TNA urges Australia not to send back 85 Tamils

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 March 2007, 08:59 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarians urged the Australian and Indonesian governments, in press communiqué released on Wednesday, not to send back the 85 Tamils intercepted by the Australian Navy in Australian Sea on 22 February citing that if they were sent back their lives will be in danger from the Sri Lankan armed forces and collaborating paramilitary groups.
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Jaffna VC advises students to be vigilant of personal security

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 March 2007, 19:02 GMT]
Prof.R.Kumaravadivel, Acting Vice chancellor (VC) of University of Jaffna speaking at the occasion of a memorial service organized by the Students Union at the campus advised the students that they should take the necessary steps to protect themselves. He emphasized that the students should make every effort to complete their course of study even amidst the difficult conditions prevailing in Jaffna. Hundreds of undergraduates gathered outside Kailaspathy Hall in the University campus Friday morning at 10:00a.m.to mourn the death of Sivaranjan, an undergraduate of the university shot dead Thursday by unidentified gunmen.
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Dehiwela Police arrests 3 Tamil women under PTA

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 March 2007, 12:22 GMT]
Dehiwela police arrested three Tamil women Wednesday midnight at their house in Vijayarama Mawatte in Kalubowila, Dehiwela, and has detained them at Dehiwela police station without stating the reason for the arrest, legal sources in Colombo said. Mano Ganeshan, Colombo District parliamentarian, contacted Dehiwela police regarding the arrests and was told that the three women have been arrested and held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
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LTTE condemns GoSL for endangering the lives of foreign diplomats

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 February 2007, 05:31 GMT]
Military Spokesman of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Irasiah Ilanthirayan, expressing deep regret for the injuries caused to the foreign diplomats who landed in the military airfield of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) in Batticaloa and the Weber Stadium where 23-3 Brigade Commander's military headquarters is located, condemned the Government of Sri Lanka for having endangered the lives of foreign diplomats bringing them into the artillery launchpads inside the military zone without following diplomatic procedures.
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Marginalisation of CFA compells Tamils to resume freedom struggle - LTTE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 16:54 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, in a statement marking five years since the signing of 22 February 2002 Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) with the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL), said the CFA formulated with the full support of the international community, had transcended the parameters of Sri Lanka’s majoritarian constitution, recognizing Tamil Eelam’s de facto existence and the balance of power between the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the LTTE. However, the international community’s insistence on a solution that does not infringe on the "territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka," is deeply frustrating for the Tamil people, the statement said.
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4000 killed in 15 months - SLMM

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 February 2007, 09:54 GMT]
Nearly 4000 people have lost their lives during the past 15 months in contrast to less than 130 deaths during the first 3 years following the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) of 22 February 2002, between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the truce monitors said Thursday in a statement marking the fifth year of the signing of the CFA between the GoSL and the LTTE.
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SL Government has no deals with LTTE- Prime Minister

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 February 2007, 22:44 GMT]
Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, Prime Minister, Monday refuted the allegation that the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) has a secret understanding with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). He was answering a question by Joseph Michael Perera, parliamentarian of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) citing ousted minister Sripathi Sooriyarachchi in parliament Tuesday.
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Pakistan’s military assistance endangers regional security­ -TNA

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 February 2007, 15:54 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians Mavai Senathirajah of Jaffna district and Thurairatnasingham of Trincomalle district speaking to media on Monday condemned Pakistan’s offer to provide military assistance to Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL). The MPs made the comment when asked about the announcement of arms purchase from Pakistan by Rohitha Bogallama, Minister of foreign affairs on Sunday.
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International Community needs reassurance from Sri Lanka - British FM

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 February 2007, 16:11 GMT]
The international community needs to be reassured that the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is committed to a peaceful solution, said Dr Kim Howells, British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who left Sri Lanka Friday concluding his two day visit. Dr. Howells met Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse, Sri Lankan Minister for Disaster Management and Human Rights and representatives of opposition political parties Thursday after visiting Amparai district Wednesday.
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Journalist reported missing in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 February 2007, 09:28 GMT]
A journalist working for two Tamil dailies, Thinakural and Valampuri, as correspondent of Vadamaradchi region, is reported missing since Thursday night, according to a complaint lodged with Nelliyady police by the journalist's family. The journalist, Subramaniam Ramachandran, 37, a father of two, was last seen at his private tuition centre Thursday evening.
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GoSL’s Rights team visits to assess Jaffna situation

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 February 2007, 15:36 GMT]
"Normalcy is yet to return to Jaffna. The residents are deprived of the freedom of movement, and continue to experience restrictions and difficulties in getting the essential commodities since the closure of the A9 six months ago," said Rt. Rev. Thomas Soundaranayagm, the Bishop of Jaffna, participating in a meeting Wednesday, convened by a team from Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL from Colombo, held in the High Security Zone area in Jaffna town. Minister of Human Rights and Disaster Management, Mr Mahinda Samarasinghe, who led the team said their mandate is to explore means of restoring normalcy to Jaffna and remedy the short comings in the supply of essential commodities.
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Owners demand protection to cargo vessels

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 February 2007, 02:26 GMT]
The owners of cargo ships leased to the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to transport of essential food items from Trincomalee harbour to Point Pedro have requested Commissioner of Essential Services assurance of protection by security forces, sources said. Safety of vessels in northern water has become a contentious issue after the attack on “City of Liverpool" at Point Pedro Harbour on 21 January.
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JHU appoints militant leader as parliamentarian

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 January 2007, 06:29 GMT]
Sinhala Ultra Nationalist All Monks party, the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), which is opposed to power-sharing and Norwegian facilitation, Wednesday replaced their National List parliamentarian monk Ven. Omalpe Sobhita Thero with a prominent militant leader of the National Movement Against Terrorism (NMAT), Patali Champika Ranawaka, paving way for him to assume a cabinet post this week, when the party with 9 parliamentary seats, is expected to join Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse's UPFA alliance.
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Indian Envoy's help sought in resettling displaced civilians

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 January 2007, 09:25 GMT]
A delegation of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians met the Indian High Commissioner for Sri Lanka Alok Prasad and his deputy Manickam in Colombo at 10:00 am Thursday morning at the official residence of the envoy and appealed to him for help in resettling the recently displaced Tamil civilians in East, TNA sources in Colombo said,
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Terminate CFA, Buddhist monks demand

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 January 2007, 12:09 GMT]
Sri Lanka Buddhist Monks' Front Thursday decided to submit a memorandum to Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse demanding termination of the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) signed on 22 February 2002 by then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe and V. Pirapaharan, leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) before it completes five year-term.
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Tsunami affected Maruthamunai residents discontinue protest

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 January 2007, 03:46 GMT]
The protest organized by the residents of predominantly Muslim village of Maruthamunai to draw attention to the lack of commitment by the Government officials to help rebuild their homes destroyed by 2004 tsunami, was suspended after assurances given by the Government Agent (GA) of Amparai that he will expedite efforts to help the families, civil society sources in Batticaloa said. The protest continued for three days from Saturday until Monday.


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Unfolding misery

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 January 2007, 09:50 GMT]
More than 72,000 Tamil civilians internally displaced due to the military confrontations in the East, residing in 50 temporary camps in Batticaloa district's LTTE and GoSL controlled areas, are facing serious shortage of food, accommodation, drinking water, sanitation and toilet facilities, according to Batticaloa District Secretariat. Muttur east clashes, followed by battle for Sampoor, and now Vaharai clashes intensifying, the increasing numbers of Internally Displaced (IDPs) in Batticaloa face a dismal future.
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Long queues in Jaffna for ration supplies

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 January 2007, 20:19 GMT]
Residents of Jaffna peninsula stood Sunday in long queues in front of retail co-operative stores day long, to buy rationed quantities of soaps and potatoes, while the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and its armed forces in Jaffna peninsula kept maintaining that stocks of food, medicine and other essential commodities are available in plenty in the peninsula of Jaffna. This was the first time these commodities were brought into Jaffna peninsula since the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) closure of the A9 route five months ago.
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TRO urges GoSL to guarantee security of humanitarian workers

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 January 2007, 16:22 GMT]
The Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation, which has been subjected to Sri Lankan Police raids and paramilitary attacks, has urged the Government of Sri Lanka to guarantee security of the humanitarian staff of the organistion. The Trincomalee office of the TRO was attacked Saturday and Sunday nights by armed men, believed to be paramilitary members operated by the Sri Lanka Army. The attack on Trinomcalee TRO office comes after Sri Lankan police raid on Friday.
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SOS from Vaharai

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 January 2007, 13:49 GMT]
Tamils Rehabilitation Organization, in an urgent press release has said that 15,000 Internally Displaced Persons, denied food by the Sri Lanka Army obstruction of the transport of food to Vaharai, are on the verge of death due to starvation.
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