Trinco Methodist College holds prize giving

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 February 2003, 21:00 GMT]
One hundred and eighty three years old Trincomalee Methodist Girls College, popularly known as the Vembadi school, held its annual prize giving celebration Thursday with the Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Education and Cultural Affairs, Mr.S.Thillainadarajah, as the chief guest.
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Eastern HC discharges seven PTA, ER accused

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 February 2003, 20:39 GMT]
The Eastern High Court Judge Mr.S.Paramarajah Friday discharged seven accused indicted under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and Emergency Regulation (ER) when the State Counsel withdrew the indictments served on them.
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Fourth SIHRN meeting in Kilinochichi

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 February 2003, 17:41 GMT]
Fourth meeting of the SIHRN took place in Kilinochchi at the premises of SIHRN secretariat. Mr. Bernard Gunatillake headed the Government delegation and S.P Thamilchelvan lead the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) delegation. Ambassador Jon Westborg facilitated the meeting on behalf of the Norwegian Government. Ambassador Seichro Otsuka of Japan participated on behalf of Mr. Yasushi Akashi, principal advisor to the Sub-Committee.
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Treasury refusal delays NE volunteer teacher appointments

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 February 2003, 17:12 GMT]
The appointment of one thousand Tamil medium volunteer teachers on permanent basis in schools in the northeast province is to be further delayed due to the refusal by the government treasury to allocate necessary funds for that purpose, education sources said Friday.
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Sri Lanka human rights officials to visit Jaffna HSZ

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 February 2003, 17:08 GMT]
The delegation of the Human Rights Commission (HRZ) of Sri Lanka, which is conducting investigation into the disappearance of persons during the period of 1996-1997 in the Jaffna district, is to visit the high security zones in the peninsula Saturday. The HRC delegation comprises Jaffna former government agent Mr.Devanesan Nesiah, Mr. Camillus Fernando, Ms Jesima Ismail and Mr.Iqbal, sources said.
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Peace dividend delay eroding Tamils' faith in talks – Col. Karuna

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 February 2003, 16:10 GMT]
“There has been no development work in the northeast so far despite one year of peace. Our people find this disappointing; and it has eroded their confidence in the peace process,” said Col. Karuna, senior commander of the Liberation Tigers, speaking to presspersons Friday at the conclusion of the second round of discussions on ceasefire violations, human rights and Muslim affairs between the Government of Sri Lanka and LTTE in Vavunathivu, five kilometres northwest of Batticaloa town.
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SIHRN-World Bank formalize Establishing NE development fund

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 February 2003, 12:34 GMT]
The World Bank (WB) and the Sub Committee on Immediate Humanitarian Rehabilitation Needs (SIHRN) Friday signed a "Letter of Intent " as a prelude to establishing a North East Reconstruction Fund (NERF) in support of post conflict development efforts in the northeast province, a press release issued by the SIHRN said.
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Muslim parliamentarians meet Sri Lanka's PM

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 February 2003, 02:30 GMT]
A delegation of Muslim parliamentarians Thursday requested Sri Lanka's Prime Minister (PM), Ranil Wickremasinghe, for an opportunity for the Muslims to participate as an independent group in the peace talks now being held between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), sources said.
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TNA MP gets computers to Trinco schools

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 February 2003, 22:08 GMT]
Twelve rural schools from Pulmoddai in the north to Verugal in the south of the Trincomalee district have been supplied with computers purchased under the decentralized budget allocation for the year 2002 given to Trincomalee district parliamentarian, Mr.R.Sampanthan. The total cost of the computers and band equipment is about four million rupees, education sources said.
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Commonwealth Union delegation visits Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 February 2003, 17:07 GMT]
A four-member delegation of the Commonwealth Union, led by its Secretary General, Mr. Don McKinnon, arrived in Jaffna Thursday and held a meeting with the Government Agent and representatives of people's organizations, sources said.
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New Head of SLMM meets LTTE officials in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 February 2003, 12:49 GMT]
Tryggve Tellefsen, the new head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission(SLMM), a group of Nordic monitors overseeing the year-old truce between Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL), met with officials of the LTTE at the Vavuniya SLMM office, sources said.
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Unemployed Graduates picket in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 February 2003, 01:01 GMT]
The Unemployed Graduates Association of Batticaloa (UGAB) held an hour long picketing campaign at the Kallady bridge in Batticaloa Monday blocking vehicles lined up on both ends of the bridge causing traffic congestion in the area, sources said.
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No state lands for tourism development - Trinco DCC

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 February 2003, 17:58 GMT]
The Trincomalee District Co-ordinating Committee (DCC) has decided not to encourage foreign investment in the development of tourism in the east port town by granting state land. The decision was taken at the DCC meeting held Tuesday at the district secretariat on a suggestion by the Trincomalee district parliamentarian Mr.R.Sampanthan.
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Japanese IDI team to assess urgent needs of the North-East

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 February 2003, 16:26 GMT]
A nine-member delegation of the Infrastructure Development Institute (IDI) of Japan will visit Sri Lanka on a fact-finding mission to assess the conditions of roads, water supply and sanitation, and flood control in the North-East province from February 28 to March 6. The delegation will comprise Messrs. M.Yabe, T.Matsunaga, H.Sadamura, K.Hasegawa, T.Sakai, Yamana, R.Lizuka, I.I.Seto and A.Morikawa, sources said.
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PM to visit India tomorrow

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 February 2003, 16:08 GMT]
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe will make an official visit to India tomorrow, Sri Lankan foreign ministry officials said. Mr. Wickremasinghe will stay in India for three days and meet with Indian Prime Minister, B. Vajpayee, Foreign Affairs minister, Jaswant Sinha and Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani.
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SIHRN meeting to be held in Killinochchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 February 2003, 12:09 GMT]
The meeting of the Sub Committee on Immediate Humanitanarian Rehabilitation Needs (SIHRN) scheduled to be held in Trincomalee on Thursday and Friday has been shifted to Killinochchi. The meeting of SIHRN will be held at the Killinochchi secretariat on the due dates, said Mr.M. Selvin Irenuess, Director of the SIHRN Wednesday.
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NE libraries to receive Internet facilities

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 February 2003, 02:22 GMT]
School libraries of forty two schools in the eight districts of northeast province are to be provided with computers with Internet facilities before the end of this month, said Mr.N.Anandaraj, Co-ordinator of the School Library Development of the Provincial Ministry of Education Tuesday.
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Weapons in Nimalarajan murder case sent to govt. analyst

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 February 2003, 18:06 GMT]
The Jaffna Magistrate, Mr.R.T.Viknarajah, hearing the case of the murder of the journalist Nimalarajan, Tuesday allowed an application made by the Police to forward the five 9 m.m. pistols with several rounds of live bullets, which had been recovered by the Sri Lanka Army from the paramilitary Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), to the Government Analyst for analysis and report.
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Court remands youth on abduction complaint

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 February 2003, 17:56 GMT]
The Chavakachcheri Magistrate Mr.Kandiah Ariyanayagam Tuesday ordered remand till March 6 for a youth who was produced in court by the Kodikamam Police on a complaint of allegedly abducting three girls aged between 18 and 21 in a three wheeler through Muhamalai check point, legal sources said.
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NorthEast teacher-librarians to be trained under World Bank aid

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 February 2003, 17:52 GMT]
The School Library Development Unit of the North East Provincial Department of Education is to conduct a training program for teacher-librarians in schools under a project funded by the World Bank, Provincial Director of Education Mr.S.Mahalingam said.
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Public demands urgent reconstruction of Kiran Road

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 February 2003, 15:28 GMT]
The road connecting Kiran in Batticaloa district to the Pulipainthakal to the west has become non-motorable and so badly dilapidated that even bicycles cannot be used on the road, the residents of the area said, and demanded that the government should take immediate steps to reconstruct the road.
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SLA soldier dies from gunshot wounds

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 February 2003, 12:25 GMT]
Jayatillake Arachige Wijeratne (23) belonging to 8th Gemunu division of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) was found dead at the guard post close to the Koliyar Kulam checkpoint in Vavuniya, Monday, sources said. Wijeratne who is from Thenuwara region in Puttalam had gun shot wounds to his head.
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Eastern high court gets new judge

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 February 2003, 01:20 GMT]
A senior lawyer from Jaffna unofficial bar Mr.S.Paramarajah Monday assumed duties as the Eastern High Court Judge. He took oaths as a High Court Judge before the Chief Justice Mr.Sarath N.Silva last week in Colombo, legal sources said.
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Shortage of teachers, overcrowding in Kilinochchi school

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 February 2003, 20:31 GMT]
Students of the Akkarayan Maha Vidyalayam in Kilinochchi and their parents complain that they face severe hardships as a result of a shortage of space and teachers at the school.
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Top-level ADB officials visit Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 February 2003, 20:06 GMT]
A committee of top-level officials of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) visited Vavuniya Monday to hold consultations on planned projects on road reconstruction and electrical power distribution, sources said.
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SLA arrests 15-year old boy in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 February 2003, 19:20 GMT]
The Vavuniya district judge, Mrs. Srinidhi Nanthasekaran, ordered the police Monday to hold a 15 years old boy, arrested by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in the Iranai Illupakulam High Security Zone in Vavuniya, under the custody of the court until February 26th so that his parents could be notified.
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Trinco beach human skeletal remains sent to JMO

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 February 2003, 17:44 GMT]
The Trincomalee Magistrate and Additional District Judge Mr.S.Thiagendran Monday ordered the human skeletal remains recovered from the sea beach of the east port town last Wednesday and Thursday and soil samples of the site to be sent to Colombo Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) for full report. The Judge further returned an open verdict as no evidence was produced in court regarding the identity of human skeletal remains, legal sources said.
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Religious leaders meet in Nallur Kandaswamy Temple

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 February 2003, 17:08 GMT]
"It is the duty of the southern religious leaders to organize the masses in the south to thwart all attempts by the Sinhala hard-line Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and other forces from derailing the peace process," said Mr.C.V.K.Sivagnanam, former commissioner of the Jaffna Municipal Council and the President of the Confederation of Jaffna People's Organizations. He was speaking at a prayer meeting in Jaffna in which many inter-religious leaders from South of the island and from the peninsula participated.
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40% of Pooneryn children under-5 malnourished

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 February 2003, 12:20 GMT]
During a seminar on the issue of nutrition held recently in Vanni, health officials in Pooneryn in Kilinochchi district informed that of the 3299 children of under 5 years in the region, 1371 are affected by malnutrition, sources said.
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Sweden to help business, industrial development in NE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 February 2003, 19:40 GMT]
The Charge d'Affairs of the Swedish Embassy in Sri Lanka Ms Ann Marie Fallenius Sunday said in Trincomalee that the Chambers of Commerce in districts of Jaffna, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara in the northeast province would be given a boost to expand their institutional capacity and professional competence building program under an agreement the Federation Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FCCISL) signed recently in Colombo with the Swedish International Co-operation Agency (SIDA) and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Southern Sweden (CCISS), sources said.
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SLN frequently intrudes LTTE areas in Trinco north- Tilak

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 February 2003, 18:51 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Trincomalee Sunday intervened to diffuse the tension between the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) following an attempt by the SLN personnel to arrest cadres of the LTTE at Kallampathai, a LTTE held area, about forty km north of Trincomalee town, sources said.
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TNA members meet LTTE in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 February 2003, 16:31 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) today discussed modalities to be effective in raising their voices together on issues related to bringing normalcy to lives of the war affected people of North East and to promote the urgent need for rehabilitation and development activities, during a meeting between the TNA parliamentarians and officials of the LTTE that took place in Kilinochichi, sources close to the TNA said.
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Buddhists monks to hold prayer meeting at Nallur temple

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 February 2003, 13:33 GMT]
The arrival of a group of one hundred Buddhist monks from south to Jaffna Sunday has been delayed by one day. The group will arrive Jaffna Monday to hold a prayer meeting lighting oil lamps at the historic Nallur Kandasamy Temple on the same day evening, sources said.
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Hunger strike in Jaffna against inadequate CFA implementation

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 February 2003, 12:27 GMT]
A five-hour token hunger campaign was conducted in front of the historic Nallur Kandasamy Temple in Jaffna Sunday to express dissatisfaction of Tamils to the government's failure to implement the ceasefire agreement fully, sources in Nallur, Jaffna, said.
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SLA, SLN uniforms, weapons recovered from Jaffna EPDA office

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 February 2003, 12:20 GMT]
Police and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers Sunday morning forcibly opened the abandoned office of the Eelam People Democratic Alliance (EPDA), a breakaway group of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) at Vembadi area in the heart of Jaffna town and recovered weapons and uniforms belonging to State armed forces, police sources said.
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Harnessing solar energy to power NorthEast

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 February 2003, 01:01 GMT]
Lives of thousands of poor households in the remote villages of NorthEast can be considerably enhanced if one can provide them with low-cost electricity to meet their modest lighting needs. The abundance of solar energy present in NorthEast and the availability of affordable photo-voltaic (PV) technology makes this possible. An examination of the feasibility of establishing a PV industry and its sustainability, its economic viability and the possible growth of the PV industry to branch into more challenging business endeavours, follows.
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Rotary housing project for Vanni returnees at Varothia Nagar

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 February 2003, 21:49 GMT]
The Trincomalee Rotary Club Saturday laid the foundation stone for a forty-house project at Varothia Nagar, 5 km north of Trincomalee town to the returnees from Vanni region. The German Technical Co-operation (GTZ) has agreed to finance this project by allocating 3.6 million rupees, Trincomalee Rotary Community Services Director Mr.A.Z.J.Singarayer said.
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World Bank helps Vavuniya families to resettle

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 February 2003, 21:03 GMT]
As the first phase of World Bank's Unified Assistance program for helping displaced families resettle in their own villages, World Bank's resident representative in Sri Lanka, Peter Harold, presented checks of Rs.25,000 (US $250) to forty families, in a meeting held at the Vavuniya Tamil Maha Vidyalayam, Saturday, sources in Vanni said.
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SIHRN branch opens in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 February 2003, 18:58 GMT]
A branch of the Sub-Committee on Immediate Humanitarian and Rehabilitation Needs in the North and East (SIHRN) was officially inaugurated at the Vavuniya Secretariat (Kachcheri) by SIHRN's director Selvin Irenuess, Saturday, sources in Vavuniya said.
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NorthEast students' Math performance alarms officials

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 February 2003, 18:11 GMT]
More than sixty percent of students who sit for the G.C.E.ordinary level (O.L) examination from the northeast province fail in mathematics. This is due to severe shortage of Mathematics teachers, non-availability of necessary resources and delay in supplying required textbooks in time, said the North East Provincial Education Ministry Secretary Mr.R.Thiagalingam addressing five -day workshop in Trincomalee Saturday.
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'Peoples' commitment needed to achieve peace'- Westborg

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 February 2003, 18:04 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Norwegian ambassador Mr.Jon Westborg Saturday appealed to all citizens to continue their commitment to overcome the obstacles in the path of achieving permanent peace, while addressing a meeting Saturday held at the Colombo Town Hall to mark the one-year completion of the ceasefire agreement signed by the United National Front (UNF)government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
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SLA tightens security at Muhamalai, Uyilankulam checkpoints

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 February 2003, 17:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers manning Muhamalai check point have tightened their checks and interrogation after the Manipay incident in which LTTE women cadres, civilians and journalists were assaulted by the SLA soldiers and police, sources said.
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Four-hour general shutdown cripples Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 February 2003, 15:50 GMT]
A four-hour hartal (general shutdown) was observed in the Jaffna peninsula Saturday from six to ten in the morning disrupting the normal life. The hartal was organized by the Consortium of NGOs in Jaffna district as a protest to government's failure to implement the ceasefire agreement effectively to ease the sufferings of thousands of displaced Tamils in the northeast, sources said.
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Protest shutdown in Batticaloa, Amparai on CFA anniversary

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 February 2003, 08:53 GMT]
Shops and businesses were closed and roads were deserted in the Batticaloa district Saturday in protest against Colombo's failure to -'satisfactorily honour' the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) with the Liberation Tigers. The LTTE and the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) signed the CFA on one year ago, on 22 Feb. 2002.
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'Letter from the east gave Pirapaharan confidence' – author

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 February 2003, 00:03 GMT]
"On August 4, 1987 our leader asked the large gathering on the Suthumalai grounds in Jaffna whether the Liberation Tigers should hand over their weapons to the Indian army. He was deeply distressed when many cheered him to do so. But it was a letter from this soil that convinced him not to surrender the arms," said Manalaaru Vijayan, the author of a book on massacres of Tamils in the Batticaloa-Amparai Districts by the Sri Lankan armed forces, released Friday.
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Implementation of Cease-fire Agreement not adequate- Sivajilingam

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 February 2003, 23:52 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian (TNA) Mr.M.K.Sivajilingam said Friday addressing a conference held at the Jaffna district secretariat that the Cease-fire Agreement (CFA) has not been implemented in a way to alleviate the sufferings of the displaced people who are still languishing in refugee camps and welfare centres.
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FMM condemns attack on journalists

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 February 2003, 21:20 GMT]
The Free Media Movement (FMM) Friday strongly condemned the attack on the journalists who were covering the protest march of the Janata Vimukthi Peramuna, Thursday, in Colombo said.
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Protest against GOSL failure to implement ceasefire agreement

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 February 2003, 21:12 GMT]
The Jaffna District People's Forum (JPDF) Friday called for a token hunger campaign in front of the Nallur Kandasamy Temple on Sunday to highlight that cease-fire agreement (CFA) signed by the United National Front (UNF) government and the Liberation Tigers (LTTE) has not benefited Tamils in the northeast province. The Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) has failed to implement the agreement fully, the campaign organizers said. The Consortium of NGOs in Jaffna district Friday called for a 'hartal' (general shut down) Saturday for the same reason till 10 in the morning, sources said.
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Pandemonium in parliament following JVP sit-in-protest

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 February 2003, 12:11 GMT]
Pandemonium reigned in the Sri Lankan parliament Friday as MPs from the Sinhala nationalist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) held a sit in protest holding placards and shouting slogans against the United National Front (UNF) government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The parliamentarians were protesting against the police who dispersed their earlier demonstration Thursday.
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Trinco port workers hold demonstration against privatisation

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 February 2003, 20:02 GMT]
Hundreds of workers of the Sri Lanka Port Authority (SLPA) Thursday afternoon staged an hour long protest demonstration in front of the SLPA main office in Trincomalee, demanding that the United National Front government not hand over the functions of the SLPA to the private sector, sources said.
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Police ban protest march in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 February 2003, 19:48 GMT]
The Trincomalee Police Thursday banned the black band protest march of the Tamils Women's Front in the eastern port town from St.Joseph's College to the office of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), which is located at the Inner Harbour Road.
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More skeletons exhumed in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 February 2003, 18:48 GMT]
More remains of human skeletons and a skull were exhumed Thursday from a location at the Trincomalee beach in the presence of the Trincomalee Magistrate and Additional District Judge, Mr.S.Thiagendran. The Medical Superintendent of the Trincomalee general hospital Dr (Mrs.) P.K.Gnanagunalan was also present at the site, sources said.
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JVP in massive protest march against ceasefire agreement

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 February 2003, 16:25 GMT]
Sri Lankan Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse thousands of antigovernment demonstrators in Colombo Thursday afternoon. The protest was organised by the Sinhala nationalist party, Janata Vimukthi Peramuna, against the ceasefire agreement signed between with the Liberation Tigers and the Government of Sri Lanka.
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Centers for Employment, Technology Training open in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 February 2003, 01:46 GMT]
Opening ceremonies for an Information and Technology Training Center and Womens Employment Training Center, established by the Vanni Center for Community Advancement, were held Wednesday 10am, sources in Vanni said.
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LTTE Leader felicitates Eelanaatham staff

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 February 2003, 00:42 GMT]
Leader of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, V. Pirapaharan, participated in the anniversary celebrations of Eelanaatham, a daily published in Vanni, entering its 14th year of uninterrupted publication, and presented awards to the staff of the news paper, LTTE sources in Vanni said.
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Skeleton exhumed from Trincomalee beach

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 February 2003, 21:26 GMT]
In the presence of the Trincomalee Magistrate and Additional District Judge, Mr.S.Thiagendran, Wednesday morning, a human skull and skeletal remains were exhumed from the Trincomalee beach just in front of the library building of the Trincomalee Urban Council, police sources said.
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Black band protest held in Jaffna condemning Manipay attack

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 February 2003, 16:24 GMT]
Teachers, students, public and private sector employees in Jaffna district Wednesday attended their routine activities wearing black bands and black waist belts in protest to the attack by the Sri Lanka Army on women cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam at Manipay on February 12, sources said.
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District-wide protests in Batticaloa over Manipay attack

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 February 2003, 15:33 GMT]
Massive processions and a campaign of wearing black waist-belts were held Wednesday in all Tamil regions of the Batticaloa district to protest the attack on February 12 in Manipay, where the Sri Lanka Army personnel and the paramilitary EPDP group assaulted unarmed women political cadres of the LTTE, civilians and journalists
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Protest march in Jaffna against Kantharodai Buddhist Vihare construction

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 February 2003, 15:03 GMT]
The Confederation of Valikamam South Public Organizations Wednesday conducted a protest march condemning the construction of a Buddhist Vihare at Kantharodai in Jaffna district by the Sri Lanka Army. The protest march, which commenced Wednesday morning from Kantharodai, arrived at Uduvil Divisional Secretariat around afternoon, sources said.
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No confidence motion against Defence Minister defeated

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 February 2003, 17:21 GMT]
The no confidence motion moved by the opposition against the Defence Minister Mr.Tilak Marapane was defeated by a majority of forty-two votes Tuesday. 84 opposition parliamentarians voted for the motion and 126 parliamentarians against the motion, said parliamentary sources.
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TNA refutes PA MP's charge on Buddhist shrines

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 February 2003, 16:58 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian from Trincomalee Mr.K.Thurairetnasingham participating in the debate on the no confidence motion against the Defence Minister Tuesday Tuesday refuted charges made by a Peoples Alliance (PA) parliamentarian Mr.M.K.A.de.S Gunawardene that Hindu temples have been constructed after destroying Buddhist shrines in the eastern province, parliamentary sources said.
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101 Villages in NE selected for NIAP development

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 February 2003, 12:45 GMT]
The World Bank assisted North East Irrigation and Agriculture Project (NIAP) officials said that under the 2003 program for renovating irrigation tanks in NorthEast, 101 villages have been selected in districts of Vavuniya, Mannar, Trincomalee and Batticaloa where implementation activities will begin in March, sources in Vavuniya said.
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Defense Minister faces No Confidence Motion

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 February 2003, 11:54 GMT]
Sri Lanka's parliament Tuesday began debating the no-confidence motion against the Sri Lanka's Defense Minister Mr.Tilak Marapone. Opposition parliamentarian and a leading member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Mr.Nimal Sripala de Silva presented the no confidence motion and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) parliamentarian Mr.Wimal Weerawanse seconded it, parliamentary sources said.
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Public to hold black waist-belt campaign in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 February 2003, 22:52 GMT]
The Jaffna District People's Forum (JDPF) Monday announced that it would hold a black belt wearing campaign on Wednesday in protest to the attack on LTTE women cadres, civilians and journalists at Manipay by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers, sources in Jaffna said.
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Mirusuvil massacre inquiry put off

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 February 2003, 18:50 GMT]
The inquiry into the Mirusuvil massacre case was put off for February 19 as the prison officials reported to the Trial-at-Bar Monday that the fourth accused has fallen ill, legal sources said. The three-member bench of the High Court comprising of Judges Mr.I.M.Imam (President), Mr.Sarath Ambepitya and Mr. Kumar Ekaratne are due to hear the case.
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Jaffna Journalists stage sit-in protest over Manipay attack

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 February 2003, 15:25 GMT]
The Jaffna Journalist Association (JJA) Monday held a protest demonstration outside the office of the District Information Office in the Jaffna district secretariat condemning the attack on two journalists at Manipay by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers last Wednesday. Members of the JJA with black bands and covered their mouths with black clothes participated in the demonstration which commenced Monday morning and concluded in the afternoon, sources said.
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Gopalapuram War memorial case dismissed

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 February 2003, 14:49 GMT]
The Trincomalee Magistrate Mr.S.Thiagendran Monday dismissed the action filed by the Kuchchaveli Police under Section 81 of the Criminal Procedure Code against the construction and opening of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) war memorial at Gopalapuram junction in Nilaveli, sixteen km off north of east port town. The Magistrate also recalled the warrant issued on the respondent Mr.Thooyavan, Nilaveli area political leader of the LTTE, legal sources said.
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High cost of living brings protesters to Colombo streets

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 February 2003, 13:19 GMT]
Party members and parliamentarians of the main opposition party of Sri Lanka Parliament, People’s Alliance (PA) held a protest demonstration against high of cost of living under United National Front Government (UNF), on Monday afternoon in down town Colombo, sources in the capital city said.
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LTTE cadres released, hartal called off in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 February 2003, 11:58 GMT]
The Trincomalee Magistrate Mr.S.Thiagendran Monday released the two women cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on surety bail and the hartal (general shut down) which was being observed in the east port town Monday demanding the release of them from morning was called off by noon, sources in Trincomalee said.
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CTTU to launch trade union action to win demands

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 February 2003, 18:53 GMT]
The Ceylon Tamil Teachers’ Union (CTTU) Sunday alerted its branches in the northeast province to be prepared to launch a concerted trade union action from March 3rd if the Minister of Human Resources Development, Education and Cultural Affairs, Dr.Karunasena Kodituwakku, failed to find solution to several longstanding demands put forward by the CTTU in July last year, sources said.
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LTTE hands over soldier's body to ICRC

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 February 2003, 14:31 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Sunday afternoon handed over the body of the soldier of the Sri Lanka Army L. Dharmadasa (24) of Matale who was killed Saturday in gunfire at Kilali area held by the LTTE, to the Jaffna delegate of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), sources said.
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Police should replace military, LTTE women cadres can wear civilian belts - SLMM

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 February 2003, 13:42 GMT]
To prevent future clashes, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) agreed to allow women LTTE cadres to wear any civilian type of belts when entering and staying in GOSL controlled areas, a press release issued Sunday by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) said.
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Vavuniya traders demand SLA to vacate public buildings

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 February 2003, 04:20 GMT]
In a meeting convened at Vavuniya Urban council, the traders and business persons in Vavuniya requested the officers of the Police and security forces that the Sri Lanka Army (SLA)should immediately vacate the buildings owned by the Vavuniya paddy marketing board to allow immediate procurement of paddy from Vavuniya farmers at guaranteed prices to provide a stable livelihood for the area farmers, sources said.
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Kilinochchi protesters condemn SLA assault in Manipay

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 February 2003, 19:58 GMT]
Hundreds of residents of Kilinochchi and surrounding areas marched through Kilinochchi Saturday protesting the attack on Wednesday 12 February on Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) unarmed female cadres in Manipay, Jaffna, by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and by the paramilitary Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) members. The march was organized by the Tamil National Uprising Front in Vanni, sources said.
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SLA soldier killed near Kilali

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 February 2003, 19:11 GMT]
Around 2.15pm Saturday near the Forward Defense Line (FDL) of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Kilali in Jaffna district , a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier who trespassed into LTTE controlled area was killed in gunfire, said sources in Jaffna.
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'Gopalapuram memorial, not a ceasefire violation'- SLMM

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 February 2003, 17:43 GMT]
Construction of the LTTE war memorial at Gopalapuram junction in Nilaveli village about 16km north of Trincomalee town cannot be cnsidered a ceasefire violation, four local members of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Trincomalee decided at their meeting held recently. The SLMM officials decided not to participate in the war memorial dispute in the future between the Liberation Tigers (LTTE) and the local security forces, sources in Colombo said.
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Sri Lankan workers protest Oil farm lease to IOC

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 February 2003, 17:18 GMT]
More than two hundred workers, mostly Sinhalese, who are employees of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) in Trincomalee Saturday struck work demanding that the oil storage facility at Chinabay oil tank farm should not be handed over to the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), sources said.
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Eastern Media Associations condemn SLA attack on Northern journalists

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 February 2003, 16:40 GMT]
District Media Associations in Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara in the eastern province have issued statements condemning the attack on two Tamil journalists, Mr.S.Sivabalan (Thinakural) and Mr.S.Manoharan (Eelanadu) at Manipay in Jaffna district by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in which LTTE women cadres and members of public were also assaulted, sources said.
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Muhamalai soldiers interrogate Tamil student leader

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 February 2003, 15:25 GMT]
The President of the International Thamileelam Students' Forum, Mr.S.Gajendran, is alleged to have been subjected to intimidation and rigorous interrogation for more than two hours by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Saturday at the Muhamalai SLA checkpoint, sources in Jaffna said.
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Hartal in Trincomalee called over arrest of LTTE women cadres

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 February 2003, 14:36 GMT]
The Consortium of the Peoples' Organizations in Trincomalee (CPOT) Saturday called for a hartal (general shut down) in the east port town on Monday protesting the arrest of two women cadres of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) when they were engaged in political activities in Sampalthivu, a village about 10 km north of Trincomalee, sources said.
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Protest in Vavuniya condemns Manipay SLA assault

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 February 2003, 12:24 GMT]
More than thousand residents of Vavuniya and surrounding areas marched in Vavuniya Saturday wearing black belts in their waists protesting the attack on Wednesday 12 February on Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) unarmed female cadres in Manipay, Jaffna, by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers. The marchers handed over a memorandum to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), sources in Vavuniya said.
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Akashi meets Trincomalee Muslims

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 February 2003, 03:45 GMT]
A delegation of Trincomalee Muslims Friday requested the Japanese special peace envoy Mr Yasusi Akashi to channel the foreign aid allocated for rehabilitation and resettlement of Muslims, through organizations that represent the Muslim community, sources in Trincomalee said.
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US to announce significant assistance in Japan meet - Armitage

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 February 2003, 02:59 GMT]
In a conference on "Srilanka: Prospects for Peace," held at the Center of Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington D.C Friday, Richard Armitage, Deputy U.S Secretary of State, in his Keynote address said that, "..it is my intention to return to the follow-on meeting [to Oslo] of donors" in June in Japan and "I will be able to announce significant further assistance to Sri Lanka for both humanitarian and economic aid," sources said.
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Unimpeded travel access authorized to South-bound lorries

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 February 2003, 01:57 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) checkpoint at Iratperiyakulam. 6 km south of Vavuniya town on highway A9, will be open 24 hours allowing lorries transporting goods to towns in the South from Vavuniya unimpeded travel facilities, said Major General Susil Chandrapala, Wednesday, in a meeting organized by Police for the traders and businessmen from Vavuniya, sources said.
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'Government troops are not for peace' - Trinco Tamils tell Akashi

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 February 2003, 18:43 GMT]
A Tamil delegation comprising of leading citizens of Trincomalee Friday told the visiting Japanese peace envoy Mr.Yasushi Akashi that Tamils of the east port district have lost confidence on the present peace process as they think the government troops are only preparing for war and not for peace, sources in eastern province said.
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Protesters in Jaffna burn effigies, condemn Manipay attack

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 February 2003, 17:24 GMT]
Protest demonstrations were held Friday condemning the attack on LTTE women cadres, members of public and journalists at Manipay by the Sri Lankan Army (SLA), aided by members of the paramilitary Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP). Effigies of President Chandrika Kumaratunge and the Jaffna area commander of the SLA, Major General Sarath Fonseka, were taken in processions and burnt down in Jaffna town, Udupiddy junction, Malisanthai junction and Methaikadai junction, sources said.
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LTTE returns 3 children to their parents

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 February 2003, 16:28 GMT]
Three children who sought to join the LTTE, were handed over to their parents by Mr. S. Ezhilan, the head of the LTTE's political division in Vavuniya today, in the presence of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) members, sources said.
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JVP, PA, Muslims demonstrate against war in Iraq

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 February 2003, 13:11 GMT]
The marxist parliamentary group, Janata Vimukti Peramuna (JVP), opposition Peoples Alliance (PA) party members, and members of several muslim organizations held a protest march against the American war policy in Iraq, Friday afternoon in downtown Colombo, sources in the Sri Lanka capital said.
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Trincomalee Orr's Hill Vivekananda College celebrates its silver jubilee

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 February 2003, 06:46 GMT]
The silver jubilee celebrations of the Orr's Hill Vivekandanda College, a leading educational institution in Trincomalee town are underway with the swearing ceremony of the prefects of the school and the College Day held at the newly built auditorium named Vivekandanda Kalai Arangam.
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Sole survivor in Mirusuvil massacre identifies army accused

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 February 2003, 21:54 GMT]
The sole survivor in the Mirusuvil massacre, Mr. Ponnuthurai Maheswaran, Thursday identified at the Colombo High Court all five soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) indicted for the murder of eight Tamil civilians when they returned to their Mirusuvil homes to look for belongings on 19th December 2000, legal sources said.
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"Focus will be on political issues at Tokyo talks"-Peiris

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 February 2003, 21:52 GMT]
The ruling United National Front Thursday announced that the devolution of power would be the key issue at the next round of peace talks between the GOSL and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
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Jaffna library opening put off as Mayor, councilors resign

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 February 2003, 21:25 GMT]
All twenty one members of the Jaffna Municipal Council led by Mayor Mr.Sellan Kandian Thursday tendered their resignation in protest to the pressure exerted on them by some organizations to put off the opening of the renovated Jaffna public library scheduled to be held on February 14, Friday, sources said.
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Malaria still highly endemic in Kilinochchi district

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 February 2003, 19:36 GMT]
Although there is a significant drop in reported cases, malaria is still highly prevalent as there were 1746 persons were severely affected by the epidemic in 2002, said Kilinochchi Government Agent (GA) Mr. T. Rasanayagam.
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Jaffna journalists to conduct black band demonstration

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 February 2003, 12:01 GMT]
The Jaffna Journalists Association (JJA) Thursday informed the Media Minister by a letter that a non-violent black band demonstration will be held in front of the office of the Information Department in Jaffna on February 17 at about ten o'clock in the morning, sources said.
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Japanese special peace envoy meets Buddhist prelates

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 February 2003, 06:50 GMT]
The Japanese special peace envoy Mr. Yasusi Akashi arrived Colombo Wednesday early morning on a four-day visit. He immediately rushed to Kandy, capital of the central province and held vital discussions with the Mahanayake Theras of Malwatte Chapter Venerable Vipassi and Venerable Palipane Buddharakita Thera, sources said.
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UNICEF helps war damaged Nedunkerni hospital

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 February 2003, 05:13 GMT]
The UNICEF Wednesday donated a consignment of materials including emergency lighting system, motorcycles, water pumps and first aid boxes, materials needed for the maintenance of basic health facilities of Nedunkerni government hospital, which has been damaged by the war in Mullaitivu district, sources said.
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TNA parliamentarian cautions Tamils about anti-peace forces

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 February 2003, 23:52 GMT]
Vanni district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Mr.Selvam Adaikalanathan said Wednesday that Tamil should be careful about forces that are bent on sabotaging the present peace process. "We should thank the government and the LTTE for strengthening the peace environment that dawned with the ceasefire agreement an year ago", said Mr. Adailakalanathan while speaking at the annual inter house athletic meet of the Vavuniya Pandarikulam Vipulananda College held Wednesday.
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France to send constitutional experts to Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 February 2003, 19:00 GMT]
French foreign minister Dr.Renaud Muselier Wednesday said the people of Jaffna expect a political solution to their conflict with internal self-determination. French minister said this at media briefing Wednesday before leaving Colombo after a three-day visit to Sri Lanka.
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'Manipay incident will not be repeated-' Jaffna SLA commander

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 February 2003, 17:41 GMT]
Jaffna area commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Major General Sarath Fonseka assured at the conference summoned by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Jaffna Wednesday evening that he would take appropriate steps not to repeat incidents that had taken place at Manipay Wednesday morning in which SLA soldiers assaulted eight LTTE women cadres with knives, sources said.
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SLTMA Condemns SLA attacks on Tamil journalists

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 February 2003, 16:30 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance has condemned the attack on two Tamil journalists while on duty by the security forces today at Manipay in Jaffna. It has pointed out to the government that the Tamil journalists being attacked by the security forces is on the increase.
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LTTE women cadres, civilians injured in SLA assault

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 February 2003, 11:12 GMT]
Four women members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and several Tamil civilians were injured when soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Wednesday unleashed violence at Manipay junction, about 13 km off Jaffna town following the refusal by LTTE women cadres to remove their waist-belt, sources said.
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Bar Association demands new Law Faculty at Trinco campus

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 February 2003, 02:33 GMT]
The Trincomalee District Bar Association,(TDBA), a branch of the Sri Lanka Bar Association, requested the Higher Education Ministry to establish a Law Faculty in the Trincomalee campus of the East University, enabling students of the northeast province to study for Bachelor of Law degree in their region. A resolution to this effect was unanimously adopted at the annual general meeting of the Trincomalee District Bar Association held Sunday, legal sources said.
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'Mirusuvil massacre a crime against humanity' -State Counsel

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 February 2003, 19:54 GMT]
The massacre of eight innocent Tamil civilians, including a five-year-old boy, by the accused soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army, was a crime against humanity, said State Counsel Mr.Sarath Jayamanne, in his opening address at the trial-at-bar inquiry into the Mirusuvil massacre case Tuesday afternoon. The three-member bench of the trial-at-bar comprised High Court Judges, Mr.I.M. Imam (Chairman), Mr.Sarath Ambepitya and Mr. Kumar Ekaratna, legal sources said.
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"France fully supports the Peace Process" - French minister

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 February 2003, 16:42 GMT]
The French foreign minister Dr.Renaud Muselier who arrived in Jaffna by air Tuesday said that the international community would not allow the present process to collapse, sources said.
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Court issues warrant on LTTE Nilaveli leader

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 February 2003, 00:49 GMT]
Trincomalee Magistrate, Mr.S.Thiagendran, Monday issued warrant on the Nilaveli political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Mr.Thooyavan, when the Kuchchaveli Police informed the court that they were unable serve the summons on him and moved that a warrant be served on him, legal sources said. The court said the warrant is returnable on March 17, legal sources said.
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Archive to preserve Trincomalee Tamils' historical records

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 February 2003, 21:47 GMT]
At a meeting held at the North-East Provincial Council Education Ministry's Management Centre Monday evening, a decision was taken to establish an archive to collect and preserve historical documents and other valuable pieces of literary and other research works that prove that the Trincomalee district has historically been a land of the Tamil people.
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Music, Dance, Drama festival to be held in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 February 2003, 17:32 GMT]
A five day North East Tamil music, dance and drama festival is to be held in Trincomalee commencing from March 3rd to March 7th to create awareness among Tamils and to promote peace when the next round of talks takes place between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Japan, according to a decision taken at the discussion held Sunday evening at Trincomalee Town Hall under the auspices of Art and Literature Committee, sources said.
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Human skeleton recovered in Chavakachcheri

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 February 2003, 16:58 GMT]
A human skeleton was recovered in Chavakachcheri in Thenmaradchchi area in Jaffna district Monday by civilians who were clearing their lands for resettlement, sources said. On an application made the Chavakachcheri police, the Chavakachcheri Magistrate Mr.K.Ariyanayagam ordered the skeleton to be sent to the government analyst, legal sources said.
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French foreign minister to visit Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 February 2003, 16:54 GMT]
French Foreign Minister Dr. Renaud Muselier Monday met President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge and held a wide ranging discussions on several topics including the present peace process which has completed six rounds of talks towards finding negotiated political settlement for the ethnic conflict, sources said.
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Trawler blown-up while being towed by SLN - SLMM

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 February 2003, 12:15 GMT]
Clarifying the Delft sea incident, where three Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres killed themselves, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in a press release issued from Colombo today, admitted to providing either incomplete or incorrect information during the early stages of the developments, and said that in a second inspection they found a new 23-mm gunbarrel and additional munition in the trawler, and that the trawler was blown up while it was being towed by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) boat towards a port in the SLN controlled area.
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Urgency to complete NIAP projects on schedule stressed

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 February 2003, 11:10 GMT]
Officals working on North East Irrigation and Agriculture (NIAP) which is being carried out with the assistance of World Bank should ensure that the projects are completed according to established schedule, said Mr. S. Rangarajan, the Primary Secretary North East Province, in the eleventh Progress meeting held at the Vavuniya secretariat Monday morning, according to sources in Vavuniya.
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Human Rights Sub Committee formed in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 February 2003, 16:36 GMT]
In a conference organized by the Jaffna regional office of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) held at the Jaffna office of the UNHCR, Sunday, representatives of UNHCR, UNICEF and HRC appointed a sub committee to ensure better human rights situation in the Jaffna peninsula, sources said.
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Jaffna remembers late Tamil leader G.G.Ponnambalam

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 February 2003, 16:30 GMT]
The twenty sixth-death anniversary of the late Tamil leader Mr.G.G.Ponnamabalam, the founder president of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) and a popular leader of Tamils in the 50s was observed in Jaffna today, according to sources in Jaffna.
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SLA bans LTTE women cadres from using waist-belts

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 February 2003, 14:01 GMT]
Ms Kayalvizhi, the leader of the women wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Jaffna district, lodged a complaint with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Jaffna, Sunday, against the ban imposed by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) on LTTE women cadres from using waist belts when they enter the army controlled areas in Jaffna district, sources said.
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War damage to Vavuniya school estimated at Rs.110 lakhs

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 February 2003, 04:15 GMT]
During operation 'Jayasikuru,' a military offensive launched by the Sri Lanka army (SLA) in 13 May 1997 to capture a9 highway and surrounding areas in Vanni, caused damages estimated at Rs 110 lakhs (Rs 11 million) to property and buildings of Nedunkerni Maha Vidyalayam in Vavunia district, principal of the school, Mr. Murugupillai Kugathasan, said.
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'Development before peace won't benefit Tamils' - Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 February 2003, 17:57 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Saturday said that peace and development in the Tamil dominated northeast province should take place simultaneously. "If development takes place first and the peace comes later then the beneficiaries will not be Tamils but some others," said Mr.R.Sampanthan, Trincomalee district parliamentarian and the parliamentary group leader of the TNA, while addressing families resettled in Kappalthurai, a village located 10km west of Trincomalee town.
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High Courts without Judges worsen PTA accused woes

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 February 2003, 17:38 GMT]
The Eastern High Court which has jurisdiction over two districts, Batticaloa and Trincomalee, is without a permanent High Court Judge or an acting judge since second week of December last year holding up bail applications in murder cases and Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) cases forcing accused to be kept on remand and without any relief from high court, legal sources said.
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Sea incident, Rights, Resettlement, Children's issues discussed in Berlin talks

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 February 2003, 16:08 GMT]
At the fifth round of peace talks held in Berlin, the Government of Sri lanka (GOSL) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) negotiators agreed to work out safeguards to prevent Nedunthivu type sea incidents from happening in the future, agreed to establish three committees in Eastern Province to address local land and other issues, agreed to request Amnesty's Ian Martin to prepare for discussion a roadmap of human rights issues. LTTE also agreed to work with UNICEF on an action plan for children affected by armed conflict, a Norwegian embassy press release said.
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Only peace will permit development - Minister

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 February 2003, 15:33 GMT]
Only because of the prevailing climate of peace and the progress that is being achieved in the on-going talks between the Government of SriLanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) that we are able to visit here and actively engage in promoting industrial development, said Industries Minister Rohitha Bogollagama of the ruling United National Front (UNF) government, speaking at Manmuni North regional Secretariat in Batticaloa district, Friday, sources in the east said.
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Swiss organization donates vehicles to Pattipallai health office

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 February 2003, 13:19 GMT]
International voluntary organization, Terre des homme (Tdh) which has its head quarters in Switzerland, Friday, donated a pickup truck and three motorbikes to the Pattipalai Health office in the Liberation Tigers (LTTE) controlled region 15 km southwest of Batticaloa town in eastern province, sources in Batticaloa said.
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SLMM and SLN must bear responsibility for loss of lives - LTTE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 February 2003, 04:18 GMT]
Failure of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) to handle the incident in a fair and responsible manner, and the provocative, belligerent conduct of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) have resulted in three of our cadres taking their own lives, said Voice of Tigers (VoT) in its nightly broadcast Friday.
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Jaffna mourns fallen sea tigers

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 February 2003, 02:27 GMT]
Preparations are underway to observe today as a day of mourning for the sea tigers who took their lives in the seas near Nedunthivu when the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) tried to forcefully move their disabled trawler to the shore, Uthayan, a Jaffna daily said in its Saturday edition.
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News in brief

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 February 2003, 01:43 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers continue to collect information on residents in Jaffna peninsula, Mullaitivu administrative secretariat moves to its former home, and Oddusuddan school damages due to war is estimated to be Rs 5 lakhs.
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NECORD allocates more money to NE education development

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 February 2003, 19:25 GMT]
The North East Community Restoration Development (NECORD) funded by the Asian Development Bank has already spent six hundred million rupees for the educational development of the eight districts in the northeast province and also it is prepared to spend another one thousand million rupees, NECORD Project Director Mr.T.Lankaneson said Thursday.
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HRC to record Nelliady Police OIC's statement

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 February 2003, 18:52 GMT]
The Jaffna regional office of the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (HRC) is to record the statement of the Officer-In-Charge (OIC) of the Nelliady Police regarding the clash that took place on December 10 last year where several Tamil civilians were injured, HRC sources said.
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SLA restricts LTTE movement in Vadamarachchi

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 February 2003, 18:48 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Friday ordered the members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who go to villages Amban, Kudathanai and Manalkadu in the Vadamarachchi east division to leave the area by four in the evening daily, civilians sources said.
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Gen. Nambiar visits Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 February 2003, 17:54 GMT]
Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Satish Nambiar, the Indian defense expert invited by the government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) to report on high security zones (HSZs) in the North-East, visited Batticaloa on Friday morning and held discussions with Sri Lankan military and police officials and Tamil paramilitary groups, sources said.
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Dr Heiberg appointed Advisor for Women Issues

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 February 2003, 11:59 GMT]
Dr. Astrid Heiberg, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Oslo, who has a broad experience in human rights and humanitarian advocacy has been appointed for the sub-committee in gender issues, a Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs press release said.
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Three sea tigers die in boat blast

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 February 2003, 11:57 GMT]
Three cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Friday afternoon around 12.40 p.m.killed themselves by blowing up their trawler following an inspection by the monitors of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, SLMM sources said.
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Negotiators in Berlin for fifth round

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 February 2003, 22:51 GMT]
Negotiators representing the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan government as well as Norwegian facilitators arrived in Berlin Thursday to participate in the fifth round of direct talks between the two sides brokered by Oslo.
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Death anniversary of 22 LTTE cadres commemorated

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 February 2003, 22:40 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Thursday commemorated the thirteenth death anniversary of their twenty-two cadres at an event held at the Trincomalee town political office, sources said.
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Opening of LTTE war memorial delayed

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 February 2003, 19:24 GMT]
At a conference held Thursday at the political office of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Nilaveli, sixteen km north of Trincomalee town, a decision was made to delay the opening of the reconstructed war memorial in Gopalapuram in remembrance of twenty-two LTTE cadres who died in a boat mishap in 1990, until the problem is sorted out by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission and the Tamil parliamentarians of the Trincomalee district, sources said.
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Kanniya Tamil School reopens after twenty years

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 February 2003, 13:41 GMT]
The Kanniya Government Tamil School Thursday re-opened after twenty years. Trincomalee district Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian, Mr.R.Sampanthan, Thursday morning ceremonially re-opened the school and inaugurated the distribution of schoolbooks donated by the UNICEF to newly admitted students.
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LTTE commanders, Parents meet

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 February 2003, 12:41 GMT]
Commanders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) officially met with more than five thousand parents of LTTE fighters and martyrs in Palugamam, Batticaloa district, first time after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (Mou), sources in Batticaloa said.
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Grenades, ammunition recovered from Paranthan well

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 February 2003, 01:10 GMT]
Several hand grenades and different types of ammunition left behind by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were safely removed from a well in the premises of Paranthan Murugan Temple Wednesday by members of the landmine removal task force of the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), sources in Vanni said.
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Buddhist monks demand expulsion of Norwegian ambassador

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 February 2003, 21:57 GMT]
The National Bhikku Front (NBF) Wednesday held a demonstration in Colombo, demanding that the government put a halt to foreign mediation in finding a solution to the ethnic conflict, sources said. The protest march commenced at the Fort Bodhirajarama Buddhist Vihare Wednesday afternoon and ended at the Foreign Ministry office.
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Government peace delegation leaves for Berlin peace talks

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 February 2003, 18:34 GMT]
The leader of the Sri Lanka Government peace delegation Minister Mr.G.L. Peiris Wednesday morning left Colombo accompanied by the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Mr. Austin Fernando to attend the fifth round of peace talks between the GOSL and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam which is scheduled to begin Friday at Berlin in Germany. The government delegation includes Ministers Milinda Morogoda and Rauff Hakim.
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'Don’t use HSZ as a bargaining tool’ – NGOs

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 February 2003, 17:40 GMT]
At a conference held Wednesday evening at the Jaffna district secretariat in which the Indian defence expert, Lieutenant General Satish Nambiar, participated, representatives of people’s welfare organizations and non governmental organizations (NGOs) in Jaffna made a public plea to the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) not to use the high security zone (HSZ) issue as a bargaining tool in the peace talks between the LTTE and the GOSL, sources said
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‘Humanitarian, Security issues demand gradual approach to HSZ’ – Nambiar

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 February 2003, 15:31 GMT]
Speaking at a conference held at the Jaffna district secretariat Wednesday evening, Lieutenant General Satish Nambiar, retired Deputy Chief of Staff of the Indian Army, said that the humanitarian issue of the high security zone (HSZ) is very important, but the security aspect should not be ignored, and a gradual approach to the issue is warranted, said sources in Jaffna.
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16 South Indian fishermen caught fishing illegally

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 February 2003, 03:57 GMT]
Local fishermen from Mannar rounded up and brought to shore sixteen South Indian fishermen in four boats for illegally entering and fishing in Erukalambity seas in Mannar, sources said.
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Mullaitivu schools function with 50% of teaching staff

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 February 2003, 03:42 GMT]
In Mullaitivu district, five schools have not been functioning from 1990, and only 50% of the teacher vacancies have been filled placing the educational welfare of children in the district in an unacceptable state, educational sources in Mullaitivu said.
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Protests in Vavuniya on Independence Day

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 February 2003, 16:33 GMT]
Bills stating “Sri Lanka’s Independence Day is a sad day for Tamils” were found on the walls of the district secretariat and other buildings in Vavuniya town, and a silent procession by women protesters was held in the town today, sources said
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NE Tamils ignore Independence Day celebrations

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 February 2003, 13:43 GMT]
Except a handful of government servants, other officieals and majority Tamils including students kept away from participating in the country’s 55th Independence Day functions held at district secretariats in the northeast province Tuesday, sources said. The Jaffna undergraduates hoisted a big black flag in the university premises and observed the Independence Day as a mourning day. The university area was decorated with black flags, Jaffna Students Union sources said.
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Court begins sessions in Chavakachcheri after three years

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 February 2003, 01:26 GMT]
After a lapse of three years the Chavakachcheri Magistrate Courts Monday resumed its sitting in a rented private building on Kachchai-Chavakachcheri road, legal sources said. The magistrates' court was closed down when the people of Thenamaradchchi fled to other areas following a military operation launched by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in May 2000, civil sources said.
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'Independence celebrations not for Tamils' -JSU

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 February 2003, 23:04 GMT]
In a statement issued Monday on the eve of the country's fifty-fifth independence day, the Jaffna Students' Union (JSU) questioned the reluctance of the United National Front government in removing high security zones and rehabilitating the displaced people at a time when there is a peaceful environment in the country, and said that the Tamil people have been denied the benefits of independence the country gained 55 years ago.
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Court allows eight Tamil civilians on bail

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 February 2003, 17:47 GMT]
The Point Pedro Magistrate Monday allowed all the eight Tamil civilians arrested for detaining two soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) at the Kudathanai area on bail and also on condition that they should not enter their village until further notice, legal sources said.
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‘Remove SLA camps from schools’ –CTTU

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 February 2003, 15:37 GMT]
The continued presence of Sri Lankan armed forces’ camps in many schools in the North-East, despite the passing of one year since the signing of the ceasefire agreement, has disrupted the education of students, and the camps should be removed immediately, said Mr. T. Mahasivam, the General Secretary of the Ceylon Tamil Teachers’ Union (CTTU), speaking at a gathering of teachers from the CTTU’s Manmunai North (Batticaloa) branch at the Mahajana college in Batticaloa today.
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General Nambiar to visit Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 February 2003, 12:05 GMT]
Lieutenant General Satish Nambiar, retired Deputy Chief of Staff of the Indian Army is to visit Jaffna Wednesday February 05 and will hold discussions with security officials including Jaffna area commander Major General Sarath Fonseka, sources said. The Indian defence expert will also participate at a conference scheduled to be held on the same day afternoon at the Jaffna district secretariat, Government Agent Mr.S. Pathmanathan told media persons.
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SLN stops repairs to LTTE war memorial

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 February 2003, 18:55 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) Sunday morning deployed its personnel preventing repairs to a Liberation Tigers war memorial at the Gopalapuram junction, in Nilaveli village, sixteen km off north of Trincomalee town, residents of the area said.
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Women Tigers refused entry to Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 February 2003, 17:41 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers manning the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) Omanthai check point refused to allow twenty three cadres belonging to Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) women's wing to cross over to Vavuniya, objecting to the attire of the women tigers, sources in Vanni said.
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SLN constructs new camp in Gopalapuram

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 February 2003, 15:00 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) has started construction of a new camp at Gopalapuram in Nilaveli village, sixteen km north of Trincomalee town, residents said. The Gopalapuram Rural Development Society Sunday handed a memorandum signed by more than hundred Tamils to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) with copies to the Head Office of the Liberation Tigers and Tamil parliamentarians of the district protesting against the constructing a new navy camp, sources said.
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Lagoon mines portend danger to Prawn fishermen

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 February 2003, 00:44 GMT]
War has turned Elephant pass lagoon, well known for high quality prawn harvesting, into an area full of landmines, virtually disabling any immediate attempts to resume the traditional trade by fishermen of that area, sources in Vanni said.
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Koneswara Hindu College celebrates national school day

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 February 2003, 21:15 GMT]
More than a century old leading Trincomalee Sri Koneswara Hindu College celebrated its national school day Saturday holding a road race where more than seven hundred students in three groups participated, east port town sources said.
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Trincomalee senior citizens honoured by Rotary Club

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 February 2003, 21:12 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Rotary District Governor Mr.S.Pathmanathan Saturday evening honoured four senior citizens of Trincomalee at an event held at the Rotary House in Trincomalee. The Trincomalee Rotary Club organized this event for the first time in its history, its President Mr.R.Thirukumaranathan said.
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Police arrest eight Tamil youths in Point Pedro

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 February 2003, 20:09 GMT]
The Point Pedro Police Saturday arrested eight Tamil youths in the Kudathanai village in Vadamarachchi division following a dispute between the soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA)and the members of the vigilant committee of the area. The arrest followed an incident Saturday morning when the vigilant committee detained two SLA soldiers who had forcibly entered a house and harassed the family living there, sources said.
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Soil fertility, drainage affected by SLA bunds

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 February 2003, 14:08 GMT]
Extensive construction of earth bunds by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) at both sides of A9 highway between Puliyankulam and Mankulam during the 'Jeyasikuru' battles has adversely affected the fertility of soil and drainage pattern in surrounding areas, agricultural sources in Vanni said.
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TRO collects details of released PTA detainees

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 February 2003, 13:56 GMT]
The Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) is planning to collect names and other details of Tamil youths and others arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and released after languishing several years in prisons in the south of the country without trial, for want of evidence and for other reasons, sources said.
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NorthEast Province receives 9 ambulances from WHO

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 February 2003, 13:55 GMT]
The World Health Organization (WHO) Friday donated eight ambulances worth fifteen million rupees to the Tamil dominated northeast province to provide better medical services to the people in the remote villages who have suffered years with lack of medical attention, provincial health ministry sources said.
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SLA suspects identified in attempted rape case

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 February 2003, 02:47 GMT]
In the identification parade conducted today at the Vavuniya Courts associated with the attempted rape last Sunday in Ganesapuram in Vavuniya district, two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were identified as the alleged offenders by the witnesses, legal sources in Vavuniya said.
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