Gajendra Kumar Gives evidence at inquest

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 January 2000, 12:09 GMT]
"My father Kumar Ponnambalam, wearing black trousers and a white T-shirt with black stripes, left the house on that fateful morning with one 'Shantha' saying that he would proceed to Wellawatte and return within half an hour. "But that was not to be. He thereafter never came back home alive. We only saw him lying dead at the wheel of his blue Mercedes Benz." Thus stated Barrister Gajendra Kumar the only son of All Ceylon Tamil Congress leader Kumar Ponnambalam at the Magisterial inquiry into the death of Kumar Ponnambalam before Mount Lavinia Magistrate K.H.Sumathipala.
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Investigate youth's death, urge Periyakulam residents

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 January 2000, 15:30 GMT]
Residents of Periyakulam in Trincomalee called for a judicial inquiry into the death of a 17-year-old Tamil youth on January 6. The victim, Alagurajah, was shot dead by Sri Lankan Navy personnel on Friday night, villagers said.
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Ponnambalam's funeral held

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 January 2000, 06:25 GMT]
The funeral of Mr.Kumar Ponnambalam took place in Colombo today. His body was cremated at Khanate Hindu cemetery around 1 p.m. this afternoon. His son Gajenthirakumar set fire to the pyre.
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Tamils mourn Ponnambalam's death

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 January 2000, 23:59 GMT]
The killing of Kumar Ponnambalam on January 5 has triggered a wave of emotion across the Tamil Diaspora. Sadness and anger has been expressed by Tamil community organisations and individuals in statements and messages on bulletin boards. Ponnmabalam's death has arguably been the main topic of conversation amongst Tamils recently - as is his last public letter to President Chandrika Kumaratunge and the latter's recent stern warning to supporters of the Liberation Tigers.
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Kalutara wounded "being neglected" - MP

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 January 2000, 12:34 GMT]
A Tamil parliamentarian who visited the detainees wounded in the violence at Kalutara prison and admitted to Nagoda hospital told TamilNet that they had not received medical care in the hospital and are being kept chained to their beds. Meanwhile reports say one more detainee has succumbed to his injuries, bringing the death toll to 3.
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'Mamanithan' award for Ponnambalam

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 January 2000, 12:27 GMT]
Mr. Kumar Ponnambalam, the assassinated Tamil political leader, has been bestowed with the Most Eminent Person (Mamanithan) award by the Liberation Tigers' leadership, the organisation said in a statement from its London offices Saturday.
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Pararajasingham urges end to prison attacks

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 January 2000, 19:09 GMT]
Tamil United Liberation Front, Paliamentary leader, Joseph Pararajasingham, has called on the President to halt recent attacks on Tamil inmates detained at Kalutara prison.
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Second Kalutara prisoner dies

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 January 2000, 13:36 GMT]
Another Tamil political detainee, Srikumar of Jaffna, who was injured in violence at Kalutara Prison today succumbed to his injuries later sources said. Several others, including Vavuniya Red Cross Co-ordinator, Mr.Kishore and a fisherman from India, are among the injured
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TULF calls for Kalutara inquiry

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 January 2000, 11:21 GMT]
The Secretary General of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), Mr.R.Sampanthan, has requested the President Chandrika Kumaratunga to order an impartial inquiry into the incident resulting in the death of one Tamil prisoner and injuries to several other Tamil prisoners at Kalutara prison on Thursday.
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Further violence at Kalutara prison

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 January 2000, 09:54 GMT]
Fifteen Tamil political prisoners were wounded today in further violence at the Kalutara Prison, 40 km south of Colombo. Three of them have been admitted to the Nagoda hospital, where 33 others were warded Thursday.
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1000 arrests in Colombo

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 January 2000, 00:23 GMT]
Over one thousand Tamils were arrested during a massive search operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Army, Navy, Airforce and Police in Colombo and its suburbs after the enforcing of a curfew from midnight. The curfew was relaxed at 12.30 p.m., one-and-a-half hours earlier than announced.
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Detainee dies in prison violence

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 January 2000, 17:29 GMT]
One of the 34 wounded Tamil detainees admitted to hospital following violence which erupted at 2 p.m. today at Kalutara Prison, about 40 km. south of Colombo has died, hospital sources said today.
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Tigers salute Ponnambalam, accuse government

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 January 2000, 12:53 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers Thursday paid tribute to Mr. Kumar Ponnambalam, leader of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress who was shot dead Wednesday in a Colombo suburb. The LTTE in a statement sent to international media, accused the Sri Lankan government and Tamil groups operating with the Sri Lanka armed forces of carrying out the killing.
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32 Tamil detainees injured

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 January 2000, 12:49 GMT]
Thirty-two Tamil detainees who were staging a hunger strike were injured in clashes that erupted around 2 p.m. in the Kalutara prison, south of Colombo, sources said. The wounded have been taken to Nagoda hospital.
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Arrests follow Colombo blast

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 January 2000, 12:43 GMT]
Officials from the Criminal Investigation Department Thursday arrested the parents of Thilakaratne Yasotha,22, who is believed to have triggered the blast at Flower Road in Colombo Wednesday, the police said. The arrests took place at Akkaraipattu in the Ampara District, the police said.
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Opposition slams President's "racist" speech

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 January 2000, 12:03 GMT]
Sri Lanka President Chandrika Kumaratunge's marathon television speech on January 3 was an attempt to kindle racist feelings in the country, said the leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe when briefing the press Thursday morning.
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SLA tractor smashes shop

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 January 2000, 11:33 GMT]
Four women selling vegetables were injured when a Sri Lanka Army tractor speeding through the market area in Valaichenai went off the road around 12.15 p.m. Thursday, said eyewitnesses. The SLA soldiers who were riding on the tractor fired into the air to disperse crowd that had surrounded the vehcicle, they said.
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Ponnambalam killing claimed

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 January 2000, 08:54 GMT]
An organisation calling itself 'National Front Against Tigers' Thursday claimed responsibility for the killing Wednesday of Kumar Ponnambalam, the president of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress.
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TULF condemns Ponnambalam slaying

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 January 2000, 10:30 GMT]
The Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) has strongly condemned in a statement today, the killing of All Ceylon Tamil Congress president, Mr. Kumar Ponnambalam this morning.
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Kumar Ponnambalam shot dead

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 January 2000, 06:48 GMT]
Mr.Kumar Ponnambalam, president of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at Wellawatte, a Tamil suburb of the capital Colombo around 11.15 a.m. police sources said.
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