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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LTTE's US Court hearing scheduled

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 August 1998, 03:20 GMT]
The briefing schedule for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit case between Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (Petitioner) and the US Department of State (Respondent) has been set according to legal sources close to the case. The 'merits panel' comprising of Judges Hon. Steven F. Williams, Hon. A. Raymond Randolph and Hon. James L. Buckley will preside the case.
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Anti harassment group 'seeks advice'

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 August 1998, 10:05 GMT]
A representative of the anti-harassment group, Mr. M. Suhair, MP, told the Thinakaran newspaper that his organisation is "seeking helpful advice and comments" from intellectuals, human rights groups and NGOs.
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Jaffna traders urge SLG to compensate losses

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 August 1998, 10:36 GMT]
Around 600 persons, including 450 traders, staged a token fast in front of the Jaffna Kachcheri, in Jaffna town, on Monday from 8:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. protesting against the Sri Lanka Government (SLG) for bombing the cargo vessel Princess Kash on Friday, and demanding that the SLG pay compensation for the loss, said sources in Jaffna.
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70 arrested in combined search

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 August 1998, 08:06 GMT]
More than 75 Tamil youths were arrested in a combined Sri Lanka police and army search in the Vaththalai Police district on the night of the 14 of August and were taken to Valaichenai police station for inquiry.
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Concern for tortured detainee - Amnesty

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 August 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Amnesty International, the London based human right watchdog said that "there are serious concerns" for Thambirajah Kamalathasan, a Tamil man from Chunnakam, Jaffna, who was subjected to torture for several days following his arrest by police on 15 July 1998 in the capital, Colombo.
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Mass graves road closed

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 August 1998, 23:59 GMT]
"Why is the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) keeping the Kaithady-Nallur Road passing through Chemmani closed? This has led to suspicion and unease in the Jaffna public, and the SLA should take steps to open it as early as possible" said a resolution passed by People's Power Forum (PPF), a civic organisation in Jaffna, headed by former Jaffna Municipal Commissioner, Mr. C. V. K. Sivagnanam, when it met on Sunday.
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Police to investigate mass graves

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 August 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Police officials from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) will visit the alleged 'Chemmani mass graves' on August 4 along with Sri Lankan Army copral Somaratne Rajapakse, the first accused in the rape and murder case of Krishanthi Kumaraswamy said sources.
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Toronto Tamils mark 'Black July'

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
(Adds. photo)The world Tamil Movement (WTM) of Canada held an exhibition and rally Saturday evening in Scarborough, Toronto to mark 'Black July', the anti Tamil pogrom of 1983 in Sri Lanka. TamilNet's Toronto correspondent said that more than four thousand people attended the event.
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Tamil parties remember Black July

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Three Tamil political parties in Batticaloa issued a statement yesterday, requesting the public to observe three days, July 25 - 27, as days of mourning in memory of the race riots of 'Black July' 1983, said sources in Batticaloa.
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Tension ahead of Black July anniversary

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Security has been tightened in the northern town of Jaffna with increased search operations being carried out by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), as the 15th anniversary of 'Black July' approaches said sources in Jaffna. Road checks by the SLA have also been increased during the last few days, they added.
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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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Investigation demanded

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Tamil political parties and human rights groups have urged the Sri Lankan government to excavate the alleged mass graves in Chemmani in Jaffna in the presence of representatives of the public where between 300 and 400 Tamils are believed to have been buried.
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Protests at Illegal Settlement

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A Tamil Member of Parliament protested to Indika Gunawardene, Minister of Housing, Construction and Public Utilities, about moves by the Sri Lanka Government (SLG) to give illegal Sinhalese occupants the titles to lands and houses belonging to Tamils, said sources in Trincomalee.
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'300 to 400 bodies have been buried'

[TamilNet, Monday, 06 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
On 3 July 1998, the Colombo High Court sentenced five Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and policemen charged with rape and murder in the Krishanthi Kumaraswamy case to death. Local and international human rights activists have welcomed the fact that a severe sentence was passed, indicating the gravity of the crimes, but there are doubts as to whether this marks an end to the climate of impunity in Sri Lanka.
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Colonisation sparks communal passions

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Communal passions flared up when encroachment on state land in Trincomalee was discussed during the Trincomalee District Coordinating Committee meeting at the Trincomalee District Secretariat last morning, said sources at this eastern seaport town.
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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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Demonstration over cuts in relief

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Over one thousand people demonstrated in Jaffna today, protesting at the Sri Lankan Government's decision to cut relief for displaced people. The demonstration was organised by an organisation calling itself the 'Movement campaigning for Human Justice'
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Colonisation in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
An illegal colonisation of Sinhalese, backed by the Sri Lankan Army and Police is taking place in areas between the native Tamil villages of Kurankup Paalam and Vilankulam in the Trincomalee district, on the Trincomalee-Colombo road, said sources in the eastern port town of Trincomalee.
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Political detainees to begin protest fast

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Forty-seven Tamil political prisoners held at the Kalutura prison, 43 km south of capital Colombo, have warned that they will begin a fast unto death from Tuesday, June 23, demanding that the authorities either begin legal proceedings against them or release them.
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