News vom 16.01.2006

[srilanka1998]

A collective punishment for the Tamils
[ Uthayan Daily ] [ 00:01 GMT, Jan. 16, 2006 ]

Recent events, in Northeast, especially in the north, are distressing and worrying Tamils. The north is currently witnessing an important turning point in the history of the Tamil people's struggle for freedom. The Sinhala military is doing in Tamil homeland exactly what the Israel military did and is doing in Palestine. It is a common practice for oppressive governments, like that of Israel, to deal with the pressures of a people's movement by giving collective punishment to the entire people. The freedom struggle in the Tamil homeland which has become the people's struggle is being handled by the Sinhala military in the same way. The result is the beating and killing of innocent people to punish the grenade attack carried out by someone else. These military actions are not taken in the heat of the moment. These are well planed actions of the military to threaten the people into submission. It is certain that this approach too will not succeed against the Tamil people who have come together en-mass yearning for freedom.


Vaiko's book From the Portals of a Prison released in Canada
[ TCWA ] [ 03:11 GMT, Jan. 16, 2006 ]

TCWA released Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) General Secretary Vaiko's book From the Portals of a Prison (English as well as Thamil editions) was released at the Pongal and New Year (2037)celebrations organized by the Thamil Creative Writers Association (TCWA) on Pongal day (Saturday - January 14) at the Murugan Temple, Canada. Thiru Nakkeeran, President TCWA in his address welcomed those present and explained the special significance of Pongal and New Year in the contextof Thamil culture. He exhorted parents to give their new-born babies pure Thamil names discarding the practice of giving Sanskrit names. As Thamils our individual identity is based on our name which should be perpetuated for posterity.


Vaiko's book From the Portals of a Prison released in Canada
Source: TamilCanadian - January 15, 2006

TCWA released Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) General Secretary Vaiko's book From the Portals of a Prison (English as well as Thamil editions) was released at the Pongal and New Year (2037)celebrations organized by the Thamil Creative Writers Association (TCWA) on Pongal day (Saturday - January 14) at the Murugan Temple, Canada. The function was well attended and the first copy of the book was bought by businessman Thiru Uthayan Ponnuthurai. A long queue formed immediately to buy the book prized at $50 a piece.

The Pongal New Year Vizha commenced with the singing of Thamil National anthem composed by Subramaniya Bharathiyar.

Thiru Nakkeeran, President TCWA in his address welcomed those present and explained the special significance of Pongal and New Year in the contextof Thamil culture. He exhorted parents to give their new-born babies pure Thamil names discarding the practice of giving Sanskrit names. As Thamils our individual identity is based on our name which should be perpetuated for posterity.

The bi-monthly news paper Then Seidi edited by Pazha Nedumaran was also released on the same day. The first copy was bought by the proprietor of Babu Catering and Take Out and Thamil philanthropist Babu to the applause of the audience. This newspaper will be distributed free in Toronto.

Students of Vasu Master of Narthanalaya Dance School performed to inspirational songs composed by Poet Kasi Anandan and Poet N.M.Muthukkoothan.

Gold, Silver and Brown Medals were awarded to students successful at the Thamil Proficiency Competition held by the TCWA and placed first, second and third respectively . In addition all successful students were presented with trophies and certificates. In all 107 passed the exam in 7 different age categories.

$2,000 prizes for pure Thamizh names were presented to 2 Canadian Thamil children and 10 children from Thamil Eezham. Lawyer K.T. Kesavan donated half the prize money.

Despite the extremely cold weather, the Vizha was a huge success. There were plenty of pongal, fruits, sweets, coffee and other short eats to go around.

Vincent Veerasuntharam (Conservative -Scarborough South West) Marilyn Churley (NDP -Beaches East York) Derek Lee (Liberal- Scarborough -RougeRiver) Bill Redwood (Conservative -Scarborough-Agincourt) and Pauline Browes (Scarborough-Guildwood) also addressed the audience.

Thiru K. Rasanathan proposed a Vote of Thanks.

 

[srilanka1998]

Three women members of Maaveerar family shot dead in Manipay
[ TamilNet ] [ 11:44 GMT, Jan. 16, 2006 ]

Two young sisters, Bojan Renuka, 30, and Bojan Shanuka, 23, and their mother Bojan Arthanageswary, 51, residents of a house in Mudaliyar Kanagasabai Road in Manipay, close to the Manipay Hindu College, Jaffna district, were shot dead Sunday night at 11.45 p.m. by gunmen, suspected to be Sri Lanka Army (SLA) intelligence operatives and members of Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) paramilitary, who entered the house and sprayed bullets at the residents, sources said. The father, Nagendran Bojan, 55, and brother Bojan Ullasan, 26, sustained gunshot injuries and are receiving treatment at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, medical sources said.


Two LTTE supporters killed in Akkaraipattu
[TamilNet, January 16, 2006 10:56 GMT]

Two Tamil youths Chandranathan Sasikumar, 23, also called Appuhami, a resident of Kurukkal Road in Akkaraipattu and Gopalakrishnan Suresh, 16, of RKM Road Akkaraipattu, were shot dead by unknown gunmen on Monday at 12 noon at Deans Road in Akkaraipattu Town, sources in the eastern province said. Both victims were said supporters of Liberation Tigers, Akkaraipattu residents said.
Incident took place behind the Akkaraipattu Police station.

Deans Road is a predominantly Muslim area.

Both are masons and were going work on motorbike when gunmen following them in another motorbike fired at them at close range and escaped.

Chandranathan is a father of one child.

Akkaraipattu police conduting investigation into the killing

Akkaraipattu lies in Amparai district, 64 km south of Batticaloa town.


Trincomalee Hartal suspended
[ BBC ] [ 11:54 GMT, Jan. 16, 2006 ]

The Hartal protest called by the Tamil organisations demanding the removal of Sri Lankan security forces from Trincomalee has been called off after a meeting with senior police officers. V Vigneshwaran, convenor of Tamil Peoples Organisation, said they agreed to suspend the protest though the government refused to entertain their main request. Regional security officials headed by Senior Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the north and the east, Mahinda Balasuriya, agreed to accommodate five of their demands, he said.Vigneshawaran said the authorities agreed to his request that the Army should not be allowed to carry out duties in civil disobediences. A Police officer should be present, he has argued, with every two Army personnel in the area. The Tamil Peoples Organisation expressed hope that the police will abide by the pledges given on Sunday.If the police fail to keep their word, Vigneshwaran warned, that the troubles might erupt again.


Ex-EPDP cadre shot dead in Nelliadi
[TamilNet, January 16, 2006 04:45 GMT]

Navaratnarajah Jegatheeswaran, 26, from Rajakiramam in Karaveddy, Jaffna was shot dead at 8.30 a.m. Sunday by unknown gunmen riding in a motorbike along Nelliady-Kodikamam road, sources from Jaffna said. Jagatheeswaran was formerly a member of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) and left the organization some time ago, Karaveddy residents said.
Jegatheeswaran was a father of four children and earned his living doing manual labor, loading and unloading lorries, aquaintances of the victim said.

Nelliady police is conducting investigations into the killing.

Nelliady is a thriving town with a bustling market located 5 km southeast of Point Pedro.


Two civilians, one SLAF soldier injured in Trincomalee attacks
[TamilNet, January 16, 2006 04:06 GMT]

An Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) soldier manning a checkpoint in Anpuvallipuram in Trincomalee district was injured when an unidentified person lobbed a hand grenade around 8.30 p.m. In a separate incident, two Tamil civilians, Selvanayagam Mayooran, 35, and Sabaratnam Mathivathanakumar, 32, were injured when unknown gunmen fired at them at 10.30 p.m. Sunday while they were going to their residences in Pallathoddam in Uppuveli Police division, sources in Trincomalee said.
All three injured were admitted to the Trincomalee general hospital, police sources said.

Mayooran and Mathivathanakumar are employees at a mechanical workshop in Veeranagar in east port town, civil sources said. Motivations for the shooting are not known.


Tamil Civil Group calls off hartal in Trincomalee
[TamilNet, January 16, 2006 02:44 GMT]

Trincomalee District Tamil Resurgence Forum (TRF) Sunday evening called off the general shut down, and the closure of government departments, and state, private sector banks in the district with effect from Monday, civil society sources said. The decision to call off hartal was taken after Mr.Mahinda Balasuriya, Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police for the North-East and Anuradhapura district, gave assurances during a meeting between a group of leading citizens and the members of armed forces that he would implement decisions taken to normalize the situation in the east port town from Monday. sources said.

The meeting was held Sunday morning in the office of the Deputy Inspector General (DIG).

Mr.V.Vigneswaran, President of the TRF disclosed the decisions taken at the conference at a press conference held later in the evening.

All government troops located near schools, temples, sea beach and Government Technical College should be removed.
Police personnel should be deployed in addition to members of armed forces at sentries in the town and its suburbs. Police should be allowed to check civilians passing through sentry points.
Home guards should not be allowed alone on duty. Home guards should accompany Police. Home guards should not be allowed alone to enter Tamil areas.
Police and government troops should provide in writing on the spot to relatives of a person arrested by them the reason and where the arrested is being taken for inquiry.
Soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army and Sri Lanka Navy should not cover their faces with black clothes when they conduct search operation and when they are on patrol.
Mr. Vigneswaran further said the DIG had asked them not to launch hartal without informing him if there is a delay in implementing these decisions.

Mr.Vigneswaran said the Forum had asked the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Trincomalee to monitor the implementation of the decisions.

TRF launched a general shut down and the closure of government offices and banks since the murder of five Tamil students in Trincomalee beach allegedly by armed forces on January 2nd night.

The hartal continued with break of one day for the funeral of slain students and two days for the Hajji and Thaipongal festivals. In the meantime two Sinhala nationalist organizations launched a three-day general shut down from Thursday till Saturday that fell on Thai Pongal festival in protest to the killings of Sinhala civilians and navy sailors in Dvora gunboat explosion. The Sinhala organizations called off their hartal Saturday evening with effect from Sunday (January 15) morning after a conference with the DIG Mr.Mahinda Balasuriya.

Bus services were resumed Sunday as normal and shops were opened ignoring mercantile holiday to cater the urgent needs of residents, sources said. Government offices did not open because Sunday was a public holiday.

The normal life and business activities in Trincomalee town and its suburbs are expected to return from Monday (January 16) after an interval of two weeks as TRF has also announced its decision to call off its hartal, civil sources said.

 

[srilanka1998]

TRO responds to media reports
[ TRO ] [ 19:39 GMT, Jan. 16, 2006 ]

It is with regret and concern that TRO must respond to the recent articles in the local and international media. The false allegations, complete fabrications, and twisting of facts reported in the articles are a weak attempt to malign the largest and most efficient NGO in the NorthEast. It appears that there is a coordinated malicious campaign by pro-government, anti-Tamil forces to malign TRO and the work that it performs. It is also disturbing that the increased levels of propaganda correspond to the diminished levels of peace discourse in Sri Lanka. TRO is seeking legal advice from its lawyers on this matter and will vigorously pursue their recommendations despite our reluctance to be distracted from our core objectives humanitarian activities.

 

[srilanka1998]

Reacting to worsening security in Sri Lanka, Annan urges respect for ceasefire
[ United Nations ] [ 20:18 GMT, Jan. 16, 2006 ]

The Secretary-General is very concerned about the deteriorating security situation in Sri Lanka. He deplores the attack on Saturday on the facilities of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM). Escalating violence in the past few months has put a severe strain on the ceasefire that had ushered in a new era of hope in Sri Lanka and brought significant benefits for its people over the past four years. The impact of renewed violence is once again being felt by the civilian population. The Secretary-General stresses that a return to conflict will not resolve outstanding differences between the parties. He strongly urges the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to shore up the ceasefire, ensure respect for the human rights of all Sri Lankans, and urgently resume their dialogue under the facilitation of the Norwegian Government.