Tigers to release seven POWs

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 November 1999, 05:54 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers announced in the Vanni today that they will release seven Sri Lankan army soldiers who had surrendered to them during military offensives in the north. The release of the SLA prisoners of war, according to the LTTE, is a gesture of good will. The soldiers will be handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) tomorrow on Great Heroes' day to enable their safe return home the Tigers said.
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Tamil editors questioned over Madhu

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 November 1999, 22:19 GMT]
The chief editor, Mr.A.Sivanesachelvan, and sub editor, Mr.T.Sivaganeshan, of the widely circulated Tamil language daily, 'Thinakkural', who were taken in for interrogation by officials from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Colombo were released around 10 p.m. this evening after nearly 5 hours of questioning, said sources.
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Mannar civilians move to safe areas

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 November 1999, 19:58 GMT]
Thousands of residents of Vankalai have moved to Mannar town and Pesalai throughout today said sources. Sri Lankan government officials in Mannar said 7000 people have moved there from Vankalai on the mainland and around 2500 of these have sought refuge at the St. Sebastian church on the island.
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Two skulls in shallow grave

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 November 1999, 13:58 GMT]
Two human skulls were recovered from a pit in a compound behind the Kopay Christian College in Jaffna this morning sources said.
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Tigers say Thallady forward defence overrun

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 November 1999, 07:04 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers said this afternoon they captured a key forward defence locality of the strategic Thallady base on the island's northwestern coast. The defences of the Sri Lankan army (SLA) in Seththukkulam were overrun by the fighting units of the Tigers which have been advancing towards the Thallady base and the Mannar- Vavuniya highway in the latest phase of Operation Unceasing Waves III, according to a special news update by the Voice of Tigers this noon.
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Amnesty call over civilian deaths

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 November 1999, 21:44 GMT]
Amnesty International, the London based human rights group, said it was "gravely concerned about the killing of 37 civilians in Madhu church last Saturday, and urged the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and the Liberation Tigers to "to take all necessary measures to prevent civilian casualties".
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SLA activity in Mannar

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 November 1999, 09:46 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops began pouring in large numbers into Mannar town today residents said. The town, on Mannar island, remains tense according to them. The Voice of Tigers (VoT) said in its special broadcasts today that heavy fighting continued in the Manthai area as the LTTE's fighting units pressed on with their offensive.
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Tigers step up attack on Thallady

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 November 1999, 23:17 GMT]
The Voice of Tigers (VOT) said in its night news broadcast today that the Sri Lankan Army's strategic base at Thallady has come under intense attack from new fighting units of the Liberation Tigers that have been sent to the theatre of operations in Mannar. The radio said that sections of the base, including the 21-2 brigade HQ, are burning.
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Relatives of missing to go on hunger strike

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 November 1999, 23:16 GMT]
The parents and relatives of the hundreds Jaffna civilians who were reported 'missing' after being arrested by the SLA have decided to go on hunger strike from 5 December, human rights sources in the northern town said.
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Six arrested in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 November 1999, 17:35 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers arrested two young women from the Gurunagar transit camp in Jaffna on 18 November said sources.
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Tigers push further in Mannar

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 November 1999, 05:24 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers brought more villages under their control as their troops continued operations in the large sector west of Madhu and north of the Vavuniya Mannar highway in the district of Mannar yesterday sources in Vavuniya said this morning. The sources said that the fighting units of the LTTE are moving closer to the Thallady SLA base from the areas captured in the latest phase of the offensive in Mannar.
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Madhu victims’ bodies recovered

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 November 1999, 00:28 GMT]
The bodies of 37 civilians who were killed at the Madhu Church Saturday night were brought to the Mannar hospital Sunday evening around 6 p.m., said sources. The Mannar Magistrate, Mr.Ilancheliyan, inspected the bodies at the hospital, they said.
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AG clears student release

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 November 1999, 00:25 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Attorney General says that he has no objection to the release of the Jaffna universiy student Selvanayagam Suganthan, now in remand on the orders of Jaffna Magistrate, court sources said Sunday.
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“Human shields” at Madhu

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 November 1999, 13:14 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers Sunday denied Sri Lanka Army (SLA) accusations that they had killed scores of Tamil civilians by shelling the revered Catholic shrine at Madhu. The LTTE said SLA troops had shelled the church and used refugees sheltering there as human shields. The Tigers called on international NGOs to prevail upon the Sri Lankan military and halt this practice.
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Wounded Madhu refugees allege SLA fired

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 November 1999, 10:44 GMT]
Wounded refugees who were brought to the Vavuniya hospital speaking on condition of anonymity said this morning that an armoured column of the SLA, retreating from a fierce counter attack by the Liberation Tigers had opened fire on the Madhu shrine where they had been huddled together last night around 10 p.m. killing and wounding scores.
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Fighting near Mannar town

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 November 1999, 09:18 GMT]
Heavy fighting erupted in the coast of Mannar town between units of the Sea Tigers and the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) around 12.10 this noon. Black smoke was seen in the Pallimunai sea said residents.
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37 killed at Madhu church

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 November 1999, 09:14 GMT]
Thirty seven civilians were killed and sixty four wounded when shells hit Madhu church amidst fighting between Sri Lankan Army units that had taken up positions in the environs of the Madhu shrine and the Liberation Tigers.
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Rush to establish Interim Council

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 November 1999, 16:43 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government asked parties which have representatives from the North-eastern province in Parliament to send in their list of nominees for an Interim Council. The letter requesting parties to propose 3-5 persons each for membership in the council, before November 25 has been sent out by the Ministry of Provincial Councils.
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Tigers push south in Mannar

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 November 1999, 09:06 GMT]
A special broadcast of the Voice of Tigers (VOT) said this afternoon that Liberation Tigers captured Paappamoddai north of Mannar and are advancing south towards Thiruketheesawaram. About hundred villages in the region have come under control during the offensive the radio said.
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Thallady SLA camp said under attack

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 November 1999, 08:49 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers have launched a massive artillery and mortar attack on the Thallady Sri Lanka Army camp from 1.45 p.m. this afternoon said sources.
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