Jaffna IDP protest concluded

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 February 2004, 13:12 GMT]
The fast unto death protest in Chavakachcheri and Tellipalai in Jaffna were concluded Friday after assurances by Tamil National Alliance MPs and a senior official from the Prime Minister’s Office in Colombo. However, several internally displaced persons (IDPs) who took part and supported the protest fast criticized TNA MPs for intervening in the protest for political gain.
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Jaffna schools said lacking basic facilities

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 February 2004, 00:44 GMT]
Educational International consultant Mr. Iyathurai Rajaguru, who is on a visit to Sri Lanka, described at a discussion held with representatives of the Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union and education officials in Trincomalee, Thursday evening, that he was shocked to see students studying in a school in Chavakachcheri sitting on broken furniture and without a blackboard.
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Tamil national unity forum launched in Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 February 2004, 17:46 GMT]
“The greatest challenge before the Tamil people today is the coming together of Sinhala chauvinist forces bent on denying our rights. The alliance between JVP and President Kumaratunga’s Sri Lanka Freedom Party has gathered all the Sinhala chauvinist forces in strength under one umbrella. There is only one way for the Tamils to face this challenge – we should unite now regardless of our regional differences”, said Mr. Selvam Adaikalanthan, Tamil National Alliance for the Vanni, addressing the first forum to unite all Tamil political parties and groups in Sri Lanka Thursday.
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Rebuilt Trinco Orphanage celebrates golden jubilee

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 February 2004, 17:34 GMT]
The rebuilt Trincomalee Sivananda Thabovanam (Spiritual Orphanage), which has currently given shelter to about two hundred children orphaned due to war in the Trincomalee district, held its golden jubilee celebration Thursday with the opening of a hospital for its inmates, children's playground and other facilities. The orphanage with all its buildings was completely destroyed during an operation by the Sri Lanka army in 1984, sources said.
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Black flag protests across Amparai irk STF

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 February 2004, 18:14 GMT]
Tension escalated in Thirukovil and Akkaraipattu areas in Amparai when the Special Task Force (STF) soldiers tried to remove black flags from the roadsides, public buildings and businesses, security sources said.


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TNA MPs boycott as Trinco celebrates Sri Lanka's independence

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 February 2004, 12:20 GMT]
"When peace talks resume, I firmly believe that hopes of everyone yearning for a permanent end to conflict by reaching a just and enduring solution will be achieved", said the North East Governor Major General Asoka Jayawardene addressing the country's fifty sixth Independence Day celebration held in Trincomalee Mc Heyzer Stadium Wednesday morning.


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Tires burn in Mannar, A9 blocked in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 February 2004, 11:44 GMT]
Tires were burnt and black flags were flown in several parts of Mannar town Wednesday. Police said that some protestors had pulled down Sri Lanka’s lion flags that were hoisted by the army on the entrance to Mannar town Tuesday night to mark Independence Day. Meanwhile Vavuniya was deserted and buses from this northern border town to other parts of the island were cancelled. Protesters blocked the A9 highway to Jaffna north of Vavuniya town.
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Protest, shut down in Jaffna on Sri Lanka's Independence Day

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 February 2004, 09:21 GMT]
Jaffna town was deserted Wednesday while Sri Lankan armed forces hoisted lion flags and observed Independence Day amid tight security in many parts of the peninsula. Several civil society groups and public organisations urged the people of Jaffna last week to observe Sri Lanka's Independence Day as a black day. Jaffna University students flew black flags and decorated the campus' main entrance with curry plantain trees. Jaffna Mothers' Front protested in front of the District Secretariat as Police in riot gear stood guard.
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Jaffna IDPs begin fast unto death

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 February 2004, 07:18 GMT]
Two groups of persons demanding that they be allowed to resettle in their villages garrisoned by the Sri Lankan armed forces in Jaffna's Thenmaradchi and Valigamam North Divisions began fasting unto death Wednesday Sri Lanka's Independence Day. Twelve Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) began a fast unto death protest in front of the Valigamam North Divisional Secretary's office in Tellipalai from 8 a.m. Wednesday. A group of displaced farmers began a fast unto death in Chavakachcheri town Wednesday morning.
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Batticaloa deserted on Sri Lanka's Independence Day

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 February 2004, 06:38 GMT]
Batticaloa town was deserted Wednesday in response to a call by local organisations to boycott Sri Lanka’s Independence Day and to observe it as a black day for Tamils. Shops, offices and public buildings were closed. Very few people and vehicles were on the roads in the eastern town.
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Teachers proficient in 'Marine Fishery' needed - MP

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 February 2004, 18:46 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian Mr.K.Thurairetnasingham and North East Provincial Education Ministry Secretary Mr.R.Thiagalingam Tuesday appealed to the Minister of Human Resources Development and Cultural Affairs to recruit Tamil medium teachers who are qualified to teach Marine Resources as a subject in the NorthEast schools, civil society sources said.


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SC confirms death sentence on Krishanthy murder accused

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 February 2004, 18:22 GMT]
The Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court Tuesday confirmed the death sentence on the five Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers who were convicted for the rape and murder of four Tamils including a high school student, Krishanthy Kumarasamy, in 1996 in Jaffna district, legal sources said.


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LTTE medical corps' feats unparalleled - Balakumaran

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 February 2004, 12:42 GMT]
"Committment of cadres of LTTE's medical corps and the ingenious medical evacuation strategies used, paved the way for some of our biggest military successes against the Sri Lanka Army (SLA)," said V.Balakumaran, a senior member of the LTTE speaking at an event commemorating the sixth anniversary of the death of nine members of the LTTE medical division, sources from Vanni said.
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Military readies for Sri Lanka’s Independence Day in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 February 2004, 12:19 GMT]
Sri Lankan armed forces flew lion flags on sentries, bunkers and at army camps in Jaffna Tuesday in preparation for Sri Lanka’s Independence Day. The military urged fishermen in the peninsula’s Vadamaradchi coast not to fly black flags on their boats, homes and union offices on Wednesday. The Sri Lanka army gave lion flags to fishermen and government officials in Jaffna. The sword bearing lion on Sri Lanka’s national flag is considered the eponymous ancestor of the island’s Sinhala Buddhists.
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Pallai school reopens after 8 years

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 February 2004, 11:39 GMT]
Kilinochchi district Government Agent, T.Rasanayagam, reopened Allipallai Government Mixed School in Pallai in its original location after eight years, local media reported. Displaced residents of Allipallai started resettling in their own lands beginning of year 2003, and have been lobbying for opening of their schools.
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NEERP funds hospital construction in Muttur east

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 February 2004, 17:52 GMT]
Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Mr.S.Thilak Monday noon laid the foundation stone for the proposed government hospital complex in Eachilapamathu village in the LTTE held Muttur east in the Trincomalee district. The hospital is to be built at a cost of 20 million rupees allocated by the World Bank funded North East Emergency Reconstruction Project (NEERP).


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NECORD funds new school buildings for Batticaloa district

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 February 2004, 17:13 GMT]
Asian Development Bank funded North East Community Restoration Development (NECORD) project has selected 15 schools from the most backward areas in Batticaloa district for further development, sources said. New buildings to house several additional class rooms are to be built and the required class room equipment and supplies are to be provided under NECORD funding.
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Workshop on creative writing held in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 February 2004, 00:48 GMT]
Three-day workshop for Tamil medium students in Trincomalee town on "developing the creative writing" organized by the North East Provincial Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs concluded Sunday at the Trincomalee Orr's Hill Vivekananda College, education officials in Trincomalee said. Senior Lecturer at the Eastern University Dr.S.Yogarajah conducted the workshop.
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Protesters to block A9 on Sri Lanka's Independence day

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 February 2004, 00:15 GMT]
Vavuniya North Consortium of Peoples' Organizations called upon all Tamils in Vavuniya to fly black flags and to observe 4 February, the Independence Day of Sri Lanka, as a day of mourning, civil sources said. Consortium also invited people to come forward to block the traffic along A9 to show people from the South that Tamil struggle will continue until fundamental rights of Tamil people are recognized and respected.
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Resettled village honors its good student

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 February 2004, 00:05 GMT]
Parents and students of Kappalthurai, a village with Tamil resettlers, honored Jenitta Vipulanandan, a student of Saraswathie Vidyalayam, for passing the island wide Year- 5 Scholarship examinations. This was the first in the school's twenty-five year history, school teachers said.


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