Civilians languish in Mannar

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
More than 2000 civilians are languishing in the open exposed elements in the village of Pallamadu in Mannar, as the Sri Lankan Army is refusing them permission to travel through the entry point to the areas controlled by it, at Uyilankulam junction, which lies 9 km west of Mannar, on the Vavuniya - Mannar road.
Full story >>

MPGA elects representative committee

[TamilNet, Saturday, 21 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Members of the Missing Persons' Guardian Association (MPGA) of Jaffna gathered at the St. Bosco primary school in Jaffna town today, to elect an independent committee to represent their interests officially.
Full story >>

Jaffna conditions seen affecting infants

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Almost one child in ten, born last year in the Jaffna District, was underweight, the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) for the Jaffna District, told the TamilNet correspondent today.
Full story >>

Sinhalese couple accused of LTTE links

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A Sinhalese Police constable and his wife accused of working for the Liberation Tigers were produced in the Batticaloa district court today.
Full story >>

Two detainees freed

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Supreme Court (SC) ordered the Police today to immediately release K. Kamaladas, a Tamil who was arrested in Vavuniya by a posse from the Mt. Lavina Police station in Colombo in late December and was remanded without being produced before a magistrate, said legal sources.
Full story >>

Press protests over intimidation

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
More than 200 journalists and human rights activists demonstrated in Colombo this noon against threats to the press and protested over last week's assault on Sunday Times defence writer Iqbal Athas by unidentified gunmen.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka to censor victims' photos

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan President promulgated an emergency regulation under the Public Security Ordinance today according to which all photographs of victims of bomb blasts and other offences under the Prevention of Terrorism Act would be subject to censorship.
Full story >>

Jaffna - Trinco ferry to resume

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Two shipping lines have been given permission by Sri Lanka's Ministry of Defence to begin a passenger service between Trincomalee and Kankesanthurai (KKS) shortly. The service cannot begin at once, according to local shipping sources, because the ships from the companies are not registered under the Sri Lankan flag.
Full story >>

Journalists to visit forward areas

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government will fly in a group of journalists from newspapers and news agencies in Colombo to Vavuniya and the forward areas of operation Jayasikurui tomorrow morning. The government's information department informed journalists today about the tour this afternoon.
Full story >>

Protests planned over attack on journalist

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Free Media Movement (FMM) and other human rights and media organisations are to hold a demonstration tomorrow at 12.00 noon at Lipton Circus, Colombo, protesting against the harrowing ordeal of senior Sri Lankan journalist Iqbal Athas in the hands of unidentified armed men, said media sources.
Full story >>

LTTE resistance heavy - SLA

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
SLA sources in Vavuniya said that casualties in the fighting for Mankulam had risen to 27 soldiers killed and 124 wounded following clashes with the Liberation Tigers yesterday as well.
Full story >>

Journalists to see Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government announced today that it will take the press to Kilinochchi by air tomorrow. The government information department has informed newspapers and news agencies in Colombo that journalists would be flown to Kilinochchi tomorrow morning.
Full story >>

Youths arrested near Buddhist temple

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Two Tamil youths were taken into custody by the Kandy police for attempting to enter the Dalada Maligawa after forcing their way past a checkpoint near the Temple around 9:00 p.m. last night, said Police sources in Colombo today.
Full story >>

Jaffna commander briefs diplomats

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The commander of the Sri Lankan security forces in Jaffna, Major General Lionel Balagalle, met members of the diplomatic community at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo to explain the situation in Jaffna.
Full story >>

Drug shortage spurs Jaffna black market

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Delays in supply from Colombo have caused an acute shortage of vitally needed drugs in hospitals in the Jaffna Peninsula, said sources in Jaffna. This has led to these drugs to be sold at exorbitant prices in the black-market.
Full story >>

SLA push in southern Vanni

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Heavy fighting broke out in Kanakarayankulam this morning as SLA troops advanced towards Mankulam on the A-9, the highway to Jaffna, said SLA sources in Colombo.
Full story >>

SLFP Jaffna treasurer fired

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Three ex-militant Tamil groups, the EPDP, DPLF and EPRLF, are opening branch offices in all the electorates in the Jaffna peninsula, in anticipation of Provincial Council elections in June this year, said sources in Jaffna.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka concealing losses - LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The VOT said this morning that the SLA had tried to advance from its positions north of Kilinochchi on Saturday night towards the town.
Full story >>

New temples to be built

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The government laid the foundation for a twin Hindu and Buddhist temple complex in the Muthurajawela marshlands about 15 kilkometers northwest of Colombo this morning to seek divine support to bring peace in Sri Lanka.
Full story >>

650 Tamils expelled from Colombo

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Police closed down three lodging houses in downtown Colombo this morning leaving about 650 Tamils from the north-east stranded on the roads. The Police told them to leave immediately to the north or east.
Full story >>