Batticaloa youth shot dead

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan army at Morakottanchenai, about 22 kilometers north of Batticaloa, shot dead a youth this morning around 10 a.m. whom it claimed was a member of the Liberation Tigers.
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Civilian movement into Vavuniya discouraged

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Civilians of Mannar visiting Vavuniya town were refused the normal one week pass today by the Sri Lankan Police. Instead the Police said that only one day passes to stay in Vavuniya could be granted to them from today.
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EPRLF procession draws interest

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The EPRLF went on a propaganda procession this morning around 9 a.m. with about three hundred people on bicycles in the Jaffna municipality limits. The procession was led by the EPRLF's mayoral candidate Robert who was accompanied by the group's leader Suresh Premachandran.
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SLA says Tiger member shot

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
SLA in Jaffna claimed today that they shot dead a LTTE member at Atchelu, in Valigamam division in Jaffna Friday night, at 10.15 p.m.
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SLA operation in Valaichenai

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Army from the Valaichenai paper mill camp and the near by Naavaladi SLA camp went on a special operation Saturday morning around 6 a.m. in to the island of Naasivanthivu, Raalodai and Vettuvan, about 30 km north of Batticaloa.
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SLA strips election posters

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Army cordoned and searched the Kovilkandy and Navatkuli area in Jaffna early this morning. All males between the age of 12 and 40 were taken to Navakuli church where they were screened.
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Vanni returnee shot dead

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The SLA claimed today that they shot dead a LTTE suspect and arrested another near Perumal Kovil (temple), in Jaffna, last night between 10.30 and 11.00 p.m. But sources in Jaffna said that the dead person has been identified as Velupillai Pavananthan, 27, father of 3 children.
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Tamil groups step up campaigning

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A handbill asking the people to reject the Local government elections in Jaffna was widely distributed there. The handbill was issued in the name of patriots (Thesapakthar).
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SLA patrol ambushed

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers ambushed a Sri Lankan army patrol in the Yala wild life sanctuary in the south-eastern corner of the island yesterday. Sources said that there was a firefight between both sides.
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Navy collecting EPDP signs, banners?

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The campaign for the local polls in Jaffna is not without its lighter moments, though the EPDP might not agree. The sign board announcing the Eelam Peoples' Democratic Party office at Sithankerny junction was dismantled and carried away by unkown persons last night.
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Candidates can't carry weapons - SLA commander

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Security Forces Commander for Jaffna, Major General Lionel Balagalle informed representatives of political parties fighting the forthcoming local government elections in the Jaffna Peninsula today, that no one would be allowed to carry weapons in the Peninsula till the elections are concluded, said sources in Jaffna.
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Government indifferent to war zone students' hardship

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The cut off marks for admission to Sri Lankan universities, released to the press last evening by the Ministry of Education, shows the indifference of the authorities for the trials and hardship of the people living in the northeast, said Ministry of Education sources today.
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Tigers still said holding Kanakarayan Kulam

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Troops of Operation Jayasikurui ('Victory Assured' in Sinhalese) contrary to Sri Lanka Government (SLG) claim last week that Kanakarayan Kulam had come under the military's control, are still two kilometers from the strategic town on the A-9 and have to cross Kanakarayan Aaru (river), to reach their goal, said sources in Vavuniya today.
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Fisherman badly wounded

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A Muslim fisherman was severely wounded by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) firing early this morning at Miravodai, near Ottamavadi, 25 km north of Batticaloa, said sources in Valaichenai. The youth, identified as M. Mustapha, was out fishing in the Valaichenai lagoon when he was shot through his testicles by the army.
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Crooked cops arrested - with stolen goods

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A Sri Lankan Police officer and three Police constables were arrested near Anuradhapura on Tuesday January 13 while transporting furniture and electrical goods removed from the homes of Tamil civilians who fled Omanthai, six kilometers north of Vavuniya, in May last year when the SLA launched Operation Jayasikurui to take control of the Vavuniya - Jaffna highway.
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Thousand detained in Vavuniya round up

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
More than one thousand Tamil civilians were detained in a massive search operation by the Sri Lankan Army and the Police in Vavuniya and its suburbs today.
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Temporary Jaffna library opened

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The temporary Jaffna Public Library was opened this noon by Sri Lanka's media minister Mr.Mangala Samaraweera under very heavy multi-layered security.
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LTTE to release 2 SLA captives

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Keethan, the political wing leader of the Liberation Tigers in the Batticaloa district told a visiting peace delegation led by Mr. Wasala Bandara, the head of Organisation for the Protection of Democratic Rights,a peace NGO based in Colombo that two SLA soldiers in the LTTE's custody will be released on Jan 15. The peace delegation visited Batticaloa on Saturday, January 10.
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Elderly woman killed by SLA fire

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Palippodi Ponnammma, a seventy year old woman was fatally injured last evening in indiscriminate SLA firing from the Kommaithurai camp which is about thirteen miles north of Batticaloa.
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Reluctant official threatened by SLA

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A top local government administrator of the Jaffna Municipal Council was threatened with arrest yesterday for refusing to cooperate with the Sri Lankan Army in connection with a major state function to be held tomorrow in the Jaffna town, said sources in the peninsula.
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