Service Chiefs, SLMM visit Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 October 2002, 19:15 GMT]
The heads of three State armed forces and the Inspector General of Police are scheduled to visit Trincomalee Saturday to review the security situation in the wake of Friday violence in which three Tamil civilians were killed and thirty-eight others were wounded, defence ministry sources said. The Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Major General (retd) Trond Furuhovde also is expected to visit the east port town Saturday, SLMM sources said.
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TNA: Sri Lankan forces unwilling to protect Tamils

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 October 2002, 15:18 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance Friday blamed the gun and grenade attacks on Tamil civilians in Trincomalee which left three people dead and over thirty wounded on "lawless elements" from the Sinhala community. In a statement, the TNA said the Sri Lankan armed forces, which are predominately Sinhala, "lack the will and capacity to provide security to the Tamil people."
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Premier to act after 3 Tamil civilian deaths

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 October 2002, 09:01 GMT]
Three Tamil civilians were killed and about twenty others were wounded, eight critically, in Trincomalee Friday in firing and grenade attacks blamed on Sri Lankan police and Sinhala paramilitaries. The killings occurred amid calls for a general shut down (hartal) in the east port town condemning the killings Wednesday of seven Tamil demonstrators by Special Task Force commandos in Ampara district.
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Curfew clamped down in Trincomalee town following violence

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 October 2002, 06:06 GMT]
Trincomalee town has been put under 18-hour curfew with immediate effect from Friday till Saturday morning 6 a.m. on reports of violence following a general shut down (Hartal) called by Tamil Organizations Federation (TOF).
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TNA condemns Kanchirankuda killings, demands STF withdrawal

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 October 2002, 14:02 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Thursday strongly condemned the attack by the Special Task Force (STF) on unarmed Tamil civilians at Kanchirankuda in Thirukovil area of the Amparai district . “We suspect that this was a deliberate attempt to disrupt the peace process,” said Mr.R.Sampanthan, leader of the Tamil National Alliance parliamentary group in a statement issued to the press Thursday.
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Monitors urge public restraint after Kanjirankudah deaths

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 October 2002, 13:15 GMT]
International ceasefire monitors Thursday urged public restraint in the wake of a violent demonstration at the Special Task Force (STF) camp in Kanjirankudah at which the police commandos shot dead seven people and wounded fourteen others. Although the STF alleged Liberation Tigers were part of the 500-1000 strong crowd, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) said it “has no evidence of this at this time and nothing indicates that the LTTE leadership knew of this attack beforehand.”
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STF fire on demonstration - 5 killed, 15 wounded

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 October 2002, 18:06 GMT]
Five civilians were killed and fifteen were wounded when commandos of the Special Task Force, an elite wing of the Sri Lankan armed forces, opened fire on a public protest at Kanjirankudah, 84 kilometres south of Batticaloa, around 6.30 p.m. Wednesday. The shooting followed tension in Tamil areas in Sri Lanka’s southeastern coast after word spread that two members of the Liberation Tigers were severely assaulted by the STF and had been admitted to hospital.
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EPDP cadres, ammunition handed over to SLMM

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 October 2002, 11:36 GMT]
Six members of the paramilitary Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) whose camp in Delft was attacked Sunday by angry residents following the stabbing of a local shop keeper were handed over to international monitors Monday, local press reports said.
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Prosthetic rehabilitation in Vanni

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 October 2002, 00:37 GMT]
Land mines and aerial bombardment have made hundreds of Tamil civilians disabled. But help for the disabled wasn't immediately forthcoming. Fitting artificial limbs was costly and there was severe shortage of hospitals and medical equipment. The organization, Venpura (White Pigeon), was born to address this need. Following the opening of its first site in Kullapiddy Road, Jaffna in 1994, Venpura has been offering free prosthetic services to people in the NorthEast enabling many to become productive members of the society.
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Women witnesses give evidence in Mylanthanai massacre case

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 October 2002, 20:21 GMT]
"About 50 Sri Lanka government troops entered our village with arms and started harassing the villagers. On seeing them I started running from my house towards jungle area. I fell on the ground. Some army personnel came to the spot and stabbed my hands with rifle bayonet. When I regained consciousness I saw 10 bodies of our villagers with gunshot and cut injuries," said Ms Sinnathurai Indrakala, 28, giving evidence before Judge Mr.S.Sriskandarajah, Friday, when Mylanthanai massacre case resumed in Colombo High Court.
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Mylanthanai massacre accused remanded

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 October 2002, 18:00 GMT]
The inquiry into the Mylanthanai massacre case commenced before a Sinhala speaking Jury in the Colombo High Court Wednesday. In this case twenty-one Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers have been indicted by the Attorney General on several counts including the murder of thirty-five Tamil civilians. The High Court Judge Mr.S.Sriskandarajah ordered all the accused present in court be kept in remand till the trial is concluded.
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High Court takes up Mylanthanai massacre case

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 September 2002, 14:09 GMT]
Thirty Tamil witnesses including thirteen women from Batticaloa were present in the Colombo High Court Monday to give evidence when the Mylanthanai massacre case was taken up for inquiry before a Sinhala speaking Jury. The HC Judge Mr.S.Sriskandarajah fixed October 2, Wednesday, the date to start the inquiry.
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SLA soldiers assault Tamil civilian

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 September 2002, 17:57 GMT]
A group of Sri Lanka Army soldiers Saturday afternoon severely assaulted a Tamil youth who was returning from Koddady in the high security zone in Point Pedro town after seeing his resettled relatives, said a complaint submitted to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission in Jaffna district. Twenty five year old S.Ravindran alias Kannan has been warded in the Valvettithurai government hospital with serious head injures, medical sources said.


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SLN blocks Delft islanders at sea

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 September 2002, 19:11 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Navy stopped civilians travelling in seven boats from the island of delft in Jaffna to the island of Eluvaitheevu off Jaffna Wednesday afternoon around 4 p.m. The civilians were on their way to attend the remembrance day celebrations of Lt.Col Thileepan who fasted unto death in September 1987. The SLN attempted to board the boats and tried to force the civilians to return back to Delft, press sources in Jaffna said.
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New SL Navy base violates ceasefire - LTTE

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 September 2002, 11:42 GMT]
The political wing leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Mr.S.P.Thamilselvan said Tuesday that the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) is building a new camp on the island of Delft off Jaffna in violation of the LTTE's Ceasefire Agreement with the Government of Sri Lanka. He urged the head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission to take immediate action on the matter.
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SLA says no to IDP resettlement in Vavuniya north

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 September 2002, 02:42 GMT]
A team comprising government officials, officers of the Sri Lanka Army, officials of Liberation Tigers and civilians Tuesday visited Iranai Illupaikulam and Kalmadu in the Vavuniya district to make an assessment for resettling of internally displaced persons and to recommence paddy cultivation in fields in the region abandoned due to military operations.


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ICRC releases half-year activity report

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 September 2002, 20:50 GMT]
"The government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have not sought the assistance of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) up to now in opening the A9 highway for twenty hours," said ICRC Information Officer Mr. William Sukumar Rockwood addressing a press conference held Wednesday evening in Trincomalee. "If such a request is made by both parties the ICRC will consider it," said Mr. Rockwood in reply to a question.
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Islanders complain navy harassment

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 September 2002, 22:16 GMT]
The Island Peoples’ Welfare Society (IPWS) Monday complained to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission and Human Right Commission in Jaffna district that people living in islets are once again subjected to severe checking and harassment at the hands naval personnel stationed at Allaipitty and Ponnalai SLN camps. The SLN camps at Allaipitty and Ponnalai have re-introduced stringent checking earlier withdrawn with the signing of a cease-fire agreement between the United National Front government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, society sources said.
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'We are optimistic' - Balasingham

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 September 2002, 06:17 GMT]
Addressing the opening ceremony of the first round of formal talks between the Liberation Tigers and the Government of Sri Lanka in Thailand Monday, Mr. Anton Balasingham, the political advisor of the LTTE said "We are optimistic that the peace talks will succeed because Mr. Velupillai Pirapaharan, the leader of the LTTE and Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, have genuine will and firm determination to resolve the conflict through the process of dialogue."
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SLA opens Chavakachcheri-Kachchai road

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 September 2002, 00:21 GMT]
The Chavakachcheri- Kachchai road in Jaffna district was opened Sunday morning after a period of six years. Priests, leading citizens and members of public attended the function held in connection with the opening of the road. The road was closed for public from 1996 by the SLA due to military operations in Thenmaradchi sector of Jaffna peninsula by the Sri Lanka Army.


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