166 Reports

IDPs living on Jaffna railway track area evicted

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 June 2009, 16:49 GMT]
Families of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) living on Sri Lanka government railway properties since they were evicted by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) twenty years ago from their residences in Valikaamam North, were forced to leave Tuesday to leave their temporary shelters in railway crossings, stations and officers’ quarters as the dead line to quit being 30 June, sources in Jaffna said. The government officials and SLA officers who were very keen to evict the families had not provided any alternate place for them to move in, the families complained.
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SL military shoots dead 2 detainees in Vavuniyaa internment camp

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 June 2009, 13:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka military personnel opened fire Sunday morning on detainees in an attempt to stop them making way through the barbed wire fence separating Ramanathan camp and Anandakumarasamy camp located in Cheddikulam, killing two of them and injuring more than two, in a confrontation that developed Sunday morning, sources in Vavuniyaa said. The killers had taken the two bodies away and their identities are not available at the moment, the sources added.
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51 Moothoor IDP families return to Killiveddy

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 June 2009, 12:48 GMT]
Two hundred and one members of fifty one Tamil families who were displaced from Moothoor east three years ago following a military operation launched on their traditional villages by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), and who stayed in temporary shelters located in Maavadivembu and Palachcholai in Batticaloa district, were brought to Killiveddy via Vaaharai Tuesday morning in seven buses of the government transport service with state security, sources said.
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SL Government decides to abolish Peace Secretariat

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 June 2009, 09:56 GMT]
The Presidential Secretariat Monday directed the closure of the Secretariat for Co-ordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP) at the end of July. “We have not been told any specific reason for the decision. However we have been discussing such a scenario since last week,” SCOPP Director General, Professor Rajiva Wijesinghe, told media persons. He declined to comment on the government’s decision to close down the SCOPP.
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JHU to withdraw support to Government if 13th amendment is fully implemented

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 June 2009, 09:50 GMT]
The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), the Buddhist monks’ political party, Monday declared that it would withdraw its support to the government led by President Mahinda Rajapakse if it fully implements the 13th Amendment to the Constitution or attempts to bring any other solution for the ethnic conflict devolving more powers to provinces including land and police.
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SLA vehicle accidentally kills civilian in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 June 2009, 19:35 GMT]
A water bowser of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) knocked down and killed Monday a civilian riding bicycle along A9 road in Kaithadi in Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said. Number of accidents caused by SLA vehicles in Jaffna in the past had been considerably reduced due to directives issued by magistrate courts in Jaffna to SLA military police to control SLA vehicles using public roads.
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120 IDP girls handed over to children home in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 June 2009, 15:58 GMT]
One hundred and twenty nine Internally Displaced girls have been handed over to Arulaham Children Home run by Vavuniyaa Sivan Koayil management on the orders of Vavuniyaa District Court from one of several camps described by humanitarian agencies as “internment camps” located in Vavuniyaa. These children will be under the direct supervision of the Department of Probation and Child Care, according to the court order.
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18 Muslim armed groups exist in Batticaloa district

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 June 2009, 15:53 GMT]
Eighteen Muslim armed groups are functioning in Kaaththankudi alone in Batticaloa district and the total number of persons in these groups is said to be about two hundred, according to a report compiled by a special police team handed over to the defense authorities.
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Jaffna Muslim IDPs should be resettled soon – Muslim contestant in JMC election

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 June 2009, 15:34 GMT]
“While welcoming the government’s interest in resettling the displaced Vanni civilians in their original places we request that it should also take action to resettle the Muslims displaced from Jaffna soon,” Ahamed Sulthan Subiyan, the president of Jaffna Muslim IDPs Association and the independent contestant in the forthcoming Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) election, said in a press meet held Monday in his newly opened election office in Jaffna town.
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"Break the Silence" begins 1000 mile journey to Washington D.C.

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 June 2009, 12:07 GMT]
Three Tamil College students from Canada are on a 1000-mile walk from Chicago to Washington D.C. to "raise awareness with the general American population to what is happening in Sri Lanka,” Illinois Times reported. More than 50 people assembled on the steps of the Capitol Friday, wearing tan, gray and blue T-shirts that carried their message: Break the Silence in Sri Lanka, the paper added.
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US statement undermines tourism revival - SL Foreign Ministry

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 June 2009, 11:24 GMT]
United States travel advisory aimed at discouraging US citizens from visiting Sri Lanka was part of US strategy to undermine the country [Sri Lanka], according to Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry official, the pro-Government Island newspaper said. "[N]othing could be as bad as the US warning of potential for continued stability and possible terrorist attacks a month after the end of war," the paper said, and added, "though the armed forces maintained road blocks and carried out routine checks on vehicles entering the city and its suburbs, there was no likelihood of LTTE attacks," attributing the comments to a foreign ministry official.
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Mervin Silva abuses Sirasa journalists

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 June 2009, 04:30 GMT]
Sri Lanka Minister of Labour Mervin Silva grabbed the microphone from Sirasa TV station reporters and threw it on the ground at an event held in Bandaranayake Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), alleging that Sirasa TV station and its journalists are traitors of the country, media sources in Colombo said. The event was organized to felicitate the journalists who covered the Vanni battle along with Sri Lanka Army.
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Vavuniyaa Tamil Christian teacher reported missing in Colombo

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 June 2009, 17:20 GMT]
A Christian teacher, Rasalingam Naguleswaran, father of two children, has been reported missing since 6 June afternoon after he boarded a bus bound for Vavuniyaa from Gunasinghapura bus halt in Colombo, according to complaints made by his wife Geethanjali with the Vavuniyaa police, Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) and International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC).
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Homeless at home, US Researcher on Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 June 2009, 16:39 GMT]
"Many of the grievances that fueled the conflict have not been met yet, and the question is what incentive does the [Sri Lanka] government have now that they have to reach out and begin reconciliation," said Dr Deepa Ollapally, Deputy Director at the Sigur Center at George Washington to an interview to Foreign Exchange TV, and added that without political leadership Tamils are "very vulnerable." She further said that diaspora Tamils who have relatives in the NorthEast and other Tamil pressure groups in the diaspora will be pushing the International community and the humanitarian organizations "to keep the Government honest and make them accountable to deliver some of the promises."
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US warns against travel to Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 June 2009, 13:49 GMT]
The United States this week Saturday warned “American citizens traveling to or living in Sri Lanka about the potential for continued instability, including possible terrorist attacks.” Despite Sri Lanka’s announcement of victory over the Tamil Tigers, the remnants of the LTTE remained and Sri Lanka’s “security posture remains heightened.” The US especially warned against travel to the North and East, given the “possibility of renewed [LTTE] insurgency” and the continued activity by government-backed paramilitaries in the Northeast. "In some cases, foreigners of Sri Lankan origin may be detained without their embassy being notified," the statement said. "The activities of journalists, researchers, aid workers, and volunteers receive particular attention," the release added.
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Veteran Kavignar Murugaian passes away

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 June 2009, 08:25 GMT]
Well-known Kavignar (Poet) E. Murugaian, veteran Tamil scholar, passed away in Colombo Saturday and his funeral is to be held Sunday evening at Borella general cemetery. He was seventy five years of age when he died. Murugaian was conferred with the honorary title of Doctor of Literature (Ilakkia Kalanithi) some years ago by Jaffna University for his immense services to Tamil Literature and Tamil Language.
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‘Final Warning’ issued to Jaffna Tamil daily Uthayan staffers

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 June 2009, 06:30 GMT]
A group calling itself ‘Tamil Front Protecting the Country’ allegedly linked to a paramilitary group operating with Colombo issued Saturday a notice titled ‘Final Warning’ to Uthayan Tamil daily office in Jaffna warning that Uthayan staffers will be killed if they do not officially relinquish their posts with effect from 30 June 2009, sources in Jaffna said. Thursday, all the local newspapers of Jaffna that defied publishing an anonymous and defiling notice against Liberation Tigers came under attack by an armed group in which thousands of copies of the local newspapers, Valampuri, Uthayan and Thinakkural (Jaffna edition) were burnt.
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Voluntary dismissal filed in DC court as US contends IMF suit unjusticiable

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 June 2009, 17:30 GMT]
Counsel for Tamils Against Genocide (TAG), a US-based activist group that filed a law suit in the Federal Court of District of Columbia to stop the U.S. from voting for the $1.9B IMF loan to Sri Lanka, said his group filed for voluntary dismissal in view of the strong legal position taken by the U.S. that the issue is a nonjusticiable political question, and that the plaintiff has no private right of action because Congress did not create a private right of action expressly and created alternative mechanisms for Congress itself to monitor the Executive Branch’s actions." The decision was taken after careful review of the recent developments on the loan where the U.S. and the U.K. have expressed strong objections to speedy approval without attaching conditions for improving human rights violations of Sri Lanka, TAG officials said.
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IFJ condemns reactivation of Sri Lankan Press Council Law

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 June 2009, 07:31 GMT]
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has strongly condemned the Sri Lankan Government's decision to revive the Press Council that was established by an act of parliament in 1973. The Sri Lankan Press Council Act of 1973 contains stringent provisions, including the power to prosecute for contempt and sentence journalists to extended periods in prison and to prohibit the publication of certain kinds of content by the media. Reflecting on the move by Colombo, media activists in Colombo told TamilNet Saturday that the Sri Lanakan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, despite his claim that the Tamil war has ended, was continuing his war on journalists, aiming at creating a full fledged authoritarian ruling of the island.
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SLA provides security to Tamil dailies’ distributors in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 June 2009, 04:56 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA), following the burning of all copies of three Tamil dailies intended for distribution in Jaffna district Thursday, allegedly by the armed group operating with the Sri Lanka military intelligence, provided escort by armed motorbike squad Friday morning to the newspaper distribution staff on motorcycles, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, SLA deployed security guards for the offices of Valampuri and Yarl Thinakural Tamil dailies in Jaffna with effect from Friday though the editors of these dailies have rejected SLA security in the past, the sources added.
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SLRC woman volunteer killed in Point Pedro

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 June 2009, 04:29 GMT]
Point Pedro police in Vadamaraadchi recovered Friday the body of a 33-year-old woman volunteer of Sri Lanka Red Cross (SLRC) who had been killed Thursday in her house in Point Pedro. The woman had been living alone and neighbours who noticed her absence had notified the police. The police broke into the house and found her body.
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Tamil aid ship condition ‘critical’ despite Indian assurance

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 June 2009, 00:40 GMT]
Despite the Indian government’s statement that the Sri Lankan government had relented on its refusal to allow the aid ship sent by Tamil expatriates to dock in Colombo harbour and that the supplies for Tamil refugees would be offloaded by the Indian Red Cross, there has been no action at all, the organisers of the mercy mission said Friday. In an urgent press release, they said the MV ‘Captain Ali’ has been at sea for 51 days and the condition of its crew and passengers is now critical.
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UN Jaffna officials accused of misreporting in favour of GOSL, SLA

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 June 2009, 17:23 GMT]
Civil society sources in Jaffna raised accusations against United Nation (UN) Jaffna officials for releasing facts and statistics, related to the detainees held in the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) internment camps, provided by Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and SLA, instead of the true situation prevailing in the camps, to the outer world. For instance, the UN officials in their June 15 report said that only four detainees had died in the past six months in Jaffna camps where as many have died including a woman due to septicemia, in a meeting held in Jaffna town Thursday, participants in the meeting said.
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18 Tamil youths arrested in Ampaa'rai

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 June 2009, 12:54 GMT]
Special Task Force (STF) commandos and police took into custody Friday eighteen Tamil youths in search operations conducted in Thirukkoayil and Akkaraippattu areas in Ampaa'rai district, sources in Akkaraippattu said.
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Children in Manik Farm camps suffer due to malnutrition: Sarvodaya

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 June 2009, 12:20 GMT]
“About thirty thousand to thirty five thousand children are sheltered in Manik Farm. Many of them are suffering from diseases and some still suffer from injuries sustained in the military operations. Fifteen to twenty percent of them are also suffering from acute malnutrition,” media reports in Colombo said quoting Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne, the executive director of Colombo based NGO Sarvodaya Shramadana Sangamaya.
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Police arrest 17 Tamils in Wellawatte

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 June 2009, 04:08 GMT]
Seventeen Tamil civilians including two women were arrested in a cordon and search operation conducted in Wellawatte in Colombo police division from 8:00 p.m. until 12:00 midnight on Wednesday, Wellawatte Police Officer-in-Charge (OIC), Mangala Dehideniya, told the media. The arrested are being detained in the police station and are being interrogated, the OIC added.
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Astrologer arrested for making unfavorable predictions

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 June 2009, 02:11 GMT]
A Sri Lankan astrologer was arrested and is being interrogated for his predictions made at a meeting held at the Sri Kotha office of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), and is being detained in the office of the Criminal Investigation Department., Police spokesman Ranjit Gunasekara told media Thursday. The astrologer had allegedly predicted that the present Prime Minister would be appointed President on September 9 and the opposition leader would be made the Prime Minister.
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120 Tamils in Welikada prison urge immediate release

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 June 2009, 00:42 GMT]
One hundred and twenty Tamil prisoners, detained in the Welikada magazine prison for the last four years under the Emergency Regulations (ER) without any inquiry and not being charged in court, have appealed to President Mahinda Rajapakse to take immediate steps to release them without any further delay. Some of the Tamil prisoners brought to Colombo magistrate’s court Tuesday in some cases against them handed over the memorandum addressed to President Mahinda Rajapakse on behalf of them and other fellow detainees to the Chief Magistrate, media sources said.
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Jaffna GA seeks contesting parties' cooperation in JMC election

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 June 2009, 17:38 GMT]
”If the contestants in Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) election need security measures for their safety they can request the Jaffna Secretariat authorities and the requests, if deemed genuine, will be considered favourably in consultation with the Election Commissioner,” Jaffna Government Agent (GA), K. Ganesh, informed in the press meet held Thursday evening following the submission of nomination lists. “Our aim is to conduct the election in an independent and free atmosphere and we request the contesting parties to immediately notify of any election violence so that we could take necessary action,” the GA added.
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SLA shoots dead youth in Thenmaraadchi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 June 2009, 13:29 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers shot and killed a youth in Yakkaalai, Vara'ni in Thenmaraadchi Wednesday in a cordon and search operation held in the area, residents of the area said. Kodikaamam police recovered the body of the youth and handed it over to Jaffna Teaching Hospital mortuary Wednesday night for identification, hospital sources said.
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Restrictions for Tamil civilians visiting Mannaar

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 June 2009, 12:18 GMT]
Tamil civilians visiting Mannar from other districts are being subjected to severe interrogation by the Sri Lanka Navy and police before being allowed to enter the town, according to sources in Mannaar. The vistors are being issued with passes after the scrutiny of their national identity cards. Buses coming from other districts are halted at Mannaar Fort checkpoint and passengers are subjected to search. However, permanent residents of Mannaar are allowed without restriction to enter or leave Mannaar, media reports said.
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Tamil woman journalist abducted, later released

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 June 2009, 12:11 GMT]
Tamil journalist, Ms Krishni Kandasamy, was abducted by unidentified persons in a white van Wednesday morning from Wattala in Colombo division, and was released later in the evening the same day in Kandy in the central province after being interrogated. She had been working for a leading Tamil daily published from Colombo, Virakesari, for 10 years, according to complaints lodged with the Wattala Police.
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Burning of newspapers doesn't augur well for free elections: TNA

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 June 2009, 11:47 GMT]
"We do not believe that the elections are going to be free and fair. The burning of newspapers on the eve of nominations raises a big question about the circumstances under which the elections are going to be conducted," said Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarians Mavai Senathirajah and Suresh Premachandran at a press conference Thursday afternoon after tending nominations for the Jaffna Municipal Council elections. The government is fully responsible for the attack on newspapers that took place when two of its ministers are camping in Jaffna said Suresh Premachandran MP. "A vicious propaganda is being made that the TNA is divided, but we stand together in all respect and take decisions in our central committee," he further said.
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JMC election feared to be violence-filled - TNA

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 June 2009, 11:03 GMT]
”The first election related violence of the burning of Tamil dailies in Jaffna Thursday morning heralds similar violence to be faced in the Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) election,” Mavai Senathirajah and Suresh Premachandran, Jaffna district parliamentarians, said to the media after submitting Tamil National Alliance (TNA) nomination list Thursday to the election officer at Jaffna Secretariat. The forthcoming JMC election is not going to be free of violence but a fake election like the one the government staged for the Eastern Provincial Council, the parliamentarians told the media.
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Horrors on women in Sri Lanka's internment camps - Egeland

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 June 2009, 10:59 GMT]
Jan Egeland, the former UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tuesday told the press that "Sri Lanka is one of the latest examples of the World community letting a government get away with denying access for the international community of witnesses, of humanitarian relief and protection for civilians," adding that world governments failed what they swore in 2005 of the "responsibility to protect," and that "for Tamil women" there were a "number of horrors." Egeland's comment contrasts with the stand of his successor John Holmes who earlier commended the Sri Lanka's treatment of the 300,000 civilians currently being held in internment camps in Vavuniyaa.
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SLMC, independent group lists rejected in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 June 2009, 09:21 GMT]
The Sri Lankan election authorities in Jaffna rejected the lists of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and an independent group headed by Arumugam Sellathurai to contest for the Jaffna Municipal Council elections as the lists were not complying with requirements of documentation, officials in Jaffna said Thursday. It is a statuary requirement that at least 12 of the candidates should be below the age of 35 and the rejected groups failed tailed to submit documentary evidence for all their candidates, the sources said. Even if one candidate doesn't fulfil the requirements, the entire list will be rejected.
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TNA submits nomination list for local elections in North

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 June 2009, 08:01 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Jaffna district parliamentarian, Mavai Senathirajah submitted Thursday the list of TNA nomination list of 29 candidates contesting Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) election with Mudiyappu Remedius, a leading lawyer and a human rights activist as its principal candidate, under ‘House’ symbol of Ilangkaith Thamizh Arasuk Kadchi. The list includes one Muslim and four women candidates. Besides Mavai Senathirajah, TNA MPs Suresh Premachandran, Gajendrakumar Ponnampalam and Solomon Cyril were also present at the event in Jaffna. Meanwhile, the TNA parliamentarians N. Sivasakthy Ananathan and S. Vino Noharathalingam fielded S.N.G Nathan as principal candidate for the list for Vavuniyaa Urban Council Wednesday.
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9,247 Vanni elderly IDPs handed over to Social Welfare Ministry

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 June 2009, 02:15 GMT]
The Ministry of Social Welfare Monday took over the maintenance and care of nine thousand two hundred and forty seven elderly internally displaced persons of over sixty years of age from Vanni from the internment camps in Vavuniyaa. The lists of names of these elderly IDPs are now exhibited in the offices of the Ministry of Social Offices located in Mannaar and Vavuniyaa, media reports said.
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Wholesale attack on Jaffna newspapers

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 June 2009, 01:36 GMT]
All the local newspapers of Jaffna that defied publishing an anonymous and defiling notice against the LTTE came under attack by an armed group in the early hours of Thursday. The notice was brought out in the name of 'Tamil Front Protecting the Country' allegedly linked to a paramilitary group operating with Colombo. Thousands of copies of the local newspapers, Valampuri, Uthayan and Thinakkural (Jaffna edition), were burnt down wholesale in huge flames by the armed group allegedly operated by the Sri Lankan military intelligence at Aanaippanthi and Kannathiddi junctions at 5:00 a.m. Thursday, while the newspapers were being taken for distribution.
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Sri Lanka’s hidden agenda in JMC election - Manickasothy

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 June 2009, 17:48 GMT]
”Tamils struggle for their rights began at a time even when there were four train services a day from Jaffna to Colombo, hundreds of lorries and busses plying on the A9 road and a continuous electricity supply from Laxapahana was available to the people of the North; the claim to restore these by the government is but an obvious propaganda ploy to lure votes for the ruling United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA), in an effort to show the world that the Tamils are not opposed to a unified Sri Lanka but whole heartedly support it, by securing victory in Jaffna Municipality Council (JMC) election,” Abimanasingham Manickasothy, the principal candidate of the Independent group contesting JMC election, told the media in a press meet held Wednesday in Bastion Hotel in Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said.
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UPFA, Muslim Congress, independent group submit nomination for JMC election

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 June 2009, 14:58 GMT]
United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led by its General Secretary and Minister Susil Premajayantha along with Minister Douglas Devananda submitted its list of nomination to Jaffna election officer Wednesday, sources in Jaffna said. Muslim Congress (MC) tendered its list with Mohamed Ismail Mohamed Sahir as the principal candidate while Abimanasingham Manickasothy, submitted the nomination list of his independent group contesting JMC election Wednesday, the sources added.
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CNN interview censored for using G-word - MIA

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 June 2009, 04:20 GMT]
In an interview with Los Angeles Times magazine, published 20th June, Maya Arulpragasam (M.I.A), the Jaffna born music phenom, disclosed that CNN, after interviewing her for an hour, broadcast only a one-minute-segment reasoning that MIA had used the word "Genocide" in describing the killings of the widely reported 20,000 Tamil civilians by Sri Lanka Government security forces during the 16-weeks leading up to 18th May.
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25 Tamil detainees in A’pura prison request release

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 June 2009, 02:56 GMT]
Twenty five Tamil civilians detained in Anuradhapura prison for the last two years without any inquiry, some under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and some under the Emergency Regulations (ER), have requested President Mahinda Rajapakse that they should be released immediately.
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IDPs living on Jaffna railway track area ordered to leave

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 June 2009, 17:26 GMT]
The president of the Federation of Jaffna Non-government Organizations (NGOs), C. V. K. Sivagnanam, requested Jaffna Government Agent (GA) not to evict immediately the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), numbering around a hundred families, living in camps on the railway track area in Jaffna since the time they were thrown out of their residences in Valikaamam North which were declared High Security Zones (HSZ) by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in 1990, sources in Jaffna said.
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7 Tamil youths arrested in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 June 2009, 16:36 GMT]
Police took into custody Tuesday seven Tamil youths as they failed to prove their identity on being checked at the road check posts in Dehiwala, Colpetty, Kelaniya, the police said.
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Devananda to contest elections under Rajapaksa's ‘Betel Leaf’ symbol

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 June 2009, 10:56 GMT]
Sri Lankan Minister and General Secretary of Eelam Peoples’ Democratic Party (EPDP), Douglas Devananda, announced Tuesday in Jaffna that his party will contest the local government elections of Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) and Vavuniyaa Town Council (TC) under ‘Betel Leaf’ symbol, the common symbol of the ruling United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA), sources in Jaffna said. Mr. Devananda has been under pressure from the ruling SLFP to join the party in recent times, giving up the "Eelam" identity, according to informed sources, which also revealed that Devananda was forced to give up his plan of contesting under his party symbol Vee'nai.
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TNA MP Kanagaretnam ordered further detention in Colombo court

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 June 2009, 09:37 GMT]
The Colombo Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge Mr. Nishantha Kappurarachchi Monday instructed the Criminal Investigation Department of the Sri Lanka Police to further detain the suspect Mr.Sathasivam Kanagaretnam, Vanni district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian, conduct investigations and submit a comprehensive report to court on the next date, July 26.
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Foreign banks looking for profit in "Bloodbath Bonds," says Inner City Press

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 June 2009, 03:06 GMT]
While human rights groups called for investigations of tens of thousands of [Tamil] civilians killed by the Sri Lanka Government, and urged Colombo to release more than 300,000 Tamils including UN staff members held in internment camps, Citybank and Deutsche Bank are looking to make profits on "bloodbath bonds," said Inner City Press which covers the U.N. activities in New York.
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Phone threats to Tamil groups, political parties contesting JMC election

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 June 2009, 15:34 GMT]
Persons alleged to be government supporters have begun issuing anonymous phone threats continually to prominent persons related to Tamil independent groups and political parties contesting the forthcoming Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) election, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, supporters of Minister Douglas Devanada in Kurunakar area had cautioned him of defeat in the election if he contests under the Beetle Leaf symbol of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and advised him to contest under the ‘Vee’nai’ symbol of his Eelam Peoples’ Democratic Party (EPDP), when he met them Sunday to learn of their opinion, the sources added.
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Fishing ban imposed in Jaffna in view of Basil’s visit

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 June 2009, 12:07 GMT]
Fishermen in Kaarainakar, Ponnaalai and Chuzhipuram areas in Jaffna were not allowed to go fishing from Thursday evening till Friday evening in the seas of Jaffna islets in a security measure imposed in view of Basil Rajapakse, Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse’s brother and advisor, taking part in a meeting at Kaarainakar, along with some ministers, to explore into the difficulties faced by the fishermen in Jaffna peninsula, sources in Jaffna said.
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Lifting curfew in Jaffna peninsula not possible – SLA Commander

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 June 2009, 12:02 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Commander of Jaffna, Major Gen. Mendaka Samarasinghe, in response to a request made in the conference held Saturday at Minister Douglas Devananda’s office in Jaffna, said that it is not possible to lift the night curfew imposed in Jaffna peninsula immediately as it would affect law and order, sources in Jaffna said.
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Fate of young detainees in Thellippazhai SLA Rehabilitation camp bleak

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 June 2009, 11:58 GMT]
The fate of nearly 300 young women and more than 500 young men from Vanni held in Thellippazhai Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Special Rehabilitation Camp (SRC) continues to remain unceratin and bleak, local NGO sources expressed concern. Education officials who had visited SRC said that there are more than a hundred youngsters between 14 to 18 ages whose educational needs are ignored by SLA authorities in charge of SRC. Neither UNICEF nor any other international organization has been permitted to visit these young detainees, sources in Jaffna said.
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Restrictions on fishing remain in Jaffna peninsula

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 June 2009, 11:51 GMT]
Despite government propaganda that fishermen in the North can engage in fishing 24 hours of the day freely, various restrictions imposed earlier continue to be in force, Fishermen Society sources in Jaffna expressed concern. Fishermen in Jaffna have to get the ‘fishing pass’ from their local Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp authorities every time they go fishing besides being subjected to checks by SLA soldiers at the jetties, they added.
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UNP submits nominations for JMC election

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 June 2009, 11:47 GMT]
Jayalath Jayawardne, representing United National Party (UNP), submitted Monday the nomination list of 29 candidates with A. J. Sathiyendra, a prominent Tamil businessman as the principal candidate, contesting Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) elections, sources in Jaffna said. 28 Tamils and a Muslim including 4 women are contesting the forthcoming election as UNP candidates, the sources added.
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Armed Muslim youth in East instructed to surrender their weapons

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 June 2009, 10:25 GMT]
Amid announcement by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Eastern Regional Commanding Officer Srinath Rajapakse at a gathering in Kaaththankudi, a traditional Muslim town in the Batticaloa district that all who possess illegal arms should surrender them to Sri Lankan military on or before July 2, Provincial Government Minister Mr.M.L.A.M.Hisbullah publicly acknowledged through media that Muslim youth took arms to help the Sri Lankan forces during the war against the Tigers.
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Tamil Christian epitaph of significance found in Kayts

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 June 2009, 02:15 GMT]
An interesting early 19th century Tamil epitaph found on a tomb in Kayts, off Jaffna, evidences the usage of the word ‘Aariyar’ in Christian context, says Professor P. Pushparatnam, Head of the Department of History of the University of Jaffna, who brought the epitaph to notice and read it. According to local media reported his finding, the tomb of one Ales Francis Cruz, died in 1827 was found behind the old customs building at the Kayts port.
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Police detains 3 Tamil youths in Colombo

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 June 2009, 15:17 GMT]
Three Tamil youths arrested by the Western Province Intelligence Unit of the Sri Lanka Police last week are now detained in the Borella Police Station under a detention order by the Sri Lankan Defence Ministry. Two of them were arrested on a tip off in a house located along Ayurvedic Junction in Borella on June 15 and June 16.
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Police collect details of Eastern province IDPs staying in Vavuniyaa camps

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 June 2009, 15:15 GMT]
Special police teams have been collecting names and other details of internally displaced persons who are permanent residents of three districts of the eastern province- Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampaa'rai and currently being kept in internment camps located in Vavuniyaa. Hundreds of IDPs of eastern province have been held captives by the Sri Lankan forces in Vanni at the end of the war.
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Outbreak of chicken pox, hepatitis reported in internment camps

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 June 2009, 15:12 GMT]
Outbreak of chickenpox and hepatitis reported from internment camps located in Vavuniyaa where hundred of thousands of internally displaced people from Vanni have been sheltered. More than twelve thousand inmates are reported to have been still suffering from chickenpox. 40 to 50 fresh cases of chickenpox are reported daily.
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12 Tamils arrested in Wellawatte

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 June 2009, 11:19 GMT]
Police arrested twelve Tamil civilians in a cordon and search operation conducted in Wellawatte Thursday. Wellawatte police said they are detained in the police station to check their identities as the failed to prove their identity.
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Basil on election campaign promises 24-hour electricity to Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 June 2009, 10:55 GMT]
Basil Rajapakse, President Mahinda Rajapakse’s brother and advisor, who is on a whirling election campaign visit along with cabinet ministers in Jaffna peninsula announced Friday at Chu’n’naakam that he and his retinue are inaugurating a 24 hour electricity supply scheme, sources in Jaffna said. However, the electricity produced by the generators in Chu’n’naakam Sri Lanka Electricity Board (SLEB) which is hardly enough to meet the needs of the peninsula is likely to remain so in view of the production capacity of the existing generators, civil society sources in Jaffna said.
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25 elderly refugees sheltered in Vavuniyaa Home die in one month

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 June 2009, 10:47 GMT]
Twenty five elderly Tamil refugees affected by the war and the conditions prevailing in the internment camps in Vavuniyaa died in one month after being shifted to an elders’ home run by Vavuniyaa Koayilku'lam Sivan Koayil administration. Two more IDPs have been warded in the Vavuniyaa general hospital due to deterioration of their health, according to the sources at the District Secretariat.
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Journalists barred from covering government meeting in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 June 2009, 11:41 GMT]
North Ceylon Journalists’ Association (NCJA), in its media report Thursday, accused government authorities in Jaffna for barring journalists from attending a high level government meeting held Thursday by Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse’s brother, Basil Rajapakse. Jaffna Government Agent (GA), when contacted by journalists seeking permission to cover the meeting, had said that journalists cannot be allowed to attend the meeting for security reasons, the report said.
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Opposition MPs denied access to Vanni internment camps

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 June 2009, 11:36 GMT]
“Sri Lanka government has not yet permitted the opposition parliamentarians to see the Tamil civilians held in the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camps in Vavuniyaa in order to learn of their problems and help them,” Gayantha Karunathilaka, United National Party (UNP) media spokesman, said in a press meet held Wednesday at the office of the leader of the opposition in Colombo.
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CPA’s FR petition regarding IDPs fixed for further inquiry

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 June 2009, 11:25 GMT]
The Fundamental Rights petition filed by the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka challenging the curtailment of internally displaced persons (IDPs) interned in the camps located in Vavuniyaa was listed for further inquiry on July 10 following the application made by the State Counsel that he needed more time to obtain instruction from the Attorney General. The FR petition came up for inquiry Thursday before a three member Bench of the Supreme Court, legal sources said.
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7 SLA personnel arrested for allegedly aiding LTTE

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 June 2009, 10:17 GMT]
Seven officers of the Sri Lanka Army including two in the rank of Major were arrested by the intelligence officials of the Prevention of Terrorism Unit Wednesday on a report that they had been assisting the LTTE in the war time by collecting materials and other items, according to media reports that quoted SL Military Spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara.
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Sinhalicisation insinuated in Musali

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 June 2009, 09:45 GMT]
Top Sri Lankan military officials appointed by SL President Mahinda Rajapaksa as Competent Authority in charge of resettlement of Tamils displaced from Vanni have finalised a plan to settle 200 Sinhalese people in Musali where 2,000 displaced Tamils have been allowed to resettle, informed civil officials in Vavuniyaa told TamilNet Friday. More than 4,500 civilians were forced to flee Musali division in Mannnaar district in September 2007.
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Two UN staff reported missing in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 June 2009, 09:32 GMT]
A Tamil staff of United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and another Tamil staff of the UNHCR, both attached to the UN offices in Vavuniyaa have been reported missing for the past 3 days, civil sources in Vavuniyaa said.
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Basil's Jaffna meet fails to discuss people in internment camps

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 June 2009, 09:02 GMT]
The meeting meant to explore possibilities of the resettlement and rehabilitation of more than 13,000 Vanni civilians held in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) internment camps in Jaffna, held under tight security in Jaffna Public Library Thursday ended without any significant decisions regarding the issue concerned, Government officials who attended the meeting said. The venue of the meeting which was to be held in Jaffna Secretariat was changed at the last moment to Jaffna Public Library due to security reasons, the sources said. Even the pens carried by the officials were subjected to checking.
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Court directs Colombo to grant permission to camp visit by MPs

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 June 2009, 03:28 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Supreme Court directed the State Counsel to seek permission from the Defence Secretary to grant permission to Members of Parliament to visit the camps occupied by the internally displaced persons in a Fundamental Rights petition filed by members of SL Parliament. The petitioner MPs said that they had sought permission from the relevant authorities to visit the IDP camps and the hospitals in Mannaar, Vavuniyaa and other places that house the civilians who had fled the war zone and surrendered to the Sri Lankan forces, but permission has not been granted.
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SL Police shoot 3 persons dead in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 June 2009, 06:49 GMT]
A special team of the Sri Lankan Police in Vavuniyaa shot and killed three persons at Nelukku'lam cemetery area in Vavuniyaa division in the early hours of Thursday around 2:30 a.m. Their identities have not been revealed by the police. But, the police claimed that the victims belonged to a gang of robbers and that they were shot by the police in an encounter. However, informed sources in Vavuniyaa said there was a clash between LTTE cadres and the Police.
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Sri Lanka tops list of nations driving journalists to exile

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 June 2009, 06:40 GMT]
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a New York based media watchdog, in a special reported published Wednesday, said Sri Lanka topped the list of countries that drove the largest number of journalists into exile. "At least 11 Sri Lankan journalists were driven into exile in the past 12 months amid an intensive government crackdown on critical reporters and editors," the report said, adding the number worldwide totalled 39. Of these journalists, 29 were driven out of threat of violence, 7 threat of imprisonment, and 2 out of harrassment, the report added.
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Presidential Commission on HR violations ceases to function

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 June 2009, 10:55 GMT]
The eight-member Presidential Commission which was appointed by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2007 to inquire into serious violations of human rights that took place in the year 2006 ceased to function from Sunday without completing its mandate as its term was not extended. The commission was set up amid pressure exerted by local and international human rights organizations to investigate sixteen major human rights violations in the year 2006.
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Stolen van from Vanni recovered in Polonnaruwa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 June 2009, 10:53 GMT]
An officer of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in the rank of Lieutenant, a police constable and another were taken into custody by the police in Polonnaruwa early morning on Sunday with a van allegedly stolen from Vanni. The police recovered a motor bike without a number plate, T-56 rife, live bullets, one laptop computers and a communication set from the van.
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2 Tamil youths arrested in Katunayake airport on arrival from Qatar

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 June 2009, 10:52 GMT]
Katunayake airport police arrested two Tamil youths Sunday morning at Katunayake International Airport (KIA) when they arrived from Qatar in Doha in Middle East on vacation. They are detained in Katunayake police station for no reasons, according to complaints lodged by their relatives with the police and human rights organizations.
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Tamil sovereignty crucial to Eelam struggle: Thirumavalavan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 June 2009, 09:49 GMT]
Indian Member of Parliament and President of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) Thol. Thirumavalavan in a statement released Tuesday called upon the international Tamil community to realize that the Tamil sovereignty, Tamil Eelam national leader V. Pirapaharan and Tamil Eelam national flag, are crucial guiding forces in taking the Eelam liberation struggle forward. He also called upon the Tamil Diaspora to fulfil this "historical and moral obligation by not only shouldering the responsibility of overcoming the present crisis situation, but also by identifying and defeating the anti-struggle forces who were trying to infiltrate the liberation struggle." He also said that the Tamil diaspora must devise appropriate strategies to attaining Eelam bearing in mind the international scenario.
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Moothoor IDPs relocated against their wish in Ki'liveddi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 June 2009, 01:25 GMT]
Sri Lanka police forcibly took away 224 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Moothoor in Trincomalee district presently staying in Kirimuddi refugee camp in Batticaloa district, against their wish, to be relocated in Ki’liveddi in Trincomalee district, Tuesday noon, sources in Batticaloa said. UNHCR representatives, representatives of NGOs besides government officials were present during this incident, the sources added.
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Movement launched in south to extend Rajapaksa's term without election

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 June 2009, 15:29 GMT]
Leading ministers in the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government has launched a movement in Sri Lanka's south to extend the current term of Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse for another five years, without holding a presidential election at the end of first six year term. Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister Mr.Janaka Bandara Tennekone led the first rally in support of the movement Sunday in Dambulla.
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9 Tamil youths arrested in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 June 2009, 15:27 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police Tuesday morning took into custody nine Tami youths in a joint search operation conducted in the suburbs of Colombo city including Moratuwa, Panadura and Kalutura, sources in Colombo said. The arrested youths are from Upcountry, employed in shops the areas where they were arrested.
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SLA shoots, injures fisherman in Jaffna seas

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 June 2009, 19:39 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers posted along the coast of Kalmunai in Poonakari opened fire Monday around 6:30 a.m on a fisherman from Kurunakar in Jaffna who was fishing in Kalmunai sea area, sources in Jaffna said. The seriously injured fisherman was admitted to Jaffna Teaching Hospital around 9:30 a.m by fellow fisherman and is in a critical situation, hospital sources said.
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Fishing ban lifted in East coast sea

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 June 2009, 12:44 GMT]
Fishing ban and restriction in the eastern coast sea in force for more than two decades has been lifted with immediate effect. Presidential Senior Advisor and parliamentarian Mr. Basil Rajapakse Sunday informed the fisheries associations in the districts of Trincomalee and Batticaloa that fishing is allowed through out day and night in eastern cost without any restriction.
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Seeman alleges abduction of young girls by SLA in Vavuniyaa internment camps

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 June 2009, 13:42 GMT]
Popular Film Director Seeman on Sunday said he had received reliable information from the captives inside the internment camps in Vavuniyaa that the Sri Lankan police and military establishment have started to 'filter and separate teenage girls from their families during the latest hours in large numbers. Mr. Seeman from Tamil Nadu questioned how this 'filtering' of young girls could take place inside the internment camps without any monitoring by the UN agencies present in Vavuniyaa.
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2 decades of displacement continues for Valikaamam residents

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 June 2009, 13:22 GMT]
Residents of Valikaamam North in Jaffna peninsula, evicted from their traditional villages on 15 June 1990 due to Sri Lanka Army (SLA) offensive and occupation of their villages, continue to languish in refugee camps and other places for the last twenty years, sources in Jaffna said. Despite Colombo Supreme Court directive to allow resettlement in the SLA High Security Zone (HSZ) areas in Valikaamam North, SLA authorities in Jaffna have not permitted anyone to return to their homes and properties until now, the sources added.
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Camp disappearances reach alarming levels - Rights advocate

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 June 2009, 04:21 GMT]
Sunila Abeysekera, a human rights activist and executive director of INFORM human rights documentation center in Sri Lanka, in an interview to Real News Network in Toronto, accused the Sri Lanka Government authorities of not providing enough attention to the welfare of the nearly 300,000 people in the internment camps who have come to these camps after months of deprivation, and said that the lack of proper registration procedures for the people inside the camp is providing Colombo a free hand in facilitating the Paramilitaries to take youths out of the camps in large numbers without any accountability.
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NGO briefings in UN highlight Sri Lanka rights violations, Impunity

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 June 2009, 18:16 GMT]
International Non-Governmental Organisations - NGOs participating in the 11th session of the UN Human Rights Council had two different briefings, as parallel events to the main plenary, focusing mainly on Sri Lanka, one organized by Switzerland-based ECOSOC NGO, Interfaith International, and co-sponsored by the Foundation France Liberty – Danielle Mitterrand and International Education Development - IED, and the other briefing organized by Amnesty International and co-sponsored by Human rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists.
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13 Tamils arrested in Gampaha

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 June 2009, 12:11 GMT]
Gampaha police took thirteen Tamil civilians into custody in cordon and search operations conducted in the Gampaha town from Wednesday dusk to dawn on Thursday. Police said eleven of them are residents of districts in north and east provinces and failed to establish their identity and two of the arrested are residents of upcountry estates.
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TNA parliamentarians meet Indian Foreign Minister

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 June 2009, 00:45 GMT]
A team of five Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians met the new Indian Foreign Minister S M Krishna on Thursday and discussed matters related to the release of the three doctors and a TNA parliamentarian who rendered invaluable service to the beleaguered people to the very end of war, demilitarization of Tamil areas, resettlement and rehabilitation of civilians in the internment camps and grant amnesty to LTTE carders in captivity, TNA circles told TamilNet. The parliamentarians met National Security Advisor M K Narayanan on Wednesday and Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon on Tuesday before the meeting with Mr. S M Krishna. They also met the leader of the opposition L. K. Advani on Friday.
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21 Vanni Tamils sent to Boosa, 3 reported missing from Pulmoaddai

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 June 2009, 23:04 GMT]
Twenty one Tamil civilians from Vanni including eight women arrested by the Sri Lanka Army when they arrived in Pulmoaddai from Mullaiththeevu by boats two months ago are now detained in the Boosa detention centre which is located in Galle located down south of the country. Those now detained in Boosa detention camp were earlier detained in the police stations of Pulmoaddai, Pathaviyaa and Kepitigollewa, police sources said.
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3 Malaysian citizens arrested in Wellawatte with LTTE photos

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 June 2009, 23:00 GMT]
Two Malaysian citizens staying in a lodge located along 37th Lane in Wellawatte in Colombo police division were taken into custody Wednesday by the police as they were suspected to be involved in LTTE activities. Police said they recovered a pen drive with LTTE propaganda matters from their room they occupied in the lodge.
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FR petition in SL Supreme Court against detaining Vanni IDPs

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 June 2009, 22:48 GMT]
The Centre for Police Alternatives (CPA) Friday filed a Fundamental Rights Petition in the Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court challenging the detention of hundreds of thousands of Vanni displaced Tamil families in the camps located in Cheddiku'lam and Vavuniyaa under the Emergency Regulations thus violating the fundamental rights of them such as freedom of movement and depriving employment opportunities without restriction, enshrined in the constitution, legal sources said.
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WHO, IRD provide assistance to Jaffna hospitals

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 June 2009, 16:16 GMT]
World Health Organization (WHO) and International Relief and Development (IRD) representatives handed over nearly 54 packages of Emergency Health Kit to the Director of Public Health Service in Jaffna in an event held in Chaavakachchea’ri recently, sources in Jaffna said. Chaavakachchea’ri government hospital which lacks basic facilities and medicine is the only hospital that the Vanni civilians held in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) detention centres in Jaffna are allowed to seek medical help and the assistance from these international organizations is a timely help, the sources added.
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British, Norwegian ambassadors’ visit to Jaffna postponed again

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 June 2009, 15:09 GMT]
The British and Norwegian ambassadors who were to visit Jaffna 10 Wednesday had to cancel it as the Defence Ministry had not issued permission for the visit in due time, sources in Jaffna said. Earlier scheduled visits by these ambassadors too had been cancelled more than twice in the past since the closure of A9 land route to Jaffna, due to delays caused by the Defence Ministry officials, the sources added.
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White van armed men abduct woman NGO staffer in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 June 2009, 13:46 GMT]
Unidentified armed men arriving in a white van abducted Thursday morning a woman employed in Seva Lanka Non-governmental organization in Vellaave’li area in Batticaloa district, sources in Batticaloa said. Two of the armed men spoke in Sinhalese and one in Tamil, the sources added.
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New TNA MP for Ampaa'rai district sworn in

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 June 2009, 13:15 GMT]
Dr.Thomas Thangathurai William Friday was sworn in as new Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Ampaa'rai district parliamentarian in parliament before the Speaker Mr.W.M.J.Lokkubandara. He fills the vacancy created with the demise of Mr.Kanagasabai Pathmanathan who passed away in Mathurai in South India after a brief illness. The new parliamentarian hails from Paa'ndiruppu in Ampaa'rai district and came second in the list of TNA in the 2004 general election held under proportionate preferential system.
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Camp conditions ‘not satisfactory’, ‘dust must settle’ for aid - Akashi

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 June 2009, 01:11 GMT]
Japan’s Special Envoy to Sri Lanka, Yasushi Akashi, said Thursday that Colombo "has lots to do" to improve the conditions of those living in the overcrowded camps in the north, where there are shortages of food, water, sanitation and medicines, AFP reported. Saying that Sri Lanka needs to wait until "the dust of the war" settles before donors would take a closer look at the massive development aid needed to rebuild, Akashi urged Colombo to engage with the international community, Reuters reported.
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SLA impedes transport of goods by lorries to Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 June 2009, 22:44 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) authorities in Anuradapura did not permit Thursday the lorries of private traders in the South carrying essential food items and fruits to proceed to Jaffna due to its security checking, sources in Colombo said. The traders who had invested heavily in this venture on the strength of government assurance of easy passage, are very much dissatisfied as the major part of the goods have perished due to the delay caused by the SLA authorities in Anuradapura, the sources added. This has led the traders in the South and Jaffna not to involve anymore in transporting goods through A9 land route to Jaffna.
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Independent group pays deposit for Jaffna MC Election

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 June 2009, 22:06 GMT]
An independent group representing important factions in Jaffna peninsula paid the deposit money Thursday to contest in the forthcoming Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) elections, Election Department sources in Jaffna said. The sources, however, declined to reveal the particulars about the independent group which was the first to pay the deposit money due to security reasons.
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11 journalists killed, 50 abducted since 2005 – UNP parliamentarian

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 June 2009, 20:13 GMT]
“Eleven journalists have been killed while fifty have been abducted from 2005 up to now,” Joseph Michael Perera, Gampaha district parliamentarian and United National Party (UNP) Chief Whip said in Sri Lanka parliament presenting a special report Wednesday morning, sources in Colombo said. Meanwhile, five media organizations staged a protest demonstration Wednesday around 3:00 p.m in Colombo Vihara Mahadevi Park, condemning the abduction of and assault on journalist Bothala Jeyantha.
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Sinhala goons destroy Jesus statue in Minneriya

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 June 2009, 19:06 GMT]
A group of Buddhist chauvinist elements forcefully removed a Jesus Christ statue from Minneriya convent on June 3 and destroyed it. The remnants of the statue were found near Minneriya tank. National Catholic Association has expressed deep concern over the vandalism against the Catholic community in Minneriya in north central province.
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62 dead bodies of IDPs unclaimed at hospital mortuary in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 June 2009, 14:00 GMT]
Sixty two bodies of Tamil refugees died in internment camps in Vavuniyaa and Cheddiku'lam have been kept in the mortuary of Vavuniyaa general hospital awaiting orders of the Magistrate’s Court to conduct common burial, legal sources said. Meanwhile, medical sources said that fifty one of the victims were elderly IDPs and the remaining infants, died during delivery.
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Neelson accuses NGO of supporting "dictatorship masquerading as democracy"

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 June 2009, 11:35 GMT]
"When even the then supporters of the GoSL [Government of Sri Lanka] in Berlin, Paris or London have demanded an enquiry into war crimes and violations of human and humanitarian law in view of the estimated 20,000 mostly dead civilians during the last few weeks, when even the established media question the internment of 300,000 Tamil IDP, there is no way for any self-respecting intellectual or the critical public in general in the country concerned to pretend that the only problem left to be tackled is "humanitarian," said Prof. John Neelsen of Institute of Sociology in Tuebingen Germany in response to appeal for relief funds by the head of the NGO Foundation for Co-Existense's Dr Kumar Rupesinghe, accusing the NGO of supporting a "dictatorship masquerading as democracy."
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More lorries to be used to transport goods from Colombo to Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 June 2009, 20:40 GMT]
Sri Lanka government has announced its intention to transport goods by 200 lorries from Colombo to Jaffna through the A9 land route soon, sources in Jaffna said. Though the government had made much publicity of opening the A9 route for public transport in April, transport of goods in government lorries had been possible only eight times since then, the sources added.
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SLA refuses to release 6 Catholic priests detained in Vavuniyaa SLA camps

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 June 2009, 19:57 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Command rejected a request made by Jaffna Bishop, Rt. Rev. Thomas Saundaranayagam, to release the six Catholic priests from Vanni held in one of the SLA detention centres in Vavuniyaa as they are suffering from illness, Jaffna Bishop House sources said. The Bishop had made the request to Defence Secretary to allow the six priests to get back to their parishes, the sources added.
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57,293 children held in Vavuniyaa SLA internment camps

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 June 2009, 17:46 GMT]
57,293 children from Vanni are presently detained in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) internment camps in Vavuniyaa, U. L. M. Haldeen, Secretary to the Ministry of Disaster Relief said to the media.
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22 elderly IDPs die in Cheddikul’am internment camp

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 June 2009, 17:29 GMT]
Twenty-two elderly internally displaced persons from Vanni detained in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) internment camps in Vavuniyaa and Cheddikul'am died in two days. Fourteen died on Sunday and eight on Monday and all those dead were above seventy years of age, medical sources said.
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Elderly IDPs to be released from Cheddikul’am camp

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 June 2009, 17:09 GMT]
Six hundred fifty three elderly Vanni internally displaced persons held in Cheddikul’am Sri Lanka Army (SLA) internment camp in Vavuniyaa are to be released amid reports of rise of death of elderly IDPs detained in the camps in Vavuniyaa. Lists of names of elderly IDPs to be released are now displayed in Vavuniyaa District Secretariat and Cheddikul’am detention centre, media reports said.
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Tamil youth abducted in white van in Sammaanthu'rai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 June 2009, 12:18 GMT]
Unidentified armed persons who arrived in a white van Monday night around 9:00 p.m. abducted a 33year-old Tamil youth Sinnavan from his residence in Sorrikalmunai in Sammanthurai police division. He was a mason by profession, according to complains lodged by his wife with the Sammaanthu'rai Police, media reports said.
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Bob Rae denied entry to Sri Lanka - report

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 June 2009, 09:20 GMT]
Sri Lanka Wednesday denied entry to Bob Rae, a prominent Canadian politician outspoken in his criticism of Colombo’s military campaign and then Chair of the Forum of Federations, the constitutional NGO advising the Norwegian peace process during 2002 and 2003. Sri Lanka’s Immigration Commissioner P. B. Abeykoon said “intelligence reports” meant Mr. Rae should not to be admitted and was therefore detained when he arrived at Colombo airport and put on a leaving flight.
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2 new parliamentarians sworn in

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 June 2009, 19:20 GMT]
Nandimithra Ekanayake and Chandima Weerakody were sworn in as new parliamentarians when the parliament resumed its sitting Tuesday. Nandimithra Ekanayake was appointed for the post MP from the Matale district to fill the vacancy created with the death of Alick Aluwihare. Chandima Weerakody was appointed for the post of MP from the Galle district to fill the vacancy created with the death of former Minister Justice Amarasiri Dodangada.
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SL parliament extends Emergency for another month

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 June 2009, 17:19 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s parliament Tuesday adopted a motion to extend the State of Emergency for another month by a majority of ninety five votes. 102 parliamentarians voted for the motion and seven against. This was the first extension of the State of Emergency after the defeat of LTTE last month, sources said.
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Health conditions among Vanni detainees deteriorate

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 June 2009, 16:22 GMT]
Vanni civilians held in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) detention centres in Jaffna and Vavuniyaa are suffering from serious health conditions due to lack of medicines, proper medical treatment and poor sanitary facilities, Jaffna Health Department sources said. A 29-year-old woman from Maamoolai, Mu’l’liyava’lai from Vanni held in Raamavil detention centre, suspected to be suffering from septicaemia, died on 6 May in Jaffna Teaching Hospital.
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Thirumavalavan demands white paper on genocide of Tamils

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 June 2009, 16:06 GMT]
In his maiden address in the Indian Parliament Monday evening, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi President Thol. Thirumavalavan, urged the Indian Government to bring out a white paper on the genocide of Sri Lankan Tamils. He also called upon the Indian Government to change its anti-Tamil attitude. Thirumavalavan also sought to know the role of the Union Government on Sri Lankan issues and the kind of support that has been extended to the Government Sri Lanka. "Our party and our allied parties are very much concerned about Sri Lankan issues. I am sorry to say the Government of India betrayed the Tamil community in Sri Lanka," he observed.
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Largest ammunition dump explodes in SLA Vavuniyaa camp

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 June 2009, 13:08 GMT]
Residents of Eerapperiyaku'lam in Vavuniyaa reported hearing loud explosions, and seeing fire from the ammunition dump of the 211- Due Command of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Vavuniyaa from 6:00 p.m. Tuesday. The explosions have been continuing for more than an hour, according to reports from Vavuniyaa. The ammunition dump is one of the largest used by the SLA, military observers said.
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British Aid worker suspends hunger strike

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 June 2009, 12:08 GMT]
Over 500 people gathered in London outside Parliament, for a ceremony to mark the end of a hunger strike carried out by Tim Martin, a British former aid worker and director of the human rights group Act Now. Martin responded to assurances of help if he ended his hunger strike outside the Houses of Parliament in London, England, after a 21 day campaign taking only liquids, according to his supporters.
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Political personages out to exploit trade opportunities in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 June 2009, 11:23 GMT]
The minister of Industrial Development, paid a sudden visit to Jaffna Monday where he visited the CEYNOR fishing net production unit in Kurunakar and explored schemes to reactivate Kaangkeasnaththu’rai Cement Factory, sources in Jaffna said. Sri Lanka government has announced that the transport of goods to and from Jaffna through A9 road by lorries will be commencing from 16 June prodding powerful political personalities to take a sudden and active interest in trading and investment possibilities in Jaffna peninsula, Jaffna Traders’ Union (JTU) sources said.
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IDPs occupying railway properties in Jaffna to be evicted

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 June 2009, 11:13 GMT]
Jaffna Government Agent (GA) has instructed all Internally Displaced People (IDPs) presently occupying railway stations and other railway properties including living quarters and the railway track areas from Thellippazhai to Kodikaamam to vacate them before 20 June, sources in Jaffna said. The government decision to resume train service from Vavuniya to Kaangeasanththu’rai soon and its directive to the GA is the reason for the urgent eviction order. The IDPs, more than 20,000 in number, are in a quandary as no alternate places for them to relocate have been arranged by the authorities, the sources added
Full story >>

Boyle, Fein charge Sri Lanka of Genocide in Chennai seminar

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 June 2009, 02:20 GMT]
Francis Boyle, Professor of International Law at the University of Illinois College of Law, and Bruce Fein, a Washington D.C. Attorney, speaking at a seminar in Chennai organized by the International Tamil Center Monday, reiterated charges of Genocide against the Sri Lanka Government alleging massacre of more than 50,000 Tamil civilians, sources attending the event said. While Prof. Boyle urged India to file charges in International Court against Sri Lanka for violating Geneva conventions, and to stop Colombo "to cease and desist from all acts of genocide against Tamils," Fein stressed the urgent need for the Tamils to reach a "consensus on their political aspirations." The event was organized by Dr Panchadcharam, a consultant physician from New York.
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'Geopolitical excuse for esoteric diplomacy'

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 June 2009, 02:18 GMT]
“India views with unease the Chinese inroads into Sri Lanka as part of a broad move into the Indian Ocean. But India faces acute dilemma. Its capacity to cajole the diehard Sinhalese nationalists to compromise with the Tamils for an enduring settlement suffers so long as China extends such no-holds-barred political backing to the Colombo establishment”, writes M K Bhadrakumar, a former Indian diplomat in an article that appeared in Deccan Herald, 25 May. “The naval presence in Sri Lanka becomes invaluable for China if the planned canal across the Isthmus of Kra in Thailand materialises connecting Indian Ocean with China’s Pacific coast, a project that could dramatically shift the balance of power in Asia in China’s favour. Therefore, no matter what it takes, the West and China (with Russian backing) will compete for gaining the upper hand in Sri Lanka”, he further says.
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Sri Lanka turns back Mercy ship

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 June 2009, 23:07 GMT]
Government of Sri Lanka turned away the ship, MV Captain Ali, carrying relief supplies to the Tamils held in internment camps, after keeping the ship under Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) custody for nearly 4.5 days, and after admitting that the ship carried purely humanitarian supplies, a press release from the Mercy Mission Head Office in the UK said.
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Emergency extension motion to be moved in parliament Tuesday

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 June 2009, 17:48 GMT]
A motion to extend the State of Emergency is to be moved in the Sri Lanka’s Parliament Tuesday for the first time after the defeat of LTTE in the war front. The State of Emergency was introduced on August 12, 2005. Thereafter it is being extended with the permission of parliament every month, parliamentary sources said.
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2 Tamil foreign returnees arrested in Wellawatte

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 June 2009, 12:31 GMT]
Wellawatte Police Saturday arrested two Tamils who returned from abroad and have detained on the order of the Defence Ministry. The arrested were taken into custody while they were staying in a house located along 37th Lane in Wellawatte with their relatives, media sources said.
Full story >>

Asoka de Silva, Sri Lanka’s new Chief Justice

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 June 2009, 12:27 GMT]
Asoka de Silva was sworn in Monday morning as the new Chief Justice of Sri Lanka by the Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse at the Presidential Secretariat. Mr Silva is the thirty second Chief Justice of Sri Lanka. Sarath Nanda Silva retired from the post of Chief Justice Friday after eleven years.
Full story >>

‘Stop-Genocide’ candidate secures record result, but misses London seat

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 June 2009, 02:49 GMT]
Ms. Jan Jananayagam, an independent candidate contesting the European Parliament elections in London, secured over 50,000 votes, an unprecedented result, and a record for an independent candidate in an EU election. Though Ms Jananayagam failed to secure a seat, her campaign team said they were delighted with the results. Despite having decided to contest only days before voter registration closed and four weeks before the polls, the Tamil candidate had amassed more votes than some well-established small parties in Britain, and more than twice all other independent candidates combined, they said. Apart from Tamil expatriates, her campaign, conducted by students and volunteers, had drawn support and donations from British voters and other minority communities.
Full story >>

International war crimes probe needed in Sri Lanka – Japan Times

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 June 2009, 02:10 GMT]
Noting the civilian casualty list in Sri Lanka’s offensive against the Tamil Tigers “is long and growing” and the “disturbing” evidence has emerged from the warzone, the Japan Times Monday joined calls for a “complete, unvarnished international” investigation into alleged war crimes. “No government or rebel group must believe it is immune from the rule of law,” the paper said, adding: “If the government is telling the truth, it should have nothing to fear from an investigation.” The editorial comes as Japan sent a special envoy to Sri Lanka to discuss the plight of 300,000 Tamils interned in militarised camps.
Full story >>

Tamil jeweller’s body found in Nanu Oya

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 June 2009, 21:58 GMT]
Nuwara Eliya police recovered the body of the Tamil jeweller from Bandarawella who had gone missing since 30 May, near Nanu Oya railway station Saturday. Relatives of the victim who had earlier made complaints to Bandarawella police about the disappearance, identified his body at Nuwara Eliya general hospital where it was kept for identification.
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TNA to nominate Dr.Thomas Thangathurai William for Ampaa'rai district

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 June 2009, 18:30 GMT]
Dr.Thomas Thangathurai William is to be nominated as Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian for the Ampaarai district to fill the vacancy created with the death of Kanagasabai Pathmanathan who passed away in Mathurai in South India after a brief illness, TNA sources said.
Full story >>

Kandy court remands Mannaar Tamil woman

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 June 2009, 14:35 GMT]
Kandy Magistrate Friday ordered remand for a Tamil woman who is a resident of Mannaar till June 16 on a report by the police that she was a suspected member of the LTTE and had been hiding in Kandy, according to media reports.
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SLA rejects request to free Saiva priests, orphans held in detention centres

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 June 2009, 11:54 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Jaffna Commander, rejected a joint request made by Jaffna Government Agent (GA) and Jaffna District High Court Judge to release the Saiva priests and children orphaned or separated from their parents, from the SLA detention centres in Jaffna district, in a meeting held Saturday in the SLA head quarters in Palaali High Security Zone, sources in Jaffna said. The commander said that their release could be considered only after it is established that they have no connection with ‘terrorists’, the sources added.
Full story >>

Bomb explosions heard in Jaffna HSZ

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 June 2009, 20:56 GMT]
Residents in the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) occupied Maiyiliddi area in Valikaamam North said that hey heard deafening explosions from the SLA High Security Zone across Tho’ndaimanaa’ru lagoon Saturday from 10:30 a.m to 11:00 a.m as if artillery shells were exploding. Defence Ministry spokesman in Colombo, however, said that it was an accidental bomb explosion referring to the Saturday incident.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka refuses to allow Mercy Ship to unload relief

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 June 2009, 20:32 GMT]
Despite repeated appeals by the Directors of Mercy Mission, a humanitarian project with a ship loaded with relief items donated by expatriate Tamils in Europe to help Tamils caught up in the war in NorthEast, Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) has been detaining the Mercy Mission ship the MV “Captain Ali,” for more than three days, and is refusing to allow the 884 metric tons worth of relief items to be unloaded, sources close to the project said. Latest information indicates Colombo is moving towards returning the ship back to international waters, and force the ship to return to its origination port.
Full story >>

UN chief calls for Sri Lanka war crimes probe

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 June 2009, 18:37 GMT]
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon Friday called for an international inquiry into war crimes in northern Sri Lanka and sought the Colombo government’s agreement, press reports said. At a closed-door briefing for UN Security Council members, Mr. Ban called for a credible inquiry to be undertaken with international backing and full support from Sri Lanka's government, AP reported. He declined to elaborate on exactly how the inquiry should be done, but urged an examination of serious allegations of violations of international humanitarian laws, according to diplomats and UN officials who attended. Ban also told the council that Sri Lanka must refrain from any victory dance after defeating the LTTE.
Full story >>

Do not approve IMF loan, Senators tell Clinton

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 June 2009, 12:55 GMT]
"With the [Sri Lanka] government still refusing to address any of the major concerns that you [Secretary of State Clinton] and others have raised, we believe it would send the wrong signal to approve the IMF loan. It would suggest that to gain international support, the Sri Lankan government did not need to heed the world community's concerns; it merely need to win the war. Before receiving major financial support, the government should first take at least some steps to reassure the world that it is adjusting its policies, by allowing access to the conflict area and international monitoring of the screening process...," said Senators Patrick Leahy and Robert Casey in a letter to the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Friday.
Full story >>

Investment Promotion Minister visits Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 June 2009, 12:12 GMT]
Former United National Party (UNP) parliamentarian and the present Sri Lanka Minister of Investment Promotion, Naveen Dissanayake and his younger brother Mayantha Dissanayake paid a sudden visit to Jaffna peninsula Saturday which the brothers described as a personal visit, to the media, sources in Jaffna said. The brothers are the sons of late Gamini Dissanayake, who is alleged to have been the person responsible for the burning of Jaffna Public Library in June 01, 1981, by Sri Lankan police, the sources added.
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Congressman Shuler contradicts Rights groups after Colombo funded trip

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 June 2009, 12:01 GMT]
Second term North Carolina Congressman, Heath Shuler, after a Sri Lanka Embassy funded 2-day trip to Sri Lanka last week, commended the Sri Lankan government on the conditions in the internment camps after a government conducted tour. Shuler’s statements contradict reports by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, who accuse Colombo of intentionally shelling the civilian population and denying foreign media and non-governmental aid organizations into the conflict zones. Sri Lanka’s Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva described the state of the camps of massacre-survivors as appalling and stated that the victims "cannot expect justice from the law of the country [Sri Lanka]."
Full story >>

World obliged to act when genocide occurs: Obama

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 June 2009, 00:42 GMT]
"The international community has an obligation, even when it's inconvenient, to act when genocide is occurring," US President Barack Obama said Friday during a visit to Germany. He was responding to reporters asking how the Holocaust mantra of "never again" might apply to current crises in the Darfur region of Sudan or in Sri Lanka. He also said that it is up to other nations to take action to stop genocide when it occurs. Meanwhile, the UN's top human rights official, former war crimes judge Navi Pillay, has again called for an "independent international inquiry" into the violence against Tamil civilians in the Sri Lankan conflict.
Full story >>

Contestants in JMC elections register with election officer

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 June 2009, 15:17 GMT]
Democratic Tamil Liberation Alliance (DTLA) consisting of EPRLF Varathar wing, PLOTE and TULF led by V. Anandasangaree, informed Jaffna Election Officer that their party will contest in the forthcoming Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) elections, sources in Jaffna said. The above information was submitted to Jaffna Election Officer, signed by V. Ananthasangaree, the general secretary of DTLA.
Full story >>

President Rajapakse’s wife, son visit Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 June 2009, 13:19 GMT]
Sri Lanka president’s wife Shiranthi Rajapakse and his son Namal Rajapakse arrived on a sudden visit to Jaffna Friday morning with a statue of Changkamiththa, Emperor Aoska’s daughter and the first woman Buddhist missionary to Ceylon, to be enshrined in the newly built Buddhist temple in Maathakal in the High Security Zone (HSZ), sources in Jaffna said. Seven girl students were taken to the temple by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) soldiers on the occasion to sing the national anthem in Sinhalese language, the sources added.
Full story >>

300,000 Tamils in concentration camps - MIA

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 June 2009, 12:25 GMT]
Oscar and Grammy award nominee, Jaffna born music phenom, Maya Arulpragasam (MIA) who used to live in Sri Lanka and experienced the war, told Sky News: "Three hundred thousand people have been put into concentration camps and they (the authorities) have taken all the rights away from these people. They have no food and access to the media and aid. No freedom of speech or freedom of press," and said Britain and international governments should step in and help. MIA was speaking in support of Ms Jananayagam who contested the European Parliament elections held Thursday. The results are expected to be released Sunday.
Full story >>

NESoHR Head appeals for help to protect humanitarian workers

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 June 2009, 10:43 GMT]
Deputy Chairperson of Northeast Secretariat on Human Rights (NESoHR), K Sivapalan, in a memorandum issued Thursday, appealed to the different Governments of South East Asia including Singapore, where many Tamil humanitarian workers from the conflict zone in Vanni have sought safety, to treat these refugees compassionately, and to protect them from falling back into the vindictive hands of the Government of Sri Lanka. Sivapalan also urged the Human Rights organizations across the world to exert pressure on the SriLanka Government to release the three medical doctors from Vanni who are currently being detained and interrogated in Colombo.
Full story >>

Ex-paramilitary man shot dead in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 June 2009, 08:33 GMT]
Unknown armed men shot and killed former coordinator of Aaraiyampathi office of the TMVP paramilitary group Tuesday around 7:00 p.m., Police said. The ex-paramilitary man was released from prison a month ago.
Full story >>

JVP decides against contesting Jaffna MC

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 June 2009, 08:26 GMT]
The Sinhala extreme nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said it has decided not to contest the election to the Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC). The decision was taken by the JVP politburo held on Wednesday. However, the JVP politburo is scheduled to meet next week to decide on contesting the Vavuniyaa Urban Council, party sources said.
Full story >>

Elections to Jaffna MC, Vavuniyaa UC in August

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 June 2009, 08:24 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s Elections Secretariat announced that nominations from recognized political parties and independent groups for elections to the Jaffna Municipal Council and Vavuniyaa Urban Council would be accepted from June 18 till June 25. The date of polls to these local authorities are to be announced after 12:00 noon of June 25 after the closure of nominations, election officials said.
Full story >>

Nomination date for Jaffna Municipal Council election announced

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 June 2009, 21:02 GMT]
While 40 to 50 percent of Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) voters internally displaced or living in foreign countries, Jaffna election department has announced that the nominations for the forthcoming JMC elections have to be made from 18 to 25 June. The Election Commissioner will announce the date of the JMC election once the nomination lists have been tendered, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Avoid witch hunt, HRW tells Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 June 2009, 03:34 GMT]
Noting that "Disappearances" of ethnic Tamils in the north and east and in the capital, Colombo, allegedly by members of the security forces or Tamil armed groups remain a serious problem, New York based Human Rights Watch (HRW), in a press release issued today said, "[t]he Sri Lankan government needs to ensure that the abuses that occurred when LTTE strongholds fell in the past don't recur," and that Sri Lankan Government "should ensure that military defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam does not result in new "disappearances," unlawful killings or the jailing of government critics."
Full story >>

D.C. District Court grants time extension for IMF case

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 June 2009, 03:25 GMT]
Judge Richard J Leon of United States District Court of District of Columbia, issued an order granting the Motion for Extension of Time filed by Bruce Fein, counsel for plaintiff, Tamils Against Genocide, in response to the Motion to Dismiss filed by U.S. Attorney John R. Coleman of U.S. Department of Justice, representing Defendants, Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner, and Executive Director of IMF Meg Lundsagar. Judge Leon allowed TAG's attorney till 29th June to file the response. Since the case will be "pending" until the Court makes a determination, which cannot take place at least until counsel Bruce Fein files a response, the U.S. is unlikely to vote on the IMF loan before 29th June, legal sources in Washington said.
Full story >>

25 Tamil youths arrested Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 June 2009, 02:48 GMT]
Sri Lanka Special Task Force (STF) commandos and police took into custody 25 Tamil youths from North, East and upcountry in a sudden cordon and search in Colombo and its suburbs Wednesday, sources in Colombo said. Security has been beefed up in Colombo since last week in view of the victory celebrations that is being held in the capital, the sources added.
Full story >>

Tamil civilian reported missing in Bandarawela

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 June 2009, 01:12 GMT]
A Tamil civilian has been reported missing since Monday after he left home to deposit money in his account in a bank in Bandarawela, according to complaints made by his relatives with the Bandarawela Police. The victim has been identified as sixty year old Narayanan Rajendran, a former owner of Udaya Jewelers in Bandarawela.
Full story >>

Arumainayagam resumes as GA Batticaloa district

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 June 2009, 01:10 GMT]
Mr. Sundaram Arumainayagam has assumed duties again as the Government Agent of Batticaloa district with effect from Monday. He was on study leave to undergo a special course in public administration in Singapore for one year.
Full story >>

Vanni IDPs live under appalling condition: Sri Lankan Chief Justice

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 June 2009, 01:03 GMT]
"Vanni IDPs sheltered in transit centres in Cheddiku'lam cannot expect justice under the Sri Lanka’s law. Law of the country does not show any interest on these IDPs. I openly say this. The authorities can penalize me for telling this," said Sri Lanka's Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva when he addressed a public meeting which followed the ceremonial opening of a court complex at Marawila in Negombo district Tuesday. These transit centres are described as internment camps by human rights activists.
Full story >>

Jaffna Bishop seeks release of 6 Catholic priests detained in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 June 2009, 14:02 GMT]
Jaffna Bishop Rt. Rev. Joseph Saundaranayagam has despatched a letter to Defence Secretary requesting the release of six Catholic parish priests who are being held in an unknown Sri Lanka Army (SLA) internment camp in Vavuniyaa, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

SLA searches for LTTE cadres in Vilpattu

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 June 2009, 10:40 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched a search operation Monday in Vilpattu wild life sanctuary on reports of the presence of strangers received from residents of the area, according to media reports quoting SLA sources.
Full story >>

Hunger strike of British Aid worker enters 16th day

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 June 2009, 04:48 GMT]
Tim Martin, director of Act Now, a rights group formed by former British aid workers in Sri Lanka, is on a hunger striek in Parliament Square, London, calling for intervention by U.S. and other Governments to protect the massacre-survivors from the Safety Zone in Mulliaththeevu, currently being interned in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) supervised camps in Vavuniyaa. Martin handed a letter to Mr Kerry McCarthy MP, and Mrs Kerry when they visited him, and asked the MP to hand over the letter to U.S. President Obama, well wishers at the Parliament square said.
Full story >>

Sinhala "lebensraum" in progress in Vanni, warns Prof.Boyle

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 June 2009, 03:15 GMT]
"The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is continuing to inflict Nazi-type crimes and atrocities against the Tamils even after their alleged excuse of fighting a "war against terrorism" has been exposed as a bogus pretext to annihilate the Tamils and to steal their lands and natural resources. This is what Hitler and the Nazis called "lebensraum"--"living space" for the Sinhala at the expense of the Tamils. The GOSL's "ethnic cleansing" of the Tamil Homeland for the benefit of the Sinhala is now underway," warns Francis Boyle, professor of International Law at the University of Illinois College of Law.
Full story >>

MIA's endorsement expected to boost Jananayagam's MEP prospects

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 June 2009, 02:07 GMT]
Oscar and Grammy award nominee, Eezham born music phenom, Maya Arulpragasam (MIA), offered a free song, and has initiated an online campaign appealing to British voters to elect Ms Janani (Jan) Jananayagam, a Jaffna born young banking professional, as a Member of European Parliament (MEP) in the June 4th elections. "Vote to Jan could save 300,000 [Tamil] people [in Sri Lanka]," MIA's entry in Myspace, and a linked twitter message said. Ms. Jananayagam is contesting the London electoral region as an independent candidate, and MIA's support is expected to convince young British fans to exercise their votes, a campaign organizer said.
Full story >>

Jaffna University pays last respects to Prof. Krishnarajah

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 June 2009, 21:56 GMT]
Students, faculty deans and lectures gathered in Kailasapathy Auditorium in Jaffna University Tuesday noon to pay their last respects to the remains of Prof. Somasuntharam Krishnarajah in an event presided by Prof. N. Shanmugalingan, Vice-chancellor of Jaffna University. Prof. Krishnarajah died Friday in a private hospital in Colombo Friday and his remains were interred in Jaffna Tuesday, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Colombo under tight security to celebrate government’s “Victory Day”

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 June 2009, 21:32 GMT]
Cordon and search operations are being conducted by large number of soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army in Fort, Bambalapitya, Wellawatte, Dehiwala Kohuwela, Nugegoda, Kelaniya, Demtagoda and Gampaha in Colombo district since Monday to ensure foolproof security for grand victory day celebration with military parade that is scheduled to be held on Wednesday in Galle Face Green, media sources said.
Full story >>

Injured Tamil youth dies in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 June 2009, 21:26 GMT]
The Tamil youth Wimalan Satkunarajah, 29 who was shot by unidentified men on May 26 evening close to his residence located along New Chetty Street in Colombo succumbed to injuries Sunday evening in a private hospital. He was immediately admitted to the Colombo National Hospital but later transferred to a private hospital as his condition was reported critical, media sources said.
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CPA threatened over ‘treason’ - report

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 June 2009, 19:23 GMT]
The Colombo-based liberal think tank, Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), has received a threat accusing it of treason, Reuters reported Tuesday. A letter titled "Notice to the Traitors" left at CPA’s office talked about the military victory over the Tamil Tigers last month and warned the CPA to shut its offices for a week in salute to fallen Sri Lankan soldiers.
Full story >>

13,000 have ‘disappeared’ from Sri Lanka camps – UN reports

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 June 2009, 14:58 GMT]
According to reports of the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, last week over 13,000 internally displaced people have disappeared from Sri Lanka’s internment camps for Tamil civilians, Inner City Press reports. Moreover, UN sources in Colombo are telling Inner City Press that senior UN officials above them, Sri Lankan nationals who are Sinhalese, are deliberately downplaying the 13,000 "missing" IDPs, which would otherwise be of much concern given the reports of disappearances from the camps, the seizing of teenage males for detention and females for sexual abuse.
Full story >>

33 Tamils arrested in Wellampitya

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 June 2009, 13:44 GMT]
Police took into custody thirty-three Tamil civilians in Wellampitya in Colombo district on Sunday during a cordon and search operation as they failed to register themselves with the police.
Full story >>

Britain sold arms despite Sri Lanka’s abuses – The Times

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 June 2009, 13:01 GMT]
Britain sold £13.6m worth of arms to Sri Lanka in the past three years despite Colombo’s widespread abuse of human rights, The Times newspaper reported. Whilst the United States suspended arms sales in 2008, Britain, Bulgaria and Slovakia continued to arm President Mahinda Rajapakse’s ultra-nationalist government. The sales contravened the 1998 EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports that restricts business with countries facing internal conflicts or with poor human rights records and a history of violating international law. The arms were sold as international ceasefire monitors, human rights groups and Tamil Diaspora repeatedly protested Sri Lanka’s rights abuses.
Full story >>

Leading journalist Podala Jayantha attacked in Colombo

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 June 2009, 21:38 GMT]
Unidentified persons arriving in a white van forcibly took away Podala Jayantha, the Secretary of Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA) in Nugegoda in Colombo, heavily assaulted him, before throwing him out of the van at Ambuldeniya junction in Nugegoda, Monday, sources in Colombo said. Inspector General of Police (IGP), in an interview to state television Friday, had accused certain journalists being paid by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, (LTTE) and Podala Jayantha’s photograph was telecast in the interview along with some other journalists.
Full story >>

SLA gunfire heard in Ariyaalai in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 June 2009, 14:04 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers opened rapid gunfire from their sentry posts located in Ariyaalai East area Tuesday around 7:00 a.m for nearly ten minutes into the shrub land and coconut groves on finding the presence of strangers, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Colombo to issue finger print ID to Vanni civilians in custody

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 June 2009, 11:23 GMT]
All members of IDP families including children of over ten years of age who were forced to flee Vanni and detained by the Colombo government in Vavuniyaa internment camps are to be issued with special identity cards with their finger prints. Police with officials of the Presidential Secretariat are currently engaged in implementing the scheme.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka war crimes: Ban must speak, UN must investigate – The Times

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 June 2009, 10:51 GMT]
Following on from investigations published last week which revealed the United Nations was aware as 20,000 Tamil civilians were being slaughtered by the Sri Lanka Army, The Times newspaper called Monday on the UN to investigate the war crimes, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to speak out, and UK Foreign Minister David Miliband to press Mr. Ban. Saying “there is a terrible augury for such inexplicable reticence [by the Secretary-General],” to speak out, the paper recalled the UN’s “insouciance and failure” over the Srebrenica massacre of Muslims by Serbs and asked if the UN would scotch parallels for it in Sri Lanka.
Full story >>

Diarrhoea claims 9 lives in Vavuniyaa internment camp in one day

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 June 2009, 10:30 GMT]
Nine elderly IDP persons sheltered in Cheddiku'lam internment camp Saturday died due to diarrhoea. Several IDP families in the camp have been affected by diarrhoea. Cheddiku'lam Inquirer into sudden deaths Mr.E.Sahul Hameed held the inquests. Lack of proper distribution of drinking water and medical facilities was the reason for the spread of diarrhoea among the IDPs, according to Cheddiku'lam District Medical Officer.
Full story >>

 

     

 

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