18.08.24 21:23 
Viraj Mendis: A beacon of international solidarity and a pillar in the Eelam-Tamil liberation struggle
Viraj Mendis: A beacon of international solidarity and a pillar in the Eelam-Tamil liberation struggle
Reporting to the world on Tamil Affairs
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17 persons reported missing since January[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 February 2010, 02:18 GMT]Seventeen persons had been reported missing till 23rd February, spanning first seven weeks this year, according to complaints made by the relatives to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL). HRCSL spokesperson in Colombo said that HRCSL regional offices had received seventeen complaints of disappearance of persons, majority of them from north and east provinces, media sources said. Full story >> JHU protests against Mano Ganeshan contesting Kandy[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 February 2010, 21:03 GMT]Supporters of Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), a political party of Buddhist monks, Saturday morning held a protest demonstration in Kandy against Mano Ganeshan, leader of the Democratic Peoples Front (DPF), contesting in the Kandy electoral district on the United National Alliance (UNF) ticket led by the main opposition party (UNP), political sources in Kandy said. Full story >> Sri Lanka's democratic institutions in peril, says Seattle Editorial[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 February 2010, 19:52 GMT] Noting that the "European Union recently dropped the island's preferential trade status because of human-rights violations," Seattle Times (U.S.) on Friday "says Sri Lankan media are not free to discuss the challenges, so the best hope is international attention." The writer, Peter Mountford, observes, "at the core of Sri Lanka's problem is a rotten constitution, which gives the president near dictatorial power. Opposition members in parliament are easily bought through cushy ministerial appointments, and the chief justice of the Supreme Court is appointed by the president."Full story >> SLPP persons harass senior Tamil journalist Parameswaran in Jaffna[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 February 2010, 08:33 GMT]Persons of Sri Lanka People’s Party (SLPP), a constituent of ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), caught and held N. Parameswaran, a senior Tamil journalist in Jaffna peninsula, the correspondent of BBC Tamil service and Daily Mirror, Saturday from 9:00 a.m til 9:30 in front of the SLFP office located at Veampadi Veethi in Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said. This office is actively engaged in getting SLFP membership forms signed by the resettled Vanni displaced persons in Jaffna on the pretext that the forms are to be used to get information about their children gone missing during the war and to give them relief food, and Parameswaran was caught and held for nearly half an hour as he tried to expose the motive of the forms to the Vanni IDPs waiting in queue to get them, the sources further said. Police, on being informed of the incident freed Parameswaran. Full story >> Sri Lanka soldiers remanded over rape of 9-year old Tamil girl[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 February 2010, 01:55 GMT] Six Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were taken into custody for allegedly molesting a nine-year-old Tamil girl at Ki'raan Vaazhaichcheani in the eastern Batticaloa district, sources in Batticaloa said. The victim identified one of the perpetrators during an identification parade held in Batticaloa Magistrate Court. Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) reported that the soldiers of the Digiliwatiya camp had threatened the protesting villagers, and the body of one protester was recovered in a pond near the SLA camp after the protests.
Full story >> Denmark goes for Tamil referendum Sunday[TamilNet, Friday, 26 February 2010, 20:06 GMT]Eezham Tamils in Denmark will cast their ballot in 32 centres across the country in a referendum on the question of independent and sovereign Tamil Eelam in the North and East of the island of Sri Lanka. The referendum will be conducted by a professional institute TNS Gallup, specialised in sociological and public opinion research services, deploying electronic system for confidential voting, says Dr. Remmon Washington, the spokesperson of the Denmark Tamils Forum formation committee, which has initiated the poll. The total number of eligible Eezham Tamil voters in Denmark is estimated to be ranging around 6,500. Full story >> Suresh Premachandran’s office in Jaffna attacked again[TamilNet, Friday, 26 February 2010, 19:44 GMT]Unidentified persons threw stones continually, attacking the office of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) former parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran Friday night causing damage to the tiles and windows of the office, sources in Jaffna said. The office is located at the entrance of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) 512 Division on Point Pedro road in Jaffna where there is 24-hour presence of SLA and the police, the sources further said. Full story >> ACTC contests Trincomalee electoral district[TamilNet, Friday, 26 February 2010, 17:45 GMT]All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) submitted its list of candidates contesting Trincomalee electoral district Friday, sources in Trincomalee said. Meanwhile, former parliamentarians Gajendrakumar Kangkesar Ponnambalam, Ms. Pathmini Sithamparanathan and Selvarajah Gajendran along with representatives of public organizations as a new alliance are contesting under bicycle symbol of ACTC in the forthcoming parliamentary elections, according to Selvarajah Gajendran. The name of this alliance will be announced Sunday in a press conference. Full story >> 1867 candidates contesting in North-East[TamilNet, Friday, 26 February 2010, 15:02 GMT]A total of 1867 candidates are set to contest the up coming April eight Parliamentary Elections in Sri Lanka’s north and east where 31members will be elected to the SL Parliament. The candidates will contest in the districts of Jaffna, Vanni, Batticoloa, Trincomalee and Digamadulla. The total includes those from eight recognized political parties while the rest are independent and from smaller parties that will have no actual bearing on the outcome of the results. The number of candidates in Ampaa'rai district is second highest with 660 candidates, next to Colombo district with 836 candidates from 22 political parties and independent groups. Full story >> 324 candidates contest Jaffna electorate for 9 seats[TamilNet, Friday, 26 February 2010, 14:43 GMT]Until Friday noon 15 registered political parties and 12 independent groups had submitted their lists of candidates to contest parliamentary election in Jaffna district electorate competing for nine seats for Jaffna electorate, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, the nomination lists of Sri Lanka National Front political party and four independent groups were rejected by Jaffna Assistant Commissioner of Elections, the sources added. Full story >> ACTC submits own list of candidates to contest Jaffna electorate[TamilNet, Friday, 26 February 2010, 14:05 GMT] All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) party which had quit Tamil National Alliance (TNA) submitted Friday its nomination list at Jaffna Secretariat with Sinnathurai Varatharajan, a teacher of economics, as its chief candidate, sources in Jaffna said. Many prominent people in the peninsula as well as the Jaffna University community are said to be supporting ACTC in the forthcoming parliamentary election in Jaffna district electorate.Full story >> ‘Battle of North’ begins in Jaffna[TamilNet, Friday, 26 February 2010, 08:23 GMT]The annual cricket match between St. John’s College and Jaffna Central College, two leading educational institutions in Jaffna, which first took place in 1904 has begun with the cheerful engagement of the student community in the peninsula, sources in Jaffna said. Most of the schools in the peninsula have declared Thursday and Friday as holidays, the sources added. Full story >> 7 political parties submit nominations in Jaffna electorate until Thursday[TamilNet, Friday, 26 February 2010, 07:20 GMT]Five political parties submitted their lists of candidates contesting Jaffna electoral district in the parliamentary election at Jaffna Secretariat Thursday making a total of seven political parties contesting the election including Tamil Arasuk Kadchi (TAK) and Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, 3 independent groups have also submitted nomination lists Thursday, the sources added. Full story >> Elections Commissioner declares District Secretariat areas as HSZ[TamilNet, Friday, 26 February 2010, 06:42 GMT]Twenty-two district secretariats in the island are declared as special High Security Zones (HZS) from Friday, according to instructions issued by the Commissioner of Elections. Friday is the final day to submit nominations for the forthcoming general election. Submitting nominations by registered political parties and independent groups began on February 19. Full story >> 15 independent groups pay deposit to contest Jaffna electoral district[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 February 2010, 20:15 GMT]Fifteen independent groups have paid deposit money to contest Jaffna electoral district until Thursday evening, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, four independent groups out of the six which had paid deposit money submitted their lists of candidates at Jaffna Secretariat Thursday, the sources added. Full story >> Rift in SLFP circles in Jaffna[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 February 2010, 19:06 GMT]Mahintha Thilakumara Udugama, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) organizer of Jaffna and Vanni, paid Thursday deposit money to contest as an independent candidate in Jaffna district as he was not included in the SLFP nomination list, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) accused the government for paying money to many independent groups to contest Jaffna district with the view to split the votes in Jaffna peninsula, the sources added. Full story >> TNA submits candidates’ list to contest Vanni district[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 February 2010, 18:25 GMT]Tamil National Aliance (TNA) submitted Wednesday its list of candidates to contest Vanni district in the forthcoming parliamentary election at Vavuniyaa Secretariat, sources in Vavuniyaa said. Meanwhile, United National Party (UNP) is expected to submit Thursday its list of candidates contesting Jaffna district with Ms. Vijayakala Maheswaran, wife of late Thiyagarajah Maheswaran, former Colombo district parliamentarian, as its chief candidate. Full story >> British Shadow FM calls for political reform, independent war-crime investigations[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 February 2010, 17:21 GMT] Noting that "there is a natural affinity between Tamils in Britain and our [Conservative] Party," William Hague, the British Shadow Foreign Secretary, in his speech to the inaugural launch of Global Tamil Forum, warned that the "continued confinement [of thousands] will simply sow the seeds of discontent, [and] could lead to renewed conflict in years to come," called for "meaningful political reform," and said that "there should be a full independent inquiry into alleged war crimes committed by both sides during the final stages of the military conflict."Full story >> GTF launch well attended by British politicians[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 February 2010, 03:13 GMT] British Foreign Secretary David Milliband, Conservative Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague and Liberal Democrats Shadow Foreign Secretary Ed Davey all addressed the Global Tamil Forum’s inaugural meeting in London on Wednesday, 24 February. The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) launch saw delegates from 14 countries gather in the UK House of Commons to be addressed by speakers from across the political spectrum, including parliamentarians, councilors and prospective parliamentary candidates. Some delegates were also invited in for a private meeting with Prime Minister Gordon Brown.Full story >> Amuthu Pulavar, veteran of Christian Tamil literature passes away[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 February 2010, 14:57 GMT]Chevalier Dr. S. Adaikalamuthu, Tamil pundit and poet from I’lavaalai, Jaffna, known by his pseudonym Amuthup-pulavar, passed away at the age of 92 in London, Tuesday. Studied classical Tamil at the prestigious Kaaviya Paadasaalai (School of Classics), which was functioning in the Arumuga Navalar School in Jaffna, Amuthup Pulavar was one of the few surviving authors of Christian Tamil literature of the traditional genre. Born in 1918 and beginning his poetic pursuits in 1938, his most known literary work was Madu Maathaa Kaaviyam, a poetic composition on the famous Catholic pilgrim centre at Madu in Mannaar. He was knighted (Chevalier) by the Late Pope John Paul II in Rome in 2004 and in the same year was awarded honorary doctorate by the University of Jaffna. Full story >> 54 women detainees taken to Boosa prison from detention camps in Vavuniyaa[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 February 2010, 13:15 GMT]Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) arrested 54 women detainees from Pampaimadu and Cheddiku’lam Sri Lanka Army (SLA) detention camps 18 February and took them to Boosa prison 19 February, according to information sent to Jaffna Human Rights Commission (HRC) by Boosa prison authorities. Recently 49 women from the same camps in Vavuniyaa were arrested by TID and taken to Boosa prison for additional interrogation, sources in Vavuniyaa said. Full story >> 2 more independent groups pay deposit money to contest Jaffna district[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 February 2010, 12:52 GMT]The number of independent groups contesting parliamentary election in Jaffna district has risen to six with two more groups depositing money at Jaffna Secretariat Wednesday, sources in Jaffna said. The political parties which had submitted their list of candidates to contest Jaffna district so far are Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal (TMVP), the sources added. Full story >> ITAK submits candidates’ list to contest Jaffna district[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 February 2010, 12:39 GMT] Mavai Senathirajah, General Secretary of Ilankai Thamil Arasuk Kadchi (ITAK) along with Appathurai Vinayagamoorthy of All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) submitted the list of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) candidates contesting the general election Wednesday around 11:15 a.m in Jaffna Secretariat. This nomination list has excluded many of the TNA former parliamentarians causing dissatisfaction among several Tamil circles in Jaffna including Jaffna University community, the sources added.
Full story >> ITAK submits candidates’ list to contest Trincomalee district[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 February 2010, 10:52 GMT]The president of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK), R.Sampanthan, Wednesday morning handed over the list of candidates fielding in the forthcoming general election to the Trincomalee District Returning Officer at Trincomalee district secretariat. Mr. Sampanthan, who was a Member of Parliament for Trincomalee district in the dissolved parliament has been named as the Chief Candidate in the list. However another ex-parliamentarian K.Thurairetnasingham who is a resident of Moothoor east did not contest this election due to personal reason. Instead three candidates from Moothoor east are included in the list. Full story >> SLA relaxes travel restriction in Valikaamam North HSZ[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 February 2010, 02:49 GMT]Newly appointed Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Jaffna Commander, Major. Gen. Kathurasinghe said Tuesday that travel restrictions in Valikaamam North in SLA High Security Zone (HSZ) have been relaxed so that people in Jaffna could travel freely, participating as chief guest in a Marathon race event held in Jaffna town, sources in Jaffna said. But Welfare Organizations representing Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) said that this relaxation is mainly for the benefit of Buddhist devotees from the South visiting Naakatheepa Buddhist temple in Nainaatheevu and the Saiva temples in Maaviddapuram and Keerimalai and that it has not brought any relief to the IDPs who insist on being allowed to resettle in their own houses in the HSZ. Full story >> US Supreme Court hears constitutional challenge to anti-terrorism laws[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 February 2010, 02:31 GMT]Supreme Court of the United States, during Monday morning session, heard arguments on the constitutionality of material support provisions in the anti-terrorism laws which the plaintiffs alleged, and 9th circuit court and later Federal Court of appeals of the 9th circuit, partially agreed, as constitutionally vague in a series of law suits during the 1998-2007 period. Professor David Cole of the Georgetown University argued for the Humanitarian Law Project and several Tamil Organizations, the plaintiffs, and Obama appointee for Solicitor General, and former Harvard Law school dean Elena Kagan, argued on behalf of the U.S. Department of Justice. Full story >> TMVP submits nominations to contest in Trincomalee district[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 February 2010, 01:56 GMT]Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) Tuesday submitted its list of candidates at the Trincomalee Election Office to contest in the Trincomalee electoral district in the forthcoming parliamentary election scheduled to be held on April 8. Full story >> SLA harrasses former Jaffna parliamentarian[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 February 2010, 20:16 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers Tuesday evening harassed former Member of Parliament from Jaffna Selvarajah Kajendren and a group of civilians who were discussing with him near a temple in Thirunelveali, media circles in Jaffna said. Full story >> TMVP submits candidates list in Jaffna Secretariat[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 February 2010, 12:58 GMT]Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) political party led by Eastern Province Prime Minister Pillayan submitted its list of candidates contesting Jaffna district in the forthcoming parliamentary election Tuesday in Jaffna Secretariat, sources in Jaffna said. Four of the twelve candidates are women and the chief candidate in the list is Kanthiah Arumailingam. Meanwhile, Pillayan who had come to Jaffna did not enter Jaffna Secretariat but chose to wait in his vehicle outside Jaffna Secretariat on the occasion due to security reasons, the sources added. Full story >> 2 more independent groups pay deposit to contest parliamentary election in Jaffna[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 February 2010, 03:37 GMT]Murugesu Arumainayagam and Kasipillai Senthilvel from Jaffna paid their deposit money at Jaffna Secretariat Monday to contest as independent groups in Jaffna electoral district in the forthcoming parliamentary election. Meanwhile, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, former Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian paid a visit to Jaffna where he met Jaffna University society members to discuss the need to form an alternative political party in place of TNA, sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> SLA soldier recovered dead in Jaffna[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 February 2010, 03:07 GMT]The body of a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier with more than five bullet wounds was handed over to Jaffna Teaching Hospital Monday from Vettilaikea’ni in Vadmaraadchi East. SLA authorities claim that he had shot himself to death. Meanwhile, the newly appointed SLA commander for Jaffna, Major Gen. Kathurusinghe, met several civil society representatives 17 February in an effort to get their cooperation in integrating activities in Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> 27 passengers injured in bus accident in Vanni[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 February 2010, 02:37 GMT]A public transport bus carrying mostly government employees and teachers fell into the roadside canal Monday early morning while trying to avoid colliding with a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) vehicle in Kunchchup Paranthan in Vanni, sources in Jaffna said. Eleven of the injured are admitted to Jaffna Teaching Hospital where three of them are in a critical condition, hospital sources said. Rest of the injured are admitted to Ki’linochchi government hospital. Full story >> Myth of Sri Lankan state and the historic responsibility of Tamil leadership[TamilNet, Monday, 22 February 2010, 18:49 GMT]Why Tamil political leadership should never on its own surrender sovereignty, why Tamils are coerced to surrender it by all quarters concerned, what are the historical and legal bases for claims of Tamil sovereignty in the island – these are questions every Eezham Tamil, whether politician or layman has to put to serious perusal at this historic juncture, writes TamilNet political commentator in Colombo. Just like the Sinhalese, Tamils also lost their sovereignty to the Portuguese but through a separate legal convention. The Tamils have not regained it like the Sinhalese but proved it de facto. After an unfair war, TNA or any other Eezham Tamil leadership should not make the historic blunder of again surrendering Tamil sovereignty and also proving that surrender in a ballot, he further writes. Full story >> Ex-TNA parliamentarian Thangesvary to contest in UPFA ticket[TamilNet, Monday, 22 February 2010, 18:02 GMT]Kathiraman Thangesvary, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian in the dissolved parliament is to contest in the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) with five new faces in the Batticaloa electoral district, media circles in Colombo said Monday. Full story >> Wickramasinghe to contest under UNP led UNF, Fonseka under JVP led DNA[TamilNet, Monday, 22 February 2010, 15:06 GMT]The main opposition United National Party (UNP) Sunday night decided to contest the forthcoming general election set for April 8 under its Elephant symbol, rejecting the last minute appeal by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) to contest under the Democratic National Alliance (DNA). JVP led DNA is contesting under the symbol Champion Trophy. Full story >> Pasadena firm assists in Alston's execution video analysis[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 February 2010, 20:59 GMT] Evidence from reputable and established forensic firms on the authenticity of the Channel-4 execution video continues to accumulate, and the latest is a Pasadena, California, forensic firm which disclosed Friday that one of the firm's technical representative, Jeff Spivak, assisted Professor Philip Alston, UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, in analyzing the video for authenticty. The firm claimed that "[i]n part, due to the image processing results performed with the Cognitech Video Investigator software, UN Rapporteur Professor Phillip Alston, has requested a full scale investigation into the incident," indicating a positive conclusion that video was authentic.Full story >> Dengue fever rides high in Jaffna district[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 February 2010, 13:28 GMT]Four hundred and fifty five cases of dengue have been detected in Jaffna district from February 1 till last Wednesday while eight hundred and fourteen cases had been reported in the month of January. This shows an increase by about fifty percent, according to Health Ministry official in Colombo. Full story >> Sri Lanka enters Information dark age?[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 February 2010, 03:28 GMT] Commenting on Sri Lanka's plans for additional cyber censorship, and the invitations extended to Chinese Information Technology experts for assistance in formulating Sri Lanka's internet policy framework, Prof. Kumar David, in the weekend edition of Lakbima says, "This [Rajapakse Government] is a frightened regime, truth and transparency give it diarrhoea; this country [Sri Lanka] has never before been threatened with despotic thought control replicating Chinese or any other Stalinism as the norm; no not ever before. The worst is that once this rotten lot start it, the next government and the ones thereafter, UNP, SF or whoever, will never roll it back; they too will exploit these despotic powers to the full, till one day the people throw out the whole putrid system."Full story >> Alternate group meets in Jaffna to discuss reformation of TNA[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 February 2010, 02:38 GMT]Around 300 prominent persons including two former parliamentarians met Saturday at the Common Hall in Point Pedro Sivan Koayil to discuss the need to reform TNA as it fails to act according to its original principles, sources in Jaffna said. The representative of the Public Organizations in Jaffna peninsula and former principal of Point Pedro Hartley College, Sripathy, too participated in the meeting with several other representatives, the sources added. Full story >> Foreign monitors to observe April general election[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 February 2010, 01:53 GMT]Fifty international monitors would arrive in Sri Lanka in the first week of April to observe the parliamentary elections scheduled to be held on April 8, PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettitarachchi said. PAFFREL is one of the local election monitoring groups. Full story >> Sportsmen join election run[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 February 2010, 21:52 GMT]Former Cricket captain Sanath Jayasuriya and Sri Lankan sprint queen and Melbourne Olympic silver medallist Susanthika Jayasinghe have received nominations to contest in the forthcoming parliamentary elections under the UPFA ticket. Full story >> Former Speaker crosses over to SLFP[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 February 2010, 21:29 GMT]Former Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament and UNP parliamentarian W.J.M.Lokubandara on Saturday crossed over to Sri Lanka Freedom Party at a function chaired by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Bandarawela. Full story >> SLFP branch in Jaffna enlisting members using deceptive tactics[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 February 2010, 03:04 GMT]The Jaffna branch of the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) is actively engaged in getting membership forms signed by the resettled Vanni displaced persons in Jaffna on the pretext that the forms are to be used to get information about their children gone missing during the war and to give them relief food and other assistance, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, SLFP organiser for the districts of Jaffna and Vanni, Thilakumara Udugama said that so far 26,000 persons have enrolled themselves as members in SLFP. Full story >> 2 Independent groups pay deposit money for election in Jaffna[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 February 2010, 02:22 GMT]Deposit money to contest in the forthcoming general election was paid by two independent groups Thursday and Friday in the presence of Assistant Election Officer (AEO) in Jaffna Secretariat. Deposit money and list of candidates can be submitted until 26 noon and those tendered later will be rejected, AEO Jaffna, P. Kugathasan said. Full story >> 49 women detainees arrested in Vavuniyaa camps[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 February 2010, 01:57 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers arriving in vehicles 14 February took away 49 women from the SLA detainment camps in Valayamaa’ru, Cheddiku’lam and Pampaimadu in Vavuniyaa to Boosa camp, fellow detainees in the camps said. But camp authorities claimed that the women were arrested by Vavuniyaa Terrorism Investigation Department (TID). Full story >> 18 ex-UNP parliamentarians appeal to Supreme Court to ensure their security[TamilNet, Friday, 19 February 2010, 14:15 GMT]Eighteen former parliamentarians of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) Wednesday filed petitions in Supreme Court seeking relief against the withdrawal of their security by the government. Petitioners said their security had been withdrawn on February 15 whilst a group of former government parliamentarians and government supporters who are not parliamentarians are provided with security of the Ministerial Security Division, legal sources in Colombo said. Full story >> JVP forms new political alliance to contest general election[TamilNet, Friday, 19 February 2010, 14:11 GMT]The controversy over the election symbol among the joint opposition parties has escalated with the formation of a new political front by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). JVP has named the new front as the Democratic National Alliance (DNA). The election symbol of the DNA is trophy, political sources said. Full story >> Amnesty appeals for release of abducted Sri Lanka rights worker[TamilNet, Friday, 19 February 2010, 11:41 GMT]Amnesty International appealed for the release of Human rights defender Pattani Razeek, 55, head of the Community Trust Fund (CTF), a Sri Lankan NGO based in the town of Puttalam in North Western Province, who was allegedly abducted in a white van on the 11th of February. Amnesty also noted that the Police and the Human Rights Commission where the abduction was reported, have failed to followup leads related to the abduction. Full story >> Anniversary of Murugathasan’s death marked in Geneva[TamilNet, Friday, 19 February 2010, 04:03 GMT] Tamils from across Europe gathered in Geneva Saturday to commemorate the life Murugathasan Varnakulasingham, who immolated himself in February last year to draw attention to the plight of hundreds of thousands of Tamils being starved and killed in the Vanni, Sri Lanka. The commemoration coincidentally followed soon after former UN official, Gordon Weiss, admitted that the Sri Lankan government was responsible for the deaths of up to 40,000 Tamil civilians in the last days of the war alone. This is a figure far larger than the 7,000 the UN had previously claimed as being the number killed in the Vanni, but even that figure was disputed by the Sri Lankan government.
Full story >> TNA considers opening offices in Delhi, Colombo[TamilNet, Friday, 19 February 2010, 02:39 GMT]On being asked whether Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has plans to open its party offices in Delhi and Colombo, Suresh Premachadran, TNA spokesman and MP, said that efforts are being taken to open the two offices but they will be opened only after the parliamentary election. In response to a question whether the Indian Government has granted permission to open an office of TNA in Delhi, he did not give a clear answer. However, he added that there is no need to obtain permission to open an office in Colombo. Full story >> Girl student reported missing in Jaffna[TamilNet, Friday, 19 February 2010, 02:14 GMT]An eighteen-year-old girl student of Kokkuvil Hindu College is reported missing since Tuesday after having left on her bicycle to attend classes in a private education centre in Jaffna town Tuesday evening, according to complaints made by her parents to Jaffna police. Full story >> Facilitating transnational government needs to be democratic: NCET[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 February 2010, 15:55 GMT]For the successful formation of Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE), the idea should be strongly rooted in the people and there should be consensus in the transnational diaspora on the model, says Norwegian Council of Eezham Tamils (NCET) responding to the call for comments by the TGTE formation committee on a model proposed by its advisory panel. A grass root based transnational government having federal units and inter-locking mechanism is a better democratic option than a monolithic and high-powered structure conceived in the proposed model, the NCET said, adding that sectarianism and singly led formation process diminish chances of consensus on the model. In a public videoconference recently held in Oslo, Mr V. Rudrakumaran admitted that he alone was the Formation Committee of the TGTE, the observations of the NCET said. Full story >> TNA shouldn't fail representing hearts of Tamils: Fr. Emmanuel[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 February 2010, 13:26 GMT] At a time when Colombo and its collaborators try their best to erase out the national aspirations of Tamils, the Tamil National Alliance has the noble responsibility to maintain its unity in being the true voice and champions of Tamil aspirations, says Rev. Prof. Dr. S.J. Emmanuel, the former Vicar General of the Catholic diocese of Jaffna in an open letter addressed to TNA leaders Sampanthan, Mavai Senathirajah, Suresh Premachandran, Selvam Adaikalanathan and Gajendrakumar Ponnampalam. Eezham Tamils have been consistent in expressing their genuine desire for independence ever since 1976 and even now it remains the underlying goal despite constitutional sanction on speaking it out openly in the island of Sri Lanka. But, their kith and kin in the free diaspora have voiced on their behalf, overwhelmingly re-confirming that desire as the standing-aspiration, he said in the appeal.Full story >> NGOs in Jaffna request government to increase dry food ration to resettled IDPs[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 February 2010, 03:15 GMT]The Federation of Non-Government Organizations (FNGO) in Jaffna has again appealed to the government to increase the amount of dry food rations given monthly to the resettled Vanni IDPs in Jaffna. The amount of monthly dry food ration given to a family now is hardly sufficient for them for a week, the federation said. This is due to the fact the amount of dry food rations issued monthly is based on allocations decided on in 1990 when there was internal displacement due to war and in the following 20 years the prices of food items had escalated, it pointed out. Full story >> Paramilitary men lob grenade, demand ransom in Jaffna[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 February 2010, 02:50 GMT]Paramilitary men alleged to be collaborating with Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Intelligence Unit in Jaffna lobbed two hand grenades on the house of a person in Araali East in Valikaamam Tuesday night in an attempt to threaten him to pay two million rupees demanded by them, sources in Jaffna said. One of the grenades had exploded and following the attack the person had been threatened on phone that his life will be in danger next time if he does not pay the demanded sum of money, the sources added. Full story >> Maha Sangha Convention put off due to government’s threat-UNP charges[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 February 2010, 01:58 GMT]The main opposition the United National Party (UNP) Wednesday accused that the Maha Sangha Convention summoned by the Mahanayake Theras of four chapters on February 18 to consider the current volatile political situation in the country was postponed due to the threat by two deputy ministers of the government led by President Mahinda Rajapakse. Full story >> Colombo court releases former SLA, SLAF personnel arrested with Fonseka[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 February 2010, 01:56 GMT]Colombo Chief Magistrate Champa Janaki Rajaratne Wednesday ordered the release of fourteen persons arrested with Sarath Fonseka after the latter’s defeat in January presidential election as the prosecution did not file any charges against them. Full story >> Perception on ex-LTTE members must be revised: former Aussie diplomat[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 February 2010, 10:55 GMT]Australian authorities must cease bowing to influence and pressure from the Sri Lankan Government in its handling of asylum seekers said former Australian diplomat Bruce Haigh in a letter to the editor appearing in the Australian Financial Review and Canberra Times. Condemning the Rajapaksa administrations slaughter of “anywhere between 10-40,000 civilians”, its censoring of the media and rapid descent into dictatorship, Haigh described the Sri Lanka Government “corrupt” and “tarnished”, before urging a review on the assessment of LTTE members who were merely ”soldiers on one side in a particularly brutal and nasty civil war, a war in which both sides employed terrorism as a weapon” and who do not represent a security threat to Australia as stated by intelligence organisations. Full story >> Tamil circles urge TNA to enunciate policy[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 February 2010, 03:45 GMT]Several organizations in Jaffna including those of the students and intellectuals have called upon Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to make public its proposed solution for the ethnic issue well before the forthcoming parliamentary election, sources in Jaffna said. The call comes in the wake of rumours that TNA stands divided as some of its senior parliamentarians are planning to field new candidates other than the present representatives in order to strengthen their positions, the sources added. Meanwhile, TNA is being urged to state their policy clearly as it was done in 1976 in the first National Convention of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) where the Vaddukoddai Resolution was proclaimed, the sources added. Full story >> IDPs evicted from army HSZ in Valikaamam again asked to register their names[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 February 2010, 03:06 GMT]The residents of Valikaamam North evicted by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) to establish its High Security Zone (HSZ) have been asked to register their names with Thellippazhai Divisional Secretariat (DS) if they wish to be resettled in their properties, before Thursday. Meanwhile, IDP Welfare Organizations in Jaffna said that this is the sixth time the residents are being asked to register their names and added that this is another drama being staged in view of the forthcoming parliamentary election. Full story >> “Rajapaske is the cause, not the solution”: Sydney Morning Herald[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 February 2010, 02:05 GMT]The ushering of the perceived “post-war” era in Sri Lanka, bridled with hopes of prosperity blindly predicated by global powers has instead revealed the reality of a “dictatorship [that] must be watched with alarm by the democratic world” stated the Sydney Morning Herald in an editorial piece on Friday. Citing the arrest of presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka, described as “a textbook case in abuse of incumbency”, the temporary imprisonment of election commissioner Dayanada Dissanayake and continued intimidation of journalists, the editorial warned of a “new rebellion, this time among the Sinhalese majority on the lines of previous Marxist insurgencies”. The paper also urged Canberra to re-evaluate its co-operation with Sri Lankan authorities in stemming in the tide of Tamil refugees seeking asylum in Australia, describing President Rajapakse as “the cause, not the solution”. Full story >> Mahanayakas postpone Thursday Maha Sangha Convention due to current situation[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 February 2010, 01:59 GMT]The Maha Sangha Convention called by the Mahanayakas of four chapters that is scheduled to be held on Thursday (February 18) to discuss the current volatile political situation in the country has been postponed indefinitely citing security reasons, Dalada Maligawa sources said. Full story >> Political complacency will hasten plunge into autocracy: Australian media[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 February 2010, 01:58 GMT]Australia’s nonchalant approach to Sri Lanka’s rapid decline into a full-blown autocracy would be a betrayal of the inhabitants of the land “should Australia be seen to abandon support for democracy in order to preserve relations with an increasingly authoritarian ruler” warned The Age in an editorial on Friday. Citing the alleged slaughter of thousands of Tamil civilians, the abduction of journalists and the recent arrest of presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka, all under the gaze of the current administration, the paper urged the Rudd Government to take a pro-active stance as it has done to sanction other pacific nations that have defied the frameworks of democracy or risk failing its vested responsibilities as a regional power. Full story >> IGP orders withdrawal of security to MPs in dissolved parliament[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 February 2010, 01:54 GMT]The security provided to all Members of Parliament (MP) who served in the dissolved parliament has been withdrawn with immediate effect on the instructions of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mahinda Balasuriya. He said the withdrawal follows the recent dissolution of Parliament after which all MPs become ordinary citizens. Leaders of the political parties are to lose their police security due to the IGP’s order, sources in Colombo said. Meanwhile, opposition MPs said government parliamentarians continue to enjoy the police security even after the IGP’s instruction. Full story >> Court discharges pro-JVP weekly editor[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 February 2010, 13:11 GMT]Gangodawila Magistrate Tuesday discharged the editor of pro Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Sinhala weekly “Lanka”, Chandana Sirimalwatte as the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) that took him into custody on January 29 failed to file any charges against him, legal sources said. Full story >> Fonseka files election petition challenging Rajapakse’s second term[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 February 2010, 13:05 GMT]General (retd) Sarath Fonseka filed a petition Tuesday morning in the Supreme Court challenging the election of incumbent President Mahinda Rajapakse for a second term in the presidential election held on January 26 this year. General Sarath Fonseka in his petition cited several malpractices including the misuse of State media, electronic and print, misuse of the State machinery and other election malpractices at polling booths and counting centres, legal sources said. Full story >> UN rights chief says lack of progress in Sri Lanka investigations[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 February 2010, 03:43 GMT] Recent statement in Dublin by United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navaneetham Pillai, that national investigations in Sri Lanka "have not worked so far," and Sri Lanka's Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse's interview to the BBC, where Mr Rajapakse said that "he would not allow any war crimes investigation in Sri Lanka," are two forceful statements with enough legal weight to satisfy the basic requirement of international law mandating "complementarity," legal sources in Washington said. International law permits International bodies to step-in to conduct investigations on war-crimes in Sri Lanka, as the opportunities given to Sri Lanka to investigate and prosecute war crimes committed by its armed forces have been exhausted, legal sources added.Full story >> Police security to SLMC leader Rauf Hakim withdrawn[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 February 2010, 01:50 GMT]The government has withdrawn the police security provided to Mr. Rauff Hakim, leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) with immediate effect from Monday, Deputy General Secretary of the SLMC Nizam Kariappar told media in Colombo. Full story >> Explosion kills 2 children, injures 5 more in Jaffna[TamilNet, Monday, 15 February 2010, 14:07 GMT]An explosive device went off killing two boys on the spot and seriously injuring five more, including four girls and the brother of one of the victims killed, Monday around 2:45 p.m in Kozhumpuththu’rai when the students were on their way home from Kozhumpuththu’rai Inthu Mahaa Viththiyaalayam, sources in Jaffna said. The condition of all the five seriously injured admitted to Jaffna Teaching Hospital is critical, hospital sources said. The device had exploded when the boys tried to examine it on finding it along the road. Full story >> Government does not reveal true number of Vanni IDPs yet to be resettled[TamilNet, Monday, 15 February 2010, 02:31 GMT]Though the government of Sri Lanka reports that only less than 60,000 Vanni Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) detained in the camps remain to be resettled, more than a hundred thousand of them have not been resettled in their own places but have sought refuge with their relatives and friends while some of them live in temporary sheds put up on government lands, according to Ki’linochchi District Secretariat sources. The government issues false figures so as to create a picture that all is going well according to plans with the resettlement of Vanni IDPs, they further said. Full story >> World bank grant to help Sri Lanka block websites?[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 February 2010, 19:55 GMT]Experts from China Military Intelligence Division is expected to be in Sri Lanka in the next two weeks to map out the modalities required for blocking what Colombo has termed "offensive" websites, media in Colombo reported. The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) which is tasked to introduce new regulations on the functioning of websites received a grant from the Institutional Development Fund (IDF) under the World Bank to implement the "second generation" regulatory reforms, according to a weekly paper. Full story >> Theological premises of Maha Sangha raise questions[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 February 2010, 10:24 GMT]The Sri Lankan government should overlook the alleged crimes committed by General (retd) Sarath Fonseka, as the government has taken in its fold 'criminals' such as Karuna and Pillayan, who 'massacred' Bhikus at Aranthalawa, launched a bomb attack on Dalada Maligawa and killed Sinhalese civilians and military personnel. Hence the government should overlook the alleged offences committed by the Sri Lankan Genreal (retd) Sarath Fonseka, who almost lost his life to 'safeguard the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka' and so it surely can overlook the alleged offences committed by him, said a statement signed by the chief prelates of the four chapters of the Buddhist Maha Sangha. Tamil circles question whether the statment outlines the principles of 'practical theology' of the Maha Sangha in the island. Full story >> Sinhalese direct Tamil education in East[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 February 2010, 02:01 GMT]After Rajapaksa was elected as Sri Lankan president for his second term, top ranking education officers of the Eastern Province are being replaced by Sinhalese, trade union sources of educational administrative officers of the Eastern Province said. "Ninety percent of schools in the eastern province disseminate education in Tamil medium. Ninety percent of the student and teacher population are also Tamil speaking. But it is sad to state the Eastern Provincial Education Ministry is headed by a Sinhalese Minister while a Sinhalese Secretary acts on the orders of the chauvinist elements in central government. These are engaged in ‘Sinhalicizing’ the ministry from top to bottom,” the Eastern Province Branch of the Sri Lanka Education Administrative Officers’ Union (SLEAOU) said in a statement. Full story >> Lies, responds Colombo, to accusations of "lying, misleading"[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 February 2010, 13:38 GMT] Responding to accusations by a former United Nations spokesperson, Gordon Weiss, that up to 40,000 Tamil civilians were killed in the last battle, and that Sri Lanka was making statements that were "intentionally misleading or were lies," Sri Lanka's Director for the Media Centre for National Security, General Laxman Hulugalle, told a Colombo daily “[t]hat [Weiss's statement] is absolutely wrong information; Gordon Weiss was spreading false information, about the last stages of the war.”Full story >> 'Sri Lanka Navy responsible for abductions in Mannaar'[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 February 2010, 12:00 GMT]Relatives of most of the disappeared persons in Mannaar district, who attended a discussion organised by Vavuniyaa Non-Violent Peace Organisation at Mannaar Divisional Secretariat on Friday have said that most of the disappeared were taken into 'custody' by the Sri Lanka Navy for 'interrogation'. The meeting was organised to collect details of the missing persons in the district. More than one hundred fifty civilians, majority of them were Tamils, had disappeared in the district during the last two years. Full story >> Rajapaksa's son enters Sri Lankan politics[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 February 2010, 05:53 GMT]A news release from the government of Sri Lankan on Friday said Mahinda Rajapaksa's son Namal Rajapaksa ventured into politics at an auspicious time in the midst of religious observances conducted by Buddisht monk Ven. Devalegama Dhammasena Thero, the chief incumbent of Tissamaharama Rajamaha Vihara. Full story >> Mixed responses from Buddhist prelates on Fonseka arrest[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 February 2010, 05:12 GMT]Buddhist Chief Prelates (Mahanayakas) of Asgiriya and Malwatte Chapters have come out with mixed responses on Fonseka's arrest. While the Mahanayaka of Malwatte Chapter has said that he was awaiting response from the Sri Lankan president, saying that Mr. Rajapaksa "could have been in dark" while the arrest took place, the Mahanayaka of Asgiriya Chapter has deplored the sudden arrest of Sarath Fonseka. In the meantime, Sri Lankan opposition sources said they were awaiting a joint written statement from the main prelates. The Buddhist prelates exercise a dominant influence on the Sri Lankan regime. The prelates of four chapters will be meeting on 18 February to discuss Fonseka's arrest. Full story >> SL Supreme Court decides to hold inquiry into Fonseka FR petition[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 February 2010, 04:07 GMT]Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court Friday has granted leave to proceed in a controversial Fundamental Rights (FR) petition filed by Anoma Fonseka on behalf of her husband General Sarath Fonseka who has been detained by the Military police. The FR petition has been listed for inquiry on February 23 and on that date the Supreme Court will consider granting interim relief in the Sarath Fonseka FR case, legal sources said. Full story >> Magistrate takes tough stand on police[TamilNet, Friday, 12 February 2010, 11:42 GMT]Colombo Chief Magistrate, Ms Champa Janaki Rajaratne, Thursday reprimanded the Police for the failure to arrest armed men who are believed to be supporters of the ruling party when they attacked civilian protestors during their peaceful march condemning the arrest and detention of General Fonseka held on Wednesday in Colombo, legal sources said. Full story >> Army Major arrested for extorting money from Tamil businessman[TamilNet, Friday, 12 February 2010, 11:39 GMT]The Criminal Investigation Department of the Colombo Police Wednesday arrested an army officer in the rank of a Major in the Sinha Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army and another civilian in connection with an alleged extortion of money in the amount of seven million rupees from a leading businessman in Wellawatte, media in Colombo reported. Full story >> HSBC International opens branch in Jaffna[TamilNet, Friday, 12 February 2010, 03:19 GMT]British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Mr. Peter Hayes and HSBC Executive Director for Sri Lanka and Maldives officially opened Thursday a branch of HSBC International Bank on Kaangkeasanthu’rai Road in Jaffna town, sources in Jaffna said. The Governor of Sri Lanka Central Bank Mr. Ajith Nivard Cabraal who was also present on the occasion said that a sum of 270 million rupees have been earmarked for development projects in Northern Province but failed to reveal any such project for the current year, the sources added. Full story >> Resettled IDPs in Jaffna must apply to vote in Parliamentary election[TamilNet, Friday, 12 February 2010, 02:30 GMT]Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) resettled in Jaffna district should submit their applications before 17 February if they wish to vote in the forthcoming Parliamentary election, Jaffna Government Agent said in a report to local media Thursday night. The application forms duly filled in should be submitted to Jaffna Secretariat before the prescribed date, the report further said. Full story >> Police use tear gas, water cannons to break up protests[TamilNet, Friday, 12 February 2010, 02:05 GMT]Sri Lanka Police Thursday used tear gas and water cannons to disperse protests launched by opposition parties demanding the unconditional release of General (retd) Sarath Fonseka, in Maharagama, Kandy and other parts of the south, according to media reports. Full story >> Sri Lanka massacred up to 40,000 Tamil civilians – former UN official[TamilNet, Friday, 12 February 2010, 00:29 GMT] Sri Lanka’s military massacred as many as 40,000 Tamil civilians in the final onslaught against the Liberation Tigers in 2009, according to a former United Nations official with detailed knowledge of events, press reports said. The former United Nations’ spokesperson in Sri Lanka, Gordon Weiss, has resigned from the UN after 14 years and returned home to Australia, where he was interviewed by ABC News. “He’s now free to speak openly about the situation in Sri Lanka, for the first time and does so candidly and unflinchingly,” the media agency said.Full story >> Media Ministry comes under President Rajapakse[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 February 2010, 13:32 GMT]President Mahinda Rajapakse Thursday took over the Ministry of Mass Media and Information on a request made by the incumbent minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa. The minister said he had made the request to the President in order to concentrate on the parliamentary election propaganda on behalf of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA). Full story >> Canadian Tamil film wins award in Norway festival[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 February 2010, 03:43 GMT] Canadian Tamil film '1999,' which made its debut in Vancouver International film Festival in October last year, won the “Midnight Sun” award Wednesday at the Tamil Film Festival-2010 held at the Filmenshus Kino in Oslo, Norway, cinematic enthusiasts attending the event said. 1999 was directed by Lenin M. Sivam, an Eezham Tamil of Canada and a software professional. The festival also showcased some of the short films that were made by Eezham Tamils. A short film called “Vanni Mouse” by director Tamiliam Subas from Norway received the best short film award.Full story >> 'Madras Mail' passes away in Jaffna[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 February 2010, 03:38 GMT]Madras Mail, the President of the Development Council of Tamil Traditional Arts, and a recognized Saiva scholar and dramatist passed away Tuesday in Jaffna Teaching Hospital (JTH) where he was admitted with heart ailment, sources in Jaffna said. Chelliah Madras Mail, a native of Puthukkudiruppu in Vanni, residing in Nalloor had dedicated himself to the task preserving and maintaining the Tamil traditional arts and drama and been the author of ‘Veazham Paduththa Veerangkanai’ Tamil drama which he directed and staged in many parts of Jaffna peninsula. Full story >> SLA occupation of churches in Vadamaraadchi shocks Jaffna Bishop[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 February 2010, 02:52 GMT]Jaffna Bishop, Rt. Rev. Thomas Saundaranayagam is reported to be in great shock on witnessing Vettilaikkea’ni Kappal Eanthiya Maathaa Koayil, a historically famous St. Mary’s Church in Vadmaraadchi East, being converted into a big military base of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), on his recent visit to Vanni and Vadamaraadchi, according to sources close to Jaffna Bishop House. The Bishop had been instructed by SLA authorities not to release any information about the said church to media or other institutions, the sources further said. Full story >> Two Britons jailed for selling armour piercing ammunition to SLA[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 February 2010, 00:50 GMT]Two Britons were jailed for 9 years and 7 years by Southwark Crown Court Judge James Wadsworth for "knowingly trading in large amounts of ammunition for totally war-like, destructive and death-dealing use, without a UK licence," BBC reported Monday. Gideon Sarig, 58, of west London and 64-year-old Howard Freckleton, of north London, were found guilty of supplying "bombs, armour-piercing ammunition and other weapons to Sri Lanka's military and Israel have been jailed," BBC said in the report. Full story >> Violence erupts in protest against Fonseka arrest, police fire tear gas[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 February 2010, 13:11 GMT]Opposition protest held Wednesday at Hultsdorf in Colombo against the arrest and detention of General (retd) Sarath Fonseka turned violent when a pro-government group attacked the protestors. Both groups thereafter started attacking each other. Protestors were also seen attacking the police personnel. Both groups used iron rods and clubs. Stones were pelted. Journalists at the scene said they saw clubs being unloaded from a car to attack the protestors. Full story >> International countries should urge Sri Lanka to reveal proposal to solve ethnic issue[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 February 2010, 03:52 GMT]Civil Society Organizations in Jaffna Peninsula requested Canadian Ambassador Mr. Pruce Levy to urge international countries to exert pressure on the Government of Sri Lanka to disclose immediately if it has any proposal to solve the ethnic issue, when the Ambassador met them at several places in the peninsula. President Mahinda Rajapakse who said that he will present the proposal after the presidential election now says that he will reveal it after the announced general election, the representatives told the visiting Canada Ambassador. Full story >> SLA arrests TNA supporters in Jaffna[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 February 2010, 03:20 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers arrested Tuesday morning supporters of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) distributing handbills thanking the people of Jaffna peninsula for casting their votes in large numbers to Sarath Fonseka in the recent presidential election, rejecting President Mahinda Rajapakse, on TNA’s request, sources in Jaffna said. This arrest is seen as a continuation of the attacks on TNA supporters and their properties who openly campaigned for Sarath Fonseka, the sources added. Full story >> Canada Ambassador opens Heart Treatment Complex in Jaffna[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 February 2010, 02:54 GMT]Canada Ambassador to Sri Lanka Mr. Pruce Levy Tuesday morning officially opened the newly built Heart Treatment complex in Jaffna Teaching Hospital (JTH) which was constructed by Canadian International Agency and International Medical Health Organization under UN Development Programme at an estimated cost of 63 million rupees, sources in Jaffna said. Jaffna Government Agent, K. Ganesh who spoke in the event said that the long standing need for a heart treatment facility is being met with the opening of the new complex, the sources added. Full story >> Dead bodies of Vanni IDP male and female recovered in Jaffna[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 February 2010, 02:26 GMT]Koappaay police recovered the bodies of a male and a female first year students of Management Faculty of Jaffna University, found floating in Eriyaku'lam pond in Irupaalai by residents on Tuesday. The two students, both IDPs from Vanni, boy hailing from Jaffna and the girl from Batticaloa, had rejoined the University after being held in Vavuniyaa Sri Lanka Army (SLA) internment camp in Vavuniyaa, University sources told TamilNet. Fear and tension prevails among the students of Jaffna University. Full story >> Opposition parties to stage protest against Fonseka's arrest[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 February 2010, 18:16 GMT]United National Party (UNP), Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP-M-wing), Democratic Peoples Front (DPF) and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) are to stage protests in key towns in the country Wednesday against the arrest of General (retd) Sarath Fonseka. Full story >> Sri Lanka parliament dissolved[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 February 2010, 18:14 GMT]Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has dissolved Parliament and the gazette notification to this effect has been sent to the government printer, according to initial report from presidential secretariat sources. Full story >> Sarath Fonseka’s wife appeals to ICRC[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 February 2010, 14:25 GMT]As General Fonseka under arrest needs regular medication his wife Anoma Fonseka has appealed to the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) to supply the necessary medicines needed for her husband, Mrs. Fonseka said at a press briefing Tuesday. Full story >> Police arrests 2 ex-SLA officials after intelligence tip-off on Lasantha assasination[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 February 2010, 11:03 GMT]Sri Lankan Police officials have claimed that they have arrested two former Sri Lanka Army officials in connection with the assassination of Sunday Leader Editor-in-Chief Lasantha Wickremathunge. The arrests were carried out following information provided by the Intelligence Unit of the SLA, police sources claimed Monday, when former Sri Lankan military chief and defeated presidential candidate General (retd) Sarath Fonseka was taken by the Sri Lankan military police for investigations. Full story >> Fonseka beaten, dragged during arrest – report[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 February 2010, 10:47 GMT]General Sarath Fonseka, the former Sri Lankan military chief and defeated presidential candidate, was punched and dragged along the ground by troops led by a Major General who arrested him as he met political allies last night, the Daily Telegraph said Tuesday. “There was no decorum. To call it an arrest gives dignity and legality to what was a brutal abduction. He was beaten, dragged along the floor and bundled into a van," said opposition politician and Fonseka’s campaign spokesperson Mangala Samaraweera. Full story >> Prasad Samarasinghe appointed as new military spokesman[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 February 2010, 02:03 GMT]Prasad Samarasinghe Monday morning assumed office as the Military Spokesman and has been promoted to the rank of Major General. He previously served as the military spokesman in the rank of Brigadier prior to getting posted to the Sri Lanka High Commission in London on a diplomatic posting. Full story >> "Boycott Sri Lanka goods" campaign spreads to more US cities[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 February 2010, 01:25 GMT] While a few U.S. cities, including Washington postponed the planned Sri Lanka Boycott rallies due to the record-breaking snow storm, in most of the 15 cities Tamil activists held protests urging ethical-minded consumers to boycott Sri Lanka products, especially textiles, as the protesters allege that the profits fund State violence against Tamil civilians, organizers of the protest said. Meanwhile, the organizers of the boycott campaign released a third-video in a planned series of video releases highlighting the need to black-label Sri Lanka products across the world, sources close to the boycott campaign said.Full story >> SL military police arrests Fonseka[TamilNet, Monday, 08 February 2010, 16:28 GMT] Sri Lankan military police Monday night arrested former commander of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and opposition candidate in the recent presidential elections General (retd) Sarath Fonseka, initial reports from sources close to Fonseka said. The arrest comes after he declared that he was prepared to witness against anyone who had committed war crimes. The military personnel ragged away Fonseka in a very disgraceful manner, according to Rauff Hakeem, the leader of the Muslim Congress, who was with Fonseka while the arrest took place, told Reuters. Full story >> SLA tightens fishing restrictions in Jaffna peninsula[TamilNet, Monday, 08 February 2010, 03:20 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) which had imposed restrictions on fishing in Jaffna peninsula since its occupation for the last fourteen years is now tightening the restrictions, subjecting the peninsula fishermen to additional harassment, fisheries societies sources in Jaffna said. SLA compels the fishermen to renew their ‘fishing pass’ often while keeping many fishing jetties in several coastal villages closed to them, the sources further complained. Full story >> Jaffna HRC attempts to close files of persons reported missing[TamilNet, Monday, 08 February 2010, 02:50 GMT]Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna officials are attempting to close the files of persons reported missing in the period after 11 August 2006 claiming that the missing persons had gone abroad, the families who had made the complaints said. While Sri Lanka government continues to maintain that persons reported missing after arrest by its armed forces have left the country the action taken by Jaffna HRC officials seems to strengthen government’s stand, they further complained. Full story >> New Police media spokesman appointed[TamilNet, Monday, 08 February 2010, 01:58 GMT]Superintendent of Police (SP) Priyantha Jayakody has been appointed as the new media spokesman of the Sri Lanka Police with immediate effect. He was the Director (Recruitment) prior to this appointment. Full story >> Australian MP calls for independent investigations into Sri Lanka violations[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 February 2010, 14:48 GMT] Noting that on Sri Lanka's Independence day "Tamil diaspora around the world mourn as they believe today marks the beginning of national oppression," John Murphy, Australian Member of Parliament, said in a recorded speech in the parliament on 4th February, adding, "[d]espite the Sri Lankan government’s declaration of [military] victory, the international community has expressed its grave concern that this battle will not be won and peace will not prevail until the Sri Lankan government provides essential political reform." The MP called for an independent investigation into the "reports of violations of international human rights and humanitarian law in Sri Lanka."Full story >> SL Parliament to be dissolved this week: Maithiripala Sirisena[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 February 2010, 11:46 GMT]Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa would be dissolving the parliament this week on his return from Russia, said Maithripala Sirisena, a Senior Minister in the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government Sunday to media. The term of office of the current parliament ends on April 22. He further said his government hopes to have a 'closer understanding' with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in the forthcoming general election to 'uplift' the Northern and Eastern provinces. However he said that does not mean that the UPFA government would accept any condition by the TNA. Full story >> Boyle's book added to World Court library[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 February 2010, 03:16 GMT] The Peace Palace Library (PPL), the main library of the World Court, the popular name for the International Court of Justice (ICJ), has acquired "The Tamil genocide by Sri Lanka," a recent publication by Clarity press authored by Francis A. Boyle, professor of International Law at University of Illinois College of Law, Marianne Brouwer, principal catalog librarian for the PPL, confirmed. "The book has made it to the World Court. Now we just need to file the lawsuit [against Sri Lanka for Genocide/war-crimes]," commented Boyle.Full story >> Pro-JVP Sinhala weekly recommences publication[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 February 2010, 14:25 GMT]Pro-Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Sinhala language weekly “Lanka” appeared on the news stands Saturday in Colombo and several parts of the south after publication ceased earlier due to the arrest of the paper's editor and threat to the printing establishment. The newspaper office was sealed by the police after the presidential election, but later, due to lack of evidence, Gangodawila Magistrate revoked police action, legal sources in Colombo said. Full story >> 27 Saiva temples, monuments affected by planned road widening, ACHC complains[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 February 2010, 12:54 GMT]All Ceylon Hindu Congress (ACHC) expressed deep concern over Sri Lanka's planned widening of the Jaffna-Kankesanthurai high way from Jaffna town to KKS as the plan would lead to the destruction and desecration of twenty seven Saiva temples and several historical cultural monuments along both sides of the highway, sources in Jaffna said. Officials of ACHC have protested the planned road upgrade to Northern Provincial Governor G.A. Chandrasiri. Full story >> Rajapaksa leaves for Russia[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 February 2010, 10:15 GMT]Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa left on a three day official visit to Russia Saturday. Mr. Rajapaksa is scheduled to meet his counterpart President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday and is expected to sign an agreement with him, enabling Sri Lanka to receive a USD 300 million loan to buy arms and dual use of equipment from Russia, presidential secretariat sources said. Full story >> Lecturer, wife seek anticipatory bail from courts[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 February 2010, 02:07 GMT]A lecturer and his wife Friday sought anticipatory bail from Colombo Magistrate from being arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department of Sri Lanka Police for supporting General (retd) Sarath Fonseka in the recently held presidential election, legal sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Presidential pardon clears ex-UNP national organizer to contest on UPFA[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 February 2010, 02:03 GMT]S.B.Dissanayake who was the national organizer of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) till he defected to the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and supported the incumbent President Mahinda Rajapakse in the last presidential election was granted full presidential pardon and appointed as UPFA organizer for Udunuwara electorate in Kandy district. Full story >> Sri Lanka given 6 months to reverse EU GSP+ suspension[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 February 2010, 01:58 GMT]Ambassadors of the nations of European Union, based on EU Commissions negative assessment of Sri Lanka's human rights record, have decided to suspend the preferential trade status known as GSP+ (Generalised System of Preferences Plus) to Sri Lanka. However, when the European finance ministers announce this decision at a meeting in Brussels on February 16, the announcement will trigger suspension only after 6 months from that date, providing "Colombo a fair opportunity to get the decision reversed," European media reported. Full story >> Fonseka had plans to stage Russian style coup, says Rajapaksa government[TamilNet, Friday, 05 February 2010, 17:08 GMT]The United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government led by Mahinda Rajapaksa Friday claimed that there was an attempt to stage a Russian style coup in Sri Lanka on the eve of last presidential election. Thirty seven persons including several retired Major Generals and Colonels and Brigadiers have been held in detention over their alleged involvement in the coup attempt, the government said. Full story >> SL parliament extends emergency another month[TamilNet, Friday, 05 February 2010, 16:57 GMT]Sri Lanka’s parliament Friday adopted a motion by a majority of eighty seven votes to extend the State of Emergency for another month. One hundred and two MPs of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) voted for the motion and fifteen from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the main opposition United National Party (UNP) voted against. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) parliamentarians did not participate in the voting. Full story >> Gotabhaya opens door for UN investigations of Sri Lanka war crimes - Prof. Boyle[TamilNet, Friday, 05 February 2010, 04:51 GMT] Referring to Gotabhaya Rajapakse's interview to the BBC Tuesday where Mr Rajapakse said that he would not allow any war crimes investigation in Sri Lanka, Professor Francis Boyle, an expert in International Law and a professor of Law at the University of Illinois College of Law said, "Defense Secretary Rajapaksa has now publicly and definitively ruled out any investigation of war crimes by the Government of Sri Lanka. And he is a government official acting within the scope of his official duties so that his statement binds the State of Sri Lanka under international law. Hence the basic requirement of international law mandating "complementarity" has been satisfied. Full story >> SL Independence Day observed in low key in Jaffna[TamilNet, Friday, 05 February 2010, 02:22 GMT]Sri Lanka Armed Forces occupying Jaffna peninsula which had forced its people to observe "Independence Day" in the past did not engage in any such activity on Thursday, sources in Jaffna said. Less than ten employees took part in the event in Jaffna Secretariat where Jaffna District Government Agent (GA) hoisted the National Flag, the sources added. Meanwhile, 34 persons including 3 Sinhalese serving prison sentence for minor offences were freed on the day. Full story >> SLA demolishes Liberation Tigers’ Heroes’ Resting Homes in Jaffna[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 February 2010, 05:04 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) occupying Jaffna peninsula is actively engaged in demolishing the Heroes’ Resting Homes (HRH) of fallen Liberation Tigers in Uduppidi, Kodikaamam, Koappaay and Veala’nai in the islets of Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said. Foreign media persons now visiting Jaffna peninsula in large numbers who show a keen interest in visiting the HRHs are shocked to witness the systematic demolishment of war heroes’ memorial monuments which are given due respect all over the world. Full story >> SLA constructs Maximum HSZ in Jaffna[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 February 2010, 04:35 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna has begun constructing an earthen dam in an area encompassing Kaangeasanthu’rai and Keerimalai in Valikaamam North as part of the new Maximum High Security Zone (MHSZ) Wednesday, sources in Jaffna said. 20 Village Officer (VO) divisions of the 27 VO divisions occupied as SLA High Security Zone (HSZ) in Valikaamam North are to be turned into the new MHSZ, the sources added. Full story >> Fisherman’s body recovered from well in Jaffna[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 February 2010, 04:09 GMT]Police in Jaffna recovered the body of a fisherman with assault injuries Wednesday in Kozhumpuththu’rai in Jaffna and handed it over to Jaffna Teaching Hospital mortuary, sources in Jaffna said. The victim’s house is located near the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) sentry posts in Kozhumpuththu’rai, the sources added. Full story >> Tamil TV journalist attacked in Nuwara Eliya[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 February 2010, 03:36 GMT]An unidentified group of persons Wednesday evening attacked a well known Tamil journalist J.Sri Ranga of Sakthi Television travelling in a vehicle with his police escort in Hatton, a town in Nuwara Eliya district, according to police media spokesman I.M.Karunaratne, Senior Superintendent of Police. Full story >> Ki'linochchi to Mu'rika'ndi: no human beings, ghost buildings, stray cattle[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 February 2010, 00:39 GMT] A video footage taken a few days back, while travelling between Ki'linochchi and Mu'rika'ndi, shows the real situation in the heartland of Vanni in Tamil Eelam. The tract bustling with contended people two years back is virtually a no-man zone with ghost buildings and stray cattle today. The landscape is physical evidence to the genocide committed on a nation. The parties responsible for one of the worst crimes against humanity in the 21st century such as this, refuse to accept it, but hide it, coerce the victims not to talk about it and in various nuanced ways want to finish the genocide to its end, is the feeling of Eezham Tamils, both in the island and in the diaspora.Full story >> Dissanayake decides to continue as Election Commissioner[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 February 2010, 13:28 GMT]Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake who twice asked the government to release him from the job Wednesday announced that he would continue to hold the post and has decided to continue in service following appeals by the joint opposition and his staff. “I will continue in my position as Election Commissioner and conduct the forthcoming parliamentary general election,” he added. Immediately after the 2010 presidential election he announced his resignation from the post and thereafter he did not meet the media till Wednesday. Full story >> Joint opposition demonstrates against election fraud[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 February 2010, 12:19 GMT]Several roads in Colombo city were blocked Wednesday afternoon due to a large demonstration launched by the joint opposition against the alleged manipulation of Sri Lanka's presidential election results, sources in Colombo said. The traffic around Lipton Circus, T.B.Jaya Mawatte, and Union Place almost came to a standstill due to the surge of demonstrators participating in the protest. Riot Police with tear gas canisters and batons are seen along the route of demonstration on standby, according to initial reports filed by media from the scene. Full story >> SLN re-imposes night fishing ban in Mannaar Sea[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 February 2010, 12:15 GMT]Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) banned night fishing in Mannaar Sea from Monday, fisheries sources in Mannaar said. For the last two months ban on night fishing was lifted due to the Sri Lanka's presidential election. Mannaar fishermen will face severe economic hardship as day time fishing will not yield sufficient catch to support day-to-day expenses, sources added. Full story >> Indian fishing trawlers encroach Jaffna seas[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 February 2010, 02:59 GMT]Indian fishing trawlers encroaching the seas around Jaffna peninsula have increased in large numbers recently, damaging the fishing nets of local fishermen while robbing local fish resources, president of Federation Jaffna peninsula fishermen societies, S. Thavaratnam said. Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) turns a blind eye to deep sea trawler fishing by Indian fishermen in the seas from Mayiliddi in Kaangkeasanththu’rai to Maathakal and in the seas of the islets of Jaffna, he added. Meanwhile, trawler fishing is being permitted in peninsula seas despite protest by local fishermen and against Fisheries Department regulations, with the blessing of a government minister, sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> UNP to boycott SL Independence Day celebrations in Kandy[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 February 2010, 14:40 GMT]Marking its protest over alleged harassment of Sarath Fonseka's supporters, the main Sri Lankan opposition party, the UNP, decided on Tuesday to boycott the 62nd Sri Lankan Independence Day celebrations in Kandy on Thursday, the party's General Secretary Tissa Attanayake told media in Colombo. Full story >> Rajapaksa's second term begins from November 2010: SL Supreme Court[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 February 2010, 14:36 GMT]Sri Lanka's Supreme Court on Tuesday determined that the second term of the Mahinda Rajapaksa, as president of the country, begins from November 19, 2010 and not from November 19, 2011, according to a communiqué sent to the Presidential Secretariat, legal sources said. Full story >> Sri Lanka experts silent, Wijesinha oblivious to forensic evidence[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 February 2010, 04:31 GMT] Sri Lanka's video experts appear unable or unwilling to rebut the body of evidence presented at the Dublin tribunal, UN Rapporteur on Extra-judicial Executions Philip Alston's report, and findings from other independent forensic analysts that all ruled as flawed the analyses by the Sri Lanka experts of the video broadcast on Channel 4 showing Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers summarily executing Tamil prisoners, stripped naked and hands tied behind their backs. Rajiva Wijesinha, permanent secretary to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights, despite mounting evidence to the contrary, continues to advance his efforts to exculpate Colombo and the perpertrators from charges of war crimes by arguing that the video is fake, a spokesperson for US-based pressure group Tamils Against Genocide (TAG) said.Full story >> Sri Lankan Police instructed to quell protests by opposition[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 February 2010, 02:21 GMT]Any demonstration against the government and the SL President Mahinda Rajapaksa organized by the opposition without permission would be dealt severely if peace is disrupted, the Sri Lankan Police has warned on Monday. Full story >> Eelam is the way for long-term success in political solution: British politician[TamilNet, Monday, 01 February 2010, 14:04 GMT] "It is my long-standing view that the only true path to peace in Sri Lanka is with a political settlement, with the creation of Eelam being the only solution that has a strong chance of long-term success," said Dr Rachel Joyce, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Harrow West, who went as an observer to a polling booth in her constituency last weekend.
Full story >> Joint opposition to hold demonstration against presidential election malpractice[TamilNet, Monday, 01 February 2010, 13:38 GMT]The joint opposition United National Alliance (UNA) comprising United National Party (UNP), Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and Mahajana wing of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) has decided to hold a demonstration Wednesday in Colombo to protest against the alleged manipulation of presidential poll results, UNP media spokesman and Puththa’lam district parliamentarian Palitha Range Bandara said in a media conference held Sunday. Full story >> Overwhelming Tamil response in referendum hit British media reports[TamilNet, Monday, 01 February 2010, 13:36 GMT]"British-based Tamils have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the creation of an independent sovereign state in Sri Lanka, days after the man credited with crushing the Tamil Tigers's 26-year rebellion won a second term as the island's president," reported leading British newspaper Guardian on Monday. Meanwhile, BBC reported that an overwhelming majority among the Tamil disapora in UK has endorsed the call for a separate country for the Tamils in Sri Lanka. Full story >> Self-polls of Tamils make contrast to State-polls of Sri Lanka[TamilNet, Monday, 01 February 2010, 13:16 GMT]The conduct of the Tamil referendum in UK was exemplary and given that it was achieved entirely with private resources contrasts favourably to the shambles of Sri Lanka's recent Presidential elections, said Graham Williamson, a director of the UK based human rights group ACT NOW, set up by British Humanitarian aid workers to address war in Sri Lanka. The International Community must now call upon Sri Lanka to conduct a UN-Supervised referendum for Tamils living on the island, Mr. Williamson said adding that such an Independence referendum in 1999 put an end to a similar conflict in East Timor and has been successfully followed in recent times in Kosovo and Montenegro. "Democratic referenda is the modern and civilised mechanism to end inter-community conflicts and it's time Sri Lanka joined the modern world," he further said. Full story >> Ban on”Lanka” newspaper lifted, editor still in custody[TamilNet, Monday, 01 February 2010, 13:05 GMT]The Gangodawila Magistrate Monday refused to accept the decision of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to seal the Nugegoda office of the “Lanka” newspaper, after CID Saturday sealed the office stating that the article published by “Lanka” on January 26 was a threat to national security, legal sources in Colombo said Full story >> Colombo not answerable to UN for 80,000 IDPs remaining in Vavuniyaa camps - Minister[TamilNet, Monday, 01 February 2010, 13:01 GMT]About eighty thousand Internally displaced persons from Vanni region still remain in camps located in Vavuniyaa despite Sri Lanka government's assurances to the United Nations that all IDPs will be resettled by January 31. Richard Badiudeen, Minister of Resettlement and disaster relief services, told Colombo media Monday that no such assurance has been given to any organization including UN. Full story >> Resettled Vanni IDPs in Jaffna left to suffer[TamilNet, Monday, 01 February 2010, 04:03 GMT]The Internally Displaced People (IDPs) from Vanni brought to Jaffna and resettled have not been given economic or other assistance as promised and are facing severe hardships, civil society organizations in Jaffna expressed concern. Some of the IDP families are still to be paid the initial payment of 5,000 rupees while the families who were told that their second payment of 25,000 rupees will be paid before 15 January have not been paid the amount. Jaffna Secretariat officials refused to comment on the issue, sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> SLA refuses permission to residents to enter HSZs in Jaffna[TamilNet, Monday, 01 February 2010, 03:27 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers did not allow the people evicted from SLA High Security Zones (HSZs) in Jaffna peninsula to enter the HSZs in Thellippazhai and Jaffna town when they went to see their lands and houses Sunday. Prior to the presidential election the government had promised them resettlement in the HSZs and SLA soldiers had allowed them to go and see their properties during day time but now they had been denied permission even to enter the HSZs, sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> Largest possible turnout, 99.33 percent British Tamils aspire Tamil Eelam[TamilNet, Monday, 01 February 2010, 01:09 GMT] In an unprecedented turnout that brought 64,692 Eezham Tamils to vote in the referendum held last weekend in UK, 64,256 (99.33%) said they aspire to the formation of independent and sovereign Tamil Eelam in the contiguous north and east of the island of Sri Lanka. 185 (0.29%) voted against and 251 (0.39%) votes were spoilt. Polling took place in sixty-five booths across London and in major towns and cities throughout UK. Five days after presidential poll proving sharp and clear divide in outlook between Sinhala and Tamil nations in the island of Sri Lanka, the near-total diaspora verdict in UK for Tamil Eelam gains much significance, observers said. Full story >>
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