International Community should protect Tamil media - TMF

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 May 2006, 11:04 GMT]
"The threats, attacks, and killings of Tamil journalists carried out by the Sri Lanka Security Forces and the collaborating paramilitary have reached unprecedented levels. The entire Tamil media is being targeted and intimidated by Security Forces," said the Tamil Media Forum in its memorandum to Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse handed over to Killinochchi Government Agent (GA) Mr. T. Rasanayagam Thursday at 11.30 a.m, said sources from Kilinochchi.


Full story >>

Indiscriminate Attacks strengthen case for Tamil self-rule- Aussie MP

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 May 2006, 10:10 GMT]
"Whatever the provocation, targeting Tamil civilians by the Sri Lankan Government clearly demonstrates that it does not regard the Tamil people to be part of its population. It thus strengthens, in my view, the Tamil people's case for self determination," said Australian parliamentarion John Murphy, Member for the Federal State of Lowe, in a media release issued Friday.
Full story >>

SLN sinks boat off Kalpitti

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 May 2006, 08:29 GMT]
A suspicious boat that came under gunfire from a Sri Lanka Navy vessel in the seas off Kalpitti between the Kuthiraimalai shore and Vathalankunru islet, took fire and sank, according to police sources in Puttalam. The incident took place around 9:20 a.m. Friday. Meanwhile, military sources in Colombo said SLN attack vessels had destroyed an LTTE boat in Palugahathurai in Bathalangunduwa in Kalpitti lagoon
Full story >>

Sri Lanka arms Serunuwara Sinhala residents for "self-defense"

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 May 2006, 17:04 GMT]
Several hundred Tamil families displaced from their villages in the Serunuwara police division in the Trincomalee district and sought refuge in Liberation Tigers held Muttur east have expressed fear to return as Sinhala villagers surrounding their area have been provided with arms by the Seri Lanka government's security establishment for "self-defense," sources said.
Full story >>

Seven innocent youths killed in Vadamaradchi, Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 May 2006, 10:29 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army soldiers opened fire and attacked with Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) launchers two three-wheelers with 7 youths inside, killing all of them on the spot. The attack took place inside a lane near SLA Intelligence Camp in Navindil, 300 meters from Nelliyadi junction in Vadamaradchi, Jaffna, around 2:15 p.m. Thursday. The victims, who were on their way to attend a birthday party, were attacked by the SLA men in retaliation to a grenade attack that took place behind their Intelligence camp where 3 SLA personnel, including an officer, were wounded.
Full story >>

Fifty passengers escape Claymore blast in Vanni

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 May 2006, 14:48 GMT]
A bus carrying around 50 passengers from Puliyankulam northwards in LTTE controlled area in Periyakulam in Vavuniya North narrowly escaped a Claymore blast around 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, Tamileelam Police sources in Kilinochchi said. Deep Penetration Unit of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) is blamed for targeting civilian passengers in LTTE controlled areas recently.
Full story >>

LTTE complains to SLMM of SLA's deep penetration attack

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 May 2006, 14:39 GMT]
Mr.S.Iniyavan, Mannar District Political Head of the LTTE complained to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) at a discussion held at LTTE district political secretariat located in Karukkaikulam Wednesday of escaling attacks by the deep penetration unit (DPU) of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in the LTTE held territory in Mannar district, sources said.
Full story >>

SLMM issuing clarifications under pressure, disturbing- LTTE

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 May 2006, 10:56 GMT]
Liberation Tigers in a letter to Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) chief General Henricsson sent Wednesday regarding the clarifications on a previous statement that confirmed complicity of Government in extra-judicial killings in NorthEast, said: "We assume that the SLMM still stands by the above conclusions...and that the clarification only refers to the generalization of SLMM's conclusions."
Full story >>

Tamil Canadians declare "Tamil solidarity week"

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 May 2006, 01:28 GMT]
The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) an organization which represents the interest of expatriate Tamil Canadians, held a press conference Monday in Toronto to declare May 8th through the 14th as "Tamil Solidarity Week for Peace." This week will bring together Tamil Canadians and other peace-loving Canadians to express their solidarity and support for finding lasting peace in Sri Lanka," said Mr. David Poobalapillai a spokesperson for the CTC.


Full story >>

SL Police abandons Sivaram murder investigation- RSF

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 May 2006, 12:14 GMT]
"Violence between Tamil factions, sometimes manipulated by the security forces, has had particularly bloody results. The renowned Tamil journalist Dharmeratnam Sivaram "Taraki", head of the news website TamilNet and editorialist on the Daily Mirror, was gunned down in Colombo in April. After arresting one suspect, police abandoned the investigation," said Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in its annual report for 2006 on Sri Lanka, issued Tuesday.
Full story >>

LTTE retaliates SLA artillery fire - Elilan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 May 2006, 11:10 GMT]
Sri Lankan Army (SLA) launched artillery fire on a forward defense line of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) located at Navalady in Muttur area Tuesday morning around 9.30 a.m. The LTTE cadres successfully retaliated the attack, said Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the LTTE. Navalady is located between Muttur east to Ralkuli, a territory controlled by the LTTE.
Full story >>

May Day observed as a day of mourning in Vanni

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 May 2006, 02:22 GMT]
Hundreds of people in the Vanni wearing black bands, observed the International Workers' Day as a day of mourning, starting in a demonstration march from the Kilinochchi public playground Monday morning around 10 a.m, carrying effigies of Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse, Wimal Weerawansa, Propaganda secretary of JVP, and other Southern Sinhala extremist political leaders, and marching toward a public meeting held at the Cultural Hall in Kilinochchi, sources said. The meeting ended with the burning of the effigies.


Full story >>

SLA troopers on paramilitary rescue mission killed

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 May 2006, 09:46 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers commando unit that returned to LTTE Forward Defence Line (FDL) Sunday after completing the attack on three paramilitary camps in Welikande area, has claimed that 5 Sri Lanka Army troopers, including a Captain rank officer, who took part in a paramilitary rescue operation, were killed in confrontation with the Tigers. Informed defence circles in Colombo said that the SLA deaths were not revealed to avoid reports of SLA complicity in paramilitary issue.
Full story >>

Sea Tiger vessels carryout sea transport

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 April 2006, 19:36 GMT]
A number of boats of Sea Tigers on Sunday were confronted by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) boats while they were transporting cadres from Mullaithivu Sea-Tiger base to Trincomalee in the East. The Sea Tigers counter-attacked and completed their sea passage successfully. On the return journey, SLN vessels followed Sea-Tigers at a distance and the Sea Tigers completed the journey without any interference from the SLN, LTTE sources from Kilinochchi said.
Full story >>

Colombo assails SLMM, accuses media bias in refugee figure dispute

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 April 2006, 16:58 GMT]
While Sri Lanka's President Mr Mahinda Rajapakse drew attention to "propaganda war," Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told the state-run weekly Sunday Observer that the Sri Lanka Government "categorically denies" and dismisses as "outrageous," accusation by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) that security forces were involved in extra- judicial killings in the North-East. Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian, said State's attempt to accuse foreign media of bias is a precursor to enforcing self-censorship. The State wants to deter foreign press from exposing military excesses of Sri Lanka armed forces, he added.
Full story >>

Air strikes violate the Ceasefire Agreement- SLMM

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 April 2006, 15:14 GMT]
"The air strikes that were conducted by the Sri Lankan Government in Trincomalee district on Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) targets in Sampoor area on 25 and 26 April 2006 are a clear violation of the Ceasefire Agreement. Article 1.2 of the Ceasefire Agreement clearly states “Neither Party shall engage in any offensive military operation," said a press release issued by Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Saturday. The release also said that the SLMM fears "Government Security forces have, in the North and the East, been involved in extrajudicial killings of civilians."
Full story >>

Tiger Commandos attack paramilitary camps, 18 killed - LTTE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 April 2006, 03:08 GMT]
18 paramilitary operatives of Karuna group were killed in an attack launched by an Elite Commando unit of the Liberation Tigers on three paramilitary camps in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) controlled Kasankulam close to Thibulana, located 7 km east of Welikande in Batticaloa - Polannaruwa border Sunday. Arms were seized and ammunitions at the paramilitary camps in Kasankulam were fully destroyed by the LTTE commandos in the surprise attack that was planned and supervised by Special Commander Col. Bhanu, an LTTE official from Kokkaddicholai in Batticaloa district told TamilNet. 10 paramilitary cadres sustained serious wounds, 5 were captured by the Tigers. An abducted Vavuniya trader was saved.
Full story >>

Civilian injured in Madhu claymore attack dies

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 April 2006, 18:05 GMT]
Mr.M. Jeevananthan, a 24-year civilian who was seriously injured in the claymore attack by the Deep Penetration Unit of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Thetchanamadu area of Liberation Tigers controlled Madhu area, succumbed to his injuries Saturday afternoon, sources from Jaffna said.
Full story >>

SLA resumes mortar attacks in Vavunathivu

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 April 2006, 16:32 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) started firing mortar shells towards Liberation Tigers controlled Vavunathivu area from 11.30 a.m. Saturday, Thayamohan, Head of Batticaloa district LTTE Political Wing said. Several homes of residents of Mankikattu, Navatkudi and Puliyadikuda villages have been damaged but no one received any serious injuries, Thayamohan added.
Full story >>

Two auxiliary cadres killed in Claymore attack in Manalaru

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 April 2006, 08:44 GMT]
Two Tamileelam Auxiliary Force cadres were killed in a Claymore attack carried out by a penetrating team of a Sri Lanka Army unit, Saturday around 9:30 a.m. in Libration Tigers controlled area in Manalaru region in the Mullaitivu district, LTTE officials in Kilinochchi said.
Full story >>