Home guard rapes Muslim woman in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 March 2008, 09:57 GMT]
Home guard working with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) forcibly entered the house of a Muslim woman in Maavadichcheanai in Oaddamaavadi area, Batticaloa district, and raped her Sunday around 10.00 p.m, Vaazhaicheanai police said. The woman has been admitted to Batticaloa Teaching Hospital.
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Jaffna University undergrad feared abducted

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 March 2008, 03:43 GMT]
A science faculty first year student of Jaffna University is missing since Thursday after going to a shop near the campus to buy provisions, Jaffna University Student Union (JUSU) said. JUSU, which fears that the student was abducted, extended an appeal for his immediate release and to restore normalcy in the campus.
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Tigers say random explosions cause rise in SLA casualties in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 March 2008, 16:59 GMT]
At least 23 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were wounded or killed in random explosions within the past week in parts of Mannaar battlefront, the Tigers said Sunday. The SLA has sustained casualties when its soldiers attempted to move around inside no-go zone and during retreats after skirmishes.
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10 injured, one SLA killed in two claymore attacks in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 March 2008, 16:42 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Police, two members of the Sri Lanka Government created Civil Defense Group, and six civilians were injured in a claymore attack that took place at Godshed junction in Vavuniyaa town Sunday evening around 4.30 p.m, electronic media said quoting police sources.
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Two pronged SLA operation thwarted in Ma'nalaa'ru - LTTE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 March 2008, 16:41 GMT]
Six SLA soldiers were killed and 11 wounded when Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) confronted Sri Lanka Army (SLA) from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Sunday offering stiff resistance to the SLA that attempted to advance beyond no-go zone via two fronts at Ma'nki'ndimalai in Ma'nalaa'ru. LTTE Operations Command in Ma'nalaa'ru said that the Tigers also seized ammunitions from the SLA.
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SLA attempt to advance from Paalaikkuzhi thwarted - LTTE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 March 2008, 15:49 GMT]
Heavy fighting erupted between the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) and the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Sunday from 5:00 a.m. till 11:20 a.m. when the SLA attempted to advance towards Iththikka'ndal from Paalaikkuzhi in Mannaar. The SLA withdrew to its positions in Paalaikkuzhi after sustaining heavy casualties. The Tigers have seized military hardware, according to the LTTE Operations Command in Mannaar.
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"Near perfect" interview that never aired

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 March 2008, 14:52 GMT]
An interview recorded by the popular 'Hard Talk' show in BBC channel-24 with Sri Lanka's Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal related to Sri Lanka’s 60th Independence Anniversary has not aired yet, media reports from Colombo said. Colombo weekly Sunday Island spurned as unbelivable reported BBC response that the tapes had been accidently erased.
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Trader shot dead, family members injured in Aalayadiveampu

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 March 2008, 14:06 GMT]
A group of more than ten unidentified armed men shot and killed a trader after assaulting him, at his house in Aalayadiveampu in Akkaraipattu police division in Ampaa’rai district, Saturday around 10:30 p.m., sources in Ampaa'rai said. Akkaraipattu Special Task Force (STF) troops video recorded his funeral and the attendees until his remains were interred, causing tension during the whole event, sources added.
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Jaffna's fishing industry in peril

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 March 2008, 10:55 GMT]
Fishing in Jaffna peninsula has suffered a near 95% plunge in the past twenty year period from 1983 due to ban and restrictions imposed on fishing by Sri Lanka Army (SLA), rendering most of the fishermen dependent on relief supplies to survive, Fishermen Society Federation sources in Jaffa said. SLA Commander Jaffna, Major General G. A. Chandrasiri, however, has ruled out lifting of fishing restrictions until security in seas surrounding the peninsula improves.
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Vavuniyaa court takes action on abduction complaints

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 March 2008, 10:19 GMT]
Vavuniyaa Magistrate M.Ilancheliyan Friday directed the Cheddiku'lam Superintendent of Police to conduct inquiry into the allegations made to him by parents of two Tamil youths who are allegedly "abducted" by soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army at Arasadikku'lam area. The abduction had taken place on February 27, according to complaints by parents to the Magistrate, media sources said.
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Jaffna port workers complain of mismanagement

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 March 2008, 00:08 GMT]
The lack of interest by government officials in the North in paying wages in time to workers involved in unloading of goods in the sea ports of Jaffna in a timely manner has resulted in frequent disruption in unloading of loads from the cargo ships, civil sources in Jaffna said.
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Suspects in attempted murder case of SLA commander remanded

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 March 2008, 16:06 GMT]
Colombo Fort Magistrate, Mr. Namal Bandara Balalle, Thursday ordered further remand till March 12, for the two suspects in the attempted murder of Commander of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Sarath Fonseka, legal sources in Colombo said.
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Sarath Fonseka to visit India seeking military cooperation - report

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 March 2008, 12:46 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Army commander, Maj. Gen. Sarath Fonseka is scheduled to pay a six-day visit to India Sunday to "deepen military cooperation between the two countries," according to a news report by the Indo Asian News Agency (IANS), Saturday. "Fonseka is sure to discuss military cooperation with India, which has become a touchy issue in bilateral relations," the IANS report said.
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SLA deserters threaten Up-Country Tamils

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 March 2008, 08:47 GMT]
A group of more than 15 armed Sinhalese persons, said to be instigated by the arrival of a dead body of a Sri Lanka Army soldier from Ma'nalaa'ru battlefront in the North, entered the 'line' houses of Up-Country Tamils at Kirimetiya watte (estate) in Yatinuwara division of Kandy district in the Central Province and heaped threats of 'collective punishment' a few days ago. Fear gripped the Tamil 'lines' following the episode as many SLA soldiers, recruited from the Yatinuwara area, are engaged in the Northern battlefront.
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Fish trader abducted in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 March 2008, 00:14 GMT]
Unidentified armed men forcibly abducted a fish trader Friday morning near ‘Bishop’s House’ in Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said. Local residents allege he was arrested by the police, but the Jaffna Police did not leave any arrest documents with the family of the victim.
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11 SLA killed in Mannaar - LTTE

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 February 2008, 17:41 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Operations Command in Mannaar said Friday that 11 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and many wounded when Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) recaptured a position at Pa'ndivirichchaan Friday morning between 5:00 and 6:30 a.m. Meanwhlie, an SLA Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) was confronted by the Tigers at Mu'l'likku'lam around 2:00 p.m. 2 Claymore mines were seized, the Tigers said.
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LTTE, SLA clash in 2 fronts in Mannaar district

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 February 2008, 15:07 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fighters fought against Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and foiled an SLA attempt to enter LTTE territory Thursday around 11:00 a.m at Mui’l’likku’lam in Mannaar district, after 45 minutes of fierce fighting, Mannaar LTTE Operation Command said.
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SLA arrests 25 Tamil youths in Ea’raavoor

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 February 2008, 13:20 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) arrested twenty five Tamil youths in Tha’lavaai coastal jungle area in Ea’ravoor police division in Batticaloa district in a cordon and search conducted Thursday evening in the area. The arrestees have been handed over to Ea’raavoor police Friday morning, sources in Ea’raavoor said.
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MP objects to SLA video-filming residents during cordon, search

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 February 2008, 16:54 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian for Ampaa'rai district K. Pathmanathan sent an appeal to Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapakse and Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse protesting against the video taping of residents by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers during cordon and search operation conducted 20 February in Aalayadiveampu area in Akkaraipattu. People were also harrassed during the interrogation and these are violations of basic human rights, the MP said in the appeal.
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Changkilian Force threatens officials to stop Jaffna census activity

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 February 2008, 15:53 GMT]
Jaffna Government Agent (GA), Regional and Divisional Secretaries and officials involved in taking census in Jaffna peninsula have received warning notices signed by Changkilian Padai (Force) asking them to stop all census taking immediately, sources in Jaffna said. The note said that the census effort was launched by the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) with hidden military motives, and warned that failure to comply will result in drastic actions.
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