Tigers probe eastern police stations

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A series of attacks were mounted by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the towns of Batticaloa, Kalmunai and Akkaripattu in the Batticaloa and Amparai districts last night, said sources in Batticaloa.
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A long year on the road

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Exactly one year ago, the Sri Lankan military began the largest military campaign in its history. Preceded by a massive artillery and aerial bombardment, over 20,000 Sri Lankan troops, led by elite Special Forces, broke out of their fortifications at Vavuniya and Manal Aru and pushed into the LTTE-controlled Vanni. The Sri Lankan government had much riding on the outcome of the operation, optimistically code-named 'Jaya Sikirui' ('Victory Assured' in Sinhala).
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Civilians caught in SLA fire

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A girl was killed and at least two others injured when the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired at random, immediately after a claymore mine blast killed five members of the Peoples' Liberation Organisation Tamil Eelam's (PLOTE), including Das, its local military commander in the Vauniya District, said sources.
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Till the other side cracks

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan military's widespread and indiscriminate use of artillery and air power is arguably the major cause of civilian casualties in the ongoing conflict in Sri Lanka. In the past few years, the Sri Lankan military has repeatedly up-gunned its forces with ever larger caliber field guns, with more numerous aircraft that are capable of carrying heavier payloads and more heavily armed naval craft.
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UN official calls for end to war

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The number of children who are being affected by the war in Sri Lanka is on the increase and all those who are concerned with the welfare of the children must come together and stop this, said visiting UN Special Representative on Children in Armed Conflict, Mr. Olara Otunnu, while speaking at a meeting held at Vavuniya Town Council hall, yesterday.
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UN official on talks with LTTE

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A press statement issued today, Olara Otunnu, UN Special Representative on Children and Armed Conflict, following his visit to the Vanni said that the Liberation Tigers had assured him that they do not recruit anyone under the age of 17 and they do not deploy anyone under the age of 18 in combat now.
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Police demand better security

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A conference was held at the Kalmunai police station today, to seek ways whereby security at the police stations and posts in the Kalmunai area could be strengthened, said sources in Batticaloa.
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Army uses civilians as human shields - MP

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Joseph Parajasingham MP (Tamil United Liberation Front, Batticaloa District) has written to Sri Lanka President Chandrika Kumaratunga requesting her to bring to a halt the practice of subjecting youths to hard labour under inhuman conditions by Sri Lankan Army (SLA).
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Lone gunman panics police force

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Two contradictory stories emerged today of a man who went berserk at the Kalmunai police station this evening, shooting three policemen dead and wounding seven others, before he was killed, said sources in Batticaloa.
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Grenade blast kills 1, wounds 14

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Four SLA soldiers were injured in a grenade explosion in the Kodikamam Market this morning around 10.30 a.m. An old man identified as Krishnar Velayutham, 71 was killed and 10 other people were injured in the attack, said sources in Jaffna.
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May Day celebrated in Mannar, Pooneryn

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The May Day procession at Madhu, in the largely LTTE held Manner District, began at Thatchanamaruthamadukulam, 3 km from Madhu and proceeded to the playing fields nearby, where the LTTE's Madhu political leader unfurled the LTTE flag and addressed the gathering, said the Voice of Tigers, (VoT) in its broadcast tonight.
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No detainees held in Mannar - SLA

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lankan Military and Police officers informed Mannar magistrate today that no detainees are being held in the four detention camps in Mannar, in the north-western part of the island, said a court official today.
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May Day procession in Mullaitivu

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
May Day celebrations in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held area of Mullaitivu will begin 3:30 p.m. on May 1 with a procession which will commence at the Amban Kovil and proceed to Mullivalai Viththiyananda school in Mullaitivu, said the Voice of Tigers (VoT) broadcast in its night transmission.
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SLA operation in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) operation codenamed "Tiger Hunt" which was launched yesterday in the eastern Trincomalee resumed today around 10 a.m. said SLA sources in Trincomalee.
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SLA commander speaks at music function

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The SLA's Jaffna Town Commander Brig. Susantha Mendis called on the Tigers to join the path to peace last night at a music show at the Duraiappa stadium in the northern town. The musical show where 'Sithara', a band flown in from Colombo played to a crowd of 25000 until 1 a.m. in the small hours of the morning today was organised by the Jaffna SLA.
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Search operation, 1 killed in East

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Fifty five civilians were arrested in a cordon and search operation in Akkaraipattu market in the Amparai district today. All were taken to the Amparai police station for further interrogation, said sources in Amparai.
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Closed hospital awaits opening

[TamilNet, Sunday, 26 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Siththa-Ayurveda Hospital (Siththa-Ayurvda is a system of indigenous medicine popular among the Tamils) at Mamunai 36 km north-east of Jaffna in an LTTE controlled area, has not been reopened after it was closed when the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) occupied the Jaffna peninsula, said sources in Jaffna.
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Eastern colonisation ongoing- UNP

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A massive illegal colonisation of Sinhalese sponsored by the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party is taking place in the Trincomalee district said UNP sources in the eastern port town today.
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SLA deserters abscond again

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Two soldiers from a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp in Vavuniya who hijacked a three wheeler taxi on April 22 at Pattaanichoodu, 10 km west of Vavuniya, were arrested by the Neeriyakulam police at Neeriyakulam on the Chettikulam- Madwachchi road, while trying to escape, said sources in Vavuniya.
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Civilian seriously injured

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Adakkan Velayutham (57), a resident of Kalkudah, 32 km north of Batticaloa, lost his right eye and ear from Sri Lanka Army gunfire, while he was sleeping at home last night, said sources in Valaichenai. Hearing the firing he had awoken and found that he was bleeding.
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