Varathan Group attack injures two civilians

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 December 2002, 11:42 GMT]
Ex-militants of Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) currently part of Varathan Group working closely with the Special Task Force (STF) in Araiyampathi, Batticaloa district, attacked and seriously injured two civilians near Mariamman Kovil road Sunday 6.45 pm sources in Batticaloa said.
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EPDP, PLOTE, EPRLF meet SLA officers in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 December 2002, 20:38 GMT]
The paramilitary EPDP, PLOTE and EPRLF(V) groups met with officers of the Sri Lanka armed forces at the headquarters of the 23-3 brigade of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Batticaloa today to discuss their own security, sources said.
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'War imminent if federal solution is rejected'- Minister Peiris

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 December 2002, 18:39 GMT]
The United National Front (UNF) government Monday said if the attempt to find a political solution to the ethnic conflict through a federal constitution is rejected then there is high likelihood of war breaking out again. "Instead of amending the clauses of the present constitution, the government has decided to table a new constitution that will embody the new political framework," said Professor G.L.Peiris, Minister of Constitutional Affairs and cabinet spokesman at a press briefing Monday in Colombo.


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SLN expands Thiriyai naval base

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 December 2002, 20:14 GMT]
Thiriyai Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) main base, relocated to a new location one mile from the Thiriyai Tamil Vidyalayam in May this year, is now being strengthened as a permanent base, a group of civilians told the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader and the district parliamentarian Mr.R.Sampanthan when he paid a visit Saturday evening to see if any progress has been made by recently resettled farmers, sources said.
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SLAF occupation adds to Muthalikulam farmers' woes

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 December 2002, 16:43 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) occupies twelve buildings of the Irrigation Department located at Pankulam and Muthalikulam, 24 km west of Trincomalee town blocking the Engineers from providing water to resettled farmers engaged in paddy cultivation causing severe hardship, rehabilitation agency sources said.
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Nedunthivu mother of four sexually assaulted

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 December 2002, 17:23 GMT]
A Tamil young mother of four children is alleged to have been sexually assaulted by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) personnel at Nedunthivu (Delft island) in the Jaffna district Saturday afternoon around 3 p.m.while she was praying in a church, according to a complaint lodged at the Police Station in the islet, sources in the island said.


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Hakim canvasses Tamil support to defeat party saboteurs

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 December 2002, 23:53 GMT]
The leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Mr.Rauff Hakim said Friday that Muslims should be allowed to enjoy the same rights and privileges provided to Tamils in the merged northeast province when a political solution is found to the ethnic conflict. Mr.Rauff Hakim was given a rousing welcome in Mutur town in the Trincomalee district Friday when he paid his first visit after he regained the leadership of the SLMC on the order of the Colombo District Court Thursday.
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CTTU leads Rights Conference in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 December 2002, 17:51 GMT]
"Human rights abuses in Sri Lanka abound because people refuse to accept other people's views. If every community develops the mindset to listen and understand views of others, there would be no war and destruction," said Mr. K. Velayutham, the Badulla district member of parliament (MP), speaking at a conference on "Human Rights and Democracy" in Batticaloa today.
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US, UK welcome Tamil Federal solution

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 December 2002, 16:17 GMT]
The United States and United Kingdom Thursday applauded the agreement reached between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to work towards a Federal model. The historic breakthrough was made at the third round of peace talks held in Oslo this week.
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Jeevan memorial unveiled in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 December 2002, 15:10 GMT]
Memorial for Lt.Colonel Jeevan and seven LTTE cadres who died in a confrontation with Sri Lanka Army (SLA) last year was ceremoniously opened in Illuppadichenai juntion today at 10.30 am on the day of the first anniversary of their death, sources in Batticaloa said.
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TNA demands better facilities for Mutur villages

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 December 2002, 19:56 GMT]
"More than twenty Tamil villages in Mutur east held by Tamil Tigers are without electricity supply and most of the roads in these villages cannot be used by motor vehicles," said Tamil National Alliance (TNA) national list parliamentarian Mr.K.Thurairatnasingham participating in the committee stage debate for the budgetary allocations of the Ministry of Power and Energy and the Ministry of Transport held Wednesday and Thursday.
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LTTE denies involvement in abduction

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 December 2002, 17:07 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Thursday categorically denied any involvement in the alleged abduction of three members of para military Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) in the Batticaloa district, sources said.
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LTTE, GOSL reach exploratory agreement

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 December 2002, 12:04 GMT]
The government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam reached an exploratory agreement Thursday to “explore a solution to end the island’s conflict founded on the principle of internal self determination in areas of historical habitation of the Tamil speaking peoples, based on a federal structure within a united Sri Lanka”. “Sri Lanka needs a new constitution that would radically transform its polity," said Chief negotiator of the Liberation Tigers, Mr. Anton Balasingham, addressing a joint press conference Thursday morning at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in downtown Oslo.
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LTTE police stations 'not a new phenomena' - Balasingham

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 December 2002, 15:26 GMT]
The LTTE's Police and law and order systems would not extend into areas controlled by the Sri Lankan government while continuing to maintain law and order in Tiger-controlled areas, Mr. Anton Balasingham, the movement's Chief Negotiator and political advisor told reporters in Oslo Tuesday. He was speaking at a press conference held during lunch on the second day of the third round of peace talks between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government.
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Govt. agrees for parliamentary debate on Oslo peace talks

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 December 2002, 15:07 GMT]
The ruling United National Front (UNF) Tuesday agreed for a two-day debate on the peace talks now being held abroad between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). This decision was taken at a meeting of the leaders of political parties represented in Sri Lanka parliament presided by the Speaker Mr.Joseph Michael Perera, sources said.
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LTTE opens first Thamileelam court in Trincomalee district

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 December 2002, 17:17 GMT]
The second Thamileelam law court in the eastern province was opened Monday at Kattaiparichchan village in Muttur east area held by the Liberation Tigers in the Trincomalee district." Our judiciary is eight years old and Thamileelam law courts are established in areas in the northeast controlled by us," said Mr.S.Tilak, LTTE's Trincomalee district political head in a keynote address at the inaugural ceremony of the Thamileelam Courts. The Trincomalee District Superintendent of Thamileelam Police Mr. Avaikumaran lit the traditional oil lamp.
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Third round of peace talks open in Oslo

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 December 2002, 16:32 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) began the third round of peace talks to end Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict at the Radisson SAS Plaza Hotel in downtown Oslo Monday afternoon.
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TNA mourns death of veteran Trinco Tamil activist

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 December 2002, 21:21 GMT]
"At a time when we are at the doorstep of finding a just, permanent and lasting solution to the Tamil national question through talks between the United National Front (UNF) government and the Liberation Tigers (LTTE) Trincomalee Tamils have lost a veteran activist who has worked for the political emancipation of his community for about fifty years," said the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan paying Homage to Mr. Subramaniam Gunanayagam Sunday evening.
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Bishop exhorts Tamils to work with confidence

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 December 2002, 17:22 GMT]
"Tamils in northeast province now live in a transitional period expecting a constitutional change to find a just and lasting political solution to their problems. We should work towards this with utmost confidence," said Rt.Rev. Dr.Kingsely Swampillai, Bishop of Trincomalee-Batticaloa Diocese, addressing the annual prize-giving day of the Trincomalee St.Joseph's College as Chief Guest Saturday.


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Devanesan Nesiah appointed to inquire Jaffna disappearances

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 November 2002, 15:20 GMT]
The Human Rights Commission (HRC) of Sri Lanka Saturday appointed a one-man committee, Mr.Devanesan Nesiah, a retired civil servant and the government agent of Jaffna, to probe into complaints of disappearances of persons arrested by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) during 1996-1997 military operations in Jaffna district. A leading human rights activist Mr.M.C.M.Iqbal will function as the Committee's secretary, sources said.
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