Sri Lankan tourism seen collapsing in '98

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka's tourism industry which was hoping to recover from a very bad year in 1996, might hit an all time low in 1998, according to financial analysts in Colombo.
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SLA punishes Batticaloa village officers

[TamilNet, Sunday, 19 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Life has become nightmare for village officers in the Batticaloa district as the Sri Lankan army has begun a sinister campaign to intimidate them into not working in the poverty stricken villages of the district's hinterland which is controlled by the LTTE. Many are languishing in prison and at least one may have been murdered.
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EPDP asked to boycott parliament

[TamilNet, Sunday, 19 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Organisation for the guardians of the arrested and missing persons of Jaffna requested the EPDP yesterday to boycott the Sri Lankan parliament until the issued of the disappearances is resolved by the government.
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Mass arrests of Colombo Tamils

[TamilNet, Saturday, 18 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan police and army continued round up and search operations in Colombo today. Reports said that more than five hundred Tamils have been arrested in the city and its suburbs.
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A new SLA division - and a new deadline

[TamilNet, Saturday, 18 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan army raised a new division this week to throw into its operations against the Liberation Tigers in the Vanni jungles.The new unit is Div.56. It is an infantry division.
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The Galadari Blast - Fallout

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Financial analysts in Colombo said today that the Galadari hotel blast could cost Sri Lanka more than the Central Bank blast in February last year. Initial estimates put the damage around six billion rupees.
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News In Brief

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Central bank's research has been disrupted by the Colombo bomb. Sri Lankan press reports of US troops being in the blast area prove unfounded and the Tigers have hit a police station in Jaffna.
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Massive blast rocks Downtown Colombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 15 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
A massive blast rocked Colombo's financial centre, at 7.10 this morning. A suspected truck bomb caused extensive damage to the area. A fire-fight ensued and lasted for 3 hours, as 20 or 30 attackers fought off Sri Lankan security forces who moved into the area. Another explosion and fire-fight occurred near the state press building.
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LTTE denies responsibility for Colombo blast

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 15 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The LTTE's London based spokesman, Mr. Anton Raja told TamilNet that the LTTE 'categorically deny any involvement' in today's bomb blast.
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Tigers shell Batticaloa army HQ

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
More than sixteen Sri Lankan soldiers were injured this morning around 7.45 a.m when the Liberation Tigers launched a long range heavy mortar attack on the Third Brigade headquarters in the Batticaloa town.
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Complete package delivered to PSC

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The PA government officially presented its complete devolution proposal to the Parliamentary Select Committee this afternoon. The Committee will meet again on Oct.21 to discuss the modality of presenting the document to Parliament.
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Hartal Brings Vavuniya to Standstill

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Vavuniya town came to a standstill today due to a hartal called by the PLOTE. All shops were closed, the Kachcheri did not function as staff kept away from work, there was no public transport and the morning train from Colombo returned empty soon after it arrived.
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EPDP, PLOTE, CWC discuss Package with Peiris

[TamilNet, Sunday, 12 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The PLOTE, EPDP and the Ceylon Workers' Congress will meet Sri Lanka's minister for Constitutional Affairs and deputy minister for Finance, Prof.G.L Peiris tonight at his residence to discuss the government's latest position on the devolution package.
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PLOTE's Deputy condemns US action

[TamilNet, Sunday, 12 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Deputy leader of the PLOTE, Manikkam Dasan issued a strong statement in Vavuniya this evening condemning the American government for listing the LTTE as a terrorist organization.
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Military to conduct Jaffna elections

[TamilNet, Saturday, 11 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Local government elections will be held in the Jaffna peninsula in January next year said Sri Lanka's deputy minister for defense, Gen.Anuruddha Ratwatte. He stated that the PA government is making arrangements for the elections with a view to creating a leadership for development work in the peninsula.
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News In Brief

[TamilNet, Saturday, 11 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan army leaves its landmines in University grounds. New passports for Jaffna's troublesome citizens while its farmers face a new problem.
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JVP resurgence in Yala?

[TamilNet, Saturday, 11 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
An armed group set fire to fifteen buses and other vehicles in the Kadirgamam peoplised transport board last night.
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News In Brief

[TamilNet, Friday, 10 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Heavy fighting is taking place in the Vanni. The Jaffna satyagraha protests are to continue and several Tamil Nadu fishermen have been arrested allegedly for assisting the LTTE. A Sinhala paper says a Buddhist priest raped 4 teenagers.
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Ranil's India visit worries PA

[TamilNet, Friday, 10 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The leader of the UNP Mr.Ranil Wickremesinghe will make an official visit to India on Oct.13. He is scheduled to meet with the Indian Prime minister Inder Kumar Gujral and top officials of India's foreign ministry during the visit.
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LTTE rolls back Sri Lankan advance

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
In two days of heavy fighting, LTTE units have rolled back Sri Lankan army columns to their former positions in the Periyamadu region, just north of the Nedunkerni-Puliyankulam road. However, the Sri Lankan army claims its forces are 'consolidating' captured positions.
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