by Danielle Vella 20 August marks the first anniversary of the disappearance of a Catholic priest and his assistant in Jaffna. The Apostolic Nuncio says the investigations promised by the authorities are proceeding slowly, and “one can only entrust them into the hands of the Lord”. There is the “cosmetic” commitment of the government to check the increase in disappearances, a violation for which Sri Lanka ranks second only to Iraq. One year after a young Catholic priest,Fr Thiruchelvam Nihal Jimbrown, and his assistant, Wenceslaus Vimalathas, disappeared in Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka, still nothing is known of their fate and no one has been called to account for what happened to them.
The transcript of Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd's statement regarding his visit to a New York nightclub in 2003: I have met Mr Col Allan at least three times in New York. At no stage on any of those visits did I make any request of Mr Allan to take me, or anybody else, to a club of any description.The only recollection I have of going to a bar or club with Mr Allan was when I was in the company of Warren Snowdon.Mr Snowdon and I believe that occurred in September, 2003, when we were both in New York.
Web Genocide Documentation Centre Launched by Nitharsanam In a press release,Head of Nitharsanam Multimedia News Agency, RANJAN JOHANANTHAN, unveiled 'Database of Genocide Victims' as an ambitious initiative to document all racially motivated killings in Sri Lanka over the past 100 years.
Mr.Siva Pillai of London, has been recently honoured with EAL-European Award for languages-2007 (Tamil -Language teachings). This brings lot of attention from the local main stream schools about the (Tamil) language teaching methods developed by Mr.Siva Pillai in UK. He is an oldboy of Jaffna Hindu College, Jaffna, Sri Lanka and active Tamil Computing Activist.
After being behind bars for a long time, actor Monica Bedi was released on bail recently. She was arrested about five years ago in two fake passport cases. In the Hyderabad case, on being convicted, she was given a three-year sentence. On appealing, the Supreme Court suspended her sentence and granted her bail but as she could not accomplish the bail bond as she was facing another passport forgery case in Bhopal. Now that she is out and in a serious attempt to lead a decent life, she has expressed a desire to make a comeback to films.
'Nutty Professor' Rajiva Wijesinha has launched a menacing attack on the international renowned Human Rights Watch (HRW) group.Accusing the HRW of working for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) the Prof who was once suspended from a famous university allegedly for pinching the bottom of a female student said 'this campaign is pushed by various youngsters who have found in Sri Lanka employment at a level they could not dream of in their own countries'.Wijesinha is said to be bitterly disappointed with a recent HRW report that highlighted indiscriminate violence perpetrated by the Sri Lankan military against the Tamil civilians of the island.
A top Sri Lankan government official called U.N. Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes a "terrorist" on Wednesday after he voiced concern about aid worker safety on the island last week.Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, who is also the island's highways minister, told a media briefing he believed Holmes had taken a bribe from separatist Tamil Tiger rebels and had deliberately tried to harm Sri Lanka's reputation. "I would say Holmes is completely a terrorist, a terrorist who supports terrorism. We consider people who support terrorists also terrorists," Fernandopulle told the briefing in the Sinhala language.
Today is the first anniversary of the outrageous bombing of Senchcholai by the Sri Lankan Air Force. There are certain specific features of this massacre which sets it apart from all the other atrocities committed by the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL). In addition to being a humanitarian outrage, there is a legal dimension which demands international action.
Hindu Ahalaya Sangam is pleased to announce that the Nadananjali School of Dance is staging a show in aid of Selvavinayar Temple on Saturday 25th of August, 2007 at 6.00PM at the Indooroopilly State High School. Tickets can be purchased at the door.
Tamil Youth Organisation New Zealand (TYONZ) is extremely saddened, disappointed and outraged to hear of another senseless death of a young Tamil in Sri Lankan. A mere three months after the murder of promising young journalist Selvarajah Rajivarman, who’s murder is yet to be solved, another young media voice has been brutally shut much in the same fashion. Sahathevan Deluxshan, 22, a young media student at Jaffna University Media Research and Training Center and a part time journalist was shot dead on Wednesday 1st of August around 5:00 AM by gunmen on motor cycles. The unidentified gunmen called him out of his house, in Kokkuvil, West Jaffna, and gunned him down. Deluxshan was well known as one of the editors of 'Chaa'laram', a popular student magazine published by Jaffna District Student Federation. He also actively participated in the second death anniversary of assassinated journalist Tharaki Sivaram held recently.
Courtesy: Alan Ramsey, August 4, 2007, Sydney Morning Herald Be careful of your friends. And watch out if you see Kevin Andrews coming. John Howard's Australia four months before an election is an absurdly melancholy place to be. To watch Howard take his bottomless bucket of money to Tasmania this week is to know how absurd. To read the transcripts of 13 radio and TV interviews the hapless Andrews gave on Tuesday and Wednesday is to know the Immigration Minister is only doing his Prime Minister's bidding, however clumsily he is doing it.Andrews has a "suspicion" about India's Mohamed Haneef. He insists he still has it. This "suspicion" is why he withdrew Haneef's work visa on "character grounds" and intended deporting him. Andrews told us so this week, many times over, even though the bungled charge of "recklessly" aiding a "terrorist organisation" had been dropped and Haneef allowed to return home to India last weekend.
The lawyer for Dr Mohamed Haneef has accused Australian authorities of jeopardising the appeal against the cancellation of the doctor's work visa.Solicitor Peter Russo said today public comments from Australian Federal Police commissioner Mick Keelty and Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews since a terror charge against Dr Haneef was dropped last week were tainting the Federal Court case.He also hit out at leaks from authorities, including reports out of India that his client had been linked to al-Qaeda - something Mr Russo has rejected as "simply untrue"."Every day there are new leaks and claims that can only come from official sources, and inflammatory remarks by Mr Keelty and Mr Andrews, both of whom should shut up because they are tainting a matter before the Federal Court," Mr Russo said.
Tamil Brisbane community, through their tireless efforts, recently helped refugees and orphans in wartorn eastern parts of Sri Lanka, recipients said in a thanking letter. Tamil Brisbane Community raised $7,162.00 by organizing a Food Stall at Zillmere Multicultural Festival in May 07 and donated $4,917.00 to needy refugees and orphans through, Social Welfare Organisation (SWO). A small function was organized by SWO in Sri Lanka to distribute, these basic essential items to female family (155) members of the IDPs on 13th of July 2007, volunteers said.
6:30PM Saturday, 4 August 2007 Venue: Schonell Theatre, Union Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia We need at least 80 people to cover the cost to show this movie. Please register your interest & the number of tickets you need before this Wednesday. If we get enough bookings then we will confirm the show by Thursday via e-mail to you. Please register your interest early by contacting on 0402 960 439 or
Web Genocide Documentation Centre Launched by Nitharsanam
Today is the first anniversary of the outrageous bombing of Senchcholai by the Sri Lankan Air Force. There are certain specific features of this massacre which sets it apart from all the other atrocities committed by the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL). In addition to being a humanitarian outrage, there is a legal dimension which demands international action. 
Hindu Ahalaya Sangam is pleased to announce that the Nadananjali School of Dance is staging a show in aid of Selvavinayar Temple on Saturday 25th of August, 2007 at 6.00PM at the Indooroopilly State High School. Tickets can be purchased at the door.
Tamil Youth Organisation New Zealand (TYONZ) is extremely saddened, disappointed and outraged to hear of another senseless death of a young Tamil in Sri Lankan. A mere three months after the murder of promising young journalist Selvarajah Rajivarman, who’s murder is yet to be solved, another young media voice has been brutally shut much in the same fashion. Sahathevan Deluxshan, 22, a young media student at Jaffna University Media Research and Training Center and a part time journalist was shot dead on Wednesday 1st of August around 5:00 AM by gunmen on motor cycles. The unidentified gunmen called him out of his house, in Kokkuvil, West Jaffna, and gunned him down. Deluxshan was well known as one of the editors of 'Chaa'laram', a popular student magazine published by Jaffna District Student Federation. He also actively participated in the second death anniversary of assassinated journalist Tharaki Sivaram held recently.
