Colombo municipal councilors walk out protesting against white van threat

[TamilNet, Thursday, 31 July 2008, 19:27 GMT]
Councilors of the Western Peoples Front (WPF), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) along with veteran trade union leader Vasudeva Nanayakara of the ruling independent group walked out of the monthly meeting of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) held Wednesday in protest to threats by gangs coming by white vans. Other members of the ruling independent group did not participate in the walkout.
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11 civilians arrested in Gampaha

[TamilNet, Thursday, 31 July 2008, 15:24 GMT]
Eleven civilians including two Tamils and a Muslim were taken into custody in a cordon and search operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in the Gampaha town on Wednesday. Police said they are being detained in the police station as they failed to prove their identity.
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Human skeleton found in Chemma'ni in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 31 July 2008, 10:30 GMT]
Demining employees of Danish Demining Organization engaged in demining Tuesday found a human skeleton suspected to be that of a woman in the area on the eastern flank of Jaffna-Kandy road which includes Chemma'ni and Ariyaalai areas within Jaffna Municipality limits. The hair and dress found on the skeleton point that it may be the skeleton of a woman, Jaffna police said. People gone missing in Jaffna peninsula in the 1996, 1997 periods were suspected of being killed and buried in the above places.
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SLAF helicopter hit by artillery fire in Ma'nalaa'ru

[TamilNet, Thursday, 31 July 2008, 08:10 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Bell 212 helicopter, which was airlifting wounded Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers from Ma'nalaa'ru (Ma'nalaa'ru) was hit by artillery fire on and was forced to make emergency landing at Anuradhapura SLAF base Tuesday evening, a well informed source in Anuradhapura said.
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Thondaman, Sivalingam receive suspended imprisonment

[TamilNet, Thursday, 31 July 2008, 03:15 GMT]
Nuwereliya Magistrate Court served Tuesday a verdict of six months imprisonment suspended for three years and a fine of thousand rupees each for violating a court order, on Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) leader, Minister Arumugam Thondaman, Deputy Minister Muththu Sivalingam and Central Provincial Council member, V. Rathakrishnan, sources in Nuwareliya said.
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SLA tightens restriction on travel, CDMA phone use, in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 July 2008, 17:40 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Jaffna Commander, Major. Gen. G. A. Chandrasiri announced fresh measures that would further curtail travel out of the peninsula and the use of CDMA wireless phones in the peninsula in a meeting held Wednesday morning in Thellippalai area in SLA Palaali High Security Zone (HSZ). Jaffna Government Agent (GA), K. Ganesh, Heads of government departments and corporations and representatives of various organizations participated in the meeting.
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11 Tamil civilians arrested in Mt.Lavinia

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 July 2008, 16:14 GMT]
Eleven Tamil civilians were taken into custody in a cordon and search operation conducted from 6:00 a.m. till 10:00 a.m. Wednesday in Mt.Lavinia area in Colombo division by the Police with the assistance of about one hundred members of the Civil Volunteer Force (CVF). Police used sniffer dogs and metal detectors to trace explosives in vehicles and in public places, sources said.
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Tamil youth shot dead in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 July 2008, 16:12 GMT]
Twenty four year-old Tamil youth Armugam Jaishankar was shot dead by unidentified armed persons arrived in a white van Wednesday evening around 4:30 p.m at Potkerni in Thampalakaamam police division in Trincomalee district.
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Tamil youth abducted in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 July 2008, 16:08 GMT]
Twenty five year-old Tamil youth Kirubakaran Nitharshan was abducted Tuesday night from his house located in Nelukkulam in Vavuniyaa police division by a group of eight armed persons arrived in four motorbikes, according to complaints lodged by his wife Wednesday morning with the Vavuniyaa police and human rights groups.
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TNA parliamentarian’s bodyguard shot, injured

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 July 2008, 14:01 GMT]
Unidentified armed men opened fire on the bodyguard of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Batticaloa district parliamentarian, T. Kanagasabai, Wednesday around 5:15 p.m at his house in Eruvil area in Ka’luvangchchikudi police division in Batticaloa district. The seriously injured bodyguard was rushed to the hospital, initial reports from Batticaloa said.
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Court demands submission of medical reports in Tissanayagam case

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 July 2008, 13:33 GMT]
Colombo Additional Magistrate Ms. Malini Abeyratne ordered Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) police to submit the medical examination reports of journalist Tissanayagam, Equality Press Manger Vadivel Yasikaran, and Valarmathi who underwent medical examination 27 May 2008, on the request made by Defence counsel K. V. Thavarajah when the three defendants were produced in Colombo Magistrate Court Wednesday, legal sources in Colombo said.
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NIC compulsory to travel south

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 July 2008, 09:59 GMT]
People traveling from north to south in Sri Lanka cannot pass through Mathavaachchi Sri Lanka Army (SLA) check post if they do not have their National Identity Cards (NIC). Passport, driving license, and documents of identification related to professions were earlier accepted in place of NIC. People without NIC are now being sent back by the SLA in Mathavaachi check post, sources in Vavuniyaa said.
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Muslim trader shot, injured in Chammaanththu’rai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 July 2008, 03:13 GMT]
Unidentified armed men on motorcycle shot and seriously injured a Muslim paddy trader Tuesday around 8:15 p.m at Maavadippa’l’li in Chammaanththu’rai police division in Ampaa’rai district, sources in Kalmunai said. The victim was riding home from his paddy shop in Chammaanththu’rai, when he was shot. The armed men took away the trader’s motorcycle and the money he had in his possession.
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Sri Lanka's new Ambassador to US presents credentials

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 July 2008, 02:17 GMT]
Sri Lanka's new Ambassador to U.S., Jaliya Wickramasuriya, presented his Credentials to U.S. President George W. Bush, at the Oval Office of the White House, on July 28, 2008, Sri Lanka embassy website reported. As the 15th Ambassador to the U.S., Wickramasuriya replaces the outgoing Ambassador Bernard Gunatillake.
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NPC urges GoSL to relax embargo on peace envoys visit to Vanni

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 July 2008, 01:28 GMT]
National Peace Council, a Colombo-based peace group, on Tuesday said that the absence of positive responses by the International Community to the offers of talks and ceasefires was indicative of a credibility problem. Urging both the parties reassess their past behaviour and to find ways to rebuild their credibility, the NPC said the ceasefire offer by the LTTE, regardless of its motivations, is not to be lightly rejected and urged the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to relax its embargo on peace emissaries going into the Vanni.
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SLAF fighter jets bomb Ki'linochchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 July 2008, 01:07 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers dropped at least four bombs Wednesday morning between 6:20 and 6:35 a.m. targeting Thiruvaiyaa'ru, 4 km east of Ki'linochchi. The aerial strike comes as the Sri Lankan government has rejected to respect the unilateral ceasefire announced by the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) in connection with the SAARC summit taking place in Colombo from 26 July to 04 August.
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17 Tamil civilians arrested in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 July 2008, 20:35 GMT]
Seventeen Tamil civilians including three women were taken in to custody Tuesday in a cordon and search operation conducted in Wellawatte area in Colombo by the police with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA). All of the detainees were natives of north and east provinces and had been working in shops and staying with their relatives, friends and some in lodges in Wellawatte to go abroad, human rights sources said.
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IDPs skeptical of resettlement in SLA HSZ in Valikaamam

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 July 2008, 17:24 GMT]
The decision taken by authorities, to resettle Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the High Security Zones (HSZs) of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Valikaamam north, in the high level meeting held Monday at Palaali SLA head quarters is unlikely to succeed, IDP Welfare society persons said. The committee, appointed by Colombo Supreme Court to explore resettling IDPs in the HSZs of Jaffna peninsula, which met Monday at Palaali SLA head quarters, decided to take steps to resettle at least some of the IDPs in places which are not at present occupied by SLA.
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Tamil youth shot dead in Uppuve'li

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 July 2008, 17:07 GMT]
Unidentified armed men shot dead an 18-year-old Tamil youth at Uppuve'li police division, a suburb in Trincomalee Monday night in his house.
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Colombo snaps outside communication with Vanni

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 July 2008, 15:52 GMT]
Sri Lankan Telecommunication Department has cut off the telephone numbers with +9421228 format (Ki'linochchi lines) for the last few days, disabling the only available mode of communication to the outside world from Vanni at a time when more than 100,000 civilians have displaced in Ki'inochchi and Mullaiththeevu districts due to the Sri Lanka Army offensive. Fundamental services such as hospitals, civil services and media dependent on telephone communication have been severely affected, according to civil sources in Ki'linochchi.
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Civilian shot, injured in Vadamaraadchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 July 2008, 14:41 GMT]
Two unidentified gunmen on motorcycle shot and seriously injured a 19-year-old family man Tuesday around 9:00 a.m near the fish market located next to the main entrance of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) 52-4 Division Main Camp in Point Pedro in Vadamaraadchi.
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Jaffna SLA Commander assures co-operation during GCE A/L exam

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 July 2008, 10:57 GMT]
Jaffna Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Commander, Major. Gen. G. A. Chandrasiri, assured that SLA will co-operate fully to conduct the August General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advance Level Examination in Jaffna peninsula smoothly, in a meeting held Monday in Palaali SLA head quarters, attended by Jaffna Government Agent and Key Education Officials in the peninsula.
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Resettling IDPs in SLA HSZ in Valikaamam discussed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 July 2008, 10:18 GMT]
The committee appointed by Colombo Supreme Court to explore resettling Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in the High Security Zones (HSZ) of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Valikaamam north in Jaffna peninsula met Monday at Palaali SLA head quarters, and decided to take steps to resettle the IDPs in places which are not at present occupied by SLA, sources in Jaffna said.
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Tamil youth abducted in Kalmunai

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 July 2008, 08:13 GMT]
Unidentified armed men on motorcycle abducted Monday around 5:00 p.m a Tamil youth at Vanneeyaar area in Kalmunai police division in Ampaa’rai district, according to the complaint made to Kalmunai police by his parents.
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Police attack volunteer teachers in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 July 2008, 03:53 GMT]
Police in Batticaloa assaulted volunteer teachers Monday around 8:00 a.m when they were about to go on a procession from Batticaloa bus terminal to Batticaloa Hindu College to hand over an appeal to Sri Lanka Education Minister Susil Premajayantha seeking permanent appointments, President of Batticaloa District Volunteer Teachers’ Association, Arulaiah Mohnaraj said. The minister was the chief guest at the event in Batticaloa Hindu College held to give appointments to graduates in Batticaloa district.
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2 Tamil youths abducted in Kotahena

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 July 2008, 02:49 GMT]
Two Tamil youths, who returned from Qatar in Middle East and had been staying in a lodge along Vivekananda Hill in Kotahena to go again for employment abroad, were abducted by a group of armed persons who allegedly posed as officials of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Police last Friday afternoon around 12.30, according to complaints lodged with the Kotahena Police and other human rights groups on Monday by their relatives.
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1200 Tamils prisoners held in Welikade without inquiry

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 July 2008, 20:51 GMT]
The Sri Lanka's Supreme Court was told when the Fundamental Rights violation petition filed the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) was taken up for further inquiry Monday that about one thousand two hundred Tamil civilians are still being detained in Welikada prison without any inquiry. The counsel for the petitioner begged the court to take steps to release these Tamils, legal sources said.
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LTTE to hand over dead body of SLA DPU soldier

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 July 2008, 15:44 GMT]
LTTE officials in Ki'inochchi on Monday said a unit of the Peoples Force of Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (PF-LTTE) had recovered the dead body of a Sri Lanka Army Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) soldier who was killed following the recent attack in Kokkaavil where Deputy Planning Director of Poonakari Divisional Secretariat, Santhalingam Vimalakumar, was slain in a Claymore attack on Friday. Meanwhile, four of the thirty dead bodies were handed over to the LTTE through the ICRC by the SLA, were not identified as belonging to LTTE fighters, the Tigers said.
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SLA offensive repulsed in Paalamoaddai - LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 July 2008, 15:19 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) officials in Vanni told media Monday that a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) ground movement in Paalamoaddai in Vavuniyaa into LTTE controlled territory was repulsed by the Tigers after confrontations that lasted from 3:35 p.m. till 4:45 p.m. Five SLA soldiers were killed and seven wounded in the confrontations, according to LTTE officials.
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SLA fires artillery, MBRL from Northern Front

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 July 2008, 14:48 GMT]
A barrage of heavy artillery and Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) fire from the Northern Front was launched by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Sunday and Monday into Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled territory in Iyakkachchi, Pazhai and Vadamaraadchi East villages despite no provocation from the LTTE side, sources in Ki'linochchi said.
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Tamil trader found with gun shot injuries in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 July 2008, 14:36 GMT]
The 23-year old owner of a computer shop in Vavuniyaa town who went missing 22 July around 3:00 p.m was found alive with gun shot injuries on the head and neck, in Sreenakar in Vavuniyaa by his relatives, source said. He was admitted to Vavuniyaa hospital first and immediately transferred to Anuradapura hospital for further treatment.
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967 graduates get appointments in Batticaloa, Ampaa'rai

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 July 2008, 13:29 GMT]
485 graduates in Batticaloa district and 482 in Ampaa'rai district received appointments for jobs in two separate events on Monday. The appointments for the first batch of 1225 graduates who were already promised come in the wake of protests by more than 2,500 unemployed in the Eastern Province. Sri Lankan Education Minister Susil Premajayantha was the chief guest for the events on Monday. Security was beefed up in the nearby streets 24-hours in advance to the events amid a new wave of protest by voluntary teachers who were yet to receive permanent appointments.
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CaFFE says violence on the increase in SPC, NCPC elections

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 July 2008, 08:56 GMT]
Independent monitoring group- Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) said Sunday that violence and misuse of state properties are on the increase during electioneering to the elections to the Sabragamuwa Provincial Council (SPC) and North Central Provincial Council (NCPC) which are scheduled to be held on August 23.
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Maaviddapuram temple Thirukkaarthikai festival celebrated

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 July 2008, 04:41 GMT]
More than 2000 Saiva devotees participated Sunday in the Thirukkaarthikai festival in the historic Maaviddapuram Kanthasuvaami Koayil located in the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Security Zone (HSZ) in Valikaamam north on the 20th day of the 25-day annual festival. More devotees attended the Sunday festival to perform religious rites compared to the last two years, temple authorities said.
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7,400 telephone links remain cut in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 July 2008, 04:04 GMT]
Sri Lanka Telecommunication (SLTC) Jaffna office announced that the Ministry of Defence in Colombo has to make the final decision on the applications of 400 customers in Jaffna peninsula who had obtained the newly demanded police clearance to use their Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) wireless phones that remain suspended for the last two months on instructions of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna due to 'security reasons'.
Full story >>

Australia, New Zealand Tamils Commemorate Black July

[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 July 2008, 20:36 GMT]
In marking the 25th anniversary of Black July, Australian Tamils held three different events, a Friday morning rally at the heart of Sydney, followed by a protest meeting at Burwood Park, Burwood, and on Saturday afternoon a photographic exhibition in Melbourne at the State Library Forecourt, opposite the Melbourne Central Railway Station. Meanwhile, New Zealand Tamil Medical Association (NZTMA) and the Tamil Youth Organistion (TYO-New Zealand) organised a blood donation drive, and on Friday held a vigil marking the Black July.
Full story >>

TIC urges Colombo to reciprocate LTTE's ceasefire

[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 July 2008, 19:55 GMT]
In a press release issued Sunday, Tamil Information Center (TIC), a UK-based peace advocacy organization, urged Sri Lankan Government "to view the LTTE’s ceasfire offer as positive, and reciprocate it by making a similar announcement giving rise to a real ceasefire leading to an end to the armed conflict and the beginning of confidence building between the parties, peace talks and agreement on substantive issues that lie at the heart of the conflict."
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SLA shelling targets Theavanpiddi, civilian killed

[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 July 2008, 18:00 GMT]
A civilian was killed and two wounded Sunday when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched artillery and mortar barrage as displaced civilians were engaged in transporting their movable properties at Thevanpiddi, one of the topmost localities of Mannaar district. The SLA launched a day-long intense shelling barrage from 7:00 a.m. targeting Theavanpiddi where the statue of Our Lady of Madu was placed for the past 12 weeks. The shrine was taken on an ambulance by the Church authorities via Omanthai to Mannaar Bishop's House on Friday.
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Basil Rajapaksa visits Batticaloa to discuss ADB allocation of funds

[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 July 2008, 17:04 GMT]
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has allocated 4,015 million rupees for the development of agriculture and irrigation tanks in Batticaloa district and a conference presided by Basil Rajapakse, the brother and Senior Advisor to SL President Mahinda Rajapaksa and member of parliament, was held Sunday in Batticaloa District Secretariat to discuss ways of making use of the ADB funds, sources in Batticaloa said. Sri Lankan ministers and heads of local and provincial governments of the ruling UPFA, TMVP alliance attended the conference. Members of parliament from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in Batticaloa district were not invited.
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80-year-old woman reported missing in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 July 2008, 16:45 GMT]
Unknown armed men riding in a white van earlier this month have abducted an 80-year-old woman in Mannaar, according to complaints lodged with the citizens committee in Mannaar by the victim's relatives.
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Resettling IDPs in SLA HSZ in Valikaamam to be explored

[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 July 2008, 14:26 GMT]
A committee presided by Jaffna High Court Judge R. T. Vignarajah is to explore the possibility and ways of resettling Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in the High Security Zones (HSZ) of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Valikaamam north area in Jaffna peninsula, next week, legal sources in Jaffna said. Colombo Supreme Court had appointed the above committee after inquiring into the Fundamental Rights Violation petition filed by the IDPs seeking permission to resettle in their villages in Valikaamam north and to engage in their livelihoods.
Full story >>

2 TMVP men injured in shooting in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 July 2008, 09:53 GMT]
Two men from the TMVP, the paramilitary-cum-political party in Batticaloa, were shot and seriously wounded Saturday around 11:30 p.m while they were riding on a motor cycle along a road near the Amman temple in Puthoor in Batticaloa police division, according to Batticaloa police. The wounded TMVP men have alleged that they were shot by Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) personnel. However, the Police said the details were yet to be clarified.
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Ki'linochchi, Mullaiththeevu, not far away, says Rajapaksa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 July 2008, 09:40 GMT]
It is "not too far away," to "liberate the people of Ki'linochchi and Mullaiththeevu" and make them live under a "democratic set up" now being "enjoyed by the people of the eastern province," declared Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, addressing a provincial election campaign meeting in Anuradhapura on Saturday. The statement comes after Sri Lanka Army officials in Colombo told media that their forces were making "rapid progress" in Vanni claiming that the SLA recovered 37 dead bodies of LTTE fighters together with arms as the Sri Lankan forces were engaged in consolidating an offensive line south of Mallaavi.
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Archbishop of Colombo blames government for 'grossly misleading' distortion

[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 July 2008, 07:03 GMT]
Archbishop of Colombo Most Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis, in a press statement issued Saturday blamed the Sri Lankan department of government information for attributing him in a "grossly misleading" way with a news headline, 'Military defeat of LTTE pre-condition for peace'. The title was a "complete distortion," the Archbishop said in his statement adding that he doesn't share the opinion, which most of the people were thinking that has become a common opinion, that the LTTE must be crushed in order to have a peaceful solution.
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Tamil youth abducted in Wellawatte

[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 July 2008, 04:53 GMT]
Jeganathan Dinesh, 24, working in a communication centre along Vihare Mawatte in Wellawatte, was abducted by unidentified armed persons arrived in white van Saturday night around 9:30 p.m., according to complaints lodged with the Wellawatte Police and human rights groups.
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Army deserters arrested for entering Yala sanctuary

[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 July 2008, 02:10 GMT]
Six deserters of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) were arrested by the SLA soldiers and Wild Life department officials when they were entering the Yala sanctuary which has been declared out of bound for civilians due to security reasons, sources said.
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Hindu priest files FR petition in Supreme Court

[TamilNet, Saturday, 26 July 2008, 15:28 GMT]
Chief priest of the Colombo-Grandpass Sri Gnanavairavar Swami Temple Balakrishna Ayer Ravishankara Kurukal filed a Fundamental Rights Violation petition in the Sri Lanka's Supreme Court seeking the court order the government to allow Hindus to organize the annual Aadi Amaavaasai (anniversary when children remember their late father) rites along the shore of Muhathuwaaram Sea beach in Colombo without interruption by the security forces. The preliminary inquiry into the FR petition filed by the Chief priest Thursday has been fixed for July 28, legal forced said.
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Speeding SLA Buffel crushes woman to death in Chaavakachcheari

[TamilNet, Saturday, 26 July 2008, 14:25 GMT]
A 62-year old Tamil woman was crushed under a speeding Buffel Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) military vehicle at 9:30 a.m. Saturday morning along the Jaffna-Kandy road in front of the Government Hospital in Chaavakachcheari, sources in Jaffna said. The woman died on the spot.
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South African Tamils commemorate Black July

[TamilNet, Saturday, 26 July 2008, 12:29 GMT]
More than 600 South African Tamils assembled at the Kharwastan Temple Hall in Chatsworth South Africa to observe the 25th anniversary of Black July, Friday. The African National Congress (ANC) Member of Parliament, Sisa Njikelana from Gauteng Province, delivered the key note speech, comparing developing situation in Sri Lanka to those in Rwanda and Brundi. The function, organised by the Tamil Co-ordinating Committee of South Africa and presided by Mr Vinoth Rajagopaul, was broadcast live on national radio station, Lotus FM (SABC).
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JVP parliamentarian accuses government of 'white van culture'

[TamilNet, Saturday, 26 July 2008, 06:38 GMT]
Parliamentarian Mr.Wijitha Heart, Propaganda, propaganda secretary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), told media Friday that abductions are now being carried out in the country with the blessing of the government. The excavation of a corpse of a Tamil person who is alleged to have been abducted and later found to be dumped in the premises of the office of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) in Batticaloa, clearly points complicity of Colombo in the abduction-murder, the JVP MP added. EPDP is a constituent of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, and the leader of EPDP is a cabinet minister.
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Malwatte Mahanayake Thera cancels his visit to North

[TamilNet, Saturday, 26 July 2008, 01:34 GMT]
A peace delegation led by Venerable Dibbotuwa Sri Sumangala Mahanayake Thera of Malwatte Chapter in Kandy scheduled to pay a visit to Northern Province this week was cancelled due to security reasons, according to Diyawadana Nilame of Kandy Dalada Maligaawa Thilanga Thela Bandara.
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Demining in Jaffna peninsula likely to stall

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 July 2008, 18:34 GMT]
Danish Demining Organization and Halo Trust, the two humanitarian organizations engaged in demining projects in Jaffna peninsula, have decided to reduce the number of employees owing to cutback on funding by International Organizations, according to an official of the Demining Coordinating department in Jaffna Secretariat.
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Traders' Association President shot dead in Akkaraippattu

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 July 2008, 16:25 GMT]
Unidentified armed men shot and killed Friday around 8:30 p.m a Tamil vegetable trader in Akkaraippattu in Ampaa’rai district as he was going home after closing his shop in Aalayadiveampu Public Market, sources in Akkaraippattu said.
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Homage paid to slain Vimalakumar in Ki'linochchi

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 July 2008, 14:34 GMT]
Homage to Santhalingam Vimalakumar, Deputy Planning Director of Poonakari division in Ki'linochchi District Secretariat killed Friday morning in a DPU Claymore attack at Kokkaavil in Oddisuddaan was paid in an event held Friday in the conference room in Ki'linochchi Secretariat presided by S. Regi Aloysius, the head of Ki'linochchi Secretariat Welfare Association. Government Administrative officials, Medical Officers, Education Department officers and a large number of people took part in the event paying their last respects to the remains of Vimalakumar.
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U.S. rally commemorating Black July draws over 600

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 July 2008, 11:58 GMT]
People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL), a US-based advocy group, held a rally Thursday at Russell Senate Park, commorating the 25th anniversary of Black July, and the rally was attended by over 600 participants from several U.S States. Two U.S. Congress members through letters of support read at the rally recognized the American Tamils' effort highlighting the human rights crisis in Sri Lanka. The rally also protested the financial support provided by the Chinese Government to the Governments of Sri Lanka and Burma.
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JHU accuses five UPFA ministers supporting devolution

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 July 2008, 10:54 GMT]
The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), all monks' party condemned a group of ministers who have been supporting devolution of police and land powers to provincial councils according to the 13th amendment to the constitution. JHU leaders at a press briefing held Thursday said ministers in the UPFA government have formed a movement to urge the government to devolve police and land powers to provincial councils. JHU media spokesman Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe said the JHU would oppose such move and would take stern steps to crush the movement.
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4 Boosa detainees transferred to Terrorism unit, 8 freed

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 July 2008, 10:44 GMT]
Four Tamil civilians detained in Boosa detention camp in the Galle district for several months were transferred Wednesday to the Prevention of Terrorism Unit (PTU) located in Chaitiya Street in Colombo. Meanwhile, eight other Tamil civilians detained for about six to eight months in Boosa Detention Centre had been released without any charges, sources in Colombo said.
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Development official killed in DPU Claymore attack

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 July 2008, 05:35 GMT]
Deputy Planning Director of Poonakari (Pooneryn) division and a development official at Ki'iinochchi District Secretariat, Santhalingam Vimalakumar, 33, was killed Friday morning following a Claymore attack that targeted his motorbike at Kokkaavil in Oddisuddaan. Mr. Vimalakumar was on his way to Vavuniyaa on official engagement while he was attacked, according to officials at the District Secretariat.
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SLA declares amnesty to deserted soldiers

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 July 2008, 02:36 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has declared fourth amnesty this year for the deserted soldiers to return to service before midnight on July 28. Those who fail would be arrested and would be produced in military court and be punished, SLA headquarters said in a release.
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Legend missing in Thiruva'l'luvar statue in London

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 July 2008, 17:02 GMT]
The prestigious School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London displays a statue of the ancient Tamil poet and philosopher Thiruva'l'luvar in its premises. The plaque noting him a Tamil scholar and the palm-leave book in his left hand are missing for some time.
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Youth shot dead in Kodikaamam

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 July 2008, 14:28 GMT]
Two unidentified armed men on motorcycle shot and killed Wednesday around 5:00 p.m a youth at Veavil area in Kodikaamam in Thenmaraadchi while he was going to a relaitve’s house from his home in Veavil, sources in Kodikaamam said. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) had conducted a large scale cordon and search operation in Kodikaamam area Monday following the killing of two SLA soldiers in Thenmaraadchi on Friday night.
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Reflections on Black July in art, literature and theatre

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 July 2008, 14:05 GMT]
Artists and writers in different parts of the world reflect through various ways on Black July 1983, the state-sponsored pogrom against Tamils in Sri Lanka, marking its 25th year. Citing some of the aesthetic expressions, a play in English to be staged in Canada on Saturday is based on the post-pogrom phenomenon of refugee hearing. While an ongoing art exhibition in Colombo documents life after 1983 in the eyes of a Sinhala photographer, a novel that comes from Australia bases itself on the psychological scars of the pogrom.
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Tamil civilian shot dead in Thampalakaamam

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 July 2008, 12:06 GMT]
A 60-year old Tamil civilian was shot dead Wednesday night when he was riding in a motor bike to his paddy field by unidentified armed persons at Potkea'ni, a suburb in the traditional Tamil village Thampalakaamam in Trincomalee district, police sources said.
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Voices of 1983: Basil Fernando's poem remembered

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 July 2008, 10:18 GMT]
A poem, based on an eye-witness account of an event during 1983 pogrom captures the determination of a Tamil father at the time of his agonising death. The poem by Basil Fernando, a Sinhala lawyer, encapsulates the impelling spirit of the Tamil struggle of the post-pogrom years. Mr. Basil Fernando is at present the Executive Director of the Hong Kong based Asian Human Rights Commission.
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Sinhalese with LTTE identity card arrested in Anuradhapura

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 July 2008, 03:10 GMT]
A Sinhala man, who attempted to enter the premises of Anuradhapura High Court on July 20 with an identity card allegedly issued by the LTTE, was taken into custody and is being detained for interrogation by the Terrorist Intelligence Division (TID) of the Sri Lanka Police. Police personnel manning the sentry point at the entrance to the High Court arrested the suspect, police sources said.
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Tamil trader shot dead in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 July 2008, 20:01 GMT]
A Tamil trader was shot dead by unidentified armed persons Wednesday morning in front of his shop located near Chiththivinaayakar Temple at Veappangku'lam along Vavuniyaa-Mannaar road, Vavuniyaa police said.
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Tamil trader abducted in Colombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 July 2008, 16:10 GMT]
An upcountry Tamil trader residing in Dehiwala in Colombo for more than 20 years was abducted by unidentified persons Tuesday night when he was in his shop selling greeting cards. His shop is located along Galle Road in Dehiwala, according to complaints lodged by his relatives with the Dehiwala Police and human rights groups.
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US Tamils to hold Black July rally, vigil

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 July 2008, 11:23 GMT]
People For Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL), an advocacy group composed of over 1,800 Americans concerned about the crisis in Sri Lanka, is organizing a protest rally and vigil in Washington DC on Thursday at 12 pm to remember the victims of Black July 1983, an ethnic pogrom, where organized mobs backed by the Sri Lankan government killed approximately 3,000 Tamil civilians, displaced several thousand Tamils and destroyed over $300 million worth of Tamils’ property. The rally will be held at the Russell Senate Park, at the intersection of Constitution Avenue and Delaware Avenue, Washington DC, according to the organizers.
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Plans afoot to restart production in KKS cement factory

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 July 2008, 10:38 GMT]
Sri Lanka Cement Corporation’s newly appointed Chairman S. J. Paranagama said that steps are being taken to recommence cement production in Kaangkeasanththu’rai (KKS) Lanka Cement factory, during a press meet held Tuesday for Jaffna media in Jaffna. He expressed hope that certain sections of the factory will be able to function within two months, sources in Jaffna said.
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Tamil woman shot dead, in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 July 2008, 09:29 GMT]
Kaaththaankudi police recovered the body of a young Tamil woman with gun shot wounds on the forehead in Poonochchimunai village in Batticaloa district on information given by the residents of the village, Kaaththaankudi police said. She had been shot and killed Wednesday early morning, the police added.
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5 TMVP men arrested for robbery, in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 July 2008, 07:31 GMT]
Batticaloa police arrested Tuesday evening five men of the paramilitary-cum-political party Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) on suspicion of robbing Rs. 700,000 and 15 sovereigns gold jewelry from a house in Kalladi area in Batticaloa on Monday evening, on the complaint lodged by the owner of the house, Batticaloa police said.
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2 Tamil labourers abducted in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 July 2008, 20:49 GMT]
Two Tamil labourers working in a shop along Galle Road in Dehiwala in Colombo were abducted by a group of persons dressed in police uniform Monday night. The gang arrived in a white van and forcibly took Muthukumar Selvakumar and Palaniyaandi Shanmugarasa from the shop, according to complaints lodged by the owner of the shop with the Dehiwala Police and humanitarian organizations.
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3 Tamil youths arrested in Kandy

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 July 2008, 20:47 GMT]
Three Tamil youths were taken into custody by the Kandy Police Monday evening on receipt of information that they had been taking photograph of the Kandy Teaching Hospital. They had been residents of Ampaarai and Kalmunai, police sources said.
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Hassan Ali takes oaths as UNP national list parliamentarian

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 July 2008, 20:07 GMT]
Hassan Ali, general secretary of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Tuesday morning took oaths as a main opposition, United National Party (UNP) national list parliamentarian before the Speaker, W.J.M.Lokkubandara in the parliament when it resumed its sitting.
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Congress-led coalition in India manages victory in confidence vote

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 July 2008, 18:26 GMT]
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's ruling UPA alliance on Tuesday scored victory in the confidence vote in the Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha) in favor of the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal, enabling the ruling coalition to proceed with the nuclear agreement. The UPA secured 275 votes in 541 seat Lok Sabha, securing four more than the half-way mark.
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SLA launches large scale cordon, search in Thenmaraadchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 July 2008, 17:26 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched a large scale cordon and search operation from Tuesday morning till evening covering areas west of A9 Jaffna-Kandy road blocking all the roads leading to the main road, local residents said. Residents were not allowed to leave their homes during the search.
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Youth shot dead, 2 injured in SLA shooting in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 July 2008, 16:38 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers opened fire on three youths Tuesday around 1:00 a.m killing one and injuring the other two, along Loaddan Veethi, Maanippaay in Valikaamam, according to the report submitted by Maanippaay police to Mallaakam magistrate court. Police claimed that SLA soldiers on road patrol had opened fire on the youths when the youths tried to run away when ordered to stop. The injured youths are admitted for treatment in Jaffna Teaching Hospital.
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2 civilians shot dead in two separate incidents in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 July 2008, 13:22 GMT]
Three unidentified armed men shot and killed Tuesday around 9:00 a.m a trader in front of his shop at Karaveddi in Vadamaraadchi while in a separate shooting two unidentified gun men arriving on a motorcycle shot and killed an employee of a video rental shop in Yoakapuram area in Urumpiraay around 10:30 a.m,.
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Looming humanitarian crisis in Vanni

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 July 2008, 11:25 GMT]
45,338 additional persons have been displaced in Mannar, Vavuniyaa, Ki'linochchi, and Mullaitivu districts, due to the shelling and aerial bombardment by th Sri Lanka Security Forces in the last four weeks, adding to the Internally Displaced People (IDP) population of 107,048 in Vanni, said a report released by the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO). The report warned that the restrictions imposed by the Government of Sri Lanka to humanitarian agencies to attend to the IDP needs have created conditions for an imminent humanitarian crisis in Vanni.
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Tamil youth abducted in Kalmunai

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 July 2008, 08:12 GMT]
Unidentified armed men arriving in a three-wheeler abducted Friday night a Tamil youth from his house in Kalmunai in Kalmunai police division in Ampaa'rai district, according to the complaint lodged with Kalmunai police by his mother.
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White van confiscated in EPDP Chengkaladi office

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 July 2008, 08:01 GMT]
Ea’raavoor police confiscated a white van used in abductions in Batticaloa district in the paramilitary Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) office premises in Chengkaladi in Batticaloa district, Ea’ravoor Acting Inspector of Police, Nalakka Magedara said. The van bearing 56-5659 registration number was confiscated on information given by the EPDP members arrested in connection with the recovery of an abductee's body in the backyard of Chengkaladi EPDP office 17 July.
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IDP abducted in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 July 2008, 04:38 GMT]
Unidentified men in a white van abducted Sunday an Internally Displaced Person (IDP) from Trincomalee district staying in an interim refuge centre in Batticaloa district, according to the complaint lodged by abductee's father with Batticaloa police Monday morning.
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Thousands flee SLA artillery barrage

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 July 2008, 04:20 GMT]
Thousands of civilians from Moon’raampiddi, Paaliyaa’ru, Ka’neasapuram, and Theavanpiddi areas are moving out of their villages due to continued artillery attack by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) on their settlements, seeking temporary refuge in Vannearikkulam and Akkaraayan areas in Ki'linochchi district, sources in Vanni said.
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Sri Lanka rejects LTTE truce offer, responses differ

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 July 2008, 04:15 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s government Tuesday rejected the Tamil Tigers offer of a unilateral ceasefire for the period of the SAARC conference (Jul 26 to Aug 4). But senior officials of the Colombo government gave different responses as to the government stance on the truce offer, announced formally by the LTTE Political Wing on Monday.
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LTTE announces unilateral ceasefire during SAARC summit

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 July 2008, 18:30 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) on Tuesday announced that the movement would observe unilateral ceasefire during the period of SAARC conference from 26th July to 04 August, giving cooperation for the success of the conference. Conveying goodwill and trust of the Tamil people, the LTTE Political Wing, in a press statement issued from Vanni said it wished for the success of the SAARC conference, extending the movement's support to the "countries of our region, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives."
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Corpse of male person recovered from cemetery well in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 July 2008, 15:35 GMT]
A highly decomposed corpse believed to be of a Tamil civilian beyond recognition was recovered from a well located in the general cemetery in Thedchchanakulam in Vavuniyaa Monday evening around 4:00 p.m. by the Vavuniyaa police on receipt of information from a Grama Sevaka Officer of the area, police sources said.
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2 civilians shot dead in two separate incidents in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 July 2008, 13:57 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers shot and killed a family man Sunday around 5:30 p.m in Poayiddi area in I’lavaalai, while unidentified armed men shot and killed another family man around 7:30 p.m in Karaveddi in Vadmaraadchi during power cut, sources in Jaffna said.
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2 SLA soldiers shot dead in Thenmaraadchi

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 July 2008, 13:10 GMT]
Unidentified armed men shot dead two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers in two separate attacks Friday night in Madaththadi and Vempiraai residential areas in Chaavakachcheri in Thenmaraadchi around 7:00 p.m and 7:30 p.m. The attacks were made during power cut on a SLA road patrol unit and a SLA camp. Sri Lanka Defence Department has confirmed the deaths of the two SLA soldiers.
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Price of essential food items soars in Jaffna peninsula

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 July 2008, 00:18 GMT]
Price of rice, wheat flour, and sugar in Jaffna peninsula rose as stocks in government stores dwindled, and residents are forced to by the provisions at exorbitant prices from private traders, civil society sources in Jaffna said. A ship bound for Jaffna peninsula with essential food items had to return to Colombo without unloading due to mechanical failure, and the uncertainty of shipments contributed to spiraling up of prices, sources added.
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SLAF, SLN attack Naachchikkudaa, 8 civilians wounded

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 July 2008, 15:14 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir fighters, helicopter gunships and Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) gunboats jointly attacked a coastal village, Naachchikkudaa, 17 km north of Iluppaikkadavai Sunday evening causing injuries to 8 civilians, according to initial reports from the area. Fishing huts, residences along the coast stretch and at least 13 fishing boats were damaged in the attack.
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SLA suspends all CDMA phone connections in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 July 2008, 11:17 GMT]
Sri Lanka Tele Communication (SLTC) in Jaffna suspended all Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) wireless phone service to nearly 7,000 customers as per instructions by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna due to security reasons, SLTC sources in Jaffna said. Even the limited CDMA phone service to Courts and government departments have been suspended.
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Family man shot dead in Kaaraitheevu in Ampaa’rai

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 July 2008, 09:12 GMT]
Unidentified armed men shot and killed a Tamil family man Saturday around 12:30 p.m in Kaaraitheevu area in Chammaanththu’rai police division in Ampaa’rai district, in front of his mother’s house, sources in Kaaraitheevu said.
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Tamil civilian abducted in Negombo

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 July 2008, 07:03 GMT]
A Tamil civilian was abducted Saturday evening by unidentified persons came in a white van at Vaikaal in Wennapuwa police division in Negombo district according to complaints lodged with the Wennapuwa police by his relatives.
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SLA hands over corpse of a civilian gone missing in Vanni

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 July 2008, 04:19 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) handed over a male corpse in a highly decomposed state Thursday to International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) claiming it to be the body of a member of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The person killed was the driver of a vehicle who had gone missing 13 July in Oddangku’lam in Thu’nukkai in Vanni.
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Tamil bank employee arrested in Kandy

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 July 2008, 17:57 GMT]
A Tamil employee attached to the Kandy branch of a state bank is being detained in the Kandy police station for allegedly video taping the house of Minister Keheliya Rambukwella located in Kandy, sources said. He was arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), since his arrest on Tuesday last week human rights sources in Colombo said.
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Impersonator accused of Kalmunai robberies

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 July 2008, 15:17 GMT]
A Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) operative posing as a member of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has been robbing a number of residences of nearly 1.5 million rupees during the past month within Kalmunai police division in Ampaarai, sources said.
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Eezham exhibition impresses UK parliamentarians

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 July 2008, 14:28 GMT]
A photo exhibition on '60 years of oppression of Tamils in Sri Lanka,' held at the premises of British Parliament on Wednesday brought in 'positive responses' from the Lawmakers cutting across party lines and other dignitaries, according to British Tamils Forum, the organisers of the display.
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All transport links to Jaffna to be severed during SAARC

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 July 2008, 14:08 GMT]
In preparing for the forthcoming 15th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to be held from July 27 to August 3 in Colombo, Sri Lanka Government is suspending all transport, by air and ship during a two-week period starting July 25 between Jaffna peninsula and the rest of Sri Lanka, imposing virtual isolation of NorthEast Tamil areas, informed sources from Jaffna said. Although Ministry of Defense has not formally issued a directive, air-transport officials, and port authorities have indicated that the suspension of all forms of transport to and from Jaffna are imminent.
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JVP trying to launch another insurgency- SLFP

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 July 2008, 12:47 GMT]
The Sinhala Nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), has been on its way to the jungle once again after its internal split, said the General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and a senior minister in the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, Mr.Maithiripala Sirisena, addressing a press briefing held in the auditorium of the Mahaweli Centre in Colombo Friday.
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20 Tamil youths arrested in Sri Lanka's Central towns

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 July 2008, 09:11 GMT]
Twenty seven civilians including twenty Tamils were arrested in two separate cordon and search operation conducted from Wednesday evening till Thursday evening in Dambulla and Teldeniya areas, sources said. The arrested are still being detained in respective police stations, and are to be produced in courts after the investigation is completed, police sources said.
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Goons attack journalist in Colombo

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 July 2008, 20:17 GMT]
A journalist attached to the Daily Mirror newspaper, Yohan Perera, was manhandled by 'political goons,' while he was on coverage of the demolition of unauthorized structures in Slave Island, Colombo, by the urban development Authority Friday, media sources in Colombo said. The demolition comes as Sri Lankan authorities were preparing to host the SAARC summit in Colombo.
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Trincomalee fishermen protest against restriction on fishing

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 July 2008, 16:20 GMT]
A demonstration led by Sinhala nationalist JVP's Trincomalee district parliamentatrian Jayantha Wijesekare demanded Friday the Sri Lankan government to relax the restriction on fishing imposed in Trincomalee or to compensate Rs. 20,000 per fishing family. The JVP, which is opposed to Rajapaksa government's move to hand over lands in Moothoor to India's infrastructure investment of Coal-Fired Power Plant, said it would launch a massive protest campaign against the government if the UPFA government failed to satisfy the demands immediately.
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Landmark European ruling says Tamils risk torture if deported

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 July 2008, 10:48 GMT]
In a rebuke of Britain’s efforts to deport Tamil asylum seekers, the European Court of Human Rights allowed Thursday the appeal by one refugee, finding that he was at risk of torture by the Sri Lankan authorities if returned there. Immigration lawyers said the European Court’s ruling was ‘very significant’ as the forcible removal of hundreds of Tamils had been held up pending this judgment. The Court’s decision came as the British government praised the Sri Lankan government’s efforts on human rights.
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Navanethem Pillay tipped to become U.N. Human Rights Chief

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 July 2008, 10:42 GMT]
The South African judge Ms. Navanethem Pillay, who has served on the International Criminal Court since 2003, is expected to be proposed by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as the candidate for UN's next Human Rights Chief, succeeding Louise Arbour, Reuters reported Friday. As a judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, where she served for eight years, Judge Pillay led the landmark decisions defining rape as an institutionalized weapon of war and a crime of genocide.
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Abductee recovered dead in EPDP office premises in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 July 2008, 12:14 GMT]
A shop owner, who was abducted by the paramilitary EPDP group in Chengkaladi in Ea'raavoor police division on June 19, was found dead and his body was recovered Thursday in the backyard of the EPDP office, which is guarded by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) of the Kommaathu'rai camp. The location was discovered following the information revealed by the EPDP personnel to the TMVP paramilitary operatives in a 'Police interrogation', according to informed sources. An EPDP person, Kaliyappan Gunaseelan, who was abducted by the TMVP, after Sureshkumar's disappearance, was recovered dead near a pond in Vaazhaichcheanai on 27 June.
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Boston Globe: Sri Lanka, in danger of becoming a rogue state

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 July 2008, 11:33 GMT]
"The solution to Sri Lanka's conflict must be political, not military. Rajapakse should be encouraged to strike a deal that grants Tamils substantial autonomy in their own homeland areas. If not, the war will drag on, and Sri Lanka's government may find itself classified alongside the regimes in Burma, Zimbabwe, and Sudan as an international pariah," Boston Globe, in an editorial published Thursday said.
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SL Supreme Court allows videofilming during search operations

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 July 2008, 10:22 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Supreme Court Chief Justice Sarath Silvan has allowed the Sri Lankan 'security' establishment to video residents of 'all communities' during the cordon and search operations. The Sri Lankan Chief Justice issued the directive Tuesday following the explanation by the State Counsel appearing for the Attorney General in a fundamental rights violation case filed by the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) against the indiscriminate arrests of Tamils in Colombo that it is tantamount to violating fundamental rights of Tamils. Members of law enforcement authority could continue video filming of persons in search operation irrespective of racial, religious and other differences.
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150 IDP families rendered homeless in fire in Vavuniyaa refugee camp

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 July 2008, 09:57 GMT]
Around 150 internally displaced families have been rendered homeless and being provided shelter in a school due to a fire that broke out Thursday morning located in the Poonthoaddam refugee camp No. 08 in Vavuniyaa town. Seven huts in the camp were reduced to ash, according to Government Agent C.Shanmugam.
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73 IDP families to be resettled in Moothoor east

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 July 2008, 08:05 GMT]
A group of Tamil families fled from Moothoor east in Trincomalee district to Batticaloa with the launching of military operation by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) on their villages in 2006 are to be resettled Friday.220 members of 73 families are to be brought by the eight buses via Vaakarai-Verukal road to their villages in three Grama Sevaka divisions, Paddaalipuram, Pa'l'likkudiyiruppu and Nallur, resettlement authority officials said.
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SLMM records to be stored in Norway National Archives

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 July 2008, 01:52 GMT]
Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), currently in termination phase, and operating with a few staff in Norway, said in their website that all documents and data-files produced during SLMM operation in Sri Lanka will be deposited with National Archives of Norway. Public will be barred access to sensitive information, according to SLMM.
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Japanese Tamil scholar Susumu Ohno passes away

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 July 2008, 21:26 GMT]
Professor Susumu Ohno, distinguished scholar of Japanese linguistics, known for his phenomenal research of linking the origins of Japanese language with Tamil, passed away on Monday in Tokyo at the age of 89, reported The Japan Times. He was working on the relationship between Tamil and Japanese languages for the last 30 years and even last year came out with a publication, reasserting to his theories. A 1999 book of him on Japanese language sold nearly 2 million copies.
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British minister meets Pillayan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 July 2008, 19:57 GMT]
British Foreign and Commonwealth (Asia, Africa and UN) Affairs Minister Malloch-Brown Wednesday morning held talks with Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan, leader of the paramilitary-cum-political party TMVP. The meeting was held at the Chief Secretariat of the EPC in Trincomalee town. The talks lasted for about two hours, Media was not allowed to cover the proceedings.
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Tamil youth abducted, another missing in Colombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 July 2008, 15:12 GMT]
Two Tamil youths were abducted Monday by unidentified armed persons in two separate incidents in Dehiwala and Narahenpitiya in Colombo, according to Civil Monitoring Committee.
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LTTE, SLA exchange artillery fire in Jaffna FDLs

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 July 2008, 11:38 GMT]
From early morning 6:00 a.m. till late evening Tuesday, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Liberation Tigers exchanged continuous artillery fire in Forward Defense Lines in Mukamaalai and Naakarkoyil areas, sources in Jaffna said. Cellular phone networks were disabled during the day, and passenger air-line flights were also suspended from noon. Jaffna was tensed as residents feared breakout of war.
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Massacre grave unearthed in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 July 2008, 07:03 GMT]
A mass grave, containing skeletons bearing gunshot wounds, has been discovered Wednesday morning at Paalameenmeadu, 6 km north of Batticaloa city, near a Tsunami resettlement. The grave was found after the IDPs, who were engaged in digging wells near their camp, unearthed body parts in one of the wells Monday. At least 32 pieces of skeletons have been recovered with cloths since 9:30 a.m., when Judge B. Ramakannan from Batticaloa visited the massacre site with Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) M.M.A. Rahman and the Police. The site, located 1.5 km from a Sri Lankan military post, manned by police and later by the Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) and the Sri Lanka Army (SLA).
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Karuna visits Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 July 2008, 01:12 GMT]
The leader of Thamil Makkal Viduthali Puligal (TMVP) Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, alias Karuna, visited Batticaloa Tuesday and met TMVP operatives at the office in Meenagam, sources in Batticaloa said.
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UN resident representative visits Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 July 2008, 01:10 GMT]
Neil Buhne, United Nations (UN) resident representative and Humanitarian coordinator, on a fact finding visit to Batticaloa Tuesday morning, met the Government Agent (GA), senior government officials, and heads of local councils and representatives of Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), sources in Batticaloa said.
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TNA: Jaffna Pass system violates basic human rights

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 July 2008, 15:43 GMT]
Maavai Senathirajah, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP for Jaffna in a letter to Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse, protested that procedures instituted by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officials for Jaffna residents to obtain a “Pass” to travel out of Jaffna require several days, and are causing “tremendous hardships” to the public and demanded immediate withdrawal of the pass system. He accused Colombo of suppressing freedom of movement and of grossly violating basic human rights.
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Indian PM's Special Protection Group personnel arrive in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 July 2008, 09:55 GMT]
70 members of the Indian Special Protection Group (SPG), which provides proximate security to the Prime Minister of India and the members of his immediate family, have arrived in Colombo Sunday for security preparations for the upcoming SAARC summit, diplomatic sources in Colombo said. In addition to the SPG personnel, the Indian government has sought permission from Sri Lanka to bring three naval ships, which will be anchored in the outer-harbour of Colombo during the summit. The sources also added that there will be some air cover as well.
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SC fixes inquiry on petition challenging EPC election results

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 July 2008, 04:57 GMT]
Supreme Court Monday fixed the inquiry for August 21 into the petitions filed by three candidates of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) seeking the court to nullify the results of the Batticaloa district of the eastern Provincial Council election held on May 10 was not free and fair. At the last date of inquiry the SC issued notices on the respondents cited in the petition to appear in court on Monday, legal sources said.
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2 Police officers die in Vavuniyaa road accident

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 July 2008, 02:23 GMT]
Two police officers were killed when the motorbike they were riding in collided with a police truck at the 40th milepost along Vavuniyaa-Mannaar road Monday night around 7.45 pm. Both police officers were attached to the Chettikulam police station, police spokesman Ranjit Gunasekara, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) told reporters.
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SLA approval mandatory for Vadamaraadchi development projects

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 July 2008, 01:39 GMT]
The commanding officer of 52nd Division of Sri Lanka Army (SLA), in a letter sent to the Jaffna Government Agent (GA) Friday, has instructed the GA to obtain permission from SLA before implementing any projects in SLA- controlled Vadamaaradchi East.
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Court seeks explanation from AG for video taping Tamil residents

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 July 2008, 00:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court, in response to a complaint filed by the petitioner in a fundamental rights violation case, Monday, directed the Attorney General to appear on Tuesday and submit his explanation for video taping a group of Tamil civilians in Muhathuwaaram in Colombo on July 2 after they were taken to an open space following a cordon and search operation, legal sources said.
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Protection seeker dies at Jaffna hospital

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 July 2008, 22:11 GMT]
A 37-year-old Tamil civilian, who had sought humanitarian protection with Jaffna office of Human Rights Commission (JHRC) and placed on protective custody in Jaffna prison was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Jaffna hospital Monday and later succumbed to his illness, according to medical sources.
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Civilian shot, succumbs to injuries at Jaffna hospital

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 July 2008, 19:51 GMT]
A 48-year-old male, father of five, who sustained serious injuries Sunday after being targeted by armed intruders inside his house in Adampan West near Thellippazhai in Jaffna district, succumbed to his injuries Monday at Jaffna Teaching Hospital. His house is located in an area bordering the Sri Lanka Army High Security Zone in Valikaamam North.
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British Foreign Minister to meet Pillayan - reports

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 July 2008, 19:40 GMT]
Britain’s Foreign Minister, Lord Malloch-Brown, is to meet Pillayan (Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan), Chief Minister of the Eastern Province and leader of the Army-backed paramilitary group, the TMVP, Sri Lankan press reports said. Lord Malloch-Brown is on a four day visit to Sri Lanka this week, The Island newspaper said.
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Two milk vendors missing in Akkaraipattu

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 July 2008, 18:02 GMT]
Two milk vendors from Akkaraippattu police division have been reported missing since Saturday early morning 4:00 a.m., Vimalavathy, wife of one of victims, stated in a complaint lodged with Akkaraippattu police. The relatives of the victims have also reported the disappearances to the nearby Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camps.
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Muslim civilian injured in grenade attack in Oaddamaavadi

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 July 2008, 13:56 GMT]
A 27-year-old Muslim civilian, Azad Saheed, was seriously injured in the early hours of Monday when unidentified attackers lobbed a grenade at his house located along M.K.Street in Oaddamaavadi in Vaazhaichcheanai police division of Batticaloa district.
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2 civilians missing in Ki'n'niyaa

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 July 2008, 11:12 GMT]
A 35-year old cattle breeder, and a 42-year old auto-rickshaw driver have been reported missiing in Aalangkea'ni, Ki'n'niyaa, during the last three days, according to complaints filed by their relatives with Ki'n'niya Police, media sources in Colombo said.
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Tamil Assistant Registrar of Kelaniya University reported missing

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 July 2008, 01:33 GMT]
The Assistant Registrar of the Kelaniya University, R.Rajeswaran, has been reported missing since July 4. He left for work on that Friday morning but failed to return home, according to a complaint lodged with the Wattala Police by his wife Vasanthini, a teacher at Puthukkulam Maha Vidiyalayam in Vavuniyaa.
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Civil Protection Committee formed in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 July 2008, 17:38 GMT]
A 48-member group with a mission to implement projects that nuture good will between the local citizens and Sri Lanka Police was formed for the Maanmunai North District Secretariat division at a meeting held at the Batticaloa Mahajana College at 10:00 a.m. Sunday led by Batticaloa Suprintendent of Police (SP), Priyantha Weerasooriya, Assistant SP, Ranasinghe, and Officer in Charge (OIC), Mr Sarath Wickrama, sources in Batticaloa said. The Committee will also serve as mechanism to allow local citizenry to register complaints against the Police, officials at the meeting said.
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Abducted man beaten, dumped along Ea'raavoor roadside

[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 July 2008, 17:07 GMT]
The 34-year old former employee of Ceylinco Insurance company, abducted by unknown gunmen in white van Thursday night near the Batticaloa village of Chinna Oo'ra'ni, was severely beaten and was later dumped near shrub jungle along Ea'raavoor-Punnakkuda road, the victim told Earaavoor Police.
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"Yes, we can" Vaiko tells Obama

[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 July 2008, 16:04 GMT]
Meeting Democratic Party's presumptive nominee for the U.S. Presidency, Senator Barack Obama, briefly during a function in Chicago Friday, Leader of India's Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) party, Vaiko, showed draft copy of a book he is authoring on Obama titled "Yes, we can," and told the Presidential Candidate, that his "dynamism and charisma have touched the hearts of people in the remote corners of the world crossing the barriers of the continents," a press release by the MDMK said.
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Civilian shot, injured near Valikaaamam North FDL

[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 July 2008, 15:39 GMT]
Unknown gunmen shot and seriously injured a family man in his house located inside the Valikaamam North High Security Zone (HSZ) Sunday noon, sources in Jaffna said. The injured man was admitted to Jaffna Teaching Hospital for emergency surgery, and is recovering at the hospital, hospital sources confirmed.
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Hassan Ali to take oaths as UNP national list MP

[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 July 2008, 09:14 GMT]
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) general secretary Hassan Ali, a member of the Eastern Provincial Council, is to be appointed national list parliamentarian of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) next week and is expected to take oaths in the Sri Lankan parliament on July 22, party sources said.
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Moothoor IDPs resettled in Veeramaanakar

[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 July 2008, 02:30 GMT]
A group of 135 members from 44 Tamil families who fled from the Moothoor east during the 2006 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) offensives, and sheltered in temporary structures in several welfare centres located in Manmunai North, Aarayampathi and Kaluwaanchikgudi, were resettled in their village, Veeramanagar in Pattalipuram Grama Sevak division in Moothoor, divisional secretariat sources said.
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6 Tamil civilians arrested in Buttala

[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 July 2008, 02:24 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police in a joint cordon and search operation conducted along Buttala-Kathirkaamam road Saturday arrested six Tamil civilians Saturday, sources said. The search was triggered by the attack Friday morning on a passenger bus by a group of unidentified gunmen that killed four commuters and wounded 26 others.
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SLA deploys night recon flights to deter LTTE troop buildup

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 July 2008, 19:01 GMT]
Sri Lanka Security forces, in a new security plan to reinforce defences in the Northern Forward Defense Lines (FDLs), have been deploying Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) helicopters and new generation Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in reconnaissance missions along the FDLs during nights, sources in Jaffna said. Jaffna residents have reported seeing spy aircrafts near Vadamaraachi East and West, Kaangkeasanthurai, and near Jaffna lagoon, during the last few days.
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JVP urges removal of restrictions on Trinco coastal villages

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 July 2008, 12:35 GMT]
The Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), which is opposed to Rajapaksa government's move to hand over lands in Moothoor to India's infrastructure investment of Coal-Fired Power Plant, warned Friday that it would launch a protest campaign against the ruling UPFA government if it fails to meet the requirements of the fishermen along four coastal divisions including Moothoor. The government should lift the restrictions on fishing and extend the duration allowed for fishing in Trincomalee's coastal areas or pay monthly 20,000 rupees per family as relief for their livelihood until normalcy returns.
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Tamil family man shot dead in Colombo

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 July 2008, 11:48 GMT]
A Tamil civilian was shot dead Friday morning inside a hairdressing saloon located along Ferguson Road in Mukaththuvaaram in Colombo police division, according to complaints lodged with the Police by the victim's relatives.
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Family man abducted in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 July 2008, 07:13 GMT]
A 34-year-old Tamil civilian was abducted Thursday night while he was on his way to the residence of his friend, according to a complaint registered with Batticaloa police by his wife. The victim, Sundaranathan Selvakumar, is a former employee of Ceylinco Insurance company and was currently engaged in contract business. According to eyewitnesses, two armed men who were riding in a white van without number plate, abducted him at gun point.
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Tamil Village Officer attacked in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 July 2008, 04:22 GMT]
A group of three armed persons attacked a Tamil Village Officer (GS) Friday night with knives and swords, causing severe injuries to him, Police said. The victim, T. Srikantha, was at his house located at Pa'ndaarikku'lam in Vavuniyaa.
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SC decides to inquire into East PC election petition

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 July 2008, 01:28 GMT]
The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka Friday decided to take up for inquiry the election petition filed by three voters of the Batticaloa district seeking the court to declare null and void the results of the East Provincial Council (EPC) election held on May 10, legal sources in Colombo said. The Court directed the registrar to send notices to the respondents to appear in court on the next date.
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30 civilians arrested Katunayake HSZ

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 July 2008, 01:05 GMT]
Sri Lanka Police arrested thirty civilians including ten Tamils into custody during a cordon and search operation conducted from Thursday night till Friday morning the Katunayake High Security Zone (HSZ), sources in Colombo said. The Katunayake international airport, and military installations are located within the HSZ.
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Grenade attack on Batticaloa district UNP organiser's residence

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 July 2008, 17:42 GMT]
Unidentified attackers Friday night lobbed a grenade at the residence of opposition United National Party's Batticaioa district organiser and the opposition member of the Eastern Provincial Council, Arasaratnam Sasitharan, wounding two policemen. Mr. Sasitharan, after the attack blamed the TMVP operative, Kalingan, who is also a member of the Batticaloa urban council, for monitoring his activities and for threatening his supporters. This is the second grenade attack on the residences of UNP members in Batticaloa district within the last two months.
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State not ready to file charges against Tissainayagam, asks Court for more time

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 July 2008, 16:55 GMT]
The State Counsel, Parindra Ranasinghe, appearing in Tissainayagam’s wrongful custody case, Friday, admitted that investigations in the case had been complete last week, but that decision is yet to be made if the State is going to file charges against Tissainayagam. The Counsel requested from the Court for a further 47 days to make the decision. Tissainayagam has been held in custody for 126 days as of today.
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Large scale SLA cordon, search in Vadamaraadchi

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 July 2008, 15:43 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna peninsula launched large scale cordon and search operations Friday morning till evening in areas of Vadamaraadchi including Uduppiddi and Valveddiththu'rai, residents of Vadamaraadchi said. Vehicular traffic on main roads were blocked with SLA Buffel armoured personnel carriers and battle tanks from Palaali military complex, and the people were subjected to intensive search. The escalation of small scale attacks on SLA in the peninsula in recent times have triggered this intensified search, according to informed sources.
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Alleged bureaucratic humiliation caused Police officer's suicide

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 July 2008, 09:54 GMT]
Just seven days to go for retirement, the Officier-in-Charge of the Kalmunai police, W.C.Wijetilake, committed suicide by shooting himself Friday morning after he has been ordered to serve in a post which he considered a demotion, according to informed sources inside the Police.
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Bus attacked in Buttala, 4 killed, 25 wounded

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 July 2008, 06:43 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen Friday morning attacked a passenger bus, killing two females and a 12-year-old child in Buttala, Police said. 26 passengers were wounded in the attack and one of the wounded succumbed to injuries later. The bus was plying from Buttala to Kathirkaamam (Kataragama). The injured were rushed to Kathirkaamam hospital and 19 of them later transferred to Hambantota hospital.
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Police sentry point ambushed in Kebiththigollewa

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 July 2008, 04:20 GMT]
A sentry point of the Sri Lankan Police, located at 'Y' junction along Kebiththigollewa - Vavuniyaa main road came under ambush in the early hours of Friday. A Special Task Force (STF) commando was injured in the attack. The attack continued for about 20 minutes from 4:00 a.m., according police spokesman Ranjit Gunasekara, Senior Superintendent Police (SSP).
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Kalmunai Police Inspector shoots himself dead

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 July 2008, 04:19 GMT]
The Headquarters Inspector of Police in Kalmunai, W.C.Wijetilake, committed suicide by shooting himself in his quarters in Kalmunai Friday morning around 5:45, according to Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) for Ampaa'rai region, K.A.Rajapakse.
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SLA threats put damper on general strike in North

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 July 2008, 01:06 GMT]
Amidst threats issued by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops, the general strike in the North fizzled out without any significant impact on the daily activities of the public, service sector, and work at Government offices, sources said. Though tension prevailed in the peninsula in the morning, the situation turned normal late morning, with a heavy intimidatory presence of SLA troops spread across the peninsula.
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War of words on opposition's strike

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 July 2008, 18:21 GMT]
While Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said that the token strike it launched with the support of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) Thursday was a success, the Sri Lanka Government led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa claimed in the parliament that the strike ended in 'utter failure' due to lack of support from the working class, political sources in Colombo said. The workers were pressurised in all provinces to be present at the work by the government officials and the police.
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Tamil woman arrested in Kotmale

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 July 2008, 17:11 GMT]
A Tamil woman arrested at Kotmale in Kandy district on Wednesday night for allegedly providing accommodation to a LTTE woman cadre has been served with detention orders by the Sri Lanka's Defense Ministry. The Terrorist Intelligence Division (TID) is conducting further investigation, Kandy police sources said.
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Hakim takes oath as UNP national list parliamentarian

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 July 2008, 17:03 GMT]
Rauf Hakim, leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) took oath as a national list parliamentarian with the Speaker W.J.M.Lokkubandara administering the oath when the parliament resumed its sitting Thursday morning, parliamentary sources said. Hakim resigned from the post of the councilor of the Eastern Provincial Council Tuesday evening.
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Two civilians disappear in 48 hours in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 July 2008, 13:10 GMT]
Two men from different suburbs in Jaffna peninsula on their way to work disappeared during the first two days of the week under suspicious circumstances, and are believed to have been abducted, according to complaints lodged by their relatives at the Jaffna office of Human Rights Commission (HRC), sources said.
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13th anniversary of Navaali church massacre observed

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 July 2008, 09:49 GMT]
Thousands of family members and friends participated in the 13th memorial mass and prayers held Wednesday in Navaali St. Peter's Church and Navaali Chinnakk Kathirkaama Murukan Koayil in remembrance of the 147 persons including women and children killed 9 July 1995 when Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) fighter jets dropped thirteen bombs on people who had sought safety in the above places of worship.
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3 Sinhalese businessmen shot dead in Kalmunai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 July 2008, 06:04 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen opened fire on Sinhalese businessmen who were traveling in a lorry in Kalmunai, 36 km southeast of Batticaloa, killing them on the spot on Quarry Road, Thursday around 9:00 a.m., Police said. The victims were from Wattegama in Kandy.
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Attempted German bargain at the cost of Sri Lanka's Human Rights

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 July 2008, 21:38 GMT]
Der Spiegel, a renowned German weekly news magazine, in its 23 June edition, has revealed that Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the permanent representative of the government of Germany in New York in February, agreed to a deal prior to the voting in U.N. General Assembly in May, where Germany would vote for Sri Lanka's re-election to the Human Rights Council, and Sri Lanka in turn will vote for German seat in the Security Council in 2010. The paper said Germany's deal with the Human Rights violator Sri Lanka was 'indelicate', despite Sri Lanka's defeat in the race.
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Hakim to be appointed UNP national list MP

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 July 2008, 19:48 GMT]
Mr.Rauf Hakim, leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) who resigned from the East provincial Council Tuesday is to be appointed Member of Parliament (MP) in the national list of the main opposition United National Party (UNP). UNP has forwarded Hakim's name to the Commissioner of Election Wednesday, party sources said.
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Family man abducted in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 July 2008, 17:37 GMT]
Varatharaja Ganeshamoorthy, 32, a father of three children was abducted by a group of more than ten unidentified armed persons on July 4 night around 10:00 p.m from his house at Amman Koayilady in Thonikal in Vavuniya police division, according to complaints made by his wife Lakshmi with the Vavuniyaa Police, regional offices of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) and the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) Tuesday
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Displaced family man abducted in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 July 2008, 17:24 GMT]
An internally displaced Tamil family man sheltered in the refugee camp located in Zahira College in Batticaloa police division was abducted Sunday evening by unidentified armed persons. 35 year-old Selvarajah Sritharan left the refugee camp to buy milk food to his one-year old child but he failed to return thereafter, according to a complaint lodged by his wife with the Batticaloa police. Zahira College is located about 1.5 km north of Batticaloa town.
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Mannaar Tamil youth abducted in Puththa'lam

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 July 2008, 17:06 GMT]
A seventeen year old Tamil youth, Kathirkaamar Vikneswaran, of Mannaar abducted by unidentified armed persons arrived in a white van from a refugee camp in Naagavil area in Puththa'lam police division, is still missising, sources in Puththa'lam said.
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3 Media persons honoured in Karaveddi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 July 2008, 15:50 GMT]
Three senior media persons were honoured for their services by the Art and Cultural Department of Karaveddi Regional Secretariat in Vadmaraadchi, and were presented with awards by the Goverenment Agent of Jaffna in an event held Tuesday, sources in Vadmaraadchi said. This is the first event of its kind taking place in Jaffna peninsula where journalists and media men live in constant threat to their lives from Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and the SLA-backed paramilitaries.
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Tamil civilian abducted in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 July 2008, 12:09 GMT]
A Tamil civilian employed as a security officer in a private office in Maamangkam area, within Batticaloa police division taken away by Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) men last Saturday, according to complaints lodged with the Batticaloa police and with the Batticaloa office of the Human Rights Commission by his relatives.
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SLA suspends issue of travel passes to Jaffna civilians

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 July 2008, 09:49 GMT]
Citing security reasons regarding the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) conference scheduled to commence by the end of July, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officers manning the civil administrative centres in the North have temporarily suspended the issue of passes for general public to travel out of the peninsula for the past three days, sources said.
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CTTU extends support for General strike

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 July 2008, 02:42 GMT]
The Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union (CTTU ) in an official communiqué issued Tuesday called upon all it members to take part in the island wide general strike scheduled for July 10 in a show of support for the one-day token strike organized by the Marxist Jathika Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) with the blessings of main opposition United National Party (UNP).
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White van involved in attack on Anuradhapura JVP offices

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 July 2008, 18:59 GMT]
Thirteen election-related violent incidents have been reported from the North Central Province and Sabragamuwa Province since the closure of nominations for the provincial council election which has been fixed for August 23, according to complaints received by police election secretariat Tuesday. Of them two complaints had been related to the attacks made on the two offices of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) located in Anuradhapura town in the north central province on Monday night.
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State of Emergency extended in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 July 2008, 18:57 GMT]
Sri Lanka's parliament Tuesday after a full day debate adopted the motion to extend the State of Emergency for another by a majority of 97 votes. 111 parliamentarians voted for the motion and 11 against. The ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and Jathika Nidahas Peramuna (JNP), splinter group of the JVP supported. Eleven parliamentarians of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) voted against the motion, parliamentary sources said.
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6 civilians arrested in Chilaw

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 July 2008, 18:39 GMT]
Six civilians, majority of them are Tamils were arrested at Munthal in Chilaw police division Monday night at a check point manned by the police and Sri Lanka Army at Karikaattu Veethi when they subjected a vehicle they were traveling for search. The police said they found camouflage army uniforms in the possession of some of the occupants, media sources said.
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UPFA government disregards SL Parliament - Wickramasinghe

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 July 2008, 11:12 GMT]
Ranil Wickremasinghe, the leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), has stated that Sri Lanka was being ruled by a government that disregards the sovereignty of the parliament. The parliament should be used as a platform to fight for the basic fundamental rights of the people, Ranil Wickremasinghe has said.
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Paramilitary 'safe houses' hinder peaceful PC election -JVP

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 July 2008, 11:06 GMT]
Candidates contesting on behalf of opposition parties in the North Central Provincial Council election are reported to have expressed fear that 'safe houses' used by the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) paramilitary in villages Thiruchcheanai, Muthgala, Madurangala, Thuruvilla, and Mannampiddi where about 5,800 Tamils are living, would hinder peaceful election, media reports said quoting M.Palitha Upul Kumara, a former councillor of the NCPC. Mr. Upul Kumara, a resident of Mannampiddi, is contesting the election on the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) ticket.
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SL parliament elects new Deputy Speaker uncontested

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 July 2008, 08:58 GMT]
Priyankara Jayaratne was elected unopposed as Deputy Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament Tuesday. SL Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake proposed and Nimal Sripala de Silva, Leader of the House seconded the name of Priyankara Jayaratne for the post of Deputy Speaker that fell vacant with the resignation of Geethanjana Gunawardene on July 4, parliamentary sources said.
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112 troops killed, 793 wounded in June - Sri Lankan PM

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 July 2008, 08:53 GMT]
Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, the Sri Lankan prime minister Tuesday opening the debate in the parliament on the motion seeking approval to extend the State of Emergency for another month revealed that one hundred and twelve Sri Lankan armed forces personnel were killed and seven hundred and ninety three were injured in the battlefield against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in June.
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SLAF attacks paddy fields again, civilian wounded

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 July 2008, 06:25 GMT]
A 24-year-old man, father of two, was wounded Tuesday morning when two Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked Kugnchup-paranthan and the adjacent paddy fields along Paranthan - Poonakari (Pooneryn) road. TamilNet correspondent who visited the attack site said that the bombardment has caused extensive damage to the agricultural lands in the 5th canal. The road was also damaged in the attack. The SLAF bombers came again in the afternoon and attacked the same area with deep bombs leaving large craters.
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SLAF bombing raids destroy civilian properties in Vaddakkachchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 July 2008, 02:13 GMT]
At least 15 houses sustained serious damage while a large number of valuable trees including 29 coconut palms were completely destroyed during the aerial bombardment during the air raid by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Sunday afternoon in Vaddakkachchi. The attack has disturbed normalcy in the village.
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Protection seekers in Jaffna face uncertain future

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 July 2008, 00:21 GMT]
Nearly three hundreds civilians who sought protection with Jaffna Human Rights Commision (JHRC) and kept in protective custody within Jaffna prison premises are facing danger of being removed against their wishes as a result of the activities of a local judge, sources in Jaffna said. Continued threats from in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Intelligence and paramilitary operatives forced many civilians to surrender to the HRC from various parts of the peninsula during the past two years. The SLA has earlier forced protection seekers at Jaffna prison to sign a letter, stating that they were LTTE members, before accommodating them to the centre at Thellippazhai.
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Tamil trader shot dead in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 July 2008, 16:14 GMT]
A 40-year-old Tamil trader was shot dead Monday around 2:00 p.m. at Chivapuri, a suburb of the Trincomalee city by unidentified men, who arrived in a motor bike to his house after he returned from his shop. He had been running a bar along Central Road in the city.
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Burnt body of youth found in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 July 2008, 12:10 GMT]
Burnt body of a youth was found at Kaaththanaarku'lam in Makaa Irampaikku'lam in Vavuniyaa Monday morning. The GS officer of the area first noticed the body along the road and informed the Vavuniyaa police. Civil sources suspected that the youth had been murdered elsewhere and his body had been brought and burnt at Kaaththanaarku'lam.
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A9 gateway to Vanni re-opens at Oamanthai

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 July 2008, 11:58 GMT]
The ICRC resumed its services at A9 gateway to Vanni after having secured guarantees from the Government of Sri Lanka that attacks such as that took place close to the gateway would not be repeated, informed sources in Vavuniyaa told TamilNet. The ICRC resumed its services from 3:00 p.m. Monday.
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Auto-rickshaw driver shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 July 2008, 02:32 GMT]
Unidentified armed men arriving in a motor cycle shot and killed Sunday around 12:30 p.m the owner of an auto-rickshaw at Naayanmaarkaddu within Jaffna Municipal Council limits while he was talking to his friends near his home.
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Sivajilingam seeks referendum to decide Tamil Eelam

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 July 2008, 01:42 GMT]
Let the International Community hold a referendum to get the will of Eezham Tamils for an independent homeland if it is not convinced of their sentiments shown explicitly through the events of Pongku Thamizh all over the world. Australia supported such a referendum in East Timor, said Tamil National Alliance MP, Sivajilingkam to TamilNet, when he came to address the Pongku Thamizh event held at Sydney on Sunday.
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SLA artillery shells target IDPs in Iluppaikkadavai

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 July 2008, 01:19 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops are conducting continuous artillery attacks targeting civilian settlements in Illuppakkadavai in Mannaar district since Saturday morning and a number of shells have exploded along roads usually made use of by the general public and as well as in the vicinity of Illuppaikkadavai junction, residents said.
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SLA permits paddy cultivation upto Chemma'ni

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 July 2008, 00:23 GMT]
After a lapse of nearly 12 years, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officers in the North have recently granted permission for the resumption of agricultural activities in the paddy fields in Ariyaalai, a suburb within Jaffna Municipal council. This was earlier identified as an area where civilians believed to have disappeared during 1996/1997 were murdered and buried. The SLA has now permitted cultivation in the large swath of land area lying along A9 Highway, from Ariyaalai Junction up to Chemma'ni including the old railway crossing in Naavatkuzhi, a spokesperson for the Federation of Ariyaalai Farmers said .
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Spontaneous show of solidarity in Canada

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 July 2008, 23:00 GMT]
In a spectacular show at short notice, more than 75,000 Canadian Tamils spontaneously gathered at Downsview Park in Toronto, Canada, for the Pongku Thamizh event, forging solidarity for the cause of Eezham, on Saturday. It was in fact a response to the oppressive policies of the International Community against Eezham Tamil nationalism, observers say.
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381 IDPs resettled in Moothoor villages

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 July 2008, 15:52 GMT]
A batch of three hundred and eighty one members of 114 families displaced from Moothoor East in 2006 to Batticaloa district were brought down Saturday by fourteen buses escorted by the Sri Lankan police via Vaakarai and resettled in their villages, Iththiku'lam, Thangkanakar and Sreenivaasapuram in Pa'l'likkudiyiruppu GS area in the Moothoor DS division in Trincomalee district.
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15-year-old Tamil boy abducted in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 July 2008, 15:25 GMT]
Unidentified men who came in a three-wheeler Saturday night abducted a 15-year-old Tamil boy from his house located in Kaanthinakar, a suburb of the east port city, according to complaints lodged with the Uppuve'li Police Sunday by his parents.
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30 civilians arrested in Puththa'lam

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 July 2008, 15:23 GMT]
Thirty civilians, Tamils and Muslims, were taken into custody by the Sri Lankan police in a cordon and search operation conducted in Puththa'lam town in northwestern province Sunday morning till afternoon. Every shop and buildings located in the town came under search, residents said.
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Janaka Perera compares himself to Dutugemunu

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 July 2008, 15:18 GMT]
"I will make Rajarata, a territory with resources in abundance after winning the North Central Provincial Council election like Dutugemunu captured Anuradhapura and developed it," Major General (retd.) Janaka Perera addressing media persons in Anuradhapura after handing over the nomination lists on behalf of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) on Friday, media report said. Janaka Perera is the chief ministerial candidate of the UNP.
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Courts instruct DIG to curb abduction, killings in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 July 2008, 15:16 GMT]
Trincomalee High Court Judge M. Ilancheliyan Friday instructed the Sri Lankan Deputy Inspector General of Police for Trincomalee district in writing to take immediate steps to curb abduction, killing and unlawful detention of civilians according provisions of Human Rights Protection enshrined in the constitution of Sri Lanka, legal sources said.
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Tigers target SLAF bomber over Vanni

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 July 2008, 14:37 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) MiG-27 fighter jet was forced to return after it sustained damage in anti-aircraft fire over Ki'linochchi area in Vanni Sunday afternoon, LTTE officials told media in Vanni. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) officials in Colombo, admitting that an aircraft had a troubled landing at Katunayaka military airbase in Colombo after carrying out an air strike, said that the fighter jet had 'skidded off' the runway while landing.
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Civilians wounded in SLAF bombardment

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 July 2008, 12:17 GMT]
At least four civilians were wounded at Vaddakkachchi, around 7 km from Ki'linochchi Sunday at 4:20 p.m. when two Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked a residential area twice, Tamileelam Police officials told media in Ki'linochchi. 15 houses have sustained serious damage in the aerial attack.
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Robberies escalate in Jaffna, lone woman killed

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 July 2008, 11:38 GMT]
Unidentified armed men who arrived in motorbikes Friday night, during the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) imposed curfew hours, robbed cash and jewelery worth hundreds of thousands rupees worth after killing 55-year-old lone woman at Urumpiraay East in Jaffna, police said. Despite law enforcement authorities' assurances of preventive measures, the robberies in Jaffna during curfew hours are escalating at an alarming rate.
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DS officials in Vanni seek guarantees for their safety

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 July 2008, 08:28 GMT]
Expressing fear of being targeted by claymore attacks while serving the civilians in Vanni, two Divisional Secretaries (AGAs) presently working in Mullaiththeevu and Ki'linochchi districts have requested the Government Agents (GAs) of the two districts to be transferred from their present postings. The two divisional secretaries while condemning the killing of their colleague Nanthakumar have pointed out that they face severe hardships in providing services for the public in their administrative areas and have requested the Government Agents of the two districts to ensure their safety.
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LTTE leader pays homage to Black Tigers

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 July 2008, 06:47 GMT]
LTTE leader Mr. V. Pirapaharan participated in the Black Tigers commemoration day events held Saturday in Vanni. 356 Black Tigers have laid down their lives, 254 of them in sea operations, during the last 21 years since 05 July 1987, when the first Black Tiger Captain Miller, drove an explosive laden truck on Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops garrisoned at Nelliyadi Central College in Vadamaraadchi in Jaffna. Last year, Black Tiger commandos stormed the Sri Lankan airbase in Anudradhapura in LTTE's first combined Black Tiger and Tamil Eelam Air Force attack, destroying more than 10 air crafts.
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SLA continue artillery barrage on LTTE territory across Jaffna lagoon

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 July 2008, 01:53 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA), from its artillery bases along Jaffna lagoon coast, continue artillery fire on Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held territory across the lagoon from Friday night. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) helicopters stepped up surveillance mission in the lagoon area as well as on the coastal areas in Vadamaraadchi as Tigers observed Black Tigers Day on Saturday.
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Hijacked lorry found, driver reported missing in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 July 2008, 12:55 GMT]
A 34-year-old driver of a lorry that was hijacked Wednesday by unidentified men, is still reported missing, Police said. The lorry, which has been used to transport sand, was found abandoned along Irampaikku'lam - Horowopottana road Friday morning.
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Slain journalist Thevakumar's remains cremated in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 July 2008, 12:23 GMT]
The remains of Paranirupasingam Thevakumar, Jaffna correspondent of Sakthi Radio and Television, hacked to death May 28 in the outskirts of Jaffna town, was cremated Saturday according to Saiva rites. The remains of Thevakumar were exhumed 37 days after his demise from Koththaththu'rai burial grounds at Araali West and cremated with permission granted by Mallakam Court magistrate on appeal made by the slain journalist's wife.
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SLA extends curfew hours in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 July 2008, 10:41 GMT]
According to sudden announcement made Friday by Palaali command of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) the night time curfew in Jaffna peninsula has been extended by an additional two and a half hours to a total of ten hours.
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UPFA fields disabled soldier against Janaka Perera

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 July 2008, 10:06 GMT]
A soldier of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) who lost his two legs in an LTTE ambush in which a veteran SLA Commaner Lieutenant General Denzil Kobbekaduwa and eight others including Lieutenant General Wijaya Wimalarathne were killed in Jaffna in 1992, is one of the candidates contesting on the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) ticket in the North Central Provincial Council against the main Opposition United National Party (UNP) which is led by its chief ministerial candidate Major General (retd) Janaka Perera, reports said.
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Paramilitary person shot with his own rifle

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 July 2008, 09:35 GMT]
A 23-year-old male stationed at Ki'n'naiyadi camp of the paramilitary-cum-political party TMVP was said to have died Friday evening when his T-56 assault rifle went off accidentally. Meanwhile, ex-militant sources in Vaazhaichcheanai alleged that the victim had shot himself.
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Two Muslim youths shot injured in Ea'raavoor

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 July 2008, 01:47 GMT]
Unidentified men riding a motorbike opened fire at two youths chatting along Mahamathy road, Ea'raavoor within Ea'raavoor police division in Batticaloa district Friday around 8:00 p.m. causing injuries and fled the scene, Ea'raavoor police said. The shooting incident was reported 400 meters away from the Police station.
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Court extends remand for Maheswaran murder suspect

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 July 2008, 17:44 GMT]
The Colombo Chief Magistrate, Ravindra Premaratne, ordered further remand for the first suspect in the Colombo district parliamentarian T.Maheswaran till July 14 when he was produced in court Thursday, legal sources in Colombo said. Three other suspects in the case were released on an earlier date as the police informed court that there was no evidence to implicate them in the crime.
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Fernandopulle murder suspects' detention extended

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 July 2008, 17:42 GMT]
Colombo Chief Magistrate Friday ordered the continuous detention of the sixteen suspects in the Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle murder case in the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Sri Lanka Police when they were produced in open court, legal sources said.
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Ejected IDP family denies wrongdoing

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 July 2008, 12:39 GMT]
A widowed Tamil woman and three children displaced from Trincomalee district and living in an interim camp in Kalviyangkaadu, Batticaloa, and recently ejected from the camp by the village officer (GS) of the area for immoral conduct, has called for justice from Human Rights Commission (HRC).
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NCPC, SPC elections to be held on August 23

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 July 2008, 09:58 GMT]
Elections to the Sabragamuwa Provincial Council (SPC) and North Central provincial Council (NCPC) will be held on August 23, the Sri Lankan Commissioner of Elections Dayananda Dissanayake announced Friday at the closure of nominations. Meanwhile all major political parties, ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), main opposition United National Party (UNP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) which suffered a split some months ago have been contesting all the four districts in the two provinces.
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Tamil trader shot dead, 4 abducted in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 July 2008, 09:42 GMT]
A 67-year-old Tamil trader, Arumugam Karuppiah, was shot dead Thursday night at Paarathipuram in Vavuniyaa by unidentified persons. He succumbed to gunshot injuries on admission at the Vavuniyaa general hospital, according to medical sources. Meanwhile, 4 Tamil civilians were abducted by unidentified persons since Wednesday at three different places in Vavuniyaa.
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Deputy Speaker of the SL Parliament resigns

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 July 2008, 08:44 GMT]
The Deputy Speaker Geethanjana Gunawardene of the Sri Lanka Parliament has resigned his post. Presidential Secretariat has forwarded his resignation letter to the Speaker W.J.M.Lokkubandara Friday morning through the acting Secretary General of the parliament.
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Former IGP sworn in as Governor of Northern Province

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 July 2008, 07:24 GMT]
Victor Perera who retired on June 30 from the post of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Thursday took oaths before President Mahinda Rajapakse as the first Governor of the Northern Province. This is the first time a retired IGP has been appointed for the post of the governor of a province in the country.
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Renegade Karuna deported to Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 July 2008, 17:25 GMT]
British Embassy spokesman Dominic Williams told BBC that Vinayagmoorthy Muralitharan, alias Karuna, had been removed from a UK detention centre and deported to Sri Lanka on 2 July, according to a BBC report. Karuna, a former Tiger commander who turned leader of a paramilitary group operated by the Sri Lanka Army in the East, completed a prison sentence in the UK, for the violation of UK's immigration rules.
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3 policemen, 2 civilians injured in Claymore attack in Ea’raavoor

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 July 2008, 16:37 GMT]
A Claymore attack on the train from Batticaloa to Colombo Thursday around 8:15 p.m near Ea’raavoor Railway station injured three policemen and two civilians including a student. The train left Batticaloa Railway station at 7:30 p.m.
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DPU shoot dead student in Vanni

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 July 2008, 16:19 GMT]
Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) shot and killed a student of Mallaavi Central College Thursday around 10:20 a.m at Aiyangku’lam in Mallaavi in Vanni.
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Abducted restaurant owner released

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 July 2008, 14:31 GMT]
The owner of a restaurant abducted June 30 Monday night from Paduvaankarai within Palugaamam police division in Batticaloa district was released early morning Thursday, sources said.
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SLA, STF, police accused of sexual harassment in Aaraiyampathi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 July 2008, 14:01 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops, Special Task Force (STF) commandos, and policemen who visit homes in Aaraiyampathi area during daytime for interrogation, elicit information about men in the family, and visit the homes that do not have any males, on pretext of night patrol, subjecting widows and women to sexual harassment, residents in Aaraiyampathi in Kaaththaankudi police division in Batticaloa district said. The victims do not complain to the police or speak of their suffering due to fear of being killed by the troops and policemen.
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Youth abducted in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 July 2008, 11:33 GMT]
The parents of a youth abducted by unidentified armed men on 7 November 2007 at Nochchimunai in Batticaloa police division said that though they had lodged complaints of the abduction with Batticaloa police they have not taken any action on the complaint so far.
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UPFA seeks TMVP candidates to woo Tamils in Polonnaruwa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 July 2008, 11:05 GMT]
The ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) said Thursday that will include members from the Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) as UPFA ticket for Polonnaruwa district in the forthcoming North Central Provincial Council elections, party sources said.
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Weerawanse's JNP registered as new political party

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 July 2008, 09:47 GMT]
The Commissioner of Elections Dayananda Dissanayake Thursday announced that two new political parties, Janatha Nidahas Peramuna (JNP), and Patriotic National Front (PNF), have been registered with the Department of Elections with effect from July 3. The JNP was formed by parliamentarian Wimal Weerawanse who broke away from the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) with ten parliamentarians. The present parliamentary strength of the JVP is 27.
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Abducted Tamil youth found shot dead in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 July 2008, 09:40 GMT]
A Tamil youth abducted on June 26 from his residence located in Paalaiyoothu was found shot dead at Thuvarankaadu junction, Thursday early morning, police sources said. The Uppuve'li Police visited the site where the body of the victim was lying, and removed the body to the Trincomalee general hospital for postmortem examination. The body had gunshot injuries to the head and the chest, hospital sources said.
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2 men injured in TMVP shooting in Kalmunai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 July 2008, 07:37 GMT]
Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) operatives opened fire Wednesday around 3:30 p.m seriously injuring two persons, in front of the TMVP office on Sellaththu’rai Veethy in Neelaava’nai in Kalmunai police division in Ampaa’rai district, sources in Kalmunai said.
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Treatment delayed to Aayiththiyamalai injured

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 July 2008, 03:46 GMT]
More than a hundred civilians, including women and children, assaulted by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and policemen during the joint cordon and search operation following the claymore attack 23 June killing 3 policemen in Aayiththiyamalai, are continuing to be admitted to hospitals, sources in Batticaloa said. The injured civilians were first not allowed to go to hospitals, while the ICRC officials who went to the area to assess the situation were also sent back by the SLA troops and the police, residents of the area said.
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600 pilgrims on foot from east reach Kathirkaamam

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 July 2008, 03:38 GMT]
About six hundred pilgrims from several areas of the eastern province entered Kathirkaamam scared area Sunday evening after two weeks of foot pilgrimage through Yala sanctuary to attend the annual festival Kathirkaamam Murugan Temple. The festival is scheduled to commence on July 4 with the flag hoisting event.
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Assure government employees in Vanni their safety – Ki’linochchi GA

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 July 2008, 02:42 GMT]
"If attacks and assassinations of government employees continues, the government services in Vanni will be completely crippled in the near future," N.Vethanayagan, Ki'linochchi Government Agent (GA) said, speaking at the protest rally held in Ki'linochchi Wednesday morning to condemn the brutal killing of N. Nanthakumar, Divisional Secretary (Assistant Government Agent) of Thu'nukkaay division of Mullaiththeevu district in a Claymore attack carried out by the Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA).
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24 Civilians arrested by Vavuniyaa police

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 July 2008, 02:03 GMT]
24 civilians were taken into custody by Vavuniyaa police Tuesday afternoon and were interrogated, sources in Vavuniyaa said. Imposition of intensified security measures triggered the Police action, according to informed sources.
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Collecting Bank account details, violation of privacy, court says

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 July 2008, 01:40 GMT]
Sri Lankan Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva, while presiding over a Fundamental Rights submission on Monday, said that privacy of individuals was fundamental and warned those responsible for abuses such as asking for bank account numbers from civilians during search operations. Counsel M.A. Sumenthiran had submitted to court that directions given by the court were not being carried out during search operations. The CID officers were asking for bank account numbers from the civilians during the operation.
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CWC, UPF decide to contest SPC election separately

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 July 2008, 01:34 GMT]
The Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) and Upcountry Peoples Front (UPF), allies of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) have decided to contest the Sabragamuwa Provincial Council (SPC) separately. Leaders of the CWC and UPF are holding ministerial posts in the cabinet of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
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Tamil political prisoners in Mahara prison launch protest fast

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 July 2008, 00:43 GMT]
Thirty-five Tamil political prisoners transferred to Mahara Prison began a protest fast Wednesday demanding to be sent back to Colombo Remand Prison. The prisoners said they will continue fasting until their demand is met by the authorities.
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HRW calls on GoSL to end illegal internment of IDPs in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 July 2008, 22:58 GMT]
The New York based Human Rights Watch has voiced against the illegal internment of around 400 Internally Displaced Tamils, who are languishing under Sri Lanka Army detention in a so-called 'welfare center' in Ka'limoaddai in Naanaaddaan division of Mannaar district. Since March 2008, the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) has detained civilians fleeing areas controlled by the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) at Ka'limoaddai. The SLA has imposed severe restrictions on freedom of movement, instituting a daily pass system that limits to 30 the number of people who can leave the camp each day, and only if a family member remains behind to guarantee the detainees return in the evening.
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Media institutions hold protest demonstration in Colombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 July 2008, 14:41 GMT]
Five media organizations and prominent political leaders staged a protest demonstration Wednesday around 12:30 p.m. at Colpetty Junction, condemning the attacks let loose on journalists and media men. The demonstrators called on the Sri Lankan government to immediately appoint a ministerial sub-committee to conduct inquiries into the Monday attack on Media Director of the Sri Lankan Press Institute (SLPI) Namal Perera and the British Embassy officer Mahendra Ratnaweera.
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Tamil family from Kalmunai arrested in Horana

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 July 2008, 13:59 GMT]
Horana police arrested a Tamil family of five including a one-year-old child from Kalmunai who had come to Horana for a wedding, Rajaratnam Lawrence, the youngest member (son) of the arrested family, said in his complaint to P. Rathahkrishanan, Deputy Minister for Vocational Training and Industrial Education. The Inspector in charge of Horana police, Jayantha Wickramaratne, verbally abused Rev. Patrick Lawrence, the priest who was to conduct the marriage, when he appeared at the police station to attest that the family had come to participate in the marriage, the complainant said.
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15 Tamils from Batticaloa, Ampaa’rai arrested in Colombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 July 2008, 13:07 GMT]
Kurunthuwathe police arrested nine Tamils from Batticaloa and six from Ampaa’rai districts Tuesday around 7:30 a.m at Narahenpitya in Colombo when they were on their way to appear for an interview examination for clerical service appointment, according to information given by one of the arrested. They were released after interrogation Wednesday afternoon.
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12 SLA killed, 19 wounded in Vavuniyaa - LTTE

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 July 2008, 08:50 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) officials in Vanni told media Wednesday morning that the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) attempt to break into LTTE defences at Paalamoaddai on Tuesday was thwarted around 10:00 p.m. the same day. 12 SLA soldiers were killed and 19 wounded in the fighting that raged for hours, the Tigers said.
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Australian parliamentarian calls for ceasefire

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 July 2008, 01:06 GMT]
Australian parliamentarian for federal state of Lowe, Mr John Murphy, submitted to the House of Representatives Wednesday, a petition signed by more than 4000 Australians calling the Australian Government "to do everything in its power to get a peaceful resolution" to Sri Lanka's conflict, and pressed for the "proper implementation of the 2002 ceasefire agreement" that brought optimism for all Sri Lankans that there would be an end to the needless death and displacement of innocent people.
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SLA artillery attacks target IDP settlements in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 July 2008, 19:45 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) continue to launch artillery fire on Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) settlements in Ka’l’liyadi, Aaththimoadai and Illuppakkadavai in Mannaar district from Monday early morning. Large number of civilians who had been displaced from their villages in Mannaar district due to SLA offensives had been living in temporary shelters in the above villages.
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A9 gateway to Vanni closed after SLAF attack

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 July 2008, 18:29 GMT]
The International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) Tuesday evening informed the Government Agent (GA) of Ki'linochchi, N. Vethanayagam, that it has decided to withdrew its personnel from manning the A9 post in Pu'liyangku'lam after Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked a locality close to the gateway at 3:40 p.m., the GA told TamilNet. Four bombers attacked the location twice, endangering the lives of the civilians and the personnel manning the gateway.
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SLA, police expel picketing unemployed graduates in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 July 2008, 13:56 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police in Jaffna expelled Tuesday around 10:00 a.m. the unemployed graduates picketing at the front entrance of Jaffna Main Educational complex at Nalloor in a token protest for the second day, demanding immediate employment. The SLA and the police told the picketers that they will not permit the picketing and directed them to approach Douglas Devananda, the Sri Lankan Minister and the leader of the paramilitary-cum-political party, Eelam Peoples’ Democratic Party (EPDP), if they had any grievances.
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US condemns attack on British Embassy officer, SLPI Director

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 July 2008, 13:46 GMT]
The United States Embassy in Colombo on Tuesday condemned the attack on a staff member of British High Commission and a director of the Sri Lankan Press Institute (SLPI) on Monday in the heart of Colombo. The attack on Media Director of the SLPI Namal Perera and the British Embassy officer Mahendra Ratnaweera was carried out at Narahenpitya in Colombo near the Sri Lankan Department of Information by a group of attackers, who came in a white van Monday evening. The attack came a few days after a government paper alleged that the SLPI had sent members connected to LTTE to a course in Denmark under Journalist label.
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Aaraiyampathi youth reported missing

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 July 2008, 11:28 GMT]
A 17-year-old Tamil boy, resident of Maavilangkuthu'rai, Aaraiyampathi in Kaaththaankudi police division, Batticaloa district has been missing since 22 June, the youth’s mother reported at the office of Human Rights Commission in Batticaloa.
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VVIP helicopter of Rajapaksa's fleet comes under attack in Ampaa'rai

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 July 2008, 10:11 GMT]
A VVIP helicopter of the fleet of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa came under fire, presumably a rocket attack, in the airspace over Ullai in Ampaa'rai district around 2:00 p.m. Tuesday. The helicopter had an emergency landing. Nobody was hurt, but the chopper was damaged, according to available information.
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STF intensifies searches in Aaraiyampathi area

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 July 2008, 09:57 GMT]
Special Task Force (STF) conducted a cordon and search operation in Aaraiyampathi Paramanaathar Koayil area in Kaaththaankudi police division in Batticaloa district Tuesday from 6:00 a.m to 9:00 a.m. Meanwhile, residents of Selvaanakar in Aaraiyampathi had to leave their houses and seek shelter away from the village as Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops set up camps amidst civilians houses in Selvaanakar.
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Nanthakumar’s remains cremated in Skanthapuram

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 July 2008, 08:50 GMT]
The remains of N.Nanthakumar, Divisional Secretary (Assistant Government Agent) of Thu'nukkaay division of Mullaiththeevu district killed Sunday afternoon in a Claymore attack carried out by the Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) was cremated Monday afternoon in Skandapuram with tearful homage in the presence of thousands of civilians including hundreds of government officers and a number of people displaced from Thu'nukkaay AGA’s administrative area.
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Heavy fighting in Vavuniyaa, 9 SLA killed - LTTE

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 July 2008, 05:53 GMT]
Nine Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and 12 wounded Tuesday as fighting continued throughout the day at Paalamoaddai, according to LTTE officials Tuesday evening.
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Suvarnarajah appointed Batticaloa High Court Judge

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 July 2008, 02:44 GMT]
Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva appointed Mr. P. Suvarnarajah as Batticaloa High Court Judge with effect from Monday, sources in Batticaloa said.
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Rat fever claims life in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 July 2008, 02:27 GMT]
A person from Kathiravea’li in Batticaloa district admitted to Batticaloa Teaching Hospital with rat fever (leptospirosis) died Sunday. Three others in Batticaloa district are being treated for this bacterial disease and the risk of it spreading among others is imminent, S. Thedchanamoorthy, Infectious Disease Specialist in Batticaloa said.
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