August 20
A Sri Lankan Police Sergeant was injured in a claymore blast at Saalambaikulam, Vavuniya. The claymore was fixed to bicycle, targeting the police patrol.
Gunmen riding a motorbike shot and killed a Sri Lanka Red Cross (SLRC) employee, Nagarasa Thavaranjitham, 24, at his residence in Chettikulam, Vavuniya. The motive behind the killing of Mr. Thavaranjitham, a long time employee of the SLRC, is not known.
Unidentified men shot dead a Tamil trader, Vasthiampillai Arul, 40, in the Grand Bazaar area in Trincomalee town. Assailants on a motorbike called out the trader from the shop and shot him in his head. The trader is the brother of a senior LTTE commander, Col. Sornam.
Gunmen shot and killed Subramaniam Chelvakumar, 18, a day before his planned wedding. The gunmen took him from his house in Vinayagapuram, Valaichchenai, shot him dead and placed a note beside his body labelling him “traitor,” according to the Police. “Ellalan Force” has claimed responsibility for the killing, Police said.
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers and police cordoned off and searched several villages falling within the Valaichchenai police division in Batticaloa, arresting more than 200 Tamil men. The arrested residents were taken to Kalmadu SLA camp where they were photographed and interrogated. Many were later released but the SLA continues to hold an unknown number. The areas cordoned and searched were the villages of Puthukudiyiruppu, Pethalai, Vinayagapuram, Union colony, Valaichchenai, Kurinchinagar, Maruthanagar, Pandimadu, Kalmadu and Kannaki Kiramam.
The managing director of the Jaffna Tamil daily “Namathu Eelanadu” and the veteran chairman of Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society (MPCS) in Tellippalai, Jaffna, Sinnathamby Sivamaharajah, 68, was shot and killed at his temporary residence 300 metres inside the SLA High Security Zone (HSZ) in Tellippalai. Mr. Sivamaharajah is a former Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) parliamentarian and a senior member of Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), the main constituent party of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).
August 19
Unidentified gunmen shot and killed Karuneeswaran Kandeepan, 23, at Ellapar Maruthankulam, Vavuniya. Kandeepan was riding a bicycle towards his house in Asikulam when he was killed.
Unidentified gunmen fired at a police party at Kurumankadu, Vavuniya. Two AK rifles were recovered during the subsequent search of the area. About 75 SLA soldiers and police personnel cordoned off Kurumankadu and conducted a house-to-house search operation.
The mutilated body of Pushparaja Suthan, 18, a mason from Thiraimadu, with stab wounds in the neck and abdomen was found in near clock tower in Kallady, Batticaloa.
Four young men were shot dead by gunmen in the Jaffna Peninsula after curfew was relaxed in the Valikamam sector. Nageswaran Mayoorathan, 24, was shot dead at Aarukal Madam in Aanaikoddai. Sooriyapatham Mayurathan, 26, a trader, was shot dead near Nallur temple. Balasubramanium Raju, 25, was shot dead at Koddady near Jaffna town. Another unidentified young man was shot dead at Kasthuriyar road, near Jaffna Hindu College.
SLA soldiers cordoned off and arrested three brothers from their house in Punkudutheevu, an islet north of Jaffna. However, the SLA’s Civil Administration authorities have informed the relatives that they do not have any information about the arrest of brothers Wincent Natpirathapan, 28, Wincent Maxi, 24 and Wincent Jeyaprathapan, 17, a pupil of Punkudutheevu Mahavidyalayam.
August 18
A trader was shot and killed in Thalankuda, Batticaloa by unknown gunmen. Maniam Nallaiya, 47, was sleeping in his shop at Thalankuda main road when he was shot with a 9mm pistol. Maniam who owned the business, was living in the shop premises with his wife and three children.
Gunmen shot dead a Tamil civilian at Vinayagapuram in Valaichchenai, Batticaloa. The victim has been identified as Poopalapillai Koneswaran, 45, a father of four. A note signed ‘Ellalan Padai’ was found near Koneswaran’s body. Gunmen went to his house and took him to Koraweli temple and shot him. Koneswaran was abducted five months ago and was released recently. His son who was earlier in Karuna paramilitary group was also shot dead by unidentified gunmen.
A large number of SLA soldiers surrounded Jaffna University, broke open the office of the Jaffna University Students Federation, arrested a student activist and took away the computers and documents, while a curfew was being strictly observed. Hundreds of SLA troops arrived at the scene, asked the employees to gather in a certain spot, searched every nook and corner thoroughly, and even broke open some closed doors. The troops arrested T. Paherathan, 24, a 3rd year student from Mullaithivu reading Arts.
SLA soldiers shot and killed two men in their early thirties in Vadamaradchy East, Jaffna. The killing comes in the wake of the increased activity by the SLA in Karaveddy area.
Four unidentified armed men burnt down the warehouse of the Uthayan, the Jaffna Tamil daily, while a curfew was in force. The warehouse is located along Rasa Veethi in Kopay. Armed men set fire to the warehouse Friday night after ordering the watcher to move away. The watcher was blindfolded and his hands tied and the men ordered the watcher to keep quiet or he would be shot.
August 17
Sixteen Tamil civilians were arrested by SLA soldiers conducting a cordon and search operation in Chavakachcheri, Jaffna. About five thousand civilians were taken to Chavakachcheri Hindu College and were produced before a masked man who identified the sixteen civilians. They were detained in the Varani SLA camp. Relations of the arrested civilians immediately lodged complaints with the Jaffna regional office of the Human Rights Commission.
Sugunaraja Nimalan, 26, was shot dead at Kottai Rasa Veethi junction by gunmen while a group of SLA soldiers were conducting search operation about one hundred-meters away from the site.
The body of teacher R. Sureshkumar, 33, was recovered from Irupalai, Jaffna, and handed to the Jaffna teaching hospital.
August 16
Three Tamil youths were shot dead by the Special Task Force (STF), the elite counter-insurgency arm of the Sri Lankan police, in a cordon and search operation in Akkaraipattu, Amparai district. The STF and Police claimed that the youths were attempting to lob a grenade at them. The three youths were identified as M. Mathavarajah, 22 of Murakoddanchenai in Batticaloa district, C. Vinayagamoorthy, 23 of Alayadivembu and V. Vadivel, 23 of Ward 8, Akkaraipattu in Amparai.
August 15
Nine Muslim civilians buying provisions and a Policeman on guard duty near the Oddamavadi Bridge were injured when two assailants riding a motorbike hurled a hand grenade targeting the policemen at Oddamavadi Public Market in Valaichchenai. The injured Policeman, M. Nilantha, 34, and bystanders A. Sihamudeen, 15, M. Subair, 18, M. A. Mohammad Safeek ,32, Mohammad Abusali 36, Usanar Makkem, 36, M. I. Ahamed Lebbai, 43, M. Ismail, 48, A. Ismail, 80 and M. Meera Lebbai, 83 were admitted to hospital.
The mutilated body of a fisherman, with stab wounds in neck and abdomen area, was recovered in a stream by the Lagoon in Veddaththimunai, Oddamavadi by Valaichchenai Police. Kanthasamy Thiruvesvaran, 28, a father of two, from Kinnayady, Valaichchenai regularly goes fishing in the lagoon from Kinnayady to Oddamavadi. He disappeared after setting out to fish on 13 August at 8.30 pm.
Unidentified armed men forcibly entered a house in Mavadivembu village, Eravur, and indiscriminately fired at a family, killing a one and half year old baby boy and injuring his father and mother. The dead child has been identified Nimalan Nilukjan and the injured father Kandiah Nimalan, 22, and mother Jegatheesan Jeyamalar, 19.
SLA soldiers fired at a delivery van of the Uthayan at Puthur junction near Atchchuveli, killing the newspaper agent. The delivery van was on its way after distributing parcels of the Uthayan newspaper during the relaxation of the curfew. The victim, the driver and agent, was identified as Sathasivam Baskaran, 44. He is the fourth employee of the Uthayan newspaper to be slain in the recent past. One employee working in Sudar Oli, sister paper of Uthayan was killed in Colombo and two others in Jaffna recently in its Jaffna office.
Two motorbike gunmen gunned down a final-year medical student and a passed out student awaiting convocation near the Jaffna University hostel inside the campus. Medical faculty final year student Sivasankar and Theepan, currently studying at the Technical College, were walking towards the student hostel when motorbike gunmen opened fire using an automatic rifle.
A body of an unidentified youth, with gun shot wounds, whose face was burnt with tyres to hide his identification, was found at Potpathy Road, Kokkuvil, Jaffna, in front of the LTTE’s former Cultural Wing office. Local residents alerted the Jaffna Magistrate after hearing gunshots and noticing an object burning the previous night.
August 14
55 schoolgirls were killed and over 150 injured when Sri Lankan airforce jets dropped 16 bombs on the children’s home they were gathered at for a first aid workshop (see pages 8, 9, 10 and 15).
Seven persons, including four special commandos of Special Diplomatic Security Unit, providing escort to the vehicle of Pakistani High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, were killed in a three-wheeler explosion that targeted the military convoy in the heart of Colombo city (see box story 11).
An unidentified assailant, using a 9mm pistol, shot dead H. Puyalavan, 22, a resident of Kallady, Uppodai, Batticaloa. His body was taken to the Batticaloa Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
Police Sergeant M. Vijayaratne, 38, was injured when unknown gunmen hurled hand grenades at the Chenkalady Police Post located near the Eravur Pattu Divisional Secretariat.
Gunmen attacked the STF sentry point at Semmankulam, Mannar. In the retaliatory fire by the STF, one person was killed and another injured. Mannar Police said the person killed in the incident was a LTTE cadre and they recovered a T56 rifle and three magazines with 98 live bullets from him. He has been identified as Vettivelu Arumugam, 26 of Semamadu, Vavuniya. The injured was identified as K. Premadasa, 60, a Sinhalese, whose Mannar bound lorry from Madawachchi got caught in the firing.
August 13
Paramilitaries grabbed 4 motorbikes from residents in Arumuhaththan-Kidiyiruppu, Iyankerny and Thalavai in Eravur, Batticaloa. Gunmen also seized a motorbike from an Iyankerny resident, Mahalingam Tharma at the Iyankerny Level Crossing.
August 12
Kethesh Logananathan, Deputy Secretary General of Sri Lanka Government’s Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP), and a former member of the Eelam Peoples’ Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF), was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Dehiwela, Colombo. Mr Loganathan received serious gunshot wounds and died on the way to hospital (see box story p13).
Cadres of the paramilitary Karuna Group working with the SLA abducted 15 Tamil civilians in Batticaloa and Amparai Districts in the past two days, , the Amparai District LTTE Political Head, Jeya, said. He further said the incidents have been reported to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM).
Relatives have lodged complaints with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) that 9 Thirukkovil residents and 5 Thampiluvil residents were abducted Saturday evening by unidentified persons in a white-van and a car.
Further north in Eravur, a farmer, K. Vamathevan, 24, a father of one, was abducted by gunmen travelling in a white-car. More than 10 youths were abducted in the recent past from Puthukkudiyiruppu, Vinayagapuram, Peththalai, Kalkudah and Nasivanthivu in Valaichchenai but their relatives have not complained to the Police fearing reprisals from the Military and Police.
August 11
Unidentified men shot dead Subash Chandrabose Suganthan, 25, a member of the paramilitary Peoples’ Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) group, at Ookulankulam, Vavuniya. The body of Suganthan was handed over to the Vavuniya district hospital by the SLA.
Mr. Tharmalingam Yogeswaran, was shot dead by unidentified men at Kovilkulam in Vavuniya.
A young boy working in a rice mill in Ninthavur, Amparai District, was kidnapped by unidentified persons when he went outside the mill. Saravanamuththu Santhiravathanan, 16, of Sittandy, Batticaloa, joined the mill only in July.
Seven Tamil civilians returning from a pilgrimage were killed by SLA artillery fire north of Muhamalai, Jaffna. Forty-eight civilians were returning from the Kathirgamam Hindu temple by bus when the SLA stopped them. As heavy fighting broke out, the civilians took cover. Four survivors, Subramaniyam Packiyaluxmy, 65, Arumugam Sivasubramaniam, 61, Nadarasa Indra, 51 and Thurairajah Thavamani, 68, said that they escaped by hiding behind latrine shed.
August 10
One SLA soldier was killed and two seriously injured when a claymore mine placed along the KKS Road between Kokuvil junction and Nachchimar Hindu Temple, Jaffna, targeted at a SLA road patrol. Additional reinforcement of SLA soldiers taken to the area in heavy military vehicles, cordoned off Nachchimar Temple and surrounding areas and conducted search operations, but no one was reported arrested.
Sinnarasa Vasanthan, 31, was killed when two gunmen riding a motorbike fired at him at close range in front of his house. Vasanthan, from Maruthadi Lane, Sandilipay, died on the spot. Iyathurai Selvatheepan, 26, who was talking with Vasanthan was seriously injured during the shooting and admitted to hospital.
A policeman and a civilian were injured when unidentified gunmen fired at them inside the public market in Kattankudy, Batticaloa district. Police constable M. Ranasinghe, 36, of Manchanthoduwai Police was buying daily provisions in the market when he was shot. In the firing, Abdul Lathiff, 35, a Muslim trader, also sustained injuries.
The Paramilitary Karuna Group abducted a Tamil youth of 4th Division, Vinayagapuram, Valaichchenai. Nesarasa Guruparan, 17, a mason, was resting at home when unidentified gunmen forcibly took him at gunpoint, according a complaint filed by Guruparan’s mother with the Valaichenai Police.
Akkaraipattu Police discovered the body of a youth with gun shot wounds at Panankadu junction, Amparai. Samithamby Mohanathas, 17, of the same area, was abducted from his house Wednesday night by unidentified gunmen, who shot him dead and dumped his body by roadside.
August 9
A police constable was injured when unidentified men fired at police sentries in Murunkan police division. The injured officer, identified as Premachchandra, was immediately rushed to hospital.
SLN troopers recovered a live claymore mine placed along Thalvupadu road aimed at the SLN personnel from Sunny Village SLN camp.
A paramilitary cadre belonging to the Eelam Peoples’ Democratic Party (EPDP) was shot dead by gunmen in Meeravodai, Valaichchenai. K Rajanikanth, 32, a father of two children, from 18th mile post Sunkankerni, was operating with the SLA troops based at the nearby Kommanthurai SLA camp. He was initially a paramilitary Karuna group member and changed allegiance to EPDP, recently. He was abducted from his home by unidentified persons before being shot. His body was found the next morning. The EPDP, a former militant group, is registered as a Sri Lankan political party but operates primarily as an Army-backed paramilitary group against the Liberation Tigers.
A medical services vehicle belonging to the Tamil Eelam Health Services, carrying four civilians, three health officials and the driver, was hit by a SLA claymore in Nayinamadu, Vavuniya. The civilians were injured but no one died in the attack.
August 8
A senior official of a pro-government paramilitary group and 9 other people were wounded in a bomb explosion in Colombo. Sankarapillai Sivathasan, a senior advisor to the EPDP and one of its former parliamentarians, was rushed to hospital. A security personnel and a 3-year old child in the vehicle were killed in the blast. Sivathasan is also a relative of EPDP leader Douglas Devananda. (photo page 16)
Two SLA soldiers were killed and 3 others injured in a claymore mine attack at Velveri, Trincomalee. The soldiers were on a road clearing operation along Trincomalee-Anuradhapura road when they were attacked. Sri Lankan Government troops launched a cordon and search operation in the surroundings of the area.
Unidentified men riding a motorbike shot dead a home guard in Akkaraipattu, Amparai district. The home guard was identified as Subair (26), a native of Addalaichchenai. The victim was on duty about 100 yards from the Akkaraipattu Police Station located along Akkaraipattu-Pottuvil main road when he was shot.
A STF soldier and a police constable were killed when a claymore hit a water carrier truck along in Amparai District. The truck was transporting water for the Uganthai Murugan temple festival. The STF cordoned off and searched the area following the attack.
The STF confiscated 5 tractors and 2 motorbikes belonging to Tamil farmers in Akkaraipattu, Amparai, allegedly in retaliation for the hijacking of a tractor belonging to a Sinhalese man two days earlier. When the farmers went to the Akkaraippattu STF Camp, they were told the vehicles were seized in retaliation for hijacking a tractor belonging to a Sinhalese farmer by LTTE, and the vehicles would be returned only if the hijacked tractor is released. Until then the seized vehicles would be held in Ingulana, Amparai for investigation purposes, the farmers were told. The LTTE denied any involvement in the disappearance of the Sinhalese farmer’s tractor.
A Sri Lanka Red Cross (SLRC) vehicle was hijacked by a group of armed men as it was returning from LTTE controlled territory in Arippu, Mannar district. The occupants, a medical officer, a dispenser and the driver, were asked to get down from the vehicle and the armed men drove off in the vehicle. The SLRC vehicle was returning after conducting a mobile medical camp in Arippu. The hijack took place near Aruvi Aaru (Malwathu Oya) which is located in Sri Lanka Army controlled Nanattan division.
Five medical personnel were killed when the ambulance they were travelling in was the target of a claymore attack in LTTE-controlled Vanni (see box story page 12).
August 7
A senior commander of the STF was mortally wounded when his vehicle was ambushed by attackers with a claymore mine. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Upul Seneviratne was seriously wounded in the blast at Digana, 10 km southeast of Kandy, and succumbed to his wounds at hospital. SSP Seneviratne had served in the eastern province, including as head of the STF in the region. The STF’s top commander, Inspector General Nimal Lewke blamed the LTTE for the claymore attack.
Paramilitary cadres working with the SLA shot a young family man dead in Kurinchi Nagar, Valaichchenai. Kanapathipillai Kamalanathan, 22, was sleeping at his home, when paramilitary men took him away from his house and shot him dead at the near by Maruthanagar junction.
A police constable was shot and killed by unknown gunmen about 50 meters from the Batticaloa police station. Police constable G Wickremesinghe, 44, who was on duty at the Batticaloa police station, was shot dead when he went to a nearby shop.
Two houses located along Batticaloa-Kaluwankerni main road were burnt down by a paramilitary group working with Sri Lanka State security forces. One house belonged to Mylvaganam Arumugam, who is related to Gnanatheepan, the paramilitary Karuna group cadre who surrendered to the LTTE after killing five Karuna group members, including Iniyabarathy, last year. The other house destroyed by the fire belonged to family with four school going children. The arsonists were travelling in a white coloured van and on motorbikes. Two sisters of Puhalventhan, who escaped from the Karuna paramilitary group with Gnanatheepan, were killed on 8 December last year.
Kandasamy Govindarajah, 25, a resident of Meeravodai and one of the two Tamil civilians taken into custody during a cordon and search operation conducted by paramilitary forces with security cover by SLA soldiers and Sri Lanka Police Monday afternoon, was shot dead the same day night at 18th mile post in Kalodavi, Batticaloa. The whereabouts of Mylvaganam Sasi (23) who was abducted along with Govindarajah, are not known.
Paramilitary cadres shot and killed Seenithamby Sankar, 20. His sister’s husband, Thandavam Selvarajah, 36, was also injured in the attack in Vantharumoolai, Batticaloa. Members of the Karuna group had gone to their house, located in Alaiyadi Road, and fired at the victims while talking to them. Sankar was an agricultural labourer working in LTTE controlled Mylavedduwan. Eravur Police recovered a live grenade lobbed at the house by members of Karuna group after killing Sankar and injuring his sister’s husband. The group allegedly were searching for Sankar’s brother who is in the LTTE.
An LTTE cadre was shot dead by SLA troopers and paramilitaries hiding near the Santhiveli Kannaki Amman Temple, said Mr. Daya Mohan, Batticaloa district LTTE political head. Kaaththamuththu Jeyananthan, 25, from Thikiliveddai, Santhiveli was going to Santhiveli village for political work when he was shot by SLA soldiers and paramilitary Karuna Group men, he added.
The STF arrested two brothers, Mohansunthar Nathees, 19 years, and Mohansunthar Pirabakanth, 24, on a tip off in Arayampathy and handed over them to the Kattankudy Police for further investigation. The police claimed that 650 gram of explosives, bicycle balls and wires were recovered from their house.
A youth who worked in a garage as an auto-mechanic was shot dead by gunmen in Siruppidy, Valigamam East, Jaffna. Tharumu Theesan, 24, was returning home from work along Sripiddy Cemetary road when he was fired at by two men who followed him. According to eyewitnesses SLA soldiers were seen in the area several minutes before the crime was committed but had disappeared from the scene when Theesan was killed.
A Sri Lankan Police Sergeant was injured in a claymore blast at Saalambaikulam, Vavuniya. The claymore was fixed to bicycle, targeting the police patrol.
Gunmen riding a motorbike shot and killed a Sri Lanka Red Cross (SLRC) employee, Nagarasa Thavaranjitham, 24, at his residence in Chettikulam, Vavuniya. The motive behind the killing of Mr. Thavaranjitham, a long time employee of the SLRC, is not known.
Unidentified men shot dead a Tamil trader, Vasthiampillai Arul, 40, in the Grand Bazaar area in Trincomalee town. Assailants on a motorbike called out the trader from the shop and shot him in his head. The trader is the brother of a senior LTTE commander, Col. Sornam.
Gunmen shot and killed Subramaniam Chelvakumar, 18, a day before his planned wedding. The gunmen took him from his house in Vinayagapuram, Valaichchenai, shot him dead and placed a note beside his body labelling him “traitor,” according to the Police. “Ellalan Force” has claimed responsibility for the killing, Police said.
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers and police cordoned off and searched several villages falling within the Valaichchenai police division in Batticaloa, arresting more than 200 Tamil men. The arrested residents were taken to Kalmadu SLA camp where they were photographed and interrogated. Many were later released but the SLA continues to hold an unknown number. The areas cordoned and searched were the villages of Puthukudiyiruppu, Pethalai, Vinayagapuram, Union colony, Valaichchenai, Kurinchinagar, Maruthanagar, Pandimadu, Kalmadu and Kannaki Kiramam.
The managing director of the Jaffna Tamil daily “Namathu Eelanadu” and the veteran chairman of Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society (MPCS) in Tellippalai, Jaffna, Sinnathamby Sivamaharajah, 68, was shot and killed at his temporary residence 300 metres inside the SLA High Security Zone (HSZ) in Tellippalai. Mr. Sivamaharajah is a former Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) parliamentarian and a senior member of Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), the main constituent party of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).
August 19
Unidentified gunmen shot and killed Karuneeswaran Kandeepan, 23, at Ellapar Maruthankulam, Vavuniya. Kandeepan was riding a bicycle towards his house in Asikulam when he was killed.
Unidentified gunmen fired at a police party at Kurumankadu, Vavuniya. Two AK rifles were recovered during the subsequent search of the area. About 75 SLA soldiers and police personnel cordoned off Kurumankadu and conducted a house-to-house search operation.
The mutilated body of Pushparaja Suthan, 18, a mason from Thiraimadu, with stab wounds in the neck and abdomen was found in near clock tower in Kallady, Batticaloa.
Four young men were shot dead by gunmen in the Jaffna Peninsula after curfew was relaxed in the Valikamam sector. Nageswaran Mayoorathan, 24, was shot dead at Aarukal Madam in Aanaikoddai. Sooriyapatham Mayurathan, 26, a trader, was shot dead near Nallur temple. Balasubramanium Raju, 25, was shot dead at Koddady near Jaffna town. Another unidentified young man was shot dead at Kasthuriyar road, near Jaffna Hindu College.
SLA soldiers cordoned off and arrested three brothers from their house in Punkudutheevu, an islet north of Jaffna. However, the SLA’s Civil Administration authorities have informed the relatives that they do not have any information about the arrest of brothers Wincent Natpirathapan, 28, Wincent Maxi, 24 and Wincent Jeyaprathapan, 17, a pupil of Punkudutheevu Mahavidyalayam.
August 18
A trader was shot and killed in Thalankuda, Batticaloa by unknown gunmen. Maniam Nallaiya, 47, was sleeping in his shop at Thalankuda main road when he was shot with a 9mm pistol. Maniam who owned the business, was living in the shop premises with his wife and three children.
Gunmen shot dead a Tamil civilian at Vinayagapuram in Valaichchenai, Batticaloa. The victim has been identified as Poopalapillai Koneswaran, 45, a father of four. A note signed ‘Ellalan Padai’ was found near Koneswaran’s body. Gunmen went to his house and took him to Koraweli temple and shot him. Koneswaran was abducted five months ago and was released recently. His son who was earlier in Karuna paramilitary group was also shot dead by unidentified gunmen.
A large number of SLA soldiers surrounded Jaffna University, broke open the office of the Jaffna University Students Federation, arrested a student activist and took away the computers and documents, while a curfew was being strictly observed. Hundreds of SLA troops arrived at the scene, asked the employees to gather in a certain spot, searched every nook and corner thoroughly, and even broke open some closed doors. The troops arrested T. Paherathan, 24, a 3rd year student from Mullaithivu reading Arts.
SLA soldiers shot and killed two men in their early thirties in Vadamaradchy East, Jaffna. The killing comes in the wake of the increased activity by the SLA in Karaveddy area.
Four unidentified armed men burnt down the warehouse of the Uthayan, the Jaffna Tamil daily, while a curfew was in force. The warehouse is located along Rasa Veethi in Kopay. Armed men set fire to the warehouse Friday night after ordering the watcher to move away. The watcher was blindfolded and his hands tied and the men ordered the watcher to keep quiet or he would be shot.
August 17
Sixteen Tamil civilians were arrested by SLA soldiers conducting a cordon and search operation in Chavakachcheri, Jaffna. About five thousand civilians were taken to Chavakachcheri Hindu College and were produced before a masked man who identified the sixteen civilians. They were detained in the Varani SLA camp. Relations of the arrested civilians immediately lodged complaints with the Jaffna regional office of the Human Rights Commission.
Sugunaraja Nimalan, 26, was shot dead at Kottai Rasa Veethi junction by gunmen while a group of SLA soldiers were conducting search operation about one hundred-meters away from the site.
The body of teacher R. Sureshkumar, 33, was recovered from Irupalai, Jaffna, and handed to the Jaffna teaching hospital.
August 16
Three Tamil youths were shot dead by the Special Task Force (STF), the elite counter-insurgency arm of the Sri Lankan police, in a cordon and search operation in Akkaraipattu, Amparai district. The STF and Police claimed that the youths were attempting to lob a grenade at them. The three youths were identified as M. Mathavarajah, 22 of Murakoddanchenai in Batticaloa district, C. Vinayagamoorthy, 23 of Alayadivembu and V. Vadivel, 23 of Ward 8, Akkaraipattu in Amparai.
August 15
Nine Muslim civilians buying provisions and a Policeman on guard duty near the Oddamavadi Bridge were injured when two assailants riding a motorbike hurled a hand grenade targeting the policemen at Oddamavadi Public Market in Valaichchenai. The injured Policeman, M. Nilantha, 34, and bystanders A. Sihamudeen, 15, M. Subair, 18, M. A. Mohammad Safeek ,32, Mohammad Abusali 36, Usanar Makkem, 36, M. I. Ahamed Lebbai, 43, M. Ismail, 48, A. Ismail, 80 and M. Meera Lebbai, 83 were admitted to hospital.
The mutilated body of a fisherman, with stab wounds in neck and abdomen area, was recovered in a stream by the Lagoon in Veddaththimunai, Oddamavadi by Valaichchenai Police. Kanthasamy Thiruvesvaran, 28, a father of two, from Kinnayady, Valaichchenai regularly goes fishing in the lagoon from Kinnayady to Oddamavadi. He disappeared after setting out to fish on 13 August at 8.30 pm.
Unidentified armed men forcibly entered a house in Mavadivembu village, Eravur, and indiscriminately fired at a family, killing a one and half year old baby boy and injuring his father and mother. The dead child has been identified Nimalan Nilukjan and the injured father Kandiah Nimalan, 22, and mother Jegatheesan Jeyamalar, 19.
SLA soldiers fired at a delivery van of the Uthayan at Puthur junction near Atchchuveli, killing the newspaper agent. The delivery van was on its way after distributing parcels of the Uthayan newspaper during the relaxation of the curfew. The victim, the driver and agent, was identified as Sathasivam Baskaran, 44. He is the fourth employee of the Uthayan newspaper to be slain in the recent past. One employee working in Sudar Oli, sister paper of Uthayan was killed in Colombo and two others in Jaffna recently in its Jaffna office.
Two motorbike gunmen gunned down a final-year medical student and a passed out student awaiting convocation near the Jaffna University hostel inside the campus. Medical faculty final year student Sivasankar and Theepan, currently studying at the Technical College, were walking towards the student hostel when motorbike gunmen opened fire using an automatic rifle.
A body of an unidentified youth, with gun shot wounds, whose face was burnt with tyres to hide his identification, was found at Potpathy Road, Kokkuvil, Jaffna, in front of the LTTE’s former Cultural Wing office. Local residents alerted the Jaffna Magistrate after hearing gunshots and noticing an object burning the previous night.
August 14
55 schoolgirls were killed and over 150 injured when Sri Lankan airforce jets dropped 16 bombs on the children’s home they were gathered at for a first aid workshop (see pages 8, 9, 10 and 15).
Seven persons, including four special commandos of Special Diplomatic Security Unit, providing escort to the vehicle of Pakistani High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, were killed in a three-wheeler explosion that targeted the military convoy in the heart of Colombo city (see box story 11).
An unidentified assailant, using a 9mm pistol, shot dead H. Puyalavan, 22, a resident of Kallady, Uppodai, Batticaloa. His body was taken to the Batticaloa Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
Police Sergeant M. Vijayaratne, 38, was injured when unknown gunmen hurled hand grenades at the Chenkalady Police Post located near the Eravur Pattu Divisional Secretariat.
Gunmen attacked the STF sentry point at Semmankulam, Mannar. In the retaliatory fire by the STF, one person was killed and another injured. Mannar Police said the person killed in the incident was a LTTE cadre and they recovered a T56 rifle and three magazines with 98 live bullets from him. He has been identified as Vettivelu Arumugam, 26 of Semamadu, Vavuniya. The injured was identified as K. Premadasa, 60, a Sinhalese, whose Mannar bound lorry from Madawachchi got caught in the firing.
August 13
Paramilitaries grabbed 4 motorbikes from residents in Arumuhaththan-Kidiyiruppu, Iyankerny and Thalavai in Eravur, Batticaloa. Gunmen also seized a motorbike from an Iyankerny resident, Mahalingam Tharma at the Iyankerny Level Crossing.
August 12
Kethesh Logananathan, Deputy Secretary General of Sri Lanka Government’s Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP), and a former member of the Eelam Peoples’ Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF), was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Dehiwela, Colombo. Mr Loganathan received serious gunshot wounds and died on the way to hospital (see box story p13).
Cadres of the paramilitary Karuna Group working with the SLA abducted 15 Tamil civilians in Batticaloa and Amparai Districts in the past two days, , the Amparai District LTTE Political Head, Jeya, said. He further said the incidents have been reported to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM).
Relatives have lodged complaints with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) that 9 Thirukkovil residents and 5 Thampiluvil residents were abducted Saturday evening by unidentified persons in a white-van and a car.
Further north in Eravur, a farmer, K. Vamathevan, 24, a father of one, was abducted by gunmen travelling in a white-car. More than 10 youths were abducted in the recent past from Puthukkudiyiruppu, Vinayagapuram, Peththalai, Kalkudah and Nasivanthivu in Valaichchenai but their relatives have not complained to the Police fearing reprisals from the Military and Police.
August 11
Unidentified men shot dead Subash Chandrabose Suganthan, 25, a member of the paramilitary Peoples’ Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) group, at Ookulankulam, Vavuniya. The body of Suganthan was handed over to the Vavuniya district hospital by the SLA.
Mr. Tharmalingam Yogeswaran, was shot dead by unidentified men at Kovilkulam in Vavuniya.
A young boy working in a rice mill in Ninthavur, Amparai District, was kidnapped by unidentified persons when he went outside the mill. Saravanamuththu Santhiravathanan, 16, of Sittandy, Batticaloa, joined the mill only in July.
Seven Tamil civilians returning from a pilgrimage were killed by SLA artillery fire north of Muhamalai, Jaffna. Forty-eight civilians were returning from the Kathirgamam Hindu temple by bus when the SLA stopped them. As heavy fighting broke out, the civilians took cover. Four survivors, Subramaniyam Packiyaluxmy, 65, Arumugam Sivasubramaniam, 61, Nadarasa Indra, 51 and Thurairajah Thavamani, 68, said that they escaped by hiding behind latrine shed.
August 10
One SLA soldier was killed and two seriously injured when a claymore mine placed along the KKS Road between Kokuvil junction and Nachchimar Hindu Temple, Jaffna, targeted at a SLA road patrol. Additional reinforcement of SLA soldiers taken to the area in heavy military vehicles, cordoned off Nachchimar Temple and surrounding areas and conducted search operations, but no one was reported arrested.
Sinnarasa Vasanthan, 31, was killed when two gunmen riding a motorbike fired at him at close range in front of his house. Vasanthan, from Maruthadi Lane, Sandilipay, died on the spot. Iyathurai Selvatheepan, 26, who was talking with Vasanthan was seriously injured during the shooting and admitted to hospital.
A policeman and a civilian were injured when unidentified gunmen fired at them inside the public market in Kattankudy, Batticaloa district. Police constable M. Ranasinghe, 36, of Manchanthoduwai Police was buying daily provisions in the market when he was shot. In the firing, Abdul Lathiff, 35, a Muslim trader, also sustained injuries.
The Paramilitary Karuna Group abducted a Tamil youth of 4th Division, Vinayagapuram, Valaichchenai. Nesarasa Guruparan, 17, a mason, was resting at home when unidentified gunmen forcibly took him at gunpoint, according a complaint filed by Guruparan’s mother with the Valaichenai Police.
Akkaraipattu Police discovered the body of a youth with gun shot wounds at Panankadu junction, Amparai. Samithamby Mohanathas, 17, of the same area, was abducted from his house Wednesday night by unidentified gunmen, who shot him dead and dumped his body by roadside.
August 9
A police constable was injured when unidentified men fired at police sentries in Murunkan police division. The injured officer, identified as Premachchandra, was immediately rushed to hospital.
SLN troopers recovered a live claymore mine placed along Thalvupadu road aimed at the SLN personnel from Sunny Village SLN camp.
A paramilitary cadre belonging to the Eelam Peoples’ Democratic Party (EPDP) was shot dead by gunmen in Meeravodai, Valaichchenai. K Rajanikanth, 32, a father of two children, from 18th mile post Sunkankerni, was operating with the SLA troops based at the nearby Kommanthurai SLA camp. He was initially a paramilitary Karuna group member and changed allegiance to EPDP, recently. He was abducted from his home by unidentified persons before being shot. His body was found the next morning. The EPDP, a former militant group, is registered as a Sri Lankan political party but operates primarily as an Army-backed paramilitary group against the Liberation Tigers.
A medical services vehicle belonging to the Tamil Eelam Health Services, carrying four civilians, three health officials and the driver, was hit by a SLA claymore in Nayinamadu, Vavuniya. The civilians were injured but no one died in the attack.
August 8
A senior official of a pro-government paramilitary group and 9 other people were wounded in a bomb explosion in Colombo. Sankarapillai Sivathasan, a senior advisor to the EPDP and one of its former parliamentarians, was rushed to hospital. A security personnel and a 3-year old child in the vehicle were killed in the blast. Sivathasan is also a relative of EPDP leader Douglas Devananda. (photo page 16)
Two SLA soldiers were killed and 3 others injured in a claymore mine attack at Velveri, Trincomalee. The soldiers were on a road clearing operation along Trincomalee-Anuradhapura road when they were attacked. Sri Lankan Government troops launched a cordon and search operation in the surroundings of the area.
Unidentified men riding a motorbike shot dead a home guard in Akkaraipattu, Amparai district. The home guard was identified as Subair (26), a native of Addalaichchenai. The victim was on duty about 100 yards from the Akkaraipattu Police Station located along Akkaraipattu-Pottuvil main road when he was shot.
A STF soldier and a police constable were killed when a claymore hit a water carrier truck along in Amparai District. The truck was transporting water for the Uganthai Murugan temple festival. The STF cordoned off and searched the area following the attack.
The STF confiscated 5 tractors and 2 motorbikes belonging to Tamil farmers in Akkaraipattu, Amparai, allegedly in retaliation for the hijacking of a tractor belonging to a Sinhalese man two days earlier. When the farmers went to the Akkaraippattu STF Camp, they were told the vehicles were seized in retaliation for hijacking a tractor belonging to a Sinhalese farmer by LTTE, and the vehicles would be returned only if the hijacked tractor is released. Until then the seized vehicles would be held in Ingulana, Amparai for investigation purposes, the farmers were told. The LTTE denied any involvement in the disappearance of the Sinhalese farmer’s tractor.
A Sri Lanka Red Cross (SLRC) vehicle was hijacked by a group of armed men as it was returning from LTTE controlled territory in Arippu, Mannar district. The occupants, a medical officer, a dispenser and the driver, were asked to get down from the vehicle and the armed men drove off in the vehicle. The SLRC vehicle was returning after conducting a mobile medical camp in Arippu. The hijack took place near Aruvi Aaru (Malwathu Oya) which is located in Sri Lanka Army controlled Nanattan division.
Five medical personnel were killed when the ambulance they were travelling in was the target of a claymore attack in LTTE-controlled Vanni (see box story page 12).
August 7
A senior commander of the STF was mortally wounded when his vehicle was ambushed by attackers with a claymore mine. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Upul Seneviratne was seriously wounded in the blast at Digana, 10 km southeast of Kandy, and succumbed to his wounds at hospital. SSP Seneviratne had served in the eastern province, including as head of the STF in the region. The STF’s top commander, Inspector General Nimal Lewke blamed the LTTE for the claymore attack.
Paramilitary cadres working with the SLA shot a young family man dead in Kurinchi Nagar, Valaichchenai. Kanapathipillai Kamalanathan, 22, was sleeping at his home, when paramilitary men took him away from his house and shot him dead at the near by Maruthanagar junction.
A police constable was shot and killed by unknown gunmen about 50 meters from the Batticaloa police station. Police constable G Wickremesinghe, 44, who was on duty at the Batticaloa police station, was shot dead when he went to a nearby shop.
Two houses located along Batticaloa-Kaluwankerni main road were burnt down by a paramilitary group working with Sri Lanka State security forces. One house belonged to Mylvaganam Arumugam, who is related to Gnanatheepan, the paramilitary Karuna group cadre who surrendered to the LTTE after killing five Karuna group members, including Iniyabarathy, last year. The other house destroyed by the fire belonged to family with four school going children. The arsonists were travelling in a white coloured van and on motorbikes. Two sisters of Puhalventhan, who escaped from the Karuna paramilitary group with Gnanatheepan, were killed on 8 December last year.
Kandasamy Govindarajah, 25, a resident of Meeravodai and one of the two Tamil civilians taken into custody during a cordon and search operation conducted by paramilitary forces with security cover by SLA soldiers and Sri Lanka Police Monday afternoon, was shot dead the same day night at 18th mile post in Kalodavi, Batticaloa. The whereabouts of Mylvaganam Sasi (23) who was abducted along with Govindarajah, are not known.
Paramilitary cadres shot and killed Seenithamby Sankar, 20. His sister’s husband, Thandavam Selvarajah, 36, was also injured in the attack in Vantharumoolai, Batticaloa. Members of the Karuna group had gone to their house, located in Alaiyadi Road, and fired at the victims while talking to them. Sankar was an agricultural labourer working in LTTE controlled Mylavedduwan. Eravur Police recovered a live grenade lobbed at the house by members of Karuna group after killing Sankar and injuring his sister’s husband. The group allegedly were searching for Sankar’s brother who is in the LTTE.
An LTTE cadre was shot dead by SLA troopers and paramilitaries hiding near the Santhiveli Kannaki Amman Temple, said Mr. Daya Mohan, Batticaloa district LTTE political head. Kaaththamuththu Jeyananthan, 25, from Thikiliveddai, Santhiveli was going to Santhiveli village for political work when he was shot by SLA soldiers and paramilitary Karuna Group men, he added.
The STF arrested two brothers, Mohansunthar Nathees, 19 years, and Mohansunthar Pirabakanth, 24, on a tip off in Arayampathy and handed over them to the Kattankudy Police for further investigation. The police claimed that 650 gram of explosives, bicycle balls and wires were recovered from their house.
A youth who worked in a garage as an auto-mechanic was shot dead by gunmen in Siruppidy, Valigamam East, Jaffna. Tharumu Theesan, 24, was returning home from work along Sripiddy Cemetary road when he was fired at by two men who followed him. According to eyewitnesses SLA soldiers were seen in the area several minutes before the crime was committed but had disappeared from the scene when Theesan was killed.
