Kudos to wider Tamil identity

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 February 2008, 21:39 GMT]
The decision of Tamil National Alliance (TNA), which enabled Razeen Mohamed Imam becoming a national list member of the Sri Lanka parliament last Wednesday, is received with wide appreciation from different sections of the Tamil-speaking people, including the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress. The 60-years-old lawyer Mr. Razeen Mohamed hails from Jaffna and is a member of the Ilankai Thamizh Arasuk Kadchi (the Federal Party started by the late S.J.V Chelvanayakam) for more than 30 years. He was also earlier a member of the Jaffna Municipal Council, elected through a Federal Party ticket.
Full story >>

Tamil civilian shot dead in Naavithanvea’li

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 February 2008, 17:00 GMT]
Unidentified armed men shot and killed a Tamil civilian at Cemetery road New Housing Scheme in Naavithanvea’li in Batticaloa district Friday around 3:00 p.m, police said. The victim was on his way from Annamalai to his relative’s house in Paa’ndirippu when he was shot.
Full story >>

Woman shot killed in Poththuvil

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 February 2008, 09:39 GMT]
Unidentified armed men shot and killed a 40-year-old mother of three children in Koamaari Chelvapuram area in Poththuvil police division in Ampaa’rai district Thursday around 7:00 p.m.
Full story >>

Paramilitary operative shot dead in Chengkaladi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 31 January 2008, 13:47 GMT]
Unidentified armed men shot and killed a paramilitary personnel belonging to Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) Wednesday night 7:05 p.m. at Siththaa'ndi in Ea'raavoor police division in Batticaloa district.
Full story >>

Providing moral support to Eelam, not a crime- Thirumavalavan

[TamilNet, Saturday, 26 January 2008, 18:53 GMT]
"Any move to suppress those expressing moral support to Tamil Eelam and LTTE is violation of all tenets of democracy and humanism, and will border on fascism," Viduthalai Chiruththaikal Katchi (VCK, Liberation Panthers Party) President Thol. Thirumavalavan said on Friday addressing a conference organized by his party in Chennai labeled "Redeem the Freedom of Expression."
Full story >>

Paramilitary operative shot dead in Akkaraippattu

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 January 2008, 13:41 GMT]
An unidentified gunman shot and killed a operative of Karuna paramilitary, identified as Panneerchelvam, Friday noon at Aalaiyadiveampu in Akkaraippattu police division in Ampaa’rai district, Akkaraippattu police said. The victim was walking with a friend towards Karuna group camp when he was shot. The killer, following Panneerchelvam on foot, took his T-56 assault rifle and escaped from the site after gunning down the paramilitary operative.
Full story >>

Civlian killed, 2 wounded, SLAF bombs Ki'linochchi suburb

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 January 2008, 03:21 GMT]
A civilian traveler was killed and two civilians were seriously wounded when Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked Viveakananthaa Nakar, an outer suburb of Ki'iinochchi, located 3 km southwest of the town, Friday morning between 7:50 and 8:10 a.m. Three houses were fully destroyed and six more houses have sustained damage. Liberation Tigers anti-aircraft unit rushed to the area and opened fired when SLAF fighter jets swooped over the suburb, forcing the planes to higher altitudes.
Full story >>

Abductees released, bus strike called off in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 January 2008, 10:35 GMT]
Paramilitary Pillayan Group that abducted a driver and two conductors, allegedly for criticizing the the group's activities in a private conversation at their working place, released the abductees Sunday evening after issuing stern warning against them, informed ex-militant sources in Batticaloa said. Employees at Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) depot in Batticaloa, called off the strike which was in force from early morning on Sunday.
Full story >>

LTTE requests Norway to continue facilitation, urges IC's support for Tamil rights

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 January 2008, 05:51 GMT]
The Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Major General Lars Johan Solvberg on Thursday met Liberation Tigers Political Head B. Nadesan in Ki'linochchi, following the GoSL announcement of unilateral withdrawal from the Ceasefire. Noting that the GoSL has withdrawn from the CFA without any justifications, LTTE's political head said that the Tigers, even at this juncture, stood ready to implement every clause of the agreement and requested Norway to continue with its facilitation role with the support of the International Community. He urged the IC to recognize the right of the Tamil people to live with self-determination in their homeland and remove the bans it has placed on the LTTE.
Full story >>

2 men shot dead in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 January 2008, 05:45 GMT]
Unidentified armed men shot killed two men Wednesday around 8:45 p.m near Kalladi Sivaananthaa playground, 5 km south of Batticaloa city. One of the victims was earlier working in Sri Lanka police department, Kaaththaankudi Police said.
Full story >>

JVP noose around APRC neck

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 January 2008, 02:02 GMT]
While State media continues to provide an air of credibility to the All Party Representative Committee (APRC), insiders revealed to the Sunday Leader that APRC committee has decided to "delay discussing the contentious issues until the end but that they have now reached a deadlock with the JHU and SLFP insisting on a unitary state while the other parties have objected to the use of that terminology." The Sunday Leader further said that while several members have insisted on a set of proposals which goes beyond the 13th Amendment, the JVP has warned that they would topple the government if any proposals resembling a federal formula is forwarded in February.
Full story >>

2007: The year in review

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 January 2008, 07:34 GMT]
For the people of the NorthEast, 2007 was a grim year. Sri Lanka’s security forces and allied paramilitaries intensified their campaign of abductions (‘white van’ abductions), torture, and murder of Tamil civilians. Tamil civil society leaders bore the brunt of the counter-insurgency campaign. Jaffna remained an open prison with shortage of essential items, east falling under the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) control with thousands displaced as Colombo concocts colonization schemes to make east a Sinhala majority province.
Full story >>

English proficiency vital for success in global world: LTTE Political Head

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 December 2007, 20:52 GMT]
"Eelam Tamils have excelled in military science and geo-political affairs at an International level. For our people to acquire skills and knowlege to succeed at the global level, opportunity and facilities to attain high levels of proficiency in English is critical," said B. Nadesan, the political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in his commencement address at the English Language College (ELC) in Ki'linochchi, on Saturday. The ELC, a Tamils' Rehabilitation Organization (TRO)-funded college, was established on September 13, 2004 to produce educators to fulfill the shortage of competent of English teachers in the NorthEast.
Full story >>

Elders' Home inaugurated in Ki'linochchi

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 December 2007, 19:36 GMT]
In a simple yet emotionally-charged ceremony of significance, Mathivathani Pirapaharan, wife of LTTE leader Velupillai Pirapaharan, inaugurated the new hostel block of the Anpuchchoalai Elders' Home in Ki'linochchi A'riviyal Nakar this Sunday. In one of her rare public appearances, she cut the ribbon and declared open the new wing of the Elders' Home. The event was well-attended by key Tamil Tiger functionaries.
Full story >>

Youth shot dead in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 December 2007, 17:14 GMT]
Two unidentified men riding a motorcycle shot at a youth riding a bicycle along Ka'luthaavalai Koyil road, Ka'luthaavalai in Batticaloa District, Saturday afternoon 12:30 p.m., and fled from the scene. The critically wounded youth was rushed to Ka’luvaagnchikkudi District hospital where he llater succumbed to the injuries, Ka’luvaagnchikkudi police said.
Full story >>

Vanni protest rallies condemn SLA killing of school girls

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 November 2007, 01:26 GMT]
All employees of Government Departments in Vanni wearing black arm bands staged a work stoppage from 9:30 a.m. till 11:00 a.m. Thursday as a mark of protest against the Claymore attack carried out Tuesday morning by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) in which seven female students of Iyankankulam school engaged in rural first aid service were killed.
Full story >>

Propping up genocidal Sinhala State counterproductive, International Community should change approach - Pirapaharan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 November 2007, 12:33 GMT]
The leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), V Pirapaharan, in his annual Heroes' Day statement placed a heavy responsibility on the shoulders of the international community for the breakdown of the peace process. He said that the involvement of the international community to resolve the Tamil national question has been unhelpful and added that their failure to condemn unambiguously the military path of the current regime has created the present situation in the island. He asserted that the propping up of the genocidal Sinhala State by the international community through economic aid, military aid and subtle diplomatic efforts will be counterproductive.
Full story >>

17 Tamil civilians arrested in Puththa'lam

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 November 2007, 10:06 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Police in a cordon and search operation conducted Saturday from dawn to dusk in four Tamil villages in Puththa'lam district took 17 Tamil residents into custody. Four of them are still being detained at Munthal police station and being subjected to interrogation by the Terrorist Intelligence Division as they failed to prove their identity and valid reason for their stay in the location.
Full story >>

TamilNadu Police arrests Vaiko, Nedumaran in Chennai

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 November 2007, 16:03 GMT]
Tamil Nadu police arrested Pazha Nedumaaran, the leader of Tamil Nationalist Movement (TMM), Vaiko, the leader of Marumalardchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhakam (MDMK) and several other leaders of parties supporting the Eelam Tamils, including Indian National League, Monday in Chennai when they led a demonstration march condemning Sri Lanka Government (GoSL) for assassinating Brigadier S. P. Tamilchelvan, the Political Head of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), in an aerial bombing on November 02. They were arrested for defying a ban imposed by the Tamil Nadu Government on the rally.
Full story >>

2 civilians shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 November 2007, 11:50 GMT]
Unidentified armed men on a motor cycle followed a fisherman Monday around 6:00 a.m and shot him dead at Mulavaichchanthi in Raasaavinthoddam area, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, a civilian was shot dead Monday afternoon in Nalloor-Kachcheari road area, according to Jaffna police.
Full story >>