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UNICEF says it urges for children and civilians to be protected from fighting in Vanni as children are getting caught in crossfire-JNW

Top LTTE leader Bhanu was seriously injured in Udayarkattu, Mullaitivbu, military sources said.
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The Tamil Tigers say that 250,000 civilians in the conflict zone in north-eastern Sri Lanka want to ..

A shut down in the North and East Friday called by the Tamil National Alliance to condemn the killing of Tamils in Vanni was totally observed in the East in a peaceful manner despite harassment and threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) of severe consequences for those taking part in the shut down, sources in [...]

“Considering the plight of the 2000 Tamils who had fled war and are detained in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) detention centres, a justifiable fear arises as to what would happen to those who come to these detention centres which are like prisons; youths detained in these centres are said to have gone missing,” Commission for [...]

Sri Lanka ruled out a cease-fire with the Tamil Tigers despite growing reports of casualties among civilians trapped in the northern war zone, as the military pushed ahead with its offensive against the rebels.

Thousands of Canadian Tamils formed a human chain through Toronto’s downtown on Friday to protest a Sri Lankan government offensive aimed at crushing the separatist Tamil Tigers.

“This victory should not be lost in the peace. (….) The mono-ethnic nature of the North should be dismantled.(….) ‘Defence Colonies’ defence settlements should be established all over the North. Retired husband and wife ex-employees of the armed forces should be settled in such strategic settlements. Like in mainland China, and earlier in Korea, Armed [...]

“Tamil National Alliance (TNA) wishes to express its deepest grief and condolence to Muthukumar’s family and the people of Tamil Nadu along with the entire Tamils of the world for having laid his live in supreme sacrifice in support of the Eelam Tamils,” the message of condolence released by TNA said.

Oscar and Grammy award nominee, Eezham born music phenom, Maya Arulpragasam, in the PBS interview on Tavis Smiley show Thursday told the U.S. listeners and fans worldwide that “there’s been a systematic genocide which has quiet thing because no one knows where Sri Lanka is. And now it’s just escalated to the point there’s 350,000 [...]

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Jan. 30 (UPI) — The Sri Lankan government said Friday it would maintain its military action against rebel forces despite a call for a regional cease-fire.

Expressing deep concern for the safety and well-being of the 250, 000 civilians, including humanitarian aid workers, reportedly caught up in the conflict in the North-East region of Sri-Lanka, South African government Friday called for a permanent ceasefire. South Africa also urged the parties to the conflict, as a priority, respect existing safe zones [...]

A ’security officer’ of UN Colombo office, who was only pressing for the transfer of the families of local UN staff, didn’t cooperate with the ICRC causing the delay in the transfer of wounded civilians from Vanni. The altercation led to the misinformation by the UN staff of Colombo office that the LTTE initially refused [...]

Ruling out a ceasefire, Sri Lanka on Saturday said it was “hoping against hope” that the LTTE would abide by the 48-hour deadline set by it to release civilians in the war zone and warned the rebels of severe action if they failed to deliver.

A groups of Sri Lankan civil society organizations Thursday expressed alarm over the fast deepening humanitarian crisis in the Vanni and in a joint statement called on the Sri Lankan government to allow the “urgent delivery of food and medicine to the Mullaitivu area, …. the passage of medical convoys … and the [Sri [...]

When press over reports the Sri Lanka Army had shelled UN staff in the government-declared ‘safe zone’ in Vanni this week, Marie Okabe, the Deputy Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon refused to answer journalists Thursday. Ban Ki-Moon met with Basil Rajapakse, brother of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, the Inner City Press also reported.

Action by Churches Together (ACT) - Switzerland GENEVA, 30 January 2009–As displaced Sri Lankans struggle to find safety from the ongoing conflict in the northeastern part of the country, ACT International members are mobilising emergency …

UNICEF says children are being killed and injured in the battle zone in northern Sri Lanka.

“The LTTE salutes the sacrifice of Muthukumar, who carried the emotional message of the 70 million Tamil Nadu people against the genocidal war by the Sinhala chauvinism in Tamil Eelam,” said the condolence message from LTTE Political Head B. Nadesan.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka— Sri Lanka ruled out a cease-fire with the Tamil Tigers today despite growing reports of casualties among civilians trapped in the northern war zone, as the military pushed ahead with its offensive against the rebels.

Jan 30, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s All Party Representative Committee (APRC) has finalized its report recommending a power devolution formula to solve the burning issue of ethnic conflict in the country, the government announced.

Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) Political Head B. Nadesan Friday blamed Colombo for stepped up genocidal artillery attacks on civilian targets Friday after committing a war crime of issuing ultimatum to civilians to move against their will into the hands of the genocidal military. Most of the civilians are continuously forced to live inside [...]

Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) Political Head B. Nadesan Friday blamed Colombo for stepped up genocidal artillery attacks on civilian targets Friday after committing a war crime of issuing ultimatum to civilians to move against their will into the hands of the genocidal military. Most of the civilians are continuously forced to live inside [...]

Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) Political Head B. Nadesan Friday blamed Colombo for stepped up genocidal artillery attacks on civilian targets Friday after committing a war crime of issuing ultimatum to civilians to move against their will into the hands of the genocidal military. Most of the civilians are continuously forced to live inside [...]

Hard-hitting Indian opener Virender Sehwag has been declared fit for the second one-day international against Sri Lanka starting here on Saturday.

Journalist Muthukumar distributed a 4-page statement before committing self-immolation Thursday in Tamil Nadu. TamilNet provides a translation herewith for the English readership to grasp the significance. “The sacrifice of young and idealistic Muthukumar is lamentable beyond words and thoughts of re-enactment should never become a necessity to anyone. It is a reminiscence of the Vietnam [...]

Jan 30, Colombo: Sri Lanka cricket captain Mahela Jayawardena says that his team is ready to take India’s challenge tomorrow following the lost in first one day match played at Dambulla two days ago (28).

Jan 30, Colombo: A group of a police officers today lodged a petition at the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka demanding to suspend the appointments of newly recruited Assistant Superintendents of Police.

COLOMBO (AFP) Sri Lanka will not declare a ceasefire despite growing international concern about 2..

Jan 30, Kandy: Sri Lanka police have arrested another senior member of the LTTE named Ragulan at a Hindu Kovil in Namunukula area of Sri Lanka’s hill country last night.

The Tamil Tigers say civilians in the conflict zone in north-east Sri Lanka want to stay to be protected by the rebels.

Sri Lanka on Friday rejected growing international calls for a ceasefire amid fears for the safety of 250,000 civilians trapped as the military pushed for victory against Tamil rebels.

Jan 30, Colombo: Sri Lanka Central Bank today said the country’s inflation rate dropped to 10.7 in January of this year and it would further drop to single digits by March 2009.

Jan 30, Trincomalee: The Harthal (protest campaign) called by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians in Trincomalee and Vavuniya has been unsuccessful, sources from the area said.

The Association of Tamil People (ATP) in Batticaloa district vehemently condemns the systematic killings of the Tamils in Vanni by the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) while urging the International Community to come forward to stop the genocide and exert pressure on GoSL for an immediate ceasefire, according to an appeal made by the Association [...]

Jan 30, Colombo: Sri Lanka launched its first mass alert emergency warning system- today…

Jan 30, Colombo: Sri Lanka today rejected the calls for a ceasefire with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and vowed to continue the military offensive until the North is completely liberated.

(Lanka-e-News 30Jan.2009 6.45PM) The Union Government would continue to work towards a political settlement of the issues in Sri Lanka,…

(Lanka-e-News 30.Jan.2009 6.45PM) Ruling DMK on Today(30) sharply criticised the LTTE for not responding to the 48-hour ceasefire declared by the Sri Lankan government in the Vanni region to evacuate large number of civilian Tamils caught…

(Lanka-e-News, January 30, 2009, 8.00 PM) Minister of Media Lakshman Yapa Abewardhana says that the defense divisions are receiving information…

A Tamil family man from Periyaku’lam in Trincomalee district is reported missing since 18 January after leaving home to Trincomalee town on a bicycle, according to the complaint lodged Thursday by his wife to Kuchchave’li police.

The Indian game that doesn’t enjoy any popular support from any quarter concerned, can only be autocratic and will prove to be devastative to the entire island. The present Indian Establishment is incapable of doing anything constructively new, other than destroying Tamil safeguards. India is not only heading for maintaining perpetual trouble in Sri Lanka, [...]

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) of Sri Lanka, together with Dialog Telecom PLC launched Sri Lanka's first mass alert emergency warning system- Disaster and Emergency Warning Network (DEWN) today (30), under the patronage of Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe.

Four Indian military experts, assisting the Sri Lankan military, were wounded this week in Vanni and are undergoing treatment in Colombo, reliable sources told TamilNet Friday. The story, first broke by the Australia based Global Tamil Vision (GTV) on Thursday, had said the wounded were Indian soldiers who were undergoing treatment at a military hospital [...]

India has welcomed Sri Lanka government announcement that its security forces would allow a safe passage to Tamil civilians trapped in the northern parts of the country and hoped the civilians would be able to move to safety from conflict areas, the Press Trust of India reported.

In a shocking revelation based on a CID investigation into the Golden Key credit card scam, the Attorney General yesterday informed Court that Rs. 14 billion had been misappropriated while Rs. 5 billion had gone missing.

A Tamil family man from Kimbulawela in Colombo is reported missing since 16 January on his way home after leaving his video rental shop around 8:30 p.m, according to a complaint lodged with Mukaththuvaaram police by his father.

Top LTTE leader Bhanu was seriously injured in Udayarkattu, Mullaitivbu, military sources said. Bhanu who was in charge of the artillery and mortar units of the LTTE, had been fleeing for safety from the advancing army.

Lanka Sathosa Limited has recorded a net profit of Rs.35 million for the first time last year as a result of restructuring to provide essential items at reasonable prices.

Source: Reuters (Recasts, adds quotes) By Ranga Sirilal and C. Bryson Hull COLOMBO, Jan 30 (Reuters) — Sri Lanka’s government on Friday again pledged safe passage to thousands of people trapped in fighting …

Source: Reuters (Recasts, adds quotes)

By Ranga Sirilal and C. Bryson Hull

COLOMBO, Jan 30 (Reuters) — Sri Lanka’s government on Friday again pledged safe passage to thousands of people trapped in fighting …

Jan 30, Colombo: Sri Lanka ruling party parliamentarian Wijedasa Rajapaksha today handed over a Private Member’s Bill to the Speaker over the prohibition of cattle slaughter.

India's 3-2 victory in August last year was their first-ever bilateral series win in Sri Lanka and their chances of making it two in a row will increase significantly if the result of Saturday's day-night contest goes their way.

Sri Lanka ruled out a cease-fire with Tamil Tiger rebels Friday despite reports of casualties among masses of civilians trapped in the northern war zone, as the military pushed ahead to recapture the last remaining territory from the insurgents.

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) combatants killed 4 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers Thursday around 9:45 a.m, in an attack on the SLA road patrol team at Nilaave’li in Trincomalee district, LTTE sources in Trincomalee said.

Demanding the International Community to impose sanctions on Sri Lanka and calling for the resignation of Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee for his approach to the Tamil issue, the Madras High Court Advocates Association Thursday called for an indefinite boycott of courts. The Tamil Nadu Advocates Association, the other major lawyers collective, has also [...]

Jan 30, Dehiwala: Sri Lanka police arrested a suspect at Aththidiya in Dehiwala this evening in connection with the killing of Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wickramathunga, police said.

Jan 30, Colombo: Several main roads in Sri Lanka capital Colombo are scheduled to be closed from tomorrow for the rehearsals in upcoming Independence Day celebrations…

Jan 30, Mt. Lavinia: The Mount Lavinia Chief Magistrate today further remanded the four main suspects of the Golden Key Credit Card fraud case.

Troops find a special underground bunker in Visuamadu with its own lift, Army suspects it is one of the LTTE leader’s bunkers-Mil official-JNW