North preschool teachers killed in Tsunami remembered

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 February 2005, 16:34 GMT]
Sixtieth day remembrance of pre-school teachers and children died in the tsunami disaster in the coastal areas of Vadamaradchchi east division in the districts of Jaffna and Mullaitivu and the distribution of bicycles to tsunami affected pre-school teachers were held in the Mullaitivu district office of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) sponsored by the TRO and funded by Norway TRO under the auspices of the North East Pre-School Development Centre (NEPSDC) Wednesday morning, sources said.
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Foreign education officials visit tsunami hit Jaffna, Mullaitivu

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 February 2005, 15:48 GMT]
Mr.Fred van Leeuwen, General Secretary of the Education International (EI) and Mr.Aloysius Mathews, Chief Co-ordinator of the EI, Asia Pacific region accompanied by Mr.T.Mahasivam, General Secretary of the Ceylon Tamil Teachers' Union (CTTU) Monday visited the tsunami hit coastal areas in the districts of Jaffna and Mullaitivu, sources said.


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Mullaitivu Institute targets producing skilled workers

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 February 2005, 17:41 GMT]
The Economic Consultancy House (TECH), a Non-Governmental Non-Profit Sharing Organization registered with the Government of Sri Lanka, is building a new Technical Institute in Mullaitivu to train Masons, Carpenters, Electricians, Fitters, Machine operators and other skilled workers to fulfil the current need of workers for building of houses and infrastructure in theTsunami affected areas. Training will also include outboard motor repair and fibre glass boat repair, TECH officials said.
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Vocational Training Center opened in Muttur

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 February 2005, 02:42 GMT]
The Social Development Centre (SDC) headquartered in Killinochchi, opened the first vocational training centre (VTC) at Navaratnapuram, Sampoor in the Liberation Tigers controlled Muttur east, south of the Trincomalee district with the assistance of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) Wednesday morning. Colonel Sornam, Trincomalee district military commander ceremonially declared open the main building of VTC, sources in Muttur said.
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US Ex-Presidents Clinton, Bush to visit Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 February 2005, 18:14 GMT]
Former Presidents of the United States, Bill Clinton (1993-2001) and George H.W.Bush(1989-1993) are expected to arrive in Sri Lanka during the weekend as part of their tour of South Asian nations hit by Tsunami, diplomatic sources in Colombo said.
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Akashi to visit Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 February 2005, 12:30 GMT]
Special Representative of the Government of the Japan and Peace Envoy Mr Yasushi Akashi is scheduled to visit Srilanka to "discuss the current situation of the peace process after the tsunami disaster," a press release from the Embassy of Japan said Tuesday.
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NE Athletic Federation formed

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 February 2005, 21:14 GMT]
The Athletic Federation of North East Province was inaugurated Saturday in Killinochchi. Representatives from eight District Athletic Association attended the inaugural meeting with Mr.K.Paapa, Head of the Tamileelam Sports Department as the chief guest. Federations for Football, Netball, Karate and Cricket Council for the North East Province would also be formed before the end of February, Mr.Paapa said at the event, sources said.
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NRC to rebuild majority tsunami-destroyed schools in NE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 February 2005, 11:18 GMT]
Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has undertaken the rebuilding of 65 schools of 122, which have been destroyed or badly damaged in the tsunami disaster in the northeast province. 16 schools in Batticaloa, 20 in Amparai, 17 in Trincomalee, 9 in Mullaitivu and 3 in Jaffna is the district-wise breakdown said Ms. Bente Sandal-Aasen, Education Advisor and Co-ordinator of the NRC in Sri Lanka during her stay in Trincomalee Saturday.
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2862 children orphaned in NorthEast due to tsunami

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 February 2005, 12:29 GMT]
About 2862 children have been orphaned in the northeast province due to December 26 tsunami, states Ms N.R.Ranjini, Director, Provincial Department of Social Services and Child Care, in a report sent to the Chairman of the National Child Protection Authority Tuesday, sources said.
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National Day of Mourning observed in NorthEast

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 January 2005, 12:54 GMT]
Amid cries among those attending the various ceremonies, a highly emotional day of mourning was observed throughout the Northeast Wednesday on the 31st annivesary day of the Tsunami that devastated the Northeast on 26th of December. A wall-clock, which stopped at 8.50 a.m. on December 26 at Mullaitivu Kallapaddu Maha Vidiyalayam following Tsunami disaster was again made to tick into operation on Wednesday at 8.50 a.m. symbolizing the return of life. Tamils observe 31st day of death with special ceremonies.
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Religious observance held in Jaffna for tsunami victims

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 January 2005, 17:39 GMT]
As the northeast province is getting ready to observe a day of mourning Wednesday to mark the end of one month after Tsunami disaster that killed about thirty thousand people, special religious observance was held Tuesday evening in Jaffna St Mary's Cathedral led by Jaffna Bishop Rt.Rev. Thomas Soundaranayagam, sources in Jaffna said.
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Frustration of affected people growing high - Norwegian Minister

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 January 2005, 18:32 GMT]
Emphasizing on the need for wider co-operation between President Chandrika Kumaratunga's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) visiting Minister of International Development of Norway, Ms. Hilde F. Johnson said on Saturday night in Colombo that the frustration of the tsunami affected people was growing high as a result of their needs not being met by authorities.
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"Loss of children has shaken us"- Thamilini

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 January 2005, 06:45 GMT]
"When we lose cadres in battles we strengthen our will to hit back at the enemy. The Tsunami losses are different, especially the loss of children has shaken us deeply. I have seen mothers carrying dead babies in their hands who refuse to accept that they are dead. They continued to kiss and caress them as if they were alive. This has been a difficult time for us," said Ms. Thamilini, the head of the LTTE’s women political wing talking to TamilNet correspondent in Amparai after the Tsunami disaster.
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Dire need for long-term psychological counseling- Fr.Karunaratnam

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 January 2005, 03:18 GMT]
Rev.Fr.M.X. Karunaratnam, head of the NorthEast Secretariat on Human Rights (NESOHR), was recently appointed as chairman to lead an effort to provide psychological support for those in the NorthEast affected by the tsunami. Father Karunaratnam spoke to TamilNet in detail of the task at hand and about the group they have assembled to carryout this task that requires social sensitivity, and a coordinated plan for long-term care and follow-up.
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Sea Black Tiger died in Tsunami remembered

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 January 2005, 16:01 GMT]
The remembrance event of Major Elilarasan (Nagendran Amuthan), a Sea Black Tiger of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who died in Mullaitivu in December 26 Tsunami disaster was held in his native place in LTTE held Eachchilampathu and later his photograph was taken in a procession through the government controlled area via Mahindapura army check point, Killiveddi and Kaddaiparichchan army camp to LTTE controlled Muttur east. At the conclusion a memorial plaque was laid in Sampoor war cemetery, sources said.
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NPC urges Colombo to adopt a socially legitimate public policy

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 January 2005, 11:32 GMT]
Pointing out that the Sri Lanka Government's attempts to "isolate LTTE-held areas and indeed the Tamil people from the international system," is straining the relationship between the parties and the "centralization of governmental decision making" is another unfortunate feature of post-tsunami situation, the National Peace Council (NPC) in a media release issued on wednesday advocated the need for a "sound public policy of social and economic recovery that is participatory, inclusive and socially legitimate."
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Balasingham to join Norwegian meet in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 January 2005, 11:30 GMT]
Liberation Tigers’ Political Strategist and Chief Negotiator, Mr. Anton Balasingham, and his wife Adele are scheduled to arrive in Kilinochchi on Friday, sources close to the LTTE told TamilNet. He is expected to participate in the meeting of LTTE leaders with Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen and Minister of International Development Hilde F. Johnson who are scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka on Thursday on a four-day visit to assess the damage and the needs of the people of Sri Lanka in the aftermath of tsunami disaster.
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22 Mullaitivu schools used as Welfare Centers- GA

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 January 2005, 12:26 GMT]
Out of the twenty three welfare centers in Mullaitivu district, all except one are located in schools in areas unaffected by the tsunmai, and there is an urgent need to relocate these centers to allow schools to function normally, said Emelda Sukumar, Government Agent of Mullaitivu district when TamilNet talked to her Tuesday.
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Canadian PM meets with TNA, TRO delegations

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 January 2005, 14:30 GMT]
Mr. Paul Martin, Prime Minister of Canada, met with delegations of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) Monday at Colombo Hilton Hotel at 2.30 PM. The TNA delegation urged that all international aid, including Canadian aid, to be channeled through International Non-Governmental Organizations till a proper mechanism is set up to deal with the post Tsunami situation in the Northeast. The TNA told the Canadian Prime Minister that there was total centralization of all rehabilitation, resettlement, reconstruction and development activities in Colombo, and that this was totally inconsistent with the wishes expressed by the people of Northeast.
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Kofi Annan's Special Envoy visits Mullaithivu

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 January 2005, 21:19 GMT]
Margareta Wahlstrom, UN Secretary General's Special Envoy on Relief Operations, met with the Head of the LTTE's Political Wing, Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan Saturday and expressed condolences and solidarity to the Tamil people affected by the tsunami on behalf of the UN Secretary General, sources said. Urging the UN not to allow political considerations to deter its participation in the rebuilding efforts in the Tamil homeland, Mr. Thamilchelvan told UN Envoy that the Sri Lanka government has "acted in bad faith" by bringing the military into the humanitarian equation.
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