Vaiko condemns India for providing military assistance to Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 November 2007, 10:18 GMT]
Vaiko, the leader of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) in a communique issued Saturday, called upon the international community to strongly condemn the killing of Liberation Tigers Political Head S.P.Thamilchelvan who was slain in a targeted air attack in Ki'linochchi and condemned the Government of India for providing military assistance to Sri Lanka. An array of political leaders from Tamil Nadu, including K. Veeramani, Pandiyan, Ramdoss and Nedumaran have condemned the killing while Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Kalaignar Karunanidhi condoled the demise of Thamilchelvan, passing a subtle message that the Tamils of Sri Lanka haven't gone brotherless.
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Thamilchelvan funeral Monday

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 November 2007, 23:07 GMT]
The state funeral of S. P. Thamilchelvan, the head of the Liberation Tigers’ Political Wing and the movement’s Chief Negotiator, who was killed Friday in a targeted airstrike by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) will be held in Kilinochchi Monday, LTTE officials in Vanni told TamilNet. Tens of thousands of people paid their respects Saturday and Sunday as Mr Thamilchelvan’s body was taken in procession to the twelve sectors (Koaddams) of the LTTE-administered Vanni. In a notice emailed Sunday, LTTE published an email address for condolence messages to be sent.
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Bauer pays tributes to Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 November 2007, 15:45 GMT]
Jon Hanssen Bauer, the Norwegian special envoy for the peace process in Sri Lanka, on Saturday paid tributes to Liberation Tigers Political Head and Chief Negotiator S. P. Thamilchelvan. Stating that Mr. Thamilchelvan's role was important not only for Norway, but also for other countries, Mr. Bauer said Thamilchelvan was a patient man in explaining the rightful demands of Tamils and he was a moderate person within the LTTE, one who sought political alternatives.
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Thamilchelvan's assassination a major setback to Sri Lanka - NPC

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 November 2007, 13:03 GMT]
The National Peace Council (NPC), a Colombo based peace group, condemning the air attack assassination of Liberation Tigers Political Head and Chief Negotiator S.P. Thamilchelvan, Saturday said the assassination of the high profile personality, who had to walk a thin line between the LTTE's military interests and political realities, was a major setback to any possibility of a return to the negotiating table. Expressing fear of the danger of retaliation in a like or more severe manner, the NPC said it was dismayed that three decades of bitter experience has not taught the leaders of the country that the military option is a high cost and inhumane one unbefitting of a democratic society.
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Thousands pay homage to slain LTTE political cadres in Vanni

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 November 2007, 09:43 GMT]
Thousands of Kilinochchi residents, and LTTE officials and cadres gathered at Ki'linochchi Cultural Hall Saturday morning to pay their last respects to the five political cadres slain along with Brigadier S. P. Tamilchelvan, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Political Head, in the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) aerial bombing on ki'linochchi Friay. Tamileelam Police Chief P. Nadesan and Senior Commander Col. Balraj paid homage at the event, sources in Ki'linochchi said.
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LTTE leader pays respects to slain political head

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 November 2007, 18:37 GMT]
Velupillai Pirapaharan, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE), paid his respects to slain Political Head and Chief Negotiator, Brigadier S. P. Thamilchelvan Friday evening.
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Thamilchelvan killed in SLAF air attack

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 November 2007, 07:27 GMT]
S.P. Thamilchelvan, Liberation Tigers Political Head was killed in Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) aerial bombardment Friday morning in Ki'linochchi. The Head Quarters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) in a press communique said it was conveying the loss of Brigadier Thamilchelvan with profound sadness to the people of Tamil Eelam, the Tamil Diaspora and the Global Community. The Sri Lanka Air Force attack has specifically targeted the residence of the members of the Political Division.
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Court directs SLA to allow mother, children to travel to Vanni

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 October 2007, 17:54 GMT]
Jaffna Magistrate R. T. Vignaraja issued a directive to Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Jaffna Commander Maj. Gen. Chandrasiri to issue travel permit to a young wife, her two children, and mother who had been placed in protective custody due to death threats by SLA and SLA-backed paramilitaries, enabling her to join her husband in Ki'linochchi, sources in Jaffna said.
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Attack demonstrates determination, bravery, precision- Intel Expert

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 October 2007, 02:36 GMT]
While former head of India's external intelligence agency, B. Raman, described the Anuradhapura Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Camp attack by the Liberation Tigers as an "act of unbelievable determination, bravery and precision," Sri Lanka's Daily Mirror, in the Friday edition, braved the threat to the media from Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa to desist from glorifying the Tigers, disclosed the battle scenario in detail, surmised that "the base had no contingency plan," and added that "the attack made mockery of Sri Lanka Government's propaganda war."
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Vanni prepares to commemorate 21 Black Tigers

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 October 2007, 19:18 GMT]
Liberation Tigers have promoted the rank of one the 21 Black Tiger elite commandos who took part in the raid on Sri Lankan airbase in Anuradhapura, posthumously from Major to Lieutenant Colonel, acknowledging his role in the commando operation, sources in Vanni said. Three Lieutenant Colonels, six Majors, 12 Captains and one Lieutenant rank Black Tigers have taken part in the operation. Vanni prepares to commemorate them on Thursday.
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LTTE releases names of Black Tigers in airbase raid

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 October 2007, 19:15 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Monday night released the details of Black Tiger commandos who took part in the raid on Anuradhapura air base. Two Lieutenant Colonels, six Majors, 12 Captains and one Lieutenant rank Black Tiger members have taken part in the operation. A Lieutenant Colonel who led an attack team was from Trincomalee, two of the members, a Major and a Captain were from Batticaloa, one from Mullaiththeevu, one from Mannaar, three from Ki'linochchi and eleven members from Jaffna which has been under the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) control since 1995. Three Captains were female Black Tigers.
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Tigers launch air, ground attack on Anuradhapura air base

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 October 2007, 23:47 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) launched an air and ground attack on Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) air base at Saliyapura in Anuradhapura in the early hours of Monday, Liberation Tigers Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan told TamilNet. Meanwhile, military sources in Colombo said two Russian built MI-24 helicopter gunships have been destroyed in the attack launched between 3:00 and 5:00 a.m. A pilot, his co-pilot and two engineers who took off from the air base, were killed when their Bell 212 helicopter crashed at Doramadalawa, 13 km east of Anuradhapura, in Mihintale area. An indefinite curfew has been clamped in Anuradhapura. Residents have been asked to stay indoors.
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Artillery shelling shuts down A9 entry point

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 October 2007, 18:41 GMT]
The entry, exit point between Sri Lanka Army controlled areas and Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled Vanni, has been closed Thursday as the parties exchanged artillery fire, sources in Vavuniyaa said. All traffic through the gateway including ambulances carrying patients in critical condition was blocked as shells exploded close to the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) office in the no-man's land, sources in Vanni said.
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Two children, grandfather killed, SL Navy attacks refugee-boat in the seas off Mannaar

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 October 2007, 06:03 GMT]
Two children and their grandfather were killed and the remaining two children with their mother were seriously wounded when Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) gunboats opened fire on them, Thursday early morning at 4:30. The fate of the refugee-family from Ira'naimaatha Nakar in Naachchikkudaa, located 40 km northeast of Mannaar, ended in tragedy in the seas off Peasaalai. Whereabouts of the father, Jim Maximus, is not known, although some reports said he has been handed over to the Police in Thalaimannar.
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Witness safety stalls Allaippiddi massacre case

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 October 2007, 03:18 GMT]
The main witness to the Allaippiddi massacre, where 13 civilians were allegedly killed by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) soldiers in May 2006, informed Additional Magistrate of Kayts, T. Vignarajah, that he has sought safety in Vanni fearing for his life from Sri Lankan forces and that he will be unable to travel to Kayts to attend any court proceedings, legal sources in Jaffna said.
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LTTE hands over 3 SLA bodies to ICRC

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 October 2007, 21:56 GMT]
LTTE's NGO and U.N. Liaison Officer M. Pavarasan handed over 3 bodies of Sri Lanka Army (SLA ) troopers killed during Saturday clashes in Paasaiyoor-Kurunakar seas to Ms.Katja Lawrence, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) representative in Kilinochchi, Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m.
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Court directs AG to file indictment against Kilinochchi Official

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 October 2007, 03:00 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Friday directed the Attorney General to file indictment against the Kilinochchi Regional Assistant Commissioner of Local Government Mr.Kandiah Alvapillai Balasubramaniam who is being detained since his arrest on 26 June under the Emergency Regulations (ER). He was taken into custody by the Borella Police following the alleged recovery of a claymore mine concealed in the diesel tank in his vehicle that brought him from Kilinochchi to Colombo on official duty.
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UN alarmed by weakness of law, prevalence of impunity in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 October 2007, 08:38 GMT]
Weakness of the rule of law and prevalence of impunity is alarming in Sri Lanka where critical elements for the protection of Human Rights have been undermined or compromised despite the existence of much of the necessary human rights institutional infrastructure, said the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, concluding her five-day mission to Sri Lanka on Saturday. The large number of reported killings, abductions and disappearances, is particularly worrying in a country that had a long, traumatic experience of unresolved disappearances and no shortage of recommendations from past Commissions of Inquiry on how to safeguard against such violations, she said.
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"Separation inevitable if power continues to polarize with ethnic hegemony" - Mano Ganesan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 October 2007, 13:07 GMT]
Mano Ganesan MP, the leader of the Western Province People's Front (WPPF) and the convener of the Civil Monitoring Committee (CMC), engaged in monitoring abductions, addressing the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, at the UN office in Colombo, on Thursday, said that the Tamils would be forced to seek separation as the only alternative if the Sri Lankan government failed to satisfy the "Sri Lankan dream," which he described as a dreamland with political power sharing between all the ethnic communities, where there are no places for war, abductions, extra judicial killings and where there is no room for polarization of political power with ethnic hegemony.
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Hair-dresser father, son shot dead in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 October 2007, 11:19 GMT]
A father and son, both hair-dressers were shot dead in Vavuniyaa by unknown gunmen in two separate incidents 15 minutes apart, the first killing occurring at 12:00 noon Wednesday, sources in Vavuniyaa said.
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