Relief supplies reach Jaffna through A9 road

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 March 2009, 21:47 GMT]
Despite announcement made by Commissioner of Essential Services that relief supplies to Jaffna would be sent from Vavuniyaa in 40 lorries only 22 of them arrived in Jaffna Tuesday around 7:30 p.m at Naavatku’li Government Stores, sources in Jaffna said. Jaffna Government Agent (GA) and other key government officers in Jaffna, on directives by the government, had waited at Naavatku’li to receive the convoy of lorries that were bringing goods along A9 land route for the first time after a long period, but had to cancel their program and get back to Jaffna as the lorries were late in arriving at their destination, sources in Jaffna said.
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Sinhala mob stones ICRC office in Colombo

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 February 2009, 10:03 GMT]
Unruly mobs surrounded and stoned the main office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the capital Colombo on Friday afternoon. The attack comes hours after a pro-government politician called for the expulsion of the ICRC chief Paul Castella following recent statements made by him on the ongoing conflict in the north between the Sri Lankan military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE).
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'Vision' of a Sinhala sociologist

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 January 2009, 13:22 GMT]
"This victory should not be lost in the peace. [….] The mono-ethnic nature of the North should be dismantled. [….] 'Defence Colonies' defence settlements should be established all over the North. Retired husband and wife ex-employees of the armed forces should be settled in such strategic settlements. Like in mainland China, and earlier in Korea, Armed Forces owned industries should be established in these areas for both defence and civilian production. Our forces should be further strengthened to deter any future attempts,” writes engineer turned Sinhala sociologist Dr. Susanta Goonatilake in Sunday Times, dated, January 18. His article is a specimen to understand the vision of a section of Sinhala elite on the political process to follow Colombo’s victory.
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Last statement of Muthukumar

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 January 2009, 09:04 GMT]
Journalist Muthukumar distributed a 4-page statement in Tamil before his self-immolation Thursday in Tamil Nadu. TamilNet provides a translation for the English readership to grasp the significance, without taking responsibility for the accuracy of facts. "The sacrifice of young and idealistic Muthukumar is lamentable beyond words and thoughts of re-enactment should never become a necessity to anyone. It is a reminiscence of the Vietnam of 1960's when self-immolation of monks protesting brutal atrocities as a consequence of US military campaign was common. Such acts occur as a last resort of public frustration when governments suppress democratic space and don't respect overwhelming public opinion of emotional importance," said a diaspora Tamil academic.
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80-year-old woman reported missing with Jaffna HRC

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 January 2009, 15:49 GMT]
An eighty year old woman has been reported missing since 30th December 2008 from Martin Road, Jaffna to Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office by her relatives. Meanwhile, Douglas Devananda, the Sri Lankan Minister said that he had taken steps to help the families of persons arrested and gone missing due to political reasons in Jaffna peninsula, in a report issued to local media.
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SLA strengthens security measures in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 December 2008, 15:47 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna strengthened security arrangements in and around Jaffna town Friday due to the presence of V. Anandasangari, the leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and Minister Douglas Devananda in Jaffna and in view of the Industrial Exhibition that is to take place in Jaffna town from Saturday until Monday, organized by Government Commercial sector in Colombo, sources in Jaffna said.
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EPDP stages ’protest march’ in Vadamaraadchi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 December 2008, 17:13 GMT]
Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), the paramilitary-cum-political party led by Douglas Devanda, a cabinet minister in Rajapaksa regime, organized a ‘protest march’ in Vadamaraadchi Sunday around 3:15 p.m along Point Pedro-Jaffna road in which hundreds of persons, mostly women, were forced to take part with the armed escort by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers. The marching protestors were instructed to shout slogans calling the SLA to "liberate" the North and to "free" people from LTTE controlled territory in Vanni.
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Douglas, Anandasangari prepare for election campaign in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 December 2008, 12:48 GMT]
Douglas Devananda, a cabinet minister in the Rajapaksa government and the leader of paramilitary-cum-political party EPDP and V. Anandasangari of the TULF, are both busily engaged in preparatory meetings for election campaign in Jaffna, informed sources in Jaffna told TamilNet. No official announcement, however, has been made by Sri Lanka government on holding elections in Jaffna peninsula.
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Uthayan Editor threatened by EPDP

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 October 2008, 19:47 GMT]
The Free Media Movement (FMM), an independent Colombo-based media watchdog, in a press release issued Wednesday, accused leader of Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) leader Douglas Devananda for threatening Managing Editor of Jaffna Daily Uthayan, and condemned the disruption to the distribution of the paper by the paramilitaries of the EPDP.
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Tamil nationalism undefeatable - Prof. Kumar David

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 October 2008, 10:59 GMT]
Looking at the characteristics of Tamil nationalism within the four demographic groups, North, East, Colombo and the diaspora Tamils, Professor Kumar David, in an opinion column in the weekend edition of Lakbima, says that the anger of the Tamils with the Sinhala state, though very real, will always remain muted and the "rise of the LTTE in the shape of a militarist alternative is precisely the dialectical response, the antithesis, the rejection, that this [Sri Lankan] state of affairs gave rise to." The Tamil diaspora can drive the nationalist movement forward for decades, irrespective of the outcome of today's military campaigns, he says.
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UPFA to appoint Karuna as national list parliamentarian

[TamilNet, Monday, 06 October 2008, 11:21 GMT]
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, following the advice by his brother and SL Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, has approved a suggestion to appoint Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, alias Karuna, a renegade Tiger commander who turned leader of a paramilitary group operated by the Sri Lanka Army in Batticaloa and Ampaa'rai, as national list parliamentarian of the UPFA, informed sources in Colombo said.
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Karuna seeks Devananda's support for comeback

[TamilNet, Thursday, 02 October 2008, 11:02 GMT]
Amid reports of a renewed infighting among the factionalised TMVP paramilitary in the East, Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, alias Karuna, a former Tiger commander who turned leader of the paramilitary group operated by the Sri Lanka Army, Wednesday met the EPDP paramilitary leader and Sri Lankan Minister Douglas Devananda, seeking the latter's support to strengthen his position in the East, which is under the grip of the UPFA-installed chief minister and paramilitary leader, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan, who was a former confidante of Karuna.
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JHU accuses five UPFA ministers supporting devolution

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 July 2008, 10:54 GMT]
The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), all monks' party condemned a group of ministers who have been supporting devolution of police and land powers to provincial councils according to the 13th amendment to the constitution. JHU leaders at a press briefing held Thursday said ministers in the UPFA government have formed a movement to urge the government to devolve police and land powers to provincial councils. JHU media spokesman Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe said the JHU would oppose such move and would take stern steps to crush the movement.
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SLA, police expel picketing unemployed graduates in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 July 2008, 13:56 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police in Jaffna expelled Tuesday around 10:00 a.m. the unemployed graduates picketing at the front entrance of Jaffna Main Educational complex at Nalloor in a token protest for the second day, demanding immediate employment. The SLA and the police told the picketers that they will not permit the picketing and directed them to approach Douglas Devananda, the Sri Lankan Minister and the leader of the paramilitary-cum-political party, Eelam Peoples’ Democratic Party (EPDP), if they had any grievances.
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SLA cancels sports event leaving Jaffna students stranded in Trinco

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 June 2008, 00:55 GMT]
325 students and the teachers from Jaffna peninsula arriving in Trincomalee by ship to participate in the Northern Province Athletic Meet (NPAM) for students in Vavuniyaa Wednesday were left stranded due to the sudden cancellation of the event by the Governor of Northern Province. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) authorities had advised the Governor to cancel the event citing security reasons.
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Sampanthan regrets neglected relationship

[TamilNet, Saturday, 21 June 2008, 15:23 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader R. Sampanthan, who on Saturday met the visiting Indian top officials at India House in Colombo, told the delegation that "Tamils believed all these years that they were the natural allies of India, but it is not so today." Even the human rights violations against Tamils, abductions and genocide are largely ignored by India.
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8 Tamil youths arrested in Dehiwela

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 June 2008, 12:18 GMT]
Eight Tamil youths, seven from upcountry and one from Jaffna, were arrested in Dehiwala last Wednesday and are being detained in Dehiwala Police station. Police officers are conducting inquiries to ascertain their identities and the background. Those who can prove their identity would be released and the rest would be remanded with the permission of the court, police said.
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SLA compels students, public to attend Jaffna tamasha

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 May 2008, 17:31 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) authorities summoned government officials and departmental heads to SLA Palaali Military Head Quarters, prior to the SLA organized three-day Veasak Carnival that began Friday in Jaffna Duraippaah Stadium, and directed them to compel students, traders and the public attend the above carnival, Jaffna Secretariat sources said. Students from schools in Jaffna peninsula were transported in buses to attend the carnival where all entrants were subjected to rigorous body check before entering the heavily guarded carnival grounds, sources in Jaffna said.
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Remains of Maheswari Velayutham flown to Colombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 May 2008, 13:11 GMT]
The remains of Maheswari Velayutham, the advisor of EPDP leader Douglas Devananda, shot and killed Tuesday, was flown to Colombo in a special aircraft with security arrangements Wednesday around 7.30 p.m, along with her family members and relatives, sources in Jaffna said. Her remains will be interred in Borella Saiva crematorium Thursday, the sources added.
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Maheswari Velayutham shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 May 2008, 15:23 GMT]
Maheswari Velautham, an advisor of EPDP leader Douglas Devandanda, was shot and killed at her residence at Navi'ndil near Nelliyadi in Vadamaraadchi in Jaffna Tuesday around 6:30 p.m., initial reports from Jaffna said. Ms. Maheswari, whose association with Tamil militancy dates back to late 1970s, narrowly escaped from a group of Tamil prisoners who attacked Mr. Douglas Devananda when he visited Kalutara prison in June 1998 with her. She is a lawyer by profession.
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