Country dance in celebration

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) celebrated its success in impeding the advance of Operation Jayasikurui, (Victory Assured) in the Vanni, by staging a country dance -'Tholvi Nitchchiyam' (Defeat Assured) - in areas under its control west of Batticaloa, said sources in Batticaloa.
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Victory theme in celebrations - VoT

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The theme of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam s (LTTE) celebrations to mark the first anniversary of Operation Jayasikurui was 'Victory will be Ours', said the Voice of Tigers (VoT) in its broadcast last night.
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Three killed in clash

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Troops of Operation Jayasikurui fired mortars towards villages west of Mankulam, said the Voice of Tigers radio in its evening broadcast.
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A long year on the road

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Exactly one year ago, the Sri Lankan military began the largest military campaign in its history. Preceded by a massive artillery and aerial bombardment, over 20,000 Sri Lankan troops, led by elite Special Forces, broke out of their fortifications at Vavuniya and Manal Aru and pushed into the LTTE-controlled Vanni. The Sri Lankan government had much riding on the outcome of the operation, optimistically code-named 'Jaya Sikirui' ('Victory Assured' in Sinhala).
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LTTE plans celebrations

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) will celebrate the stalling of Operation Jayasikurui, on its first anniversary, on 12, 13 and 14 May at Kokkadichcholai and Iluppadichenai in the LTTE controlled areas west of Batticaloa, said sources in Batticaloa.
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Security forces celebrate Wesak

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A Wesak lantern competition began last night at Batticaloa's Weber Stadium with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), Sri Lanka AirForce (SLAF) and the Sri Lankan police participating, said sources in Batticaloa.
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Extortionist wounds five

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Five persons were injured when a man, identified by the public as close to the police, threw a grenade to escape capture when his demand for protection money from a shop on Second Cross Street at Mamangam in Batticaloa town, incensed bystanders who tried to apprehend him, said sources in Batticaloa.
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Seven killed in Vavuniya blast

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Five members of the People's Liberation Orgainsation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), including its military wing leader for the Vavuniya district, Thas, alias Sinnathas, were killed and 6 others wounded, when a claymore mine exploded this afternoon. Two bystanders were also killed and two others were wounded, said police sources in Vavuniya.
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Tigers shell Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Areas within the Batticaloa town - the Batticaloa airport, the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) headquarters adjacent to it, and the security complex and government buildings at Weber Stadium, were shelled from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled areas today around 6:00 p.m., said sources in Batticaloa. There were no casualties.
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Till the other side cracks

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan military's widespread and indiscriminate use of artillery and air power is arguably the major cause of civilian casualties in the ongoing conflict in Sri Lanka. In the past few years, the Sri Lankan military has repeatedly up-gunned its forces with ever larger caliber field guns, with more numerous aircraft that are capable of carrying heavier payloads and more heavily armed naval craft.
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STF restrictions to hit trade

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Special Task Force (STF), of the Sri Lankan Police warned people in the Eastern Batticaloa district, that those who contribute money and render other assistance to the Liberation Tigers would be arrested and severely punished, as the Sri Lankan Government has proscribed the LTTE.
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Poor response to latest amnesty

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Army (SLA) Commander, Maj. General R.Daluwatte said today that 5000 SLA deserters had accepted the general amnesty and had returned to their duties during the period the amnesty had been offered to SLA deserters. However, SLA sources in Colombo said the actual response was far less than the official figure.
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Eight LTTE fighters killed

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Seven LTTE fighters died in two different accidental explosions yesterday in the Vanni said Voice of Tigers (VOT) in its night transmisssion today.
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Aid to be monitored - UN official

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Olara Otunnu, UN Special Representative on Children in Armed Conflict, stated at a press conference yesterday, that both parties to the conflict had to come together if a solution to the ethnic problem is to be found.
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VoT reports UN official's visit

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar's accusations that the Liberation Tigers have built up a military force by conscripting very young children is absurd, senior LTTE officials told Mr. Olara Otunnu, UN Special Representative on Children in Armed Conflict, last Thursday, according to the Voice of Tigers radio.
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SLA soldier killed in Thenmaradchi

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
One SLA soldier was killed and three others were wounded, yesterday at 7.00 a.m., in Usan in the Thenmaradchi sector of the Jaffna peninsula, when the Liberation Tigers activated a claymore mine, said a press statement issued by the Sri Lankan Army Head Quarters in Palay today.
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Forced labour builds SLA defences

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) is using forced labour to strengthen the Sri Lanka Army - Police checkpoint at Ottamavadi Bridge 36 km north of Batticaloa, following an attack on the position by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) last Tuesday May 5, said sources in Batticaloa.
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It's the taking part

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The members of two Jaffna soccer teams, the Singing Fish Sports Club, Gurunagar and the Jaffna University team, are unhappy that only members of Nilmini Sports Club from Matara, in the Southern Province, which played two friendly soccer matches in Jaffna, were given certificates of participation while members of the two local teams were not, said sources in Jaffna.
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Military activity in Mankulam area

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Three SLA soldiers were wounded in Mannakulam, southwest of Mankulam, when the Liberation Tigers fired mortars on troops of Operation Jeyasikurui yesterday, said SLA sources in Vavuniya.
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SLA recruiting children - Opposition leader

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
"The security forces are campaigning in schools, to encourage 15 year old school children to join the army. When I comment on this, they call me a traitor. If it is so, is Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar also a traitor, who is campaigning in foreign countries saying that LTTE is recruiting children to their forces?", asked Opposition Leader Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe in the parliament yesterday.
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