Investigation into EPDP leader's stabbing

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Ministry of Justice has appointed Mr. P.Paskaralingam to investigate the attack on EPDP leader Mr. Douglus Devananda in the Kaluthura prison, said sources. Mr. Paskaalingam is expected to submit his report to the Minister of Justice, Prof. G.L.Pieris shortly, they added.
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Demonstration over cuts in relief

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Over one thousand people demonstrated in Jaffna today, protesting at the Sri Lankan Government's decision to cut relief for displaced people. The demonstration was organised by an organisation calling itself the 'Movement campaigning for Human Justice'
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Colonisation in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
An illegal colonisation of Sinhalese, backed by the Sri Lankan Army and Police is taking place in areas between the native Tamil villages of Kurankup Paalam and Vilankulam in the Trincomalee district, on the Trincomalee-Colombo road, said sources in the eastern port town of Trincomalee.
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Fast unto death continues

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Attorney General and the Prison Commissioner are yet to respond to demands put forward by the Tamil detainees held at the Kalutara prison who began a fast unto death yesterday, demanding their release or the implementation of legal proceedings against them.
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Political detainees to begin protest fast

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Forty-seven Tamil political prisoners held at the Kalutura prison, 43 km south of capital Colombo, have warned that they will begin a fast unto death from Tuesday, June 23, demanding that the authorities either begin legal proceedings against them or release them.
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Travel restrictions eased for festival

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The ban on travelling through Pungudutheevu to Nainatheevu will be lifted for of the annual festival (Thiruvila) at the Nagapooshani Amman Temple which begins on June 25. The New travel regulations were finalised at a high level meeting held on Monday at the 512 brigade head quarters.
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Eleven Tigers killed

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
An Army captain was killed and two soldiers wounded when the Liberation Tigers fired mortars on the Sri Lankan Army base at Elephant Pass base, north of Kilinochchi, last night at around 9.30 p.m., said SLA sources.
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Pungudutheevu no go area - SLA

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A press statement issued last night from the Sri Lankan Security Forces headquarters, at Palaly in Jaffna, stated that those who want to travel to the islands off Jaffna will no longer be allowed to go through Kurikadduvan in Pungudutheevu and will have to travel through Kyts instead.
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President addresses SLMC meeting

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan President, Mrs. Chandrika Kumaratunge, while speaking at the annual meeting of the Sri Lankan Muslim Congress (SLMC) said that Sri Lanka will win the war against the Tigers. However a political solution has to be found for the ethnic conflict and all the parties should support it unanimously, she said further.
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SLMC meeting amid protests

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) will hold its 15th annual national congress at Stanley Grounds in Colombo today. The Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunge is expected to be the chief guest for the event. The Opposition leader, Mr. Ranil Wikremasinghe is also expected to address the congress, said sources in Colombo.
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Jaffna Mayor cremated in Colombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The body of Ms. Sarojini Yogeswaran, Mayor of Jaffna, was cremated today at the Borella Cemetery around 4:00 p.m., according to Hindu tradition, said sources in Colombo.
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Hartal draws poor response

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Mr. K. Kirubarajah, Member of the Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) in a speech this morning before the body of the slain Jaffna Mayor Sarojini Yogeswaran blamed her death on the Sri Lankan government's haste to claim normalcy in Jaffna.
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Translation of LTTE Leader's speech (13 May 98)

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The LTTE leader, Mr. Vellupillai Pirabhakaran delivered a speech in Tamil on 13 May 1998, the first anniversary of the launch of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Operation, 'Jaya Sikirui'('Victory Assured' in Sinhala). The following is TamilNet's translation of the speech.
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EPDP may withdraw support

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Douglas Devananda, Leader of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) told family members of missing persons in Jaffna, that his party will refrain from supporting the Sri Lanka Government (SLG) in Parliament, if the problems of these families are not resolved in six weeks, said sources in Jaffna.
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Forced labour builds SLA defences

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) is using forced labour to strengthen the Sri Lanka Army - Police checkpoint at Ottamavadi Bridge 36 km north of Batticaloa, following an attack on the position by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) last Tuesday May 5, said sources in Batticaloa.
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Anura defends S.W.R.D. on Sinhala-Only

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
"There are some people who say my father's (former Prime Minister, S.W.R.D. Bandaranayake) decision to make Sinhala the official language of this country lead to the ethnic conflict. I strongly denounce this", said Anura Bandaranayake, UNP parlimentarian and brother of Sri Lanka's President, Chandrika Kumaratunge while speaking at a meeting in Ratmalana on Sunday.
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Army uses civilians as human shields - MP

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Joseph Parajasingham MP (Tamil United Liberation Front, Batticaloa District) has written to Sri Lanka President Chandrika Kumaratunga requesting her to bring to a halt the practice of subjecting youths to hard labour under inhuman conditions by Sri Lankan Army (SLA).
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May Day celebrations muted

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
News Feature"There were so many cops about the place watching your every movement, that you were scared to bend down and pick upsomething you dropped," said a man who had ventured out on to the streets of Colombo on May Day.
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Trinco Urban Council exasperated

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Urban Council (UC) of Trincomalee unanimously resolved today, that unless the controversial United General Market which was constructed on Thirgnanasambandamoorthy Road in Trincomalee recently is not opened by May 10, the members of the UC would mount a token fast and carry out other acts of peaceful civil disobedience.
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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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