SLAF bombs Chu'ndikku'lam, SLA steps up shelling

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 January 2009, 18:53 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) stepped up shelling targeting Vadamaraadchi East around 11:50 p.m. and the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers flew over the area and dropped bombs at Chu'ndikku'lam Wednesday midnight.
Full story >>

Jaffna volunteer teachers stage protest demonstration

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 January 2009, 18:11 GMT]
More than 400 volunteer teachers suddenly gathered in front of Jaffna Education Office at Nalloor Wednesday morning staging a silent protest, bearing placards with slogans condemning Sri Lanka government's delay in appointing them as permanent teachers and its irregularities and corruption in the appointment of teachers. Though key Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officers along with the Education Officials compelled the protesters to call off the demonstration the protesters refused to comply. SLA officials did not permit journalist to cover the demonstration or allow anyone to photograph the protesters.
Full story >>

SLA blocks gateway to Vanni civilians for 5th day

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 January 2009, 16:22 GMT]
A woman, wounded in Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombardment on 01 January succumbed to her wounds Monday night and other patients in need of urgent medical transport from Puthukkudiyiruppu to Vavuniyaa with ICRC escort remain blocked for days despite repeated attempts to access the road, which remained under Sri Lanka Army (SLA) artillery fire, as reported earlier. In the meantime, officials at the Government Agent's office in Vavuniyaa told media that the SLA has turned away humanitarian convoys despite their repeated attempts. Civilians in Vanni are refused essential supplies and refused critical medical transport, in violation to Geneva Conventions.
Full story >>

SLA shelling injures 3 civilians in Vaddakkachchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 January 2009, 14:43 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired artillery shells exploded in densely populated Ramanathapuram in Vaddakkachchi, causing injuries to 3 civilians Wednesday around 11:45 a.m., according to medical sources at Tharmapuram hospital.
Full story >>

GA to discuss resumption of demining in Jaffna district

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 January 2009, 19:21 GMT]
Jaffna Government Agent (GA) is expected to hold a meeting next week with Jaffna District Demining Integration Committee (DDIC) attached to Jaffna Secretariat and the demining organizations, Halo Trust and Danish Demining Organization, to consider recommencing demining work in Jaffna District, Jaffna Secretariat sources said. The decision follows the permission issued by Defence Ministry to begin demining in eleven areas in the peninsula after a long delay due to the SLA refusal to continue demining, the sources added.
Full story >>

SLA, LTTE clashes continue in Mukamaalai FDL

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 January 2009, 19:07 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) suffered setbacks Tuesday in an attempt to enter Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Front Defence Line (DFL) areas in Mukamaalai while Jaffna-Kandy road was blocked for public transport for more than three and a half hours enabling ambulances to transport injured soldiers from Mukkamaalai FDL positions, sources in Thenmaraadchi said. Defence Ministry in Colombo, however, claimed that the SLA had advanced in Mukamaalai.
Full story >>

Civilian wounded in shelling, air strike victim succumbs to injuries

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 January 2009, 13:10 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired artillery shell caused injuries to a 34-year-old female at Ramanathapuram in Vaddakkachchi Tuesday at 12:45 p.m., while she was fleeing from the area, initial reports from Vanni said. Meanwhle, a female wounded in the air strike on January 01 at Murasumoaddai succumbed to her injuries at Tharmapuram hospital Monday night.
Full story >>

Peoples support will help surmount challenges: LTTE Political Head

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 January 2009, 08:23 GMT]
Pointing out that Ki'linochchi was where Sri Lanka military has suffered previous historic debacles, LTTE Political Head B. Nadesan, in an interview with TamilNet on Monday dismissed the occupation of the town as an insignificant setback in the context of a liberation struggle, and said, Tamil people’s support has always been LTTE’s strength, and with the moral backing of the global Tamil community the movement will surmount current and future challenges. "We have taken forward our struggle for more than 30 years, solely relying on the support of our people," and reiterated that the Tigers were spearheading the Tamil struggle, which was based on legitimate political aspirations as defined by the democratic mandate in the elections of 1977.
Full story >>

Grenade attack on SLA sentry post in Thirunelveali, Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 January 2009, 01:42 GMT]
Unknown armed men hurled hand grenades and fired at the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) sentry point located in Mudamaavadi junction along the Aadiyapaatham Road that links Kalviyangkaadu and Thirunelveali in the municipal limits of Jaffna town at 7:00 p.m. Monday, sources in Jaffna said. Although SLA casualties and injuries are feared, Palaali Military command has not officially acknowledged the attack.
Full story >>

Indian Naval Personnel to Mullaiththeevu: Thirumavalavan lambasts New Delhi

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 January 2009, 18:08 GMT]
Thirumavalavan, a Tamil nationalist leader and the president of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) in Tamil Nadu, on Monday condemned the Indian Government for "betraying the entire Tamil people" by sending civil clothed Indian naval personnel to Mullaiththeevu through the Chennai international airport. Addressing the media in Chennai, he said that New Delhi was "totally responsible" for the "ruthless genocide" of Tamils in Sri Lanka. "Even the future generations of Tamils will never forgive the Indian Government for disrespecting the sentiments of 100 million Tamil people," he warned.
Full story >>

SLA imposes new restriction on fishing in Jaffna peninsula

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 January 2009, 16:43 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna has imposed new restrictions since 1st of January 2009 on fishing in Jaffna lagoon and in the seas of the islets of Jaffna citing security reasons, sources in Jaffna said. Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) has become increasingly concerned of the of the infiltration for the LTTE, sources added. Meanwhile, Jaffna Government Agent (GA) has made arrangements for canned-fish to be used in the free meals given to students of the schools in the peninsula, due to shortage of fish, the sources added.
Full story >>

TNA accuses Colombo of war crimes

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 January 2009, 21:06 GMT]
Describing several recent escalation in incidents where Sri Lanka Armed Forces have targetted Tamil civilian during festive days between Christmas and Thaipongal, Tamil National Alliance (TNA), in a press release issued today, said that the "stringent economic, food and medical embargos on the war affected areas," ..."are not only War Crimes in contravention of the Geneva Conventions but are also a part of a policy of Genocide that the Sri Lankan State has been carrying out against the Tamil people." The release also noted with disappointment of the silence of the international community "whilst the Genocide of the Tamil people is taking place," and continuing military assistance of the international states to the Sri Lankan State "using various pretexts."
Full story >>

13 civilians wounded in SLA artillery barrage

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 January 2009, 14:13 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) stepped up artillery shelling towards Murasumoaddai, Pu'liyampokka'nai, Vaddakkachchi and Tharmapuram, east of Paranthan and Ki'ilnochchi Sunday after 3:00 p.m., causing injuries to at least 13 civilians, according to medical sources at Tharmapuram hospital.
Full story >>

53 SLA killed, 80 wounded, arms seized in Paranthan - LTTE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 January 2009, 14:09 GMT]
At least 53 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed, more than 80 sustained injuries and the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) recovered 2 dead bodies of the SLA soldiers in heavy fighting that erupted Sunday when the SLA launched an offensive push through 2nd Mile Post on Paranthan Mullaiththeevu Road on two fronts. LTTE officials further said they seized arms including AK-LMGs, PK-LMGs, Rocket Propelled Grenade Launchers (RPGs) and at least ten T-56 assault rifles.
Full story >>

SLA celebrates "Ki'linochchi victory" in Vadamaraadchi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 January 2009, 13:29 GMT]
As part of the elaborate arrangements Sri Lanka Army (SLA) command is organizing in Jaffna district to celebrate the SLA occupation of Ki'linochchi, residents of Vadamaraadchi towns and villages were transported to Nelliadi junction Saturday in private vans, to participate in the victory celebrations, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

'Annals of history'

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 January 2009, 19:44 GMT]
The message of "veiled racism" in Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s remarks Friday in his telecast address announcing the capture of Ki'linochchi town, betrayed the true intentions of him and his ilk, camouflaged in saintly wordings against separatism, terrorism, racism, North-South war etc, to hoodwink the outside world, writes a regular academic commentator to TamilNet from Colombo. "Unfortunately, those who claim to be at the helm of the international community, even though very well aware of the impossibility of the Sri Lankan state to satisfy Tamil aspirations, refuse to acknowledge the logic and legitimacy behind the ethnonational demand of Tamils to have political sovereignty to save themselves from genocide," he further writes.
Full story >>

SLAF drops cluster bombs in Mullaiththeevu

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 January 2009, 17:52 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers dropped cluster bombs at Mu'l'livaaykkaal in Mullaiththevu Saturday afternoon around 1:30 p.m., according to the reports from Mullaiththeevu.
Full story >>

Artillery shelling continues in Vanni, civilian wounded, hospital full of wounded

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 January 2009, 17:35 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) shelling continued to target densely populated civilian area in Pu'liaympokka'nai in Vanni on Saturday. A 61-year-old civilian was wounded at Karaveddiththidal in Pu'liyampokka'nai around 5:30 p.m. when at least 6 shells hit the settlement. Meanwhile hospital in Tharmapuram was full of injured civilians. Transport of seriously wounded patients for further treatment at Vavuniyaa hospital was blocked for the third day due to artillery shelling by the SLA, according to medical authorities.
Full story >>

4 civilians killed, SLAF bombs petrol station, bus depot in Mullaiththeevu

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 January 2009, 14:53 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked a petrol station and a bus depot killing four civilians and causing injuries to 8 close to Mullaiththevu hospital, 1 km away from the town. 8 buses were destroyed, the depot building damaged and the petrol station completely destroyed, initial reports from Mullaiththeevu said. The indiscriminate bombardment by the SLAF has taken place at 5:00 a.m. Friday.
Full story >>

SLA shelling kills civilian, 10 wounded in Vanni

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 January 2009, 12:34 GMT]
Artillery shelling by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) killed a civilian and at least 10 wounded at 3rd Mile Post in Murasumoaddai Friday around 12:45 p.m., initial reports from Vanni said. Another civilian was wounded at Pannangka'ndi in SLA shelling.
Full story >>