SLA fire injures Valaichenai farmer

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 April 2007, 12:27 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers opened fire on two farmers travelling on a tractor to work in paddy fields, Thursday around 11:00 a.m, at Ottuveli area located behind Valaichenai Paper Factory in Batticaloa district, seriously injuring one of them, sources in Valaichenai said.


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Arrested Muttur youths to appear in Courts

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 April 2007, 10:55 GMT]
Six Tamil youths taken into custody by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) from the welfare centre located in St.Antony's Church in Muttur division in Trincomalee district on March 31 midnight were handed over to the Muttur Police Wednesday. Muttur Police said they were to be produced before Muttur magistrate's court Thursday evening.
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Husband, wife killed in DPU Claymore attack

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 April 2007, 10:23 GMT]
A 42-year-old woman and her 54-year-old husband, parents of four, recently displaced from Vavuniya, were killed Thursday in Paalampiddi, 38 km northwest of Vavuniya town, when a Sri Lanka Army Deep Penentration Unit (DPU) triggered a Claymore mine targeting the IDP couples' bicycle at 1:45 p.m., according to Tamileelam Police.
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SL parliament begins debate on extending State of Emergency

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 April 2007, 09:53 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake Thursday morning tabled a motion seeking its approval for the extension of the State of Emergency for another month. Speaking on the motion Mr.Joseph Michael Perera, chief Whip of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) announced that his party has decided abstain from voting when the Speaker called for division, parliamentary sources said.


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SLA arrests 6 Tamil youths in Muthur welfare center

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 April 2007, 00:20 GMT]
Six youths staying at the St. Antony's Church Welfare Centre in Muthur in Trincomalee district were arrested by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers on 31 March midnight, civil society sources in Mannar said. Although the SLA told the parents that that the youths are being taken for interrogation, the youths have not been released yet. The parents of the arrested appealed to the human rights organizations to obtain their sons release.
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SLA arrests 15 Tamils in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 April 2007, 00:12 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) conducted a cordon and search operation in the villages of Siththandy, Morakkoddanchenai and Santhively in Eravur Police division in Batticaloa district around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday and arrested 15 persons, sources in Batticaloa said. After initial interrogation by the Army, all the arrested persons were handed over to the Eravur Police for further investigation at 5:00 p.m.
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Stranded workers demand temporary employment in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 April 2007, 00:00 GMT]
Over one thousand graduates from Jaffna peninsula employed in Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)- controlled Wanni district began a protest on Wednesday morning at 7:00 a.m outside the premises of Jaffna Education department and the Secretariat of Additional Provincial Director of Education located at Nallur, Muthiraisanthy demanding temporary employment in the peninsula until proper transportation arrangements are made.
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One STF trooper, one youth shot dead in Kalmunai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 April 2007, 10:37 GMT]
Two unidentified armed youths riding on a motor cycle opened fire on Karaithivu Special Task force (STF) road patrol unit, killing a STF trooper, Tuesday around 4:10 p.m in Kalmunai town in Amparai district. The STF troopers chased the youths trying to escape and shot dead one of them within a short distance, said Kalmunai police.
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SLA shoots dead 2 youths, 2 home guards shot injured, in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 April 2007, 10:36 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers shot dead two youths Monday evening at Kurukalputhukulam area on Vavuniya-Manar road. The bodies were handed over to Vavuniya hospital Tuesday evening, sources in Vavuniya said.
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IDP child killed in accidental drowning

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 April 2007, 05:44 GMT]
A two-year old Internally Displaced child died at Kaluwanchchikkudy IDP Transit Camp by accidentally falling into a small pond while its mother was bathing in the pond. This tragedy happened around 5:00 p.m. Tuesday while the mother was bathing having placed the child near the pond.
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SLA arrests 35 IDPs in Amparai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 April 2007, 02:01 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) arrested more than 35 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who had gone to 38th Colony, Palayadivettai and Nellikaddu villages, located on the border between Amparai and Batticaloa districts, to inspect their houses which they had fled from, said refugees who escaped from SLA. The detained were taken to Kondaivettuvaan SLA camp in Amparai district, same sources said.
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Amnesty’s Sri Lanka campaign on a sticky wicket

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 April 2007, 01:04 GMT]
Amnesty International’s efforts to build support for international monitoring of human rights abuses in Sri Lanka using the topical theme of cricket drew the fury of the Colombo government this week and, in a rare moment of southern solidarity, the main opposition UNP party joined the Sinhala hardline JVP and the ruling SLFP in denouncing the group’s move.
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Karuna cadres shoot dead refugee in Kaluvankerny

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 April 2007, 00:11 GMT]
Two unidentified armed men, alleged to be Karuna group members, riding a bicycle, shot dead a refugee staying at the Koralankerny refugee camp at Kaluvankerny in Eravur police division in Batticaloa district Tuesday around 7:45 a.m, sources in Eravur said. He was taking a bath at a well near the camp when he was shot
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Panchayat Raj brought back in Rajapakse deliberations

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 April 2007, 16:38 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa, while on his visit to the 14th SAARC Summit being held at New Delhi had discussions with Mr. Mani Shanakar Ayyar, Indian Central Government Minister on Panchayat Raj system Sunday at the Maurya Sheraton Hotel in New Delhi, a press release from the Presidential office said. In October 2006, when the inclusion of the Indian third tier administrative model was first brought up and touted as “ray of hope” to solve Sri Lanka’s “domestic problems,” Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian dismissed the concept saying "It is foolish to think Panchayat scheme will satisfy Tamil people."
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Colombo battles to sidestep Human Rights focus - Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 April 2007, 15:58 GMT]
The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is trying to sidestep International Community's focus on Colombo's worst record of human rights abuses and institutionalized impunity for crimes against the Tamil people, by attempting to use the forum of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit against Tamil people's right to defend themselves, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Political Head S.P. Thamilchelvan told TamilNet when asked to comment on Colombo's focus shift to LTTE's air capability, prior to the 14th SAARC Summit in New Delhi.
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Remove fishing restrictions in Kaluvankerny sea- MP

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 April 2007, 14:30 GMT]
"Kaluvankerny Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Thursday directive restricting fishing on Kaluvankerny sea area between 6:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m severely hampers fishermen from earning their livelihood. This restriction should be immediately lifted," Ms. K. Thankeswary, Batticaloa district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian said in an urgent appeal to Batticaloa SLA Civil Administrator, Colombo, Batticaloa officials the Ministry of Fisheries and Baticaloa Government Agent, Tuesday.
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POTA accused exonerated by Tamil Nadu Courts

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 April 2007, 11:43 GMT]
Five Tamil Nadu political activists who were arrested under Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) on 13 April 2002 for making speeches in Chennai in support of the Liberation Tigers, and later released in bail, were freed by POTA Special Courts from all restrictions imposed on them. The accused were blocked by Courts from giving interviews, speaking in public fora and travelling outside India until today.
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7 Tamil civilians arrested in Kohuwela

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 April 2007, 11:01 GMT]
The Dehiwela Police and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers arrested seven plantation Tamils including two women in a sudden cordon and search operation conducted Sunday night at Kohuwela area, a suburb of Colombo. All of the arrested are natives of Nuwara Eliya and Badulla, according to sources in Colombo.
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Peace talks, only path to resolve ethnic conflict-Wickremasinghe

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 April 2007, 10:53 GMT]
Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) said in parliament Tuesday that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has proved its might with recent air strike on Katunayake air base that it has the capability of attacking any target in the country. He said that the ethnic conflict should be resolved through peace talks and not by military means, parliamentary sources said.
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SLN arrests 30 fleeing civilians in Delft seas

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 April 2007, 21:22 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) sea patrol unit arrested Sunday 30 Jaffna peninsula residents in Delft seas trying to flee to Tamil Nadu in South India as refugees. The SLN handed the refugees to Delft police who recorded their statements Monday. Delft police are to hand over the arrested to Kayts police to be produced in Kayts magistrate court, sources in Delft said.
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