EPDP seeking new office

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The EPDP on the Delft (Nedunthivu), island off Jaffna, is looking for a new office cum camp, after the Sri Lankan Police moved in to the building occupied by them thus far.
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SLA defacing election posters - Tamil groups

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Representatives of the Tamil groups fighting local government elections in Jaffna met officers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna, to lodge complaints about the military defacing election posters and other problems, said sources in Jaffna.
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EPDP wounded brought to Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The EPDP admitted to the Jaffna general hospital this morning, six of its cadres who were wounded in the predawn attack by the Liberation Tigers on it positions in the island of Punguduthivu.
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EPDP camp stormed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers stormed an EPDP camp on the island of Punkuduthivu off Jaffna in the early hours today killing 7 EPDP cadres. The attack which started at 1 a.m in the morning went on until 5 a.m, said sources in Jaffna.
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Tamil groups step up campaigning

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A handbill asking the people to reject the Local government elections in Jaffna was widely distributed there. The handbill was issued in the name of patriots (Thesapakthar).
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Navy collecting EPDP signs, banners?

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The campaign for the local polls in Jaffna is not without its lighter moments, though the EPDP might not agree. The sign board announcing the Eelam Peoples' Democratic Party office at Sithankerny junction was dismantled and carried away by unkown persons last night.
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Candidates can't carry weapons - SLA commander

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Security Forces Commander for Jaffna, Major General Lionel Balagalle informed representatives of political parties fighting the forthcoming local government elections in the Jaffna Peninsula today, that no one would be allowed to carry weapons in the Peninsula till the elections are concluded, said sources in Jaffna.
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Hindu priest denied access to new library

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Soldiers guarding a checkpoint near the venue of the opening ceremony of the temporary Jaffna Library this morning harassed a Hindu priest and political activists, said Jaffna sources.
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New Police Station on Delft

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Inspector General of Police (IGP) W.B Rajaguru said today that he is taking steps to establish a Police station in the Delft island (Nedunthivu) with the assistance of the Navy. The IGP visited Jaffna this week to assess the situation and consult with his officers there about security arrangements for the polls during the campaign and on the day of the polls.
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SLA not disarming Tamil groups

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Tamil party sources in Jaffna said today that they see no indication of the SLA taking heed of the Sri Lankan elections Commissioner's announcement on Friday that all those contesting the local polls in the peninsula would be disarmed.
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Breakaway EPDP faction said threatened

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The two breakaway MPs of the EPDP, K.Rameswaram and K. Ramamoorthy, lodged a complaint with the Jaffna police this afternoon that they had been surrounded and threatened by fully armed cadres of the EPDP.
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Jaffna Bishop rejects polls

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Catholic Bishop of Jaffna along with a group of senior clergymen declined to help the group monitoring local government elections in the peninsula today.
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Grenade thrown at DPLF members

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A grenade was thrown at four persons from the Democratic Peoples Liberation Front (DPLF) traveling in a trishaw between Siththankerni and Valakumbarai on the Chulipuram Road, 18 km north of Jaffna town yesterday, said sources in Jaffna. There were no casualties.
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No foreign observers for Jaffna polls

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Election monitors from two Sri Lankan NGO networks, Peoples Action for a Free and Fair Election (PAFFREL) and Movement for Free and Fair Election (MFFE) arrived in Jaffna today. The seven member team, which flew into Jaffna, is expected to meet the Jaffna Journalist Association on Sunday and the Tamil groups contesting the local government elections.
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SLA positions prevent return of Kayts displaced

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Government officials in Velanai, in Kayts said today that resttlement of civilians in the area is still not possible due the army's positions in the area. The Sri Lankan army is currently occupying the Velanai central college. The army has closed the road between Bangalawady and Puliyankoodal.
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EPDP undemocratic - EPRLF, DPLF

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A war of statements and counter-statements erupted in the Uthayan, the only newspaper published in Jaffna, when the Democratic Peoples Liberation Front (DPLF) and the Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) came out strongly against the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) for blocking other Tamil groups from campaigning for the forthcoming local government elections in the islands off the Jaffna peninsula.
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Tamil groups squabble at military meeting

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Brig. C.M Thilakaratna who is in charge of the SLA's civil administration division in Jaffna called separate meetings with the Tamil parties contesting the local polls today to discuss propaganda facilities.
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Breakaway EPDP faction avoids joint meeting

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Jaffna town commander Brigadier Susantha Mendis called all the Tamil groups for a discussion on security and related matters for the forthcoming local polls in the peninsula at his office this morning around 10 a.m.
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Tamil groups must make people vote - police

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan police convened a meeting today at 10. a.m, with all the groups contesting the Jaffna local government elections, due on January 29. The specially appointed Assistant Elections Commissioner for Jaffna, who is yet to report to the Kachcheri, took part in the meeting. Senior Police officials in Jaffna Town were also present.
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News in Brief

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The PLOTE opened an election campaign office in Delft today, Police in Jaffna has called all the parties contesting the local polls in Jaffna for a meeting tomorrow and 16 persons arrived at Kurunagar in Jaffna.
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