Eleven NE local bodies go to polls on 20 May

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 April 2006, 13:56 GMT]
Elections to 22 local government institutions including the Municipal Councils of Colombo, Galle, Gampaha and Kalmunai and Urban Councils of Vavuniya, Gampola and Wattegama are to be held on May 20. Elections to these local bodies earlier scheduled for March 30th were first postponed to April 18 and now extended to May 20 to avoid intervening Wesak holidays and GCE Advanced Level examination, election department sources said.
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Claymore blast kills 2 civilians in LTTE controlled Mullikulam

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 April 2006, 08:28 GMT]
Two civilians were killed in a claymore mine blast in LTTE held village of Mullikulam, northwest of Vavuniya, Thursday. LTTE sources blamed Sri Lanka Army's Deep Penetration Unit for the attack.
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LTTE auxiliary cadre killed in Claymore attack in Vavuniya North

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 April 2006, 05:03 GMT]
An auxiliary cadre of the Liberation Tigers was killed and another auxiliary cadre wounded in a Claymore attack allegedly carried out by a Sri Lanka Army deep penetration group. The attack took place Thursday at 8:15 a.m. inside the LTTE controlled Semamadu village in Nedunkerni, Vavuniya North, LTTE sources in Kilnochchi said.
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TNA MPs, LTTE leaders pay respect to Vigneswaran in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 April 2006, 00:56 GMT]
"Tamil human rights activist Mr. V. Vigneswaran's assassination and those of 17 other Tamils in the period from November 2005 to January 2006 clearly shows that the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) will never protect the human rights of the Tamils. Therefore we ourselves have to strive to protect our rights," said Rev. Fr. Kanagaratnam, Director North East Human Rights Secretariet (NEOSHR), paying homage to slain Mr. Vigneswaran whose body was kept for viewing at the Cultural Hall in Kilinochchi Monday, said sources.


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Muttur east Tamils pay homage to Vigneswaran

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 April 2006, 10:02 GMT]
The remains of the slain President of the Trincomalee District Tamil Peoples Forum TDTPF) Mr.V.Vigneswaran was taken on Sunday morning to Liberation Tigers held Muttur east by road with the escort of International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) and Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM). The Sri Lanka Police provided the security up to and from Kaddaiparichchan Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp located on the border separating the LTTE area.
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Vigneswaran funeral on Tuesday

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 April 2006, 14:49 GMT]
The funeral of Mr.V.Vigneswaran, President of the Trincomalee District Tamil Peoples' Forum (TDTPF) who was shot dead Friday morning by an unidentified person inside the premises of Trincomalee main branch of the Bank of Ceylon is to take place on April 11 Tuesday afternoon at Anpuvallipuram cemetery. Hundreds of people are now paying their last respects to the Tamil activist whose body is kept in his Anpuvallipuram residence since Friday evening, sources said.
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Families of abducted TRO staffers to meet Colombo press

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 April 2006, 02:50 GMT]
The Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) and the families of seven abducted humanitarian workers, during the past 6 weeks, report no progress despite reduced exposure to media following the messages received through "third parties" that the abducted would be released if TRO and the families "kept quiet and did not to speak to the media," a press release from the TRO said Wednesday. The organisation has called for a press conference Thursday.
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International Mine Action Day celebrated in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 April 2006, 02:19 GMT]
Non-governmental organizations and government and UN agencies marked April4 International Mine Action Day with activities in several towns in Sri Lankathe, including the government organized event in Colombo. Regional events included a bicycle race for disabled persons in Trincomalee, sports and cultural events in Vavuniya, drama presentations in Amparai, a mine exhibition in Jaffna, the screening of mine action films in Killinochchi and essay and poem writing activities in Batticaloa, UN agency sources said.
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Vavuniya pre-schools call for immediate release of TRO workers

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 April 2006, 12:48 GMT]
Staff, children and parents of Tamil, Muslim and Sinhala Preschools in Vavuniya marched in protest to the Government Secretariat, demanding the safety and release of the seven Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) staffers who were abducted on 29-30 January and are still missing, TRO officials in Vavuniya said. They handed over a memorandum addressedto Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse to Vavuniya Government Agent (GA), T. Sinnathamby, Tuesday morning at the Vavuniya Government Secretariat.
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LTTE area farmers to receive marketing help

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 April 2006, 00:06 GMT]
Mr.V.Visuvalingam, Mannar Government Agent said he will soon be providing marketing facilities to farmers in the Liberation Tigers held areas to sell their agricultural produce in Government-controlled territory in Mannar district. Currently farmers in LTTE held divisions of Madhu and Manthai West in Mannar district struggle to market their produce for decent competitive prices and face financial difficulties, sources said.
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Australia provides Rs.128m for demining projects

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 April 2006, 10:48 GMT]
Announcing that Australian Government will provide AUS$1.7m for demining efforts in Sri Lanka, the Australian High Commissioner said in a press release issued Monday, "Clearing mines is a key factor in assisting the resettlement of people displaced during the conflict. As I have witnessed in Mannar, clearing mines opens schools for children, enables rural communities to access their fields and earn a living, and provides safe land for resettlement. It also demonstrates the concrete benefits that are flowing to ordinary people in the conflict-affected areas through maintaining the cease-fire."
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Vavuniya protest to demand release of abducted TRO employees

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 April 2006, 19:59 GMT]
Staff, children and parents of Tamil, Muslim and Sinhala Preschools in Vavuniya are to protest Tuesday, 4th April in Vavuniya demanding the safety and release of the seven Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) staffers who were abducted on 29-30 January and are still missing, TRO officials in Vavuniya said. Mr. Kasinathar Ganeshalingam, TRO's Pre School Education Development Center (PSEDC) North-East Province Secretary, is also one of the missing staffers.
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Mobile service to assist NorthEast farmers

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 April 2006, 17:19 GMT]
Mobile service organized by the NorthEast Provincial Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock Development, Lands, Irrigation and Fisheries in all eight districts of the province is to be inaugurated at Pampaimadu in the Vavuniya Divisional Secretariat on Monday, April 3rd. The service will identify problems faced by the farmers and to provide immediate solutions, said Provincial Ministry Secretary Mr.A.R.M.Mahrouf in a press release issued Saturday.
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Thanthai Chelva's 108th birthday celebrations held in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Friday, 31 March 2006, 10:59 GMT]
"The dreams of "Thanthai" Chelvanayagam, embodied in the Vaddukkodai resolution, are coming true," said Mavai Senathirajah, Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian in the special ceremony held Friday 9 a.m, commemorating the 108th birth anniversary of Mr. S. J. V. Chelvanayagam in Vavuniya, said sources.


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ITAK wins Trincomalee UC, PS, Thirukkovil PS, Alaiyadivembu PS

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 March 2006, 20:24 GMT]
Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kadchchi (ITAK), the Tamil National Alliance party contesting in the local authorities elections, has won all the 9 seats in Thirukkovil and Alaiadivembu Pradeshiya Sabahs and won Karaithivu with 4 seats in Amparai district. The ITAK also won after a long time, both the Trincomalee Urban Council with 10 seats, and Trincomalee Town & Gravets PS with 6 seats. UPFA got 2 seats and UNP 1 seat in Trinco Town & Gravets PS. In the local elections results released at 2 p.m. Friday, the ruling UPFA alliance has won 116 PSs, 7 Municipal Councils (MCs) and 12 Urban Councils (UCs). The JVP has captured only Tissamaharagama, and JHU has only secured a few seats.
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Polling commences for 266 local councils in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 March 2006, 05:16 GMT]
Polling in about 8829 centers to elect 3624 members to 266 local government authorities comprising 12 municipal councils (MC), 34 urban councils (UC) and 220 pradesiya sabahs (PS) countrywide began Thursday morning at 7 a.m. A total 11,037,763 voters are eligible to cast their franchise to elect their members from about 25,523 candidates fielded by political parties and independent groups.
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Sri Lankans go to local polls Thursday

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 March 2006, 20:42 GMT]
Sri Lankans will elect 4442 members for the 330 local councils in the elections to be held Thursday. In Trincomalee elections are being held after a lapse of 12 years, and in six NorthEast districts- Jaffna, Killinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar, Vavuniya and Batticaloa the elections have been postponed for six months.
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LTTE will participate at Geneva Talks if safe passage guaranteed through Colombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 March 2006, 16:15 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) will participate at the second session of peace negotiations in Geneva during 19-21 April provided that the Government of Sri Lanka and the Norwegian facilitators guarantee the safety and safe passage of the Tamil Tiger negotiating team through Colombo Katunayake international airport. Mr. Anton Balasingham, chief negotiator of the LTTE, said he made this specific request for the security of the negotiating team when he met the Norwegian Development Minister, Mr. Erik Solheim Wednesday at his residence in London.
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Hoole to work from outside Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 March 2006, 00:56 GMT]
Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole, recently appointed Vice Chancellor to Jaffna University (JU), announced Tuesday that Prof. A. D. Parameswaran, senior professor of the Medical Faculty JU, has been appointed as Deputy Vice Chancellor to Jaffna University and Professor Rajendra as Head of Vavuniya Campus of the JU, sources said.
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UAV comes down in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 March 2006, 09:35 GMT]
An unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) used by Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) for surveillance and reconnaissance missions crashed down colliding against the television antenna in a private house Tuesday morning at about 10.15 in Poonthodam Maharambaikulam, in Vauniya.
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