In brief
Refugee return
Australia returned 37 Sri Lankans who landed in August on Cocos Island, 1,750 miles north-west of Perth, to Colombo by plane on 14 November. The Criminal Investigation Department detained them on arrival, but released them later. Australia expelled 9,523 persons in 2000 under immigration laws.
Tiger deaths
The LTTE say 17,472 cadre died in the 18-year war up to 20 November 2001. This includes 3,728 women, 239 Black Tiger suicide cadre and 264 members of Tamil group and LTTE ally, EROS.
Fishermen shot
The Sri Lankan Navy fired and killed an Indian fisherman in early November near Vedaraniyam, 25 miles south of Nagapattinam in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Another fisherman was seriously wounded.
Journalist attack
Reporter for Batticaloa journal Thinakathir (Daily Ray), Lakshmanan Thevathiran, was assaulted by two officers of the Education Department on 2 November while probing allegations of corruption in the department involving funds allocated for student scholarship.
Satellite campaign
In a satellite transmission to Jaffna on 21 November, President Chandrika said that she was aware of the problems of the Jaffna people and called for co-operation of the LTTE and the Tamil parties for solutions.
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