British Tamils demonstrate at Parliament Square

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 November 2008, 16:48 GMT]
Thousands of British Tamils demonstrated at the Parliament Square in London on Wednesday between 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., urging the British Parliament to demand the Government of Sri Lanka to stop the genocide unleashed on Eezham Tamils. The Diaspora Tamils also carried banners seeking the British Parliament to recognise Tamils' right to self-determination in their homeland. The gathering also expressed gratitude to the people of Tamil Nadu for their solidarity with Eezham Tamils.
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130 SLA killed, 450 wounded in 3 days in Mukamaalai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 November 2008, 15:45 GMT]
At least 130 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers lost their lives and more than 450 wounded in the offensive push within the last 3 days in Ki'laali and Mukamaalai fronts, according to a reliable Sri Lankan military source. 29 SLA soldiers lost their lives sustaining sniper fire, the source said and added several soldiers were killed while they were trapped in Tiger minefield. The LTTE is yet to release details on the fighting in Northern Front.
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Rajapaksa's three-pronged strategy

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 November 2008, 01:47 GMT]
While celebrating its military achievements, Colombo is secretly prodded on an alternative game. Mahinda Rajapaksa is upto a three-pronged strategy now: limiting LTTE's jurisdiction with a low-profiled war, coercing Tamil political circles for his plans and conducting snap polls. A superficial solution is on the cards through Mahinda-Manmohan protocol. Unity and vigilance of Tamil Nadu are the need of the hour for countering any sabotage of the national cause of Eezham Tamils, writes TamilNet's Special Correspondent in a Situation Report.
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TNA parliamentarians grilled by CID

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 November 2008, 22:15 GMT]
Within the last few days, three Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians, S. Jeyanandamoorthy, P. Ariyanethran and S. Kajendran, were summoned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Sri Lanka Police for investigation after getting stipulated permission from the Speaker of the Parliament. The focus of the questioning was their speeches viewed as a breach of the 6th Amendment of the Sri Lankan constitution, which prohibits any opinion expressed inside or outside of the island, in favour of secession in Sri Lanka
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Newborn baby dies, 31 patients suffer as SLA refuses ambulances to reach Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 November 2008, 19:54 GMT]
A baby born at Mullaiththeevu hospital, in need of urgent treatment at Vavuniyaa hospital, pathetically died on Tuesday as medical authorities were not allowed by the Sri Lankan forces Vanni headquarters to allow ambulances to reach Oamanthai exit point since Tuesday morning, according to medical authorities in Vanni. Four ambulances carrying 14 patients from Mullaiththeevu hospital and 17 patients from Ki'linochchi Tharmapuram hospital waited for hours in front of the ICRC office in Puthukkudiyiruppu, but were forced to return to their hospitals with seriously ill patients.
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ICJ has jurisdiction to hear Genocide claims against Serbia

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 November 2008, 15:52 GMT]
Croatia won the right Tuesday to sue Serbia for genocide after the United Nations' highest court, the International Court of Justice, also known as the World Court, based in Hague Netherlands, ruled it has the legal power to decide the case, AP reported. Describing the ruling as "symbolical and just," Croatian President, Stipe Mesic, said the decision came on the 17th anniversary of the fall of the city of Vukovar, where at least 1,500 Croats were killed and thousands expelled by rebel Serbs.
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SLN arrests 17 Tamil Nadu fishermen in Analaitheevu

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 November 2008, 15:42 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) arrested 17 Tamil Nadu fishermen in 5 boats Monday night for allegedly trespassing into Sri Lankan waters in the islet of Analaitheevu. Meanwhile, 17 civilians from Paranthan area fleeing from Sri Lanka Army (SLA) artillery attacks and Sri Lanka Air force (SLAF) reached the shore in Thenmaraadchi crossing Jafffna lagoon Monday were arrested by the Sri Lankan troops in the coastal sentry points.
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27 Tamil civilians arrested in Gampaha

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 November 2008, 16:09 GMT]
Twenty seven Tamil civilians, including upcountry and north and east residents, majority of them employed in business establishments and other institutions, were taken into custody in a cordon and search operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and the police from dusk of Monday dawn on Tuesday in the Gampaha town, according to police sources. The arrested are being held in the Gampaha police station for further inquiry as they failed to prove their identity and provide satisfactory reason for their stay in the location, police said.
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36 SLA killed, 90 wounded in Mukamaalai Front - LTTE

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 November 2008, 11:38 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) in Jaffna put up stiff resistance against the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) that attempted to advance across Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) Forward Defence Line four times between Monday noon till Tuesday 10:00 a.m. Heavy clashes erupted on multiple locations along the FDL on each attempt, the Tigers said. At least 36 SLA soldiers were killed and 90 wounded, the Tigers said. Meanwhile sources in Jaffna said Jaffna Palaali Road remained closed for public traffic several times within the last four days to transport the SLA casualties to Palaali military hospital.
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SLA Claymore attack kills 3 Tamil civilians in Vanni

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 November 2008, 11:01 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Deep Penetration Unit triggered a Claymore mine targeting a civilian vehicle killing a 12-year-old boy, his 53-year-old father and a 34-year-old man on the spot at Channasip-Paranthan, 5 km north of Pu'liyangku'lam on Pu'liyangku'lam Nedungkea'ni Road Tuesday morning around 8:45, Tamileelam Police said. The mother and the driver of the vehicle were seriously wounded and rushed to Mullaiththeevu hospital. The vehicle was returning to Vavuniyaa after delivering weekly newspapers to Vanni.
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‘It is not the big brothers but the younger ones who watch’

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 November 2008, 04:50 GMT]
How the leadership in India in general and Tamil Nadu in particular going to respond to the question of Eezham Tamil liberation has become a test case. Watching the youth and grass-root public uprising in Tamil Nadu, defence analysts in London, Delhi and Colombo, off the record agree that the line of attempting a military defeat of Tamil nationalism can turn out to be disastrous to those who commit it, contribute to it or allow it. They also see a warning to the policy makers of the so-called International Community against meddling with Tamil affairs, writes a media student from Chennai presenting a cross section of reflections from India, Sri Lanka and Europe.
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Students of JNU voice for Tamil Eelam

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 November 2008, 02:14 GMT]
The Democratic Students' Union (DSU), Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, in a statement on Sunday demanded unconditional declaration of ceasefire from the Sri Lanka government and a stop to the genocide of Tamils. Based on Marxist-Leninist principles of self-determination, it called for support to the Eezham Tamil independence.
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SLA shells hit IDP settlements in Vadamaraadchi East

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 November 2008, 18:53 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired around 100 artillery shells on IDP settlements of Uduththu'rai, Vaththiraayan, Kaddaikkaadu and Vettilaikkea'ni in Vadamaraadchi East in Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled territory in Jaffna district Monday from 1:00 p.m. till 6:40 p.m.
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SLA artillery guns target agricultural villages in Ki'linochchi

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 November 2008, 14:21 GMT]
Agricultural lands and the houses of farmers in Canals 5 to 8 along Karadippoakku - Uruththirapuram road in Ki'linochchi came under intense artillery fire by the Sri Lanka Army in the early hours of Monday from 2:00 a.m. till 5:30. The barrage has caused damage to the agricultural lands and destroyed several coconut palms, eyewitnesses told TamilNet.
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SLA artillery barrage kills civilian in Paranthan, 6 wounded

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 November 2008, 14:00 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched an intensive artillery barrage targeting all the roads from Paranthan junction from 2:35 p.m. on Monday, killing a 24-year-old youth in front of Paranthan St. Antony's Church and causing injuries to six, including two elderly men, in the town. Two sisters were severely wounded and were admitted at the Intensive Care Unit of the Tharmapuram hospital. The narrow streets of the town were full of people while the SLA barrage hit the town. More than 750 civilians including school children, government employees, cooperative workers, traders and customers sought refuge on the ground during the attack. A mother who fled the artillery attack with her family narrated the scene to TamilNet correspondent.
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Tigers repulse SLA in North, SLA targets Maangku'lam

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 November 2008, 12:39 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched another offensive push for the third consecutive day from Jaffna Monday morning. 8 SLA soldiers were killed and 29 wounded when the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) put up stiff resistance from 5:00 a.m. till 11:00 a.m., thwarting a three frontal attack by the SLA on LTTE Forward Defence Line (FDL) in Mukamaalai, Ka'ndal and Ki'laai, the Tigers said. Meanwhile, the SLA which claimed its forces entered Kumizhamunai near Naayaa'ru lagoon south of A'lampil in Mullaiththeevu district, on Monday said its forces from Vannivi'laangkulam were attempting to occupy Maangku'lam on A9.
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Medical staff in Batticaloa hospital protest slaying of Sinhala doctor

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 November 2008, 08:35 GMT]
Sri Lankan Police was making arrangements to provide security to the Sinhala doctors at the Batticaloa hospital as medical staff of the hospital took to the streets Monday morning protesting against the killing of a doctor, a Sinhalese, at Naavatkudaa in Vavu'natheevu. Initial reports said 65 Sinhala doctors, including trainees at the Teaching hospital and those who were deployed in RDHS hospitals in recently resettled areas, would be provided security. Meanwhile, all the Sinhala medical staff working in recently resettled remote areas of Batticaloa district, were moving to Batticaloa Teaching hospital until their safety is secured, medical authorities said.
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Sri Lanka wants 'friends' to buy tea

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 November 2008, 19:10 GMT]
Sri Lanka has appealed to "friendly countries" to buy tea to help the country weather the global financial crisis, AFP quoted officials as saying. Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and senior officials of the tea board on Friday met ambassadors and envoys of main tea-buying countries to urge their support. The Sunday Times newspaper reports that the decline in tea prices (which have almost halved in the past two months), and the large volume of unsold tea have caused a cash-flow crisis throughout the supply chain. However, last week demand had improved at last week’s Colombo auctions, reports said.
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Heavy fighting in Northern Front, 20 SLA killed - LTTE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 November 2008, 17:15 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) on Sunday said they thwarted another attempt to break LTTE FDL by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) at Ka'ndal in Mukamaalai in the Northern Front. 20 SLA soldiers were killed and at least 80 wounded in the fighting that broke out at 5:10 a.m. and lasted til 12:40 p.m., when the SLA was pushed back, according to the Northern Command of the LTTE.
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18 SLA killed, 29 wounded in Northern Front - LTTE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 November 2008, 11:56 GMT]
A four-pronged attempt by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) to break the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) Forward Defence Line in Mukamaalai, Ki'laali and Ka'ndal in the Northern Front on was thwarted Saturday after 6 hours of stiff resistance, according to LTTE Northern Command. 18 SLA soldiers were killed and 29 wounded in the fighting, the Tigers said.
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