TamilNet

Development crimes, Norway and Tamil diaspora

[Thu, 29 Jul 2010, 23:52 GMT]

“While the West is hoodwinking Tamils with war crimes investigations, what takes place in the island in full swing with the abetment of those who abetted the war are development crimes, demographic crimes and cultural crimes to complete genocide. The balance tilted by the international community has now placed Eezham Tamils to face several armies: an occupying army, settlement army, a retrogressive cultural army and the ‘development army’. Meanwhile, some Tamil individuals argue that diaspora should stop prioritising politics, but should ‘reconcile’ to subordination and engage in ‘rehabilitation’, without realising that it is they who have imperceptibly fallen into a vicious political agenda of the oppressors”, commented a social activist responding to ‘development’ circles in Norway advocating the diaspora to engage in ‘development’ accepting a questionable Sinhala NGO as the ‘monitor’.

Full story >>

2ND LEAD

Tissamaharama potsherd evidences ordinary early Tamils among population

[Wed, 28 Jul 2010, 03:18 GMT]

Inscribed postherd from archaeological excavation at Tissamaharama

A potsherd inscription in Tamil Brahmi found some times back in an archaeological excavation by a German team at Tissamaharama in the Hambantota district of the Southern Province of Sri Lanka can be interpreted as meaning an equipment to measure, and thus evidences the presence of ordinary Tamil speaking people in the population of that region as early as at 2200 years before present, says archaeologist and epigraphist, Ponnampalam Ragupathy. The identification of the script of the legend as Tamil Brahmi and the decipherment getting the reading Thira’li Mu’ri in Tamil by veteran epigraphist Iravatham Mahadevan in an article last month in The Hindu, has stirred interest of the archaeological circles in the island to unearth this old find from obscurity to limelight. Full story >>

Armed men set fire to TV station in Colombo

[Fri, 30 Jul 2010, 07:50 GMT]

Twelve armed men clad in black uniforms forcefully entered the private TV channel Siyatha TV office and assaulted the security guard and set fire to the station and caused severe damage to the equipment on Friday at 1.30 am. The station belongs to former Chairman of the Sri Lanka Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Mr. Priyantha Kariyapperuma. Mr. Kariyapermuma was earlier a close associate of Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa, but he was sacked from his post week before the presidential election by the SL President. Full story >>

SL minister includes spouses of Balakumaran, Yogi, among widows

[Mon, 19 Jul 2010, 13:04 GMT]

According to Rajapaksa regime’s Rehabilitation and Prisons Reforms minister and Communist Party leader, Dew Gunasekera, the wives of the senior members of the LTTE, K.V. Balakumaran and Yogaratnam Yogi are among the widows needing rehabilitation, The Island reported Monday. Both the LTTE leaders were reportedly seen reaching internment camps run by the Sri Lankan military, by many who went into those camps. The international community was repeatedly telling the LTTE to surrender to Colombo and civilians to get into barbed-wire camps of the Sri Lankan Army. The Army killed Balakumaran on the Vanni east front early last year, The Island says. There were earlier media reports that the leaders were taken to Colombo. Full story >>

Tamils sue Germany for accepting alleged war crimes commander as ambassador

[Sat, 24 Jul 2010, 23:54 GMT]

In an unprecedented legal move, three diaspora Tamil organisations have decided on Friday to file a case against Germany in the European Court of Human Rights. The Switzerland Council of Eezham Tamils (SCET), the Norwegian Council of Eezham Tamils (NCET) and the US based NGO, Tamils Against Genocide (TAG), are to submit an application to the European Court of Human Rights charging the German government for violating EU Rights conventions by accepting a Sri Lankan military commander, Major General Jagath Dias, an accused in the war crimes, as Sri Lanka’s diplomat to Germany. Meanwhile, German based International Human Rights Association at Bremen, while welcoming the move said that real thrust could be achieved only by exposing and suing what this general is doing in Germany, violating human rights with the tacit approval of the German government. Full story >>

2nd lead

Indian Bank to open branch in Jaffna to channel Delhi’s rehabilitation aid

[Thu, 29 Jul 2010, 01:14 GMT]

The Chennai-based, state-run Indian Bank is planning to open a branch in Jaffna, and to facilitate an Indian government loan to Sri Lanka of US$ 200 million for the rehabilitation of internally displaced Tamils, media reports said. "Talks [with Sri Lanka] are in an advanced stage at the moment," chairman and managing director Mr. TM Bhasin told The Times of India earlier this week. Indian Bank has at present over 1,700 branches, the majority in Tamil Nadu (757) and Andhra Pradesh (230). Full story >>

Southern contractors benefit from international funds for development in Jaffna

[Thu, 29 Jul 2010, 03:42 GMT]

Sri Lanka government gives preference mostly to Southern contractors and workers allowing them to benefit from international assistance provided to develop the infrastructure of Jaffna district and to take South the profits made while denying opportunities to local people, C. V. K. Sivagnanam, former president of Jaffna district NGOs Federation and Joint Secretary of Ilangkai Thamizh Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) told TamilNet. Local entrepreneurs in foreign countries should immediately appoint their representatives in Jaffna and actively participate in the development projects so that the profit in the ventures could be invested again in the north creating job and trade opportunities for the local people, Sivagnanam said. Full story >>

2ND LEAD (CORRECTION)

Court orders exhumation of the body of nurse killed in Veala’nai

[Tue, 20 Jul 2010, 15:51 GMT]

Oorkaavattu’rai magistrate Tuesday ordered the body of the family consultant nurse Saravanai Tharsika allegedly killed by Sinhala doctor Priyantha Seniviratne in Veala’nai government hospital in the islets of Jaffna 10 July to be exhumed and sent to Colombo Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) for fresh medical examination as the victim’s mother had said that she suspects her daughter was sexually abused before being killed, in a petition filed Monday, sources in Jaffna said. Arrangements are being made to exhume the body 28 July buried in Kaithadi Hindu crematorium grounds. Tharsika’s mother had said in her petition that she does not have faith in the medical examination being conducted in Jaffna. Meanwhile, it is claimed that the suspect Sinhala doctor was attacked by Tamil inmates in Jaffna prison when he was detained in the prison 13 July, the sources added. Full story >>

Chaavakachcheari magistrate express discontent over for police noncooperation

[Tue, 27 Jul 2010, 17:35 GMT]

Chaavakachcheari magistrate A. M. Mohamed Riyal expressed strong discontent over police noncooperation Monday when Jaffna police authorities failed to submit the statement of the suspect, Allexander Soosaimuthu alias Charles, Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) Thenmaraadchi organizer and its candidate in the last general election, in the killing of student Kapilnath in Chaavakachcheari, sources in Jaffna said. Former Chaavakachcheari magistrate K. Pirapakaran who inquired into the case initially was issued with death threats allegedly by EPDP men and then transferred to Akkaraipattu in Eastern Province. Present magistrate Abdul Majid Mohamed too is to be shortly transferred from Chaavakachcheari magistrate court to East and it appears that Sri Lanka police top officials are attempting to upset legal proceedings, legal circles in Jaffna said. Full story >>

NPC calls on SL government to ensure no discrimination targeting Tamils

[Mon, 19 Jul 2010, 08:59 GMT]

National Peace Council (NPC) in its media release 16 July titled ‘Discriminatory Practices are Detrimental to Reconciliation’ called on Sri Lanka government to ensure that there is no discriminatory targeting Tamils. “The re-commencement of the practices of registering Tamils with the police and of conducting search operations that target them have been widely reported in the Tamil media in particular and have created a renewed sense of insecurity and injustice amongst the larger Tamil population that is detrimental to national reconciliation,” NPC said. Full story >>

Malwatte Chapter Chief Incumbent visits newly erected Buddhist temples in Vanni

[Thu, 29 Jul 2010, 17:34 GMT]

The Chief Incumbent of Malwatte Chapter, Most Venerable Thippaduwaave Sri Sumangala thera, accompanied by Buddhist priests visited Vanni Wednesday where he worshiped in the Buddhist temples newly erected by occupying Sri Lanka Army (SLA), sources in Vanni said. Thursday, the Chief Incumbent participated in an event in Nelliyadi Maththiya Makaa Viththiyaalayam in Vadamaraadchi and distributed learning materials to the children of war affected areas of Vadamaraadchi and Thenmaraadchi. This visit is counted as the first by a Chief Incumbent of Malwatte Chapter to Jaffna after many years, sources in Jaffna said. Full story >>

Tamil hunger striker wins libel claim against Daily Mail, Sun

[Thu, 29 Jul 2010, 09:36 GMT]

British newspapers Sun and Daily Mail, represented by their Counsel at the Royal Court of Justice in London on Thursday, apologised sincerely and unreservedly for untrue and highly defamatory allegations against Parameswaran Subramanyam, who was on a 23-day hunger strike April, last year, demanding international community to stop Colombo’s war on Tamils. The newspapers also agreed to pay substantial damages and legal costs, according to Carter-Ruck solicitors. “The false allegations about Parameswaran were not just hurtful but clearly aimed at undermining Parameswaran’s credibility and the credibility of the whole Tamil protest,” commented Liberal Democrats' Deputy Parliamentary Leader Simon Hughes. According to Labour MP, Siobhain McDonagh, the ‘authorities’ who gave the information to the newspapers, “did it to undermine and shame the Tamil demonstrators in Parliament Square”. Full story >>

UN war-crimes advisory panel on Sri Lanka meets in New York

[Tue, 20 Jul 2010, 05:42 GMT]

The United Nations Panel on Sri Lanka met for the first time in New York Monday at the UN's North Lawn building, Inner City Press (ICP) reported. The meeting of Panel members Marzuki Darusman, a former Attorney General from Indonesia, Yasmin Sooka, Member of South Africa's Truth Commisssion, and Steven Ratner, Law professor at Michigan University, US, officially marked the start of the 4-month period UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has given the Panel to complete the first report. While the Government of Sri Lanka has announced that it will not issue visas to the Panel members to visit Sri Lanka, the UN spokesperson has indicated that visit is not a critical part of the Panel's initial mission. Full story >>

Body of nurse killed in Veala’nai exhumed

[Wed, 28 Jul 2010, 19:07 GMT]

The body of the family consultant nurse Saravanai Tharsika allegedly killed by Sinhala doctor Priyantha Seniviratne in Veala’nai government hospital in the islets of Jaffna 10 July and buried in Kaithadi Hindu crematorium grounds was exhumed Wednesday in the presence of Oorkaavattu’rai magistrate under the direction of Judicial Medical Officer, sources in Jaffna said. Full story >>

2ND LEAD (Adds photos)

SLA personnel to be settled in uprooted civilians’ land in Ki’linochchi

[Sat, 24 Jul 2010, 06:28 GMT]

House constructed for SLA settlers in Vanni

Five thousand houses constructed in Mu’ruka’ndi area in Ki’linochchi district including Skanthapuram along A9 road are to be settled in August with Sri Lanka Army (SLA) senior and junior officials and their families permanently while the uprooted civilians brought to be resettled in Skanthapuram are left in a school building by Sri Lanka government officials, sources in Ki’linochchi said. Full story >>

Sinhala magistrate to be appointed to Mullaiththeevu, in Vanni

[Tue, 27 Jul 2010, 17:56 GMT]

Sri Lanka Justice Ministry has decided to appoint Jayawardne, a Sinhala magistrate to Mullaiththeevu magistrate court in Vanni which had begun to function after a period of nearly 20 years, sources in Mullaiththeevu said. Full story >>

SLA reintroduces checking of vehicles in Batticaloa

[Mon, 26 Jul 2010, 06:02 GMT]

Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has reintroduced checking of all vehicles passing through the main road in Batticaloa to Vaazhaichcheanai, Kalmunai and Verukal areas. This checking of civilians causes untold hardships during emergency travelling, residents express concern. Despite these checking by police and SLA, paramilitary gangs continue to rob and involve in other crimes, they added. Full story >>

SLA refuses permission of reopen fishing jetties in Vadamaraadchi

[Mon, 19 Jul 2010, 06:19 GMT]

The fisheries societies in Vadamaraadchi protest against Sri Lanka Army (SLA) occupying Jaffna peninsula for refusing to reopen and deepen the fishing jetties in Vadamaraadchi North and East, which had been closed by SLA during war. 11,200 families living in nearly fifteen villages in Vadamaraadchi North and East depend entirely on fishing and are affected by the closure of the fishing jetties in their areas, sources in Vadamaraadchi said. Full story >>

2ND LEAD (Adds photos)

Resettled family children in Vanni abandon school to earn a living

[Fri, 23 Jul 2010, 06:20 GMT]

Resettled children work for earning in Vanni

Most of the resettled families having lost their earning male members either killed, disappeared or detained in prison after arrest or surrender, their children are forced to drop out from school in order to earn a living for the family, an education officer in Vanni said. The number of children above fifteen in the resettled families abandoning school has shot up drastically, though most of them would like to continue schooling if only they have the means, he further said. Politicians and others who had been shouting hard for the rights of children during the war have become silent on this grave issue, Sitsabesan, a local NGO representative in Vanni said. Full story >>

To you who are the sons and brothers of the departed, I see that the struggle to emulate them will be an arduous one. For all men praise the dead, and, however preeminent your virtue may be, I do not say even to approach them, and avoid living their rivals and detractors, but when a man is out of the way, the honor and goodwill which he receives is unalloyed. And, if I am to speak of womanly virtues to those of you who will henceforth be widows, let me sum them up in one short admonition: To a woman not to show more weakness than is natural to her sex is a great glory, and not to be talked about for good or for evil among men.

-Pericles' funeral oration
Thusydides is author of the History of the Peloponnesian War,
--which recounts the 5th century BC war
--between Sparta and Athens.
At the end of the first year of war,
--the Athenians held, as was their custom,
--an elaborate funeral for all those killed in the war.
The funeral oration was delivered by the
--brilliant and charismatic politician and general, Pericles.

[21.07.10]
Tamil Country Councils, TAG announce legal partnership: Four democratically-elected Country Councils (CCs) of Eezham Tamils in Europe announced Tuesday the signing of a formal "Collaboration Agreement" with Tamils Against Genocide (TAG), a US-based activist group, to form a co-operative relationship to pursue criminal and civil litigation against Sri Lanka officials complicit in war-crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity in the courts of European Community member countries and in international courts. "Norway, Switzerland, France and Italy have already signed the preliminary agreement. The National Council of Canadian Tamils has also decided to formally join the partnership and other countries are expected to join the collaboration effort," spokesperson coordinating the effort in Europe told TamilNet.
Related Story >>

[16.07.10]
Opinion: War crimes and human civilisation: A war will not end without the delivery of political justice to the core issue. Even the winners who waged World Wars for the monopoly of colonies couldn’t escape conceding independence to colonies. USA and India bungling political justice to the national question in the island will have a bearing on Afghan War, Western Civilisation and on Indian integrity. The solidarity of Eezham Tamil diaspora is as important a trump as the geopolitical trump of Sri Lanka.
Related Story >>

[30.06.10]
Clash of Roadmaps: The Mahinda – KP move handled by the military intelligence of Sri Lanka, whether a culmination of a long-term strategy or a move to probe the diaspora, is now backfiring against Colombo, is backfiring against some international actors harping on wrong notions of reconciliation and is backfiring against some elements in the diaspora which were long dreaming on the success of this move to trail behind with their tangential politics.
Related Story >>

[28.06.10]
KP-Diaspora programme operated by SL Military Intelligence: Doctor Arudkumar Sri Lankan Director of National Intelligence, Major General Kapila Hendawitharana, the longest serving intelligence officer of the military, is in charge of the covert and overt programme of dividing and conquering the Tamil diaspora, alludes British Tamil doctor Velauthapillai Arudkumar, who visited the island recently as part of a ‘Tamil diaspora visit’ organised by Colombo through Selvarasa Pathmanathan alias KP.
Related Story >>

[28.06.10]
Sand dunes scooped at Ma'n'niththalai: Similar to the plunder of limestone in the Jaffna Peninsula, agents of Colombo are now engaged in scooping the sand dunes of the Ma’n’niththalai sandbar, which is of immense natural beauty and of archaeological as well as tourist potentiality. The plunder of resources in Jaffna and Vanni are divided among Douglas Devandanda and Namal Rajapaksa respectively. Meanwhile percentage of benefits from large-scale 'development' contracts goes to Basil Rajapaksa and the income extracted by the military goes to Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, informed circles said.
Related Story >>

[28.06.10]
Colombo schemes Sinhalicised capital for North: Similar to the Sinhalicisation of Trincomalee, the capital of the East, Colombo plans for a new, Sinhalicised capital for the North too at Ki'linochchi, administrative sources working for Colombo on the project said.
Related Story >>

[27.06.10]
Continuing ‘counter insurgency’ approach to chronic national question: Colombo’s latest deployment of Selvarasa Pathmanathan (KP), a victim of circumstances, to blunt the Eezham Tamil struggle only reveals that ‘counter insurgency’ is the style continued to be envisaged by some powers in approaching the chronic national question in the island, commented Tamil circles watching the developments.
Related Story >>

Tamil Brahmi script found in Tissamaharama

[27.06.10]
Tamil Brahmi inscription found in Tissamaharama: An early historic inscription in Tamil language and in Tamil Brahmi script, dateable to c.200 BCE, has been found in the archaeological excavations by a German team at Tissamaharama in the down south of the island of Sri Lanka.
Related Story >>

[27.06.10]
Intoxicating hubris: Sri Lanka's Defense Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapakse, who is widely believed to be the key Sri Lanka official responsible for instituting procedures and issuing commands that allegedly violated international norms in the conduct of war, has provided enlightening clues to inner workings of his mind in several interviews recorded on film by reputable international media.
Related Story >>

[20.06.10]
Venezuela and the ‘law of the fishes’: Writing a feature of factual and perceptual errors, Eva Golinger, a reputed Venezeulan-American left-wing writer, advised the Venezuelan government to strengthen Rajapaksa regime last month. Tamil circles think that in a world where the villains and the heroes are together nowadays, some forces are working on luring Latin America to enter into South Asia from the wrong direction, hanging onto the deceptive red shawl of Rajapaksa soaked in genocidal blood.
Related Story >>

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The balance tilted by the international community has now placed Eezham Tamils to face several armies: an occupying army, settlement army, a retrogressive cultural army and the ‘development army’. Meanwhile, some Tamil individuals argue that diaspora should stop prioritising politics, but should ‘reconcile’ to subordination and engage in ‘rehabilitation’, without realising that it is they who have imperceptibly fallen into a vicious political agenda of the oppressors”, commented a social activist responding to ‘development’ circles in Norway advocating the diaspora to engage in ‘development’ accepting a questionable Sinhala NGO as the ‘monitor’. Full story >> Latest 15 Reports: Jul 30 07:50 Armed men set fire to TV station in Colombo Jul 30 06:47 Trial in ‘white flag’ case against Fonseka to begi.. Jul 30 04:11 Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka rules against TRC inj.. Jul 29 23:52 Development crimes, Norway and Tamil diaspora Jul 29 17:34 Malwatte Chapter Chief Incumbent visits newly erec.. Jul 29 09:36 Tamil hunger striker wins libel claim against Dail.. Jul 29 03:42 Southern contractors benefit from international fu.. Jul 29 01:14 Indian Bank to open branch in Jaffna to channel De.. Jul 28 19:20 3 die of dengue fever in Mannaar in July Jul 28 19:07 Body of nurse killed in Veala’nai exhumed Jul 28 15:14 SLA interrogates resettled people in K’linochchi f.. Jul 28 14:55 SLN constructs new coastal bases in Eastern Provin.. Jul 28 03:18 Tissamaharama potsherd evidences ordinary early Ta.. Jul 27 17:56 Sinhala magistrate to be appointed to Mullaiththee.. Jul 27 17:35 Chaavakachcheari magistrate express discontent ove.. << Flashback More Reports >> 2ND LEAD Tissamaharama potsherd evidences ordinary early Tamils among population [Wed, 28 Jul 2010, 03:18 GMT] A potsherd inscription in Tamil Brahmi found some times back in an archaeological excavation by a German team at Tissamaharama in the Hambantota district of the Southern Province of Sri Lanka can be interpreted as meaning an equipment to measure, and thus evidences the presence of ordinary Tamil speaking people in the population of that region as early as at 2200 years before present, says archaeologist and epigraphist, Ponnampalam Ragupathy. The identification of the script of the legend as Tamil Brahmi and the decipherment getting the reading Thira’li Mu’ri in Tamil by veteran epigraphist Iravatham Mahadevan in an article last month in The Hindu, has stirred interest of the archaeological circles in the island to unearth this old find from obscurity to limelight. Full story >> Armed men set fire to TV station in Colombo [Fri, 30 Jul 2010, 07:50 GMT] Twelve armed men clad in black uniforms forcefully entered the private TV channel Siyatha TV office and assaulted the security guard and set fire to the station and caused severe damage to the equipment on Friday at 1.30 am. The station belongs to former Chairman of the Sri Lanka Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Mr. Priyantha Kariyapperuma. Mr. Kariyapermuma was earlier a close associate of Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa, but he was sacked from his post week before the presidential election by the SL President. Full story >> SL minister includes spouses of Balakumaran, Yogi, among widows [Mon, 19 Jul 2010, 13:04 GMT] According to Rajapaksa regime’s Rehabilitation and Prisons Reforms minister and Communist Party leader, Dew Gunasekera, the wives of the senior members of the LTTE, K.V. Balakumaran and Yogaratnam Yogi are among the widows needing rehabilitation, The Island reported Monday. Both the LTTE leaders were reportedly seen reaching internment camps run by the Sri Lankan military, by many who went into those camps. The international community was repeatedly telling the LTTE to surrender to Colombo and civilians to get into barbed-wire camps of the Sri Lankan Army. The Army killed Balakumaran on the Vanni east front early last year, The Island says. There were earlier media reports that the leaders were taken to Colombo. Full story >> Tamils sue Germany for accepting alleged war crimes commander as ambassador [Sat, 24 Jul 2010, 23:54 GMT] In an unprecedented legal move, three diaspora Tamil organisations have decided on Friday to file a case against Germany in the European Court of Human Rights. The Switzerland Council of Eezham Tamils (SCET), the Norwegian Council of Eezham Tamils (NCET) and the US based NGO, Tamils Against Genocide (TAG), are to submit an application to the European Court of Human Rights charging the German government for violating EU Rights conventions by accepting a Sri Lankan military commander, Major General Jagath Dias, an accused in the war crimes, as Sri Lanka’s diplomat to Germany. Meanwhile, German based International Human Rights Association at Bremen, while welcoming the move said that real thrust could be achieved only by exposing and suing what this general is doing in Germany, violating human rights with the tacit approval of the German government. Full story >> 2nd lead Indian Bank to open branch in Jaffna to channel Delhi’s rehabilitation aid [Thu, 29 Jul 2010, 01:14 GMT] The Chennai-based, state-run Indian Bank is planning to open a branch in Jaffna, and to facilitate an Indian government loan to Sri Lanka of US$ 200 million for the rehabilitation of internally displaced Tamils, media reports said. "Talks [with Sri Lanka] are in an advanced stage at the moment," chairman and managing director Mr. TM Bhasin told The Times of India earlier this week. Indian Bank has at present over 1,700 branches, the majority in Tamil Nadu (757) and Andhra Pradesh (230). Full story >> Southern contractors benefit from international funds for development in Jaffna [Thu, 29 Jul 2010, 03:42 GMT] Sri Lanka government gives preference mostly to Southern contractors and workers allowing them to benefit from international assistance provided to develop the infrastructure of Jaffna district and to take South the profits made while denying opportunities to local people, C. V. K. Sivagnanam, former president of Jaffna district NGOs Federation and Joint Secretary of Ilangkai Thamizh Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) told TamilNet. Local entrepreneurs in foreign countries should immediately appoint their representatives in Jaffna and actively participate in the development projects so that the profit in the ventures could be invested again in the north creating job and trade opportunities for the local people, Sivagnanam said. Full story >> 2ND LEAD (CORRECTION) Court orders exhumation of the body of nurse killed in Veala’nai [Tue, 20 Jul 2010, 15:51 GMT] Oorkaavattu’rai magistrate Tuesday ordered the body of the family consultant nurse Saravanai Tharsika allegedly killed by Sinhala doctor Priyantha Seniviratne in Veala’nai government hospital in the islets of Jaffna 10 July to be exhumed and sent to Colombo Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) for fresh medical examination as the victim’s mother had said that she suspects her daughter was sexually abused before being killed, in a petition filed Monday, sources in Jaffna said. Arrangements are being made to exhume the body 28 July buried in Kaithadi Hindu crematorium grounds. Tharsika’s mother had said in her petition that she does not have faith in the medical examination being conducted in Jaffna. Meanwhile, it is claimed that the suspect Sinhala doctor was attacked by Tamil inmates in Jaffna prison when he was detained in the prison 13 July, the sources added. Full story >> Chaavakachcheari magistrate express discontent over for police noncooperation [Tue, 27 Jul 2010, 17:35 GMT] Chaavakachcheari magistrate A. M. Mohamed Riyal expressed strong discontent over police noncooperation Monday when Jaffna police authorities failed to submit the statement of the suspect, Allexander Soosaimuthu alias Charles, Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) Thenmaraadchi organizer and its candidate in the last general election, in the killing of student Kapilnath in Chaavakachcheari, sources in Jaffna said. Former Chaavakachcheari magistrate K. Pirapakaran who inquired into the case initially was issued with death threats allegedly by EPDP men and then transferred to Akkaraipattu in Eastern Province. Present magistrate Abdul Majid Mohamed too is to be shortly transferred from Chaavakachcheari magistrate court to East and it appears that Sri Lanka police top officials are attempting to upset legal proceedings, legal circles in Jaffna said. Full story >> NPC calls on SL government to ensure no discrimination targeting Tamils [Mon, 19 Jul 2010, 08:59 GMT] National Peace Council (NPC) in its media release 16 July titled ‘Discriminatory Practices are Detrimental to Reconciliation’ called on Sri Lanka government to ensure that there is no discriminatory targeting Tamils. “The re-commencement of the practices of registering Tamils with the police and of conducting search operations that target them have been widely reported in the Tamil media in particular and have created a renewed sense of insecurity and injustice amongst the larger Tamil population that is detrimental to national reconciliation,” NPC said. Full story >> Malwatte Chapter Chief Incumbent visits newly erected Buddhist temples in Vanni [Thu, 29 Jul 2010, 17:34 GMT] The Chief Incumbent of Malwatte Chapter, Most Venerable Thippaduwaave Sri Sumangala thera, accompanied by Buddhist priests visited Vanni Wednesday where he worshiped in the Buddhist temples newly erected by occupying Sri Lanka Army (SLA), sources in Vanni said. Thursday, the Chief Incumbent participated in an event in Nelliyadi Maththiya Makaa Viththiyaalayam in Vadamaraadchi and distributed learning materials to the children of war affected areas of Vadamaraadchi and Thenmaraadchi. This visit is counted as the first by a Chief Incumbent of Malwatte Chapter to Jaffna after many years, sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> Tamil hunger striker wins libel claim against Daily Mail, Sun [Thu, 29 Jul 2010, 09:36 GMT] British newspapers Sun and Daily Mail, represented by their Counsel at the Royal Court of Justice in London on Thursday, apologised sincerely and unreservedly for untrue and highly defamatory allegations against Parameswaran Subramanyam, who was on a 23-day hunger strike April, last year, demanding international community to stop Colombo’s war on Tamils. The newspapers also agreed to pay substantial damages and legal costs, according to Carter-Ruck solicitors. “The false allegations about Parameswaran were not just hurtful but clearly aimed at undermining Parameswaran’s credibility and the credibility of the whole Tamil protest,” commented Liberal Democrats' Deputy Parliamentary Leader Simon Hughes. According to Labour MP, Siobhain McDonagh, the ‘authorities’ who gave the information to the newspapers, “did it to undermine and shame the Tamil demonstrators in Parliament Square”. Full story >> UN war-crimes advisory panel on Sri Lanka meets in New York [Tue, 20 Jul 2010, 05:42 GMT] The United Nations Panel on Sri Lanka met for the first time in New York Monday at the UN's North Lawn building, Inner City Press (ICP) reported. The meeting of Panel members Marzuki Darusman, a former Attorney General from Indonesia, Yasmin Sooka, Member of South Africa's Truth Commisssion, and Steven Ratner, Law professor at Michigan University, US, officially marked the start of the 4-month period UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has given the Panel to complete the first report. While the Government of Sri Lanka has announced that it will not issue visas to the Panel members to visit Sri Lanka, the UN spokesperson has indicated that visit is not a critical part of the Panel's initial mission. Full story >> Body of nurse killed in Veala’nai exhumed [Wed, 28 Jul 2010, 19:07 GMT] The body of the family consultant nurse Saravanai Tharsika allegedly killed by Sinhala doctor Priyantha Seniviratne in Veala’nai government hospital in the islets of Jaffna 10 July and buried in Kaithadi Hindu crematorium grounds was exhumed Wednesday in the presence of Oorkaavattu’rai magistrate under the direction of Judicial Medical Officer, sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> 2ND LEAD (Adds photos) SLA personnel to be settled in uprooted civilians’ land in Ki’linochchi [Sat, 24 Jul 2010, 06:28 GMT] Five thousand houses constructed in Mu’ruka’ndi area in Ki’linochchi district including Skanthapuram along A9 road are to be settled in August with Sri Lanka Army (SLA) senior and junior officials and their families permanently while the uprooted civilians brought to be resettled in Skanthapuram are left in a school building by Sri Lanka government officials, sources in Ki’linochchi said. Full story >> Sinhala magistrate to be appointed to Mullaiththeevu, in Vanni [Tue, 27 Jul 2010, 17:56 GMT] Sri Lanka Justice Ministry has decided to appoint Jayawardne, a Sinhala magistrate to Mullaiththeevu magistrate court in Vanni which had begun to function after a period of nearly 20 years, sources in Mullaiththeevu said. Full story >> SLA reintroduces checking of vehicles in Batticaloa [Mon, 26 Jul 2010, 06:02 GMT] Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has reintroduced checking of all vehicles passing through the main road in Batticaloa to Vaazhaichcheanai, Kalmunai and Verukal areas. This checking of civilians causes untold hardships during emergency travelling, residents express concern. Despite these checking by police and SLA, paramilitary gangs continue to rob and involve in other crimes, they added. Full story >> SLA refuses permission of reopen fishing jetties in Vadamaraadchi [Mon, 19 Jul 2010, 06:19 GMT] The fisheries societies in Vadamaraadchi protest against Sri Lanka Army (SLA) occupying Jaffna peninsula for refusing to reopen and deepen the fishing jetties in Vadamaraadchi North and East, which had been closed by SLA during war. 11,200 families living in nearly fifteen villages in Vadamaraadchi North and East depend entirely on fishing and are affected by the closure of the fishing jetties in their areas, sources in Vadamaraadchi said. Full story >> 2ND LEAD (Adds photos) Resettled family children in Vanni abandon school to earn a living [Fri, 23 Jul 2010, 06:20 GMT] Most of the resettled families having lost their earning male members either killed, disappeared or detained in prison after arrest or surrender, their children are forced to drop out from school in order to earn a living for the family, an education officer in Vanni said. The number of children above fifteen in the resettled families abandoning school has shot up drastically, though most of them would like to continue schooling if only they have the means, he further said. Politicians and others who had been shouting hard for the rights of children during the war have become silent on this grave issue, Sitsabesan, a local NGO representative in Vanni said. Full story >> Top Flashback: 2009: 2009 Jul 30 17:48 Raameasvaram fishermen expected to identify the... 2009 Jul 30 17:45 Colombo remembers Alfred Duraiappa, setting han... 2009 Jul 30 11:13 Army officer appointed as Commissioner of Rehab... 2009 Jul 30 11:09 Indian government assists disintegration of Tam... 2009 Jul 30 10:33 APRC to find new facilitator due to closure of ... 2009 Jul 30 10:30 Police launch war against underworld criminals 2009 Jul 30 10:26 SLA promotes 3 Brigadiers as Major Generals, 46... 2009 Jul 30 06:53 Tamil political prisoners in Welikada begin fas... 2008: 2008 Jul 30 17:40 SLA tightens restriction on travel, CDMA phone ... 2008 Jul 30 16:14 11 Tamil civilians arrested in Mt.Lavinia 2008 Jul 30 16:12 Tamil youth shot dead in Trincomalee 2008 Jul 30 16:08 Tamil youth abducted in Vavuniyaa 2008 Jul 30 14:01 TNA parliamentarian’s bodyguard shot, injured 2008 Jul 30 13:33 Court demands submission of medical reports in ... 2008 Jul 30 09:59 NIC compulsory to travel south 2008 Jul 30 03:13 Muslim trader shot, injured in Chammaanththu’rai 2008 Jul 30 02:17 Sri Lanka's new Ambassador to US presents crede... 2008 Jul 30 01:28 NPC urges GoSL to relax embargo on peace envoys... 2008 Jul 30 01:07 SLAF fighter jets bomb Ki'linochchi 2007: 2007 Jul 30 17:18 Claymore attack in Chu'ndikkuzhi, police say no... 2007 Jul 30 11:59 Shortage of medical supplies hampers treatment ... 2007 Jul 30 11:17 Jaffna youth disappears after reporting at SLA ... 2007 Jul 30 11:04 21 Tamils, 6 Muslims arrested in Rajagiriya 2007 Jul 30 11:02 4 Tamil youths arrested in Kadugannawa 2007 Jul 30 02:25 NESOHR records details of State violence agains... 2007 Jul 30 01:53 Top UN humanitarian official to visit Sri Lanka 2007 Jul 30 01:45 Moothoor Muslims oppose construction of Buddhis... 2007 Jul 30 01:16 Supreme Court to hear appeals against CFA 2006: 2006 Jul 30 20:21 Recognize Tamil rights, or risk CFA collapse- N... 2006 Jul 30 16:46 SLA artillery attacks on Eachchilampattu villag... 2006 Jul 30 15:52 Youth shot dead in Urumpirai 2006 Jul 30 14:50 SLA trooper wounded in Vavuniya grenade attack 2006 Jul 30 12:46 Armed men abduct civilian in Eravur 2006 Jul 30 12:44 Fifth UNP parliamentarian to join UPFA government 2006 Jul 30 12:19 Jaffna Bishop's silver jublee commemorated 2006 Jul 30 11:04 Nallur Murugan Temple annual festival begins 2006 Jul 30 10:23 Police Constable injured, troops recover claymo... 2006 Jul 30 07:24 Trader killed in Jaffna 2006 Jul 30 07:03 Four SLA troops injured in grenade attacks in J... 2005: 2005 Jul 30 16:45 Festival for children begins in Trincomalee 2005 Jul 30 16:12 Danish Demining Group briefs Jaffna media trainees 2005 Jul 30 15:57 Jaffna trader complains of SLA harassment 2005 Jul 30 11:23 Eravur man arrested for possessing explosives 2005 Jul 30 04:12 Tamileelam TV to begin broadcasts to SouthEast ... 2005 Jul 30 00:50 Key provisions in US Patriot Act struck down th... 2004: 2004 Jul 30 17:26 Another 'Karuna' associate shot dead in Welikanda 2004 Jul 30 17:12 SLA accused of distributing porn in Jaffna 2004 Jul 30 12:50 Sri Lanka Navy establishes camp in Nedunthivu 2004 Jul 30 10:42 Two killed in Colombo Police garage explosion 2004 Jul 30 00:29 Jaffna Police to serve summons on SLA officials 2004 Jul 30 00:18 UNP to support peace talks based on ISGA proposal 2003: 2003 Jul 30 19:13 SL Army soldiers assault civilians in Jaffna 2003 Jul 30 18:52 Supreme Court to hear appeal in Krishanthy murd... 2003 Jul 30 16:39 Sri Lankan government denies report on dismantl... 2003 Jul 30 15:59 LTTE leader served notice through the media in ... 2003 Jul 30 13:47 Workers protest against factory closures, layoffs 2003 Jul 30 13:22 SLMM denies media reports on removing LTTE's camp 2003 Jul 30 03:47 Vavuniya Judge gets jurisdiction over Mullaitivu 2003 Jul 30 01:15 Vavuniya judge remands suspect in abduction case 2002: 2002 Jul 30 18:08 Teachers union deplores correspondence in Sinhala 2002 Jul 30 16:44 TNA to meet Ranil before Vanni visit 2002 Jul 30 15:26 Govt, LTTE ‘steadfastly preparing for peace’ - ... 2001: 2001 Jul 30 20:50 Tamil Congress to oppose Chandrika, TULF divided 2001 Jul 30 20:18 S.L President briefs diplomats 1999: 1999 Jul 30 19:27 Vavuniya students protest 1999 Jul 30 18:59 News in brief 1999 Jul 30 12:11 Colombo students demonstrate 1998: 1998 Jul 30 23:59 Watchman shot dead 1998 Jul 30 23:59 DS transferred amid allegations of corruption 1998 Jul 30 23:59 Appeal for funds to arrest cholera epidemic 1998 Jul 30 23:59 Informal meetings at India House 1998 Jul 30 23:59 LTTE member killed 1998 Jul 30 23:59 Policemen killed in Amparai 1998 Jul 30 23:59 Body washed ashore 1998 Jul 30 23:59 SLA bodies returned - LTTE 1998 Jul 30 23:59 Police bans prayer meetings 1997: 1997 Jul 30 23:59 Colombo plays down Indian deaths To you who are the sons and brothers of the departed, I see that the struggle to emulate them will be an arduous one. For all men praise the dead, and, however preeminent your virtue may be, I do not say even to approach them, and avoid living their rivals and detractors, but when a man is out of the way, the honor and goodwill which he receives is unalloyed. And, if I am to speak of womanly virtues to those of you who will henceforth be widows, let me sum them up in one short admonition: To a woman not to show more weakness than is natural to her sex is a great glory, and not to be talked about for good or for evil among men. -Pericles' funeral oration Thusydides is author of the History of the Peloponnesian War, --which recounts the 5th century BC war --between Sparta and Athens. At the end of the first year of war, --the Athenians held, as was their custom, --an elaborate funeral for all those killed in the war. The funeral oration was delivered by the --brilliant and charismatic politician and general, Pericles.	Know the Etymology: 150 Place Name of the Day: Kurumpachiddi, Vizhichiddi, Thu'raddaiyiddi The high ground of Kurumpai hemp The high ground of Veezhi herb The high ground of Thu'raddai shrub (Also discussed are the terms Piddi, Puddi, Chuddi and Chuddaan) Read more >> [21.07.10] Tamil Country Councils, TAG announce legal partnership: Four democratically-elected Country Councils (CCs) of Eezham Tamils in Europe announced Tuesday the signing of a formal "Collaboration Agreement" with Tamils Against Genocide (TAG), a US-based activist group, to form a co-operative relationship to pursue criminal and civil litigation against Sri Lanka officials complicit in war-crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity in the courts of European Community member countries and in international courts. "Norway, Switzerland, France and Italy have already signed the preliminary agreement. The National Council of Canadian Tamils has also decided to formally join the partnership and other countries are expected to join the collaboration effort," spokesperson coordinating the effort in Europe told TamilNet. Related Story >> [16.07.10] Opinion: War crimes and human civilisation: A war will not end without the delivery of political justice to the core issue. Even the winners who waged World Wars for the monopoly of colonies couldn’t escape conceding independence to colonies. USA and India bungling political justice to the national question in the island will have a bearing on Afghan War, Western Civilisation and on Indian integrity. The solidarity of Eezham Tamil diaspora is as important a trump as the geopolitical trump of Sri Lanka. Related Story >> [30.06.10] Clash of Roadmaps: The Mahinda – KP move handled by the military intelligence of Sri Lanka, whether a culmination of a long-term strategy or a move to probe the diaspora, is now backfiring against Colombo, is backfiring against some international actors harping on wrong notions of reconciliation and is backfiring against some elements in the diaspora which were long dreaming on the success of this move to trail behind with their tangential politics. Related Story >> [28.06.10] KP-Diaspora programme operated by SL Military Intelligence: Doctor Arudkumar Sri Lankan Director of National Intelligence, Major General Kapila Hendawitharana, the longest serving intelligence officer of the military, is in charge of the covert and overt programme of dividing and conquering the Tamil diaspora, alludes British Tamil doctor Velauthapillai Arudkumar, who visited the island recently as part of a ‘Tamil diaspora visit’ organised by Colombo through Selvarasa Pathmanathan alias KP. Related Story >> [28.06.10] Sand dunes scooped at Ma'n'niththalai: Similar to the plunder of limestone in the Jaffna Peninsula, agents of Colombo are now engaged in scooping the sand dunes of the Ma’n’niththalai sandbar, which is of immense natural beauty and of archaeological as well as tourist potentiality. The plunder of resources in Jaffna and Vanni are divided among Douglas Devandanda and Namal Rajapaksa respectively. Meanwhile percentage of benefits from large-scale 'development' contracts goes to Basil Rajapaksa and the income extracted by the military goes to Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, informed circles said. Related Story >> [28.06.10] Colombo schemes Sinhalicised capital for North: Similar to the Sinhalicisation of Trincomalee, the capital of the East, Colombo plans for a new, Sinhalicised capital for the North too at Ki'linochchi, administrative sources working for Colombo on the project said. Related Story >> [27.06.10] Continuing ‘counter insurgency’ approach to chronic national question: Colombo’s latest deployment of Selvarasa Pathmanathan (KP), a victim of circumstances, to blunt the Eezham Tamil struggle only reveals that ‘counter insurgency’ is the style continued to be envisaged by some powers in approaching the chronic national question in the island, commented Tamil circles watching the developments. Related Story >> [27.06.10] Tamil Brahmi inscription found in Tissamaharama: An early historic inscription in Tamil language and in Tamil Brahmi script, dateable to c.200 BCE, has been found in the archaeological excavations by a German team at Tissamaharama in the down south of the island of Sri Lanka. Related Story >> [27.06.10] Intoxicating hubris: Sri Lanka's Defense Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapakse, who is widely believed to be the key Sri Lanka official responsible for instituting procedures and issuing commands that allegedly violated international norms in the conduct of war, has provided enlightening clues to inner workings of his mind in several interviews recorded on film by reputable international media. Related Story >> [20.06.10] Venezuela and the ‘law of the fishes’: Writing a feature of factual and perceptual errors, Eva Golinger, a reputed Venezeulan-American left-wing writer, advised the Venezuelan government to strengthen Rajapaksa regime last month. Tamil circles think that in a world where the villains and the heroes are together nowadays, some forces are working on luring Latin America to enter into South Asia from the wrong direction, hanging onto the deceptive red shawl of Rajapaksa soaked in genocidal blood. Related Story >>
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