Civilian hit by shelling

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A civilian was injured at Naasivanthivu, a village near Valaichenai on the shore of the Valaichenai lagoon 30 km north of Batticaloa around 2:00 a.m. today, when the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) shelled the village, said sources in Valaichenai.
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Second ship fails to show

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Government reneged on its commitment to dispatch two vessels to carry refugees and other passengers from Trincomalee back to the Jaffna peninsula, said sources in Vavuniya today. Despite assurances, only one vessel, 'Sajitha' was expected to put into Trincomalee harbour before carrying 500 passengers from the Trincomalee District back to Jaffna.
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Mass arrests to be restricted: AG

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Attorney General (AG), Sarath N Silva has pledged to representatives of the Tamil community that steps will be taken to restrict mass arrests during cordon and search operations in Colombo, said sources in Colombo.
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Youths missing after arrest

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Five youths were taken into custody by home guards at Koyilporatheevu, 25 km north-west Batticaloa on March 31, while they were catching hares in the paddy fields and shrubs in the area, said sources in Batticaloa. The five youths, who are from Aliyarvattai in the 35th Colony of the Gal Oya scheme, were arrested when they crossed into the village of 36th Colony.
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Curfew put back for variety show

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) is to extend its usual deadline for the nightcurfew in Jaffna town by two hours from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. tonight, in view of a variety show to be staged by the SLA band and other artists to celebrate the Tamil and Sinhala new year, said sources in Jaffna.
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Kokkaddichcholai promised electricity

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The village of Kokkaddichcholai and its Chola period (900-1200 A.D) Thaanthonreeswarar temple in the western hinterland of the Batticaloa district will have electricity for the first time ever, to mark the Tamil new year this week said sources in Batticaloa. The electrification program of the area which began last year has been completed they said.
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Jaffna LTTE commander says attacks will intensify

[TamilNet, Monday, 06 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Jaffna military commander of the Liberation Tigers (who replaced the former commander Veeman recently) and his deputy gave an exclusive interview to TamilNet's Vadamaradchi correspondent who met them in Naagarkovil yesterday. (They asked the TamilNet correspondent to refrain from publishing their noms de guerre at this juncture for security reasons.) The following are excerpts from the interview.
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Tigers overrun SLA posts in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers overran the main SLA checkpoint along with its six defense bunkers at Aanaivilunthaan in Pachchilaippalli and the SLA's mini camp at Katchaarveli killing six soldiers in simultaneous attacks launched in the early hours of the morning today around 3.15 a.m. said the LTTE commander who was in charge of the attack this morning.
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No confidence motion against Gen. Ratwatte?

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) will seek an adjournment debate on the indiscriminate arrests and harassment of Tamils in Colombo and other parts of the country when the Sri Lankan Parliament resumes sittings tomorrow.
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With extreme prejudice

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The racial hatred that had been simmering at the Kalutara prison where Tamils arrested under the infamous Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) are remanded, exploded into naked violence on December 12 last year, resulting in the deaths of three Tamils who were being held under preventive detention.
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Jaffna MPs campaign for cease-fire

[TamilNet, Saturday, 04 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A signature collection campaign began in Jaffna today demanding an immediate cease-fire. The campaign, however, is low key and is backed by the EPDP break away MPs Rameswaran and Ramamoorthy. The memorandum states that the Liberation Tigers and the government should come forward to stop the war and create conditions for peace.
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Jaffna bishop meets LTTE leaders in Vanni

[TamilNet, Saturday, 04 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The bishop of Jaffna Thomas Saundranayagam held discussions with the political wing of the Liberation Tigers last week in the Vanni. The meeting took place during a visit by the bishop to the Vanni to attend to church affairs and to see the condition of the people living in the region.
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Refugees denied dry rations

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
More than 1000 civilians who were forcibly evicted by the Sri Lankan Army from the villages of Iththikkulam, Sinnakkulam and Maravattaikkulam south of Trincomalee last month are yet to be issued dry rations by the government authorities, said sources in Muthur.
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Request for boat service turned down

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The secretary to the Sri Lankan President Mr. K. Balapatabendi turned down a suggestion by the PLOTE deputy leader to begin a passenger boat service to Jaffna from Mannar on the grounds that the A9 highway from Vavuniya to the peninsula would be opened soon at a conference this afternoon to discuss the security related problems of fisheries in Jaffna.
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12 killed in Vadamaradchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Twelve bodies, suspected to be those of civilians killed in fighting in the Vadamaradchi East area in the Jaffna peninsula, were lying on the Vallipuram - Manalkaadu Road this morning, said sources in Jaffna. The bodies were decomposing and there was a strong stench said sources who visited the are.
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Massive search operation in Colombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
More than 1500 Tamils were arrested in a massive cordon and search operation by the Sri Lankan army and Police. The operation began around 10.30 p.m. last night in Kochchikkadai, Kotahena, Chekku street, Sea street and nearby areas. It was on until 3.30 a.m. in the early hours of the morning today.
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LTTE-SLA clash in Valaichenai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
One soldier was killed and three seriously wounded when the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) engaged the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) at Pethalai, 30 km north of Batticaloa, as the Tigers were preparing to cross the Valaichenai lagoon to Naasiyantheevu around 8:30 p.m. last night, said sources in Valaichenai.
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Search operation in Valaichenai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The male residents of six villages near Valaichenai town, 30 km north of Batticaloa, were severely assaulted by Sri Lankan Army (SLA) troops during a cordon and search operation between 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. today, said sources in Valaichenai.
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Mother's grief compounded by red tape

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Kamaldevi (28), from Parappankandal, a village in Wanni which is under Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) control, was denied even the sombre consoloation of seeing to her infant daughter's funeral rites, because she did not possess a valid travel pass entitling her to stay overnight in Anurdhapura Hospital, said sources in Vavuniya.
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13,000 disappearances in 7 years: MP

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
"Thirteen thousand people have disappeared in the Eastern Province since 1990. There are 8,500 widows in the East of whom 70% are between 18 and 21 years [old]. There are 6000 orphans," said Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) MP Joseph Pararajasingham at a meeting held this week at the Ramakrishna Mission in Colombo organised by the Past Pupils of Northeast District Schools Organisation.
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