JVP launches new front to defeat LTTE, stop foreign intervention

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 September 2006, 09:34 GMT]
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Sinhala national Marxist political party Wednesday launched a new organization "Joint Front to Protect the Nation" (JFPN) to defeat the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and to work for the abrogation of the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) signed with the LTTE in the year 2002
Full story >>

"White Van Squad" abducts two Tamils in Chilaw

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 September 2006, 05:43 GMT]
Unidentified armed men came in a "White Van" abducted two Tamil civilians on Tuesday night around 11:10 p.m. in Ward No.6 area opposite Udappu Tamil Vidiyalayam, according to a complaint made by the abductees' relatives with the Munthal police.
Full story >>

Colombo's refusal to open A9, serious Humanitarian violation - Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 September 2006, 12:23 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Political Head S.P. Thamilchelvan Wednesday held discussions with the Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Major General Lars Johan Sølvberg, urging the Head of Mission to clarify the stand of Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) after the refusal by Sri Lanka Army in allowing the truce monitors access the Muhamalai area. Mr. Thamilchelvan questioned the HoM on the cooperation extended by GoSL in restoring normalcy in re-opening the land route and relieve the humanitarian sufferings of 500,000 civilians entrapped in economic embargo and GoSL refusal to open the Jaffna Kandy A9 route. Also other access routes to LTTE controlled areas in the East remain blocked.
Full story >>

Chandrakanthan sworn in as TNA national list parliamentarian

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 September 2006, 11:51 GMT]
C.Chandrakanthan, son of slain former parliamentarian Ariyanayakam Chandra Nehru, was sworn in as national list parliamentarian of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) before the Speaker W.J.M.Lokkubandara soon after Sri Lanka's parliament resumed sitting Wednesday morning, parliamentary sources in Colombo said. The Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchchi (ITAK) has nominated Mr.Chandrakanthan to fill the vacancy created by the assassination of Joseph Pararajasingham.
Full story >>

Vessel leaves Trinco with Jaffna bound civilians

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 September 2006, 09:22 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy charted "Jetliner" vessel Tuesday morning left Ashraff Jetty in Trincomalee harbour for Kankesanturai port in northern peninsula with about 948 Jaffna bound civilians who had been stranded in Vavuniya, gateway of A9 land route.
Full story >>

USAID to reassess programs in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 September 2006, 08:40 GMT]
Newly arrived Mission Director of the U.S. Agency for International Development Rebecca W. Cohn has said that the USAID is reassessing all its existing programs in Sri Lanka to determine the most appropriate direction for U.S. foreign assistance in the coming years, in light of the renewed conflict. "It’s important to work in a participatory way and involve the people we are assisting in the decisions regarding the projects we undertake," she was quoted as saying by the US Embassy in Sri Lanka, in a press release issued in Colombo Tuesday.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka Navy, Sea Tigers clash off Pulmoddai

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 September 2006, 07:50 GMT]
Heavy fighting was reported in the seas off Pulmoddai, 41 km southeast of Mullaithivu, Sunday night. Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) claimed that the sea battle was fierce, lasted for five hours, and the SLN had inflicted heavy casualties to the Sea Tiger fleet.
Full story >>

SLN arrests 4 Mannar boat operators

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 September 2006, 16:18 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) arrested and handed over the Delft police four Mannar boat operators for bringing 52 civilians from Mannar to Delft island illegally by boat, police sources said. The four fishermen were produced Sunday before Kayts Magistrate Mr R.T. Wignarajah who directed the police to place the fishermen in remand until 5th October, legal sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Jaffna terrorized, held hostage by fear- TNA

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 September 2006, 18:22 GMT]
150,000 school children, 7,000 University students and 3,000 Technical College students remain unable to attend schools, campuses for more than 40 days in the Jaffna peninsula where the residents are "terrorized and held hostage by fear," said Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian of Jaffna District, N. Raviraj, at a press conference held in Renuka Hotel Colombo at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. TNA MPs from five districts addressed the press.
Full story >>

Anuradhapura Magistrate to hold Muthur massacre inquiry in Kantalai

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 September 2006, 11:51 GMT]
The magisterial inquiry into the 16 Tamil and a Muslim aid workers' massacre is to commence from October 4 in the Kantalai Magistrate' Court. Sri Lanka's Judicial Services Commission (JSC) has appointed Anuradhapura Magistrate Wasantha Jinadasa to conduct the inquiry, legal sources said. Earlier, on August 08, a Sinhalese Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) was brought from Anuradhapura to conduct the post-mortem examinations on the the orders of the Sri Lankan authorities. Later, Colombo transfered the NGO massacre investigation to Anuradhapura. Now the JSC has chosen to conduct the investigations at Kantalai courts. However, Anuradhapura magistrate is to hold the investigations.
Full story >>

Elections to 42 local bodies in NE postponed

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 September 2006, 11:48 GMT]
The elections to forty two local bodies in the NorthEast fixed for September 30 this year have been put off for June next year due to the unsettled situation in the province, Department of Elections in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Jaffna food stock enough to last only four weeks - GA

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 September 2006, 10:48 GMT]
Government Agent (GA) in Jaffna, K. Ganesh, on Friday denied the reports from Colombo that the food stock for 3 months had reached Jaffna. Clarifying that 5,100 metric tonnes of supplies were needed for a month in Jaffna, Mr. K. Ganesh said Jaffna had recently received 6,399 metric tonnes in three cargo ships, and the remaining supplies were barely adequate for another 4 weeks.
Full story >>

Tigers respond positively for Co-Chairs' call for talks

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 September 2006, 09:32 GMT]
Liberation Tigers officials at the LTTE's Peace Secretariat in Kilinochchi Friday said that the Tigers had responded positively for the International Community's call for talks in Oslo to Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar, in a meeting Friday where LTTE's Political Head S. P. Thamilchelvan discussed the ground situation and the recent statement from the Co-Chairs, who represent the donor community to Sri Lanka.
Full story >>

Tamil woman shot dead in Valaichchenai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 September 2006, 21:14 GMT]
A Tamil women was shot dead by unidentified men at Pillayar Kovil Junction in Peththalai, about 32 km. north of Batticaloa, around 4:30 p.m., Thursday.
Full story >>

Norway grants 27 milliion rupees to Muslim Peace Secretariat

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 September 2006, 15:42 GMT]
The Norwegian Government has granted 27 million rupees to fund the Peace Secretariat for Muslims in Sri Lanka for the next year, appreciating the Peace Secretariat’s committment to facilitate dialogue and build consensus among Muslim political parties and interest groups, in order to develop a co-ordinated positition for Muslims as input to the peace efforts in Sri Lanka, according to a press release issued Thursday by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Colombo.
Full story >>

Clashes erupt at Nagarkovil, SLAF bombs Palai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 September 2006, 09:12 GMT]
Artillery attacks from Sri Lanka Army (SLA) positions towards Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Forward Defence Line in Vadamaradchi East intensified Thursday noon after exchange of mortar and gunfire in Nagarkovil. Earlier, around 10:0 a.m., Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir bombers dropped at least 9 bombs in Pachchilaippalli village in Pallai in Thenmaradchi, destroying at least five civilian houses. Meanwhile, informed military circles in Colombo said some SLA coastal sentries near Nagarkovil camp were destroyed by the Sea Tigers in the fighting that ensued.
Full story >>

More civilians brave Mannar seas to reach Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 September 2006, 07:19 GMT]
A group of 33 civilians of the many stranded people in Vavuniya by the shutting of A9 road to Jaffna, reached the Jaffna islet of Delft in three hired boats from Thalai Mannar Wednesday evening, Police sources in Kayts said. A group of 13 civilians arrived at Delft earlier in the week in a hired boat from Thalai Mannar risking their lives on the seas. More than 3500 civilians from Jaffna are stranded in Vavuniya and elsewhere following the closure of the A9 Road to Jaffna.
Full story >>

Police deny SLMM access to sole survivor – paper

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 September 2006, 06:37 GMT]
A day after Sri Lankan police claimed the lone survivor of a massacre of 10 Muslim youths had blamed the Liberation Tigers for the attack, press reports Thursday said international truce monitors have been refused access to the man – because his throat was damaged and he was incapable of speaking for two weeks. Meanwhile the government’s Defence Spokesman, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, rejected calls for independent investigations and, according to The Island newspaper, said those organizing hartals (general shutdowns) against the massacre are “supporting the LTTE.”
Full story >>

Massacre survivor dies, Amparai shuts down

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 September 2006, 03:46 GMT]
Muslim community leaders were summoned in Pottuvil Tuesday morning as the only survivor and the eyewitness to the massacre was reported dead Monday night. The eyewitness, M. Meeramohideen, 55, was blocked by the Sri Lankan armed forces at a checkpost and redirected elsewhere "on orders from Colombo," from being transferred to Kalmunai Ashraf Memorial Hospital for treatment by Muslim doctors, the community leaders charged. Meanwhile, Tamil speaking people in Amparai district were observing a shut down protest over the massacre where 10 Muslim youths were butchered to death Monday early morning.
Full story >>

Rajapakse wants protests postponed, Tamil doctor abducted in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 September 2006, 01:49 GMT]
A protest shut-down, scheduled to be held Tuesday against the recent abductions of Tamil civilians and businessmen in Colombo, organised by representatives from seven political parties, was called off Monday following Rajapakse government's "requests", during the weekend, urging the organisors to postpone the shut-down, informed political circles in Colomb said. Meanwhile, a Tamil medical doctor and owner of three medical businesses in Colombo, was allegedly abducted in his car in Maradana in Colombo Monday.
Full story >>