TNA MP interrogated for 10 hours by SL Terrorism Division

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 March 2007, 17:22 GMT]
M.K. Sivajilingam, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian for Jaffna district, was interrogated by Sri Lanka's Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) for nearly 10 hours starting from 10:00 a.m. Friday in Colombo for alleged links with the Liberation Tigers , TNA sources said.
Full story >>

Woman, youth injured in Trincomalee shooting incident

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 March 2007, 16:50 GMT]
Unidentified men shot and injured two Tamil persons including a woman in the heart of Trincomalee town Saturday evening around 7 p.m. along Old Moor Road in the town, sources said.
Full story >>

Thanthai Chelva's 109th anniversary commemorated

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 March 2007, 16:04 GMT]
Mr. S.J.V.Chelva- nayakam, founder of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) and fondly called by Tamils as "Thanthai" (father) was remembered on his 109th birthday as Jaffna Bishop of South Indian Diocese Rt Rev.Jebanesan, Thanthai Chelva Trustee, garlanded the statue of late leader Mr.Chelvanayakam located near the Duraiappah stadium in Jaffna within the High Security Zone (HSZ) at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Security Forces placed on alert along northern coast

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 March 2007, 15:12 GMT]
Sri Lanka Security Forces in northern coastal areas from Valvettiturai to Munai near Point Pedro were placed on red-alert after receiving intelligence information that Sea-Tigers were preparing for an attack after infiltrating through the eastern coastal waters Saturday morning, sources in Jaffna said. The anticipated attack didn't happen until atleast late afternoon, residents of northern coastal villages said.
Full story >>

GoSL stipulates national anthem daily - and local food

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 March 2007, 14:37 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government has ordered all public sector institutions to play the national anthem at the commencement of work, press reports said Saturday. A circular to this effect was issued by the Public Administration and Home Affairs Ministry, The Island newspaper reported. The circular also states that ‘indigenous foods’ should be given priority at any functions hosted by the institutions, the paper said. The moves are to protect native culture in the face of “predatory global invasion” the circular states.
Full story >>

LTTE confers Maamanithar award to Jeyakumar

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 March 2007, 11:31 GMT]
Leader of Liberation Tigers, Velupillai Pirapaharan, conferred Maamaniathar (Great Humanbeing) award to Thillainadarajah Jeyakumar, 54, who died suddenly in Melbourne Australia on 29 March. Praised as the leading force behind the Australian Tamils Co-ordinating Committee for the last two decades, Jeyakumar is credited with uniting Australian Tamils towards supporting Tamil Eelam struggle and for his unwavering committment to help the Tamil people. Jeyakumar is from Vannarpannai in Jaffna, is married, and has one son.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka's security to be tightened

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 March 2007, 11:12 GMT]
The Sri Lanka government has drawn up a new security plan that will put into operation with effect from 1 April Sunday across Sri Lanka. Cordon and search operations will be conducted without prior notice throughout the island, and vehicles will be subjected to severe checks, a private electronic media reported quoting Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Jayantha Wickremaratne.
Full story >>

HC applications filed on behalf detained Tamil fishermen

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 March 2007, 11:03 GMT]
Habeas Corpus (HC) applications have been filed in Sri Lanka's Court of Appeal on behalf of five Tamil fishermen of eastern province arrested in Mannar Sea on 21 March 2006 by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) for allegedly straying into the high security zone (HSZ), legal sources said. The fishermen are currently being kept in detention under the Emergency Regulations (ER) without being charged in court of law since their arrest.
Full story >>

Eleven Tamil civilians arrested in Kohuwela

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 March 2007, 10:55 GMT]
The Dehiwala Police took eleven Tamil civilians including two women into custody in a sudden cordon and search operation conducted Friday night at Kohuwela area, a suburb of Colombo. All of the arrested are natives of NorthEast, and had been staying with relatives and friends, sources said.
Full story >>

Launch all-out war on LTTE, PNM tells Rajapakse

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 March 2007, 02:59 GMT]
The National Patriotic Movement (NPM) urged the President Mahinda Rajapakse to conduct an all-out war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), sources in Colombo said. before it l "We should attack before the LTTE launches an air strike on Temple Trees residence in Colombo. No country has condemned the air strike by LTTE on country's main military air base in Katunayake," said NPM leader Venerable Dambara Amila Thera addressing a press briefing held Thursday in Sri Lanka Foundation Institute hall.
Full story >>

Armed men rob elderly civilian inside Jaffna HSZ

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 March 2007, 01:53 GMT]
Two unidentified armed men riding a motorbike assaulted an elderly man, held a pistol to his head, and robbed Rs. 500,000 Friday morning on Stanley Road in Jaffna town, in an area within the High Security Zone of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Civilian shot injured within SLA HSZ

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 March 2007, 01:46 GMT]
Two unidentified armed men on a motorbike followed a family man cycling along Palaly road at Punnalikaduvan area in Valigamam and shot him Friday morning. The seriously injured man was unattended on the roadside and was taken by local residents to Jaffna Teaching Hospital around 12:45 p.m. The incident occurred within the High Security Zone (HSZ) of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and close to Palaly SLA main base, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Young IDP killed by stray bullet hit in Vadamaradchy

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 March 2007, 00:11 GMT]
A young Internally Displaced Person (IDP) was killed by a stray bullet believed to be fired by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) at Manatkadu in Vadamarachchy East region in Jaffna district Friday, sources in Point Pedro said. The victim succumbed to his injuries at Manthikai hospital, hospital sources said.
Full story >>

Air-strike, a warning to SLAF- Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 March 2007, 13:25 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Political Head S.P. Thamilchelvan, stating that the air strike by the Tigers on the nerve centre of the Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) in Katunayake was "a one hundred percent successful mission," Thursday told media in Kilinochchi that the "precision air strike" by the Tigers on the SLAF was a "clear message" to the Sri Lankan state, to end the sustained bombardment of the Tamil homeland. "Within the last 6 months alone, the Sri Lankan Air Force has carried out at least 2 sorties every other day for more than 90 days. Hundreds of Tamil civilians have been killed, many wounded, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced due to the repeated bombardment," he added
Full story >>

5 SLA troopers killed in claymore attack in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 March 2007, 11:12 GMT]
Unidentified persons triggered a claymore device Friday afternoon at Parayanalankulam in Vavuniya district killing five Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers travelling in a tractor, military sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Labourer abducted, killed in Valaichenai

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 March 2007, 10:39 GMT]
Valaichenai police recovered the body of a labourer Friday morning in front of Peoples' Bank, V. C. road, Valaichenai in Batticaloa district. The labourer left his home to buy provisions in Valaichenai town Thursday around 2:00 p.m and failed to return. Relatives said he was abducted and then killed.
Full story >>

Kilinochchi residents condemn DPU attacks on civilians

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 March 2007, 10:34 GMT]
Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) demonstrated in Kilinochchi Thursday condemning the indiscriminate penetrative attacks on humanitarian organizations working in the Liberation Tigers (LTTE) of Tamil Eelam administrated areas by the Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of Sri Lankan armed forces, and demanding the international community take steps to stop the attacks. civil society sources in Kilinochchi said. The demonstration, presided by the President of TRO, M. Sivanadiyan, started around 10:30 a.m. in front of the TRO Head Office in Kilinochchi and ended around 12:00 noon at the Office of the Kilinochchi Government Agent.
Full story >>

9 civilians killed in SLA mortar attack in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 March 2007, 04:12 GMT]
Eight civilians, including four children, were killed Thursday 7:30 p.m. when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired mortars from Murakkoddaanchaenai SLA camp towards Siththaandi 3rd division, located 800 m southwest of the SLA camp. One of the wounded succumbed to injuries at Batticaloa hospital. Two 2-year-old girls and 2 boys under 18 years were among the victims. Three of the children were from a single family, initial reports said. Sri Lankan police or SLA troopers in the area were yet to visit the site, civilians from the area said.
Full story >>

SL Govt rejects UNP request to summon parliament

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 March 2007, 02:59 GMT]
The Sri Lanka government has rejected the request made by Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), to summon the parliament to debate the current security situation of the island in the wake of the air strike carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on the Katunayake air base, parliamentary sources said.
Full story >>

Speaker urged to ensure protection to parliament complex

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 March 2007, 02:55 GMT]
Anura Bandaranaike, Minister for National Heritage, Thursday requested the Speaker W.J.M.Lokkubandara to summon leaders of all political parties represented in parliament to an emergency meeting to decide on precautionary methods to ensure protection of the parliament complex, sources said.
Full story >>

Resettle, provide relief to East refugees, TNA urges UN

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 March 2007, 11:45 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA), in a letter to the United Nations representative in Colombo, urged the International Agencies to take steps to resettle displaced refugees, all Tamils, by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) offensive in the East. The TNA also complained most of the refugees's houses have suffered damages and that they be provided with compensation to rebuild their houses.
Full story >>

HRW slams Sri Lanka’s support for Karuna Group

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 March 2007, 11:38 GMT]
Despite promises to investigate abductions of children by the pro-government Karuna group, Sri Lankan authorities have taken no effective action and abductions continue, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Thursday. “The Karuna group’s use of child soldiers with state complicity is more blatant today than ever before, ” Brad Adams, Asia director at HRW said in a statement. HRW also accused the LTTE of recruiting child soldiers. “The Karuna group is doing the government’s dirty work,” Adams said. “It’s time for authorities in Colombo to stop this group from using children in its forces.”
Full story >>

Stop SLA troopers looting IDPs' houses, urge Batticaloa MPs

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 March 2007, 09:25 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers are breaking into houses of IDPs from Paduvankarai in Battialaoa district west displaced by SLA offensives, and robbing the belongings, said Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Batticaloa district parliamentarians, in a letter to the President of Sri Lanka, Wednesday evening, urging him to take necessary action to stop the practice.
Full story >>

Six civilians disappear in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 March 2007, 09:23 GMT]
Abductions and disappearances of Tamil persons in Jaffna district by members of Sri Lankan armed forces and allied paramilitaries are continuing unabated amid accusations by the international community at the 4th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council held in Geneva for Sri Lanka's human rights violations against their citizens, civil society sources in Jaffna said. Within 36 hours from Tuesday morning to Wednesday evening, six complaints of abductions were lodged at the Jaffna branch of the Human Rights Commission (HRC).
Full story >>

Elderly couple shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 March 2007, 08:51 GMT]
Unidentified armed men shot dead an elderly couple Wednesday around 8:30 p.m at their house near Urumpirai Katpahapillayar temple, while their 9 year old grandson escaped miraculously. The victims' house is located just 300 meters from Palaly road in the High Security Zone (HSZ), always guarded by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers.
Full story >>

Release abductees immediately, demands Colombo Rights Group

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 March 2007, 23:08 GMT]
Altogether seventy-eight persons have been abducted or gone missing in Colombo and its suburbs since August 2006. We demand they be released immediately and call upon the Sri Lanka Government to take steps to have them freed," said members of the Committee for Finding Missing Persons (CFMP), at the Satyagraha demonstration held in Hyde Park Corner in Colombo Wednesday from 10:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m, sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

SLA MBRL fire paralyses Batticaloa district

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 March 2007, 22:38 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Batticaloa launched Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) fire from their camps towards Liberation Tigers Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held territories in Baticaloa district, Wednesday from 6:00 a.m til 10:30 a.m, sources in Batticaloa said. Government offices and schools were closed.
Full story >>

India sidesteps LTTE air strike

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 March 2007, 19:07 GMT]
India treaded with caution and reserve Wednesday while reacting to the Tamil Tigers' air strike on the Sri Lankan Air Force base at Katunayake airport on Sunday, Indian press reports said. Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shanker Menon was quoted as saying India was concerned general escalation of violence in which the airstrike was one incident.
Full story >>

SLA attempt to enter Batticaloa LTTE territory beaten

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 March 2007, 11:30 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) forces thwartted a pre-dawn attempt by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers and paramilitary cadres of Karuna group from Chenkalady Black Bridge SLA camp in Batticaloa district Wednesday around 3:30 a.m, to advance into Koduvamadu area in LTTE held territory in Batticaloa, sources in Batticaloa said.
Full story >>

Mirusuvil massacre case inquiry resumes

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 March 2007, 11:09 GMT]
The Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar (TAB) inquiry into the Mirusuvil massacre case was fixed for June 25 when it was taken up before the specially constituted three member bench comprising Judges Mr.Upali Abeyaratne (Chairman), Mr.Deepali Wijesundara and Mr.Sunil Rajapakse last Monday, legal sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Minibus driver shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 March 2007, 08:14 GMT]
Two unidentified armed men arriving on a motorbike shot dead a minibus driver who was having tea at a cafe on Jaffna-Kachcheri road behind Jaffna Secretariat, Tuesday around 5:00 p.m. The victim was rushed to Jaffna Teaching hospital where he succumbed to his wounds.
Full story >>

2 police officers injured in Batticaloa grenade attack

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 March 2007, 07:30 GMT]
An unidentified youth on motorbike lodged a hand grenade on a group of Sri Lanka police officers on road patrol near the petrol station at Arayamapthy in Kathankudy police division in Batticaloa district, Tuesday around 7:30 p.m injuring two policemen, Kathankudy police said. Both are admitted to Batticaloa Teaching hospital.
Full story >>

Youth disappears after interrogation by SLA in Nallur

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 March 2007, 03:41 GMT]
A youth from Navalar Road Jaffna disappeared after being stopped at the Arasady Junction in Nallur for interrogation by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers stationed at the junction, the youth's relatives said in a complaint to the Jaffna Offices of the Human Rights Commission (HRC).
Full story >>

Silent plays portray life in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 March 2007, 01:09 GMT]
Jaffna University undergrads staged two short, silent plays Tuesday between 11:00 a.m to 12 noon in Kailasapathy Hall on the 'World Drama Day.' Both plays were acted without any spoken dialogue, symbolising the loss of the freedom of expression in Jaffna peninsula, and the Principal Slogan for the day was 'Words have lost their worth!', the undergrads said. Invitations to the plays were written on Palmyra palm frond blades and sent out clandestinely to prevent Sri Lanka Army (SLA) authorities from obstructing the event, Jaffna University Student Union (JUSU) representatives said.
Full story >>

Artillery duel along Jaffna FDLs

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 March 2007, 20:05 GMT]
Exchange of heavy mortar and artillery fire and Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) fire continued between Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Forward Defence Lines (FDL) from Muhamalai to Kilali in Thenmaradchy and Nagarkovil area in Vadamaradchy east area, Monday evening untilTuesday evening, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Bogollagama meets with Co-chair Ambassadors

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 March 2007, 14:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister, Rohitha Bogollagama, met with the Ambassadors of the Co-Chair countries at the Foreign Ministry building in Colombo Tuesday, diplomatic sources from Colombo said. The discussions centered on the threat to Sri Lanka's security by the demonstrated capability of the Air-Tigers to penetrate air-defences of Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) and to strike at Sri Lanka's military nerve centers, sources close to the meeting said.
Full story >>

LTTE Air Strike, no terrorism- SAAG

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 March 2007, 12:16 GMT]
B. Raman, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, South Asia Analysis Group (SAAG) Chennai, says in his analysis: "The TAF's [Tamileelam Air Force's] air strike was well-planned and equally well-executed. It was a night operation taking advantage of the weak capability of the SLAF for night operations. It was a precision attack, which carefully avoided causing any casualty or damage in the international airport, which could have roused international ire. There were no civilian casualties----targeted or collateral. As a result, it would not be possible to characterise the attack as an act of terrorism. It was pure and simple a conventional air strike."
Full story >>

2 Tamil civilians arrested in Colombo after air strike

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 March 2007, 10:14 GMT]
Sri Lanka Police took two persons, both Tamils, into custody in Colombo and its suburbs on Monday in cordon and search operations conducted in connection with the air strike on Katunayake air base by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), military sources said.
Full story >>

Court orders further remand for Sooriyarachchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 March 2007, 10:13 GMT]
Kaduwela Magistrate Tuesday ordered further remand till April 10 for Sripathi Sooriyarachchi, sacked minister and a parliamentarian of the Sri Lanka Freedom party (SLFP), main constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, legal sources said.
Full story >>

Jaffna Council employee seeks protection at HRC

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 March 2007, 08:18 GMT]
An employee of Jaffna Municipal Council (MC), shot and injured by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers in front of Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office in an earlier incident, and admitted to Jaffna Teaching hospital, sought safety with the HRC Monday, sources in Jaffna said. The HRC officials took steps to place the employee under protective custody of Jaffna prison through Jaffna police after he surrendered at the HRC fearing for his life, the sources added.
Full story >>

Civilian shot dead, another missing since Friday, in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 March 2007, 07:19 GMT]
Unidentified armed men arriving on motorbike shot dead a family man, Monday around 11:00 a.m, while he was eating in a food stall opposite Jaffna college, Vaddukodai. The killers, entering the food stall pretending to be normal customers, opened fire on the victim at point balk range, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Bomb blast kills 2 SLA troopers, 4 EPDP members in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 March 2007, 05:04 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers and four Eelam Peoples' Democratic Party (EPDP) members were killed at Kommanthurai Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp in Batticaloa district Tuesday around 6:50 a.m, when explosives in a tractor blew up when the troopers opened fire as the driver of the tractor failed to stop on orders, Eravur police in Batticaloa said.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka blackout on Air Force losses

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 March 2007, 22:24 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s President held an emergency meeting of the country’s security leadership Monday as the government imposed a total blackout on the Liberation Tigers' bombing raid on Katunayake, the island’s main airbase in the early hours. Whilst the government says only two helicopter gunships were slightly damaged, airmen coming off duty told reporters in Colombo that several SLAF jet bombers were put out of action by fierce fires which broke out in the hangars struck by the LTTE aircraft. Up to 40% of the SLAF’s strike capability has been knocked out, they said.
Full story >>

UNP demands parliamentary debate on air attack

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 March 2007, 21:13 GMT]
Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), has requested the Prime Minister, Ratnasiri Wickremanayake to summon the parliament immediately to discuss the current security situation in Sri Lanka following the Monday predawn air strike by the air wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on the Katunayake airbase.
Full story >>

STF shoots dead two youths in Amparai

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 March 2007, 21:07 GMT]
Three troopers from Kanthuvil Special Task Force (STF) were injured when unidentified men attacked a road patrol unit at Sankaman on the border of Amparai district Sunday around 7:45 p.m, sources in Amaparai said. Two of the attackers were killed when the STF retaliated, according to STF sources.
Full story >>

Sri Lankan MIG bombers attack coastal villages in Mannar, Mullaitheevu

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 March 2007, 13:23 GMT]
Four Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Russian made MIG bombers Monday noon attacked Vellankulam, located north of Iluppaikkadavai in Mannar district and Pokkanai in Puthukudiyiruppu in Mullaithivu district in the evening around 5:30 p.m. Both the locations bombed were civilian areas.
Full story >>

Stop arresting upcountry Tamils without NIC- Trade Union

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 March 2007, 11:41 GMT]
Ceylon National Workers Congress (CNWC), one of the trade unions in the upcountry plantations, has appealed to Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse to order the security forces not to arrest plantation Tamils in the central province who do not possess national identity cards (NIC), sources said.
Full story >>

5 Tamil fishermen held without charges

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 March 2007, 11:23 GMT]
Five Tamil fishermen, arrested on 21 March 2006 by Sri Lanka Navy for allegedly straying into the high security zone in Mannar sea, are still being detained in Colombo magazine prison under the Emergency Regulations (ER) without any charge, as relevant documents not reviewed by Attorney General's department for more than a year, legal sources said. The fishermen were produced defence before the Colombo Chief Magistrate last Friday.
Full story >>

SLA soldier reported missing in Muttur

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 March 2007, 11:15 GMT]
A soldier of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has been reported missing since Friday in Kinniya, police sources said. He disappeared while travelling with a group of soldiers from Palathoppur military detachment in Muttur division to Upparu in Kinniya division in Trincomalee district. He has been identified R.P.S.R.Wickramasinghe, 24, of Nawalapitya, police sources said.
Full story >>

Colombo International Airport resumes air traffic

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 March 2007, 06:45 GMT]
The Colombo BIA Airport has resumed air traffic, according to Sri Lankan Airlines officials in Colombo. The flights, diverted to other airports due to the attack on military controlled area of the airport, will now reposition to Colombo, the officials added.
Full story >>

LTTE releases photographs of air mission

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 March 2007, 02:15 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have for the first time released photos of their Air-Tigers to media with Tamileelam Air Force (TAF) first major mission. While reputed military analysts speculated on the LTTE use of air-craft limited to self-destroy missions, Tigers have surprised them by using locally designed payload carrying mechanisms, and automatic ammunition discharge circuitry, and demonstrated capability to fly night missions.
Full story >>

Tamil student missing in Nawalapitiya

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 March 2007, 01:30 GMT]
A plantation Tamil student at Nawalapitiya Balika Vidiyalayam has been reported missing since February 27, according to a complaint lodged with the Nawalapitya Police, sources in Upcountry said.
Full story >>

Air-Tigers attack Katunayake military airbase

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 March 2007, 20:06 GMT]
Two attack air-crafts belonging to Liberation Tigers carried out bombing raids at the Sri Lanka Air Force airbase at Katunayake at 12:45 a.m. early morning Monday and returned safely to Vanni, military spokesperson of the LTTE, Irasaiah Ilanthiraiyan told TamilNet. The targets for the air attack were the SLAF's Kfir and MiG-27 hangars at the military base located adjoining the Katunayake International Airport (KIA), Ilanthiraiyan said. Meanwhile, military officials in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo said 3 Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) personnel were killed and 15 wounded in the attack.
Full story >>

Batticaloa SLFP organiser shot dead

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 March 2007, 17:48 GMT]
Two unidentified armed men on motorbikes shot dead Batticaloa district Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) organiser Sunday around 10:00 a.m at Erivil in Kalavanchikudy police division in Batticaloa district, sources in Batticaloa said.
Full story >>

CID to question Samaraweera

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 March 2007, 12:35 GMT]
Media reports in Colombo said Mangala Samaraweera, one of the three-sacked ministers by Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse in a major cabinet reshuffle last month, is likely to be taken in for questioning regarding an alleged malpractice during his tenure as minister. Mr. Samaraweera was foreign minister when he was dismissed from the cabinet, sources said.
Full story >>

Two SLAF personnel killed in road accident

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 March 2007, 12:14 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) personnel, a group captain and a sergeant, were killed Sunday early morning when their vehicle ran off the road and hit a bridge at Weerawila in Hambantota district in the southern province. Six more SLAF personnel were injured in this accident, police sources said.
Full story >>

Supreme Court to hear Mawbima publisher's FR petition

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 March 2007, 10:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court granted leave to Mawbima and Sunday Standard publisher, Mudiyansalage Basnayake, to proceed with his Fundamental Rights (FR) application against his arrest and detention. The three-member bench of the Supreme Court chaired by Chief Justice Sarath N.Silva ordered that the FR application should be mentioned on March 29 to consider the petitioner's plea for interim relief, namely, his release. The Court fixed the FR application for full inquiry on June 4, 2007. The other members of the bench are Justices Raja Fernando and Andrew Somawanse, legal sources said.
Full story >>

Jaffna city terrorized, armed men kill three businessmen

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 March 2007, 08:07 GMT]
A fruit seller, an ice cream bar owner and a worker at the bar in Jaffna city were shot and killed by armed men who walked into their businesses Sunday noon. Armed men with hand guns chased the fruit seller who was selling grapes in the pavement of Hospital Road, opposite the bus stand, and shot him dead while he was running for his life calling for help. Later, an owner of an ice-cream bar and his assistant were shot and killed, 200 meters away, behind the bus stand on Jaffna Power House Road. Tension prevails in Jaffna city following the killings in broad daylight in the heart of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Security Zone (HZS).
Full story >>

Mannar police recovers grenade near Telcom building

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 March 2007, 16:10 GMT]
Mannar police recovered a grenade at a site located opposite the telecommunication office along Mannar railway station road Saturday evening around 5 p.m., sources in Mannar said. The grenade was diffused by the bomb disposal squad of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA).
Full story >>

NGO worker killed, directors wounded in DPU attack in Mannar

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 March 2007, 11:42 GMT]
Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) directors who were returning after monitoring the relief assistance to the displaced civilians, following the Sri Lanka Army operation in Mannar Vavuniya border, were attacked by a Sri Lanka Army Deep Penetration Unit Claymore mine Saturday around 12:30 p.m., initial reports from Vanni said. Humanitarian worker Muthuraja Aruleswaran, was killed and 3 TRO directors, including the Assistant Executive Director of the TRO, Vadivel Ravichandran, 38, were wounded in the attack which took place at Periyamadu in Mannar district, located northwest of Madu.
Full story >>

Tamil civilian reported missing in Negombo

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 March 2007, 09:26 GMT]
Wife of a Tamil resident of Negomobo, missing since January 11, last week complained to Negombo Police that her husband, Selliah Tharmarajah, 46, who was employed at a foreign employment agency, did not return home after he left home by bus with his national identity card to report for work in Colombo office.
Full story >>

Masked men shoot, wound Tamil family in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 March 2007, 09:20 GMT]
A group of masked men Friday midnight forcibly entered a house in Faizal Nagar in Kinniya division and shot at inmates injuring a husband and wife. The injured, identified as Arumugam, 40, and his wife Vijerani, 37, were admitted to the Kinniya district hospital.
Full story >>

Bomb attack kills SLA soldier in Jaffna, civilian wounded in retaliation fire

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 March 2007, 07:34 GMT]
Unidentified attackers lobbed a powerful hand bomb into a Sri Lanka Army checkpost located near the SLA 51-2 Brigade Command in Jaffna city Saturday killing a SLA soldier and wounding four around 10:45 a.m. A civilian was wounded when SLA soldiers opened fire after the attack on the checkpost located along Navalar Road near the railway cross.
Full story >>

2 teens, one married youth abducted within 24 hours in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 March 2007, 00:09 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers, arriving in Buffel Armoured Personnel Carrier and motorbikes accompanied by armed men in a white van, forcibly abducted a youth and a 16 year old student at gunpoint from the youth's house at Vayatkarai Lane in Vannarpannai, Jaffna, Thursday night, according to family members of the abductees.
Full story >>

SLA offensive thwarted, civilians saved - LTTE

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 March 2007, 18:19 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers who had taken more than 120 civilians as "human shields" against Tiger artillery fire and advanced into Liberation Tigers territory in Vavuniya-Mannar border Friday morning were forced to pull back their soldiers from Thampanai and Sinna Pandivirichchan at around 10:30 p.m after 15 hours of heavy fighting Friday. Liberation Tigers officials said they had defeated the two pronged offensive, without harming the civilians who were in the hands of the SLA. Around 60 SLA soldiers were killed, the Tigers claimed. Official figures from Colombo released Saturday said 14 soldiers were killed and 42 wounded.
Full story >>

SLA holds Tamil journalist, says RSF

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 March 2007, 15:10 GMT]
Reporters sans frontières (RSF) said in a press release issued Friday that Sri Lanka Army (SLA) was involved in the abduction and disappearance of Subramaniam Ramachandran, a journalist working for Tamil daily, Yarl Thinakural. Ramachandran disppeared on 15 February after being questioned at the Kalikai junction, Vadamaradchy SLA camp, and RSF said his collegeues believe that he is being held in an SLA camp.
Full story >>

SLA attempt to invade LTTE territory beaten- Seeralan

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 March 2007, 15:08 GMT]
S. Seeralan, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Batticaloa District Deputy head of Political wing, said the attempt by SLA to invade into LTTE territory, from their camps in Unnichai and Vavunathivu, has been successfully thwarted.
Full story >>

JVP holds district political conferences

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 March 2007, 11:33 GMT]
The Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) is to hold a district conference in Trincomalee Town Hall on March 28 evening as part of a series of meetings being held throughout the country educating the public regarding the current political situation. The theme of the conference is "Save the Motherland". One of the senior JVP leaders and a parliamentarian Mr.Wijitha Heart is to address Trincomalee conference, JVP sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Christian, Hindu teachers boycott training college

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 March 2007, 11:27 GMT]
The untrained English teachers of non-Muslim faith selected for the new academic year for teacher training at Addalaichchenai Teachers’ Training College picketed in front of the Batticaloa Teachers’ Training College around 10:30 a.m. Thursday demanding transfers to Batticaloa Teachers’ Training College.
Full story >>

3 youths shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 March 2007, 11:26 GMT]
Three youths, one in Thenmaradchy, the other two in Pommaiveli and Kondavil within Jaffna Munipality limits, were found shot dead, Thursday night, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Civilians flee artillery barrage east of Madu, 1 killed

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 March 2007, 07:28 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army launched heavy artillery and Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher fire on Periya Pandivirichchan 2 km east of Madu church. An MPCS worker attached to the Madu Multi Purpose Co-Operative Society (MPCS) secretariat was killed in the artillery fire, initial reports said. Civilians are caught in tension as they couldn't determine where to flee. Artillery shells exploded near the Central Dispensary in Periya Pandivirichchan village.
Full story >>

SLA takes human shields in Vavuniya Mannar border - LTTE

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 March 2007, 05:00 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam officials in Kilinochchi Friday charged that more than 300 Sri Lankan Army (SLA) troopers had breached 2 km into LTTE territory and taken more than 120 villagers of Periyathampanai, around 10 km southeast of Madu, in Vavuniya Mannar border, as human shields Friday morning around 7:30 a.m.
Full story >>

SLA forces civilians to rebuild burnt mini-camp

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 March 2007, 04:10 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers cordoned off and searched areas in Chullipuram in Valigamam where an SLA mini-camp was set on fire Wednesday morning by unknown persons, and directd residents to gather at public place for interrogation, sources in Chullipuram said. All traffic and other activities in the area came to a standstill during the interrogation which lasted for several hours, the sources added. The SLA troopers forced the passers by to rebuild the burnt camp.
Full story >>

2 fishermen reported missing in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 March 2007, 02:25 GMT]
Two fishermen who went night fishing in Muhathuvaram sea in Batticaloa on 19th March have not returned home, according to complaints lodged by their relatives at Batticaloa police station.
Full story >>

Abductee left for dead by SLA troopers, survives

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 March 2007, 21:16 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers abducted a labourer from his house Wednesday around 8:00 p.m at Mandan, Karaveddy in Vadamaradchy, knifed and strangled him, and dumped the body in Valaiveli area thinking he was dead. People who went in search of him Thursday morning found him severely injured fighting for life and brought him home, sources in Karaveddy said. The abductee, testifying before Point Pedro Magistrate, said that he was abducted at gunpoint by SLA troopers and that he can identify abductors.
Full story >>

JVP holds protest demonstration against UN, Norway in Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 March 2007, 16:01 GMT]
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the Marxist Sinhala nationalist party, staged a demonstration Thursday morning in front of the UN office in Colombo against UN interference in Sri Lanka's local issues and the proposed special UN Commission to examine human rights violations in Sri Lanka. Slogans against Norway's peace initiatives were also voiced in the demonstration attended by Wimal Weerawanse, Propaganda secretary, General Secretary Tilvin de Silva, parliamentarians, and Provincial council members of JVP, media sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Medical shop assistant shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 March 2007, 12:16 GMT]
A woman employee of a pharmacy located in front of Jaffna Teaching Hospital along Hospital road within the High Security Zone (HSZ) demarcated by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) was shot dead at 9:45 a.m. Thursday by two unknown gunmen who arrived in a motor cycle and pretended to buy medicine, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Supreme Court rejects Jaffna youth's FR petition

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 March 2007, 12:06 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court rejected Tuesday a fundamental rights application filed by a Jaffna Tamil youth who is currently being detained in Colombo magazine prison stating that the petitioner has failed to fulfil conditions needed to file such application, legal sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

SLA denies arresting youth in Vadamaradchy

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 March 2007, 11:58 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers arrested a youth during a cordon off and search launched at the school area near the church at Sakkottai in Vadamaradchy north Wednesday around 1:00 p.m, fisheries society sources of the area said. The SLA officials, however, did not acknowledge arresting the youth when contacted for information about the youth, according to relatives.
Full story >>

Trader, associate shot dead in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 March 2007, 11:47 GMT]
Unidentified armed men on a motorcycle shot dead a trader and his associate, spraying bullets at them near the trader's house at Pothisumaku road in Vavuniya Wednesday around 7:25 p.m. and escaped, Vavuniya police said. Vavuniya magistrate Mr. Manickavasagar Illancheliyan conducted inquiries Thursday morning at Vavuniya hospital. The International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated the bodies were taken to the hospital.
Full story >>

Puttalam observes hartal against killings, abductions

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 March 2007, 00:42 GMT]
Residents and traders in Puttalam observed a general shut down Wednesday condemning killing and abducting civilians demanding ransom, sources in Sri Lanka's west coastal town said. Shops were closed, public transport came to a standstill and normal life in the town was disrupted.
Full story >>

Body with blunt-force injuries found in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 March 2007, 00:15 GMT]
Kopay police recovered the body of a family man, with severe injuries to his body inflicted by sharp blows from a blunt instrument, Wednesday morning along New Chemmany Road in Kalviyankadu, within Jaffna Muncipal council limits, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

6 Jaffna residents, abducted within last seven days, still missing

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 March 2007, 00:08 GMT]
Six civilians, arrested by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) or abducted by SLA and SLA-backed paramilitaries between Wednesday 14th March to 21st, have disappeared without any trace, sources in Jaffna said. The disappearnces occured in Alvai, Kudathanai in Vadamaradchy, and Velanai, Punkankulam and Chulipuram in Valagamam.
Full story >>

72 civilians arrested in Chilaw

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 March 2007, 22:58 GMT]
Sri Lanka armed forces Wednesday morning took into custody 72 civilians, most of them Tamils, in a cordon and search operation conducted in Uddapu, a Tamil village in Chilaw district, northwestern province.
Full story >>

SLA mini-camp set on fire in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 March 2007, 12:04 GMT]
Unknown persons set fire to the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) mini camp located at Chullipuram area in Valigamam Wednesday morning when the troopers were out on patrol, sources in Chullipuram said. Additional troops have been deployed at the site while the camp continues to burn, eyewitnesses who had fled from the site said.
Full story >>

SL Forces reintroduce fishing ban in Vadamaradchy

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 March 2007, 11:36 GMT]
Sri Lanka Armed Forces stationed along the coastal belt of Vadamaradchy reinstated the ban on fishing from Wednesday morning on Vadamaradchy north and east seas until further notice, fisheries society sources said.
Full story >>

Carpenter shot dead in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 March 2007, 11:33 GMT]
Unidentified armed men shot dead a carpenter in his house at Murganoor area in Vavuniya Tuesday around 9:30 p.m, Vavuniya police said.
Full story >>

Tamil youth shot dead in Trincomalee town

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 March 2007, 11:15 GMT]
Unidentified armed came in a motor bike shot dead a 27 year old Tamil youth Wednesday morning around 10 a.m. in the heart of Trincomalee town. He is a resident of Killikunchchumalai area in Kanniya village located about eight km northwest along Trincomalee-Anuradhapura road, sources said.
Full story >>

Colombo fails to release Parameswary despite Court order

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 March 2007, 10:44 GMT]
The Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) of Sri Lanka failed to produce Mounasamy Parameswary in Colombo Courts by Wednesday evening despite a Supreme Court order Wednesday morning to release the Tamil woman journalist before the end of Wednesday, legal sources said. Ms Parameswary was arrested and detained without charge for more than three months.
Full story >>

Tigers raid SLA camp, checkposts on A-15 road in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 March 2007, 07:49 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam launched heavy artillery shelling on Sri Lanka Army camps located in Morakkoddanchenai and Mavadivembu, and on the checkposts along Trincomalee Batticaloa A-15 road in a pre-dawn attack inflicting damage to the SLA positions in the area north of Batticaloa. LTTE fighters raided at least one SLA camp, located at Mavadivembu, according to initial reports. SLA sources claimed to have located 8 bodies of LTTE fighters after the raid which lasted for more than 2 hours. At least 4 SLA troopers were killed and 8 SLA troopers were seriously wounded in LTTE shelling that started around 12:45 a.m. The LTTE is yet to release details about the attack.
Full story >>

SLA introduces pass system to travel out of Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 March 2007, 01:29 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) high command in Jaffna said it requires all persons wishing to leave Jaffna district to provide a surety to stand guarantee for the return of the applicant as an additional requirement to obtain a pass to travel out of the distriict. The travellers are asked to submit applications to the area SLA official through the Village Officer and the Divisional Secretary. Civil society sources expressed concern over the new regulations restricting the freedom of movement, and urged Rights groups to bring pressure on Colombo to stop the deteriorating human rights situation in Northeast.
Full story >>

Jaffna resident seeks protection with HRC

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 March 2007, 00:45 GMT]
A fifty-seven year old resident of Sirupitty, Valligamam, sought protection from the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers and their collaborating paramilitary members at the Jaffna police station Tuesday through the Jaffna office of the Human Rights Commission, according to HRC. The man said that two youths had been killed at Nilavarai in his area and that he too feared being abducted SLA troopers.
Full story >>

SLA removes remains of bodies, accuse Mulli residents

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 March 2007, 17:33 GMT]
A search organised by Point Pedro Magistrate Mr. K. Ariyanayagam and the police Tuesday evening, for the two partly burnt corpses discovered by Mulli residents in a mangrove shrub jungle Monday, ended in failure, sources in Jaffna said. Military boot tracks on the marshy ground were found in the area and residents allege that the burnt corpses have been removed Monday night by the troopers who the villagers accuse of dumping the body there.
Full story >>

Karuna group, SLA, abduct 5 IDPs

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 March 2007, 16:19 GMT]
Five persons, including a Hindu priest, two teen aged sisters, and two youths from the Internally Displaced People (IDP)s displaced from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held areas in Batticaloa district, have been taken away by paramilitary Karuna group personnel and soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Intelligence wing within the last 10 days, according to complaints lodged with Batticaloa Human Rights commission by their relatives.
Full story >>

Colombo conspires to alter East's demography- NLF

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 March 2007, 11:41 GMT]
Dr.Wickremabahu Karunaratne, leader of the New Left Front (NLF) said at a news conference held Monday at Hotel Nippon in Colombo organized by the National Front Against War (NFAW) that Sri Lanka Government is conspiring to change the demography of the eastern province by forcibly driving out Tamil people and settling members of the majority community, media sources said.
Full story >>

JUSU condemns GoSL attacks on East, raises funds to help refugees

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 March 2007, 11:21 GMT]
Jaffna University Student Union (JUSU) condemned the pre-planned attack by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) on the people of Eastern province and demanded that the Sri Lanka government to immediately stop the attacks on civilians creating a humanitarian crisis, during a meeting held at the Kailasapathy Hall in Jaffna university around 10:30 a.m. Monday. The JUSU also urged the student community to unite to help the people displaced by the SLA offensives.
Full story >>

Sooriyarachchi remand extended, attends parliament under escort

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 March 2007, 11:14 GMT]
Kaduwela Magistrate Tuesday ordered further remand for Sripathi Sooriyarachchi, parliamentarian of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government till March 27. The court further said it could consider application by Mr. Sooriyarachchi to attend parliamentary sittings during remand period, legal sources said. Accordingly, Mr Sooriarachchi attended the parliament under escort Tuesday afternoon. Opposition parliamentarians greeted him with applause when he entered the well of the House, sources said.
Full story >>

Grenade attack on home guard sentry in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 March 2007, 11:00 GMT]
Unidentified persons Monday night around 10.30 p.m. lobbed a grenade on a sentry manned by home guards at Mudcove, a suburb in Trincomalee town. No one was injured in the attack. However home guards and army troops rushed to the scene opened fire in retaliation, security sources said.
Full story >>

Eastern University reopens

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 March 2007, 00:17 GMT]
The academic activities of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka (EUSL) resumed Monday after nearly three months of closure, the Acting VC, Dr. N. Pathmanathan said. The university was closed follwoing the abduction of its Vice Chancellor (VC), Prof. S. Ravindranath, on December 15 in Colombo.
Full story >>

SLA soldier killed in Kuchchaveli

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 March 2007, 00:11 GMT]
A soldier of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) was killed at Sembimalai in Kuchchaveli police division Trincomalee Sunday evening when an unidentified group of persons fired at a foot patrol of the SLA, military sources said.
Full story >>

Two partly burnt corpses found in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 March 2007, 16:55 GMT]
Villagers of Mulli at Varani discovered two corpses in partly burnt state dumped in a shrub land located along Kodikamam-Point Pedro road between Thenmaradchy and Vadamaradchi Monday, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

President of Auto drivers' union shot dead in Akkaripattu

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 March 2007, 16:53 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen shot dead the president of the Panankadu Auto Drivers' Union while driving his auto Monday around 2:15 p.m. in Akkaraipattu in Amparai district.
Full story >>

Trader, student disappear in Ariyalai

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 March 2007, 11:26 GMT]
A trader and a student accompanying him have disappered in Pungankulam, Ariyalai, inside the Jaffna Municipal area, after being interrogated by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers Sunday noon, according to complaints made at the offices of Jaffna Human Rights Commission, sources said.
Full story >>

Man shot dead in Muthur

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 March 2007, 11:15 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen shot dead a man at Kiliveddy in Muthur in Trincomalee district Sunday night, sources in Trincomalee said.
Full story >>

Jaffna bus service reduced due to lack of spares

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 March 2007, 10:28 GMT]
Ceylon Transport Board (CTB), the only public transport means in Jaffna peninsula, will soon grind to a halt as spares and other essentials have ceased to reach Jaffna since the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) closed the A9 land route to the peninsula in August 2006, transportation officials in Jaffna said, Friday.
Full story >>

Bishop calls for urgent help to Batticaloa IDPs

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 March 2007, 10:23 GMT]
"Around 1,53,000 Internally Displaced People from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held areas, are suffering without sufficient food, drinking water and other basic facilities for the last four or five days. The International community and humanitarian organizations should step in immediately to help the destitute people," Rt. Rev. Kingsley Swampillai, the Bishop of the Trincomalee-Batticaloa diocese of the Catholic Church said to media, explaining the dire situation in Batticaloa district and conveying his open appeal, Sunday.
Full story >>

175 schoolchildren, 9 staff narrowly escape air strike on school

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 March 2007, 08:36 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir bombers Monday morning bombed a school in Chundikulam, wounding a female teacher and two schoolboys, attending 7th grade and 9th grade at the school, Chundikulam Vidyalayam, located 21 km northeast of Kilinochchi, in the southern part of Vadamaradchi East region in Jaffna district. Three bombs were dropped 25 meters from a class room. A bomb that hit a tree exploded in the air, wounding two children and a teacher. Around 175 schoolchildren, 8 teachers and the principal of the school narrowly escaped from the aerial attack. TamilNet correspondent who visited the site of the attack witnessed a second air strike at 11:45 a.m.
Full story >>

SL government is strong, says Anura Bandaranaike

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 March 2007, 20:48 GMT]
Mahinda Rajapakse's government is in a stronger position after the joining of United National Party (UNP) dissidents, and there is no question about the government's stability within the parliament, National Heritage minister Anura Bandaranaike, said Sunday in Kandy.
Full story >>

Allaipiddy case stalls in Kayts Courts

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 March 2007, 17:38 GMT]
The progress in Allaipiddy murder case, where five members of the same family were allegedly massacred by soldiers of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN), has stalled in Kayts District Courts due to lack of co-operation from the Attorney General's (AG's) Department, lawyers associated with the case said. Hearings that were to take place on the 30th of August 2006, were finally held on the 14th March Wednesday, after several postponements due to the break out of violence in August last year.
Full story >>

Samaraweera vows to continue his political journey

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 March 2007, 17:06 GMT]
Mangala Samaraweera, dissident parliamentarian of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government led by Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse said no force can stop his political journey, during a meeting held at Navimada in Matara district Saturday evening. He was commenting on a report that he had been removed from Matara district SLFP organizer post by the party central working committee, sources said.
Full story >>

38 civilians arrested in Mt.Lavinia

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 March 2007, 17:01 GMT]
Thirty-eight civilians, including twenty women of all three communities, were arrested Sunday in a cordon and search operation conducted by the Sri Lanka government troops in Mt.Lavinia police division in Colombo city, police sources said.
Full story >>

SL Forces lift fishing blockade in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 March 2007, 12:52 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Command in Jaffna allowed fishing in coastal areas in Vadamaradchy north and east with specific restrictions starting from Saturday, fisheries society sources in Jaffna said. Fishermen were allowed fishing during day-light hours, within one 1km from the shores, and can only use non-motorized boats, sources added.
Full story >>

SLA blocks annual foot pilgrimage of Mannar Christians

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 March 2007, 12:13 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) refused permission to about hundreds of Christian devotees to continue their annual foot pilgrimage to Calvary located in Komarasankulam in Vavuniya citing security reasons Wednesday morning. Devotees returned to Mannar after they were stopped at Murunkan on their way to Vavuniya. The SLA also turned down appeals made by Mannar Bishop Rt.Rev. Rayappu Joseph, church officials said.
Full story >>

Abducted TRO staffers final rites held

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 March 2007, 20:01 GMT]
The final rites for the seven TRO staffers abducted by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA)-backed Karuna paramilitary group in January 2006, and presumed murdered, were held on the Saturday, after three days of mourning, sources from Kilinochchi said. Framed memorials with photographs were taken to relatives home in Kilinochchi on Wednesday, 14 March, for people to pay respect. The pictures were taken in procession to the Kilinochchi Cultural Hall where the final ceremony was held.
Full story >>

Young farmer shot, wounded in Thenmaradchy

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 March 2007, 14:49 GMT]
Amid escalating number of killings in Jaffna peninsula, a farmer was shot by unknown men at his home in Mirusuvil North, Thenmaradchy, Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m., sources in Jaffna said. This is the fourth shooting incident involving farm workers who are being increasingly targetted in Mirusuvil area, sources said.
Full story >>

Rights questions bedevil Bogollagama UK, US visit

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 March 2007, 12:55 GMT]
"The five year old Ceasefire Agreement is in tatters and the Government [of Sri Lanka] seems more and more determined to pursue a military solution. But what are the costs? With widespread reports of abductions and disappearances, extra-judicial killings and torture, today's Sri Lanka is beginning to look like Pinochet's Chile," says Allan Little, BBC's Hard Talk, in his introduction to an interview with Rohitha Bogollagama. The foreign minister has completed his visit to UK and is currently in US, and his visit is plagued by questions regarding the worsening Human Rights situation in Sri Lanka.
Full story >>

SLA blocks Education officials from visiting FDL schools

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 March 2007, 12:24 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) command in Jaffna has blocked from Jaffna district Education Department officials from visiting schools inside the High Security Zones (HSZs) to attend to routine educational matters and to inspect progress in building construction, Valigamam Education officials said. Tellipallai Union College, inside Valigamam North HSZ, and Hartley College and Methodist Girls College, inside Point Pedro HSZ, are the worst affected schools with the new SLA restrictions, Education officials said.
Full story >>

CID arrests Sooriyarachchi

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 March 2007, 09:34 GMT]
Sri Lankan Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested Sripathy Sooriyarachchi Saturday in Colombo following his summon for investigation into alleged misuse of a government vehicle after his removal from the ministerial portfolio. The arrest comes after Mr. Sooriyarachchi, the former non cabinet minister of port development, who was sacked by the SL President Mahinda Rajapakse, exposed an alleged scandal by Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse, the brother of Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse, involving Rs.600 million in the purchase of Russian-made MIG fighter and weapons.
Full story >>

19 SLA troopers injured in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 March 2007, 06:55 GMT]
At least 19 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were injured, 4 of them seriously, when SLA troopers and the Liberation Tigers exchanged heavy artillery and rocket fire along the forward defence lines of Thenmaradchi in the Jaffna peninsula from Friday evening. Heavy shelling continued till Saturday morning, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Rajapakse sibling to be appointed national list MP

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 March 2007, 23:39 GMT]
Basil Rajapakse, senior advisor to, and brother of, Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse, is to accept the position as a National List Member of Parliament next Tuesday, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) sources said Friday. Secretary of SLFP and Minister Maithripala Srisena has forwarded a letter to the Secretary General of Sri Lanka Parliament Ms Priyani Wijesekera to appoint Basil Rajapakse as an MP, according to parliamentary sources.
Full story >>

Colombo forcing refugees to return home- Rights Group

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 March 2007, 19:47 GMT]
"Sri Lankan authorities are using threats and intimidation to force civilians who fled recent fighting in Sri Lanka’s civil war to return home," Human Rights Watch said today. "To pressure individuals to return home, government officials and military personnel have threatened to withdraw humanitarian aid, food and other essential supplies," the Rights body further said.
Full story >>

SLA operation thwarted on southern front - LTTE

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 March 2007, 13:42 GMT]
Hundreds of Sri Lanka Army troopers who advanced into Liberation Tigers territory Palamoddai, northwest of Vavuniya, were forced to hurriedly withdraw from the area, leaving behind military hardware as the Tigers put up stiff resistance against the SLA troopers between 12:00 and 3:00 p.m., said LTTE's Military Spokesman, Irasiah Ilanthirayan. Four SLA troopers were killed and 20 wounded in the operation. However, the SLA said it suffered casualties when LTTE attacked their positions.
Full story >>

130 Tamils from government held Muttur villages return

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 March 2007, 11:44 GMT]
A batch of about 130 persons from 40 Tamil families displaced from their villages in government controlled territory in Muttur and Serunuwara divisions returned from Batticaloa to Killiveddy in Muttur police division Thursday around 11 in night in two buses for resettlement. Another batch of 147 persons from 47 Tamil families are waiting in Batticaloa to return to their villages, divisional secretariat sources said.
Full story >>

Private secretary of Sooriyarachchi arrested

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 March 2007, 11:37 GMT]
Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officials arrested a private secretary of sacked minister Sripathi Sooriyarachchi, Lieutenant Commander Rohana Gamage, a navy officer, sources said. Police officials said the he was taken into custody at Anuradhapura, capital of north central province, with several confidential documents Wednesday morning.
Full story >>

SLFP dissidents removed from party organizer posts

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 March 2007, 11:32 GMT]
Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Thursday night at its emergency central working committee meeting dismissed the two sacked ministers Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi from party organizers' posts. Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse presided the meeting in the capacity of party president, sources said.
Full story >>

SLA arrests three Tamil youths in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 March 2007, 11:28 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Friday morning arrested three Tamil youths travelling in a private bus to Mannar from Vavuniya. Monitors of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) have been informed of the arrest, sources said.
Full story >>

SLA shoots dead youth in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 March 2007, 11:21 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) sources in Jaffna said they shot dead a youth who attempted to enter their Intelligence Unit main camp located at Koolavady area in Annaikottai in Valigamam, after lobbing a hand grenade, Friday around 12:15 p.m. The grenade did not explode, according to SLA sources
Full story >>

Sampanthan meets Akashi in Tokyo

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 March 2007, 11:17 GMT]
Mr.R.Sampanthan, parliamentary group leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) met with Mr.Yasusi Akashi, Special Peace Envoy for Sri Lanka in Tokyo Wednesday, TNA sources in Colombo said. The discussion, lasting about an hour, centered on the present situation in North East province where hundreds of thousands Tamil families are being displaced due to military operation from their own villages.
Full story >>

Colombo traders shut down in protest against ransom demands

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 March 2007, 11:07 GMT]
"Members of the Karuna group, in collaboration with the police, demand ransom from us and though we have complained to the police along with phone numbers as evidence, no action has been taken," said Pettah and Fort traders in Colombo, taking part in the protest shutdown of their shops Friday, against the demands and death threats. All shops in Fort and Pettah were closed, and Kotahena police blocked traders from demonstrating in front of the police station, media sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

906 students selected for Jaffna University

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 March 2007, 01:16 GMT]
The University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka selected 906 students for the academic year of 2006/07 in Jaffna University, Prof. R. Kumaravadivel, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University said. The name list of the students was received Thursday and 59 students were selected to study Medicine and 17 for Law.
Full story >>

Two civilians disappear in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 March 2007, 00:12 GMT]
Two civilians, one from Kasturiar Road Jaffna and another from Point Pedro, Vadamaradchy disappeared on Thursday, according to complaints filed by their relatives at the Human Rights Commission (HRC) offices in Jaffna.
Full story >>

Jaffna students denied permission to attend Trinco contest

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 March 2007, 00:05 GMT]
Tamil medium students selected from schools in Jaffna district to participate in the rescheduled 2006 North East Provincial Tamil Language Day competition scheduled to be held in Trincomalee on Saturday and Sunday have not been given permission to travel by sea to the east port town, education officials in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Ships meant for civilian use, carryout military tasks

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 March 2007, 20:23 GMT]
While refusing to open the A9 land route, the Sri Lanka government (GoSL), under the pretext of shipping passengers and essential food items to Jaffna district, is using the ships to bring in the requirements of its armed forces occupying Jaffna peninsula, civil society sources in Jaffna said. The ship 'Ruhuna', the latest ship arriving at Jaffna, was taken to Kankesanthurai harbour, used exclusively by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN), first unloaded the goods brought for the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and the SLN.
Full story >>

6000 parcels to Jaffna shipped, another 5000 remain

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 March 2007, 11:26 GMT]
The vessel "Merc Yala" carried six thousand parcels, a portion of the backlog of parcels lying in the Trincomalee general post office since January 13, when the ship left Trincomalee port Wednesday. About two thousand parcels were returned back to the post office due to lack of space in the vessel, which has also been taking a consignment of cement and flour to Jaffna district, postal departmental sources said.
Full story >>

SLA offensives affect 14000 students in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 March 2007, 11:16 GMT]
The education of more than 14,000 students of 110 schools in Batticaloa district has been badly affected by the fighting between the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), A. M. E. Paul, Batticaloa District Zonal Director of Education said. Nearly 4,000 students in Batticaloa town whose schools are being used as refuge for displaced people are unable to continue their education, the Director added.
Full story >>

13 Tamils arrested in Mt.Lavinia

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 March 2007, 11:11 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and Police arrested thirteen Tamils from North and Eastern provinces in a pre-dawn search conducted Thursday in Hathuduwa area in Mt.Lavinia, a suburb of Colombo city, police said.
Full story >>

SLA attacks Vavuniya Mannar border villages

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 March 2007, 11:02 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army Thursday morning launched heavy artilery and mortar fire towards Mannar Vavuniya border villages Mullikulam, Keerisuddan and Periya Pandivirichchan causing hundreds of civilian families to flee the villages, according to initial reports in Vanni. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) have carried out three aerial attaks in Mullaithivu district till Thursday noon.
Full story >>

Mutilated body caught in fishing net in Punguduthivu

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 March 2007, 02:02 GMT]
Police recovered mutilated male body packed in a green plastic bag normally used by Sri Lanka Army (SLA), caught in the fishing net along the coast at Ward 10 in Punguduthivu, an islet of Jaffna peninsula, Wednesday morning. The body, with head, hands and legs severed, bore deep cut wounds in the stomach and appeared to belong to a male under 30, sources in Punguduthivu said.
Full story >>

SLFP dissidents allege financial scandal in arms deals

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 March 2007, 01:52 GMT]
Sacked ministers, Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi, Wednesday requested the Commission on Bribery and Corruption of Sri Lanka to initiate an independent inquiry into the allegations of a financial scandal involving Rs.600 million in the purchase of Russian-made MIG planes and weapons.
Full story >>

Muslim trader disappears in Jaffna, youth's body found in toilet pit

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 March 2007, 01:01 GMT]
A body of youth strangled to death, was found in a toilet pit in an abandoned house in Chunnakam South area in Valikamam region in Jaffna district Monday evening. The neighbors alerted the area Village Service officer after detecting a bad stench, and the body was found after a search. The Village Service officer handed over the unidentified body to the Jaffna Teaching hospital for autopsy and identification. Meanwhile, a muslim trader has been reported to have disappeared in Mallakam, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

3 youths seek safety with Jaffna Rights Body

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 March 2007, 00:24 GMT]
Three youths, from Kodikamam, Columbuthurai and Manipay, were accompanied by officials of the Jaffna Human Rights Commission (HRC) to safer areas Tuesday and Wednesday from their hiding places, after they called for help to the HRC office fearing danger to their lives. The officials are making arrangements for the three youths to be produced at Jaffna courts through Jaffna police, HRC sources said.
Full story >>

Youth's body found dumped in Jaffna town

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 March 2007, 00:02 GMT]
The body of a youth with gun shot wounds was recovered Wednesday morning within Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Security Zone in the heart of Jaffna town at Konan Thottam Veethy near KKS road-Hospital road junction, sources in Jaffna said. The youth had been missing since Tuesday evening after he went to escort his brother's daughter from school.
Full story >>

UK calls for truce, backs Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 March 2007, 23:13 GMT]
British Prime Minister Tony Blair Wednesday called for the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) to be implemented as a first step towards ending Sri Lanka’s conflict. “The only realistic way to get a solution is to come back to the 2002 agreement and make sure that it is implemented,” Mr. Blair said. Meanwhile British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett told her Sri Lankan counterpart, Rohitha Bogollagama, “there can be no military solution alone to the conflict.” The emphasis on ‘alone’ is seen by some as British preparedness to endorse the Colombo’s war against the Tigers, provided a political solution is offered also.
Full story >>

STF shoots dead youth in Thirukovil

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 March 2007, 22:45 GMT]
Troopers of the Special Task Force (STF), an elite commando unit of the Sri Lankan armed forces, shot dead a youth Wednesday around 6:30 a.m at VC junction in Kannaki village at Thirukovil in Amparai district, sources from Thirukovil said.
Full story >>

Father, son injured in SLN firing in Pesalai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 March 2007, 19:42 GMT]
A fisherman and his son were injured when the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) Tuesday morning around 6:00 a.m. fired at a group of persons at Ward No: 5 in Pesalai in Mannar district. The injured have been identified as 34 year-old Charles Peiris and his 2-year old son Joyson.
Full story >>

U.S. grants LKR 51 million for petroleum exploration in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 March 2007, 17:01 GMT]
U.S. Trade and Development Agency has awarded 51 million rupees ($474,000) to Sri Lanka Wednesday. Promoting energy security in Sri Lanka through the development of oil and gas sector is the goal of the grant, according to a press release issued by the U.S. Embassy in Colombo. U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Robert Blake and Sri Lankan Secretary for the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, signed the agreement Wednesday.
Full story >>

Youth found dead in Vavuniya identified

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 March 2007, 10:43 GMT]
The body of a youth shot dead and recovered by Vavuniya police with hands bound behind at Anna Nagar area in Poonthodam, Vavuniya Monday morning was identified by his mother Wednesday morning.
Full story >>

SLA trooper injured in mortar fire on Omanthai brigade base

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 March 2007, 10:41 GMT]
Mortar shells launched by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) hit Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Omanthai brigade base Tuesday night around 12:00 p.m. seriously injuring a trooper, SLA sources said.
Full story >>

GA to submit resettlement report to High Court

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 March 2007, 00:11 GMT]
Jaffna Government Agent (GA), K. Ganesh, said he will be submitting a preliminary report prepared regarding the resettlement of displaced persons to residences in High Security Zones (HSZ) of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Valigamam north to the High Court soon, in a press meet convened at the Jaffna District Secretariat Tuesday.
Full story >>

Colombo lodges, boarding houses to be closely monitored

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 March 2007, 21:44 GMT]
The law enforcement authority under the direction of Sri Lanka Defence Ministry has formulated a scheme to closely monitor the activities of lodges and boarding houses to strengthen the security in Colombo city. As a first step the Ministry is suspending the registration of new lodges, and is planning to order closure of lodges which fail to provide basic facilities, and to identify lodges which are suspected of having close links with undesirable persons.
Full story >>

Tamils arrested in Tissamaharagama still in detention

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 March 2007, 21:38 GMT]
Ten Tamil civilians arrested in Tissamaharagama, in the southern province Sunday night in a cordon and search operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Police are still being detained in the police station and being questioned.
Full story >>

Struggle will continue until CFA is annulled-JVP

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 March 2007, 20:27 GMT]
The Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said that its struggle will continue until the Sri Lanka government annuls the ceasefire agreement (CFA) it signed with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). "We successfully obtained a ruling on the demerger of NorthEast province after nineteen years. We will also succeed in cancelling the ceasefire agreement very soon,"Wimal Weerawanse, parliamentary group leader of the JVP addressing a meeting last Sunday in Matara in the southern province said.
Full story >>

Documentary on Black Tigers premiered in Oslo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 March 2007, 13:05 GMT]
For the first time the Tamil Tigers have allowed a foreign film team to "hand-pick, follow, interview and dig deep," into the lives and faiths of two female Black Tigers, according to the producers of a documentary film titled "My daughter the terrorist," which made its World Premiere to a full house at Parkteatret in the Norwegian capital Oslo Monday.
Full story >>

Postman, civilian killed in DPU claymore attack

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 March 2007, 12:33 GMT]
A postman and another civilian were killed in a claymore mine attack carried out by the Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Monday morning at fourth mile post along Madhu-Parapukadanthan road in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held territory in Mannar district. The postman has been identified as Fernando Arulananthan Croos, 48, and the civilian has not been identified yet, sources said.
Full story >>

Colombo Rights body meets German Ambassador

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 March 2007, 12:21 GMT]
Delegation of Civil Monitoring Commission (CMC), a human rights watch dog based in Colombo, met German Ambassador Juergen Weerth in Colombo Tuesday and discussed the Human Rights situation in Colombo and NorthEast, civil society sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Welikada political prisoners call off hunger strike

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 March 2007, 11:00 GMT]
43 Tamil political prisoners detained in Welikada prison called off their hunger protest Tuesday morning around 11:00 a.m. They had been fasting since Saturday. Eleven of the prisoners were immediately admitted to the prison hospital as their condition was reported to critical, sources said.
Full story >>

SL parliamentary delegation leaves for Japan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 March 2007, 10:59 GMT]
A parliamentary delegation comprising four parliamentarians led by Speaker W.J.M.Lokkubandara left for Japan on an official visit Sunday night. Mr.R.Sampanthan, parliamentary group leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Mr.Vajira Abeyawardene and Mr.T.B.Ekanayake, Highways Minister are the other members of the delegation, sources said.
Full story >>

13 Tamil civilians arrested in Kohuwela

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 March 2007, 10:54 GMT]
Thirteen Tamil civilians were arrested Monday night in a cordon and search operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Police at Kohuwela, a suburb in Colombo city. All including three women are natives of North East province and were temporarily staying with friends and family members in their homes and in lodges in Kohuwela when they were arrested, sources said.
Full story >>

TNA delegations meet British, Japanese ambassadors

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 March 2007, 09:59 GMT]
Batticaloa district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians appealed to the British Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mr. Dominic Silcott Monday, urging the International Community to pressure Sri Lanka government to stop artillery attacks into civilian populated areas in Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held areas and to provide the necessary facilities to the people displaced in the recent violence. The meeting lasted an hour starting at 2:30 p.m. Monday.
Full story >>

Peoples' Committee urges opening of western sea-route to Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 March 2007, 01:35 GMT]
Rt. Rev. Thomas Savundranayagam, the Bishop of Jaffna, said that he has requested Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse to open a sea route from Kurrikaduvan in the jaffna Islets to Mannar enabling people to travel to and fro from the peninsula, sources said. Closure of A9-highway has seriously affected the lives of the peninsula residents, the Bishop said in a press meet held by the Peoples' Committee for Peace and Goodwill (PCPG) Sunday around 3:00 p.m at the Jaffna Bishop House.
Full story >>

SLFP dissidents ask Rights Commission to guarantee safety

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 March 2007, 00:52 GMT]
Mangala Samaraweera, sacked Foreign Minister Monday said that Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse in his capacity as Defence Minister, and Gothabaya Rajapakse, Defence Secretary, should accept responsibility should anything happen to Sripathi Sooriyarachchi or him. Mr. Samaraweera was speaking to the press after attending the inquiry held by the officials of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) on complaints made by him and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi.
Full story >>

Condition of fasting prisoners worsens

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 March 2007, 00:39 GMT]
The condition of 43 Tamil political prisoners on hunger strike for the third consecutive day in Welikada Prison is fast deteriorating, prison officials said. The prisoners have been held in Welikade for more than a year without charges. The prisoners are demanding immediate release or be provided bail, and their cases be transferred to courts in their own districts, relatives of the prisoners said.
Full story >>

Textile vender shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 March 2007, 23:24 GMT]
Unidentified persons shot dead a textile vendor along Hospital road, Jaffna in front of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital at 2:10 p.m. Monday. The gunmen shot Lawrence Mariyaselvam, 32, a young family man from Navaly North, Manipay, in broad day light and escaped from the site in a bicycle, eye witnesses said. Sri Lanka Army soldiers were stationed close to the crime scene, local traders said.
Full story >>

751 IDPs return to Muthur Tamil villages from Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 March 2007, 23:16 GMT]
About 751 members of 348 displaced Tamil families returned Monday evening in several buses from Batticaloa to Killiveddy in Muthur division for resettlement in Sri Lanka government held villages. This was the first batch of several thousand IDPs who first sought refuge in Vaharai and then to Batticaloa following the military operations launched by the Sri Lanka Army in August last year on Muttur east villages.
Full story >>

Elderly man killed, three injured in Amparai

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 March 2007, 17:15 GMT]
A 60 year old man was killed while two students and a woman were injured when shells fell and exploded on Chempity area in the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) controlled area on the border of Batticaloa, Amparai districts, Sunday around 8:30 a.m, according to Amparai police. Meanwhile, five Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers were injured when unidentified persons attacked an SLA patrol unit Sunday around 4:40 a.m at Komaskanthalawa situated on Amparai border.
Full story >>

SLA conducts search operation in Muttur villages

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 March 2007, 11:29 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers arrested four Tamil youths in two-day cordon and search operations conducted Saturday and Sunday in Manatsenai and Peruveli, two Tamil villages in the Muttur south division in Trincomalee district in the government held territory. They were taken to army camp in the area for further questioning, according to complaints by their relatives to relevant authorities.
Full story >>

Body with gunshot wounds recovered in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 March 2007, 08:40 GMT]
Vavuniya police recovered the body of a youth shot dead with hands bound behind at Anna Nagar area in Poonthodam, Vavuniya Monday morning. Unidentified armed men arriving in two cars shot dead the youth Sunday around 5:30 p.m, according to neighbours.
Full story >>

SLA forces exodus of Tamils in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 March 2007, 01:34 GMT]
More than 100,000 people have moved out of Liberation Tigers controlled areas of Batticaloa district to the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) controlled areas as Sri Lankan armed forces continued shelling for the third consecutive day in their attempt to force evacuation of large section of Tamil population with the military agenda to capture additional territory, officials providing relief assistance said Sunday.
Full story >>

International community must intervene to stop attacks on East

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 March 2007, 18:50 GMT]
More than hundred and fifteen thousand people have been rendered homeless due to the indiscriminate and persistent shelling of Paduvankarai region in the Esatern province by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) since 5th March, in its attempt to invade the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held territory, T. Ariyanenthiran, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian for Batticaloa said in an urgent appeal on behalf of the TNA, requesting the International Community to intervene immediately to stop the Sri Lanka Government's war on Tamils in the east.
Full story >>

4 disappearances, 4 abductions in 48 hours in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 March 2007, 16:42 GMT]
Human Rights Commission (HRC) offices in Jaffna reported Sunday that four youths have disappeared and four others have been abducted from their houses by armed men wearing black uniforms in the last 48 hours, sources in Jaffna said. Jaffna residents are gripped with fear as abductions by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and SLA-backed paramilitaries under Mahinda Rajapakse Government have exceeded the dangerous levels witnessed during Colombo's 1997 counter-insurgency campaign, civil society sources said.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka's gross violations of Human Rights must stop- Selvy

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 March 2007, 10:37 GMT]
Humanitarian Spokesperson of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), N. Selvy, Saturday expressed dismay at International Community's discourse with Colombo by failing to adopt a humanitarian strategy to end the culture of impunity in Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) administered territory. Despite expressing reservations on the effectiveness of the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIEGP) according to the terms and reference of Colombo, Selvy said: "if the monitoring system could discipline the Sri Lankan state and bring the culprits to book, it would be worthwhile."
Full story >>

2 STF troopers killed, one injured in Kalmunai

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 March 2007, 10:27 GMT]
Unidentified persons triggered a claymore device Sunday around 8:50 a.m at Pandirippu in Kalmunai police division in Amparai district killing two Special Task Force (STF) troopers and injuring one. The attack targeted the STF road patrol unit. Three civilians were seriously injured in this attack.
Full story >>

87 youths abducted or disappear in Jaffna in 2007

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 March 2007, 02:02 GMT]
87 youths have either been abducted or disappeared in the first 69 days of 2007, records at the office of the Jaffna Human Rights Commission (HRC) said. 416 civilians disappeared in 2006, according to the same records. The escalating numbers have raised the spectre of disappearances of 1997, when Amnesty declared "600-odd people who have "disappeared" in the last 18 months after their arrest by the security forces, nearly all have died as a result of torture or been deliberately killed in detention." Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers arrested 6 youths in Aanaikkodai during the Saturday funeral of fish trader who was shot dead Friday, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Decomposed body of male found in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 March 2007, 18:05 GMT]
The body of a man in partly decomposed state was found Friday evening at Musalkutty Kulam area in Vavuniya, civil society sources in Vavuniya said.
Full story >>

SLFP dissidents, JVP predict demise of Rajapakse regime

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 March 2007, 17:29 GMT]
Sripathi Sooriyarachchi, sacked minister from the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government said Saturday that a new government will be informed in Sri Lanka shortly, and Mangala Samaraweera, another sacked minister will play a vital role in that government. He didn't reveal any other details. Meanwhile, separately, the Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Saturday said the life span of the present United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) agreement will last only for fifteen months.
Full story >>

2 SLA troopers killed, 10 injured in APC accident

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 March 2007, 17:22 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers died and ten were injured when their Buffel Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) crashed against an electricity post Friday around 7:30 p.m at Chalampaikulam along Vavuniya-Mannar road, sources in Vavuniya said.
Full story >>

Erlalai decaptitated body identified

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 March 2007, 14:13 GMT]
The decapitated body found in a tobacco farm in Mylankadu Erlalai on 5 March, Monday was identified as belonging to one of the five Chunnakam youths abducted by uniformed Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers between 4th and 6th of March, sources in Jaffna said. Officials at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital confirmed that the parents of the youth identified the body.
Full story >>

Female student's body found in Tellipallai well

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 March 2007, 13:15 GMT]
Body of a first year female undergraduate from Jaffna campus was discovered Saturday morning in a direlict well 500 meters outside the High Security Zone (HSZ) in Tellipalai, Valigamam North near Mahajana College, sources from Jaffna said. Mayura Murugaiah, 22, disappeared Friday morning after riding her bicycle from her home in Allaveddy towards Jaffna campus to attend lectures.
Full story >>

Court releases 8 Tamil detainees, SLN arrests 4 in Negombo

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 March 2007, 12:45 GMT]
Colombo magistrate court Thursday and Friday released twelve civilians, eight of them Tamils, who were arrested in cordon and search operations in Colombo and its suburbs and detained in Boosa detention camp located in Galle in southern province. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) arrested four in Negombo suspected of attacking fishing boats, sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

2 SLA deserters kill fellow soldier

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 March 2007, 12:22 GMT]
Two soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) were taken into custody Friday in connection with the murder of a fellow soldier in Teldeniya in Kandy district. All three soldiers had been attached to the Maveriyadenne SLA camp located close to Victoria Reservoir hydro power plant in Teldeniya, sources said.
Full story >>

Three die in parcel explosion in Badulla

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 March 2007, 12:15 GMT]
Three persons were killed on the spot and two others were injured when a parcel floating in the Uma Oya (river) in Uva-Paranagama area in Badulla district in Uva Province exploded Wednesday evening. An elderly father, his daughter, and another youth, all Sinhalese residents of Horathotta village in Badulla, were killed, sources said.
Full story >>

SL Police, SLA cordon, search Mannar town

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 March 2007, 12:06 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Police Saturday afternoon 1:30 p.m conducted a combined cordon and search operation in Sinnakadai, Bazaar in Mannar town. More than seven hundred civilians, men and women were ordered to leave their houses and workplaces, and assemble in the Mannar common playgrounds by the military officials, and were subjected to severe interrogation. Their national identity cards were checked. Civilians were allowed to leave the playground after registering their names and other details with the military authorities, sources said.
Full story >>

Tigers hand over 4 STF bodies to ICRC in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 March 2007, 06:27 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Batticaloa District Deputy Political Head S. Seeralan handed over four bodies of Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) personnel killed Friday at Pullumalai, to the Batticaloa ICRC Saturday morning, Tiger officials in Batticaloa said. The LTTE has thwarted STF ground troop movement and seized 1 PK LMG, 1 RPG, 1 M16A2 assault rifle, 5 T56-2 guns and ammunition including 40mm mortar shells. A three pronged ground offensive with SLA/STF artillery barrage has forced more than 40 000 Tamils to flee their villages in LTTE controlled area.
Full story >>

Aid workers massacre probe flawed- ICJ

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 March 2007, 06:09 GMT]
Criticizing the probe into the massacre of 17 aid workers of French NGO Internationale Contre la Faim (ACF) in Muttur as flawed, the official observer of International Committee of Jurists (ICJ), Michael Brinbaum, said the investigators had hastily acted on the presumption that the killings were done by the LTTE, and the mid-hearing substitution of a Tamil magistrate was "unlawful." He advocated the use of Australian experts to analyze ballistic evidence and said it is imperative the Sri Lankan Government acts to "dispel serious concerns about whether [its] justice system is now able to carry out independent and credible investigations."
Full story >>

6 Tamils detained in Dambulla, 3 remanded, 29 released

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 March 2007, 00:38 GMT]
Of the 38 civilians arrested in Dambulla and its suburbs in north central province Thursday, six civilians, all Tamils have been detained in police station for further investigation. Three were produced in Dambulla magistrate court Friday and remanded, legal sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

55 civilians killed in Mannar in 14 months

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 March 2007, 00:32 GMT]
Fifty-five Tamil civilians were killed, 105 injured, and 16 reported missing in Mannar district from 2006 January to February 2007 in military operations carried out by the Sri Lanka forces, civil sources said.
Full story >>

3 youths missing in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 March 2007, 00:13 GMT]
A youth from Mallakam went missing after he went to the bank Thursday morning, and another youth from Kilner Lane at K.K.S road in Jaffna is missing since Thursday, the relatives of the youths reported to the Human Rights Commission (HRC) office in Jaffna, HRC officials said. In both cases the complainants said they feared the youths have been abducted. A third youth has not returned after he was taken for investigation at the Neervely Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp.
Full story >>

Court extends remand for detained woman Journalist, waits AG report

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 March 2007, 23:06 GMT]
Colombo Chief Magistrate Ms Sarojini Kusala Abeyawardene Friday ordered further remand till March 23 for Mounasamy Parameswary, a journalist of Sinhala weekly Mawbima, waiting for the report of the Attorney General. Parameswary was produced in court Friday, legal sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Fish trader shot dead at Aanaikoddai

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 March 2007, 22:50 GMT]
Two unknown armed men on a motorbike rode into Chavakkadu Market at Aanaikoddai in Valigamam and shot dead a fish trader Friday at 9:00 a.m.
Full story >>

Anuradhapura SLA commander killed in ambush

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 March 2007, 14:15 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army commander of the Anuradhapura Saliyapura Gajaba Regimental HeadQuarters, Colonel Jayantha Shurawera, and three of his men inlcuding a Major, and four national park employees were killed in a gunfire ambush inside the Wilpattu wildlife sanctuary around 10:30 a.m. Friday, military officials in Colombo said.
Full story >>

40,000 civilians displaced in two days in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 March 2007, 13:09 GMT]
More than 40,000 civilians were displaced within the last 48 hours in Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled Paduvankarai area as heavy artillery and Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher fire by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) continued, forcing the civilians to flee from Kokkaddicholai and the surrounding villages. "Batticaloa is experiencing another tragic humanitarian crisis without the attention of the International Community," charged Batticaloa district parliamentarian S. Jeyanandamoorthy. Meanwhile, a third front, opened by the Sri Lankan Special Task Force troopers at Pullumalai, 31 km southwest of Batticaloa, was thwarted by the Tigers, according to the LTTE.
Full story >>

Protest held in Colombo against abductions

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 March 2007, 12:45 GMT]
The Committee for Finding the Disappeared Persons of New Democratic Front (NDF) held a protest campaign at Company Street Junction in Colombo around 4:00 p.m. Thursday demanding the immediate stop to human rights violations and disappearances. More than hundred activists including the relatives of the disappeared participated in the one-hour long event. More than ten children carried the portraits of their disappeared fathers, sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

SLA trooper killed in Nelliady attack

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 March 2007, 12:28 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) trooper was killed and two soldiers were injured in an attack against a SLA road patrol along Nelliady-Vathiry area in Vadamaradchy Friday 3:00 p.m, sources in Point Pedro said. Jaffna SLA command has not officially confirmed whether the casualty is from a hand-grenade explosion or from a claymore attack.
Full story >>

Vessel Yala to carry Jaffna mail from Trinco

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 March 2007, 11:50 GMT]
The backlog of about six thousand parcels lying in the Trincomalee general post office and about two thousand such parcels expected to reach east port town from other parts are expected to be dispatched to Jaffna by a vessel "Yala" on March 13, said Trincomalee Post Master.
Full story >>

SLA reopens Uyilankulam checkpoint

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 March 2007, 11:39 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Friday morning reopened the Uyilankulam checkpoint, the gateway to Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held territory in the Mannar district. The Uyilankulam checkpoint was closed by the SLA following a clash between the government troops and LTTE cadres Wednesday, sources said.
Full story >>

Tamil civilians arrested in Kandy, Dambulla

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 March 2007, 10:28 GMT]
Sri Lanka Armed Forces arrested seven Tamil civilians at Teldeniya in Kandy in the Central Province and 38 civilians in Dambulla and its suburbs in the North Central Province in cordon off and search operations conducted Thursday.
Full story >>

Elderly Tamil trader abducted in Wellawatte

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 March 2007, 09:49 GMT]
Unidentified armed men in a white van abducted an elderly Tamil trader Thursday night at Fussels Lane in Wellawatte, Colombo, according to a complaint made to Wellawatte Police.
Full story >>

TNA MPs visit Tamil political prisoners

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 March 2007, 00:12 GMT]
Seven Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians accompanied by Minister for Justice and Legal Reformation, Dilan Perera, visited the Tamil Political prisoners at Magazine Prison in Colombo Thursday evening and discussed matters related to their release. The prisoners who had begun a fast-to-death campaign on 21 February had called off their action temporarily on February 26 following TNA parliamentarians' assurance to assist them.
Full story >>

Armed men in white van abduct mason in Manipay

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 March 2007, 21:49 GMT]
More than five unknown armed men in a white van abducted a mason Thursday around 2:00 p.m in Manipay area as he was returning from his mother's house in Manipay to Alady camp for Internally Displaced People (IDP) in Uduvil, according to complaints made with the Human Rights Commission Jaffna office.
Full story >>

Thousands displaced in fresh Sri Lankan offensive

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 March 2007, 13:35 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army has launched heavy artillery barrage towards Liberation Tigers controlled territories in Batticaloa district since Thursday morning as Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) began a two pronged ground offensive from Chenkalady through A-15 (Batticaloa Badulla Road) and from Pulukunawa and Syambalanduwa. Around 10 000 civilians were forced to flee from the shelling inside the LTTE territory. Liberation Tigers said their fighters were engaged in a defensive fight on two fronts. Two civilians were killed in SLA shelling on Thandiyadi. Access routes were closed Thursday morning. Wireless telephone link and mobile network remain dead in the district.
Full story >>

Trader shot dead in Mallakam

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 March 2007, 12:20 GMT]
The owner of a private Telecommunication center was shot dead by unknown gunmen at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, sources in Jaffna said. Four armed men who arrived in two motorbikes while the owner was opening the center for business, shot the owner in point-blank range before escaping, according to eyewitnesses.
Full story >>

Muslim woman shot dead in Iqbal Nagar

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 March 2007, 12:16 GMT]
Unidentified persons Thursday morning around 5.30 a.m. shot dead a Muslim woman at Iqbal Nagar in Nilaveli division, about 16 km north of Trincomalee town. She has been identified as Aiysha Umma, 45, police said.
Full story >>

TNA urges Australia not to send back 85 Tamils

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 March 2007, 08:59 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarians urged the Australian and Indonesian governments, in press communiqué released on Wednesday, not to send back the 85 Tamils intercepted by the Australian Navy in Australian Sea on 22 February citing that if they were sent back their lives will be in danger from the Sri Lankan armed forces and collaborating paramilitary groups.
Full story >>

200 IDP families resettled in Vaharai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 March 2007, 06:12 GMT]
Two hundred Internally Displaced families (IDP) from Vaharai have been resettled in Oriyankadu area opposite Vaharai village, said sources in Valaichenai. Fifty-seven IDPs including 16 women, however, expressed their reluctance to be resettled at Oriyankadu, after being taken there by Vaharai Regional Secretariat officials, due to the temporary accomodations and they feel unsecure with the dominating presence of Sri Lanka Army (SLA), the sources added. The A15 route remains closed by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA).
Full story >>

Thandikulam Pastor, 2 sons, 2 aides missing in Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 March 2007, 01:08 GMT]
A Christian Pastor, Victor Paul Yogarajah, 51, attached to Thandikkulam Church, Vavuniya, his two sons and two of his aides who went to Colombo to attend a religious event, have gone missing after they arrived in Colombo, their relatives said in complaints lodged with the Red Cross and Human Rights Commission, Vavuniya. The group set out by train on 28 February and called their relatives the following day, 1 March, to say they had arrived in Colombo safely. There have been no other communication to Vavuniya after 1 March, relatives said.
Full story >>

Parents visit Sinhala soldiers in LTTE custody

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 March 2007, 23:06 GMT]
The parents and relatives of five soldiers of Sri Lanka armed forces currently in custody of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) visited the soldiers in Kilinochchi Wednesday, LTTE sources in Kilinochchi said. The Red Cross facilitated the visit. The group arrived in Kilinochchi from Vavuniya and met the soldiers at a remand prison of the Thamileelam Police around 11:00 a.m. in the presence of V. Aravindan, Probation Officer of Thamileelam Police , Kumarasamy Kanagalingam, the Chief Inspector of Thamileelam Police and Selvaretnam Jeyapalan, the Chief Prison Guard.
Full story >>

Tamil milk vendor shot dead in Sambaltivu

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 March 2007, 19:25 GMT]
A Tamil milk vendor was shot dead Wednesday afternoon around 12:30 p.m. by unidentified armed persons in Sambaltivu, a Tamil village about 7 km north of Trincomalee town. The victim has been identified as 52 year - old Tharmu.
Full story >>

SLA abducts 3 youths in Vadamaradchy

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 March 2007, 13:15 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers abducted three more youths from the Vadamaradchy area between 4th and 6th of March, officials of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) in Jaffna said, citing complaints filed by the relatives of the missing.
Full story >>

SL Parliament votes to extend Emergency Regulations

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 March 2007, 12:54 GMT]
Sri Lanka Parliament voted to extend the Emergency Regulations by one month during a sitting Wedesday morning after a debate presided by Speaker of the House, M. Locubanda, parliamentary sources in Colombo said. The motion to extend passed with a 105 majority, with 123 MPs voting for, and 18 MPs voting against.
Full story >>

Woman shot dead in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 March 2007, 12:24 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen shot dead a woman Tuesday night at Periyakulam in Kuchchaveli in Trincomalee district, sources in Trincomalee said. The victim was identified as Uthayakumar Sasikala, 30.
Full story >>

Claymore attack kills one policeman, injures three in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 March 2007, 11:48 GMT]
One policeman was killed and three policemen were injured when unidentified persons triggered a claymore device Wednesday around 10:45 a.m near Velikulam junction along Vavuniya-Mamadu road, Vavuniya police said. One civilian was also injured in the attack. The attack targetted a jeep carrying a group of policemen stationed at Mamadu to Vavuniya town, the police added.
Full story >>

Tamil youth abducted in Nanattan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 March 2007, 11:34 GMT]
An eighteen-year-old Tamil youth was abducted by a group of armed persons on Tuesday morning in Nanattan division in Mannar district, according to complaints lodged with law enforcement authorities and Mannar Foundation for Co-Existence. The youth has been identified as Amirthalingam Santhakumar, sources said.
Full story >>

Policeman killed at Parapankandal in Mannar

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 March 2007, 10:12 GMT]
A police constable was killed Wednesday morning at 6:45 a.m. when uidentified men attacked a police party with small arms at Parapankandal area close to Uyilankulam along Mannar-Madawachchi road, sources in Mannar said
Full story >>

Sri Lanka parliament debates emergency extension motion

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 March 2007, 10:10 GMT]
Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, Sri Lanka's Prime Minister tabled a motion in parliament Wednesday morning seeking the approval to extend the State of Emergency for another month. The State of Emergency was declared on 13th August 2005, a day after the assassination of Lakshman Kadirgamar, former Foreign Minister in his residence in Colombo. Since then State of Emergency is being extended every month with the approval of parliament.
Full story >>

JVP, JHU to appeal court order on CFA

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 March 2007, 10:09 GMT]
The Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and all monks' party, Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Wednesday said they will appeal the order of the Court of Appeal dismissing their petitions seeking the cancellation of the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) signed by the then Sri Lanka' Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe with Velupillai Pirapaharan, leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), on 22 February 2002, legal sources in Colombo said. Justice S.Sriskandarajah Tuesday said the petitioners have no valid legal reasons to seek the cancellation of the CFA and the court has no jurisdiction to order such act.
Full story >>

SLA fires artillery on LTTE-held villages in Mannar

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 March 2007, 10:07 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Wednesday launched indiscriminate artillery fire on Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held villages in the Mannar district. The attack commenced at 8.30 a.m. and continued till about 12.30 p.m., sources in Mannar said. Several hundred residents from villages Palaikudi, Parapukadanthan and Adamban fled from their houses and sought refuge in Madhu church.
Full story >>

SL Government's respect for Human Rights declines in 2006- US

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 March 2007, 05:14 GMT]
US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2006, released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, reported human rights problems in Sri Lanka including "unlawful killings by government agents, high profile killings by unknown perpetrators, politically motivated killings by paramilitary forces associated with the government and the LTTE, and disappearances."
Full story >>

Communication Center owner shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 March 2007, 02:43 GMT]
An owner of a private telecommunication located in Kannathiddy in Jaffna town was shot dead by unknown gunmen around 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, sources in Jaffna said. The victim was returing home after finishing work at the center and was about to enter his house near Kannathiddy junction when the assailants stalking the victim fired at point blank range.
Full story >>

LTTE shells hit Manthuvil Base

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 March 2007, 01:26 GMT]
Artillery shells launched by the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) hit the 52 Brigade Head Office of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) situated at Manthuvil in Thenmaradchy region in Jaffna district around 12:00 noon Tuesday. Two shells fell inside the Base and one outside it. Ambulance was seen rushing out of the Base towards Palaly Military Hospital following the attack, civilians of the area said.
Full story >>

Mutturajawela swamp bodies identified

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 21:30 GMT]
Five bodies of male persons recovered from Mutturajawela swamp in Kandana police division Friday and Saturday have been identified as belonging to persons from Batticaloa district, a private electronic media reported Tuesday in the late night news bulletin quoting a police officer, G.Amaratunge, of Pamunugamuwa Police.
Full story >>

SLAF bombs Vanni, DPU Claymore targets civilian bus

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 13:51 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force Kfir bombers Tuesday morning bombed Vallipunam in Mullaithivu district. No casualties were reported. The air raid was reported at 8:30 a.m., according to LTTE's Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan. Meanwhile a Deep Penetration Unit of the Sri Lanka Army has detonated a Claymore mine targeting a van carrying civilians from Mallavi to Palappani in Mullaithivu district Tuesday afternoon.
Full story >>

Mannar court orders remand for three including a police constable

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 13:02 GMT]
Three suspects including a police constable, arrested on suspicion that they attempted to transport banned goods to LTTE controlled areas in Mannar district, were ordered remand till March 8 by Mannar Additional Magistrate Mr.T.J.Pirapaharan. The police constable had been working in Mannar Police and the other two are the driver and cleaner of the lorry, which was seized with banned goods, sources said.
Full story >>

SLA motor-bike squad abducts 3 farm-workers in Vadamaradchy

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 12:43 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers driving four motorbikes abducted three manual laborers in Kambarmalai in Vadamaradchy Sunday at 11 a.m. while they were doing farm work at a private property, according to complaints registered at the Jaffna Human Rights Commission offices.
Full story >>

SLA abducts 5 civilians in Chunnakam

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 12:19 GMT]
Three civilians in Chunnakam were abducted by armed Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers in uniform in Chunnakam area during the last three days following the claymore attacks in Uduvil and Urelu, officials of the Jaffna Human Rights Commission said. Two civilians were arrested by the SLA following cordon and search operations, bringing the total to five the number of civilians disappearing in Chunnakam area during 4th, 5th and 6th of March, HRC officials said. Meanwhile, another civilian was abducted by armed men in a white van in Eechamoddai coastal town Tuesday morning, according to a complaint registered with the HRC.
Full story >>

SLAF airman shot dead in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 12:05 GMT]
Unknown gunmen shot dead a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) airman Tuesday around 3:00 p.m near the Mosque junction along Vavuniya-Horowapothana road in Vavuniya, sources from Vavuniya said.
Full story >>

SL Police chief admits Sri Lanka forces involved in abductions

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 12:03 GMT]
Sri Lankan security forces are involved in abductions of civilians for ransom, the country’s Police Chief admitted Monday, saying a ‘large number’ of officers and troops had been arrested on charges of abduction and extortion. However the Inspector General of Police, Victor Perera also asserted that “organised groups” were conducting abductions and killings “to embarrass the government.”
Full story >>

Auto-driver shot dead, decaptitated body found in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 11:52 GMT]
Unidentified men shot dead an auto-driver at this home in Aanaikoddai in Valigamam, Jaffna at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, sources in Jaffna said. The armed men called the driver outside his house and shot him dead at point blank range before escaping. Meanwhile, in another incident, local residents discovered the decapitated body of a youth in a farmland in Mylankadu in Erlalai Jaffna Monday. The youth was brought to the area the previous night and murdered at the crime scene, according to sources.
Full story >>

Norwegian team visits key institutions in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 11:23 GMT]
Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Hans Brattskar, and other officials visited Kilinochchi Hospital, Education officials and the North East Secretariat of Human Rights office in Kilinochchi Monday around 3:30 p.m, and held discussions on current issues related to people's medical needs, education and human rights, sources in Kilinochchi said.
Full story >>

Decomposed body recovered from Kelani river, girl abducted in Negombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 10:40 GMT]
Wellampitiya police recovered the body of a youth in decomposed state from Kelani river at Kohilawatte in Wellampitiya police division Monday, police said. Meanwhile, unknown persons abducted the five year old daughter of a popular Tamil businessman Monday evening in Negombo and have demanded ransom to release her, according to complaints made to Negombo police.
Full story >>

Appeal Court dismisses petitions challenging CFA

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 10:34 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Court of Appeal Tuesday rejected three petitions, one by the Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and the other two by all monks' party Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), challenging the legal validity of the Ceasefire agreement signed on 22 February 2002 by Ranil Wickremasinghe, then Prime Minister of the United National Party (UNP) government of Sri Lanka and Velupillai Pirapaharan, leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), legal sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

5 bodies found in Anuradhapura

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 08:23 GMT]
Villagers in Sembukulam Grama Sevaka (GS) division in Anuradhapura District in the North Central Province Tuesday morning found 5 bodies bundled together. The upper parts of the bodies have been burnt in the pyre of tyres, according to Thirappane Police who recovered the bodies around 6:30 a.m. following the information from the villagers. Earlier, on Friday and Saturday, 6 bodies were recovered by the Kandana police from Muthurajawela shrub area in South, and the identities of the deceased is yet to be established.
Full story >>

Jaffna undergraduates continue protest

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 00:36 GMT]
Jaffna University undergraduates, as part of their agitation against the continuing killings of students and demanding a more conducive atmosphere of learning, declared Monday as a day of remembrance, and staged a token hunger strike, student union officials in the campus said.
Full story >>

Vavuniya lawyers end boycott

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 00:05 GMT]
The lawyers in Vavuniya ended their boycot of courts Monday after the Chief Justice, Sarath N Silva, gave assurances that action would be taken against the members of Karuna group who threatened the lawyers with death demanding ransom, legal sources in Vavuniya said.
Full story >>

SLA arrests seven youths in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 00:01 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) arrested seven youths during searches conducted in connection with the claymore attacks Saturday night in Uduvil area and Sunday night at Kothiyalady in Chunnakam, according to complaints registered by three of the youths' family members with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office Monday.
Full story >>

3 Jaffna youths arrested in Chilaw

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 March 2007, 22:29 GMT]
Three Tamil youths, natives of Jaffna district, were arrested Saturday night in a house located close to Chilaw town in northwestern province. One youth had arrived from abroad few days ago and the other two have been staying in the area for the last two years renting the house.
Full story >>

UNP to launch campaign against abduction, killings, HR violations

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 March 2007, 21:36 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) is to launch a mass protest campaign across Sri Lanka against the increased number of abduction, killings and other human rights violations. The campaign will begin in April led by Ranil Wickremasinghe, opposition leader, said S.B.Dissanayake, national organizer of the UNP.
Full story >>

UNP demands to know JVP, JHU's position on SLFP-LTTE deal

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 March 2007, 21:27 GMT]
The main opposition United national Party (UNP) Monday requested the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), all monks' party and Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) to state their stand on the allegation leveled by ousted ministers Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi that some politicians of ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) had struck a secret deal with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) before the last presidential election.
Full story >>

Trader shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 March 2007, 17:23 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen called a trader out of his house for interrogation and shot him dead Sunday around 10:00 p.m in Chundukuli area within Jaffna Municipal Council limits.
Full story >>

SLA readies for Manalaru offensive, Tigers warn of bloodbath

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 March 2007, 12:07 GMT]
"We are aware that the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has amassed military hardware close to Manalaru in preparation for a major offensive towards Mullaitivu area. Consequence of this offensive will be a catastrophic bloodbath across Sri Lanka," said Mr. Thamilchelvan, Head of LTTE Political Wing, speaking to TamilNet after meeting the Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Hans Brattskar and Norwegian Embassy official Erik Nuremberg, in Kilinochchi Monday.
Full story >>

Mail overflows Trinco storage, lies outside in open

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 March 2007, 11:54 GMT]
Trincomalee postal department official await the arrival of a cargo vessel "Mercs Yala" from Kankesanthurai to transport thousands of mailbags and parcels to Jaffna district, as the attempt to ship the mail before Sunday failed, sources in Trincomalee said. The backlog has been lying in Trincomalee general post office since January 13 without any vessel being assigned to take them to Jaffna, and bags overflowing the storage are now left in the open space outside the building, sources said.
Full story >>

6 fishermen reported missing in Kalpity Sea

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 March 2007, 11:35 GMT]
Six fishermen of Battalakundu, a fishing hamlet in Kalpity police division in northwestern province, are reported missing in sea after they had gone fishing Saturday evening, according to complaints lodged with Kalpity Police. They left in boats for fishing in Kalpity sea but have not returned until Monday morning.
Full story >>

2 family men shot dead in Valaichenai

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 March 2007, 08:21 GMT]
Unidentified armed men took two family men from their house for interrogation and shot both dead at some distance away from the house at Kendayankerny in Karuvakerny in Valaichenai police division in Batticaloa Sunday around 8:45 p.m, Valaichenai police said.
Full story >>

Two SLA troopers, officer killed in second claymore attack in Uduvil area

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 March 2007, 03:42 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers and an officer of the Intelligence unit were killed in a claymore attack targeting the vehicle carrying them, near Kothiyaladi between Maruthanamadam junction and Chnnakam along KKS road, Sunday night during curfew hours, according to sources in Jaffna. The SLA soldiers in the vehicle had rushed to the place where unknown gunmen were exchanging fire with the SLA soldiers for more than 15 minutes, the sources added. The excange of fire took place between the gunmen and the troopers of the SLA camp located close to the major SLA camp along KKS road.
Full story >>

Two soldiers killed in vehicle accident in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 23:04 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed when the vehicle they were travelling in as part of a military convoy along Palaly road towards Palaly Military base allegedly collided with another vehicle near Kurumbasiddy, Punnalaikadduvan Saturday night. Ms. Sarojini Ilankovan, the Mallaham District Judge, visited the scene of the accident Sunday and conducted the death inquests. Convoys often travel at great speed due to the threat of claymore mines, according to sources in Jaffna. The accident happened during curfew hours.
Full story >>

2 Karuna cadres injured in Batticaloa attack

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 22:05 GMT]
Two cadres of paramilitary Karuna group were injured when their camp the located at Mylambavely adjoining the Sri Lanka Army camp along Trinco road came under attack at 7:05 p.m. Sunday. Four Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) staying in the nearby school building were injured in the counter attack. All six injured persons were rushed to the Batticaloa teaching hospital for treatment, sources in Batticaloa said.
Full story >>

One family show must end- Sooriyarachchi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 17:41 GMT]
"There is a large number of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) members, including 25 members of the parliament, who will likely support Mangala Samaraweera's and my stand, for our ideological struggle within the party and our advocacy for good governance. We also have a responsibility to bring the one family show of Rajapakses' to an end," said former Port Development Minister Sripathi Sooriyarachchi in an interview with Lankadeepa, a Sinhala weekend newspaper, Sunday.
Full story >>

VoT begins satellite transmission using Eurostar

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 16:47 GMT]
Voice of Tigers, the official radio broadcast of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), began satellite broadcast to South Asian countries from Vanni starting from today, LTTE sources from Kilinochchi said. "We are holding the inauguration ceremony on the 69th birthday of late Anton Balasingham as a mark of respect for his contribution to the progress of Tamil media. I also wish to thank all the staff at VoT for making the station a voice of Tamils," said Head of LTTE's Political Wing, S.P. Thamilchelvan speaking at the event.
Full story >>

SLFP ponders expelling dissidents, as intra-party turmoil worsens

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 12:55 GMT]
Speculation is rife in political circles in Colombo that two dissident Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) parliamentarians, Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi, the sacked ministers, are to be expelled from the party, after Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse returns from his seven-day official visit to China on Sunday evening. The SLFP is the main constituent of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, sources said.
Full story >>

SLA arrests Tamil civilian in Kinniya

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 12:41 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Saturday arrested a Tamil youth, Ponniah Satyaraj, a resident of Poovarasanthivu in Kinniya division in Trincomalee district, following the recovery of a live claymore mine along Alankerni-Poovarasanthu road Friday evening, sources in Trincomalee said.
Full story >>

Youth tied to lamp post, blown up with grenade in Kopay

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 12:16 GMT]
Kopay police recovered the remnants of the body of a youth tied to an electricity post and then blown up by exploding a hand grenade, near at LTTE's Heroes Cemetary along Rasaveethy (road) in Kopay in Valligamam Sunday morning. Earlier the body of a missing youth from Nallur was found with gunshot wounds in this same area, Kopay residents said.
Full story >>

Police recover sixth body in Kandana marshy land

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 11:37 GMT]
One more body in a highly decomposed state was found dumped in marshy land in Kandana police division, north of Colombo, Sunday, bringing total number of bodies found in the Mutturajawela swamp area to six, police said.
Full story >>

Youth shot dead in Amparai

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 11:36 GMT]
Unidentified armed men called a youth out of his house at Karaithivu in Sammanthurai police division in Amparai district Saturday around 9:30 p.m and shot him dead with a pistol, Sammanthurai police said.
Full story >>

Young woman shot dead, husband injured in Valvettithurai

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 08:26 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen shot and seriously injured a young woman and her husband living at Urani Housing Scheme in Valvettithurai (VVT) in Jaffna peninsula, around 9:30 p.m., Saturday. The woman succumbed to her injuries at Manthikai hospital.
Full story >>

Two youths shot dead in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 06:11 GMT]
Bodies of two youths with gunshot wounds to the heads were recovered by Vavuniya police in Karupanjankulam in Maharambaikulam area in Vavuniya Sunday morning on information given by local residents. Police said the youths were shot dead Saturday night and left at the crime scene.
Full story >>

Mason shot dead in Chavakachcheri

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 04:30 GMT]
Amid escalating number of killings and abductions in Thenmaradchy in Jaffna district, a young family man, 28, was shot dead by unknown gunmen along Dutch Road in Chavakachcheri near the Government Hospital at 8:45 a.m. Sunday, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

SLA vehicle feared damaged in Uduvil Claymore attack

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 04:08 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) vehicle is feared to have sustained severe damages, and an unknown number of SLA soldiers from the intelligence wing were feared injured or killed in a claymore attack triggered by unknown men at 8:45 p.m. Saturday near Uduvil junction in Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said. Although the SLA claimed that the explosion occurred after the vehicle has passed the area few minutes earlier, local residents said that there was evidence of blood and shattered glass fragments indicating serious vehicle damage and injuries to personnel.
Full story >>

Acrimony flares, US says diplomats not LTTE’s target

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2007, 00:13 GMT]
Amid growing acrimony within the Sri Lankan government over the LTTE mortar attack Tuesday on military helicopters carrying foreign ambassadors and UN officials to Batticaloa district, the American ambassador to Sri Lanka, Robert O. Blake, contradicted Colombo’s assertion that the Tigers had tried to assassinate the diplomats. Meanwhile Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary says the diplomats should share the blame for the near-disaster for asking to visit Batticaloa. He slammed as “interference” attempts by foreign dignitaries and NGOs to visit the war torn Northeast.
Full story >>

Two youths shot dead in Salaipaiaru

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 March 2007, 16:06 GMT]
Unidentified persons shot dead two youths Saturday around 4.30 p.m. at Salaipaiaru, about 24 km north of Trincomalee town along Trincomalee-Pulmoddai road. The victims have been identified as Abdul Razak, 24, and Priyantha, 23.
Full story >>

Jaffna mail still awaits shipment in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 March 2007, 11:33 GMT]
After failing to send the accumulating backlog of ordinary letters lying in Trincomalee Main Post Office to Jaffna on the 26th February as planned, due to undisclosed reasons, the Post Master General (PMG) said another attempt will be made Sunday to send about 7 thousand parcels and mailbags by ship, sources in Trincomalee said.
Full story >>

Five bodies found dumped in Colombo

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 March 2007, 08:33 GMT]
Bodies of five persons were recovered from Mutturajawela marshy land in Kandana police division north of Colombo, Friday and Saturday. Three bodies were recovered on Friday and two more on Saturday, police said.
Full story >>

2 SLA soldiers die in grenade attack in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 March 2007, 07:48 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed when unidentified persons threw a grenade on a SLA patrol unit at Namalwatte in the Morawewa division, around 10 p.m, Friday. The attack occured on the Trincomalee-Anuradhapura main road, about 24 km. northwest of the eastern port town,
Full story >>

SLAF, SLA attacks displace 3500 civilians in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 March 2007, 07:32 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir jets dropped bombs in the villages of Tharavai and Kudumbimalai in the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled Batticaloa district around 10:40 a.m. Friday, sources in Batticaloa said. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) stationed at 23-3 Brigade Head Quarters in Batticaloa, Valaichchenai Paper Factory, Chenkalady, Vavunathivu and Mylambavely Army Camps fired artillery shells into LTTE areas.
Full story >>

Jaffna fishermen protest fishing limits

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 March 2007, 05:18 GMT]
The fishermen of Pashaiyoor, Gurunagar, Kolumbuththurai and Navanthurai in the Jaffna municipal area protested the limited access to fishing authorized by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) hierarchy and refused to fish Friday, fisheries sources in Jaffna said. The SLA allowed fishermen to fish in shallow waters only up to 500 meters from the shore,
Full story >>

SLN bars pilgrims from attending Kachchathivu festival

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 March 2007, 04:14 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) denied permisssion to Tamil Catholic pilgrims to participate in the annual festival of the St. Antony’s church in Kachchathivu, an isle situated in the Palk Straits between Sri Lanka and India about 15km southwest of Delft (Nedunthivu) islet, scheduled for this weekend, sources in Jaffna said. Pilgrims from India and Sri Lanka in thousands visit this isle every year, meet their kith and kin and barter goods from both countries.
Full story >>

CID ordered to submit reasons for arrest of Mawbima journalist

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 March 2007, 00:20 GMT]
Nimal Punchihewa, the head of Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (SLHRC) ordered the officials of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to furnish details pertaining to the arrest of Tamil woman journalist Paremesawary Munusamy before March 20, when hearings were held Friday morning.
Full story >>

Jurists charge SL Government forces of extra-judicial killings, torture

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 March 2007, 21:22 GMT]
Anti-terrorism laws in Sri Lanka have led to widespread and systematic rights abuses, a panel of global jurists said on Friday, charging Sri Lanka government forces of extra-judicial killings and torture, Reuters reported in a story datelined 2 March from New Delhi. The panel expressed concern over "extra-judicial killings, torture, enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions" by troops in the Indian Ocean island nation," the report added. Meanwhile, the Dutch government in a cabinet meeting today decided that "no Tamil asylum seekers would be sent back to Sri Lanka until 1 July," reports in Dutch media said.
Full story >>

Jaffna VC advises students to be vigilant of personal security

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 March 2007, 19:02 GMT]
Prof.R.Kumaravadivel, Acting Vice chancellor (VC) of University of Jaffna speaking at the occasion of a memorial service organized by the Students Union at the campus advised the students that they should take the necessary steps to protect themselves. He emphasized that the students should make every effort to complete their course of study even amidst the difficult conditions prevailing in Jaffna. Hundreds of undergraduates gathered outside Kailaspathy Hall in the University campus Friday morning at 10:00a.m.to mourn the death of Sivaranjan, an undergraduate of the university shot dead Thursday by unidentified gunmen.
Full story >>

Relative of murdered undergrad shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 March 2007, 19:00 GMT]
More than ten unidentified armed men forcibly entered the house of a young man in Thavalai, Varani in Thenmaradchy Friday around 1:15 a.m and shot him dead, according to a statement given by his parents to Kodikamam police. The victim had tried to escape into the kitchen where he was sprayed with AK-47 fire by the killers who pursued him.
Full story >>

US should monitor citizen Gotabhaya's conduct - Samaraweera

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 March 2007, 12:49 GMT]
Former Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera alleged Thursday that Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Ghotabhaya Rajapaksa is an American citizen and the US government must monitor his conduct against freedom of media in Sri Lanka.
Full story >>

SL Military strengthens security in Mannar

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 March 2007, 12:32 GMT]
Additional Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops have been brought into Mannar to man new checkpoints in the town and suburbs, and to conduct frequent road patrols. Pallimunai, Panankattikottu, Uppukulam and Moor Street in Mannar town are being subjected to regular cordon and search operations by the military, civil sources said.
Full story >>

Vavuniya lawyers continue boycott

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 March 2007, 12:25 GMT]
Lawyers in Vavuniya continued their boycott of the District Court and High Court in Vavuniya for the second day Friday protesting against a paramilitary group's demand for ransom and death threats against them, legal sources in Vavuniya said. The Chief Justice, Sarath N Silva, Friday morning, had requested the Lawyers in Vavuniya, Vavuniya District Judge Mr. Manickavasagar Illancheliyan and Vavuniya District High Court Judge Mr. Jeremiah Viswanathan to attend a meeting in Colombo immediately.
Full story >>

Family man shot dead in Eravur

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 March 2007, 12:18 GMT]
Unidentified armed men shot dead a 25-year old father of two at his house at Kaluvankerny in Eravur police division in Batticaloa district Thursday around 10:00 p.m, Eravur police said. The armed men called the victim to come out of his house, and shot him dead at point blank range, Eravur police said.
Full story >>

Five Tamil fishermen missing in Mannar Sea

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 March 2007, 12:13 GMT]
Five Tamil fishermen who went for fishing from Vidathaltivu in Mannar district on February have been reported missing, according to complaints lodged with the Mannar regional office of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) and Mannar Centre for Co-Existence by their relatives Friday morning, fisheries sources in Mannar said.
Full story >>

Appeal to MPs, ICRC, GA to bring murdered student’s body home

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 March 2007, 10:51 GMT]
Eight Tamil parliamentarians have written to Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary, Gothebaya Rajapakse, on behalf the family of a murdered Jaffna University student, who are pleading for permission for his body to be taken to their home in Viswamadu in Tamil-Tiger controlled Vanni. The family has also requested the University authorities and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) office in Kilinochchi to also help, relatives said.
Full story >>

Police constable, home guard injured in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 March 2007, 09:06 GMT]
A police constable and a home guard posted at Railway Staion area at Eratperiyakulam in Vavuniya were injured when a shell fell and exploded Friday around 11:35 a.m, Vavuniya police said. The shell was launched by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the police claimed.
Full story >>

Accounting review clears university Tamil students’ club

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 March 2007, 03:03 GMT]
Canada’s University of Waterloo has cleared its Tamil Students’ Association of any wrong doing, citing an intensive review by the international auditing firm, Deloitte and Touche. Separately, the university also accepted a separate internal review which recommendation there be greater oversight of self-generated work placements overseas for members. Sri Lankan media had denounced the Association as a fundraising front for the LTTE.
Full story >>

10 Tamils arrested in Dehiwela

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 March 2007, 02:25 GMT]
Sri Lanka Police conducted a door to door search midnight Wednesday in the Tamil dominated towns of Dehiwela and Kalubovila in Mount Lavinia Municipal limits, and arrested ten Tamils including three women, sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Businessman shot dead in Ariyalai

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 March 2007, 01:54 GMT]
A businessman from Kanagaratnam Road in Ariyalai Jaffna inside the Jaffna Municipal boundary was shot dead by unknown gunmen at 10:30 p.m. Thursday night, sources in Jaffna said. The gunmen went to Mr Manikkam Manoharan's house in a motorbike, called the man to come outside the house, and shot him at point blank range before escaping, sources said.
Full story >>

Eastern University employees released on bail

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 March 2007, 01:20 GMT]
Fourteen security officers employed at Vantharoomoolai Eastern University of Sri Lanka (EUSL), detained by Eravur Police since Jan 31 claymore attack, were released on bail by M.H.M.Amijr, Batticaloa District court Magistrate, when the detainees were produced before the courts Thursday, legal sources in Batticaloa said.
Full story >>

2 Policemen, Child injured in Oddamavadi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 March 2007, 22:17 GMT]
Two policemen and a five-year-old boy were injured when unidentified persons threw a hand grenade to the Mancholai Police Sentry Point, Oddamavadi in Valaichchenai police division in Batticaloa District around 11:45 a.m. Thursday. The persons pursued the three policemen who were returning from Oddamavadi market after their routine purchase, lobbed a grenade at them and escaped. The injured boy was a passer by at the time of the attack.
Full story >>

SLA mortar fire kills teenager in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 March 2007, 15:51 GMT]
A fourteen year old boy succumbed to injuries caused by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) mortar fire launched towards Vantharumoolai west area in Eravur police division in Batticaloa district from Mavadivembu SLA camp Thursday around 9:00 a.m.
Full story >>

Mannar Education Officer succumbs to injuries

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 March 2007, 12:39 GMT]
Divisional Education Officer in Mannar, Christian Rajakone, 47, succumbed to injuries early morning Thursday at the Kilinochchi hospital, hospital sources said. Rajakone sustained in the claymore mine attack by the Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) on Tuesday in the LTTE held area in Mannar district.
Full story >>

Dehiwela Police arrests 3 Tamil women under PTA

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 March 2007, 12:22 GMT]
Dehiwela police arrested three Tamil women Wednesday midnight at their house in Vijayarama Mawatte in Kalubowila, Dehiwela, and has detained them at Dehiwela police station without stating the reason for the arrest, legal sources in Colombo said. Mano Ganeshan, Colombo District parliamentarian, contacted Dehiwela police regarding the arrests and was told that the three women have been arrested and held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
Full story >>

Paramilitaries issue death threat to Vavuniya Lawyers

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 March 2007, 12:06 GMT]
Lawyers in Vavuniya made legal history by boycotting Vavuniya district Court and High court Thursday protesting against the persistent demand for ransom by a paramilitary group, and the death threats issued by the group, legal sources in Vavuniya said. Activities of a court has been completely suspended because of the boycott, Manickavasagar Illancheliyan, District Judge Vavuniya said Thursday at Vavuniya District Court.
Full story >>

Two youths shot dead in Thiriyai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 March 2007, 11:54 GMT]
Two youths, one Tamil and other a Muslim, were shot dead by unidentified armed persons at Ilupakadaivai in Thiriyai, a resettled Tamil village located about 40 km off north of Trincomalee town on Wednesday night around 10 p.m., sources in Trincomalee said. Unidentified men had gone to the house where two youths were staying and shot them dead, sources said.
Full story >>

White van armed men kill youth in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 March 2007, 09:29 GMT]
Unidentified armed men in a white van shot dead a youth near Nilavai junction where Rasavinthottam road meets A9 road Thursday around 10:30 a.m as he was talking to his friends.
Full story >>

SLAF bombs civilian area in Vanni

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 March 2007, 07:50 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir bombers Thursday morning around 8:30 a.m. dropped at least 8 bombs in a civilian settlement including a farmland in Therankandal in Thunukkai DS division in Mullaithivu district.
Full story >>

SLAF training aircraft crashes, 2 dead

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 March 2007, 07:49 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) flying instructor and a SLAF pilot trainee died instantly when a PT6 training aircraft crashed into the airfield in Anuradhapura airbase Thursday around 12:10 p.m., according to Sri Lankan military sources in Colombo.
Full story >>

Civilian vehicle escapes DPU Claymore in Vanni

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 March 2007, 07:33 GMT]
A van carrying civilians from Nedunkeni to Mankulam Thursday morning escaped a Claymore attack at Olumadu in Nedunkeni in Vanni by the Deep Penetration Unit of the Sri Lanka Army, initial reports from Kilinochchi said.
Full story >>

Youth shot dead in Chavakachcheri

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 March 2007, 02:17 GMT]
A youth working as a nightwatchman at the Chavakachcheri Government Hospital was shot dead by two unknown gunmen Thursday 11:00 p.m., sources in Chavakachcheri said. Armed men allegedly scaled the hospital walls to get near the victim, sources added. The youth was taken to Jaffna Teaching Hospital with serious gunshot injuries and died on the way to the hospital, hospital sources said.
Full story >>

HRC conducts inquiries into death in Police detention

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 March 2007, 00:44 GMT]
Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission (HRC) conducted inquiries Wednesday into the death of the Sinhala suspect held at the Police Head Quarters in Colombo. The officials from the HRC visited the scene and recorded statements from the Director of the Investigation section and the personnel involved in the interrogation of the deceased detainee, O. G. Chandrasena, HRC officials said.
Full story >>

Batticaloa families flee SLA shelling

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 March 2007, 00:43 GMT]
Hundreds of families from Liberation Tigers controlled villages of Vavunathivu, Mankikattu, Eechchenthivu, Navatkadu and Vilavedduvan in Manmunai West division fled to Government controlled areas due to heavy shelling by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) from the 23-3 Brigade Head Quarters of Batticaloa, Valaichchenai Paper Factory Camp and Mylambavely Army Camp since Tuesday night, sources in Batticaloa said.
Full story >>

Missed exams rescheduled for Vaharai IDP students

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 March 2007, 00:11 GMT]
Officials of the Kalkudah Zonal Education office are making arrangements to conduct the special General Certificate of Examination Ordinary Level, and Grade five Scholarship Examinations for the students of Vaharai who missed the Examinations last year due to the military offensive of Sri Lankan armed forces, education officials said. The Zonal education officials and area principals met Wednesday to draw up the plans, sources said.
Full story >>