Jaffna DCC wants North-East governor removed

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 October 2002, 20:07 GMT]
The Jaffna District Co-ordinating Committee (JDCC) Saturday unanimously adopted a resolution that the northeast provincial governor Major General (retd) Asoka Jayawardene be removed from the office for failing to co-operate with the local officials in their effort towards development of the district.


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Police blamed for inaction as Trinco protest turns unruly

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 October 2002, 20:27 GMT]
A general shut down ('hartal') organised by a group of Sinhalese youths setting up roadblocks and burning tyres disrupted the normal life in Trincomalee and its suburbs this Friday. The Hartal was held in support of a sit-in-protest campaign started by relatives of the six soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army now in the custody of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
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Women witnesses give evidence in Mylanthanai massacre case

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 October 2002, 20:21 GMT]
"About 50 Sri Lanka government troops entered our village with arms and started harassing the villagers. On seeing them I started running from my house towards jungle area. I fell on the ground. Some army personnel came to the spot and stabbed my hands with rifle bayonet. When I regained consciousness I saw 10 bodies of our villagers with gunshot and cut injuries," said Ms Sinnathurai Indrakala, 28, giving evidence before Judge Mr.S.Sriskandarajah, Friday, when Mylanthanai massacre case resumed in Colombo High Court.
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Mylanthanai massacre accused remanded

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 October 2002, 18:00 GMT]
The inquiry into the Mylanthanai massacre case commenced before a Sinhala speaking Jury in the Colombo High Court Wednesday. In this case twenty-one Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers have been indicted by the Attorney General on several counts including the murder of thirty-five Tamil civilians. The High Court Judge Mr.S.Sriskandarajah ordered all the accused present in court be kept in remand till the trial is concluded.
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New Tamil daily launched in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 October 2002, 14:52 GMT]
A new Tamil daily newspaper, Namathu Eelanadu, hit the stands in Jaffna Tuesday. With the arrival of Eelanadu, readers in the northern peninsula will have four daily papers to provide them news and views. The paper’s editor Mr. Sivasubramaniam Raguram, said that Eelanadu will be published on the web too. Jaffna has one of the oldest and richest regional newspaper publishing traditions in South Asia.
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High Court takes up Mylanthanai massacre case

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 September 2002, 14:09 GMT]
Thirty Tamil witnesses including thirteen women from Batticaloa were present in the Colombo High Court Monday to give evidence when the Mylanthanai massacre case was taken up for inquiry before a Sinhala speaking Jury. The HC Judge Mr.S.Sriskandarajah fixed October 2, Wednesday, the date to start the inquiry.
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'Trinco Hindu temples singled out for destruction'-TNA MP

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 September 2002, 00:43 GMT]
"From Thennamaravadi, north of Trincomalee district, to south Killiveddy, several Hindu temples were destroyed in the war but places of worship of other faiths did not suffer any damages," said Tamil National Alliance (TNA) national list parliamentarian Mr.K.Thurairatnasingham addressing a meeting held at the office of the Trincomalee District Young Men Hindu Association (TDYMHA) Sunday evening. Hindu temples in Trincomalee district should be safeguarded to ensure the identity of the traditional Tamil villages, said Mr.Thurairatnesingham.


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AG withdraws eleven PTA cases

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 September 2002, 14:35 GMT]
The Eastern High Court in Trincomalee Tuesday discharged nine accused when the State Counsel withdrew the indictments against them in eleven cases filed under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) on the advice of the Attorney General (AG).
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North East Tamil-Muslim unity stressed

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 September 2002, 19:21 GMT]
"Sinhalese politicians have now realized that they can no longer adopt divide and rule policy between Tamils and Muslims when serious negotiations are in progress to resolve the ethnic conflict," said Mr. R.Sampanthan, Tamil National Alliance leader and district parliamentarian addressing the Tamil language day celebrations held Monday in Trincomalee. Tamils and Muslims should shed their differences, especially in the northeast province, if we are to achieve sustainable peace, Mr.Sampanthan appealed.
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Repeal PTA, release political prisoners -CHRD

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 September 2002, 06:49 GMT]
The Centre for Human Rights and Development (CHRD) Sunday held a one-day seminar in Trincomalee Town Hall to mobilize the support of the people for an agitation campaign demanding the repeal of the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and the release of all Tamil political prisoners now being held in various prisons in the south.
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Vanni MPs slam SLA for blocking resettlement

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 September 2002, 22:54 GMT]
"If Mannar and Vavuniya districts are to be developed the Sri Lanka armed forces have to vacate our homes, and agricultural lands. We are not asking for houses or buildings in Anuradhapura and Madawachchiya. We are only asking permission to go back to our homes, to the lands of our forefathers," said the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Vanni district parliamentarian Mr.Sivasakthi Anandan addressing a conference held Friday at the Mannar district secretariat on resettlement.
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LTTE committed to peace -Pathuman

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 September 2002, 02:51 GMT]
"We are firmly committed to peace. But keeping a strong, well trained military force is essential for achieving legitimate aspirations of the Tamils, said Pathuman addressing a gathering Thursday evening at Chenaiyoor Central College grounds south of the eastern port town of Trincomalee after taking salute at the passing out parade for new LTTE recruits.
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UNP politician opens LTTE office

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 September 2002, 23:33 GMT]
The ruling United National Party organiser in Trincomalee and a former parliamentarian of the district, Mr. Sunil Shantha Ranaweera, unveiled the name board of the Tampalakamam political office of the Liberation Tigers during the opening ceremony this Wednesday. Tampalakamam is a traditional Tamil agricultural village in the district twenty-seven km northwest of Trincomalee town.
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SLA restores Anagarika’s propaganda vehicle

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 September 2002, 15:02 GMT]
The Sri Lanka army said Tuesday that soldiers of its Electrical and Mechanical Engineer Regiment (SLEME) restored the propaganda vehicle used by the Sinhala Buddhist revivalist and nationalist, Anagarika Dharmapala, to “its pristine glory” upon a request by Buddhist clergy. Many Sri Lankan social historians say that Anagarika Dharmapala was the main architect of militant Sinhala Buddhism in Sri Lanka, of the idea that the Singhalese are the only rightful owners of the whole island.
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NE local government polls postponed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 September 2002, 14:57 GMT]
The Commissioner of Elections Tuesday announced that the local government polls in the Northeast province scheduled for 25 September has been postponed for the second time in a year. According to the notification issued by the Commissioner Mr.Dayananda Dissanayake Tuesday, the elections to Northeast local authorities will be held on 25 June, 2003.
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People's predicament first says LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 September 2002, 22:19 GMT]
(Feature) The first round of formal peace talks between the Liberation Tigers of Thamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) began Monday in the Sattahip Thai Naval base on a positive note though the head of Colombo’s negotiating team laid down in his opening speech non-negotiable elements which, according to him, should be constant in “determining the parameters of the negotiations." The Liberation Tigers, however, desisted from any reference to ‘irreducible principles.’
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Islanders complain navy harassment

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 September 2002, 22:16 GMT]
The Island Peoples’ Welfare Society (IPWS) Monday complained to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission and Human Right Commission in Jaffna district that people living in islets are once again subjected to severe checking and harassment at the hands naval personnel stationed at Allaipitty and Ponnalai SLN camps. The SLN camps at Allaipitty and Ponnalai have re-introduced stringent checking earlier withdrawn with the signing of a cease-fire agreement between the United National Front government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, society sources said.
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Resettling IDPs in Vavuniya discussed

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 September 2002, 20:16 GMT]
The Defence Secretary said Saturday that immediate resettlement of displaced families in areas close to high security zone in Vavuniya district is impossible. However, at the request of Defence Secretary Mr. Austin Fernando, it was agreed at the conference held Saturday at Vavuniya district secretariat that a committee comprising government and security officials and Liberation Tigers leaders should submit a report regarding resettlement within two weeks, after visiting the areas.
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Mannar farmers plight spotlighted

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 September 2002, 18:31 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Saturday brought to the notice of the United National Front government the urgent need to repair the major Giant Tank in Mannar district, which irrigates more than twenty five thousand acres of paddy land.
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SLA arrests another Pt. Pedro fisherman

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 September 2002, 21:09 GMT]
The Sri Lanka army arrested a fisherman in Pt. Pedro Friday night around 9. 30 p.m. sources said. Ponnuchchami Jeyartnam, 59, was at the Munai beach near Pt. Pedro town when soldiers from the 52-4 Brigade took him into custody. Human rights lawyers said the situation is serious because the Sri Lanka army, which has no legal power whatsoever to make arrests after the Emergency lapsed last year, is continuing to take civilians into custody in Pt. Pedro.
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