STF searches Kovil kulam area for weapon cache

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 March 2004, 11:12 GMT]
In Kovil Kulam, Vavuniya district, Sunday around 12 noon, Sri Lanka's Special Task Force (STF) soldiers, dug several areas using heavy machinery near the tomb stone of Uma Maheswaran, leader of Peoples Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), in search of weapon cache alleged to have been buried there, security sources said.
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Polling stations in SLA-controlled areas for voters in LTTE-held region

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 March 2004, 05:38 GMT]
According to decisions made at special meetings at the Secretariats in Jaffna, Vavuniya, Trincomalee and Batticaloa, the polling stations for the voters in the Liberation Tigers-controlled areas are to be constructed in the Sri Lanka Army-controlled areas in clusters, sources said.
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Vavuniya teachers, education officials urged to vote for TNA

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 March 2004, 11:46 GMT]
"Our people should vote to reinforce Tamil Nationalism. We are supporting the elections this time to ensure that the voice of the Tamil National Alliance which is calling for the Tamils right to self-determination and setting up of Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) in the NorthEast, is heard clearly," said S.Elilan, LTTE political head of Vavuniya, addressing a meeting attended by Vavuniya North education officials, teachers and principals, sources in Vavuniya said.
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More Australian Funding for Land Mine Action in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 March 2004, 11:34 GMT]
Australia and UNDP signed an agreement 10 March 2004, which allocates AUD 1 million (LKR 75 million) towards the UNDP Mine Action Project in Sri Lanka. The Australian aid will assist capacity building, technical support and operational coordination, according to UNDP officials in Colombo.
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Move polling booths closer to checkpoint - Senathirajah

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 March 2004, 11:23 GMT]
General Secretary of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) Mr. Mavai Senathirajah urged Vavuniya Government Agent K.Ganesh to make arrangements to locate the polling booths near the Sri Lanka Army checkpoint in Omanthai, sources said. Placing polling booths in Omanthai Maha Vidiyalayam would require voters to travel a few kilometers further from the checkpoint and will incur additional delays and logistic, transportation nightmare, Mr.Senathirajah told the GA.
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Polling stations in SLA side of checkpoints

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 March 2004, 03:18 GMT]
During a meeting with Government Agents (GAs) from Vanni electoral district and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) commanders held in Vavuniya Wednesday evening it was agreed to locate polling stations in the SLA side of checkpoints at Omanthai, Madhu road and Uyilankulam, for residents of LTTE controlled areas in Vanni district to vote, sources said.


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Ammunition, grenades discovered in Omanthai well

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 March 2004, 11:54 GMT]
A demining official, Bala, attached to the Swiss Demining Federation (FSD), involved in demining in Vavuniya and Mannar, said Wednesday that deminers have discovered a cache of ammunition and grenades from a irrigation well located in a field behind the Omanthai Maha Vidiyalayam, sources said.
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Polling stations for voters in LTTE-held areas still in limbo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 March 2004, 18:46 GMT]
The arrangements for opening and staffing polling stations in the Sri Lanka Army-controlled areas in the Vavuniya, Mannar and Mullaithivu districts are complete, but no such arrangements have been made about opening voting booths for the voters in the Liberation Tigers-controlled areas, said the Returning Officer for the Vanni region, Mr. K. Ganesh
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Demining assistance, Japan's high priority - Embassy official

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 March 2004, 18:18 GMT]
"The government of Japan is closely observing the emergency humanitarian needs of the people in the northeast in Sri Lanka and is supporting the efforts of the Government of Sri Lanka in demining operations," said Mr.H.Onishi, First Secretary Japan Embassy in Colombo, Tuesday, while addressing at the inauguration ceremony of The Japan Center for Conflict Programme (JCCP) in Vavuniya.


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UPFA silent on peace process, CFA - Wickremesinghe

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 March 2004, 11:38 GMT]
"Eventhough there is a voice in the south that is calling for the abrogation of the Ceasefire Agreement and to start war, we are determined to pursue the path of peace," said Sri Lanka's Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe speaking at an election meeting held in Vavuniya Urban Council grounds Saturday.


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Refugee women seek asylum in LTTE office

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 March 2004, 14:40 GMT]
Twelve women from refugee camps India sought asylum at the political office of the Liberation Tigers in Vavuniya Saturday. The women said they had forcibly been kept in safe houses in Colombo by men who had promised to get them jobs abroad. People chased away a gang that tried to abduct the women when they arrived in Vavuniya by train on Saturday morning. The women alleged the gang had sexually harassed and intimidated them.
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Election was thrust on people by Kumaratunge - Wickremesinghe

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 March 2004, 02:39 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe addressing a election rally in Kurunagala Friday evening said that Ms.Kumaratunge thrust the general election on the people to cement her political future and to destroy Sri Lanka's welfare, sources said.


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Vavuniya protests against Eastern campus disruptive elements

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 March 2004, 15:04 GMT]
Academic staff, students and non-academic staff of the Vavuniya campus of the Jaffna University Friday conducted a black band campaign opposing the elements responsible for the disruption academic session East University and the disunity of Tamils in the east, sources said.


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Vavuniya celebrates International Women's Day

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 March 2004, 12:18 GMT]
International Women's Day was celebrated in Vavuniya today under the sponsorship of Oxfam International, Bridge Asia Japan (BAJ), Danish Coucil (DRC), Save the Children and World Food Programme (WFP), sources in Vavuniya said. Several hundred women joined the silent march which was followed by a cultural event at Royal Hall, Vavuniya, according the sources.
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Police provides protection to Vavuniya candidates

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 March 2004, 12:06 GMT]
Vavuniya Police Friday started providing security protection to candidates of political parties on their request. Two police personnel are deployed to provide protection to each candidate, said Vavuniya Police Headquarters Inspector Mr.R.M.Wijenayake.


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NECORD capacity building workshop held in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 March 2004, 03:28 GMT]
North East Community Restoration and Development Project (NECORD) funded capacity building workshop with assistance from German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) for contractors from Vavuniya and Mannar districts was held in Vavuniya Ellapar Maruthankulam Agricultural Training center, sources said. This is the fifth workshop out of the eight planned workshops planned by the NECORD and GTZ.
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LTTE official criticizes child rights double standards

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 February 2004, 15:51 GMT]
"More than twenty five thousand Tamil children, from a three month old infant to eighteen years old youth, were killed in massacres and murders during the two decades of war against our people. No one raised their voice against it then. But today the Sri Lankan state and representatives of some foreign organizations are accusing us of violating children’s rights. You should understand the politics behind this crass hypocrisy," said Mr. S. Elilan, the head of the LTTE’s political division in Vavuniya addressing a function Sunday to gift equipment to the school in Othiyamalai in Mullaithivu.
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Vavuniya refugees affected by fire receive help

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 February 2004, 16:44 GMT]
More than 115 refugee families from the 6th Unit Poonthoddam camp lost all of their meagre possessions and are being assisted to relocate to empty areas in other parts of the camp, said K.Ganesh, the Government Agent (GA) of Vavuniya.


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Glowing tribute paid to retiring principal Sister Madutheen

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 February 2004, 13:11 GMT]
Parents, students, leading citizens, educationists, politicians and peoples of all walks of life Saturday assembled at the Vavuniya-Irambaikulam Girls Maha Vidiyalayam to bid farewell to Sister M.M.Jude Madutheen who retired after serving fifteen years as Principal of the institution, sources in Vavuniya said.


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Vavuniya refugee camp on fire

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 February 2004, 08:31 GMT]
One of the main refugee camps in Vavuniya caught fire and is burning, Police in the northern border town said Saturday afternoon. The camp in the outer suburb of Poonthottam houses more than five hundred families that were displaced from villages north of Vavuniya due to Sri Lanka army operations.
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