Mannar villagers seek safety from SLA deep penetration unit

Fear of armed members of Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) are forcing residents of Silavthurai, Arippu and Mullikulam in the Mannar district to leave their houses by dusk and return after dawn, civil society sources in Mannar said. Residents are alarmed at the grenade attack on a house at Savariarpuram in Silavthurai on Tuesday night by a group of armed persons believed to be belonging to the DPU, sources in Mannar said.

Mannar residents say that they have witnessed movement of strangers armed with weapons and fear that members of the DPU are on the prowl during nights in their villages in the Liberation Tigers held area in the Mannar district, civil sources said.

Mullikulam residents are spending their night at St.Mary's Church, Silavthurai residents in St.Francis Xavier Church and Arippu families in a common ground in the middle of the village, sources said.

Villagers have complained to Mannar Bishop and the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Mannar, sources said.

(www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=18043)

Kilinochchi residents condemn DPU attacks on civilians

Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) demonstrated in Kilinochchi Thursday condemning the indiscriminate penetrative attacks on humanitarian organizations working in the Liberation Tigers (LTTE) of Tamil Eelam administrated areas by the Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of Sri Lankan armed forces, and demanding the international community take steps to stop the attacks. civil society sources in Kilinochchi said. The demonstration, presided by the President of TRO, M. Sivanadiyan, started around 10:30 a.m. in front of the TRO Head Office in Kilinochchi and ended around 12:00 noon at the Office of the Kilinochchi Government Agent.

Hundreds of people including NGO representatives and workers gathered and marched along the A-9 road chanting slogans condemning the attacks against the humanitarian NGOs and their employees by the Sri Lankan armed forces and DPUs.

The demonstrators urged the international community and the humanitarian agencies to pressure the Sri Lankan Government to give up its anti human activities in the Tamil Homeland against the innocent civilians. They also sought the intervention of the international community against the gross human rights violations perpetrated by the Sri Lankan armed forces and paramilitary groups.

In an attack on a TRO vehicle by the DPU on 24 March, the Director of the Disaster Management was killed and other passengers were seriously injured.

(http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=21709)

Mannar Education Officer succumbs to injuries

Divisional Education Officer in Mannar, Christian Rajakone, 47, succumbed to injuries early morning Thursday at the Kilinochchi hospital, hospital sources said. Rajakone sustained in the claymore mine attack by the Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) on Tuesday in the LTTE held area in Mannar district.

The motorbike he and Silvairasa Amalanesan, Principal of Vilathikulam School, were traveling hit a claymore mine placed by the DPU of SLA Tuesday morning.

At that time both were proceeding from Madhu to attend the sports meet of Vilathikulam School Principal died on the spot and Christian Rajakone was admitted to the Killinochchi hospital in critical condition, sources said.

Mr. Christian Rajakone was a graduate of Peradeniya University. He later joined the teaching profession. He served Vidathaltivu St.Joseph Vas Maha Vidiyalayam, Kakaiyankulam Muslim Maha Vidiyalayam and Anadankulam Roman Catholic Tamil Maha Vidiyalayam. Later he was appointed as acting Principal of Vilathikulam School. At that time of death he was the Divisional Educational Officer for the Madhu division in Madhu education zone, sources said.

The funeral of Mr. Amalanesan was held at Vidathaltivu Wednesday.

(http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=21413)

DPU ambush kills School Principal in LTTE territory

A newly appointed principal who was on his way to Vilathikulam from the Zonal Education Office in Madhu was killed, and an Divisional Education Officer was wounded and rushed to Kilinochchi hospital for treatment Tuesday morning following a Claymore ambush by the Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of the Sri Lanka Army, said N. Selvy, Liberation Tigers Human Rights Spokesperson.

The victim, identified as Siluvairasa Amalanesan, 33, was killed on the spot.

An education official, identified as Christian Rajakone, 47, was rushed to Kilinochchi hospital.

Both were traveling in a motorbike, driven by the deceased, to attend an event at the school.

The ambush was reported around 10:30 a.m. at Sinnavalayan Kaddu in Madhu division in the LTTE controlled area in Mannar district.

Sinnavalayan Kaddu is located in Madhu education zone.

Thamileelam Police rushed to the site and launched a search operation.

(www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=21388 )

LTTE complains to SLMM of SLA's deep penetration attack

Mr.S.Iniyavan, Mannar District Political Head of the LTTE complained to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) at a discussion held at LTTE district political secretariat located in Karukkaikulam Wednesday of escaling attacks by the deep penetration unit (DPU) of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in the LTTE held territory in Mannar district, sources said.

Mr.S.Punithan, Madhu division political head also participated in the discussion with members of the SLMM in Mannar district, sources said.

The discussion which was to commence at about 9.30 a.m. Wednesday at Karukkaikulam located was delayed more than an hour as the soldiers of the SLA manning the sentry point at Uyilankulam did not allow the SLMM delegation to enter the LTTE area. They were allowed at around 10.30 a.m. to meet the LTTE at Karukkaikulam, sources said.

LTTE delegation brought to the notice of the SLMM the attack made DPU of the SLA on Tuesday evening in which a woman was killed, sources said.

LTTE Mannar leaders pointed out to the SLMM that the SLA is conducting clandestine attacks even in sacred areas such as Madhu, sources said.

(www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=17999)

Humanitarian worker killed, three more wounded

Muthuraja Aruleswaran, 30, an aid worker attached to the Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) was killed and three more workers were injured when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers exploded a claymore mine targeting a vehicle belonging to the aid agency in Mannar at around 12.30pm on Saturday.

TRO, the largest non-governmental organisation working in the Tamil Homeland, is catering for the basic needs of thousands of civilians displaced due to recent military offensives by the Sri Lankan military in the Mannar-Vavuniya border regions.

'A high level team visited the displaced people to carry out needs assessment and monitor current relief efforts,' TRO sources in Kilinochchi said.

They came under claymore mine attack while travelling in Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) administered areas.

Tamil Eelam Police says that the attack was carried out by the Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of the SLA. 'Sri Lanka is taking advantage of low presence of LTTE cadres in vicinity surrounding the Holy Madhu Church,' police sources added.

(http://www.sibernews.com/news/sri-lanka/-200703257880/)

Two civilians narrowly escaped with injuries in a claymore attack by the SLA in Mannar

Two civilians were injured in a claymore attack by the Sri Lankan military’s Deep Penetration Unit near Andankulam in Mannar at 12.30 pm today, 22 March 2007.

Navarathinam Santhirakanthan aged 27, father of two children and Palichchami Jeyapalan aged 31 were injured. They were going to Andankulam from Thachchanamadu, Mannar.

Injured Santhirakanthan and Jeyapalan were admitted in Pallamadu hospital in Mannar.

(http://www.ltteps.org/?view=1910&folder=2)

TRO condemns the killing of TRO staff by SL DPU attack in Mannar

Tamils Rehabilitation Organization has condemned the attack by Deep Penetration Unit of Sri Lankan Army on their vehicle, killing and injuring TRO staff belong to Disaster Management Unit today, 24th March 2007.

Full text of the TRO Statement as fallows

"Tamils Rehabilitation Organization condemns vehemently the dastardly act of attacking the TRO vehicle and killing and injuring TRO staff belong to Disaster Management Unit who were engaged in humanitarian activities by Deep Penetration Unit of Sri Lankan Army at Periyamadu in Mannar today (24th March, 2007) at 11.30 AM. In this murderous attack one TRO staff was killed and 4 senior staff were seriously injured."

"TRO staff and volunteers were providing immediate relief assistance - transport, food and water to the people who were displaced by heavy shelling and troop movements of the Sri Lankan army for the last 2days in the boarder areas of Mannar. Over 2000 families are displaced and have become refugees from boarder villages such as Periya Thampana, Periya Pandivirichan and Sinna Pandivirichan and moved to Periya Madu and Madu areas."

"TRO Disaster Management Unit driver Mr. Muthurasa Aruleswaran died on the way to hospital. TRO Deputy Executive Director Mr.Vadivel Ravichandran, International Coordination Unit Director Mr.Seenithambi Parameswaran and Mannar Deputy Director Mr. Thevasakampillai Maththiyas and Mullikulam Divisional Director Mr.Selvaratnam Nixon were seriously injured and admitted in intensive care unit in Kilinochchi."

"We call upon the International Community to prevail upon the Sri Lankan government to stop the attacks on NGO staff who are doing humanitarian activities to the benefit of the affected people."

(http://www.ltteps.org/)