Mahinda Rajapakse to hold talks with TNA, EPDP before leaving to India

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 June 2010, 20:20 GMT]
Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse has invited the representatives of Tamil National (TNA) for talks on the eve of his visit to India Tuesday, sources in Colombo said. The president has also invited representatives of Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) led by Minister Douglas Devananda for talks to be held following his meeting with TNA representatives Monday evening, the sources added. Meanwhile, the joint statement by Sri Lanka and India to be released following the meeting with the heads of both governments in India is expected to include the various development projects that are to be launched in Jaffna peninsula, the sources added.
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Student Unions observe death anniversary of Pon. Sivakumaran in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 June 2010, 21:20 GMT]
Jaffna University Student Union (JUSU) and Jaffna Technical College Student Union (JTCSU) observed the death anniversary of Pon. Sivakumaran who was the pioneer in leading the Tamil youth into armed struggle to regain the robbed rights of Tamils marking this transition and setting its basic attributes such as sacrificing one's life by consuming cyanide. Only a few students participated in the event due to fear while Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Eelam People Democratic Party (EPDP) which vie with each other to observe the death anniversary of Pon. Sivakumaran did not show any interest in commemorating the day, sources in Jaffna said.
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India wants TNA proposals submitted to Rajapaksa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 June 2010, 06:11 GMT]
Top officials of the Indian government have advised the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to consider submitting its devolution proposals to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa before he leaves to New Delhi on June 7, informed diplomatic sources in Colombo said. The move has come as the Indian Establishment, locked in a corporate race with China, has been pushing Colombo to finalise the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which New Delhi wants signed when Mahinda Rajapaksa visits India. In the meantime, the TNA leadership has invited Tamil parties, except Douglas Devananda, through Tamil channels, to join hands with the alliance before facing the provincial elections in the North. The invitation has also been extended to paramilitary-cum-political outfits aligned with India.
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3rd death anniversary of slain journalist Thevakumar observed in Moo’laay

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 May 2010, 20:01 GMT]
Public organizations in Moo’laay in Jaffna observed Sunday the third death anniversary of Jaffna correspondent of Sakthi TV station, Paranirupasingam Thevakumar, 34, abducted while he was returning to his residence in Moo’laay and hacked to death in Kaakkaitheevu, a barren land near Naavaanthu’rai in Jaffna on 28 May 2008, in Ganesha Community Centre Hall in Moo’laay, sources in Jaffna said. Immediately after the killing, his wife in her statement to three Sinhalese journalists from Colombo had said that men of Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), a constituent of ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), were directly involved in her husband’s assassination.
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Minister Douglas Devananda to launch a new Tamil daily in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 May 2010, 16:32 GMT]
The leader of Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) Douglas Devananda, a cabinet minister in the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), who continues to publicly accuse the three Tamil dailies published in Jaffna of having denied him and his party equal opportunity and sufficient cooperation during the last parliamentary elections, is actively engaged in launching a new Tamil daily in Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said. Minister Devananda had in person offered higher wages to the members of the editorial boards of the three dailies published in Jaffna in an attempt to lure them to his new daily, the sources added.
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Tamil lawyers decline to appear for EPDP key operatives in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 May 2010, 10:18 GMT]
A Sinhalese lawyer from South had to appear Monday in Jaffna magistrate court on behalf of the two Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) key operatives charged with issuing death threats to Chaavakachcheari magistrate as all lawyers in Jaffna peninsula refused to appear for the suspects.
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Valikaamam HSZ resettlement issue remains unresolved

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 May 2010, 09:46 GMT]
The issue of resettling families uprooted from their properties by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) for the establishment of High Security Zone (HSZ) discussed in a meeting in Thellippazhai Divisional Secretariat Monday was not resolved due to the non-cooperation of the Tamil political leaders, the representatives of the Welfare Organizations for Uprooted Persons (WOUP) who arranged the meeting said. WOUP had requested all the parliamentarians of Jaffna district to raise their voices together to solve the issue, its representatives said.
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Jaffna magistrate calls for statement from Jaffna Mayor

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 May 2010, 16:49 GMT]
Jaffna magistrate A. Anantharajah Thursday directed the police to obtain the statement of Ms. Yogeswari Patkunam, Jaffna Mayor of the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) on the issue of the advertisement published by Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) which was counted as contempt of court, sources in Jaffna said. The police were further directed to submit a report based on the statement when the courts takes up the case 17 May. The said advertisement, titled in Tamil language calling the ‘Judiciary to render justice’ was brought to the notice of the Chief Justice and the Justice Service Commission by the magistrates of Jaffna district.
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JMC Commissioner released on pleading innocence by Jaffna magistrate

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 May 2010, 05:39 GMT]
Jaffna Municipal council (JMC) Commissioner, M. S. Saravnabavan pleaded that he has no involvement in the advertisement made in the name of JMC in the local dailies Tuesday which contained sentences amounting to contempt of court, sources in Jaffna said. On directives from the Chief Justice and Justice Service Commissioner, Jaffna magistrate had ordered Tuesday to arrest the JMC Commissioner and produce him in the court as the Commissioner had failed to appear in the court for inquiry into the said advertisement. Meanwhile, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) opposition members of JMC said that Jaffna Mayor Ms. Yogeswari Patkunam’s husband is responsible for JMC administration to be controlled by Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) and expressed concern for disrespect brought on JMC administration.
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Jaffna Mayor demands detained deputy mayor to be released within 3 days

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 May 2010, 10:45 GMT]
Ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Jaffna Mayor, Ms. Yogeswari Patkunam said that unless Jaffna deputy mayor, Ilango alias Regan arrested and detained in Jaffna remand prison is released within three days Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) employees will abstain from their duties bringing all the work of JMC to a stand still, in a media release to local dailies. Meanwhile, JMC opposition parties accused Mayor’s husband Patkunam of forcing JMC employees to abstain from duty Tuesday. The employees however gave up the protest when Minister Douglas Devananda and the Mayor requested them in the afternoon to do so. Following this Mayor Ms. Yogeswari Patkunam issued the media massage, which has drawn the attention of peninsula residents who consider it as an open challenge to the judicial system, sources in Jaffna said.
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EPDP Jaffna Deputy Mayor placed in remand prison

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 May 2010, 16:57 GMT]
Jaffna magistrate Mr. Anantharajah ordered Monday the second suspect Ilango alias Regan, Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) Deputy Mayor of Jaffna, for alleged involvement in threatening Chaavakachcheari magistrate K. Pirabakaran, to be placed in Jaffna remand prison until 24 May, when he was arrested and produced in Jaffna magistrate court, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, ruling party Jaffna Mayor announced that all employees of Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) are to abstain from duties Tuesday in protest against the arrest and detention of the Deputy Mayor, the sources added.
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Lawyers continue to abstain from appearing in courts in Jaffna district

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 May 2010, 18:10 GMT]
Lawyers in Jaffna peninsula continue to abstain from appearing in courts in protest against the alleged death threats by Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) key operatives to Chaavakachcheari magistrate K. Pirabakaran, sources in Jaffna said. Jaffna High Court Judge, R. T. Vignarajah summoned an urgent meeting Thursday attended by the magistrates, police officials and lawyers in Jaffna peninsula where he informed that Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapakse had assured him that immediate action will be taken to maintain law and order in the peninsula and requested the lawyers to give up their boycott of courts, legal sources in Jaffna said.
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Indian High Commissioner opens Visa handling office in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 May 2010, 12:16 GMT]
Mr. Asok K. Kantha, the Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanaka, officially opened a branch of Indian Visa handling office Wednesday around 3:00 p.m in a private building on Brown Road in Jaffna. This office will receive applications for visa to India and send them to Colombo Indian High Commission for processing and then deliver the visa to the applicants, it was said in the opening event. Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians, Suresh Premachandran and Mavai Senathirajah participated in the event. Minister Douglas Devananda, the head of Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), who usually participates in events of this nature, was a notable absentee as he was not invited, sources in Jaffna said. Jaffna Mayor Ms. Yogeswary Patkunam of ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) though invited turned up only when the event had ended and the guests were leaving.
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SLA provides protection to Chaavakachcheari court

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 May 2010, 14:16 GMT]
In the wake of alleged death threats to Chaavakachcheari magistrate K. Pirabakaran by Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) operatives, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Jaffna Commander, Major Gen. Mahintha Kathurusinghe, has provided military protection to Chaavakachcheari courts in addition to police protection from Tuesday. The Commander said that he has also arranged for military protection to Pirabakaran’s vehicle when he travels from Jaffna to Chaavakachcheari and back. Meanwhile, another suspect in the above case, Regan, Deputy Mayor of Jaffna, a key operative of EPDP, has gone into hiding following his associate Charles, EPDP Thenmaraadchi organizer, being arrested and detained in Jaffna prison, sources in Jaffna said.
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Lawyers in North protest against death threats to Chaavakachcheari magistrate

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 May 2010, 10:31 GMT]
The lawyers practising in Chaavakachcheari court abstained from appearing in court Monday expressing their protest and condemnation against the death threat issued to their magistrate Pirabakaran allegedly by two Eelam Peoples Democraatic Party (EPDP) operatives, sources in Chaavakachcheari said. They were soon joined by all the lawyers of the courts in the districts of Jaffna, Vavuniyaa, Mannaar, Ki’linochchi and Mullaiththeevu paralyzing all activities in all the courts in the North, the sources added.
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SL Military Intelligence men issue death threats to Thenmaraadchi journalists

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 May 2010, 10:11 GMT]
Sri Lanka Military Intelligence wing men in Jaffna Monday issued death threats to the journalists who covered the case of alleged death threats to Chaavakachcheari Magistrate K. Pirabakaran by EPDP operatives when it was taken for inquiry Monday in Chaavakachcheari court and published news of it in the local dailies, sources in Chaavakachcheari said. The intelligence men had first gone to the offices of the dailies that had published the news and procured the addresses of the said journalists in Thenmaraadchi before going to their houses, the sources added.
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EPDP operative to be placed in remand in Jaffna prison

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 May 2010, 08:04 GMT]
Chaavakachcheari magistrate K. Pirabakaran Monday ordered suspect EPDP coordinator of Thenmaraadchi, Allexander Soosaimuthu alias Charles arrested for suspected involvement in the abduction and killing of student Kapilnath and for allegedly threatening Chaavakachcheari magistrate K. Pirabakaran, to be placed in remand prison, when he was produced in Chaavakachcheari court, sources in Chaavakachcheari said. Meanwhile, the lawyers practising in Chaavakachcheari court did not appear in court Monday condemning the death threat issued to magistrate Pirabakaran, the sources added.
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Withdrawal of SLA forces from Jaffna peninsula to be reconsidered

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 May 2010, 05:00 GMT]
The earlier decision taken by Jaffna Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Commander Major Gen. Mahintha Kathursinghe to withdraw SLA forces in stages is to be reconsidered as per request of newly appointed Defence Secretary, Gothabaya Rajapakse, the brother of President Mahintha Rajapakse, Mahintha Kathurusinghe told the editors of Jaffna dailies in a meeting Sunday night at Gnanams Hotel SLA base. The decision is to be reconsidered due to the current deterioration of law and order in Jaffna peninsula which the Defence Secretary explored into with the key officials of SLA and Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) at Palaali SLA Head Quarters Saturday, the Major General told the editors. He further alleged that armed men of Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP), a constituent of ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), were involved in the social crimes in Jaffna peninsula in the meeting with the editors.
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SL Police arrests EPDP operative in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 May 2010, 23:53 GMT]
Sri Lankan Police in Chaavakachcheari Sunday arrested the EPDP coordinator of Thenmaraadchi zone, Alexander Soosaimuththu alias Charles, for allegedly threatening Chavakachcheari Magistrate K. Prabakaran for having issued arrest warrant on EPDP suspects involved in the abduction and murder of student Kapilnath. Mr. Charles would be brought to the courts on Monday, according to Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Jaffna Commander Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe, who met local press at Gnanam Hotel Sunday night.
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SLA protection provided to Chaavakachcheari magistrate’s residence

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 May 2010, 05:10 GMT]
On instructions by Judicial Service Commission and Justice Secretary to Jaffna Superintendent of Police and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Jaffna Commander, military protection in addition to police protection is provided from Friday to the residence of Chaavakachcheari Magistrate, P. J. Pirabakar’s residence in Paa’ndiayan Thaazhvu in Jaffna in the context of allegations reported to Chaavakachcheari Court by Paandiyan Thaazhvu residents against two key men of Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) for trespass into Magistrate Pirabakar’s residence more than two times with the intention of issuing death threats or to kill him, sources in Jaffna said.
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