Maddakka'lappu / Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 March 2009, 12:10 GMT]
The muddy lagoon / backwaters
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Japan to offer financial assistance for demining in Jaffna peninsula

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 March 2009, 15:39 GMT]
A delegation of key officials of the Japanese Embassy in Sri Lanka which visited Jaffna recently had intimated Japan’s inclination to provide financial assistance to continue the demining activities in Jaffna peninsula which has been curtailed in recent times, sources close to the Coordinating Committee for demining projects in Jaffna District Secretariat said. Areas in Changaththaanai, Madduvil and Oorkaavattu’rai have been earmarked to benefit from Japan's help in the first stage, Danish Demining Organization (DDO) sources said.
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Six-year-old girl recovered dead in Trincomalee town

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 March 2009, 12:48 GMT]
Unidentified men who abducted Wednesday a six-year-old girl from Trincomalee St. Mary’s Girls’ School and demanded 30 million rupees as ransom from her mother, later killed the girl slitting her throat Friday for not paying the demanded ransom, sources in Trincomalee said. The girl’s body was found Friday morning along Sarathaa Veethi in Trincomalee town. Saratha Road and St. Mary’s Girl’s school are both located in the High Security Zone (HSZ) area in the city where there are many police and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) sentry points, the sources added.
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Nanthikkadal

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 March 2009, 02:40 GMT]
The sea / lagoon of conches (Turbinella pyrum)
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Dengue fever claims life of 7-year-old boy in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 March 2009, 06:59 GMT]
A 7-year-old boy infected with dengue fever admitted to Batticaloa Teaching Hospital died, Hospital Director Dr. K. Murukanantham said. Hundreds of people are admitted to the hospitals in Batticaloa, Kaaththaankudi and Aarayampathi infected with dengue fever, in Batticaloa district.
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Eastern University girl student found dead

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 February 2009, 11:07 GMT]
Girl students sleeping in their hostel in Eastern University found one of their fellow girl student from Mullaiththeevu district hanging dead from a ceiling fan Thursday when they went in search of her on noticing that she did not come into the hostel after going out between 4:30 a.m and 5:00 a.m, sources in Batticaloa said. Though Nirusha’s body was found hanging from the fan there appear to be no signs of Nirusha taking her own life while her head was seen to be wrung and facing backwards, they further said. On Monday, the female hostel warden of Eastern University Women’s hostel, Marimuthu Premalatha, was found dead in her room.
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Female warden of Eastern University recovered dead

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 February 2009, 15:14 GMT]
Ea’raavoor police recovered Monday night the body of the female hostel warden in Eastern University and the Judicial Medical Officer who performed the post mortem examination of the body declared it was a case of suicide, sources in Ea’raavoor said. Relatives of the woman, however, said they suspect she had been murdered and accused the University administration for maintaining silence on this matter.
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'Koayil' controversy

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 February 2009, 23:28 GMT]
The officiating Tamil priesthood of tradition has to be helped to transcend contemporary sociopolitical norms of caste identity or hierarchy. It needs to see the real roots of its culture vested with the Tamil people and should stand on the side of the masses, upholding the cause of the oppressed. In fact, it has to take a step ahead of the government in progressiveness, writes opinion columnist Ampalam on the recent events concerning Chithamparam temple, triggered off by the controversy of reciting Tamil hymns in the Golden Hall of the temple.
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Indian High Commissioner visits Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 February 2009, 17:38 GMT]
“Indian government will extend its full support to the decisions to be taken by the Sri Lankan government on the devolution of power according to the 13th amendment of its constitution,” Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Shri Alok Prasad, said participating in a meeting Monday in Batticaloa Municipal Council hall presided by Batticaloa mayor.
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Tamil youth shot dead in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 February 2009, 11:51 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen forcibly took away a Tamil youth from his house in Ea’raavoor police division and shot him dead, Thursday around 8:30 p.m, in Batticaloa district, according to Ea’raavoor police.
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Armed men shoot Tamil youth dead in Mannaar playground

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 February 2009, 12:24 GMT]
A Tamil youth playing in a playground in Keeri in Mannaar town was shot dead by armed men arrived in a van on Thursday evening. Keeri playground is located along Mannaar-Thaazhvupaadu road. The victim was identified as Paththinathan Thavaseelan, a displaced from Naakathaazhvu in Mannaar and currently residing in Periyakaamam 100-houses scheme, according to complaints lodged with the Mannaar police.
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Tamil youth recovered dead in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 February 2009, 17:15 GMT]
Ka’luvaangchchikkudi police recovered the body of a Tamil youth with gunshot wounds Friday in Onthaachchimadam area in Batticaloa district. The youth had gone missing since 29 January after going to Erivil area with his friends from his village in Kokkaddichchoalai police division in Batticaloa district, the police said.
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SLAF personnel being trained in Tamil Nadu

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 February 2009, 18:13 GMT]
Eight pilots of the Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) are presently undergoing training at the Indian Air Force base at Thaamparam (Tambaram) near Chennai in Tamil Nadu, highly placed sources told TamilNet. News of this training spread like wildfire when the Sri Lankan Airforce personnel were taken Monday to the Chealaiyoor (Selaiyur) police-station for visa verification purposes. "People of Tamil Nadu need no further proof that this war of decimating Tamils in Sri Lanka is being undertaken at India's insistence and instructions. This confirms our fears that Indian troops have also been sent to fight there," a veteran Tamil activist told TamilNet.
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Nagesh, made generations to laugh, passes away

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 January 2009, 20:07 GMT]
Born as Gunddu Rao in a Kannada Madhva Brahmin family on 27th September 1933, C.K. Nagesh, the veteran comedian of Tamil cinema, passed away in Balaji Hospital Chennai on Saturday at the age of 76. Started acting in films since 1961 (Thaayilla Pi’l’lai), his career stretched to almost half a century, the last film being Thasaavathaaram in 2008.
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Last statement of Muthukumar

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 January 2009, 09:04 GMT]
Journalist Muthukumar distributed a 4-page statement in Tamil before his self-immolation Thursday in Tamil Nadu. TamilNet provides a translation for the English readership to grasp the significance, without taking responsibility for the accuracy of facts. "The sacrifice of young and idealistic Muthukumar is lamentable beyond words and thoughts of re-enactment should never become a necessity to anyone. It is a reminiscence of the Vietnam of 1960's when self-immolation of monks protesting brutal atrocities as a consequence of US military campaign was common. Such acts occur as a last resort of public frustration when governments suppress democratic space and don't respect overwhelming public opinion of emotional importance," said a diaspora Tamil academic.
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Abducted Muslim trader released in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 January 2009, 16:23 GMT]
The Muslim trader alleged to have been abducted by unknown Muslim armed men Sunday noon in Kaaththaankudi police division in Batticaloa district was released Monday night with his eyes bound and subjected to severe assault, Kaaththaankudi police said.
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Muslim trader abducted in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 January 2009, 09:02 GMT]
Unidentified persons abducted Sunday around 1:00 p.m a Muslim trader returning home on his motor cycle in Kaaththaankudi police division in Batticaloa district, according to a complaint lodged with Kaaththaankudi police. The abducted person is also a social worker and Kaaththaankudi Tranders’ Union has called for a shut down demanding the release of the Muslim trader.
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Ambush kills 3 Sri Lankan soldiers in Batticaloa - LTTE

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 January 2009, 04:54 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) officials in East claimed Friday that 3 Sri Lankan military personnel were killed in a Claymore ambush Thursday night around 8:50 while the group of military personnel were on a road patrol along the railway track between Vanthaa'rumooalai and Maavadiveampu.
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Muslim trader shot dead in Poththuvil

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 January 2009, 07:18 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) intelligence unit men took away a Muslim firewood trader Wednesday around 2:50 a.m from his house in Poththuvil, Ampaa’rai district and shot him killed, his relatives said.
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Elderly man recovered dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 January 2009, 13:05 GMT]
Unidentified armed men abducted Tuesday night an elderly man going from his home in Thaavadi in Jaffna to his brother’s house and dumped his body after having tortured him to death, on a road in Koa’ndaavil Arasadi area in Jaffna around 10:30 p.m. same night, during Sri Lanka Army (SLA) imposed curfew hours, sources in Jaffna said. Koappaay police recovered the victim’s body and handed it over to Jaffna Teaching Hospital mortuary.
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