Fourteen injured as troops attack civilians, MP in Mannar

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 November 2004, 10:24 GMT]
Fourteen civilians were seriously injured when Sri Lanka army troops indiscriminately attacked hundreds of people in Mannar town Thursday. Tamil National Alliance MP for Mannar, Mr. Vino Noharathalingam and the parish priest for Thalvupaadu were also attacked in the rampage. Hundreds of SLA troops, firing in the air, ran amok in the town centre with iron bars and clubs, pulling down Heroes’ Day decorations and assaulting civilians. They attacked and damaged the political office of the Liberation Tigers in Mannar town.
Full story >>

Two civilians decorating for Maveerar Day shot dead

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 November 2004, 16:52 GMT]
Two civilians who were decorating their neighbourhood for the Great Heroes' Day observations in Vanthaarumoolai, 18 kilometres north of Batticaloa, were shot dead Wednesday night around 7:50 by gunmen riding a motorbike.
Full story >>

Troubles erupt over flag in Mannar town

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 November 2004, 10:35 GMT]
Mannar town was tense Wednesday afternoon amidst a stand off between Sri Lankan security forces and hundreds of civilians over the removal of a Thamil Eelam national flag hoisted at a sports festival to mark 'Great Heroes' Week. Crowds burnt tires in the town and demanded that the flag be handed back to organisers of the sports festival on the Mannar general play ground. Trouble erupted after some Sri Lanka army soldiers removed and took away the flag, Mannar Police said. Sri Lanka army deployed more troops and armoured vehicles in Mannar town following the fracas.
Full story >>

Trincomalee town, suburbs' security strengthened

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 November 2004, 15:26 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Sri Lanka Police have deployed more soldiers in strategic points in the Trincomalee town and several parts of the district under their control following several violent incidents that had taken place during the weekend, security sources said.
Full story >>

"SLA responsible for VVT killings" - LTTE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 November 2004, 10:12 GMT]
Mr.C.Ilamparithi, LTTE Jaffna district political head in a statement issued Saturday said that the Sri Lanka Army should be held responsible for the brutal killing of two innocent Tamil youths in Valvettithurai on Friday evening as this dastardly crime had taken place in an area which is surrounded by several sentries and mini-camps of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA).
Full story >>

Kumarapuram massacre case inquiry fixed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 November 2004, 14:01 GMT]
Mr.Anton Balasingham, Trincomalee High Court Judge fixed the inquiry into the Kumarapuram massacre case for 14 February 2005, as none of the witnesses was present when it was taken up on Monday. He also directed the court registrar to serve notice on three eyewitnesses to be present on the next date, legal sources said.
Full story >>

Jaffna SLA assault case transferred to Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 November 2004, 18:29 GMT]
The case against two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers who were indicted for causing grievous injury to a paper seller boy and a bus conductor by firing at them in Jaffna bus stand during early part of this year has been transferred from Jaffna to Vavuniya Magistrate Court on the orders of the Court of Appeal, legal sources said.


Full story >>

SLA bars UC from using HSZ dumping ground

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 November 2004, 01:50 GMT]
Chavakachcheri Urban Council (UC) in Thenmaradchchi division in Jaffna district has been facing difficulties in disposing the garbage collected within the town limit following the refusal by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) to allow UC workers to take lorries with garbage to the dumping ground in Kannadipitti area, which is located in the high security zone (HSZ). Hence UC workers daily remove all garbage to areas in close proximity to HSZ and burn, local authority sources said.
Full story >>

Kottaikadu villagers suffer without drinking water

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 November 2004, 17:38 GMT]
About 300 families living in Kottaikadu village in Jaffna district undergo hardships without drinking water in their area as the only available well is overflowing with floodwater due to heavy rain. Kottaikadu village is located in Valigamam division. Sand bunds constructed by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers prevent rain water flowing into the sea resulted in flooding the village including the only well villagers use for drinking water, civil sources said.
Full story >>

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.
Full story >>

Habeas Corpus applications taken up for inquiry

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 November 2004, 17:50 GMT]
Army corporal Rajapakse, one of the accused sentenced to death in the Krishanthy rape and murder case was again produced from prison in Jaffna High Court Wednesday in connection with several Habeas Corpus (HC) applications filed by parents of number of disappeared Tamil youths who were arrested by the Sri Lanka Army soldiers during 1996-1997 period and later reported missing, legal sources said.
Full story >>

Soldiers, civilians clash in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 November 2004, 13:47 GMT]
A group of soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA)and members of public clashed at Madathady junction along Main Street in Jaffna town Wednesday noon that injured a soldier, police said. Jaffna Police arrested a Tamil youth after the incident.
Full story >>

Human Rights Commissioner meets Jaffna journalists

[TamilNet, Sunday, 31 October 2004, 22:34 GMT]
Mr.N.Selvakumaran, Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), addressing a press briefing in Jaffna said HRCSL would not hesitate to take action against errand policemen and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers for violation of human rights if it receives complaints supported with evidence. He met with the Jaffna based journalists at the regional office of HRCSL Sunday.
Full story >>

HRCSL Commissioner visits Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 October 2004, 13:21 GMT]
Mr.S.Selvakumaran, a member of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) Saturday paid a visit to Jaffna and held talks with the political leadership of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Jaffna district. Mr.C.Ilamparithi, Jaffna district LTTE political head expressed dissatisfaction over the actions taken by the HRCSL in regard to the disappeared youths after the arrest by the Sri Lanka Army during 1996-1997 period during the discussion which was held at the HRCSL Jaffna regional office, human rights sources said.
Full story >>

Protest against opening of liquor shop in Inuvil

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 October 2004, 12:52 GMT]
Several civil groups Monday held a demonstration and a sit-in-protest in front of the Uduvil Divisional Secretariat demanding the closure of a liquor shop that opened from businees Monday morning in Inuvil area in Valigamam division in Jaffna district, civil sources said.
Full story >>

SLA asked to consider allowing cultivation in Jaffna HSZ

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 October 2004, 12:41 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Tuesday directed the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) to submit a report by 3rd December on the possibility of allowing cultivation in the agricultural lands in the high security zones (HSZ) occupied by the SLA soldiers in the Jaffna district, legal sources said.


Full story >>

Ex-LTTE cadres complain harassment by SLA soldiers

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 October 2004, 23:33 GMT]
The Jaffna regional office of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has received several complaints of soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army harassing Tamil youths who have left the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and have joined their parents and families. Ex-LTTE youths are becoming increasingly wary of living with their families because of intimidation and threat by SLA soldiers, human rights sources said.
Full story >>

Jaffna Court orders inquiry into habeas corpus application

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 October 2004, 16:12 GMT]
Jaffna High Court Judge Mr.K.P.S.Varatharajah Monday referred the Habeas Corpus application filed by Mr.Kanapathipillai Velupillai seeking the production of his son Mr.Velupillai Uthayakumar who was reported disappeared after the arrest by Sri Lanka Army soldiers during 1996 period to the Chavakachcheri Magistrate for preliminary and report, legal sources said.


Full story >>

SLA bars paddy cultivation in Trinco village

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 October 2004, 12:40 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has prohibited resettled Tamil farming families in Paththinipuram village from cultivating their paddy fields for the forthcoming season, said the villagers in complaints lodged with the Tampalakamam Divisional Secretary (DS) and Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO).


Full story >>

JVP supporters hold demo in Trinco

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 October 2004, 08:02 GMT]
A group of supporters of the Sinhala Nationalist cum Marist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), major constituent of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) held a demonstration in front of the Trincomalee office of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Commission (SLMM) Thursday around noon demanding the release of two Sinhala home guards who are in remand in Thamileelam prison on the orders of Thamileelam courts. The LTTE cadres arrested both home guards when they infiltrated into the LTTE controlled areas in the north of Trincomalee district on September 27, sources said.
Full story >>