"I strongly condemn the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) personnel intimidating the Jaffna media not to publish any news of the student agitation calling for the immediate release of the four students. This is a gross violation of the freedom of the press," S. Gajenthiran, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Jaffna parliamentarian said. (More)

Fear and unrest spread across the student community in Jaffna following the abduction of four high school students by armed men Friday, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Jaffna parliamentarians and Jaffna Technical College (JTC) students made a public appeal Monday calling for the immediate release of the four high school students, sources in Jaffna said. (More)

Jaffna offices of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) said Sunday that the number of students abducted by 'white van' armed men has increased to four. R. Ramanendran, 18, a Commerce student at the Jaffna Hindu College has also been reported as the fourth student forcibly abducted by armed men Friday night, HRC sources said citing complaints by Ramendran's parents. Earlier reports said two students from Jaffna Hindu College, and one from St. John's College were abducted. (More)

Three students studying advanced level in two prominent high schools in Jaffna were forcibly abducted Friday night from their homes by armed men arriving in white vans, according to complaints filed by the parents of the students with the Jaffna Human Rights Commission offices. Two are students at Jaffna Hindu College and the third student attends St.John's College. (More)

High School and Secondary school students in Jaffna peninsula returned to their classes on Wednesday, in response to the communiqué issued by Jaffna Students Union calling for an end to the two weeks-old boycott of classes. However, attendence was low at Hartley College, Point Pedro and Velauththam MahaVidyalayam, the schools where two abducted on 17 January were attending classes. (More)

The boycott organized by Vadamaradchy Tamil Students union throughout Jaffna peninsula entered its second week on Monday, with no information received about the whereabouts of the two students abducted in Vadamaradchy three weeks ago. Most students in Jaffna district responded to the call by the Students Union to boycott school activities until the abducted students are released. (More)

The boycott organized by the Vadamaradchy Tamil Students union spread to schools across Jaffna peninsula beginning Monday as two students abducted in Vadamaradchy area earlier, remained captive. Most students in Jaffna district responded to the call by the Students Union to boycott school activities until the abducted students are released. (More)

The boycott of classes by more than 12000 students in Vadamaradchy demanding immediate release of two students from Point Pedro Hartley College and Velayutham Maha Vidyalaym abducted recently entered fifth day Friday, student leaders in Point Pedro said. (More)

More than 15000 students of the schools in Vadamaradchy district began an indefinite boycott of classes on Monday demanding immediate release of two students from Point Pedro Hartley College and Velayutham Maha Vidyalaym abducted recently, student leaders at schools said. (More)

Two civilians transporting goods in a tractor were abducted on Friday morning at 8:00 am at Pallakkadu junction in Anaicottai area near Jaffna municipal area. The abduction was carried out in broad day light in the presence of public by unidentified men who arrived in a white van. Meanwhile, the students of Point Pedro Hartley College and Velayutham Maha Vidyalayam continued their demonstration for the fourth day demanding the release of abducted students from their school. (More)

An advanced level student at Hartley College, Point Pedro has been missing from Monday amidst escalating number of disappearances in Jaffna district. Murugananthan Paramananthan, 19, from Northern coastal town of Viyaparimoolai was on his way to Nelliyadi, 3km south of his home town to attend to personal errands, when he disappeared, the parents said in a complaint filed at the Jaffna offices of the Human Rights Commission (HRC). (More)

Students of Point Pedro Velayutham Boys. School boycotted classes Tuesday demanding the release of the student who went on missing while on his way to attend tuition classes in a bicycle last Friday evening, sources in Point Pedro said. (More)

Students of two of the leading schools in the Jaffna, St Johns College and Chundukuli Girl’s High School, began boycotting classes Monday calling for an end to Sri Lanka Army (SLA) occupation of their schools, and the immediate removal of SLA guard detachments and sentry posts situated in close proximity to their schools, sources in Jaffna said. (More)

The entire student body of Hartley College, Point Pedro boycotted classes Thursday protesting the the abduction of a senior student of the school, administration officials of the school said. Jegatheswaran Gajendran, 18, a Grade-12 student of the school located inside the High Security Zone, was abducted last Sunday and has not been found since. The officials of the Hartley Student Union told the media that the boycott will continue Friday. The students called for urgent action from the Sri Lanka Government to secure the immediate release of Gajendran, who is alleged to have been kidnapped by unidentified men in a white van. (More)

Several hundred Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers cordoned and searched Vadamaradchy areas close to the High Security Zone (HSZ) around 1st, 2nd and 3rd cross streets in Point Pedro Sunday early morning between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. and arrested five members of the same family and a boarding student, accusing them of hiding arms, sources in Point Pedro said. A. Krishnarajah, 47, his wife Kalavathi, 42, and children Ranjini, 27, a student at Jaffna Technical College, Thivakumar, 21, student at Hartley College, and Vijeyaban, 20, another Hartley student were arrested early morning. Details of another student staying with that family who was also arrested are not known. (More)

Students organisations in Jaffna district jointly boycotted schools Monday protesting against increasing Sri Lanka Army(SLA) officers' interference in administrative affairs in Jaffna,student officials said. Meanwhile, though heavily armed police and army took up position from early morning anticipating student unrest in Point Pedro region around Hartley College, Point Pedro Methodist Girls' High School and Mahajana College in Tellipalai, situation remained calm as all students kept away from schools, sources said. (More)

University students protest at Kaladdy in Jaffna turned violent when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers fired at the air and tried to disperse the protestors. The Scandinavian ceasefire monitors who tried to calm the situation had to withdraw from the site at 12:30 p.m. as they were unable to persuade SLA commanders and student leaders. The students protested in support of the demands put forward by the Hartley College and Methodist Girls College students, Point Pedro, against the expansion of Sri Lankan checkposts close to the colleges premises. (More)

Jaffna Student Consortium said Tuesday evening that they have decided to expand the protests across Jaffna district schools Wednesday since the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has not met the demands by the protesting Hartley College students and has continued to use force to suppress student actions the last two days, sources in Jaffna said. (More)

Tension griped Vadamaradchy area as students protests condemning attacks against the students by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) yesterday, and calling for removal of checkpoints near the High Security Zone (HSZ) encompassing Hartley College and Methodist Girls High School, continued for a second day Tuesday, sources in Point Pedro said. (More)

Hundreds of students of Hartley College and Methodist Girls High School located in the High Security Zone (HSZ) in Point Pedro setup road blocks and protested against the Sri Lanka Army's (SLA) attempt to construct a new checkpoint on College Road leading to both schools, Monday at 8 a.m., sources said. SLA soldiers fired warning shots into the air and tear gas to disperse the protesting students. (More)

Sri Lanka Army (SLA) sentry point, serving as the gateway to Hartley College and Methodist Girls High School located within the Point Pedro High Security Zone (HSZ), came under grenade attack at 7 p.m. Saturday sources said. Gunmen riding a motorbike lobbed the grenade and escaped via the Hostel Road. Point Pedro SLA declined to disclose the damages to the sentry. (More)

Computer center Hartley College, Point Pedro, a leading educational institution in the Jaffna district, housing computer equipment estimated to be worth nearly Rs.4 million was completely destroyed by fire Saturday, school officials said. The school is located inside the High Security Zone around the harbor area in Point Pedro. Although the cause for the fire has been attributed to faulty wiring, sources said that due to the location of the school within the HSZ arson cannot be ruled out. (More)

The Sri Lanka Army Wednesday said civilians would be allowed to visit Hartley College and Methodist Girls High School in the high security zone of Point Pedro town in Jaffna district only on Wednesdays and they will need prior permission obtained from the security forces, civil sources said. (More)

The Sri Lanka Army Friday evening denied permission for parents and education officials to enter two leading schools in Jaffna, the Methodists Girls' High School and Hartley College in Point Pedro when they arrived at the army checkpoint near the institutions, parents and officials said. (More)

Jaffna undergrads and the public Tuesday prevented an European Union function attended by Sri Lankan cabinet minister Dr.Jayalath Jayawardene from being held at the Kailasapathy auditorium, Jaffna University, for handing over fifty five schools renovated with the funds provided by the EU, saying they would not allow any Sri Lankan minister to hold any function inside the university premises until students in the peninsula were allowed to pursue their studies free of military pressure of the Sri Lankan government, education department sources said. (More)

School development society officials in Jaffna complained Thursday that the progress of Hartley College and the Methodist Girls High School, premier educational institutions in the Northen Province and located in Point Pedro in the Vadamaradchi division, has been set back as these institutions come under a high security zone imposed by the Sri Lankan security forces. (More)

524 Brigade of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) located in Point Pedro Friday ordered no students and teachers should enter the Hartley College and Methodist Girls College after three p.m. These two leading educational institutions in the Vadamarachchi division are located inside the SLA 524 brigade complex, sources said. (More)

The Principal of Point Pedro Hartley College in Point Pedro, Jaffna, was severely assaulted by a group of unidentified persons Saturday night. Mr. Murugupillai Sripathi, 57, is warded at the Manthikai government hospital, two miles south of Pt.Pedro town.

Hartley College was shut down by the Sri Lanka army earlier this month after students tore down the military's positions in the school during a protest against the SLA's presence there. (More)

The Sri Lanka army arrested a fisherman in Pt. Pedro Friday night around 9. 30 p.m. sources said. Human rights lawyers said the situation is serious because the Sri Lanka army, which has no legal power whatsoever to make arrests after the Emergency lapsed last year, is continuing to take civilians into custody in Pt. Pedro.

The army camp encompasses key areas of the town in and around the jetty. Many public and private buildings and the old Kottadi Pillaiyar Temple lie within the camp. The Pt. Pedro Hartley College and Methodist Girls' High School too were within its defence perimeter until recently. (More)

Soldiers of the Sri Lanka army Tuesday arrested the president of a fisheries co-operative society in Pt. Pedro and a local fisherman for allegedly causing damage to properties belonging to the military during a protest last week by students and parents in the northern town.

The two men were charged for causing damage to the properties of the SLA valued at 243,000 rupees during the agitation by students of the Hartley College and the Methodist Girls" High School in Pt. Pedro last Monday. (More)

Student turn out was very low when the Sri Lanka army permitted the reopening of Hartley College and Pt. Pedro Methodist Girls High School in Jaffna Monday amid tensions, teachers said. Education officials in Vadamaradchi said the attendance of students was very poor on Monday. Advanced level students from the two schools did not attend classes due to fear, teachers said.

Of more two thousand students at Hartley College only around 180 attended classes Monday, teachers said. Of about 3000 students at Methodist Girls High School only 440 attended. Armed Police units have been posted in sentry points at the junction of the main road that leads to these schools. (More)

Sri Lanka's Defence Secretary, Mr. Austin Fernando, said that Point Pedro Hartley College and Methodist Girls High School in Jaffna district are within the high security zone and the roads leading to these schools will not be opened to the public at a conference held at the 52-4 brigade headquarters of the Sri Lanka Army, Point Pedro Saturday afternoon.

When the principals of the schools pointed out that students will not agree to these conditions, Mr. Fernando replied: "This is not our problem. It is the students'. They can make representations to the SLMM and the LTTE, but the army camp in the area will continue to exist."

He also said,"I will submit a report to the Prime Minister on my return to Colombo. We are prepared to close down the camp if the government orders." He was on a one-day visit to Jaffna on the instruction of the Prime Minister. (More)

The Sri Lanka Army Thursday agreed to allow Hartley College and Vadamarachchi Methodist Girls High School in Point Pedro to reopen starting from Monday September 9. Major General Sarath Fonseka said that road leading to Hartley College and Vadamarachi Methodist Girls High school is now open only for students to attend classes. The SLA Monday ordered the closure of these schools until further notice following a serious agitation by students and parents demanding withdrawal of all SLA sentry and checkpoints in the areas. (More)

A complete 'hartal' (general shut down) was observed in Point Pedro and Manthikai areas in the Jaffna peninsula Tuesday in response to a call by the Jaffna Journalists' Association condemning the assault of two journalists and students during the picketing campaign held Monday.

The military ordered the indefinite closure of Hartley College and Vadamarachchi Methodist Girls High School whose students were involved in Monday's protests. Meanwhile, the defence minister Tilak Marapone is reported to have told reporters in Colombo that except students and teachers no others will be allowed to go through the main road which leads to schools Hartley College and Vadamaradchi Methodist Girls High School. (More)

Over two thousand protesting Tamil students Monday forced their way into Sri Lanka Army positions and camps in Point Pedro in the northern Jaffna peninsula, destroying barriers, sentry points and checkpoints.

According to the TamilNet correspondent at the demonstration, more than two thousand students marched through Sivankoviladi area on the Jaffna-Point Pedro road around 10.30 and blocked the main entrance of 524 Brigade headquarters for about fifteen minutes. Thereafter they went in procession through Oodai veethi to College road, which leads to Hartley College and Methodist Girls College forcibly breaking all road barriers, sentries, camps and checkpoints of the SLA. Soldiers manning those points withdrew on seeing the enraged students who advanced towards their positions. (More)

The SLA Monday evening handed over the keys of Poornampillai Hall and Lower Hall, named after two past principals of Hartley College, to Mr. Murugupillai Sripathi who is the school's principal now. The two buildings occupied by the army are 15,840 sq ft. However, the SLA still occupies buildings of the Pt. Pedro law courts, and the Jetty, close to Hartley College.

Although the SLA has vacated Hartley College entirely, it continues to check students and the public at the college road junction sentry point, residents said. Meanwhile Principal M. Sripathy said the two buildings; Poornampillai Hall and Lower Hall have been badly damaged. The Poornampillai Hall is on the verge of collapse due to severe damages to its main beams. Until necessary repairs are done the school buildings cannot be used, he added. (More)

The security forces are being belligerent in not implementing this part of the agreement and have stated on many occasions that they will not vacate some schools until a permanent solution is found. This denial of the rights of Tamil children to attend school has not been registered sufficiently on the consciousness of the international community. We are seeking your assistance to change this apathy among the international community through a concerted campaign. We are asking you to write to people in the list below and raise the following points.(More)

The Sri Lanka Army refused to remove its camp from one of Sri Lanka's leading schools, the Point Pedro Hartley College in Jaffna. The SLA's Jaffna commander has conveyed the decision to the District Additional Director of Education this week. (More)

The military's continuing occupation of Tamil schools and places of worship and the ongoing restrictions on fishing have made a mockery of the permanent ceasefire agreement which came into effect on February 23. (More)

Hundreds of students from two high schools in Point Pedro Thursday protested demanding the immediate removal of Sri Lanka Army camps from their schools' premises. The demonstration, which started at 9 a.m. and ended at 1 p.m., was held in front of the Hartley College, but students from the nearby Vadamaradchi Methodist Girls' College also joined in, sources said. (More)