Trincomalee, suburbs under dusk to dawn curfew, violence widespread

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 April 2006, 11:39 GMT]
Dusk to dawn curfew has been enforced in Trincomalee town and its suburbs Varothianagar, Kanniya, Mihindupura Friday evening following the escalation of violence that erupted in Mihindapura, a suburb about five km off Trincomalee on Trincomalee-Anuradhapura road as a group of persons attacked houses of Tamil residents in the area following the discovery of a body of Sinhalese youth Nissanka who was reported missing from Thursday. The Police rushed more personnel to Mihindapura and other areas in Kanniya village where also several houses are reported burnt down by unruly mobs. Initial reports said a Hindu Nadesar temple and an NGO office, Aham, were burnt down in Mihindapura.
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Nine Tamil scholars to receive NE Governor's Award

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 April 2006, 03:36 GMT]
The list of names of nine recipients for the North East Governor's Award for the Year 2005 was released Wednesday by the Provincial Secretary for the Provincial Education and Cultural Affairs Ministry Mr.R.Thiagalingam. The recipients who are reputed Tamil scholars will be presented with awards on the second day of two-day Twelfth North East Tamil Literary Festival, which is to commence on April 20th at Mannar Town Hall, sources said.
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LTTE opens Planning Secretariat in Trinco

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 April 2006, 18:47 GMT]
Liberation Tigers opened a District Planning and Development Secretariat in Chenaiyoor in the LTTE held Muttur east in the Trincomalee district, Wednesday evening, sources said. Colonel Sornam, Trincomalee District Special Commander of the LTTE declared open the secretariat building and Mr.S.Elilan, LTTE Trincomalee district political head unveiled the name board of the secretariat.
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Vigneswaran burial held in Anpuvallipuram

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 April 2006, 12:41 GMT]
The remains of slain Mr.V.Vigneswaran, President of Trincomalee District Tamil People's Forum (TDTPF) were buried in the cemetery in Anpuvallipuram, a suburb about 2 km. off Trincomalee, Tuesday evening, after being kept in the Trincomalee Town Hall for members of public to pay last respects from morning to noon and thereafter till 3 p.m. in Anpuvallipuram Kalaimagal Vidiyalayam. Large number of people attended the funeral. Mr.Vigneswaran was shot dead on Friday morning inside the Bank of Ceylon premises located in the high security zone in Trincomalee town by an unidentified armed men.
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Charles Anthony Brigade celebrates 15th anniversary of inauguration

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 April 2006, 11:19 GMT]
Cadres of Charles Anthony Brigade and Senior Commanders of the Liberation Tigers celebrated the fifteenth anniversary of the formation of the brigade by holding a sports and cultural event which started at 3.30 p.m. Monday in an undisclosed sports ground in Vanni, sources said. Charles Anthony brigade, the first conventional fighting formation created by the Liberation Tigers on 10 April 1991 was initially trained under the leadership of Col.Balraj.


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TNA MPs, LTTE leaders pay respect to Vigneswaran in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 April 2006, 00:56 GMT]
"Tamil human rights activist Mr. V. Vigneswaran's assassination and those of 17 other Tamils in the period from November 2005 to January 2006 clearly shows that the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) will never protect the human rights of the Tamils. Therefore we ourselves have to strive to protect our rights," said Rev. Fr. Kanagaratnam, Director North East Human Rights Secretariet (NEOSHR), paying homage to slain Mr. Vigneswaran whose body was kept for viewing at the Cultural Hall in Kilinochchi Monday, said sources.


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Claymore attack in Jaffna, 5 SLA soldiers, 2 humanitarian workers killed

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 April 2006, 09:22 GMT]
Five Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers travelling in a SLA truck and two Tamil humanitarian workers belonging to Human Development Centre (HUDEC), who were riding in a vehicle that was overtaking the SLA truck, were killed when a Claymore mine fixed to a lamp post was exploded Monday afternoon by unidentified attackers on A9 Road at Mirusuvil, 9 km northeast of Chavakachcheri, police in Chavakacheri said. Two SLA soldiers and two HUDEC staffers were also injured in the Claymore explosion.
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SLA balks at demarcating new mine fields for demining

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 April 2006, 15:04 GMT]
De-mining activities in Jaffna face danger of being drawn to a close due to the reluctance shown by the Sri Lanka Security forces to identify and demarcate new mine infested areas for the Non-Governmental Organizations including British HALO Trust and Danish Demining Group (DDG) to continue demining, civil society sources in Jaffna said Sunday.
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Mannar mourns death of Vigneswaran

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 April 2006, 15:00 GMT]
A weeklong mourning for the slain Trincomalee Tamil activist Mr.V.Vigneswaran who was shot dead Friday in Trincomalee town commenced Saturday in Mannar district in response to an appeal by the District Tamil Resurgence Movement, sources said.
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Pirapaharan confers Maamanithar title to Vigneswaran

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 April 2006, 12:31 GMT]
Leader of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Velupillai Pirapaharan, bestowed the title Maamanithar (Great Human being) on Mr.Vanniasingham Vigneswaran, President of the Trincomalee District Tamil Peoples' Forum (TDTPF) who was shot dead Friday. "Steadfast and honest, he opposed the genocidal war by the successive Sinhala governments which destroyed thousands of tamil lives and their property, plundered Tamils possessions and resources, and was intent on destroying Tamil National symbols. Vigeswaran fought to free Tamils from this menace," Pirapaharan said in the statement conferring the award.
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TNA condemns Vigneswaran killing

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 April 2006, 10:53 GMT]
Mr. Vigneswaran has been in forefront of several campaigns when rights of Tamil people in Trincomalee were suppressed, Tamil National Alliance said in a statement Friday. The TNA severely condemned the killing of Mr.Vanniasingham Vigneswaran, the president of Trincomalee District Tamil Peoples' Forum, that had taken place on Friday morning in front of the Trincomalee main branch of the Bank of Ceylon where he was working as an executive officer.
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SL Parliament adjourned for May 9 following disruption by TNA MPs

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 April 2006, 08:44 GMT]
Sri Lanka's parliament was adjourned till May 9 following continued disruption of its proceedings by Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians protesting against the killings of Tamil civilians in the North East by the State armed forces in connivance with para military groups and the latest victim being Mr.V.Vanniyasingham, President of the Trincomalee District Tamil Peoples Forum shot dead on Thursday morning in front of his work place, Trincomalee main branch of the Bank of Ceylon (BoC).
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Vigneswaran shot dead in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 April 2006, 04:08 GMT]
Mr.Vanniasingham Vigneswaran, President of the Trincomalee District Tamil Peoples' Forum (TDTPF) was shot dead Friday around 9.30 a.m. by an unidentified person when he was about to enter the main branch of the Bank of Ceylon (BoC) located along Inner Harbor Road between the office of the Senior Superintendent of Police and Trincomalee Harbor Police. The assassination of the key Tamil activist has taken place when the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) was about to announce the appointment of Mr. Vigneswaran as the national list Parliamentarian to fill the position held by Joseph Pararajasingham MP who was slain in Batticaloa on Christmas eve, TNA sources said.
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International Mine Action Day observed in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 April 2006, 15:01 GMT]
"We lost 15 lives in 119 landmine accidents in 2000 when the White Pigeon Organisation (WPO) was created whereas in 2005, we lost no lives and the number of landmine accidents were only 15, which prove the success of the WPO's mine risk education awareness campaign," said Dr. T. W. Jeyakularajah, President WPO and the Mullaithivu district Deputy director of Health Services, Tuesday 10:00 a.m. at the International Mine Action Day celebration in Kilinochchi Central College, in Kilincochchi.
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India Church funds new housing for Mullaitivu tsunami affected

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 April 2006, 01:19 GMT]
Foundation laying ceremony for the first phase of twenty five permanent houses for tsunami affected families in Kallapadu North village in Mullaitivu district, funded by Church of South India, was held at 12 noon Monday, sources in Mullaitivu said. The Church has agreed to fund construction of one hundred houses, church officials said.
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Annai Poopathy, a supreme model for Tamils- Ilamparithi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 April 2006, 14:15 GMT]
"Annai Poopathy who sacrificed her life, in a fast-to-death protest in March 1988 protesting against the Indian peace keeping forces (IPKF) and supporting the Tamils liberation struggle, is an example for all Tamils to emulate. In all key events, like the local council elections, we have to tell the world that we Tamils stand determined and united in achieving our just aspirations," said S. Ilamparithi, Jaffna district head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam LTTE political wing, presiding at the 18th anniversary memorial celebration held Saturday 10 a.m, at Palai Maha Vidyalayam.


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ITAK victory in Trinco proves NorthEast homeland for Tamils- TNA

[TamilNet, Friday, 31 March 2006, 20:19 GMT]
The victory of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) in the election for the Trincomalee Urban Council and Trincomalee Town and Gravets Pradesiya Sabah have strengthened the concept that the NorthEast province is the homeland for Tamil speaking people, said Mr.K.Thurairetnasingham, Trincomalee district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Friday evening after the counting of votes came to a close in the local councils held on Thursday.
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Thanthai Chelva's 108th birthday celebrations held in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Friday, 31 March 2006, 10:59 GMT]
"The dreams of "Thanthai" Chelvanayagam, embodied in the Vaddukkodai resolution, are coming true," said Mavai Senathirajah, Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian in the special ceremony held Friday 9 a.m, commemorating the 108th birth anniversary of Mr. S. J. V. Chelvanayagam in Vavuniya, said sources.


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Germany assists Jaffna, Kilinochchi Farmers' Organizations

[TamilNet, Friday, 31 March 2006, 00:29 GMT]
The German Technical Co-operation (GTZ) on behalf of the German Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ), handed over tractors to Farmers Federation in Jaffna District, said a press release issued by GTZ Thursday. The release added that GTZ, in co-operation with the Ministry for Nation Building and Development, has also dedicated a new school and Pre-School in Thadduvankoddy village in Kilinochchi district, on 1st March.
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UAV comes down in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 March 2006, 09:35 GMT]
An unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) used by Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) for surveillance and reconnaissance missions crashed down colliding against the television antenna in a private house Tuesday morning at about 10.15 in Poonthodam Maharambaikulam, in Vauniya.
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