China urged to play constructive role in the island: Prof Sitrampalam

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 March 2011, 05:21 GMT]
As a super power having influence on the Sri Lankan state, Eezham Tamils urge China to play a constructive role in the island of Sri Lanka, says Dr. S.K. Sitrampalam, the vice president of Ilankai Thamizh Arasuk Katchi (ITAK), the main constituent of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). The retired senior professor of Archaeology of the University of Jaffna recently visited China following an official invitation to the ITAK to take part in an organised trip extended to delegations from selected political parties from South Asia to have an exposure of how the Chinese government deals with its internal and external affairs.
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Elections to 98 local bodies expected in May: SL Elections Secretariat

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 March 2011, 02:50 GMT]
Elections to 64 local bodies postponed due to legal issues and 34 local bodies postponed due to the ongoing Cricket World Cup are expected to be held in May this year, Sri Lanka’s Elections Secretariat sources said without specifying a date. Preliminary steps are being taken to hold elections to local bodies in Jaffna and Ki'linochchi district which were postponed following the rejection of nomination papers submitted by the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) by the Jaffna District Returning Officer.
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ITAK wins 12 local body elections in NorthEast

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 March 2011, 12:22 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), contesting under the symbol of Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK), captured the administration of twelve local authorities including two Urban Councils (UC) and Predesiya Sabas (PS) in the North and East in the elections held Thursday. The TNA failed to capture power of the Moothoor PS in Trincomalee district but was able secure three seats out of 11. Elections to local bodies in Jaffna district and to some in the districts of Trincomalee, Ampaarai and Mullaithivu were not held Thursday.
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SL Policeman, claiming EPDP, threatens Tamil daily in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 March 2011, 07:17 GMT]
A Sri Lankan police constable, claiming to be a EPDP man, entered the building of Uthayan daily in Jaffna Wednesday afternoon and warned the daily over an item it had carried in its Tidbits column involving a school principal recently. The SL Police constable, Ratnathas Pradeepan from Achchuveali, intimidated the press workers threatening to set fire with a cigarette lighter he was holding, the paper said. Publishing a photograph of PC Pradeepn, the paper also said that he was “selected” for SL Police when the police recruited 500 personnel for training.
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No security guarantee for Tamil parliamentarians: TNA MP

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 March 2011, 07:58 GMT]
Over the attack on his vehicle at Nochchiyagama on Monday, Tamil National Alliance Ki'linochchi district parlimentarian S. Sreetharan said in Parliament on Wednesday, “It is clear that there is no security guarantee for MPs in this country. How can a Tamil here expect security from the state?” He further stated that while he was passing Medawachchiya on Monday at 5:30 p.m., a white colored van without a number plate overtook their vehicle. When they approached Ullukku'lam the said vehicle was parked on the side of the road and three men got off from the vehicle and fired at them using small weapons. In return, his security guards fired back before the assassins threw a grenade at his vehicle and fled the scene.
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State run daily plays down assassination attempt on TNA MP

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 March 2011, 12:10 GMT]
Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian S. Sritharan’s shooting incident in Nochchiyagama on March 7th, received minimal coverage in the state run leading Sinhala newspaper Dinamina, sources in Colombo said. Dinamina carried the report in page-4 with minimal details of the incident.
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Veteran journalist Sabaratnam passes away

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 March 2011, 17:47 GMT]
Veteran journalist T. Sabaratnam passed away after a brief illness on Saturday in Colombo at the age of 79. Mr. Sabaratnam, who held the post of senior deputy editor of the SL State run Daily News at the time of retirement in 1997, was contributing to the English weekly, the Nation and other English and Tamil newspapers after retirement from the Lake House newspapers. He worked as a lecturer in the College of Journalism since its inception till his demise.
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TNA MP Sritharan narrowly escapes assassination in Anuradhapura

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 March 2011, 14:54 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian from Vanni, S. Sritharan, narrowly escaped from a group of attackers who lobbed two hand grenade targeting his vehicle and fired at the vehicle using pistols from behind Monday evening around 6:00 p.m. at Nochchiyaagama in Anuradhapura, TNA parliamentarians told media. The parliamentarian was on his way from Vavuniyaa to Colombo to attend the Tuesday sittings in SL parliament. No one was hurt in the attack, SL Police in Anuradhapura said.
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AG suspends forced registration by SLA in North

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 March 2011, 02:50 GMT]
A three-member bench of the Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court Thursday terminated the proceedings in the Fundamental Rights application filed by five Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians against the forced registration of resident in the Jaffna district and Killinochchi district by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) after Sri Lanka's Attorney General (AG) informed the Court that SLA will stop forced registration, legal sources in Colombo said. The Deputy Solicitor General, Buvaneka Aluvihare, on behalf of the AG gave the undertaking said that the forced registration would be suspended until a procedure that passes constitutional muster is developed to collect information pertaining to the two districts.
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Occupying military orders VVT people to register before 10:00 a.m. Wednesday

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 March 2011, 20:40 GMT]
In a draconian order, the SL military occupying the country of Eezham Tamils has asked the people of Valveddiththu’rai, a densely populated town in the northern coast of Jaffna, to register themselves with the military, along with family photos, before 10:00 a.m. Wednesday. The shocked Eezham Tamils wonder whether their country is fast turning into an open concentration camp for them. The order comes even as there is a case against such registrations filed by TNA is pending in the court. The notice to the public to register within 24 hours and forms for that are distributed by the SL Army to local shops. On the order of the Army, the local village officials were seen carrying out the work even during the night. People feel that the show of terror is a revenge for the participation of the people of VVT in the funeral of Parvathi Amma, despite military harassment.
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Antiquity of Jaffna city goes back to Roman times

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 March 2011, 07:31 GMT]
Pottery associated with Roman times of the early historic period were found in the premises of the King’s House in Jaffna fort by archaeologists of the University of Jaffna led by Prof P. Pushparatnam. The team took over digging after getting information on pottery finds when a pit was dug for toilet purposes in the King’s House premises. The disturbed rubble layer at the top had a variety of pottery of various periods, including Rouletted Ware and Amphora Ware associated with Roman times. Digging further, the Jaffna University team reached a floor level and artefacts are being excavated even below that level. From the indications at the surface, the excavators expect to reach undisturbed levels of early historic habitation in the excavation.
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Wahalkada

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 February 2011, 00:13 GMT]
The outer entrance
The entrance side
The entrance part
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TNA MPs dropped from DDC meeting with Basil Rajapakse

[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 February 2011, 17:13 GMT]
Batticaloa district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians P.Selvarasa, C.Yogeswaran and P.Ariyanethran have not been invited for the District Development Committee (DDC) meeting that was scheduled to be held on Sunday morning with Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapakse. The meeting was summoned to review the progress of the ongoing development activities and to decide on the future development projects in the district.
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Prof Sitrampalam visits China on invitation

[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 February 2011, 15:10 GMT]
The Vice President of Ilankai Thamizh Arasuk Katchi (ITAK), Professor S K Sitrampalam, representing his party, is on a visit to China on the invitation of the Chinese government, ITAK leaders said in a press meet in Jaffna Sunday. Even though the ITAK leaders said that this is a routine invitation extended to party leaders in the island, they didn’t answer the question when in the past the ITAK had been invited or visited China. ITAK is the main component of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). The Deccan College trained Dr. S.K. Sitrampalam, retired senior professor of Archaeology of the University of Jaffna, was widely appreciated by Eezham Tamils when he boldly countered the Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Menon Rao in Jaffna, last year.
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TNA rejecting 13th Amendment is crucial to spirit of Tamil national polity: TNPF

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 February 2011, 13:30 GMT]
Tamil National Peoples Front (TNPF) will boycott elections to Provincial Council, an outfit of the 13th Amendment that has to be rejected, said Mr. Gajendrakumar Ponnampalam, Vice President of TNPF in a press meet held in Jaffna Wednesday. The TNPF is prepared to work with TNA on this matter and discussions are already initiated. If there is any fear that undesirable elements may exploit the vacuum, both the TNA and TNPF could jointly field suitable candidates of reputation outside of the parties to meet the situation. But it is crucial that the TNA should reject the 13th Amendment to uphold Tamil national polity. Achieving acceptance to the nation of Eezham Tamils in the island is the aim of TNPF. Territory is fundamental to continuity of the nation and chauvinistic Sri Lanka is keen on Sinhala colonisation to destroy that continuity, Gajendrakumar further said.
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TNPF announces Central Committee, prepares party constitution

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 February 2011, 13:24 GMT]
Popular Economics teacher Mr. Sinnadurai Varatharaja and former TNA parliamentarian Mr. Selvaraja Kajendran have been respectively announced as President and General Secretary of Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF), in a press meet held in Jaffna Wednesday by the TNPF. Former TNA parliamentarians, Mr. Gajendrakumar Ponnampalam and Ms. Padmini Sithambaranathan, as well as Mr. Visvalingam Manivannan, Mr. Rajakon Hariharan and Mr. R. E. Anandaraja have become Vice Presidents. Two nations in one country is the fundamental principle of the party and the constitution of the party would be announced within three months, the committee members said.
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Occupying SL military desecrates ashes of Parvathi Amma

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 February 2011, 08:53 GMT]
The ashes of Parvathi Amma cremated Tuesday and waiting for ritual collection were desecrated by occupying SL military in Jaffna Tuesday night. Three dead dogs with gun shot injuries were put on the cremation spot and the ashes were scattered by running over the spot by military vehicles. Local people witnessed the movement of military vehicles in the location Tuesday night. Former TNA parliamentarian, Mr. MK Sivajilingam, guardian to the interests of Parvathi Amma, came out with strong condemnation of the desecration.
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TNA files HR petition against forced registration in Killinochchi, Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 February 2011, 03:17 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance Tuesday filed a fundamental rights violation petition in the Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court against the forced registration of the districts of Jaffna and Killinochchi by the Sri Lanka Army. Parliamentarians Maavai Senathirajah, Suresh Premachchandran, Appathura Vinayagamoorthy and Easwarapatham Saravanapavan of the Jaffna district and Sivagnaam Sritharan of the Killinochchi district have signed the petition. The petition was filed by Attorney-at-Law Mohan Balendra, legal sources in Colombo said.
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Remains of Parvathi Amma cremated amidst military harassment

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 February 2011, 14:10 GMT]
Braving harassments by occupying Sri Lankan military that has been forcing the people to remove black flags they had flown to mourn the late Parvathi Amma, people from various parts of the peninsula took part in the funeral procession Tuesday together with former and current parliamentarians representing Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Tamil National Peoples Front (TNPF) Tuesday evening. Politicians and activists from Tamil Nadu and the diaspora addressed the mourners paying tribute through phone calls at Theeruvil grounds. Defying the order by SLA soldiers to remove the black flags, people of Vadamaraadchi closed their shops and flew black flags.
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TNA challenges Pilliayan to resign, hold election to EPC

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 February 2011, 12:47 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Batticaloa District TNA Parliamentarian, Mr.C.Yogeswaran, addressing an election meeting in Kaaraitheivu, challenged the Chief Minister of the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC), Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, to dissolve the EPC and to stand for re-election to prove his popularity instead of criticizing the TNA, sources in Batticaloa said.
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