Morning fire guts SLMM's Mannar residence

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 September 2005, 23:05 GMT]
An electric short circuit was blamed for an early morning fire Thursday that gutted the luxury house located along Field Road in Mannar town rented by members of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), sources in Mannar said. The short circuit was traced to an air conditioning unit in the basement of the house. Three members of the SLMM who were asleep escaped unhurt, Mannar police said.
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Jaffna gets ready for sixth Tamil Resurgence Convention

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 September 2005, 15:00 GMT]
All roads in Jaffna district will lead to University Grounds Friday September 30 where the Tamil Resurgence Convention, is to be held. This is sixth in the series of such conferences held in recent months, first Vavuniya, second in Batticaloa, next in Killinochchi, fourth in Mullaitivu and fifth held at Mannar Wednesday.
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SLA's failure to honor agreement, leaves thousands stranded

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 September 2005, 01:43 GMT]
About five thousand Tamil people who came from LTTE controlled areas through Uyilankulam checkpoint to attend Tamil Resurgence Convention Wednesday were stranded in Mannar town when the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) failed to honor the agreement to reopen the checkpoint from 8 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. Wednesday, civil society sources said. During talks held earlier at Thallady main camp SLA agreed to Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians' request to keep the checkpoint open through extended hours.
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Heavy SLA presence in Mannar on Resurgence Day

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 September 2005, 09:38 GMT]
Citizens of Mannar woke Wednesday morning to witness a heavy SL army presence in the town and in the vicinity of the Tamil Resurgence Convention venue where deliberations were scheduled to commence at 4.30 p.m. Large number of heavy vehicles including armoured cars were seen patrolling the area.
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SLA extends checkpoint hours to assist Convention attendees

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 September 2005, 00:32 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) authorities in Thallady main camp in Mannar district Monday agreed to extend Uyilankulam checkpoint opening time by more than 2 hours on September 30 for the people from LTTE controlled area to enter Mannar town through Uyilankulam to attend Tamil Resurgence Convention. The SLA agreed to the request when Vanni district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians Mr.Sivanathan Kishore, Mr. Noharathalingam and Mr.Sivasakthi Anandan Monday morning met with Colonel Kariyakarawanse and sought assistance, sources said. The SLA also agreed not to deploy soldiers in the vicinity of the convention.
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Aid fiasco in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 September 2005, 14:53 GMT]
A sweeping investigation into the Sri Lankan government’s use of international tsunami-related aid has found widespread misappropriation of funds and bureaucratic incompetence, an interim report released this week says.
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Jaffna gets new High Court Judge

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 September 2005, 17:41 GMT]
Mr.S.Thiagendran, Trincomalee District Judge has been promoted High Court Judge. He is to assume duties as High Court Judge of Jaffna with effect from September 26, filling the vacancy created following the retirement of Mr.K.P.S.Varatharajah from judicial service.
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SLA removes Mannar road blocks

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 September 2005, 16:06 GMT]
Three checkpoints and road blocks established by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in the heart of Mannar town were removed Tuesday by soldiers of SLA following protests by the Mannar Citizens' Committee (MCC) to Brigadier S.M.D.Rajapakse. MCC delegation led by Rev.Fr Emliyanuspillai met with Brigadier Monday afternoon and expressed their concern for making Mannar a garrisoned city, civil sources said.


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Mannar rape victim disappears before court hearing

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 September 2005, 17:16 GMT]
Mr.M.Remedius, human rights lawyer said Monday that Ms Ehambaram Wijakala, one of the two women complainants in the Mannar rape incident is reported to be missing and the other victim Ms Sinnathamby Sivamani has received threats that she will be killed if she gives evidence in Anuradhapura High Court where the case is listed for hearing on Wednesday September 21, legal sources said.


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Mannar has become a garrisoned city, says Citizens Committee

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 September 2005, 05:13 GMT]
Mannar Citizens' Committee (MCC) Friday complained to Mr.V.Visvalingam, Government Agent of the district that Mannar town has become a garrisoned city with the deployment of several hundred additional government troops and establishment of new checkpoints and sentries. Civilians are harassed by troops during checking at roadblocks, MCC further said.
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Sri Lanka reduces age of consent to 13 – report

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 September 2005, 15:54 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s cabinet has decided to reduce the age of consent for sexual encounters to 13 years, Justice Minister John Senevirathne announced Friday. He told the BBC’s Sinhala service the move to reduce it from 16 is a consequence of rising numbers of arrests of men for sexual relations with girls below that age.
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NorthEast graduate trainees suspend protest campaign

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 September 2005, 02:42 GMT]
Graduate trainees holding demonstrations in front of education offices in Jaffna, Mannar, Vavuniya, Batticaloa and Trincomalee since Monday demanding permanent appointments Thursday evening decided to call off their protest from Friday following an assurance by Mr.R.Thiakalingam, Secretary North East Provincial Education Ministry, that he would attend to their grievances urgently, sources said.
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SLA searches TNA MP's Mannar residence

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 September 2005, 00:17 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers from Mannar camp encircled Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP Mr Vino Noharathalingam's residence at 5.15pm Thursday before entering the house, and searched all rooms in the house for suspicious material, the MP said in registering his complaint to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM).
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IOM inaugurates de-worming campaign in Mannar district

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 September 2005, 05:08 GMT]
About 30000 children in government and LTTE controlled areas in Mannar district Wednesday received a single dose of medication, which will protect them from worms for up to a year. The inaugural event of the campaign launched by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in this regard was held Wednesday at Mannar Al-Askar Maha Vidiyalayam with Mr.V.Visvalingam, Mannar Government Agent in the chair.
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Election Commissioner holds talks with heads of armed forces, Police

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 September 2005, 16:58 GMT]
Mr.Dayananda Dissanayake, Commissioner General of Elections Monday morning held discussions with the heads of three armed forces, Sri Lanka Army (SLA), Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) regarding the security to be provided during the forthcoming presidential election which is expected to be held during the second week of November this year, Deputy Commissioner of Elections Mr.W.Siriwardene said.
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Mannar town, suburbs under strict SLA surveillance

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 September 2005, 17:51 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Sri Lanka Police instituted strict surveillance of Mannar district by establishing several roadblocks and sentry points in several key roads and junctions. Residents of Mannar town were perturbed Saturday morning when they were subjected to severe body checks passing through newly set up roadblocks and checkpoints, residents said.


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Mannar civil groups meet SLMM

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 September 2005, 17:05 GMT]
Civil groups in Mannar district Friday appealed to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) to take immediate steps to bring back all withdrawn LTTE political cadres to the government controlled areas and provide necessary assistance enabling them to recommence their political activities.
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Mannar court releases refugees, orders remand for two youths

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 September 2005, 18:39 GMT]
Thirteen persons rescued by the Sri Lanka Navy when Indian boatmen left them on a sandbank in Mannar Sea were produced in Mannar Magistrates' Court by Talaimannar Police Wednesday. Talaimannar Police submitted report to court stating that of the thirteen persons, eleven are genuine refugees and the rest two youths were not, legal sources said.
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Mannar pilgrim reported missing

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 September 2005, 10:12 GMT]
Mr.Velu Appusamy, 67, a trader by profession is reported missing since August 17 this year. He left Mannar on that date on pilgrimage to historic Kathirgamam Murugan Temple, which is located in the down south of Sri Lanka. Mr.Velu Appusamy is a native of Nilankanulam, Vattakandal in Mannar district, according to a complaint lodged by his son Mr.Sellasamy Muttu (30) with the Mannar Citizen Committee.


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Relief eludes family, struck twice by tragedy

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 September 2005, 11:26 GMT]
Vijeyaratnam Balendrarasa (47), a fisherman from Thondamannar, a coastal village located 20km northeast of Jaffna town, only wanted to work hard and stand on his own. He borrowed, invested in a boat and nets, and hoped his son would continue to prosper in his trade. Balendrarasa was slowly coming to terms with death of his eldest daughter killed by a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) shell in 1996, when tragedy struck again. On December 26, the tsunami consumed his son, Balendran (17), and a 46-year relative of his, the only two in Thondamannar to die that day.
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