White cane day in Vanni marks symbol of independence

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 October 2005, 13:33 GMT]
A cultural festival including dance, drama, and music is scheduled to take place in Puthukkudiyiruppu Central School Hall on 19 October to celebrate the "White Cane" safety day marking the progress of visually impaired children and adults in the NorthEast. In 1963, United States Congress designated 15 October as the White Cane Saftey Day callling the people to observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
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Wickremasinghe begins election campaign in NorthEast

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 October 2005, 16:37 GMT]
Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, presidential candidate of the opposition United National Party (UNP) Friday began his election tour in the Northeast province, with first rally in Vavuniya town. Mr.Noordeen Mashor, former Minister and Vanni District Sri Lanka Muslim Congress organizer presided the meeting held at Vavuniya Urban Council grounds Friday afternoon.
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Vanni bank awards prizes to thrifty children

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 October 2005, 01:54 GMT]
Officers of the Social Economic Development (SED) bank awarded prizes for 127 children who managed to save more than Rs 2000/- in their piggy banks, as part of the bank's "Future charm" savings project in an event held at the Pradeshya Sabha building in Puthukkudiyiruppu Mullaitivu district at 10.30 a.m. Thursday.
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Doyen of FP, uncompromising on Tamil National question

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 October 2005, 00:16 GMT]
Are leaders of Sinhala community prepared to share state power with Tamils? Mr. V. Navaratnam, the only surviving founder member of the Federal Party that provided political leadership to Tamils for more than three decades since it was formed in 1949, and described as the brain behind FP, shared with TamilNet his views on Tamil National struggle. The doyen of Tamil politics who negotiated with the father of the incumbent President Chandrika Kumaratunge and other Sri Lanka leaders for sharing state power within a federal framework for almost three decades turns 96-years this month in Montreal, Canada. He also inked the Bandaranaiyake Chelvanayagam pact.
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Kumarappa, Pulendran Eighteenth anniversary held in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 October 2005, 10:27 GMT]
The eighteenth death anniversary of senior commanders of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Lt. Colonel Pulendran and Lt. Colonel Kumarappa and ten other cadres was observed in Munai in Vadamaradchchy, Jaffna Tuesday morning, sources in Jaffna said. The event took place in the Sri Lanka Army controlled area. Munai region Leader of auxilliary unit of the LTTE naval wing, Pathinather presided the event.
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Vilankulam families benefit from housing project

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 October 2005, 11:10 GMT]
Internally displaced families who fled from Vilankulam, a Tamil village located on the Trincomalee-Kandy highway about 13 km off southwest of the east port city, twenty years ago following ethnic disturbances are slowly resettling back in their own lands. The Trincomalee Rotary Club (TRC) has been implementing a low-cost housing project for these resettled families. Mr.Nihal Bogahalande, Sri Lanka's District Rotary Governor handed over the first house under this project to a beneficiary family on the twentieth anniversary of their displacement last weekend.


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CTTU to strike on Teachers Day

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 October 2005, 18:24 GMT]
The Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union (CTTU) gave notice to Dr Tara de Mel, Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher education, that its members will go on one day sick leave as a token trade union action on October 5 as the Education Ministry has failed to fulfill its promises regarding its twenty five demands. The CTTU said that it will be compelled to go on continuous strike from October 24 if the demands are not met.


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International children's day celebrated in Vanni

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 October 2005, 16:44 GMT]
Children from nine chidren's homes in Mullaitivu and Kiliochchi districts participated in International Children'day celebrations that included sports competitions and cultural events held in the Kilinochchi Central Play grounds Saturday, sources in Vanni said. Supporting events were also held in Akkarayan, Pooneryn and Vaddakachchi, according to event organizers.
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UNP to hold 120 rallies after nomination day

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 October 2005, 12:30 GMT]
The United National Party (UNP) is planning to hold one hundred and twenty propaganda in support of its presidential candidate Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe between November 7 and November 15, two days ahead of the presidential poll scheduled to be held on November 17. The first meeting is be held in Kandy on November 8, UNP Deputy general Secretary Mr.Tissa Attanayake said.


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US defers Sri Lanka's $40m debt repayment, freeing tsunami funds

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 September 2005, 10:41 GMT]
U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead and Sri Lankan Treasury Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera signed an agreement Friday allowing 2005 funds previously allocated for debt payments, for a total value of $40m, to be used for relief and reconstruction activities in tsunami affected areas, a press release issued by the US embassy in Colombo said, Friday.


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Danish group declares areas in Kanniya, Thiriyai mine free

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 September 2005, 05:34 GMT]
About 10,000 square meter area in Kanniya and about 8,000 square meter area in Thiriyai in the Trincomalee district have been declared mine free by the Danish Demining Group (DDG), civil society sources in Trincomalee said. Mr.Magnus Johansson, Technical Advisor of the DDG Wednesday and Thursday handed over "Release of Land Certificates" to the civil authority in these villages.
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SLN allows students entry into Mandaitivu after protest

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 September 2005, 18:49 GMT]
Soldiers of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) manning the checkpoint at the Pannai junction who had earlier blocked a group of Jaffna University students from entering Mandaitivu Tuesday allowed the group in, after the students held a three-hour sit-in-protest commencing from 9.30 a.m., sources in Jaffna said.


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SLN blocks Pongu Thamil group from entering Mandaitivu

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 September 2005, 11:47 GMT]
A group of students from Jaffna Technical College on their way to publicize forthcoming Tamil Resurgence event were barred from entering Mandaitivu by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLn) soldiers manning the Mandaitivu Junction sentry Tuesday morning, sources said.
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SLA extends checkpoint hours to assist Convention attendees

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 September 2005, 00:32 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) authorities in Thallady main camp in Mannar district Monday agreed to extend Uyilankulam checkpoint opening time by more than 2 hours on September 30 for the people from LTTE controlled area to enter Mannar town through Uyilankulam to attend Tamil Resurgence Convention. The SLA agreed to the request when Vanni district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians Mr.Sivanathan Kishore, Mr. Noharathalingam and Mr.Sivasakthi Anandan Monday morning met with Colonel Kariyakarawanse and sought assistance, sources said. The SLA also agreed not to deploy soldiers in the vicinity of the convention.
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Thileepan's 18th anniversary celebrated in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 September 2005, 11:58 GMT]
Lt.Col.Thileepan's eighteenth death annivasary celebration was held at the Batticaloa Palugamam Throupathy Amman Kovil grounds between 10am and 3pm Monday, sources in Batticaloa said. Batticaloa district Liberation Tigers military commander Ramanan raised the Thamileelam national flag and LTTE Head of Administration Thangaiya lit the traditional oil lamp to begin the celebrations where several hundred Batticaloa residents and LTTE cadres attended.


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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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SLA soldiers assault Vadamaradchchi fishermen

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 September 2005, 07:57 GMT]
Soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army manning coastal checkpoints assaulted a group of fishermen Saturday early morning for returning to the shore after fishing before the stipulated time given by the Sri Lankan armed forces. Fishermen of Vadamaradchchi North have been ordered by the SLA not to return to the shore with their catch before 6.30 a.m., Vadamaradchchi North Fisheries Co-operative Societies Federation Secretary Mr.K.Suriyakumaran said.
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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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Dance, Music teachers strike demanding permanent appointments

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 September 2005, 10:02 GMT]
More than sixty teachers of music and dance in Jaffna district struck for the second day Friday forcing closure to regional education centers. Teachers demanded explanation from the NorthEast Education Ministry for not providing permanent positions even after passing the selection examinations and attending interviews, spokesperson for the striking teachers said.
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SLA blocks cement lorry enter Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 September 2005, 10:16 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers at the Muhamalai checkpoint refused to allow a lorry belonging to Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) taking cement for its rehabilitation work into Jaffna, Thursday morning, TRO officials said.
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