Soldiers attempt rape, assault

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 August 2000, 18:14 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers who were on duty at a check-post in Vembu, a hamlet in Kalkudha, about 30 km. north of Batticaloa, are reported to have attempted to molester three women and assaulted some men Thursday night. One of the victims has brought the incident to the notice of the officer in charge of Kumburumoolai SLA camp.
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Tigers attack two SLA camps in Mannar

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 August 2000, 22:41 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camps located near the Puthukulam junction in the Mannar district were attacked and destroyed by the Liberation Tigers Wednesday, the Voice of Tigers radio said in its night news broadcast today. At least 9 SLA soldiers were killed and 13 wounded in the attacks, the radio added.
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Three civilians wounded in SLA shelling

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 August 2000, 15:10 GMT]
Three civilians, including a Grama Sevaka Officer, were wounded when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers fired artillery shells towards Kaddaiparichchan in the Trincomalee District Thursday morning, residents said.
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28 billion more raised for war

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 August 2000, 12:12 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government raised 28 billion rupees more for its increasing defence expenditure through five supplementary estimates submitted to the Parliament Wednesday. The government has already raised 26 billion following reversals suffered by the army in the north in April- May in addition to the 41.47 billion allocated for defence in this year's budget.
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Civilian beheaded in SLA reprisal

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 August 2000, 10:31 GMT]
Two civilians were killed in reprisal by Sri Lanka army troops around noon Wednesday following a fire-fight in Sithaandy, 24 kilometers north of Batticaloa. Soldiers of the Morokkoddaanchenai SLA camp beheaded one of the civilians, Arunasalam Santhiramohan, 20 and shot dead the other, identified as Thiyagarajah Gnanarajah, 29, father of four. The SLA has taken Santhiramohan's body to the Morokkoddaanchenai camp.
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Over 40 casualties in clashes

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 August 2000, 05:51 GMT]
Five military trained policemen, including an officer, were killed and 20 Sri Lanka Navy personnel, nine police men and two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were wounded in three separate attacks by the Liberation Tigers Wednesday morning, security sources said. 16 civilians were also wounded.
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Government abandons constitution bill

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 August 2000, 09:04 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government abandoned Tuesday its effort to introduce a new constitution. Mr.Ratnasiri Wickremanayaka, Minister for Public Administration and Plantations, informed the party leaders' meeting in Parliament today that the new constitution bill will not be further debated nor put to vote. The decision is yet to be announced on the floor of the house by the speaker.
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Two SLA soldiers killed in LTTE attack

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 August 2000, 07:46 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka army soldiers were killed and one was wounded when the Liberation Tigers attacked a foot patrol on Uppodai road in Vanthaarumoolai, about 20 kilometers north of Batticaloa Tuesday morning around 9 a.m. Reinforcements were rushed to the area following the attack from SLA camps on the Batticaloa-Valaichenai road.
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JVP continues agitation against bill

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 August 2000, 16:36 GMT]
Thousands of radical leftist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) cadres Monday protested in several parts of Sri Lanka against the new constitution bill. The JVP demonstrated against the new system of elections proposed by the government in front of the supreme court in Colombo. Protests by the party against the constitution bill were held today in downtown Colombo and the provincial towns of Kandy, Galle and Matara.
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City of Trinco sails under ICRC flag

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 August 2000, 15:55 GMT]
The passenger ferry "City of Trinco" sailed from Trincomalee Monday evening under the protection of the International Committee of the Red Cross transporting 350 civilians to the Jaffna peninsula. Mr.Harasha Gunewardene, Information Officer of the ICRC said that the organisation has received written security assurances from the Liberation Tigers and the Government for safe passage during the voyages.
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Three soldiers killed in LTTE ambush

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 August 2000, 14:40 GMT]
Three Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and 2 others were wounded in an ambush by the Liberation Tigers at Sasthikulankulam, 6 km. west of Vavuniya town, around 5.45 p.m. Friday, security sources in the northern town said.
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Opposition MPs heckle President, tear bill

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 August 2000, 07:04 GMT]
The Sri Lankan President spoke on the controversial constitution reform bill in Parliament Thursday morning amidst much clamour in the opposition ranks. The bill was tabled by Justice Minister Prof.G.L Pieris. United National Party members tore copies of the bill in protest and threw them at government members in the house sources said.
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Thousands protest against constitutional reforms

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 August 2000, 06:39 GMT]
More than four thousand protestors demonstrated against the constitutional reform bill Thursday morning from 9 a.m on the approach road to the Sri Lankan Parliament near Colombo. The large demonstration was organised by the radical leftist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (People's Liberation Front). Heavily armed riot Police blocked off the approach road at a junction two kilometers from the Parliament. The draft bill containing the constitutional reforms is expected to be tabled in the national legislature later in the morning.
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SLAF searches suburbs of Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 August 2000, 13:48 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) personnel and police sealed off Puthunakar, Sethukudha and Veechukalmunai, suburbs of Batticaloa, and conducted a house to house search operation from 5 a.m. till 11 a.m. Wednesday.
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SLA searches for deserters in Valaichenai

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 July 2000, 16:21 GMT]
Units of the SLA's 23-2 Brigade in Valaichenai searched the villages of Kalmadhu, Kannankiramam, Karuwakerni, Sungaankerni and Kinnaiyadi, 30 kilometers north of Batticaloa Monday for two soldiers who had deserted their positions Sunday evening. Sources in Valaichenai said that the army had come by information that the two deserters had run away from the kalkudah SLA camp through the villages that were searched today. The SLA has grounds to believe that the two soldiers may have escaped across the lagoon to the hinterland controlled by the Liberation Tigers, a source said.
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SLA announces another amnesty for deserters

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 July 2000, 15:07 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA), hard-pressed for manpower, announced yet another general unconditional amnesty for thousand of soldiers who have deserted its ranks. The amnesty will be in effect for 24 hours from 2 August 6 a.m. to 3 August 6 a.m SLA headquarters sources in Colombo said. Critical manpower shortages continue to plague the SLA despite amnesties announced at regular intervals every year. SLA sources estimate that 18000 to 25000 soldiers are still at large.
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Sinhala Buddhists protest against autonomy

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 July 2000, 17:19 GMT]
The protest was organised against the constitutional reforms aimed at giving autonomy to the Tamils and changing the system of government.
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SLA prevents devotees from Shiva temple

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 July 2000, 17:17 GMT]
The Sri Lanka army refused permission to Saivite devotees to pray at the ancient Shiva temple in Thirukketheeswaram in the Mannar district on Sunday for the Aadi Amavaasai festival. A section of the 21 Division of the SLA is camped in the precincts of the temple. More than five hundred devotees had applied through the temple trustee board for permission to pray at the temple tomorrow.
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Claymore hits SLA bus in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 July 2000, 12:38 GMT]
A Sri Lanka army soldier was killed and eight soldiers were injured when a bus in a military convoy was hit by a claymore mine blast Saturday around 4.50 p.m. at Sungaankerni, 30 kilometers north of Batticaloa.
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Key witness in Batticaloa massacre threatened

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 July 2000, 12:28 GMT]
Father Joseph Ignatius Chandra, the key witness in the massacre of civilians in Batticaloa town by a section of the Sri Lanka army on May 17 has been threatened by armed persons suspected to be members of the Sri Lankan security forces and cadres of Tamil para-military groups operating with the Sri Lanka army in the east.
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