Ambush on SLA in Jaffna, unofficial curfew imposed in Valikaamam South West

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 September 2008, 09:42 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Police imposed an immediate unofficial curfew in Cha'ndilippaay, A'laveddi and Chu'n'naakam areas and launched a cordon and search operation, after a bomb attack Monday noon on the SLA at Maasiyappiddi in Valikaamam South West division of the Jaffna district.
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Jaffna Prison overcrowded with humanitarian protection seekers

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 September 2008, 16:22 GMT]
Prison in Jaffna, temporarily housed in a private building that can accommodate only one hundred, has become crammed with more than three hundred inmates, who have sought humanitarian protection from the Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission in Jaffna. Many of them have been languishing in the prison for more than two years. Meanwhile, two youths sought protection custody on Thursday as persons appearing for interrogation at SLA camps in Thenmaraadchi and other areas in Jaffna peninsula had been killed by unidentified gunmen while returning home after interrogation in the recent past.
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Bodies of returning refugees washed ashore off Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 September 2008, 19:13 GMT]
Seven corpses, including two children, a male and four females had been washed ashore in the last couple of days in the islets of Jaffna. One of four female corpses washed ashore was identified by the victim's brother Thursday as one of the refugees returning from Tamil Nadu, India, triggering fears of boats capsizing in the Palk Strait. People wonder at the circumstances leading to the risky return of refugees from Tamil Nadu at this juncture of war, report sources in Jaffna.
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SLN imposed ban starves 550 fisher families in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 September 2008, 13:59 GMT]
Jaffna peninsula Federation of Fisheries Societies (FFS) extended an urgent appeal to local and international humanitarian organizations to issue relief food immediately to the 550 fisher families in Maathakal in Valikaamam which face death due to starvation caused by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) imposed fishing ban in the seas between its bases in Kangkeasanththu'rai and Kaarainakar, in a media release.
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3 civilians including a woman seek refuge with HRC Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 September 2008, 14:04 GMT]
A young woman from Kaithadi North in Thenmaraadchi and two brothers from Navakkiri in Puththoor area in Valikaamam sought refuge with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office Monday due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and SLA-backed paramilitaries, according to their complaints to HRC. The recent killing of a woman by unidentified armed men in Kaithadi North was the reason for the young woman to seek refuge while the brothers sought refuge following the recent shooting in Navakkiri area seriously injuring a mother and her daughter, according to statements to the HRC by the complainants.
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Family man reported missing in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 September 2008, 13:43 GMT]
A family man from Maanipaay Veethi, Aanaikoaddai in Valikaamam is reported missing since Monday, according to complaint registered by his wife with Jaffna Human Rights Commission Wednesday.
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Uprooted families in Jaffna, still waiting action plan for resettlement

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 September 2008, 08:19 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officials who met the committee appointed by the Colombo Supreme Court to explore the possibility of resettling uprooted people from the High Security Zone (HSZ) of the SLA, told the committee on Friday that more than 600 families, outside the HSZ and the adjoining no-man zone, have been resettled, including the data as part of the uprooted families within the HSZ. 19,000 families have been uprooted from their houses within the HSZ in Jaffna. Only 24 houses have been cleared for resettlement within the 600 meter no-go zone, the SLA has informed the committee.
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233 families allowed to resettle in no-man zone in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 August 2008, 07:23 GMT]
The committee appointed by Colombo Supreme Court to explore into the possibility of resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in areas inside Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Security Zone (HSZ) in Valikaamam north met Saturday around 3:30 p.m in Palaali SLA Head Quarters and decided to allow resettlement in the first stage only in areas outside the HSZ within the 600 meter distance of no-man’s area, contrary to the hopes of the applicants for resettlement inside the HSZ, now occupied by the SLA.
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Court orders forensic analysis on munitions allegedly found in HRC vehicle

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 August 2008, 03:03 GMT]
Mallaakam magistrate, Ms. Sarojini Ilankovan, directed Tuesday Maanippaay police to submit the munitions claimed to have been recovered from the Jaffna Human Rights Commission (HRC) vehicle parked in a motor repair garage in Maanippaay in Valikaamam, for chemical analysis in Colombo, and submit the findings to the Court, legal sources in Jaffna said.
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SLA ban, restrictions cripple Fisheries Societies’ activities in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 August 2008, 04:49 GMT]
One hundred and seventeen fisheries societies in Jaffna peninsula have been disabled to continue their development activities due to the continuing fishing ban and restrictions imposed by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Sri Lanka Navy (SLN), President of Jaffna Peninsula Fisheries Societies Unions’ Federation, S. Thavaratnam expressed concern. The fisheries societies entirely dependent on membership subscription to carry on their activities are forced into inactivity, he added.
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3 youths suffer electric shock injuries

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 August 2008, 17:23 GMT]
Three youths were seriously injured after coming into contact with live electric wires while forced to build a rampart around a live high voltage electricity transformer by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers Friday in Chiruppiddi in Valikaamam East, sources in Jaffna said. One of the injured was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital Friday, the other two were treated for burn injuries. Sri Lanka Electricity Board officials in Jaffna declined to comment on the incident.
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Transformer set fire in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 August 2008, 02:00 GMT]
Unidentified persons during curfew hours Tuesday day night set fire to the main electricity transformer on Aadiyapaatham road, Kokkuvil in Valikaamam, completely burning the unit, sources in Jaffna said. Electricity supply to the area was cut off and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops, deployed in large numbers, cordoned off and searched the area.
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Missing family man found dead in Valikaamam

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 August 2008, 16:08 GMT]
An elderly family man gone missing Friday from his home at Periyavi’laan, Pa’ndaiththarippu in Valikaamam was found dead Monday in an abandoned well near his home. Marks on the body point to torture while the neck bears knife injury.
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SLA blocks resettlement in Valikaamam HSZ

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 August 2008, 01:45 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna has refused to allow resettlement in areas inside the High Security Zone (HSZ), but has given permission to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to settle in the no-man's area adjoining the Front Defence Line (FDL) area in Valikaamam north, sources in Jaffna said.
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Jaffna/ Yaazhppaa'nam/ Yaazhppaa'nap Paddinam/ Yaazhppaa'naayan Paddinam

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 August 2008, 13:36 GMT]
The city of the bard / minstrel
The city of the lord of bards / minstrels
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IDPs skeptical of resettlement in SLA HSZ in Valikaamam

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 July 2008, 17:24 GMT]
The decision taken by authorities, to resettle Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the High Security Zones (HSZs) of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Valikaamam north, in the high level meeting held Monday at Palaali SLA head quarters is unlikely to succeed, IDP Welfare society persons said. The committee, appointed by Colombo Supreme Court to explore resettling IDPs in the HSZs of Jaffna peninsula, which met Monday at Palaali SLA head quarters, decided to take steps to resettle at least some of the IDPs in places which are not at present occupied by SLA.
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Resettling IDPs in SLA HSZ in Valikaamam discussed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 July 2008, 10:18 GMT]
The committee appointed by Colombo Supreme Court to explore resettling Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in the High Security Zones (HSZ) of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Valikaamam north in Jaffna peninsula met Monday at Palaali SLA head quarters, and decided to take steps to resettle the IDPs in places which are not at present occupied by SLA, sources in Jaffna said.
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Maaviddapuram temple Thirukkaarthikai festival celebrated

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 July 2008, 04:41 GMT]
More than 2000 Saiva devotees participated Sunday in the Thirukkaarthikai festival in the historic Maaviddapuram Kanthasuvaami Koayil located in the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Security Zone (HSZ) in Valikaamam north on the 20th day of the 25-day annual festival. More devotees attended the Sunday festival to perform religious rites compared to the last two years, temple authorities said.
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Resettling IDPs in SLA HSZ in Valikaamam to be explored

[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 July 2008, 14:26 GMT]
A committee presided by Jaffna High Court Judge R. T. Vignarajah is to explore the possibility and ways of resettling Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in the High Security Zones (HSZ) of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Valikaamam north area in Jaffna peninsula, next week, legal sources in Jaffna said. Colombo Supreme Court had appointed the above committee after inquiring into the Fundamental Rights Violation petition filed by the IDPs seeking permission to resettle in their villages in Valikaamam north and to engage in their livelihoods.
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Demining in Jaffna peninsula likely to stall

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 July 2008, 18:34 GMT]
Danish Demining Organization and Halo Trust, the two humanitarian organizations engaged in demining projects in Jaffna peninsula, have decided to reduce the number of employees owing to cutback on funding by International Organizations, according to an official of the Demining Coordinating department in Jaffna Secretariat.
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