Congressional discussion focuses on Rights violations

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 December 1998, 17:56 GMT]
A five member panel of experts on Human Rights violations in Sri Lanka, speaking at Congressional Human Rights Caucus staff round table discussions, were unanimous in their call to the Sri Lankan Government to expedite the investigations into the alleged mass graves at Chemmani, Jaffna where up to 400 bodies of Tamils disappeared in 1996 and 1997 may be buried.
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"Tigers should retain arms" - TELO

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 December 1998, 17:36 GMT]
Mr. Sivajilingam of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO) said while speaking at a meeting organised in view of the International Humarn Rights Day Trincomalee that he would not ask the Tigers to lay down their arms.
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Jaffna protest over human rights

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 December 1998, 17:16 GMT]
The Missing Persons Guardian Association (MPGA) and 15 other Non Governmental Organisations in Jaffna sent a memorandum to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan on December 10, to mark Human Rights Day.
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Tamils join HR vigil at UN

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 December 1998, 08:26 GMT]
The Association of Sri Lankan Tamils joined more than 45 international organizations in a rally and candlelight vigil in front of UN headquarters in New York yesterday afternoon to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Universal declaration of Human Rights at the United Nations.
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Batticaloa women protest

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 December 1998, 18:12 GMT]
Several women's groups in Batticaloa staged a token sit-in today in Batticaloa town to mark human rights day. About 150 women took part in the sit in demonstration in the town centre. The sit in was organised by eighteen women's groups that are active in the region.
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Colombo Tamils face new regulations

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 December 1998, 22:10 GMT]
The Presidential Committee, set up to investigate the harassment and arrest of (Tamil) Civilians in Colombo, has been unable to prevent stringent new security regulations from coming into effect.
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Army presence leads to social problems - report

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 December 1998, 12:35 GMT]
The presence of the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) in the Sinhala border areas of the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka has created massive social problems, said the commissioners of the Fact Finding Citizen's Commission on the Border Villages in the Northeast Affected by the War.
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Batticaloa council welcomes LTTE Statement

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 December 1998, 00:00 GMT]
Batticaloa Municipal Council unanimously adopted a resolution yesterday welcoming the peace offer made by the leader of the Liberation Tigers, Mr. Prabakaran, said Mr. Cheliyan Perinpanayakam, Mayor of Batticaloa.
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Site of Welikade Prison moved

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 December 1998, 23:49 GMT]
Welikade prison, where many Tamils political prisoners are detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and emergency regulations, is to be moved from Welikade to Athurugiriya and Wattal in the suburbs of Colombo, said sources.
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Navy fire kills 9 fishermen

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 November 1998, 10:50 GMT]
The nine fishermen who were reported missing early this morning after the Sri Lankan Navy (SLN) attacked a group of fishing boats in the sea off Mullaithivu, between Semmalai and Alampil were all migrant Sinhalese from the island's west coast said one of their colleagues who escaped the midsea carnage and swam ashore this afternoon.
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LTTE leader calls for negotiations

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 November 1998, 18:12 GMT]
In his Heroes Day speech, LTTE leader, Vellupillai Pirabhakaran, said the Tigers were willing to negotiate an end the conflict in Sri Lanka. However, he said the LTTE favoured third party mediation and ruled out talks based on pre-conditions. "We have not close the doors for peace. We are open to the civilized method of resolving conflicts through rational dialogue", he said. However, he expressed doubts the Sri Lankan government would negotiate in earnest.
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Tigers woo ex-militant groups' cadres

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 November 1998, 11:38 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers in the east of the island have begun a leaflet campaign to recruit members of Tamil groups operating with the Sri Lankan Army (SLA). One leaflet addressed to "Tamil youth working with the Sinhala Army" was published yesterday along with two poetry based pamphlets said sources in Batticaloa.
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VoT Sinhala service begins

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 November 1998, 18:52 GMT]
The Sinhala service of the Voice of Tigers (VoT) radio, which was broadcast on 97 FM, could be picked up in the Sri Lankan government held town of Vavuniya amidst frequent electronic interruptions said sources there. The programme commenced at 7 p.m. and concluded around 7.30 p.m.
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Tight Security Around Colombo

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 November 1998, 22:51 GMT]
All vehicles entering the capital Colombo will be searched before they are allowed to enter, said the Deputy Inspector General of Police for the Western Province today. He said that the Police had to tighten security in the capital as the Liberation Tigers mark 'Maveerar' Day (Heroes' Day- commemoration of war dead).
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25 Arrested in Search Operations

[TamilNet, Saturday, 21 November 1998, 20:18 GMT]
Atleast 25 Tamils were arrested during search operations by the Sri Lankan Police in the hill town of Kandy, on Thursday, said sources. However, five of them were latter released.
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Danish delegation to discuss repatriation issues

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 November 1998, 04:02 GMT]
A Danish delegation is expected to visit Sri Lanka on November 19th to do preliminary work for signing an agreement between both countries related to repatriation of Sri Lankan refugees whose applications have been rejected in Denmark said foreign ministry sources in Colombo.
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Prayers for soldiers planned

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 November 1998, 23:32 GMT]
The Presidential secretariat in Colombo said today that special prayers will be offered in Buddhist and Hindu temples and churches tomorrow at 7 p.m. simultaneously in the evening to invoke blessings upon soldiers of the Sri Lankan army who are fighting the Liberation Tigers in the north and east of the island.
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Indian official visits east

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 November 1998, 11:47 GMT]
"The ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka cannot be resolved without talking to the Liberation Tigers; they are the key players and main actors in the Tamil issue" said Mr. Joseph Pararajasingham MP of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) during discussions with Mr. C.V Thripathi, the first senior Indian official to visit the war torn Batticaloa district in ten years, this morning. Mr.Thripathi is India's new Deputy High Commissioner in Sri Lanka.
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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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Muslim youths urged to join

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 October 1998, 17:33 GMT]
A letter from the Sri Lankan Police strongly urging Muslim youth to join the Home Guards was read out at Mosques in Valaichenai and Ottamaavadi after the Jummah prayers this afternoon. According to the letter, any Muslim youth who had attended school upto grade five is eligible to become a Home Guard.
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