TamilNet: LTTE Press Release 9/19 id MAA15992; Wed, 24 Sep 1997 12:31:37 -0400 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit ----------------------------------------------------------------- Following Press Release is sent for distribution through TamilNet , by the LTTE international secretariat, 211 Katherine Road, London E6 1BU, United Kingdom, Tel/fax: 0181-470 8593. ----------------------------------------------------------------- LTTE Headquarters, Tamil Eelam. 19.September1997 LTTE PRESS RELEASE NEWS FROM TAMIL EELAM EAST HONOURS LT. COL. THILEEPAN The eastern parts of Tamil Eelam are commemorating the LTTE hero Lt. Col. Thileepan, who died fasting for Tamil aspirations during the IPKF presence in Tamil Eelam. Portraits of Thileepan have been placed in prominent places of Batticaloa and Valaichchenai. As part of the honouring of Thileepan in the east, literary contests are being held in schools, with Thileepan's place in contemporary history being one of the main themes. Sports events are being conducted in the evenings. Tamils in the east are braving the repression they face from the Sinhala army here and are continuing with their celebrations. Meanwhile, in Pooneryn (in the northwest) a boat race is to take place today at Valaipadu harbour as part of the Thileepan commemorations. TEEDOR GIVES LOANS TO BOOST TAMIL EELAM'S ECONOMY TEEDOR in conjunction with the indigenous LTTE Tamil administration is continuing to help build the economy of Tamil Eelam and alleviate poverty. The economic development organisation has just granted loans to 24 families from Ularanoor in Visvamadu (2500 rupees each) to begin self-employment projects. The loans are given under very easy repayment terms. LT. COL. VICTOR TO BE REMEMBERED FONDLY A sports festival will be held in Tamil Eelam to mark the 11th death anniversary of Lt. Col Victor. An LTTE central committee member and former commander of LTTE forces in Mannar, Lt. Col. Victor will be fittingly remembered by a massive sports festival that will take place in Mannar from 27/9/97 to 12/10/97. Football, athletics, volleyball and cricket are among the games to be played. RAPIST SOLDIERS GETTING AWAY SCOTT-FREE Sinhalese soldiers who rape Tamil women in occupied Jaffna are not being prosecuted, leading educationalists say. They have expressed dismay at how the Sri Lankan attorney general's department deliberately drags its feet over cases of murder and rape filed against Sinhalese soldiers. Cases are filed only to be left in abeyance for want of prosecution. This contrasts sharply with the number of false charges filed against Tamil civilians under the draconian prevention of terrorism act. Two soldiers stand accused of raping a Tamil woman of Araly. The Jaffna magistrate has ordered them to be remanded until the 23rd of this month but it is a forgone conclusion that these soldiers - like all others before them - will be discharged for want of prosecution. ARMY HARMS ENVIRONMENT AND EXPLOITS TAMIL CIVILIANS The forest wealth of Kaddaiparichan (Trincomalee district) is steadily being eroded by the Sinhala military. Valuable trees are being cut down ostensibly for "security reasons", but the timber is actually being sold by Sri Lankan army officers for profit. This is a racket being performed with impunity by senior members of the police and army. Moreover, Tamil civilians are being forced into free labour as woodcutters in this sinister activity. Tamils who newly enter army-controlled areas are also being exploited into such practices. Their identity papers are taken from them and they are kept in detention until their assigned tasks are completed. The Tamils of Sampur, Kunitheevu, Paddalipuram, Ilakanthai and Kaddaiparichan are facing the worst of this army exploitation. 13 INNOCENT TAMILS ARRESTED UNDER PTA 13 Tamil agricultural labourers from Trincomalee who had gone to Kantalai (Trincomalee district) in search of work on paddy fields were recently arrested by Sinhala police and charged under the prevention of terrorism act. Lacking any substance at all, the cases against them did not hold and had to be dropped. However, the magistrate warned them to "keep the peace" before letting them go. Political Committee, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (English translation of the LTTE statement released by LTTE International Secretariat, 211 Katherine Road, London E6 1BU, United Kingdom. Tel:0181- 503 4294) ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytas-09.24.97-12:31:38-23897