U.N. mission imperative to curb rights violations in Sri Lanka- HRW

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 December 2007, 21:17 GMT]
Human Rights Watch (HRW) officials currently touring the U.S. lobbying for a U.N. mission to monitor human rights violations in Sri Lanka, told the Chicago Public Radio that their current focus is on the "shocking" disappearances and killing in Sri Lanka where the Sri Lanka Government has done "shamefully little" to investigate the cases. They added that Democratic Institutions that would otherwise be capable of highlighting human right abuses, infringements to freedom of speech, and erosion in independence of judiciary in Sri Lanka, have collapsed under an ineffective Parliament.
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Raviraj murder inquiry fixed for January 2

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 December 2007, 19:24 GMT]
The Colombo Additional Magistrate Sujatha Alahakoon Friday fixed the inquiry into the murder of Nadarajah Raviraj, Jaffna district parliamentarian, for January 2, legal sources in Colombo said. Mr.Raviraj was killed on November 10, 2006 at Naharenpitya in Colombo. The police took two suspects, Nalaka Mathan Veera and Anura Shantha, into custody on suspicion.
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Karunanidhi calls for protection of fishermen, urges Delhi to assist Tamil refugees

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 December 2007, 08:59 GMT]
Tamilnadu Chief Minister Kalaignar Karunanidhi raised the issue of Indian fishermen being attacked by the Sri Lankan Navy (SLN) in his speech at the Internal Security Meeting at New Delhi Thursday and appealed to the Indian Prime Minister to ensure that Tamil fishermen were protected by the Indian Navy without any kind of interference from the Sri Lankan forces. He also drew attention to the refugee influx in Tamilnadu due to escalating military oppression in Sri Lanka and requested the Indian Government to provide financial aid to ensure the smooth continuation of refugee rehabilitation activities.
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Nadesan calls for attitudinal shift in rights approach

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 December 2007, 13:17 GMT]
The Government of Sri Lanka remained unperturbed despite severe criticism from U.N representatives who had visited the island and confirmed the large-scale violation of human rights against Tamils, because it continued to receive military and monetary aid from those who actually condemn the human rights violations, charged Liberation Tigers Political Head B. Nadesan, Monday, on the International Human Rights Day. Declaring that the human rights violations by the GoSL in SLA-controlled areas was nothing short of a "systematic genocide of the Tamils," he called upon the International Community to use "severe pressure" against Colombo to put an end to the flagrant violation of human rights.
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Paramilitary person shot dead in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 December 2007, 09:39 GMT]
Gunmen alleged to be paramilitary men belonging to Pillayan group shot and killed an operative of its rival Karuna group Thursday around 8:30 a.m in Aaraiyampathi in Batticaloa district, Police said.
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FMM deplores SLAF bombing of VoT

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 November 2007, 05:08 GMT]
The Free Media Movement (FMM), in a press release issued Wednesday, deplored the attack by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) on the Voice of Tigers radio station and said: "mindlessly bombing civilian run media infrastructure and killing media personnel in the process simply because one does not agree with what is broadcast is to callously disregard established international humanitarian law." The FMM also strongly condemned the censoring of BBC Sinhala programme “Sandeshaya” by Sri Lanka state radio.
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Sri Lanka borrows heavily from Iran, UK, and ADB

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 November 2007, 03:24 GMT]
Sri Lanka this week borrowed $1.5 billion from Iran reportedly to fund infrastructure projects, including an expansion of the island's only oil refinery, press reports said Wednesday. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is this week providing $65 million “to improve secondary and tertiary education” and on November 16th Colombo borrowed 50 million pounds ($104 million) from the British government “to reconstruct 222 bridges and build two fly-overs around Colombo.” The loans mark the latest in a flurry of fund raising by Sri Lanka including $500 million in 5-year sovereign bonds that Sri Lanka sold in October this year.
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Claymore attack kills 2 policemen in Ka'luvaagnchikkudi

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 November 2007, 16:40 GMT]
A Police sub inspector and a constable engaged in a road clearing patrol were killed Saturday morning at 10:00 p.m. when attackers triggered a roadside Claymore mine targeting their motorbike at Ka'luthava'lai in Ka'luvaagnchikkudi. Police have declared curfew and launched a cordon and search operation, following the first Claymore attack in the area after the Sri Lankan forces have brought the entire Batticaloa district under their control, Assistant Superintendent of police (ASP) Ka'luvaagnchikkudi Police division said.
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"Disappearances and killings will continue" - Fonseka

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 November 2007, 03:15 GMT]
Disappearances and killings of will continue as long as ‘anti-terrorist’ operations are continuing, Sri Lanka’s Army commander, Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka said this week in a interview to British investigative reporters. Asked about human rights abuses in the newly captured Eastern province, the commander replied: “This area is not a normal area. So people getting killed and some people going missing will happen as far as the anti-terrorist operations are continuing.”
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SLA steps up surveillance in A'pura Tamil suburb

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 November 2007, 20:09 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Police have been frequently conducting cordon and search operation at Neeraaviyadi, a Tamil suburb located 6 km away from Anuradhapura military air base. The surveillance has been stepped up since the assumption of Major General Sarath Karunaratne as the Overall Commander of Anuradhapura district following the recent aerial and land attack on the Anuradhapura military air base by the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE).
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Colombo issued diplomatic passport to Karuna- paper

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 November 2007, 15:54 GMT]
Sri Lanka weekly, Morning Leader, in Wednesday edition, alleged that Sri Lanka violated norms of international diplomatic behavior by directing the British Embassy in Colombo to issue a visa in a false diplomatic passport to the leader of TMVP paramilitary group, Karuna, facilitating his escape to the United Kingdom.
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Hartal observed in Batticaloa Muslim areas

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 November 2007, 02:37 GMT]
Residents of Muslim areas in Batticaloa district observed Tuesday the shut down called by the Federation of Mosques in Batticaloa district demanding the immediate release of a Muslim trader abducted Wednesday in Chiththaandi area, allegedly by Karuna paramilitary group, sources in Batticaloa said. The protesters marched from Oattamaavadi Bazar mosque to Maavadicheanai mosque.
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UK urged to charge Karuna for war crimes

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 November 2007, 14:09 GMT]
Karuna, a former Tamil Tiger commander and later the leader of TMVP paramiitary group that has been deployed by the Sri Lankan forces in their war against the Tigers, has been arrested in Britain on suspicion of immigration offences, including traveling on a false passport, British press reports said this week. International human rights groups are now calling on the UK government to investigate Vinayagamoorthi Muraleetharan (Karuna) for war crimes and are assembling evidence to see whether they can trigger a prosecution, reports said. Amid fears by rights groups that Karuna would be deported to Sri Lanka, some press reports said he had applied for asylum in Britain.
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Paramilitary faction attacks Karuna camp

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 November 2007, 10:55 GMT]
The Meenakam house of the main faction of TMVP (Karuna) paramilitary group, guarded by the Sri Lankan Police, was raided by the rival Pillayan faction Monday night, Batticaloa Police said. Three Karuna personnel have been captured by the Pillayaan faction. Special Task Force (STF), the elite counter-insurgency arm of the Sri Lankan police, has been deployed in other Karuna camps in Batticaloa, strengthening security, Police said.
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Kanimozhi Karunanidhi: Slaying of Thamilchelvan against the norms of war

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 November 2007, 17:05 GMT]
Thamilchelvan's killing was against the norms of conventional warfare, said Kanimohzi Karunanidhi, the daughter of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi and a Member of Indian Parliament when speaking at a meeting in Thiruvaroor in Tamil Nadu, condemning the killing of the political leader and negotiator of Eelam Tamils, media sources in Chennai said, on Monday.
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Vaiko condemns India for providing military assistance to Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 November 2007, 10:18 GMT]
Vaiko, the leader of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) in a communique issued Saturday, called upon the international community to strongly condemn the killing of Liberation Tigers Political Head S.P.Thamilchelvan who was slain in a targeted air attack in Ki'linochchi and condemned the Government of India for providing military assistance to Sri Lanka. An array of political leaders from Tamil Nadu, including K. Veeramani, Pandiyan, Ramdoss and Nedumaran have condemned the killing while Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Kalaignar Karunanidhi condoled the demise of Thamilchelvan, passing a subtle message that the Tamils of Sri Lanka haven't gone brotherless.
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Key paramilitary operative wounded in Claymore attack

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 November 2007, 14:51 GMT]
Seven paramilitary personnel with a key TMVP paramilitary operative, Sinnaththamby, were wounded when they were ambushed while riding in a white van at Naavaladi in Oaddamaavadi police division Sunday around 2:30 p.m. Three of the wounded, including the key operative Sinnaththamby, are in critical condition at Polannaruwa hospital, Police said.
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Karunanidhi laments the death of Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 November 2007, 11:43 GMT]
Seen as a significant gesture, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and veteran leader of Tamils, M. Karunanidhi, condoled the demise of Thamilchelvan on Saturday. Kalaignar Karunanidhi, quite typical of his style, used the medium of poetry and pun to pass a subtle message that the Tamils of Sri Lanka haven't gone brotherless. The Chief Minister's emotion-filled condolence gains significance in the background of a prevailing impression that the government of India is fully backing the war efforts of the government of Sri Lanka aiming for a military solution to the ethnic crisis in the island.
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Karuna group member shot, injured in Vaazhaichcheanai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 November 2007, 18:07 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen shot and injured Wednesday around 6:20 p.m a paramilitary member of Karuna group in Vaazhaichcheanai in Batticaloa district. The injured member was rushed to Batticaloa Teaching Hospital, Vaazhaichcheanai police said.
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Armed robberies by Karuna cadres escalate in Ea’raavoor

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 November 2007, 01:44 GMT]
A Muslim youth lodged a complaint at Ea'raavoor police station that his motor bicycle was robbed in Savukkadi area by a Karuna group member, Ea'raavoor police said. Meanwhile, in a separate incident in Kommaathu'rai, also within Ea'raavoor police division, some members of Karuna group robbed school furniture worth 4 lakhs of Rupees from Vinayagar Vidyalayam.
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