Chettikulam IDPs oppose forced resettlement

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 November 2004, 03:20 GMT]
Official are making efforts to move Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) living in welfare centers in Chettikulam and Adapankulam in Vavuniya district to Manikfarm area against their wishes, refugees say. The refugees allege that IDPs are being used as a protective shield to soldiers in three Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camps located near Manikfarm area.
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Vavuniya residents raise stink over undisposed garbage

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 November 2004, 02:22 GMT]
Residents and businesses in Vavuniya have been raising a stink over the smell of undisposed garbage accumulating for the last several days as Vavuniya Urban Council (UC) searched for an alternate site to dump the municipal district garbage, civil sources in Vavuniya said. Villagers from Rasendrakulam located 4km south of Vavuniya where the landfill is located had prevented the UC from dumping garbage in their village saying that large amount of garbage near residential area is polluting the environment.
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Indian army commander visits line of control in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 November 2004, 07:04 GMT]
Indian army commander General N. C Vij Wednesday visited the main entry point to the territories held by the Liberation Tigers in Sri Lanka's north. He saw the line of control and the forward defences of the Sri Lanka army at the Omanthai entry point on the A9 highway, 15 kilometres north of Vavuniya.
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Vavuniya campaign to End Violence against Women

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 November 2004, 11:59 GMT]
Oxfam sponsored District Campaign to End All Violence Against Women was held in Vavuniya Town Hall Tuesday, sources said. An inaugural event was held at Trincomalee St.Joseph's College auditorium Tuesday 26 October.
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'Will reconsider meetings if civilians are harassed' - Kausalyan

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 October 2004, 08:18 GMT]
''We explained to the Sri Lankan armed forces about the fear among civilians caused by the drastic increase in searching and checkpoints. We are very carefully considering the progress of these meetings in relation to these developments. If the harassment of civilians continue thus we would be compelled to reconsider our participation in these meetings'', said Mr. E. Kousalyan, head, political division of the Liberation Tigers for Batticaloa-Amparai, speaking to the press at the conclusion of a meeting in Batticaloa between LTTE and Sri Lankan armed forces Saturday.
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Two PLOTE cadres reported missing

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 October 2004, 09:51 GMT]
Two members of the PLOTE, an ex-Tamil militant group in Vavuniya, were abducted by unidentified gunmen in a suburb of the northern border town, Sri Lanka Police said Thursday. Their whereabouts are not yet known, according to Police. The PLOTE cadres have been missing since Tuesday night, relatives said.
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PAFFREL, Sarvodaya hold dialogue on electoral reform

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 October 2004, 11:10 GMT]
"Electoral laws in Sri Lanka need to be critically reviewed and reformed if future elections are to be free and fair," said Mr Bandula Kulatunge in a discussion meeting in held in Vavuniya organized by PAFFREL and Sarvodaya attended by several civil organizations, sources said.
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Over 3000 graduates take part in job training

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 October 2004, 15:47 GMT]
Three thousand two hundred and fifty seven graduates recruited under the job recruitment scheme launched by the United Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government are currently undergoing six months' training in eight administrative districts in the Northeast Province. The training programme commenced on October 21 as scheduled.
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School to reopen after health scare forced closure

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 October 2004, 14:15 GMT]
Poonthottam Educational Institute in Vavuniya district which was closed for more than a week after several teachers and students fell sick due to several health code violations at the school, is to open this Monday, Head of the School, Mr. Bernard announced. Students are asked to report to their school dormitaries by Sunday, according to school officials.
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Vavuniya hosts all island netball tournament

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 October 2004, 13:13 GMT]
Inauguration of the all ceylon women's netball championship in Vavuniya was delayed by more than an hour Saturday morning after some local groups objected to hoisting Sri Lanka's national flag and singing its national anthem at the two day sports event, Police said. Ms. Shiranthi Rajapaksha, wife of Sri Lanka's Prime Minister, was the chief guest at the inauguration of the tournament. The function, scheduled to start at 9.30 a.m. began late sans the Sri Lankan national flag and anthem.
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Sri Lanka military responsible for actions of paramilitaries – judge

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 October 2004, 11:27 GMT]
Vavuniya magistrate Friday observed that the Sri Lanka army should bear responsibility for the disappearance of Mr. Ariyathas Vijayakumar who was abducted by the paramilitary EPRLF (Varathar Faction) on 15 August 2000 in his findings forwarded to the Vavuniya High Court after preliminary inquiry into the Habeas Corpus application. The magistrate, Mr. Manickavasagar Ilancheliyan, said that the SLA’s position that it had no knowledge of the arrest and detention is untenable because paramilitary groups like EPRLF (V) worked with the military.
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Ex Policeman charged for raping fourteen year old girl

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 October 2004, 08:39 GMT]
An ex-Policeman was charged in Vavuniya courts for raping a fourteen year old girl, legal sources in the northern border town said Thursday. The girl has given birth to a child, Police said. The Children’s and Women’s Welfare Division of the Vavuniya Police filed the case Thursday on a complaint by the girl’s parents .


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TNA meets with Trinco Muslim leaders

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 October 2004, 18:59 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Saturday launched its first district political awareness campaign in Trincomalee district by organizing a discussion with a group of prominent Muslim citizens in the east port town at Trincomalee New Silver Star Hotel, TNA sources said.
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World Bank concludes NEIAP assessment study

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 October 2004, 10:40 GMT]
A World Bank team comprising foreign experts and Sri Lanka task leader Mr.Nihal Fernando concluded its four-day assessment study regarding the first stage of the North East Irrigated Agriculture Project-I (NEIAP-I) works carried out in three districts Manner, Vavuniya and Mullaitivu in the north province and the border district Anuradhapura district, sources said.
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SLA provides security to fuel, flour transport from Trinco

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 October 2004, 10:40 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Wednesday commenced providing security to lorries transporting fuel from Ceylon Petroleum Corporation refinery and flour from Prima Flour Mill, both are located in Chinabay, about nine km off Trincomalee town to other provinces. This follows the threat by North East Sinhala Association (NESA) that it would set up road blockades from Wednesday, demanding the release to Sinhala home guards arrested by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and remanded on the orders of Thamileelam court, sources said.
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Health officials close Vavuniya College of Education

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 October 2004, 17:05 GMT]
Health officials Monday closed down the Vavuniya College of Education for three weeks after seventy students and teachers suffered from dysentery since Sunday night. The Vavuniya Medical Officer of Health (MOH) found stagnating garbage and leaking cesspits in the college when its premises were inspected Monday after students and teachers started to fall ill.
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SLA, LTTE meet again in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 October 2004, 04:59 GMT]
Sri Lankan armed forces met the Liberation Tigers Wednesday in Batticaloa to discuss the implementation of the cease fire agreement in the districts of Batticaloa and Amparai. The LTTE delegation was led by Mr. S. Marshall, head of the Tigers' headquarters branch for Batticaloa-Amparai. Sri Lankan armed forces delegation was led by Col. A. L Amaratunga, commander of 23-3 Brigade in Batticaloa. Continuing killings and the activities of paramilitaries in the eastern district were discussed at the meeting.
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First LTTE medical service in SLA held area

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 October 2004, 13:54 GMT]
The medical services of the Liberation Tigers conducted free mobile clinics for civilians for the first time in areas controlled by the Sri Lanka military Friday. The program was inaugurated in Vavuniya by LTTE’s Thileepan medical services. Fifteen doctors led by Dr. Ezhumathi Karikalan provided medical services and advice to hundreds of people at the refugee camp in Poonthottam in the morning and later in Maharampaikulam in Vavuniya.


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TRO sponsored Children's Week begins in NorthEast

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 September 2004, 00:17 GMT]
The Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) in collaboration with Pre-School Educational Development Council (PSEDC) has declared week beginning Monday, 27 September, as Children's Week in all eight districts of the North-East province, to mark the International Children's' Day that falls on October 1st, sources said.
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Sri Lankan armed forces, LTTE meet again in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 September 2004, 04:51 GMT]
Sri Lankan armed forces officers and political officials of the Liberation Tigers met Wednesday in Batticaloa after a long gap to discuss cease fire related issues in the eastern district. The LTTE delegation was led by Mr. E. Kousalyan, head of the Tigers' political division for Batticaloa-Amparai. Sri Lankan armed forces delegation was led by Brig. Vajira Wijegunawardena, General Officer Commanding (GOC), Sri Lanka army's 23 Division. Head of Sri Lanka truce monitoring mission, Maj. Gen. (ret) Trond Furuhovde presided.
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