In a quiet lane in Eluthumadduval, Jaffna, cement and concrete structures, in different stages of construction, show up on either side every few yards. Part of the second phase of Indian Housing Project launched, they will soon take the form of compact, new homes. As peace finds its way back to the northern district, development projects gradually pick up. The roads are newly laid and shops are beginning to make an appearance by the road side. [ Full Report ]

    A Sri Lankan woman thought to be dead in the passenger airline that disappeared in 1998 has been found to be alive. It turned out that the woman was not a passenger but her national identity card was being carried by somebody else. Gunamani Balasubramaniam, a Jaffna resident, was believed to be among the 48 passengers of the Lion Air plane which crashed into the northern seas as a result of an LTTE missile attack on September 29, 1998. [ Full Report ]

    The first phase of Sri Lanka’s northern railway project — funded by a line of credit facilitated by the Indian government — was commissioned on Friday. Coaches in bright red chugged along from Medawachchiya in Anuradhapura, the North Central Province, to Madhu Road, marking the return of a crucial transportation link that was shattered during the war. Tracks along the 43 km-stretch were reconstructed as part of the $ 800 million-project, being executed by the Indian Railway Ministry’s IRCON International Limited to restore the 252 km-railway line that would connect different parts of the country. [ Full Report ]

    When the Jaffna Development Council started functioning a Minister who made frequent official visits to Jaffna was Hon. Gamini Dissanayake. His known closeness to the President lent some significance to the discussions he had with Mr. Nadarajah the Chairman of the Council. A warm rapport developed between the two. To the Chairman it opened a two-way communication connecting the District with the Centre. The Minister perhaps was not unaware of the political fall-out for the government, if things turned out well. [ Full Report ]

    This perception has created doubts in the minds of the people of the North that it is unlikely that the government will in the near future hold the proposed election. Others argue that the government may, in order to defeat the challenges created by the promised election, try to scrap the 13th Amendment altogether. Scrapping of the 13th Amendemnt may also reinforce the popularity of the government, especially the President among the Sinhala people in the South. Therefore, the people in the North and the international community, albeit with some doubts, are waiting eagerly to the official announcement of the election, which may or may not come. [ Full Report ]

    “There is no will for reconciliation; this is the victor’s peace,” commented Paikasothy Saravanamuttu, who runs the Centre for Policy Alternatives in Colombo. “We have descended into a darkness back home,” he told the Commonwealth Journalists Association in London recently, explaining that the media in Sri Lanka has to “put up or shut up”.Lack of rule of law has become a problem for everyone in Sri Lanka, not just Tamils. [ Full Report ]

    A 43 kilometre stretch of Sri Lanka's Northern Railway line has been re-built to allow trains to be run up to a speed of 120 kilometres, Ircon, an Indian state-run transport engineering firm said.On April 24, a 43 kilometre stretch running from Madawachchiya to Madhu Road station was tested by a trial run, Ircon said in a statement. "The trial run was successful and comfortable and we are very pleased that this phase of the project has been completed," S L Gupta, general manager of IRCON International said in a statement. [ Full Report ]

    Sri Lanka's Tamil-dominated northern region will hold its first elections for a provincial council that will grant limited autonomy to the former war zone, the president's office announced Monday. President Mahinda Rajapakse told newspaper editors that conditions were right to hold the northern provincial council elections in September more than four years after fighting there ended, his spokesman Mohan Samaranayake said. "The president said that the environment was conducive for holding the NPC elections in September, but he did not give a specific date," Samaranayake told AFP. "It will be some time in September." [ Full Report ]

    Peace is one of the most essential aspects of a stable society. It provides the basis for a prosperous economy and civil liberties, whereas war and conflict disrupt the livelihoods of the people. Sri Lanka's 26-year long civil war affected everyone living in the island nation, especially the ethnic Tamil population in the northern and eastern districts. But the guns have fallen down, and now locals as well as curious foreigners are free to visit the war-torn areas of Sri Lanka. [ Full Report ]

    A firm believer in the importance of sports in child development, he funded a football pitch for the use of Valvettithurai youths. "I am a sportsman. I love sports. I used to play at that time," Rajendran told Khabar as he watched youths playing football in the evening under floodlights. "I returned to Sri Lanka and financed the setting of this playground for the benefit of school children and youths in the area. "They play well today. These are war-affected children," he said. "Initially, they looked tense when participating in games. Now, no longer. I see the difference. I noticed how the game of sports has helped personality development." [ Full Report ]

    Sri Lanka’s main Tamil party accused the government yesterday of attacking the biggest opposition newspaper in an attempt to silence its political rivals ahead of key local council elections.“One of the main objectives (of the attack) is silencing the opposition ahead of provincial council elections,” TNA legislator Suresh Premachandran said. “There is a fear psychosis in Jaffna, people are living in fear. They are scared to come out for political meetings. They fear there could be violence,” Premachandran said. [ Full Report ]

    The five-member team of Indian MPs, which interacted with a cross section of political leaders, civil society personalities and government functionaries both in Colombo and Jaffna over the last four days, returned to India on Friday, fully sensitised to the complexities of the Lankan Tamil question. Given the complexity of the issue, the MPs decided not to speak to the media in Lanka, including resident Indian correspondents. They said that they would rather mull over the issues and speak up only on return to New Delhi. [ Full Report ]

    The Tamil people in Sri Lanka can find solutions to their grievances only through an interim self-government, Tamil political leaders have told the visiting Indian joint parliamentary delegation. Demanding an interim administration, Tamil representatives who met the Indian MPs in Jaffna had told the Indian delegation that the Provincial Council system under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution are inadequate to solve their problems, BBC Sinhala Service has reported. [ Full Report ]

    An SL Military intelligence backed attack that took place in a Marriage Hall at Aavarangkaal in Puththoor, Jaffna, on last Wednesday and Thursday, shows to what extent the occupying Sinhala military has determined to engineer caste and anti-diaspora violence in select rural areas of Jaffna Peninsula to ultimately make Eezham Tamils weakened as a nation in the island, news sources in Jaffna said. The reason for the attack is said to be a publication coming from the diaspora in the UK that was stocked at the Marriage Hall for release. The publication was interpreted as a talk on caste and false accusation against SL military. [ Full Report ]

    Sri Lankan minister Douglas Devananda has said an inquiry would be conducted into the authenticity of the photographs of the slain LTTE chief V Prabhakaran's son Balachandran, circulated by a channel. ``It was unfortunate. We will inquire into it. The truth would emerge only after an inquiry. Nothing more could be said now,'' he told reporters at Katchatheevu on Saturday night. However, Devananda also refrained from clarifying if the probe would pertain to the alleged execution of Balachandran or how the photographs had surfaced in the international media. [ Full Report ]

    After stonewalling for nearly three years, Sri Lanka has allowed a team of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to visit the rehabilitation camps housing ex-LTTE combatants. Brigadier Darshana Hettiarachchi, the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation said that ICRC delegation had visited the Marandhamadu rehabilitation camp in the north on February 22."They (ICRC) spent over 3 hours in the camp inspecting the facilities", Hettiarachchi said. [ Full Report ]

    A long-forgotten memorial of Indian soldiers inside the Palaly High Security zone has been re-discovered. “The memorial was discovered late last year,” the Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Ashok K.Kantha told The Hindu. After the Jaffna Consul General V.Mahalingam and a team verified the structure, the Indian High Commission requested the Sri Lankan government’s support in sprucing up the memorial in a manner that befits martyrs. “The Sri Lankan government was very cooperative and we thank them for their support,” Mr.Kantha said. [ Full Report ]

    How can you'll get settled in the lands lived by Tamil people? With whose permission you'll are building houses? Why are you'll living here? You’ll should live in the lands in which you occupied before? Was the questions raised by Tamil National Alliance parliament member Suresh Piremachandran from the people living at Nawatkuli. Tamil National Alliance Jaffna district parliament member Suresh Piremachandran yesterday visited the Tamil families living in the lands belonging to the Housing Directive Board at Nawatkuli yesterday. [ Full Report ]

    "Thinakural" press was scorched and once again activities advanced to crush the voice of democracy. In this manner, the press distributor was attacked and wounded. The elements which desire that democracy atmosphere and media freedom should not exist in the country were engaged in this task.Peninsula is in the entire control of the forces, and the continuous attacks against the Medias, Hathurusinghe the Commanding Chief of the district should take responsibility. [ Full Report ]

    Indian trawlers are taking their toll on northern Sri Lanka's fishing sector which is struggling to recover almost four years after a decades-long civil war. "Since the conclusion of the civil war, Indian trawlers have been coming in closer and closer," Maarten Bavinck, director at the Amsterdam-based Centre for Maritime Research, told IRIN, noting that over half of the 5,000 trawlers based in southern India are completely or seasonally dependent on Sri Lankan waters. [ Full Report ]

    The visiting top level US delegation on Sunday visited Jaffna and held talks with Security Forces Commander-Jaffna Maj.Gen. M.Hathurusinghe, the army said. “The delegation was briefed on present situation in Jaffna in terms of security, economic development, rehabilitation and resettlement and social harmony during the meeting,” the Army said. [ Full Report ]

    “Udayan” newspaper delivery employee was attacked by unidentified persons today morning at 5.30 a.m at Maalu junction locality and his motorbike along with the newspapers was scorched. The incident occurred while he took the newspapers from the “Udayan” print media office today morning was assaulted at Maalu junction by four unidentified persons riding in two motorbikes. They had severely beaten him with poles. [ Full Report ]

    Even though Jaffna university academic activities have commenced from yesterday, the university was isolated because students did not turn up. According to the current atmosphere prevailing in the university only some students’ presence was able to observe. Check points around the university still exists but the police forces had been withdrawn. [ Full Report ]

    On 27 November, students at Jaffna University lit a lamp in the womens’ dormitory. Their simple act of commemoration unwittingly sparked events that have unfolded into the most significant confrontation with the Sri Lankan state since the massacre of Tamils in May 2009. The lamps were to remember as heroes those Tamils who gave their lives fighting for ‘Eelam’, an independent homeland in the north and east of the island. Sri Lankan soldiers were already on standby outside before they forced entry to the hostel, attacked the students and extinguished their lamps. The next day state force broke up a sit-down protest on the university campus, attacking two journalists and injuring twenty students. [ Full Report ]

    Sri Lanka National Union of Students (SLNUS) will launch a new campaign against alleged military interference in the university premises today (02). "As the first step, the government handed over the university security to the Defence Ministry’s Rakna Lanka Security firm," SLNUS Secretary Asanka Bulegoda said adding that undergraduates were seeing the consequences now.Consequent to deploying the Defence Ministry’s security guards in universities, Army personnel entered the Jaffna University recently and harassed students, he said. [ Full Report ]

    The military has no intention of withdrawing army camps in Jaffna despite intense pressure exerted by the international community and Tamil political parties. Jaffna Security Forces Commander Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe said despite the end of the war almost four years ago, the LTTE is still active.“The army is aware of this and remains vigilant,” Major General Hathurusinghe told The Sunday Leader. [ Full Report ]

    Sri Lanka’s Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) has sent summons to Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) President, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, asking him to be present at its investigating office in Colombo on Saturday for inquiries. The summon note, entirely in Sinhala language, was served at Gajendrakumar’s residence in Colombo by a TID officer on Thursday afternoon. Mr. Gajendrakumar is currently outside of the island, informed sources told TamilNet. Meanwhile, notices in Sinhala and English, viciously implicating TNPF Secretary and former TNA parliamentarian, Selvaraja Kajendran as one of the key persons behind the ‘pro-LTTE and TNA/ TNPF network’ in the Jaffna University, is being circulated in the south of the island. [ Full Report ]

    The Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) has launched protests and demonstrations in Tamil Diaspora countries calling for the release of Jaffna University students arrested by the Sri Lankan forces and the complete removal of the occupying Sinhala forces from the Tamil homeland. The recent arrest of Jaffna University students has once again clearly demonstrated that as long as the Sinhala army is stationed in Tamil areas, the safety of the Tamils will never be guaranteed. While the Tamils overseas continue to clamor for justice in the international arena for the genocide perpetrated by the Sinhala forces in Mullivaaikaal, the structural genocide of Tamils in the homeland continues. [ Full Report ]

    The Human Rights Commission (HRC) in Jaffna was flooded with complaints last week from distressed family members whose relatives were arrested by the police. The complaints lodged at the HRC Jaffna rose to 43 by Friday following an intensive operation carried out by the police over allegations that those arrested were ex LTTE cadres. A swoop down on the suspects followed the arrest of eleven Jaffna university students by the police over the lighting of flames by Jaffna university students to commemorate the dead on the LTTE ‘Heroes day’ anniversary last month. [ Full Report ]

    The World Food Programme (WFP) hopes to expand its ongoing cash/voucher (C/V) programme across northern Sri Lanka, allowing thousands of recent returnees to diversify their diets. “More than 15,000 men, women and children have so far benefited from the programme in Jaffna,” Mads Lofvall, WFP acting country representative, told IRIN. “With the expansion we hope to reach more than the currently planned beneficiary caseload - 45,000 over the next two years.” [ Full Report ]

    The Sri Lankan authorities should immediately release or credibly charge four ethnic Tamil students from Jaffna University who have been detained since early December 2012, Human Rights Watch said today. The Terrorist Investigation Department (TID) arrested the students amid unrest in the northern city of Jaffna following a security crackdown in late November against attempts to commemorate dead leaders of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The four students – Sanmugam Solaman, Kanagasundram Jenamajenth, Paramalingam Tharshaanan, and V. Bhavananadam – were initially detained at the TID offices in Vavuniya. [ Full Report ]

    Among other important LLRC recommendations that have not been implemented are those pertaining to the withdrawal of the military from civil administration as soon as possible (LLRC recommendation 9.134). Another is the relocation of the police department from out of the Ministry of Defence and the establishment of an independent Police Commission that would ensure that all police personnel act independently and maintain a high degree of professional conduct (LLRC recommendation 9.215). It is unfortunate that these recommendations do not have a place in the government’s LLRC action plan. [ Full Report ]

    Sri Lanka yesterday briefed the Colombo based diplomatic community on a wide range of issues including the current political situation in the country, the External Affairs ministry said. In a statement the ministry said, “Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L.Peiris yesterday briefed the Colombo based diplomatic community on a wide range of issues connected with matters related to current initiatives in both the political and economic spheres.” [ Full Report ]

    The police are to carry out more arrests in Jaffna over allegations of having links with the LTTE while 37 people already arrested are to be produced in court and charged. TNA MP E. Saranavanabawan said that the families of 33 people arrested have made complaints to the Human Rights Commission regarding the arrests. Saranawabawan told The Sunday Leader that it was not clear on what basis the arrests were being made. [ Full Report ]

    New Democrats believe that freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and the principles of fundamental justice are basic human rights. The Government of Sri Lanka must secure these rights for the entire population. The Sri Lankan Government must ensure an end to attacks by security forces against students and peaceful demonstrators and ensure those responsible are brought to justice. [ Full Report ]

    Jaffna, the capital of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province and once the bastion of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), is once again experiencing unrest. Violent clashes broke out on November 27, Martyrs' Day for Tamil, between students of Jaffna University and Sri Lankan security forces. Each year Tamils use Martyrs' Day to honor friends and family members who were killed in the Sri Lanka Civil War (1983-2009). [ Full Report ]

    Sri Lanka’s permanent representative at the UN, Palitha Kohona, brought resident representatives of the UN in 13 countries, including Japan, Italy and South Africa to Jaffna on Satuday. The team during its visit was shown with a fabricated civil society that praised the ‘development’ of Colombo in Jaffna, news sources in Jaffna said. The team held talks with the occupying SL governor in the North, Maj. Gen G.A. Chandrasri and the supporters of the EPDP collaborating with Colombo, who were presented to the visiting team as the ‘civil society’ of Jaffna. [ Full Report ]

    The Sri Lanka Army provided labour to build a hut, he said. Each child is provided with one uniform. The Dhamma school is held twice a week. It is better if the children can be provided with another uniform, he said. “The Dhamma School programme is being operated through the personal funds of Naga Vihara Podi Hamuduruwo (Viharadhikari Siriwimala Thera) and myself. Anybody who wishes to provide donations, can do so by remitting monies into account number 74003578 – Bank of Ceylon Chunnakam Branch to the credit of Nandarama Tamil Buddhist Dhamma School. [ Full Report ]

    The Sri Lankan state has relentlessly continued to consolidate its militarisation of the North-East since the armed conflict drew to a close in 2009. Regardless of international efforts at closed door diplomacy and the occasional public wrist slapping, the Sri Lankan state has shown no signs of relenting. The bludgeoning military budget, the grabbing of civilian lands for military housing and establishments, and the military’s saturating presence within everyday civilian life has continued; not only contrary to well-trodden paths of post-conflict reconciliation, but in brazen defiance of international criticism. [ Full Report ]

    Four Jaffna University students, including its Union leader V. Bavanandan and secretary P. Darshananth, have been taken to the notorious Welikanda military detention camp, where hundreds of former Tamil Tiger rebels are still being detained and interrogated, their parents have been told on Monday (10). 24 year-old Medical Faculty student Darshananth of Kantharmadam, Arts Faculty Union President Kanakasundaraswami Jenamejeyan (24) of Puthukkudiyiruppu, Science Faculty Union member Shamugam Solomon (24) of Jaffna were arrested along with Students’ Union leader V. Bavanandan on December 29 and 30 by the Sri Lankan police in Jaffna and later taken away to Vavuniya by its Terrorism Investigation Division (TID). [ Full Report ]

    After the violent unrest that started late November in Jaffna, (for photos and background, read The death of Freedom of Assembly, Expression and Religion in the North of Sri Lanka), Groundviews has continuously received updates on the ground situation. In addition to forwarding these updates via email, we have decided to post them on the site for increased awareness and greater public debate on the disturbing situation in and around post-war Jaffna today. The updates are posted as we received them and as accounts open t0 contestation. We also strongly welcome further verification and corroboration by readers in the area or familiar with what’s going on. [ Full Report ]

    While seven of the 11 Jaffna University students in TID custody were released today, Jaffna university teachers said they would return to work only if the others in custody were also released.Union President R. Vigneswaran said university teachers were informed that the university general body would meet today to decide if teachers should return to work or continue to stay away until the other four students were released. “We will stay away from work even if students come for lessons,” he said. [ Full Report ]

    This is why the recent Jaffna University incidents, the impeachment of the Chief Justice and some deaths among rioting prisoners in Welikada should not to be seen as sporadic, rash or clumsy mistakes. They are all pointers to an expanding type of governance and a shrinking democratic space. This is also why, regardless of how far north or south we or the other may be, we have to recognise that we are our sisters’ and brothers’ keeper. [ Full Report ]

    Stephen Woodworth, Member of Parliament for Kitchener Centre, has expressed renewed concern over human rights violation in Sri Lanka in light of recent reports of violent clashes on the University of Jaffna campus between Tamil students and security forces. “Parliamentarians have the responsibility to make it our first priority to raise our voice in support of every person’s fundamental human rights,” said Woodworth. These latest incidents are evidence of ongoing tensions directed at Tamils in Sri Lanka. [ Full Report ]

    Tamil Canadians will be holding a rally to protest the mistreatment of Tamil students of Jaffna university; and to request United States and Canada to demand Sri Lanka to remove the military and police from the Tamil homeland. The rally will be held in front of the U.S Consulate ( 360 University Avenue ) on Friday, December 7th from 12pm to 7pm. NCCT strongly condemns the brutal attack by the occupying Sri Lankan Police and Military on the peaceful demonstrations held on November 28th at the University of Jaffna . [ Full Report ]

    Canadian University Tamil Students' Associations held country-wide awareness campaigns on 4th December, about the arrest of Jaffna university students who took part in remembrance day events, to coincide with protest in Jaffna and across Europe. Uniting with student groups and unions, the students made three key demands: release the four arrested students, cease all forms of intimidation and violence against Tamil students, and end the occupation of Jaffna University, and immediately cease all form of oppressive and genocidal state and military operations in the Tamil homeland. [ Full Report ]

    People of Jaffna were shocked to see Prof Balakumaran, the Medical Faculty Dean of the University of Jaffna under pressure, handing over five students of his faculty directly to Sri Lanka’s military intelligence on Thursday. Another student of the University of Jaffna was handed over by his father. When the students were first taken to the SL police at Koappaay, the police refused to take charge of them saying that they had no ‘instructions’ and directed the university authorities to take the students to Military Intelligence headquarters in Jaffna. The students who were handed over were immediately taken to Vavuniyaa where a notorious unit of Colombo’s White Van defence functions. [ Full Report ]

    Police in northern Sri Lanka have made a series of arrests which they say are linked to combating terrorism, three years after the separatist Tamil Tigers were defeated. Up to 25 people are being held, a top official told the BBC. Police are also reportedly hunting several students. Espousing separatism is illegal in Sri Lanka. Suspects can be held without charge for 18 months. The detentions come at a time of rising political tensions in the north. [ Full Report ]

    Four students were arrested on 1 December in Jaffna, northern Sri Lanka, by the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) of the police. They are being held in Vavuniya for interrogation and are at risk of torture. P. Tharshananth, Sanmugam Solaman, Kanesamoorthy Sutharsan and K. Jenemajeyamenan were arrested without warrants in Jaffna. It is not known if they have been formally charged. Sri Lankan media reports that they are being questioned about their alleged involvement in a petrol bomb attack on the office of a local political organisation, as well as their involvement in organising demonstrations. There are concerns for their well-being given evidence of the persistent use of torture in TID custody. [ Full Report ]

    The counter terrorism unit of the Sri Lankan Police on Tuesday night have arrested at least ten young men, including 'rehabilitated' former Tamil Tiger cadres, who are now resettled with their families in northern town of Jaffna, amid fears of fresh series of state violence in the war-ravaged areas."The next of kin have been given documents relating to their arrests by the police and it has been specifically mentioned that they have all been arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA)", Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission’s (HRC) Northern Regional Co-ordinator, Kanagaraja has said in Jaffna. [ Full Report ]