Opening of Pooneryn causeway urged

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 March 2003, 13:28 GMT]
“The Sri Lankan government should take steps to re-open the Kerathivu- Sangupiddy causeway to ease the burden of the civilians living in western parts of Vanni region," said that the President of the Kilinochchi branch of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRC), Mr. P. Karthigesu, speaking to Tamilnet about recent moves to further improve transport facilities between Jaffna and the mainland.


Full story >>

SLA warns public from entering Council lands

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 March 2003, 01:02 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has put up a notice board Thursday warning the civilians not to enter the Jaffna municipal lands which have been earmarked for establishing new army camps. "This is a government-military property. Any unauthorized intruders will be dealt with minimum force," said the notice board erected near the MC lands, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

New camps will damage peace process - JDCHA

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 March 2003, 02:38 GMT]
The Jaffna District Consortium of Human Agencies (JDCHA) Thursday sought intervention of Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe to stop moves by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) to establish new army camps in Jaffna Municipal grounds, said sources in Jaffna.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka Police quibble over spent ordnance

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 March 2003, 16:57 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Police Thursday produced in the district court of Mannar a person arrested allegedly for transporting empty casings of artillery shells. Police told court that they had found six empty casings, each two feet long, in a lorry bringing scrap metal from the Vanni at the Uyilankulam entry point in Mannar. Legal sources in the Mannar courts, however, said expended ordnance was not illegal.


Full story >>

PM urged to stop SLA camp in Jaffna municipal land

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 March 2003, 19:37 GMT]
An urgent appeal has been made to the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, Tuesday on behalf of the people of Jaffna that the Sri Lanka Army should not be allowed to relocate its Jaffna brigade headquarters in the municipal council land close to the Jaffna fort, sources said.
Full story >>

Hakone talks focus on federalism, security concerns at sea

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 March 2003, 12:02 GMT]
The Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) delegations in their sixth session of peace talks agreed to have their senior naval and political personnel meet to 'workout effective arrangements for the operation of naval units.' The parties also agreed to present a complete plan at the seventh session on the steps to be taken towards negotiating a federal solution for Sri Lanka.


Full story >>

Judge returns homicide verdict in Trinco hartal killing

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 March 2003, 01:11 GMT]
The Trincomalee Magistrate and Additional District Judge Mr.S.Thiagendran Thursday returned a verdict of homicide at the conclusion of the inquest held into the deaths of three Tamil civilians who were killed in a grenade attack on October 11 hartal (general shutdown), legal sources said. The Judge ordered police personnel who were on duty at the scene on the day of the incident to appear in an identification parade.


Full story >>

Thiriyai prepares for resettlement amid navy harassment

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 March 2003, 00:30 GMT]
As the first paddy harvest after nearly twenty years is nearing completion at Thiriyai, the displaced Tamil families who returned from Vanni and residing currently in welfare camps at Nilaveli pleaded Tuesday at a mobile service held in Thiriyai, that authorities should make immediate arrangements to resettle them in their own lands, sources in Trincomalee said.
Full story >>

UNICEF, LTTE agree on action plan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 March 2003, 20:35 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the UNICEF Tuesday agreed on the development of an action plan on children affected by war in the North-East, including children involved in child labor, civilian or military, sources said.
Full story >>

HRC special committee visits Jaffna HSZ

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 March 2003, 16:55 GMT]
The special committee of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) of Sri Lanka, which is inquiring into the complaints in regard to the disappearance of more than six hundred Tamil civilians between 1996 and 1997 in the Jaffna district arrived Saturday, to conduct further investigation, sources said.
Full story >>

Impact and Issues of Forestry on Northeast Coastal Resources

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 March 2003, 23:00 GMT]
There is an urgent need for protection of mangroves, estuarine and swamp forest/vegetation as important components of the northeast coastal resources of Sri Lanka together with fisheries, coral reefs, seagrass, beaches and sand dunes, amongst others if we are to preserve the environment of Northeast for future generations. An examination of forestry issues that impact the conservation and management of North East coastal resources follows.
Full story >>

MPGA to sue army, civil officials

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 March 2003, 16:38 GMT]
The Missing Persons Guardians' Association (MPGA) in Jaffna has decided to file a case in the High Court against some Sri Lanka Army officials and government civil administrators regarding dozens of Tamil civilians who have been reported missing after being arrested by Sri Lankan government troops during the period between 1996 and 1997 in the Jaffna peninsula.
Full story >>

SLA tightens security at Muhamalai, Uyilankulam checkpoints

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 February 2003, 17:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers manning Muhamalai check point have tightened their checks and interrogation after the Manipay incident in which LTTE women cadres, civilians and journalists were assaulted by the SLA soldiers and police, sources said.
Full story >>

FMM condemns attack on journalists

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 February 2003, 21:20 GMT]
The Free Media Movement (FMM) Friday strongly condemned the attack on the journalists who were covering the protest march of the Janata Vimukthi Peramuna, Thursday, in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Police ban protest march in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 February 2003, 19:48 GMT]
The Trincomalee Police Thursday banned the black band protest march of the Tamils Women's Front in the eastern port town from St.Joseph's College to the office of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), which is located at the Inner Harbour Road.
Full story >>

Black band protest held in Jaffna condemning Manipay attack

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 February 2003, 16:24 GMT]
Teachers, students, public and private sector employees in Jaffna district Wednesday attended their routine activities wearing black bands and black waist belts in protest to the attack by the Sri Lanka Army on women cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam at Manipay on February 12, sources said.
Full story >>

District-wide protests in Batticaloa over Manipay attack

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 February 2003, 15:33 GMT]
Massive processions and a campaign of wearing black waist-belts were held Wednesday in all Tamil regions of the Batticaloa district to protest the attack on February 12 in Manipay, where the Sri Lanka Army personnel and the paramilitary EPDP group assaulted unarmed women political cadres of the LTTE, civilians and journalists
Full story >>

Public to hold black waist-belt campaign in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 February 2003, 22:52 GMT]
The Jaffna District People's Forum (JDPF) Monday announced that it would hold a black belt wearing campaign on Wednesday in protest to the attack on LTTE women cadres, civilians and journalists at Manipay by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Mirusuvil massacre inquiry put off

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 February 2003, 18:50 GMT]
The inquiry into the Mirusuvil massacre case was put off for February 19 as the prison officials reported to the Trial-at-Bar Monday that the fourth accused has fallen ill, legal sources said. The three-member bench of the High Court comprising of Judges Mr.I.M.Imam (President), Mr.Sarath Ambepitya and Mr. Kumar Ekaratne are due to hear the case.
Full story >>

Police should replace military, LTTE women cadres can wear civilian belts - SLMM

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 February 2003, 13:42 GMT]
To prevent future clashes, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) agreed to allow women LTTE cadres to wear any civilian type of belts when entering and staying in GOSL controlled areas, a press release issued Sunday by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) said.
Full story >>