Nirupama faces civil society outburst in North

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 August 2010, 17:31 GMT]
India provided arms and logistical support to Colombo in the Vanni war. It didn’t take any effort to stop the war. Even after one year of the war, India didn’t act on rehabilitating the incarcerated people, accused members of the confederation of citizens’ forums in Jaffna while meeting the visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Menon Rao on Tuesday. Resettlement is a hoodwink in Vanni, said retired Senior Professor S.K. Sitrampalam of the University of Jaffna, expressing the strong sentiments of Eezham Tamils. Army has occupied the Tamil lands and people have strong doubts whether India would be of any help in Tamils getting a political solution, the civil society representatives told the visiting Indian diplomat.
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Wimal Weerawansa, Russian Ambassador visit Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 August 2010, 16:56 GMT]
Wimal Weerawansa, Sri Lanka minister of Housing and Common Amenities, accompanied by the Russian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, visited Jaffna Tuesday morning preceding India’s Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao who was expected in Jaffna Friday evening, sources in Jaffna said. Wimal Weerawansa and the Russian Ambassador returned to Colombo Friday evening after participating in some events in Jaffna peninsula.
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JVP to launch campaign against constitutional amendment

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 August 2010, 11:26 GMT]
The Sinhala Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has decided to launch a campaign from September 8 on the day the United Peoples Freedom Alliance government led by Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse presents the constitutional amendment bill that removes the two term executive presidency system and modifying the Constitutional Council system into a five member advisory council.
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SLA closes Achchuveali-Tho'ndaimaanaa'ru road again

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 August 2010, 05:32 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) occupying Jaffna Friday closed Achchuveali-Tho'ndaimaanaa'ru road located at the outskirt of SLA High Security Zone (HSZ) in Valikaamam North for public use causing people to travel long distance spending more time to reach their destinations, sources in Jaffna said. The said road which had been closed fifteen years ago by SLA had been recently opened for public use with the beginning of the annual festivals of Chellach Channithi Murukan temple located on the shores of Tho'ndaimaanaa'ru lagoon.
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SL Cabinet approves removal of 2 term executive presidency system

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 August 2010, 15:06 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s Cabinet Monday approved the draft constitutional amendments. Prime Minister D. M. Jayaretna presented the draft proposals at a special cabinet meeting held at Temple Trees. Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse presided the meeting, sources in Colombo said. The draft proposals included the removal of two term restriction allowing an incumbent president to contest any number of times and modifying the 17th Amendment with a five member constitutional council by amending of Article 31 (2), the sources said.
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Fonseka to be indicted for harboring army deserters

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 August 2010, 14:59 GMT]
Sarath Fonseka, former Commander of the Sri Lanka Army is to be indicted in the Colombo High Court for harboring army deserters prior to the presidential election held in January this year. Sarath Fonseka who contested as the common opposition candidate in the presidential election was defeated by the incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
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Tamil political prisoners in A’pura appeal for release

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 August 2010, 08:16 GMT]
Thirty-five Tamil political prisoners held in Anuradhapura prison since 2005 have made an urgent appeal to Sri Lanka government Sunday to release them on bail or discharge them. They have told the authorities in a memorandum that they are in remand on fabricated evidence against them. These prisoners were taken into custody from Vavuniyaa, Anuradhapura, Mannaar, Jaffna, Ki'linochchi, Mullaiththeevu and Batticaloa.
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SL government allocates land for star hotel in Jaffna to private company

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 August 2010, 08:09 GMT]
Sri Lanka government has allocated land in Chiruththeevu in the islets of Jaffna occupied by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) to a private company to build a five star hotel, sources in Jaffna said. SLN continues to refuse permission to local fishermen to fish in Chiruththeevu area which includes Ma'ndaitheevu, Poonakari and Jaffna lagoon.
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SL Education Minister wants students from South in Jaffna University

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 August 2010, 07:26 GMT]
Sri Lanka Minister of Higher Education, S. B. Dissanayake showed a keen interest in exploring the possibility of admitting more students from South Sri Lanka to Jaffna University in a meeting with the Vice-chancellor, deans, lectures and students Sunday, Jaffna University sources said. The minister, invited as chief guest to the Founder's Day celebration Monday, held Sunday meeting claiming to discuss the upgrading of Jaffna University and improvement of basic facilities.
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UNP prepares for local government elections

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 August 2010, 05:57 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) Friday appointed a committee to formulate a scheme to contest the forthcoming local government election that is expected to be held in December this year or January next year, UNP Chairman, Gamini Jayawickrama Perera, a senior parliamentarian representing the North Western Province, said. He added that UNP’s aim is to enter the local government as a strong party.
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80% of resettled families in Batticaloa not paid livelihood assistance

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 August 2010, 05:53 GMT]
Around eighty percent of resettled people in Batticaloa district have not been paid their livelihood assistance of twenty-five thousand rupees. Others were not paid a single cent as livelihood assistance they are entitled at the time of resettlement, according to Batticaloa district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Pon. Selvarajah.
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Nirupama Rao to visit North

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 August 2010, 07:53 GMT]
Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao is to visit Jaffna, Ki'linochchi, Mullaiththeevu and Vavuniyaa in the North 30, 31 August in the context of Indian Foreign Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna's proposed visit to Sri Lanka late September, sources in Jaffna said. Nirupama Rao will inspect the progress of development projects, resettlement and rehabilitation activities in the North before meeting Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians 1 March in Colombo. Sri Lanka government, keen to make a show of the 'Development of North' to international countries and India, is sending its ministers to North in haste in an effort to support its claims of achievements in the above mentioned matters, the sources added.
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Resettlement of Vadamaraadchi North uprooted families postponed indefinitely

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 August 2010, 06:52 GMT]
Jaffna Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Commander Major Gen. Mahinda Kathurusinghe and Jaffna Government Agent Ms. Imelda Sukumar, who met Friday in Palaali SLA head office to discuss the resettlement of the uprooted families of Vadamaraadchi North evacuated by SLA , did not come to any decision but announced that 'speedy action' will be taken, sources in Jaffna said. The announcement has caused resentment and anger among the various organizations in Jaffna peninsula which had been requesting the resettlement of uprooted families.
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Batticaloa Tamils mourn disappearance of 48 Tamils two decades ago

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 August 2010, 06:26 GMT]
Tamils of several villages in Batticaloa district Friday observed the twenty years’ death anniversary of 48 Tamil people who were reported disappeared after being arrested by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) on 27th August 1990, with silent procession from Siththaa'ndi Kaa'li Koayil to Siththaa'ndi Murukan Koayil from 9:00 a.m till 11:00 a.m. Relatives of the disappeared participated in the procession with tears. Special prayer was also held in Siththaa'ndi Murukan Temple in remembrance of those “disappeared”.
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No Tamil doctors in Vaakarai government hospital

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 August 2010, 06:23 GMT]
Residents of Vaakarai, a traditional Tamil village in Batticaloa district, find difficult to explain their illness and obtain treatment as medical officers who can converse in Tamil language are not posted to Vaakarai government hospital. All medical officers posted to this hospital are Sinhala, the residents said.
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Auto driver dies in accident in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 August 2010, 06:21 GMT]
The driver of a three-wheeler died on the spot Saturday afternoon at Murakkoddaancheanai along Batticaloa-Vaazhaichcheanai road when the vehicle crashed against an electric post. Three women occupants were seriously injured and are warded in the Chengkaladi government hospital, police said.
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New Zealand Supreme Court decides LTTE a political organisation

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 August 2010, 00:40 GMT]
The Supreme Court of New Zealand Friday dismissed the appeal of the government seeking rejection of the refugee status of an Eezham Tamil who was captaining a ship carrying arms to the LTTE. The court in its judgement said: “At all relevant times the Tamil Tigers was an organisation having the goals of self-determination for Tamils and securing an independent Tamil state in northeast Sri Lanka. The principal objective was to induce the government of Sri Lanka to concede such political change. These characteristics made the Tamil Tigers a political organisation notwithstanding its use, at times, of proscribed methods of advancing its cause. That much is not in dispute”.
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3 fishermen in Batticaloa reported missing

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 August 2010, 21:19 GMT]
Three fishermen from Kalkudaa police division in Batticaloa have gone missing since 19 August after going fishing in Vaakarai seas, according to complaints made to police by their family members. Deputy police superintendent of central Eastern Province said that investigations are underway to find out whether the fishermen had gone missing in Sri Lankan seas or Indian seas.
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UNP to discuss latest political development next week

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 August 2010, 13:25 GMT]
The Working Committee of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) is to meet coming week to discuss the move of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) to support and provide two third majority to the government led by Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa to pass the constitutional amendment, UNP deputy leader Karu Jayasuriya told media Saturday.
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Rajapaksa instructs UPFA MPs not to leave island for 2 weeks

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 August 2010, 13:19 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led by Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse has instructed its parliamentarians not to go abroad till September 15. The leaders of the constituent parties also have been instructed by SL president Mahinda Rajapaksa to ensure the presence of their parliamentarians in Colombo during the period.
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SLMC to support Rajapakse from opposition bench

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 August 2010, 23:00 GMT]
Sri Lanka's predominant Muslim party, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) led by Rauff Hakeem, today decided to support the Sri Lanka government’s decision to make constitutional amenedments which will also remove the two term restriction on the presidency, political sources in Colombo said. SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem told the media in Colombo, his party has decided to support the government by helping it attain a two third majority in parliament which will held change the country’s constitution.
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Woman injured in explosion in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 August 2010, 19:09 GMT]
A woman was seriously injured Friday in an explosion when her daughter put an object into the hearth at which the mother was cooking in her house in Koddadi in Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said. The daughter, a girl studying in one of the schools in the Pa'n'ai area in the outskirts of Jaffna town, had picked up the object lying along the road while returning home from school. The device is suspected to be one of the landmines Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has sown around its newly constructed base in Pa'n'nai area. SLA authorities in Jaffna had earlier assured that Jaffna town and surroundings had been cleared of landmines.
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Guard at Jaffna women's home stabbed to death

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 August 2010, 19:05 GMT]
An unidentified person who tried to sneak into a home for destitute and war-affected women in Maruthanaamadam - Uduvil area Thursday night stabbed to death the watcher of the home who tried to catch him, sources in Jaffna said. Uduvil is an area in Jaffna where Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers are always present and the intrusion into the women's home during Thursday night cannot have taken place without the knowledge of the soldiers, the resident of the area said.
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Colombo "deliberately shelled civilians," accuses UN's departing Holmes

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 August 2010, 11:18 GMT]
United Nation's Human Rights Co-ordinator, John Holmes, in a parting shot at Colombo the end of his 3-year tenure at the UN, defended his department's funding of the Sri Lanka government's internment camps where more than 350,000 held for several months while admitting the Sri Lanka government may have “deliberately shelled” civilians and hospitals, Inner City Press reported.
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School girl killed in accident in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 August 2010, 09:46 GMT]
A young school girl was killed on the spot when a truck ran over her at new bridge road in Batticaloa Friday around 7:30 a.m. police said. An eyewitness told TamilNet that the driver was alleged to have switched seat with a passenger soon after the accident since he did not have a valid driving license.
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Burnt body of male recovered in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 August 2010, 08:38 GMT]
Mannaar police recovered the burnt body of a male from the coast of Kaadduppa'l'li along Moor Road in Mannaar Friday informed by residents of the area. The victim, estimated to be around 45 years old, had been beaten to death and set fire to later, police sources said.
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Sri Lanka's presumptive war-criminal to take UN job in New York

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 August 2010, 00:02 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Deputy Permanent Representative (DPR) to the United Nation's post in New York, vacant following the recall of previous DPR, Bandula Jayasekera, after an alleged sexual harassment scandal, is reported to be filled by Major General Shavendra Silva, former 58th Division commander, who has been accused of committing war crimes by his former General Sarath Fonseka, Inner City Press reported. Professor Francis Boyle, an expert in International Law, commenting on this reported UN job said, "the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) is trying to sanitize and immunize their genocidaires/war criminals and thus regularize it all."
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NGO workers killed in accident in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 August 2010, 14:12 GMT]
Two Tamil youth attached to an international Non-Governmental organisation were killed in a head on collision Wednesday night around 9:30 p.m. at Cheddiku'lam in Vavuniyaa.
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Robbers posing as CID arrested in Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 August 2010, 09:12 GMT]
Two persons posing as Sri Lankan Criminal Investigations Department officers and robbing Tamil residents in Bambalapitiya, Wellawatta and Dehiwala suburbs of Colombo, were arrested by the Bambalapitiya Police Wednesday.
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Resettled families in Vanni left to suffer in downpour

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 August 2010, 06:43 GMT]
Rains have been pouring down in Vanni for the last four days with the break of North East Monsoon in Sri Lanka and the resettled families sheltered under makeshift huts without proper roofing are left without any assistance to face the onslaught of the monsoon that will last until the end of December, Non-government Organization (NGO) representatives who visited Vanni said. Promises of constructing houses for the resettled families in Vanni by the Indian government and World Bank are yet to be fulfilled.
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Colombo plans to acquire EPC lands in Trincomalee district

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 August 2010, 05:52 GMT]
Plans are afoot by Sri Lanka government land ministry to acquire five hundred and twenty five acres of state land that comes under the administration of the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) in the Kuchchave'li divisional secretariat division in Trincomalee district for the Tourist development Ministry. These lands are located along the coast of Kuchchave'li division.
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Rajapakse visits former UNP strongman's residence

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 August 2010, 04:31 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne made a surpise visit Tuesday to Parliamentarian Abdul Cader’s residence in Gampola where close door discussions were held, the Lankadeepa newspaper said. Cader, a former UNP strongman, has been seen leaning towards supporting the ruling government in recent months. He has also been suspended by the UNP’s working committee after he supported the ruling UPFA at several instances in parliament.
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Man sentenced to death in Jaffna High Court

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 August 2010, 17:00 GMT]
Jaffna High Court Judge S. Paramarajah Wednesday sentenced to death a man accused of abducting, robbing jewelry from and killing a young woman from Meesaalai in Kodikaamam in Thenmaraadchi, after nearly a period of eleven years since the case was first filed against him, sources in Jaffna said. The accused, held in Kandy Bogampara prison, was brought to Jaffna to face the trial.
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Batticaloa Municipal Council member reported missing

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 August 2010, 16:24 GMT]
Pragasam Sagayamany, a member of Batticaloa Municipal Council, who had met and spoken to Batticaloa Mayor Ms. Sivakeetha Pirapakaran and a fellow member Monday evening had gone missing, according to his wife's complaint to Batticaloa police. Meanwhile, the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) Municipal Council members K. Arumailingam and S. Sasikumar have allegedly attacked T. Yogarasa, a technical officer of Batticaloa Municipal Council on 7 August. The employees of the Municipal Council have been frequently attacked and insulted by the EPDP group, sources in Batticaloa said.
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Indian Foreign Affairs minister to visit Sri Lanka in September

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 August 2010, 13:45 GMT]
In response to the accusations raised by All India Anna Dravidia Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) parliamentarians against the Indian Government for having not given any help to the uprooted Tamils in Sri Lanka held in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) detention camps or any assistance to the resettled Tamils in Vanni in Indian Parliament Wednesday, Indian Foreign Affairs minister, S. M. Krishna, told the parliament he will be visiting Sri Lanka late September to hold talks with Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa again on the issues raised.
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NP Governor wants teaching stopped in war damaged schools in Vanni

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 August 2010, 05:41 GMT]
Northern Province Governor, Major Gen. G. A. Chandrasiri instructed the Education Authorities in Vanni to stop all educational activities in the schools in Vanni that were damaged and destroyed during Sri Lanka government's war on Vanni until they are rebuilt or renovated, in a meeting held in Vavuniyaa Monday with the officials of the Northern Province Ministry of Education and Vanni education authorities, sources in Vavuniyaa said. Governor's order is seen as a blow on the students of Vanni who already had been robbed of their education by the war, Vanni education officials said.
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Devotees throng tenth day Nalloor temple festival

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 August 2010, 05:39 GMT]
Thousands of devotees from all parts of Sri Lanka as well as from abroad attended the 'Manchath Thiruvizhaa' on the tenth day of the annual festival of Nalloor Kanthasuvaami temple in Jaffna Tuesday, sources in Jaffna said. Police personnel posted at the entrances of the temple checked the persons entering the temple grounds. But thefts of gold jewelry from the devotees did take place, according to complaints made to the security officers of Jaffna Municipal Council, the sources said.
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Sri Lanka ambassador's refugee claims absurd, says US Academic

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 August 2010, 10:23 GMT]
Robert Oberst, professor of political science, Nebraska Wesleyan University, and an expert on Sri Lanka commenting on Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to Canada, Chitranganee Wagiswara's remark that Tamil boat refugees were a "human smuggling operation with links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam," said Wagiswara's claims "would be offensive, if they were not so absurd," and added that if Wagiswara wanted to silence critics, "she would be better served to persuade her government to allow outside independent observers into the Tamil areas to report on the conditions rather than to slander and attack those who question her government," Rediff.com reported.
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SLFP’s annual convention to be held at Temple Trees

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 August 2010, 09:57 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s (SLFP) 59th annual convention will be held on September 2nd under the patronage of Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the state run, Dinamina newspaper said. The convention will be held at Temple Trees in Colombo, which is Rajapaksa’s official residence. According to the newspaper article, several important decisions will be taken at the convention.
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Chellach Channithi Temple Chariot festival held

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 August 2010, 07:35 GMT]
Thousands of devotees from all parts of Sri Lanka took part in the annual Thear (Chariot) festival Monday of the historic Tho'ndaimaanaa'ru Chellach Channithi Murukan temple located to west of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Security Zone in Valikaamam North. During war SLA soldiers had set fire to the properties of the temple worth millions of rupees. The temple had been restored to its original state recently, sources in Jaffna said
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Sacked SL Deputy Minister Mervin Silva visits North

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 August 2010, 07:16 GMT]
Mervin Silva, the Sri Lanka Deputy Minister sacked from his post by President Mahinda Rajapaksa for tying an officer of Samurdhi Bank to a tree, paid an unexpected visit to Jaffna and Vanni Sunday and Monday, sources in Vanni said. Mervin Silva, who spent most of his time in the North visiting important Sri Lanka Army (SLA) bases in Vanni meeting key officers, was given top security protection befitting a cabinet minister, sources in Vanni said. Mervin Silva, said to be a close friend of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, is expected to be offered a high position in the Rehabilitation Ministry for the North, political observers in Jaffna said.
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Mahinda Rajapaksa meets UNP delegation led by Wickremasinghe

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 August 2010, 06:36 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa Monday met a three-member delegation of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) led by its leader Ranil Wickremasinghe at Temple Trees. The UNP delegation comprised of two UNP parliamentarians Tissa Attanayake, general secretary, Joseph Michael Perera and the Leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress party, Rauf Hakim, sources in Colombo said.
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Only Basil Rajapaksa leaves for India

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 August 2010, 06:32 GMT]
Basil Rajapaksa, Economic Development Minister and a brother of Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa will leave Tuesday to India to have talks with the Indian government leaders. Earlier the government said a three member delegation comprising Basil Rajapaksa, Defense Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa and President's Secretary Lalith Weeratunge would be visiting New Delhi.
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Gangs of thieves from South invade Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 August 2010, 15:45 GMT]
Jaffna district Superintendent of Police (SP), Neville Pathmadeva, said that gangs of thieves and robbers had infiltrated into Jaffna peninsula from the Southern parts of Sri Lanka with the motive of stealing and robing during the Hindu temple annual festival season which has begun in Jaffna peninsula according to information received by him, in a press meet he held in Jaffna town Sunday. Meanwhile, local NGOs circles said that deserters from Sri Lanka Army (SLA) are the key persons in these gangs who befriend the SLA soldiers located in Jaffna peninsula to get information and particulars from them to rob houses in the peninsula.
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Jaffna University medical student commits suicide

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 August 2010, 14:31 GMT]
A third year medical student of Jaffna University committed suicide Friday hanging himself in a house in Kantharoadai in Chu'n'naakam in Jaffna. His friends who found him missing Saturday went in search of him to his house and found him hanging dead by a rope, sources in Jaffna said. It is suspected the student took his life having failed in the recent examination. He is the third medical student of Jaffna University to commit suicide for failure in the examination this year.
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USA donates maritime hardware to SL military

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 August 2010, 12:48 GMT]
Major General Darryll Wong, Chief of Staff and Commander of the Hawaii Air National Guard and Valerie Fowler, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy, Monday donated maritime hardware to Sri Lanka Air Force to assist the Sri Lanka military in ensuring the safety and security of Sri Lanka's territorial waters, a press statement issued by the US Embassy in Colombo said. "Safe and secure seas are in the interests of both our countries," the statement further said. In the meantime, Tamil Nadu fishermen along the coastal areas, continue to complain that Sri Lankan military has been systematically stepping up violence against them in the traditional waters of Palk Strait.
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TamilNet launches Palaka'ni

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 August 2010, 10:56 GMT]
TamilNet plans to launch shortly a weekly video programme Palaka’ni, fulfilling repeated requests from its readership to extend services in Tamil. The programme will have panel discussions on current affairs in Tamil. Even though constraints faced by TamilNet are manifold, we go forward in this venture considering the needs of the times. TamilNet appeals for continued support and cooperation of its readership, which has been the sole provider of support to the functioning of TamilNet until now. TamilNet reiterates its independent and democratic support to the national cause of Eezham Tamils. As an alternative media TamilNet may have to continue functioning in alternative ways to maintain its freedom, independence and commitment to the cause. Our request to the media world is not to view us in conventional terms but to help us in this experiment of information liberation.
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Policeman's gun snatched in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 August 2010, 02:05 GMT]
Two unidentified men on motorcycle snatched away a T56 type gun from a police sergeant who was on his way to Batticaloa railway station for duty Friday around 7:30 p.m, sources in Batticaloa said. Special Task Force (STF) commandos and police rounded up Paarathipuram and conducted a house to house search in an attempt to find the gun said to be hidden in a house in the area.
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UNP appeals to all political forces to preserve Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 August 2010, 01:36 GMT]
"The time is opportune for all Sri Lanka’s political forces opposed to the tyrannical course the present regime has set for this country to come together to preserve the future of this nation," according to the main opposition United National Party (UNP) Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya's statement to media.
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Rajapaksa appoints new SLFP organizer to North

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 August 2010, 08:23 GMT]
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the leader of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), a constituent of ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), appointed Saturday Angkayan Ramanathan, a leading businessman from Valveddiththu'rai as the new SLFP organizer of North Sri Lanka, sources in Jaffna said. Angkayan Ramanathan is appointed in place of Thangarasa, who was charged in Jaffna Magistrate Court of swindling more than seven millions rupees promising Jaffna peninsula youths employment and imprisoned. Meanwhile, this appointment is seen as one of the measures taken by Rajapaksa family to sideline Sri Lanka minister and leader of Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), Douglas Devananda who acts as the sole representative of Sri Lanka government in the North, political observers in the peninsula said.
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18,237 students sit Year 5 scholarship examination

[TamilNet, Saturday, 21 August 2010, 17:58 GMT]
698 uprooted students of Mullaiththeevu district held in welfare centres are among the 18,237 students sitting for the Year 5 Scholarships examination to be held in 196 centres Sunday in the districts of Vavuniyaa, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaiththeevu and Mannaar in northern province.
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Opposition to introduce bill to protect journalists rights

[TamilNet, Saturday, 21 August 2010, 04:59 GMT]
Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has declared that legislation will be brought to parliament shortly which will ensure that the rights of all journalists in Sri Lanka are safeguarded. According to Dinamina, a state run newspaper, Wickremesinghe will put forward the bill as a private member’s motion.
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95 persons disappeared in Batticaloa district after SLA occupation

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 August 2010, 09:07 GMT]
Ninety-five persons including two women have disappeared without trace in Batticaloa district since Sri Lanka Army (SLA) occupation of the district, according to Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian, P. Selvarasa. The youths who had left the Liberation Tigers and married leading a normal life and persons who had been supporters of the LTTE had been arrested or abducted by SLA Intelligence Wing with the assistance of Tamil paramilitary group of Pillayan and Karuna. These persons are among those gone missing. The abductors arriving in white vans during nights had taken away the persons who had disappeared since then, the MP said.
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Tamil woman dies in accident in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 August 2010, 08:27 GMT]
A Tamil woman was killed knocked down by a lorry in front of Vavuniyaa general hospital located along A9 road Thursday around 9:00 a.m. A lorry coming from behind knocked down the woman riding bicycle. She died on the spot.
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4 Vavuniyaa Tamils arrested in Kandy

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 August 2010, 05:02 GMT]
Four Tamils, residents of Vavuniyaa, were taken into custody by the Kandy police in Alawathugoda area Wednesday in a cordon and search operation. Police said the suspected Tamils failed to produce documents to identify them and the purpose their visit to Kandy.
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458 Sinhala students to enter Eastern University next academic year

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 August 2010, 04:59 GMT]
Of eight hundred and forty two students to be admitted to the 2011 academic year of the Eastern University four hundred and fifty eight are Sinhala students. Except the Arts Faculty, Sinhala students are to be admitted to all other faculties, university sources said Thursday.
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President Rajapaksa presides Defence Ministry consultative meeting

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 August 2010, 04:56 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa Thursday chaired the consultative committee meeting of the Ministry of Defence in Parliament. He is the Minister of Defence. Commanders of the three armed forces, Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force attended the meeting.
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Colombo says cannot interfere with Fonseka Court's decision

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 August 2010, 01:46 GMT]
Chief Government Whip, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, said in Sri Lanka parliament that the government is ‘helpless’ and cannot reverse the military court ruling made against former army Commander General Sarath Fonseka. "The Court arrived at the verdict applying laws of State to the conduct of General Fonseak, and Sri Lanka Government or the legislative body, the parliament cannot do anything about it," Sinhala dailies Lakbima and Dinamina said quoting Minister Gunawardena.
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British youth’s war crimes awareness walk to conclude Friday

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 August 2010, 00:40 GMT]
The British Tamil youth who set out to highlight the need for an international investigation into Sri Lanka’s war crimes through an awareness-raising walk from London to the United Nations in Geneva is near the end of his journey, fellow activists said. Well wishers from several European countries are traveling to Switzerland to welcome him there. Gobi Sivanthan has almost reached Geneva, activists said Thursday night. Whilst French media outlets have reported regularly on his progress through France, local and national police have provided support along the way to facilitate Sivanthan and his supporters. Meanwhile, a group of British Parliamentarians hailed the youth’s efforts, describing it as “a noble mission for a noble cause.”
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Namal Rajapaksa engaged in promoting government propaganda in North

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 August 2010, 11:27 GMT]
Namal Rajapaksa, parliamentarian and son of President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been frequently visiting Jaffna and Vanni in the North in an attempt to show that he is keen in the development of North, particularly in the field of education, sources in Jaffna said. The swimming pool project he inaugurated with much publicity in Jaffna Central College had to be abandoned as his 'Blue Brigade' young men had made away with millions of rupees allocated for the project, they added.
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ADB delegation to visit Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 August 2010, 07:15 GMT]
A team of Asian Development Bank (ADB) officials led by Vice-President, Ms. Schaefer-Preuss, is expected to visit Jaffna Thursday, sources in Jaffna said. The team will be supervising ADB development projects in Jaffna as well as meet several persons including Jaffna Government Agent. This is the first time that a high profile team of ADB visiting Jaffna as ADB representatives visiting Sri Lanka normally stop with Colombo and talks with Sri Lanka government representatives, the sources added.
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Indian HC refuses visa to head of Northern fishermen society representatives

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 August 2010, 06:48 GMT]
Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka refused to issue visa to the president of the Northern Fishermen Societies Federation, S. Thavaratnam who was to head the delegation of 23 representatives from Northern Sri Lanka to hold talks with their counterparts in Tamil Nadu. The former secretary of Vadamaraadchi Fishermen Society, K. Sooriyakumaran is now leading the delegation which is engaged in the talks now, sources in Jaffna said.
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SLA, police conduct search operation in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 August 2010, 05:46 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police have been conducting a search operation throughout Wednesday night in Kokkuvil area where three Sinhala furniture traders were knifed Monday night. Unconfirmed sources in Jaffna said that Koappaay police have arrested three Tamil furniture traders suspected of involvement in the attack. Koappaay police, however, did not confirm the arrest.
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Refuse asylum to Tamil boat refugees, Sri Lanka tells Canada

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 August 2010, 23:36 GMT]
The Sri Lankan High commission in Ottawa has made a representation to the Canadian Government urging Canada to refuse asylum and citizenship to the Tamil migrants who came to Canada on a ship seeking asylum, the state run Dinamina newspaper said in a front page news article. According to the article, Sri Lanka has claimed that majority of the Tamil migrants comprised of members of the LTTE organization.
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Senior envoy of Indian government to visit Sri Lanka in September

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 August 2010, 21:10 GMT]
Indian Foreign Minister Nirupama Rao who was in Chennai Wednesday met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi at his residence in Gopalapuram. Speaking to the media after meeting the CM she said that a senior officer of the Central government will be visiting Sri Lanka as a special envoy in September and that he will meet the Tamils affected by the war and learn about the resettlement of the displaced Tamils and explore ways to provide livelihoods for them, sources in Chennai said.
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Wickremesinghe, Premadasa hold discussion to give new life to UNP

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 August 2010, 14:24 GMT]
Ranil Wickremesinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) held one to one talks Tuesday evening with Sajith Premadasa, UNP parliamentarian, to solve constitutional reforms of the party and to give new life to the party in the coming elections. They were later joined by another UNP parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake. The talks are likely to continue Wednesday, party sources said.
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SL minister visits dengue patients in Mannaar hospital

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 August 2010, 10:02 GMT]
Sri Lanka Minister of Industry and Commerce, Rishad Bathiyutheen, paid a sudden visit to Mannaar government hospital 10 August where he visited the patients admitted with dengue fever. The minister blamed the officials in Mannaar Town Council responsible for the prevention of dengue fever for their carelessness and said that officials who fail to perform their duties should quit their posts, sources in Mannaar said.
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SLA tightens grip on Jaffna peninsula

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 August 2010, 07:38 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLN) occupying Jaffna peninsula has begun constructing permanent sentry posts and mini camps on the main junctions along the key roads in Jaffna peninsula in haste, sources said. Meanwhile, the SLA soldiers posted inside Jaffna Teaching Hospital and around it refuse to withdraw despite the requests of hospital administration, hospital sources said. Civil society circles in Jaffna said that SLA intends to keep Jaffna peninsula in its tight grip and is engaged in strengthening its presence in strategic places.
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SLN creates rift between Northern, Tamil Nadu fishermen

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 August 2010, 07:33 GMT]
Local fishermen in Valveddiththu'rai in Northern Sri Lanka, urged by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN), chased away the Indian fishing trawlers illegally fishing in Valveddiththu'ai seas Tuesday night as talks between the fisheries society representatives of Tamil Nadu and Northern Sri Lanka began Wednesday. Fishermen societies in Jaffna peninsula appealed to the local fishermen not to fall prey to the malicious efforts of Sri Lanka government and its armed forces to ruin the cordial relationship between the fishermen of Tamil Nadu and Northern Sri Lanka, sources in Vadamaraadchi said.
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Another Sri Lanka "Committee" to investigate ex-Minister's tree fiasco

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 August 2010, 01:50 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Rajapakse's ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Tuesday appointed a three member committee to inquire into the actions of controversial former minister, Mervyn Silva who allegedly tied a Samurdhi officer to a tree for not participating in a dengue awareness campaign conducted by the then Minister Silva. The chairman of this committee will be presidents counsel Jayantha Weerasinghe. Other members of the committee are N.M. Saheed and Mahinda Samarasekara who will function as the secretary to the committee, according to Colombo media.
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HRCSL receives 4763 complaints from Northern Province

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 August 2010, 16:07 GMT]
4763 complaints have been received by the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) from the districts of Jaffna, Mannaar and Vavuniyaa in Northern Province from May last year. Of these more than three thousand complaints are regarding the disappearances of persons from May 2009 till now, according to an official of the HRCSL.
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Dengue claims 186 lives in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 August 2010, 14:16 GMT]
The number of persons died of dengue fever in the country has risen to 186 till August 13 this year while 25,880 dengue cases were reported during the same period. Dengue fever claimed the lives of 45 in Colombo district (4262 cases), 25 in Gampaha district (3015 cases) and 16 in Jaffna district (2750 cases), a Health Department report said.
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Batticaloa district TNA parliamentarians asked to appear in court

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 August 2010, 14:09 GMT]
Batticaloa Magistrate Mr.V. Ramakamalan Tuesday issued notice to the three Batticaloa district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians C. Yogeswaran, K. Selvarajah and P. Ariyanethran and two others, R.Thurairatnam, member of the Eastern Provincial Council and the President of the Batticaloa District Unemployed Graduates Association, to appear in court on September 7 on an application filed by Kaatththaankudi police.
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Sri Lanka's Prime Minister says, Rajapaksa strongest man in Sri Lanka’s history

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 August 2010, 10:48 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne said that incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa is the strongest man in Sri Lanka’s 2500 year old history, the state owned Dinamina newspaper said in a front page article. Speaking at the opening of the Hambantota Port, Premier Jayaratne said Sri Lanka has seen kings such as Parakramabahu, Dutugamunu and Walagamba build rivers for the country, but no one has seen an individual such as Mahinda Rajapaksa who has taken Sri Lanka's development drive to the highest level possible within a short span of just four years.
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Pandemonium in parliament over Fonseka punishment

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 August 2010, 10:38 GMT]
Pandemonium reigned in the Sri Lanka ‘s Parliament when it resumed its sittings Tuesday afternoon when the main opposition United National Party (UNP) and the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) demanded a full debate on the verdict of the first Court Martial against the former Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Sarath Fonseka.
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Traditional Hindu temples in East destroyed, replaced with Buddhist Viharas: MP

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 August 2010, 06:43 GMT]
"Sri Lanka government is systematically destructing Hindu temples in the Eastern Province and constructing Buddhist Viharas in their places and one cannot remain passive while the Sinhala Buddhist chauvinists continue to destroy Hindu temples and appropriate the traditional Tamil lands for the occupying Sri Lanka Army (SLA)," S. Yogeswaran, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian for Batticaloa district said.
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SLA refuses to open key roads in Jaffna peninsula

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 August 2010, 05:22 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) occupying Jaffna peninsula continues to refuse to open the key roads which it had closed for public use despite repeated requests by governemnt departments, NGOs and public organizations, sources in Jaffna said. The same situation prevails in allowing uprooted families to settle in their properties appropriated by SLA as High Security Zone (HSZ) in Valikaamam North. It is alleged that the conflict of interests in these two matters between Northern Province Governor, Major. Gen. G. A. Chandarasiri and SLA Jaffna Commander, Major. Gen. Mahinda Kathurusinghe is the cause of the issues.
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UNP to assist JVP led alliance against UPFA government

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 August 2010, 17:35 GMT]
Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) Monday declared that it is ready to extend its wholehearted support to an alliance as proposed by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna to oppose the undemocratic actions of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government led by Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse. Gayantha Karunaratne, UNP parliamentarian and its spokesman told media Monday that the leadership of the alliance is not important to his party as long as it opposed to the dictatorial actions of the UPFA government.
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Sarath Fonseka charged for harboring army deserters

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 August 2010, 17:33 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s Attorney General Monday filed indictment in the Colombo Chief Magistrate court charging Sarath Fonseka on forty-one counts that include employing deserters of the Sri Lanka Army, paying salaries and providing lodging facilities. Sarath Fonseka, former Commander of the Sri Lanka Army was last week sentenced by the 1st Court Martial being found guilty for the involvement in politics while in service.
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DNA parliamentarians released on surety bail

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 August 2010, 17:30 GMT]
The Galle Magistrate Monday ordered surety bail for the two parliamentarians Vijitha Herat and Ajith Kumara of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) led by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) produced on a charge of assaulting police officers. Each parliamentarian was ordered to sign a bond in a sum of Rupees 200,000/=.
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SLA extends HSZ in Ki'linochchi encroaching traditional Tamil villages

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 August 2010, 17:28 GMT]
Sri Lanka government has instructed the Government Agents of Ki'linochchi and Mullaiththeevu districts not to resettle anyone in an area of 200 acres in the adjoining traditional Tamil villages of the already declared area as the High Security Zone (HSZ) of occupying Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in an extent of 300 acres in Ira'naimadu in Vanni, Ki'linochchi Government Secretariat sources said. The 500 acres of land encroached by SLA are to be used to colonize it with Sinhala families of SLA personnel from South and other Sinhala families, depriving the Tamil residents of the area from cultivating their paddy fields irrigated by Ira'naimadu reservoir, sources in Vanni said.
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3 Sinhala traders knifed, injured in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 August 2010, 17:26 GMT]
A gang of eight men arriving on bicycles inflicted injuries with swords on three Sinhala traders Monday around 7:15 p.m. in Kokkuvil in Jaffna where they were selling furniture along Aadiyapaatham road, sources in Jaffna said. Jaffna police rushed two seriously injured men to Jaffna Teaching Hospital. The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officers who were at the place following the incident told news reporters that the attack was not based on Sinhala-Tamil ethnic rivalry. Meanwhile, unidentified persons had set fire to a shop of a Sinhala trader in the same area recently, the sources added.
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Attempt to misuse resettled women in Vanni foiled

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 August 2010, 06:38 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians Saravanabavan and Sritharan intervened and stopped Sunday the attempt of a private company from Kandy in Ki'linochchi town enticing young women recently allowed to resettle in Vanni, with job opportunities in South Sri Lanka with attractive salaries. The parliamentarians, on suspicion raised by local people about the true intent of the company, visited the enlisting place in front of Ki'linochchi Government Secretariat and prevented the unsuspecting young women being taken away to the South.
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Fishermen society delegation from North leaves for Tamil Nadu

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 August 2010, 06:01 GMT]
A delegation of 23 representatives of the fishermen societies in North will leave for Tamil Nadu Monday afternoon to Trichi to participate in meetings with the representatives of major fishermen societies in Tamil Nadu, sources in Jaffna said. Two Catholic priests from Mannaar and Jaffna who had organized the programme will be accompanying the delegation. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka government has announced that two officers of the Sri Lanka Fisheries Ministry will be present in the meetings between the representatives to be held in Tamil Nadu. This reveals the keen interest of Sri Lanka government to learn first hand the nature and scope of the meetings in Tamil Nadu, the sources added.
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25 District Government Agents to meet in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 August 2010, 09:24 GMT]
Sri Lankan Government has decided to hold the conference of the District Government Agents of the country in Jaffna in the first week of September this year. This will be the first time such a conference to be held in the history of the country. The date of the conference has been tentatively fixed for September 6 and 7, Public Administration Ministry sources said.
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SL government delegation visit to New Delhi postponed

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 August 2010, 09:21 GMT]
An official visit of a three–member top level delegation of the Government of Sri Lanka to India is scheduled to leave Colombo on August 25 for high level talks and not on August 15 Sunday as earlier fixed. Basil Rajapakse, Economic Development Minister and a brother of Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse is to lead the delegation.
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Rajapaksa authorizes Court Martial sentence on Fonseka

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 August 2010, 09:15 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa Saturday authorized the sentence imposed by the 1st Court Martial on the former Commander of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Sarath Fonseka. The first Court Martial Friday sentenced Sarath Fonseka which strips him of all military ranks, being found him guilty of involvement in political activity while in service. Rajapaksa has now authorized the sentence to be carried out with immediate effect, acting Military spokesman Colonel Duminda Gamage told media.
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UNP asks LLRC to summon Peiris, Moragoda, Karuna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 August 2010, 08:47 GMT]
Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission appointed by the Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been asked by the main opposition United National Party (UNP) to summon G.L.Peiris, Milinda Moragoda and Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman to get a balanced view of the peace process during the 2002 cease fire period under the then UNP government.
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Nalloor Kanthasuvaami temple annual festival begins

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 August 2010, 06:06 GMT]
The annual festival of the historic Nalloor Kanthasuvaami temple in Jaffna will begin Sunday with the Sacred Festival Flag hoisting ceremony (Kodiyeattam) and will continue until 8 September. An unprecedented number of devotees are expected to attend the festival and transport and other necessary arrangements have been made by Jaffna Municpal Council (JMC) authorities which said that women attending the festivals should wear saree, sources in Jaffna said.
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Indian, Northern fishermen society representatives meet to discuss comon issues

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 August 2010, 05:20 GMT]
A group of 23 representatives of the fisheries societies in Northern Sri Lanka are to meet their counterparts in Tamil Nadu to discuss matters including the illegal invasion of Indian fishing trawlers into the seas of Northern Sri Lanka and the escalating attacks by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) on Tamil Nadu fishermen. The gorup, led by S. Thavaratnam, will hold discussion from 14 to 22 August, fisheries society sources in Jaffna said. Though a similar meeting had been arranged two years ago it had to be abandoned as Sri Lanka Defence Ministry and the Indian High Commission to Sri Lanka had not permitted the meeting to take place.
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NP Governor urged to allow Muslims to resettle in Jaffna without restrictions

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 August 2010, 05:41 GMT]
Sri Lanka Deputy minister of resettlement Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna had said during his recent visit to Jaffna that the uprooted Muslims located in other parts of Sri Lanka including Puththa'lam living in houses given to them by Sri Lanka government should hand them back and the relief measures to them will be stopped if they choose to resettle in Jaffna. This has caused anger among the Muslims uprooted due to war and the president of one of their associations took the matter to Northern Province Governor at his Jaffna residence Thursday, sources in Jaffna said.
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SLA imposes new restrictions on resettled families in Vanni

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 August 2010, 05:13 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) occupying Vanni has instructed the resettled families not to allow anyone other than the family members to stay with them and not to offer food, sources in Vanni said. The restriction causes great difficulty for the relatives and friends of the resettled families who come a long way from Vavuniyaa, Jaffna and other places to visit them. Meanwhile, a large number of army uniforms had gone missing recently in one of the SLA camps in Mullaiththeevu district in Vanni, the sources said.
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Masked armed men rob woman trader in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 August 2010, 04:52 GMT]
Masked armed men waylaid Thursday around 9:30 p.m a woman trader returning home after closing her shop on Mannaar Peasaalai road and robbed cash and jewelry at gun point, according to the complain lodged by the woman trader with Thalaimannaar police.
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Boat with 490 Tamil refugees docks in British Columbia

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 August 2010, 04:50 GMT]
After spending nearly three months in sea, MV Sun Sea, a 59-metre Thai cargo ship, docked near Victoria, Canada Friday with nearly 490 Tamil refugees who fled Sri Lanka seeking safety and security in a foreign land thousands of miles away from northern Sri Lanka, their place of birth. The Canadian authorities boarded the ship the night before to bring the ship to the shore. 90 women and 45 children are estimated to be part of the migrant group, according to reports from Canada. The political climate will engulf migrants in immigration legal battles especially after the controversy surrounding the detention and later release of 76 Tamil migrants from the ship Ocean Lady last October, relatives of the migrants speculated.
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Police instructs Tamils in Kotahena to register their presence

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 August 2010, 04:38 GMT]
Sri Lanka Police Thursday early morning conducted a cordon and search operation in Kotahena in Colombo district for several houses from 4:30 a.m.. Police personnel engaged in the operation instructed Tamil residents to register their presence in the location with the police immediately. Some Tamil residents argued with the police personnel that there was no need for them to register their presence with the police as the clause to the effect had been withdrawn from the Emergency Regulations now in force.
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Fonseka’s lawyers to appeal ‘conviction’

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 August 2010, 22:40 GMT]
Sri Lanka's ex-Army Commander Gen. Sarath Fonseka’s lawyers have decided to file a petition in the court of appealing contesting the verdict issued by the military court. Fonseka’s Democratic National Alliance (DNA) party termed the first court martial hearing, concluded Friday that the case was ‘one sided’ and that they will not accept the ruling.
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Colombo's Court Martial finds Fonseka guilty of engaging in politics

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 August 2010, 14:26 GMT]
Colombo's military court martial on Friday found the former Sri Lanka Army commander General (retd) Sarath Fonseka guilty of engaging in political activity while still in uniform, Colombo media reported Friday evening. Colombo has sentenced him for a 'dishonorable discharge from rank pending approval of the President,' media reports further said.
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SLN tightens restriction on Mannaar fishermen

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 August 2010, 12:47 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) has tightened the restriction on fishermen of Thalaimannaar imposed during the war time, since last week. They have been instructed by SLN authorities to obtain 'pass' (permission) from the SLN before going to sea for fishing, according to fisheries society sources in Mannaar.
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2 JVP parliamentarians remanded in Galle

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 August 2010, 12:34 GMT]
Sri Lanka police in Galle arrested and detained parliamentarians Vijitha Heart and Ajith Kumara, of Democratic National Alliance (DNA) led by Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Thursday evening. They were arrested when they went to Galle police staion to secure the release of four men who had participated in the protest march held in Galle town demanding the release of Sarath Fonseka, former Sri Lanka Army Commander who had contested against President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the last presidential election and lost.
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Malaysia releases 62 Eezham Tamil asylum seekers

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 August 2010, 05:45 GMT]
Immigration Department of Malaysia released Thursday noon 62 of the 75 Eezham Tamil asylum seekers, held in at the KLIA depot for 111 days, according to Free Malaysia Today daily. Alternative Action Team (AAT) president B. Kalaivanar said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur Thursday that 13 of the asylum seekers still held are expected to be released Friday. Tamil Integrity Movement chief T. Sembiyan was also present in the conference.
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SL president suspends plans to relocate NPC offices to Ki'linochchi

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 August 2010, 05:11 GMT]
Sri Lanka president Mahinda Rajapaksa has directly intervened to immediately suspend the plans of Northern Province Governor, Major Gen. G. A. Chandrasiri to relocate the offices of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) functioning in Trincomalee to Ki'linochchi, NPC sources said. The president had called Major Gen. G. A. Chandrasiri to his official residence and issued the order. Moreover, President's brother and Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Gothabaya Rajapaka had severely warned the officials of NPC 'not to even think' of relocating the offices, they added.
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Indian fishing trawlers invade Northern seas of Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 August 2010, 04:32 GMT]
During the last four days more than a thousand Indian fishing trawlers in an unprecedented manner are operating in the seas from Kaangkeasanthu'rai to Naakarkoayil, a representative of Vadamaraadchi Fishing Societies Federation said Thursday. Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) authorities who had refused permission to the local fishermen for trawler fishing have turned a blind eye to the Indian fishing trawlers trespassing Sri Lankan seas, he said. The Indian fishermen and the Sinhala fishermen from South already permitted by SLN to fish in the Northern seas are depriving the local fishermen, he added.
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Tamil driver found dead in his house in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 August 2010, 04:01 GMT]
A Tamil driver of a three wheeler was found hanging from the roof in his house at Oor Veethi in Kalladi in Batticaloa district Thursday morning. The body was covered with bleeding injuries and Kaaththaankudi Police on investigation ruled out the possibility of suicide.
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Namal Rajapakse follows father to Nalloor Koayil

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 August 2010, 01:00 GMT]
A delegation of government ministers including, Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s eldest son, Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa, have offered gratitude to the Saiva gods at the Nalloor koayil in Jaffna for 'helping' Mahinda Rajapaksa to complete the Hambantota Port project on schedule, the state owned Dinamina newspaper said in a front page article. The article pointed out that soon after the LTTE was defeated, the Sri Lanka's President, along with members of his government, had visited the Nalloor koayil seeking blessings to help 'develop' Sri Lanka following the defeat of the "terrorists."
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Protest in London against India’s Operation Green Hunt

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 August 2010, 22:48 GMT]
Alliance for People’s Right in South Asia has called for demonstration at the Indian High Commission in London on India’s independence day, August 15, protesting the murder of Communist Party of India (Maoist) Polit Bureau member and Central Committee spokesperson Azad along with Delhi-based journalist Hem Chandra Pandey by Andhra Police in July. Indian Workers Association (GB), Progressive Nepalese Society UK and British-South Asia Solidarity Forum have called for the demonstration, demanding judicial enquiry, immediate stop of extra-judicial killings, respect for fundamental rights, media freedom, end of war against people, withdrawal of armed forces and MoUs with corporates and attention to the demands of the people of Kashmir and Northeast India.
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Malaysian Tamil leader hard on Sri Lanka’s abetters, urges boycott

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 August 2010, 17:12 GMT]
Malaysian Tamil leader and Deputy Chief Minister of the Penang State Prof P. Ramasamy came hard on some industrial circles of Ceylonese in Malaysia buttressing Colombo in the name of ‘development. Speaking to media Thursday he urged global Tamils to boycott commercial pursuits of Karunanidhi family. Party decisions announced by him urged Malaysian government to take a serious view of the situation in the island and wanted war crimes investigation to cover the roles played by Indian Prime Minister, Home Minister, Congress Party leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. His party plans tabling resolution on war crimes investigation in the Penang State Assembly and internationally working for solutions to the national question of Eezham Tamils.
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UNP MP attacked by Premadasa supporters – state media

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 August 2010, 10:37 GMT]
Two special police units have been dispatched to apprehend the culprits who attacked UNP Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake and a group travelling with him in Beliatte early this week. According to the state owned Dinamina Sinhala daily newspaper, the attack against Ravi Karunanayake and members of the party were initiated by a group close to UNP Hambantota district MP Sajith Premadasa, who is seen as a primary contender for the party’s leadership position against Ranil Wickremesinghe.
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Sinhala armed gangs rob Tamil passengers from North, East

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 August 2010, 08:52 GMT]
Armed gangs comprising solely Sinhala men posing as personnel of the Criminal Investigations Depart (CID) of the Sri Lanka Police are on the prowl in the South robbing Tamil passengers travelling from North and East to Colombo, according to complaints made by the victims to the police.
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Youth abducted in Valikaamam escapes

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 August 2010, 04:35 GMT]
Two unidentified men stopped a youth on motorcycle Tuesday night in Thellippazhai, located next to the High Security Zone (HSZ) of occupying Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Valikaamam North and abducted him on his motorcycle. The youth managed to escape the abductors and sought protection at Thellippazhai police station, sources in Thellippazhai said. The men could not have abducted the youth without the knowledge of the SLA soldiers present in the place, the sources said.
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Male body washed ashore on Mannaar coast

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 August 2010, 04:07 GMT]
Fishermen of Oalaiththoduvaay in Mannaar police division Wednesday morning saw the highly decomposed body of a male person on their beach and informed the nearby Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) sentry point personnel. Mannaar police, informed by SLN, recovered the body and handed it over to Mannaar general hospital for identification and postmortem examination, Wednesday evening.
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SLA in Vanni harass hapless resettled families

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 August 2010, 19:01 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers occupying Vanni are forcibly evacuating resettled uprooted families from their houses and lands on charges that they are supporters of Liberation Tigers and demand money to be allowed to live in their properties which they have managed to make livable, according to many complaints made to Vavuniyaa Human Rights Commission (HRC) office. The complainants, mainly women whose male members of their families had been killed or arrested and detained by SLA, say that members of certain organizations who maintain close relations with SLA soldiers assist them in this racket in which local SLA officers get a major share. In order to exhort money the SLA soldiers claim that the lands are needed for their own use.
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Resolutions passed against governments of India, Tamil Nadu for disregarding Eezham Tamils, Tamil Nadu fishermen

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 August 2010, 16:23 GMT]
Karuththurimaikk Kazhakam (Union for Freedom of Expression), an umbrella organization consisting of several poltical and humanitarian organizations in Tamil Nadu passed resolutions condemning the Central Government of India and the State Government of Tamil Nadu for willingly maintaining silence over for Sri Lanka's Mahinda Rajapaksa regime's blatant violation of democracy related to its war crimes committed during the war on Vanni and the frequent killings of Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN), in a public meeting held 06 August in Chennai Purasavaakkam Thaa'naa Street, sources in Chennai said. The meeting was presided by Comrade Nallakannu of the Communist Party of India. Vaiko, the leader of Marumalarchi Dravida Munetra Kalazham (MDMK) proposed the resolutions that were passed unanimously.
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Sri Lanka’s Lesson Learnt and Reconciliation Commission begins sitting

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 August 2010, 15:16 GMT]
The Lesson Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), consisting of eight members, chaired by the former Attorney General C. R. de Silva, commenced its sittings Wednesday morning at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute in Colombo 7, according to Commission’s Secretary S. M. Samarakoon. Bernard Goonatillake, former head of Sri Lanka's Peace Secretariat that was operational during the period of the conflict,is scheduled to give evidence on the opening day. Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa is to give evidence before the Commission 17 August. The Commission is to meet from August 11 till the 25th. Sessions on August 14th and 15th are to be held in Vavuniyaa.
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Rajapakse suspends Mervin Silva from SLFP

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 August 2010, 10:05 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa finally Wednesday took a stern disciplinary action to control displeasure brewing in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) over the failure of taking tough stand against Mervin Silva for tying a Samurdhi official to a tree last week. Mervin Silva Tuesday evening was removed from the post of Deputy Minister and also suspended from the membership of the SLFP for taking law into his own hands, Presidential sources said.
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EPDP monopoly in the distribution of relief ration hits uprooted familes in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 August 2010, 05:24 GMT]
Seventy percent of the familes uprooted during war and resettled in Jaffna peninsula depend on the dry food relief ration redistributed by agencies which obtain the contract of distribution through Sri Lanka government tenders. Jaffna Traders' Assocaition (JTA) circles allege that a particular trader acting as an agent of Sri Lanka minister Douglas Devananda, leader of Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), has obtained the distribution tenders using the letter heads of more than three agencies and that the procedure of calling for tenders by Jaffna Secretariat is explotied by him to the disadvantage of other bidders. The dry food relief ration distributed to the uprooted families by the said trader is very poor in quality as the food items supplied by Jaffna Secretariat to him are sold in black market, JTA sources said.
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Students, public picket Point Pedro SLTB bus depot

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 August 2010, 04:18 GMT]
Hundreds of students, government officers and public gathered in front of Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) Point Pedro bus depot Tuesday around 10:00 a.m in protest against Sri Lanka government for its poor public transport service in Jaffna peninsula, sources in Point Pedro said. The protesters shut the gates of the bus depot allowing none to enter or leave the building. Point Pedro police, informed of the picketing, forcibly opened the gates and chased the protesters away. The protest against Sri Lanka government will continue until the public transport services are satisfactory, the protesters said.
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Improving basic services is key to Sri Lanka's economic prosperity, says World Bank

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 August 2010, 02:25 GMT]
Enabling people to seek economic opportunities, improving the quality of basic services across all regions, and targeting interventions to stimulate economic growth in selected lagging areas can lead to rapid and geographically inclusive growth in Sri Lanka, says a new World Bank report “Sri Lanka: Reshaping Economic Geography: Connecting People to Prosperity.”
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Sri Lanka's Commission convenes as US calls for independent investigations

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 August 2010, 01:52 GMT]
As the Commission on Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation appointed by Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa commenced its inaugural sittings on Wednesday morning at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies, No 24, Horton place, Colombo, 58 law makers of United States Congress urged the Obama administration to push for an independent international investigation into alleged war crimes that occurred during Sri Lanka's civil war. "The letter to US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, the members of Congress called for such a probe saying panels set up by the Sri Lankan government to probe the allegations "lacked the needed credibility,"" AFP reported.
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Media consortium demands return of disappeared journalist Ekneligoda

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 August 2010, 00:12 GMT]
A consortium of foreign media organizations led by Reporters Without Borders has demanded the Sri Lankan government to return Sri Lankan journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda who disappeared two hundred days earlier. The consortium includes, Cartoonists Rights Network International, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), International Media Support, Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka, Media Legal Defence Initiative, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).
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Rajapakse, Wickremesinghe meet, discuss proposed constitutional reforms

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 August 2010, 18:04 GMT]
Talks between Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse and Ranil Wickremesinghe, the leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) resumed Tuesday morning unexpectedly. Both met at the Presidential Secretariat and discussed about the proposed constitutional reforms, informed sources said.
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New Buddhist temple in Maangku'lam in North

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 August 2010, 11:57 GMT]
Work on the construction of a Buddhist Vihare on land close to the Sri Lanka police station along A9 highway in Maangku'lam area has begun and the new Vihare has been named Sugatha Vihare, according to media sources. The construction is in progress amid claims by Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne who is also the Minister of Buddha Sasana that 289 sites had been identified in the North and East where Buddhist Vihares were earlier located besides 88 archaeological sites.
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Armed men abduct Tamil man in white van in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 August 2010, 10:38 GMT]
Armed men who came in a white van abducted a 30-year-old Tamil man in the early of Thursday from his house in Akkaraippattu in Batticaloa district, according to a complaint lodged by the wife of the victim at Akaaraippattu Police on Monday
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Devotees not permitted to stay overnight to continue rituals in Keerimalai temple

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 August 2010, 06:28 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) occupying Jaffna peninsula did not allow thousands of Hindu devotees Monday night to continue the religious rituals to their ancestors in the historically famous Keerimalai Nakuleasvaram temple located in the SLA High Security Zone (HSZ) in Valikaamam North, sources in Jaffna said. The residents of this area, evacuated 20 years ago by SLA have not been permitted to resettle in their own properties which are under SLA occupation. Earlier in April, SLA had put up notices that no one should pollute the temple pond and the seas around as the area has been declared as a tourist spot. This infringement on religious rights had angered the devotees who gather to perform rites which had been observed by Hindus through ages.
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2 Indian High Commission officials on sudden visit to Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 August 2010, 19:05 GMT]
Two key officials of the Indian High Commission to Sri Lanka in Colombo visited Jaffna Monday and held talks with high officers of Sri Lanka Amy (SLA) and police in Jaffna Secretariat. Northern Province Governor Major Gen. G. A. Chandrasiri and Jaffna Government Agent, Ms. Imelda Sukumar participated in this meeting, sources in Jaffna said. The visit of the Indian officials had not been announced and local media was not allowed to cover the meeting.
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Surrendered students detained under PTA sit GCE A/L examination

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 August 2010, 08:19 GMT]
Around 2,500 hundred students from the districts of Vavuniyaa, Mannaar, Ki'linochchi and Mullaiththeevu in Vanni sitting for the GCE A/L examination which commenced Monday are among the 2,45,000 students appearing for the examination throughout the country. 367 students from the districts of Vanni arrested and detained under Prevention of Terrorism (PTA) claimed as members of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are also sitting for the examination, sources in Jaffna said.
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SL External Affairs minister leaves for China

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 August 2010, 07:35 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s External Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris left Sunday on a three day official visit to China. He is scheduled to meet his counterpart in Peking and hold talks to strengthen ties between the two countries. He is also tipped to meet several top Chinese government officials in Peking, according to Colombo external affairs ministry.
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HC applications to be filed by familes of disappeared LTTE key persons

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 August 2010, 07:28 GMT]
The family members of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eezham (LTTE) key persons gone missing after arrest by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) or surrender at the end of the war on Vanni are to file Habeas Corpus (HC) applications next week, sources Jaffna said. According to Sri Lanka minister D. Gunasekara the wives of LTTE senior key persons Balakumaran and Yogi are now widows. Some sources say that both had been killed after surrendering to SLA and some that they are held in special SLA detention centres. The contradicting and confusing information have led their family members to file HC applications, the sources added.
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Moothoor east uprooted families languish in temporary shelters

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 August 2010, 15:43 GMT]
Hundreds of uprooted Tamil families from Champoor north and east, Kooniththeevu and Navarathinapuram in Trincomalee district are accommodated in temporary shelters made up of tin sheets and cadjan leaves in Ki’liveddi, Ma’nalcheanai and Paddiththiddal in Moothoor division. They are agitating for their early resettlement in their villages. They fled from their villages following the military offensive launched by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in April 2006. The uprooted families had sought refuge first in Batticaloa district.
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3 more UNP parliamentarians likely to join UPFA

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 August 2010, 15:33 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) issued an ultimatum Sunday to Sri Lanka government to release the proposals on constitutional reforms and the 17th amendment and to reconsider its decision to abandon further talks with Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse, amid Colombo media reports that three more UNP parliamentarians are likely to join the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) soon. They are discussing with ruling party hierarchy to join the government, media reports added.
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Malaysian politician to form Committee on genocide in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 August 2010, 14:26 GMT]
Deputy Chief Minister of Penang, and human rights advocate, Prof. Ramasamy, is to form an international committee to collect evidence on the genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka, with the aim of presenting a case to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Panel, a Malaysian companian site to the Sun newspaper said Sunday. "The group will also fight for human rights anywhere, in places where people are deprived of their rights and privileges," said the Batu Kawan MP who is a long-time human right activist.
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Indiscriminate sand excavation in Vadmaraadchi causes seepage of seawater

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 August 2010, 07:46 GMT]
Sri Lanka Department of Geological Survey & Mine Bureau (GSMB) officials who arrived in Jaffna to conduct a survey in Vadamaraadchi East where indiscriminate excavation of sand causes seepage of sea water had to stop their work due to interference by Sri Lanka minister Douglas Devananda, leader of Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), sources in Vadamaraadchi said. The EPDP firm called ‘Maheswary Funds’, named after assassinated EPDP organizer Maheswaray Vealautham, has procured exclusive rights to excavate sand in Vadamaraadchi and is alleged of making huge profits, the sources added.
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US demining aid to alleviate Jaffna mine woes, says Jaffna SLA commander

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 August 2010, 04:16 GMT]
With the United States announcing a fresh aid amounting to US$ 5.4 million to assist the demining activities in the northern province, steps have been taken to expedite demining and make the Jaffna peninsula an area free of demining by September this year, Jaffna Commanding Officer Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe is reported to have said. Nearly one-third of the aid will bolster equipment capability of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA's) "Humanitarian Mining Unit," according to figures released by the US embassy in Colombo.
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Dengue deaths increase as BTI bacteria from Cuba is delayed

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 August 2010, 14:05 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s health department is in a fix over the delay in the import of the first consignment of BTI bacteria from Cuba as the number of deaths due to dengue has risen to 149 Friday. Meanwhile, the health ministry has failed to get a positive response from Cuban Embassy in Colombo. The Daily Mirror of August 8 said in its report that controversy surrounds the closure of the Cuban embassy in Colombo while the health ministry was desperately attempting to get a positive response on the import of the first consignment of BTI bacteria from Cuba though three weeks had passed since opening the Letter of Credit.
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Plans afoot to settle Sinhala people in Thiriyaay in Trincomalee district

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 August 2010, 13:46 GMT]
Moves are afoot by Sri Lanka government central land authorities to acquire about three thousand acres including paddy fields belonging Tamil farmers located close to the Buddhist temple called Kirihandu Seya in Thiriyaay, a traditional Tamil village, north of Trincomalee town. The residents of Thiriyaay said that this is part of a subtle move by the chauvinist elements in Sri Lanka government to attach more lands to the Buddhist temple in order to settle Sinhalese from South.
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Hordes of monkeys plague resettled families in Vanni

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 August 2010, 05:19 GMT]
Monkeys in Vanni having multiplied in numbers after the war on Vanni invade into the temporary sheds of uprooted families hastily resettled by Sri Lanka government without clearing the area of the overgrown shrubs and jungle, sources in Vanni said. The resettled uprooted families in Vanni left to fend on their own without the needed assistance and subjected to occupying Sri Lanka Army (SLA) harassment are further assailed with the problem and danger of monkeys, the sources added.
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ITAK seeks withdrawal of injunction order against its decision

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 August 2010, 04:44 GMT]
Thamizh Arasuk Kadchi (ITAK) party Jaffna parliamentarian N. A. Sumanthiran appeared Friday on behalf of ITAK and filed a petition seeking the withdrawal of the injunction order served by Jaffna District Court on the expulsion of three of its members from the party by ITAK. The three ITAK members had filed a petition 02 August against the decision by ITAK to expel them from the party because they had contested in the last general election on All Ceylon Tamil Congress ticket, sources in Jaffna said.
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2 Sri Lanka policemen arrested on bribery charge in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 August 2010, 04:09 GMT]
Two Criminal Investigation Department (CID) policemen, a Sinhala and a Muslim, based in Jaffna were arrested by their superior officer from Colombo for demanding bribe to help escape a person issued with arrest warrant by Jaffna magistrate court. Jaffna magistrate ordered the arrestees to be placed in Jaffna prison when they were produced in court Friday, sources in Jaffna said. There had been several complaints of bribery against the two arrested policemen and the CID key official from Colombo arrested them Friday after a sudden investigation.
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Rail-track improvement to force 671 families go homeless

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 August 2010, 23:26 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Transport Minister, Kumar Welgama, has revealed in the parliament that the Sri Lanka Government has decided to demolish some 671 unauthorized constructions located on either side of the railway tracks in Colombo and in other parts of Sri Lanka, Colombo-based Sinhala daily, Lankadeepa, said Saturday. Welgama had also said court approval has been obtained to demolish the unauthorized constructions.
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22 SLA personnel injured in road accident in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 August 2010, 21:18 GMT]
A bus carrying Sri Lanka Army (SLA) personnel travelling from Jaffna to the South on vacation met with an accident Friday morning at Ee'ratperiyaku'lam in Vavuniyaa injuring 22 SLA personnel, Vavuniyaa hospital sources said. Over speeding was said to be the cause of the accident.
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Court disallows application of Tamil student detainee to sit A/L exam

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 August 2010, 16:53 GMT]
Akkaraippattu Magistrate Friday refused permission to a Tamil youth to sit the Advanced Level as he was detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). The youth, A. Suthaharan, arrested April last year, is detained in Batticaloa prison.
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SL Prime Minister admitted to hospital

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 August 2010, 16:50 GMT]
Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne (79) has been admitted to a private hospital in Colombo Friday afternoon suffering from high blood pressure and sugar, the relatives of the Prime Minister told media.
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Talks between Rajapakse and Wickremesinghe to be abandoned

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 August 2010, 12:55 GMT]
The future of talks between the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led by Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse and the main opposition United National Party (UNP) led by Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe is bleak, according to Jayawickrema Perera, a senior UNP parliamentarian and the Chairman of UNP. Commenting on the cross over of opposition parliamentarians Praba Ganeasan and Digambaram he said that further talks between the two leaders are to be abandoned.
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Sri Lanka's "Lessons Learnt" Commission to start sittings

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 August 2010, 12:21 GMT]
Sri Lanka's 8-member Commission, with a mandate drafted to carefully avoid inquiry into alleged war-crimes committed by protagonists or to investigate into rights violations, is to start sittings from next Wednesday, Sri Lanka Government's news portal announced. For Sri Lanka, the sittings assumes importance after Sri Lanka's failed attempt to prevent functioning of the United Nations advisory committee, and the refusal by Non-Aligned Member (NAM) nations to endorse Sri Lanka's letter to UN objecting to the UN panel.
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EPDP suspect in killing of student released on bail

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 August 2010, 05:24 GMT]
Jaffna High Court released on bail Thursday Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) Thenmaraadchi organizer Allexander Soosaimuthu alias Charles, a suspect in the killing of student Thiruchelvam Kapilnath in Chaavakachcheari, detained in Jaffna prison. The magistrate ordered the suspect not to leave the country and to sign at Jaffna police station every Sunday, sources in Jaffna said.
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DPF suspends Praba Ganesan for ‘betraying’ party, Tamils

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 August 2010, 23:31 GMT]
The Democratic Peoples Front (DPF) led by Mano Ganesan has suspended the membership of parliamentarian Praba Ganesan who joined the government in a surprising move Thursday. DPF termed the cross over as one which has ‘betrayed’ the party and Tamil people during "these trying times."
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2 Chinese key military officers on secret visit to Vanni

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 August 2010, 20:33 GMT]
Two key officers of China military paid a sudden and secret visit to Vanni where they met the occupying Sri Lanka Army (SLA) top officers in the important bases in Vanni, sources in Vanni said. Even the key SLA officers based in Vanni had not been informed of the sudden visit of the Chinese military officials who arrived in a convoy of vehicles heavily guarded by Sri Lanka President's Special Security Force, the sources added.
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2 Tamil opposition MPs join SL government

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 August 2010, 20:29 GMT]
Praba Ganeshan, Colombo district parliamentarian of the Democratic Peoples Front (DPF) and P.Digambaram, parliamentarian of Workers National Congress representing Nuwareliya district Thursday joined the ruling United Peoples Front Alliance (UPFA) after meeting Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse at Temple Trees, according to President’s media unit. Praba Ganesan and P. Digambaram later crossed over to the government side in Parliament Thursday afternoon.
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Ahilan wins prestigious Human Rights award

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 August 2010, 12:44 GMT]
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) presented Americal Civil Liberties Uniion (ACLU) Attorney Ahilan Arulanantham with the 2010 Arthur C. Helton Human Rights Award, a media release from AILA said. AILA mentioned Ahilan's "innovative litigation and its enormous benefits for countless vulnerable non-citizens for their rights and dignity," in presenting the award. Arulanantham, whose parents are from Jaffna, is a former law clerk to the Honorable Stephen Reinhardt of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, a graduate of Yale Law School, and a graduate of Oxford University, which he attended as a Marshall Scholar.
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Armed men posing as police abduct Muslim trader in Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 August 2010, 07:51 GMT]
A Muslim trader was abducted on Sunday afternoon at Ginthupity area in Colombo by a group of armed persons who arrived in a Defender vehicle. The abductrs told the trader that they were from Sri Lanka Police and took the trader by force in their vehicle, according to a complaint by the trader's relatives to Wolfendhal Police Station Wednesday.
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British PR firm whitewashing Sri Lanka’s reputation - report

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 August 2010, 22:35 GMT]
British public relations firm Bell Pottinger Sans Frontiers is working for the Sri Lankan government to improve Colombo’s international image, in the wake of its mass killings of Tamil civilians last year and ongoing rights abuses, The Guardian newspaper said this week in an investigative report into UK firms’ role in ‘reputation laundering’ for unsavoury regimes and leaders. "An investigation by the Guardian has revealed that [London’s] public relations firms are earning millions of pounds a year promoting foreign regimes with some of the world's worst human rights records, including Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka," the paper said.
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2 persons abducted in white van in Borella

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 August 2010, 10:43 GMT]
Two persons including a woman were abducted in Colombo Tuesday night around 10.30 p.m. by unidentified persons arrived in white van. The couple were walking along the road between Borella and Fort when the van stopped and forcibly took them and fled, according to complaints lodged with the Borella Police.
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SLA exploits Chinese funds meant for resettlement of uprooted Vanni civilians

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 August 2010, 07:27 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) occupying Vanni is exploiting funds donated by China for the resettlement of uprooted Vanni people to construct permanent housing schemes for its personnel, in Kokkaavil, located west of A9 road in Vanni, civil society organizations in K'linochchi said. Uprooted civilians forcibly taken by SLA soldiers to work in the constructions said that even two storey buildings are under construction in an area where new roads have been laid. Meanwhile, around 3,000 uprooted families, brought to be resettled in Vanni by Sri Lanka government, continue to live under trees left abandoned while Sri Lanka government exploits international assistance meant for them to settle Sinhalese families from South, Suresh Premachandran, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian said.
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Tutu: Persecution, disappearances in Sri Lanka, truely terrifying

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 August 2010, 01:09 GMT]
Cautioning that "the international response to Sri Lanka’s worrying approach to human rights, good governance and accountability as a ‘deafening global silence’ that may encourage other states to act in a similar way," Elders, an independent group of eminent global leaders, said Tuesday that "Sri Lankan government’s domestic conduct, as well as its recent unacceptable treatment of the United Nations in Sri Lanka warrants a firm, public response from its most influential friends – particularly China, India, Japan and the United States as well as the non-aligned group of countries."
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SLA claims Kurunakar HSZ removed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 August 2010, 23:46 GMT]
Acting Military spokesman, Colonel Duminda Gamage, talking to the Colombo media Tuesday, claimed that the High Security Zone (HSZ) in the Kurunakar area in Jaffna has been removed. He further said that this step has been taken to facilitate the resettlement of civilian, and added HSZ is gradually being dismantled since Monday and civilians are being allowed to reoccupy their former dwellings.
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India sending special envoy to assess rehabilitation in North

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 August 2010, 23:41 GMT]
A special envoy from the Indian government is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka shortly to monitor the progress of the rehabilitation work and resettlement of internally persons in the northern province, the state run Dinamina newspaper said in a front page news article. The visit has been announced subsequent to an appeal made by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi who wrote to the Indian Premier Manmohan Singh to send a representative from the Indian government to scrutinize the work being carried out in the north and to ascertain whether the work is on schedule.
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3 ITAK members in Trincomalee file petition against expulsion from the party

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 August 2010, 20:42 GMT]
Three members of Ilangkai Thamizh Arasuk Kadchi (ITAK) filed a petition in Jaffna magistrate court Monday against the decision by ITAK to expel them from the party because they had contested in the last general election on All Ceylon Tamil Congress ticket, sources in Jaffna said. One of the petioners is the former chairman of Trincomalee Urban Council, Gowri Mukunthan. A woman member of Trincomalee Urban Council and a member of Trincomalee Prathesiya Sabai are the other two petitioners.
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Tamil political prisoners allowed to face trial in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 August 2010, 09:48 GMT]
Aunuradapura court on instructions by Sri Lanka Ministry of Defence, informed Monday that Tamil political prisoners held in Jaffna prison will be tried in Jaffna magistrate court, sources in Jaffna said. Sri Lanka government had taken steps to transfer the at least 18 Tamil political prisoners in Jaffna prison to Anurdapura prison and to take up their cases in Anuradapura court. The Tamil political prisoners had protested against this decision and had gone on hunger strike as their safety in Anuradapura was not guaranteed.
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Illicit electricity tapping by STF claims life of Tamil farmer in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 August 2010, 08:33 GMT]
Illicit tapping of electricity by the Special Task Force (STF) of Sri Lanka Police claimed the life of a father of seven children at Aayiththiyamalai police division in Batticaloa district last week. The STF camp is located at Ma’nipuram junction. STF commandos in this camp have been tapping electricity from the main line to their camp. One of the live wires fell into the paddy field close by and the owner of the land was electrocuted as he attempted to remove it, Batticaloa sources said.
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Valikaamam uprooted families abandon protest demonstration due to death threats

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 August 2010, 07:21 GMT]
Welfare organizations of Valikaamam North residents expelled by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) from their properties twenty years ago cancelled a human chain protest demanding resettlement in their places due to death threats to the key persons of the organizations, sources in Jaffna said. The persons threatened wish anonymity as they fear for their lives. Meanwhile, conflicts between the SLA Jaffna Commander, Major Gen. Mahinda Kathurusinghe and Sri Lanka Minister Douglas Devanda on the issue of resettlement in the outskirts of SLA High Security Zone (HSZ) in Valikaamam are causes for the delay in resettlement, the sources further said.
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Landmines explode in 3 Vanni school surroundings

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 August 2010, 04:09 GMT]
Three landmines went off Sunday morning in the surroundings of schools in three separate schools in Ki’linochchi district in Vanni where uprooted families were resettled in Vanni on Sri Lanka Army (SLA) assurance that the areas had been completely de-mined. The landmines exploded when students set fire to waste heaped after cleaning the surrounding area of their schools, sources in Ki’linochchi said.
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Dengue claims five in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 August 2010, 20:47 GMT]
The number of deaths due to dengue in Mannaar district has risen to five in ten days’ period. On August 1, an 18-year-old girl student died in Mannaar general hospital due to dengue.
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SLN reintroduces pass system for fishing in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 August 2010, 20:25 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) has reintroduced pass system for fishing under which the fishermen have to obtain the pass to go fishing in Trincomalee district. Six months ago SLN had completely lifted the pass system. Now all fishermen engaged in shore fishing and deep sea fishing have been instructed to obtain pass before leaving to sea, fisheries society sources in Trincomalee said. The Sinhalese fishermen, however, engaged in deep sea fishing are allowed to fish without any restriction, the sources added.
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SLFP splinter group to join UNP

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 August 2010, 18:18 GMT]
The splinter group of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party led by Mangala Samaraweera has decided to join the main opposition United National Party (UNP) on August 6. Mangala Samaraweera will obtain UNP membership card along with his supporters from UNP leader Ranil Wickramasinghe.
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UNP to call for implementation of Right to Information Act

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 August 2010, 18:13 GMT]
Ranil Wickramasinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) is to table a motion calling for the implementation of the Right to Information Act when parliament meets Tuesday August 3 afternoon, according to UNP spokesman parliamentarian Gayantha Karunatileka told a press conference in Colombo Monday afternoon.
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UN basement meetings on Sri Lanka, a Japanese innovation

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 August 2010, 18:10 GMT]
Outgoing Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations, Yuki Takasu, when asked on July 27 by Inner City Press (ICP) to describe innovations during his time in charge of the Security Council's working methods, listed the Council's informal basement meetings on Sri Lanka, in the final stages of the conflict, ICP reports in its website. ICP also said that Sri Lanka's President, Mahinda Rajapakse, is listed as attending the September General Debate in the UN.
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Resettled families in Vanni left abandoned in deserted places

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 August 2010, 13:54 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Vanni has refused permission to the uprooted families of Kumaarasaamipuram and Mayilvaakanapuram in Ki’linochchi district to resettle in their lands claiming that the area is infested with landmines, sources in Ki’linochchi said. These people were brought from Vavuniyaa SLA Menik Farm camp by Sri Lanka government authorities promising resettlement in their own villages. But now they are left abandoned in deserted places without sufficient food, water, hygienic facilities and safety, the affected civilians said.
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Indian national arrested at Oamanthai

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 August 2010, 13:04 GMT]
The Vavuniyaa Magistrate Friday ordered remand till August 10 for an Indian citizen who was arrested by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) at Oamanthai check point as he failed to produce Sri Lankan defense ministry clearance on his way to Jaffna in a state run bus, according to Police spokesman Preshantha Jayakody to Colombo media.
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SLA reinstalls checkpoint at Elephant Pass

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 August 2010, 04:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has reinstalled its checkpoint in Yaanaiyi’ravu (Elephant Pass) at the gateway to Jaffna peninsula where all vehicles passing through A9 land route are instructed to register their entry and exit, sources in Jaffna said. A similar SLA checkpoint at Oamanthai is already in existence. Persons entering Vanni who are not in possession of Sri Lanka National Identity Card of Passport are sent back to obtain Sri Lanka Ministry of Defence (MoD) permission to enter Vanni through Oamanthai SLA checkpoint, the sources added.
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Four member UNP committee to iron out party differences

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 August 2010, 02:56 GMT]
Senior stalwarts of the crisis ridden United National Party (UNP) is set to commence discussions in an attempt to defuse the growing tensions over the party’s leadership crisis, the Sinhala newspaper Lankadeepa said today. Accordingly, a committee comprising party seniors Tissa attanayake, Gamini Jayawickrema Perera, Joseph Micheal Perera and deputy leader Karu Jayasuriya are scheduled to meet shortly to discuss the issues facing the party.
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Dias case filed in European Court, German Ambassador meets Swiss Tamils

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 August 2010, 00:21 GMT]
Following the filing of a complaint against the Federal Republic of Germany with the European Courts of Human Rights (ECHR) for violating the ‘European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms’ in accepting Maj. Gen. (retd.) Jegath Dias as deputy Counsel in Sri Lanka’s embassy, German Ambassador to Switzerland, Hon. Von Schubert, met with a delegation of the Swiss Council of Eelam Tamils (SCET) led by Tharsika Pakeerathan, the president of SCET, Wednesday evening in Bern, Switzerland, sources in Bern said. "The discussions were very productive and were centered around the main arguments in the complaint on the violations of Germany to preserve the dignity of Tamils as enshrined in Articles 3, 8, 11(2) and 13 of the convention," Tharsika told TamilNet.
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