Sooriyaarachi to be laid to rest Wednesday

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 February 2008, 21:51 GMT]
The remains of former Port Development Minister and Sri Lanka Freedom Party-Mahayana Wing (SLFP) (M) Coordinator Sripathi Sooriyarachchi, who was killed in a car accident Saturday at Thambuththegama, Anuradhapura was kept in Jayaratne Funeral Parlour in Borella Sunday morning for viewing by public to pay their homage, and was later taken to his residence in Kandana, sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Kudos to wider Tamil identity

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 February 2008, 21:39 GMT]
The decision of Tamil National Alliance (TNA), which enabled Razeen Mohamed Imam becoming a national list member of the Sri Lanka parliament last Wednesday, is received with wide appreciation from different sections of the Tamil-speaking people, including the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress. The 60-years-old lawyer Mr. Razeen Mohamed hails from Jaffna and is a member of the Ilankai Thamizh Arasuk Kadchi (the Federal Party started by the late S.J.V Chelvanayakam) for more than 30 years. He was also earlier a member of the Jaffna Municipal Council, elected through a Federal Party ticket.
Full story >>

430 Moothoor IDP families resettled

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 February 2008, 19:33 GMT]
The members of 430 families internally displaced from areas under the administration of Moothoor District Secretary (DS) due to clashes between Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and living in various welfare centres in Batticaloa District were transported back to their original areas of residence, Batticaloa District Government Agent (GA) Suntharam Arumainayagam, said Sunday.
Full story >>

Tiger snipers kill 4 SLA troops in Paa'laikuzhi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 February 2008, 13:49 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) snipers killed four Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers Saturday at Paalaikuzhi in Mannaar district, Mannaar LTTE Operation Command said.
Full story >>

LTTE, SLA clash in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 February 2008, 11:05 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) drove Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops back to their positions in a fight at Pa’ndivirihchchaan in Mannar district Saturday which began at 5:30 a.m Saturday and lasted till 4:20 p.m, Mannaar LTTE Operations Command said. The SLA troops fled back carrying the dead and wounded, LTTE said.
Full story >>

LTTE, STF clash in Ka’luvaagnchchikudi

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 February 2008, 15:48 GMT]
Special Task Force (STF) commandos of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eeelam (LTTE) fighters had a direct encounter Saturday morning 4:30a.m near Ka’luvaagnchchikudi in Batticaloa District. During the exchange of gunfire which lasted 15 minutes, there were no STF casualties. No details were available about LTTE casualties, police added.
Full story >>

79 displaced Tamil families to be resettled in Moothoor

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 February 2008, 09:15 GMT]
A group of displaced Tamil families from the divisions of Moothoor east and Eachchilampathu in Trincomalee district, currently living in shelters and welfare centers in Aarayampathi, Kaluwaanchikgudi and Chenkgalady in Batticaloa district, are being transported Saturday, sources said.
Full story >>

Sinhala officers posted to resettled Tamil villages in Moothoor

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 February 2008, 04:05 GMT]
Sri Lanka Home Affairs Ministry has been posting Sinhala and Muslim grama niladhari (GN) officers (village level officers) to traditional Tamil villages in the divisions of Moothoor and Eachchilampathu in the Trincomalee district. The offices are located in Sinhala dominated areas, and the Tamil families unable to obtain the allocated assistance provided by the Sri Lanka Government and the necessary social support from these officials, residents said.
Full story >>

15 Tamils, 5 Muslims arrested in Gampaha

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 February 2008, 02:00 GMT]
Nineteen Tamils and five Muslims were taken into custody by the police in a cordon and search operation conducted in Gampaha town in the Colombo district from Thursday evening till Friday morning. The arrested are being detained in Gampaha police station and are being interrogated by the Terrorist Intelligence Division, Police sources in Gampaha said.
Full story >>

Tamil businessman shot dead in Colombo

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 February 2008, 16:17 GMT]
Two unknown men riding in a motorbike shot and killed a Tamil businessman, Pulendran Weerasubramaniam, in front of St. Lucias Church in Kotahena Police area Firday around 7:00 p.m. The businessman who hails from Pungkudutheevu in Jaffna was a friend of late Maheswaran MP who was assassinated inside Ponnampala Va'neasvarar temple while attending New Year eve prayers. Mr. Pulendran was shot dead while riding in a car. His wife, Umadevi was wounded and rushed to Colombo National hospital, Police said.
Full story >>

Veeramunai NGO employees continue to be detained

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 February 2008, 13:54 GMT]
Six female employees at the Veeramunai office of a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) Social Welfare Organization of Ampaa'rai District (SWOAD), arrested by Sammanthurai police Tuesday afternoon are continued to be detained, civil society sources in Ampaa'rai said.
Full story >>

Sinhala woman arrested in Dambulla

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 February 2008, 12:24 GMT]
The Dambulla Police has detained a Sinhala woman and two Tamil youths in connection with the passenger bus claymore explosion that took place 2nd February. Police said the woman and her mother had been traveling in the same bus with her mother. The daughter escaped injuries but her mother sustained injuries in the explosion and being treated in the Kurunagala general hospital. Her mother would also be arrested shortly, according to the Police.
Full story >>

Tigers seize SLA weapons in Naakarkoayil clash

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 February 2008, 15:57 GMT]
Heavy fighting erupted between the Sri Lanka Army and the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam Thursday morning at 5:00 a.m. when an SLA unit, using tanks with artillery support fire, attempted to move towards LTTE Forward Defence Line at Naakarkoayil in Jaffna. The SLA sustained heavy casualties in the one-hour fighting, LTTE's Northern Forces Operations Command told reporters who were taken on a tour to Naakarkoayil FDL where the Tigers displayed ammunition and an assault rifle seized by them.
Full story >>

Security beefed up in Moneragala

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 February 2008, 01:12 GMT]
Local officials have intensified security measures in the plantation sector in Moneragala, Buttala and Wokkapitiya following recent bomb blasts in these areas, residents said. Tension and fear still prevails in Moneragala district, civil society sources said.
Full story >>

Five employees of Social Welfare Organization Arrested

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 February 2008, 00:01 GMT]
Sammanthurai police arrested Tuesday afternoon five female employees at the Veeramunai office of a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) Social Welfare Organization of Ampaa'rai District (SWOAD), civil society sources in Ampaa'rai said.
Full story >>

Stop military aid to Sri Lanka: PDK submits one million signatures to Indian defence minister

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 February 2008, 19:57 GMT]
Several hundred activists of the Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (PDK) marched towards the Indian Parliament Wednesday morning demanding the Indian Government to immediately stop military aid and assistance to the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL). As a part of the protest, the activists, including 100 women and children, dressed as wounded Tamils marched from Jantar Mantar to Parliament Street and submitted a memorandum at the Prime Minister's office. PDK leaders on Thursday met Indian Defence Minister A K Antony at his residence and submitted a petition signed by one million Indian Tamils demanding that India stop all military aid to Sri Lanka.
Full story >>

Courts activities in Jaffna stall

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 February 2008, 17:48 GMT]
Cases in Jaffna peninsula courts are stalling due to the insecure situation as plaintiffs and witnesses fail to show up for inquires in fear of reprisals from members of the armed forces of Sri Lanka government and the paramilitaries who operate with them, legal society sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka parliament debates emergency extension motion

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 February 2008, 12:12 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ratnasiri Wickremanayake Wednesday moved a motion in parliament to extend the State of Emergency for another month. The State of Emergency is in force in the island since August, 2005.
Full story >>

Tamil farmer shot dead in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 February 2008, 09:24 GMT]
A 46-year-old Tamil farmer who went to his agricultural land in Kekkaddippulavu, 10 km northwest of Vavuniyaa town, was shot and killed by unknown attackers Tuesday night, Police said.
Full story >>

2 SLA soldiers killed in Northern Front - LTTE

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 February 2008, 08:33 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army and Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam clashed Wednesday in all the four fronts of Northern Front, Ki'laali, Ka'ndal, Mukamaalai and Naakarkoayil, for one hour from 5:00 a.m. Two SLA soldiers were killed when LTTE fighters confronted the SLA, Northern Operations Command of the Tigers told media in Ki'linochchi.
Full story >>