U.S Bishop's concern over atrocities

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 October 1998, 03:58 GMT]
Bishop Felton Edwin May of the United Methodist Church of the Washington Episcopal Area has expressed his concern to the U.S State Department over the alleged mass graves of up to 400 civilians in Chemmani, Jaffna, and other human rights violations by Sri Lankan forces, said sources close to the Church today.
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Posters warn army collaborators

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 October 1998, 18:24 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers put up posters this morning in many parts of the Valigamam sector of the Jaffna peninsula, warning people who have connections with the Sri Lankan army (SLA). The posters which were computer composed print-outs listed civilians by name said sources.
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Northern skirmishes continue -SLA

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 October 1998, 08:48 GMT]
Twenty-one Sri Lankan Army (SLA) personnel were wounded during limited operations in Jaffna said the Sri Lankan military spokesman Brigadier Sunil Tennekoon, presenting a round up of the security situation for this week at the cabinet press briefing today.
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Lion Air flight salvage efforts begin

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 October 1998, 03:49 GMT]
Mannar Kachcheri officials said this morning that efforts to salvage the Lion Air flight that fell into the sea off the Iranaithivu island, 25 kilometers south of Jaffna on Tuesday 29, have begun.
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Fishermen say witnessed crash

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 September 1998, 18:00 GMT]
Fishermen from Pesalai, on the eastern part of the Mannar island, informed the Government Agent (GA) of the Mannar district this evening that they had seen an aircraft hurtling headlong into the sea yesterday while they were fishing in the waters off the coast of Naachchikudah.
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Bishop's plea for Vanni refugees

[TamilNet, Saturday, 26 September 1998, 17:20 GMT]
The Jaffna Diocese of the Catholic Church has called upon its members to forego a meal so that they can contribute its value in money to aid the people in the Vanni who have been affected by the severe food shortages.
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Protest planned in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 September 1998, 18:14 GMT]
The NGO consortium of Jaffna, the People's Committee for Justice and Peace (Jaffna), Committee for Justice and peace of the Catholic Church (Jaffna), the Jaffna Mother's Front, the Missing Persons' Guardian Association (MPGA) of Jaffna and a large number of other public interest groups will stage a sit in protest in front of the National Human Rights Commission office in Jaffna town from 8 a.m. in the morning to 3 p.m.
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Priests meet fasting protestors

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 September 1998, 15:06 GMT]
The second day of the token fast undertaken by displaced persons in front of the Mullaitivu secretariat was well attended, said sources. Over 300 men, women and children participated in the fast, which started at 5.00 in the morning and went on till 5.00 in the evening.
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Harsh measures imposed on Vanni displaced

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 September 1998, 17:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government (SLG) announced today that dry rations for refugees in the Vanni would be provided only if there is proof that the slashed quota of supplies it sent for June and July have been fully distributed.
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PLOTE attempts to clear town

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 September 1998, 19:49 GMT]
PLOTE is making a fresh attempt to forcibly evacuate civilians from Rambaikkulam, a suburb of Vavuniya town said sources today. Some people may have already moved out they said.
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Propaganda via Soap Opera

[TamilNet, Sunday, 19 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
If there ever was a television serial crafted to have partisan political appeal, "Yuga Vilakkuwa", telecast over Sri Lanka's state owned Rupavahini, Saturday evenings, fits the bill eminently.
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Norwegian ambassador visits Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Batticaloa coming within the Eastern Rehabilitation Organisation (ERO) network, met His Excellency Jan Westbourg, Ambassador of the Royal Norwegian Government in Sri Lanka, at the Catholic Club in Batticaloa for a discussion, said sources.
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'Excavate mass graves' - NGO Consortium

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The NGO Consortium of Jaffna has told the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka's Jaffna office, that not only should unauthorised graves at Chemmani be excavated, but mass graves in other parts of Jaffna too should be opened, said sources in Jaffna.
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Hindu Conference condemns Sri Lankan forces

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
An International conference on Hinduism has condemned attacks on Hindus and the destruction of Hindu places of worship by Sri Lankan security forces and urged the Sri Lankan government to halt such attacks. The 'First International Conference on Hindu Solidarity' held in Paris on 27 and 28 June at the UNESCO auditorium and attended by delegates from several countries.
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Behind closed doors

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
On 5 June 1998, the Sri Lankan President once again imposed censorship on foreign and local media barring them from reporting 'sensitive military information'. The PA promised to introduce legal and institutional reforms to strengthen the freedom of expression when it came to power in 1994. According to ARTICLE 19, the international censorship watchdog that has studied press freedom in Sri Lanka in detail, none of these reforms have been implemented. The following report is based on their research.
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Country dance in celebration

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) celebrated its success in impeding the advance of Operation Jayasikurui, (Victory Assured) in the Vanni, by staging a country dance -'Tholvi Nitchchiyam' (Defeat Assured) - in areas under its control west of Batticaloa, said sources in Batticaloa.
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Public complaints against SLA harassment

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A complaint has been lodged by members of the public at the office of the Eelam Peoples' Democratic Party (EPDP) against constant harassment from the Sri Lanka Army's Special Forces (SF) commando unit operating in Waligamam (West) division of the Jaffna peninsula, said sources in Jaffna.
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Arms cache found

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Weapons and ammunition were discovered buried behind the Mandresa Roman Catholic Church retreat in the outskirts of Batticaloa town by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Batticaloa police on Friday evening, said police sources in Batticaloa.
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NGO calls for Peace Task Force

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Movement for Justice, Peace and National Reconciliation, an NGO of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka, called on the Sri Lankan government today to establish a bipartisan peace task force to negotiate with the Liberation Tigers.
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Disease worst problem in Vanni - Church

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 March 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Vicar General of the Jaffna Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church J. B. C Selvarajah, who visited a number of refugee camps in the northern parts of the Vanni, said that among the ravages faced by the Tamil refugees, disease and sickness were the worst.
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