SLA's night offensive thwarted in Mukamaalai - LTTE

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 March 2008, 17:26 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) Northern Front Operations Command on Friday said the Tigers thwarted an SLA offensive in the early hours of Friday at Mukamaalai in the Northern front. Heavy fighting lasted from 1:00 a.m. Friday till 2:30 a.m., according to the Tigers.
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Pirapaharan confers Maamanithar title to Sivanesan

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 March 2008, 16:58 GMT]
Velupillai Pirapaharan, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) has conferred Maamanithar (Great human being) title, the highest national civilian honour by the LTTE, posthumously to K. Sivanesan, the Tamil national alliance parliamentarian who was assassinated Thursday in Vanni in Claymore attack allegedly carried out by the Sri Lanka Army Deep Penetration Unit. Honouring Mr. Sivanesan, the LTTE leader said: "Mr. Kiddinan Sivanesan is a unique individual who functioned selflessly, honestly, and with courage. He is simple, courteous and loving. He is a sincere politician who possessed high ideals. He labored tirelessly for the advancement and welfare of the workers."
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WFP to continue relief activity in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 March 2008, 16:27 GMT]
World Food Programme (WFP), which had earlier considered suspension of its food assistance projects in Jaffna peninsula due to a critical shortage of cash contributions, brought relief to peninsula residents when it announced Friday the continuance of the projects during a meeting convened by Jaffna Government Agent (GA) at Jaffna Secretariat.
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TNA condemns Sivanesan killing

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 March 2008, 14:38 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in a statement issued Friday strongly condemned the killing of its Jaffna district parliamentarian K.Sivanesan on Thursday at Maangku'lam along A9 highway. TNA has been expressing its deepest sorrow and distress over the killing of Mr. Sivanesan in a claymore explosion, the statement added. "Mr. Sivanesan worked hard for the emancipation of the Tamil people, against social injustice and for the development of co-operative movement. He won the hearts of Tamils by his unwavering stand on the freedom struggle by his deed and speech. He dedicated himself from the young age for the liberation of his people," the TNA statement said.
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STF accused of sexual abuses in Ampaarai District

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 March 2008, 14:37 GMT]
The Special Task Force Commandos of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) are illegally entering into the residences in Akkaraippattu, Aalaiyadiveambu areas in Ampaarai district during night hours, and sexually abusing female residents, affected civilians in Ampaa'rai said.
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Jaffna SLA commander calls upon LTTE cadres to surrender

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 March 2008, 04:34 GMT]
Major. Gen. G. A. Chandrasiri, the Head of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in the North in a media communiqué released Tuesday night called upon the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres operating in the peninsula to surrender themselves at the military bases in the peninsula, sources in Jaffna said.
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Shortage of tires cripple Jaffna transport services

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 March 2008, 03:43 GMT]
Transport services run by Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) in Jaffna peninsula may stall completely if the acute shortage of tires continues without timely replenishment, SLTB officials in Jaffna peninsula said wednesday. Though request for spares had been made to the relevant authorities in Colombo two months ago nothing has been done to meet the urgent requirements, they added.
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SLAF fighter jets bomb Poonakari again

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 March 2008, 03:16 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers dropped several bombs Wednesday around 9:00 a.m for the second day at a stretch on Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held areas in Poonakari after flying over Jaffna peninsula at low altitude for several hours, sources in Jaffna said. SLAF bombers struck Poonakari Tuesday in three sorties, the sources added.
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SLA hands over 3 female cadres dead bodies to Police

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 March 2008, 12:09 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army handed over three female dead bodies to the Police Tuesday evening after a fighting with the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam south of Adampan in Mannaar, Police said.
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Ambush wounds SLA soldier in Vilpattu border

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 March 2008, 09:04 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army soldier was seriously wounded in a gunfire ambush attack near the crosspoint SLA detachment in Puththa'lam district at Ilavangku'lam, bordering Vilpattu wildlife sanctuary. The ambush comes after SLA claimed it had cleared the area from LTTE operations after bringing the Chilaavatturai area into its control.
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Fall in line with US: American deadline to India

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 March 2008, 03:08 GMT]
Leading Indian opposition parties sense 'blackmailing' underneath U.S. pressure on nuclear agreements. India was recently told that failing to fall in line with the United States could jeopardise its nuclear prospects. Analysts find it significant to note that while setting a deadline to India to process the agreements, the United States has reminded India of their 'partnership' in dealing with India's neighbours in South Asia. Nicholas Burns, the U.S. Under Secretary of State named Sri Lanka and Nepal in this context, according to a PTI report on Saturday.
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Happy, but not content: Sarath Fonseka on Indian military help

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 March 2008, 17:50 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army Chief Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka, who is on a six-day official visit to India, on Tuesday admitted that both the countries enjoyed a sound military relationship according to reports in the Indian media. "Militarily we have very good relationships for long time and we hope to continue relationships that we are having right now. We are very happy with that," he told mediapersons after inspecting a Guard of Honour at the Indian Defence Ministry headquarters. "The relations between both countries are good at the political level but need to be increased at the military level," he said having met his Indian counterpart Gen. Deepak Kapoor on Tuesday afternoon.
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LTTE, SLA exchange artillery fire in Vadamaraadchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 March 2008, 17:05 GMT]
Heavy artillery and Multi-barrel rocket launcher fire duel between Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) broke out Tuesday around 7:30 p.m in areas close to the Front Defence Line (FDL) positions in Nakarkoayil in Vadamaraadchi east and lasted until 9:30 p.m.
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SLA DPU Claymore attack kills 4 in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 March 2008, 16:59 GMT]
Four persons riding in a tractor were killed Tuesday when a Sri Lanka Army Deep Penetration Unit triggered a Claymore mine targeting their tractor, according to Tamileelam Police. The explosion was reported at 9:15 a.m. between Paalampiddi and Periyamadu at Thadcha'naamaruthamadu.
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SLA in Thenmaraadchi refuses travel permits to residents

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 March 2008, 14:27 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Civil Administration Authorities in Thenmaraadchi area are refusing to issue travel permits to residents to travel out of Jaffna peninsula for urgent and essential purposes, according to complaints made to Jaffna Human Rights Commission (HRC), Tuesday.
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Trader, son seek protection with Jaffna HRC

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 March 2008, 14:10 GMT]
A trader and his 20-year-old son from Thenmaraadchi sought protection with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office Tuesday due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries. Number of people seeking HRC protection from Thenmaraadchi area has risen sharply in the recent past, HRC sources said.
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SLAF fighter jets bomb Poonakari

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 March 2008, 14:08 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers dropped several bombs Tuesday around 10:45 a.m on Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held areas in Poonakari after flying over Jaffna peninsula, sources in Jaffna said. Details of damage or casualties in the air strike are not known. In an earlier raid on 22 February on civilian settlements in Poonakari region eight civilians were killed.
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Pillayaan group begins collecting voting cards of disappeared

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 March 2008, 12:50 GMT]
Paramilitary operatives of Pillayan group have started visiting the homes in the villages in Batticaloa district and begin to collect the voting eligibility cards of those who are deceased, gone missing or left for foreign countries, residents in the area said.
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Authorities blind to sexual abuse of minors in SLA controlled Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 March 2008, 16:34 GMT]
Government officials meant to look after the interests of minors turn a blind eye to sexual abuse of young girls which has risen at an alarming rate in Jaffna peninsula in recently, civil society groups in Jaffna peninsula said. Climate of war, continuing economic restrictions, poverty, lack of employment, restriction of free movement, and calculated plans of cultural decadence witnessed especially after the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) closure of the A9 land route to Jaffna peninsula are in the background of sexual abuse of minor-aged, the sources said. A 13-year-old girl in Valikaamam gave birth to a child recently and Court has directed the newborn to be placed in the care of Child Care Centre.
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SLA cordons, searches Jaffna coastal areas

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 March 2008, 15:35 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched a large scale cordon and search operation Sunday around 5:30 a.m in areas from Kurunakar to Kozhumpuththu’rai along Jaffna lagoon shores and led thousands of young men and family men to school and church compounds for interrogation, Jaffna sources said. The men had to wait in the hot sun the whole day while SLA troops subjected them to rigorous checking and interrogation, the sources added.
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