International media, human rights watchdogs lopsided - Jaffna MP Pathmini

International media, human rights watchdogs lopsided - Jaffna MP[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 November 2008, 20:39 GMT]"The Colombo government is embarked upon a killing spree of children and women in refugee camps who are already victims of war, displacement, cyclone and floods. This act of 'state terrorism' is in what way less deplorable than the Mumbai killings, for failing to attract condemnation and action from the International Community," asks Padmini Sithamparanathan, Tamil National Alliance MP for Jaffna. "The so-called international media and human rights organizations are shameless in exhibiting their impotency they have acquired by becoming stooges to the lopsided agenda of the international politics of terrorism which is nothing but geopolitics," she added.

Padmini Sithamparanathan, Jaffna MP
Six days of torrential rains with intermittent gale have caused the death of more than ten, injured hundreds and have displaced hundreds of thousands in Jaffna and Vanni.The people of Vanni especially face untold sufferings, deprived of everything including a guarantee to live. The latest aerial bombing of the Sri Lanka Air Force has targeted a location well known as a refugee camp according to news reports. "This heinous act has resulted in the death and injury of many, most of them, children, women and elderly, who were already suffering the misfortunes of war and nature," the Jaffna MP said. "The international media, which jumps at the slightest occasion to blare about terrorism, is by its silence and biased news reporting encourages the genocidal agenda of state terrorism in Sri Lanka."The US based Human Rights Watch, while pressuring the Colombo government to allow aid groups to help cyclone victims in Vanni, has come out with an unwarranted statement that “the LTTE bears a heavy responsibility for the suffering of the civilian population in the Vanni, by refusing to allow civilians their basic rights to freedom of movement," she said. "What the Human Rights Watch needs to do is seeing that the people get immediate aid in the very place they live. It may not have the guts to do so by pressing the International Community, but this is not the time for it to abet the wishes of the government waging a genocidal war."In its press release the HRW concedes: " Human Rights Watch has previously reported that the Sri Lankan authorities have detained many displaced persons leaving the Vanni, holding them in closely guarded militarized camps near Mannar town. The government claims this is necessary for the safety of the detained civilians themselves, but the families detained in the camps have repeatedly stated their desire to leave; the government’s detention policy violates the rights of these displaced persons to freedom of movement."In such a helpless background what justification is there for the HRW to expect the people to come out of Vanni, the MP asks. "Many civilians are cold-bloodedly killed in the East and a large number of Tamils have been arrested in the South in the recent days. Thousands of Tamils are virtually kept as hostages for a long time in custody of the Colombo government. It is a shame to human rights that Hundreds of Tamils in Jaffna have to voluntarily go into custody to safe life. " The Human Rights Watch itself came out with a statement a few days ago on the escalation of human rights abuses in the so-called 'liberated' East. The human rights organisations privately agree that there is no better place of safety for the people of Vanni.

Padmini Sithamparanathan, Jaffna MP
What guarantee the human rights groups were been able to give the Tamils of the so-called liberated East, or in the other parts of the island outside of Vanni, to justify their call now for the freedom of movement of the people of Vanni, that too at a time when there is an utmost urgency for the aid to reach their doorsteps, asked the MP. It is high time that the International Community and the human rights organisations prevail upon the Sri Lanka government to stop the war, enter into peace negotiations and resolve the human crisis in the island, she said. In the meantime, Brad Adams, the Asia director of Human Rights Watch, while asking the Colombo government on Friday to lift restrictions on UN and other groups to operate in Vanni, has said: “If the humanitarian community can operate in conflict zones like eastern Congo, Somalia, and Iraq, they can operate in the Vanni as well. The government’s argument that the safety of humanitarian workers in the Vanni cannot be guaranteed comes across as more of an excuse to conduct military operations without scrutiny than a statement of concern.”

Ruthless Genocidal Sri Lankan Air Forces bombs refugee camp in Vanni, children among killed, wounded

SLAF bombs refugee camp in Vanni, children among killed, wounded
[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 November 2008, 08:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir bombers attacked a refugee camp with Internally Displaced People in Naathankudiyiruppu in Kallaa'ru, Ki'linochchi in the early hours of Saturday around 1:35 a.m. Medical authorities at Tharmapuram said three persons were killed. Two, a 5-year-old child and an 80-year-old man died at the hospital. At least 18 wounded civilians, including seven children below 10 years and 7 females, were admitted at the hospital following the indiscriminate bombardment on IDP settlement. Medical authorities described the bombardment as "terrible mid-night aerial attack on refugee camp".

The 5-year-old child killed was identified as Sutharsan Sivakumar and the elderly male was identified as Raman Ramasamy. Another person, killed on the spot, was yet to be identified. There could be further dead bodies. Rescue operation was still going on, the sources further said.

The wounded were:


5-year-old girl Thayananthan Pavithra
7-year-old girl Rasenthiran Logini
9-year-old girl Aananthan Chithra
10-year-old girl Rasendran Jasintha
10-year-old male Nalliyah Jasinthan
15-year-old male Selvam
16-year-old girl Rasenthran Thavachelvi
18-year-old male Ananthan Velavan
27-year-old female Sivakumar Rajakumary
28-year-old male Rasenthiran
28-year-old female Nalliyah Pusspavalli
33-year-old male Rajendran
35-year-old female Murugesu Rugunudevi
38-year-old female Ananthan Kamaladevi
40-year-old female Kannathas Amirthavalli
55-year-old male Sangarapillai
55-year-old male Nagarajah
75-year-old female Pallaniammah

UNICEF report states, education of 250,000 children affected by conflict.

[Sunday November 23 2008 09:11:29 AM GMT]
The current escalation of the conflict has affected 250,000 primary school children of their access to education, according to recent UNICEF report.
Mid Year Review of the UNICEF Humanitarian Action states, "Access to education for more than 250,000 primary school age children has been seriously disrupted and the current increase in displacements further aggravates this situation.The report further said the education sector was making efforts to prepare for and respond to the increasingly disruptive impact of the conflict on childrens schooling.

Contingency stocks are being prepared with supply items of 65,500 student kits, 400 recreation kits and 2,500 teacher kits for distribution in the affected districts.
With UNICEF support in 2008, 35 temporary learning shelters have been constructed enabling 5,250 displaced students to return to school, the report also said.According to the report, 8,000 children continue to live in institutions in the North and East of the country. The resumption of fighting in the north has also increased the risk of under-age recruitment by armed groups.

Despite a strengthened mechanism in place to monitor and report on grave child rights violations through implementation of Security Council Resolution 1612, the recruitment of children by armed groups continues. The UNICEF database as of June 2008 registered 6,273 children having being recruited by LTTE since 2002; of these 1,415 cases remain outstanding, including 133 children who were under 18 years as of June 2008. Other child rights violations related to conflict such as gender based violence, neglect, and child abuse," the report said.

History to abet 'structural genocide'

History to abet 'structural genocide'[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 November 2008, 12:39 GMT]The Colombo government at the height of its agenda for 'structural genocide' of Tamils, considered removing a chapter on the Kingdom of Jaffna in the history textbooks of the school children in Sri Lanka. However, to an opposing question by a JVP member in the Sri Lankan Parliament, the Minister of Education replied on Friday that they had dropped that plan. "The Colombo government has every justification to remove the Tamil Kingdom of Jaffna from the history of Sri Lanka if it wants to concede that Sri Lanka doesn't include the Tamil regions," commented Selvam Adaikkalanathan, the Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian of Vanni. Sri Lankan Education Minister Susil Permajayantha admitted in the Sri Lankan parliament Friday that there was a move to remove the chapter on the Kingdom of Jaffna from the history text book for grade eight, when JVP parliamentarian Bimal Ratanaike registered his opposition for the proposed removal by saying that the chapter would not be a block to the 'Pooneryn victory' and a 'forward march by the Sri Lanka Army to reach Ki'linochchi.' The JVP parliamentarian said that Jaffna Kingdom has been accepted by historians as true fact and that the JVP was opposed to the removal of the chapter. "If the Kingdom of Jaffna had not been recorded by the Portuguese who conquered it in 1618, the Sinhala chauvinism wouldn't have hesitated to completely wipe out the memory of it," Mr. Adaikkalanathan further said.

14 Tamils arrested in Colombo by Ruthless Genocidal Sri Lankan Army

14 Tamils arrested in Colombo[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 November 2008, 16:08 GMT]The Ruthless Genocidal Sri Lanka Army and police Saturday took fourteen Tamil civilians into custody in a lightning cordon and search operation conducted covering Obeyasekara area in Rajagiriya division in Colombo. The operation commenced early morning around 3:00 a.m. Majority of them arrested are residents of north and east and other upcountry Tamils and had been working several business establishments and staying lodges, according to police sources. They are now detained in the Rajagiriya police station and being interrogated as they failed to prove their identity and justify their presence in the location, police sources said.

Leaders of Mauritius voice against genocide in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 November 2008, 17:48 GMT]
Leaders of both the ruling party as well as the opposition of Mauritius, including the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Rama Sithenen and the Leader of the Opposition Mr. Paul Berenger attended an agitation against the genocide of Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka on Thursday. The focal event of the protest was the march of hundreds of Mauritian Tamils to the Indian High Commission in Mauritius, demanding the Indian government to prevail upon Sri Lanka to effect immediate ceasefire in the island and to commence talks with the LTTE. The agitators also presented a memorandum on their demands to the Foreign Minister of Mauritius and conducted a prayer at the Maariyamman Temple.
The Attorney General and Minister for Human Rights of Mauritius, Mr. Jaya Rama Valayden in his speech condemned the Rajapaksa brothers for the genocide committed on Tamils. Mauritius will not stop merely at protesting, he said.

The protest was organized by the Mauritius Tamil Temples Federation (MTTF), an organization running about 150 koyils (temples) in Mauritius, the Tamil Force an organization of youth for justice and fairness towards Tamils in Mauritius, the Hindu Maha Jana Sangham, the Tamil Union, and the Tamil Eelam Support Committee under the leadership of Ganess Permal.

The MTTF president Mr. Veeran Comaren explained to the Foreign Minister of the need of Mauritius government convincing India to take necessary action.

Former Foreign Minister Mr. Jayan Cuttaree, former leader of the opposition and General Secretary of the MSM party, former Foreign Secretary, Mr. Vijay Makhan and Tamil social activist, Thiruthondar Cheetaen were among the notables who condemned the plight thrust upon the Eezham Tamils.

While the MSM party was in power in 1985, its leader and the then Prime Minister spoke in support of Eezham Tamils at the United Nations.

Today’s opposition leader and the party chief of MMM, Mr Paul Berenger has always been supportive to the cause of Eezham Tamils.

Aya Agileshwaren, a native of Jaffna, conducted the prayer at the Maariyamman Temple

Sri Lanka: Civilians in Vanni protest against Colombo's use of humanitarian supplies as tool of war

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 November 2008, 16:07 GMT]
People in Vanni marched in thousands towards two Government Agents' offices and two Divisional Secretariat offices in four locations on Friday protesting against Sri Lanka Government's restrictions on food and essential supplies, blaming Colombo for using humanitarian supplies as a tool of war to force civilians to flee against their will into the hands of Sri Lanka Army (SLA). K. Mahathevan, a representative of Vanni Peoples Welfare Organisation (VPWO), addressing more than 5,000 protesters in front of Ki'linochchi Government Agent's office at Tharmapuram described how the supplies were reduced from 600 lorries per month in 2007 to 250 lorries per month in 2008, but only 54 have allowed to cross into Vanni in the recent days.

• Appeal to the ICRC from Vanni Peoples Welfare Organisation

The VPWO, a civil society forum with representatives of various organisations throughout the Vanni, held protests in front of Government Agent's offices at Tharmapuram and Mullaiththeevu and in front of AGA (Divsional Secretary) offices at Puthukkudiyiruppu and Oddichuddaan in Mullaiththeevu district, urging global community's awareness on the humanitarian plight of the civilians in Vanni.

VPWO's General Secretary Vethavanam, who expressed gratitude to the solidarity shown by the people of Tamil Nadu towards Eezham Tamils, said the ICRC, which was expected by the people of Tamil Nadu and also by their Chief Minister, as a neutral agency to facilitate the supplies, is now getting restricted itself by the government of Sri Lanka to even to operate the Oamanthai crossing.

"The Sri Lankan government is using food as a tool of war against civilians to force them to act against our will," said S. Thuraisingam, the president of the organisation, while addressing the participants at Tharmpuram.

"But, we have a democratic right to urge the global community and also Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa at the same time, to allow unhindered access to humanitarian supplies," he said reminding the participants that the demand is a universally recognised fundamental right.

Mr. Mahathevan, in his address said: "While the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa tells India and the world that he was allowing humanitarian supplies to civilians in Vanni, he has instructed his army at Oamanthai to continue an un-announced embargo and block additional lorries. They block essential supplies from petrol, diesel to medicines needed to cure snakebite."

When 80 lorries are forced to wait for 10 days with supplies at the crossing, what would happen to food items that need immediate preservation, he asked.

"In October 2007, 600 lorries were allowed to pass through the crossing, in November it was reduced with 30 lorries, in April 2008 only 400 lorries were allowed, in June the number becomes 370, now it is reduced to 254 lorries, but only 54 lorries have crossed over upto now," he said.

"Now there are many more civilians displaced. The Sri Lankan military occupies the entire district of Mannaar and vast areas of agricultural lands of the other districts, depriving our people to produce our own food."

"Every day, a new item is added to their un-announced list of banned items at Oamanthai," he said.

"The message is you can't eat enough as free people. Even when you eat, you can't add spice," he said with a remark: "Everybody knows you [Colombo government] are fighting puli (Tiger), but are you also fighting pu'li [Tamarind fruit pulp, a spice]."

"Now they don't want to allow trouser-cloth. Do they want us not to wear cloth?," he asked.

The World Food Program (WFP) had decided on 200 grams of rice per person earlier, which means 1.4 kg rice per week per person. But, only 600 grams are provided due to the limited supplies, he noted.

Indian Students raise Eelam Tamils Issue in Delhi

By Sam Rajappa – TNS


DELHI – Tens of Thousands of students, coming from all the large states of India marched to the Indian parliament on Friday in New Delhi, raise the Eelam Tamil Issues at the Indian Capital.

This is the first time that The Eelam Tamil Issue was raised by students outside of Tamil Nadu. It’s a significant move says a political analyst in Delhi.

Pressing their educational demands including a 10 percent allotment of state expenditure on education, the student raise the Eelam Tamil issue as the only issue outside their educational issues as a priority. Political observers find great significance in the highlight of Eezham Tamil issue as a demand in this all India student rally.

End the attacks on Eezham Tamils, Stop the military aid to Sri Lanka and initiate a peaceful political solution to the crisis, were the demands included in the students’ agitation organized by the All India Students Federation (AISF).

Earlier a special train, carrying over 2000 students from Tamil Nadu, which left Chennai on Wednesday arrived Delhi. They joined the thousands of students arrived from all over India and camped at the Ramlila grounds in New Delhi in the cold of the winter and marched to the Indian Parliament for a distance of five km., on Friday afternoon.

Highlighting their feelings and their demand to end the sufferings of Eezham Tamils they have named their special train as ‘Messenger of Tears’.

Earlier the Sri Lanka President Rajapaksa rejected the call of immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka. Rajapaksa is in Delhi for the past two days to attend the BIMSTEC summit and met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday.

“Coming from a Buddhist country Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa has only shown his arrogance in the land of Buddha by his belligerent talk of continuing war”, said C. Mahendran, a senior leader of the Communist Party of India at the Delhi rally.

Commenting on Rajapaksa’s remarks Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi accused Rajapaksa of seeking time to eliminate Tamil race in the island republic and said that the Centre should not get ‘deceived and carried away by his words’. "There should not be a single bomb dropped on Tamils or their settlements under the pretext of eliminating the LTTE. But there is no word of guarantee from Rajapakse in this regard. The Army makes no distinction between Tamils and LTTE and attacks places of worship and settlements," he charged.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who have assumed the role of guiding this country, should prevail upon Sri Lanka and ask it not to drop bombs on civilians, as no country battling terrorism drops bombs on its own people," he further said.

Unique agitation by All India Students Federation

Unique agitation by All India Students Federation
[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 November 2008, 21:49 GMT]
A special train, carrying over 2000 students of Tamil Nadu, members of the All India Students Federation (AISF), left Chennai on Wednesday to march towards the Indian Parliament in New Delhi, demanding end of attacks on Eezham Tamils, stoppage of military aid to Sri Lanka and initiation of peaceful political solution to the crisis. Students from many other states of India will join them in the agitation scheduled for Friday. Such an event is first in the history of AISF, said S. Mahendran, senior leader of the Communist Party of India, guiding the students.



More than 2,000 students throng the platform before going onboard the 'Messenger of tears' train



D. Pandian, the state secretary of the CPI in Tamil Nadu addressing the participants“Your voice is going to be the voice of all. Your voice is going to be echoed in several languages when students from 18 states will join you in Delhi”, said D.Pandian, Secretary, CPI, Tamil Nadu, in his address of send off to the students at the Memorial Hall, Chennai, Wednesday afternoon.

“Ceasefire is not one-sided, said some. But when the CPI raised the matter the LTTE responded with their preparedness. Why India is still unable to press for it?”

“Rajapaksa says the Tigers have to lay down arms. A Tamil will die standing on his feet, and never by begging on his knees”, Pandian said.

Addressing the send off, MDMK leader Vaiko said that the whole world was watching the event and that he was grateful to CPI for undertaking the venture. “It was the initial effort of the CPI on October 2, that awakened Tamil Nadu on the plight of Eezham Tamils”, he said.

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi President Thol. Thirumavalavan who addressed the students said, "We were fooled because we believed that the Karunanidhi-Pranab Mukherjee meeting would have put a full stop to the war in Eelam."

The speakers included, Udhayakumar, the Students Secretary of the AIADMK, Ravindra Thuraisamy, advisor, AISMK, actors Manorama and Satyaraj and poet Arivumathi.

The student participants are from all the districts of Tamil Nadu and the special train has been named ‘Messenger of Tears’ (Ka’n’neer Thoothuvan).

Many dignitaries, including CPI central committee member R. Nallakannu were at the platform, Chennai Central Station for the send off.

Actor Satyaraj flagged off the train.

3 Tamil civilians detained in Puththa'lam Genocidal Sri Lankan police station

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 November 2008, 11:30 GMT]
Three Tamil civilians were arrested in a cordon and search operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Navy and police in areas Ammaathoaddam and Pa'l'livaasal-thu'rai in Kalpiddi village in Puththa'lam district are still detained in the Puththa'lam police station and being subjected to interrogation by the police intelligence unity, civil sources said.

The operation was conducted Wednesday dawn till afternoon.

Several civilians were taken into custody and later released the same day.

Ruthless Genocidal Sri Lankan Para Military's White van abducts Tamil civilian in Puththa'lam

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 November 2008, 11:33 GMT]
Armed men who came in a white van abducted an ex-member of Kalpiddi Piratheasa Chapai (Pradeshiya Sabah) at Naavatkaadu in Kalpiddi village in Puththa'lam district Wednesday evening around 6:00 p.m., according to complaints lodged by the victim's relatives with the Police. The victim is J. Clarence, a 45-year-old father of four.

Armed men entered his house and took him by force in the white van amid cries by the family members at the house, according to neighbours.

Police sentry is located by the side of victim's house, they said.

Genocidal Sri Lankan Air Forces bombers attack again civilian targets in Paranthan

Sunday, 2008-11-09 20:07:58]Two Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked Kumarapuram, a suburb of Paranthan, Sunday around 12:50 p.m., causing injuries to five civilians, including a 2-year-old boy. The day was turned into another disasterous day for the child, Manoharan Vithuran, as the family was preparing to observe the 31st day rituals for their mother, Mrs. Manhoharan, who was killed in the SLAF bombardment on the same locality, 30 days ago. He was rushed to the Ki'inochchi hospital functioning in Tharmapuram and admitted at the Intensive Care Unit, according to TamilNet correspondent who visited the bombed site and the hospital. 72-year-old mother of two, Sellathurai Kamalambal, 63-year-old mother of two, Sivarasa Gowri, both from Kumarapuram, 54-year-old father of four, Nagalingam Sivarasa, from Paranthan 5th canal and a 12-year-old boy Sriskanth Tharangan from Kumarapuram were the other civilians who sustained injuries in the SLAF attack. The wounded were rushed to Ki'linochchi hospital and later transferred to Tharmapuram.

Two of the wounded, including the child, were in serious state, medical sources said. Nine houses were completely destroyed in the attack. Murugan temple at Kumarapuram, several other houses and a shop were damaged in the Sri Lankan air strike. SLAF has targeted Paranthan and its suburbs four times within the last 30 days.

Genocidal Sri Lankan Air Forces bombers attacked a settlement at the suburb of Paranathan, 6 km north of Ki'linochchi town Thursday around 2:45,

SLAF bombs Paranthan suburb
[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 November 2008, 12:34 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked a settlement at the suburb of Paranathan, 6 km north of Ki'linochchi town Thursday around 2:45, destroying houses, according to initial reports.

Casualty details were not available at the moment.

Genocidal Task by Srilankan Task Forces arrests 25 males in Vavu'natheevu, Batticaloa

STF arrests 25 males in Vavu'natheevu, Batticaloa
[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 November 2008, 13:42 GMT]
Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) commandos and police conducted a joint cordon and search Tuesday from 5:30 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. in Kannagkudaa in Vavu'natheevu police division in Batticaloa district arresting 25 men, sources in Batticaloa said. The arrested men are held in Vavu'natheevu police station for further inquiries, residents of Vavu'natheevu said.

The STF commandos and police checked every house in the area, and confiscated the National Identity Cards (NIC), of those who were ready to leave for work. The male residents were directed to assemble at the Kannangkudaa Ka'n'naki Amman temple for further interrogation.

The NICs of the women in the houses too were inspected by the search party.

Persons on their last day of Kanthasaddi fast too were taken to be checked without paying heed to their religious rites, the residents added.

Ruthless Sri Lankan Task Forces behind massacre of 5 Tamils in Ampaa'rai - Parliamentarian

STF behind massacre of 5 Tamils in Ampaa'rai - Parliamentarian
[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 November 2008, 18:41 GMT]
Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) commandos at Kalmunai in Ampaa'rai opened fire on five Tamil youths who were at a liquor shop and attempted to create a story through police that the victims were Karuna cadres, TNA MP K. Pathmanathan said, citing the relatives of the victims. Later, the STF attempted to place the blame on Muslims, but some Tamil Muslim youths who had witnessed the killings had helped to avert confrontation between the Tamil, Muslim communities, the MP said.

The five victims were identified as Jeaysekar Thushanthan, 20, Rajakubenthan Yogaprakash, 28, Muthuppillai Sri Sutharshan, 28, Somasuntharam Karthik, 26 and Kathiravadivel Rajakuberan, 26, a married man, all residents of Kurunthaiyadi.

Local residents told the MP that a youth witness was also assaulted by the STF commandos, the MP said.

"The STF had tried to create a story that unidentified armed men had shot five TMVP youths. If the STF suspects someone they should arrest them and investigate whether they are involved or not. Killing them in cold blood exposes the impunity enjoyed by the Sri Lanka military and the continued gross human rights violations," Mr. Patmanathan said.

"The killing of Tamil civilians should be stopped immediately and the defence ministry should take action to prevent similar incidents taking place in the future," he added.

Ruthless Sri Lankan Police arrests Tamil youth in Matale

Police arrests Tamil youth in Matale
[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 November 2008, 13:49 GMT]
Sri Lanka police arrested a Tamil youth Monday evening at Ukkuwala in Matale division in central province on a report that he has close links with the LTTE, police sources said.

The youth is being detained in the Matale police station and is under interrogation as he failed to provide satisfactory reason for his stay in the location, Police sources said.

Police added that they have received reports that the youth has been providing sensitive information collected from the area.

What is actually Genocidal Sri Lankan Government is doing.

Part 2.


Part 1.

Genocidal Sri Lankan Government first to use anti-terrorism laws to punish journalists, say media watchdogs

Colombo first to use anti-terrorism laws to punish journalists, say media watchdogs

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 November 2008, 18:53 GMT]
The International Press Freedom Mission, a group of five international media watchdogs, which visited Sri Lanka between 25th to 29th October, said in a statement released Thursday that the mission is “alarmed at the use of an anti-terrorism law for the first time in the democratic world, to punish journalists purely for what they have written,” and added that the mission “found a deterioration in the press freedom situation since its last visit in June 2007, marked by a continuation in murders, attacks, abductions, intimidation and harassment of the media.”

“S. Tissainayagam, B. Jasiharan and V. Vallarmathy have been detained since March 2008 and later charged under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. The Mission is worried about the dangerous precedent this sets for all media nationally and internationally,” the statement said.

Pointing out “the recent World Press Freedom Index published by RSF, [where] Sri Lanka fell to the lowest press freedom rating of any democratic country worldwide,” the statement said that the mission was “shocked at repeated instances of elected representatives and Government Ministers using violence and inflammatory language against media workers and institutions,” and added that the Mission is also “concerned that state-owned media and the website of the Ministry of Defence have contributed to the vilification of independent media and journalists. Such actions can only be construed as efforts to discredit media through false accusations and clearly places them in danger.”

Observing that the media in the “North and East of the country have continued to bear the brunt of the worst forms of insecurity,” the statement said, “Media access to war-affected areas is heavily restricted with journalists forced to reproduce information disseminated by the conflicting parties. Media are constantly threatened by all parties to the conflict in an effort to curtail independent and critical reporting. The International Mission condemns the murder of P. Devakumar in Jaffna in May 2008, as well as over a dozen other murders documented since 2005.”

Refering to LTTE controlled areas, the Statement said, “In the LTTE-controlled areas freedom of expression and freedom of movement continue to be heavily restricted preventing diverse opinions and access to plural sources of information.”

Members of the International Mission met with the President of Sri Lanka, Ministerial Committee on Journalists Grievances, political parties, media owners and editors, journalists and media workers, human rights and legal experts, and the international community, the statement said.

The delegation that visited Sri lanka comprised of the International Federation of Journalists (www.ifj.org), International Media Support (www.i-m-s.dk), International News Safety Institute (www.newssafety.org), International Press Institute (www.freemedia.at), and Reporters Without Borders (www.rsf.org).

Para Militery of Sri Lankan Government's White van gunmen abduct 5 Tamil youths in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 November 2008, 13:55 GMT]
Unidentified armed men in white van abducted five Tamil youths during the past seven days in Trincomalee district, according to complaints by public to Trincomalee district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian, Mr. Thurairatnasingam. The fate of the five abducted youths is not known, the relatives of the youths told the MP.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) jointly conducted a cordon and search, and with the help of masked identifiers, arrested seven internally displaced Tamil youths staying in Trincomalee Cultural Hall Friday.

The relatives of the seven youths have made complaints about the arrest to Mr. Thurairatnasingam, and the youths were released on his intervention.