TNA parliamentarian detained at Omanthai SLA checkpoint

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 September 2005, 19:35 GMT]
Soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) manning the check point at Omanthai on A 9 highway Saturday afternoon detained Jaffna bound Mr.M.K.Eelaventhan, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) national list parliamentarian, for about one and a half hours even after he identified him as a lawmaker. Mr.Eelaventhan told Tamilnet that soldiers had told him that they were checking his documents and other related materials on the orders of the Sri Lanka government.
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Discrimination in Bank recruitment, protests TNA

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 September 2005, 11:06 GMT]
Mr.R.Sampanthan, leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group and the Trincomalee district parliamentarian Sunday faxed a written protest to President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge calling for the cancellation of all appointments made by the State Banks, Bank of Ceylon (BoC) and Peoples Bank (PB) to their branches in the Tamil dominated NorthEast or that the new appointees be recalled "as this is a repetition of the regular discrimination that has been consistently practised against the Tamils in the matter of employment in the state sector including State Banks."
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Nagarkovil massacre victims remembered

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 September 2005, 20:58 GMT]
The tenth anniversary of the Nagarkovil massacre was held Thursday at third milepost in Point Pedro where the displaced Nagarkovil Maha Vidiyalayam is currently functioning. Twenty six students were killed and 40 students were injured when Sri Lanka Air Force's (SLAF's) two Pucaro fighter planes on 22 September 1995 around 12.30 p.m. bombed the school while the school was in session.
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Colombo lacks will, ability to address Tamil National question- TNA

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 September 2005, 01:42 GMT]
Tamil people will be forced to urge the International community to "explicitely endorse the Tamil people's struggle for self-determination," if the Sri Lankan State continues to be intransigent in resolving the Tamil National question, warned Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in a press release issued in Colombo Thursday.
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Police sergeant succumbs to wounds

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 September 2005, 15:48 GMT]
Police Seargeant Mr. Wimalaratna, 57, who was shot and wounded by two motorbike-riding gunmen, succumbed to his gunshot wounds while he was being transferred from Akkaraipattu Hospital to Amparai Hospital in serious condition, hospital sources said. The sergeant was shot Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in Akkaraipattu, 64 km south of Batticaloa town.
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Grama Sevaka officer killed in Valaichenai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 September 2005, 18:07 GMT]
The Grama Sevaka officer (GS) of Kinniyadi division in Valaichenai, Mr. Alagaratnam Jeevaratnam, 51, was shot and killed by two motorbike-riding gunmen Wednesday around 8:30 p.m. The incident took place in front of his residence at Vinayakapuram in Valalichenai, police said. Two friends of Mr. Jeevaratnam were seriously wounded in the attack. The gunmen also lobbed a grenade, police said. Valaichenai is located 32 km north of Batticaloa town.
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"Emergency Laws: Death-knell to co-existence" – Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 September 2005, 17:23 GMT]
"The government must end the emergency rule, if it wishes peace to prevail in the country," insisted Mr. R. Sampanthan, leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group Wednesday, during the debate in parliament on extending the Emergency Regulations. Sri Lanka Parliament approved the extension of State emergency for another month. It won the approval of 118 members, while 24 voted against.
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Emergency extended

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 September 2005, 12:55 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Parliament Wednesday passed a motion extending the State of Emergency for another month by a majority of 94 votes. 118 members voted for the Emergency, and 24 voted against. The twenty members of Tamil National Alliance, two members of the Up-Country People Front (UPF), Mr. Mano Ganesan of Western Province Peoples Front (WPPF) and Mr. T. Maheswaran of United National Party (UNP) voted aginst the Emergency.
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Debate on extending State of Emergency begins in SL Parliament

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 September 2005, 08:08 GMT]
Sri Lanka's parliament began a one day debate Wednesday morning on extending the State of Emergency in the island for another month. The Sri Lankan Government declared State of Emergency on August 13 following the killing of its Foreign Minister Mr.Lakshman Kadirgamar allegedly by a sniper. The parliament convened later to approve the declaration with the support of the ruling party, JVP, JHU, UNP, CWC and NUA, parliamentary sources said.
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Rajapakse, JVP kick off joint election campaign

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 September 2005, 19:26 GMT]
Sri Lanka's premier Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse nominated as the SLFP presidential candidate vowed Tuesday to thwart all attempts by opposing parties with "vested interest" to defeat him in the forthcoming SL presidential polls on November 17. Mr. Rajapakse was addressing his first presidential election rally in Colombo Town Hall ground attended by representatives of political parties extending support to Mr. Rajapakse, including the Sinhala extremist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). However, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) key figures including Mr. Ratnasiri Wickremanayake were absent.
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Jaffna teachers begin work towards Resurgence event

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 September 2005, 11:15 GMT]
Several hundred pre-school teachers from Teachers Technical Colleges across Jaffna district assembled near the Thileepan Memorial near Nallur Kandaswamy temple Tuesday morning to inaugurate the action plan for village awakening activity for the forthcoming Tamil Resurgence Celebrations in Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said.
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Malteser International rebuilds Trincomalee Children's Home

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 September 2005, 00:07 GMT]
Renovated at a cost of about 3.5 million rupees donated by the German based Malteser International (Order of Worldwide Relief), the building complex of the Trincomalee "Anbu Illam," a leading children's home sheltering children made destitute due to war was handed over to the administration of the institution Saturday. Mr.K.Thurairatnasingham, Trincomalee district parliamentarian unveiled the name-board of the renovated building complex, sources said.
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SLA to intensify Pass system in Point Pedro

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 September 2005, 10:44 GMT]
Tension has built up again in the coastal area in Point Pedro district, over SLA’s new order to intensify the "Pass System," among Tamil fishermen. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) 524 Bridgade military officials in a meeting held Monday between 12 noon and 1 am at the brigade headquarters in Point Pedro presided by Col N. Ratnayake decided to reintroduce passes for Vadamaradchy fisherman through the fisheries Unions, SLA officials said.
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Police say evidence exists to arrest Sivaram killers

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 September 2005, 10:55 GMT]
A Police officer of Colombo Crime Division (CCD) has informed the Kaduwela Magistrate court on Friday 16 September, that all information and location details regarding the killers and gun used in the murder of TamilNet senior editor Mr. Dharmaretnam Sivaram has been found, legal sources said. According to the police officer a suspect held in custody had disclosed details of the killers and gun to the investigating officer following a long period of questioning.


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SLA searches TNA MP's Mannar residence

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 September 2005, 00:17 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers from Mannar camp encircled Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP Mr Vino Noharathalingam's residence at 5.15pm Thursday before entering the house, and searched all rooms in the house for suspicious material, the MP said in registering his complaint to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM).
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Remand extended for Sivaram murder suspect

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 September 2005, 10:57 GMT]
The suspect in the slaying of journalist Dharmaratnam Sivaram, Sriskandarajah, was remanded till 27th September by the Kaduwela Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge Champa Janaki Rajaratna on Wednesday, legal sources said.


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Paramilitary leader killed in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 September 2005, 04:52 GMT]
The leader of the Razeek Group, Mr. Sivaguru Navaratnarajah, 38, known as 'Kanthy', was killed in a grenade attack by unidentified attackers Wedensday morning. The attack took place at 6:25 a.m. inside the high security zone in Batticaloa town where Razeek group's well fortified military camp attached to Sri Lanka Army base at Lake Road is located. 'Kanthy' was rushed to Batticaloa Hospital with serious injuries and died at the hospital, Police said. He was in charge of Razeek Group since 'Razeek', the feared leader of the group was killed in 1999. SLA soldiers and police opened fire, cordoned off and searched the area following the attack, civilian sources said.
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Trinco TECH holds anniversary event

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 September 2005, 15:44 GMT]
The Trincomalee district branch of The Economy Consultant House (TECH) held its first anniversary event Saturday evening in Trincomalee Sri Koneswara Hindu College Hall. 42 students who successfully completed the City and Guilds Computer Training Course, conducted with the sponsorship of London TR TECH received certificates. Medals were awarded to students who excelled in computer-information technology. TECH Trincomalee district branch was formed on 10 eptember 2004.
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SLA opens access routes, blocks transport of Tamil paper

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 September 2005, 13:28 GMT]
After complaints from Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) opened the six access routes to LTTE controlled areas in Batticaloa district Saturday, but blocked transport of the Tamil daily "Batticaloa Eelanatham" into Sri Lanka Government controlled areas at the Pattiruppu bridge, Manmunai and Iranguthurai checkpoints, sources in Batticaloa said.
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Mannar court releases refugees, orders remand for two youths

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 September 2005, 18:39 GMT]
Thirteen persons rescued by the Sri Lanka Navy when Indian boatmen left them on a sandbank in Mannar Sea were produced in Mannar Magistrates' Court by Talaimannar Police Wednesday. Talaimannar Police submitted report to court stating that of the thirteen persons, eleven are genuine refugees and the rest two youths were not, legal sources said.
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