"Non-violent struggle will not work," says student leader

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 April 2006, 11:31 GMT]
"Annai Poopathy, reverently remembered today at the eighteenth anniversary of her fasting to death for the liberation of the Tamils, shines like a beacon to all of us, as dark clouds of war gather fast in our skies," said Vijayaroopan, president Jaffna University Student Union (JUSU), Wednesday at the memorial day observance held in the Jaffna University. He was one of several speakers at the Annai Poopathy memorial day observed in the districts of the NorthEast.


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Blast injures 2 SLN sailors in Mannar

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 April 2006, 07:08 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Navy personnel were wounded in a blast at Vankalaipadu on the A-14 main road, around 11 a.m., Wednesday. The sailors were travelling in a bowzer, initital reports from Mannar said.
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4 SLA troopers killed in Claymore attack in Vavuniya, 11 wounded

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 April 2006, 04:24 GMT]
Four Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and 10 wounded when a Claymore mine fixed to a three-wheeler parked along the Vavuniya-Mannar road at Veppankulam, 2.6 km nortwest of Vavuniya targetted an SLA vehicle, police sources in Vavuniya said. A civilian was also wounded in the attack that took place around 8:50 a.m., Monday. The soldiers at the site opened fire for more than 10 minutes and the road remained blocked for all traffic, civilian sources said.
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Mannar curfew lifted after three hours

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 April 2006, 16:20 GMT]
The curfew imposed in Mannar with effect from 5 p.m. Sunday evening till morning Monday was lifted after three hours around 8 p.m. the same day. The curfew was imposed to detect claymore mines brought by militants into the town, Mannar Police said.
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Mannar comes under dusk to dawn curfew

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 April 2006, 10:55 GMT]
Mannar town has been brought under twelve-hour police curfew with effect from 5 p.m. Sunday evening too 5 a.m.Monday. Mannar Police through public address system informed the people of Mannar Sunday afternoon around 4 p.m., residents said.
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LTTE cadre, civilian killed in Claymore attack in Mannar

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 April 2006, 09:47 GMT]
An LTTE cadre and a civilian were killed when the motocycle in which they were riding was hit by a claymore blast on Palampitty road, in Thatchanamaruthamadu in LTTE controlled area, around 1.30 p.m., Saturday, LTTE sources in Mannar said.
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Nine Tamil scholars to receive NE Governor's Award

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 April 2006, 03:36 GMT]
The list of names of nine recipients for the North East Governor's Award for the Year 2005 was released Wednesday by the Provincial Secretary for the Provincial Education and Cultural Affairs Ministry Mr.R.Thiagalingam. The recipients who are reputed Tamil scholars will be presented with awards on the second day of two-day Twelfth North East Tamil Literary Festival, which is to commence on April 20th at Mannar Town Hall, sources said.
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Mannar NGO workers campaign for TRO staffers' release

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 April 2006, 11:58 GMT]
Activists of non-governmental organizations in Mannar district held a protest march in Mannar town Monday morning demanding the release of the seven abducted workers of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) at Welikanda on 30th January 2006. The Consortium of Non-Governmental Organizations in Mannar District organized the event, sources said.


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Mannar mourns death of Vigneswaran

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 April 2006, 15:00 GMT]
A weeklong mourning for the slain Trincomalee Tamil activist Mr.V.Vigneswaran who was shot dead Friday in Trincomalee town commenced Saturday in Mannar district in response to an appeal by the District Tamil Resurgence Movement, sources said.
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Explosion injures 4 SLN personnel in Mannar

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 April 2006, 17:18 GMT]
Four Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) personnel were injured in an explosion while they were burning refuse collected in the Mannar navy camp, around around 5.30 p.m., Friday, sources in Mannar said.
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LTTE area farmers to receive marketing help

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 April 2006, 00:06 GMT]
Mr.V.Visuvalingam, Mannar Government Agent said he will soon be providing marketing facilities to farmers in the Liberation Tigers held areas to sell their agricultural produce in Government-controlled territory in Mannar district. Currently farmers in LTTE held divisions of Madhu and Manthai West in Mannar district struggle to market their produce for decent competitive prices and face financial difficulties, sources said.
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Navy officer arrested for assaulting Mannar police constable

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 April 2006, 14:53 GMT]
Mannar Police Monday afternoon arrested Second Lieutenant Dissanayake of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) on a complaint made by Mr.Upali, a Reserve Police Constable (RPC) that the navy officer, under the influence of liquor, had assaulted him Sunday night, Mannar Police sources said.
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Ten agricultural tanks to be restored in Mannar

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 April 2006, 11:45 GMT]
Under the 10,000 Tanks Restoration Project of the Government of Sri Lanka, the Irrigation Ministry has allocated eight million rupees for the reconstruction of only 10 agricultural tanks, sources in Mannar said.Mannar district secretariat has been appealing for assistance in restoring twenty tanks but the appeal was not successful, sources added.
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Australia provides Rs.128m for demining projects

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 April 2006, 10:48 GMT]
Announcing that Australian Government will provide AUS$1.7m for demining efforts in Sri Lanka, the Australian High Commissioner said in a press release issued Monday, "Clearing mines is a key factor in assisting the resettlement of people displaced during the conflict. As I have witnessed in Mannar, clearing mines opens schools for children, enables rural communities to access their fields and earn a living, and provides safe land for resettlement. It also demonstrates the concrete benefits that are flowing to ordinary people in the conflict-affected areas through maintaining the cease-fire."
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Fisheries: A NorthEast industry in turmoil

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 April 2006, 00:44 GMT]
Fishing ban along a significant portion of 349 km long Northern district coasts, displacement of fisher families, harassment of fishermen by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) along shores and by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) in shallow and deep sea have plunged the fishing industry in NorthEast in turmoil. Fisher families live in perpetual uncertainty even while struggling to meet ends meet on a daily basis. Unfulfilled assistance of help promised by successive Sri Lanka Governments have helped prolong the suffering of these families, Vadamaradchy Fisheries Consortium spokesperson said.
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Mobile service to assist NorthEast farmers

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 April 2006, 17:19 GMT]
Mobile service organized by the NorthEast Provincial Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock Development, Lands, Irrigation and Fisheries in all eight districts of the province is to be inaugurated at Pampaimadu in the Vavuniya Divisional Secretariat on Monday, April 3rd. The service will identify problems faced by the farmers and to provide immediate solutions, said Provincial Ministry Secretary Mr.A.R.M.Mahrouf in a press release issued Saturday.
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ITAK wins Trincomalee UC, PS, Thirukkovil PS, Alaiyadivembu PS

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 March 2006, 20:24 GMT]
Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kadchchi (ITAK), the Tamil National Alliance party contesting in the local authorities elections, has won all the 9 seats in Thirukkovil and Alaiadivembu Pradeshiya Sabahs and won Karaithivu with 4 seats in Amparai district. The ITAK also won after a long time, both the Trincomalee Urban Council with 10 seats, and Trincomalee Town & Gravets PS with 6 seats. UPFA got 2 seats and UNP 1 seat in Trinco Town & Gravets PS. In the local elections results released at 2 p.m. Friday, the ruling UPFA alliance has won 116 PSs, 7 Municipal Councils (MCs) and 12 Urban Councils (UCs). The JVP has captured only Tissamaharagama, and JHU has only secured a few seats.
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Polling commences for 266 local councils in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 March 2006, 05:16 GMT]
Polling in about 8829 centers to elect 3624 members to 266 local government authorities comprising 12 municipal councils (MC), 34 urban councils (UC) and 220 pradesiya sabahs (PS) countrywide began Thursday morning at 7 a.m. A total 11,037,763 voters are eligible to cast their franchise to elect their members from about 25,523 candidates fielded by political parties and independent groups.
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Sri Lankans go to local polls Thursday

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 March 2006, 20:42 GMT]
Sri Lankans will elect 4442 members for the 330 local councils in the elections to be held Thursday. In Trincomalee elections are being held after a lapse of 12 years, and in six NorthEast districts- Jaffna, Killinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar, Vavuniya and Batticaloa the elections have been postponed for six months.
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SL Military Intelligence collects information on trawlers in Mannar

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 March 2006, 13:09 GMT]
Intelligence units of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Sri Lanka Police (SLP) have asked the Fisheries Ministry authorities to provide a report on the number of fishing trawlers and the capacity of such trawlers owned by fishermen in Pallimunai, Erukalampiddy and Pesalai in the Mannar district, fisheries sources said.
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