Valaichenai food restriction eased

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The supply of dry rations to Vakarai, in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled area, 60 km north of Batticaloa, which was suspended on an order made by Brigadier R. H. Silva, Brigade Commander of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) at Valaichenai, was restored today, said sources in Valaichenai.
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SLA foray into Vadamaradchi East

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Army launched a limited operation yesterday in the Vadamaradchi East region in the Jaffna peninsula. The operation was continuing this morning said sources in Jaffna. The SLA cordoned off and searched the villages of Chempiyanpattu and Thanipanaioor yesterday.
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Intelligence officer shot dead

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Suspected members of the Liberation Tigers shot dead a soldier attached to the SLA's military intelligence unit in Batticaloa this morning around 8.30 a.m. in the village of Kommathurai, about 19 kilometers north of the eastern town. The dead soldier is a Tamil youth identified as S. Ravichandran.
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Public complaints against SLA harassment

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A complaint has been lodged by members of the public at the office of the Eelam Peoples' Democratic Party (EPDP) against constant harassment from the Sri Lanka Army's Special Forces (SF) commando unit operating in Waligamam (West) division of the Jaffna peninsula, said sources in Jaffna.
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Gen. Ratwatte visits Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lankan Deputy Minister of Defence Gen. Anuruddha Ratwatte and Commanders of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces visited Vavuniya and areas of Operation Jayasikurui today, said SLA sources in Vavuniya. Gen. Ratwatte is said to have discussed the military situation with the field commanders.
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SLA commander speaks at music function

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The SLA's Jaffna Town Commander Brig. Susantha Mendis called on the Tigers to join the path to peace last night at a music show at the Duraiappa stadium in the northern town. The musical show where 'Sithara', a band flown in from Colombo played to a crowd of 25000 until 1 a.m. in the small hours of the morning today was organised by the Jaffna SLA.
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SLA post attacked

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Three SLA soldiers were killed and nine wounded when the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) attacked a Sri Lanka Army detachment at Pansalgodella 40 km south of Trincomalee on the Kanthalai-Seruvila road last night around 11.00 p.m., said SLA sources in Trincomalee.
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Policeman believed murdered

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Murder has not been ruled out by Dr. S. Vasikaran of the Kalawanchikudy Hospital who conducted the autopsy on the body of Vallipuram Jeevakumar (28), a reserve police constable serving in Vavuniya, whose body was discovered on Saturday floating in the Kaluthavalai lagoon, 25 km south of Batticaloa, said sources.
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Torture victim attempts suicide

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Maayur Nagarajah (17) who was beaten and severely tortured at the Chullipuram Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp, 12 km West from Jaffna, attempted to commit suicide last evening at his parents home fearing that the SLA was going to detain and torture him again, said sources in Jaffna.
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Parents' fury at BoI's report

[TamilNet, Sunday, 26 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Parents of those who 'disappeared' in the Jaffna whilst in Sri Lankan army custody, accused A.T. Ariyaratne, a member of the Human Rights Commission, and founder of the NGO Sarvodaya, of also violating human rights, when he met them in Jaffna to convey that the Board of Investigation (BoI) appointed by Sri Lanka President to look into the disappearances had only listed 16 persons as having 'disappeared' during that time, said sources in Jaffna. The MPGA and international human rights organisations put the disappearances in Jaffna at around 600.
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British High Commissioner in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Sunday, 26 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The British High Commissioner for Sri Lanka Mr. David Tahtham is currently on a visit to Trincomalee said sources in the eastern port town. The British envoy arrived in Trincomalee on Friday April 24 and is staying at the Nilaveli beach hotel.
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Closed hospital awaits opening

[TamilNet, Sunday, 26 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Siththa-Ayurveda Hospital (Siththa-Ayurvda is a system of indigenous medicine popular among the Tamils) at Mamunai 36 km north-east of Jaffna in an LTTE controlled area, has not been reopened after it was closed when the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) occupied the Jaffna peninsula, said sources in Jaffna.
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Special leave for public servants

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lanka's Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs and Plantation Industries has issued a circular which states that any public service official working in the island's north and east who is unable to report to work due to military activity would be granted special leave, said sources in Jaffna.
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SLA deserters abscond again

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Two soldiers from a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp in Vavuniya who hijacked a three wheeler taxi on April 22 at Pattaanichoodu, 10 km west of Vavuniya, were arrested by the Neeriyakulam police at Neeriyakulam on the Chettikulam- Madwachchi road, while trying to escape, said sources in Vavuniya.
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Civilian seriously injured

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Adakkan Velayutham (57), a resident of Kalkudah, 32 km north of Batticaloa, lost his right eye and ear from Sri Lanka Army gunfire, while he was sleeping at home last night, said sources in Valaichenai. Hearing the firing he had awoken and found that he was bleeding.
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SLA soldiers clash

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
One SLA soldier, Madduma Bandara, was killed and another, W. J Niroshan, was injured when two groups of military personnel from the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) clashed at Pallappai 18 km north of Jaffna at 2:45 a.m. today, said sources in Jaffna. The injured was removed to Mandikai Base Hospital, said sources.
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Arrests follow postal strike

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Three of the ten Sri Lankan postal trade union leaders arrested by the Police last night as the Sri Lankan government declared the postal service an essential service were interrogated today by the Criminal Investigation Department. The other leaders are being held at different Police stations for security reasons said Police sources.
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Ten youths arrested

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) forcibly took away the national identity cards of 10 youths near the Neerveli Kandasamy Kovil 8 km north of Jaffna today and then detained the young men when they went to recover the ID cards at the Neerveli SLA camp, said sources in Jaffna.
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Vakarai denied dry rations

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Almost 7000 families in Vakarai, 60 km north of Batticaloa, which is under the control of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), have not received their quota of dry rations issued by the Sri Lanka Government from December last year, due to an order issued by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) that rations should not be transported to Vakarai, said sources in Valaichenai.
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UNP meets South African peace group

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A South African human rights organization, Dravidians for Peace and Justice (South African Chapter), say they have held a meeting with a representative of the UNP, the main Sri Lankan opposition party, in Johannesburg to discuss the current conflict and human rights in Sri Lanka.
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