Foreign aid going to South, not North- Col. Soosai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 January 2005, 18:04 GMT]
''Two third of the loss of lives and properties caused by Tsunami disaster has been in Tamil areas in the northeast province. But the Sri Lanka government is channelling vast sums of foreign aid to the south,'' said Colonel Soosai, Special Commander of Sea Tigers addressing a special discussion held in Maruthankerni in the LTTE controlled Vadamaradchchi east division in Jaffna district.


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Seruvila Tamil villages overlooked in relief distribution

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 January 2005, 16:05 GMT]
About 450 families numbering around 1000 persons in Upooral and Cheenanveli, two remote Tamil coastal villages in the Sinhala dominated Seruvila division in the Trincomalee district are not provided with dry rations and other relief by the Sri Lanka government and the World Food Programme since Tsunami hit the areas. These two villages are in the LTTE controlled areas, NGO sources said.


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Dire need for long-term psychological counseling- Fr.Karunaratnam

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 January 2005, 03:18 GMT]
Rev.Fr.M.X. Karunaratnam, head of the NorthEast Secretariat on Human Rights (NESOHR), was recently appointed as chairman to lead an effort to provide psychological support for those in the NorthEast affected by the tsunami. Father Karunaratnam spoke to TamilNet in detail of the task at hand and about the group they have assembled to carryout this task that requires social sensitivity, and a coordinated plan for long-term care and follow-up.
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EPDP walks out from Jaffna relief meet

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 January 2005, 16:27 GMT]
Mr.T.Mathanarajah of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP), a constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government walked out of the Jaffna District Task Force (DTF) meeting Wednesday evening protesting the participation of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), district secretariat sources said.


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Sea Black Tiger died in Tsunami remembered

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 January 2005, 16:01 GMT]
The remembrance event of Major Elilarasan (Nagendran Amuthan), a Sea Black Tiger of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who died in Mullaitivu in December 26 Tsunami disaster was held in his native place in LTTE held Eachchilampathu and later his photograph was taken in a procession through the government controlled area via Mahindapura army check point, Killiveddi and Kaddaiparichchan army camp to LTTE controlled Muttur east. At the conclusion a memorial plaque was laid in Sampoor war cemetery, sources said.
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NPC urges Colombo to adopt a socially legitimate public policy

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 January 2005, 11:32 GMT]
Pointing out that the Sri Lanka Government's attempts to "isolate LTTE-held areas and indeed the Tamil people from the international system," is straining the relationship between the parties and the "centralization of governmental decision making" is another unfortunate feature of post-tsunami situation, the National Peace Council (NPC) in a media release issued on wednesday advocated the need for a "sound public policy of social and economic recovery that is participatory, inclusive and socially legitimate."
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Balasingham to join Norwegian meet in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 January 2005, 11:30 GMT]
Liberation Tigers’ Political Strategist and Chief Negotiator, Mr. Anton Balasingham, and his wife Adele are scheduled to arrive in Kilinochchi on Friday, sources close to the LTTE told TamilNet. He is expected to participate in the meeting of LTTE leaders with Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen and Minister of International Development Hilde F. Johnson who are scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka on Thursday on a four-day visit to assess the damage and the needs of the people of Sri Lanka in the aftermath of tsunami disaster.
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TNA MPs pay homage to Eelathunathan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 January 2005, 16:22 GMT]
Mr.R.Sampanthan, Mr.K.Thurairatnasingham, Mr.Mavai Senathirajah and Mr N. N.Raviraj, Jaffna District Tamil National Alliance (TNA) paid homage to the departed veteran Tamil activist late Mr.S.Pathmanathan, also known as Eelathunathan, who died last Wednesday in Colombo after a brief illness and funeral was held Sunday evening amid large crowd at the Trincomalee Hindu Cemetery, family sources said.
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ER, militarizing relief jeopardize peace prospects- paper

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 January 2005, 15:00 GMT]
Questioning the timing of the introduction of Emergency Regulations (ER)in several districts and the motives for unilaterally enforcing ER without coming to an agreement with the Liberation Tigers, the popular daily Uthayan in Tuesday’s editorial said that the Government of Sri Lanka is further worsening the mistrust between the parties and jeopardizing the peace process by its actions.
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Rain soaked tents add to refugees' woes

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 January 2005, 14:02 GMT]
Tents sheltering hundreds of thousands of Tsunami victims in the east of Sri Lanka are inundated with rainwater following heavy down pour since Monday night. Women, children and elders sheltered in these tents are undergoing untold hardships in preparing meals and sleep during nights, NGO sources said
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22 Mullaitivu schools used as Welfare Centers- GA

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 January 2005, 12:26 GMT]
Out of the twenty three welfare centers in Mullaitivu district, all except one are located in schools in areas unaffected by the tsunmai, and there is an urgent need to relocate these centers to allow schools to function normally, said Emelda Sukumar, Government Agent of Mullaitivu district when TamilNet talked to her Tuesday.
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Dutch Ambassador, EU official meet Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 January 2005, 12:07 GMT]
Ms. Susan Blankhart, H.E. The Ambassador for The Netherlands and European Commission’s Charge d’Affaires Mr. Wouter Wilton expressed their condolences and their "solidarity to the people of the region in distress and bereavement" when they met with the Liberation Tigers' Head of the Political Division, Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan at the Peace Secretariat Tuesday morning, sources from Vanni said.
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Pirapaharan meets disaster management planners

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 January 2005, 16:03 GMT]
Leader of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Mr. V. Pirapaharan, met with disaster management planners who are currently participating in relief and reconstruction planning and praised them for their services to the people of NorthEast. Pirapaharan told the planners that all resources available have to be utilized to ensure a swift and sustained recovery from the tsunami disaster that has brought destruction and grief to the community. The meeting took place in Kilinochchi Monday.
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Canadian PM meets with TNA, TRO delegations

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 January 2005, 14:30 GMT]
Mr. Paul Martin, Prime Minister of Canada, met with delegations of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) Monday at Colombo Hilton Hotel at 2.30 PM. The TNA delegation urged that all international aid, including Canadian aid, to be channeled through International Non-Governmental Organizations till a proper mechanism is set up to deal with the post Tsunami situation in the Northeast. The TNA told the Canadian Prime Minister that there was total centralization of all rehabilitation, resettlement, reconstruction and development activities in Colombo, and that this was totally inconsistent with the wishes expressed by the people of Northeast.
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Colonel Kittu remembered in Jaffna, Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 January 2005, 14:14 GMT]
Twelfth death anniversary of Colonel Kittu, senior commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and nine other cadres was observed in Jaffna and Trincomalee Sunday. They committed suicide when the Indian Navy seized the ship they travelled in January 1993.
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Fourth anniversary of Pongu Thamil Declaration held in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 January 2005, 11:26 GMT]
An event to mark the fourth anniversary of the first Tamil Resurgence Movement (Pongu Tamil) was held Monday morning in the Jaffna University premises amid large crowd. A public meeting was also held in the Kailasapathy Auditorium. Mr.C. Ilamparithi, Jaffna district political head of the LTTE delivered the keynote address, sources said.
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US Marines will not stay any longer than wanted, says US Defence Secretary

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 January 2005, 10:03 GMT]
Visiting Deputy Defence Secretary of the United States of America, Paul Wolfowitz said in Colombo on Monday morning that the US Marine troops would not stay in Sri Lanka any longer than they were wanted. "We don't want to stay any longer than we are needed, most certainly not longer than we are wanted," he told both foreign and local reporters at a press conference at Ceylon Continental Hotel on Monday, before completing his short review visit to Sri Lanka.
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UN Envoy Wahlstrom visits Jaffna district

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 January 2005, 17:15 GMT]
Ms. Margareta Wahlstrom, United Nations Secretary General's Special Envoy Sunday visited Jaffna district, UN sources said. Accompanied by Ms. Miguel Bermieo, UNDP Country Director UN and representatives of Fisheries Co-operative Societies she visited Tsunami destroyed coastal areas from Point Pedro to Valvettithurai.
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Police disrupts Kittu death anniversary in Mannar, Pesalai

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 January 2005, 16:11 GMT]
At least 15 civilians were injured in Mannar when the Police opened fire in air and assaulted several Tamil people when they attempted to hoist Thamileelam flag in the Pesalai town Sunday morning in preparation to hold a commemoration meeting to mark the 12th death anniversary of Colonel Kittu, senior commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and nine other LTTE cadres. Tension prevailed in Pesalai town and transport services came to halt, sources said.
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WFP Executive Director meets with Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 January 2005, 09:48 GMT]
Executive Director of World Food Programme (WFP), Mr.James T. Morris, met with the LTTE's Political Head Mr. S.P.Thamilchelvan and expressed encouragement by the timely engagement of LTTE and the TRO in feeding displaced people, according to a news release issued by the LTTE Peace Secretariat.
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