EPDP members suspected in abduction

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A group of unidentified gunmen believed to be members of the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) abducted two supporters of a rival parliamentarian, Mr. Ramamoorthy, who represents the Jaffna district, on Friday in Jaffna, said sources close to Mr. Ramamoorthy.
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Vakarai captured - SLA

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lankan troops have successfully launched an operation, code named "Inthira Sara", in the eastern province today and had taken control of the coastal town of Vakarai, 60 km. north of Batticaloa, from the Liberation Tigers, said ex-militant sources in Europe, quoting Sri Lankan defence ministry officials.
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Mankulam battle rages

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Fierce fighting is continuing between the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and the Liberation Tigers for the third consecutive day in the general area of Mankulam said LTTE sources in Europe this evening when contacted by TamilNet.
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Mankulam fighting continues

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Heavy fighting broke out between the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan Army yesterday in the general area of Mankulam, when the troops engaged in Operation Jayasikurui made a fresh attempt to advance from their positions around 10.45 a.m. said LTTE sources in Europe.
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Moonrumurippu assault repulsed - LTTE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A fresh Sri Lankan Army assault to advance towards Mankulam via Moonrumurippu, south-west of Mankulam, was beaten back said Liberation Tigers in a press release issued from their International Secretariat in London this evening.
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Army advance repulsed - LTTE

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
An attempt by the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) to advance towards Moonrumurippu, southwest of Mankulam, yesterday morning around 9.45 a.m. was repulsed, said the Liberation Tigers in a press release issued from their International Secretariat in London.
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UNP opposes calls to delay elections

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Buddhist clergy of the Malwatte, Asgiriye, Amarapura Nikaye and Raman Maha Nikaye chapters requested the Sri Lanka Government today to postpone the Provincial Council Elections until the island's war was won.
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Father attempts suicide

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Depressed by the death of his son, Damayanthan, last August, and disillusioned by subsequent delays in legal proceedings, S. Lakshmikathan (60), of Trincomalee, tried to commit suicide last month by eating four oleander seeds, said sources in Trincomalee.
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News briefs from Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The incidence of Malaria is increasing in Chavakchcheri and the Jaffna Teaching Hospital has requested a 3 month supply of medicine from the Health Ministry, said health officials in Jaffna. Storage and transport difficulties causes food spoilage and private Diploma holders fail University exam.
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Conflicting claims in Vanni fighting

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Thirty five Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and 4 officers have been killed and 2 officers and 79 soldiers have been wounded in fighting between 11 and 17 June, in the forward areas of Operation Jayasikurui, said SLA Brig. Sarath Munasinghe at a weekly press briefing held in Colombo today.
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TELO intelligence group arrested

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A member of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), attached to the ex-militant organisation's intelligence group, is reported to have been shot dead by suspected Liberation Tigers on Saturday, said TELO sources in Batticaloa.
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Bishop's report on disappearances

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Bishop of Mannar has written a detailed report of the disappearance of 4 civilians on 26 May 98, and the subsequent discovery of their bodies in a remote area. All 4 had been shot, and evidence indicating Sri Lankan soldiers may have been involved was found, says the report.
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Behind closed doors

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
On 5 June 1998, the Sri Lankan President once again imposed censorship on foreign and local media barring them from reporting 'sensitive military information'. The PA promised to introduce legal and institutional reforms to strengthen the freedom of expression when it came to power in 1994. According to ARTICLE 19, the international censorship watchdog that has studied press freedom in Sri Lanka in detail, none of these reforms have been implemented. The following report is based on their research.
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Attempt to disfranchise Hill country Tamils?

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Voters in Sri Lanka's hill country, home to a large Tamil population working in the tea industry, will be asked to produce their national identity cards to qualify for voting at the forthcoming provincial council elections, said sources in Colombo. Sri Lanka's Commissioner of Elections Mr.Dayananda Dissanayaka, who will be meeting the secretaries of political parties on Wednesday, is expected to advise them to pass a bill in Parliament to enable the elections department to demand national identity cards from hill country voters.
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SLA concealing casualties - MP

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Mr. Joseph Pararajahsingham MP (TULF), when contacted by Tamil Net's European Correspondent, said today that he believes the number of casualties sustained in the recent fighting by the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) are higher than the figures announced by the Deputy Defence Minister, General Anurudha Ratwatte, in parliament today.
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Another Kilinochchi advance repulsed-LTTE

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Over 75 Sri Lankan Army soldiers were killed and over 200 injured in the fresh fighting that broke out yesterday in Kilinochchi as the SLA launched another offensive to recapture the northern town, said the LTTE in a press release issued yesterday from its International Secretariat in London. Western analysts say that they expect fighting to continue in the area in the short term.
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Priests die in airstrike

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Two Christian priests were killed in a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) airstrike on 4 June whilst travelling through Kanakampikaikkulam in the Kilinochchi district said sources close to the LTTE in Europe today.
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Former deserter commits suicide

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A soldier committed suicide by shooting himself at Sittandy Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp, 26 km north of Batticaloa, this morning, said Sri Lankan sources in Europe today.
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57 SLA bodies returned

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The bodies of 57 Sri Lankan Army (SLA) soldiers captured by the Liberation Tigers (LTTE) in recent fighting were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) yesterday, said sources close to the LTTE in Europe today.
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SLA Mankulam thrust repulsed

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Fresh fighting erupted today between the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan Army near Ampakamam, when the troops of Operation Jayasikurui made a fresh attempt to capture the strategic Mankulam junction, today, said an LTTE official in Europe.
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