Monks protest at Colombo Bollywood show

[TamilNet, Saturday, 11 December 2004, 15:28 GMT]
Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) parliamentarian Ven.Omalpe Sobitha Thera sustained injuries and twelve protesters including monks were arrested at the "Temptation 2004" show at Horse Race Square, Colombo, Saturday, staged by Bollywood superstar Sharukh Khan when protesters turned violent, police sources in Colombo said. Venerable Omalpe Sobitha Thera is warded in the Colombo National Hospital, medical sources said. Buddhist Monks were protesting against holding the entertainment event on the death anniversary of Ven Gangodawilla Soma Thera.
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Private buses on Colombo-Vavuniya routes under attack

[TamilNet, Friday, 10 December 2004, 11:33 GMT]
Private bus operators are refusing to provide transport along the different Colombo to Vavuniya routes due to a recent spate of attacks on the vehicles where the bus windows were smashed by stones thrown by unknown persons in Kurunagala and Puttalam areas. Many passengers have been stranded in Vavuniya, sources in Vavuniya said.
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Concrete-block manufacturing facility opened in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 December 2004, 11:49 GMT]
The opening ceremony of a factory that builds concrete blocks from cement was declared open in Kilinochchi Monday, sources from Vanni said. The effort was funded by The Economic Consultancy House (TECH) a Non-Governmental Non-Profit Sharing Organization registered with the Government of Sri Lanka.
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Two youths accused of transporting mines

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 December 2004, 18:23 GMT]
The Chavakachcheri Magistrate Tuesday remanded two youths till December 21,when Kodikamam Police produced them for allegedly transporting four anti-personnel mines and a landmine through Muhamalai army checkpoint, legal sources said.


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Passing out parade for LTTE Special Forces held

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 December 2004, 12:41 GMT]
A passing out parade for Special Forces units of the Liberation Tigers that completed their courses at the LTTE's Military Training School was held on Monday, 6 December, in the Vanni, according to a statement from the LTTE media co-ordinating office in Kilinochchi. The leader of the Liberation Tigers, Mr. Velupillai Pirapaharan presented certificates and prizes to the units. He gave a talk on strategy, tactics and the challenges of modern warfare.
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Grenades thrown at Batticaloa LTTE office

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 December 2004, 04:12 GMT]
Unidentifed persons threw four hand grenades at the Batticaloa town political office of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Tuesday early morning around 1.20 a.m., Batticaloa police said. Although few LTTE political activists were at the office, no one was injured in the attack, police sources said.
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CHA advocates signing Landmine ban treaty

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 December 2004, 00:16 GMT]
"Sri Lanka government is not a signatory to the Ottawa convention on banning of land mines, but the Landmine Ban Advocacy Forum (LABF) sees the government participation at a recent review meeting as a step toward signing and complying with provisions of the conventions," said The Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA) in a media release issued Friday.
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Counter proposals not conducive to peace- Vanni MP

[TamilNet, Saturday, 04 December 2004, 17:03 GMT]
"The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) should desist from placing counter proposals before resuming negotiations. GoSL should be prepared to resume talks on the basis of Interim Self-Governing Authority proposals. Any further delay has the potential to lead Sri Lanka into another dark period of war and destruction. I urge the Sinhala parties speak with a unified, consistent voice, and enter peace talks," said Tamil national Alliance (TNA) Vanni District MP Mr Sathasivam Kanagaratnam when TamilNet talked to him Saturday.
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Seminar on Dental Care held in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Saturday, 04 December 2004, 14:03 GMT]
A symposium on the state of Dental Care of the northeast was held Saturday at the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) conference hall in Kilinochchi, sources from Vanni said. The symposium was organized by the Centre for Health Care based in Kilinochchi in collaboration with the Norwigion Tamils Health Organization.
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LTTE cadre dies of old battle injury

[TamilNet, Thursday, 02 December 2004, 18:29 GMT]
Captain Kadalventhan (Jeyasena Gemini) who sustained injuries in the attack on Vavuniya-Irambaikulam army camp in 1997 and was being treated for the last seven years died on November 28, sources in Vanni said. His body was buried with full military honours on 1st December Wednesday in the Chatty LTTE martyrs cemetery in Kayts in Jaffna district.


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"Colombo should stop elements inciting violence"- Thamilchelvan tells Brattskar

[TamilNet, Thursday, 02 December 2004, 14:19 GMT]
"Incidents of violence in Trincomalee and elsewhere are the result of provocative actions of disruptive elements should be controlled by the government since they tend to create tension leading to public rioting" S.P. Thamilchelvan, Head of Liberation Tigers Political Wing told the Norwegian Ambassador Mr. Hans Brattskar in a meeting held at the LTTE Peace Secretariat in Kilinochchi. Thursday, sources from Vanni said.
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UPFA ignoring critical national issues- Prof Peiris

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 December 2004, 12:09 GMT]
"Political parties in the South should recognize the "potentially dangerous" situation Sri Lanka is facing. The United National party (UNP) is ready to support any genuine steps the Government of Sri Lanka takes to resolve critical National issues faced by this country," said Prof G L Peiris Monday in Kandy after meeting Asgiriya Mahanayake Thera in Dalda Maligawa, sources said.
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Vepankulam shooting, gross misuse of power- Judge

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 November 2004, 08:53 GMT]
Vavuniya district Judge M Ilancheliyan issued orders on Monday to Sri Lanka Army Commander of Vanni region and to the 211st Division Commander to assist the Police investigations relating to the shooting at the Tamil Marty’s Day celebrations in Verpankulam , legal sources said. Use of T-56 type weapons to disperse crowds when the Emergency Regulations is not in force will be seen as ''gross misuse of power,'' the Judge said.
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Tank expansion threatens estate homes

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 November 2004, 00:19 GMT]
"Administrators of Serandip Estate in Badulla are planning to expand currently existing pool into a large water tank to hold agricultural water for rural farmers. If action is not taken to stop the project immediately we will mobilize the plantation workers and begin mass agitation," said Member of Uva Provincial Council from Upcountry Peoples Front (UPA), A Aravindakumar, in a letter to Minister Anurakumara Dissanayake, sources from Badulla said.
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Colombo's new proposal aims to hurt NorthEast education- paper

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 November 2004, 13:58 GMT]
"Educational planning is Sri Lanka is not oriented towards the benefit of all its citizens, but is used as an instrument to suppress the progress of Tamils," said Uthayan in an editorial Thursday criticizing Sri Lanka Government's attempt to reintroduce merit system when the Northeast education is suffering from devastation of war. "When Tamils captured more places under the merit system, the SriLankan Government introduced the district quota system, and now when the Tamils are highly dependent on the district quota system the Government is out to topple this avenue," the editorial added.
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TNA MP demands return of occupied houses in Vankalai

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 November 2004, 12:14 GMT]
Mr.Selvam Adaikalanathan, Vanni district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian, Sunday wrote to the acting Defence Minister Mr.Ratnasiri Wickremanayake to take immediate steps to hand over houses in Vankalai in Mannar district now being occupied by the Sri Lanka Police to the displaced owners who have returned to their village for resettlement since the signing of the ceasefire agreement.
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TECH donates solar systems to educational institutions

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 November 2004, 01:01 GMT]
As the first phase of a plan to donate 50 solar lighting systems, The Economic Consultancy House (TECH), a Non-Governmental Non-Profit Sharing Organization registered with the Government of Sri Lanka, at its Oddusuddan offices Friday, gave away nine complete systems to community educational establishments that conduct classes at night, sources from Vanni said.
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TNA MPs bring Heroes' Day event to Lanka's parliament

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 November 2004, 15:06 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians Saturday around 6.35 evening (Wanni time) created history in the Sri Lanka's parliament by lighting the flame of sacrifice to mark the conclusion of the Heroes Day (Maveerar Week), parliamentary sources said.
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Foundation stone laid for Media Institute

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 November 2004, 16:38 GMT]
Rev. Father Mariyanayagam presided the ceremony marking the laying of foundation stone for a new Media Technology Institute in Ariviyal Nagar, Kilinochchi Friday. Senior Tamil Journalist S Kopalratnam and Head of Liberation Tigers Political Wing, S.P Thamilchelvan, laid the foundation stone for the new building, sources in Vanni said.
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SLA, LTTE meet in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 November 2004, 16:05 GMT]
Delegations of the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Friday held discussions in the presence of the Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), Major General (retd) Trond Furuhovde, exploring ways to curb violence in Vavuniya. The Parties agreed to strengthen the dialogue prevent future incidents and to facilitate confidence-building between the parties, according to the joint statement released after the meeting.


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