Northeast shuts down over checkpoint gunfire

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 May 2005, 10:59 GMT]
The normal life was disrupted in several parts of the districts of Jaffna, Mannar, Vavuniya, Killinochchi, Mullaitivu, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Amparai, in the Northeast province Tuesday following a hartal (general shut down) condemning the attack on protesting civilians by Sri Lankan security forces at Santhiveli in Batticaloa, Monday, in which one person was killed and more than 15 others, including 5 school children were injured.
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Joint mechanism mired in Sinhala politics

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 May 2005, 15:51 GMT]
The joint mechanism between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers called for by international aid donors has become the centre of political manoeuvres by the main Sinhala parties, in whose zero-sum calculations, international aid has a critical role to play.
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Akashi to visit Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 May 2005, 11:55 GMT]
Japanese peace envoy, Mr Yasushi Akashi, is arriving in Sri Lanka on Wednesday for a seven day visit to discuss matters related to the peace process and post-tsunami development, a press release the Japanese Embassy in Colombo issued Monday said.
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Military Academy's 10th anniversary celebrated

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 May 2005, 11:39 GMT]
Liberation Tigers (LTTE) celebrated the 10th anniversary of one of its military training academy by organizing a 60 km bike race from Paranthan Junction in A9 to Mullaitivu town Sunday 6.00am, according to sources from Kilinochchi.
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NorthEast pre-school teachers compete for honors

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 May 2005, 12:55 GMT]
Pre-school teachers from five regions in the NorthEast province vied for honors in general knowledge test conducted by the Pre-School Development Organization to mark its 10th anniversary since its establishment with a mission of improving the education standards of pre-school children in NorthEast, sources from Kilinochchi said. Pre-school development falls under the administration of Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), an NGO registered with the Government of Sri Lanka which works exclusively in the NorthEast.
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NECORD provides loans to assist small businesses

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 May 2005, 11:49 GMT]
Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded North East Community Restoration Development (NECORD) awarded loans under the Social Development scheme to increase the earning potential of small scale entrepreneurs at an event held at the Kovil Vayal village in Pachchilaipalli district in Kilinochchi Thursday at 3.30 pm sources from Kilinochchi said. Kvoil Vayal is located 2 km from the Iyakachchi junction on A9 highway.
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Pirapaharan extols Jeyanthan Brigade on 12th anniversary

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 May 2005, 00:02 GMT]
In April last year, the world witnessed the prowess, fighting spirit and the commitment of the Jeyanthan Brigade which, by executing in Batticaloa soil “the right operation at the right time and the right place, triumphed against betrayal and reclaimed our soil, our people and our cadre," said LTTE leader, Mr. Vellupillai Pirapaharan in a congratulatory message sent to the fighting unit which celebrated the 12th anniversary of its formation on Wednesday.
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Tsunami hit Soodaikuda villagers to get new houses

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 May 2005, 10:53 GMT]
The Social Development Centre (SDC), headquartered in Killinochchi signed an agreement with the Assembly of God (AG) to construct 76 houses for tsunami-affected families in Soodaikuda, a remote village in the Muttur east in the Trincomalee district. The Fida International of Finland through the AG is providing the financial support for the project, sources said.


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CHC conducts eye, dental clinics

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 April 2005, 02:04 GMT]
The Centre for Health Care (CHC), a Non Governmental Organization head quartered in Kilinochchi, that offers medical services, is conducting eye clinics in the refugee camps along the coastal areas of Amparai and Batticaloa districts, and dental clinics in Tsunami affected areas and underprivileged distant villages in Amparai district, officials of CHC said.
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ORCHARD aims to bring children's homes under one administration

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 April 2005, 10:20 GMT]
Organization for Restructuring Children Homes And (their) Rehabilitation and Development (ORCHARD), an arm of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) in the northeast province held its second annual general meeting in Trincomalee Anbu Illam hall Saturday with Rev.Fr.Francis Xavier, President of the ORCHARD in the chair, sources said. Mr.R.Sampanthan, Trincomalee district parliamentarian and the leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) was the chief guest.


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Tigers postpone crucial press meet

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 April 2005, 17:36 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers said Sunday they are indefinitely postponing a crucial press conference scheduled for Tuesday in Kilinochchi. Informed sources said that the press meet was intended to explain the LTTE’s stand on the proposed Joint Mechanism for Tsunami reconstruction in the island’s northeast province. The indefinite postponement of the press conference added fuel to speculation in Colombo that a compromise on the Joint Mechanism is floundering on strident opposition by President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s main coalition partner Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna.
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Workshop on tsunami reconstruction begins in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 April 2005, 10:34 GMT]
Three-day workshop for workers of Social Mobilization Unit (SMU) of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) began in Trincomalee Friday morning on the topic "Implementation of 3rd Phase of Tsunami Relief Programme." Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese from districts of Amparai, Batticaloa and Trincomalee are participating in the workshop. Similar workshops were held earlier in Jaffna, Killinochchi and Vavuniya for SMU staff working in those districts, sources said.
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Nedunkerni schools receive free Solar Lighting Systems

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 April 2005, 10:07 GMT]
The Economic Consultancy House (TECH), a Sri Lanka Government registered NGO working exclusively in the NorthEast, provided eight schools without electricity in Nedunkerni region, Photo Voltaic (PV) lighting systems using funding from its US branch at an event held at Nedunkerni Maha Vidyalayam Monday, sources in Vanni said.
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Thamilchelvan meets Solheim in Colombo, returns to Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 April 2005, 09:04 GMT]
Visiting Norwegian Special Peace Envoy, Mr. Erik Solheim, on Wednesday met Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, Political Head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who was returning to Kilinochchi concluding an almost 40 days long diplomatic mission to Europe and to South Africa. Mr. Thamilchelvan during his mission to Europe had held discussions with government leaders of more than twelve countries regarding the current state of the stalled peace process and the hindrance on the part of the Government of Sri Lanka in establishing a Joint Mechanism to implement a tsunami relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction programme in the northeast.
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Sewing training centres opened in Vadamaradchi east

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 April 2005, 14:53 GMT]
Working Women Development Organization (WWDO) and Rural Rehabilitation Development Organization (RRDO) of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) Tuesday inaugurated two sewing training centres for tsunami affected women at Chempianpattu and Kaddaikadu-Mullian villages in the Vadamaradchi east division in the Jaffna district.
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TECH offers loan scheme for Solar home systems

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 April 2005, 19:47 GMT]
As part of the inaugural phase of a new loan scheme, The Economic Consultancy House (TECH), a Sri Lanka Government registered NGO exclusively operating in the NorthEast, provided ten Chinese manufactured Solar Home Systems (SHS) to Kilinochchi residents last week, sources said.
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Solheim arrives in Colombo, visits Puttalam

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 April 2005, 14:37 GMT]
Mr.Erik Solheim, Norwegian special peace envoy arrived in Colombo Sunday on a five day visit to Sri Lanka amid expectation that he would seal an agreement between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) that would establish a joint mechanism to take forward the post-tsunami relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation programme in the northeast province, sources said.
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Kilinochchi protest condemns delay in Joint Mechanism, ISGA

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 April 2005, 09:38 GMT]
Large number of Tamil civilians participated in the protest march held Monday morning in Killinochchi condemning the Government of Sri Lanka for its delay in establishing the joint mechanism to provide relief and rehabilitation to tsunami affected people and for the delay in setting up the interim self governing authority (ISGA) in the northeast. It also condemned the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) for carrying out a shadow war in the east, sources said.
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Tsunami revitalizes NorthEast boat industry

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 April 2005, 13:04 GMT]
A two acre site on A9 north of Murukandy temple, 15 km north of Kilinochchi will be soon site of a modern boat building industrial complex capable of producing two to four boats a day. Successful production of the first 18' 2" fiberglass boat by skilled veterans from the Cey-Nor collaborative ventures in Jaffna from the 1960s exhibits the NorthEast planners' keen desire to rapidly provide redress to thousands of fishermen whose fishing gear and boats have been destroyed by tsunami.
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Congressman concludes visit to Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 April 2005, 04:14 GMT]
Democratic Congressman from Chicago, Illinois, Danny K Davis arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport Tuesday morning 11.45am after his visit to Tsunami affected areas in NorthEast of Sri Lanka. He was received at the airport by members of the Tamil community in Washington Area.
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