Killings take place to intimidate Tamil population - Sampanthan tells Rajapakse

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 August 2006, 14:51 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army was killing innocent Tamil civilians to intimidate Tamil population said the leader of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Trincomalee district parliamentarian, R. Sampanthan, in an urgent letter to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse Saturday. The slaying of a leading Tamil businessman Kaththamuthu Perinaparasa was committed to intimidate the Tamil civilian population who have lived in the area for generations and centuries, said Mr. Sampanthan.
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"Expel Norway from Sri Lanka" – JVP

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 August 2006, 11:30 GMT]
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the extreme Sinhala nationalist ally of Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse, has resumed their demand that the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) must expel Norway from Sri Lanka. Speaking at a Media Conference Thursday, August 3, 2006 convened by the Patriotic National Movement (PNM) held at the Colombo Sri Lanka Assembly College, Sri Lankan parliamentarian and JVP Propaganda Secretary, Wimal Weerawansa called on Norway’s International Development Minister Eric Solheim to withdraw the statement he made last Wednesday. Sri Lanka being a sovereign nation, Solheim has no authority to give orders to GOSL claimed Wimal Weerawansa.
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"Objective accomplished, forces returned to CFA positions" - LTTE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 August 2006, 11:04 GMT]
The militay spokesman of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Irasaiah Ilanthiayan, told TamilNet that the LTTE troops, by midnight Friday, returned to their original positions as per February 22, 2002 Ceasefire Agreement. 32 LTTE fighters, including a Lieutinent Colonel and another senior cadre of the Tigers were killed in the operation that excerted a military pressure to Colombo's military offensive to resolve a civilian dispute, Mr. Ilanthirayan said. Two SLN Dvora Fast Attack Crafts (FACs) were destroyed and sunk, 3 boats were damaged. Mortars, Light Machine Guns and ammunitions were seized.
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Shell hits fleeing civilians, 5 killed

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 August 2006, 09:15 GMT]
Five Muslim refugees who were fleeing the fighting in Muttur were killed when a shell fell near them Friday around 2:00 p.m. at 64th mile post, Pachchanoor along the A 15 Main Road, civilian sources said. Hundreds of people, with white flags, were lined up at the 64th mile post when the shell fell near them. 2000 Muslim civilians are already on their way towards Kantalai, civil sources said. More than 30 civilians in Muttur area have been killed during the past 3 days.
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SLMC accuses SL Army of shelling Muttur civilians

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 August 2006, 00:33 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s largest Muslim party Thursday accused Sri Lankan security forces of shelling Muslim civilians in embattled Muttur town, killing dozens of people and wounding scores more. As Sri Lanka’s military blamed the Tamil Tigers, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader, Rauf Hakeem told AFP: “the people were killed in attacks carried out by the security forces.”
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Police constable shot dead in Pesalai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 August 2006, 11:37 GMT]
Unidentified men shot and killed a police constable when he was returning from a shop to report for duty at a sentry point located in the heart of Pesalai town Wednesday evening around 4:00 p.m., police sources in Mannar said. The dead constable was identifed as S.M.Mahinda, 41, of Minuwangoda. The Police fired back but no one was injured.


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LTTE says operations ‘to defend civilians’

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 August 2006, 06:53 GMT]
The LTTE said Wednesday that its recent military activities in Trincomalee, including the operation against Sri Lankan military camps in the early hours were intended to disrupt Sri Lanka’s indiscriminate onslaught against Tamil civilians. The LTTE’s military spokesman, I. Ilanthirayan, said that amid the indiscriminate bombing and shelling of civilian areas by the Sri Lankan armed forces as part of their offensive in the Mavil Aru region, there was an "urgent humanitarian need" that had compelled what he described as "defensive actions."
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Tigers overrun four SLA camps in Trincomalee, enter Muttur

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 August 2006, 02:35 GMT]
Fighting formations of the Liberation Tigers have overrun four key locations in Trincomalee district after fierce artillery shelling since 2:00 a.m. Wednesday. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camps in Kaddaiparichchan, Palathoppu, Pachchanoor and Mahindapura have been overrun, civilian sources said. Heavily armed LTTE fighters were seen entering Muttur town. Military sources in Colombo remained tightlipped and declined to comment on the ground situation. Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir jets continued to bomb LTTE controlled Sampoor area. Fierce fighting is also reported near Kallaru where attempt by SLA forces to capture the Mavil Aaru sluice gates was averted, according to initial reports.
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Heavy fighting in Muttur, 4 SLA soldiers killed in Mahindapura

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 August 2006, 01:29 GMT]
Four soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) were killed when LTTE cadres retaliated the attack from the Mahindapura and Selvanagar SLA camps located in the Serunuwara division, south of Trincomalee district in the early hours of Wednesday, sources said. Heavy fighting is also reported in the vicinity of SLA camps located at Kaddaiparichchan and Thoppur in the Muttur and Serunuwara divisions in the Trincomalee district between the SLA troops and LTTE cadres, both sides using artillery shells and mortar bombs, sources said.


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Military offensive 'disrupted deal with LTTE’

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 August 2006, 21:42 GMT]
Sri Lankan military’s offensive in Trincomalee disrupted an agreement which had been reached with the Liberation Tigers to open the closed irrigation canal at Mavil Aaru, the Daily Mirror quoted the Chief Priest of a local Buddhist temple as saying. The ongoing confrontation which has claimed scores of lives could have been avoided, the venerable Saranakeerthi Serunuwera Thera also said. His comments comes days after the chief international truce monitor criticized the Sri Lankan government for launching airstrikes near where he was negotiating with local LTTE leaders to defuse the situation.
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Fifth UNP parliamentarian to join UPFA government

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 July 2006, 12:44 GMT]
Mr.Neomal Perera, a parliamentarian of main opposition United National Party (UNP) from Puttalam district is set to cross over to the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led by President Mahinda Rajapakse, media sources in Colombo said.
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WPPF quits All Party Conference

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 July 2006, 12:09 GMT]
Western Province People's Front (WPPF) leader, Mano Ganeshan, said Friday that his party is quitting the All Party Representatives group, political sources in Colombo said. "We joined the APC on the basis of exploring ways for the communities in Sri Lanka to live together. We now realize that the APC is an elaborate drama to fool the International Community," Mr Ganesan said.
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4th UNP MP joins Rajapakse govt., becomes deputy minister

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 July 2006, 11:07 GMT]
Sri Lankan opposition United National Party (UNP) parliamentarian for Anuradhapura district, W. B. Ekanayaka, who joined the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government was sworn in as Deputy Minister for Highways before SL President Mahinda Rajapksa on Friday. Ekanayaka is the 4th UNP member to join the Rajapakse government since November.
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UNHCR High Commissioner visits Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 July 2006, 08:03 GMT]
Mr. Antonio Guterres, the head of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees began a three-day visit Sri Lanka, Tuesday. The visit will be the first by a head of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to the country, where it has been working with conflict-displaced people since 1987, according to UN news centre.
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Thousands gather in Hyde Park remembrance

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 July 2006, 13:11 GMT]
Thousands of British Tamils are gathering in London’s Hyde Park to remember the thousands of fellow Tamils massacred in the July 1983 pogrom. The event, organised by the Tamil Youth Organisation (TYO) on behalf of the expatriate Tamil community, is taking place in the centre of the Royal park Tuesday afternoon.
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EPDP member shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 July 2006, 01:15 GMT]
Emily Janoos, 58, a senior member of the paramilitary Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP), an ally of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, was shot dead at Uoorkavatturai, on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. by unknown gunmen, sources said.


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Senior EPDP member shot dead in Colombo

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 July 2006, 02:47 GMT]
Unidentified men shot and killed Maha Kanapathipillai, a Senior member of the paramilitary Eelam Peoples Democractic Party (EPDP), an ally of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, around 6:45 a.m. Monday, in Wellawatte, Colombo. Maha Kanapathipillai was responsible for Public Relations of EPDP leader Douglas Devananda who is the Sri Lankan Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare.
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Kalmunaikudi residents protest, demand permanent housing

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 July 2006, 09:40 GMT]
A group of tsunami affected families in Kalmunaikudi area in Amparai district protested in front of the Divisional Secretariat office Wednesday against the failure of the Government authorities to provide permanent houses, civil sources said. The Kalmunaikudi Divisional Secretariat office did not work following the protest. Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse gave the Kalmunaikudi residents three months ago that the Government would provide houses within a short period.
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Indian Women Press Corps meet SL President

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 July 2006, 01:51 GMT]
Members of the Indian Women Press Corps led by Editor at Indian Express, Ms Coomi Kapoor, met with Sri Lanka's President, Mahinda Rajapakse, at Temple Trees Wednesday, political sources in Colombo said. The goodwill visit was arranged by the office of the President according to informed sources.
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APC, a political drama to dress-up unitary constitution - LTTE

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 July 2006, 10:26 GMT]
The All Party Conference (APC) on constitutional reforms initiated by Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse follows the same approach used by previous Sinhala Presidents, Jeyawardhene, Premadasa, and Chandrika Kumaratunge. APC is a recurring tactic used by Sri Lanka's Presidents to present a peace posture to placate the international community while refusing to reconfigure the polity from the rigid and majoritarian Unitary constitution, said the latest edition of the official periodical of the Liberation Tigers, “Viduthalaipulikal,” printed in Kilinochchi.
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