Vavuniya parliamentarian killed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 15 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Mr. S. Shanmuganathan, PLOTE parliamentarian for the Vavuniya district, his son and three policemen were killed when a landmine exploded under the vehicle they were travelling in at Irambaikkkulam, 2 km east of Vavuniya around 10.00 p.m. (16.00 GMT) today, said police sources.
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Vavuniya MP killed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 15 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Mr. S. Shanmuganathan, also known as Vasanthan, parliamentarian for the Vavuniya district representing the Democratic People's Liberation Front (DPLF), was killed along with five others when a claymore mine exploded under the van they were travelling in at Irambaikkulam, 2 km east of Vavuniya around 10.00 today, said police sources.
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Cafes close over cholera fears

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Doctor K. T. Sivapalan, Deputy Director of Health for the Jaffna District, has told health inspectors to take all precautions necessary to arrest the spread of cholera in Jaffna.
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Graduate protest over unemployment

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Over one hundred unemployed graduates of Vavuniya district staged a token fast from 9 am to 4 p.m. yesterday in the premises of Vavuniya Kachcheri, in support of those unemployed graduates fasting in Trincomalee.
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'300 to 400 bodies have been buried'

[TamilNet, Monday, 06 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
On 3 July 1998, the Colombo High Court sentenced five Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and policemen charged with rape and murder in the Krishanthi Kumaraswamy case to death. Local and international human rights activists have welcomed the fact that a severe sentence was passed, indicating the gravity of the crimes, but there are doubts as to whether this marks an end to the climate of impunity in Sri Lanka.
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Demonstration over cuts in relief

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Over one thousand people demonstrated in Jaffna today, protesting at the Sri Lankan Government's decision to cut relief for displaced people. The demonstration was organised by an organisation calling itself the 'Movement campaigning for Human Justice'
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SLA operation in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lankan security forces carried out an operation in Batticaloa today, ex-militant sources told TamilNet, quoting Sri Lankan defence officials. According to the Sri Lankan Army (SLA), seven Liberation Tigers were killed and a police station and courthouse destroyed, said the sources.
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Cash liquidity crisis

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A severe shortage of cash in banks of the Mullaitheevu district is reported to have caused a series of problems, affecting activities such as the supplying of relief food, the payment of salaries and pensions and the local purchase of paddy by the Multipurpose Co- operative Societies (MPCS) there.
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Mi-24 shot down

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A Sri Lankan Air Force helicopter gunship was shot downed this morning around 8.55 near Vavuniya Airforce base, said ex-militant sources. Four personnel on board were killed, they added.
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RPG downed Mi-24

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A Sri Lankan Air Force helicopter (SLAF) gunship was shot down by the Liberation Tigers at Kachchankulam, 3 km. south of Vavuniya Airforce base, this morning around 8.55, ex-militant sources told TamilNet today. Four personnel on board were killed, they added.
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Batticaloa troops sent to Vanni

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Army (SLA) is moving front-line soldiers from Batticaloa to the areas of Operation 'Jeyasikurui' and replacing them with re-instated deserters and fresh recruits, ex-militant sources in Europe told TamilNet today.
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Cholera outbreak feared

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Following the detection of four suspected cholera cases, including a 11 year old boy, in Erukalampitty Welfare centre in Mannar, local health officials said they are taking immediate steps to prevent the disease being spread further, but are apprehensive.
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Para-military soldier killed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A member of the Razeek Group, a para-military outfit working with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), was killed in a confrontation with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) near the 10th Mile Post on the Vavunatheevu-Aithiymalai Road, 10 km Northwest of Batticaloa, around 7:00 a.m. yesterday, said sources in Batticaloa.
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Shortage of drugs causes hard ship - GA

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A large displaced population, the shortage of drugs, medical personnel, hospital facilities and the ongoing Jeyasikiru military operation are all factors contributing to an atmosphere of uncertainty and tension in the Mullaitheevu District, said the Government Agent (GA), Mr. R. Tharmakulasingam in his latest report on situation there.
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Behind closed doors

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
On 5 June 1998, the Sri Lankan President once again imposed censorship on foreign and local media barring them from reporting 'sensitive military information'. The PA promised to introduce legal and institutional reforms to strengthen the freedom of expression when it came to power in 1994. According to ARTICLE 19, the international censorship watchdog that has studied press freedom in Sri Lanka in detail, none of these reforms have been implemented. The following report is based on their research.
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Another Kilinochchi advance repulsed-LTTE

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Over 75 Sri Lankan Army soldiers were killed and over 200 injured in the fresh fighting that broke out yesterday in Kilinochchi as the SLA launched another offensive to recapture the northern town, said the LTTE in a press release issued yesterday from its International Secretariat in London. Western analysts say that they expect fighting to continue in the area in the short term.
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Vavuniya MP escapes attack

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen attacked the residence of Mr. Vaithialingam Balachandran, Democratic People's Liberation Front (DPLF) member of Parliament for Vavuniya, at Pandaarikulam, 1.5 km from Vavuniya town, yesterday evening around 6.45 p.m, said PLOTE sources. The MP escaped unhurt in the attack.
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Transport restriction in Vanni

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The army announced today that transport between the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) controlled and the LTTE controlled areas in the Vanni, through Madhu junction, 30 km west of Vavuniya on the Vavuniya-Mannar road, will not be permitted until further notice.
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Heavy casualties in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Heavy fighting has broken out in the Kilinochchi area between the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan Army. Fighting went on for 10 hours and casualties are believed to be heavy on both sides, said sources in Vavuniya.
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SLA opens new front?

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Fighting is reported between the Liberation Tigers and the troops of Operation Jeyasikurui in the Vanni forward areas this morning, said sources. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and the LTTE continued to exchange mortar fire, said sources in Vavuniya.
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