Rajapakse wins Sri Lankan Presidency

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 November 2005, 07:56 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s hardline Prime Minister has been elected as country’s fifth President. Results released Friday by the election commission indicated Premier Mahinda Rajapakse had received almost 50.3% of the vote, with his main rival, opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, taking 48.4% in a hard fought race that has long been described as too close to call.
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Vadamaradchy East, Kilinochchi voters can exercise franchise freely- GA

[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 November 2005, 12:42 GMT]
"We have made elaborate arrangements to ensure that voters residing in Liberation Tigers' controlled areas of Vadamaradchy east and Kilinochchi district can exercise their franchise with complete freedom without any requirement to produce identity cards," said Jaffna Government Agent and Jaffna District Election Returning Officer, K Ganesh, during a press meet held at the Jaffna Secretariat offices Sunday afternoon.
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Election travel restrictions at Omanthai Checkpoint

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 November 2005, 13:18 GMT]
In a meeting held at the Vavuniya secretariat Monday at 3.30 p.m., Sri Lanka Army (SLA) high level officials and, Vavuniya district election Commissioner and Government Agent Mr S Shanumugam, decided to restrict travel at the Omanthai checkpoint and disallow heavy vehicles during Sri Lanka presidential elections on 16th and 17th November, secretariat officials said.
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Two SLA soldiers wounded in grenade attack in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 October 2005, 06:24 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army soldiers were seriously wounded when unidentified men riding in a motorbike lobbed a grenaded into a SLA sentry in Thiraimadu, 5 km east of Batticaloa town around 8:30 p.m. Sunday.
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Masked motorbike troopers cordon, search Pottuvil

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 October 2005, 16:16 GMT]
Masked motorbike-unit-soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army cordoned off and searched Pottuvil town and its suburbs Kundumadu and Kallaiyapattai Sunday evening. The soldiers searched the households and the residents in gunpoint for 4 hours from 5:00 p.m., residents said. The soldiers were wearing black masks.
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Muslim man shot dead in Akkaraipattu

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 October 2005, 07:46 GMT]
Two motorbike-riding gunmen shot and killed a Muslim man near Akkaraipattu Asha school Wednesday night around 8:00 p.m., Akkaraipattu police said.
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SL police arrests muslim woman in Valaichenai

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 October 2005, 15:32 GMT]
A muslim woman was arrested for allegedly possessing two handgrenades in Valaichenai. Police searched the residence of Mrs. Mohammadu Thasin Amma Narchi, 42, on Hairath Mosque Road in Valaichenai and discovered two grenades that were burried inside the premises. The arrest was made Saturday at 9:30 p.m.
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Two civilians shot in Eravur

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 October 2005, 13:08 GMT]
Two unidentified gunmen riding a motorbike fired at two civilians Friday around 1:00 p.m. in Kiran, 27 km north of Batticaloa, police said. Mr. Kanapathipillai Raju, 34, and Mr. N. N. Krishnapillai, 60, were admitted to Batticaloa Hospital.
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Vanni bank awards prizes to thrifty children

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 October 2005, 01:54 GMT]
Officers of the Social Economic Development (SED) bank awarded prizes for 127 children who managed to save more than Rs 2000/- in their piggy banks, as part of the bank's "Future charm" savings project in an event held at the Pradeshya Sabha building in Puthukkudiyiruppu Mullaitivu district at 10.30 a.m. Thursday.
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School re-opens in Thenmaradchchi HSZ after six years

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 October 2005, 10:18 GMT]
Eluthumaduval North Government Tamil Mixed School located in the high security zone of Thenmaradchchi in Jaffna reopened in its own buildings, after six years. Students, teachers and well-wishers led by the Principal entered the school buildings Thursday and cleaned the class-rooms, sources said.
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Jihad militant leader killed in Muttur

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 September 2005, 09:28 GMT]
An unidentified gunman shot and killed Abdul Hakeem, the leader of a Muslim armed Group. The incident took place at Palainagar, Mutthur, around 7.50 p.m., Thursday. His body was found riddled with eight bullets, the Police said.
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Pilot irrigation project explores water conservation techniques

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 September 2005, 04:16 GMT]
A two-acre plot in Iranaimadu junction along A9 in Kilinochchi functions as a test bed to explore techniques in modern irrigation techniques that conserve water. Drip irrigation, bubbler systems, jets and micro irrigation techniques are being tested for optimum use of water. Experiments help identify suitability for practical use in the NorthEast districts where irrigation tanks and canals provide the main supply of water for agricultural use throughout the year. South Australian Tamil association is providing the financial support for this effort implemented through the NGO, The Economic Consultancy House (TECH).
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Jaffna University to establish Faculty of Agriculture in Killinochchi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 September 2005, 17:50 GMT]
Faculty of Agriculture of the Jaffna University is to be established in 400-acre land, which is allocated at Ponnagar in Killinochchi district. The foundation-laying event for the project will be held on 6 September, said Professor C.Mohanathas, Vice Chancellor of the Jaffna University.
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Three SLA soldiers injured in two attacks on Batticaloa Valaichenai road

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 September 2005, 11:43 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen attacked Sri Lanka Army soldiers in two different locations on Batticaloa Valaichenai highway around 5:30 p.m. Sunday. One SLA soldier was injured in the attack that took place at Kiran-Korakallimadu area north of Batticaloa and two SLA soldiers were injured in another attack, one kilometers away at Sithandy. The injured soldiers were airlifted to Polannaruwa hospital in critical condition, Police said. SLA soldiers started beating civilian travellers in Sithandy and Santhiveli, travellers said adding that all transport on the highway had come to a hault. Tension prevailed in the area following the attacks.
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SLA soldier dies in friendly fire in Thenmaradchchi

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 September 2005, 12:58 GMT]
Chavakachcheri Magistrate Mr.A.Premshankar Friday ordered remand for Private Harinda Jayalath of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) till September 16 in connection with the killing of a fellow soldier Rozan Gunaratne (24) Thursday morning around 11.55 a.m. at the army checkpoint along Maruthankulam Road in Eluthumaduval area of the Thenmaradchchi forward defense line in Jaffna district, legal sources said.


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Two more gunfire incidents in east

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 August 2005, 11:16 GMT]
Sri Lankan Army soldiers patrolling the streets in Valaichenai and Kiran were fired upon by unidentified attackers in two separate incidents Wednesday noon. The shooting incidents were reported on Pethalai Road in Valaichenai, 39 km north of Batticaloa town and at Korakallimadu, a hamlet near Kiran. SLA soldiers opened fire following the gunfire by the unidentified attackers. Casualty figures were not immediately available.
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SLA bans transporting school building materials to LTTE held areas in Mannar

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 August 2005, 16:32 GMT]
Construction work of new buildings in two schools in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled areas in the Mannar district has come to a halt due to the ban imposed by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) on the transportation of building materials through Uyilankulam and Madu road army checkpoints, sources said.
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Five major irrigation tanks in NorthEast to be renovated

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 August 2005, 16:56 GMT]
World Bank funded the North East Integrated Agricultural Programme (NEIAP) 2 has allocated about 16 million rupees to renovate five major tanks in the districts of Mannar, Killinochchi, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Amparai bringing a total of about 37,749 hectares of land under paddy for both seasons and the beneficiaries will be about 30,811 farming families, NEIAP sources said.


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Rehabilitation of Mannar-Jaffna road begins

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 August 2005, 16:50 GMT]
Reconstruction of nine bridges on the 98 km long A-32 Navatkuli-Kerativu road connecting the districts of Mannar and Jaffna costing nearly 230 million rupees was initiated under the UK funded North East Bridges Reconstruction Programme (NEBRP). Of the nine bridges, seven are located in the areas controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and two in government-controlled areas, sources said.
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Kalmunai Muslims protest against SL Minister Athaulla

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 July 2005, 12:30 GMT]
More than one thousand Muslims from three different mosques in Kalmunai town marched Friday in protest against the Minister of Infrastructure Development in the Eastern Province, Mr. A.L.M Athaulla, a leader of one of the breakaway factions of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), accusing the lankan minister of "betraying Muslims in Kalmunai" and favouring his native town of Akkaraipattu in securing governmental facilities. Demonstrators also carried placards supporing Tamil - Muslim relations in Kalmunai.
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