Sri Lankan UAV comes down in Vanni

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 October 2005, 10:01 GMT]
An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) launched from the Joseph camp in Vavuniya for surveillance mission into the Liberation Tigers controlled area has come down in Vanni Wednesday afternoon, sources in Kilinochchi said. A UAV was seen coming down in Vignanikulam between 9th Mile and Karappukuththi, around 20 km northeast of Omanthai, according to civilian sources in Vanni. Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) sources in Colombo also confirmed that an UAV was missing.
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Rajapakse manifesto released

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 October 2005, 10:52 GMT]
Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse, presidential candidate of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) released his manifesto at an event held in the BMICH at an event held Tuesday morning in the Bandaranaike International Memorial Conference Hall (BMICH). The manifesto said that an ultimate solution to the ethnic crisis could only be reached through negotiations and not through war and that a settlement based on a unitary state is the basis to the ethnic crisis.


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New Norwegian ministers named

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 October 2005, 15:11 GMT]
The new Norwegian Prime Minister Mr. Jens Stotenberg, presented Monday the ministerial portfolios in his new "Red-Green-alliance" Government to the Norwegian King Harald V. The New Norwegian Foreign Minister is Jonas Gahr Støre, 45, the Secretary General of the Norwegian Red Cross and a close confidante of the Labour Party president and the new Prime Minister Stoltenberg. Mr. Erik Solheim, 50, the Special Envoy to Sri Lanka is the new Development Minister.
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33,000 monitors to be on duty on SL presidential poll day

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 October 2005, 06:09 GMT]
About 33 000 international and local monitors are to be deployed on the presidential election day in all parts of the Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, the Centre For Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) is holding discussion with the Department of Election to request international monitors of SAARC countries, sources said.
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SLA soldiers, gunmen clash in Valaichenai, civilians injured

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 October 2005, 17:03 GMT]
Two civilians and two Sri Lanka Army soldiers were seriously injured in Sunkankerny in Valaichenai Sunday evening. The soldiers were wounded when a group of unidentified gunmen launched an ambush on an SLA patrol returning to Kinniyadi military camp, 30 km north of Batticaloa town. The SLA soldiers, who exchanged gunfire with the ambushing gunmen for 30 minutes from 6:30 p.m., continued to fire at random for two hours, civilian sources said. Two civilians wounded in the gunfire were rushed to Valaichenai hospital and later transferred to Batticaloa Hospital in serious condition, hospital sources said.
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Wickremasinghe addresses rallies in Trinco, Kinniya

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 October 2005, 15:57 GMT]
Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, presidential candidate of the United National Party (UNP) Sunday addressed two election rallies, one in Trincomalee town and other in Kinniya in support of his candidature. Mr.Rauff Hakim, Leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) also addressed these meeting along with Mr. Wickremasinghe. Trincomalee meeting was held Sunday morning and Kinniya in the evening.
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"Tin bomb" diffused in Colombo

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 October 2005, 08:08 GMT]
A "tin bomb" was discovered and diffused by the Sri Lanka Army soldiers on Ferguson Road, Colombo-15, Sunday morning, police said. The detonator of the bomb, with a 50 meters long wire, was disconnected by the bomb squad of the Sri Lanka Army, relocated to Modera beach and exploded. The incident took place around 8:30 a.m. Sunday.


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Rajapakse rejects self-determination, slams foreign intervention

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 October 2005, 01:38 GMT]
In his much-anticipated Presidential election manifesto Mahinda Rajapakse said he would hold talks with the Liberation Tigers on “ending separatism, disarming and [their] entering the democratic process.” In his manifesto, details of which were published in the Sunday Times this week, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) candidate said he hoped that in forging a solution to the ‘crisis in the north and east’ to follow “the theme of undivided country, consensus of the majority and peace with dignity.”
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White cane day in Vanni marks symbol of independence

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 October 2005, 13:33 GMT]
A cultural festival including dance, drama, and music is scheduled to take place in Puthukkudiyiruppu Central School Hall on 19 October to celebrate the "White Cane" safety day marking the progress of visually impaired children and adults in the NorthEast. In 1963, United States Congress designated 15 October as the White Cane Saftey Day callling the people to observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
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SLA soldiers, gunmen clash in Eravur

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 October 2005, 11:31 GMT]
A group of unidentified gunmen and the Sri Lanka Army soldiers exchanged gunfire for more than fifteen minutes in Kaluwankerny, an SLA controlled village in Eravur, 20 km north of Batticaloa, civilian sources told TamilNet. Meanwhile, Eravur Police said SLA soldiers had rushed to the village when a Sri Lanka Police Jeep was confronted by the gunmen. More than 5 armed men were involved in the clash, police said. The gunmen who fled the scene left behind a T-56 rifle, police sources added.
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Monitors should adopt a pro-active role, says LTTE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 October 2005, 08:53 GMT]
In a letter addressed to the Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), Mr. Hagrup Haukland on Friday, LTTE's Political Head Mr. Thamilchelvan alluded that the Scandinavian cease fire monitors in the island should adopt a proactive role by intervening in matters that pose serious challenges to the mandate vested with the role of the SLMM. Accusing Colombo and the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) for operating with a "political agenda" to disrupt the Cease Fire Agreement and the peace process at large, the letter referred to the recent attacks on the LTTE in the east and the spate of killings of Tamil academics in Jaffna.
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SL police arrest 48 Tamil workers in Polannaruwa

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 October 2005, 10:36 GMT]
Fourty-eight Tamil persons, all rice mill workers, were arrested by Sri Lankan police in a cordon and search operation Thursday evening. Police sources said that they got a tip-off alleging that Liberation Tigers cadres have infiltrated the area. More than 500 policemen participated in the search operation. Polannaurwa police sources said that the arrested men were released Friday after registration and documentation of their identities.
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SLA Lance Corporal reported missing in Eravur

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 October 2005, 09:43 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Lance Corporal was missing from his sentry post at Kiran in Eruvur since Monday, October 10, police said. Lance Corporal S. M. Miltan, 28, was attached to Kumburumoolai SLA camp located in Valaichenai in Batticaloa district. Two Tamil civilians were arrested on Friday for inquiries, Police said.
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SLA soldier shot dead in Eravur

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 October 2005, 09:28 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier, shot and wounded when unidentified attackers fired at an SLA convoy patrolling at Santhiveli in Eravur around 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, succumbed to his gunshot injuries at Polannaruwa hospital.
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Funeral for Kopay principal held

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 October 2005, 02:53 GMT]
Funeral for the slain Principal of Kopay Christian College, Mr Sivakadadcham, was held in Kopay Thursday. Students, public and School principals, teachers paid their last respects during the funeral ceremony at his Kopay residence and when the coffin was taken to Kopay Hindu cemetary in procession for cremation, sources said. Mr Sivakadadcham was gunned down by unknown assailants in front of his house Tuesday night.
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Ian Martin meets Thamilchelvan, Heads of Police, Judiciary

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 October 2005, 00:37 GMT]
Former President of Amnesty International and Human Rights expert, Mr Ian Martin, met with Head of the LTTE Political Wing, S P Thamilchelvan, Head of Tamileelam Judiciary, Mr Pararajasingham and Head of Tamileelam Police, Mr Nadesan, separately in Kilinochchi Thursday to discuss matters related to strengthening human rights structures in the NorthEast, sources in Kilinochchi said.
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LTTE confers "Tamil National Patriot" title on Sivakadadcham

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 October 2005, 01:10 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) conferred the title "Tamil national patriot" on Mr. Nadaraja Sivakadadcham, Principal of Kopay Christian College, who was shot dead Tuesday night at his residence in Jaffna by unknown gunmen. This was revealed in a statement issued by the LTTE Jaffna district political secretariat located in LTTE held Pallai division in Jaffna district Wednesday.


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Kumbam festival held in Trinco town

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 October 2005, 00:06 GMT]
The annual Kumbam festival at the conclusion of the Navarathiri was held in Trincomalee town Wednesday evening till midnight. Kumbam festival, unique to Trincomalee, was first introduced in Trincomalee by Indian (Punjabi) troops brought by the British to construct the naval dockyard after they captured Sri Lanka (then Ceylon).
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SLA complicit in Jaffna killings, Ilamparithi tells SLMM

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 October 2005, 01:25 GMT]
Deputy Head of the Jaffna office of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), Mr Jorn and member of SLMM, Mr Matti, met with a delegation of LTTE led by its Head of Jaffna Political Wing, C Ilamparithi at the political office of the LTTE in Pallai, Monday, sources in Jaffna said. The discussions centered on the increasing number of killings in Jaffna district.
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Arrested Sri Lanka police produced in Tamileelam Court

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 October 2005, 10:58 GMT]
Three members of the Sri Lanka Police arrested for tresspassing into Liberation Tigers held area in Mannar were produced at the Kilinochchhi district Tamileelam courts Tuesday morning, sources in Kilinochchi said.
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