70 arrested in combined search

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 August 1998, 08:06 GMT]
More than 75 Tamil youths were arrested in a combined Sri Lanka police and army search in the Vaththalai Police district on the night of the 14 of August and were taken to Valaichenai police station for inquiry.
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Counterclaims over 'Princess Kash' bombing

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 August 1998, 12:14 GMT]
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has secured the consent of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for the handover of the 17 Indian nationals on board the cargo vessel Princess Kash, reported Radio Sri Lanka (RSL) in its evening news broadcast yesterday.
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Arrested journalist files case

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 August 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A Journalist from the Tamil daily 'Veerakesari', Mr. Sri Gajan, filed a case against senior inspectors of the Terrorist Investigation Department on Wednesday claiming that his arrest and detention were unlawfull.
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Goldsmiths threaten security

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 August 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Sixty goldsmiths working in jewellery shops in Colombo who were detained as a security precaution before the South Asian Association of Regional Co-operation (SAARC) summit held between July 29 - 31, are yet to be released, said sources in Batticaloa.
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Passport applicants face delays

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 August 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Ask anyone who has applied for a passport from Batticaloa, and they will tell you that if the Peoples Alliance (PA) Government wants to reach out to the Tamil people through a benign system of public administration, it has to think again.
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Concern for tortured detainee - Amnesty

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 August 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Amnesty International, the London based human right watchdog said that "there are serious concerns" for Thambirajah Kamalathasan, a Tamil man from Chunnakam, Jaffna, who was subjected to torture for several days following his arrest by police on 15 July 1998 in the capital, Colombo.
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Island-wide state of emergency announced

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 August 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Government is expected to announce postponement of the forthcoming Provincial Council (PC) Elections due on August 28 following the announcement of island-wide emergency regulations today, said sources in Colombo.
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Jaffna Mayor calls for talks

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 August 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Jaffna Mayor K. Sivapalan (Tamil United Liberation Front), told an international group of journalists that talks to end the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka should involve all parties, including the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), said sources in Jaffna.
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Police to investigate mass graves

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 August 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Police officials from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) will visit the alleged 'Chemmani mass graves' on August 4 along with Sri Lankan Army copral Somaratne Rajapakse, the first accused in the rape and murder case of Krishanthi Kumaraswamy said sources.
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DS transferred amid allegations of corruption

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
M. Thayaparan, Division Secretary (DS), Aalayadivembu Division, Akkaraipattu, 60 km south of Batticaloa, in the Amparai District, was transferred to Colombo with immediate effect, following a complaint by M. Jegathees, Member of the Pradeshiya Sabha (PS) of the area to the Ministry of Public Administration, said sources in Batticaloa.
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Informal meetings at India House

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Indian Prime Minister Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee had brief meetings with leaders of Tamil parties at a function held the India House in Colombo this evening.
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Prayers for peace

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Black flags flew in Batticaloa town and suburbs yesterday to commemorate Black July, the anniversary of the anti-Tamil race riots of 1983, said sources in Batticaloa. Though there were a few incidents where irate policemen tore and destroyed the flags, protests were otherwise peaceful.
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Police arrest LTTE suspect

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lankan Police said that they have arrested a member of the Liberation Tigers, identified as Kathiravel Sunthiresan, at Prince Street in the capital Colombo yesterday morning.
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Tight security around SAARC conference

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Security in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo will be further tightened in view of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) conference which begins on July 29, said sources.
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India urged to intervene

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) has asked for Indian mediation to resolve the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. A statement issued by Suresh Premachandran, General Secretary, EPRLF, states that India has a moral obligation to intervene in resolving the conflict because of its long involvement.
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Festival atmosphere in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Outside the temple premises at Amirthakali, it was carnival time. The Batticaloa Municipal Council, the District Secretariat, the Bank of Ceylon and institutions dealing with the public, set up temporary offices outside the temple.
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TELO member dies

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Senior member of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), Mr. Thillainathan Joseph Thurairajah, alias Christy, died in Colombo today after he mistakenly took insecticide in the early hours of the morning today, said sources close to the TELO.
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Provincial council elections postponed ?

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Prof. G.L Peiris, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs said while speaking at the Annual Meeting of Business of Chambers in Colombo that the government was considering postponement of the forthcoming provincial council (PC) elections.
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Selective appointments

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Leader of the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) Mr. S.Thondaman will meet the Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on July 30 at 09.15, during his visit to Colombo to attend the SAARC summit, said CWC sources today.
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Tension ahead of Black July anniversary

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Security has been tightened in the northern town of Jaffna with increased search operations being carried out by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), as the 15th anniversary of 'Black July' approaches said sources in Jaffna. Road checks by the SLA have also been increased during the last few days, they added.
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