Jaffna IDPs appeal to LTTE for their resettlement

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 December 2004, 14:25 GMT]
A group of representatives representing hundreds of thousands of internally displaced families (IDP) due to the occupation of their houses and agricultural lands in Jaffna district by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Wednesday met with Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Killinochchi and explained their plight for the last fifteen years, sources in Kilinochchi said.
Full story >>

Human-chain protest held in Kaithady

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 December 2004, 11:17 GMT]
The second phase of the human chain demonstration was held Wednesday morning at Kaithady in Thenmaradchchi division in Jaffna district demanding the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) to resume peace talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on the basis of the Interim Self-Governing Authority (ISGA) proposals of the latter. Traffic through A9 highway was not obstructed. Soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) who are located in sentries in the vicinity were withdrawn during the period of agitation. Policemen were deployed at the site to maintain law and order.
Full story >>

The price of peace for the Sinhala rural poor

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 December 2004, 19:42 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s recent massive defence budget allocation, whilst preparing the military for a renewed war against the Liberation Tigers, has another vital role in domestic politics: the economy of the Sinhala rural poor is three times more dependent on military remittances than official poverty alleviation schemes. Earlier this month, Sri Lanka’s ruling party and the main opposition party, in a rare show of unity, joined together to vote in favor of the country's defense allocations for 2005. Only the main Tamil party, the Tamil National Alliance, opposed the defence budget.
Full story >>

Drama spotlights problems of war-widows in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 December 2004, 03:06 GMT]
A drama program held at the Kailasapathy Auditorium of the University of Jaffna on Sunday at 10:30 am for the plan by the Tamil Refugees Rehabilitation Organization (TRRO) to benefit the women widowed by war, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Floodwaters uproot landmines in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 19 December 2004, 18:48 GMT]
Anti-personnel landmines made of plastic weighing around 100 -150g were observed floating in some areas close to SLA camps in Sithandy, Morakkoddanchenai and Pullumalai in the flood ravaged Batticaloa district, civil sources said. Some animals were killed or injured by landmine explosions during the last few days.
Full story >>

CTTU discusses Jaffna HSZ issue with SL President

[TamilNet, Saturday, 18 December 2004, 03:18 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunge, told a delegation of the Ceylon Tamil Teachers' Union (CTTU) Friday that the Sri Lankan security forces continue to believe that Liberation Tiger cadres would infiltrate into the high security zones if the internally displaced families were allowed to resettle, according to CTTU general secretary Mr.T.Mahasivam.
Full story >>

Veteran writer, poet Reggie Siriwardene dies

[TamilNet, Friday, 17 December 2004, 05:44 GMT]
Mr.Reggie Siriwardene, well-known journalist, social analyst, poet and playwright and who fought for the protection of Human Rights passed away peacefully at the age of 82 in Colombo Wednesday. His funeral was held Thursday evening at Kanatte cemetery amid large gathering of all walks of life. Several leading journalists and educationists condoled his demise as an irreparable loss. He has authored a well-documented analysis that describes the damage done to ethnic relations by government produced school textbooks in Sri Lanka
Full story >>

"LTTE important component in NE affairs"- Tyronne Fernando

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 December 2004, 15:08 GMT]
"Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is a very important component in the North East affairs. The LTTE is not prohibited in the island. As such there is no reason to oppose for working with that organization" said Mr.Tyronne Fernando, newly appointed Governor of North East Province Thursday when addressing provincial secretaries, heads of provincial departments and other related officials for the first time after he assumed office Wednesday.
Full story >>

Media persons protest against grenade attack

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 December 2004, 14:45 GMT]
The Free Media Movement and the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association Thursday held a demonstration in front of the Colombo Fort Railway Station in protest to the grenade attack on Bollywood concert last Saturday, which killed two persons including Mr.Lanka Jayasunthara, photojournalist of Lankadeepa, Sinhala daily newspaper.
Full story >>

Tyronne Fernando assumes duties as NE Governor

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 15 December 2004, 17:22 GMT]
Mr.Tyronne Fernando, newly appointed Governor for the North East Province Wednesday assumed duties in the Governor's Secretariat which is located at Orr's Hill, a suburb in Trincomalee. Dignitaries of all faiths blessed him before he started his duties in his office. The Governor spoke in Sinhala first and then in English. His speech was not translated into Tamil language, sources said.
Full story >>

GoSL entirely responsible for resuming talks - LTTE

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 15 December 2004, 11:07 GMT]
"The responsibility of resurrecting the stalled peace process is entirely with the government in ensuring that its coalition partners reflect the thinking of the president, if she is in fact really sincere, and her military refrains from coercive and provocative actions", Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan, Head of the Political Wing of the LTTE told the Norwegian facilitators Wednesday in Kilinochchi. "Norwegian delegation was unable to give assurance that Sri Lanka Government will take any constructive steps to take the peace process forward" Thamilchelvan told the Press after the meeting.
Full story >>

Transport issues delay Solheim's meeting with Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 15 December 2004, 06:51 GMT]
The meeting between Norwegian peace envoy Eric Solheim and Liberation Tigers Head of Political Wing, S.P.Thamilchelvan expected to be held in Kilinochchi at 11.30am Wednesday will take place at 2pm, according to LTTE sources in Vanni. Mr Solheim arrived in Anuradhapura this morning in Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) helicopter and is travelling to Kilinochchi from Vavuniya by land, sources in Vanni confirmed.


Full story >>

Sri Lanka’s credibility for UN Secy. Gen. post questioned

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 15 December 2004, 04:45 GMT]
In an editorial Tuesday, the Colombo-based Tamil language daily, Sudar Oli, questioned Sri Lanka’s credibility to nominate Dr. Jayantha Dhanapala to the United Nations Secretary General post, arguing that Sri Lanka has “earned the status of an oppressive state that seeks to enslave an ethnic minority within its own territory, denying the minority's fundamental rights, even its very existence.”
Full story >>

SLA corporal commits suicide in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 December 2004, 19:34 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) corporal, Mr.Ajantha Bandara, 21, committed suicide by shooting himself with a T-56 gun Monday night around 8.30 p.m. in a sentry point which is located in Colombagam within the municipal limits of Jaffna town, police said.
Full story >>

Anti-War Front to organize national conference in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 December 2004, 14:12 GMT]
National Anti War Front (NAWF), an umbrella organization of thirteen trade unions is to hold a regional conference on January 22 at Anuradhapura in the north central province and a national conference in Colombo Sugathathasa Stadium on February 26 to exert pressure on the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) to take forward the stalled peace process, said Mr.Bertie Ranaweerage, one of the convenors of the project.
Full story >>

Seized heroin, ganja destroyed in Mannar

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 December 2004, 11:17 GMT]
A consignment of three and a half kilo of heroin and three and a half kilo of ganja seized by the vigilant group of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) when being smuggled into the island during the weekend was destroyed in the presence of public in the heart of Pesalai police division in Mannar district Tuesday around noon, civil sources said.
Full story >>

Heavy rain, flood disrupts normal life in east

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 December 2004, 09:53 GMT]
Several villages in the three districts of the eastern province, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Amparai are inundated with floodwater following incessant rain since Saturday. Several hundreds of families in the three districts residing in low-lying areas have been evacuated and given shelter in schools and other public buildings, social services sources said.
Full story >>

‘No Karuna group, only SLA psy ops’ –Kausalyan

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 December 2004, 04:47 GMT]
“Sri Lanka military intelligence has from time to time unleashed brutal state terror in the East, using individuals and paramilitary groups such as PLOTE Mohan and Razeek group. There is no Karuna group operating in the East now. The recent violence in the East in the name of ‘Karuna group’ is a continuation of this state terror by the SLA,” said Mr. E. Kausalyan, the political wing leader of the Liberation Tigers in the East, speaking to journalists at the LTTE secretariat in Kokkadicholai Saturday.
Full story >>

Veteran Sea Tiger Lt.Colonel Maravan dies

[TamilNet, Sunday, 12 December 2004, 18:54 GMT]
Lt.Colonel Maravan (S.Stanislauss), a veteran cadre of the Sea Tigers division of the Liberation Tigers, passed away at the age of 68 at his residence in Mullaithivu on Saturday, and his body was brought to Jaffna Sunday afternoon through the Muhamalai army checkpoint for the people of the district to pay last respects, sources said.
Full story >>

Trinco Campus launches first external degree programme

[TamilNet, Sunday, 12 December 2004, 07:40 GMT]
Trincomalee campus of the East University has inaugurated its first External Degree Programme on two disciplines, B.Sc (Management) and B.A (Communication). The inauguration of the programme and introduction of applicants was held Friday evening at the conference hall of the Trincomalee campus with Rector, Rev Dr.C.P.Rajendram in the chair.
Full story >>