Astonishingly powerful, rare category of War Crime evidence, says Legal expert

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 December 2010, 02:42 GMT]
"On the question of whether there should be an inquiry, this is astonishingly powerful evidence of a type I've only seen in a handful of times – there's some footage from Yugoslavia about mass killings – and this is up there. It's within a very, very rare category of evidence where killings are actually captured on tape and the idea that there can be a debate about whether there should be an investigation in the face of evidence like this is very surprising. So this evidence should lead to only one conclusion which plainly is there needs to be a full investigation and there needs to be prosecution of the people responsible," a leading war crimes lawyer Julian Knowles of Matrix Chambers told Channel-4 after watching the video obtained by Channel-4 on the extra-judicial execution of Tamils by Sri Lanka soldiers.
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Death warrants to journalists?

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 June 2008, 02:03 GMT]
The threats posed by the contents of two Sri Lanka Defense Ministry website articles "are in effect a death warrant to journalists and editors of the media," the Free Media Movement (FMM), a Colombo-based media watchdog, said in a statement issued this week. Noting that the articles make serious allegations against "former FMM Convenor Sunanda Deshapriya, Sunday Times Associate Editor and defence columnist Iqbal Athas, and eight news outlets," International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) Asia-Pacific said, “The Government of Sri Lanka must show it has the authority to order an end to these hate-inspiring attacks by defence personnel against independent media voices.”
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2,000 Sri Lankan soldiers killed last year – Fonseka

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

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 February 2008, 01:41 GMT]
Attempts by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers to attack Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) bases in the southern Forward Defense Lines (FDLs) in Mannaar, Vavuniyaa and Ma'nlaa'ru were defeated in counter attacks by the LTTE, Mannaar operations command of Tigers said Thursday. SLA is feared to have suffered heavy losses in the battles.
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2 SLA troops injured in artillery duel in Thenmaraadchi

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 September 2007, 17:27 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers sustained serious injuries when the SLA and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) exchanged heavy artillery and Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) fire Friday early morning, the SLA in Jaffna said.
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2 fishermen feared drowned in SLA mortar fire

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 April 2007, 14:14 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) launched mortar fire on fishermen fishing in Uduthurai seas in Vadamaradchy east Sunday around 4:00 a.m. in which two fishermen are missing and their fishing boat burnt, sources in Vadamaradchy said. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched heavy artillery barrage from the Varani artillery base on civilian settlements in Uduthurai, Vettilaikerny, Vatharayan and Maruthankulam in Vadamaradchy east, from Saturday 10:00 p.m to Sunday 4:00 a.m, damaging six houses, the sources added.
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Artillery duel along Jaffna FDLs

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 March 2007, 20:05 GMT]
Exchange of heavy mortar and artillery fire and Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) fire continued between Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Forward Defence Lines (FDL) from Muhamalai to Kilali in Thenmaradchy and Nagarkovil area in Vadamaradchy east area, Monday evening untilTuesday evening, sources in Jaffna said.
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Parents visit Sinhala soldiers in LTTE custody

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 March 2007, 23:06 GMT]
The parents and relatives of five soldiers of Sri Lanka armed forces currently in custody of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) visited the soldiers in Kilinochchi Wednesday, LTTE sources in Kilinochchi said. The Red Cross facilitated the visit. The group arrived in Kilinochchi from Vavuniya and met the soldiers at a remand prison of the Thamileelam Police around 11:00 a.m. in the presence of V. Aravindan, Probation Officer of Thamileelam Police , Kumarasamy Kanagalingam, the Chief Inspector of Thamileelam Police and Selvaretnam Jeyapalan, the Chief Prison Guard.
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SLA intensifies artillery attacks from FDL positions in Thenmaradchy

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 February 2007, 00:39 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) stationed at Thenmaradchy Forward Defence Lines (FDL) in Muhamalai and adjoining areas unleashed a barrage of artillery fire and Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) shells towards Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held areas Thursday night. The artillery fire continued throughout Friday until dusk, sources in Thenmaradchy said.
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SLA intensifies shelling from Muhamalai, Manalaru

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 February 2007, 15:22 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) stepped up its artillery barrage on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held areas in two separate Front Line positions Friday evening, one from SLA Northern Front Defence Line (FDL) towards Muhamalai, Kilali and Vadamaradchi east and the other from Manalaru SLA camp in Mullaitivu district towards LTTE held areas, sources from Kilinochchi said.


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SLAF bombs Muhamalai, heavy artillery barrage in Northern Front

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 February 2007, 06:34 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked Muhamalai, Kilali and Vadamaradchi East areas as Sri Lanka Army launched a heavy artiilery barrage using Multi Barrel Rocket Launchers (MBRL) Friday morning in the Northern Front.
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SLA restrictions cause hardship to Jaffna travellers

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 February 2007, 10:49 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) announced Tuesday that persons wishing to travel out of Jaffna peninsula cannot stay overnight to queue for ship tickets in areas near the Jaffna Sinhala Maha Vidyalayam where the tickets are issued, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, Jaffna Government Agent (GA) Mr. K. Ganesh informed Tuesday that registering the names of those wishing to travel in the ship from Kankesanthurai to Trincomalee at the District Secretariat has been temporarily suspended.
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SLA, LTTE exchange mortar fire near Muhamalai FDL

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 February 2007, 17:54 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers and the Liberation Tigers exchanged artillery and mortar fire near Thenmaradchy Forward Defence Lines (FDLs) near Muhamalai from Sunday morning, residents living close to the area in Mirusuvil and in Usan said. Two shells fell within the SLA camp at Usan located behind the Forward Defence Line (FDL) positions, residents said. A shell fired by the Liberation Tigers exploded in areas close to Usan and Mirusuvil Camps of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Sunday, causing minor injuries to two civilians, sources close to SLA said


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Jaffna at standstill on SL Independence Day

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 February 2007, 08:18 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army troopers fired mortar and artillery shells from Muhamalai Forward Defence Line (FDL) Sunday from 7:30 a.m. towards Iyakkachchi, Palai, Pooneryn and Vadamaradchi East villages in Liberation Tigers controlled areas as Jaffna stood at standstill and the people remained indoors. Roads were empty and silence prevailed in Jaffna. Even the cellular phones didn't ring in the peninsula as the mobile phone link to Jaffna was cut by the military at Palaly. SLA troopers were busy in the morning removing black flags from the environs of the University of Jaffna.
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Telephone link to Vanni, most of peninsula, cut off

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 January 2007, 20:36 GMT]
Telephone lines to Vanni and most of Jaffna have remained cut for more than four days since Saturday 10:55 p.m. Financial transactions in many branches of the banks have been paralyzed, fundamental services such as hospital ambulances, civil services and media, dependent on telephone communication have been severely affected. Vanni, without celluar link, remains completely cut off for communication. A group of Sri Lanka Army soldiers who visited Vavuniya Telecom Saturday evening had instructed the technicians to accompany them towards the communication exchange at Madukanda, 4 km southeast of Vavuniya town, and shut down the telephone link to Vanni.
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Heavy exchange of artillery fire at Thenmaradchi FDLs

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 January 2007, 11:12 GMT]
Exchange of heavy artillery and rocket fire in the Forward Defence Line (FDL) positions at Muhamalai and other areas in Thenmaradchi between the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) continued from Saturday evening until Sunday early morning, sources in Jaffna said. Small fire arms too were used in the clashes Sunday which lasted for more than an hour. No information on casualties is available.
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SLA, LTTE exchange rocket fire at Muhamalai FDL

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 January 2007, 19:14 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army soldiers and LTTE fighters exchanged artillery and rocket fire in Muhamalai sector on the Thenmaradchi division of the Jaffna peninsula, Wednesday. Eight SLA troopers who were injured in Wednesday's shelling were admitted at the Palaly military base hospital.
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Curfew clamped on Thenmaradchi

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 January 2007, 08:31 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Jaffna High Command announced a curfew from Sunday 6:00 p.m until further notice on Kodikamam police division area close to its Front Defence Line (FDL) in Thenmaradchi, over its official radio located at Palaly military base.


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Sri Lanka military vows to ‘annihilate’ LTTE in east then north

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 January 2007, 14:02 GMT]
After taking control of the eastern province in the next two months, Sri Lanka’s military will recapture the areas held by the Liberation Tigers in the north of the island, the Army (SLA) Chief said this week.
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SLA, LTTE clash at Vavuniya FDL

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 December 2006, 15:04 GMT]
Liberation Tigers clashed with Sri Lanka Army troopers who attempted to move beyond the no-go zone towards Puliyankulam at Omanthai Forward Defence Line in Vavuniya district around 2:00 p.m. Monday. The SLA troopers withdrew after facing resistance from the Tigers, according to LTTE's Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan. Meanwhile, medical sources in Kilinochchi said an ambulance with 7 patients needing advanced treatment at Vavuniya hospital could not proceed to Vavuniya as the Omanthai exit point remained closed following the clash. Artillery and mortar fire was also reported in Northern Front FDL in Muhamalai since Sunday evening.
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