யாழ் திரைகடலோடி

Bomb attack on Nittambuwa bus kills at least five. COLOMBO, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels set off a bomb in a bus in western Sri Lanka on Friday, killing at least five people and wounding 30, the military said, as fighting raged in the north and east of the island. Around 80 people were aboard the bus when the blast occurred in the town of Nittambuwa, 36 km (20 miles) north of Colombo, during evening rush hour. "It was a bomb inside the bus, very powerful, the bus caught fire," said military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe. "The Tigers are targeting civilians." He said the bomb was place beneath a passenger seat. There was…

LTTE Posses 3 Single Engine Helicopters (LeN-2007 Jan. 02, 7.00pm) The government defense spokesperson minister Keheliya Rambukwella warns, of a possible air strike on the Parliament or the Presidents house, based on the information received by the security forces about 3 single engine helicopters said to be in the possession of the LTTE. He was answering a question raised by a journalist whether there were plans of arresting the Editor of the Sunday Leader Lasantha Wickremetunga on charges of writing about a bunker, said to be built for the President. When the minister categorically stated that Lasantha Wickremetunga was not arrested, the journalist requi…

European Union under Germany may lift Tamil Tiger ban: Sri Lanka. A lifting of the ban on the LTTE by the European Union (EU) is now a possibility because Germany is going to be EU President (for six months) from January 1, says the Colombo-based The Sunday Times. In a Frankfurt-datelined story, the paper said that at the very least, an EU under Germany would put economic pressure on the Sri Lankan government to abandon its military campaigns and return to the negotiating table for meaningful talks with the LTTE. Germany has already stopped its aid for tsunami reconstruction in Sri Lanka. Economic Cooperation Minister Heidmarie Wieczorek-Zeul had to…

SLA launches artillery attack on LTTE territory in Vavunathivu [TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 January 2007, 12:22 GMT] Soldiers from Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Vavunathivu camp fired mortar and artillery shells from 5:10 a.m Tuesday on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held areas in Vavunathivu in Batticaloa, sources from Batticaloa said. SLA spokesperson Prasath Samarasinghe said the attack was retaliation to the LTTE artillery fire on Vavunathivu SLA camp areas from 5:45 a.m to 6:45 a.m Tuesday. He added that one SLA trooper was injured in the LTTE attack. Unconfirmed reports said that a sentry point on the LTTE Forward Defence Line (FDL) caught fire in the at…

Sri Lanka air raids 'kill 15 civilians' Tuesday Jan 2 19:43 AEDT Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels said that 15 civilians, including four children, were killed in air strikes by government forces in the northwest of the island on Tuesday. The military confirmed the strikes, but did not comment on casualties. They said a Sea Tiger base in Mannar and another rebel position in the eastern area of Vakarai were targeted. A Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) military spokesman said four fighter jets conducted the strikes, destroying dozens of civilian houses in Mannar. "There are 15 dead bodies and 25 wounded from the bombing," added R Ilannthirayan. The …

Intriguing role for Australian 'auntie' as Tigers enter new phase SYDNEY this week saw a gathering of notables from the Australian expatriate diaspora, mostly suits from the worlds of satellite TV, finance, science and open-fridge diplomacy. Across the world, in a much stranger story of personal development, the reverence of a foreign people for another Australian expat was on display. Dressed in the white sari of Hindu widowhood, the former Gippsland nurse Adele Wilby was chief mourner as 50,000 people filed past the open coffin of her husband of 28 years, Anton Balasingham, in London's Alexandra Palace Hall on Wednesday. Balasingham, who had died a w…

The issuing of Tamil Eelam national identity cards was officially begun today, on 1 January 2007 with the very first Tamil Eelam national identity card issued to the Tamil National Leader, V Pirapaharan. The Commissioner of Tamil Eelam Department of Registration of Persons, S Jeyenthiran, handed the first national identity card to the Tamil National Leader today. 31 December 2006 http://www.ltteps.org/

[TamilNet, Sunday, 31 December 2006, 04:11 GMT] The indefinite extension of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) curfew on Thenmaradchi from Thursday 9:00 p.m continued for more than 24 hours, causing untold difficulties to the residents of the area, confining them indoors, sources from Chavakacheri said. There had been no clashes or extraordinary circumstances calling for search operation in the area where the curfew is being imposed by the SLA, the sources added. People travelling to Chavakacheri and Kodikamam from the Jaffna peninsula were stopped at Kaithady Nunavil junction and sent back. The roads to Kachchai, Poonery, Kerathivu and Sangupitty in the Chavakacheri Munici…

Sunday Leader editor faces arrest [TamilNet, Thursday, 28 December 2006, 10:46 GMT] Sri Lankan Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been instructed by the Defence Ministry to arrest Lasantha Wikramatunga, the editor of the Sunday Leader, who exposed last Sunday a move to build a 500 million rupee bunker at Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse's official residence, editorial staff of the paper said. Media personnel have surrounded the Sunday Leader office following the development. The CID officials who have been in touch with Lasantha Wickramatunga had informed him about the move. The Free Media Movement in Colombo, in a press release issued recen…

No more free school season tickets Free season tickets from school children withdrawn The Government says that the decision to withdraw free season tickets from school children is in response to public demand. Since the introduction of free season tickets we have received a lot of complaints from general public thus we decided to remove this privilege, , Deputy Minister of Transport, Lasantha Alagiyawanna told BBC Sandeshaya. In a letter circulated to local transport authorities Sri Lanka Central Transport Board (SLCTB) chairman Tudor Dayaratne says that the transport minister had directed to charge a fee when providing season tickets to students inc…

Saddam must be hanged within 30 days:- Court. Iraq's highest appeals court on Tuesday upheld Saddam Hussein's death sentence and said he must be hanged within 30 days for the killing of 148 Shiites in the central city of Dujail. The sentence "must be implemented within 30 days," chief judge Aref Shahin said. "From tomorrow, any day could be the day of implementation." On Nov. 5, an Iraqi court sentenced Saddam to the gallows for ordering the 1982 killings following an attempt on his life. Under Iraqi law, the appeals court decision must be ratified by President Jalal Talabani and Iraq's two vice presidents. Talabani opposes the death penalty but h…

UN slams Sri Lanka warring parties over slow tsunami recovery by Amal Jayasinghe Tue Dec 26, 6:32 AM ET COLOMBO (AFP) - The United Nations slammed Sri Lanka's warring parties for stalling tsunami reconstruction efforts as the island marked the second anniversary of the disaster. The outgoing UN Secretary General Kofi Annan blamed both Colombo and the Tamil Tiger rebels for the violence that has slowed rebuilding after the December 26, 2004 tsunami that killed an estimated 31,000 people in the island. In a statement, he said the conflict between the government and rebels had made reconstruction even more difficult in the mainly B…

Mahinda, Mangala lock horns over appointment Kohona new Foreign Secretary? President Mahinda Rajapaksa is seriously considering the appointment of Peace Secretariat Chief Dr. Palith Kohona as the next Foreign Ministry Secretary. Present Foreign Ministry Secretary Siri Palihakkara will retire at the end of this year. Though the government had requested him to stay back Palikkara decided to retire on personal grounds. It is learnt there is going to be a difference of opinion between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera since Minister Samaraweera was in favour of appointing the Sri Lankan High commissioner in India, Romesh Jayasin…

Germany freezes aid to Sri Lanka The German government has frozen aid to the Sri Lankan government until it resume peace process with the Tamil Tiger rebels. The German minister for Overseas Development, Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, has urged other western countries to increase pressure on Sri Lanka government to restart the peace process. The minister said in a newspaper interview (with the daily Tagesspiegel) that due to continuing violence much of Germany's aid to Sri Lanka, especially in rebel held areas, was not reaching the people it was intended for -- the victims of the tsunami of two years ago. The minister said twenty-five million dollar…

LTTE - Karuna clash in the east Karuna faction says civilians were affected by LTTE's attacks using the camp At least 12 members of the Tamil Tigers have been killed in an attack in the east, breakaway faction of the LTTE said. Karuna faction’s spokesman Asad Moulana said three of their cadres sustained injuries in the attack in Pankudah, Iluppadichenai. Members of the Karuna faction launched an attack on the LTTE camp in Batticaloa district on Saturday night, he told BBC Tamil Service. The attackers have captured arms and ammunition including a 120mm mortar, he added. Our troops have destroyed the entire camp and captured the arms and ammu…

Liberation Tigers Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan told media Saturday morning that a cargo ship, caught up in the rough seas, has come into LTTE territorial waters off Mullaithivu and that the Sea Tigers were engaged in saving the crew. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Navy officials in Colombo said a technical failure had caused a Jordanian Merchant Vessel, FARHA III, carrying 14000 tons of rice from India to South Africa, to drift towards Mullaithivu. Sri Lankan military officials further charged that the Tigers had seized the ship and the crew and said the Sri Lankan navy had engaged naval boats to save the crew and the cargo ship. Further details are not availabl…

Presidential anger against 'Subasetha' (LeN-2006 Dec. 22, 6.15 pm) A advisor to a newspaper dedicated to astrology published by Lake house has come under severe criticism from the top for publishing a forecast that a leading lady of Sri Lankan politics is to make a comeback and the life of a leader is to in danger. These forecasts have appeared in two issues of the said newspaper. First issue has published that a leading woman politician is to make a comeback. The second issue has warned of a danger to a top leader. After these appeared the President has summoned the director editorial Mr. Kongahage and lambasted him. Later Mr. Kongahage has called for explanat…

Sampanthan off to India TNA Parliamentary group leader R. Sampathan left for India yesterday after the Indian Government wanted him and a few others to come over to India immediately. It is learnt that MP Mavai Senadhiraja is scheduled to meet Mr. Sampathan there Thanks http://www.dailymirror.lk/

Two LTTE cadres to be disciplined over Thirukkovil episode [TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 December 2006, 17:22 GMT] Two Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres have been ordered transferred to Kilinochchi from Amparai, to face disciplinary action for enlisting underage youths from a tuition centre in Thirukkovil Monday, LTTE officials in Amparai told TamilNet. All the 23 civilians, including the 21 students, in the custody of an LTTE unit attached to a training camp, were freed after an internal investigation initiated by LTTE Commander Ram. Two teachers, Tharmarasa Vigneswaran and Velupillai Uthayakumar, were among the persons taken by the LTTE unit from the tu…

One killed in RPG attack on paramilitary office in Kalmunai [TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 December 2006, 17:43 GMT] A paramilitary cadre of Karuna Group was killed and another wounded when unidentified gunmen armed with Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) launchers attacked the office of the group in Kalmunai town, located 36 km southeast of Batticaloa. The paramilitary office, located between a police post and the Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) camp in Kalmuani, was completely damaged in the attack that took place around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. Sri Lankan counter-insurgency Special Task Force (STF) officials identified the killed Karuna cadre as "Castro." The woun…

Sri Lanka set for anarchy, warns rights group Indo-Asian News Service New Delhi, December 18, 2006|08:49 IST Sri Lanka appears set for anarchy, a leading rights group has warned, adding that the situation in the strife-hit island mirrored the mid-1980s "where people count for nothing". The University Teachers for Human Rights (UTHR) has come down hard on both Colombo and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and raised doubts if President Mahinda Rajapakse is really in control of the state of affairs. "The political outlook for the Tamils is bleak," said a report, "A Note on Current Developments". "There is hardly any space for activists to m…

A 15-year-old boy who fell through pond ice near his Scarborough home with a friend eight days ago has died in hospital without ever regaining consciousness. Kishoban Alakeswaran was throwing stones on a frozen pond near Morningside Ave. and Finch Ave. E. with his 11-year-old friend Brunthan Nadarajah when he went through the thin ice. Brunthan drowned while trying to rescue Kishoban, who later remained unconscious in the Hospital for Sick Children while his parents and family kept a constant bedside vigil. He was taken off life support early Sunday as his parents prayed. Sunday night, stricken relatives and friends gathered at the home of Kishoban's parents. "He…

Anton Balasingham 1938 - December 14, 2006 Journalist who became the chief strategist and negotiator of the Tamil Tigers in their struggle for autonomy Anton Balasingham provided the intellectual framework for the violence of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. He was the brains behind the brawn, someone the leadership could turn to for ideological guidance, philosophical justification and political explanation while the killing went on. A forlorn-faced man, ill with a transplanted kidney, he travelled to devastated northern Sri Lanka in 2002 to act as the rebels’ negotiator in peace talks brokered by Norway. The Tigers vainly asked India to host the …

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Death of voice of Tamil struggle a new blow to peace in Sri Lanka by Amal Jayasinghe Fri Dec 15, 3:18 AM ET COLOMBO (AFP) - Sri Lanka's moribund peace process suffered another setback with the death of the top Tamil Tiger negotiator who was regarded as a moderate among hardliners, analysts said. ADVERTISEMENT Anton Balasingham, 68, who had spearheaded the peace efforts of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), died of bile duct cancer at his London home on Thursday. "Balasingham had an institutional memory and it would be very difficult for the LTTE to replace him," said Sunanda Deshapriya, a director at the independent t…