SLA blocks SLMM officials at Oamanthai border

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 October 2007, 06:58 GMT]
Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Northern Region officials scheduled to meet Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) officials in Ki'linochchi Thursday noon were blocked from crossing the Oamanthai entry point by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) due to new instructions from Colombo, General Secretary of Liberation Tigers Peace Secretariat, S. Puleedevan, told TamilNet. By refusing entry to the SLMM, Colombo was trying to block the information flow between the SLMM and the LTTE, he charged. Meanwhile, SLMM sources said the monitors had returned after being informed of new routines that involved going through a body check, inspection of vehicles and early enlistment of travelers.
Full story >>

IFJ condemns SL defence ministry attack on Journalist Athas

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 October 2007, 14:42 GMT]
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), on Wednesday said it was concerned for the safety of Iqbal Athas, associate editor and defense correspondent for the Sunday Times in Colombo. Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence, in a web-posting, on Tuesday alleged that the recent work of Mr. Iqbal Athas, "raised doubts whether he has been assisting in the psy-ops of Liberation Tigers" and warned: "whoever attempts to reduce public support to the security forces or attempts to damage the loyalty of the soldiers towards their commanders at this moment can only be considered as those who serve the cause of the terrorists."
Full story >>

WFP welcomes food shipment to Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 October 2007, 14:32 GMT]
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed the shipment of 3,500 tons of food for Jaffna that will be distributed to the families among the most vulnerable populations in the isolated peninsula. "I am very pleased with these recent positive developments but I am concerned about our resourcing situations as we will be running out of food in November" said Jean-Yves Lequime, Acting Country Director of the World Food Programme in Colombo, adding "this is the moment to mobilize food for the vulnerable people."
Full story >>

International Chakkadaththaar

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 October 2007, 13:38 GMT]
The main reason why Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict couldn’t be resolved all these decades was that it was approached as a terrorist issue. The approach, which served the convenience and deceit of the Sinhala politicians, was endorsed by the world system, because everybody had skeletons in their cupboards. It was a general debility of international polity and political ideologies to resolve situations similar to that of Sri Lanka. As a result, the mainstream international system has led the world into an Age of Paranoia. The bigger the State, the bigger is the paranoia, writes Opinion Columnist Ampalam.
Full story >>

Tamil trader abducted in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 October 2007, 08:58 GMT]
A Tamil trader was abducted Monday night around 7:15 p.m. in Trincomalee bazaar when he was shopping with his wife. The trader has been identified as Murugiah Ashokumar, 35, a resident of Uppuveli, a suburb in the east port town.
Full story >>

U.S. ambassador visits JVP HQ

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 October 2007, 03:12 GMT]
United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka Robert O' Blake Monday held talks with Wimal Weerawanse, propaganda secretary and parliamentary group leader of the Sinhala Nationalist Communist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). The meeting was held at the JVP headquarters located at Battaramulla. Recently, the JVP delegation led by Wimal Weerawansa, during a tour to China had urged the Chinese Foreign Beureau and the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party to "resist the intentions of western powers to create an Israel in South Asia".
Full story >>

British oil firms to explore Mannar amid UK ‘worry’ over rights

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 October 2007, 13:10 GMT]
British oil companies are to carry out oil explorations in Sri Lanka, press reports quoted the country’s Development and Investment minister, Sarath Amunagama, as saying. The agreement was reached following a series of high-level discussions he held with leading oil companies during a visit to London, the LankaTribune reported. Meanwhile, describing the human rights situation in Sri Lanka as “deeply worrying”, British Development Trade and Development minister, Gareth Thomas, said his government was pressing Sri Lanka to respect human rights.
Full story >>

UNP drops federalism

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 October 2007, 11:15 GMT]
The decision by Sri Lanka’s main opposition United National Party (UNP) to ditch the federal constitutional model as a solution to the island’s protracted ethnic conflict makes it the last of the major southern parties to embrace Sinhala nationalism again. In doing so, the former ‘pro-peace’ party may finally have resolved its ethnic dilemma.
Full story >>

Naakarkoayil offensive thwarted, weapons seized - LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 October 2007, 07:24 GMT]
A ground offensive, launched by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Naakarkoayil in Northern Forward Defence Line (FDL), backed by heavy artillery and mortar fire, was withdrawn following one-hour long stiff resistance put up by the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) Sunday night at 11:30 p.m., LTTE field officials in Vanni said. Claiming that they inflicted heavy casualties on the SLA, the Tigers said they have seized weapons and ammunitions including Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) Launchers and Light Machine Guns (LMG). Three LTTE fighters were killed in action.
Full story >>

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture visits Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 October 2007, 05:21 GMT]
Mr.Manfred Nowak, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and Human Rights Abuse arrived in Colombo Sunday morning around 9 a.m. During his one-week stay till October 8 he is to hold talks with authorities concerned and victims of torture and human rights abuse, according to human rights sources in Colombo.
Full story >>

75 civilians arrested in Kotte, Gampaha

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 September 2007, 12:59 GMT]
Seventy five civilians, most of them Tamil, were taken into custody in cordon and search operations conducted by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Police at Kotte and Gampaha in Colombo district from early morning till around 10 a.m. Sunday. The detainees were staying with the relatives and working in business establishments when they were arrested, sources said.
Full story >>

UN urged to visit people enduring rights violations

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 September 2007, 16:57 GMT]
Human right officials of the United Nations who come to Sri Lanka should visit detention camps located in Boosa and other areas, and also should meet people affected by human right violations instead of meeting Colombo government officials only, stressed several Sri Lanka human rights activists addressing a media conference held at Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in Colombo.
Full story >>

12 Tamils arrested in Gampaha

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 September 2007, 02:55 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police took 12 Tamil civilians into custody in Gampaha town in Colombo district Wednesday in a cordon and search operation. Police said the detainees were taken in for questioning as they failed to prove their identity and the reason for their stay in the location.
Full story >>

New Sinhala colony in Raalku'li, villagers complain

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 September 2007, 11:07 GMT]
Resettled Tamil families in Raalku'li, a traditional Tamil village in Moothoor division in Trincomalee district, expressed fear that the Sri Lanka government is attempting to settle Sinhala families in their village. The fear follows the laying foundation stone for about 138 houses under a resettlement project in the village with the funding of a Buddhist Organization located in Colombo.
Full story >>

AG directed to expedite inquiry in PTA, ER cases

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 September 2007, 03:16 GMT]
Chief Justice of Sri Lanka Supreme Court, Mr.Sarath N.Silva, Tuesday directed the Attorney General (AG) to expedite inquiries on Tamil suspects detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and Emergency Regulations (ER), and to release them immediately if there is no evidence against them. Mr. Silva made this order during the inquiry into the Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions filed by seven Tamil suspects currently being detained in Boosa detention camp, legal sources said.
Full story >>

Out of town residents in Homagama ordered to register

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 September 2007, 19:00 GMT]
Sri Lanka Police has issued warnings to residents of Homagama, a town in the Colombo district in western province Tuesday not to allow outsiders to stay in their houses even temporarily without registering with the closest police station, sources in Colombo said. Security officials said that about 2000 persons from outside Homagama have been temporarily staying in Homagama town and surrounding areas.
Full story >>

SLA suffer heavy casualties in Northern Front - LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 September 2007, 12:49 GMT]
Heavy fighting ensued between a unit of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and the fighters of Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) Monday morning when the SLA unit attempted to move towards LTTE Forward Defence Line in Ki'laali in the Northern Front Monday morning around 5:00 a.m. Liberation Tigers said they inflicted heavy losses to the Sri Lanka Army and four of their fighters were killed in action. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan military officials in Colombo claimed only one soldier was killed in action.
Full story >>

Barmy Army to Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 September 2007, 08:49 GMT]
The British High Commissioner, speaking at the Ceylon Hotel School Graduates Association in Habarana, on Saturday, praised the tourism potentiality of Sri Lanka and the "smiling faces" of Sri Lankan people. He was hopeful of England's touring fans, the Barmy Army to Sri Lanka on the eve of England's cricket tour. Meanwhile, a Sri Lankan academic in the field of cultural tourism told TamilNet that western tourists, ever crazy about novelty, chose Sri Lanka as a destination in recent times to get the thrill of being in a war zone.
Full story >>

Court releases Hindu priest, trustee charged under PTA

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 September 2007, 04:02 GMT]
The Colombo Chief Magistrate Thursday ordered the release of Brammasri Sivaramalinga Kurukal Manohara Kurukal, chief priest of Kayts Muthumaariamman Temple and a trustee, Mr. Nadarajah Sivarajah, on a report of the Attorney General that there was no evidence to implicate both under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
Full story >>

“Avoid unitary, avoid states” - United States ambassador

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 September 2007, 16:10 GMT]
Addressing a seminar on "Sri Lanka: the Way Forward," in Colombo on Friday, organized by Fullbright Association, the U.S. Ambassador for Sri Lanka, Robert Blake, categorically stated that Sri Lanka's conflict cannot be won by military means. He said whatever the Sri Lankan government achieved in terms of military victories in the last several months, were merely "tactical" successes. The Ambassador who didn't want to mince words, cautioned the Colombo government against possible failures, hoped on All Party Representative Committee (APRC) and harped on development especially in the East, but dodged words when it came to the political model for resolving Sri Lanka's ethnic crisis.
Full story >>