Palmyra Development Board celebrates silver jubilee

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 October 2003, 19:16 GMT]
About 2.5 million Palmyra trees in Jaffna district had been felled during the two decade old war by the Sri Lanka armed forces, said Mr P.Sivapatham, President of the Palmyra Development Board (PDB), at the inaugural session of the two day silver jubilee celebrations of the PDB held Monday at the Jaffna Central College, sources said.
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WFP launches "Food Basket" programme for displaced

[TamilNet, Friday, 17 October 2003, 14:51 GMT]
The World Food Programme (WFP) has launched a " food basket" scheme to support the resettled displaced families under the Protective Relief Recovery Operation (PRRO) in the districts of Killinochchi, Mullaithivu, Mannar, Vavuniya, Trincomalee and Batticaloa in the northeast province and the border areas in the districts of Puttalam, Anuradhapura and Polonaruwa.
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Women complete job training in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 October 2003, 08:08 GMT]
The job training of women conducted by the Centre for Women's Development and Rehabilitation (CWDR)'s Job training division was completed on Monday, and a function to mark the event was held with speeches and exhibitions starting at 10:00 am, sources in the Vanni said.
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SED bank branch opened in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Saturday, 11 October 2003, 17:53 GMT]
Socio Economic Development (SED) Bank, which has its headquarters in Killinochchi, opened its first branch in the east of the island, Sunday. The General Manager of the SED Bank Mr.S.Sriskandarajah, declared opened the branch in Kadatkaraichcenai village in Muttur east in Trincomalee district.
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SLA said baulking shortest route to Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 October 2003, 18:43 GMT]
The Consortium of Humanitarian Organisations in Mannar Wednesday called upon the Sri Lankan government and military to reopen the coastal road connecting the northwestern district with Jaffna. “The road has to be reopened as soon as possible to address the dire marketing problems faced by farmers in the district,” said Mr. Peter Sinclair, the President of the Consortium.
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SLA arrests two Pt. Pedro MPCS workers

[TamilNet, Monday, 06 October 2003, 08:44 GMT]
The Sri Lanka army arrested two persons working at the Multi Purpose Co-operative Society (MPCS) in Pt. Pedro, Jaffna Monday morning for having in their possession two copies of the tenth anniversary volume of the Charles Anthony Brigade, the first conventional military formation of the Liberation Tigers. The Pt. Pedro MPCS is located inside part of the town centre garrisoned by the SLA’s 52-4 Brigade.
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US says LTTE continues to engage in terrorist activities

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 October 2003, 11:06 GMT]
The United States yesterday re-designated the Liberation Tigers as a foreign terrorist organization, saying that the LTTE continues to engage in terrorist activities, and noted that the designation can be revoked at any time the U.S. is satisfied that the organization no longer meets the statutory criteria for designation, the US embassy in Sri Lanka said in a press release Thursday.
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More skeletons found in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 October 2003, 00:04 GMT]
Human skeletons were found Monday under the debris of the Kilinochchi provincial health services building during its reconstruction, sources said.
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Spanish Red Cross assists Trinco returnees

[TamilNet, Thursday, 02 October 2003, 18:48 GMT]
The Spanish Red Cross (SRC), with the assistance of Sri Lanka Red Cross (SLRC) and funded by the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO), Wednesday began distributing agricultural inputs and implements to the returnees and war affected communities in the Trincomalee district, sources said.
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Killinochchi children transit center opens on Friday

[TamilNet, Thursday, 02 October 2003, 10:36 GMT]
The first of three transit centers under the Action Plan for Children Affected by War (APCAW) established in Killinochchi in Vanni region will be declared open Friday. Regional Director of UNICEF South Asia Mr.Sadig Rasheed and UNICEF Sri Lanka representative Mr. Ted Chaiban are scheduled to attend the opening event of the Killinochchi center, UNICEF sources said.


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“We will benefit from Ireland's experience” - Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 02 October 2003, 08:56 GMT]
“We would be having discussions with Irish experts who were associated with the peace process in Ireland. The Irish have also struggled for their rights like us. Their experience and knowledge will help us better understand the intricacies of negotiating peace”, Mr. S. P Thamilchelvan, the head of the Liberation Tigers’ political division told TamilNet while waiting at the Kilinochchi town grounds to board the Sri Lankan Air Force helicopter to Colombo Thursday morning.
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Book on LTTE’s first conventional formation launched

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 October 2003, 19:47 GMT]
“The successful interdiction of the A9 highway, which we held for thirty-three days until the fall of Elephant Pass despite massive onslaughts by the Sri Lanka Army to dislodge our troops, is the greatest achievement of the Charles Anthony Brigade. He who owns Elephant Pass owns Jaffna,” said Col. Balraj, senior commander of the Liberation Tigers, speaking at the launch of a special volume on the first conventional military formation of the Liberation Tigers Wednesday in Kilinochchi.
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SLMM, LTTE meet focuses on strengthening CFA

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 September 2003, 21:26 GMT]
Members of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) lead by Maj. General Tryggve Tellefsen met with Head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Political Wing S.P.Thamilchelvan and LTTE regional political leaders at the LTTE political head quarters in Kilinochchi Sunday between 11am and 2pm to discuss issues related to strengthening the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) between the LTTE and the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL), sources in Vanni said.
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Eleven Jaffna campus freshmen suspended

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 September 2003, 01:53 GMT]
Eleven first year students attached to the Arts and Commerce department of the University of Jaffna were suspended from attending lectures for allegedly bringing outsiders into the campus to attack senior students Friday night, local media reported.
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SLMM, LTTE district political heads to meet in Killinochchi

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 September 2003, 19:10 GMT]
Members of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and political heads of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) from different districts of northeast province are scheduled to holdl talks at 10 a.m. Sunday at the peace secretariat in Killinochchi, SLMM sources said.


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International Aid groups meet LTTE in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 September 2003, 16:09 GMT]
A team of representatives of the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations Development Plan met with Mr. S.P Thamilchelvan, head of the Political division of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, at the LTTE’s Peace Secretariat in Kilinochchi Monday, sources in the Vanni said.


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Canadian High Commissioner meets Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 September 2003, 17:58 GMT]
The Canadian Highcommissioner in Sri Lanka, Ms. Valerie Raymond, met with the Political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan, at the LTTE’s Peace Secretariat in Kilinochchi Friday, and encouraged the LTTE “to move forward steadfastly [in finding a negotiated political settlement to the ethnic conflict] in spite of any obstacles that are usually expected in such protracted conflict resolutions,” sources said.
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Karachi displaced given resettlement grants

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 September 2003, 15:08 GMT]
7130 of the displaced families from Karachi in Kilinochchi district who had applied for resettlement grants have been given financial assistance ranging from Rs. 25000 to Rs.3000, said Secretary of Karachi Pradeshiya Sabai, Pon.Nithyananthan.


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Chandrika cancels meeting with Wickremesinghe, Helgesen

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 September 2003, 21:21 GMT]
Meeting between President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge and Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe did not take place Thursday as scheduled and Ms. Kumaratunge cancelled her meeting with the Norwegian deputy foreign minister Mr. Vidar Helgessen and special envoy Mr. Erik Solheim which also scheduled for Thursday, Presidential Secretariat said in a press release said. .


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Thai army completes de-mining training in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 September 2003, 14:07 GMT]
A ten member team of the Royal Thai Army Thursday completed a three week special training in de-mining equipment handling for forty five personnel of the Humanitarian De-mining Unit of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) in Kilinochchi. The Royal Thai army team leader Lt. Col. Suchart presented certificates to the HDU personnel who took part in the special training program.
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