12 Tamils arrested in Gampaha

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 September 2007, 02:55 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police took 12 Tamil civilians into custody in Gampaha town in Colombo district Wednesday in a cordon and search operation. Police said the detainees were taken in for questioning as they failed to prove their identity and the reason for their stay in the location.
Full story >>

Jaffna doctors protest reduction in intern appointments

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 September 2007, 00:10 GMT]
The Medical Officers Association of Jaffna Teaching Hospital (JTH) announced Wednesday that doctors will stage a token protest Friday against the Sri Lanka Health Ministry for turning down request for more medical interns. The Health Ministry slashed the number of 31 interns to 19.
Full story >>

Catholic priest on humanitarian mission killed in DPU Claymore attack

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 September 2007, 12:12 GMT]
Rev. Fr. Nicholaspillai Packiyaranjith, 40, the Mannaar district coordinator of Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) was killed when Sri Lanka Army Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) attackers launched a Claymore attack on his Hiace vehicle, at Kalvi'laan on Maangku'lam - Ve'l'laangku'lam road, Wednesday evening, Tamileelam Police officials in Mallaavi said. Fr. Ranjth was bringing baby milk and essential humanitarian supplies for displaced children in his vehicle, JRS sources in Mannaar said.
Full story >>

Tigers bury decomposed body of SLA soldier

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 September 2007, 11:14 GMT]
A highly decomposed body of Sri Lanka Army soldier, with Sri Lankan national identity card number 832963291V and SLA soldier number S317369, was buried with military honors by the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) in Mannaar on Wednesday. LTTE's Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan told media that the body was recovered in a clearing mission after thwarting a SLA ground operation Monday in Ku'risuddaku'lam area. In the meantime, a new operation was launched by the SLA Wednesday morning in Mu'l'likku'lam.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka rejects rights critics as neocolonialists

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 September 2007, 10:50 GMT]
Under fire for mounting rights abuses by its military, Sri Lanka Tuesday attacked critics, including the EU, as neocolonialists. In a strongly worded statement, Dayan Jayatilleka, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the UN, said there was no "moral asymmetry" between Sri Lanka and the critics. "There is far too much naming and shaming going on and its flowing only in one direction," he said. "We did not spawn fascism on our soil. We did not have concentration camps, and we did not set out to conquer the world. We are only trying to defend and re-unify our country [...] We do not need lectures from those who did."
Full story >>

5 in Thenmaraadchi seek HRC protection

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 September 2007, 00:44 GMT]
Five civilians , including three youths between 20 and 22 years of age, in Thenmaraadchi sought protection with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna due to death threats from the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and SLA-backed paramilitaries, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

2 killed, one injured in SLA shooting in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 September 2007, 12:32 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers opened indiscriminate firing following a Claymore attack Tuesday around 9:00 a.m on its road patrol unit at Chiththangkea'ni in Jaffna, killing a civilian woman, a youth and seriously injuring another youth, sources in Jaffna said. Two SLA troops were injured in the Claymore attack.
Full story >>

SLAF bombs Pooneryn

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 September 2007, 08:23 GMT]
Two Kfir bombers of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) on Tuesday carried out two bombing strikes on Pooneryn (Poonakari) division situated along the northwestern coast of Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled Vanni mainland. Civilian settlements were the targets, initial reports said. First attack took place betweeen 12:15 and 12:40 p.m., and the second attack lasted till 1:20 p.m., according to initial reports.
Full story >>

7 seek protection with HRC, 2 youths missing in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 September 2007, 00:17 GMT]
Six civilians from Thenmaraadchi and one from Vadamaraadchi, all between the ages of 24 to 56, sought protection with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office on Monday due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and SLA-backed paramilitaries, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Tamil sovereignty, basis of peace talks - LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 September 2007, 17:37 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE), in a statement issued Monday, urged the UN General Assembly which has gathered for its 62nd session in New York, USA, to recognize the concept of the sovereignty of the Tamil people and support the peace process in accordance with this principle. The LTTE statement characterized the confidence of some members of the International Community on Sri Lanka's latest All Party Representative Committee (APRC) which has not brought any constructive outcome to date, as a misplaced confidence.
Full story >>

Mannaar offensive thwarted after 9 hour fight - LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 September 2007, 16:24 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army army launched a ground offensive Monday morning at 5:30 towards Liberation Tigers controlled Adaikkalaimoaddai in Kaddukkaraikku'lam Tank area. After 9 hours stiff fighting, the SLA troops were pushed back to their positions suffering heavy causality, military spokesperson of Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE), Irasaiah Ilanthiraiyan said. The Tigers have lost 6 fighters in the clash.
Full story >>

SLA suffer heavy casualties in Northern Front - LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 September 2007, 12:49 GMT]
Heavy fighting ensued between a unit of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and the fighters of Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) Monday morning when the SLA unit attempted to move towards LTTE Forward Defence Line in Ki'laali in the Northern Front Monday morning around 5:00 a.m. Liberation Tigers said they inflicted heavy losses to the Sri Lanka Army and four of their fighters were killed in action. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan military officials in Colombo claimed only one soldier was killed in action.
Full story >>

Jaffna officials explore setting up of Vigilant Committees

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 September 2007, 10:50 GMT]
Jaffna Government Agent (GA), Jaffna Magistrates, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Jaffna Commander, Major. Gen. G. A. Chandrasiri, Northern Region Police Commissioner, S. Siriwardne, Jaffna Police Superintendent and several key officials met Monday morning at Thellippa'lai police station in Jaffna and discussed setting up Vigilant Committees as a preventive measure to curb the death threats, intimidation and extortion rampant in Jaffna peninsula alleged to be carried out by Tamil paramilitaries backed by the SLA, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

One SLA trooper killed, 6 injured in Ki'laali clashes

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 September 2007, 10:46 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) beat back an early morning a joint infiltration operation by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) into LTTE held area at Ki'laali FDL positions in Thenmaraadchi Monday, sources in Thenmaraadchi said. SLA reports said that one SLA soldier was killed and six injured. But the casualty and injury figures are estimated to be higher, sources added.
Full story >>

Barmy Army to Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 September 2007, 08:49 GMT]
The British High Commissioner, speaking at the Ceylon Hotel School Graduates Association in Habarana, on Saturday, praised the tourism potentiality of Sri Lanka and the "smiling faces" of Sri Lankan people. He was hopeful of England's touring fans, the Barmy Army to Sri Lanka on the eve of England's cricket tour. Meanwhile, a Sri Lankan academic in the field of cultural tourism told TamilNet that western tourists, ever crazy about novelty, chose Sri Lanka as a destination in recent times to get the thrill of being in a war zone.
Full story >>

Artillery duel in Mannaar, hospitals on red alert

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 September 2007, 07:10 GMT]
Heavy artillery streaked from Sri Lanka Army (SLA) controlled Mannaar into Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled Maanthai West Monday morning, following a SLA ground operation in Mannaar Vavuniyaa border Sunday evening. The artillery barrage by SLA began to shake the city at 5:30 a.m. The SLA has notified the two hospitals, Mannaar general hospital and Murungkan district hospital, to be put on high alert. Telephone links to LTTE controlled Maanthai West have been cut off.
Full story >>

Nearly 1000 students participate in Jaffna peace rally

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 September 2007, 20:30 GMT]
More than one thousand students from schools throughout Jaffna peninsula gathered at Jaffna Central College Sunday morning to take part in a rally urging all parties to earnestly participate in the peace process. The meeting organized jointly by more than 18 Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the peninsula, under the patronage of an organization named Childrens’ Friendship Association, commenced at 9:00 a.m., and lasted more than two hours.
Full story >>

2 civilians shot dead inside Point-Pedro HSZ

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 September 2007, 18:08 GMT]
An eatery owner and a Saiva priest were shot dead by unknown gunmen inside the High Security Zone (HSZ) in Point Pedro early morning Sunday, sources in Point Pedro said. The killlings took place within 10 minutes of each other in an area with heavy Sri Lanka Army (SLA) presence have shocked the local residents, civil society sources said.
Full story >>

SLA shelling injures civilian in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 September 2007, 16:56 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops fired artillery shells Saturday from 7:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. on civilian settlements including Ka'n'naaddi and Adampan areas in Mannaar district, seriously injuring a family man on his back and legs.
Full story >>

Students protest SLAF bombings near Vanni schools

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 September 2007, 12:16 GMT]
Students, parents, teachers, and principals in Puthukkuddiyiruppu in Mullaiththeevu district, protested Friday against the continuing Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombing on areas close to schools in Vanni. They marched to the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) office in Puthukkuddiyiruppu and handed an appeal, requesting ICRC to intervene to stop the indiscriminate bombings by the SLAF, sources in Vanni said.
Full story >>