TamilNet

[05.05.08]
2,000 Sri Lankan soldiers killed last year – Fonseka: Over two thousand Sri Lankan Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and four thousand wounded in the battles of 2007, the commander of the SLA, Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka told a conference at Army Headquarters last week, the Sunday Times reported. He claimed over five thousand Tamil Tigers were also killed last year. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan government has forbidden military officials from giving interviews and launched a hunt for those leaking details to the media.
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[05.05.08]
Amnesty: Rights abuses flourish in secrecy, denial in Sri Lanka: Noting that in conflict situations "without reports, pictures and film of the fighting and the violence, no-one knows enough to put the pressure on the participants to ensure human rights are respected," Amnesty International, in a media release issued Friday, said the need for such environment is "strong in Sri Lanka, where fatalities on all sides are believed to be very high with large numbers of civilians caught in the crossfire."
Related Story >>

Madu Road, the location of Sinhala settlement in Madu region

[04.05.08]
SLA occupation of Madu, triggers fears of renewed Sinhalicisation: The Madu Road junction located on Mannaar-Madawachchi Road, which branches off the main route to Madu shrine, situated in the middle of traditional Tamil area, became the center of a Sinhala settlement in the 1970s. The Sri Lanka Government had the agenda of transforming the area into a full-fledged Sinhala colony, by using the lands of a cashew farm between the Madu Shrine and the junction.
Related Story >>

[17.04.08]
Himalayan Dawn: people take over Nepal, Bhutan: With the epoch-making electoral verdict for the Constituent Assembly of Nepal, ultra-Marxists have captured the reins of a country, that too in a democratic process, for the first time in the history of South Asia. The Maoists, who were waging an armed struggle for structural changes in Nepal were self reliant, antagonists of the Indian orbit of maneuvering and have been listed as 'terrorists' by the USA. The winners have announced to make Nepal a federal democratic republic.
Related Story >>

[14.04.08]
Opinion: Liberate Calendar: A Calendar is conceived and designed by logic and astronomy rather than emotions and myths of politics. If there is any problem in the Tamil calendar, it has to be investigated and corrected by a forum of astronomers, climatologists and environmental scientists, sitting along with traditional astronomers historians and Tamil scholars. Any society, which doesn’t care to investigate and understand its own heritage of science, is not going to make any progress. It will always remain in slavery.
Related Story >>

[14.04.08]
IIGEP: Colombo lacks political will to investigate Human Rights violations: The International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP), which terminates its observation mission reasoning that the proceedings of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) setup by the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to investigate and inquire into serious violations of Human Rights, have not been transparent and not satisfied basic international norms and standards, in its concluding public report on Tuesday blamed the Government of Sri Lanka for "absence of will" in the present Inquiry to "investigate cases with vigour, where the conduct of its own forces has been called into question."
Related Story >>

[13.04.08]
Opinion: Tamil New Year: It is not only the Tamil New year, but also the New Year of Sinhalese and Malayalis. It is not appropriate to call it a Hindu New Year since vast majority of Hindus in India don't celebrate it a New Year. It is only an auspicious day called Mesha-samkraanti for them. But, the Sikhs celebrate it a New Year. It is equally inappropriate to call it a Buddhist New Year, as Buddhists don’t celebrate it universally. The calculation for the commencement of this New Year and the calendar based on it are entirely astronomical.
Related Story >>

[12.04.08]
International Community should learn from experience, Vaiko tells Norway: Expressing that the lack of implementation by the Government of Sri Lanka on the agreed principles of the February 2002 Cease Fire Agreement (CFA), especially disarming of army backed paramilitary groups, led to the ultimate breakdown of the peace process, Vaiko told Norwegian International Development Minister Erik Solheim and Jon Hanssen-Bauer, the Norwegian Special Envoy, that the International Community should prevail upon the GoSL to reinstate the ceasefire in order to engage in a meaningful process for a negotiated settlement.
Related Story >>

[12.04.08]
Differentiating viewpoint from propaganda: quality media suffers: The Norwegian Foreign Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, who addressed the seminar on 'Freedom of Expression – Missing in Action?,' on Monday in Oslo said: "We must learn to distinguish between expressions that seek only to degrade, humiliate and dehumanise, and those that seek to provide information and viewpoints – even though these may be painful, troubling or controversial."
Related Story >>

[12.04.08]
A church in Madu destroyed, dreaded stage of ethnic cleansing: The Sacred Heart Church of the Madu Shrine complex has been destroyed in SLA shelling after the priests had taken away the image of Our Lady of Madu last Thursday, reveal the photos taken by K. Baskaran, a photographer who visited the Madu church on Sunday.
Related Story >>

News 2008 May April March February January 2007 December November October September August July June May April March February January 2006 December November October September August July June May April March February January 2005 December November October September August July June May April March February January 2004 December November October September August July June May April March February January 2003 December November October September August July June May April March February January 2002 December November October September August July June May April March February January 2001 December November October September August July June May April March February January 2000 December November October September August July June May April March February January 1999 December November October September August July June May April March February January 1998 December November October September August July June May April March February January 1997 December November October September August July June Features Photo Features Opinion Development TN Transcription Web feeds Feedback About us Home	4TH LEAD (New photos from battlefront) 30 SLA killed, 5 bodies recovered, arms seized in Mannaar - LTTE [Fri, 09 May 2008, 07:53 GMT] 30 Sri Lanka Army soldiers were killed, five dead bodies of SLA troops were recovered after heavy fighting at Ka'rukkaaykku'lam Friday morning, according to LTTE's Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan. Two PK Light Machine Guns, three AK LMG, five T-56 assault rifles and military hardware including ammunitions were seized by the Tigers. The SLA, while pulling back was towing an Armoured Personnel Carrier that had caught fire, the Tigers said. Ka'rukkaaykku'lam is located 2 km east of Adampan. Full story >> Latest 15 Reports: May 09 17:10 Tamil trader shot dead in Vavuniyaa May 09 14:33 Bishops appeal to Colombo to rebuild Allaipiddi ch.. May 09 13:08 UK: Karuna released, remains under immigration det.. May 09 12:41 11 killed, 30 wounded, bomb explodes inside restau.. May 09 11:27 Former Mayor of Jaffna passes away May 09 11:26 6 Tamil youths abducted in Aalaiyadiveampu May 09 07:53 30 SLA killed, 5 bodies recovered, arms seized in .. May 09 07:36 Jaffna University undergrads boycott lectures May 09 03:18 Shortage of essential medicines in Jaffna peninsul.. May 09 02:12 Opposition parties in Sri Lanka fear election malp.. May 09 00:30 Elderly man seeks protection with Jaffna HRC May 08 17:49 Sri Lanka military seeks funds from Sinhala Diaspo.. May 08 15:51 Burning Memories: Documentary on Jaffna Library May 08 12:39 Family man abducted in Ampaa'rai May 08 11:20 Colombo revises decision to refuse AP coverage in .. << Flashback More Reports >> 4TH LEAD 11 killed, 30 wounded, bomb explodes inside restaurant in Ampaa'rai [Fri, 09 May 2008, 12:41 GMT] 11 persons were killed and more than 30 persons were wounded in a bomb explosion inside a crowded restaurant in the centre of Ampaa'rai town in a pre-dominant Sinhala area, Friday evening around 6:00 p.m., initial reports said. Full story >> Sri Lanka military seeks funds from Sinhala Diaspora [Thu, 08 May 2008, 17:49 GMT] The Sri Lankan government has launched a fundraising drive amongst Sinhala expatriates in support of its military. The initiative was formally launched Tuesday at the Sri Lankan High Commission in London and is to be continued in other capitals with Sinhala Diaspora. Several businessmen came forward to contribute towards the UK target of GBP 100,000, press reports said. The Sri Lankan High Commissioner in London, Mrs. Kshenuka Seniwiratne, bought the first ticket in a raffle for the project. Full story >> Rights Groups lobby against Sri Lanka seat in UN Rights Council [Thu, 08 May 2008, 00:39 GMT] A coalition of Human Rights organizations including Human Rights Watch, International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Article 19, and Reporters Without Borders, in a letter to the member states of the UN Human Rights Council, urged respective governments to "not vote for Sri Lanka for membership in the U.N. Human Rights Council in the election in the General Assembly on 21 May 2008 because of Sri Lanka’s failure to meet the Council’s membership standards." Meanwhile, FreedomHouse, a Washington-based Rights organization, in a press release issued Tuesday, expressed alarm that Human Rights abusers are poised to take seats on UN Council. Full story >> 2ND LEAD (Correction) Slain journalists remembered in Colombo [Wed, 07 May 2008, 12:16 GMT] Movement Against Media Suppression (MAMS), a common front organization consisting of five major media organizations, held a memorial event Tuesday around 6:30 p.m. in front of Fort Railway Station, Colombo, in remembrance of the 14 slain journalists. The MAMS, in a leaflet gave the statistics, describing the state of media freedom in Sri Lanka where 14 journalists were killed in recent years, 8 journalists were subjected to abductions, 4 were imprisoned, 5 electronic broadcasts were blocked, 1 website blocked, 3 records of suppressive laws against media and countless number of harassments against media and media personnel. Full story >> Just, fair election impossible in East – UNP [Tue, 06 May 2008, 16:09 GMT] United National Party (UNP) parliamentarians and supporters led by its General Secretary, Tissa Athanayake, staged a protest demonstration Tuesday around 2:30 p.m in front of the election office in Colombo calling for the removal of arms from the paramilitary Pillayan group and to conduct the election for the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) in a just and fair manner. Meanwhile, the UNP parliamentarian Laxman Kiriyelle has accused the Sri Lankan Defence Ministry for involvement in distributing blank polling cards and warned that the government is preparing itself for a large scale election rigging. Full story >> Tamil trader shot dead in Vavuniyaa [Fri, 09 May 2008, 17:10 GMT] Unidentified men shot dead a Tamil trader in Selvanagar at Checkadipulavu in Vavuniyaa Thursday around 11:00 a.m. The victim has been identified as Baskaran, owner of shop at fourth milepost in Nelukulam, sources said. Full story >> UK: Karuna released, remains under immigration detention powers [Fri, 09 May 2008, 13:08 GMT] Vinayagmoorthy Muralitharan, alias Karuna, a former Tiger commander who turned leader of a paramilitary group operated by the Sri Lanka Army in the East, was released by the British authorities on Thursday following his imprisonment for possessing false documents. "He now remains under immigration detention powers," said British High Commission in Colombo, in a press release issued on Friday. Full story >> 6 Tamil youths abducted in Aalaiyadiveampu [Fri, 09 May 2008, 11:26 GMT] Unidentified armed men in a white van abducted six Tamil youths Thursday around 8:30 p.m at Aalayadiveampu in Akkaraipattu police division in Ampaa’rai district, residents in Aalayadiveampu said. Full story >> Shortage of essential medicines in Jaffna peninsula [Fri, 09 May 2008, 03:18 GMT] Health service in Jaffna peninsula will be facing a crisis if the fast dwindling stocks of medicines in Jaffna Teaching Hospital and other hospitals in Jaffna peninsula are not replenished immediately, District Public Health Service (DPHS) sources said. Repeated requests to he Ministry of Health remain unattended due to disinterest and calculated step-motherly attitude of the authorities in charge of this affair, Jaffna Health officials added. Full story >> Opposition parties in Sri Lanka fear election malpractice [Fri, 09 May 2008, 02:12 GMT] All activities of the political parties and independent groups contesting the Eastern provincial council elections ended Wednesday midnight, the office of Elections Department (ED) announced Thursday. Meanwhile, expressing fear that Colombo was preparing itself for a large-scale election rigging, UNP parliamentarian Laxman Kiriyelle has accused the Sri Lankan Defence Ministry for its alleged involvement in distributing blank polling cards in the East. It is also alleged that nearly 170,000 polling cards remained stagnant in the post offices without being delivered and these were taken away by the paramilitary Pillayan group. Full story >> Burning Memories: Documentary on Jaffna Library [Thu, 08 May 2008, 15:51 GMT] A 49-minute documentary, titled Burning Memories, featuring the story and the memories of the Jaffna Library, which was burnt down by the Sri Lankan Police in June 01, 1981, has been produced by an audio visual journalist, S. Someetharan. The tri-lingual documentary is scheduled to be released in May by the Nikari, the producers and distributors of the film. Full story >> Sinhala thugs threaten, rob Piliyandala Tamil traders [Wed, 07 May 2008, 17:40 GMT] Tamil traders in Piliyandala are living in constant fear as Sinhala goons daily threaten them and rob their stocks of goods from their establishments. This has been going on since the Piliyandala bus bomb blast, media sources said. Full story >> 2ND LEAD Rajapaksa prorogues SL Parliament [Tue, 06 May 2008, 17:31 GMT] Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa has moved on to prorogue the sittings of the Sri Lankan Parliament until June 05 according to an extra-ordinary gazette notification published Tuesday midnight. The move comes amid the increased media attention and the debate on SLA casualties in the Northern Front as four days were left for the Eastern provincial elections where oppositions parties including the SLMC, UNP and the JVP have protested against the armed paramilitary in the East. Meanwhile, in a specially arranged televised broadcast, Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, promised the remote villagers in the east that they would get everything that they have aspired for. Full story >> 2ND LEAD (Update) Professor 'Tawney' Rajaratnam passes away [Tue, 06 May 2008, 14:36 GMT] Professor 'Tawney' S. Rajaratnam, who was the first head of the University College, Batticaloa, when it was founded in 1981, passed away in London Monday morning at the age of 80. Full story >> Bishops appeal to Colombo to rebuild Allaipiddi church [Fri, 09 May 2008, 14:33 GMT] Jaffna Bishop House and several Catholic organizations in Jaffna peninsula appealed to the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to rebuild St. Philips Narrie’s church in Allaiapiddi in the islets of Jaffna which was destroyed in the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Multi-barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) fire in August 2006, sources in Jaffna said. The church serves more than 80 resettled families in Allaipiddi. Full story >> 2ND LEAD Former Mayor of Jaffna passes away [Fri, 09 May 2008, 11:27 GMT] Mr. Sinnathamby Nagarajah, who served as Mayor of Jaffna twice in the late 60’s, passed away in New Jersey, USA, on Thursday May 8h at the age of 77. Mr. Nagarajah was a Tamil nationalist, and an active member of the Tamil diaspora in lobbying in the United States for political support for Tamil struggle of self determination. Full story >> Jaffna University undergrads boycott lectures [Fri, 09 May 2008, 07:36 GMT] Undergrads of Jaffna University launched a boycott Friday protesting against the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) search conducted Wednesday night in the students’ hostel, student leaders said. The search was prompted by an alleged hand grenade attack on SLA troops in the University vicinity. The Jaffna University Students Union (JUSF) accused the SLA and collaborating paramilitaries of staging the attack as a precursor to search the students’ hostel and to intimidate them. Full story >> Elderly man seeks protection with Jaffna HRC [Fri, 09 May 2008, 00:30 GMT] An 61-year-old civilian from Puloali, Vadamaraadchi, sought protection Thursday with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna, due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries, HRC sources said. Many Puloali residents are in protective custody of Jaffna Prison, the sources said. Full story >> Top Flashback: 2007: 2007 May 09 23:39 Child Rights group acts to release LTTE under-a... 2007 May 09 21:16 Killing, abduction in Kanthalaay 2007 May 09 16:39 TNA MPs offer support for Jaffna abduction Boycott 2007 May 09 12:47 STF officer killed in Batticaloa 2007 May 09 10:43 Wickremasinghe to visit China 2007 May 09 10:38 UNP to launch "people's struggle" 2007 May 09 10:32 Five persons die in boiler explosion in Kalmunai 2007 May 09 10:15 Ambassador Boucher visits Jaffna 2007 May 09 10:09 Two Tamil youths abducted in Colombo 2007 May 09 03:04 Swedish NGO conducts workshop for journalists i... 2007 May 09 02:03 SLA threatens Jaffna media to censor news of st... 2007 May 09 01:05 UK, USA, assuming Policeman role in Sri Lankan ... 2007 May 09 00:02 2 civilians shot dead in Batticaloa 2006: 2006 May 09 19:18 Student travelling abroad reported missing in V... 2006 May 09 18:50 Gunmen abduct Pt.Pedro traders 2006 May 09 17:37 Rights group finds blood stains, empty shells a... 2006 May 09 13:35 Youth shot, injured in Batticaloa 2006 May 09 11:14 Two Forestry workers found dead in Mankulam jungle 2006 May 09 10:34 SLA destroys Nadeswara College fences 2006 May 09 10:19 SLN bars Karainagar fishermen from going out to... 2006 May 09 09:20 TNA to decide its next step Wednesday 2006 May 09 06:51 Relatives await abducted youth’s release 2006 May 09 06:32 TNA MPs launch sit-in-protest in front of SL Pa... 2005: 2005 May 09 17:42 Jaffna fishermen oppose SLA issued ID cards 2005 May 09 16:30 SLA, LTTE discuss Trincomalee ground situation 2005 May 09 11:55 Akashi to visit Sri Lanka 2005 May 09 10:51 Troops fire on Valaichenai protestors, 1 killed 2004: 2004 May 09 17:09 "ISGA needed as confidence building measure for... 2004 May 09 14:43 Elilan meets Sri Lanka Security Forces Commanders 2004 May 09 09:28 SLA intelligence operative shot dead in Batticaloa 2004 May 09 06:31 Batticaloa Tamil youth shot dead in Trincomalee 2003: 2003 May 09 15:54 Pallai Co-op lost millions in year 2000 2003 May 09 11:23 SLRC celebrates World Red Cross day in Batticaloa 2003 May 09 02:23 Nambiar delivers HSZ report to Lanka's PM 2003 May 09 01:57 UNHCR assists Trincomalee needy through SLRC 2003 May 09 00:02 Forcible occupation of land no basis for harmon... 2002: 2002 May 09 20:39 SLA recruitment campaign in Batticaloa 2002 May 09 06:57 Thamilchelvan says A9 should be open 24 hours, ... 2002 May 09 00:18 Spy planes return to Vavuniya skies 2001: 2001 May 09 17:12 Bilateral cease-fire mooted 2001 May 09 12:12 Fire-fight amid Vesak gloom in Batticaloa 2000: 2000 May 09 17:07 Fighting erupts again in Kilali 2000 May 09 16:59 UNICEF ambulances for Vanni can't go 2000 May 09 10:06 Ratwatte vows to keep Jaffna 1999: 1999 May 09 20:26 Tamil language journalists form association 1999 May 09 18:13 SLA soldier wounded in blast 1999 May 09 06:24 SLA sends demolition crew home 1999 May 09 04:45 Arson as revenge for murder? 1999 May 09 04:29 Passage through Uyilankulam checkpoint restricted 1998: 1998 May 09 23:59 Forced labour builds SLA defences 1998 May 09 23:59 SLA soldier killed in Thenmaradchi 1998 May 09 23:59 Jaffna detainees held elsewhere 1998 May 09 23:59 Fisherman's body washes ashore Censorship reflects a society's lack of confidence in itself -Potter Stewart [1915-1985]	Know the Etymology: Place Name of the Day: (Reproduce of 86 of 92) Musali (The place of) screw-pines (Pandanus odoratissimus) (The place of) crocodiles Read more >> [05.05.08] 2,000 Sri Lankan soldiers killed last year – Fonseka: Over two thousand Sri Lankan Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and four thousand wounded in the battles of 2007, the commander of the SLA, Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka told a conference at Army Headquarters last week, the Sunday Times reported. He claimed over five thousand Tamil Tigers were also killed last year. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan government has forbidden military officials from giving interviews and launched a hunt for those leaking details to the media. Related Story >> [05.05.08] Amnesty: Rights abuses flourish in secrecy, denial in Sri Lanka: Noting that in conflict situations "without reports, pictures and film of the fighting and the violence, no-one knows enough to put the pressure on the participants to ensure human rights are respected," Amnesty International, in a media release issued Friday, said the need for such environment is "strong in Sri Lanka, where fatalities on all sides are believed to be very high with large numbers of civilians caught in the crossfire." Related Story >> [04.05.08] SLA occupation of Madu, triggers fears of renewed Sinhalicisation: The Madu Road junction located on Mannaar-Madawachchi Road, which branches off the main route to Madu shrine, situated in the middle of traditional Tamil area, became the center of a Sinhala settlement in the 1970s. The Sri Lanka Government had the agenda of transforming the area into a full-fledged Sinhala colony, by using the lands of a cashew farm between the Madu Shrine and the junction. Related Story >> [17.04.08] Himalayan Dawn: people take over Nepal, Bhutan: With the epoch-making electoral verdict for the Constituent Assembly of Nepal, ultra-Marxists have captured the reins of a country, that too in a democratic process, for the first time in the history of South Asia. The Maoists, who were waging an armed struggle for structural changes in Nepal were self reliant, antagonists of the Indian orbit of maneuvering and have been listed as 'terrorists' by the USA. The winners have announced to make Nepal a federal democratic republic. Related Story >> [14.04.08] Opinion: Liberate Calendar: A Calendar is conceived and designed by logic and astronomy rather than emotions and myths of politics. If there is any problem in the Tamil calendar, it has to be investigated and corrected by a forum of astronomers, climatologists and environmental scientists, sitting along with traditional astronomers historians and Tamil scholars. Any society, which doesn’t care to investigate and understand its own heritage of science, is not going to make any progress. It will always remain in slavery. Related Story >> [14.04.08] IIGEP: Colombo lacks political will to investigate Human Rights violations: The International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP), which terminates its observation mission reasoning that the proceedings of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) setup by the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to investigate and inquire into serious violations of Human Rights, have not been transparent and not satisfied basic international norms and standards, in its concluding public report on Tuesday blamed the Government of Sri Lanka for "absence of will" in the present Inquiry to "investigate cases with vigour, where the conduct of its own forces has been called into question." Related Story >> [13.04.08] Opinion: Tamil New Year: It is not only the Tamil New year, but also the New Year of Sinhalese and Malayalis. It is not appropriate to call it a Hindu New Year since vast majority of Hindus in India don't celebrate it a New Year. It is only an auspicious day called Mesha-samkraanti for them. But, the Sikhs celebrate it a New Year. It is equally inappropriate to call it a Buddhist New Year, as Buddhists don’t celebrate it universally. The calculation for the commencement of this New Year and the calendar based on it are entirely astronomical. Related Story >> [12.04.08] International Community should learn from experience, Vaiko tells Norway: Expressing that the lack of implementation by the Government of Sri Lanka on the agreed principles of the February 2002 Cease Fire Agreement (CFA), especially disarming of army backed paramilitary groups, led to the ultimate breakdown of the peace process, Vaiko told Norwegian International Development Minister Erik Solheim and Jon Hanssen-Bauer, the Norwegian Special Envoy, that the International Community should prevail upon the GoSL to reinstate the ceasefire in order to engage in a meaningful process for a negotiated settlement. Related Story >> [12.04.08] Differentiating viewpoint from propaganda: quality media suffers: The Norwegian Foreign Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, who addressed the seminar on 'Freedom of Expression – Missing in Action?,' on Monday in Oslo said: "We must learn to distinguish between expressions that seek only to degrade, humiliate and dehumanise, and those that seek to provide information and viewpoints – even though these may be painful, troubling or controversial." Related Story >> [12.04.08] A church in Madu destroyed, dreaded stage of ethnic cleansing: The Sacred Heart Church of the Madu Shrine complex has been destroyed in SLA shelling after the priests had taken away the image of Our Lady of Madu last Thursday, reveal the photos taken by K. Baskaran, a photographer who visited the Madu church on Sunday. Related Story >>
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