Thirukkovil refugees' woes worsened by STF

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 March 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Eight hundred and nine refugee families, displaced from the interior villages of Thangavelayuthapuram, Kanjikudichcha Aaru, Alikkambai, Thandiady, Udumbankulam etc., in the south eastern sector of the Amparai district, have been living as refugees in Thirukkovil, a large ancient Tamil village, on the eastern coast of the Amparai District, since 1990.
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For want of a leave form

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A shortage of goods, except perhaps military hardware, is not unnatural at times of war. However, one item which is much sought after in Jaffna today, is not usually among items which are scarce at times of strife. A simple piece of paper, the leave form, has a become a rare commodity in Sri Lankan government offices, eagerly sought after by aspiring leave-takers.
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Jaffna council to convene in March

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Ms. Sarojini Yogeswaran, the TULF's mayor designate of the Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) told the Jaffna TamilNet correspondent today that she plans to convene the council in the first week of March.
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Hindu ceremonies being organised

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The authorities in Jaffna are making arrangements to transport devotees to Keerimalai Naguleswaram temple for Mahasivaraththiri poojas on February 25, said temple sources in Keerimalai. Six buses will be used to transport devotees from Tellippalai on that day for poojas from 2:00 - 6:00 p.m.
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Jaffna conditions seen affecting infants

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Almost one child in ten, born last year in the Jaffna District, was underweight, the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) for the Jaffna District, told the TamilNet correspondent today.
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Most plantation workers on strike today

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lankan plantation workers burnt an effigy of S. Thondaman, leader of the main trade union in the Sri Lanka's hill country, for reaching a compromise on the strike, and demanding 105 rupees as minimum daily wage.
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Batticaloa farmers face bleak prospects

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Farmers in the Batticaloa District - especially those from areas controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) - are facing financial ruin with middlemen purchasing their harvest at very low prices, reports the TamilNet correspondent in Batticaloa.
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Protest planned over massacre

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A public rally is to be held on Saturday in Thambalakamam, demanding the removal of three police posts in the area where the policemen and home-guards who were involved in the massacre of eight youngsters on January 31st had been stationed, sources in Thambalakamam told the Trincomalee TamilNet correspondent today.
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Disease takes Jaffna toll

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Sixteen persons died this year in the Jaffna District from Malaria, Dr. E. Deivendram, of the Jaffna Municipal Council told the TamilNet correspondent today. Death from Malaria for 1997 stood at 41. There were also 104 deaths from dengue last year.
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SLA patrol fires on civilians

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A woman and her one year old child were wounded today when an army route patrol from the Peythalai SLA camp fired indiscriminately along the road in the village of Peythalai near Valaichenai, 30 kilometers north of Batticaloa.
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Valaichenai shelling kills one

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A man was killed on the spot and his four year old daughter was seriously wounded last night around 7.30 p.m. when the Valaichenai Police fired shells into the Puthukkudiyiruppu village.
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Identity cards confiscated

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
150 civilians were arrested last evening around 4 p.m. in Thuraineelavanai, 30 kilometers south of Batticaloa, by the Special Task Force (STF). All were taken to the STF camp in Karaitheevu in the Amparai district, about 14 kilometers further south of Thuraineelavanai.
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Veeramunai's perpetual fear

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
On the night of 3rd January, continuous firing by Muslim home guards could heard by the residents of Veeramunai village in the Ampara District.
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Palai hospital short of equipment

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
An average of 90-95 patients suffering from Malaria come daily for treatment to the hospital in Palai, south east of Jaffna town, says the TamilNet's Jaffna correspondent who visited the area today.
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Voters said trickling in

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Reports from Jaffna town said that people have begun venturing out to vote at the polling booths in Jaffna town in very small numbers by noon. There is an average of 25-30 people at some polling centres in the town which the TamilNet correspondents visited around 11.30 a.m.(05.30 GMT).
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Low turn out at clustered booths

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Reports from Jaffna said that polling was very low in Kokkuvil,Maruthanaamadam, Inuvil, Sankaanai, Sandilippai, Uduvil, Vaddukkoddai and generally in Waligamam west.
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Low turnout in quiet polls

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
An official at the independent election monitoring group's office in Jaffna town said this evening that today's polls were generally free of any incidents of violence. Voter turn out was generally very low said TamilNet reporters in Jaffna.
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Voter numbers come in

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Low polling was recorded at the local government elections held in the Jaffna peninsula with voting in the Jaffna Municipal Council dipping to 25%, said the TamilNet correspondent. Voting in the islands off the Jaffna peninsula has also been very low.
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Polls overshadowed by developments elsewhere

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Civilian activity on the roads of Jaffna came to a virtual standstill today, the eve of local government elections, as residents stayed at home through fear, said sources in the peninsula. What was seen on the roads were buses, specially brought from Colombo for the polls, transporting officers on election duty, ballot boxes and ballot papers, under heavy armed guard by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA).
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Most voting cards not claimed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Of the approximately 12,000 poll cards sent to the postmaster of Kayts, an island northwest of the Jaffna peninsula, only 3000 have been issued up to 2.00 p.m. today, postal department sources told the TamilNet correspondent.
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