News in Brief:

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 July 1999, 19:09 GMT]
Trincomalee residents alarmed by illegal settlements, SLA casualty in Vavuniya road accident, Teachers demand payment of risk allowance; Confusion over alternative exam arrangements.
Full story >>

Tigers offer alternative Vanni route

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 July 1999, 19:31 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers are ready to open an access route to the Vanni through the Uylankulam and Pallamadu areas in Mannar district or through Mankulam if the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) agrees to maintain a demilitarised zone in the area between the present defence lines of the two sides, the Voice of Tigers (VoT) said quoting S.P.Thamilchelvan leader of the LTTE’s Political wing in its morning news bulletin today.
Full story >>

Mass protest in Vanni -GA

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 July 1999, 18:05 GMT]
At least eight seriously ill people in the Vanni have died as they had been unable to travel to hospitals in the south, due to the closure of the access route to the region, according to K.Ganesh, the Government Agent in Vavuniya. At least three thousand travellers who had come to Mannar and Vavuniya for various purposes and stranded are undergoing severe hardship without money and spare clothes to wear, the GA said.
Full story >>

ICRC may move sick

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 July 1999, 13:30 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has not agreed to let the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) take relief supplies to the Vanni by sea from Mannar to Vidaththaltheevu but has granted the organisation permission to transport the sick not only by sea but through any of the access routes that are closed now, SLA official said today.
Full story >>

Students mark 'Black July 83'

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 July 1999, 13:12 GMT]
Students of the Eastern University boycotted the lectured and carried black flags to mark 'Black July-83'. A press release from the students said the picketing was arranged to mark the July 83 communal riots and the massacre of Tamil political detainees in Welikkade prison.
Full story >>

New Mankulam DMZ proposed

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 July 1999, 13:10 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army officials said yesterday that they have suggested a new demilitarised zone, 5 km long and 1 km wide along the Mankulam- Thunukkai road, through which relief supplies may be taken into the Vanni.
Full story >>

Sea transfers for stranded travellers

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 July 1999, 08:26 GMT]
Arrangements are underway today, to send by sea from Mannar island, those travellers from the Vanni who are stranded in Vavuniya and Mannar due to the closure of the access route to the areas not held by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), officials in Mannar said.
Full story >>

LTTE officials meet NGOs over route

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 July 1999, 23:02 GMT]
S.P.Thamilchelvan, leader of the Liberation Tigers' political section and his deputy, Karikaalan, met the representatives of international non governmental organisations in the Vanni to explain the position of the LTTE regarding opening of a route to the areas held by the LTTE., the Voice of Tigers (VoT) radio said in its morning news broadcast today.
Full story >>

Patients await Vanni access route

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 July 1999, 12:26 GMT]
Four seriously ill patients who are awaiting treatment at hospitals in the south were taken yesterday by protesters to the ICRC's sub-delegation at Puthukudiyiruppu in the Mullaithivu district, to highlight the difficulties faced by ordinary people since the Vanni access route was closed, the Voice of Tigers(VoT) said this morning.
Full story >>

Protests in Vanni over supplies

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 July 1999, 19:11 GMT]
The offices of international relief agencies in Mallavi in the Vanni are being picketed by people protesting against the closure of relief supplies into the region, reported the Voice of Tigers (VoT) radio in its night bulletin today. The offices of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and CARE are amongst those being picketed, said the radio.
Full story >>

Strike total success - CTTU

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 July 1999, 17:54 GMT]
The General Secretary of the Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union (CTTU), Mr.T.Mahasivam, said today that the one-day strike by the teachers, principals and non-academic staff in schools in the north east province was a one hundred percent success.
Full story >>

Starvation is identified - Government Agent

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 July 1999, 20:39 GMT]
The Government Agents of Mullaithivu and Kilinochchi have appealed to the government to take immediate action to open a supply route to the LTTE held Vanni areas and send relief food and essential commodities to the population there, said sources.
Full story >>

LTTE rejects SLA proposals

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 July 1999, 14:15 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers said today that while they were "agreed in principle" to open an access route into the Vanni, they had rejected the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) proposal that the LTTE withdraw 5 km. from their present positions at Mankulam so as to create a demilitarised no-man's land for this purpose.
Full story >>

Mankulam route yet to open

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 July 1999, 14:25 GMT]
The opening of a new supply road to the Vanni through Mankulam on the A9 highway has been delayed over disagreement between the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and the Liberation Tigers (LTTE) as to the details of the demilitarised zone between the two sides, said sources.
Full story >>

Demonstrators demand access to return

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 July 1999, 13:24 GMT]
An estimated thousand people demonstrated in front of the Government Agent's office in Vavuniya this morning demanding the authorities to make arrangements for them to travel back to their hometowns in the Vanni.
Full story >>

More refugees flee to Mannar Island

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 July 1999, 20:04 GMT]
(News Feature) Hundreds of displaced villagers keep on fleeing the Vanni area, as there is no shelter, food and relief assistance, said sources in Mannar island. "Up to Friday more than 1700 villagers have crossed the Mannar lagoon to reach the ferry at Pallimunai in Mannar island", additional Government Agent for Mannar V.Visvalingam said.
Full story >>

Six troopers wounded

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 July 1999, 11:54 GMT]
Four Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were wounded when a land mine exploded at Salappai Aaru near the Kutchaveli SLA detachment 15 km. north of Trincomalee, around 10 a.m. this morning, said sources.
Full story >>

LTTE agrees Mankulam supply route

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 July 1999, 08:18 GMT]
The Voice of Tigers (VoT) radio said in its night news broadcast yesterday that the Liberation Tigers have agreed to open a supply route to the Vanni through Mankulam.
Full story >>

Poster campaign in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 July 1999, 15:23 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers have put up posters in Maamunai, Pt. Pedro, Sempiyanpattu, and Nelliyaan in Jaffna, banning the distilling and selling of illicit liquor. The LTTE has said that it will take severe action against anyone who continues to trade in illicit liquor.
Full story >>

New Vanni access procedures

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 July 1999, 13:03 GMT]
Travellers from areas not controlled by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), coming into Vavuniya will be thoroughly screened at Peyaadikoolankulam 3 km. north of Vavuniya town along the A 9 trunk road and people wishing to cross back are to be checked at Thandikulam about 2 km. north of Vavuniya town, according to the new plans adopted to open up a new route to the Vanni, sources said.
Full story >>