26 IDP children hospitalized after eating toxic seeds

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 June 2008, 15:12 GMT]
Twenty-six children of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) living in Yoakapuram Settlement Camp in Urumpiraai after being displaced Palaali High Security Zone (HSZ) in Valikaamam north, were admitted to Jaffna Teaching Hospital (JTH) Tuesday evening, after eating poisonous seeds of the wild Castor Oil plant. The children are recovering after treatment, and are out of danger, JTH sources said.
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CPA: Trincomalee HSZ violates international law

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 June 2008, 01:00 GMT]
Asserting that "sustainable solutions are required to reduce tension, discrimination and deprivation of communities," the Center for Policy Alternatives (CPA), a Colombo-based political, humanitarian think-tank, in a report on the current status of issues related to land in Trincomalee, said that, "[u]nfortunately, the various policies adopted by the authorities have had the opposite effect." Noting that 7,338 people will lose their homes due the 'reduced' High Security Zone (HSZ), the report said, "a serious review needs to be taken of the necessity of incorporating such a large extent of land into the HSZ."
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Jaffna SLA Command announces security measures to Tamil dailies

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 June 2008, 17:28 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Jaffna Commander, Major. Gen. G. A. Chandrasiri, informed the representatives of the editorial boards of the three Tamil dailies Uthayan, Valampuri and Yaazh Thinakkural published in Jaffna peninsula that the SLA has taken steps to provide police and SLA security measures for the offices of the three Tamil dailies, in a meeting held Wednesday at the SLA Head Quarters in Palaali High Security Zone.
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Sri Lankan forces step up deployment, rehearsals in Jaffna peninsula

[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 June 2008, 17:20 GMT]
The three armed forces of Sri Lanka have jointly stepped up patrol on land and sea areas in Vadamaraadchi north and east as well as in Jaffna lagoon since Thursday besides conducting large scale war rehearsals in areas close to Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Palaali High Security Zone (HSZ), sources in Jaffna said. The SLA seems to be engaged in active preparations for a major offensive in the coming days, residents in Vadmaraadchi said.
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Civilian reported missing in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 June 2008, 19:26 GMT]
A 30-year-old man placed in protective custody in Jaffna prison last year due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) operated paramilitaries is reported missing since 25 May after having gone home for personal reasons, according to complaint lodged by his father with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office Monday. The youth was last seen near SLA High Security Zone (HSZ) in Thellippazhai.
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Boy killed, 2 injured in bomb blast in Valikaamam

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 June 2008, 09:31 GMT]
A bomb left in an abandoned house in Eazhaalai North, Chunnaakam in Valikaamam exploded Sunday evening killing a 9-year-old school boy and seriously injuring his younger brother and a small boy while they were playing in the abandoned house, sources in Jaffna said. The injured boys were rushed to Jaffna Teaching Hospital and are under treatment in the Intensive Care Unit.
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Elderly man knifed to death in Thenmaraadchi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 June 2008, 14:27 GMT]
Unidentified intruders knifed to death a 71-year old man living alone in his house in Kudamiyaan, Va’ra’ni Thenmaraadchi, Saturday night during curfew hours, sources in Thenmaraadchi said. Kudamiyaan village is located close to Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Security Zone (HSZ) of the 52nd Division of the SLA.
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14 civilians arrested in Katunayake HSZ

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 May 2008, 09:25 GMT]
Fourteen civilians including eight women, majority of them Tamils, were taken into custody in a joint cordon and search conducted by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) and police on Sunday in the high security zone of Katunayake.
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SLA, SLN conduct joint war rehearsals in Jaffna seas

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 May 2008, 02:25 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) sailors from Karainagar Naval base and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers stationed along the northern coastal areas, have been jointly conducting large scale war exercises in the seas off the coast of Jaffna peninsula in Valigaamam North High security Zone (HSZ) for the past few days supported by attack air crafts of Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), civil sources in Jaffna said.
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Youth reported missing in Thellippa'lai

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 May 2008, 00:56 GMT]
A Tamil youth from Thellippa'lai residing in the High Security Zone (HSZ) near the Forward Defence Lines (FDL) of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has been reported missing since Monday morning, the victim’s father stated in a complaint lodged with office of Jaffna Human Rights Commission (HRC), sources said.
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Court orders Colombo to expedite resettlement in Jaffna HSZ

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2008, 17:54 GMT]
The Supreme Court Monday directed the Defense Secretary to expedite the resettlement of the first group of identified displaced farmers in their agricultural lands located in the high security zone (HSZ) in Jaffna district to start their cultivation in time. The SC issued the directive when the fundamental rights applications filed by Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Maavai Senathiraja and two farmers. All three petitioners are among the displaced persons from the high security zone, legal sources said.
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Jaffna Saivites observe Chiththirai Paruvam rites

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 April 2008, 12:05 GMT]
Saivites in Jaffna peninsula in their thousands observed Chiththirai Pa'ruvam (April Full moon day rites) in which offerings are made to one’s late mother, by bathing in 'holy waters'. It was observed with significance in Villu'ndi Theerththakea'ni near Jaffna town and Oo'ra'ni Theerththakea'ni in Valveddiththu'rai.
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SLA's security measures keep Jaffna uncleared of mines

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 April 2008, 06:44 GMT]
As Landmine Danger Awareness Week is observed in Jaffna peninsula, 95,75,958 sq.ms of the district remain infested with landmines due to Sri Lanka Army’s (SLA) refusal to permit demining activities in the High Security Zones (HSZ) and other areas, Jaffna Secretariat sources said. In addition, killings and abduction of the demining personnel belonging to Danish-demining organization and Halo Trust, allegedly by SLA troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries, have also forced these organizations to limit their services in the peninsula.
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SLA delays WB official access to school in Thellippazhai HSZ

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 April 2008, 15:10 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops deployed at the entrance to the High Security Zone (HSZ) in Thellippazhai initially refused to allow the World Bank (WB) resident representative for Sri Lanka and Education Directors to enter Thellippazhai Union College located in the HSZ Tuesday. They were let in only after the World Bank representative said that he may have to refer the matter to the Secretary of Defence, sources in Jaffna said. The team of officials, after attending a meeting Tuesday on alleged malpractices in the free meal scheme of World Bank at the Jaffna Secretariat, were on their way to inspect the site of the scheme in Union College.
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Family man abducted in Jaffna High Security Zone

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 March 2008, 17:21 GMT]
A young family man was abducted Tuesday around 5:00 p.m at Paa’ndiyan Thaazhvu, Ko’lumbuththu’rai in Jaffna, an area within the High security Zone (HSZ) of Sri Lanka Army (SLA), according to complaint made by his wife to Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said. The man had earlier been placed in the protective custody in Jaffna Prison due to death threats by SLA troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries, the sources added.
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Tigers strike inside Mannaar HSZ

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 March 2008, 03:27 GMT]
The city of Mannaar was shaken Monday night by outgoing artillery barrage when Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) mounted an attack inside the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Security Zone in Thirukkeatheesvaram area, adjacent to SLA garrison in Tha'l'laadi, breaking the Forward Defence Line (FDL). 15 wounded SLA soldiers were rushed to the public hospital in Mannaar in the early hours of Tuesday and later transferred to Anuradhapura. Telephone links were disturbed and tension prevailed in the city as fighting raged from Monday 10:50 p.m. till 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday. The warring parties are yet to release details of the latest confrontation inside the HSZ.
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Stray cattle beat SLA cordon in Thenmaraadchi

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 March 2008, 17:50 GMT]
The cattle-roundup-day organized by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Saturday when the SLA allowed displaced Tamil families from the Thenamaraadchy High Security Zone (HSZ) including Thananki'lappu and Maravanpulo areas to take back the cattle left behind, ended in failure as only five cows out of the more than 6000 were caught in the "net," residents of Thenmaraadchi who followed the event told TamilNet.
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Colombo irked by US Rights report

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 March 2008, 14:53 GMT]
The 2007 Country Report of Human Rights Practices in Sri Lanka released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of the U.S. State Department has created shockwaves within the Rajapakse Government according to Media reports in Colombo Friday. Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama had called on the US Ambassador in Colombo, Robert O Blake, to register “Sri Lanka’s serious concerns” on the report, Colombo media reported.
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Power cut extended in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 March 2008, 16:50 GMT]
Sri Lanka Electricity Board (SLEB) Jaffna branch announced Tuesday an increase of the existing one hour power cut by 15 minutes due to reduction of electricity supply to Chunnaakam SLEB by Cool Air from Kaangkeasanththu’rai (KKS) from Tuesday. The cuts do not apply to the High Security Zones (HSZ) of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in the peninsula, the announcement said.
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2 civilians seek protection with HRC Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 March 2008, 04:20 GMT]
Two civilians from Puththoor Navakkiri and Chaavakachcheari areas sought protection Monday with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna due to death threats by Sri Lanka Amy (SLA) troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, 44 persons placed in protective custody of Jaffna Prison have been taken to the SLA Special Rehabilitation Centre in the High Security Zone (HSZ) in Thellippa’lai, the sources added.
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