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Batticaloa Tamils to observe Black September day[TamilNet, Sunday, 31 August 2003, 19:45 GMT]Batticaloa District Peoples Forum, a civil and social organization based in Batticaloa has requested the Tamils in Batticaloa district to observe Friday (05.09.2003) as a day of mourning to remember and a mark of respect to the hundreds of Tamil civilians- men, women and children - killed by Sri Lankan government troops and Muslim home guards since 1990, sources said. Full story >> GA urged to relocate displaced fisher families[TamilNet, Sunday, 31 August 2003, 19:33 GMT]Palaly Fisheries Society Sunday asked the Jaffna District Government Agent (GA) to take immediate steps to relocate the displaced fisher families from the Palaly high security zone in the coastal areas between Thondamanaru and Valalai who now live in private lands of others in several other villages. The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has barred them from resettling in their own lands and houses, fisheries officials said. Full story >> CTTU to strike against SLA occupation of schools[TamilNet, Sunday, 31 August 2003, 19:25 GMT]The Ceylon Tamil Teachers' Union (CTTU) Sunday gave one-month notice to the Human Resources Development, Education and Cultural Affairs Ministry to fulfill its demands that the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) withdraw from its camps in all Tamil medium schools in the northeast province and that Tamil teachers are not racially discriminated when appointments are granted to Principal Grade service, sources said. Full story >> Atchuvely residents demand opening of Sannithi Temple Road[TamilNet, Sunday, 31 August 2003, 11:17 GMT]Residents of Atchuvely town in Jaffna has asked the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officials through the Asistant Government Agent of the district to open the Thondamanaru-Selvachannithi road for public use, civil sources from Jaffna said. SLA has closed this road segment from Idaikkadu to Thondamanaru for the past several years as this segment lies within the SLA's demarcated High Security Zone (HSZ). Full story >> Paris meeting 'Positive and Innovative'[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 August 2003, 19:54 GMT]Delegates to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Constitutional Affairs Committee meeting in Paris to prepare a response to the Government of Sri Lanka's (GoSL's) proposal for an Interim Administration to the Northeast described the meeting as "positive and innovative," in a press release issued at the conclusion of the discussions that lasted from 23rd to 26th of August in Paris. Full story >> Hill country Tamil leader Thondaman remembered[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 August 2003, 17:57 GMT]Sri Lanka Saturday remembered the services rendered to the minorities and oppressed people by the hill country Tamil leader late Saumiyamoorthy Thondaman on his 90th birthday, which falls on August 30, 2003, sources from upcountry said. Full story >> University non-academic staff strike called off[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 August 2003, 17:49 GMT]The non-academic staff of universities in the country Saturday evening decided to call off their three weeks' old strike from Monday as the talks held Saturday between the two ministers, the chairman of the university Grants Commission and representatives of trade union federation concluded with agreements reached on many of the 21 demands put forward by the non-academinc staff, Inter University Trade Union Federation sources said. Full story >> SLA stops resettlement in Swamimalai[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 August 2003, 16:06 GMT]The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Saturday stopped a group of internally displaced persons making arrangements to resettle in their abandoned Tamil village Kachchakodi Swamimalai in the Pattipalai division in Batticaloa district, civil group sources said. The Kachchakodi Swamimalai village is located on the border of Batticaloa and Amparai districts in the eastern province about 25 km off southwest of Batticaloa town. Full story >> Karainagar IDPs complain of harassment by SLN soldiers[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 August 2003, 14:13 GMT]The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) has tightened check on internally displaced people who return to resettle in Karainagar village in Jaffna district. The Sri Lanka Navy soldiers manning the entry point of Karainagar subject the the newly returning IDPs to body checks and extensive questioning, civil group sources said. Full story >> Thamilselvan, Karuna visit Paris memorial of slain activists[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 August 2003, 13:53 GMT]Head of the political secion of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), S.P. Thamilselvan and LTTE Senior Commander Karuna, at the conclusion of LTTE Paris-talks Thursday visited the Paris memorials of activists Kandiah Perinpanathan and Kandiah Gajendran who were gun down in La Chappelle, Paris by unknown gunmen on the 26th October 1996, sources said. Full story >> PA wants commission of inquiry on arms deal with Israel[TamilNet, Friday, 29 August 2003, 21:15 GMT]Sri Lanka's main opposition Peoples Alliance Friday requested the ruling United National Front government to appoint a panel of Supreme Court judges to conduct an investigation into the alleged fraud related to the purchase of weaponry to high-speed attack crafts of the Sri Lanka Navy, political sources said. Full story >> SLA seeks fishermen’s co-operation to conduct checks[TamilNet, Friday, 29 August 2003, 20:59 GMT]The Sri Lanka Army Friday asked the fishermen of Vadamaradchi to co-operate with them to conduct checks on fishing crafts before and after the fishermen enter the sea, and these checks will be conducted by army sentry points which are located along the shore, fisheries sources said. Full story >> Jaffna IDPs to seek Supreme Court assistance[TamilNet, Friday, 29 August 2003, 17:49 GMT]Internally displaced families from Manthuvil village in Thenmaradchchi division in Jaffna district have taken preliminary steps to file suit in the Supreme Court seeking permission to resettle in the their houses and lands which have been occupied by the Sri Lanka Army outside the high security zones, legal sources said Friday. Full story >> University convocations postponed due to strike[TamilNet, Friday, 29 August 2003, 17:38 GMT]As the strike by the non-academic staff of universities in the country entered nineteenth day Friday, the University Grants Commission said all convocations and external examinations have been postponed indefinitely. Full story >> ‘SLA has no authority to prevent students from attending Pongu Thamil’ - Ezhilan[TamilNet, Friday, 29 August 2003, 13:06 GMT]The Sri Lanka Army has no authority to prevent students from attending the Pongu Thamil event in Vavuniya when 24 schools have been declared as falling into the High Security Zone in Vavuniya by the SLA and the students of these schools are denied their education, said Ms. S.Ezhilan, the political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Vavuniya on Friday. Full story >> SLA bans NGOs from using Kinnaiyady lagoon access path[TamilNet, Friday, 29 August 2003, 01:49 GMT]The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has imposed ban on travel by officers of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to areas controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the Batticaloa district through Kinnaiyady lagoon, security sources in the Eastern province said. Kinnaiyady is located 32 km off northwest of Batticaloa town. Full story >> Thousands join last leg of JVP foot march against IA[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 August 2003, 18:14 GMT] The four day 116 km long anti peace foot march which was organized by the
Sinhala nationalist cum Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) from Galle
on Monday against the establishment of the Interim Administration for the
northeast province and demanding the de-merger of the province reached
Colombo Lipton circle Thursday around seven in the evening. Thousands of
JVP cadres, men and women participated in the last leg of the march from Panadura
Thursday morning, sources said. Full story >> Minister Jayalath visits Jaffna, meets with GA, LTTE and UNHCR[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 August 2003, 15:11 GMT]Sri Lanka’s Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Resettlement Minister Dr.Jayalath Jayawardene Thursday arrived in Jaffna and held discussions with the Government Agent Mr.S.Pathmanathan at the Jaffna district secretariat, sources said. He later met with LTTE leaders in the LTTE Jaffna district Administrative Service office located at Anaipanthy in Jaffna town. Full story >> Teleffsen meets with SLA, ex-militants in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 August 2003, 11:51 GMT]The Norwegian head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Major General Triggve Teleffsen travelled to Batticaloa Thursday morning and held discussions with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officials and political leaders of ex-militant groups, (SLMM) sources said. The SLMM head is scheduled to meet Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Commander Ramesh this afternoon. Full story >> 'De-merger of NE a calamity to Sri Lanka' - TNA[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 August 2003, 09:01 GMT]"The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) desires to place on record that the de-merger of the northeast province which has existed for the past fifteen years by the President would be a calamity to the whole Sri Lanka, and urges the President to desist from taking this perilous course," TNA said in a press statement issued Thursday in Colombo. Full story >> Solheim, Canadians join as LTTE's Paris meet concludes[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 August 2003, 01:47 GMT] Eric Solheim, Norwegian special peace envoy, Lisa Gold of the Royal Norwegian Government, Hon. Bob Rae, former premier Ontario Canada and Prof. David Cameron of Canadian Forum of Federations joined the final day yesterday morning session of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam discussions in Paris, sources close to the LTTE delegation said. The LTTE's Constitutional Affairs Committee is currently meeting in Paris to prepare LTTE's response to the Government of Sri Lanka's (GOSL's) proposal for an Interim Administration for the Northeast.Full story >> Northeast Literary Day to be held in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 August 2003, 20:24 GMT]A decision to hold the Northeast Literary Day on October 9,10,11 in Vavuniya was made at a meeting held at the Vavuniya Secretariat on Wednesday, chaired by Mr. S. Thiagalingam, the Northeast Provincial Education Ministry’s Secretary, sources in Vavuniya said. Full story >> North and East should be de-merged - Ferial Ashraff[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 August 2003, 18:20 GMT]“The North and East should be separate provinces and the administration of the provinces should be handed over to the people. All three ethnic groups in the country should have equal rights and proper authority to exercise their rights. Only then can the ethnic problems in the country be solved,” said Mrs. Ferial Ashraff, parliamentarian and the leader of the National Unity Alliance, speaking at a meeting following a protest march and shutdown in Ampara town. Full story >> Vadamaradchy woman foils rape attempt by SLA soldier[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 August 2003, 17:43 GMT]Three soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) were questioned by their superiors Wednesday on a complaint that one soldier had molested a tamil woman who is a mother of two Tuesday night when she was alone while her husband was away. This incident took place Tuesday night at Inbaruty, a fishing hamlet in Vadamarachchi north in Jaffna district, police said. Full story >> PM, parliamentarians discuss police recruitment issue[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 August 2003, 17:03 GMT]Several decisions to strengthen the goodwill and security of Tamil and Muslim communities in the eastern province were taken at a conference called by the Prime Minister (PM) Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe Wednesday evening which was attended by parliamentarians of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) , Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and National Unity Alliance (NUA), a press release issued by the PM ‘s media unit said. Full story >> SLA restricts civilian visit to Point Pedro schools in HSZ[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 August 2003, 15:59 GMT]The Sri Lanka Army Wednesday said civilians would be allowed to visit Hartley College and Methodist Girls High School in the high security zone of Point Pedro town in Jaffna district only on Wednesdays and they will need prior permission obtained from the security forces, civil sources said. Full story >> Vadamaradchy displaced receive spoilt rice[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 August 2003, 15:26 GMT]The rice supplied to the displaced people and fishermen in the Vadamaradchi region by the Rehabilitation Ministry of Sri Lanka is spoilt and insects have been found in the rice, the Vadamaradchi Fishermen’s Federation said Wednesday. Full story >> SLA says students cannot attend Pongu Thamil in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 August 2003, 14:21 GMT]The Sri Lanka Army has ordered that the students in Vavuniya schools should not be allowed to attend the Pongu Thamil (‘Tamil Upsurge’) event to be held on September 15 in the district as the SLA sees the event as a political event organized by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, sources in Vavuniya said. Full story >> Hartal in Amparai town[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 August 2003, 13:32 GMT]General shutdown was observed in Amparai today and an organization called 'Committee to Safeguard East' led a protest march through Amparai town, sources in the eastern province said. Several hundred Muslims and Sinhalese participated in the march that started at Brown Road junction and proceeded to the clock tower, the sources added. Full story >> German officials meet LTTE leaders in the East[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 August 2003, 19:16 GMT]Officials of the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) in Sri Lanka met with the leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in the East at the ‘Thenaham’ Guest House in Karadiyanaru, in the LTTE-controlled area of Batticaloa district, Tuesday morning, LTTE sources said. Full story >> Sri Lankan state hospitals paralyzed by strike[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 August 2003, 18:22 GMT]A one-day token strike launched by about 50,000 members of the Health Services Trade Union Federation (HSTUF) Tuesday disrupted normal services in about 650 State hospitals in Sri Lanka. Health sector employees in all categories except medical officers and nurses struck work from Tuesday morning because, the trade union said, the Heath Ministry had failed to accede to their demand to remove salary anomalies. Full story >> SLMM head to visit Batticaloa Thursday[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 August 2003, 17:19 GMT]The Norwegian head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (retd) Major General Triggve Teleffsen is scheduled to visit Batticaloa Thursday to hold discussion with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officials and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) military and political leaders, SLMM sources said. Full story >> Bhikku Front holds national convention in Colombo[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 August 2003, 16:40 GMT] The second national convention of the the National Bhikku Front (NBF) was held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo today. The NBF is opposed to the establishment of an Interim Adminstration (IA) for the northeast province and had threatened to campaign in Colombo and 50 other cities in the South through the nearly 1500 Buddhist Vihares in the island.Full story >> Nallur CAR festival draws thousands of devotees[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 August 2003, 10:54 GMT] The CAR ("Ther") festival of the historic Nallur Kandasamy Temple in Jaffna town was held Tuesday morning with thousands of devotees from all over the island and from abroad participating, sources attending the festival said.
Full story >> SLMM head meets LTTE, SLA officials in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Monday, 25 August 2003, 19:10 GMT]The Norwegian head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, Major General (Retd.) Triggve Tellefsen, Monday held discussions with leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in the Trincomalee district, military commander Colonel Pathuman and district political head Mr.Thilak, at Sampur in the LTTE held Muttur east, south of Trincomalee town, SLMM sources said. Full story >> Two Muslim men arrested over Sainthamaruthu abduction[TamilNet, Monday, 25 August 2003, 18:37 GMT]Two Muslim arms traders have been arrested and remanded in connection with the disappearance of two other Muslim youths in the south-eastern district of Ampara on August 18. The Kalmunai Magistrate, Mr.M.P.Mohideen, remanded the two suspects, Mr. Mohamed Aliyar Fowzie, a Samurdhi officer, and Mr. Mohideen Bawa Hussein, a cattle trader, till September 8, when the police produced them in court Monday. Full story >> Lt. Col. Thileepan memorial re-opened in Nallur[TamilNet, Monday, 25 August 2003, 17:53 GMT] The reconstructed memorial of the late senior leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Lt.Col. Thileepan, was declared open Monday evening in Nallur, Jaffna town. The memorial was destroyed by Sri Lanka Army troops in 1996 when the SLA captured the peninsula. Full story >> General shutdown paralyzes Trincomalee[TamilNet, Monday, 25 August 2003, 11:51 GMT]A general shutdown (hartal) Monday completely disrupted normal life in the Trincomalee district, especially in the Trincomalee town. The general shut down was called by the Trincomalee Resurgence Tamil Community (TRTC) to show its opposition to the 'opportunist' elements that are "bent on derailing the peace process," organizers said. Full story >> JVP begins protest march against IA[TamilNet, Monday, 25 August 2003, 11:33 GMT] The Marxist Sinhala Nationalist party, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Monday morning started a four day 116 Kilometres demonstration march against handing over the Northeast Interim Administration (IA) to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The march that took off in front of Galle fort was also a protest against what the JVP said were attempts by the United National Front (UNF) government to bring foreign forces into the country, JVP sources said.
Full story >> GOSL proposal falls way short of aspirations of Tamil people - Thamilselvan[TamilNet, Monday, 25 August 2003, 11:10 GMT] "This Paris conference is a victory for our liberation struggle. The GOSL proposal [for an Interim Administration for the Northeast] falls way short of the aspirations of Tamil people. This conference will define a response that reflects the just aspirations of our people," said Mr. S.P. Thamilselvan, head of the political wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, delivering the opening address at the LTTE's conference in Paris which began on the 23rd August.Full story >> Tamil-Muslim peace committee formed in Ampara[TamilNet, Monday, 25 August 2003, 03:51 GMT]A Tamil-Muslim peace committee has commenced operating in the Ampara district, based in Kalumanai, on Sunday, with the goal of addressing problems and apprehensions between the two communities and preventing violence in the future, sources in Ampara said. Full story >> ‘LTTE not involved in Ampara violence’ - Alisahir Moulana[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 August 2003, 21:46 GMT]Mr. Alisahir Moulana, a former United National Party parliamentarian from Batticaloa and currently an advisor to the Sri Lankan Ministry of Policy Planning and Implementation, said Sunday that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are not in any way involved in the incidents of violence in the Ampara district where two Muslim youths were killed and another two Muslims have disappeared, sources said. Full story >> 2000 appear for police recruitment interviews in the east[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 August 2003, 18:39 GMT]More than 2000 persons appeared for the two-day interview held by the Police Department Saturday and Sunday at Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Amparai, Kalmunai, Akkaraipattu, Muttur and Pottuvil police stations to recruit 550 new personnel for serving in the eastern province, said the eastern region Deputy Inspector General of Sri Lanka Police, Mr. Neville Wijesinghe. He said that the highest number of the youths attending the interview were from the Sinhalese community, and Muslim youths the second highest. Full story >> PA meet to decide on PC elections[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 August 2003, 18:01 GMT]The Central Committee of the People's Alliance (PA) will hold a meeting on September 1st to decide whether to hold the elections to the provincial councils in the south simultaneously or at the expiry of their life term, PA general secretary Mr.D.M.Jayaratne said Sunday. Full story >> JVP anti-peace Foot March from Galle to Colombo[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 August 2003, 17:52 GMT]The four-day "Foot March " (Pada Yatra) by the Sinhala nationalist cum Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) will commence Monday from Galle, deep south of the country, Monday in protest to the present peace initiative of the United National Front (UNF) government. The protest march is organized to highlight the danger to the territorial integrety of Sri Lanka, and to safeguard the country from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the foreign imperialists, JVP sources said. Full story >> 36 Indian fishermen still held in Jaffna prison[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 August 2003, 12:09 GMT]Of the thirty six Indian fishermen now being detained at the Jaffna prisons on the orders of the law courts, cases have been filed only against four in the Jaffna High Court. No cases have been filed against the other thirty-two Indian fishermen, legal sources said. Full story >> Farmers await SLA's permission to clear mines[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 August 2003, 12:02 GMT]The Jaffna Government Mr.S.Pathmanathan Saturday requested the Sri Lanka Army's (SLA's) Jaffna area commander located at Palaly main base to grant permission to remove landmines and other unexploded ordnance from the paddy fields released from the Thenmaradchchi High Security Zone (HSZ) for rain fed cultivation this year, district secretariat sources said. Full story >> Nallur festival turns Jaffna into spiritual town[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 August 2003, 11:44 GMT] "Expatriate Tamils are invading Jaffna in astonishing numbers to attend the annual temple festival at Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil. Tamils in other parts of Northeast and the South are also making use of the prevailing atmosphere of peace to make their annual pilgrimage to the Nallur festival," said a delighted street vendor who has seen a marked rise in his business.Full story >> WFP conference explores protracted relief program[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 August 2003, 04:17 GMT]At a conference held recently in Vavuniya at the Suvarka hotel by the United Nations' World Food Program, participants discussed the problems and barriers faced at the field level in implementing the WFP’s Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation (PRRO) for the Mother and Child Nutrition program, and possible solutions and alternatives, WFP sources said. Full story >> Police recruitment begins in the east[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 August 2003, 20:26 GMT]Interviews began Saturday to select 550 new recruits for Sri Lanka’s police service in the eastern province at police stations in Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Amparai, Kalmunai, Akkaraipattu, Muttur and Pottuvil, eastern region Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr. Neville Wijesinghe, said Saturday. Full story >> LSSP contemplates leaving PA[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 August 2003, 18:35 GMT]The leadership of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), one of the constituents of the main opposition Peoples Alliance (PA), is seriously considering pulling out of the PA before the provincial and local elections, which are expected to be held during the first part of next year 2004, political sources said. Full story >> 'Public has lost confidence in Sri Lankan police’ -AHRC[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 August 2003, 16:40 GMT]The people of Sri Lanka do not have much trust in the Sri Lankan police, said Mr. Basil Fernando, the Asian Human Rights Commission’s Executive Director, at a press briefing Saturday in Colombo, adding that police officials in charge should be held responsible for the human rights violations taking place in police stations. Full story >> War shattered town seeks freedom to bury[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 August 2003, 16:39 GMT]Three years ago the people of Chavakachcheri saw their town being bombed and shelled into gnarled ruins and dusty rubble heaps. The guns have fallen silent and the fortunate few are keenly rebuilding. But the resettling residents of Chavakachcheri are also eager to enjoy their freedoms long circumscribed by the war – including the right to bury their dead in the town’s cemetery. Full story >> University non-academic employees continue their strike[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 August 2003, 16:00 GMT] The Inter University Trade Union Federation (IUTF) Saturday rejected an appeal made by the Tertiary Education Minister Mr.Kabir Hashim to abandon its strike and to return to work. The IUTF said it would continue its trade union action until their demands are met. About ten thousand non-academic employees who are members of the IUTF have been on strike since August 12, education sources said.Full story >> Trinco to observe Hartal against anti-peace elements[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 August 2003, 15:44 GMT]Trincomalee Resurgence Tamil Community (TRTC), a socially active Tamil organization, has called on the Tamil speaking people in the Trincomalee district to observe a one day general shut down (hartal) on Monday to show their opposition to anti-peace elements who are bent on derailing the present peace process, sources said. Full story >> STF refuses to vacate camp encompassing private homes[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 August 2003, 12:36 GMT]Special Task Force (STF) soldiers in Urani in Pottuvil, Amparai district, have refused to vacate the STF camp that encompasses several private residences and demanded that the owners should sell their property to the STF, security sources in the east said. Full story >> Sencholai hosts CD release by expatriate Tamil girl[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 August 2003, 10:35 GMT] Archana, a 9 year old Tamil girl born in Norway, released her 12-song Tamil Compact Disc, at a ceremony attended by senior members of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) organized by the Sencholai Children's Home located in Puthukudiyiruppu in Vanni earlier this month.Full story >> SL Govt. servants at meeting on Pongu Thamil face SLA action[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 August 2003, 04:13 GMT]The Sri Lankan government servants who participated at a meeting held last Sunday, August 17, in Vavuniya, in preparation for the Pongu Thamil celebrations in the city to be conducted on September 15, have been asked to provide an explanation for their attendance at the meeting by the Sri Lanka Army, sources in Vavuniya said. Full story >> Southern fishermen demonstrate against poaching[TamilNet, Friday, 22 August 2003, 18:41 GMT]Hundreds of fishermen held a demonstration in front of the Fort railway station in Colombo Friday, condemning the Fisheries Ministry of Sri Lanka for not taking prompt action to stop poaching by foreign trawlers in the territorial waters of Sri Lanka. Fishermen from Matara, Galle and other parts of the south participated in the demonstration, Colombo sources said. Full story >> Jaffna undergrads study Potpathi villagers' problems[TamilNet, Friday, 22 August 2003, 16:55 GMT]A group of Jaffna university students and members of the International Student's Association of Tamil Eelam held a discussion Friday with the residents of Potpathi village in the Vadamarachchi east division in Jaffna district under the auspices of Jaffna University Students' Union (JUSU) regarding an attempt by the Sri Lanka Army to construct several camps and checkpoints surrounding the village, sources said. Full story >> Norwegian ambassador meets civil leaders in Jaffna[TamilNet, Friday, 22 August 2003, 11:51 GMT]Norwegian ambassador in Colombo Mr Hans Brattskar paid his first official visit to Jaffna district Friday and held discussions with the Government Agent, members of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and representatives of non-governmental organizations in the peninsula, district secretariat sources said. Full story >> SLA restricts video, camera equipment inside Weber stadium[TamilNet, Friday, 22 August 2003, 10:40 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) 23-3rd brigade commander Brigadier Rajitha De Silva has barred public and journalists from taking camera and video equipment inside Weber sports stadium in Batticaloa, security sources in the east said. The Brigadier said that the order was issued due to the security sensitive nature of the location which falls within the High Security Zone (HSZ). Full story >> SLN arrests LTTE women cadres in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Friday, 22 August 2003, 10:18 GMT]Soldiers of Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) arrested two women cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who were engaged in political activities in Thiruperunthurai village in Batticaloa district yesterday, local reports said. After the intervention of LTTE’s Batticaloa political section head E. Senathirajah, the women cadres were released after 45 minutes of interrogation. Full story >> LTTE, Sri Lanka Police meet in Kalmunai[TamilNet, Friday, 22 August 2003, 09:45 GMT]Members of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and officers of Sri Lanka Police met in Kalmunai at 5pm yesterday at the Deputy Police Commissioner’s office to review the tense situation prevailing in Kalmunai and to formulate solutions to de-escalate tensions in the area, security sources said. Full story >> Thenmaradchi fishermen want freedom to fish[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 August 2003, 19:42 GMT]Fisheries co-operative society representatives of Kovilakandy Thursday told the Sri Lanka Army officials at a conference held at Navatkuli Sakalavalli Vidiyalayam that they would launch an agitation campaign if the SLA refused to remove the barbed wire fence in the Kaithady-Navatkuli south sea in Thenmaradchi division in the Jaffna district, enabling them to do their fishing without any obstruction, civil group sources said. Full story >> ‘Education for everyone is our goal’- LTTE official[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 August 2003, 16:57 GMT]“Sections of the Sinhala media in the south are spreading deliberate falsehoods about the struggle for our rights. The Singhalese can enjoy the fruits of peace only if our people are also able to live in peace. Tamils have been cheated by successive Sinhala regimes. But today they are politically alert. Our people are very patriotic. They are prepared to pay any price to win their rights,” said Mr. C. Ilamparithi, the head of the political division of the Liberation Tigers in Jaffna, addressing a gathering in the northern peninsula Thursday. Full story >> SLMM head to hold talks with LTTE's Trinco leaders[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 August 2003, 16:56 GMT]The Norwegian head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, Major General (Retd.)Triggve Tellefsen, is scheduled to hold talks with the Trincomalee district area commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Colonel Pathuman, and the Trincomalee district political head, Mr.S.Tilak, on Monday morning around 11 a.m., SLMM sources said. Full story >> Thenmaradchi farmers ordered to obtain new IDs from SLA[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 August 2003, 16:31 GMT]The Sri Lanka Army Thursday said farmers who are allowed to do cultivation in the released paddy fields in the high security zone in Thenamaradchi division of the Jaffna district should obtain fresh military identity cards to enter their lands, and that the military identity cards already issued and national identity cards will not be accepted, sources said. Full story >> Hartal in Muslim areas in Ampara[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 August 2003, 15:17 GMT]A Muslim community vigilantes' group organized a general shut down (hartal) in Ampara Thursday to condemn the disappearance of two Muslim youths from Sainthamaruthu in the Ampara district, and to seek their release if anyone had abducted them, sources said. Full story >> Maintaining ethnic ratio in Police recruitment imperative - TNA[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 August 2003, 10:40 GMT]At a conference held Thursday morning between the Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation led by its parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan at the parliamentary complex, it was decided to summon all Tamil and Muslim parliamentarians for a conference on Tuesday or Wednesday next week before finalizing the list of new recruits for the police force in the eastern province, political sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Villages in need of demining identified[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 August 2003, 03:00 GMT]Mr. R. S. Jeyabalan, the national executive director of the demining group FSD (Swiss Demining Federation), said Wednesday that 59 villages in the Vavuniya and Mannar districts have been identified as infested with land mines and booby traps and in need of demining. Full story >> Thihilivattai fishermen obtain boats through TEEDOR's micro-loan scheme[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 August 2003, 21:02 GMT] The Batticaloa-Amparai branch of Tamil Eelam Economic Development Organization (TEEDOR), the development authority attached to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), provided 10 fishing boats and fishing nets to fishermen from Thihilivattai in Kalkudah under a micro-loan scheme during an event organized today at 10 am at the Thihilivattai Government Tamil Mixed school, sources said.
Full story >> JVP to launch protest campaign against ‘betrayal’ of country[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 August 2003, 20:39 GMT]The Sinhala nationalist cum Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Wednesday said it would launch a protest "war" in the country from Monday onward against what it called a "betrayal of the nation in the name of peace process" by the United National Front government, media sources in Colombo said. Full story >> SLA blocks resettlement within 600 m radius of Palaly HSZ[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 August 2003, 19:43 GMT]The Sri Lanka Army has declared that the internally displaced families will not be allowed to resettle within a 600 meter radius of the Palaly high security zone in Jaffna district, and SLA authorities have asked those already resettled within 600 meters of the HSZ in Kuppilan north to vacate immediately from the area, civil groups in Jaffna said. Full story >> Police attempt to arrest LTTE activist by force thwarted[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 August 2003, 18:14 GMT]A group of Sri Lanka Police personnel from the Point Pedro Police attempted to remove a Sea Tiger (Naval wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) activist from his house forcibly in Vathiri in the Vadamarachchi division of Jaffna district Wednesday afternoon, and the attempt was thwarted by the LTTE’s political head in Vadamaradchi, civil sources said, adding that tension prevailed in the area. Full story >> SL President threatens to de-merge northeast province[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 August 2003, 15:11 GMT]Sri Lanka’s President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunge, issued a warning through her media spokesman, Mr.Harim Peiris, Wednesday that she would not hesitate to de-merge the northeast province if the United National Front government failed to quell the violence and restore peace in the east, media sources said. Full story >> SL Police to recruit 500 in the East[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 August 2003, 15:00 GMT]Five hundred constables and fifty reserve sub-inspectors are to be recruited to serve in several police divisions in the eastern province, Sri Lanka’s Police Headquarters in Colombo said in a press release Wednesday. The decision by the Defence Ministry to recruit more police personnel for the East was made following a conference held by the Ministry Tuesday in Colombo to review the security situation in the eastern province, sources said. Full story >> Batticaloa Tamil journalist harassed by SLA - SLTMA[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 August 2003, 05:54 GMT]The Sri Lankan Tamil Media Alliance (SLTMA) Tuesday notified the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission in Batticaloa about the harassment and humiliation caused to Mr.T.Vethanayagam, a Batticaloa based Tamil journalist, by the Sri Lanka Army, and sought the SLMM's action to investigate into the complaint and prevent such harassment to journalists in future, sources said. Full story >> LTTE delegation leaves Colombo for Paris talks[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 August 2003, 05:50 GMT]A high powered delegation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, led by its political head Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, left Colombo by Sri Lankan Air Lines Wednesday early morning around 2 a.m. to Paris in France, sources at the Colombo airport said. Full story >> 'Don’t forget mother tongue and Tamil culture'[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 August 2003, 00:00 GMT]Mr.R.Thiagalingam, Secretary of the North East Provincial Education Ministry, addressing the gathering at the Miruthangam Arangetram of two brothers, Cholan and Sipi, held Monday evening at the Kalyana Mandapam of Trincomalee Muttukumaraswamy temple, made an appeal to several thousand Sri Lankan Tamils living abroad that they should not forget their mother tongue and Tamil cultural values. Full story >> Sri Lankan govt. decides to strengthen eastern security[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 August 2003, 18:23 GMT]AT a conference held at the Sri Lankan Defense Ministry Tuesday, it was decided to strengthen the security in the eastern province by sending additional security forces to the “problem districts.” Mr.Tilak Marapone, the Sri Lankan Defense Minister, presided over the conference, which was attended by the chiefs of three armed forces and the Inspector General of Police, security sources said. Full story >> SLA soldiers arrest LTTE activists at Muhamalai checkpoint[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 August 2003, 15:25 GMT]Two political activists of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Mr.Kanthasamy Pugalmaran and Mr. Yogarajah Mayavan, were arrested by Sri Lanka Army soldiers at the Muhamalai checkpoint Tuesday afternoon around 2 p.m and later handed over to the Kodikamam police, police said. Full story >> University non-academic staff strike enters eighth day[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 August 2003, 14:36 GMT]The strike by approximately ten thousand members of the Inter University Trade Union Federation (ITUF) entered its eighth day Tuesday as the talks held with the University Grant Commission ( UGC ) representatives Monday failed to reach a consensus on their twenty-one demands. Activities in all universities in the island including the northeast have come to standstill due to the strike, ITUF sources said. Full story >> LTTE delegation to Paris talks arrives in Colombo[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 August 2003, 14:16 GMT] A Ten member delegation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, led by its
political head Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, arrived in Colombo Thursday afternoon
by two special helicopters of the Sri Lanka Air Force from Kilinochchi. The delegation is on its way to participate in "internal talks" in Paris, France, aimed at preparing a response to the Sri Lankan government's interim administration proposals, political sources in Colombo said.
Full story >> Hartal shuts down Amparai district[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 August 2003, 11:01 GMT]Normal life in secretariat divisions of the Ampara district was disrupted Tuesday as people observed a general shut down (hartal) in protest to the killings of two Muslim persons on Sunday night at Sammanthurai, police said Full story >> ‘Hindu temples in Trincomalee tell Tamils' history’[TamilNet, Monday, 18 August 2003, 22:00 GMT]At a one-day seminar held by Sri Lanka’s Hindu Religious Affairs Ministry Sunday for Saiva religious teachers in the Trincomalee district, at the auditorium of Trincomalee Thiruvalluvar Nilayam, several speakers said that Hindu temples in the district are monuments of history of Tamils in the country. Full story >> General shutdown paralyzes Kalmunai, Sammanthurai[TamilNet, Monday, 18 August 2003, 18:01 GMT]The towns of Kalmunai and Sammanthurai in the Amparai district were completely paralyzed Monday when residents and businessmen observed a general shut down (hartal) protesting against the killing of two Muslim civilians at Sammanthurai Sunday night, police said. Full story >> Sampanthan spotlights Trinco IDPs’ plight[TamilNet, Monday, 18 August 2003, 16:27 GMT]Trincomalee district parliamentarian, Mr.R.Sampanthan, has informed the Sri Lankan government that the internally displaced families residing in several villages in the north of Trincomalee are not issued with dry ration monthly but only once in several months, sometimes as many as six months. Full story >> LTTE denies involvement in Sammanthurai killings[TamilNet, Monday, 18 August 2003, 12:07 GMT]Denying any involvement in the killing of two Muslim civilians in Sammanthurai police division in the Ampara district Sunday night, the deputy political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Ampara, Mr.Kuyilan, said, "Elements bent on derailing the peace process could have committed this dastardly act," according to media sources. Full story >> Two Muslims shot dead in Sammanthurai[TamilNet, Monday, 18 August 2003, 05:44 GMT]Forty-year-old father of four children Mr.A.Ibralebbai and a twenty one old father of two children Mr.K.L.Ismail were shot dead Sunday night by unidentified gunmen at Nelluchchenaivettai in Sammanthurai police division in Amparai district, police sources said. Their bodies were recovered Monday morning at the site, according to police sources. Full story >> Hakeem to meet Sri Lankan PM on Muslims' security[TamilNet, Monday, 18 August 2003, 01:03 GMT]Mr.Rauff Hakeem, leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and Minister in Sri Lanka’s United National Front government, said Sunday that he would meet the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, Monday, on the question of providing maximum security to Muslims in the eastern province especially in Muttur area. Full story >> Tamil medium teachers still receive Sinhala only letters[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 August 2003, 20:53 GMT]Tamil medium teachers and principals in Sri Lanka, especially in the northeast province where Tamil is the main medium in schools, are still undergoing untold hardships in transacting official business with the relevant departments as the central ministry of education and other related departments still correspond with them only in the Sinhalese language, the Ceylon Tamil Teachers' Union (CTTU)'s General Secretary, Mr.T.Mahasivam, said. Full story >> Thailand promises demining assistance to northeast[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 August 2003, 18:41 GMT]The Thailand ambassador in Sri Lanka, Mr.Jerm Tivyanond, Saturday told the officials of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) that his country is willing to assist in the de-mining programme in the northeast province, sources said. Full story >> IGP orders action against Jaffna fishermen for detaining Indian poachers[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 August 2003, 17:06 GMT]Sri Lanka’s Inspector General of Police Mr.T.E.Anandarajah has issued a directive to police officials in the Jaffna district to take action against northern fishermen who failed to hand over captured Indian poachers to the police, Jaffna police said Sunday. Full story >> SLA, Police conduct search operations in Vadamaradchy[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 August 2003, 07:26 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and Sri Lanka Police officers searched general public and passengers in passing vehicles in Mulli, in Vadamaradchy district throughout Saturday, security sources in Jaffna said. Vehicles along the Point-Pedro Kodikamam road in Vadamaradchy also were stopped and searched, according to the same sources. Full story >> Awareness conference on development held in Pattipalai[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 August 2003, 04:01 GMT]A regional-level conference to create awareness of development activities was held at the Pattipalai Divisional Secretariat Auditorium in Batticaloa Saturday morning at 9:45, chaired by the Divisional Secretary, Mr. S. Amalanathan, with the participation of Manmunai South West Division’s Village officers, Poverty Alleviation Officers, Field Workers, and the Pattipalai Divisional Secretariat employees, sources said. Full story >> SL Lands Minister pays surprise visit to Jaffna[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 August 2003, 19:12 GMT]Sri Lanka's Minister of Lands, Dr. Rajitha Senaretna, Saturday paid a surprise visit to Jaffna and inspected the development work of the Jaffna Duraiappah Stadium where the National Peace Sports Festival is scheduled to be held, district secretariat sources said. Full story >> American NGO to assist IDPs in Jaffna district[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 August 2003, 19:09 GMT]A US based non-governmental organization called C.A.S. Farm is reported to have come forward to provide assistance to maintain at least ten refugee camps which give accommodation to thousands of internally displaced people and who are unable to resettle in their lands which come under the high security zones of the Sri Lanka Army in Jaffna district, civil group sources said. Full story >> SLA refuses permission for parents to enter Point Pedro schools[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 August 2003, 19:06 GMT]The Sri Lanka Army Friday evening denied permission for parents and education officials to enter two leading schools in Jaffna, the Methodists Girls' High School and Hartley College in Point Pedro when they arrived at the army checkpoint near the institutions, parents and officials said. Full story >> 'Stop alienation of State land in Trincomalee district' - Sampanthan[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 August 2003, 15:51 GMT]The Tamil National Alliance’s parliamentary group leader, Mr.R.Sampanthan, Saturday made an urgent appeal to the United National Front government to stop the alienation of State land in Trincomalee district as it would cause serious harmful impact on the peace process, saying that such alienation of land was one of the main causes that led to the commencement of war and therefore it would be “tantamount to an abuse of the current ceasefire.” Full story >> New Sinhala families settled in Nelukkulam[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 August 2003, 10:46 GMT]Even as thousands of internally displaced Tamil people are languishing in refugee camps, prevented by the Sri Lanka Army from resettling in their own homes, Sri Lankan government officials with the support of the SLA are actively engaged in recruiting new Sinhala families from the South to settle in lands abandoned by earlier Sinhala occupants in the traditional Tamil village of Nelukkulam in the Manalaru region in the Mullaitivu district, sources said. Full story >> EPDP protests Batticaloa killing of its member[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 August 2003, 10:27 GMT]The Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP)'s members Friday held a demonstration in Batticaloa town against the killing of their member Mr. Arasaretnam Ratheeskaran on Thursday afternoon. The protest campaign was called off Friday night around 9 p.m and the coffin with Ratheeskaran's body was removed from the premises of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission's (SLMM's) Batticaloa office, police said. Full story >> St. Mary's College in Trinco holds awards day[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 August 2003, 03:28 GMT]The Trincomalee St Mary's College, founded in 1864, held its Primary Awards day for the year 2003 in the presence of the Bishop of Trincomalee-Batticaloa Diocese, Rt.Rev.Dr Kingsely Swampillai, Thursday, with the National Director of Catholic schools and General Manager of private schools, Rev.Fr.Ivon Perera as the Chief Guest. Full story >> Thenmaradchi farmers riled by SLA's new restrictions[TamilNet, Friday, 15 August 2003, 21:27 GMT]The Sri Lanka Army Friday directed the farmers and agricultural workers in the Thenmaradchi division in the Jaffna district to produce new identity cards if they wanted to enter paddy lands that were released recently from the high security zones for rain-fed paddy cultivation this year. The directive will cause several hardships and delays to the farming community in cultivating their fields in time before the proper northeast monsoon rain starts, civil sources said. Full story >> SLA distributes handbill to ‘advise’ Jaffna people[TamilNet, Friday, 15 August 2003, 19:36 GMT]The Sri Lanka Army Friday started distributing anonymous handbills in the Jaffna district, stating that the removal of military camps from civilian houses and government buildings would get delayed if the people held demonstrations against relocating camps in abandoned state lands, civil sources said. Full story >> ICRC hears Vadamaradchi fishermen's complaints[TamilNet, Friday, 15 August 2003, 19:27 GMT]Vadamaradchi fishermen Thursday complained to a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross that their fishing crafts are getting damaged as the Sri Lanka Army has allocated inadequate space to beach their crafts in the northern shore, fisheries sources said. Full story >> Norwegian HR activist visits Jaffna[TamilNet, Friday, 15 August 2003, 14:35 GMT]The Jaffna District Humanitarian Agencies Consortium (JDHAC) Friday told a visiting Norwegian human rights activist, Mr.Bernt Gelbrandsen, at the JDHCA office in Jaffna town, that the Sri Lankan government has failed to implement the terms of the ceasefire agreement signed by it with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam seventeen months ago last year, civil sources said. Full story >> Thailand offers venue for Sri Lanka peace talks[TamilNet, Friday, 15 August 2003, 13:23 GMT]The Prime Minister of Thailand, Dr. Thaksin Shinawatra, addressing Sri Lanka's parliament Friday said that his government would continue to provide his country as venue again any time, if and when required to hold Sri Lanka's peace talks. Full story >> UNICEF launches survey of children out of Trinco schools[TamilNet, Friday, 15 August 2003, 02:50 GMT] The UNICEF Thursday inaugurated a house-to-house survey under the “Education for All” project in three education zones in the Trincomalee district to identify non-school going children under age 14 and dropouts. “The basic right of children is education. If it is not provided, no other rights of children could be safeguarded or strengthened,” said the UNICEF’s Trincomalee representative, Ms. Gabrielle Elroy, delivering the keynote address at the inaugural event held Thursday morning at the Thampalakamam Puthukuddiruppu Tamil Vidiyalayam, sources said.Full story >> ‘Indian Minister’s visit to SL historic’ - Peiris[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 August 2003, 18:56 GMT]The Sri Lankan government’s cabinet spokesman, Mr. G.L.Peiris, said Thursday that the proposed visit of the Indian Foreign Minister, Mr.Yaswant Sinha, to Colombo next week would be 'historic.' Replying to a question at the weekly press briefing, Mr.Peiris, who is also the government’s Chief negotiator in the peace talks, said that there would not be any problem in obtaining Indian assistance to the present peace process, media sources said. Full story >> TNA, LTTE meet on IA proposals[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 August 2003, 17:05 GMT]The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam is conducting individual meetings with constituents of the Tamil National Alliance to inform them about the LTTE’s planned discussions with constitutional experts--and to seek the TNA’s suggestions--on the Sri Lankan government’s proposals for an Interim Administration for the North-East, sources said. Full story >> Muttur town tense, under curfew[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 August 2003, 16:22 GMT]The Eastern Region Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Sri Lanka Police, Mr. Neville Wijesinghe, said Thursday that a curfew has been declared in the Muttur town from 7 p.m. Thursday till 6 a.m. Friday as tension prevailed in the area following the killing of two Muslim youths, who were residents of Muttur, on Wednesday at Chelvanayakapuram in the Uppuveli Police division in the north of Trincomalee town. Full story >> 'Eastern Tamils losing confidence in SLMM'[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 August 2003, 14:09 GMT]Representatives of the Batticaloa District Non-Governmental Organizations' Consortium Thursday told the Norwegian special peace envoy, Mr. Erik Solheim, that Tamils were losing confidence in the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission as it had failed to take into account the mounting problems of the displaced Tamil people in the eastern province, NGO sources said. Full story >> Two Muslim youths shot dead in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 August 2003, 12:05 GMT]Unidentified gunmen shot dead two Muslim youths, Mohamed Riyaz, 27, and Abdul Kuthoos Fareed,35, at Chelvanayakapuram, a suburb in the Uppuveli police division of Trincomalee, about two km north of the eastern port town, Wednesday night around 9 p.m., police sources said. Full story >> Gunmen kill EPDP cadre in east[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 August 2003, 10:54 GMT]A member of a Tamil paramilitary group was shot dead by unidentified persons in Batticaloa town Thursday. The gunmen who came on a bicycle got away, Police sources in the eastern town said. Full story >> Pakistani men arrested in Tangalle fined, jailed[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 August 2003, 03:01 GMT]Two hundred and fifty-four Pakistani men, arrested by the Sri Lanka Police in Tangalle and handed over to the Crime Investigation Department, were produced before the Tangalle Magistrate Wednesday and the Magistrate gave a fine of 50,000 rupees each and 1 year of rigorous imprisonment, legal sources said. Full story >> Bomb-like object explodes, kills boy in Karainagar[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 August 2003, 18:26 GMT]A fifteen-year-old boy, Suntharampillai Nallaraja, died on the spot and four other children were seriously wounded when a bomb-like object, which the children played with after they found it floating in the sea, exploded Wednesday morning at Oori, a village in the Karainagar area of the Jaffna district, police said. Full story >> Muslim MPs endorse merger of North and East[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 August 2003, 15:44 GMT]The North East Muslim Parliamentarians' Alliance (NEMPA) Wednesday said that the problems of Muslims could be solved only within the merged northeast province. "We cannot find solutions to the problems of our community by dividing the merged northeast province," said M.L.A.M.Hisbullah, General Secretary of the NEMPA, in an interview to a private television in Colombo, sources said. Full story >> 'Final decision on LTTE camp issue after meeting SLMM' - Solheim[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 August 2003, 14:57 GMT]A final decision on the Kurankupanchan camp of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam will be taken after Mr. Erik Solheim, the Norwegian special peace envoy, meets with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, according to Mr. Solheim, who addressed media persons after about three hours of talks with the political head of the LTTE, Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, Wednesday at the LTTE’s political secretariat in Kilinochchi, Vanni sources said. Full story >> JVP demonstrates against IA for northeast[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 August 2003, 18:27 GMT]The Marxist cum Sinhala Nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna Tuesday held a demonstration and rally in Colombo against handing over the northeast interim administration to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and what the JVP said were attempts by the United National Front government to bring foreign forces into the country, sources said. Full story >> SLMM hears Kattankudy Muslim fishermen's complaint[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 August 2003, 16:12 GMT]The head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission in Batticaloa district Tuesday held discussions with the fishermen’s representatives in Kattankudy regarding a complaint that unidentified men had robbed them of their boats and fishing gear in sea, sources said. Full story >> Tamils in Ampara mourn victims of 1990 massacre[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 August 2003, 14:47 GMT]A general shutdown (hartal) was observed by Tamil communities in Ampara on Tuesday to mark the 13th anniversary of the massacre of hundreds of Tamils by the Sri Lankan Special Task Forces, Muslim youths and homeguards in Veeramunai, 38 km southwest of Batticaloa town, in 1990, sources in Ampara said. Full story >> Eastern Muslims observe hartal, remember dead[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 August 2003, 13:45 GMT]Muslim communities in Kattankudy, Eravur, Oddamavadi and some parts of Valaichchenai in the Batticaloa district Tuesday observed a general shut down (hartal) in remembrance of Muslims killed thirteen years ago on August 12, 1990 at Meerakerni in Eravur, about 15 km north of Batticaloa town, at the request of the Mosques’ Federation, police sources said. Full story >> Sri Lanka's Universities crippled by strike[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 August 2003, 13:34 GMT]The activities of all Universities in Sri Lanka came to a standstill Tuesday when the non academic staff launched their strike putting forward twenty-one demands, including salary increase, review of salary anomalies and the payment of a monthly cost of living allowance, sources said. Full story >> Norwegian peace envoy Solheim arrives in Colombo[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 August 2003, 13:10 GMT]Norwegian special peace envoy, Mr. Erik Solheim, arrived in Colombo Tuesday early morning on a three day visit to hold vital discussions with the leaders of the United National Front government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) intended to sort out differences between the two parties in taking forward the peace process stalled since April this year, political sources said. Full story >> JVP to hold demonstration against IA in Colombo[TamilNet, Monday, 11 August 2003, 17:30 GMT]The Marxist cum Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, the third largest party in Sri Lanka’s parliament, Monday announced that it would hold a large demonstration and rally in Colombo Tuesday afternoon against the establishment of an Interim Administrative Structure for the northeast province and to “defeat the attempt by the United National Front government to bring foreign forces into the country in the name of peacekeeping forces.” Full story >> Two Nigerian women arrested in Mannar[TamilNet, Monday, 11 August 2003, 16:17 GMT]Sri Lanka Police in Mannar Monday arrested two women from Nigeria, Ossea Evelin, 21,and Dayona Omiji, 22, on the grounds they were acting suspiciously, and produced them before the Acting Mannar Magistrate, Police sources in Mannar said. Full story >> Non-academic University staff in Sri Lanka to strike indefinitely[TamilNet, Monday, 11 August 2003, 15:44 GMT]The All-University Non-Academic Staff Unions' Federation (AUNASUF) and six non-teaching staff unions in Sri Lanka will go on a strike indefinitely starting Tuesday, August 12, putting forward a 21-point demand, including the call for a salary review and raise and the payment of a monthly cost of living allowance, sources said. Full story >> SL Minister cancels conference in Jaffna to evade protests[TamilNet, Monday, 11 August 2003, 01:42 GMT]Mr.John Amaratunge, Interior and Christian Affairs Minister of Sri Lanka, who was visiting Jaffna Sunday, cancelled his conference scheduled to be held in the afternoon at the Jaffna district secretariat at the last minute, on a report by the Police that about one hundred representatives of the Jaffna Missing Persons Guardians' Association and the Valigamam North Displaced Persons Association had gathered at the district secretariat premises to stage a protest against his visit, Police sources said Full story >> Puthuvai Ratnathurai’s poem collection released in Trinco[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 August 2003, 20:03 GMT]The introductory event for the book ‘Ulaikalam,’ a collection of poems written by Poet Puthuvai Ratnathurai, head of the Arts and Cultural Department of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, was held Sunday evening at the Trincomalee Town Hall. Full story >> Journalist Sivagurunathan's funeral held in Colombo[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 August 2003, 19:51 GMT]The funeral of the veteran Tamil journalist, Mr. Ratnathurai Sivagurunathan, took place Sunday evening at the Hindu section of the Kanatte cemetery in Colombo, attended by a large gathering, sources said. Full story >> ‘Colombo cannot disregard our proposal’ – Thamilchelvan[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 August 2003, 17:50 GMT]“We would be ready to resume negotiations if the Sinhala nation accepts our proposal for the interim administration and follows the path of peace. The Sri Lankan government cannot disregard our proposal. If it does, then (Colombo) should let the Tamils go their way to determine their own destiny. This is the reality," said Mr. S.P Thamilchelvan, the head of the Liberation Tigers’ political division, addressing more than 3000 delegates from Jaffna taking part in a conference for the National Awakening Movement in Pallai, a town in the peninsula’s southern sector, Sunday. Full story >> Sri Lanka’s Interior Minister visits Jaffna[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 August 2003, 15:26 GMT]Mr.John Amaratunge, Interior and Christian Affairs Minister of Sri Lanka, Sunday morning arrived at the Palaly military airbase in Jaffna on a goodwill visit, according to ministry sources. The Inspector General of Police, Mr.T.E.Anandarajah, Prisons Commissioner, Mr.M.Marsook, the Interior Ministry’s Secretary, Mr.M.N.Junaid, and several officials accompanied the minister in his first official engagement in the peninsula, district secretariat sources said. Full story >> New SLA commander post created for the East[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 August 2003, 15:01 GMT]Sri Lanka's Defense Ministry has created the new post of Security Forces Commander for the Eastern province, which is to take effect from August 15,Friday, and Major General Nanda Mallawaarachchi of the Sri Lanka Army has been appointed to that post, military sources said. Full story >> Trinco Tamil fishermen complain of harassment by SLN[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 August 2003, 13:33 GMT]Tamil fishermen in Trincomalee complain that the Sri Lanka Navy often harasses them in the Trincomalee seas. Some navy personnel who patrol the seas assault Tamil fishermen fishing within the stipulated area and chase them away, while allowing fishermen who use prohibited nets and dynamites for fishing, an official of a Tamil fisheries society in the eastern port town said. Full story >> SLA to recruit 4000 soldiers[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 August 2003, 10:16 GMT]The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) is to launch a massive recruitment drive to recruit about 4000 soldiers and interviews will commence on 18 August in several locations islandwide, the state controlled Sunday Observer newspaper reported quoting Brigadier Jammika Liyanage, Director, Personnel Administration, of the SLA. Full story >> Jaffna medical graduates’ reluctance to serve in NE lamented[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 August 2003, 01:50 GMT]“As the medical graduates of Jaffna University are reluctant to serve in the North East,” the North East Health Services has been forced to “beg doctors from other districts to serve in the North East,” lamented the director of the NEHS, Dr. Kumaravetpillai. Full story >> Children at Vavuniya hospital abducted, jewelry robbed.[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 August 2003, 21:40 GMT]The public in Vavuniya is concerned over a group of robbers based at the Vavuniya hospital who have abducted children who visit the Outpatient Department at the hospital and then robbed them of their jewelry, sources in Vavuniya said. Full story >> De-miner injured in car accident[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 August 2003, 21:12 GMT]A member of the International Mine Action group involved in de-mining in the LTTE-controlled Vanni region was injured when his car met with an accident on the Paranthan-Mullaitivu road Thursday morning and admitted to the Vavuniya hospital, from where he was airlifted to Colombo, sources in Vavuniya said. Full story >> Magistrate says Jaffna crime rate highest in Vadamaradchi[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 August 2003, 20:12 GMT]Vadamaradchi has the highest crime rate in Jaffna said Pt. Pedro magistrate Mr. K. Ariyanayagam, addressing the annual sports meet of the nursery at the Thumpalai East Community Centre Saturday. “Ninety eight percent of the Sri Lankan Police Force in Jaffna is Sinhala. We cannot expect them to control crime zealously and wholeheartedly. Hence it is our responsibility to safeguard our society and culture”, the magistrate said. Full story >> STF informant shot dead in Akkaraipattu[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 August 2003, 16:59 GMT]A thirty five year old Tamil informant to the Special Task Force of the Sri Lanka Police in Akkaraipattu in the Amparai district was shot dead Saturday evening around six when he was proceeding to his home in a push bicycle through the Sagamam road, Police sources said Satuyrday. Full story >> Veteran Tamil newspaper Editor Sivagurunathan passes away[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 August 2003, 13:40 GMT]Mr.R. Sivagurunathan, a veteran Tamil journalist who held the post of Chief Editor of the Tamil daily THINAKARAN for about thirty three years, passed away peacefully early morning Saturday after a brief illness in Colombo at the age of seventy-two, media sources said. Full story >> TRO opens sewing training centre at Thampalakamam[TamilNet, Friday, 08 August 2003, 22:29 GMT]The Tamils Rehabilitation Organization Friday afternoon opened a training centre to teach sewing to unemployed girls in Thampalakamam, a traditional Tamil village 24 km off Trincomalee town. At the start, about twenty women have been enrolled to obtain training in the centre, said the Trincomalee Dstrict Director of the TRO, Mr.K.Mathavarajah, speaking at the opening event held at the TRO office in Thampalakamam. Full story >> Compensation sought for plantations destroyed by SLA[TamilNet, Friday, 08 August 2003, 20:54 GMT]The Sri Lanka Army Friday said they would permit displaced persons to enter their lands in a section of Nagarkovil and Eluthumadduval forward defence position for the explicit purpose of inspecting the damage caused to their Palmyra and coconut plantations by the Sri Lankan security forces, but placed stringent conditions on their entry, sources said. Full story >> SL President says ‘dangerous’ period ahead[TamilNet, Friday, 08 August 2003, 18:41 GMT]Sri Lanka’s President, Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge, addressing a workshop of members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party women organizations Friday, said that the country was facing the most dangerous period in its history as the United National Front government was preparing to “hand over the power to rule a part of the country to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, in the name of taking forward the present peace process." Full story >> Ex Vice-Chancellor of Eastern University dies[TamilNet, Friday, 08 August 2003, 15:28 GMT]The former Vice Chancellor of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka, Prof. K.D. Arulpragasam, died in Colombo Thursday of natural causes, and the Eastern University community is mourning the death, sources in Batticaloa said. Full story >> Indian fishermen released, boatmen remanded[TamilNet, Friday, 08 August 2003, 14:49 GMT]The Point Pedro Magistrate Friday ordered the release of eight of the ten Indian fishermen arrested for poaching in the Inparuty seas in Vadamaradchi, Jaffna district, by the local fishermen, and the remaining two in remand are the boatmen, sources said. Full story >> 'Safeguard sea resources in Tamil homeland'[TamilNet, Friday, 08 August 2003, 13:14 GMT]A seminar on "Tamileelam sea resources and the challenges confronted by fishermen" was held Friday morning at the Veerasingham Hall in Jaffna under the auspices of the International Tamileelam Students Federation. In his keynote address at the seminar, Dr.A.Soosaianandan, Senior Lecturer at Jaffna University, warned of the dangers of sea resources in the Tamil homeland being "exploited by external elements." Full story >> SLA buried 48,518 mines in Paranthan[TamilNet, Friday, 08 August 2003, 03:26 GMT]During the time the Sri Lanka Army was controlling Paranthan, the Army buried 48,518 land mines in the area, according to information provided to the Humanitarian De-mining Unit by the United Nations Development Plan, HDU sources said. Full story >> Thileepan memorial hospital's service commended[TamilNet, Friday, 08 August 2003, 02:38 GMT]In a press release, an organization that represents the people of Neduntheevu, one of the islets off Jaffna, has commended the service rendered by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam through the Thileepan memorial hospital they opened in 2002 and completed its first year of service on August 4, Monday. Full story >> 5000 stray cattle threaten paddy crops in Thenmaradchi[TamilNet, Friday, 08 August 2003, 01:32 GMT]About five thousand heads of cattle, abandoned by their owners in the Thenamaradchi division in Jaffna district when they fled their villages due to military operation, have gone stray and the Divisional Secretary of the division has sought the assistance of the Sri Lanka Army to capture these animals in order to save paddy crops by resettled farmers, civil sources said. Full story >> Vanni TNA MP attacked, escapes unhurt[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 August 2003, 16:54 GMT]The Vanni district Member of Parliament from the Tamil National Alliance, Mr. T. Sivashakthi Anandan, was assaulted at his home village of Semamadu in the Vavuniya district Thursday morning, during a meeting on Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, by a youth who had a private dispute with the MP, sources in a Vavuniya said. Full story >> Resettled villager injured in bomb explosion[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 August 2003, 15:22 GMT]Mr.Kanthan Kandasamy (46), head of a resettled family at Chunnakam in Valigamam north in the Jaffna district, was grievously injured, resulting in the loss of both legs below the knees, when a bomb that had been buried in his land exploded Thursday morning while he was sinking a well in his land, police said. Full story >> Peiris says peace talks could resume next month[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 August 2003, 14:48 GMT]The Cabinet Spokesman of the United National Front Government of Sri Lanka, Prof.G.L.Peiris, Thursday expressed confidence that peace talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam could resume next month as the latter is currently engaged in seeking legal advice from constitutional experts on the interim administrative structure for the northeast province, media sources said. Full story >> Jaffna fishermen capture Indian poachers[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 August 2003, 14:45 GMT]A Group of Vadamarachi fishermen in the Jaffna district Wednesday around midnight took into their custody ten Indian fishermen with their trawlers when they were engaged in poaching in northern waters. The Indian fishermen and their trawlers were brought down to the Vadamarachchi shore and later handed over to the Point Pedro police through the village level officer (Grama Sevaka) of the area, Police sources said. Full story >> Unidentified men lob grenade at Batticaloa TRO office[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 August 2003, 08:05 GMT]Unidentified men who came in a motorbike hurled a grenade at the office of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) in Mahiladi Veethi in Batticaloa Wednesday night around 8.30 p.m. The grenade fell inside the premises of the TRO office damaging a vehicle, police said. Full story >> Acute shortage at Thellipalai hospital[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 August 2003, 03:22 GMT]The Thellipalai hospital for mental patients, completely destroyed by the Sri Lanka Army operations in 1990, has been operating since then in a private building that falls under the SLA’s High Security Zone without any facilities, and there are only 4 doctors and 16 nurses, though for proper patient care the hospital would need at least 12 doctors and 42 nurses, hospital sources said. Full story >> Trinco fishermen demonstrate to safeguard sea resource[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 August 2003, 19:52 GMT]Hundreds of fishermen from the three main communities, Tamil, Sinhala and Muslim, in the Trincomalee town Wednesday held a demonstration against the use of dynamite and prohibited nets for fishing in the Trincomalee Sea. This was the first time since the ceasefire agreement was signed by the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam that Tamil members joined the Sinhalese and Muslim communities to hold a protest march for a common cause, senior citizens of the eastern port town said. Full story >> SLA pressures villagers to withdraw camp complaint[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 August 2003, 18:47 GMT]The Sri Lanka Army officials stationed at Potpathi in Vadamaradchi east, Jaffna district, are reported to be exerting pressure on the villagers to withdraw their representation to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission and the regional office of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) of Sri Lanka against the establishment of a military camp at Potpathi, civil sources said. Full story >> Bomb explosion injures two civilians in Thenmaradchi[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 August 2003, 18:30 GMT]Two Tamil civilians, Mr.S.Sahayanathan (45) and Mr.S. Pararajasingham (57),were seriously injured in a bomb explosion that took place Wednesday morning at Sarasalai area in Madduvil north of Thenamaradchchi in the Jaffna district, police said. Full story >> Jaffna HC orders further remand for Indian boatmen[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 August 2003, 14:20 GMT]The Jaffna High Court Wednesday ordered further remand for the four Indian boatmen who have been charged with poaching in the Sri Lankan terroritorial waters in the northern sea, legal sources said. Full story >> CID continues investigation of Jaffna's ex-GA[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 August 2003, 13:21 GMT]The Jaffna Magistrate, Mr.R.T.Viknarajah, Wednesday instructed the court registrar to hand over the originals of seventeen cheques produced in court in connection with the case in which a former Jaffna Government Agent, Mr.K. Shanmuganathan, has been charged with criminal misappropriation of about forty million rupees allocated by the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority for North (RRAN), legal sources said. Full story >> 3350 persons await resettlement in Trincomalee district[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 August 2003, 19:18 GMT]Around 3350 people from 920 displaced families have been staying in thirteen refugee and welfare camps in the Trincomalee district awaiting resettlement in their own villages, said the North East Community Restoration Development (NECORD) Deputy Project Director, Mr.N.Puhendran, addressing a gathering at the opening of a new building at Mahavelipura Vidiyalaya in Kantalai, Trincomalee district, Tuesday. Full story >> Mystery death of Batticaloa man in Jaffna[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 August 2003, 17:48 GMT]Mr. Sinnathamby Thambipillai, 38, of Batticaloa, was found dead with head injuries inside a jewelry shop in Kasthuriyar Street in Jaffna town on Sunday night, and he was the third person to die in a jewelry shop in Jaffna mysteriously, Police sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> Bhikku Front launches campaign against IA[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 August 2003, 17:12 GMT]The National Bhikku Front (NBF) of Sri Lanka Tuesday commenced a propaganda campaign opposing the establishment of an Interim Administration (IA) for the northeast province by the United National Front government, and the general secretary of the NBF, Ven. Chandaloka Thera, said that the campaign will be held in Colombo and 50 other cities in the south through nearly 1500 Buddhist Vihares in the island. Full story >> Kalutara detainee on a fasting campaign[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 August 2003, 15:31 GMT]A Tamil youth detained at the Kalutara prison without trial is sitting on the prison’s roof and fasting, saying that the Sri Lankan government should either bring a case against him and expedite it or release him, the Jaffna-based Tamil language daily, Uthayan, reported Tuesday. Full story >> Inland water fishermen in Vavuniya granted boats[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 August 2003, 03:50 GMT]To promote the self-employment of fishermen of all ethnic groups in the Vavuniya district, who depend on fishing in inland water, the Vanni Rehabilitation Minister, Mr. Noordeen Mashoor, presented 49 fishing boats Monday, sources in Vavuniya said. Full story >> Evidence in Vavuniya grenade attack case sent to analyst[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 August 2003, 03:13 GMT]The Vavuniya District Judge Monday ordered the Police to send the evidence gathered at the political office of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Vavuniya, where there was a grenade on July 28, to the Sri Lankan government analyst for his report. Full story >> Puthuvai releases Poet Sujan’s collection of poems[TamilNet, Monday, 04 August 2003, 22:06 GMT]Poet Puthuvai Ratnathurai, the head of the Thamileelam Cultural Department of the LTTE, Monday evening delivered his keynote address at an event to release a collection of poems “ Manamuruhi Vayalveliyil” written by a Jaffna born Tamil poet now living in Switzerland held at Valvettithurai Sithamabara College hall. Full story >> Skill development programme in Vanni[TamilNet, Monday, 04 August 2003, 21:57 GMT]The World University Service of Canada (WUSC) in Sri Lanka and the North East Provincial Council, on behalf of the North East Community Restoration and Development (NECORD), last week signed an agreement to implement a Skill Development Programme in the districts of Killinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya in the LTTE-held Vanni region, sources said. Full story >> Muslim MP says North and East should not be merged[TamilNet, Monday, 04 August 2003, 16:42 GMT]The Tamil people were forced to have recourse to an armed struggle as a result of the oppressive policies of the Sinhalese political leadership, and when finding a political solution to this problem, “we are clear that a similar situation should not be created for the Muslim minority in the merged North East, and that is why we have told the [Sri Lankan] President that we want the North and East to be separate,” said Mr. A.L.M. Athaulla, Member of Parliament (MP) from the Ampara district Monday. Full story >> Thamilchelvan concludes visit to eastern districts[TamilNet, Monday, 04 August 2003, 15:56 GMT]Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, the Political Head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Monday concluded his nine-day visit to the eastern districts of Batticaloa and Trincomalee and returned to the Vanni, sources in the Vanni said. Full story >> Art exhibition on 'Living a Healthy Life' held in Muttur villages[TamilNet, Monday, 04 August 2003, 14:22 GMT]Trincomalee Rotaract Club, youth wing of the Rotary Movement with the sponsorship of the Integrated Food Security Programme (IFSP-GTZ) of the German Technical Co-operation held a one-day art exhibition for students in Killiveddy and Eachchilampathu education divisions in Muttur, south of Trincomalee district on the theme " Living a Healthy Life " at the Killiveddy Maha Vidiyalayam last weekend (August 2), sources said. Full story >> Gunmen kill two persons in Muttur in separate incidents[TamilNet, Monday, 04 August 2003, 14:21 GMT]Unidentified gunmen shot dead two persons in Muttur, south of Trincomalee district within two days in separate incidents, police said. Full story >> ‘Tamils should create their own musical tradition’[TamilNet, Monday, 04 August 2003, 04:38 GMT]“As a people with a history of having refined folk arts and literature, the Tamils should create a musical tradition uniquely theirs, and great musicians and intellectuals should help to create such a tradition," said “Thamilmani Mullaimani” Mr. V. Subramaniam, speaking at a two-day regional literary festival organized by the Vavuniya Cultural Federation Saturday. Full story >> SLA agrees to ease conditions on Vadamarachchi fishermen[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 August 2003, 19:30 GMT]At a discussion with the representatives of the Vadamarachchi Fisheries Co-operative Federation Sunday, the Sri Lanka Army agreed to ease several conditions imposed on fishermen in the Vadamarachchi coastal areas for fishing in northern waters, fisheries sources said. Full story >> Deputy Foreign Minister of Japan visits Jaffna[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 August 2003, 14:51 GMT]The Japanese Senior Vice Foreign Minister, Mr.Tetsura Yano, visited Jaffna Sunday morning and inspected the conditions of a refugee camp at Inuvil where hundreds of internally displaced people from Valigamam north, deprived of their homes by the Sri Lanka Army’s High Security Zones, are staying, sources said. Full story >> Thamilchelvan opens TRO's computer centre in Chenaiyoor[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 August 2003, 04:20 GMT]Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, the political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, on Saturday evening declared open a Computer Training Centre at Chenaiyoor in Muttur east established by the Trincomalee district Tamils’ Rehabilitation Organization under the sponsorship of its Canadian branch, TRO sources said. Full story >> Thamilchelvan meets SL govt. officials in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 August 2003, 02:34 GMT]Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, the political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Saturday morning addressed about three hundred government and provincial council officials in the Trincomalee district regarding the rehabilitation, reconstruction and resettlement process now being handled by the Sri Lankan state organizations in the district since the ceasefire agreement came into operation, sources said. Full story >> Owners of paddy lands in HSZ to meet[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 August 2003, 23:52 GMT]Owners of the paddy lands ocated in the High Security Zone of Thenmaradchchi in the Jaffna district and released by the Sri Lanka Army for cultivation last week, will meet on August 7 at the office of the Kaithady Divisional Agrarian Office to decide on the next course of action, civil sources said. Full story >> Mystery disappearance of five persons reported to HRC[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 August 2003, 23:46 GMT]A complaint was lodged Friday at the Jaffna regional office of the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission that five members of a family residing at Mylankadu in Chunnakam area are reported to have mysteriously disappeared since June 27, HRC sources said. Full story >> TEPS expands service in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 August 2003, 17:55 GMT]Twenty-four policemen from the Tamil Eelam Police Service (TEPS)’s headquarters in the Vanni have reached Batticaloa on Saturday with the guidance of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, and the policemen are staying at the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam-controlled Vakarai area, 32 km to the north of Batticaloa town, TEPS sources said. Full story >> ‘Southern fears of Interim Administration unfounded’[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 August 2003, 14:28 GMT]The people of the South should have no fears that the Interim Administration (IA) for the North-East of Sri Lanka, currently being considered by the United National Front Government of Sri Lanka, will harm the integrity of the country, said Mr. Lal Wijenaike, Politburo member of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), in an interview with the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Saturday, sources said. Full story >> Century old Hindu temple chariot vandalized in Jaffna[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 August 2003, 02:56 GMT]Cultural vandalism is again on the increase in Jaffna district and the managements of Hindu temples in the peninsula have taken precautionary measures to safeguard several centuries' old antiques and artifacts, made of gold and other metals, and other art works made of wood in their temples, cultural authorities said. Full story >> Puthuvai Ratnathurai's Poem Collection released[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 August 2003, 01:15 GMT]A collection of poems, “ Ulaikalam,” written by Poet Puthuvai Ratnathurai, head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Cultural and Arts Department, was released Friday at the Kailasapathy auditorium of the Jaffna University, where a leading political activist of the LTTE, Mr.V.Balakumaran, was the keynote speaker, sources said. Full story >> 'SLMM unjust in asking the LTTE to remove camp' -Thamilchelvan[TamilNet, Friday, 01 August 2003, 20:01 GMT]Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, the political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, speaking to journalists at the LTTE secretariat in Sampur in Muttur East on Friday evening, said that there was no need for him to inspect the Kurankupanchan LTTE camp, which has been the subject of recent controversy, adding that the area had been under the LTTE's control for a long time and it was “unjust” for the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission or the Sri Lankan Army to ask the LTTE to remove the camp. Full story >> Remand extended for Indian fishermen[TamilNet, Friday, 01 August 2003, 16:35 GMT]Four Indian fishermen arrested in Sri Lankan waters on March 6 were produced at the High court in Jaffna Friday, and were further remanded till August 6 by the High Court Judge, Mr. K.P.Varatharajah, court sources in Jaffna said. Full story >> Thamilchelvan to visit Trincomalee, discuss IA proposals[TamilNet, Friday, 01 August 2003, 15:13 GMT]The head of the political division of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Mr. S.P. Thamilchelvan, is visiting Trincomalee on Friday, and will hold discussions with the LTTE’s Trincomalee leaders on the proposed Interim Administration for the North-East, the Jaffna-based Tamil daily, Uthayan, reported Friday. Full story >> SLA denies passage to dead LTTE cadre's uniformed body[TamilNet, Friday, 01 August 2003, 01:55 GMT]The Sri Lanka Army refused permission to take the body of a dead Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam cadre through the SLA checkpoint in Uylankulam in Mannar to his hometown under the SLA control in Mannar for funeral rites, on the grounds that they could not allow the LTTE uniform and flag on the body, and the relatives of the cadre had to be taken to an LTTE-held area where the funeral with full honors took place, LTTE political sources in Mannar said. Full story >>
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