‘It is not the big brothers but the younger ones who watch’

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 November 2008, 04:50 GMT]
How the leadership in India in general and Tamil Nadu in particular going to respond to the question of Eezham Tamil liberation has become a test case. Watching the youth and grass-root public uprising in Tamil Nadu, defence analysts in London, Delhi and Colombo, off the record agree that the line of attempting a military defeat of Tamil nationalism can turn out to be disastrous to those who commit it, contribute to it or allow it. They also see a warning to the policy makers of the so-called International Community against meddling with Tamil affairs, writes a media student from Chennai presenting a cross section of reflections from India, Sri Lanka and Europe.
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CPI-led All Party Meeting calls for state-wide protest in Tamil Nadu

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 November 2008, 04:36 GMT]
The Central Government of India has failed to respond to the four demands, concerning the plight of Eezham Tamils, formulated in the previous All Party Meeting (APM) and forwarded to New Delhi by the Government of Tamil Nadu. Therefore, a second APM was convened on Monday by the initiative of the Communist Party of India (CPI), Tamil Nadu, chaired by its State Secretary D. Pandian, who announced a state-wide peaceful protest on November 25 to demonstrate to New Delhi on the resolve of the Tamil Nadu people for a single resolution: Immediate Ceasefire in Sri Lanka.
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Students of JNU voice for Tamil Eelam

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 November 2008, 02:14 GMT]
The Democratic Students' Union (DSU), Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, in a statement on Sunday demanded unconditional declaration of ceasefire from the Sri Lanka government and a stop to the genocide of Tamils. Based on Marxist-Leninist principles of self-determination, it called for support to the Eezham Tamil independence.
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SLA shells hit IDP settlements in Vadamaraadchi East

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 November 2008, 18:53 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired around 100 artillery shells on IDP settlements of Uduththu'rai, Vaththiraayan, Kaddaikkaadu and Vettilaikkea'ni in Vadamaraadchi East in Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled territory in Jaffna district Monday from 1:00 p.m. till 6:40 p.m.
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Head of a Tamil radio station held in Colombo under anti-terror law

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 November 2008, 18:49 GMT]
Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a Paris-based media watchdog, in a press release issued Monday, urged Colombo to release the manager of a Tamil radio A. R. V. Loshan who was arrested Saturday, pointing out that the "allegations against him of having "links with terrorists" and "aiding terrorist activities" should be based on evidence and not on simple conjecture."
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SLA artillery guns target agricultural villages in Ki'linochchi

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 November 2008, 14:21 GMT]
Agricultural lands and the houses of farmers in Canals 5 to 8 along Karadippoakku - Uruththirapuram road in Ki'linochchi came under intense artillery fire by the Sri Lanka Army in the early hours of Monday from 2:00 a.m. till 5:30. The barrage has caused damage to the agricultural lands and destroyed several coconut palms, eyewitnesses told TamilNet.
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SLA artillery barrage kills civilian in Paranthan, 6 wounded

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 November 2008, 14:00 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched an intensive artillery barrage targeting all the roads from Paranthan junction from 2:35 p.m. on Monday, killing a 24-year-old youth in front of Paranthan St. Antony's Church and causing injuries to six, including two elderly men, in the town. Two sisters were severely wounded and were admitted at the Intensive Care Unit of the Tharmapuram hospital. The narrow streets of the town were full of people while the SLA barrage hit the town. More than 750 civilians including school children, government employees, cooperative workers, traders and customers sought refuge on the ground during the attack. A mother who fled the artillery attack with her family narrated the scene to TamilNet correspondent.
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White van abducts Tamil youth in Wellawatte

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 November 2008, 12:57 GMT]
Armed men in civil arrived in a white van and abducted a 26-year-old Tamil youth from the hotel located along Hamden Lane in Wellawatte Saturday evening, according to complaints lodged with the Bambalapitya Police and human rights groups. The victim was an employee at the hotel.
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Unidentified men shoot, injure 2 Tamil farmers in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 November 2008, 12:55 GMT]
Two Tamil farmers were critically injured when unidentified persons waiting in ambush at a point along Chaaththirikoozhangku'lam - Kalmadu road fired at them while they were returning from their paddy fields Saturday evening in Eechchangku'lam area in Vavuniyaa police division, sources said.
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Tamil youth shot dead in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 November 2008, 12:53 GMT]
Unidentified armed person Sunday night shot dead a 22-year-old Tamil youth residing in Ganesh Lane in Aa'ndaangku'lam, a suburb in Trincomalee city, located along Trincomalee-Kandy road, according to complaints lodged with the Trincomalee police by his relatives. The victim was identified as Pulendran, police said.
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Tigers repulse SLA in North, SLA targets Maangku'lam

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 November 2008, 12:39 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched another offensive push for the third consecutive day from Jaffna Monday morning. 8 SLA soldiers were killed and 29 wounded when the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) put up stiff resistance from 5:00 a.m. till 11:00 a.m., thwarting a three frontal attack by the SLA on LTTE Forward Defence Line (FDL) in Mukamaalai, Ka'ndal and Ki'laai, the Tigers said. Meanwhile, the SLA which claimed its forces entered Kumizhamunai near Naayaa'ru lagoon south of A'lampil in Mullaiththeevu district, on Monday said its forces from Vannivi'laangkulam were attempting to occupy Maangku'lam on A9.
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Medical staff in Batticaloa hospital protest slaying of Sinhala doctor

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 November 2008, 08:35 GMT]
Sri Lankan Police was making arrangements to provide security to the Sinhala doctors at the Batticaloa hospital as medical staff of the hospital took to the streets Monday morning protesting against the killing of a doctor, a Sinhalese, at Naavatkudaa in Vavu'natheevu. Initial reports said 65 Sinhala doctors, including trainees at the Teaching hospital and those who were deployed in RDHS hospitals in recently resettled areas, would be provided security. Meanwhile, all the Sinhala medical staff working in recently resettled remote areas of Batticaloa district, were moving to Batticaloa Teaching hospital until their safety is secured, medical authorities said.
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Sinhala doctor shot dead in Batticaloa, STF guns down Tamil neighbour

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 November 2008, 07:23 GMT]
Unidentified armed persons shot and killed a 35-year-old doctor, Palithakumara Pathmakumar, a Sinhalese from Gampola, who was working at Naavatkaadu hospital in Vavu'natheevu, 10 km west of Batticaloa district, Sunday night around 10:15 p.m., Police said. Meanwhile, residents said the Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) commandos attacked and shot dead a 38-year-old Tamil family man in the neighborhood around 10:40 p.m. Tension prevails in Naavatkudaa where hospital staff on protest against the killing, which comes a day before the funeral of Pillayan's private secretary Ragu.
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Sri Lanka wants 'friends' to buy tea

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 November 2008, 19:10 GMT]
Sri Lanka has appealed to "friendly countries" to buy tea to help the country weather the global financial crisis, AFP quoted officials as saying. Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and senior officials of the tea board on Friday met ambassadors and envoys of main tea-buying countries to urge their support. The Sunday Times newspaper reports that the decline in tea prices (which have almost halved in the past two months), and the large volume of unsold tea have caused a cash-flow crisis throughout the supply chain. However, last week demand had improved at last week’s Colombo auctions, reports said.
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Sri Lanka Police arrest Tamil radio journalist in Colombo

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 November 2008, 19:02 GMT]
Mr.A.R. V.Loshan, veteran Tamil radio journalist and announcer, was arrested Saturday early morning around 1:30 a.m. by the Terrorism Intelligence Division (TID) of the Sri Lanka Police from his residence located in Wellawatte, Colombo and was taken to the Bambalapitya Police station. The police officers who took him into custody had told his relatives in writing that Mr.Loshan was arrested on reports implicating him with terrorist activities and aiding terrorists, media sources reported.
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Heavy fighting in Northern Front, 20 SLA killed - LTTE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 November 2008, 17:15 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) on Sunday said they thwarted another attempt to break LTTE FDL by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) at Ka'ndal in Mukamaalai in the Northern Front. 20 SLA soldiers were killed and at least 80 wounded in the fighting that broke out at 5:10 a.m. and lasted til 12:40 p.m., when the SLA was pushed back, according to the Northern Command of the LTTE.
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Wickremasinghe leaves to New Delhi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 November 2008, 17:03 GMT]
Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) and the Leader of the Opposition in the current Sri Lanka parliament, is scheduled to leave Colombo Sunday night to New Delhi. He is to meet the Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherji first and discuss the Sri Lanka's conflict with Indian foreign ministry officials of the South Block, media sources said in Colombo.
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18 SLA killed, 29 wounded in Northern Front - LTTE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 November 2008, 11:56 GMT]
A four-pronged attempt by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) to break the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) Forward Defence Line in Mukamaalai, Ki'laali and Ka'ndal in the Northern Front on was thwarted Saturday after 6 hours of stiff resistance, according to LTTE Northern Command. 18 SLA soldiers were killed and 29 wounded in the fighting, the Tigers said.
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Civilian killed in SLA Claymore attack in Vanni

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 November 2008, 07:53 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) attackers Saturday noon triggered two Claymore mines targeting the motorbike of a vegetable trader, killing him on the spot at Kollar Pu'liyangku'lam in Vanni, Tamileelam Police officials said.
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Tamil family man shot dead in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 November 2008, 20:24 GMT]
Three unidentified armed men arriving on motor cycles at the house of a trader in Vavu’natheevu police division in Batticaloa disrict Friday around 7:30 p.m shot and killed the trader. Many Special Task Force (STF) camps and police stations are located in this area.
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