Sri Lanka spells out conditions for talks to Norway- reports

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 September 2006, 01:30 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s government (GoSL) is demanding a written assurance from LTTE leader Velupillai Pirapaharan that the LTTE would end its violence before GoSL will agree to hold talks with the Tigers, newspapers reported Friday. The GoSL demand was spelled out to Norwegian facilitators by Sri Lankan officials who met Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar on Thursday, they said. Meanwhile the government’s Defence Spokesman, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, told the Daily Mirror that Norway was informed that “a single bullet fired by the LTTE after agreeing for talks would compel the government to withdraw from the Ceasefire.”


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SL Navy arrests fleeing Trinco civilians via Mannar Sea

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 September 2006, 17:58 GMT]
Mannar additional magistrate T.J.Pirapaharan Friday ordered that forty Tamil civilians arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) Thursday afternoon while fleeing to South India to seek refuge, to be handed over to Mannar civil officials. The arrested Tamil civilians are natives of Allesgarden and Kuchchaveli in Trincomalee district. The Magistrate ordered remand for the three boatmen, who were transporting the refugees, till September 11.
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SL Navy arrests more fleeing Tamil civilians

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 September 2006, 05:38 GMT]
Another batch of 20 Talaimannar civilians while fleeing to South India to seek refuge was taken into custody by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) on Monday morning. Two boatmen who are residents of Talaimannar were also taken into custody. Later they were handed over to Talaimannar Police for further inquiry.
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Dozens killed in new Sri Lankan offensive on Sampoor

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 August 2006, 11:38 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s military launched a major offensive Monday to capture Tamil Tiger controlled Sampoor in the Trincomalee district. Bombs and shells have killed at least 20 civilians and wounded 26 more, LTTE sources in Sampoor told TamilNet. At least 11 SLA soldiers were killed and 79 wounded, AFP reported. The objective of the offensive was to capture Sampoor and Thoppur area, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka told The Associated Press. The LTTE's Military Spokesman Irasaiah Ilanthirayan told Reuters the Sri Lankan government was trying to resume a full-scale war.
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LTTE to release Sri Lankan policeman

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 August 2006, 16:08 GMT]
The leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), on Friday, decided to release the third Sri Lankan Policeman held in custody since October 2005. The decision was made following a request for goodwill-gesture from the outgoing Head of SLMM Major General Ulf Henricsson, LTTE sources in Kilinochchi said.
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Pakistan ‘guiding’ Sri Lanka’s war

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 August 2006, 05:16 GMT]
A group of Pakistan Air Force officers stationed in Colombo have been guiding the Sri Lankan military in carrying out air-mounted operations against the LTTE, a former counter-terrorism chief of India’s External intelligence says. The Pakistani officers have also been involved in drawing up plans for a decapitation airstrike with bunker-buster bombs to kill LTTE leader Vellupillai Pirapaharan, B. Raman says. The appointment of recently retired Deputy Chief of the Pakistani Air Force (PAF) as Islamabad’s representative to Sri Lanka is a deepening of Pakistan’s support, he says, adding the move is a concern for India’s national security.
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LTTE confers Maamanithar award on Sivamaharaja

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 August 2006, 06:31 GMT]
Leader of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eeelam, V. Pirapaharan, Tuesday, posthumously conferred Mamanithar (Great human being) award, the highest national honour granted by the LTTE, to Sinnathamby Sivamaharaja. He was the Managing Director of Jaffna Tamil daily "Namathu Eelanadu" until his death on Sunday when he was shot and killed at his residence located inside the High Security Zone (HSZ) in Tellippallai.


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Eight on LTTE-related charges in US

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 August 2006, 07:18 GMT]
US authorities Monday charged eight men with providing material support to the Tamil Tigers the US Justice Department said. Amongst the charges are conspiring to buy surface to air missiles for the Tamil Tigers and bribing US officials to have the LTTE removed from a list of terrorist organizations and to obtain classified intelligence, a statement said. The evidence include consensual recordings of telephone conversations and meetings with US officials, it added. The Tigers deny any involvement in the activities of the arrested individuals whilst Sri Lanka hailed the move.
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SL Navy arrests more Tamil civilians fleeing to Tamilnadu

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 August 2006, 12:23 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy Sunday night arrested another batch of 76 Tamil civilians in Mannar mid sea when they were fleeing to Tamilnadu in two fibre glass boats. Eleven boatmen were taken into custody by SLN personnel with the two fibre glass boats. All civilians were residents of Pesalai and Vankalai in Mannar district and, Thirukadaloor and Salli in Trincomalee district.
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Mannar civilians again flee to South India

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 August 2006, 15:03 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Navy Monday night around 7:30 p.m. arrested 12 persons of three families including three children who were hiding in a bush along the Mannar sea shore waiting for a boat to leave to Tamilnadu state in South India to seek refuge. All of them were handed to the Talaimannar police Tuesday morning around 11:00 a.m by the Sri Lanka Navy. SL policemen in Pesalai recently warned civilians to leave their houses from Pesalai.
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Pon Ganeshamoorthy: a Tamil Nationalist

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 August 2006, 00:12 GMT]
Pon. Ganeshamoorthy who was killed Friday was a well known literary figure, author, long time freedom activist and ardent campaigner for the independence of Tamil Eelam. He was the General Manager of Peoples Bank, Kankesanturai Branch and was on his way to work when he was killed. His killers are alleged to be Intelligence operatives of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA).
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SLA soldier killed in Mannar

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 August 2006, 11:11 GMT]
One soldier of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) was killed in a fight between SLA and LTTE around midnight on Saturday at Parapankandal in Mannar district. He was identified as Serath Mudiansalage Sisira Premlal aged 39 of Avissawella and military sergeant in rank. His body was handed over to the Mannar general hospital, Murunkan Police said.
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Claymore blast in Mannar kills SLA soldier, injures another

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 August 2006, 09:27 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier was killed and another injured in a claymore mine attack on troops engaged road clearing operation at Periyaneelansenai along Uyilankulam-Adamban Old Road, around 7.30 a.m., Wednesday. Following the explosion unidentified men in lying ambush fired at soldiers, police in the northwestern town said.
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Thousands gather in Hyde Park remembrance

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 July 2006, 13:11 GMT]
Thousands of British Tamils are gathering in London’s Hyde Park to remember the thousands of fellow Tamils massacred in the July 1983 pogrom. The event, organised by the Tamil Youth Organisation (TYO) on behalf of the expatriate Tamil community, is taking place in the centre of the Royal park Tuesday afternoon.
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SLA soldier killed in Mannar firefight

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 July 2006, 00:11 GMT]
One Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier was killed when unidentified gunmen, waiting in ambush, fired at a group of soldiers at Kaddaiadampan along Mannar-Madawachchi main road at 2:15 p.m. Monday, sources said.
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LTTE leader pays homage to Lt. Seelan, artillery units complete training

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 July 2006, 18:06 GMT]
Mr. V. Pirapaharan, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) participated in the twenty third memorial anniversary of Charles Anthony, from Trincomalee, one of the first commanders of the LTTE who died in 1983. Mr. Pirapaharan addressed more than a hundred senior level field leaders of two artillery units that completed training. The LTTE leader payed homage to Lt. Seelan, Ananth and other five cadres and awarded merit certificates to the officers who had completed training at an undisclosed location in Vanni Sunday, LTTE sources said.
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Rajapakse initiative, an elaborate theatre to appease international community - paper

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 July 2006, 14:16 GMT]
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse’s initiative this week to come up with power-sharing proposal is “elaborate theatre to appease international demands, particularly India’s,” the Tamil Guardian said in its editorial this week. Arguing the ‘outbidding’ which undermined previous initiatives was “guaranteed” to happen again, given the lack of support from the UNP and the vehement opposition of the JVP and JHU, the paper said: “Rajapakse’s immediate priority is not to come up with a serious proposal to offer the Tamils, but to destroy his ruling party's main rival and consolidate his grip on parliament.”
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Vankalaipadu SLN commander gives evidence in Pesalai killings

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 July 2006, 13:32 GMT]
Mannar Additional Magistrate Mr.T.J.Pirapaharan Friday ordered the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of Talaimannar Police to record the statement of the Commanding Officer of the Sunny Village Naval Detachment and to produce Lieutenant Commander Rohana Dissanayake of Sunny Village SLN camp on the next date of inquiry. The Additional Magistrate made the above directive at the conclusion of the evidence of Lieutenant Dissanayake Santhana Lakshman Dissanayake, commanding officer of Vankalaipadu Navy camp, legal sources said.
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Tamil youth shot dead in Sirukandal, Mannar

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 July 2006, 16:24 GMT]
Unidentified men Saturday morning attacked a group of soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Sirukandal village in Murunkan division in Mannar district. Markandu Parathanathan from Thumpalai, Point-Pedro was killed when SLA retaliated, security sources said.


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Rationale for LTTE olive branch missed - paper

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 June 2006, 10:07 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers’ extension of an olive branch to India has, amid the ensuing media frenzy, been widely misunderstood, the Tamil Guardian newspaper said in its editorial this week. Pointing out that amid rising violence against Tamil civilians, “twenty years [after first doing so], India is again intervening to protect the Tamils from the Sri Lankan state,” the paper said: “securing the island’s Tamils and ensuring their rights are restored and safeguarded is a goal behind which both the LTTE and India are separately, but simultaneously, once again aligned.”
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