ICRC calls for worker safety, unhindered access to victims

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 October 2006, 12:21 GMT]
The International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), Sunday in a press release issued following a grenade explosion in front its office in Jaffna Saturday night, called on all parties to the conflict to respect humanitarian aid workers, and to provide "unhindered access to victims of conflict," to humanitarian agencies.
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SLA balks at returning vehicles to Jaffna owners

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 September 2006, 02:40 GMT]
Sri Lankan Army (SLA) officials are refusing to return the vehicles appropriated from Jaffna traders and residents under emergency regulations for military use following clashes between the Liberation Tigers and the SLA broke out in Jaffna district on 11 August, said the vehicle owners in a complaint registered with the Government Agent (GA) of Jaffna, Ganesh, Friday. 106 lorries, several mini-vans and a large number of motorbikes belonging to Jaffna residents are currently being used by the SLA, sources in Jaffna said.
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Vaharai IDPs protest lack of shelter

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 September 2006, 14:15 GMT]
Hundreds of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) protested Friday in Vaharai demanding flow of humanitarian relief into Vaharai where 34,000 civilians have sought refuge in 6 welfare centres. Amid increased fear of health hazards during the expected monsoon rains in October, the protesting IDPs currently forced to live in open terrain, demanded temporary huts. "Only UNHCR, UNICEF and ICRC are allowed to enter our area. We are in urgent need of housing. But, Sri Lankan authorities are not allowing these organizations to bring in shelters," a protester said after submitting an appeal to Divisional Secretary Kiritharan.
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SLN arrests fleeing Trinco Tamils in Mannar Sea

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 September 2006, 12:06 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) Wednesday night captured two fishing boats in Talaimannar Sea ferrying 31 Tamil civilians, all are residents of Trincomalee. The civilians and the four boatmen were produced in Mannar magistrate's court Friday morning by the Talaimannar Police.
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SLA, LTTE exchange artillery fire in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 September 2006, 11:15 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Liberation Tigers exchanged artillery fire from Thursday midnight until early morning Friday, shells falling within High Security Zones (HSZs) in Jaffna, and LTTE controlled Pallai and Pooneryn areas, sources in Jaffna said.
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Two civilians shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 September 2006, 10:51 GMT]
A betel leaves vendor was shot dead inside the High Security Zone (HSZ) of Jaffna town by unknown gunmen at 7:25 a.m., and another civilian was shot dead in Kopay at 8:10 a.m. by unidentified gunmen riding in a motorbike, sources in Jaffna said. The arbitrary killings, following nearly a week of absence of violence in Jaffna, have brought back fear in the peninsula and has raised the specter of 1996-1997 killings and disappearances.


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Tourist hotel employee shot dead in Nilaveli

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 September 2006, 08:03 GMT]
Unidentified armed persons Wednesday night around 10:00 p.m. shot dead a Tamil civilian who was working in a tourist hotel located along the Nilaveli coast, about 13 km off north of Trincomalee town.
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131 individuals slain in Jaffna in 2 months

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 September 2006, 15:02 GMT]
Jaffna office of the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (SLHRC), in a report submitted to it's Colombo Head office this week said 131 individuals have fallen victims for individual killings apart from the deaths caused by shelling and other acts of war. The SLHRC report listed, 87 residents as forcibly disappeared in the months of August and September, 50 in August and 37 until Monday this week. 44 Tamil civilians have been reported missing after arrest by the Sri Lankan armed forces in the months of August and September in Jaffna district.
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US Congressman advocates autonomy for Tamils

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 September 2006, 11:35 GMT]
New Jersey Congressman, Frank Pallone, speaking to the House Wednesday night, supported Norway, Co-chairs' call for unconditional talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and Liberation Tigers, advocated autonomy for Tamils, and endorsed U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher's statement "though we reject the methods that the Tamil Tigers have used, there are legitimate issues raised by the Tamil community and they have a legitimate desire to control their own lives, to rule their own destinies, and to govern themselves in their homeland.''
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"White Van Squad" abducts two Tamils in Chilaw

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 September 2006, 05:43 GMT]
Unidentified armed men came in a "White Van" abducted two Tamil civilians on Tuesday night around 11:10 p.m. in Ward No.6 area opposite Udappu Tamil Vidiyalayam, according to a complaint made by the abductees' relatives with the Munthal police.
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Colombo's refusal to open A9, serious Humanitarian violation - Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 September 2006, 12:23 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Political Head S.P. Thamilchelvan Wednesday held discussions with the Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Major General Lars Johan Sølvberg, urging the Head of Mission to clarify the stand of Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) after the refusal by Sri Lanka Army in allowing the truce monitors access the Muhamalai area. Mr. Thamilchelvan questioned the HoM on the cooperation extended by GoSL in restoring normalcy in re-opening the land route and relieve the humanitarian sufferings of 500,000 civilians entrapped in economic embargo and GoSL refusal to open the Jaffna Kandy A9 route. Also other access routes to LTTE controlled areas in the East remain blocked.
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"Lift embargo, re-open land routes," - TNA in sit-in-protest

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 September 2006, 05:38 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians launched a sit-in protest in the Sri Lankan Parliament Wednesday morning demanding the re-opening of land routes to Jaffna and the East and urged the Government of Sri Lanka to lift the economic embargo. However, the peaceful protest, which did not disturb the proceedings of the parliament, has been ignored by the house, parliamentary sources said.
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Civilians stranded in Vavuniya arrive by vessel at KKS harbour

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 September 2006, 05:28 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy chartered "Jetliner" vessel with about 948 Tamil civilians arrived Tuesday evening at the Kankesanturai port. The civilians were taken to the Jaffna Central bus stand in escorted vehicles and from there went to their homes.
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More civilians cross Mannar sea to reach Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 September 2006, 18:48 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) arrested a group of 49 Jaffna residents for crossing Mannar sea illegally in 7 hired boats to reach Delft islet Tueesday, sources in Jaffna said. The Delft police produced the arrested before Kayts Acting Magistrate Mr. R. K. Vignarajah on Tuesday where the magistrate ordered the 14 boat operators from Mannar to be held in remand prison until October 10. The passengers were taken to the Jaffna Central bus stand and allowed to their villages, said legal sources in Jaffna.
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Vessel leaves Trinco with Jaffna bound civilians

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 September 2006, 09:22 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy charted "Jetliner" vessel Tuesday morning left Ashraff Jetty in Trincomalee harbour for Kankesanturai port in northern peninsula with about 948 Jaffna bound civilians who had been stranded in Vavuniya, gateway of A9 land route.
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37 Trinco Tamil civilians arrested along Mannar coast

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 September 2006, 21:16 GMT]
Thirty seven members of seven Tamil families were arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) Sunday morning when they were waiting for a boat along the coast of Talaimannar in Mannar district to flee to South India to seek refugee. All of them have been residents of Trincomalee. After preliminary investigation the SLN authorities handed them to Talaimannar Police for further action.
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Uyilankulam checkpoint opened for six hours Monday

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 September 2006, 21:11 GMT]
The Uyilankulam entry point to Liberation Tigers held areas in the Mannar district was opened Monday for about six hours by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) with the facilitation of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) enabling civilians to travel to and from government and LTTE controlled territories.
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Civilian seriously injured in SLA artillery fire in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 September 2006, 13:25 GMT]
A civilian from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled Mankikaddu in Batticaloa district was seriously injured in artillery attack launched from the Vavunativu Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp in Batticaloa on the LTTE territory on Monday around 5:00 a.m., residents in Mankikaddu said. At least 5 houses in the area were damaged in artillery and mortar fire.
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Tamil South Africans hold interfaith prayer for peace

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 September 2006, 00:31 GMT]
Tamil Co-ordinating Committee in Durban South Africa held an interfaith prayer meeting for peace Sunday at the Arutpa Kazhagam, remembering the 51 school children and 4 staff members killed in Vallipunam during an air-raid by Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) on 14 August.
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SLN arrests 4 Mannar boat operators

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 September 2006, 16:18 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) arrested and handed over the Delft police four Mannar boat operators for bringing 52 civilians from Mannar to Delft island illegally by boat, police sources said. The four fishermen were produced Sunday before Kayts Magistrate Mr R.T. Wignarajah who directed the police to place the fishermen in remand until 5th October, legal sources in Jaffna said.
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