Norway offers to continue Sri Lanka Peace role

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 November 2005, 15:08 GMT]
Congratulating the newly elected Sri Lankan President Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse, the Norwegian Minister of International Development, Mr. Erik Solheim, Friday said that the Norwegian goverment was looking forward to continuing its close cooperation with the new president and the Government of Sri Lanka in a wide range of areas, including support for the peace process. "Norway remains willing to facilitate the peace process in Sri Lanka for as long as the two parties request such assistance, and for as long as it is possible for Norway to play a constructive role," Solheim was quoted in a press release issued by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Friday.
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Policeman injured in Point Pedro attack

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 November 2005, 11:49 GMT]
Unknown assailant waiting outside the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) offices in Manthikai, 2 km south of Point Pedro, fired at two persons in civilian clothes when they came out of the office premises at 10.50 a.m. Friday. Unconfirmed reports said that one Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier dressed in civilian clothes was killed in the attack. Palaly military spokesman denied that the dead man was an SLA trooper. The other, a Sri Lanka Police officer, was injured in the attack and has been admitted to the Base Hospital in Point Pedro. He receiving treatment for gunshot injuries amid strengthened security.
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LTTE slams Mosque attack, urges calm

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 November 2005, 10:20 GMT]
A communiqué issued by the LTTE Political Division, Amparai District, Friday, has condemned the attack on innocent Muslim civilians congregated for prayers at the Grand Mosque, Akkaraippattu, during early hours, Friday. The communiqué said that "the LTTE expressed its deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the victims of the atrocious grenade attack." The LTTE message has pointed out that the grenade attack was aimed at disrupting peace and understanding between Tamils and Muslims and creating "division and animosity" among them. Appealing for calm and patience, the LTTE has vowed to help expose soon, the "surrogate paramilitary elements of the crime".
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Rajapakse wins Sri Lankan Presidency

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 November 2005, 07:56 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s hardline Prime Minister has been elected as country’s fifth President. Results released Friday by the election commission indicated Premier Mahinda Rajapakse had received almost 50.3% of the vote, with his main rival, opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, taking 48.4% in a hard fought race that has long been described as too close to call.
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Muslim worshippers killed in grenade attack on Akkaraipattu Mosque

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 November 2005, 04:15 GMT]
Unidentifed assailants lobbed two grenades into the Akkaraipattu Jummah Mosque killing four Muslim worshippers Friday early morning at 5:45 a.m. At least eighteen worshippers were wounded. Two victims died on the spot and the other two succumbed to their wounds at Akkaraipattu and Amparai Hospitals, medical sources said. Tension prevails in Akkaraipattu, 64 km south of Batticaloa town. The assailants hurled grenades on the floor of the moque crowded with devotees attending Jummah prayers Friday morning.
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Muttur east, Eachchilampathu voters ignore poll

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 November 2005, 18:39 GMT]
No votes were cast in the clustered polling stations located in the army controlled area beyond the Kaddaiparichchan army camp for Tamil voters registered in the villages in the LTTE held Muttur east at the presidential poll held Thursday. Only one vote was cast at a clustered polling station located beyond the Mahindapura army camp in the government controlled area for Tamil voters registered in the LTTE held Eachchilampathu division, sources said.


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Tamil Eelam TV coverage extended for Heroes Day

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 November 2005, 13:03 GMT]
National Television of Thamil Eelam (NTT) will extend coverage during Heroes day celebrations on the 27 November from 5.00 p.m. to 7.30 p.m, Tamileelam time, and will broadcast live the speech of LTTE Leader Pirapaharan, media unit of the Liberation Tigers said from Kilinochchi.
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Muttur residents hold demonstration against SLA embargo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 November 2005, 11:52 GMT]
Hundreds of Tamil residents of LTTE held Muttur east and Eachchilampathu division in Trincomalee district Thursday held demonstrations against the embargo imposed by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) on transporting essential food items, fuel and building materials through Kaddaiparichchan and Mahindapura army camps, sources in the east said.
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SL Presidential Polls: Near Fizzle-Out in North East

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 November 2005, 10:14 GMT]
Very low attendance of voters was reported at the cluster-polling booths in the North-East as the voting in Sri Lanka to elect the fifth executive president began at 7:00 a.m Thursday. Situation in Jaffna remained calm in complete contrast to the polls eve marred with grenade attack incidents in the peninsula. At least six grenade incidents were reported in Batticaloa-Amparai. Two Tamil civilians were killed in Kalmunai. The voting continued till 4:00 p.m. Security was tightened throughout the country.


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Two youths arrested by police in Eravur

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 November 2005, 16:13 GMT]
Eravur police arrested two Tamil youths for allegedly tossing a grenade into their police vehicle Wednesday evening in Palayadithona near Santhiveli in Eravur around 5:30 p.m. Police said that the greande lobbed at their vehicle did not explode. The youths were riding in push bikes when they were arrested by the police.
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Jaffna election irregularities on voting eve

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 November 2005, 12:55 GMT]
Reports from Jaffna reveal intimidating and underhand activities of the Eelam People Democratic Party (EPDP) cadres in organising vote-rigging in Sri Lanka Presidential election. Groups of armed EPDP cadres were seen visiting house to house forcibly collecting the 'ballot-tokens' from residents in islets off Jaffna peninsula, TamilNet learns. With armed protection from the State armed forces, Douglas Devananda's EPDP is holding unannounced short-meetings at market places and actively campaigning for Mahinda Rajapakse, the candidate of the ruling party.
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FMM condemns attack on journalist

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 November 2005, 11:50 GMT]
Free Media Movement (FMM), in a press release issued Tuesday in Colombo condemned the attack on Mr Wahab, a correspondent to Tamil Language newspaper Thinakaran, in Akkaraipattu on the 14 November. A grenade lobbed into Mr Wahab's house by unknown assailants exploded causing damage to his house, but no one was injured.
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Thampalakamam women receive self-employment training

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 November 2005, 11:12 GMT]
Thirty-five rural girls and housewives who underwent six month training in sewing in the traditional Tamil village, Thampalakamam , under the auspices of Trincomalee Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) were awarded with certificates at an event held in the Thampalakamam divisional office of the TRO Monday evening. Thampalakamam is located about 24 km, southwest of Trincomalee town along Trincomalee-Kandy highway.


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LTTE: no change in our position on polls

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 November 2005, 09:06 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers said Wednesday there is no change in their position on Thursday’s Presidential election from that taken last Friday. Denying newspaper reports that the LTTE was now actively encouraging people to vote in the Presidential elections, head of the LTTE’s Peace Secretariat, S. Pulidevan, said "the issue was discussed at length by the LTTE and the TNA (Tamil National Alliance) last week and the conclusion was the Tamils cannot place our trust on either of the parties or their candidates".
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TRO office in Batticaloa attacked

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 November 2005, 05:49 GMT]
Two unidentified assailants lobbed grenades at the Batticaloa office of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) Wednesday morning around 6:15 a.m., causing damage to the computer section of the TRO office, three tractors and a bus parked outside the office, Batticaloa Police said.
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Two LTTE cadres said shot dead in Valaichenai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 November 2005, 05:12 GMT]
Unidentified assailants shot and killed two Tamil youths at Palainagar Junction on Batticaloa Polannaruwa road, 5 km north of Valaichenai Wednesday morning at 4:00 a.m. The victims were LTTE cadres, according to the Police. One of the victims was identified as Mr. S. Suresh, 28, who was allegedly arrested by the Sri Lanka Army at Chenkalady Black-Bridge Tuesday. The parents of Suresh said he was not a member of the LTTE.
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Five Tamil youths arrested by SL troops in East

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 November 2005, 06:51 GMT]
Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) soldiers arrested three Tamil youths at Paddiriuppu Bridge in Kaluwanchikudy, 24 km south of Batticaloa, and the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers arrested two Tamil youths at Black Bridge in Chenkalady, 13 km north of Batticaloa Monday. However, the Police in Eravur is yet to confirm the arrest of the two Tamil youths from Kaluwanchikudy, parents said.
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Two LTTE cadres shot and killed in Akkaraipattu

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 November 2005, 06:00 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen shot and killed two political cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eealm Monday night in Pallikudiyiruppu, a Muslim suburb in in Sri Lanka Army controlled Akkaraipattu in Amparai district, police said. The cadres, Mr. Suresh, 26, and Mr. Vellai, 22, who use to come to the village to purchase meat, were kidnapped by the gunmen, residents said.
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Kilinochchi court extends remand for Sri Lanka policemen

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 November 2005, 13:00 GMT]
Tamil Eelam district court, Kilinochchi ordered further remand for three Sri Lankan policemen until 28 November. Prosecution assured the Court there was progress in investigations and that evidence was emerging that the accuesd entered Tamil eelam areas for purposes other than trying to arrest a child molester as was earlier claimed by the defendents. The case was taken up before District Judge Sathana, Monday, 14 November at 12.30 pm when bail was denied.
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"SL Government's speak soft, hit hard policy" - Taraki, 1992

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 November 2005, 03:33 GMT]
In the 10th June 1992 issue of Sri Lanka's English daily, Island International, late Dharmeratnam Sivaram, popular journalist and Senior editor at TamilNet, sheds light into the then Sri Lanka's President Premadasa and Leader of the House, Ranil Wickremesinghe's strategy of dealing with Tamil national question, a strategy of wooing Tamil votes with political rhetoric and to inflict military defeat on LTTE by planning to allow Sri Lanka forces to "smash their way into Jaffna."
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