Grenade kills three, wounds six

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 August 2000, 20:54 GMT]
Two civilians were killed and 6 others wounded when a grenade carried by a Sri Lanka Army soldier exploded at Kangeyan Oodai, about 10 k.m south of Batticaloa, around 3.30 p.m. Friday. The soldier was also killed in the blast, police sources said.
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SLAF steps up bombing in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 August 2000, 19:38 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) has stepped up bombing raids in the northern Jaffna peninsula during the past few days. SLAF jets conducted bombing raids in Pallai, Iyakkachchi and Thenmaradchi sector in the early hours of Thursday morning, said sources in Jaffna.
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Killing of student ruled homicide

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 August 2000, 12:26 GMT]
The Batticaloa District Judge Wednesday returned a verdict of homicide in the death of a student who was shot by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers on August 18.
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Husband 'missing' for two months

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 August 2000, 12:14 GMT]
A fifty five year old woman Sokkalingam Saraswathi has lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) in Kalmunai in the south-east of the island that her husband has been 'missing' for about two months. Sandirapillai Rasangam,60, was working in a jewellery shop at Mutur.
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Amnesty concerned over new "disappearances"

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 August 2000, 12:48 GMT]
Amnesty International said Monday it was concerned for two Tamil men who have been reported "disappeared" after being arrested by Sri Lanka Army soldiers in Vavuniya this month. The London based human rights pressure group said there has been an increase in reports of torture, "disappearances" and deaths in custody since new emergency regulations were introduced by the President in May 2000.
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Cessation of hostilities if elected -Ranil

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 August 2000, 13:20 GMT]
The United National Party (UNP) will bring about a cessation of hostilities agreement with the Liberation Tigers if it comes to power said party leader Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, addressing a press conference Sunday at the opposition leader's office in Colombo.
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Farmer shot, refugee girl missing

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 August 2000, 12:57 GMT]
A farmer was killed in Vanthaarumoolai, 22 kilometers north of Batticaloa, around noon Sunday when he was hit by gun fire from a Sri Lanka army camp nearby. Meanwhile, a young girl has been reported missing since August 17 in Valvettithurai in Jaffna.
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PA to contest in northeast

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 August 2000, 12:53 GMT]
The ruling People's Alliance (PA) has decided to field candidates in all districts, including northeast of the island in the next parliamentary elections, Mr.D.M.Jayaretna General Secretary of the PA said Sunday.
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SLA troops kill student, wound another

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 August 2000, 11:25 GMT]
"The army shoots civilians whenever it comes into Kaluwankerny. This is why innocent civilians in the village run for their life when they know the army is entering the area. My son went behind the house when he saw people running on the road, shouting "the army is coming into the village". He was killed there by soldiers who shot him and his friend" said Vairamuthu Manikkavel, 48, at the inquest into the death of his son the M.Vijayatharsan, 20, before Batticaloa district judge J. Viswanathan at the Eravur hospital Saturday.
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President asks SLMC to stand with PA

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 August 2000, 10:33 GMT]
M.H.M.Ashraff, Leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), says that his party would on whether to contest the forthcoming general election under the People's Alliance (PA) banner or on the SLMC ticket island wide decide after meeting President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge on Monday over a breakfast discussion. Minister Ashraff made this statement in an interview with State Television"Rupavahini" Saturday morning.
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Arrested men disappear

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 August 2000, 16:14 GMT]
Two men arrested by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers in Vavuniya last week have been reported 'missing', and their family members have sought help from the Human Rights Commission in the northern town to trace their whereabouts.
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New SLA Commander

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 August 2000, 15:48 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army's Chief of Staff Major General Lionel Balagalle will assume duties as the new SLA Commander on 25 August. President Chandrika Kumaratunge has confirmed this appointment.
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Another two skeletons in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 August 2000, 15:30 GMT]
Two more human skeletons were recovered in Kilinochchi this week bringing the total number of skeletons recovered in this area recently to 55, the Voice of Tigers (VoT) radio said Thursday evening.
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UNP first to seek Norway's help - Bondevik

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 August 2000, 19:03 GMT]
The United National Party was the first to seek Norway's assistance in the effort to find a political settlement to the ethnic conflict on the island when it was in power in 1990 according to Mr.Kjell Magne Bondevik, former Norwegian Prime Minister. he made this statement when delivering the keynote address at the commemoration meeting to mark the first death anniversary of veteran foreign minister A.C.S.Hameed, held at Colombo Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall Thursday evening.
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Former Norwegian PM will not speak to leaders

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 August 2000, 12:50 GMT]
Former Norwegian Prime Minister Mr.Kjell Magne Bondevik will not hold talks with President Chandrika Kumaratunge, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe as scheduled, the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Colombo said Thursday.
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Vavuniya blast kills 2, wounds 2

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 August 2000, 12:44 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers, including an officer, were seriously wounded in an explosion in the high security zone of Vavuniya town around 5.30 p.m. Wednesday, security sources said. SLA sources in Vavuniya said that the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber, who was also killed in the incident. A civilian bystander, Thiruvaathirai Pushpalatha (12), was killed in the blast, sources said.
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Ambush kills 2 civilians

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 August 2000, 12:30 GMT]
Special Task Force (STF) troops lying in ambush fired at two farmers at Vaalakkaalai in the boarder between Batticaloa and Ampara around 5 p.m. Tuesday, killing one them on the spot. The other farmer succumbed to his injuries at the Batticaloa hospital, according to medical sources.
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SLAF steps up bombing in Vanni

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 August 2000, 10:50 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) has stepped up bombing raids in the Vanni said sources in the northern border town Vavuniya. The said SLAF jets flew several sorties today towards the northern Vanni region they said.
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Santhiramohan pleaded to spare life

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 August 2000, 11:51 GMT]
"I heard Santhiramohan pleading with the soldiers to spare his life. He was telling them he was poor and was married to a poor girl. Then there was silence. I came out of the thicket where I was hiding after some time when it appeared that the army had left the place.
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SLA troops kill youth, abduct farmers

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 August 2000, 18:21 GMT]
Sri Lanka army troops on a deep penetration operation in the north-western hinterland of the Batticaloa district shot dead a youth on night watch in a paddy field and abducted nine farmers who were in the area Thursday night around 8.30 p.m. Relatives of the abducted farmers said that the SLA troops had come from Welikanda into the Maanikkam Vayal Kandam, a tract of rice fields in the hinterland about 85 kilometers northwest of Batticaloa. The general area of Welikanda in the Sinhala majority Polannaruwa district lies close to the north-western sector of Batticaloa.
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