Family man shot dead in Vadamaraadchi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 August 2008, 14:04 GMT]
Unidentified armed men shot and killed a young family man Thursday around 6:30 a.m in Thoampu, Imaiyaa’nan area in Vadamaraadchi as he came out of his house, his wife said in the inquest into the killing. Her husband had been threatened to death by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers many times and had hidden himself for a long time, she said.
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SLA arrests family man in Vadamaraadchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 August 2008, 16:50 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers arrested a family man on suspicion Monday night after 9:00 p.m during curfew hours for being found walking close to the premises of Karaveddi SLA camp in Vadamaraadchi. The arrestee, handed over to Nelliyadi police, was produced in Point Pedro court Tuesday where the magistrate directed the police to produce the suspect before a Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) and obtain a medical report on his health conditions.
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2500 commandos to be recruited to Sri Lanka Air Force

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 August 2008, 02:56 GMT]
Attempt to recruit 2500 commandos to the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) intended for deployment as ground staff with duties including deactivating mines and bombs, and providing security to high officials of the SLAF, began Monday, SLAF spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara told the media. The deployment will begin after necessary training, according to the spokesperson.
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Sri Lanka officials complicit in Tamil Genocide? - Washington Times

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 August 2008, 01:43 GMT]
Asserting that "[t]here is reason to believe that Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has been complicit in a Srebrenica-like genocide or worse against Sri Lanka's Tamils on the installment plan. Since entering office in November 2005, he has been witness to the extrajudicial killings of more than 1,500 Tamils, torture, scores of kidnappings, countless arbitrary detentions and displacement of more than 250,000, a staggering percentage of Tamils who have not fled abroad seeking asylum," a commentary in the Washington Times, Wednesday issue, urged the U.S. Justice Department to lead a genocide investigation of Sri Lanka's Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse, Lt.Gen. Fonseka, and Basil Rajapakse.
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Taravai, Upput-taravai

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 August 2008, 18:30 GMT]
The wasteland or brackish-soil fallow land

The brackish soil wasteland
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2 SLA soldiers shot, injured in Vadamarraadchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 August 2008, 14:34 GMT]
Unidentified armed men opened fire on a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) sentry post in Vallipuram area in Point Pedro, Vadamaraadchi Monday midnight, seriously injuring two SLA soldiers, sources in Point Pedro said. The injured soldiers were rushed to Palaali Military hospital and an intensive cordon and search was launched in Vallipuram and the areas close to it by the SLA.
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University of Jaffna observes silent protest in solidarity with civilians in Vanni

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 August 2008, 09:40 GMT]
Hundreds of students and the staff of the University of Jaffna Tuesday morning gathered for a silent protest against the isolation of civilians in Vanni by the Sri Lankan government. The silent protest by the University society, expressing solidarity with thousands of displaced people in Vanni, comes after a long period of time marked with targeted annihilation of protesting voices in Jaffna.
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Polling stations to be declared security zone

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 August 2008, 12:03 GMT]
Five hundred meters surrounding each polling station in the North Central Province (NCP) and Sabaragamuwa Province (SP) are to be declared high security zone on the Election Day, August 23. This is consequent to the increase of violence preceding the elections to the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council (SPC) and North Central Provincial Council (NCPC) scheduled to take place in five days. Elections Commissioner has also decided to strengthen the security of polling station by deploying Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers, sources said.
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Devotees arrested in Nalloor temple released

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 August 2008, 10:11 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) arrested Saturday around 7:30 p.m more than fifteen youths who were worshiping at the historically famous Nalloor Kantasuvaami Koayil claiming their behavior was suspicious, sources in Jaffna said. The youths who were taken in Buffel Armoured Personnel Carriers to an SLA camp in Jaffna town were released Sunday morning after being held for interrogation, the sources added.
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SLA soldier killed, 4 injured in mortar attack in Akkaraipattu

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 August 2008, 09:23 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier was killed and four wounded Saturday night when the SLA camp at Ka'n'nakipuram in Akkaraippattu of Ampaa'rai district came under mortar fire, according to Sri Lankan police sources.
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SLA intensifies artillery barrage in Northern Front

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 August 2008, 17:01 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) from its bases in Thenmaraadchi and Vadamaraadchi launched Sunday afternoon heavy artillery and Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) fire on Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) territory in Mukamaalai and Nakarkoayil, sources in Jaffna said. The intensified shelling comes while the SLA troops are reportedly engaged in sporadic clashes with LTTE combatants for the third consecutive day. Night shelling continues from the SLA 52nd Division base in Va’ra’ni, Kodikaamam base and Point Pedro Munai SLA base.
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SLA artillery shells target civilians in Kanthapuram

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 August 2008, 07:37 GMT]
Residents of the civilian settlements in Kanthapuram in Ki’linochchi district are fleeing from their residences due to Sri Lanka Army (SLA) artillery attack Sunday from 3:20 p.m and again during the night.
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SLA, LTTE clash in Ki’laali FDL

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 August 2008, 05:30 GMT]
Heavy clashes between Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Ki’laali Northern Front Defence Lines (FDL) erupted Saturday afternoon, lasting for an hour and again in the evening fighting erupted around 6:00 p.m and went on till 7:00 p.m,. Heavy artillery and Multi-barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) fire were exchanged in the clashes. No information is available about casualties.
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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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Claymore ambush kills 2 SLA soldiers in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 August 2008, 13:40 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and five wounded in a Claymore mine ambush at Ira'nai Illuppaikku'lam in Vavuniyaa Saturday morning around 10:30 a.m., Police said.
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SLA steps up night shelling from three fronts on Vanni

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 August 2008, 11:20 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has continuously engaged its artillery batteries from the Northern Front, Mannaar Front and Ma'nalaa'ru Front with grinding bombardment during nights targeting residential areas in the rear of all the frontiers of Ki'linochchi and Mullaiththeevu districts since Tuesday. The systematic barrage has destroyed several houses properties and cattle abandoned by the fleeing residents besides damaging countless fruit trees. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) were continuously engaged in surveillance over Ki’linochchi and Mullaiththeevu districts during the nights.
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30% of Vanni students miss A/L Examinations due to aerial bombardment

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 August 2008, 00:12 GMT]
“Continuing hostilities in the region have seriously hampered the education of students in the region, and out of 762 students in the district only about 500 were able to sit for GCE Advanced Level examination," M.Theivendiran, Mullaiththeevu Zonal Director of Education told media Friday.
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SLA deprives Tamil devotees from attending Madu Shrine

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 August 2008, 21:14 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) hierarchy in Mannaar blocked Friday Tamil Catholic devotees from taking part in the special mass of blessing from Our Lady of Madu. Tamil Catholic devotees from Mannaar and Vavuniyaa were deprived from taking part in the mass, according to sources associated with the Church. Around 500 Catholic devotees from the South along with three Sri Lankan ministers were escorted by the Police to take part in Friday's blessings in Madu. However, Tamil speaking devotees who were present at Madawachchi were refused entry by the Police.
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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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Grenade attack on SLA checkpoint in Jaffna, no one injured

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 August 2008, 15:22 GMT]
Unidentified men riding a motorbike hurled a hand grenade inside the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) checkpoint located at the railway crossing along Naavalar Road, Jaffna at 12:00 noon Friday, sources in Jaffna said. SLA troopers manning the checkpoint escaped unhurt in the explosion. The checkpoint encompasses part of the railway track, and is located behind the EPDP headquarters Sridhar Theater building.
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