SLA launches ground movement in Ma'nalaa'ru

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 June 2008, 08:01 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army launched a ground movement in Ma'naalaa'ru region Sunday night. The Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam claimed that at least 15 SLA soldiers were killed and more than 20 wounded when they put up heavy resistance Sunday night.
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42 SLA killed in two days, heavy fighting in Mannaar - LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 June 2008, 07:57 GMT]
At least 42 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and 76 wounded Within the past 48 hours at two fighting fronts in Mannaar, Tiger officials cited LTTE Operations Command in Mannaar as saying. On Monday, 22 SLA soldiers were killed when the SLA launched a ground movement at 5:30 a.m. at Aalangku'lam towards Vaddakka'ndal, the Tigers said. The SLA move was thwarted at 10:00 a.m. Meanwhile, at Periyamadu the SLA opened a ground operation on four fronts on Sunday. The SLA was defeated at 2 of the fronts. Meanwhile, the SLA said it had recovered three dead bodies of LTTE fighters and handed over the bodies to Murungkan police on Monday.
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Defense Ministry culpable of exposing journalists to reprisals- RSF

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 June 2008, 20:32 GMT]
While noting that Reporters sans frontières (RSF) has added Sri Lanka's Defense Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapakse, to RSF's list of "Predators of Press Freedom," RSF in a press release issued Sunday, pointed to the ministry’s website "carrying virulent attacks on journalists critical of the government," and condemned the "defense ministry campaign against independent media, especially journalists who cover military affairs."
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4 SLA killed, 7 wounded in Vavuniyaa, SLA offensive thwarted - LTTE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 June 2008, 13:53 GMT]
At least 4 Sri Lanka Army soldiers were killed and more than 7 wounded Saturday when the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) put up heavy resistance against the SLA that attempted to advance through three fronts targeting Kugnchukku'lam in Vavuniyaa district, LTTE officials told media in Vanni. The SLA's attempt to advance was thwarted after five-hours heavy fighting, the Tigers said. Meanwhile, residents in Vavuniyaa - Mullaiththeevu district border said more people were displaced by the artillery shelling stepped up by the SLA in recent days.
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UNP, SLMC councilors boycott EPC first sitting

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 June 2008, 00:32 GMT]
Fifteen councilors elected to the 35 member Eastern Provincial Council on the main opposition United National Party (UNP) ticket Wednesday boycotted the first sitting of the council convened on the instruction by the East Provincial Governor Mohan Wijewickrema, sources in Trincomalee said. Eighteen councilors elected on the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and sole member of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and of the Democratic National Tamil Alliance (DNTA) participated.
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Armed gang attacks Saiva priest during robbery attempt

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 June 2008, 09:56 GMT]
An unidentified armed gang during a robbery attempt Sunday in Kokkuvil and Koa’ndaavil areas close Jaffna town at 12:30 a.m. during curfew hours, severely assaulted the priest of a Saiva temple at his house in Pottpathi Veethi in Kokkuvil when the priest tried to confront the robbers, sources in Jaffna said. The armed gang had also tried to rob the house of another Saiva temple priest in Koa’ndaavil and when he refused to come out of the house the gang set fire to his motorcycle and other vehicles parked outside.
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28 SLA killed, 52 wounded in Mannaar, Vavuniyaa - LTTE

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 May 2008, 20:56 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) officials on Friday said they confronted Sri Lanka Army in Mannaar and Vavuniyaa fronts throughout the day thwarting the repeated attempts by the SLA to advance into LTTE territory. A ground movement by the SLA from Ma'likaiththidal towards Theanudaiyaan in Mannaar, launched at 5:30 a.m. Friday was defeated around 12:40 p.m. 25 SLA soldiers were killed when they again launched the move at 1:00 p.m. 47 SLA soldiers were wounded in the confrontation that lasted till 6:15 p.m. when the SLA was pushed back, the Tigers said. Meanwhile, 3 SLA soldiers were killed in a confrontation that lasted for 90 minutes from 4:10 p.m.
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5 Tamils held in Dehiwala train blast

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 May 2008, 04:21 GMT]
Five Tamil civilians, including one person who returned from Canada, are being detained in Dehiwala police station in connection with the Dehiwala train blast that killed ten and injured about 70 persons. The police and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers conducted several cordon and search operations from Tuesday till Wednesday evening, detaining twenty Tamil civilians for questioning, police sources said.
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Tamil lodge owner shot dead in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 May 2008, 23:14 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen riding a motorbike shot dead a lodge owner in Kathireasan Road in Pettah, Colombo, Tuesday at 8:30 p.m., sources in Colombo said. The victim was standing in front of the lodge facing the road when the gunmen fired at him.
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Women Tigers documentary producers win award for new film

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2008, 12:22 GMT]
Sabiha Sumar's "Dinner with the President: A Nation's Journey," which she made with her husband, political columnist Sachithanandam Sathananthan, won the highest award in the international documentary competition in the United Arab Emirates on Friday. Sri Lanka born Dr Sathananthan, currently in self-exile in India, and his Pakistani wife Sabiha Sumar, produced a 1996 documentary "Suicide Warriors" based on the lives of women cadre amongst the LTTE's women's brigade, some of whom belong to the elite Black Tigers.
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Trincomalee put on red alert-EPC to meet on June 4

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2008, 09:30 GMT]
Trincomalee town and its suburb have been put on red alert with the announcement of the augural session of the newly elected East Provincial Council (EPC) which is scheduled to be held on June 4 morning. Police and SLA soldiers in large numbers have been guarding all roads lead to the area surrounding the East Chief Secretariat complex where the Assembly Hall of the EPC is located along the Inner Harbour Road which leads to the Sri Lanka Naval Headquarters, sources from east port town said. The East Chief Secretariat complex was used earlier as the North East Chief Secretariat before the de-merger of two provinces.
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Pillayan group supporters attack Muslim traders in Thaazhangkudaa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 May 2008, 07:40 GMT]
Supporters of Shanthan, the key TMVP Pillayan group operative killed Thursday in Kaaththankudi, attacked Saturday around 1:00 p.m Muslim traders from Kaththaankudi at Thazhalngkuda area in Kaaththaankudi police division in Batticaloa district, sources in Batticaloa said. Meanwhile, Ea’raavoor police had chased a group of Muslim youths who tried to attack the Tamils who had gone to Ea’ravvoor for purchase provisions Saturday, the sources added. Tension prevails both in Batticaloa and Ea’raavoor following these incidents.
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Senior U.S. Human Rights official visits Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 May 2008, 07:54 GMT]
Barks-Ruggles, a key official of the U.S. Foreign Service, who earlier served in the U.S. Embassy in Oslo, where her portfolio included peace negotiations in Sri Lanka, visited Colombo on Thursday and met with several senior government officials, political and civil society leaders to address the concerns of the U.S. and others on Human Rights and to emphasize the importance of 'continuing the dialogue' between the U.S. and Sri Lanka, which have enjoyed '60 years of unbroken friendship,' according to a press statement issued by the U.S. Embassy in Colombo Saturday.
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Jaffna journalists donate books to persons in protective custody

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2008, 17:16 GMT]
North Ceylon Journalists Association (NCJA) officially handed over a batch of books to Government Agent (GA) Jaffna Friday to be distributed among persons placed in protective custody due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and SLA-backed paramilitaries, sources in Jaffna said. The persons in custody are held in Jaffna Prison, Kurunakar Rehabilitation Centre, and Thellippa’lai SLA Rehabilitation Camp.
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Family of 6 from Thenmaraadchi seeks protection with Jaffna HRC

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2008, 16:46 GMT]
Two parents and their four children, all below the age of seventeen, from Thenmaraadchi, sought protection Friday with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna, due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and SLA-backed paramilitaries. SLA and paramilitaries were threatening to extort money from the father who has a shop attached to his house at Kaa’li Koayilady, Meesaalai West in Thenmaraadchi, sources in Jaffna said.
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Reserved hero: Brigadier Balraj

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2008, 09:00 GMT]
In over two decades of service with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Brig. Balraj, who passed away Tuesday after a heart attack, had been a courageous and skilled fighter and commander whose last years were spent institutionalizing the training of a new generation of LTTE field officers. Although he joined the LTTE later than many of the other top commanders, Brig. Balraj had risen rapidly through the ranks on the strength of his shrewdness on the battlefield and courage under fire, fighters who served with him said this week.
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SLA extends amnesty for deserters

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 May 2008, 23:24 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has extended the amnesty period of deserters by two weeks, until May 31, reports from Colombo said. SLA had earlier announced amnesty for deserters to return to their earlier ranks from May 2 until May 12.
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Explosion disrupts Kandy-Matale train service

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 May 2008, 06:20 GMT]
The train service between Kandy and Matale was disrupted after a bomb placed under a bridge connecting the rail track in Katugastota exploded Tuesday night. Police sources said there were no casualties as there was no movement of train on the track at that time of explosion. But an inquiry is being conducted to assess the damage caused to rail track.
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SLA, Police complicit in white van abductions- SL Minister

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2008, 02:18 GMT]
"I have received information that Sri Lanka Police personnel and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were involved in several white van abductions. Reluctance of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and other law enforcement officials to take timely steps to investigate these crimes is clear evidence of widespread violations of human rights and breakdown of law and order," said Sri Lankan Deputy Minister for Vocational Training and Industrial Education, P. Rathakrishnan, during a meeting with the relatives of the disappeared held late last week at the Colombo 14 offices of the Upcountry People's Front (UPF), Tamil daily Thinakkural reported in the Sunday edition.
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Large scale SLA cordon, search in Vadamaraadchi, Thenmaraadchi

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2008, 15:57 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna peninsula deployed more than a thousand soldiers in a large scale cordon and search operations Monday from dawn till 5:00 p.m in areas of Vadamaraadchi and Thenmaraadchi, civil society sources from Jaffna said. Information on anyone being arrested in the search is not known. SLA soldiers, during search in houses, took away the computers saying that the owners can come and get them after investigation from the SLA camps, according to sources.
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