HC rejects confession, acquits PTA accused

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 September 2002, 19:10 GMT]
The Eastern High Court Judge Wednesday rejected the confession purported to have been made by the accused in a Prevention of Terrorism Act case stating that it was not a voluntary one. "Hence I acquit the accused," said Judge Mr.J.Visvanathan. The case was tried in absentia of the accused.
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SLA escorts LTTE convoy to Vanni

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 September 2002, 23:34 GMT]
A large number of Liberation Tigers from Batticaloa-Ampara district travelled to the Vanni region by road Tuesday, escorted by Sri Lankan troops. Sources said 285 LTTE members made the journey.
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High Court allows bail for rape victim

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 September 2002, 14:37 GMT]
Sathasivam Rahykala, 28, who had been subjected to severe torture and sexual assault by several police personnel while in custody was allowed on surety bail by the Eastern High Court Judge Mr.J.Visvanathan Friday at Batticaloa session.
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AG withdraws eleven PTA cases

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 September 2002, 14:35 GMT]
The Eastern High Court in Trincomalee Tuesday discharged nine accused when the State Counsel withdrew the indictments against them in eleven cases filed under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) on the advice of the Attorney General (AG).
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New SL Navy base violates ceasefire - LTTE

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 September 2002, 11:42 GMT]
The political wing leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Mr.S.P.Thamilselvan said Tuesday that the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) is building a new camp on the island of Delft off Jaffna in violation of the LTTE's Ceasefire Agreement with the Government of Sri Lanka. He urged the head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission to take immediate action on the matter.
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PTA suspect raped and tortured -JMO

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 September 2002, 20:35 GMT]
The medical report to the Eastern High Court in a Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) case revealed that twelve police personnel had raped Sathasivam Rathykala, aged 28, at night at the Polonaruwa police station on 24.11.2000. The report was submitted by the Batticaloa Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) to the Eastern High Court on September 18. The JMO in his report has recommended that counselling and rehabilitation should be provided to the suspect in consultation with a psychiatrist as the victim has suffered acute mental trauma.
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North East Tamil-Muslim unity stressed

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 September 2002, 19:21 GMT]
"Sinhalese politicians have now realized that they can no longer adopt divide and rule policy between Tamils and Muslims when serious negotiations are in progress to resolve the ethnic conflict," said Mr. R.Sampanthan, Tamil National Alliance leader and district parliamentarian addressing the Tamil language day celebrations held Monday in Trincomalee. Tamils and Muslims should shed their differences, especially in the northeast province, if we are to achieve sustainable peace, Mr.Sampanthan appealed.
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Peace pulls thousands to Kokkaddicholai festival

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 September 2002, 14:33 GMT]
The Chariot Festival of the Kokkaddicholai Thaanthonreeswarar Siva Temple in Batticaloa’s LTTE controlled western hinterland was celebrated Sunday. The prevailing peace between the Liberation Tigers and Colombo drew more than 25,000 devotees to the festival. According to local traditions, the temple’s original structure was built by provincial governors of the Chola Empire in the eleventh century. The island was a province of the powerful medieval Tamil empire for three centuries.
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Repeal PTA, release political prisoners -CHRD

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 September 2002, 06:49 GMT]
The Centre for Human Rights and Development (CHRD) Sunday held a one-day seminar in Trincomalee Town Hall to mobilize the support of the people for an agitation campaign demanding the repeal of the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and the release of all Tamil political prisoners now being held in various prisons in the south.
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Premier returns after US visit

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 September 2002, 18:00 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister, Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe, returned to Colombo Sunday after a ten-day high profile visit to United States of America. The Prime Minister undertook the tour while the historic peace talks between his government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam commenced in Sattahip, a port town in Thailand last week.
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Education said central to Tamil cause

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 September 2002, 16:35 GMT]
“The National Institute of Education (NIE) discriminates against Tamil medium education, distorts the island’s history taught in schools and is dominated by Singhalese. We can develop and improve our education system when the interim administration for the Northeast is established,” said Mr. Ilankumaran, head of the Education Division of the Liberation Tigers, addressing the inaugural meeting of the Jaffna Education Development Society (EDS) Sunday.
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LTTE condemns Mannar anti-Muslim leaflet

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 September 2002, 13:40 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers issued a statement Saturday condemning ‘disruptive forces’ behind a leaflet ordering Muslims to leave Mannar. The leaflet, issued surreptitiously in Mannar by a group called ‘Elalan Force’ last week, threatened that rivers of blood would flow if Muslim schools in the district do not shut down before end of September.
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Vanni MPs slam SLA for blocking resettlement

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 September 2002, 22:54 GMT]
"If Mannar and Vavuniya districts are to be developed the Sri Lanka armed forces have to vacate our homes, and agricultural lands. We are not asking for houses or buildings in Anuradhapura and Madawachchiya. We are only asking permission to go back to our homes, to the lands of our forefathers," said the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Vanni district parliamentarian Mr.Sivasakthi Anandan addressing a conference held Friday at the Mannar district secretariat on resettlement.
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SLMC leader returns from Thailand

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 September 2002, 22:53 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Mr.Rauff Hakeem expressed optimism Friday that talks between the government and the LTTE would progress step by step. "In the first round of talks held at Thailand between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE I was able to know the stand of the LTTE on the Muslim issue," said Minister Mr.Rauff Hakeem when he return to Colombo Friday night.
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China pledges to assist rebuilding north

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 September 2002, 16:40 GMT]
The Chinese government Friday promised that it would offer financial assistance to rebuild houses destroyed by war in the Jaffna district. "My government is developing a rehabilitation programme for implementation in the north," said Chinese ambassador in Colombo, Mr.Jiang Quizheng, addressing a conference at the Jaffna district secretariat Friday. The Ambassador during his visit to Jaffna inspected the Point Pedro jetty, which is in the high security zone of the Sri Lanka Army.
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SLA discusses fishermen grievances

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 September 2002, 15:34 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army Thursday held a discussion with representatives of Vadamarachchi fisheries societies regarding their grievances. The conference held at the headquarters of the 52-4 Brigade of the SLA. assurances were given at the conference that the SLA would take up the question with higher authorities to allow displaced Vadamarachchi fishermen now in LTTE held Vanni region to travel by sea in their boats for resettlement in their villages.
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LTTE committed to peace -Pathuman

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 September 2002, 02:51 GMT]
"We are firmly committed to peace. But keeping a strong, well trained military force is essential for achieving legitimate aspirations of the Tamils, said Pathuman addressing a gathering Thursday evening at Chenaiyoor Central College grounds south of the eastern port town of Trincomalee after taking salute at the passing out parade for new LTTE recruits.
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Chinese Ambassador meets Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 September 2002, 23:00 GMT]
The Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mr. Jiang Qinzheng, met the head of the Liberation Tigers’ Political Wing, Mr. S. P. Tamilchelvan Thursday, sources said. The discussions were held at the LTTE’s political headquarters in Kilinochchi.
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Soosai readies for road opening

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 September 2002, 19:31 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers will push for immediate action to rehabilitate the Pt. Pedro-Maruthankerni Road on Jaffna’s southeastern coast and will promptly send teams to de-mine the blocked parts of the route, said Mr. Soosai, the commander of the Sea Tigers, addressing a gathering of more than 150 Sri Lankan government officials, representatives of local civil society groups, community leaders and local LTTE officials at the Maruthankerni Hindu School Thursday morning.
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US, UK hail successful talks

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 September 2002, 15:25 GMT]
(News Feature) The United States and Britain Thursday welcomed the successful conclusion of the first round of talks between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers in Thailand this week. Comments by both governments are the latest in a series of supporting statements by several countries including China, South Africa and Iran. The negotiations which took place with Norwegian facilitation at a Thai naval base in Sittahip lasted Monday through Wednesday.
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