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Nimalarajan murder suspect accused in sexual assault[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 March 2004, 18:18 GMT]It came to light in the Jaffna Magistrate court Wednesday that the first suspect, in the murder case of Journalist Mylvaganam Nimalarajan, the paramilitary Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) activist Mr. Kandasamy Jegatheeswaran alias Jegan, is the person who had sexually assaulted a schoolgirl on March 26 in Karampon south village while absconding, legal sources said Full story >> Central elections office opened at Batti Hindu college[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 March 2004, 16:57 GMT]The central elections office for the Batticaloa district has been opened at the Batticaloa Hindu College, and the transport division for the elections is operating from there, sources in Batticaloa said. Full story >> LTTE requests Jaffna Tamils not to leave Batticaloa, Amparai[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 March 2004, 16:29 GMT]The political secretariat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Wednesday issued a statement appealing to the people who have been living in the districts of Batticaloa and Amparai for generations not to leave their habitats succumbing to the threats and the pressure directly issued by the Karuna group or in the name of any other organizations. Full story >> Competent Authority on State media to continue[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 March 2004, 16:15 GMT]A three-member bench of the Supreme Court Wednesday refused to issue an interim injunction to suspend the appointment of the Competent Authority for the three State controlled electronic media, Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) and Independent Television Network (ITN), legal sources said. Full story >> Election violence increases[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 March 2004, 14:56 GMT]With a day left for the 13th parliamentary election, which is scheduled to be held on April 2nd, post incidents of polls violence reached 1256 Wednesday morning. Of them 983 complaints related to election offences and the balance pertained to Violation of Election Laws, Police Election Secretariat reported. Full story >> Religious dignitaries appeal for calm in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 March 2004, 14:49 GMT]Religious dignitaries of all faiths in the Batticaloa district Wednesday made an urgent appeal to parties concerned to take immediate steps to promote peaceful environment instead of taking revenge, civil sources said. Full story >> Businesses close as Jaffna Tamils leave Batticaloa[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 March 2004, 11:01 GMT]Businesses belonging to Tamils from Jaffna remain closed in Batticaloa, Chenkalady, Kaluwanchikudi, Pandiriuppu and Kalmunai areas as the owners left the area on the orders of renegade commander Karuna said sources in Batticaloa. Full story >> Karuna cadres arrested with weapons in Batticaloa town[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 March 2004, 10:30 GMT]The Batticaloa Magistrate Mr.A.J.M.Ajmeer Wednesday ordered remand till April 14 for four persons who are said to be cadres of Mr. Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan (Karuna), renegade commander of the LTTE when they were produced in court on a report that they were taken into custody for possession of dangerous weapons, legal sources said. Full story >> Accused rapist of minor gets 27 year sentence[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 March 2004, 00:10 GMT]The Vavuniya High Court Tuesday sentenced an absconding accused, Chelliah Sivaji, 24, to 27 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) for the abduction and rape of an eight years-old girl, and ordered the accused to pay 20,000 rupees as compensation to the victim and 3,000 rupees to the court, sources in Vavuniya said. Full story >> Karuna Group orders Jaffna Tamils to leave Batticaloa[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 March 2004, 17:23 GMT]Tension and fear gripped Batticaloa town Tuesday evening as Karuna Group cadres ordered thousands of civilians and businessmen of Jaffna who are resident in Batticaloa to leave the eastern district immediately. Full story >> Fishermen complain of harassment by SL Navy[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 March 2004, 16:50 GMT]Vadamaradchi fishermen have made complaints to the Jaffna regional officials of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka that the Sri Lanka Navy has prevented them from fishing in the northern sea. " We are being chased away by the navy personnel when we venture out for fishing in the northern sea since Saturday,' fishermen said in their complaints to the HRCSL, fisheries sources said. Full story >> Jaffna HC fines Indian boatmen for poaching[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 March 2004, 16:40 GMT]The Jaffna High Court Judge, Mr.K.P.S.Varatharajah, Tuesday imposed fine on 39 Indian boatmen who had been indicted for poaching in the Sri Lankan territorial waters. Each accused was ordered to pay a fine of fifty thousand rupees in default to serve five years rigorous imprisonment, which has been suspended for a period of ten years, legal sources said. Full story >> “Depriving franchise would pose serious problems”- Cushnahan[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 March 2004, 15:10 GMT]“The Elections Commissioner has agreed that voters in LTTE held areas in the northeast would be given an opportunity to exercise their franchise. However, preventing them from voting on the polling day would pose serious problems,” said the European Union Election Observation Commission (EU EOM) Chief Observer, Mr.John Cushnahan, addressing a press briefing in the Batticaloa district secretariat Tuesday. Full story >> Nimalarajan murder suspect arrested[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 March 2004, 15:01 GMT]The Kayts Police in Jaffna district Tuesday arrested the absconding suspect Mr.Kanthasamy Jegatheeswaran alias Jegan in the Journalist Mylvaganam Nimalarajan murder case. The Jaffna Magistrate Mr.R.T.Viknarajah last week issued open warrant on the suspect when he failed to appear in court, legal sources said. Full story >> Batticaloa district security strengthened[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 March 2004, 14:53 GMT]The security of the Batticaloa district, which has witnessed four political murders since the filing of nominations for the forthcoming general election, has been strengthened following the killings of two persons including the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) candidate Mr.Rajan Sathyamoorthy Tuesday. Full story >> EU Chief Observer visits Batticaloa scene of killing[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 March 2004, 11:48 GMT]European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) Chief Observer Mr.John Cushnahan accompanied by European Union (EU) Sri Lankan delegation head Mr.Wouter Wilton arrived in Batticaloa Tuesday morning and visited the house where the Tamil National Alliance candidate Mr.Rajan Sathyamoorthy and his relative Mr.Kanthan Kanagasabai were killed. They also visited the hospital and inquired from the Police regarding the incident, sources said. Full story >> Tigers condemn TNA candidate’s killing[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 March 2004, 07:27 GMT]The Liberation Tigers Tuesday said they strongly condemn the killing of Mr. Rajan Sathiyamoorthy, Tamil National Alliance candidate for Batticaloa. “The people of Batticaloa should not to be perturbed by such incidents of violence in the district that create fear. We call on them to vote for the TNA and show the world the national strength of the Tamil people”, the LTTE said in statement issued in Tamil from their political headquarters in Kilinochchi Tuesday. Mr. Sathiyamoorthy was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at his residence Tuesday morning. Full story >> Thennamaravadi residents to vote after 17 years[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 March 2004, 03:10 GMT]Nearly six hundred displaced voters of Thennamaravadi, a traditional Tamil village on the northern border of the Trincomalee district located about 73 km from the east port town wiil be voting for the first time after they fled from the village in 1987 due to military operation by the Sri Lanka Army, civil sources said. Full story >> Pro-Karuna TNA candidate shot[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 March 2004, 02:40 GMT]Batticaloa Tamil National Alliance candidate, Mr. Rajan Sathiyamoorthy, a close confidante of renegade LTTE commander Mr. V. Muraleetharan, was shot by unidentified gunmen at his residence in the eastern town Tuesday morning. The injured candidate was rushed to Batticaloa hospital, Police said. The Hospital director said that Mr.Sathiyamoorthy succumbed to his wounds after he was admitted to the hospital. Full story >> FMM condemns bomb attack on ABC Director's residence[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 March 2004, 02:21 GMT]The Free Media Movement (FMM) Monday condemned the bomb attack Sunday night on the residence of the Managing Director of the Asia Broadcasting Corporation Mr. Raynor Silva as an undemocratic act to muzzle the independence of the free media. FMM spokesman Mr.Sunanda Desapriya said in a statement requested the authorities concerned to investigate the alleged incident immediately, media sources said. Full story >> Jaffna University confers degrees on Tamil artistes[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 March 2004, 00:46 GMT] The Jaffna University created history last weekend by conferring Honorary Doctorates of Philosophy posthumously on two world-renowned artistes, Nathaswaram Vidwan Mr. N.K.Pathmanathan of Alaveddy and Dramatist Nadikamani V. V.Vairamuthu of Kankesanthurai. The Chancellor Professor M.Sivasooriya conferred the titles on them at the twenty-third convocation of the university held Saturday at the Kailasapathy Auditorium.Full story >> Six EU observers to monitor polling in Trinco[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 March 2004, 00:22 GMT]Six observers of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) have been posted to Trincomalee electoral district to monitor the election activities on the polling day, said EU Chief Observer Chief Observer, Mr.John Cushnahan, Monday, addressing a press briefing in the Trincomalee district secretariat. Full story >> Major political parties to hold final election rallies Tuesday[TamilNet, Monday, 29 March 2004, 21:28 GMT]The final election rallies of major political parties are to be held Tuesday evening in various parts of the country bringing the one and a half months old bitter election campaign to an end two days before the April 2nd poll, political sources said. Full story >> Sampanthan urges countries to remove ban on LTTE[TamilNet, Monday, 29 March 2004, 17:05 GMT]"The ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam is still in force in some countries. The verdict of the Tamil people in the northeast province in the April 2nd poll should tell these countries that time has come for them to lift the ban on the LTTE as they have been fully backing the LTTE and its Interim Self-Governing Authority proposal," said Mr.R.Sampanthan, leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the lead candidate of the TNA in the Trincomalee district, ddressing a series of election meeting from morning till late in the night on Sunday. Full story >> "April election to create new leaf in freedom struggle"-Ilamparithi[TamilNet, Monday, 29 March 2004, 16:57 GMT]"Tamils in the northeast should rally around the Tamil National Alliance in the forthcoming April 2 general election to create a new leaf in the Tamil freedom struggle," said the Jaffna district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Mr.C. Ilamparithi, addressing a press conference held Monday evening at the office of the Jaffna district political secretariat located in Kokuvil. Full story >> Shadow Internet edition of Tamil Alai launched[TamilNet, Monday, 29 March 2004, 15:38 GMT]A shadow edition of Tamil Alai, a newspaper controlled by the renegade Karuna group in Kokkadichcholai in Batticaloa, appeared on the internet on Monday with the name “Thamil Alai,” competing with the Karuna group’s internet edition and signaling growing disenchantment in the East with the renegade group, sources said. Full story >> Posters, leaflets against Karuna Group in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Monday, 29 March 2004, 15:33 GMT]Posters criticising the Karuna Group appeared in many parts of Batticaloa Monday. Several leaflets urging people in the troubled eastern district not to provide any form of assistance to the group led by renegade LTTE commander, Mr. Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, were also distributed in Batticaloa town and its outskirts Sunday night. Full story >> Jaffna youth fined for violating election law[TamilNet, Monday, 29 March 2004, 14:50 GMT]The Jaffna Magistrate Mr.R.T.Viknarajah Monday imposed a fine of one thousand rupees on a Tamil youth and ordered him to pay another one thousand rupees for charity when he pleaded guilty to the charge of violating election laws by pasting posters in public place, legal sources said Full story >> SLN denies involvement in intimidating LTTE cadres[TamilNet, Monday, 29 March 2004, 14:32 GMT]The Sri Lanka Navy Monday denied its involvement in the intimidation of LTTE political activists recently in the Puliyankoodal area in Kayts division in the Jaffna district. The SLN's denial came in a response to a complaint by the LTTE's Jaffna district political secretariat with the Jaffna regional office of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), sources said Full story >> Election Commissioner brings SLBC, SLRC under Competent Authority[TamilNet, Monday, 29 March 2004, 12:58 GMT]The Commissioner of Elections Mr.Dayananda Dissanayake Monday brought the State controlled Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLRC) and the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) under a Competent Authority (CA). Mr.W.D.Lakshman Perera has been appointed as the CA with immediate effect, Election Department press release said. Full story >> EU chief observer condemns shooting of politician, GA[TamilNet, Monday, 29 March 2004, 11:16 GMT] "It is a direct attack on the democracy," said European Union Election Observation Mission Chief Observer Mr John Cushnahan commenting on the attempted murders of a former minister in Colombo and a top government
official in Batticaloa district, during his visit to Trincomalee Monday.Full story >> Grenade attack on media CEO's residence[TamilNet, Monday, 29 March 2004, 03:45 GMT]Unidentified assailants hurled a grenade on the residence of Mr. Raynor Silva, chief executive of the Asian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Sunday night in Colombo. The ABC runs five popular FM radio stations in Sinhala, Tamil and English. Full story >> Thampalakamam residents march in support of TNA[TamilNet, Monday, 29 March 2004, 01:11 GMT] Hundreds of villagers including women and children participated in a four km procession in Thampalakamam, Sunday afternoon carrying photographs of the LTTE national leader Mr.Velupillai Pirapaharan and shouting slogans in support of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) candidates, sources said.
Full story >> "Election will be a turning point in Tamil struggle"- LTTE official[TamilNet, Monday, 29 March 2004, 00:51 GMT]Kumburupiddy area political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Mr.M.Sivakumar, Sunday addressing an election seminar in support of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in the Trincomalee district said that the forthcoming general election would be a turning point in the Tamil freedom struggle. Full story >> CTTU asks members to vote for TNA, anti-war party in South[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 March 2004, 19:12 GMT]The General Secretary of Ceylon Tamil Teachers' Union (CTTU), Mr.T.Mahasivam, Sunday addressing an election seminar held for CTTU Trincomalee zonal branch teachers Sunday told its members to cast one of their preferential votes to the lead candidate of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in every district in the northeast province in the forthcoming general election. Full story >> EU Chief Observer Cushnahan visits Jaffna[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 March 2004, 18:54 GMT] European Union Election Observer Mission (EU EOM) Chief Observer Mr.John Cushnahan accompanied by EU Sri Lankan delegation head Mr.Wouter Wilton arrived in Jaffna Sunday morning and held discussions regarding the forthcoming general election with top officials of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) based in the peninsula Full story >> GA briefs officials on Vanni voting arrangements[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 March 2004, 05:43 GMT]Essential facilities, including transport, have been arranged for the voters in the Liberation Tigers controlled areas of Vavuniya, Mannar and Mullaithivu to vote in clustered polling stations in the areas controlled by the Sri Lanka Army, and the Omanthai check point will stay open starting at 4:00 am on election day, April 2, until all the voters can return to their homes in the LTTE-controlled areas, said the Returning Officer and Government Agent for Vavuniya, Mr. K. Ganesh, at a special meeting Saturday. Full story >> Final week takes political leaders to many electorates[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 March 2004, 03:56 GMT] With five days to go for the Sri Lanka’s thirteen parliamentary election leaders of major political parties are conducting whirlwind tour of electorates to beat the deadline for ending their election campaign on midnight March 30th. Meanwhile the Election Commissioner has instructed heads of electronic media to stop all election advertisements and political interviews and other election related programmes from midnight of March 29, seventy two hours prior to the polling day.
Full story >> Resettled Kanniya village gets co-operative model shop[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 March 2004, 03:01 GMT]Trincomalee Multi Purpose Co-operative Society (MPCS) Saturday opened its newly constructed eleventh retail and model shop at a cost of about 2 million rupees after about fourteen years in the resettled Tamil village Kanniya to cater to the urgent basic needs of the resettled families, civil society sources said. Kanniya is located about six km off north of east port town . Full story >> Injured UNP candidate, GA, under intensive treatment[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 March 2004, 02:53 GMT]The Sri Lanka's former Hindu religious Affairs Minister Mr.Thiagarajah Maheswaran and the Batticaloa District Government Agent and the Returning officer Mr.Mounagurusamy who were injured when unidentified persons shot at them Saturday night in two separate incidents have been undergoing intensive treatment in Colombo. Mr. Maheswaran is in a private hospital and Mr.Mounagurusamy is warded in the Colombo national hospital, medical sources said. Full story >> Girl sexually assaulted by EPDP cadre[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 March 2004, 22:07 GMT]The father of a twelve-year old girl student of Karampan Little Flower Girls' School Saturday made a complaint to the Kayts Police that his daughter had been sexually assaulted by a member of Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP). The girl's family is from Karampan south village in Kayts division, Police said. Full story >> Body of missing fisherman recovered[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 March 2004, 22:04 GMT]The body of the missing fisherman Mr.Nicholsamy Jeyasingham (35) of Point Pedro in Vadamarachchi division in Jaffna district was brought to the shore Saturday morning around nine a.m. by fellow fishermen who went Saturday morning in search of him, fisheries sources said. Full story >> Omanthai checkpoint to close for election arrangements[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 March 2004, 17:24 GMT]The Omanthai check point along A9 highway will be closed from 1 p.m. on April 1st to 5 p.m. for civilian movement and transport of goods to enable civil and army authorities to make arrangements for general election, the Commissioner of Elections Mr.Dayananda Dissanayake said Saturday in a press release. Full story >> Rejection of ISGA will lead to separation - Sampanthan[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 March 2004, 16:53 GMT] "The international community should come forward to recognize Tamils right to consider secession if the future Sinhala government refuses to negotiate on the basis of the Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) proposal of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam," said Mr.R.Sampanthan, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader and the lead candidate of the TNA contesting in the Trincomalee district addressing an election rally in Sambaltivu and Salli, Tamil villages in the north of Trincomalee Friday evening.
Full story >> "Sri Lanka's President sabotaged the Peace Process" - Selvam[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 March 2004, 16:23 GMT] "The take over of the defense ministry by the President had been well planned to sabotage the peace talks between the UNF government and LTTE," said Mr.Selvam Adaikalanathan, former Member of Parliament and the lead candidate of the Tamil National Alliance in the Vavuniya electoral district addressing an election rally at Orr's Hill in Trincomalee Friday.
Full story >> Sri Lanka's former Hindu Affairs minister shot[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 March 2004, 14:37 GMT] Sri Lanka's former Hindu Affairs Minister and ex. MP for Jaffna, Mr. Thiyagarajah Maheswaran was shot and seriously wounded by unidentified gunmen in downtown Colombo Saturday night around 8 p.m. Mr. Maheswaran is contesting elections as a United National Front candidate in the Colombo district. Full story >> "Investigations obstructed by widespread impunity" - Rights Group[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 March 2004, 13:14 GMT]The Asian Legal Resource Center (ALRC), a HongKong based human rights organization, criticized the National Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (NHRC) for its "failure to develop an effective complaint and investigation procedure," and said that in Sri Lanka police investigations are still "obstructed by widespread impunity," in written submissions to the 60th session of UN's Commission on Human Rights. Full story >> Batticaloa GA shot, wounded[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 March 2004, 13:07 GMT] Batticaloa government agent, Mr. Ratnam Mounagurusamy, was shot and wounded by unidentified gunmen near the eastern town Saturday evening around 6 p.m. Police said.
Full story >> Sri Lanka election enters final week amid fear of violence[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 March 2004, 12:29 GMT]As independent poll monitors fear of an escalation in violence in the final week of campaigning for April 2 parliament elections, Police Election Secretariat reported Saturday that it has received 1113 complaints since the day of accepting nominations started on February 17 till Saturday morning 6 a.m. Full story >> SLN blocks TNA candidates from campaigning in Jaffna islets[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 March 2004, 11:53 GMT]Lead candidate for Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in Jaffna district, Mavai Senathirajah, complained Friday to the Elections Commissioner that the Sri Lanka Navy soldiers are blocking TNA candidates and their supporter to carryout election campaign in Jaffna islets, local media from Jaffna reported. Full story >> Election arrangements in Trincomalee district finalized[TamilNet, Friday, 26 March 2004, 18:50 GMT]Fifteen clustered polling stations will be established in the Muttur and Eachilampathu divisions enabling voters residing in the Liberation Tigers held areas in the Trincomalee district to exercise their franchise, said Mr. Gamini Rodrigo, District Returning Officer and Government Agent, presiding over a conference held Friday in the district secretariat to finalize all arrangements for the forthcoming general election. Full story >> CMEV delegation meets Jaffna LTTE political head[TamilNet, Friday, 26 March 2004, 16:42 GMT]Mr.C. Ilamparithi, Jaffna district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Friday told a delegation of the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) that armed activists of the Eelam Peoples' Democratic Party (EPDP)have engaged in unlawful activities such as intimidating, assaulting and provoking the people of the peninsula while conducting election campaign, sources said. Full story >> Jaffna HC orders deportation of 15 Indian boatmen[TamilNet, Friday, 26 March 2004, 16:06 GMT]The Jaffna High Court Judge, Mr.K.P.S.Varatharajah, Friday ordered that fifteen of the sixty seven Indian boatmen who were arrested and detained in Jaffna prisons for poaching in the northern waters should be deported to their motherland, legal sources said. Full story >> Sangaree denies he is financed by Southern forces[TamilNet, Friday, 26 March 2004, 15:26 GMT]Mr. V.Anandasangaree, the President of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and the lead candidate of an Independent Group contesting the Jaffna electoral district in the forthcoming general election, addressing a press conference in Jaffna Friday, denied the charges made some Tamil National Alliance members and the public that he was being financed by forces in the South. Full story >> EU's Election Observers to visit Trincomalee[TamilNet, Friday, 26 March 2004, 14:48 GMT]The head of the European Union's Election Observation Mission (EU-EOM), Mr.John Cushnahan, and the head of the EU delegation in Sri Lanka, Mr.Wouter Wilton, are scheduled to visit Trincomalee on March 29, Monday, to hold discussions with local election officials, sources said. Full story >> 6151 NorthEast children suffer without psychiatric help[TamilNet, Friday, 26 March 2004, 11:25 GMT]6151 children in NorthEast are psychologically affected due to war induced trauma and remain without adequate help, said planning commissioner for Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), Mr.Malaravan in a press briefing in Vavuniya Thursday morning. Lack of funds has denied us from taking forward the medical plans designed to help these children, Malaravan further said. Full story >> SLN gunboat rams fishing boat, killing one fisherman[TamilNet, Friday, 26 March 2004, 11:03 GMT]Mr.Nicholsamy Jeyasingham (35) of Point Pedro is reported to have been killed in northern sea Thursday night when a gunboat of the Sri Lanka Navy rammed the plastic boat in which he and two others went for fishing. The body of the missing fisherman has not been recovered till Friday evening, fisheries sources said. Full story >> Karuna Group threatens Pararajasingham's campaign[TamilNet, Friday, 26 March 2004, 10:19 GMT]The Karuna Group threatened the chief candidate of the Tamil National Alliance in Batticaloa, Mr. Joseph Pararajasingham, to stop his campaign in the district immediately, sources close to the veteran eastern politician said Friday. Full story >> Warrant issued for arrest of Nimalarajan murder accused[TamilNet, Friday, 26 March 2004, 01:04 GMT]Jaffna Magistrate and Additional District Court Judge R.T.Wignarajah issued an open warrant Thursday for the arrest of Kandasamy Jegatheeswaran, the first accused in Nimalarajan murder case, local Jaffna media reported. Full story >> LTTE explains renegade’s revolt to Eastern cadres[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 March 2004, 17:33 GMT]In a statement issued Thursday, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has explained to its cadres and divisional heads in the Batticaloa-Amparai district about the ‘offenses’ of Mr. Vinayagomoorthy Muraleetharan, also known as Karuna, who was the LTTE’s commander for the district. Full story >> Jaffna university students protest against attack[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 March 2004, 17:18 GMT]A group of Jaffna university students Thursday evening held a token protest against the attack on them, allegedly by a group of Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) activists, which resulted in injuries to two students including the President of the Students Union Mr.P.Paheerathan. Because of the protest traffic through Jaffna-Palaly main road came to halt for few hours, sources said. Full story >> Commonwealth monitors meet Elections Commissioner[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 March 2004, 12:02 GMT]Commonwealth country representatives who arrived in Sri Lanka Thursday to monitor next week's parliamentary elections held discussions with the Commissioner of Elections Dayananda Dissanayake today, political sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Two Jaffna university students injured in election clash[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 March 2004, 10:58 GMT]The President of the Jaffna University Students Association Mr.Parajasingham Paheerathan and another student Mr.Rajaratnam Puviraj were injured when a group of Eelam Peoples' Democratic Party (EPDP) activists is alleged to have attacked them Thursday at about 11.30 a.m., police said. Full story >> TRO gives financial assistance to Trinco pre-school teachers[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 March 2004, 01:11 GMT] Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) Tuesday inaugurated a scheme to provide monthly financial assistance to fifty-two pre-school teachers serving in the Trincomalee district, TRO officials said. Pre-schools in the northeast have been administered by the Pre-School Education Development Centre (PSEDC), which has its headquarters in Killinochchi.
Full story >> Sampanthan concludes Jaffna election campaign[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 March 2004, 00:46 GMT]Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader Mr.R.Sampanthan appealed to Jaffna district Tamil voters to return TNA candidates in all nine Jaffna parliamentary seats in the forthcoming general election while addressed several election meetings in the Jaffna district Tuesday. He left Jaffna by road Wednesday morning to Pulmoddai, a Muslim village in the Trincomalee district for election campaign, sources said Full story >> Trincomalee farmers demand drought relief[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 March 2004, 00:37 GMT]More than one hundred and fifty farmers from Sambaltivu, Varothia Nagar, Sarathapuram, Kanniya, Aandankulam and Kappalthurai in the Trincomalee district Wednesday picketed in front of the office of the Trincomalee town and gravets Divisional Secretariat demanding that they should be paid drought relief similar to those given to farmers in the districts of Anuradhapura, Amparai, and Polonaruwa, civil society sources in Trincomalee said. Full story >> Navy prevents TNA candidate from entering Mandaitivu[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 March 2004, 23:37 GMT]The General Secretary of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) and the lead candidate of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in the Jaffna electoral district, Mr. Mavai Senathirajah, has requested the Commissioner of Elections to make necessary arrangements for TNA candidates to visit areas close to the high security zones in the Jaffna peninsula. Full story >> EPDP said forcing teachers into election work[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 March 2004, 15:19 GMT]Pre-school teachers working in the Vadamaradchi area in Jaffna district Wednesday complained to their Pre-School Co-ordinator that they have been pressurized by activists of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party to campaign for their candidates in the forthcoming general election, sources said. Full story >> Batticaloa Muslims demonstrate against electoral violence[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 March 2004, 14:28 GMT]The Muslim United People Front organised a demonstration in front of the Periya Pallivasal (Mosque) in Batticaloa town Wednesday, sources in the town said. Full story >> Presidential Millennium Scholarships awarded to NE students[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 March 2004, 13:53 GMT] "We are for peace .We are definitely against war. Some politicians have been agitating for a war to meet their own ends. President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge has been committed to bring permanent peace to the country," said Mr. Maithripala Sirisena, General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and a leader of the newly formed United Peoples' Freedom Alliance (UPFA) addressing an event held Wednesday morning at Trincomalee St Mary's Girls College auditorium in connection with the presentation of Presidential Millennium Scholarship awards to students in the northeast province.Full story >> Permit Tamil people to exercise their franchise - Australian MP[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 March 2004, 12:14 GMT] "Unfortunately, due to a conflict between the President, who holds executive power, and the Prime Minister, the President dismissed parliament in February of this year and Sri Lanka will face general elections on 2 April 2004. It is vital that these elections are free and fair. It is particularly important that the Tamil people of the north-east, who have been deprived of their franchise during the last two decades, are permitted to cast their votes at the forthcoming elections," said John Murphy, Australian MP in a speech in the Australian Parliament Tuesday.Full story >> UNP denies printing UPFA's second manifesto[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 March 2004, 11:23 GMT]The United National Party (UNP) has called the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to investigate an allegation by President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) that the UNP was responsible for printing a second UPFA's manifesto which is currently in circulation, political sources in Colombo said. Full story >> 150 centers accept postal votes in Batticaloa today[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 March 2004, 11:09 GMT]Batticaloa district Assistant Election Commissioner, S.Krishnananthalingam, said that postal voting is in progress at 150 Government Centers today. The voting process is being observed by two members of the Election Observer delegation from the European Union, according to sources in Batticaloa. Full story >> Gunmen injure Eastern University Senior Lecturer[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 March 2004, 10:53 GMT]Senior Lecturer of Agriculture and Acting Dean of the Agriculture faculty of the Eastern University, Professor T.Thiruchelvam, was shot and injured by two unidentified gunmen at his home in Kallady, Batticaloa Tuesday night at around 8.30 pm, security sources said. He has been admitted to the Batticaloa teaching hospital and receiving treatment, according to hospital sources. Full story >> US Tamils call for show of unity[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 March 2004, 02:46 GMT]"It is the duty of every Tamil speaking person in Sri Lanka, regardless of his/her political alignment, religious affiliation, region of residence, or even personal biases, to set aside all such considerations and support this hard earned Tamil unity...[We] wish to humbly and earnestly request ALL Eelam Tamils to exercise their franchise on April 2nd, 2004, conscientiously," said United States-based expatriate Tamil organizations in an appeal issued Tuesday. Full story >> Batticaloa to have clustered polling stations[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 March 2004, 00:45 GMT]The Elections Department of Sri Lanka has allocated two million rupees for providing transport facilities to the voters in areas of Batticaloa district not under Sri Lanka Army’s control, the Deputy Elections Commissioner, Mr. S. Krishnananthalingam, said Tuesday. Full story >> Danish organization spends Rs.260m on Rehabilitation[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 March 2004, 00:12 GMT] A four year rehabilitation plan at a cost of nearly Rs.260m is being successfully carried out by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) in Vavuniya, Mannar, Trincomalee and Anuradhapura districts, said Ms.Birgitte Ebbesen, Sri Lanka country representative of DRC, in a press briefing Tuesday in Vavuniya.Full story >> Japan donates ambulances to NE hospitals[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 March 2004, 17:26 GMT] Mr.Hiroshi Karube, Charge d' Affaires of the Japanese Embassy in Colombo, Tuesday handed over a consignment of six ambulances and three transport vehicles to the hospitals in the northeast and in the neighbouring districts under the Japanese Government funded Project for Improvement of Maternal and Child Health Care in the Conflict Affected areas.
Full story >> Kaluwanchikudy residents condemn Karuna group[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 March 2004, 14:24 GMT]The people of Kaluthavalai-Kaluwanchikudy in the Batticaloa district have shredded the leaflets issued by the Karuna group, and the Tamil Alai newspaper controlled by the group in Kokkadicholai, condemning the group for warning the people of Batticaloa-Amparai against having any contacts with the Tamil national leadership based in the Vanni, sources in Battticaloa said. Full story >> Sampanthan meets EU envoys[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 March 2004, 12:45 GMT]Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader Mr.R.Sampanthan Tuesday told the envoys of member countries of the European Union (EU) based in Colombo that Tamils of northeast would lose faith in the Sri Lanka's election process and its democracy if tens of thousands of voters residing in the Liberation Tigers controlled areas are not allowed to exercise their franchise, political sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Brattskar, Harrold meet Thamilchelvan[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 March 2004, 11:10 GMT] Mr. Peter Harrold, Country Director for World Bank in Sri Lanka and the Ambassador for Norway Mr. Hans Brattskar met with Mr. S. P. Tamilselvan, Head of the LTTE Political Wing in its Head Quarters in Kilinochchi Tuesday. The meeting focussed on issues related to NorthEast development, current political situation and forthcoming general elections, sources said.Full story >> TNA holds record election meetings in Muttur[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 March 2004, 10:35 GMT]"The current ceasefire has been signed and peace talks commenced with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) when the successive governments in Colombo failed to destroy the LTTE militarily. This should be clearly borne in every one's mind," said Mr.R.Sampanthan, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader and the lead candidate of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) contesting the forthcoming general election in the Trincomalee district when addressing a series of election meetings held in Muttur division from morning till late in the night of Sunday. Full story >> Women, key to nation building - Ms.Sithamparanathan[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 March 2004, 00:26 GMT] "I feel our freedom is near our door-step. Tamil men and women have a duty to welcome this freedom and fully engage themselves in nation building activities. Particularly our women have a significant role to play in building our nation," said Pathmini Sithamparanathan, first woman candidate standing for elections in Tamil National Alliance (TNA) ticket in Jaffna, talking to the Canadian Tamil Radio, Monday. Full story >> Sampanthan to address TNA election rallies in Jaffna[TamilNet, Monday, 22 March 2004, 18:31 GMT]Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader Mr.R.Sampanthan is scheduled to attend several election rallies in Jaffna electoral district Tuesday. He will fly to Palaly from Colombo Tuesday afternoon after meeting the ambassadors of the member countries of the European Union (EU), TNA sources said. Full story >> TNA leader to meet EU ambassadors in Colombo[TamilNet, Monday, 22 March 2004, 18:29 GMT]Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader and the Secretary General of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) Mr.R.Sampanthan is scheduled to meet the ambassadors of European countries in Colombo Tuesday around noon, TNA sources said. Full story >> Court orders inquiry into thirteen missing youths[TamilNet, Monday, 22 March 2004, 15:41 GMT]Jaffna High Court Mr.K.P.S.Varatharajah Monday instructed the Chavakachcheri Magistrate to conduct inquiries into the thirteen Habeas Corpus applications filed by relatives of thirteen Tamil youths who were reported missing after the arrest by the Sri Lanka Army during 1996 in Thenmaradchchi division in Jaffna district and to submit reports, legal sources said. Full story >> TNA election propaganda vehicle in police custody[TamilNet, Monday, 22 March 2004, 15:12 GMT]Chavakachcheri Police Saturday took a three-wheeler and the loudspeaker system belonging to Tamil National Alliance (TNA) activists into custody for operating without permissions, sources in Chavakachcheri said. The Chavakachcheri Magistrate Mr.B.Balasubramaniam Monday ordered the Police to hand over the vehicle together with the sound attachments to the court immediately. legal sources said. Full story >> TNA supporters injured in Digamadulla[TamilNet, Monday, 22 March 2004, 12:45 GMT]Four supporters of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) candidates, A. ChandraNehru and K.Pathmanathan who are competing in Digamadulla (Amparai) district, were injured in an altercation Saturday night around 11pm near Thambilulvil Kalaimahal Vidiyalayam, sources said. Full story >> Amparai woman candidate uses Bus as campaign vehicle[TamilNet, Monday, 22 March 2004, 12:20 GMT]Ms.Sabapathy Yogambikai who is standing for elections in Batticaloa-Amparai district in Tamil National Alliance (TNA) ticket is using public transport as her campaign vehicle to minize cost and to identify with the working layers of the district residents, media reports from Amparai said. Full story >> "Historic obligation to show force of Unity" - Raviraj[TamilNet, Monday, 22 March 2004, 00:12 GMT] "Several public civil society organizations have joined us in carrying out door-to-door campaigns. We are telling Jaffna voters that a historical burden is placed on the Tamil society to demonstrate a force of unity in the forthcoming elections," said Mr.Nadarajah Raviraj, former Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian, speaking to the Canadian Tamil Radio (CTR) Saturday. Full story >> Millennium scholarships awards ceremony to be held in Trinco[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 March 2004, 15:44 GMT]Twice postponed Millennium Presidential special scholarship awards ceremony for students in the NorthEast province is to take place on March 24th morning at Trincomalee St.Mary’s Girls College auditorium. Provincial Education Ministry is organizing the event, sources said. Full story >> UNICEF to donate ambulances to NorthEast[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 March 2004, 14:09 GMT]The UNICEF is to donate a consignment of ambulances and transport vehicles to improve medical facilities provided by the health institutions in the northeast province. The handing over ceremony of six ambulances and three transport vehicles in the first phase to the provincial health authorities will take place on March 23 morning at the provincial health ministry auditorium in Trincomalee, sources said. Full story >> Vanni voters to stay overnight in Puliyankulam[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 March 2004, 13:29 GMT]"Voters from Liberation Tigers controlled area in Vanni will not undergo regular checking at Omanthai Sri Lanka Army checkpoint, and voters from remote areas will be given the option to stay overnight at Puliyankulam with free transportation, lodging facilities," said Vavuniya Government Agent (GA) and Returning Officer K.Ganesh after a meeting Sunday with Vanni district Deputy Inspector General of Police, sources in Vavuniya said. Full story >> STF searches Kovil kulam area for weapon cache[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 March 2004, 11:12 GMT]In Kovil Kulam, Vavuniya district, Sunday around 12 noon, Sri Lanka's Special Task Force (STF) soldiers, dug several areas using heavy machinery near the tomb stone of Uma Maheswaran, leader of Peoples Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), in search of weapon cache alleged to have been buried there, security sources said. Full story >> LTTE hands over underage youths to UNICEF[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 March 2004, 09:10 GMT] The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Sunday morning handed over thirty-five youths who are under 18 years of age to the UNICEF at an event held at its political secretariat in Sampur in the LTTE held Muttur east in the Trincomalee district, sources said.Full story >> IDPs under pressure to vacate Point-Pedro refugee camp[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 March 2004, 01:41 GMT]Internally Displaced families (IDPs) from Nagar Kovil area in Vadamaradchy East, temporarily living in a refugee camp located in Thumpalai, Point Pedro, near the Lourdes Virgin Mary Church, are said to be pressured to vacate the premises by people claiming to be Church Administrators, local media reports said. Full story >> Lack of funds threatens Trinco campus survival[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 March 2004, 15:55 GMT] Trincomalee campus of the East University has been struggling for survival without funds from the University Grants Commission (UGC) since its inception to develop its infrastructure facilities to meet the demands of students, said Campus Rector Rev. Fr.C.P.Rajendram.
Full story >> Jaffna voters urged to elect woman candidate[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 March 2004, 13:19 GMT] "About sixty percent of our cadres who crushed the military
operation "Ginihera" of the Sri Lanka Army in Muhamalai area were women. The credit for the Muhamalai victory goes to our women cadres," said Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Jaffna district political head, Mr.C.Ilamparuthi, introducing Ms Pathmini Sithamparanathan at an election meeting held Saturday in Jaffna Veerasingham Hall, sources said.
Full story >> Wage controversy cripples Sri Lanka hospitals[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 March 2004, 11:19 GMT]All Sri Lanka government hospitals virtually dead for the last nine days in the island due to the strike by medical officers has been limping back to normalcy Saturday as the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) temporarily called off their trade union action Friday evening, health authorities said. Full story >> Top US official to visit Sri Lanka next week[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 March 2004, 11:15 GMT]Mr. Torkel L. Patterson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs in the United States Government will visit Sri Lanka as a part of his familiarization tour of the region, said US embassy sources. Full story >> Polling stations in SLA-controlled areas for voters in LTTE-held region[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 March 2004, 05:38 GMT]According to decisions made at special meetings at the Secretariats in Jaffna, Vavuniya, Trincomalee and Batticaloa, the polling stations for the voters in the Liberation Tigers-controlled areas are to be constructed in the Sri Lanka Army-controlled areas in clusters, sources said. Full story >> Tamil unity is vital for struggle to succeed - Sivajilingam[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 March 2004, 00:11 GMT] "Tamil people are convinced and firm in their belief that only Tamil unity will propel us to succeed in our struggle. We can
see their anguish and despair whenever they sense appearance of divisive tendencies within the Tamil community. We can be certain that Tamil people will reject all elements that can endanger Tamil unity," said Mr.Sivajilingam, a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) candidate in Jaffna, during a radio interview with International Broadcasting Corporation (IBC), Thursday. Full story >> Confessions in Mirusuvil massacre case valid - Supreme Court[TamilNet, Friday, 19 March 2004, 16:50 GMT]The inquiry into the Mirusuvil massacre case is to recommence in the High Court of Colombo shortly as the Supreme Court last Tuesday dismissed an appeal made by one of the five accused soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army against the order of the Trial-at-Bar judges on the admissibility of confessions by the accused made to the military police officers, legal sources said. Full story >> Anandasangaree case postponed[TamilNet, Friday, 19 March 2004, 16:19 GMT]The Colombo District Judge Mr.D.Ganepola gave time till May 10 for the two respondents, Mr.R.Sampanthan and Mr.Joseph Pararajasingham, Secretary General and Senior Vice President of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) respectively, to file their objections to the petition filed by the President of the TULF Mr. Veerasingham Anandasangaree, legal sources said. Full story >> East campus to open amid security complaints[TamilNet, Friday, 19 March 2004, 14:19 GMT]Second semester examinations at the Eastern University campus are to be held on 15, April and the students should to return to their halls of residences on 6 April, informed A.D.Harris, University Registrar, sources in Batticaloa said. However, non-Batticaloa Tamil students who returned to their home districts after threatened with violence said that they have not been given any security guarantees and will not be able to return to the campus. Full story >> Election violence complaints reach 625[TamilNet, Friday, 19 March 2004, 14:12 GMT]With 47 incidents of election related violence for the last twenty four hours ending Friday morning at 6 a.m. the total number of complaints was increased to 625 since the start of submitting nominations from February 17th, the Police Election Secretariat said Friday. Full story >> 64,000 police officers to provide election security- IGP[TamilNet, Friday, 19 March 2004, 14:09 GMT]Close to sixty thousand police officers would be deployed to strengthen the security in all parts of Sri Lanka with the objective of ensuring free and fair elections, said the Inspector General of Police Mr.Indra de Silva addressing a press conference Friday. Full story >> Annai Poopathy anniversary celebrated in NorthEast[TamilNet, Friday, 19 March 2004, 13:41 GMT]Sixteenth year anniversary of Annai Poopathy memorial day was celebrated across the Northeast with special events being organized in Navalady, Batticaloa, sources said. Joseph Pararajasingham, Senior Vice President of the Tamil United Liberation Front, and other Tamil National Alliance candidates participated in the Batticaloa event, according to sources. Voice of Tigers (VoT) in its evening broadcast reported that major celebrations took place in Udayarkattu, Moonkilattu heroes cemetary for Batticaloa-Amparai war heroes. Full story >> Pongu Thamil demonstration to UN[TamilNet, Friday, 19 March 2004, 13:02 GMT]The International Co-ordinating Committee of the Liberation Tigers is organizing a 'Pongu Thamil (Tamil Uprising)' march to the United Nations Head Office, Geneva on 5 April, and has called support of expatriate Tamils. "This is the time when the united strength of the Tamils is poised to become the decisive factor in Sri Lanka's history. Once again it has become a vital necessity for the Tamils of the world to show their united strength," the organizers said in a memorandum released to the press Friday. Full story >> Vavuniya teachers, education officials urged to vote for TNA[TamilNet, Friday, 19 March 2004, 11:46 GMT] "Our people should vote to reinforce Tamil Nationalism. We are supporting the elections this time to ensure that the voice of the Tamil National Alliance which is calling for the Tamils right to self-determination and setting up of Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) in the NorthEast, is heard clearly," said S.Elilan, LTTE political head of Vavuniya, addressing a meeting attended by Vavuniya North education officials, teachers and principals, sources in Vavuniya said.Full story >> More Australian Funding for Land Mine Action in Sri Lanka[TamilNet, Friday, 19 March 2004, 11:34 GMT]Australia and UNDP signed an agreement 10 March 2004, which allocates AUD 1 million (LKR 75 million) towards the UNDP Mine Action Project in Sri Lanka. The Australian aid will assist capacity building, technical support and operational coordination, according to UNDP officials in Colombo. Full story >> Move polling booths closer to checkpoint - Senathirajah[TamilNet, Friday, 19 March 2004, 11:23 GMT]General Secretary of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) Mr. Mavai Senathirajah urged Vavuniya Government Agent K.Ganesh to make arrangements to locate the polling booths near the Sri Lanka Army checkpoint in Omanthai, sources said. Placing polling booths in Omanthai Maha Vidiyalayam would require voters to travel a few kilometers further from the checkpoint and will incur additional delays and logistic, transportation nightmare, Mr.Senathirajah told the GA. Full story >> 2006, target date for mine free Jaffna district[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 March 2004, 16:24 GMT]“All anti-personnel mines buried in the Jaffna peninsula could be completely removed and deactivated by the end of the year 2006 if the current peace environment continued and the financial assistance promised by the international community is disbursed as scheduled”, said Mr. Tim Horner, Consultant to the Jaffna District Mine Action Operational Headquarters addressing a press conference Thursday. Full story >> Trinco TNA Muslim candidate appeals for unity[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 March 2004, 15:32 GMT] Mr.Abdul Hassan Sahul Hameed, sole Muslim candidate contesting in the Trincomalee district on the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) ticket Thursday appealed to Muslim voters to exercise their franchise to promote unity and harmony between the two communities in the district, political sources in Trincomalee said.Full story >> Trincomalee UNP Tamil contestant withdraws candidacy[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 March 2004, 14:06 GMT]Mr. Nagarajah Sambasivamoorthy, one of the seven candidates put forward by the ruling United National Party to contest the forthcoming general election in the Trincomalee electoral district, said Thursday that he has withdrawn from the contest, political sources in Trincomalee said. Full story >> Japan to send Election Observers[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 March 2004, 14:01 GMT]The Goverenment of Japan has decided to dispatch an election observation mission to Sri Lanka for the general election on April 2nd. This the first time that Japan is sending such mission to Sri Lanka, according to political sources in Colombo. Full story >> Will continue to espouse NorthEast unity - Pararajasingham[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 March 2004, 04:21 GMT]"I will carryout my campaign only on the basis of the LTTE's cardinal principles - find a political solution to the Tamil national problem based on the acceptance of the fundamental proposals regarding Tamil homeland consisting of North and East, Tamil Nation, Tamils’ right to self-government. If I am forced to deviate from these principles then I will not hesitate to withdraw my candidacy from the forthcoming elections," said Joseph Pararajasingham speaking to Canadian Tamil Radio (CTR). Full story >> Polling stations in SLA side of checkpoints[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 March 2004, 03:18 GMT]During a meeting with Government Agents (GAs) from Vanni electoral district and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) commanders held in Vavuniya Wednesday evening it was agreed to locate polling stations in the SLA side of checkpoints at Omanthai, Madhu road and Uyilankulam, for residents of LTTE controlled areas in Vanni district to vote, sources said. Full story >> Jaffna EPDP vehicle damaged in clash[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 March 2004, 18:03 GMT]A vehicle belonging to the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) was badly damaged during a clash between a group of Jaffna university students and activists of the EPDP. The clash is alleged to have erupted when a group of EPDP activists assembled to create trouble in front of the residence of Ms Pathmini Sithamparanathan, a Tamil National Alliance candidate, Jaffna Police said Wednesday night. Full story >> Rotarians hold medical clinic in Muttur villages[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 March 2004, 17:16 GMT]The Trincomalee Rotary Club last weekend conducted a one-day medical clinic in the village Nallur which is located in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam held Muttur east in the Trincomalee district. Rotarian Dr.G.Gnanagunalan organized this clinic with the assistance of Humanitarian Rehabilitation Services of NE (Lanka) Ltd, Colombo, that provided thirty thousand rupees worth of medicine to the clinic, sources said. Full story >> Eastern poet decries regionalism[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 March 2004, 16:20 GMT] In a statement to Tamil media on the recent raising of regionalism in the East by renegade commander Mr. Vinayagamoorthy Muraleetharan (Karuna), Mr. Kasi Anandan, a well-known poet from the East, said that the more than 17,700 fighters from Tamil Eelam who sacrificed their lives in the liberation struggle did not do so for Jaffna or Batticaloa, but for Tamil Eelam. “I will never accept the division of Tamil Eelam as Jaffna and Batticaloa. The people of Tamil Eelam will live until their last breath for Tamil Eelam,” he said.Full story >> Police file plaint on Anandasangaree complaint[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 March 2004, 16:12 GMT]The Jaffna Police Wednesday filed a plaint in the Chavakachcheri Magistrate’s Court on a complaint made by Mr. Veerasingham Anandasangaree that a group of persons had attacked his supporters when they were campaigning on March 11, legal sources said. Full story >> 26 Indian boatmen remanded in Jaffna to be indicted[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 March 2004, 14:52 GMT]Sri Lanka’s Attorney General Mr.K.C.Kamalasabeyson has issued instructions to authorities to file indictments against 26 Indian boatmen out of sixty seven now in remand after their capture by local fishermen and the Sri Lanka Navy personnel while poaching in northern waters recently, legal sources said. Full story >> TNA leaders address election rally in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 March 2004, 14:36 GMT] General Secretary of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) Mr. Mavai Senathirajah addressing an election rally in Trincomalee Tuesday evening said, "Tamils have got a historic opportunity in their freedom struggle to show their unity. Tamils must support the joint effort of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to find a lasting political solution to the Tamil national question based on the interim self governing authority (ISGA) proposals."
Full story >> Colombo signs UN convention against corruption[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 March 2004, 12:09 GMT]The Sri Lankan Government on Wendsday ratified the United Nations convevtion against Corruption. Sri Lanka is the second country in the world to ratify the convention,after Kenya. Full story >> Ammunition, grenades discovered in Omanthai well[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 March 2004, 11:54 GMT]A demining official, Bala, attached to the Swiss Demining Federation (FSD), involved in demining in Vavuniya and Mannar, said Wednesday that deminers have discovered a cache of ammunition and grenades from a irrigation well located in a field behind the Omanthai Maha Vidiyalayam, sources said. Full story >> Karuna’s revolt is 'temporary aberration' - Balasingham[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 March 2004, 08:43 GMT] The rebellion by the LTTE’s former Batticaloa-Amparai commander is “not a major politico-military crisis in the LTTE,” the movement’s theoretician and chief negotiator, Mr. Anton Balasingham, said this week in his first public comment on the estrangement between Mr. V. Muraleetharan (Karuna) and the LTTE leadership. In a wide-ranging interview with the London based Tamil Guardian newspaper, Mr. Balasingham said “Karuna’s dissent would not seriously undermine the peace process or the Tamil national struggle.”Full story >> Karuna Group bans Tamil daily[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 March 2004, 07:10 GMT]The Karuna Group, led by the renegade LTTE regional leader, Mr. V. Muraleetharan, stopped the distribution of a popular Tamil daily in the Batticaloa Amparai districts from Wednesday. Armed cadres from the Karuna Group had threatened manager of the Thinakkural paper's regional office in Batticaloa with death. The paper was not sold in Batticaloa Wednesday. Full story >> Polling stations for voters in LTTE-held areas still in limbo[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 March 2004, 18:46 GMT]The arrangements for opening and staffing polling stations in the Sri Lanka Army-controlled areas in the Vavuniya, Mannar and Mullaithivu districts are complete, but no such arrangements have been made about opening voting booths for the voters in the Liberation Tigers-controlled areas, said the Returning Officer for the Vanni region, Mr. K. Ganesh Full story >> Demining assistance, Japan's high priority - Embassy official[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 March 2004, 18:18 GMT] "The government of Japan is closely observing the emergency humanitarian needs of the people in the northeast in Sri Lanka and is supporting the efforts of the Government of Sri Lanka in demining operations," said Mr.H.Onishi, First Secretary Japan Embassy in Colombo, Tuesday, while addressing at the inauguration ceremony of The Japan Center for Conflict Programme (JCCP) in Vavuniya. Full story >> Empower TNA to decide next government, Sampanthan tells voters[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 March 2004, 11:36 GMT] "Tamils are in the verge of achieving their legitimate rights after several years of freedom struggle through the military might of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Hence it is the duty of Tamils to strengthen the hands of LTTE by sending at least twenty-one Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians thus making the TNA as a force to decide the
future government," said Mr.R.Sampanthan, TNA leader and the TNA lead candidate for Trincomalee district when addressing a series of election meetings in the LTTE held
area villages in Muttur east and Eachilampathu division Sunday evening.Full story >> Ensure franchise to Tamil voters, TNA tells Cushnahan[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 March 2004, 11:21 GMT]Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader Mr.R.Sampanthan has appealed to the European Parliament member Mr.John Walls Cushnahan to take immediate steps to ensure that voters in Liberation Tigers held areas in the northeast province to exercise their franchise freely and without any restriction in the polling stations located in no man zones in the forthcoming general election, sources said. Full story >> Recommence peace talks, establish NorthEast IA - UNF manifesto[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 March 2004, 11:13 GMT]"The future United National Front (UNF) government would recommence the stalled peace talks with minimum delay after the general election and would strive hard to establish an interim administration (IA) in the northeast province as a step towards find a lasting political solution to the ethnic conflict and implement it on the basis of community oriented development," said the United National Front in its election released Monday. Full story >> Karuna Group eyes cabinet portfolio[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 March 2004, 06:28 GMT]The Tamil National Alliance candidates in Batticaloa who might be elected in the April polls to Sri Lanka’s Parliament should be ready to work with the government that comes to power in Colombo, according to instructions issued Monday by the Karuna Group to Tamil politicians in the troubled eastern district, sources said. One of the TNA MPs elected from Batticaloa would be given a cabinet portfolio, according to Mr. Rajan Sathiyamoorthy, a TNA candidate who is a confidante of Mr. V. Muraleetharan, the leader of the Karuna Group. Full story >> TNA concludes election campaign in LTTE held Trinco villages[TamilNet, Monday, 15 March 2004, 16:55 GMT] The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) concluded its four-day
first phase of campaign in the Liberation Tigers held Muttur east and Eachilampathu villages in Trincomalee district Monday. TNA candidates
contesting the Trincomalee electoral district in the forthcoming general
election led by their lead candidate and TULF Secretary General
Mr.R.Sampanthan began their campaign Friday visiting several remote
villages and addressed pocket meetings, sources said.Full story >> "Denial of franchise will damage peace process"- TNA[TamilNet, Monday, 15 March 2004, 14:46 GMT]"Denial of franchise to Tamil voters residing in the Liberation Tigers held areas in the northeast province in the forthcoming general election will have serious impact on the current peace process," Mr.R.Sampanthan, leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Secretary General of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) told the Norwegian special peace envoy Mr. Erik Solheim during a discussion with the latter at the Norwegian embassy Monday morning, sources said. Full story >> Karikalan addresses Jaffna university meeting[TamilNet, Monday, 15 March 2004, 12:54 GMT] “Karuna could not have acted traitorously without external backing. He has been bought over by an external power that is intent on destroying our liberation struggle and our leadership. People in the Batticaloa Amparai district know this now. He was instigated by the external power to betray his own people”, said Mr. Sivagnanam Karikalan, a senior leader of the Liberation Tigers from the east, addressing a packed meeting at the University of Jaffna Monday. Mr. E. Kousalyan, the head of the LTTE’s political division for the Batticaloa Amparai district also spoke at the meeting. Full story >> Dissent within Karuna loyalists?[TamilNet, Monday, 15 March 2004, 09:58 GMT]The website run from Batticaloa under the direction of renegade commander, Mr. Vinayagamoorthy Muraleetharan (Karuna), which was disabled for several hours after posting a message that apologized to the viewers for carrying messages against LTTE leader V.Pirapaharan, has now become operational. TamilNet is unable to confirm whether it was the work of outside cracker. Full story >> SLA soldier absconds after killing colleague[TamilNet, Monday, 15 March 2004, 02:08 GMT]A.K.G.P.Vijitha Bandara (24), an Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier attached to the Jaffna based 512nd Brigade was shot to death by another soldier, Sumantha Kumara from the same camp during an altercation Saturday midnight, Jaffna daily Uthayan reported. Soldier Sumantha Kumara absconded after the incident and Jaffna police assisted by the SLA are searching surrounding areas to apprehend him, according to reports. Full story >> Polling stations to be located in no-man zones in NE[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 March 2004, 18:28 GMT]Sri Lanka's Commissioner of Elections is to hold consultation with the chiefs of three State armed forces and the Police on Monday regarding his decision to locate polling stations in no man zones in the northeast province enabling the voters residing in the Liberation Tigers held areas to exercise their franchise without any difficulties in the forthcoming general which has been fixed for April 2nd, sources said. Full story >> UPFA silent on peace process, CFA - Wickremesinghe[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 March 2004, 11:38 GMT] "Eventhough there is a voice in the south that is
calling for the abrogation of the Ceasefire Agreement
and to start war, we are determined to pursue the
path of peace," said Sri Lanka's Prime Minister,
Ranil Wickremesinghe speaking at an election meeting
held in Vavuniya Urban Council grounds Saturday.Full story >> SLA officer, soldier killed[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 March 2004, 17:33 GMT]An army officer and a trainee soldier were killed when a hand grenade accidentally exploded during a training session on Friday evening at the Boogoda Army camp in Anuradhapura, the Defence ministry said. Another officer was injured in the explosion. Full story >> Jaffna university students to canvass for TNA[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 March 2004, 17:31 GMT]The Jaffna University Students Union announced Saturday that it will campaign in support of the Tamil National Alliance. A students’ spokesman told TamilNet the Union decided to take the unprecedented step “to fight against the divisive forces that are threatening the Tamil people’s political future and well being today”. Full story >> TNA unveils new campaign strategy[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 March 2004, 17:29 GMT]Tamil National Alliance candidates from Jaffna will canvass support for their colleagues contesting the April polls in the east while TNA candidates from the east will campaign in the north for the victory of the alliance, Mr. Mavai Senathirajah, the general secretary of the Federal Party, said Saturday. Full story >> Refugee women seek asylum in LTTE office[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 March 2004, 14:40 GMT] Twelve women from refugee camps India sought asylum at the political office of the Liberation Tigers in Vavuniya Saturday. The women said they had forcibly been kept in safe houses in Colombo by men who had promised to get them jobs abroad. People chased away a gang that tried to abduct the women when they arrived in Vavuniya by train on Saturday morning. The women alleged the gang had sexually harassed and intimidated them. Full story >> Election was thrust on people by Kumaratunge - Wickremesinghe[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 March 2004, 02:39 GMT]Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe addressing a election rally in Kurunagala Friday evening said that Ms.Kumaratunge thrust the general election on the people to cement her political future and to destroy Sri Lanka's welfare, sources said. Full story >> Kumaratunge outlines UPFA policy to business leaders[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 March 2004, 02:21 GMT]Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge expressed confidence that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) would enter into democratic political process under the future United Peoples' Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government when she met leaders of business communities including members of legal and medical profession at the Presidential House Friday evening, sources said. Full story >> Sri Lanka election violence on the increase[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 March 2004, 00:49 GMT]The Police Election Secretariat said Saturday that it receives daily at least ten complaints related to election violence from political parties. From February 17, the first day political parties started submitting their nomination list at the district election offices, until this Friday the Election Secretariat has received 373 complaints, Police sources said. Full story >> Karuna embezzled funds, feared disciplinary action before split - Karikalan[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 March 2004, 00:05 GMT] Mr.Sivagnanam Karikalan, a senior leader of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam from the East who was close to the renegade former Eastern commander of the LTTE, Mr. Karuna, in an interview with the Australian Tamil Broadcasting Corporation (ATBC) Friday disclosed for the first time that the Batticaloa crisis was precipitated when LTTE leadership summoned Karuna to Vanni after discovering financial irregularities and receiving allegations of questionable conduct. Fearing disciplinary action Karuna defied Vanni command and took unilateral action to split, Karikalan said. Full story >> Solheim to meet Sampanthan Monday[TamilNet, Friday, 12 March 2004, 15:38 GMT]The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader and the Secretary General of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) Mr.R.Sampanthan will brief the Norwegian special peace envoy Mr. Erik Solheim on Monday morning in Colombo on the ground situation of the northeast province, TNA sources said. Full story >> Pocket meetings, seminars dominate TNA Trinco campaign[TamilNet, Friday, 12 March 2004, 15:26 GMT]Tamil National Alliance (TNA) candidates led by the lead candidate Mr.R.Sampanthan began addressing election seminars and pocket meetings in the areas held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam since Friday, as TNA's campaign efforts swung into full gear, political sources in Trincomalee said. Full story >> Negotiations with LTTE, Presidency to be abolished - UPFA manifesto[TamilNet, Friday, 12 March 2004, 15:19 GMT]"The ceasefire will continue. We are committed to take all measures required to prevent the nation from going back to war," said the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) in its forty four-page election manifesto released Thursday night at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, political sources in Colombo said. Full story >> Election verdict should legitimize ISGA demand - Sampanthan[TamilNet, Friday, 12 March 2004, 15:12 GMT]The verdict of the Tamils in the forthcoming general election should legitimize the demand of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for an Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) for the northeast province. All tamil speaking people must support the Tamil National Alliance to capture maximum number of parliamentary seats," said Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader, Mr.R.Sampanthan, addressing an election meeting in Division No 10 in the Trincomalee town held Thursday evening. Full story >> Vavuniya protests against Eastern campus disruptive elements[TamilNet, Friday, 12 March 2004, 15:04 GMT]Academic staff, students and non-academic staff of the Vavuniya campus of the Jaffna University Friday conducted a black band campaign opposing the elements responsible for the disruption academic session East University and the disunity of Tamils in the east, sources said. Full story >> Batticaloa fast urges unity of Tamil military power[TamilNet, Friday, 12 March 2004, 14:00 GMT]A group of cadres working with Mr. Vinayagamoorthy Muraleetharan (Karuna) organised a token fast Friday urging the LTTE to let the renegade commander work under the leadership of Mr. Velupillai Pirapaharan. A memorandum on the objective of the token fast, which was handed out in Tamil and English, urges the LTTE leadership to withdraw the charge that Mr. Muraleetharan is a traitor and emphasises that the armed forces of the Liberation Tigers should work in unity towards achieving the independent state of Thamil Eelam. Full story >> "We solidly support leader Pirapaharan"- Thilak tells Solheim[TamilNet, Friday, 12 March 2004, 08:19 GMT] "We are solidly supporting the leadership of Mr.V.Pirapaharan. We are against dividing Tamils by north and east", Mr.S.Thilak, Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Friday categorically told Norwegian special peace envoy Mr. Erik Solheim during a discussion held Friday morning at the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission office in Trincomalee town.Full story >> Solheim meets Thilak in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Friday, 12 March 2004, 08:13 GMT]Norwegian special envoy Mr. Erik Solheim told Mr.S.Thilak, Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam at the discussion held Friday morning at the office of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Trincomalee that he met Colonel Pathuman, Trincomalee district commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam at Killinochchi Thursday. Full story >> LTTE ready to help facilitate voting - Thamilchelvan[TamilNet, Friday, 12 March 2004, 00:10 GMT] "We told the [Norwegian] delegation that we are agreeable to locating the voting booths in the no-man zone, inside our checkpoint area or in the checkpoint area of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), and that we will provide our full support and required assistance to implement voting procedures, and supervise voting," said S.P.Thamilchelvan, leader of the LTTE's political wing, answering questions from the press following his meeting with the Norwegian delegation in Kilinochchi Thursday morning.Full story >> TNA condemns State media for false reporting[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 March 2004, 18:19 GMT]The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader Mr.R.Sampanthan Thursday in a statement condemned the officials responsible, including the Minister for Media, Lakshman Kadirgamar, for carrying false news in State media, political sources said. Full story >> Karuna cadres burn Tamil dailies[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 March 2004, 12:34 GMT]A group of youths believed to be cadres working for the renegade LTTE commander Karuna Thursday morning seized and burnt about four thousand copies of Thursday edition of a Tamil daily THINAKKURAL and about one thousand copies of another daily VIRAKESARI when they were transported to Batticaloa for sale, police said. Full story >> Rupavahini blamed for falsifying report[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 March 2004, 11:24 GMT]Amparai district former Tamil National Alliance (TNA)parliamentarian Mr. A.Chandra Nehru Thursday issued a statement denying a report carried by State controlled Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) saying that he participated in a demonstration burning the effigy of LTTE leader Mr.Pirapaharan, sources in Amparai said. Full story >> "Election is a referendum on ISGA" - Thilak[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 March 2004, 10:58 GMT] Mr.S.Thilak, Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said Wednesday that Tamils of the northeast province should consider the April 2 general election as a referendum on the Interim
Self Governing Authority (ISGA) proposals and a democratic recognition for the liberation struggle, sources in Trincomalee said.Full story >> Norway will not interfere in LTTE's internal matters[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 March 2004, 08:23 GMT] Norway will not interfere in the internal matters of the Liberation Tigers said Mr. Erik Soheim speaking to the press at the conclusion of his meeting with Mr. S. P Thamilchelvan Thursday in Kilinochchi. “We did not involve ourselves in the discussion between the President and the Prime Minister and exactly in the same manner we will not take any part in the discussion between the LTTE leadership and Mr. Karuna. The first is an internal matter for the south and the second is an internal matter for the northeast”, Mr. Solheim said. Full story >> German ambassador meets Thamilchelvan[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 March 2004, 06:14 GMT] German ambassador for Sri Lanka, Mr. Jueger Elias met Mr. S. P Thamilchelvan, the head of the Liberation Tigers' political divison Thursday in Kilinochchi for discussions on the April general elections, the status of the ceasefire agreement and the possibility of resuming the peace talks between Colombo and LTTE. German funded development programs in the northeast were also reviewed during the discussions, LTTE officials said. Full story >> Colombo won't interfere in Karuna split - spokesman[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 March 2004, 17:50 GMT]Colombo will not exploit the current situation in the east to gain political milage, the spokesman for Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's care taker government, Prof. G. L Pieris said Wednesday. He said that his government will not interfere in Karuna's matter because it is an internal affair of the LTTE. Full story >> SLRCS organizes women day celebrations in Trinco[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 March 2004, 17:48 GMT] International Women Day celebrations, organized by the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) in collaboration with the UNHCR, was held in Nilaveli, 16 km off north of Trincomalee town. UNHCR Trincomalee official Mr. Clifford Speck was the chief guest.
Full story >> Academics condemn SL State media for irresponsible reporting[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 March 2004, 17:42 GMT]The North East Educationists' Forum (NEEF) Wednesday appealed to Sri Lanka's state media to act with a sense of responsibility and to avoid false news items that would disturb the peace now prevailing in Trincomalee district where all three communities live in harmony. Full story >> Solheim to visit Trincomalee Thursday[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 March 2004, 15:32 GMT] Norwegian special peace envoy Mr. Eric Solheim is to arrive in Trincomalee
Thursday evening from Vanni. He is scheduled to hold talks with the
Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE) Mr.S.Thilak on Friday morning, Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM)
sources said Wednesday.Full story >> EPDP supports Kumaratunga, Marxist alliance[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 March 2004, 15:07 GMT]EPDP, a paramilitary group operating with the Sri Lanka army, said Wednesday in Jaffna that it supports the alliance between President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna. Addressing press conference in its heavily fortified camp in Jaffna town, the leader of the group, Mr. Douglas Devananda, defended the JVP, saying that it was not a Sinhala chauvinist party. Full story >> Solheim urged to help ensure fair polls in north[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 March 2004, 14:33 GMT] Norway’s special peace envoy for Sri Lanka Mr. Erik Solheim met the Bishop of Jaffna, Government Agent, Consortium of NGOs and the head of the LTTE’s political division for Jaffna Wednesday in the northern town for discussions on the current situation and the status of the ceasefire agreement between the Liberation Tigers. The free and fair conduct of the forthcoming general elections in the north and the need to enable people in the LTTE controlled areas to vote without restrictions were the main issues that were discussed at the all the meetings, sources said. Full story >> TNA must win all nine seats in Jaffna - Gajendrakumar[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 March 2004, 11:23 GMT]"It is the historical duty of Tamil people of Jaffna to elect Tamil National Alliance (TNA) candidates in all nine electoral divisions in Jaffna district to send a clear message to the International Community that Liberation Tigers are the sole representatives of the Tamil people," said Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam in an election meeting held in Point-Pedro, daily Uthayan reported. Full story >> SLA returns 11 houses in Maravanpulavu[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 March 2004, 11:11 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) announced that it is returning eleven houses back to their owners in Maranvanpulavu area in Thenmaradchy, Jaffna, local media reported. Full story >> "Vote to express sole representative status of LTTE" - Poet[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 March 2004, 17:18 GMT]Head of the Arts and Cultural Department of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Poet, Puthuvai Ratnathurai, Tuesday speaking at a film release event said, "The forthcoming general election is a crucial one in the liberation struggle of Tamils. I appeal to Tamils to vote for the Tamil National Alliance. The international community are keen to see if Tamils are fully supporting the LTTE and its interim self governing authority proposals," said Mr.Puthuvai Ratnathurai. Full story >> Colonel Pathuman speaks to TamilNet[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 March 2004, 14:25 GMT] "I am keeping fine," Colonel Pathuman, Trincomalee district military commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) told TamilNet Tuesday evening by telephone from Vanni. He appealed to Tamil people not to believe in rumours spread through State media. His comment followed the news report of the State run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) that he had been killed in Vanni.
Full story >> Unidentified youths prevent THINAKURAL sale in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 March 2004, 13:59 GMT]An unidentified group of persons is reported to have forcibly removed several parcels containing more than three thousand copies of a leading Tamil daily "THINAKURAL" between Valaichchenai and Vantharumoolai in Batticaloa district Tuesday morning when they were transported from Colombo to Batticaloa for distribution, sources said. Full story >> Voters from LTTE controlled areas wont be checked - SLA[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 March 2004, 13:37 GMT]The Sri Lankan security forces commander for Jaffna, Maj. Gen. Susil Chandrapala said Tuesday that the military would not check people who come to vote at the 2 April general elections from the LTTE controlled Kilinochchi district. He told a group of academics and civil society leaders whom he met at the Sri Lanka Human Rights Office that if clustered polling stations for voters from Kilinochchi were to be set up inside the Sri Lanka army's entry point zone in Muhamalai in southern Jaffna, the military is ready to pull back its positions 500 metres away from the voting area. Full story >> Civilian interests must be upheld - NPC[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 March 2004, 11:35 GMT]"It is incumbent on the LTTE, government, political party leaders and civil society groups, and international ceasefire monitors to ensure that the ceasefire agreement is not violated by any party. In particular, we call on the government not to abdicate its responsibilities by the civilian population," said the National Peace Council (NPC), in a media release issued in Colombo today. Full story >> British envoy meets Thamilchelvan[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 March 2004, 11:09 GMT] The British High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Mr. Steven Evans and other British officials met with LTTE's Head of Political Wing, S.P.Thamilchelvan in Kilinochchi today and discussed matters related to the current situation in Batticaloa, delivery of humanitarian assistance and voting issues in the forthcoming general elections, the LTTE peace secretariat website said.Full story >> Thilak slams SLBC over Pathuman story[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 March 2004, 09:53 GMT]The news that LTTE Trincomalee district military commander Colonel Pathuman has been killed in Vanni is a canard to create panic and confusion among Tamil people by some interested parties, LTTE Trincomalee district political head Mr.S.Thilak told TamilNet Tuesday afternoon. The State run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) in its noon news broadcast in all three media reported that Trincomalee LTTE military commander Colonel Pathuman had been killed in Vanni. Full story >> SLAF soldier commits suicide in Palaly[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 March 2004, 03:40 GMT]K.V.V.Srisena, a Sri Lanka AirForce soldier, stationed in Palaly Airforce Base in Jaffna district, committed suicide by shooting himself, according to media reports in Jaffna. Full story >> Jaffna celebrates International Women's day[TamilNet, Monday, 08 March 2004, 21:15 GMT] The International Women's Day was celebrated in the Jaffna district Monday on the theme "We want our land." The Jaffna District Forum against Sexual and other Violence on Women organized awareness processions and other cultural events related to women liberation programme in the district,
sources said.Full story >> UK medical expats fund Trinco war widows employment project[TamilNet, Monday, 08 March 2004, 20:44 GMT]The Trincomalee Inner Wheel Club, women wing of the Rotary Movement, Monday donated sewing machines and other household goods to war widows in Trincomalee to mark the International Women's Day. The self-employment project is being financed by the Medical Institute of Tamils (South Thames Regions) based in London. The event was held at Trincomalee Rotary House. Full story >> UFA, UNF ready to release election manifestos[TamilNet, Monday, 08 March 2004, 20:36 GMT]The two major political parties contesting the forthcoming general election, United National Front (UNF) and the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) are giving final touches to their election manifestos which are expected to released in the next few days, political sources said. Full story >> Col.Pathuman dismisses Karuna's speculation[TamilNet, Monday, 08 March 2004, 15:49 GMT] In an interview with the Associated Press (AP), Col.Pathuman, Liberation Tiger's Trincomalee commander, dismissed speculation by renegade former LTTE commander from Batticaloa-Ampara Karuna that the LTTE leadership is holding Pathuman under house arrest in Vanni.Full story >> Batticaloa Bishop and his team meet LTTE Leaders[TamilNet, Monday, 08 March 2004, 15:35 GMT] Bishop Rt. Rev. Kingsley Swampillai and his team from Batticaloa consisting of the eastern university representatives, NGOs and members of the business community, met with LTTE Political Head Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan, Batticaloa-Amparai Special Commander Ramesh, Commander Ram, Mr. Karikalan and the Political Head of Batticaloa-Amparai Mr. Kausalyan today 8th March 2004 in Kilinochchi, sources in Vanni said.
Full story >> Vavuniya celebrates International Women's Day[TamilNet, Monday, 08 March 2004, 12:18 GMT]International Women's Day was celebrated in Vavuniya today under the sponsorship of Oxfam International, Bridge Asia Japan (BAJ), Danish Coucil (DRC), Save the Children and World Food Programme (WFP), sources in Vavuniya said. Several hundred women joined the silent march which was followed by a cultural event at Royal Hall, Vavuniya, according the sources. Full story >> Peace delegation from Batticaloa to resolve Karuna crisis[TamilNet, Monday, 08 March 2004, 02:40 GMT]A delegation of religious and civil society leaders of Batticaloa, led by Bishop Rt. Rev. Kingsley Swampillai and Vice Chancellor of the Eastern University, Dr. S. Raveendranath, will leave for Vanni Monday to hold discussions with the Liberation Tigers' leadership to peacefully handle the problem of renegade LTTE commander, Mr. Karuna, a senior LTTE official in Batticaloa told TamilNet Sunday night. Full story >> Karuna feared expulsion, avoided direct contact - Ramesh[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 March 2004, 21:04 GMT]In an interview from Vanni to the UK-based International Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) Radio, Col.Ramesh, the new Special Commander of the Liberation Tigers for Batticaloa-Ampara, said that Karuna took the unilateral decision to split on his own ignoring the advices of several senior commanders and administrateive heads. Full story >> Karuna’s accusations are cover up for guilt and betrayal - Karikalan[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 March 2004, 19:58 GMT] In a wide ranging interview from Vanni to the London, UK-based International Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) Radio, Mr. Karikalan, a senior leader of the Liberation Tigers and former head of the political division in Batticaloa-Ampara, said that Karuna, the renegade former LTTE commander from Batticaloa-Ampara, was spreading false stories to the international media to justify his betrayal and to prevent the international Tamil community from calling Mr. Karuna a “traitor.” Full story >> TNA must capture atleast 21 seats - Sampanthan[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 March 2004, 18:29 GMT] "The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) must capture at least twenty one of the thirty one of parliamentary seats in the forthcoming general election to show the international community that the northeast province is the
traditional homeland of Tamil speaking people despite attempts by Sri Lanka governments to tamper with demographic balance with several state aided colonization schemes," said the TNA leader and the lead candidate in the Trincomalee district addressing two election meetings in Trincomalee town Sunday morning.Full story >> Karuna’s supporters protest in Valaichenai[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 March 2004, 13:22 GMT]Supporters of the renegade LTTE commander, Mr. Vinyagamoorthy Muralitharan (Karuna), Sunday held a protest in Valaichenai, 32 kilometres north of Batticaloa, amidst reports that more troops and military officers who were under his overall command were co-ordinating their operations in the east with Mr. T. Ramesh, the new commander for the Batticaloa-Amparai district. A senior LTTE military officer from the Batticaloa-Amparai district arrived in Kilinochchi Sunday evening to brief the Liberation Tigers’ high command about the latest developments in the eastern region, sources said. Full story >> Karikalan condemns Karuna as Pol Pot[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 March 2004, 06:45 GMT] "Karuna will be seen as a Pol Pot if he continues to act irresponsibly towards our people", said Mr. Sivagnanam Karikalan, one of the senior leaders in the East to arrive in Kilinochchi Sunday morning for discussions with his leadership about the situation in Batticaloa. Mr. Karikalan is a close confidante of Mr. Karuna, the eastern LTTE leader who was sacked from the Liberation Tigers Saturday on charges of treason. Full story >> "Will handle the problem in Batticaloa with caution"- Ramesh[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 March 2004, 01:45 GMT] "Our leader has given us strict instructions that no harm should befall our people and our fighters in the Batticaloa- Amparai district in dealing with Karuna’s problem. We have devised plans to do this very carefully and with great caution. We have already started to implement these plans. We intend to go back and begin work soon," Commander Ramesh, the LTTE’s military leader for the Batticaloa-Amparai district told TamilNet Sunday. Full story >> LTTE urges support for TNA in Pt.Pedro election rally[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 March 2004, 01:16 GMT]"The national leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Mr.V.Pirapaharan fully supports the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in the forthcoming general elections. We appeal to Tamil voters to vote for the TNA for its policy. We will not ask voters to cast their votes for particular individual candidates in the TNA lists," said the LTTE senior activist Mr.Arasanna addressing the first TNA election rally held in Point Pedro. Full story >> USAID Director visits Trincomalee[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 March 2004, 20:23 GMT] Mr.David Taylor, Director, Office of Transition Initiatives Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance of the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) based in Washington paid a one-day
official visit to Trincomalee Saturday. He held discussions with
organizations receiving assistance from the USAID, sources said.Full story >> Water Cutting festival held in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 March 2004, 16:00 GMT]The special Water Cutting festival which happens once every twelve years (Maha Maham Theertham), took place in Trincomalee Back Bay Sea Saturday morning in the presence of chief deities of about twenty Hindu temples in Trincomalee. Deities from Hindu temples in Salli, Sambaltivu, Chelvanayakapuram, Anpuvallipuram and several parts in east port town were brought to the Back Bay Sea, festival officials said. Full story >> PMG urged re-open Point Pedro post office[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 March 2004, 14:23 GMT]Jaffna District Superintendent of Post Offices Mr.S.Sivarajasingham appealed to the Post Master General (PMG) to take steps to relocate the Point Pedro General Post Office (GPO) in its own building located in the high security zone. The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) is occupying the post office buildings, sources said. Full story >> Jaffna Bishop urges Tamils to cast their votes without fail[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 March 2004, 13:47 GMT]The Jaffna Bishop Rt.Rev. Thomas Soundaranayagam Saturday appealed to Tamil people to exercise their franchise without fail to clearly express their desire for permanent peace. "Several Tamil political parties are contesting the forthcoming general election under one wing and it will signify a landmark event to the future of Tamils," said Rt Rev.Thomas Soundaranayagam in a statement issued Saturday. Full story >> Peace Talks, CFA will not be affected - Thamilchelvan[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 March 2004, 11:19 GMT] Talking to journalists during the press conference at the Peace Secretariat Saturday, LTTE Head of Political Wing, S.P.Thamilchelvan said that LTTE will maintain its firm committment to the peace talks and the Ceasefire Agreement and that LTTE leader Pirapaharan is always ready to provide amnesty to those who realize their mistakes.Full story >> Karuna removed from the LTTE[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 March 2004, 05:45 GMT] Liberation Tigers announced today that their Batticaloa-Amparai district commander Karuna has been discharged from the LTTE and has been relieved of official responsibilities. "The Tamil Eelam National leadership has appointed Mr. T. Ramesh as special commander, Mr. Ram as Commander, Mr. Praba as the deputy commander and Mr. Kousalyan as political head of the Batticaloa-Ampara district," said the LTTE statement issued today. Full story >> UNICEF provides school building for Nochchikulam students[TamilNet, Friday, 05 March 2004, 16:16 GMT] About fifty students of resettled families in Nochchikulam village in the
Morawewa division in the Trincomalee district Thursday moved into a new
building, which has been constructed with the funds provided by the UNICEF.
The children of the resettled families studied under tree shades till the
completion of the semi-permanent building. UNICEF Trincomalee zone head Ms
Gabriela Elroy declared open the building Thursday.Full story >> TNA campaigns, Thiriyai to vote after two decades[TamilNet, Friday, 05 March 2004, 14:25 GMT] A group of resettled villagers attended a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) election meeting held Wednesday evening after twenty-one years in Thiriyai, a traditional Tamil village in Trincomalee which was completely destroyed in
military operations launched by the Sri Lanka Army, sources said.Full story >> Police provides protection to Vavuniya candidates[TamilNet, Friday, 05 March 2004, 12:06 GMT]Vavuniya Police Friday started providing security protection to candidates of political parties on their request. Two police personnel are deployed to provide protection to each candidate, said Vavuniya Police Headquarters Inspector Mr.R.M.Wijenayake. Full story >> CTTU urges members to work for TNA's victory[TamilNet, Friday, 05 March 2004, 11:47 GMT]Twenty thousand members strong Ceylon Tamil Teachers’ Union (CTTU) Friday issued a circular to its zonal and district secretaries to participate in election rallies and seminars in support of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) candidates contesting the forthcoming general election in the northeast province, which has been fixed for April 02nd. Full story >> Cushnahan condemns election violence[TamilNet, Friday, 05 March 2004, 11:37 GMT]Member of the European Parliament and former European Union Chief Observer, Mr. John Walls Cushnahan, in a press release issued 3 March, has "condemned all election violence especially the two recent murders in Batticaloa and Valaichchenai." Full story >> Batticaloa military commander says crisis being resolved[TamilNet, Friday, 05 March 2004, 08:02 GMT] "We have discussed the situation in Batticaloa with our leader in detail. I am certain that we will resolve the problem smoothly. Our leader will soon clarify the situation to the Tamil people and the world", LTTE's special commander for the Batticaloa-Amparai region, T. Ramesh told TamilNet Friday. Commander Ramesh is Col. Karuna's deputy and commands all the LTTE troops in the Batticaloa-Amparai district. Full story >> Monks' Sinhala Buddhist call will derail Kumaratunge - NSSP Leader[TamilNet, Friday, 05 March 2004, 04:23 GMT] Dr. Vickremabahu Karunarathne, the leader of the leftist Nava Sama Samaja Party (NSSP), when asked if United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) has any chance of getting absolute majority in the 2 April elections said that "with Buddhist Monks contesting separately, openly proposing 'Sinhala Buddhist' dictatorship, it is very unlikely that United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) could become first in any of the districts." Full story >> "Let us function directly under your leadership"-Karuna[TamilNet, Friday, 05 March 2004, 03:48 GMT]"Please let us function independently under your direct leadership. We are not leaving you. We are not opposed to you. I do not want to commit the historical mistake of not pointing out to you the aspirations of our people, disregarding their feelings and those of our fighters here. If you love the people here and if you trust the fighters here please let us function independently and directly under your leadership," said Col. Karuna, senior commander of the Liberation Tigers in a letter addressed to the leader of the LTTE, Mr. Velupillai Pirapaharan Friday. Full story >> Amended US court ruling protects WTCC, FeTNA[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 March 2004, 17:22 GMT]Judge Audrey Collins has issued an order dated March 3, 2004 which provides that World Tamil Co-ordinating Committee (WTCC) and Federation of Tamil Organizations of North America (FeTNA), as well as their members, are covered by her January 22, 2004 injunction permitting the provision of "expert advice or assistance" toward the peaceful and lawful ends of the LTTE and the PKK, legal sources in California said. Full story >> Grenade attack on EPDP in Kalmunai[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 March 2004, 12:38 GMT]An Eelam People Democratic Party (EPDP) candidate contesting the General Election in the eastern province was injured in a grenade attack in Kulmunai Thursday afternoon, police said. Full story >> Batticaloa crisis temporary - Thamilchelvan[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 March 2004, 09:56 GMT] Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Major General (retd.) Trond Furuhovde and his deputy Hagrup Haughland met Head of the LTTE Political Wing, S.P.Thamilchelvan in Kilinochchi Thursday morning, LTTE peace secretariat website said. LTTE Batticaloa district Head of the Political Wing, Kousalyan, and Director of LTTE Peace Secretariat Puleedevan also participated in the discussions.Full story >> Batticaloa LTTE reiterates stand[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 March 2004, 09:32 GMT]"We are functioning with commitment to our cause under the command of our national leader Veluppillai Pirapaharan and the guidance of commander Col. Karuna" a senior official of the LTTE in Batticaloa was quoted as saying in Thursday's edition of the Thamil Alai, a regional daily published from Kokkaddicholai, a large village controlled by the Tigers 15 kilometres southwest of Batticaloa town. Full story >> NECORD capacity building workshop held in Vavuniya[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 March 2004, 03:28 GMT] North East Community Restoration and Development Project (NECORD) funded capacity building workshop with assistance from German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) for contractors from Vavuniya and Mannar districts was held in Vavuniya Ellapar Maruthankulam Agricultural Training center, sources said. This is the fifth workshop out of the eight planned workshops planned by the NECORD and GTZ.Full story >> TNA holds election meeting in Trinco Muslim village[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 March 2004, 21:08 GMT]The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader, Mr.Sampanthan, launched the village level campaign for the forthcoming general election in the Trincomalee district from Pulmoddai, a traditional Muslim village, about 60 km north of the eastern Trincomalee town Tuesday. Two meetings were held in Pulmoddai in support of the sole Muslim candidate in the Trincomalee district list, Mr. A.H.Sahul Hameed, sources said. Full story >> No regional split - LTTE[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 March 2004, 18:18 GMT]A spokesman for Col. Karuna, senior commander of the Liberation Tigers told TamilNet Wednesday night there was no split in the LTTE. ''We will be functioning directly under the command of our leader'', he said referring to reports that there was a major split in the LTTE. Full story >> Code of conduct for parties, public officials issued[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 March 2004, 13:39 GMT]A National Advisory Council appointed by President Chandrika Kumaratunga released a code of conduct for political parties, voters and public officials to be adhered during the elections and during the post poll period. The Council under the Chairmanship of Ven Dr. Bellanwila Wimalaratna Nayaka thero released the code of conduct at a meeting at the Ministry of Interior on Wednesday. Full story >> SLFP, JVP confusing everyone says former minister[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 March 2004, 08:50 GMT]Former Minister of Lands Mr. Rajitha Senaratne accused the JVP of having no clear policy to resolve the northeast crisis and said the contradictory positions of the two coalition partners - the SLFP and the JVP -were confusing everyone. The outspoken United National Front politician was addressing a press conference in Colombo Wednesday. Full story >> Sri Lanka Elections: News in Brief[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 March 2004, 01:14 GMT]Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), a party fielding Buddhist monks in parliamentary elections, begins its campaign in Kandy, candidates withdraw nominations in Digamadulla and Batticaloa, and a Tamil candidate dies of heart-attack in Nuwara Eliya, media reports said. Full story >> Sri Lanka President bans beer ads[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 March 2004, 18:01 GMT]Sri Lanka’s President Chandrika Kumaratunga Tuesday banned all beer ads in state media which are under her control, according to a press note from her office Tuesday evening. The ban was imposed after several representations had been made to her by religious organisations regarding the deleterious effects of the beer ads, particularly on TV during international cricket matches played in Sri Lanka. Full story >> Lagoon fishing ban irks Thondamanar fishermen[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 March 2004, 17:36 GMT]The Sri Lanka army agreed Tuesday to permit a limited number of fishermen to wade for prawns in the Thondamanar lagoon in Jaffna after fishermen’s organisations in the region threatened to launch a mass struggle. SLA prohibited fishermen from entering the Thondamanar lagoon from 26 February. More than 200 families in the villages of Thondamanar and Kerudavil in Jaffna’s Vadamaradchi Division depend on this lagoon for their livelihood during prawn season from mid February to April. Full story >> Humanitarian agencies say crime up in Jaffna[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 March 2004, 16:38 GMT]The Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies of Jaffna said Tuesday that murder, robbery, petty crime and the sale of illegal liquor have increased in the northern peninsula. A spokesman for the consortium citing Jaffna crime statistics for 2003, told the press Tuesday that steps should be taken to arrest "the creeping break down of law and order." Full story >> SLRCS youth camp concludes in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 March 2004, 13:13 GMT] Three-day youth camp organized by the Youth Wing of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) in collaboration with the Trincomalee branch of the SLRCS concluded Sunday evening at the banks of Mahaidivulewea in Morawewa division in Trincomalee district. Country Delegate of the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC), Mr.Alasdir Gibson, participated and distributed certificates to participants on the final day of the event.Full story >> U.S condemns killing of Batticaloa candidate[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 March 2004, 12:09 GMT]State Department Spokesperson, Richard Boucher, has condemned the killing of Sinnathamby Sunderampillai, a candidate in Sri Lanka's upcoming parliamentary elections. "Although no one has claimed responsibility for the crime, we note recent statements by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam that were clearly intended to discourage Tamil candidates of whom they did not approve," Boucher said in a statement issued March 1 in Washington. Sri Lanka police, however, say the matter is under investigation and declined to blame LTTE. Full story >> Bomb rips through school in Mannar[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 March 2004, 11:02 GMT]A powerful bomb exploded in a school in Mannar Tuesday afternoon, Police in the island town on Sri Lanka's northeastern coast said. The explosion caused severe damage to the school's roof. But no one was hurt as the school had closed for the day, Police said. Full story >> EPDP cadre shot dead in east[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 March 2004, 05:55 GMT]Unidentified gunman shot dead a cadre of the EPDP, a paramilitary group operating with the Sri Lankan army Monday night in Valaichenai, 32 kilometres north of Batticaloa, Police said. Mr. Ponnaiah Yogendran, 25, was walking towards the EPDP camp in the SLA Valaichenai fisheries harbour garrison around 10 p.m. when he was shot, according to Police sources in the eastern town. Full story >> Sri Lanka President’s Marxist ally slams devolution again[TamilNet, Monday, 01 March 2004, 17:44 GMT] The leader of President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s main political ally, Mr. Somawansa Amarasinghe categorically rejected the concept and practice of devolution in an interview published in the latest issue of ‘Business Today’, a monthly magazine from Colombo. “ On the national question, people are talking about devolution, division or sharing of power or other formulae. But everyone has become prisoners of devolution....What we say is please stop talking about devolution,” states Mr. Amerasinghe in the interview. Full story >> TNA holds its first election rally in Trincomalee[TamilNet, Monday, 01 March 2004, 17:34 GMT]The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) held its first election rally in Trincomalee Sivan Kovil Veethi Monday evening. "The forthcoming general election has been thrusted on the country as chauvinist forces in the south could not digest the contents of the Interim Self Governing Authority proposal submitted by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to the United National Front government,” said TNA leader and the lead candidate in the Trincomalee electoral district, Mr.R.Sampanthan, addressing the rally. Full story >> Protest paralyses Human Rights Commission office in Jaffna[TamilNet, Monday, 01 March 2004, 15:52 GMT] The Mothers Front and Missing Persons Guardians’ Association of Jaffna Monday began a sit in protest at the entrance of the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission demanding that Colombo should make a concrete response regarding the fate of their children, spouses and relatives who went missing after they were arrested by the Sri Lanka army in Jaffna in 1996-97. The protesting organizations said that Maj. Gen (ret) Janaka Perera, currently Sri Lanka’s ambassador for Australia should be brought to justice as the officers and troops who carried out the massacres were acting under his orders.Full story >> TNA manifesto released in Jaffna[TamilNet, Monday, 01 March 2004, 10:10 GMT] A political solution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka should be based on the recognition of the Tamil speaking people’s homeland, the Tamils’ identity as a distinct nation, and their right to self-determination, according to the manifesto of the Tamil National Alliance, which was released at a press conference in the TNA’s elections office in Jaffna Monday. "The Sinhala nation should come forward soon to resume peace talks with the Liberation Tigers for establishing the Interim Self Governing Authority," the manifesto states. Full story >> UNF candidate shot dead in Batticaloa[TamilNet, Monday, 01 March 2004, 08:44 GMT]Unidentified gunmen shot dead a United National Front (UNF) candidate Monday morning in Batticaloa town. The candidate, Mr. Sinnathamby Sundarampillai, 63, was slightly wounded when unidentified assailants shot at him on Saturday night. Two men visited the candidate who was receiving treatment at the Batticaloa Hospital and shot him at point blank range. Both got away, Police said. Another UNF candidate, Mr. Thambirajah Jeyakumar, was shot dead during the campaign for the general elections in December 2001. Full story >> Sri Lanka army declines to lend a hand to EPDP[TamilNet, Monday, 01 March 2004, 06:53 GMT]Sri Lanka army refused to allow the paramilitary EPDP to take a group of refugees inside the Palaly military base to see their homes during the weekend. “We already had a problem in Chavakachcheri where the group claimed that it was responsible for persuading us to vacate a sector of our high security zone there. We want better relations with the public. But we don’t want politics. Our only duty is to defend our country”, a Sri Lanka army officer in Jaffna told TamilNet. Full story >> TNA starts house to house campaign in Jaffna[TamilNet, Monday, 01 March 2004, 06:47 GMT]The Tamil National Alliance began a house to house campaign in Valigamam North and in Vadamaradchi in Jaffna. “We wanted to start on a quiet note, going directly to the people to understand their problems and attitudes”, said Mr. Selvarajah Gajendran, a TNA candidate and a former President of the Jaffna University Students’ Union. On Sunday the TNA held an introductory public meeting in Chavakachcheri. Full story >>
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