Sri Lanka borrows heavily from Iran, UK, and ADB

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 November 2007, 03:24 GMT]
Sri Lanka this week borrowed $1.5 billion from Iran reportedly to fund infrastructure projects, including an expansion of the island's only oil refinery, press reports said Wednesday. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is this week providing $65 million “to improve secondary and tertiary education” and on November 16th Colombo borrowed 50 million pounds ($104 million) from the British government “to reconstruct 222 bridges and build two fly-overs around Colombo.” The loans mark the latest in a flurry of fund raising by Sri Lanka including $500 million in 5-year sovereign bonds that Sri Lanka sold in October this year.
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SLAF bombs Jeyanthinagar civilian settlements

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 November 2007, 01:15 GMT]
Three Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir fast attack aircrafts carried out indiscriminate aerial bombardment Wednesday afternoon from 12.25p.m for twenty minutes targeting civilian settlements near Jeyanthinagar, a suburb of Ki’linochchi, sources said.
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South African Tamils commemorate Heroes Day

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 November 2007, 18:49 GMT]
South African Tamils on Tuesday commemorated Tamileelam Heroes Day, paying homage to 19,887 war heroes and listening to Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) leader Velupillai Pirapaharan's speech at the Arudpaa Kazhakam in Durban. Pazha Nedumaran, the veteran Tamil National Movement leader from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, addressing the community leaders, religious dignitaries and supporters of Tamil struggle, called on the Global Tamil Community, to rally behind the Tamil cause for the "dawn of Tamileelam as a free state" and Dasarath Chetty, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kwazulu Natal, a South African Tamil of Indian origin, discussed the viability of Tamileelam.
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Youth shot dead in Vadamaraadchchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 November 2007, 16:55 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen on a motor cycle coming out from the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp in Valveddiththu'rai shot and killed a youth Monday around 10:30 a.m as he was returning home with his sister after being interrogated at the SLA camp, his sister said in her statement. The youth had gone to the SLA camp being summoned by the SLA troops for interrogation after having confiscated his National Identity Card (NIC) in the cordon and search operation held Monday in Kommaantha'rai in Vadamaraadchchi.
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Propping up genocidal Sinhala State counterproductive, International Community should change approach - Pirapaharan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 November 2007, 12:33 GMT]
The leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), V Pirapaharan, in his annual Heroes' Day statement placed a heavy responsibility on the shoulders of the international community for the breakdown of the peace process. He said that the involvement of the international community to resolve the Tamil national question has been unhelpful and added that their failure to condemn unambiguously the military path of the current regime has created the present situation in the island. He asserted that the propping up of the genocidal Sinhala State by the international community through economic aid, military aid and subtle diplomatic efforts will be counterproductive.
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SLAF bombs VoT radio station in Vanni, 11 killed, 15 wounded

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 November 2007, 11:56 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir bombers Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. attacked the Voice of Tigers (VoT) broadcast station located at 155 Mile Post, 3.5 km south of Ki'linochchi. Three editorial staff workers at the station and eight civilians, residents and travelers near the station were killed in the attack. 15 civilians, including four editorial staff, wounded in the attack were admitted to Ki'linochchi hospital. A hostel belonging to World Food Programme (WFP) was fully destroyed. The Vanni office of FORUT and a library of Ki'linochchi Pradeshiya Sabah were damaged in the airstrike. A bomb hit the A9 Road. 17 civilian houses in the vicinity were attacked, 8 houses have sustained heavy damage.
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Tamils mark 25-years of Tiger sacrifice

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 November 2007, 10:11 GMT]
November 27 Heroes Day remembrance events were being held in Vanni since Sunday amid air attacks and Deep Penetration Unit attacks that have been stepped up by the Sri Lankan forces. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has deployed soldiers close to the Heroes cemeteries in SLA controlled areas of NorthEast, including the cemeteries that have been desecrated by the Sri Lankan forces in Batticaloa, Ampaa'rai and Trincomalee. From 27 November 1982, when the first LTTE fighter Lt. Sankar died, until 20 November 2007, a total of 19,877 fighters are declared war heroes by the Tamileelam Heroes Secretariat.
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DPU attack claims lives of 7 school girls, 11 killed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 November 2007, 09:47 GMT]
Seven school girls, riding in a Hiace van engaged in rural first aid service, were killed on the spot at Iyangkea'ni on Kokkaavil - Thu'nukkaay Road in Vanni Tuesday at 11:30 a.m, in a Claymore attack carried out by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Deep Penetration Unit (DPU). The driver of the van and three male volunteers were also killed in the attack, according to Tamileelam Police in Ki'linochchi.
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SLA shoots dead youth in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 November 2007, 17:56 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops shot and killed a youth going home along Amman Veethi in Nalloor, Jaffna Monday and took away his body in their vehicle, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and SLA in Mukamaalai and Nakarkoayil Northern Front Defence Lines (FDL), exchanged artillery fire from Monday 4:00 a.m till evening, the sources added.
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Rajapakse visits Iran for bilateral talks

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 November 2007, 14:29 GMT]
Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported Monday that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad officially welcomed his Sri Lankan counterpart, Mahinda Rajapakse, at the Presidential Office. Earlier IRNA quoting Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mohammad-Ali Hosseini, said that Mr Rajapakse will be "heading a high-ranking political-economic delegation."
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SLAF bombs civilian settlements in Vanni

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 November 2007, 13:54 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers have attacked two densely populated areas in Puthukkudiyiruppu and Ki'linochchi in Vanni on Monday. 13 houses have sustained damages in five rounds of air attacks. The first attack was reported in Puthukkudiyiruppu, 150 meters from the town junction, between 5:00 and 5:20 p.m. 7 houses have sustained heavy damage. No civilian casualties were reported. The second attack was reported between 5:30 and 5:50 p.m. in Jeyanthinakar, a suburb of Ki'linochchi town, where six houses were damaged. An 18-year-old youth was wounded in Jeyanthinakar.
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4 Sinhala civilian settlers shot dead near Vilpattu

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 November 2007, 09:26 GMT]
Four Sinhala paddy cultivators, including a female, were shot dead Monday morning around 8:45 in Maha Vilachiya DS division, northwest of Wilpattu wildlife sanctuary, Police said. Maha Vilachiya, situated northwest of Anuradhapura district is bordering the southern part of Mannaar, the Chilavattu'rai area which the SLA brought under its control two months ago. The division also borders the southern part of Vavuniyaa district.
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Youth shot dead in Koappaay, SLA imposes fishing restriction in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 November 2007, 01:28 GMT]
Two unidentified men riding a motor bicycle shot dead a youth riding in a motorbike opposite Heroes Resting place, Koappaay, in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) controlled Jaffna Sunday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. as preparations were being made in heroes resting places in Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled areas to remember war dead heroes.
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DPU intruder killed, weapons seized - LTTE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 November 2007, 19:07 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier was killed and the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) have recovered his dead body after confronting an SLA Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) that infiltrated into LTTE territory in Kaddaiyadampan in Mannar, LTTE military officials in Mannaar told media. Two T-56 assault rifles were also seized by the Tigers.
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Slain Jaffna University Security officer identified

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 November 2007, 14:00 GMT]
The security officer of Jaffna University shot dead Friday night, has been identified as Kanthavanam Ketheesan, 24, a resident of Yaakarai, Karaveddi in Vadamaraadchi, university sources said.
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2 DPU attacks claim 2 civilian lives, ambulance targeted again in Vanni

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 November 2007, 09:37 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) attackers, in two separate Claymore attacks on Sunday targeted civilians in Oddisuddaan, 22 km southwest of Mullaiththeevu town and Mudkompan, 20 km northwest of Ki'linochchi town in Poonakari (Pooneryn) division Sunday, Tamileelam Police officials said. The Claymore attack in Oddisuddaan claimed the lives two, a student and a business man, around 7:55 a.m. and another attack at Mudkompan targeted an ambulance around 9:50 a.m. The two DPU Claymore attacks during Heroes Day remembrance days in Vanni come two months after a similar attack that claimed the life of Rev. Fr. Nicholaspillai Packiyaranjith who was on a humanitarian mission.
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4 civilians killed, 6 wounded in SLAF bombardment

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 November 2007, 04:51 GMT]
A father and mother with their daughter and a teenage girl were killed, their son and his wife were seriously wounded with four other civilians, Sunday morning, when Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked a civilian settlement twice, between 7:15 and 7:40 a.m., at Tharmapuram 8th Unit, located in Ki'linochchi district. A 4-years-old girl, a teacher and a retired postmaster were among the wounded. The airstrike, using bombs that explode underground, comes as November 27 Heroes Day remembrance events were being observed in Vanni. The explosions have created 6 to 10 meter depth craters.
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SLA soldier loses leg in Naakarkoayil clash - LTTE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 November 2007, 18:20 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) Northern Front Operations Command Saturday said an attempt by a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) unit to advance towards their Forward Defence Line (FDL) positions in Naakarkoayil Friday morning was thwarted before the SLA unit managed to approach the FDL. An SLA soldier lost his leg in the clash. Four Claymore mines were among the military items recovered by the Tigers in the clearing mission inside the no-man zone.
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Magistrate directs police to consider arrest of soldier suspects in Thavasikku'lam killings

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 November 2007, 15:51 GMT]
Vavuniyaa magistrate M. Ilancheliyan Friday directed the police to consider arresting Sri Lanka Army soldiers who were on duty at Veappangku'lam SLA detachment on November 03 between 6:00 and 6:30 p.m. Five young Tamil males who were allegedly arrested by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) that day were found shot dead the following morning at Thavasikku'lam. The parents of the slain youths have told the magistrate that there were many witnesses who saw their sons being arrested and taken by SLA troops. The magistrate has earlier directed that the assault rifles of 49 soldiers, including that of the commander of the detachment, be sent to government analyst department for examination.
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SLAF bombing victim in Mu'rika'ndi succumbs to injuries

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 November 2007, 12:24 GMT]
The 32-year old woman, seriously injured during bombing by Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir fighter jets targeting a civilian settlement in Mu'rika'ndi located close to Ki'linochchi on 16 November morning, succumbed to her injuries Thursday evening, sources in Kilinochchi said. Doctors could not save her seriously injured legs, and the legs were amputated earlier.
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