UNOPS suspends post tsunami school reconstruction projects in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 December 2007, 18:35 GMT]
The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) suspended its construction works in two schools in Vaveddiththu'rai (VVT) in Vadamaraadchi that were affected by Tsunami, due to the prevailing unstable condition in Jaffna peninsula besides encountering difficulties in procuring construction materials for its school building projects, education officials in Vadamaraadchi said. The latest suspension of Tsunami projects in VVT comes as many International NGOs and local agencies, which had engaged in Tusnami relief and rehabilitation projects in the peninsula, had already stopped their work due to the abnormal atmosphere prevailing in the Sri Lanka Army controlled Jaffna.
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TamilNadu leaders urge Indian PM not to visit Sri Lanka on independence Day

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 December 2007, 18:03 GMT]
Several Tamilnadu leaders, including K. Veeramani, President, Dravidar Kazhagam; Thol.Thirumavalavan, President, Viduthalaich Chi'ruththaika'l Kadchi; Suba. Veerapandiyan of Dravidar Iyakka Thamizhar Pearavai and Era. Janardhanan, President, Ulakath Thamizhar Pearavai took part in a demonstration opposite Chennai's Memorial Hall Monday to protest the Indian Prime Minister's proposed participation in Sri Lankan Independence Day celebrations in February 2008.
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Mahinda Rajapaksa has won the confidence of India- Gotabhaya

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 December 2007, 15:19 GMT]
Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the Sri Lankan defence secretary and the brother of SL President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in an exclusive interview to state owned Sunday Observer, claimed that the relationship between Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is in an all-time high, and has reached the same level of trusted relationship that marked Srima-Shastri period. While, Rajapaksa, in 2006, demerged the NorthEast Province, breaching the Indo-Lanka accord, Gotabhaya has recently posted the U.S. trained Director of Military Intelligence as the Eastern Commander, expressing confidence that Colombo would be successful in holding elections in the East.
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Mano Ganeshan to leave Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 December 2007, 14:14 GMT]
Mano Ganeshan, the leader of Western People's Front(WPF) and Colombo district parliamentarian speaking to media said that he has decided to leave Sri lanka due to security reasons. Mr.Ganeshan said that the decision to go abroad was due to the recent withdrawal by Government of Sri Lanka (GOSl) the 10 security personnel and the security back up vehicle provided to him.
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TamilNadu leaders protest against Indian PM's participation in SL Independence Day

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 December 2007, 17:37 GMT]
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's reported intention to participate as the Chief Guest in the Sri Lankan Government's Independence Day Celebrations on February 4, 2008 has sparked large-scale dissent from political leaders in Tamilnadu. K. Veeramani, President of the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK), on Friday announced his organization's decision to demonstrate against the proposed visit and called upon the Tamilnadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi to intervene in this regard. Meanwhile, Thol.Thirumavalavan, President, Viduthalaich Chi'ruththaika'l Kadchi and Suba. Veerapandiyan of Dravidar Iyakka Thamizhar Pearavai have pledged their organizational support and participation to the demonstration.
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Jaffna passengers question safety of air travel

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 December 2007, 01:50 GMT]
Increasing number of technical problems that have plagued air crafts belonging to the local air lines that fly between Jaffna and Colombo, has raised concern among Jaffna travellers about the safety of their flights, sources in Jaffna said. Jaffna residents and few foreigners patronizing Expo Air and Aero Lanka have expressed fears of ageing unsafe air crafts that are over-used without adequate maintenance.
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U.K. group urges protection for Sri Lanka's rights defenders

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 December 2007, 19:49 GMT]
A U.K-based Rights Group, Tamil Information Center (TIC), in a report released this week expressed serious concern "over the plight of human rights defenders in Sri Lanka, who are facing persecution and threats to life from [Sri Lanka] government authorities," and said the situation requires "urgent intervention by the International Community." The report urged the "Government of Sri Lanka to bring to an end a cycle of cumulative disregard for human rights in general and for abuses against human rights defenders in particular and to accept the offer of the international community to establish a human rights monitoring mechanism."
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Court releases 60 Tamils detained in Boosa

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 December 2007, 16:40 GMT]
The Colombo Chief Magistrate Friday released sixty Tamil civilians detained at Boosa detention camp in the south of the island following a report by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Sri Lanka Police that there was no evidence against them to charge for any crime connected with terrorist activities, legal sources in Colombo said.
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Minister's hooliganism reflects breakdown of law in Sri Lanka- FMM

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 December 2007, 21:36 GMT]
Free Media Movement (FMM), the Colombo-based media watchdog, in a press release issued Thursday condemned Sri Lanka Cabinet Minister, Mervyn Silva's "wanton act of violence" against Sri Lanka Rupavahini News Director, Mr. T.M.G. Chandrasekara, and said the "unprecedented attack against a journalist in Sri Lanka by a politician of the ruling party is deeply indicative of the desultory attitude of the government towards media freedom," and noted that when "such hooliganism is allowed to persist in general, clearly demonstrates the significant breakdown of law and order in Sri Lanka."
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Media workers attack Sri Lankan minister Mervyn Silva

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 December 2007, 07:50 GMT]
Mervyn Silva, the Sri Lankan Minister of Labour and a thug leader in the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapkasa's government, was held captive and attacked by media workers Thursday. He was surrounded when he reportedly went amok against a news editor, T.M.G Chandrasekara, of the state owned Rupawahini cooperation, for "failing to broadcast" a video footage of his appearance in a meeting in Matara on Wednesday. Mr. Mervyn Silva, beaten by the media workers, was later freed by the Police security out of the Rupawahini premises located in the high security Bauddhaloka Mawatha after a mediation attempt by non-cabinet minister of media, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, failed.
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Karuna group office in Aalayadiveampu destroyed in bomb blast

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 December 2007, 19:16 GMT]
Unidentified armed men burst into a recently abandoned camp of Karuna group located on Chaakaamam road, Aalayadiveampu in Akkaraippattu police division in Ampaa'rai district Wednesday early morning at 3:30 a.m, and blasted the building by detonators after destroying the contents. The armed men fled from the scene after leveling the building, Police said.
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Black Sea Tigers sink SLN Dvora attack craft in the seas off Delft island

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 December 2007, 08:07 GMT]
At least ten Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) sailors were killed, including a commanding officer, when a SLN vessel was sunk by Sea Tigers, the Liberation Tigers naval wing Wednesday at 12:45 p.m. in the seas off Delft (Neduntheevu) island in Jaffna, informed sources in Colombo said. Meanwhile, according to LTTE claims, a Dvora Fast Attack (FAC) craft was sunk and two more Dvora FACs sustained damage and retreated to Kaankeasanthu'rai (KKS) port, one of them damaged beyond repair. The clash that began at 11:00 a.m. lasted till 1:50 p.m. Four Black Sea Tigers were killed in action, according to LTTE Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan.
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Sri Lankan military detains French TV crew

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 December 2007, 13:31 GMT]
Two French journalists, Capucine Henri and cameraman C. Siomon of France 24 news channel, were detained by the Sri Lankan police Christmas night for video-taping a Tamil family while being questioned by the Sri Lankan military at a road block near Boosa detention camp in Rathgama in Galle district. Expressing serious concern on the conduct of the Sri Lankan security establishment, the Free Media Movement (FMM), a Colombo based media watchdog, Tuesday said videoing a road block was not a national security issue. The FMM urged the police authorities to expedite the investigation and release the journalists in detention without further delay.
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Tamil girl abducted in Ka'n'niyaa, Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 December 2007, 16:00 GMT]
Unidentified armed persons came in a vehicle had abducted an eighteen year old Tamil girl while she was staying with her relatives at Ka'n'niyaa, a Tamil village located in Uppuve'li police division, Sunday night according to a complaint lodged with the Uppuve'li police.
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Protecting Rights defenders, a challenge to Diplomatic missions- Ganesan

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 December 2007, 15:01 GMT]
In an appeal addressed to all Diplomatic Missions in Colombo, Mano Ganesan, Leader of Western People’s Front and Convener of Civil Monitoring Commission, said Friday, that it is a challenge Western Democratic Governments which have expressed "human rights as the most core issue" in Sri Lanka, to urgently move to protect defenders of human rights and humanitarian workers. Ganesan recently charged that Colombo, by withdrawing his security personnel, is creating a climate for getting him assassinated.
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Crisis looms as milk food prices soar in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 December 2007, 09:29 GMT]
A serious humanitarian crisis is developinging in Jaffna due to the acute shortage of infant milk food, and the resulting doubling of prices in black market. The high prices have made the essential commodity out of reach to many mothers with infants, consumer groups in Jaffna reported. The groups urged Government authorities to take urgent action to rectify the situation and protect the welfare of peninsula infants, especially those under 3 years of age.
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Passport fiasco

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 December 2007, 11:58 GMT]
While the Sri Lankan High Commissioner for U.K., Ms. Kshenuka Senewiratne, toils hard to extricate the Government of Sri Lanka from the diplomatic bungle it made in issuing a diplomatic passport under false name to fugitive Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna, Rights organizations accused Karuna of "war crimes," and urged British Government to try him in Britain. Meanwhile, informed sources in Colombo said Canadian Embassy had earlier rejected visa application for "Karuna," before British Embassy was misled by Colombo to issue a visa under the name of "Dushmantha Gunawardene, Director General, Wild Life Conservation."
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U.N. mission imperative to curb rights violations in Sri Lanka- HRW

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 December 2007, 21:17 GMT]
Human Rights Watch (HRW) officials currently touring the U.S. lobbying for a U.N. mission to monitor human rights violations in Sri Lanka, told the Chicago Public Radio that their current focus is on the "shocking" disappearances and killing in Sri Lanka where the Sri Lanka Government has done "shamefully little" to investigate the cases. They added that Democratic Institutions that would otherwise be capable of highlighting human right abuses, infringements to freedom of speech, and erosion in independence of judiciary in Sri Lanka, have collapsed under an ineffective Parliament.
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Raviraj murder inquiry fixed for January 2

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 December 2007, 19:24 GMT]
The Colombo Additional Magistrate Sujatha Alahakoon Friday fixed the inquiry into the murder of Nadarajah Raviraj, Jaffna district parliamentarian, for January 2, legal sources in Colombo said. Mr.Raviraj was killed on November 10, 2006 at Naharenpitya in Colombo. The police took two suspects, Nalaka Mathan Veera and Anura Shantha, into custody on suspicion.
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17 SLA killed, 54 wounded, two-pronged SL operation thwarted in Mannaar - LTTE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 December 2007, 16:33 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) on Saturday thwarted a two-pronged Sri Lanka Army (SLA) movement towards Uyilangku'lam in Mannaar, Tiger officials at Mannaar Operations Command told media in Ki'linochchi. Backed with heavy artillery and Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher fire, the SLA troops attempted to enter LTTE controlled area on two fronts, but were defeated after 12 hours of stiff resistance in which 17 SLA troopers were killed and 54 wounded. 3 LTTE fighters were killed in action, according to the Tigers.
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