Thousands march in Vavuniya for peace

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 April 2005, 08:35 GMT]
More than three thousand people marched through Vavuniya town Monday demanding that the government of Sri Lanka restart the long stalled peace talks with the Liberation Tigers, set up a joint mechanism for Tsunami relief in the island's northeast and stop using its paramilitaries to attack LTTE activists . A public rally was held on the Vavuniya Urban Council grounds at the conclusion of the march. The march and rally were organised by 84 civil society groups in Vavuniya.
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Two paramilitary cadres shot in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 April 2005, 07:51 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen opened fire on two paramilitary cadres in Nagar Iluppaikulam, about 8 kilometres southwest of Vavuniya, Friday around 12.30 p.m. One of them was admitted Vavuniya hospital with five gun shot wounds. The other is missing, Police said. Both are cadres of the EPRLF (Varathar Group), a paramilitary that operates with Sri Lankan armed forces in the island's northeast.
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Thanthai Chelva remembered on his 107th birthday

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 April 2005, 10:43 GMT]
Mr. S.J.V.Chelva-nayakam, founder of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) and fondly called by Tamils as "Thanthai" (father) was remembered on his 107th birthday in Jaffna and Vavuniya Thursday. Jaffna Bishop of South Indian Diocese Rt Rev.Jebanesan in the capacity of Thanthai Chelva Trustee garlanded the statue of late leader Mr.Chelvanayakam which is located in the Chelva mausoleum in Jaffna town. Parliamentarian and the current President of ITAK Mr.Mavai Senathirajah and parliamentarian Mr.M.K.Sivajilingam also garlanded the statue, sources said.
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Best local authorities in NE commended

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 April 2005, 05:10 GMT]
Mr.Tyronne Fernando, North East Governor, Thursday, in a event held at the auditorium of the NEPC Chief Secretariat, presented shields and certificates to best Municipal Council (MC), Urban Council (UC) and Predesiya Sabah (PS) in the northeast province elected in a competition conducted by the Provincial Local Government Department last year. Three MCs, seven UCs and 61 PSs participated in the competition. Altogether 71 local authorities are functioning in the NorthEast.
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NEHRP to reconstruct 7,000 houses in NorthEast

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 March 2005, 15:57 GMT]
The World Bank (WB) funded North East Housing Reconstruction Programme (NEHRP) is to reconstruct 4000 houses destroyed in the war and 3000 houses destroyed by the tsunami in the coastal areas, sources said.
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UK medical team concludes tsunami mission

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 March 2005, 04:57 GMT]
London medical team comprising 152 members and sponsored by London Sai Samithi after completing its humanitarian mission in tsunami affected coastal areas in the northeast and south, left Colombo Friday, sources said. London medical team conducted clinics in Mullaitivu, Killinochchi, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Kalmunai in the northeast and in Kamburupitya, Matara and Galle in the south lasting fourteen days since its arrival, one of its three co-ordinators Mr.Anis Patel said.
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LTTE's Vavuniya political office bombed

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 March 2005, 02:14 GMT]
Three persons were injured in grenade attack on the political office of the Liberation Tigers in Vavuniya town Monday morning around 5.30. Police said. The wounded were a security guard at an adjacent weaving centre and two civilian employees at the LTTE political office. The unidentified assailants got away, Police said.
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Poverty alleviation woes highlighted

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 March 2005, 18:23 GMT]
An organisation for the 'Samurdhi' poverty alleviation program officers in Sri Lanka's northeast and in the Nuwara Eliya District was inaugurated Friday in Vavuniya. Thousands of people living in poverty in several districts of the northeast do not receive any benefit under this program, according to the governers of the new organisation. The Samurdhi program is also affected by a shortage of field officers in the north.
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Workshop held for pre-school officials

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 March 2005, 11:10 GMT]
Mr. Tramz-Josepf Kuhn of German ABC Foundation held a one-day workshop Saturday morning for the district, zonal and divisional co-ordinators of pre-schools in Jaffna, Killinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya on new learning techniques at the International Children School auditorium in Kilinochchi. Mr.S.Rajagopal, Director of the International Children School presided.
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Canadian delegation visits Trincomalee, sees WUSC activities

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 March 2005, 19:16 GMT]
A Canadian parliamentarian delegation led by Ms Maria Minna arrived in Trincomalee Thursday around noon on a fact-finding mission accompanied by Mr.Jean-Philippe Linteau, Political Officer of the Canadian High Commission in Colombo. Other members of the Canadian delegation were Mr.Derek Lee, Mr.Joe Comartin, both parliamentarians and a Senator Mr.Jospeh Day.
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Commission on eastern killings to record evidence

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 March 2005, 12:32 GMT]
The commission appointed by Sri Lanka’s President Chandrika Kumaratunga to inquire into attacks on the Liberation Tigers in the east will record evidence from 28 March to 8 April 2005, according to a media release by the President’s officer in Colombo Monday. The commission on “alleged attacks on LTTE” will record evidence “to ascertain the circumstances and/or the motive leading to the attacks on those alleged to be LTTE Cadres”, according to the release. Tigers dismissed the commission as “eyewash” last week, pointing to the fate of four Presidential commissions that inquired into massacres of Tamil civilians in the east by Sri Lankan armed forces.
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International Women's Day celebrated across NorthEast

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 March 2005, 12:16 GMT]
Events celebrating International Women's day were held across the NorthEast including Thambiluvil Madhya Maha Vidyalayam in Thirukovil, Cultural Hall in Trincomalee, Town Hall in Vavuniya and in Jaffna district Tuesday, sources said. In Trincomalee Ms Kaaronja, LTTE Trincomalee district women political wing head hoisted the Thamileelam National Flag at the Trincomalee Cultural Hall at the commencement of the International Women's Day event amid protest by a member of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM).
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Soldier suspected in C-4 case found dead

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 March 2005, 05:23 GMT]
A Sri Lanka army soldier wanted in connection with poisoning seventeen commando trainees with C-4 explosive in Kokkuveli near Vavuniya last month was found dead Monday evening in the jungles in Omanthai, 18 kilometres north of the northern border town, Police said. Sri Lanka army said the dead man was Corporal Dharmaratna. Vavuniya judge ordered Police to investigate the circumstance of the soldier’s death.
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Japan donates Rs 8.9 million to upgrade Thellipalai hospital

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 February 2005, 22:26 GMT]
The Government of Japan today donated a sum of USD 90,204 (approximately Rs. 8.9 million) towards the "Project for Emergency Rehabilitation of Water Supply and Sewerage Systems at Thellipalai Hospital" in the Jaffna peninsula as a part of its continuous efforts in improving the emergency health care needs in areas where access to health facilities and services are insufficient.
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Civil groups demand action against sex assaults

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 February 2005, 15:16 GMT]
Citizens Committee, Justice and Peace Commission, Peoples Forum and Traders Association of Mannar district Monday appealed to Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge to take stern action against errand policemen who are involved in sexual assaults on students and women in Mannar, sources said.


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17 SLA recruits hospitalized, force fed plastic explosives

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 February 2005, 03:20 GMT]
Seventeen Sri Lanka Army (SLA) new recruits were transported to the Anuradhapura General Hospital by special helicopter after being admitted to the Vavuniya Hospital emergency ward with suspected food positioning, medical sources said. The soldiers are from the Kokkoveli army camp in Vavuniya district.
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Vocational Training Center opened in Muttur

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 February 2005, 02:42 GMT]
The Social Development Centre (SDC) headquartered in Killinochchi, opened the first vocational training centre (VTC) at Navaratnapuram, Sampoor in the Liberation Tigers controlled Muttur east, south of the Trincomalee district with the assistance of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) Wednesday morning. Colonel Sornam, Trincomalee district military commander ceremonially declared open the main building of VTC, sources in Muttur said.
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Employees of CWE demand pay increase

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 February 2005, 12:03 GMT]
Employees of all Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE) outlets held islandwide demonstrations between 10 am and 12 pm Wednesday opposite their respective Retail Outlets demanding an increase of their salaries. Mr S Charles, an employee at the CWE Vauvuniya said: "With diminishing stocks in our outlet employees are concerned about their future and the Government of Sri Lanka is ignoring our plight."
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"Tiger flag is Tamil nation’s flag" – Mannar Bishop

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 February 2005, 11:39 GMT]
"There is nothing wrong in the Tamil nation raising its national flag. The Tamil national flag is not the Tigers’ flag but it is the Tamil people’s flag. Hoisting it is not against peace. Many who shout against it are silent over the recent killings. It is very deplorable that such murders are committed even amidst the great human tragedy caused by the Tsunami. These killings are provocations to war", said Mannar Bishop Rt. Rev. Rayappu Joseph, addressing a rally in Mannar town Tuesday to condemn the killing of LTTE political leader, Mr. Kousalyan, the bombing of LTTE’s political office and sexual assault of a student by Police.
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Jaffna, Vavuniya shut down in hartal, protesters clash with SLA

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 February 2005, 10:05 GMT]
The entire districts of Jaffna and Vavuniya Saturday came to a standstill following a general shut down, condemning the killings of Mr.Kousalyan, LTTE political head for Batticaloa Amparai district, his colleagues and Mr.Chandra Nehru, former Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian for Amparai district. In several areas civilians blocked roads and burnt tyres. Clashes took place at the junctions of Puttur and Kaithady in Thenmaradchchi division in Jaffna district Saturday afternoon between groups of civilians and soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army when the latter attempted to remove the roadblocks. Soldiers fled from their sentry points when the angered civilians threw stones at them.
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