3 civilians seek protection at Jaffna HRC

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 December 2007, 12:08 GMT]
Three civilians from Valigaamam and Thenmaraadchi districts in Jaffna surrendered at the Jaffna Human Rights Commission (HRC) offices Monday seeking safety against threat to their lives from Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and SLA-backed paramilitaries, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Civilian shot dead, Karuna group member injured in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 December 2007, 10:48 GMT]
Unidentified armed men storming into a tea stall opened fire killing a civilian and injuring a member of Karuna group Sunday around 9:35 a.m in the tea stall located around 200 meters from the police post along Batticalao-Kalmunai Main Road in Batticaloa.
Full story >>

VoT bombing victims remembered in Ki'linochchi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 December 2007, 03:40 GMT]
A memorial event was held Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. in Ki’linochchi Cultural Centre to pay homage to the three editorial staff workers at the Voice of Tigers (VoT) radio station and eight civilians, residents and travelers who lost their lives when Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir bombers attacked VoT, LTTE’s official broadcasting corporation located at 155 Mile Post, 3.5 km south of Ki'linochchi November 27th afternoon.
Full story >>

TamilNadu leaders protest against Indian PM's participation in SL Independence Day

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 December 2007, 17:37 GMT]
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's reported intention to participate as the Chief Guest in the Sri Lankan Government's Independence Day Celebrations on February 4, 2008 has sparked large-scale dissent from political leaders in Tamilnadu. K. Veeramani, President of the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK), on Friday announced his organization's decision to demonstrate against the proposed visit and called upon the Tamilnadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi to intervene in this regard. Meanwhile, Thol.Thirumavalavan, President, Viduthalaich Chi'ruththaika'l Kadchi and Suba. Veerapandiyan of Dravidar Iyakka Thamizhar Pearavai have pledged their organizational support and participation to the demonstration.
Full story >>

Jaffna passengers question safety of air travel

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 December 2007, 01:50 GMT]
Increasing number of technical problems that have plagued air crafts belonging to the local air lines that fly between Jaffna and Colombo, has raised concern among Jaffna travellers about the safety of their flights, sources in Jaffna said. Jaffna residents and few foreigners patronizing Expo Air and Aero Lanka have expressed fears of ageing unsafe air crafts that are over-used without adequate maintenance.
Full story >>

Court releases 60 Tamils detained in Boosa

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 December 2007, 16:40 GMT]
The Colombo Chief Magistrate Friday released sixty Tamil civilians detained at Boosa detention camp in the south of the island following a report by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Sri Lanka Police that there was no evidence against them to charge for any crime connected with terrorist activities, legal sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Claymore ambush in Batticaloa kills STF commando

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 December 2007, 06:16 GMT]
A Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) commando was killed and a policeman wounded in a Claymore ambush, 29 km southeast of Batticaloa at Ka'luvaagnchchikkudi Thursday morning around 7:45, Police said. A youth was wounded in the attack on the STF foot patrol unit engaged in checking persons passing through the area.
Full story >>

Mass held in memory of Tsunami victims in Vadamaraadchi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 December 2007, 05:04 GMT]
Hundreds of families gathered together Wednesday morning at the graves in Ma’natkaadu area in Vadamaraadchi in a commemoration event held in remembrance of more than 73 civilians killed in 2004 December Tsunami disaster, organized by Ma’natkaadu parish priest Rev. Nirupan. Point Pedro parish priest Rev. Bernard Reginald conducted the mass. The memorial event which was held in a calm and emotional atmosphere despite the area being situated in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) zone.
Full story >>

Tsunami third anniversary memorial events held in Vanni

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 December 2007, 00:22 GMT]
Memorial functions to mark the third anniversary of the civilians killed by 2004 December Tsunami disaster were held in various parts of Vanni including Mullaiththeevu, Vadamaraadchi East and Puthukudiyiruppu, with thousands of civilians taking part in the events.
Full story >>

3 bodies bearing torture marks washed ashore in December

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 December 2007, 14:38 GMT]
Three corpses with signs of severe torture and in a decomposed state found washed ashore during December alone along the coasts of Vadamaraadchi east and Mullaiththeevu areas have created a climate of fear among the fishermen and residents of littoral villages in Vadamaraadchy east, the General Manger of Vadamaraadchi east Fisheries Societies Federation said.
Full story >>

Subdued celebrations mark Christmas in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 December 2007, 00:05 GMT]
Heeding the call from Bishop of Jaffna Rt.Rev.Dr.Thomas Savundranayagam and various religious groups in the North, the christian community and people of other faiths joining the festivities in the peninsula observed very low key Christmas celebrations devoid of the usual pomp and glitter, sources said.
Full story >>

Court releases 17 Tamil civilians arrested in Puththa'lam

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 December 2007, 16:19 GMT]
Seventeen Tamil civilians, arrested a month ago at Munthal and Puththa'lam in the north-western province and kept in detention in the police stations of Munthal and Puththa'lam, were released Monday on the orders of the courts, legal sources said.
Full story >>

Four surrender at Jaffna HRC seeking safety

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 December 2007, 19:56 GMT]
Four civilians from Thenmaraadchy and Valikaamam in Jaffna sought safety at the offices of the Jaffna Human Rights Commission (HRC) Sunday, fearing for their lives from the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and SLA-backed paramilitaries, civil society sources in Jaffna said. Human Rights Watch (HRW), a human rights organization based in New York, told a public radio in Chicago saturday that in the last 18 months more than 1000 Tamils between ages 18 and 35 have disappeared, or tortured and killed, mainly in Jaffna. HRW added that on the average 4 persons are abducted or killed every day in Jaffna.
Full story >>

Protecting Rights defenders, a challenge to Diplomatic missions- Ganesan

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 December 2007, 15:01 GMT]
In an appeal addressed to all Diplomatic Missions in Colombo, Mano Ganesan, Leader of Western People’s Front and Convener of Civil Monitoring Commission, said Friday, that it is a challenge Western Democratic Governments which have expressed "human rights as the most core issue" in Sri Lanka, to urgently move to protect defenders of human rights and humanitarian workers. Ganesan recently charged that Colombo, by withdrawing his security personnel, is creating a climate for getting him assassinated.
Full story >>

Batticaloa flood victims need urgent help - MP

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 December 2007, 19:49 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian for Batticaloa District. S. Jeyananthamoorthy, appealed to the Batticaloa Aditional Government Agent, K Maheshan, to immediately take all necessary steps to provide relief assistance to the flood victims in the Batticaloa district. Continued torrential rain is falling in Batticaloa, Amparai and Polannaruwa districts for more than 24 hours, and most of the low lying areas in Batticaloa have become submerged resulting in a large number of civilians becoming displaced from their residences, sources in the region said.
Full story >>

ICRC officials meet Boosa detainees

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 December 2007, 14:28 GMT]
The International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) said in a press release issued Thursday evening that representatives of the ICRC visited the Boosa detention centre and inspected the condition of 469 detainees who were arrested by the government security forces following two bomb blasts that took place in Colombo on November 28. Nearly 2000 civilians were arrested and most of them were released later, the press release said.
Full story >>

Mannaar Bishop meets Nadesan in Ki’linochchi

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 December 2007, 03:40 GMT]
Rt. Rev. Rayappu Joseph, Bishop of Mannaar Diocese, discussed humanitarian problems faced by the Tamil people with B. Nadesan, the political head of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), in a meeting Thursday around 1:00 p.m in Ki’linochchi.
Full story >>

SLA artillery injured Mannar IDP, dies

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 December 2007, 17:19 GMT]
An Internally Displaced Person (IDP), who was injured in the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) artillery fire on 26.10.2007 on the IDP camp at Periyamadu in Mannaar, succumbed to the wounds Thursday early morning in Muzhangkaavil hospital, hospital sources said.
Full story >>

Police instructs Tamils in Moneragala to register details

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 December 2007, 16:19 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Police has instructed all Tamil residents above the age of ten in estates Muppanavalli, Maragala, Kumarathola and Ulaanthawa in Moneragala district to register themselves with their photographs with the respective police stations immediately. Those who fail to comply with the directive would be punished, the police has warned, residents said.
Full story >>

Four shops robbed in Kalmunai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 December 2007, 01:05 GMT]
Four business establishments located in the heart of Kalmunai city, in Amparai District, were broken into, and the contents and cash looted by unidentified robbers at 3:30 am Tuesday, police said.
Full story >>