The LTTE said in a statement here that the strategically important Kaithady garrison town with its heavily fortified military bases came under its control after fierce fighting which lasted 12 hours. More..
Published: Wed May 17 20:32:22 EDT 2000

This insistence that FACT is a normal, run-of-the-mill group dedicated to celebrating the culture and achievements of Tamil-Canadians is alarming. More
Published: Wed May 17 20:30:16 EDT 2000

The purpose of this Commentary is to analyze the scope and dimension of this transnational support infrastructure. The document will offer insights into the modus operandi of the LTTE international network, the main personalities and front organizations behind it, and the various ways in which it facilitates the LTTE guerilla and terrorist campaign in north-eastern Sri Lanka. More..
Published: Wed May 17 20:14:54 EDT 2000

Published: Wed May 17 13:44:35 EDT 2000

Published: Wed May 17 13:25:06 EDT 2000

Published: Wed May 17 13:19:39 EDT 2000

Published: Wed May 17 12:11:13 EDT 2000

Published: Wed May 17 11:35:11 EDT 2000

The blast occurred near a Buddhist temple in the town of Batticaloa where people were witnessing an illuminated coloured structure to mark the Buddhist feast of Wesak which is the most important Buddhist holiday, officials said.

International aid officiasl who rushed to the main hospital in Batticaloa, 300 kilometres (187 miles) east of here, said 15 people had died on the spot and among them were five children below the age of eight years. More..

Published: Wed May 17 11:26:28 EDT 2000

Published: Wed May 17 11:22:30 EDT 2000

Published: Wed May 17 11:18:42 EDT 2000

Published: Wed May 17 11:17:08 EDT 2000

People queued outside shops to stock up on food supplies Tuesday during a brief break in the curfew in Jaffna, where thousands of government soldiers are resisting a fresh offensive by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The government insists that no food or medicine shortages exist in the peninsula but aid workers say prolonged fighting could disrupt the distribution system and cause serious shortages for the civilians.

"Residents can hear firing and at the same time there is no exodus of people from the area," said an aid official who is in radio contact with staff in Jaffna, 400 kilometres (250 miles) north of the capital Colombo. More..

Published: Wed May 17 10:46:51 EDT 2000

Troops backed by aircraft and artillery guns pounded formations of the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) at Columbuthurai and Kaithady overnight, the government said in a statement.

"Troops manning defences observed over 30 terrorist dead bodies ahead of the defences," the statement said adding that another nine rebels were killed when troops smashed a rebel bunker near Navatkuli. More..

Published: Wed May 17 10:44:12 EDT 2000

The survivors are traumatised. They are from the majority ethnic group in Sri Lanka, the Sinhalese, but found themselves on land claimed by the Tamil guerrillas and have now paid the price.

Tee Manike lost three of her four children.

"They were cut up," she said, "and the men who did this must be destroyed." More.. Published: Wed May 17 10:38:24 EDT 2000

While the super-cop, credited with crushing terrorism in Punjab, declined to divulge the exact nature of the new assignment, Colombo is believed to have sought his assistance in strengthening security measures for VVIPs in Colombo, where the LTTE had successfully carried out several assassinations and suicide attacks in the past. More.. Published: Wed May 17 10:22:43 EDT 2000

Published: Wed May 17 10:15:37 EDT 2000

Published: Wed May 17 10:08:38 EDT 2000

Published: Wed May 17 10:06:46 EDT 2000

At least 39 rebels were said to have been killed in their latest attempt to capture their former stronghold in the north.

There are no independent confirmations of the report as journalists are banned from the warzone.

The BBC's Susannah Price says that although Tigers said last week they would launch their final assault on Jaffna, they have so far failed to make any significant impact inside the town. More.. Published: Wed May 17 10:00:25 EDT 2000

For the Liberation Tigers of the Tamil Elam (LTTE), the tiny Jaffna Peninsula at the tip of the teardrop-shaped island symbolizes the collective desire for an ethnic homeland. The mainly Hindu Tamils say they are fighting discrimination by the majority Buddhist Sinhalese. United since British colonial rule, tensions between them increased after independence in 1948. More..

Published: Wed May 17 09:53:17 EDT 2000

The shells exploded at the Palali airport, the main ammunition and petroleum storage facility in the peninsula.

The shells were from a 122 mm artillery gun, which can hit targets within a range of 10 miles, military officials reached by telephone said.

There was no immediate report on casualties or damage. More..

Published: Wed May 17 09:51:27 EDT 2000

Published: Wed May 17 03:20:19 EDT 2000

The LTTE statement said, "The advancing LTTE forces engaged the Sri Lankan troops in a bloody battle at Pasaiyur and Kurunagar in the municipal outskirts of the city. The Tiger combat units have smashed through the defence lines of the government troops causing heavy casualties to the enemy. Heavy fighting is still raging in that sector."

The Tigers further claim to have overrun military positions at Navatkuli and Thatchanthoppu in the Chavakachcheri sector last night.

The LTTE says that it has also since 5 p.m. last evening launched an attack on the main military base situated at Kaithady junction.

The operation code-named 'Unceasing Waves 3' resumed around 5p.m yesterday after a respite of three days.

Brigadier Palitha Fernando, military spokesman denied tha the LTTE have gained ground in the north. He said there have been "general attacks launched on defense positions at Kaithday last evening," but asserted that there is no main military base at Kaithady junction as claimed by the rebels.

Brigadier Fernando added the Tigers have not advanced beyond Colombothuria East, a position the rebels secured last week.

Published: Wed May 17 03:20:19 EDT 2000

The Minister added, "We will not tolerate it. Not only would it be interference, it would be needlessly alarmist and unforgivable."

The Minister however reiterated that the UN had not consulted the foreign ministry about such a proposal.

Speculation has been rife that in the event Jaffna were to fall to the rebels it is possible a fall out of the situation will be witnessed in Sri Lanka's South.

The Minister further countered a statement issued by the European Union yesterday which called on the government to lift restrictions on the media, initiate a cessation of hostilities and to ensure the protection of the civilian population in conflict zones, in particular the Jaffna area. Kadirgamar responding said "the EU comes out with these declarations from time to time. The language is usually a little quaint, but strongly objectionable. For instance, there is suddenly a reference to 'commonwealth'. I don't know if the EU is firmly grounded on the soil."

Published: Wed May 17 03:20:19 EDT 2000

Published: Wed May 17 03:20:19 EDT 2000

By coming out openly in the state Assembly that the DMK had always kept its distance from the LTTE and viewed it with trepidation due to its penchant to bump of fellow Tamil leaders, Mr. Krunanidhi has made his strongest statement against the Tigers. More..

According to highly-placed Government sources, some Tigers have breached the Sri Lankan defence line in a few places around Jaffna in the last couple of days, and could be present in small numbers inside the town. Consequently, the presence of the LTTE in populated areas is negatively affecting Sri Lanka's military options. More..

But, she said, her Government was ready for talks with the militant group provided LTTE supremo V Prabhakaran was brought to the negotiating table. More..

Briefing reporters here today about his India visit, Kadirgamar said the Sri Lankan Government welcomed the Indian decision to extend the ban on LTTE. "At the same time, the ban would in no way prevent India from playing a role to end the Sri Lankan conflict." More..

The news release added that fresh fighting broke out when terrorists simultaneously fired a barrage of artillery and mortars on troops and the heavy fire was directed from north of Ponneryn, an area now under control of Tigers.

"Due to the concentrated artillery and mortar fire, the senior ground commanders shifted the defences to prepared positions towards the northeast".

Elsewhere at Wanni separatist Tiger rebels in their clandestine radio, the Voice Of Tigers requested the civilians not to enter the army-controlled areas until May 19.

"There had been reports of heavy concentration of rebels in Wanni during the past few days and it may be the reasons as to why the civilians have been barred from entering the control areas", a military officer told this correspondent.

Meanwhile reports reaching Colombo said that the Sri Lankan air force planes were dropping leaflets ordering civilians in Mullitivu district to vacate the areas immediately.Mullitivu is the stronghold of Tiger rebels.

As his Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eetam hammer away at the beleagured Sri Lankan army troops cut off in the city of Jaffna, Prabharkan looks closer than ever to achieve his lifelong dream of an independent Tamil ethnic state carved out of Sri Lanka, the former British colony of Ceylon.

But many fear that his dream could become his own people's nightmare. More..

Kadirgamar told reporters here that he did not expect Israelis to get involved in any combat role in the government's battle against Tamil Tiger rebels, but technical help could be obtained.

"But I must say that there will be no combat role for them." More..

The defence budget for 2000 was set at 52.4 billion rupees ($701.6 million), or just less than five percent of gross domestic product. More..

Santhanam Kandeepan, a member of the Jaffna city council, was killed yesterday in Jaffna's Arasadi neighborhood in the first political assassination since Tamil rebels intensified their offensive last month to recapture their former capital. More..

State media reported in Colombo on Tuesday that President Chandrika Kumaratunga told a meeting of all political parties that her government was prepared to negotiate peace with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

But she reiterated that the government would not withdraw its troops from the country's north and east, where the LTTE has been fighting for a separate homeland for minority Tamils since 1983. More..

It said in a statement that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) launched the attack on Monday and fired a barrage of artillery and mortar fire at the troops. More..

Kadirgamar meanwhile re-affirmed government claims in the last 36 hours, which states that heavy fighting in the north has abated, with the LTTE suffering heavy loss of cadre. The Minister confirmed that international assistance has been gained in order to purchase arms for Lankan troops but declined to define the type of arms being received by the government.

Minister Kadirgamar reiterated that the government is committed to finding a political solution to Sri Lanka's present crisis, but maintained the LTTE is not interested in a negotiated settlement.

The Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) objected to a suggestion that all political parties should unite to defeat the LTTE. The President however welcomed this proposal put forward by the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna and the Sinhala Mahasammata Bhoomiputra party.

In order to meet additional expenditure of Rs. 12 billion for the armed conflict, a restructuring of priorities with regard to the economy and foreign relations is necessary, he said. Non-essential capital expenditure would not be incurred. A sense of balance had to be achieved with regard to safeguarding human rights in the context of extraordinary measures under emergency regulations essential for national security. Prof. Peiris also said that while the government would prosecute the war that was thrust upon them, it was also committed to the fundamental values underpinning the devolution process, strengthening civil society and empowerment of the minorities.

The government, he said, was also conscious of the need to extenuate the adverse effects of political polarization and to this end the talks with the United National Party (UNP) would continue with an expanded ambit.

The Minister stressed that an integrated strategy was needed with regard to the peace process - the military strategy, the process of discussions with political parties and the role of other nations in the capacity of facilitator to help negotiate talks with the LTTE.

The Sri Lankan government imposed tough public security regulations on May 4, putting both local and foreign media under a blanket censorship. It has also banned live broadcasts of all television and radio programmes. The laws, which also ban public meetings, trade union action and criticism of the president and allow the government to seize property and vehicles, were introduced as the country was put on a war footing to battle a guerrilla offensive. More..

Diplomatic sources said the two countries were not expected to open embassies but that Sri Lanka's ambassador in Jordan would also be accredited to Israel, while Israel's ambassador to India would be accredited to Sri Lanka. More..