STF refuses to vacate camp encompassing private homes

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 August 2003, 12:36 GMT]
Special Task Force (STF) soldiers in Urani in Pottuvil, Amparai district, have refused to vacate the STF camp that encompasses several private residences and demanded that the owners should sell their property to the STF, security sources in the east said.


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Jaffna undergrads study Potpathi villagers' problems

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 August 2003, 16:55 GMT]
A group of Jaffna university students and members of the International Student's Association of Tamil Eelam held a discussion Friday with the residents of Potpathi village in the Vadamarachchi east division in Jaffna district under the auspices of Jaffna University Students' Union (JUSU) regarding an attempt by the Sri Lanka Army to construct several camps and checkpoints surrounding the village, sources said.
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SLN arrests LTTE women cadres in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 August 2003, 10:18 GMT]
Soldiers of Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) arrested two women cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who were engaged in political activities in Thiruperunthurai village in Batticaloa district yesterday, local reports said. After the intervention of LTTE’s Batticaloa political section head E. Senathirajah, the women cadres were released after 45 minutes of interrogation.


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Batticaloa Tamil journalist harassed by SLA - SLTMA

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 August 2003, 05:54 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Tamil Media Alliance (SLTMA) Tuesday notified the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission in Batticaloa about the harassment and humiliation caused to Mr.T.Vethanayagam, a Batticaloa based Tamil journalist, by the Sri Lanka Army, and sought the SLMM's action to investigate into the complaint and prevent such harassment to journalists in future, sources said.
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SLA soldiers arrest LTTE activists at Muhamalai checkpoint

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 August 2003, 15:25 GMT]
Two political activists of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Mr.Kanthasamy Pugalmaran and Mr. Yogarajah Mayavan, were arrested by Sri Lanka Army soldiers at the Muhamalai checkpoint Tuesday afternoon around 2 p.m and later handed over to the Kodikamam police, police said.
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SLA, Police conduct search operations in Vadamaradchy

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 August 2003, 07:26 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and Sri Lanka Police officers searched general public and passengers in passing vehicles in Mulli, in Vadamaradchy district throughout Saturday, security sources in Jaffna said. Vehicles along the Point-Pedro Kodikamam road in Vadamaradchy also were stopped and searched, according to the same sources.
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SLA refuses permission for parents to enter Point Pedro schools

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 August 2003, 19:06 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army Friday evening denied permission for parents and education officials to enter two leading schools in Jaffna, the Methodists Girls' High School and Hartley College in Point Pedro when they arrived at the army checkpoint near the institutions, parents and officials said.
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‘Indian Minister’s visit to SL historic’ - Peiris

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 August 2003, 18:56 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government’s cabinet spokesman, Mr. G.L.Peiris, said Thursday that the proposed visit of the Indian Foreign Minister, Mr.Yaswant Sinha, to Colombo next week would be 'historic.' Replying to a question at the weekly press briefing, Mr.Peiris, who is also the government’s Chief negotiator in the peace talks, said that there would not be any problem in obtaining Indian assistance to the present peace process, media sources said.
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Priests champion revival of HSZ Hindu temples

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 August 2003, 14:24 GMT]
Mavittapuram temple, Naguleswaram temple and Keerimalai temples all lie within 3km radius within the High Security Zone (HSZ) near KKS harbor. These temples almost completely destroyed during the war in early 90s are being resurrected amid heavy odds by temples’ custodian priests.


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SLA to recruit 4000 soldiers

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 August 2003, 10:16 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) is to launch a massive recruitment drive to recruit about 4000 soldiers and interviews will commence on 18 August in several locations islandwide, the state controlled Sunday Observer newspaper reported quoting Brigadier Jammika Liyanage, Director, Personnel Administration, of the SLA.
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SLA pressures villagers to withdraw camp complaint

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 August 2003, 18:47 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army officials stationed at Potpathi in Vadamaradchi east, Jaffna district, are reported to be exerting pressure on the villagers to withdraw their representation to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission and the regional office of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) of Sri Lanka against the establishment of a military camp at Potpathi, civil sources said.
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SL Army soldiers assault civilians in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 July 2003, 19:13 GMT]
Tension prevailed near the Puttur--Meesalai junction in the Thenmaradchi area of the Jaffna district Tuesday night when Sri Lanka Army soldiers came in a motor bike and assaulted N.Subramaniam,63, when he was walking towards his home on foot, civil sources said.
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Supreme Court to hear appeal in Krishanthy murder case

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 July 2003, 18:52 GMT]
The appeal of six Sri Lanka Army soldiers sentenced to death by the High Court Trial-at-Bar in the Krishanthy Kumarasamy rape and murder case will be heard on November 4 this year before a five member bench of the Supreme Court, legal sources said, adding that the Chief Justice, Mr.Sarath N.Silva, said he would not serve in the bench for "personal reasons."
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Civilian robbed at Muhamalai checkpoint

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 July 2003, 15:41 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army Monday agreed to hold an identification parade to identify the army soldier who is alleged to have robbed cash from a Tamil civilian at the Muhamalai checkpoint on his way to Jaffna from Mullaitivu through the A-9 highway, and at the intervention of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, the 55th Brigade officials of the SLA later agreed to hold an identification parade, HRC sources said.
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No need for public apology for July’83 pogroms - Peiris

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 July 2003, 15:52 GMT]
Though the July 1983 pogroms against the Tamil people in Sri Lanka have left an “indelible scar,” no purpose would be served by making a public apology or regret by the United National Front government for it, said Mr. G. L. Peiris, the Sri Lankan Cabinet spokesman, in response to a question from a foreign correspondent in Colombo, the Jaffna-based Tamil daily, Uthayan, reported Friday.
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Woman SL soldier suspect in murder case remanded

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 July 2003, 16:19 GMT]
The Chavakachcheri Magistrate, Mr.K.Ariyanayagam, Tuesday ordered remand for one of the twelve women soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army who have been charged with the murder of a fellow woman soldier Chandrika while serving in Chavakachcheri in 2001, legal sources said.
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SLA fears big fish in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 July 2003, 16:20 GMT]
Sri Lanka army soldiers in Munai, near Pt. Pedro in Jaffna, insisted that a fisherman cut open a large hammerhead shark he had caught Monday to check whether explosives were hidden inside the fish. Fishermen in Munai said that the SLA has ordered that all big fish brought to the shore by them have to be cut open and checked for hidden bombs and explosive devises from Monday.


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SLN lays condition for beaching crafts in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 July 2003, 16:43 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) Saturday directed the fishermen in Pallappai and Katkovalam in Vadamarachi division in Jaffna district to beach their fishing crafts within six hundred meter area from their positions on the shore enabling them to see fishing boats with their naked eye, fisheries co-operative officials said.


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SLA Informant shot dead

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 July 2003, 18:02 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen Thursday evening 6.30 p.m. shot dead Fowzie, said to be an informant to the Sri Lanka security forces, at third mile post in Uppuveli area, suburb of north of Trincomalee, police said. Fowzie escaped a preveious attempt on his life, police said.
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SLA increases motorbike patrols in Vadamarachchi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 July 2003, 10:49 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has increased its field motorbike group patrols in Vadamarachchi division from Thursday, escalating tension and fear among the residents of the area, civil sources said.
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