Fishermen's problems discussed at Batticaloa meet

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 October 2003, 16:37 GMT]
A meeting to discuss issues affecting the fishermen in the Batticaloa district was held at the Mahajana College in Batticaloa Saturday, sources said.
Full story >>

Tamil workers warned against visiting Akkaraipattu

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 October 2003, 12:34 GMT]
Following yesterdays confrontation between Muslim farmers and owners of livestock in Vattamadu, Muslim youths have attacked Tamil masons and warned them from coming to work in Akkaraipattu area, civil sources in Akkaraipattu, Amparai district said.
Full story >>

Big demo in Mannar against Police rape

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 October 2003, 09:43 GMT]
More than two thousand people blocked the Mannar- Medawachchiya road Monday morning, demonstrating against alleged molestation and rape of women in Uyilankulam by Sri Lankan armed forces last week. Traffic on this key road to Mannar was blocked for more than two hours due to the demonstration. Hundreds came from villages around Uyilankulam to take part in the protest, TamilNet’s Mannar correspondent said.
Full story >>

Muslim, Tamil farmers attacked in Vattamadu

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 October 2003, 02:59 GMT]
Three muslim farmers and two Tamil tractor drivers were attacked Sunday morning by a group of men tending cattle in Vattamadu, Thirukkovil Pradeshya Sabha, in Ampara district, security sources said. The identity of the attackers has not yet been released, according to sources.
Full story >>

Salinity endangers Northwest Vanni farmland

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 October 2003, 00:10 GMT]
Vast tracks of farmlands in impoverished villages close to the northern and western coast of Vanni face imminent danger from ocean waters penetrating inland making the arable land unsuitable for cultivation. Civil Engineering staff in Kilinochchi involved in development planning say that although plans are available to convert the areas in northwest coast including Jaffna peninsula resistant to creeping salinity, they are awaiting financial resources to be earmarked for such activity as part of Northeast rehabilitation.
Full story >>

Police to provide Munai fisher families protection from soldiers

[TamilNet, Sunday, 26 October 2003, 16:37 GMT]
The Point Pedro Police have started providing police protection to four fisher families of Munai area on complaints lodged by them at the police station that soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army are likely to take revenge on them, human rights sources said.


Full story >>

LTTE, Muslim representatives discuss Kinniya crisis

[TamilNet, Sunday, 26 October 2003, 15:02 GMT]
Representatives of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and Jemiyathummal Ulama Council (JUC) in Kinniya Sunday at a discussion held at the office of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Trincomalee agreed to identify elements who are working to derail the peace process and not to relentlessly work together to identify such elements. Both parties further agreed to have continuous dialogue to resolve differences that may arise in future, sources said.


Full story >>

LTTE urged to bring upcountry parties together

[TamilNet, Sunday, 26 October 2003, 12:26 GMT]
“The Liberation Tigers should help bring together the Up Country People’s front (UPF) and the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC). All the Tamil speaking people of Sri Lanka should be united”, said Mr. P. Chandrasekeran MP, Minister for Social Development, speaking to the press after meeting Mr. S. P Thamilchelvan, the head of the Tigers’ political division, for a briefing and discussion on the LTTE’s Interim Administration proposal Sunday.
Full story >>

Batticaloa TULF tells ‘Sangaree’ to step down

[TamilNet, Sunday, 26 October 2003, 11:33 GMT]
The Batticaloa branch of the Tamil United Liberation Front resolved Sunday that the party’s leader Mr. V. Anandasangaree MP should step down. “If he fails to do so the secretary general of the TULF should convene the central committee and take necessary measures to remove him from his position as the party leader”, states a resolution passed Sunday by this politically strategic branch in the east.
Full story >>

Curfew in Mutur after Muslims attack four Tamils

[TamilNet, Sunday, 26 October 2003, 07:04 GMT]
Police declared curfew in Mutur, south of Trincomalee, from Sunday noon after four Tamils were attacked and injured by Muslim mobs. Superintendent of Police for Trincomalee Mr. Daya Samaraweera told that the curfew would extend till Monday 6 a.m.
Full story >>

SLMC delegation leaves for London to study devolution

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 October 2003, 18:39 GMT]
A delegation of Muslim politicians and intelligentsia, led by Mr.Rauff Hakeem, left for London, United Kingdom, Saturday at the invitation of the British government on an official visit to study the constitutional arrangements in Ireland and Scotland, sources said.
Full story >>

LTTE to meet hill country leaders on IA proposals

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 October 2003, 18:15 GMT]
The Political Head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, is to continue his dialogue on the northeast interim administration proposals with the hill country Tamil leaders this Sunday. Last week he held discussions with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leaders, sources said.


Full story >>

Munai fisher folk march in protest

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 October 2003, 09:30 GMT]
Hundreds of fishermen and women from Munai carrying placards and shouting slogans against the Sri Lanka army marched into Pt. Pedro town in Jaffna Saturday. They handed over memoranda to local Parliamentarians, the Pt. Pedro Divisional Secretary and the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission demanding the abolition of the military pass system and condemning the attack on men and women in the village of Munai last Wednesday.
Full story >>

Police arrests fisherman in Munai SLA assault

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 October 2003, 17:05 GMT]
The Point Pedro Police Friday arrested a Tamil fisherman, Mr. Peter Maran, 23, in connection with an attack by the Sri Lanka Army and Navy personnel on him in the Munai area, in the Point Pedro division, Wednesday. Police recorded a statement from him that ran into five pages, fisheries sources said.
Full story >>

Norwegian Advisor on Gender Issues visits Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 October 2003, 15:34 GMT]
Dr. Astrid N. Heiberg, the Advisor to the Subcommittee on Gender Issues (SGI) and Ms. Kjersti of the Norwegian High Commission in Colombo, visited the women’s secretariat in Kilinochchi Thursday morning and held discussions about women’s issues throughout the day, sources in the Vanni said.
Full story >>

SLFP demonstrates against "betrayal of Sinhala nation"

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 October 2003, 14:17 GMT]
Thousands of people participated in the demonstration organized by the main constituent of the opposition People’s Alliance, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), against the United National Front (UNF) government of Sri Lanka Friday in Colombo, saying the UNF has 'betrayed' the 'Sinhala nation,' sources said.
Full story >>

Book on Charles Anthony Brigade released

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 October 2003, 10:59 GMT]
A Book on the ten-year history and achievements of Charles Antony Special Brigade of the LTTE "Nerupatru Neechalil Paththandukal" was released in an event held at Trincomalee Sri Koneswara Hindu College hall Thursday evening. The inaugural release of the book was earlier held in Vanni and the first introductory event was held later in Jaffna, sources said.


Full story >>

Curfew lifted in Kinniya

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 October 2003, 06:47 GMT]
Sixteen-hour curfew imposed in Kinniya, 16 k.m. south of Trincomalee was lifted at 6 a.m. Friday morning. However, the re-imposition of curfew depends on developments during the day, police sources said.
Full story >>

SLA stand scuttles Munai peace meet

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 October 2003, 19:01 GMT]
A meeting convened by the National Human Rights Commission in Jaffna to amicably resolve the row between Sri Lanka army (SLA) and fishermen in Munai in Pt. Pedro ended inconclusively after the SLA insisted that it had nothing to do with the damages suffered by villagers during Wednesday’s incidents.
Full story >>

SLFP to hold anti-UNF demo on Deepavali day

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 October 2003, 18:11 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunge, who is also the leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), rejected appeals made by Tamil parliamentarians and Hindu organizations against holding the SLFP’s demonstration against the United National Front government in Colombo on the Deepavali day, Friday, sources said.
Full story >>