Nurses demand investigation into killing of fellow nurse in Veala’nai

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 July 2010, 15:04 GMT]
More than a hundred family consultant nurses employed in Jaffna peninsula participating in the funeral procession of fellow nurse alleged killed by a Sinhala doctor in Veal’ani government hospital in the islets of Jaffna Saturday staged a protest demonstration at Kaithadi junction Monday for an hour demanding immediate inquiry into the killing of Tharsika, a native of Charava'ani, who was found hung with a rope inside the hospital. The Judicial Medical Officer’s report rules out suicide in the above case and the family consultant nurses have decided to abstain from duties from 7:00 a.m. Tuesday until their demand is met.
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Sinhala doctor alleged of killing Tamil nurse in Jaffna transferred to safety

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 July 2010, 14:55 GMT]
The Sinhala doctor alleged of killing a Tamil female nurse in Veala’nai government hospital in the island off Jaffna Saturday morning has been suddenly transferred to a hospital in Changkaanai in Jaffna peninsula. Meanwhile, Oorkaavattu’rai police said that they found evidence indicating that the nurse had been killed. The doctor had been taken to Changkaanai escorted by Sri Lanka Army. Meanwhile, Veala’nai residents who had protested against the killing said that they will continue their protest.
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Tension prevails in Veala’nai following alleged killing of nurse

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 July 2010, 09:09 GMT]
More than a hundred residents of Veala’nai in the islets of Jaffna attempted to attack a Sinhalese doctor in Veala’nai government hospital Saturday morning on finding a local young woman nurse dead, hung inside the hospital, sources in Vela’nai said. Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) soldiers occupying the islets of Jaffna rushed to the scene and took away the Sinhalese doctor to their base, the sources said. The enraged residents allege that the Sinhalese doctor had killed the nurse and then hung her with a rope in an attempt to show that she had committed suicide.
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Explosions heard from SLN base in the islets of Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 June 2010, 07:21 GMT]
People in Jaffna peninsula were startled to hear intermittent explosions Saturday evening from the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) Kaarainakar base in the islets of Jaffna for nearly half an hour, sources in Jaffna said. Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) helicopters were seen circling above the SLN base and unconfirmed sources said that a joint military exercise was the cause of the deafening explosions. Fishermen engaged in fishing in Kaarainakar sea had hastened to the shore on hearing the blasts.
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‘Jim Brown Memorial School’ for children opened in the islets of Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 June 2010, 17:54 GMT]
The parents of Rev. Fr. Jim Brown who had disappeared without trace in August 2006 after being taken away by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) paramilitary men in Allaippiddi in the islets of Jaffna, recently opened the ‘Jim Brown Memorial School’ built in the premises of St. Peter’s Church in Ma’ndaitheevu, sources in Jaffna said. The school was built by the HUDEC – Caritas Jaffna in remembrance of Rev. Fr. Jim Brown, the parish priest of Ma’ndaitheevu St. Peters Church, who had strived to save the remaining residents of Allaippiddi massacred by Sri Lanka Armed forces in August 2006.
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Defence Ministry objects to resettlement in Wards 3, 5 in Allaippiddi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 June 2010, 18:06 GMT]
The civilians of Wards 3 and 5 in Allaippiddi in the islets of Jaffna who were uprooted in August 2006 when clashes erupted between Liberation Tigers and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) had sought refuge in Jaffna town. Thursday, for the second time, they were permitted to see their houses and properties occupied by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) claiming the area as High Security Zone (HSZ) and the SLN officials there had informed them that resettlement in the said HSZ is not immediately possible, sources in Jaffna said. The officials had told them that Sri Lanka Ministry of Defence objects to resettlement in their lands.
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Jaffna District Union for persons disappeared after arrest meets after 8 years

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 June 2010, 17:25 GMT]
The Jaffna District Union for persons disappeared after being arrested by Sri Lanka Armed Forces which met in Jaffna town Monday after eight years extended an appeal to all political parties to forget their differences and cooperate with dedication to trace the youths and young women disappeared after arrest by the armed forces, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, there were many participants in the meeting who said that Minister Douglas Devnananda had told them that their children are under detention by Army Intelligence Division, during his campaigns in the last parliamentary election meeting.
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Journalist Roopan remembered in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 June 2010, 20:54 GMT]
Media associations in Jaffna peninsula held an event Saturday in remembrance of Selvaratnam Roopan, sub-editor of ‘Yaazh Thinakrual’ Tamil daily, also known as ’Sakthi Thasan’ who passed away due to illness in Jaffna Teaching Hospital 25 April, in Jaffna Multi Purpose Society Hall. General Manager of Yaazh Thinakural, A. S. Nadarajan presided at the event attended by Professor. V. P. Sivananthan, Dr. M. Jamunanantha and many media persons of Jaffna peninsula. 32-year-old Roopan had been in the forefront in rescuing thousands of people caught in the clashes in Ma’ndaitheevu in the islets of Jaffna in 2006 and in admitting the injured among them in the hospitals in Jaffna.
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Corpse washed ashore in the islets of Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 June 2010, 17:36 GMT]
Oorkaavattu'rai police informed by Sri Lanka Navy recovered Wednesday a corpose in highly decomposed state washed ashore at Pungkudutheevu, Ward 2 beach, sources in Jaffna said.
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Family man beaten to death in the islets of Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 May 2010, 17:14 GMT]
Pungkudutheevu police recovered Friday evening a male body with assault injuries near Thengka’n Thidal Pi’l’laiyaar Koayil in Pungkudutheevu in the islets of Jaffna and handed it over to Jaffna Teaching Hospital mortuary Saturday morning, sources in Jaffna said. The victim had gone from Vanni to visit his relatives in Pungkudutheevu and was last seen waiting at Aaladi junction to travel back to Jaffna.
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Naaka-naadu
Naaka-theevu
Naaga-deepa

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 May 2010, 22:01 GMT]
The country of the Naakar
The island / peninsula of the Naakar (The Jaffna Peninsula)
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Lawyers continue to abstain from appearing in courts in Jaffna district

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 May 2010, 18:10 GMT]
Lawyers in Jaffna peninsula continue to abstain from appearing in courts in protest against the alleged death threats by Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) key operatives to Chaavakachcheari magistrate K. Pirabakaran, sources in Jaffna said. Jaffna High Court Judge, R. T. Vignarajah summoned an urgent meeting Thursday attended by the magistrates, police officials and lawyers in Jaffna peninsula where he informed that Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapakse had assured him that immediate action will be taken to maintain law and order in the peninsula and requested the lawyers to give up their boycott of courts, legal sources in Jaffna said.
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SLA provides protection to Chaavakachcheari court

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 May 2010, 14:16 GMT]
In the wake of alleged death threats to Chaavakachcheari magistrate K. Pirabakaran by Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) operatives, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Jaffna Commander, Major Gen. Mahintha Kathurusinghe, has provided military protection to Chaavakachcheari courts in addition to police protection from Tuesday. The Commander said that he has also arranged for military protection to Pirabakaran’s vehicle when he travels from Jaffna to Chaavakachcheari and back. Meanwhile, another suspect in the above case, Regan, Deputy Mayor of Jaffna, a key operative of EPDP, has gone into hiding following his associate Charles, EPDP Thenmaraadchi organizer, being arrested and detained in Jaffna prison, sources in Jaffna said.
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Jaffna MP accuses EPDP of illegal sand excavation in Vadamaraadchi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 April 2010, 05:38 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Jaffna parliamentarian, E. Saravanbhavan publicly raised accusation against Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP), a constituent party of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), for having appropriated exclusive rights to excavate sand for building construction in Ma’nattkaadu in Vadamaraadchi East using illegal means making millions of rupees, in a press report, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, EPDP Minister Dougals Devananda, in response to Saravanabhavan’s accusation, said that the EPDP firm engaged in sand excavation is registered in Sri Lanka parliament and the increase in the demand for sand is due to Sri Lanka Army (SLA) permitting only a limited number of lorries to transport sand from Ma’nattkaadu SLA High Security Zone (HSZ), in a media report, the sources added.
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Journalist Roopan’s remains cremated in Araali

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 April 2010, 17:51 GMT]
Hundreds of people and media persons paid their last respects to the remains of Selvaratnam Roopan also known as ‘Sakthi Thasan’ and the sub-editor of Yarl Thinakural who passed away Sunday evening at Jaffna Teaching hospital at the age of thirty-two. The remains were taken in procession by the mourners to Poonaavoadai Hindu crematorium grounds in Vaddukkoadai. Vice-chancellor emeritus of Jaffna University, Prof. Pon. Balsuntharampillai, was among the many hundreds who paid their last respects to Roopan’s remains.
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Journalist Roopan passes away in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 April 2010, 17:42 GMT]
Selvaratnam Roopan, sub-editor of Tamil daily ‘Yarl Thinakural’ and a journalist who dedicated his entire life to his vocation and in creating political awareness and responsibility among the residents of Jaffna peninsula, passed away Sunday evening at Jaffna Teaching Hospital, due to undiagnosed illness. 32-year-old Roopan had been in the forefront in rescuing thousands of people caught in the clashes in Ma’ndaitheevu in the islets of Jaffna in 2006 and in admitting the injured among them in the hospitals in Jaffna. Roopan rendered great service by writing articles in Yarl Thinakural creating political awareness among the people of Jaffna peninsula under his pseudonym ‘Sakthi Thaasan’. Media organizations including North Ceylon Journalists Association have issued messages of condolence on the premature death of Roopan.
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2 men abducted for ransom in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 April 2010, 07:49 GMT]
Unidentified persons arriving in a vehicle forcibly took away two family men on their way to Jaffna town on a motor cycle Tuesday and later rang the family members of the two men and demanded five million rupees for one of them and three million rupees for the other as ransom, their family members said in their complaint to Vaddukkoadai police. Each time the abductors had called for ransom using different hand phones.
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Former SLRC employee in Vanni complains of death threat to HRC Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 April 2010, 10:12 GMT]
An employee of Sri Lanka Red Cross who had served in Vanni during the last stages of war and now living in Ma’nkumpaan in the islets of Jaffna has lodged a complaint with Jaffna Human Rights Commission (HRC) office of intimidation and death threats by armed men alleged to be ruling party ally Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) persons who operate with Sri Lanka Intelligence division. The armed men come to his place in the nights and intimidate him with threats of abduction and death, the employee said in his complaint.
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EPDP men accused of intimidating SLFP organizers in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 April 2010, 10:46 GMT]
Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) candidates of the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) who contested Jaffna electorate allied with Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) led by former Minister Douglas Devananda accused EPDP men for intimidating them when they were coming out of Jaffna Secretariat after the vote count, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, the four defeated SLFP candidates, being the organizers of the party in Jaffna district, have been instructed to stay in the peninsula and to continue to work for the party by Basil Rajapakse, the senior advisor to President Rajapakse and his brother. EPDP authorities fear that these four persons as SLFP organizers will be functioning as representatives of the government which would negatively affect their power.
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Lowest number of votes registered in Jaffna electoral district

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 April 2010, 18:31 GMT]
Only 18 to 20 percent of the voters in Jaffna electoral district cast their votes in the parliamentary elections Thursday recording the lowest in island, while the voting percentage in the whole country was from 52 to 55 percent, according to Election Monitoring Agencies. Jaffna electoral district, compared to other electoral districts, recorded the lowest turn over of voters where voting percentage in Thenmaraadchi was higher than that of Vadamaraadchi while voting was very low in the islets of Jaffna, the sources said. Compared to the recent presidential election where the voting was low the voting turn out was even less in the parliamentary election in Jaffna electoral district.
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