SLA permits paddy cultivation upto Chemma'ni

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 July 2008, 00:23 GMT]
After a lapse of nearly 12 years, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officers in the North have recently granted permission for the resumption of agricultural activities in the paddy fields in Ariyaalai, a suburb within Jaffna Municipal council. This was earlier identified as an area where civilians believed to have disappeared during 1996/1997 were murdered and buried. The SLA has now permitted cultivation in the large swath of land area lying along A9 Highway, from Ariyaalai Junction up to Chemma'ni including the old railway crossing in Naavatkuzhi, a spokesperson for the Federation of Ariyaalai Farmers said .
Full story >>

Youth shot dead in Thenmaraadchi west

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 June 2008, 10:26 GMT]
Unidentified armed persons shot and killed Thursday evening a youth in Ma’ravanpulavu, Koayilaakkandi, Thanangkki'lappu area in Thenmaraadchi West.
Full story >>

SLA officer shoots dead subordinate soldier

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 June 2008, 07:17 GMT]
A Sri Lankan Army (SLA) officer shot and killed a SLA soldier Friday around 6:00 a.m. at Thangkilappu Front Defence Line (FDL) post in Thenmaraadchi allegedly for not carrying out his orders, sources in Chaavakachcheari said. Chaavakachcheari magistrate directed the police to arrest the said officer and place him in remand custody for further inquiries.
Full story >>

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.
Full story >>

Halo Trust staffer’s sister abducted in Maanippaay

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 May 2008, 15:48 GMT]
Unidentified persons, arriving at the house of a ‘Halo Trust’ demining Non-governmental Organization staffer in Maanippaay 23 May in a three-wheeler, forcibly abducted his sister after blind folding her and tightly binding her mouth, according to complaint lodged with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office.
Full story >>

2 seek protection with HRC, laborer reported missing in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 May 2008, 18:01 GMT]
A shop assistant from Thenmaraadchi and a family man from Kuppi’laan sought protection with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office Tuesday due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries, HRC Investigation Officer said. Meanwhile, a laborer from Sarasaalai in Thenmaraadchi has been reported missing since Sunday, after having left home for work, according to complaint made by his family members to HRC Jaffna.
Full story >>

Family of 6 from Thenmaraadchi seeks protection with Jaffna HRC

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 May 2008, 16:46 GMT]
Two parents and their four children, all below the age of seventeen, from Thenmaraadchi, sought protection Friday with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna, due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and SLA-backed paramilitaries. SLA and paramilitaries were threatening to extort money from the father who has a shop attached to his house at Kaa’li Koayilady, Meesaalai West in Thenmaraadchi, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Large scale SLA cordon, search in Vadamaraadchi, Thenmaraadchi

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 May 2008, 15:57 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna peninsula deployed more than a thousand soldiers in a large scale cordon and search operations Monday from dawn till 5:00 p.m in areas of Vadamaraadchi and Thenmaraadchi, civil society sources from Jaffna said. Information on anyone being arrested in the search is not known. SLA soldiers, during search in houses, took away the computers saying that the owners can come and get them after investigation from the SLA camps, according to sources.
Full story >>

SLA, LTTE clash in Naakarkoayil FDL areas

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2008, 15:19 GMT]
Heavy clashes between Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Naakarkoayil Northern Front Defence Lines erupted Monday early morning and lasted till evening. Both sides launched artillery shells, Multi-barrel rocket launcher and mortar fire engaging in heavy duel. A Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) helicopter was seen flying between Naakarkoayil FDL area and Palaali SLA Military Base many times and roads from the battle front to Palaali remained blocked by SLA for a long time for public use while vehicles kept transporting injured and killed troops.
Full story >>

Jaffna lawyers call off Court boycott

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2008, 14:52 GMT]
Members of Northern Bar Association of Sri Lanka (NBASL) called off their Friday Boycott of all Courts of Law in Jaffna peninsula after confirming that the facilities allocated to them in the newly built judicial complex have been made available in response to their long term demand, NBASL representatives said.
Full story >>

Trader, student, seek protection with HRC Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 May 2008, 14:19 GMT]
A student from Brown Road in Kokkuvil, Jaffna, and a family man from Raamaavil, Kodikaamam in Thenmaraadchi sought Friday protection with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries, HRC sources said.
Full story >>

Jaffna lawyers boycott Courts

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 May 2008, 13:58 GMT]
Sittings in four divisional magistrates courts in Jaffna peninsula were affected as most of the lawyers in Jaffna peninsula did not attend the courts in Jaffna peninsula Friday as their demand to allow use of facilities allocated to them in the newly opened judicial complex had not been met officially despite their long term demand, members of Northern Bar Association of Sri Lanka (NBASL) said. The lawyers also said that their boycott will continue until their demand is officially met.
Full story >>

SLA increases security measures in interior Jaffna peninsula

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 May 2008, 18:52 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna has begun launching sporadic small-scale cordon and search operations with police assistance in interior areas of Jaffna peninsula as attacks on SLA have increased in the recent past, sources in Jaffna said. Since large number of troops being moved to the Northern Front Line Defence (FDL) areas, the SLA has been employing fewer men in the search operations with police assistance.
Full story >>

Man released from protective custody of Jaffna Prison missing

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 April 2008, 00:33 GMT]
A 33-year-old man from Chaavakacheari in Thenmaraadchi, placed in the protective custody of Jaffna Prison due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries, has gone missing, according to a complaint filed at the Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna officials by relatives. The man, suffering from chickenpox, had been allowed by authorities a few days ago to stay with his relative for treatment, HRC sources said.
Full story >>

Jaffna lawyers announce boycott of Courts

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 April 2008, 16:27 GMT]
Northern Bar Association of Sri Lanka (NBSL) decided in its Saturday meeting in Jaffna to launch a boycott of all Courts of Law in the Jaffna peninsula from 2 May until the section allocated for the use of their members in the newly opened judicial complex is made available, Ms. Shantha Abimannasingam, Zonal Vice President of NBSL said. Failure of any constructive measure to be taken despite NBSL discussions on this issue with the Attorney General and key officials of the Justice Ministry has forced us to resort to boycott, she added.
Full story >>

Gunmen fire at SLA patrol unit in Meesaalai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 April 2008, 13:14 GMT]
Unidentified armed men opened rapid fire Wednesday around 7:00 p.m on a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) road patrol unit returning to their camp, on Jaffna-Kandy road in Meesaalai area in Thenmaraadchi, sources in Jaffna said. The SLA troops retaliated with gunfire and the duel lasted for more than 10 minutes after which the attackers withdrew from the place. No news on casualties or injuries is available.
Full story >>

Tigers hand over 28 SLA bodies to ICRC

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 April 2008, 10:52 GMT]
LTTE's NGO and U.N. Liaison Officer M. Pavarasan Thursday afternoon at 12:45 p.m. handed over 28 dead bodies of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers located by the Tigers in the Northern Front on Wednesday to ICRC representative Franche Roy at Ki'linochchi Central Playground. Tigers said there were still body parts and decomposed bodies lying in the no-man zone and provided identification details of 6 SLA soldiers in addition to the details of 14 SLA soldiers identification details provided on Wednesday.
Full story >>

Father, son from Thenmaraadchi seek HRC protection

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 April 2008, 11:07 GMT]
A 53-year-old retired government officer and his 19-year old son, a student of Jaffna Hindu College, sought Monday protection at the offices of the Human Rights Council (HRC) due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries, HRC Jaffna sources said. The son was being continually threatened to death by SLA troops on his way to college or private educational institutions, according to complaint lodged with HRC.
Full story >>

SLA Tank destroyed in Mukamaalai - LTTE

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 April 2008, 04:13 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army Tank was destroyed at Mukamaalai Forward Defence Line (FDL) Tuesday around 7:30 a.m. when Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) anti-tank unit confronted the SLA soldiers who attempted to break the Tiger FDL, according to LTTE's Northern Front Operations Command. Meanwhile, an SLA artillery and mortar launchpad caught fire as the Tigers targeted the installation, the Tigers said.
Full story >>

ADB funds reconstruction of bridges in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 April 2008, 17:07 GMT]
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has allocated Rs.325m to reconstruct Ponnaalai Bridge that connects Kaarainakar in the islets and Jaffna peninsula, and initial reconstruction work is already in progress, Jaffna Government Agent (GA), K. Ganesh said. ADB has also consented to fund building the Vallai Bridge between Vadamaraadchi and Jaffna that had been destroyed in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) offensive, Jaffna Secretariat sources said.
Full story >>