
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Raviraj murder suspects further remanded

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2008, 22:31 GMT]
Colombo Additional Magistrate Ms Sujatha Alahaperuma Thursday ordered further remand for the two suspects in the Nadaraja Raviraj murder case till June 4th and directed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to communicate immediately with the Attorney General to find out what action they should take against the suspects, legal sources said.
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TNA condemns Mu'rika'ndi killings

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2008, 18:27 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (The Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi) in a press release issued Friday condemned the killing of civilians in Mu'rika'ndi claymeor attack, and urged the International community "to take necessary measures to insist the Sri Lankan Government to stop its terrorist attack on Tamil civilians," and to restore the normalcy by withdrawing the security forces from the NorthEast.
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Jaffna journalists donate books to persons in protective custody

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2008, 17:16 GMT]
North Ceylon Journalists Association (NCJA) officially handed over a batch of books to Government Agent (GA) Jaffna Friday to be distributed among persons placed in protective custody due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and SLA-backed paramilitaries, sources in Jaffna said. The persons in custody are held in Jaffna Prison, Kurunakar Rehabilitation Centre, and Thellippa’lai SLA Rehabilitation Camp.
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Family of 6 from Thenmaraadchi seeks protection with Jaffna HRC

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2008, 16:46 GMT]
Two parents and their four children, all below the age of seventeen, from Thenmaraadchi, sought protection Friday with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna, due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and SLA-backed paramilitaries. SLA and paramilitaries were threatening to extort money from the father who has a shop attached to his house at Kaa’li Koayilady, Meesaalai West in Thenmaraadchi, sources in Jaffna said.
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Curfew in Kaaththaankudi, Aaraiyampathi lifted

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2008, 13:39 GMT]
The curfew imposed in Kaaththaankudi and Aaraiyampathi areas in Batticaloa district Thursday, following the killings of three Muslims in revenge by paramilitary and the slaying of a key operative of the TMVP Pillayan group, was removed Friday around 6:00 a.m. Tension continues in the areas as final rites of the victims were held in their respective religious cemeteries while all shops, government and private institutions remained closed, sources in Batticaloa said.
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SLA accelerates colonization in Vaaka'rai

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2008, 13:31 GMT]
Sinhalese fishermen from Puththa'lam, Chilaapam, and other areas of the island are being brought in increasing numbers into Vaaka'rai area in Koa’ra’laippattu North, Batticaloa district by the civilian coordinator of Sri Lanka Army (SLA), residents in the area said.
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Girl, child killed in SLAF bombardment in Vadamaraadchi East

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2008, 11:34 GMT]
A 14-year-old girl and a 3-year-old child were killed when Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked a civilian settlement in at Kalpaadu in Chu'ndikku'lam 21 km northeast of Kilinochchi Friday around 2:00 p.m. A woman was wounded in the attack.
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16 civilians killed in DPU attack in Vanni, 5 children, 7 females among victims

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2008, 10:10 GMT]
16 civilians, including 5 children, three girls and two boys, were killed in a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) Claymore attack that targeted a Hiace van returning from Akkaraayan hospital to Ki'linochchi on Mu'rika'ndi - Akkaraayan Road Friday around 2:15 p.m., reports from Ki'linochchi said. The SLA on Friday stepped up DPU attacks in LTTE controlled Vanni as the region was observing a national mourning day following the demise of LTTE's Senior Commander Brigadier Balraj.
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Fisheries director killed, DPU attack targets ambulance

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2008, 04:33 GMT]
Assistant Director of Fisheries in Mannaar, J.G.Jujin and another civilian were killed when a Sri Lanka Army Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) Claymore mine targeted an ambulance of the Ki'linochchi hospital at Muzhangkaavil in Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled Vanni Friday around 8:00 a.m., initial reports said.
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Defense journalist beatenup, released

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2008, 01:14 GMT]
Keith Noyahr, Defence writer of English weekly The Nation is reported missing after he left his office at 10:30 p.m. 22nd May 2008, was later released after being severely beaten up, sources in Colombo said. He has been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital, according to reports.
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SLA extends amnesty for deserters

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 May 2008, 23:24 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has extended the amnesty period of deserters by two weeks, until May 31, reports from Colombo said. SLA had earlier announced amnesty for deserters to return to their earlier ranks from May 2 until May 12.
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Batticaloa Bishop holds meeting to defuse tension

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 May 2008, 21:39 GMT]
A special conference was held Thursday afternoon 5:00 p.m.at the residence of Batticaloa Bishop’s to ease the tension prevailing in Kaaththaankudi, Batticaloa District in the aftermath of Thursday morning shooting incidents in the area that has so far claimed the lives of five men, sources in Batticaloa said.
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Thousands pay homage to Brigadier Balraj

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 May 2008, 21:03 GMT]
Several thousand members of general public filed past the casket Wednesday morning in Mallaawi, Vanni to pay their last respects to Brigadier Balraj, a senior and a special commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who passed away Tuesday of a sudden heart attack in Vanni. Meanwhile, a number of Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir jet fighters flew over the skies in provocative act to intimidate the public Thursday afternoon.
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Family man seeks protection with Jaffna HRC

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 May 2008, 16:18 GMT]
A 35-year old mason from Urumpiraai West sought protection with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office Thursday due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries. He will be also placed in the protective custody in Jaffna Prison where nearly 300 persons are already placed in protective custody.
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Tamil woman reported missing in Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 May 2008, 15:48 GMT]
A family woman from Point Pedro in Vadamaraadchi is reported missing since Saturday when she was traveling in a bus to Negombo from Colombo, according to complaint lodged by her mother to Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna, Thursday. Meanwhile, the employees of Udupiddi Multi Purpose Co-operative Society who went on a search Wednesday to find their General Manager who was suspected abducted, at the place of abduction close to the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camps in Kalikai and Yaakkarai, said they could not find his body that was rumoured to be lying in the mangrove land near the SLA camps.
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EPDP member shot in Mannaar bazaar

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 May 2008, 14:59 GMT]
An EPDP member who was distributing the paper of the paramilitary-cum-political party, Thinamurasu, was shot and injured by unknown gunmen in Mannaar Bazaar around 5:30 p.m., police said. Civilians who fled the Bazaar as Sri Lankan forces entered attacking everyone at the place after the shooting incident said three Muslim youths were severely attacked by the military.
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Pirapaharan felicitates late Commander Balraj

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 May 2008, 13:51 GMT]
Velupillai Pirapaharan, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) in his condolence message following the demise of Brigadier Balraj, elaborated the characteristics that he admired in Brigadier Balraj as an exceptional military leader. Balraj was at the center of many of LTTE's Himalayan victories, he said and remembered him as the "heroic military leader, who trained, guided and fought with our fighting formations and conventional brigades."
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Muslims shot dead in revenge by paramilitary after the killing of key operative

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 May 2008, 10:30 GMT]
Following the killing of a key paramilitary operative Shanthan and his associate of the TMVP Pillayan Group in the Muslim town of Kaaththaankudi around 11:40 a.m. Thursday, gunmen from the paramilitary group opened fire on Muslim travelers in the pre-dominant Tamil village Aaraiyampathi, 1.5 km south of the Muslim town, killing three Muslims, Police said. Four persons, including two Sinhalese were wounded. Tension prevails in Kaaththaankudi and Araiyampathi. Sri Lankan police and Special Task Force commandos have been deployed in the area. A local curfew was imposed and additional forces were sent to the border village, Police said.
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LTTE leader pays last respects to Commander Balraj

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 May 2008, 08:50 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) Leader Velupillai Pirapaharan on Wednesday paid his last respects to Brigadier Balraj, a senior and a special commander of the LTTE, who passed away on Tuesday of a sudden heart attack in Vanni.
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5 abducted following SLA search operation in Vadamaraadchi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 May 2008, 07:18 GMT]
Five civilians including a couple have been abducted in three days last week after the large scale cordon and search operations carried out by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Vadmaraadchi, according to complaints made to Human Rights Commission Office (HRC) in Jaffna Wednesday. Four of the abductions have taken place during the early hours of the day when the SLA imposed curfew was in force, by armed men in vehicles.
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3 Tamil civilians arrested in Katugastota

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 May 2008, 02:38 GMT]
Three Tamil civilians were taken into custody in a joint cordon and search operation conducted by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police in Katugastota in Kandy district Wednesday following the explosion of a bomb hidden under a bridge along Kandy-Matale rail track Tuesday night around 11:00 p.m., sources in Colombo said.
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Sri Lanka loses race for HRC seat

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 May 2008, 17:05 GMT]
Sri Lanka, which was backed by India, China and reportedly also by Japan, has lost in the race in getting re-elected to the seat of the 47-member UN Human Rights Council. Sri Lanka received 101 votes and ranked 5th among the six Asian countries vying for four seats in the secret ballot of the U.N. General Assembly held in New York on Wednesday.
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Asian rights offenders fight for UN seats

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 May 2008, 14:50 GMT]
In what is viewed as the most significant contest, six Asian nations, Japan, South Korea, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bahrain and East Timor, are vying for four seats in the UN Human Rights Council where the secret ballot to select the members is being held today. Only Japan and South Korea are designated as "free" by the NGO Freedom House, based on the past voting record and the history of adherence to human rights principles, so the outcome of the Asian race is the one with the most potential to change the council's overall composition, reports said.
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Justice Ministry Secretary visits Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 May 2008, 14:23 GMT]
Secretary to Sri Lanka Ministry of Justice and the Director for Rehabilitation, from Colombo arrived at Palaali Military Airport Wednesday morning and returned in the evening, sources in Jaffna said. The Secretary inspected Jaffna Prison where nearly 300 hundred persons are placed in protest custody due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries, and also other places related to the welfare of the inmates. Although the Director was expected to inspect the proposed Rehabilitation Centre at Kaarainakar held in Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) control, the plan was cancelled due to undisclosed reasons.
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Explosion disrupts Kandy-Matale train service

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 May 2008, 06:20 GMT]
The train service between Kandy and Matale was disrupted after a bomb placed under a bridge connecting the rail track in Katugastota exploded Tuesday night. Police sources said there were no casualties as there was no movement of train on the track at that time of explosion. But an inquiry is being conducted to assess the damage caused to rail track.
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Police officer shot dead in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 May 2008, 00:05 GMT]
An unidentified lone gunman shot and killed a policeman returning to his quarters at Batticaloa Police station at the end of his shift duty Tuesday afternoon at 6:15 p.m., sources in Batticaloa said.
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Five EPDP cadres injured in TMVP attack in Vaazhaichcheanai

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2008, 23:35 GMT]
A group of operatives belonging to the paramilitary-cum-political party, the Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) armed with swords and machetes, attacked and seriously wounded five members of Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) Monday might 9:30p.m. in Vaazhaichcheanai outside the Pentecostal church, sources in Batticaloa said.
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International Law, Human Rights will salute Tamil Statehood- Fein

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2008, 21:52 GMT]
Quoting the words in the American declaration of Independence, “[b]ut when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce [a people] under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security,” Bruce Fein, Washington-based attorney for a Tamil Activist Group, and Chairman of the American Freedom Agenda, said Tuesday that Tamil Statehood is the immediate answer to save innocent lives, and that “[a]n international consensus on statehood would bring the war to a close, as it did in Kosovo.”
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STF commando killed, 4 injured, in bomb blast in Ampaa’rai

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2008, 17:57 GMT]
A hidden landmine, targeting a Special Task Force (STF) commando road patrol team, exploded Tuesday around 6:30 am in Kanchchikudichchaanaa’ru Roopasku’lam area in Poththuvil police division in Ampaa’rai district, killing one of them and seriously injuring four.
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Sri Lanka lies to UN on disppearance of upcountry youth - Ganesan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2008, 17:40 GMT]
Mano Ganesan, Leader of Western People’s Front and Convener of Civil Monitoring Commission (CMC), accused the Sri Lanka Government of lying to the United Nations Working Group of Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) when the disappearance of a 25-year old upcountry youth was raised by the WGEID based on a complaint filed by the CMC. While CMC said it had irrefutable evidence of complicity of Sri Lanka Police officials in the disappearance of the youth, Colombo has responded to the WGEID that no such person was arrested and that National Identity Card was not a valid one.
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SLA arrests 60 civilians in search operation in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2008, 16:56 GMT]
Hundreds of civilians were brought to the streets, each of them were photographed and around 60 of them were arrested in a joint cordon and search operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Police in Mannaar from 5:30 a.m. till 1:00 p.m. Tuesday. The search operation mainly targeted housing schemes at Chaanthipuram, Periyakamam, Pa'l'limunai, and Na'lavanvaadi, sources in Mannaar said. The SLA has used masked men in the operation.
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Brigadier Balraj passes away - LTTE

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2008, 15:32 GMT]
Brigadier Balraj, a senior and a special commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE), passed away Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. of a sudden heart attack in Vanni, LTTE's Head Quarters said. Brigadier Balraj was the first commander of the LTTE's conventional fighting formation, Charles Antony Brigade, established in 1991 and he served as a key commander in LTTE's major operations, including the LTTE operation on the SLA garrison in Elephant Pass in year 2000. The LTTE leadership has announced national mourning for three days on 21, 22 and 23rd of May.
Full story >>

Cooperative store owner abducted in Vadamaraadchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2008, 11:33 GMT]
Owner of a co-operative store in Udupiddi in Vadamaraadchy was abducted by unidentified men arriving in a white van Saturday at 8:45 a.m. according to a complaint filed by his relatives with the offices of Jaffna Human Rights Commission (JHRC), an official at JHRC, Mr S Sivarajah said.
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USAID reconstructs milk chilling facility in Vellave'li, Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2008, 10:52 GMT]
A high-ranking official from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) inaugurated on Tuesday a milk chilling center in Vellave'li, Batticaloa, on the site where the original structure was completely destroyed in 1990, according to a press statement issued by the Embassy of the United States of America in Colombo. Through a grant to international NGO World Concern and in partnership with Milco Private Ltd., the USAID constructed 40 cattle sheds and five milk collection points, provided 300 milk cans and trained 160 farmers in feeding technologies, animal health and business planning. In all, nearly 2,000 households in the area have benefited.
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Third nobel laureate opposes Sri Lanka's bid to UN Rights Council

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2008, 10:52 GMT]
Following objections filed by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, and South African Archbishop of Cape Town, Desmond Tutu, against selection of Sri Lanka to U.N.'s Human Rights Council, a third nobel peace laureate, Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, from Argentina, in a commentary published by Página 12 in Buenos Aires, "compared the routine torture and the hundreds of 'disappearances' and extrajudicial killings committed by Sri Lankan government forces to the 'dirty wars' waged by various Latin American governments against their own citizens in the 1970s and 1980s," a press release issued by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) said.
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JVP blames Rajapakse for east crisis

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2008, 10:35 GMT]
The government led by Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse should be held responsible for the burgeoning rift between communities in the east after the Eastern Provincial Council election, the politburo of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said in a statement on the current situation in the east.
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3 policemen injured in grenade attack in Cheddikku'lam

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2008, 10:23 GMT]
The three police constables were injured when unidentified men lobbed a grenade at the police sentry located near Menik Farm in Cheddikku'lam along Mannaar-Madawachchiya road Tuesday morning around 7:45 a.m., reports from Vavuniyaa said.
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JVP to take neutral stand in East PC

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2008, 07:26 GMT]
The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said that its newly elected councilor to the East Provincial Council would function as a neutral member without supporting the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UNP) or the United National Party-Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (UNP-SLMC) combine, party sources said in Colombo.
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CVF cadre shot dead in Buttala

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2008, 04:24 GMT]
A member of the Civil Volunteer Force working with the Sri Lanka Army was shot dead by unidentified men Monday night around 10 pm along Kadirgammam-Buttala road in the southern province. The victim was on duty in a police sentry point located at 38th mile post at the time of incident, reports from Colombo said.
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SLA, Police complicit in white van abductions- SL Minister

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2008, 02:18 GMT]
"I have received information that Sri Lanka Police personnel and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were involved in several white van abductions. Reluctance of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and other law enforcement officials to take timely steps to investigate these crimes is clear evidence of widespread violations of human rights and breakdown of law and order," said Sri Lankan Deputy Minister for Vocational Training and Industrial Education, P. Rathakrishnan, during a meeting with the relatives of the disappeared held late last week at the Colombo 14 offices of the Upcountry People's Front (UPF), Tamil daily Thinakkural reported in the Sunday edition.
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"Sri Lanka will not succumb to western pressure"- Wickremanayake

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2008, 01:31 GMT]
"Western powers have been exerting pressure to Sri Lanka to start negotiation with 'terrorists' as a condition to provide economic assistance. I categorically state that Sri Lanka will not succumb to any such pressure," declared Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Sunday addressing an event to mark the release of two Sinhala translation of books on Kandahar area in Pakistan, sources in Colombo said.
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Displaced Muslim civilian abducted in Puththa'lam

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2008, 15:58 GMT]
A Muslim civilian, Mohamed Yoosuf, 60, displaced from Mannaar and being sheltered in welfare centre located in Karaitheevu in Vannaathivillu police division in Puththalam district was abducted by unidentified men in a white van Friday night, according to complaints lodged with the Vannathivilu police station.
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Large scale SLA cordon, search in Vadamaraadchi, Thenmaraadchi

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2008, 15:57 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna peninsula deployed more than a thousand soldiers in a large scale cordon and search operations Monday from dawn till 5:00 p.m in areas of Vadamaraadchi and Thenmaraadchi, civil society sources from Jaffna said. Information on anyone being arrested in the search is not known. SLA soldiers, during search in houses, took away the computers saying that the owners can come and get them after investigation from the SLA camps, according to sources.
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Kaarainakar male shot dead in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2008, 15:56 GMT]
Balakrishnan Karthigesu, 37, of Kaarainakar in Jaffna district was shot dead by unidentified men Monday afternoon around 1:30 p.m. when he was having meals in a tea boutique along Vavuniyaa –Horowopottana Road, reports from Vavuniyaa said.
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SLA re-imposes fishing ban along Northern coastal villages

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2008, 15:50 GMT]
Sri Lanka security forces stopped fishermen from going out to sea Monday after announcing earlier in the week that fishing ban that was instituted three days from Thursday to Saturday will be lifted. The sudden ban further worsenend woes of northern fishermen already reeling from the economic hardships. Fishermen were sent back from the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) checkpoints Monday when they went to present identities before venturing out to sea, Fisheries Union officials said in Point Pedro.
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Carter Center urges U.N. Assembly not to re-elect Sri Lanka to Human Rights Council

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2008, 15:30 GMT]
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter's Atlanta based Carter Center, in a statement issued on Friday has urged the U.N. General Assembly not to re-elect Sri Lanka to the Human Rights Council in the upcoming Council elections. Six countries -- Bahrain, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and Timor Leste – are competing for four open seats in the Asian Group of U.N. member states. The Carter Center urges delegations to support the candidacies of Bahrain, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, and Timor Leste because these governments have demonstrated a greater commitment than has Sri Lanka to the advancement of human rights.
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Foundation stone laid for Kaaththaankudi hospital

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2008, 13:24 GMT]
The foundation stone for the reconstruction project of district hospital in Kaaththaankudi, Batticaloa district, which was severely damaged during 2005 Tsunami, was laid Saturday jointly by Jegath Abeyasinghe, President of Sri Lanka Red Cross Society and Nimal Kumara, the secretary, sources in Batticaloa said.
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Batticaloa celebrates Vesak

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2008, 13:08 GMT]
Vesak, the holiest day in Buddhism, is celebrated this year Monday and Tuesday in Batticaloa district. The celebrations are being conducted in all the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camps, police stations and in the camps of Special Task Force (STF) in the district, sources in Batticaloa said.
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LTTE attacks SLA post in Mukamaalai, 1 SLA killed

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2008, 12:29 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) fighters on Sunday attacked a Sri Lanka Army post located in Mukamaalai Forward Defence Line of the SLA in the Northern Front, destroying the post, the Tigers said. One SLA soldier was killed and 8 wounded in the attack.
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Hisbulla supporters assault senior journalist in Kaaththaankudi

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2008, 12:15 GMT]
Supporters of M.L.A.M. Hisbulla, the successful United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA) candidate in Eastern Provincial Council, (EPC) assaulted the senior journalist T. L. Jawferkan and another journalist at Hisbulla’s Kaaththaankudi office Monday around 1:15 p.m, seriously injuring Jawferkan who was rushed to Kaaththaankudi hospital, sources in Kaaththaankudi said.
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Tigers locate 6 SLA bodies, seize weapons, heavy fighting in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2008, 05:35 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) on Sunday thwarted a ground movement launched by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) from Irungka'ndalku'lam towards Va'n'naaku'lam in Mannaar claiming that at least 26 SLA soldiers were killed in the fighting and that more than 50 SLA soldiers were wounded. The Tigers have located 6 dead bodies of the SLA soldiers in the clearing mission. Two Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) launchers and six T-56 assault rifles were among the weapons seized by the Tigers. Three Tiger fighters were killed in action, according to the LTTE officials in Vanni.
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Torture victims in Jaffna peninsula lack adequate treatment

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2008, 03:02 GMT]
Medical specialists and representatives related to the treatment of victims of torture in Jaffna peninsula who convened Friday at Thellippa’lai hospital, decided to request the medical authorities and International organizations for help in providing adequate psychological cure and follow-up treatment that are lacking in Jaffna peninsula. Security forces and Police are alleged to subject victims after arrest or abductions to severe torture before release, health officers said.
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Hand grenade lobbed at the house of UNP candidate in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2008, 02:21 GMT]
Unidentified men lobbed two hand grenades Sunday night about 8:30 p.m. in Kalkudaa, Batticaloa district targeting the residence of Arumugam Jeagan who contested on behalf of United National Party (UNP) during the recently concluded Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) Elections, Kalkudaa police said.
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EPC councillor Maunagurusami quits politics

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2008, 01:17 GMT]
Former Batticaloa District Secretary and Government Agent P. Maunagurusami of Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) recently appointed by the Elections Commissioner for one the bonus seats in Eastern Provincial Council (EPC), announced Saturday that he was quitting politics.
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IGP Victor Perera to retire next month

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 May 2008, 18:10 GMT]
Victor Perera, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) is to retire by the end of June. He has sent in his retirement papers to the National Police Commission for approval, reports from Colombo said.
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Vavuniyaa Court directs SLA to arrest abductors

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 May 2008, 17:42 GMT]
Vavuniyaa Magistrate M.Ilancheliyzan Friday directed the Commanding Officer of the Veappangku'lam detachment of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) to arrest the members of a gang who have allegedly abducted a Tamil trader on Tuesday from his residence in Veappangku'lam. The Magistrate summoned Colonel Perera, Commanding Officer to court and issued the directive on a written complaint made by the wife of the trader to court, legal sources said.
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Police officer demands ransom from fishermen in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 May 2008, 15:02 GMT]
A Sri Lankan Chief Inspector of Police who is serving as Officer-In-Charge of the Police (OIC) of the police post in Peasaalai in the island of Mannaar, has been demanding ransom from the fishermen of Peasaalai during the recent days, according to religious leaders in Mannaar. The OIC has gone door-to-door in certain areas of the village, demanding ransom ranging from SLR 20,000 to 500,000. The police officer has accused the fishermen of transporting 'banned goods' to LTTE controlled areas from Mannaar and warned them that they would be spared from charges of 'assisting terrorism,' only if they heeded to his ransom demand on time.
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Fishing restriction re-imposed in Moothoor, Trincomalee Sea

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 May 2008, 14:34 GMT]
The fishing restriction relaxed about ten days before the east provincial council election held on Monday 10 and has been re-imposed from May 11. Officials of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN)manning the jetties in Trincomalee Harbour have told fishermen that SLN will not allow fishing due to "orders from the higher-ups".
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15 civilians arrested in Kandy

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 May 2008, 14:33 GMT]
Fifteen civilians from all three communities were taken into custody on Saturday in Kandy town in a cordon and search operation conducted by the police with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA). They had been employed in several business establishments within the municipal limit of Kandy, media sources said.
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Security tightened in Colombo during Vesak celebration

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 May 2008, 11:16 GMT]
Areas where pandals and lantern erected to mark the Vesak Day celebrations are located in Colombo city have been declared high security zone by the Police from Sunday. Members of public visit these areas are being subjected to severe body checks before entering the area for sightseeing, media sources said.
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Police arrest suspects in three-wheeler driver killing

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 May 2008, 00:34 GMT]
Akkaraippattu police arrested Friday afternoon three suspects alleged to have been involved in the killing of a Muslim person, the driver of a three-wheeler beaten to death Thursday night at Periyavaaykkaal in Aalangku'lam, a Tamil area in Akkaraippattu police division. All three suspects involved in the killing of Akbar Miller, 27, are Muslim youths, Police said.
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2 Tamil civilians abducted in Bambalapitiya, Puththa'lam

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 May 2008, 18:47 GMT]
A Tamil youth was abducted from his house located along Milagiriya Street in Bambalapitya in Colombo Friday night around 10:00 p.m. The victim is a native of Batticaloa and had been temporarily staying in Bambalapitya, according to complaints lodged with the Bambalapitya Police by his relatives.
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PLOTE cadre shot, injured in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 May 2008, 18:45 GMT]
A member of the Peoples Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) was shot and injured Friday morning in front of Uma Maheswaran mausoleum located in Koayilku'lam in Vavuniyaa town. The injured has been identified as Varan, reports from Vavuniyaa said.
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Kaaththaankudi shuts down in support of Hizbullah

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 May 2008, 10:29 GMT]
Muslims in Kaaththaankudi on Saturday observed a protest shut down against the decision by the Sri Lanka's president Mahinda Rajapaksa in appointing the chief minister for the Eastern Province. Shops were shut down and mosques remained closed expressing support for M.L.A.M. Hizbullah, the Muslim candidate for the Chief Minister portfolio, despite requests to keep the mosques open for prayers. Meanwhile, at least 8 Muslim persons were attacked by Pillayan group paramilitary personnel, sources in Batticaloa said.
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17 civilians wounded in grenade explosion in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 May 2008, 07:24 GMT]
Seventeen civilians were wounded in a hand grenade explosion on Bazar Street in Vavuniyaa around 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Three of the victims were children and 6 females, medical sources said.
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Decomposed male corpse washed ashore in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 May 2008, 04:34 GMT]
The corpse of a male in highly decomposed state washed ashore Thursday in Kayts, an islet of Jaffna. Kayts magistrate visited the scene and directed Kayts police to hand over the corpse to Jaffna Teaching hospital mortuary to be identified.
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Torture of Boosa Tamil detainees alleged

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2008, 17:36 GMT]
Colombo High Court Judge Wednesday directed the prison authorities to produce three of the four Tamil suspects in Chandrika Kumaratunga attempted murder case before Colombo Judicial Medical Officer for medical examination when their lawyers submitted to court that they were subjected to torture and inhuman treatment by police officials in Boosa detention camp, legal sources said.
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2 Muslim youths arrested in Matara

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2008, 17:33 GMT]
Matara Police Wednesday night arrested two Muslim youths who are residents of Sammanthurai in eastern province. They are being detained until Sammanthurai police verifies their background and the authenticity of their identity cards, police sources said.
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JHU files court action against giving 300 tsunami houses to Muslims

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2008, 17:28 GMT]
A petition seeking interim order to stop the distribution of three hundred houses constructed in Deegavapi area in Ampaarai for tsunami affected Muslim families has been filed in the Supreme Court by Venerable Ellawela Methanananda Thera , a parliamentarian of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and six others from the Deegavapi Restoration Association, legal sources in Ampaarai said. The houses have been constructed by the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) under the tsunami rehabilitation project.
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5 Tamils arrested in Minuwangoda

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2008, 17:25 GMT]
Five Tamil youths taken into custody in a cordon and search operation conducted in Minuwangoda Monday from dusk to dawn are still being detained in the police station and being interrogated, media sources said. The arrested youths are residents of other districts, and were visiting Minuwangoda when they were detained.
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Pillayan sworn in as CM for Eastern Province

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2008, 14:16 GMT]
Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan, the de-facto leader of the paramilitary-cum-political party, the TMVP, was sworn in as the Chief Minister for Eastern Province as M.L.A.M Hisbullah, who was competing with Chandrakanthan for the CM post, announced that he and two of his elected associates had decided to function separately. Mr. Hizbullah, who claimed that the swearing-in was unconstitutional boycotted the swearing-in ceremony which took place at the Sri Lankan Presidential Secretariat around 6:30 p.m. in front of the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
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'India gives full blessings to eliminate LTTE,' says SL Prime Minister

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2008, 11:50 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka, in a special interview to Thinakkural, a Colombo based Tamil daily, on Friday, claimed that the Indian government had given "full blessings" to the government of Mahinda Rajapaksa to "eliminate the LTTE." Mr. Wickramanayaka further proclaimed that there was no "ethnic conflict" in Sri Lanka. "The LTTE should lay their arms down if they want peace talks. We are not prepared for talks with them in the meantime," he further said.
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ICRC receives dead body of LTTE cadre in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2008, 11:02 GMT]
The ICRC on Friday received a dead body of an LTTE cadre from Mannaar hospital to be transported to LTTE controlled area after Mannaar magistrate's inspection, Police said.
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Family man reported missing in Peasaalai, Mannaar

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2008, 10:52 GMT]
Armed men riding in a white colour van, on Thursday abducted a 34-year-old Tamil civilian, T.M. Francis, at Nadukkudaa in Peasaalai around 3:25 p.m., according a complaint made by the relatives of the missing person, who is a family man.
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SL Police Sergeant shot dead in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2008, 10:39 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Police Sergeant was shot and killed while he was engaged in duty inside his Sector 08 in Murungkan in Mannaar district Friday around 10:30 a.m., Police said.
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Muslim three-wheeler driver beaten to death in Akkaraippattu

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2008, 10:00 GMT]
Police in Akkaraippattu Friday morning recovered the dead body of a 27-year-old Muslim person, beaten to death at Periyavaaykkaal in Aalangku'lam, a Tamil area in Akkaraippattu police division. Three persons had hired him for a three-wheeler trip, Thursday night, Police said. Tension prevailed in Aalangku'lam following the episode.
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Police constable shot dead in Kalladi, Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2008, 08:32 GMT]
Unknown gunmen riding in a motorcycle shot and killed a 32-year-old Sri Lankan Police Constable, W. Asanka, at Kalladi in Kaaththaankudi police division Friday around 10:00 a.m., Police said.
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Bomb explosion targets Police bus in Colombo, 10 killed, 95 wounded

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2008, 07:00 GMT]
A motorbike fitted with a bomb rammed into a bus carrying riot control police personnel, few hundred meters away from the Sri Lankan Presidential Secretariat, Friday noon, killing 10 persons, 7 policemen and 3 civilians, and injuring 6 Sri Lanka Army soldiers, 30 policemen and 59 civilians. The explosion has taken place on Lotus Road inside the High Security area near the Hilton Hotel. 12 wounded policemen were in critical condition, according to medical sources in Colombo hospital.
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SLA, SLN conduct joint war rehearsals in Jaffna seas

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2008, 02:25 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) sailors from Karainagar Naval base and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers stationed along the northern coastal areas, have been jointly conducting large scale war exercises in the seas off the coast of Jaffna peninsula in Valigaamam North High security Zone (HSZ) for the past few days supported by attack air crafts of Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), civil sources in Jaffna said.
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Tamil fisherman shot, killed in Kalkudaa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 May 2008, 22:05 GMT]
Unidentified armed men following a fisherman in Paddiyadichcheanai area in GTZ village of Kalkudaa within Kalkudaa police division in Batticaloa district, shot him at close range Wednesday night 9:15 p.m.and fled the scene, sources said.
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SLA cordons off, searches large areas of Vadamaraadchi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 May 2008, 21:27 GMT]
In the aftermath of the assassination of Maheswari Velautham, an advisor of Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP ) leader Douglas Devandanda at her residence at Navi'ndil near Nelliyadi in Vadamaraadchi in Jaffna Tuesday, the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers conducted a massive cordon and search operation Thursday in the vicinity of her residence.
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3 Tamil youths abducted in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 May 2008, 17:04 GMT]
Three Tamil youths were abducted by unidentified men in three separate incidents in Thampalakaamam, Kanthalaay and Thirukadaloor in Trincomalee district Wednesday night, according to complaints lodged with the police and the Trincomalee regional office of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) by their relatives.
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Tamil woman shot dead in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 May 2008, 16:56 GMT]
A Tamil woman was killed and her husband sustained serious injuries when unidentified persons fired at them when they were in their house in Kanniyaa village in Uppuve'li police division in Trincomalee district Wednesday night.
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Eastern CM swearing-in put off

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 May 2008, 13:02 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President had initially decided to appoint Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillaiyan, the de-facto leader of the paramilitary-cum-political party, the TMVP, as the Chief Minister for Eastern Province, informed sources in Colombo said. However, due to strong objection from Muslim ministers supporting M.L.A.M.Hizbulla for the post, there were discussions on the issue at Temple Trees till late Thursday evening. The swearing-in ceremony scheduled for Friday has been postponed, sources said.
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Sri Lanka not fit to be in UN Rights Council- Tutu

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 May 2008, 11:36 GMT]
"With a terrible record of torture and disappearance, Sri Lanka doesn't deserve a seat on the UN human rights council. It should be voted out," says the first black South African Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, in a comment that appeared on the daily Guardian, U.K., May 15th edition.
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19 Tamil Nadu fishermen blindfolded, attacked by SLN for 5 days

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 May 2008, 10:07 GMT]
Nineteen Indian Tamil fishermen, including two 15-year-old boys, arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy in the Historical Waters of Palk Strait last Friday were blindfolded, attacked and interrogated by the SLN for 5-days and handed over to the Police and brought to Mannaar Magistrate's Courts Thursday. T.J. Prabahkaran, the magistrate, allowed the Police application to remand the fishermen into police custody for 7 days, legal sources said.
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Two civilians reported missing in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 May 2008, 13:24 GMT]
Two daily wage workers from Murungkanpiddi in Murungkan, Mannaar, were reported missing since last Wednesday, according to a complaint lodged Tuesday with the Citizens Committee in Mannaar by the relatives of the missing.
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Remains of Maheswari Velayutham flown to Colombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 May 2008, 13:11 GMT]
The remains of Maheswari Velayutham, the advisor of EPDP leader Douglas Devananda, shot and killed Tuesday, was flown to Colombo in a special aircraft with security arrangements Wednesday around 7.30 p.m, along with her family members and relatives, sources in Jaffna said. Her remains will be interred in Borella Saiva crematorium Thursday, the sources added.
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Tamil farmer seeks protection with Jaffna HRC

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 May 2008, 10:19 GMT]
A 33-year-old farmer from Ka'l'liyangkaadu within Jaffna Municipal council area surrendered himself Tuesday at the office of Jaffna Human Rights Commission (HRC) seeking protection complaining that he has been continuously receiving death threats in the past few days. Incidents of extortion from businessmen, building contractors and traders in Jaffna peninsula have been rapidly escalating in the recent months, a spokesman for civil groups said.
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JHU opposes granting land, police powers to EPC

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 May 2008, 10:18 GMT]
The all-monks Sinhala Buddhist nationalist party, Jathika Hela Urumaya (JUH), which has 9 seats in the Sri Lankan parliament, has said that it would oppose granting "internal security and land allocation powers" to the newly elected Eastern Provincial Council (EPC). The All Party Representatives Committee (APRC) has not suggested anything about granting land and police powers to EPC at any stage, said Venerable Ellawela Methanananda Thera, leader of the JHU addressing media on Tuesday in Colombo. He added whether Pillaiyan or Hisbullah comes as chief minister, EPC should take immediate steps to "resettle all Sinhalese earlier chased out of the province."
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Pillayan group harasses TDNF supporters in Ka'luvaagnchikkudi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 May 2008, 09:38 GMT]
A group of Pillayan paramilitary personnel, led by operative Senthooran, in the days following the Eastern Provincial Council elections, entered the houses of the supporters of Tamil Democratic National Allaiance (TDNF), a Tamil alliance consisting ex-militant and paramilitary groups, in Ka'luvaagnchikkudi area, 22 km south of Batticaloa and have attacked the supporters of the TDNF, which had won a single seat in the Batticaloa district.
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No CFA in future, says Sri Lanka's PM

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 May 2008, 18:50 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government would not sign any ceasefire agreement (CFA) with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) at any stage as the time has come to wipe out terrorism from Sri Lanka completely, said Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, Sri Lanka's Prime Minister, at an event held Tuesday in Colombo.
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Upcountry Tamil youth abducted in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 May 2008, 17:49 GMT]
An upcountry Tamil youth, Selvathurai Kannan, 28, was abducted from his residence in Aattupatitheru in Colombo by unidentified armed men Saturday night, his relatives said in a complaint filed with teh Colombo police. The abductors came in a van and forcibly removed him from his house, according to complaints.
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Maheswari Velayutham shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 May 2008, 15:23 GMT]
Maheswari Velautham, an advisor of EPDP leader Douglas Devandanda, was shot and killed at her residence at Navi'ndil near Nelliyadi in Vadamaraadchi in Jaffna Tuesday around 6:30 p.m., initial reports from Jaffna said. Ms. Maheswari, whose association with Tamil militancy dates back to late 1970s, narrowly escaped from a group of Tamil prisoners who attacked Mr. Douglas Devananda when he visited Kalutara prison in June 1998 with her. She is a lawyer by profession.
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JNP to be inaugurated Wednesday

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 May 2008, 10:53 GMT]
The inaugural event of the new political party Jathika Nidahas Peramuna (JNP), formed by dissident parliamentarians of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) led by Wimal Weerawanse, is to be held in Colombo Wednesday, May 14, at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), party sources in Colombo told the media. The symbol of the new party is "Crown" and its color "Gold."
Full story >>

Tamil youth abducted in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 May 2008, 10:48 GMT]
Twenty nine year-old Tamil youth Balasingham Balamohan was abducted by unidentified persons from his house Monday night in Ve'ppankulam in Vavuniyaa, according to complaints lodged with the Vavuniyaa police by his relatives.
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8 Tamil youths arrested in Wattegama

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 May 2008, 10:46 GMT]
Eight Tamils youths were taken into custody by Sri Lanka police and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) when they conducted a cordon and search in Puthukaadu area in Wattegama police division in Kandy district Sunday night.
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Student feared abducted by SLA in Vadamaraadchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 May 2008, 09:45 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers who had demanded a student in Karaveddi East, Vadamaraadchi, to hand over his brother, who they claimed was a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) combatant, abducted the said youth, according to complaints made to Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna, by his parents.
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Communication centre owner shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 May 2008, 09:19 GMT]
Two unidentified gunmen on motor cycle opened fire Monday around 7:00 p.m on the owner of a communication centre located in Aadiyapatham Veethi area in Kokkuvil, Jaffna and escaped from the place. The seriously injured man was rushed to Jaffna Teaching hospital where he succumbed to his wounds, sources in Jaffna said.
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Rajapaksa to address Oxford Union in UK

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2008, 20:22 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa is scheduled to address Oxford Union in the United Kingdom Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., sources in London told TamilNet. Meanwhile, sources at the SL Presidential Secretariat in Colombo confirmed Mr. Rajapaksa's mission to London and said it comes on the invitation of the Oxford Union and the Sri Lanka Society of Oxford University.
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Tamil detainees allege sexual abuse after transfer from Magazine Prison - MP

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2008, 20:17 GMT]
68 Tamil detainees, hurriedly transferred from New Magazine prison in Colombo Saturday around 8:50 p.m. by the Terrorist Investigation Department (TID) interrogators, were verbally abused, tortured and subjected to sexual abuse at the notorious Boosa Prison in Galle, according to complaints made by the parents to Tamil parliamentarian Chandrakanth Chandranehru. Expressing shock at the gross violation of Human Rights, the parliamentarian has promised the parents to bring the matter to the attention of relevant quarters. Sri Lanka's Commissioner General of Prisons, Major General (ret) Vajira Wijegunawaredena on Monday denied the allegation.
Full story >>

2 Jaffna youths, one Up-Country youth abducted in Colombo

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2008, 17:59 GMT]
Three Tamil youths, two of them from of Jaffna and one from Badulla were abducted on Saturday from their lodges located along Kathiresan Street in Fort area in Colombo by unidentified armed men. The two youths from Jaffna had been staying in Colombo to go abroad and the upcountry Tamil youth had been a betel vendor.
Full story >>

Tamil woman from Jaffna abducted in Paalavi, Puththa'lam

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2008, 17:57 GMT]
A 22-year-old Tamil female was abducted on Sunday in Paalaavi in Puththa'lam district Sunday. Unidentified persons who came in vehicle stopped a three wheeler in which the girl was traveling with another woman and took her forcibly with them, according to complaint lodged with the police of the area.
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Policeman shot killed, another injured, in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2008, 16:17 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen opened fire Monday around 8:00 p.m on two policemen in front of the Batticaloa Commercial Bank in Batticaloa town, killing one and injuring another.
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NGO woman worker abducted in Puththa'lam

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2008, 16:09 GMT]
A 26-year-old Tamil woman Thenmozhi Sangeetha was abducted Sunday evening in Thillaiyadi in Puththa'lam district. The victim had been working in a non-governmental organization in the area.
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House burnt in Jaffna after clash between SLA, armed men

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2008, 16:01 GMT]
Tension prevailed in Thirunelveali area in Jaffna Sunday night as a clash erupted between a group of armed men and the soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) inside the premises of a vacated house that belongs to a popular businessman in Jaffna. The house was burnt down allegedly by the SLA, after the exchange of gunfire, according to the residents in the area. The SLA troops stationed along the Palaali road near Thirunelveali junction opened fire indiscriminately in support of their soldiers who engaged in the clash with the armed men around 7:00 p.m. Casualty details were not available.
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10 Tamils arrested in Gampaha, Badulla

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2008, 09:56 GMT]
Ten Tamil civilians were arrested in separate cordon and search operations conducted by the police and the Sri Lanka Army in Gampaha in the western province and Badulla in Uva province during the weekend. They are being detained in respective police stations and being interrogated by the Terrorist Intelligence Division as they failed to prove their identity and to reasons for their stay, Police said.
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Popular economics teacher Varathan, relative reported missing in Colombo

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2008, 09:34 GMT]
S.S.Varatharajan, popularly known as Varathan in the private tuition sector for teaching economics subject was abducted Sunday morning in Fort police area by a group of unidentified persons while he was going from a tuition centre in Wellawatte to another in Kotahena. Later, one of his relatives Muthukumar Sritharan, 49, was also abducted by persons who came to Varathan's residence in Police uniform, according to complaints lodged with the Wellawatte police.
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JVP dissidents form JNP

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2008, 09:20 GMT]
A dissident Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) parliamentarian, Nandana Gunatillake, on Monday handed over particulars of a new political party under the name Jathika Nidahas Peramuna (National Freedom Front) to the Sri Lankan Commissioner of Elections. Wimal Weerawansa, the former propaganda secretary of the JVP, who left the party with ten other parliamentarians last month> would be the president of the JNP.
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ICRC Jaffna branch issues figures of victims receiving assistance

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2008, 09:06 GMT]
The ICRC has managed to airlift 1,500 of the patients in Jaffna in need of urgent and special treatment to Colombo, after September 2006, when the A9 highway which links Jaffna peninsula with the rest of the island was closed down, the Jaffna branch of the organisation assisting the victims of war said in a media release issued to media in Jaffna. The ICRC also provides year round assistance to 23 hospitals. The ICRC was contributing to more than 50 health assistance projects in the districts of Noth and East.
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Geopolitics shape Sri Lanka’s conflict - study

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 May 2008, 06:12 GMT]
Politics between powerful states have always been integral to the dynamics of war and peace in Sri Lanka, several contributors to a collected volume exploring the international dimensions of the island’s protracted conflict say. The study by the Centre for Just Peace and Democracy (CJPD) published this year comprises papers presented by academics and analysts at a conference held in Switzerland last June along with extracts of the subsequent discussions.
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Jaffna student reported missing

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 May 2008, 16:35 GMT]
A 17-year-old student from Piraampaththu in Pa’ndaiththarippu, in Jaffna peninsula is reported missing since Thursday after leaving home on a cycle to a nearby shop, his family members said.
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61 Tamils still held in Colombo, 254 remain in Boosa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 May 2008, 11:13 GMT]
About 61 Tamil civilians arrested in Colombo in several cordon and search operations last few weeks are still being detained in several police stations in Colombo, civil society sources said. 25 are being detained in police stations at Dehiwala, Wellawatte and Kohuwela, 15 at Weliveriya, and 21 are held in Kotahena. All detainees had valid national identity cards, but were taken into custody because of their Tamil nationality, media reports said quoting complaints forwarded by their relatives to P.Radhakrishnan, Colombo district parliamentarian representing the Upcountry Peoples Front (UPF).
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Musali displaced harassed by SLA, 70 families flee to Tamil Nadu

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 May 2008, 10:40 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Mannaar has ordered the displaced Tamil civilians from Musali division in September 2007, to present themselves at the 21-5 SLA Brigade High Quarters at Ilanthaimoaddai, on a village-by-village basis on allocated days, to obtain details of every individual and interrogate them for alleged participation in training given to civilians by the Tigers when their native division was under the control of the Liberation Tigers prior to September 2007. Around 70 families of between 450 to 600 families, all of them displaced from Musali division and living Naanaaddaan, have crossed the Palk Strait to Tamil Nadu during the recent days, according to residents in Naanaaddaan.
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UPFA wins 'rigged' EPC election

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 May 2008, 05:40 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa's ruling UPFA alliance wins the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) election with 18 seats and 2 bonus seats in the election held on Saturday with widespread rigging. The opposition UNP-SLMC alliance receives 15 seats, 1 seat for the JVP and 1 seat for Tamizh Democratic National Alliance. Meanwhile The Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) observed that the Eastern Provincial election, was not at all ‘free and fair’. Despite the rigging, the opposition UNP-SLMC alliance wins the Trincomalee district where it had promised to resettle displaced Tamils in Champoor.
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Rajapakse to visit London

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 May 2008, 01:23 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse is expected to leave for the United Kingdom on Monday on a two day visit. He is scheduled to address the Oxford Students Union on Tuesday, according to media reports.
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India's Champoor power project, a terrible scandal, say activists

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2008, 19:44 GMT]
While India's National Thermal Power Corp (NTPC) Chairman Ram Charan Sharma told the media that the 500-MW thermal power project in Champoor in Trincomalee district will be one of the largest infrastructure investment in Sri Lanka, residents and rights activists complained that the Indian decision to pick Champoor for the power project had added to the Champoor displaced people's misery. "I have interacted with Indian diplomats (in Colombo) and am certain they are very sensitive to the human rights and humanitarian issues. But if India is involved in this, it will be a grave disappointment, even a terrible scandal," the activist told the Indo-Asian News Service (IANS), the agency reported.
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Widespread violence, last-hour ballot stuffing mark elections in East

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2008, 18:40 GMT]
Paramilitary TMVP personnel entered several polling stations in the Tamil areas in Batticaloa and Trincomalee and stuffed the ballot boxes forcefully during the last-hour, before the ballot boxes were removed to counting centers in Batticaloa. Meanwhile, election officials said an average of 60% voter turn-out was registered across the three districts in the East. The polling was high in Sinhalese and Muslim areas while an average of 45-50% votes were registered in Tamil areas. The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) has recorded 64 incidents at 6:00 p.m. Saturday. Majority of major offenses were committed in Batticaloa district, followed by Ampaa'rai (12) and Trincomalee (08).
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Tamil youth abducted in Wellawatte

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2008, 17:13 GMT]
A Tamil youth was abducted by unidentified men who came in a white vehicle on May 7 morning when he was on his way to see his mother living in Wellawatte. The abductee has been identified as Selvakumar Selvathurai, 23, according to a complaint lodged with the Wellawatte police Saturday by his relatives.
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Complicity of Armed group raises questions of sovereignty violations- CaFFE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2008, 13:12 GMT]
Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE), a Colombo-based NGO, in a pre-election observation report on the east elections released Saturday observed that fear-psyche prevented Tamil community from participating actively in the east elections, whereas the Muslim and Sinhala communities enthusiastically participated in the campaigns, and that the Sinhala participation "gradually transformed into violent and confrontational political campaign at the end of the pre-election period."
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2 Tamil civilians abducted in Puththa'lam, Modera

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2008, 10:59 GMT]
Two Tamil civilians one, in Puththa'lam and other in Modera in Colombo, were abducted in two separate incidents, according to complaints lodged by their relatives with the Puththa'lam Police and Modera Police, media sources reported.
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Tamil trader abducted in Colombo

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2008, 10:54 GMT]
Unidentified men arriving in a white van Thursday afternoon abducted Ehamparampillai Viswanathan, 53, a father of three children, at Fourth Cross Street-Keizer Street junction in Colombo, according to complaints lodged with the Fort Police Station by his relatives on Friday.
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CMEV: 25 complaints, 18 major offenses on EPC elections day

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2008, 10:22 GMT]
Centre of Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) in an update issued at 2:30 p.m. in Sri Lanka said it had registered 18 major offenses such as murder, attempted murder, assault, threat and intimidation, impersonation and ballot stuffing. Of the major offences, 13 were reported from Batticaloa, 03 from Ampaa'rai and 02 from Trincomalee district. The CMEV has urged the Sri Lankan Election Commissioner to annul the poll in the stations it had identified. The TMVP Pillayan Group supporters were seen removing voter ink from their fingers and returning to vote repeatedly in Thambiluvil in Ampaa'rai and there has been a mortar attack close to polling stations in which four civilians were wounded.
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Gunmen shoot dead PS Deputy in Hambantota district

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2008, 08:46 GMT]
Unidentified persons shot and killed the deputy chairman of Weeraketiya Pradesiya Sabah, Wijimunige Sumith of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) while he was returning home at Walasmulla in Hambantota District Friday night around 11:30, police said.
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Mortar attack on polling booths in Pannalagama in Ampaa’rai

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2008, 06:40 GMT]
Five mortar shells falling and exploding near the polling booths in Pannalagama in Thaman’nagama police division in Ampaa’rai district Saturday around 7:00 a.m injured two men and three women, Thamanagama police said.
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Tamil business man shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2008, 03:25 GMT]
Unidentified gun men shot and killed the owner of a popular flower garden and nursery business, located in Kalviyangkaadu within Jaffna Municipal council area, Friday night outside his home, sources in Jaffna said.
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Polling begins in east

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2008, 03:13 GMT]
Voting began in 1270 polling stations in three districts, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampaa'rai, of eastern province Saturday morning at 7:00 a.m. to elect 37 members to provincial council. This included two more members allocated for the party or independent group that polls highest number of votes. 1342 candidates from more than 18 political parties, and 56 independent groups are in the fray. The population of the province is 1,419,602 and 982,721 of them are eligible voters.
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EU pledges GSP+ concessions, approves $100m for Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2008, 03:12 GMT]
The European Union wants Sri Lanka to receive GSP+ concession, the EU Ambassador in Sri Lanka Julian Wilson said this week, according to press reports Saturday. The EU has approved $100m in humanitarian and development funds for Sri Lanka, the Daily Mirror paper quoted him as saying. "I will only say that a lot of melodramatic rubbish has been written about the renewal of GSP+ in local press. The truth is simple if somewhat banal-the EU wants Sri Lanka to receive GSP+ again for the coming three years,” Mr. Wilson said at an EU event on Thursday.
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CMEV reports violence, possible misuse of state resources in east

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2008, 02:21 GMT]
Center for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV), a civil society organization that reports on election violence, reported twelve complaints of major election violations in a report issued Friday. Incidents of "[m]isuse of State resources, distribution of state benefits, intimidation of party workers and other civilians" were also reported to CMEV, the report said. The CMEV urged the Election Commissioner "to take the speedy action necessary to ensure that such a violation of democratic rights does not take place."
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SLMC supporters’ homes set on fire in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2008, 01:56 GMT]
Unidentified armed men, alleged to be supporters of the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPAF), set ablaze Friday early morning 4:00 a.m. two homes belonging to the supporters of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) in Kaangkeayanoadai within the administrative area of Aaarayampathi in Batticaloa district, the owners of the residences stated in a complaint lodged at Kaathaankudi police.
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AG's role in investigations, main concern of IIGEP- Prof. Shearer

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2008, 01:44 GMT]
Member of the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP), and retired Professor of Law at Sydney Universisty, Prof. Ivan Shearer, in an interview to the Australian Tamil Broadcasting Corporation, said Friday that unless the Sri Lanka Government implements all IIGEP's suggestions, including appointing independent counsel to assist the Commission of Inquiries (CoI), establishing an effective witness protection program, and giving sufficient finances to the Commission to assert their independence, neither he nor other members would be willing to participate in any new IIGEP monitoring effort.
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International poll monitors arrive in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2008, 01:36 GMT]
International poll observers to monitor the Eastern Provincial council elections scheduled to be held May 10th arrived in Batticaloa Friday, sources in Colombo said.
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Pillayan group on recruitment drive among Paduvaankarai resettlers

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2008, 01:23 GMT]
The paramilitary operatives of Pillayan group are intimidating and threatening recently resettled families in Paduvaankarai in Batticaloa district to allow one member from each family to join the group, residents from the area told TamilNet.
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Sea Tiger commandos sink SLN supply ship in Trinco Harbour

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 May 2008, 21:40 GMT]
A troop carrier cum supply ship of the Sri Lanka Navy, A-520, named 'MV Invincible', was sunk by Sea Tiger naval commandos in the Trincomalee Harbour at 2:23 a.m. Saturday, according to the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) officials in Vanni. The underwater attack by Black Tigers was carried out when the supply vessel was loaded with explosives to be transported to KKS Harbour in Jaffna, the LTTE said.
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Tamil trader shot dead in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 May 2008, 17:10 GMT]
Unidentified men shot dead a Tamil trader in Selvanagar at Checkadipulavu in Vavuniyaa Thursday around 11:00 a.m. The victim has been identified as Baskaran, owner of shop at fourth milepost in Nelukulam, sources said.
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Jaffna Bishop's House appeal to Colombo to rebuild Allaippiddi church

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 May 2008, 14:33 GMT]
Jaffna Bishop House and several Catholic organizations in Jaffna peninsula appealed to the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to rebuild St. Philips Narrie’s church in Allaiappiddi in the islets of Jaffna which was destroyed in the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Multi-barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) fire in August 2006, sources in Jaffna said. The church serves more than 80 resettled families in Allaipiddi.
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UK: Karuna released, remains under immigration detention powers

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 May 2008, 13:08 GMT]
Vinayagmoorthy Muralitharan, alias Karuna, a former Tiger commander who turned leader of a paramilitary group operated by the Sri Lanka Army in the East, was released by the British authorities on Thursday following his imprisonment for possessing false documents. "He now remains under immigration detention powers," said British High Commission in Colombo, in a press release issued on Friday.
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13 killed, 34 wounded, bomb explodes inside restaurant in Ampaa'rai

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 May 2008, 12:41 GMT]
13 persons were killed and 34 persons were wounded in a bomb explosion inside a crowded restaurant, City Cafe Inn, in the centre of Ampaa'rai town in a pre-dominant Sinhala area, Friday evening around 6:00 p.m., initial reports said.
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Former Mayor of Jaffna passes away

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 May 2008, 11:27 GMT]
Mr. Sinnathamby Nagarajah, who served as Mayor of Jaffna twice in the late 60’s, passed away in New Jersey, USA, on Thursday May 8h at the age of 77. Mr. Nagarajah was a Tamil nationalist, and an active member of the Tamil diaspora in lobbying in the United States for political support for Tamil struggle of self determination.
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6 Tamil youths abducted in Aalaiyadiveampu

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 May 2008, 11:26 GMT]
Unidentified armed men in a white van abducted six Tamil youths Thursday around 8:30 p.m at Aalayadiveampu in Akkaraipattu police division in Ampaa’rai district, residents in Aalayadiveampu said.
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30 SLA killed, 7 bodies recovered, arms seized in Mannaar - LTTE

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 May 2008, 07:53 GMT]
30 Sri Lanka Army soldiers were killed, seven dead bodies of SLA troops were recovered after heavy fighting at Ka'rukkaaykku'lam Friday morning, LTTE officials told media. Five bodies were recovered Friday morning, LTTE spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan said. Two more bodies were recovered Friday night, according to latest updates by the LTTE officials. Two PK Light Machine Guns, three AK LMGs, five T-56 assault rifles and military hardware including ammunitions were seized by the Tigers. The SLA, while pulling back was towing an Armoured Personnel Carrier that had caught fire, the Tigers said. Ka'rukkaaykku'lam is located 2 km east of Adampan.
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Jaffna University undergrads boycott lectures

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 May 2008, 07:36 GMT]
Undergrads of Jaffna University launched a boycott Friday protesting against the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) search conducted Wednesday night in the students’ hostel, student leaders said. The search was prompted by an alleged hand grenade attack on SLA troops in the University vicinity. The Jaffna University Students Union (JUSF) accused the SLA and collaborating paramilitaries of staging the attack as a precursor to search the students’ hostel and to intimidate them.
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Shortage of essential medicines in Jaffna peninsula

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 May 2008, 03:18 GMT]
Health service in Jaffna peninsula will be facing a crisis if the fast dwindling stocks of medicines in Jaffna Teaching Hospital and other hospitals in Jaffna peninsula are not replenished immediately, District Public Health Service (DPHS) sources said. Repeated requests to he Ministry of Health remain unattended due to disinterest and calculated step-motherly attitude of the authorities in charge of this affair, Jaffna Health officials added.
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Elderly man seeks protection with Jaffna HRC

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 May 2008, 00:30 GMT]
An 61-year-old civilian from Puloali, Vadamaraadchi, sought protection Thursday with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna, due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries, HRC sources said. Many Puloali residents are in protective custody of Jaffna Prison, the sources said.
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Sri Lanka military seeks funds from Sinhala Diaspora

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2008, 17:49 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government has launched a fundraising drive amongst Sinhala expatriates in support of its military. The initiative was formally launched Tuesday at the Sri Lankan High Commission in London and is to be continued in other capitals with Sinhala Diaspora. Several businessmen came forward to contribute towards the UK target of GBP 100,000, press reports said. The Sri Lankan High Commissioner in London, Mrs. Kshenuka Seniwiratne, bought the first ticket in a raffle for the project.
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Burning Memories: Documentary on Jaffna Library

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2008, 15:51 GMT]
A 49-minute documentary, titled Burning Memories, featuring the story and the memories of the Jaffna Library, which was burnt down by the Sri Lankan Police in June 01, 1981, has been produced by an audio visual journalist, S. Someetharan. The tri-lingual documentary is scheduled to be released in May by the Nikari, the producers and distributors of the film.
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Family man abducted in Ampaa'rai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2008, 12:39 GMT]
Armed men who arrived in a white van on Tuesday abducted a 27-year-old family man in Akkaraippattu, Ampaa'rai, according to a complaint lodged by the victim's wife with the Police in Akkaraippattu.
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Colombo revises decision to refuse AP coverage in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2008, 11:20 GMT]
Associated Press of America (AP) Colombo Bureau Chief Ravi Nessman and staff photographer Gemunu Amarasinghe, who were in Batticaloa and asked to leave the area immediately as the Government of Sri Lanka had taken a decision not to allow foreigners, except the election monitors, to visit Batticaloa. The journalists were told Thursday afternoon that they would need Ministry of Defence clearance. However, soon after the news spread, the GoSL revised the decision and allowed the journalists to return to Batticaloa giving instructions they can only engage in election coverage, media activists in Colombo said.
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Sri Lanka helicopters airdrop Pillaiyan campaign leaflets

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2008, 11:01 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) Wednesday brought to the notice of the Commissioner of Elections that the government has provided helicopter facility to airdrop hundreds of thousands of pamphlets in support of the candidature of Pillaiyan, leader of the armed group contesting the east provincial election. Pamphlets with Tiger emblem were printed in Colombo and brought to Batticaloa Tuesday and Wednesday. UNP general secretary Tissa Attanayake confirmed this to the media, party sources said.
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Bomb hoax disrupts southern coastal train service

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2008, 10:56 GMT]
A parcel found in a compartment of a train arriving in Panadura railway station from Chilaapam on Tuesday created tension in the area, and suspended train services for several hours, sources said. Services resumed after the bomb disposal squad of the SLA took the parcel and found old clothes inside the package.
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Tamil youth reported missing in Potkea'ni

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2008, 10:53 GMT]
A nineteen year old Tamil, Arasaretnam Saranraj of Potkea'ni, a suburb in Thampalakaamam, a traditional village in Trincomalee district has been reported missing since Tuesday, according to complaints lodged with the Trincomalee regional office of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) Thursday.
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Protest will continue despite arrests- Wickremasinghe

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2008, 08:33 GMT]
Ranil Wickremasinge, United National Party (UNP) head and the Leader of Opposition accompanied by UNP parliamentarians inspected the place where UNP protestors were arrested Wednesday morning in front of the Election Department in Rajakiriya, Colombo, for demanding removal of arms from paramilitary groups including Pillayan group before the Eastern Provincial Council election. Two garbage carriers of Jayawardnepura Kotte Municipal Council littered their contents at the site, prompting Wickremasinghe’s visit, sources in Colombo said.
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Election campaigns conclude in east

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2008, 02:49 GMT]
Election campaign activities of political parties and independent groups in the east concluded from Wednesday midnight as directed by the Commissioner of Elections Dayananda Dissanayake. The Commissioner of Elections has directed the law enforcement authority to remove all posters, cutouts and other election related printed matters displayed in public places with immediate effect, reports from the east said.
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Rights Groups lobby against Sri Lanka seat in UN Rights Council

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2008, 00:39 GMT]
A coalition of Human Rights organizations including Human Rights Watch, International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Article 19, and Reporters Without Borders, in a letter to the member states of the UN Human Rights Council, urged respective governments to "not vote for Sri Lanka for membership in the U.N. Human Rights Council in the election in the General Assembly on 21 May 2008 because of Sri Lanka’s failure to meet the Council’s membership standards." Meanwhile, FreedomHouse, a Washington-based Rights organization, in a press release issued Tuesday, expressed alarm that Human Rights abusers are poised to take seats on UN Council.
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Grenade attack against SLA prompts massive search operation near Jaffna campus

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2008, 00:20 GMT]
Unidentified armed men lobbed a hand grenade Wednesday night 7:00p.m. targeting a group of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers patrolling along a street in the vicinity of the students hostels of Jaffna university campus and fled the scene prompting the troopers to fire at the attackers and launch a large scale search operation in the area, sources said.
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CAFFE says east situation deteriorating

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 May 2008, 00:11 GMT]
Campaign for Free and Fair Election (CAFFE) said at press briefing held Tuesday that it has received complaints that Pillaiyan armed group has been threatening Tamils to vote only for their candidates, and CAFFE feels that the opportunity for a free and fair election in the east, especially in Batticaloa district is very dim, the Head of CAFFE executive committee, Attorney-at-Law Shiral Lakthilakie, was quoted as saying by media sources.
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Dalada Maligaawa security tightened

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 May 2008, 18:13 GMT]
The bus stand located in front of Dalada Maligaawa in Kandy town has been shifted another site to ensure security to the Buddhist shrine. Bus halting in front of the Dalada Maligaawa has also been banned, reports from Kandy said.
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Rs.60m transit camp for security forces in Habarana

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 May 2008, 17:50 GMT]
A transit camp constructed at a cost of 61 million rupees in Habarana along Trincomalee-Kandy road by the Industrial development Ministry ensuring safety stay for soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army and Sri Lanka Navy traveling to and from eastern province to other areas in the south was handed over to the Defense Ministry last week. 102 sailors of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) died in a suicide bomb attack on 16th October 2006 when large numbers of SLA and SLN troopers working in east were staying at a site in Habarana to change buses to travel to their villages
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Sinhala thugs threaten, rob Piliyandala Tamil traders

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 May 2008, 17:40 GMT]
Tamil traders in Piliyandala are living in constant fear as Sinhala goons daily threaten them and rob their stocks of goods from their establishments. This has been going on since the Piliyandala bus bomb blast, media sources said.
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Slain journalists remembered in Colombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 May 2008, 12:16 GMT]
Movement Against Media Suppression (MAMS), a common front organization consisting of five major media organizations, held a memorial event Tuesday around 6:30 p.m. in front of Fort Railway Station, Colombo, in remembrance of the 14 slain journalists. The MAMS, in a leaflet gave the statistics, describing the state of media freedom in Sri Lanka where 14 journalists were killed in recent years, 8 journalists were subjected to abductions, 4 were imprisoned, 5 electronic broadcasts were blocked, 1 website blocked, 3 records of suppressive laws against media and countless number of harassments against media and media personnel.
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PLOTE member shot dead, 2 killed in Vavuniyaa claymore attack

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 May 2008, 06:50 GMT]
A leading member of Peoples’ Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) of Vavuniyaa district was shot and killed, and another person seriously injured in a shooting incident Tuesday around 5:30 p.m at Poonththoaddam area in Vavuniyaa, sources in Vavuniyaa said. Meanwhile, two civilians were killed in a Claymore attack Tuesday around 6:00 p.m targeting a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) truck, near Vavuniyaa Town Council playground, the sources added.
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Intense fighting in Mannaar - LTTE

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 May 2008, 18:55 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army units launched an attempt to move its troops from Thirukkeatheesvaram towards Veaddaiyaamu'rippu in Mannaar Tuesday morning from 5:30 a.m. till noon with artillery barrage, but sustained heavy casualties, LTTE offiicals in Vanni said. Meanwhile, on another front where SLA attempted to move from Ka'rukkaaykku'lam targeting Vaddakka'ndal was confronted by the Tigers from 8:15 a.m. An Armoured Personnel Carrier was destroyed in LTTE mine, killing at least 9 SLA soldiers and wounding many, according to the LTTE.
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Rajapaksa prorogues SL Parliament

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 May 2008, 17:31 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa has moved on to prorogue the sittings of the Sri Lankan Parliament until June 05 according to an extra-ordinary gazette notification published Tuesday midnight. The move comes amid the increased media attention and the debate on SLA casualties in the Northern Front as four days were left for the Eastern provincial elections where oppositions parties including the SLMC, UNP and the JVP have protested against the armed paramilitary in the East. Meanwhile, in a specially arranged televised broadcast, Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, promised the remote villagers in the east that they would get everything that they have aspired for.
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Just, fair election impossible in East – UNP

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 May 2008, 16:09 GMT]
United National Party (UNP) parliamentarians and supporters led by its General Secretary, Tissa Athanayake, staged a protest demonstration Tuesday around 2:30 p.m in front of the election office in Colombo calling for the removal of arms from the paramilitary Pillayan group and to conduct the election for the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) in a just and fair manner. Meanwhile, the UNP parliamentarian Laxman Kiriyelle has accused the Sri Lankan Defence Ministry for involvement in distributing blank polling cards and warned that the government is preparing itself for a large scale election rigging.
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Professor 'Tawney' Rajaratnam passes away

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 May 2008, 14:36 GMT]
Professor 'Tawney' S. Rajaratnam, who was the first head of the University College, Batticaloa, when it was founded in 1981, passed away in London Monday morning at the age of 80.
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Kodikaamam police hands over youth’s body to Jaffna hospital

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 May 2008, 13:55 GMT]
Kodikaamam police handed over a youth’s body to Jaffna Teaching Hospital mortuary Monday night claiming that Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Mukamaalai recovered the body among the troops killed in clashes in Mukamaalai battle front Monday, Kodikaamam police said.
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Batticaloa Teachers protest demanding release of arrested collegues

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 May 2008, 13:23 GMT]
Three hundred teacher trainees of Batticaloa Teacher training college boycotted the classes and staged a peaceful rally Tuesday morning demanding the release of five teacher trainees arrested by Waduwa police in Kalutura district on 27 April.
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World Vision staffer abducted in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 May 2008, 13:22 GMT]
Unidentified men in a white van, alleged to be Karuna group men, abducted Sunday morning the security officer working with World Vision in Batticaloa at Nochchimunai as he was returning after duty, sources in Batticaloa said. World Vision in Batticaloa, and abductee's relatives appealed to the abductors to release him on humanitarian grounds.
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2 new parliamentarians sworn in

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 May 2008, 10:46 GMT]
Sarana Gunawardene and Dulip Wijesekara were sworn in as new parliamentarians from the Gampaha district Tuesday when the parliament met for the first time after the New Year recess. Speaker W.J.M.Lokkubandara administered oaths at the commencement of the session, parliamentary sources said.
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CAFFE files petition against armed groups' presence on polling day

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 May 2008, 10:35 GMT]
Campaign for Free and Fair Election (CAFFE) Monday filed a petition in the Supreme Court to order the Commissioner of Elections and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to take immediate steps to stop persons with arms other than government security forces moving in areas where polling stations are located in the three districts, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampaarai on May 10 when the east goes to poll, legal sources said.
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945 military personnel injured in April - SL Prime Minister

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 May 2008, 09:42 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake, who opened the debate on the state of emergency in the Sri Lankan Parliament Tuesday morning said 945 Sri Lankan security personnel were wounded in April, from March 30 upto April 29. However, he put the death toll for the April at 120 killed in action. 56 civilians were killed and 145 wounded, including the bus bomb in Piliyandala. He said there were also Sinhalese who were involved in carrying out the attack on the civilian bus in Piliyandala.
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Pillayan group's attack on JVP triggers protest in Ampaa'rai

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 May 2008, 08:34 GMT]
More than 15 armed personnel of Pillayan Group, the main paramilitary group in the east and a political party contesting on the ruling UPFA ticket in the forthcoming provincial council elections in the East, went amok against the members of the Sinhala extreme nationalist JVP, who were engaged on a house-to-house campaign in Thirukkoayil in Ampaa'rai district around 3:30 p.m., Monday. Nihal Galapaththi, Hambantota district JVP MP, headed a protest march in Ampaa'rai on Tuesday against the Pillayan Group.
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Vaiko condemns military soft loan, assails India's opposition to UN resolution on Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 May 2008, 07:00 GMT]
Expressing "terrible shock" over the press reports that New Delhi was finalising a soft loan package of USD100 million for Sri Lankan military, Vaiko, the general secretary of Marumalarchchi Dravida Munneatta Kazhakam (MDMK) sent an urgent letter Monday to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urging him to reconsider the decision and recalled earlier assurance given to him in April by Dr. Manmohan Singh that India was not giving any arms to Sri Lanka. At the same time, Mr. Vaiko expressed serious concern over India's opposition to the move initiated by European Countries to bring a resolution in the United Nations against the gross violation of human rights by the Sri Lankan government.
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Pillayan threatens UNP candidate

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2008, 20:26 GMT]
A UNP candidate contesting Eastern provincial council election has received death threats from Pillayan group, and has lodged a complaint with Batticaloa police, sources said.
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Opposition leader's helicopter makes emergency landing

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2008, 18:00 GMT]
Ranil Wickremasinghe, opposition leader and the leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), Monday was provided with a helicopter to attend election rally in Batticaloa district. However, the helicopter developed engine trouble on Wickremesinghe's return trip back to Colombo Monday evening, and landed at Mahiyangana in the south.
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Court orders Colombo to expedite resettlement in Jaffna HSZ

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2008, 17:54 GMT]
The Supreme Court Monday directed the Defense Secretary to expedite the resettlement of the first group of identified displaced farmers in their agricultural lands located in the high security zone (HSZ) in Jaffna district to start their cultivation in time. The SC issued the directive when the fundamental rights applications filed by Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Maavai Senathiraja and two farmers. All three petitioners are among the displaced persons from the high security zone, legal sources said.
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Batticaloa tops in poll related violence

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2008, 17:53 GMT]
Twenty seven complaints of election related violence have been reported from the Batticaloa district till Monday evening as the election campaign is in full swing in towns and villages where Muslims and Sinhalese are living in majority. Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE) said Tamils in the three districts are not showing any interest in the election, media sources said.
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SLA, LTTE clash in Naakarkoayil FDL areas

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2008, 15:19 GMT]
Heavy clashes between Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Naakarkoayil Northern Front Defence Lines erupted Monday early morning and lasted till evening. Both sides launched artillery shells, Multi-barrel rocket launcher and mortar fire engaging in heavy duel. A Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) helicopter was seen flying between Naakarkoayil FDL area and Palaali SLA Military Base many times and roads from the battle front to Palaali remained blocked by SLA for a long time for public use while vehicles kept transporting injured and killed troops.
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Jaffna lawyers call off Court boycott

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2008, 14:52 GMT]
Members of Northern Bar Association of Sri Lanka (NBASL) called off their Friday Boycott of all Courts of Law in Jaffna peninsula after confirming that the facilities allocated to them in the newly built judicial complex have been made available in response to their long term demand, NBASL representatives said.
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Jaffna prison inmate on hunger strike

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2008, 14:28 GMT]
A young family man from Point Pedro in Vadmaraadchi who had been placed in protective custody of Jaffna Prison due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries began a hunger strike Sunday, demanding improved basic facilities in Jaffna Prison or his release from the facility, fellow inmates said in Jaffna Court.
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We will restore democracy to Eastern province – Wickremesinghe

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2008, 13:58 GMT]
“United National Party (UNP), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) alliance will restore democracy to the East by putting an end to the domination by paramilitary groups,” Ranil Wickremasinghe, the Leader of the Opposition and UNP head said Sunday addressing a SLMC party conference held in Kaaththaankudi attended by more than 10,000 Muslims from the north, east provinces, sources in Batticaloa said.
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Attempts underway to introduce Witness Protection Bill

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2008, 12:16 GMT]
Witness Protection Bill is likely to be forwarded to the Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament this week by the Supreme Court with few amendments. The Bill titled "Assistance and Protection to the Victims of Crime and Witnesses" came up before a three member bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices Shiranee Thilakawardene, Salim Marsook and Andrew Somawanse last week to determine its constitutionality. The Bill was referred to the Supreme Court by the government through the Attorney General in the national interest in terms of Article 122 (1) of the Constitution, legal sources said.
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IFJ: Sri Lanka on a rapid downhill course

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2008, 11:44 GMT]
Noting that in the past 12 months the relationship between Sri Lanka’s civil society actors and the Sri Lanka State has continued to deteriorate, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), a media watchdog, in a report released Monday on “In the Balance: Press Freedom in South Asia 2007-2008,” said that “Verbal and physical attacks, harassment, restrictions on access and vilification of media personnel have become a common feature in the lives of journalists, photographers and all those engaged in the gathering, publication and dissemination of information in Sri Lanka.”
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Two new MPs to take oaths on Tuesday

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2008, 11:19 GMT]
Two new parliamentarians, Dulip Wijesekara and Sarana Gunawardene, from the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) will take oaths in Sri Lankan parliament when the parliament meets Tuesday after the New Year break, parliamentary sources said.
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Police recovers 10 kg claymore mine in Kandy

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2008, 11:17 GMT]
Sri Lanka Police and Sri Lanka Army in a joint operation recovered a claymore mine weighing 10 kg from a house in Digana, a village located in Teldeniya police division in Kandy district, Sunday evening, media sources said.
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8 SLA killed, 20 wounded in Mukamaalai FDL clash - LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2008, 08:54 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) on Monday said they defeated a fresh attempt by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) to break into the LTTE Forward Defence Line, killing 8 SLA soldiers and recovering a dead body of one SLA soldier in Mukamaalai Monday around 10:00 a.m. The LTTE has seized a Light Machine Gun from the SLA in the confrontation where more than 20 SLA soldiers were wounded, the Tigers said.
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Tigers attack SLN point in Mannaar city

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2008, 03:33 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) mounted a raid on a coastal point of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) in Koanthaippiddi in Mannaar city in the early hours of Monday around 2:00 a.m. and seized arms and ammunitions from the point, killing three SLN personnel, according to LTTE's Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthiarayan. The LTTE unit which engaged in the attack has recovered the body of a slain SLN trooper, he said. Meanwhile, the Tigers also launched an artillery attack on the installations of the Sri Lanka Army and Navy in Mannaar.
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2 SLA soldiers die in accident

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 May 2008, 18:00 GMT]
Two soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) were killed on the spot when the motor bike they were traveling crashed against a truck Sunday afternoon at Santhiveli in Eraa'vur police division in Batticaloa district, media sources quoted Eastern Deputy Inspector General of Police H.M.D.Herat as saying.
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Ethnic divide reflected in Sri Lanka media coverage

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 May 2008, 17:56 GMT]
The polarization between Sri Lanka’s ethnic communities is also reflected in coverage of the island’s protracted conflict and has rendered ‘the truth’ an inevitable casualty of war, several speakers argued last week at the annual conference in London of the International Association of Tamil Journalists (IATAJ). The day-long event at the University of Westminster was attended by one hundred invited participants and was addressed by journalists, academics and media activists, including Mr. Nadesapillai Vithyatharan, editor of the Uthayan newspaper, Mr Chandana Bandara, senior producer with the BBC’s Sinhala service and Mr. Bhagwan Singh of the Deccan Chronicle.
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Power cut in Jaffna peninsula impact Jaffna education

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 May 2008, 15:50 GMT]
The daily power cut from 6:00 p.m to 8:30 p.m in an alternating arrangement imposed on the entire Jaffna peninsula badly affects the education of the students in the peninsula who number more than 90,000, education officials in Jaffna said. The power cut will likely last 6 months to a year, and the woes of nearly 70,000 families affected by the cut is likely continue for these six months, Sri Lanka Electricity Board (SLEB) Jaffna office sources said.
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Most incidents of election violence directed towards UNP -PAFFREL

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 May 2008, 15:10 GMT]
Commenting on the sharp rise in the incidents of election related violence in the East Peoples Action for Free and Fair Election (PAFFREL), a monitoring group has stated that so far Forty one complaints of election related violence have been reported from the three districts in the East.
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Remove arms from Paramilitary groups in Batticaloa – UNP

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 May 2008, 15:01 GMT]
“The weapons of the paramilitary groups in the Eastern province should be removed from them before the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) elections,” Tissa Athanayake, the Secretary of United National Party (UNP) and parliamentarian said Saturday evening addressing a meeting with Tamil UNP contestants and supporters in Batticaloa, sources in Batticaloa said.
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Re-poll if armed groups threaten voters - Commissioner

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 May 2008, 11:10 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Commissioner of Elections has issued a directive that all propaganda meetings and canvassing by political parties and independent groups should cease from midnight Wednesday. He has directed the police to adhere this directive strictly, sources int he east said.
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41 civilians arrested in Ratmalana, 24 in Minuwangoda

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 May 2008, 10:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka Police, assisted by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in two separate cordon and search operations, took into custody 65 civilians for questioning. 41 were arrested in Ratmalana in search operation conducted Sunday for about five hours from 5:00 a.m. 24 civilians were arrested in Minuwangoda from Saturday night till Sunday early morning, reports from Colombo said.
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Diaspora children attend Europe-wide exams in Tamil

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 May 2008, 10:14 GMT]
13,300 children and students from the Tamil Diaspora on Saturday attended annual exams in Tamil language across various countries in Europe and in New Zealand. The exams, conducted by the Tamil Education Development Council (TEDC), a European trans-national Tamil initiative, are largely sustained through volunteer effort and from the contribution of Tamil educational institutions in Europe.
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Schools in eastern province close to facilitate poll

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 May 2008, 08:01 GMT]
All government schools in the three districts Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Ampaarai of the eastern province will be closed on May 9 Friday and re-opened on May 12 Monday. The closure is to facilitate the Department of Elections to use most of the schools as polling stations in the east provincial election which is scheduled to be held on May 10, provincial education ministry sources said.
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No monitors from EU, Commonwealth Union for east poll

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 May 2008, 06:03 GMT]
European Union and Commonwealth Union have informed the Sri Lanka's Commissioner of Elections that they are not in a position to send monitors to supervise east provincial election scheduled to be held on May 10. Commissioner of Elections Dayananda Dissanayake is reported to have told media persons that EU, and Commonwealth Union have not accepted the invitation sent by him due to practical difficulties such as recruiting personnel.
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Tamil woman, man reported abducted in Colombo

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 May 2008, 02:04 GMT]
Unidentified men have allegedly abducted two Tamil civilians, a woman and a man, in Colombo in two separate incidents on 28th and 29th of April, sources close to the victims said.
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2,000 Sri Lankan soldiers killed last year – Fonseka

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 May 2008, 01:46 GMT]
Over two thousand Sri Lankan Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and four thousand wounded in the battles of 2007, the commander of the SLA, Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka told a conference at Army Headquarters last week, the Sunday Times reported. He claimed over five thousand Tamil Tigers were also killed last year. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan government has forbidden military officials from giving interviews and launched a hunt for those leaking details to the media. The government has instructed ambulances transporting wounded soldiers from Ratmalana airport to hospitals in Colombo not to use their sirens, the paper said.
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Large-scale search operation in Colombo: 84 taken to station, 15 detained

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2008, 18:00 GMT]
Around 300 Tamils were taken into Jinthuppiddi grounds following a large-scale search operation conducted by the police with the assistance of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) covering Kathiresan Street and Jinthupity Street in Colombo Saturday morning. 84 persons were taken in two buses to Pettah police station and fifteen of them were detained there for interrogations Saturday evening, Police said.
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PAFFREL counts 32 election related complaints in East

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2008, 17:52 GMT]
Thirty two complaints of election related violence including two killings have been reported till Friday evening from the three districts of the east since the nominations closed for the provincial council election which is scheduled to be held on May 10, Peoples Action for Free and Fair Election (PAFFREL), a monitoring group which has not been recognized as an independent monitoring mission by the main opposition UNP.
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Tamil post peon shot dead in Ka'n'niyaa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2008, 14:42 GMT]
A Tamil post peon J.F.Sathiyaseelan, 42, was shot dead Friday night around 7:00 p.m. by some unidentified armed men when he was returning home after duty at Uppuve'li post office to Puthukkudiyiruppu, a suburb in Ka'n'niyaa, traditional Tamil village located along Trincomalee –Anuradhapura road, about seven km off east port city.
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Indian Coast Guard arrests 65 Sri Lankan fishermen

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2008, 14:35 GMT]
Indian Coast Guard has arrested 65 Sri Lankan fishermen of Sinhalese origin in the past week for illegally fishing in Indian waters without carrying any valid documents. According to reports in the Indian media, a Coast Guard ship on routine offshore patrol had spotted a flotilla of trawlers moving 116 nautical miles off Chennai on April 27.
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Election related violence escalates in East

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2008, 13:53 GMT]
Complaints regarding at least 49 incidents of violence related to the forthcoming provincial elections have been lodged at various police stations in Eastern province until Saturday morning, according to the Police.
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EPDP thanks Rajapaksa, India for Northern Province Interim Council

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2008, 12:40 GMT]
The paramilitary-cum-political party headed by Douglas Devananda, the EPDP, in a statement issued to media on Saturday thanked the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the friendly neighbouring state, India, for having selected the EPDP to lead the Interim Council for Northern Province. The decision was passed in a cabinet meeting by Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, the EPDP said, and added that it was a 'practical step' advocated by the EPDP for a long time.
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Northern Front impregnable, say NTT panelists

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2008, 10:49 GMT]
Colombo was forced into staging Mukamaalai offensive to ensure safety to troops in Jaffna which had fallen within the range of artillery, panelists said during a Political Analysis segment of National Television of Tamileelam (NTT), participated by LTTE military spokesperson, Irasiah Ilanthiraiyan, and Chief-Editor of Viduthalaip Pulika'l, LTTE's official organ, S. Ravi, in the programme moderated by K. Veera, this week. Panelists added that Colombo's assertion that LTTE is moving troops between different Northern fronts is a figment of their imagination, and refuted the claim that the Sri Lanka Air Force has caused detrimental impact to LTTE's war machinery.
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Pillayan group warns voters in Ka'luvaagnchikkudi

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2008, 09:21 GMT]
Paramilitary personnel of Pillayan group have warned the residents in Ka'luvaagnchikkudi located in Manmunai South and Eruvilpattu division of the Batticaloa district of adverse consequences if they fail to attend and vote for ruling UPFA alliance in the forthcoming elections for the Eastern Provincial Council. The group has referred to the low percentage of votes polled in the local elections and said such low attendance would 'not be tolerated' by the top hierarchy of the outfit.
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UPFA supporter's three-wheeler burnt in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2008, 09:03 GMT]
A three-wheeler belonging to a Muslim aligned with the ruling United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA) in Ea'raavoor was burnt allegedly by another Muslim independent candidate and his supporters after a quarrel in the early hours of Saturday, Ea'raavoor Police said.
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Wimal Weerawansa decides to form new party

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2008, 08:28 GMT]
The dissident group of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has decided to form a new political party. The decision was taken at a meeting held on May 1st in Colombo with Wimal Weerawansa, dissident group leader in the chair as the current JVP leadership failed to meet the deadline issued by the rebel group to sort out differences among them before May Day. Ten dissident parliamentarians attended the meeting, reports in Colombo said.
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Moothoor IPD students' education ignored

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2008, 08:18 GMT]
Students of displaced families from Moothoor east in Trincomalee district, who fled the district with the outbreak of fresh military operation in 2006, have not been provided with free text books, uniforms and learning material by the Sri Lankan Department of Education event after the commencement of second academic term, according to complaints lodged by parents with the provincial education officials. Appeals made to the UNICEF and non-governmental organizations have also been ignored, lament parents in their complaints.
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Vehicles sans number plates used for east electioneering

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2008, 08:15 GMT]
Campaign for Free and Fair Election (CAFFE), an election monitoring group, has lodged a complaint with the Sri Lankan Commissioner of Elections that vehicles without number plates are being used for electioneering in the eastern province. CAFFE said in a statement Saturday its monitors also have personally noted such vehicles being used for canvassing apart from complaints from the public.
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Tamil youth reported missing in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2008, 07:10 GMT]
34 year-old Thavanayagam Kaantharoopan has been reported missing since 18 April this year, according to complaint lodged with the Vavuniyaa police, regional offices of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) and the International Committee for Red Cross (ICRC) by his relatives.
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Amnesty: Rights abuses flourish in secrecy, denial in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 May 2008, 02:57 GMT]
Noting that in conflict situations "without reports, pictures and film of the fighting and the violence, no-one knows enough to put the pressure on the participants to ensure human rights are respected," Amnesty International, in a media release issued Friday, said the need for such environment is "strong in Sri Lanka, where fatalities on all sides are believed to be very high with large numbers of civilians caught in the crossfire."
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14 Tamil civilians arrested in Wellawatte, 10 in Moratuwa

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 May 2008, 18:26 GMT]
Ten Tamil civilians in Moratuwa and fourteen Tamil civilians in Wellawatte were taken into custody in two separate cordon and search operations conducted by the police. Majority of those arrested on Friday morning in Wellawatte are natives of north and east and are being detained at the police station, media sources said.
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Trader, student, seek protection with HRC Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 May 2008, 14:19 GMT]
A student from Brown Road in Kokkuvil, Jaffna, and a family man from Raamaavil, Kodikaamam in Thenmaraadchi sought Friday protection with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries, HRC sources said.
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Jaffna lawyers boycott Courts

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 May 2008, 13:58 GMT]
Sittings in four divisional magistrates courts in Jaffna peninsula were affected as most of the lawyers in Jaffna peninsula did not attend the courts in Jaffna peninsula Friday as their demand to allow use of facilities allocated to them in the newly opened judicial complex had not been met officially despite their long term demand, members of Northern Bar Association of Sri Lanka (NBASL) said. The lawyers also said that their boycott will continue until their demand is officially met.
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US talks to Nepal Maoists

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 May 2008, 11:03 GMT]
The United States in a significant change in its policy towards organizations included in the State Departments Foreign Terrorists Organization (FTO) list, made its first official diplomatic contact with the leader of Nepal's former rebel Maoists, BBC report in Kathmandu said.
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Jaffna GA opens NIC Office in Veala’nai

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 May 2008, 03:39 GMT]
“A resident in Jaffna peninsula may live without food, clothing and shelter for some days but cannot survive even for a day without the National Identity Card,” Jaffna Government Agent, K. Ganesh said, in his speech in the opening ceremony of the special office for the issue of National Identity Card (NIC) at the Veala’nai Divisional Secretariat Thursday.
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Peace activist grilled by CID at Katunayake Air Port

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 May 2008, 01:04 GMT]
The coordinating officer of International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR) and Womens Alliance for Peace and Democracy (WAPD), Nimalka Fernando, was subjected to interogation by an official from Crimininal Investigations Department (CID) at Bandaranayake International Air port last week, sources in Colombo said.
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SLA increases security measures in interior Jaffna peninsula

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 May 2008, 18:52 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna has begun launching sporadic small-scale cordon and search operations with police assistance in interior areas of Jaffna peninsula as attacks on SLA have increased in the recent past, sources in Jaffna said. Since large number of troops being moved to the Northern Front Line Defence (FDL) areas, the SLA has been employing fewer men in the search operations with police assistance.
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3 Tamil youths arrested in Dehiwela

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 May 2008, 18:39 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police arrested Thursday morning three Tamil youths in a joint cordon and search operation launched from 6:00 a.m to 9:30 a.m in Dehiwella, a suburb of Colombo. The youths, from Ki’linochchi, Point Pedro and Kayts of ages between 22 and 24, did not possess valid evidence to prove the reason for their presence in the area, Galkisse police said.
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Police arrests 8 Up-Country Tamils in Kandy

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 May 2008, 18:37 GMT]
Kandy police arrested 2 youths in Kandy town for not having registered their names in the police record of their working place and 2 for the possession of drugs, Wednesday evening. Meanwhile, Davulagala police in Udunuwara division in Kandy arrested 4 Tamil youths in their police division for not possessing documents of their identification.
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Two SLA soldiers killed in Ampaa'rai - LTTE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 May 2008, 18:18 GMT]
Liberation Tigers officials in Ampaa'rai told media Thursday that two Sri Lanka Army soldiers, including a Sergeant, were killed in a booby trap explosion in Kagnchikudichcha-aa'ru in Ampaa'rai Wednesday around 8:00 p.m. and two soldiers sustained serious injuries when they approached an LTTE position in the jungle.
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Grenade attack on EPDP election campaigners at Chengkaladi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 May 2008, 18:09 GMT]
Unknown attackers lobbed a grenade targeting EPDP election campaigners who were putting their election posters at Chengkaladi juntion in Ea'raavoor police division in Batticaloa district Thursday around 9:45 p.m., police said. No one was wounded in the attack, according to initial details.
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US Country Report accuses GoSL, LTTE of terrorist activities

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 May 2008, 11:17 GMT]
Noting that in South and Central Asia, "[t]errorism remained a serious problem in the region, directly and indirectly threatening American interests and lives," the Country Reports on Terrorism 2007, released by the US Department of State Wednesday, blamed the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers for terrorist activities saying, "[t]he LTTE reverted to targeting civilians in bus bombings and claymore mine attacks, while the government used anti-LTTE paramilitaries to terrorize citizens suspected of having ties to the Tigers."
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Feisal Cassim SLMC's new parliamentary group leader

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 May 2008, 11:03 GMT]
Feisal Cassim, Ampaarai district Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) parliamentarian, has been appointed as the new parliamentary group leader to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Rauf Hakim to contest the east provincial election from Trincomalee district, SLMC party sources said.
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CAFFE receives 38 election related complaints from east

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 May 2008, 11:00 GMT]
Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE), a monitoring group which has its headquarters in Colombo, said Thursday that it has received 38 complaints related to election violence from three districts Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Ampaarai in the east province till Wednesday night, media sources said.
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Claymore ambush in Weli Oya kills 2 STF commandos

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 May 2008, 08:54 GMT]
Sri Lankan military officials said two Special Task Force (STF) commandos deployed in the Sinhala settlement of Dutuwewa in Ma'nalaa'ru (Weli Oya) region were killed in a Claymore attack Thursday around 6:45 a.m. This is the first time the STF has admitted to have lost its men in an ambush attack in the Vanni front after STF units were deployed in the sector bordering Trincomalee and Vavuniyaa districts in the North Central Province for providing security to the Sinhalese settlements.
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Colombo has failed to honour Kachchatheevu agreement after 1983 - CPI

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 May 2008, 07:02 GMT]
Communist Party of India (CPI) National Secretary D Raja on Tuesday made a special mention during the Zero Hour in the Indian Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament of India stated that the agreement on Kachchatheevu and the historical waters between the Government of India and the Government of Sri Lanka, signed in 1974, didn't work after 1983. Mr. Raja said there is a grey area in the agreement with regards to the right of access to the island by the Indian fishermen and said that the agreement should be reopened and renegotiated in order to protect the rights of fishermen.
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UPFA observes May Day in east, UNP prayer at Kelaniya Vihare

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 May 2008, 06:52 GMT]
The May Day of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government led by Mahinda Rajapaksa is being held at Dehiyatttakandiya in Ampaarai district for the first time outside Colombo. Earlier the UPFA decided to hold its May Day rally at Ampaa'rai town. Later it changed the venue to Dehiyattakandiya sans procession due to security reasons, party sources said. The main opposition United National Party (UNP) first decided to hold its May Day rally in Kurunagala town in the northwestern province without procession. Later it canceled the rally and decided to observe prayer at Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihare.
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Colombo invites neighboring states to monitor EPC elections

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 May 2008, 06:45 GMT]
Sri Lankan Commissioner of Elections on Wednesday said India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan have agreed to send monitors to monitor Eastern Provincial Council elections.
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Postal voting for EPC elections concludes

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 May 2008, 06:34 GMT]
Ninety percent of postal voters in Trincomalee district and 80 percent in Batticaloa district have cast their votes when the two day postal voting concluded Tuesday, according to local election officials. The details of the postal voting held in Ampaa'rai district has not been publicly made.
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