French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, in a statement to mark World Humanitarian day today, has raised the death of 17 aid workers in Sri Lanka during the war and noted that the killers have yet to be identified. “We also remember the 17 members of Action Against Hunger who were executed in 2006 in Muttur in Sri Lanka; their murderers have still not been found. The security of humanitarian personnel is a priority for France. That is why France is determined to try and strengthen the security of humanitarian personnel, notably at the next United Nations General Assembly,” the French Foreign Minister said in his statement today. [ Full Report ]

    A monk has been taken into custody in connection with an allegation that two school girls of an orphanage in Uppuveli, Trincomalee had been abused. According to police media spokesman SP Prishantha Jayakody, the two girls aged 15 and 17 had made statements to police to that effect. According to police media spokesman SP Prishantha Jayakody, the two girls aged 15 and 17 had made statements to police to that effect. The two school girls have been sent to Trincomalee hospital for an inspection. The girls had revealed of the abuse they had had to undergo at the hands of the suspect, to a teacher of their school. The school teacher had alerted the school principal and the principal had informed the police. [ Full Report ]

    A Siva temple located at an ancient Hindu site called Akaththiyar Thaapanam, at Kangku-veali in the Moothoor division of the Trincomalee district, where Hindus gather especially to perform the Aadi Amaavaasai ritual for ancestors, was destroyed without any traces coinciding the Heroes’ Day on 27 November. The location of the temple is under the control of Sri Lanka Army stationed at a nearby Sinhala village, Neelaappola. The Sinhala villagers of Neelaappola protected the Tamil villagers of Kangku-veali from displacement in 2006. The Tamil villagers who were shocked and wept to see the temple razed to the ground now, suspect ‘outsiders’ and are scared whether this is a prelude to wipe out their traditional village as well. [ Full Report ]

    More than 1,486 Tamil families are unable to peacefully resettle in their homes in Trincomalee, Vavuniya and Batticaloa due to unlawful and widespread occupation of state land by members of the majority community, according to Tamil politicians. “There are more than 500 families of the majority community who have set up houses and are cultivating paddy in areas that were previously occupied by Tamils before the war intensified,” said Packiyaselvam Ariyanethiran, a member of Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK). [ Full Report ]

    A Turkish ship transporting sulphuric acid sank off Sri Lanka's north-eastern coast Thursday, three days after attempts to repair a leak in the vessel failed, a navy spokesman said. Sulphuric acid is widely used for lead-acid batteries for vehicles. As a precaution to avoid environmental damage the navy towed the ship some 80 nautical miles off Trincomalee port. Sri Lanka's environmental ministry said that it was considering legal action against the shipping company. The ship had sailed from Tuticorin in India to Kakinadan port, also in India. [ Full Report ]

    Police investigations into the killing of little Jude Mary Varsha in Trincomalee recently determined conclusively that TMVP cadres were involved in the abduction and murder. But TMVP leader Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan, on March 21st vehemently denied any involvement of TMVP members in the abduction and killing of the tyke. He said that "Jana" who abducted the girl is not a TMVP member but merely supported the TMVP during the Eastern provincial council election. [ Full Report ]

    Sri Lankans looked at their TV screens and newspapers last week with shock and shame as the story of the abduction and killing of six year old Varsha Jude Regi of Trincomalee came to the attention of the entire nation. Although much has been talked and written about this horror story, the real societal meaning has been glossed over. The abduction has taken place in an area where abductions for ransom are now quite common. People, depressed by the absence of the rule of law or any sort of protection, appeared to show pleasure when they heard about the extra-judicial killings of such abductors. [ Full Report ]

    At least four civilians and three security personnel were killed in northeastern Sri Lanka Friday when their vehicle was hit by a roadside mine, officials said. The blast went off as the commuter bus was being escorted by security personnel in the district of Trincomalee, a military official said, adding that six people were also wounded. [ Full Report ]

    Four Sri Lankan military personnel, including Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and homeguards, who were manning a military post in Kantha'laay (Kantale) in Trincomalee district were killed Monday morning when Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) carried out a raid on the military post in the high security area, LTTE's Trincomalee command has claimed in a note issued to media on Tuesday. Two firearms were seized in the raid, the Tigers said. [ Full Report ]

    Last Tuesday (August 26) was a cloudy night in eastern Sri Lanka. At a jetty in the Dockyard in Trincomalee, home for Sri Lanka Navy's eastern headquarters, there was hectic activity. Troops were preparing to board the "Jetliner," the transport vessel acquired from an Indonesian company. It is capable of carrying some 3,000 passengers besides cargo. At dawn next day this vessel was to begin its voyage to Kankesanthurai (KKS). If maritime movements with logistics from Trincomalee to KKS serve as the umbilical cord for some 40,000 troops and policemen deployed in the Jaffna peninsula, the "Jetliner" plays a pivotal role. It is the main mode of transport for troops and police officers. They either take the seaward journey for deployment or when returning home on leave. [ Full Report ]

    It was fast, unannouced and went over anything that stood in its path. Flash floods caused by the onset of the south western monsoon displaced over 269,700 persons in nine districts and left at least 14 dead and two missing in the last three days, the National Disaster Relief Services Centre (NDRSC) said. The worst affected area was Kalutara District where the Palindanuwara and Bulathsinhala Divisions were baldly affected. "In Kalutara at least 26,000 families have been hit by the floods," Additional Director of the NDRSC G. M. Gunewardena told The Morning Leader. Over 100,000 persons were estimated to have been hit by the rising waters in the district. [ Full Report ]

    A piece of torso of a person and diving equipments were found floating near the drowned Sri Lankan Naval ship, suggesting the handiwork of a suicide bomber in destruction of the vessel last week, an official said on Monday. The Navy is currently investigating the Saturday dawn explosion that ripped through a navy logistic ship, A 520 (MV Invincible). Navy divers have recovered body parts of the suspected LTTE suicide cadre from the waters where the Tigers sank a navy cargo ship in the Trincomalee harbour on Saturday, the navy spokesman D K P Dassanayake said. [ Full Report ]

    A troop carrier and supply ship of the Sri Lanka Navy, A-520, named MV Invincible, was sunk by the Sea Tigers Black Tiger underwater naval commandos in the Trincomalee Harbour at 2:23 a.m. Saturday, according to initial reports by the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) officials in Vanni. The attack was carried out when the supply vessel was loaded with explosives to be transported to KKS Harbour in Jaffna, the Tigers said. Commandos from Kangkai Amaran unit of the Sea Tigers took part in the naval mission in destroying the 80-meter long vessel, the LTTE further said. [ Full Report ]

    In a surprise development, New Delhi has agreed to build the country’s proposed second coal power plant in Sampur, the site originally proposed by Sri Lanka, partners in the joint-venture. Early this week the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and India’s National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) shook hands in New Delhi over India’s acceptance of the site, according to a well-placed CEB source. The controversial site is in the North Eastern province, across the Koddiyar Bay from Trincomalee. [ Full Report ]

    The Sri Lanka security forces have taken over Mutur at the time of the killing of 17 aid workers, a witness told the Presidential Commission. The witness, who did not want to be identified, told the commmission to investigate serious rights violations that his brother informed over the phone on 03 August that the forces have surrounded his offices. 17 workers of French charity, Action Against Hunder (ACF) were killed in Muttur on 2006 August 04. [ Full Report ]

    A rights group report on Tuesday blamed local security forces for the massacre of 17 Sri Lankan tsunami aid workers in 2006 and accused the government of an outright cover-up. At the time, the killing of the local workers from aid group Action Contre La Faim (ACF) in the island's northeast was the worst attack on humanitarian workers since the 2003 bombing of the United Nations compound in Baghdad. [ Full Report ]

    The inquiry into the killing of 17 aid workers in Mutur in August 2006 took an unexpected turn yesterday when President’s Counsel Desmond Fernando allegedly claimed a Cabinet Minister in a confidential discussion with him said the Minister was aware who the perpetrators were. Mr. Fernando said he no longer wished to participate in the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the killing of Action Contra La Faim (ACF) workers because he was privy to such information. [ Full Report ]

    The IIGEP setup on President Rajapaksa’s invitation with the mandate to observe CoI proceedings to ensure that the investigations are carried out in a transparent manner, in accordance with basic international norms and standards will be wrapping up its operations at the end of the month. However, they would continue to provide technical assistance on request. Commissioner Dr. Devanesan Nesiah said that the withdrawal of independent observers would have “a very bad impact” on the investigations, as they would detract from the perception of validity of the commission’s work. [ Full Report ]

    Sri Lanka has been accused of widespread abductions in its counter-insurgency operations against the Tamil Tigers, in a March 6 report by Human Rights Watch. The country now ranks among the worst in the world for disappearances. Blame is levelled against the army, navy and police, but also against the government for failing to investigate the cases properly. Jonathan Gorvett is at the Civil Monitoring Commission headquarters in Pettah, where he talks to Jasemin, a woman whose husband was abducted last year. [ Full Report ]

    A bomb has expolded in the postal train travelling to Colombo from Trincomalee near Kantale station. Big explosion was heard up to 5km. Journalist RG Dharmadasa in Kantale says the night mail train usually travels with full of passengers.No passengers are reported to be injured, he added. No details available on the casualty figures.More details to follow. [ Full Report ]

    Aid agencies operating in the Eachchilampattai DS division of Trincomalee threatened to pull out following continued extortion and TMVP insistence that building material for reconstruction purposes should be purchased through the TMVP at higher than market rates. Concerns were raised at this week’s Interagency Meeting that project work had been budgeted according to market prices and agencies would not continue their work in Eachchilampattai if this practice continued, the Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) said. The IASC, a UN umbrella organization, said according to residents TMVP activities had increased this week in the Eachchilampattai DS division [ Full Report ]

    Muslim residents in Pulmoddai village have made representations to their leaders that the Sri Lanka government is taking steps to acquire several acres of their traditional lands to colonise Sinhalese under the pretext of establishing an industrial estate with the assistance of the Mineral Sands Corporation, civil society sources in Trincomalee said. The Mineral Sands Corporation administered by the central government runs an Ilmenite Factory in Pulmoddai. [ Full Report ]

    Gunmen shot dead the Tamil Grama Sevakar for Mutur East in Trincomalee on Thursday, 21 September. Paranjothy Muttukumar, 52, is the Grama Sevakar for the Kaddaiparichchaan GS area in Trincomalee. He was called out from his home and when Paranjothy Muttukumar opened the door a gunman tried to shoot him and Paranjothy Muttukumar stopped him by restricting the gunmen’s hand. Paranjothy Muttukumar then pushed the gunman inside the house shut the door and tried to run outside. Other gunmen standing outside then shot and killed him. [ Full Report ]

    In recent years, the coastal region of Trincomalee in eastern Sri Lanka has been buffeted by civil war and natural disaster. A long-standing conflict between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the Sri Lankan Army, and the paramilitary group, Karuna, has created a persistent climate of fear and instability. The violence has driven thousands of people to abandon their villages and seek security in camps. When the tsunami struck the coast in December of 2005, thousands more were displaced. As the population struggled to recover, violence erupted once again, throwing the region’s recovery efforts into reverse. [ Full Report ]

    Most of the displaced people have been unable to return because the areas remain unsafe as de-mining activity has yet to be completed, or because their homes are in a large area of Muttur and Sampur Divisions that the government officially designated on 30 May as a no-go High Security Zone (HSZ). The new HSZ is 90sqkm with at least part of it slated to be a special economic zone. Outsiders are barred from the HSZ unless they have written permission from government authorities. Some civic organisations are concerned about the numbers of people who will not be able to return to their former homes in the HSZ. [ Full Report ]